Fae

Faeries, Pixies, and Sprites are a race of diminutive beings, most are no larger than a few inches, but have managed to survive for as long as any historian can recall, despite attempted genocide by a number of individuals and enemy races.

Lifespan
Young: 100 Years
Adult: 200 Years
Middle Age: 500 Years
Old: 1,000 Years
Venerable: 1,200 Years

Known Language: Fae

History
Long known to those that travel and adventure in the lands, these minuscule individuals have aided and assisted those in need when times are dire, however, they have always managed to do so in a discreet fashion. Only in recent years have the Fae races allowed themselves to be known outside of their own lands.

People have often wondered how it is that faeries have managed to avoid confrontation with the world around them for so long, though the answer is quite simple. When threatened, faeries have the ability to become invisible, often escaping from dangerous situations without having ever been discovered.

Description
Describing the race of the faeries is quite hard to do. Despite their small size, there is an incredible variety to the features and forms of these mischief loving creatures. The average fae species stands between 3" and 9" inches tall, weighing upwards of three pounds for the largest.

Faeries, as the most commonly described species, look like very finely sculpted miniature humans. With regal features and incredible beauty, the only thing that sets them apart from a human would be the small wings that sprout from their back, often iridescent and nearly translucent, they are very much like those of a dragonfly or more uncommon, colored and tapered, like those of a butterfly.

Less common are the various species of sprites, which are like miniature humans, with the exceptions of slightly insect like attributes. These may be antennae, multi-faceted eyes, or even insect like appendages and extremities. Regardless of these attributes, they are still quite like Faeries in their activities and way of life.

Pixies are slightly smaller than Faeries and Sprites, however, what they lack in size, they make up for in energy. Whenever someone has commented upon a being speaking as quickly as a Faerie or having as much energy as a Sprite, it was most likely a Pixie they were talking about. While having no distinguishing characteristics, beyond their own inability to be calm or relax for more than a few moments, to claim a faerie is a pixie is quite the insult, pixies feel the same way about being labeled as a faerie.

Advantages
• Regardless of their characteristics and what type of Fae they are, faeries, pixies, and sprites share the same basic abilities.
• The Fae races have a strong sense of curiosity and an almost unquenchable thirst to know about the world all around them. Because of this, they receive a +1 bonus to their Intelligence scores.
• Small size is often coupled with the ability to move quickly. When you cannot overpower an enemy with brute force, often times, your best bet is to stay out of the way. Faeries receive a +3 bonus to their Dexterity scores.
•Being creatures with innate magical abilities, faeries are able to form several spells, regardless of their class. Once per day, for every level of the character, a faerie may cast the Level 1 Mage Spell, “Glitterdust.” Once per day, a faerie may cast the Level 2 Nature Prayer, “Faerie Fire”. The faerie’s concentration rate for these spells is 40%, or the character’s normal concentration, whichever is higher.
• It takes one round for a fae to become invisible, though it only lasts for as long as they concentrate. This means that while a fae fly or walk while invisible, any attempt to activate an item, cast a spell, or make a physical attack will cause them to blink back into reality. This ability may be used as often as the fae desires. Oddly enough, this invisibility does not hide them from other faeries, which may be why it is so rare for these creatures to trouble amongst themselves.
• Faeries have developed limited Darkvision, allowing them to see in the dark. This vision has a range of 30 feet.
• When fighting creatures of medium size or larger, faeries receive a +5% to their hit and evade, while imposing a -5% to their enemies evade totals. This is due to the size difference and the fact that faeries have spent centuries chasing away and running off enemies of much larger sizes.
• Faerie characters that take the 'Poisons' skill gain the ability to make a special poison. This poison, which is primarily used in defense of Fae cities and people, is intended to disable its victims. This poison costs 50 gold to make, imposes a -20% penalty to the check, and may only be properly used by faeries. On the first round after application, the poison causes the victim to behave as if they were drunk, suffering a -5% to hit and evade. In the second round, the victim becomes drowsy, increasing these penalties to -15%. In the third round, the victim falls into a deep sleep, lasting until the sun rises or sets. Any damage done will awaken them. Faeries use this poison to subdue larger enemies and then through combined effort, move them out of the area. Faeries may also produce an antidote to this poison at the normal penalties for concocting an antidote.

Disadvantages
• Due to their small size and and incredibly high metabolism, faeries are not known to be as durable as most of the larger races. Because of this, faeries suffer a -2 to their Constitution Score.
• With such small bodies, it is quite hard for a faerie to have any considerable amount of strength. Due to this, faeries suffer a -2 penalty to their Strength score.
• Faeries, being slight of form, are unable to build the muscle mass of other races. Because of this, Faeries have a maximum Strength score of 5. However, also because of this, faeries have a minimum Strength score of 3.
• Due to the frailty of their small size, faeries are at danger from larger enemies. Damage inflicted by medium sized weapons is done with a +5 bonus. Damage inflicted with large weapons is done with a +10 bonus. Damage done by two handed weapons is done with a +15 bonus.
• When a faerie is struck by a weapon two or more sizes (Any weapon the size of a short sword or larger) above their own, they run the risk of being seriously injured. Faeries struck in this fashion must make a Constitution check to avoid being swatted from the air. Failure of this Constitution check means that the faerie has been knocked to the ground, losing a round of actions, as well as suffering a -5% to hit and evade for one round. A critical failure means that the faerie has been knocked unconscious for a period of d3 rounds.
• All species of faeries have an incredible lust for shiny and sweet things. While they can often control these more base desires, it should be taken into consideration that unless the situation is incredibly dire, a lump of candy or a sparkling trinket will convince a faerie to do what you need.
• Faeries have an extreme distaste for salt. While they can consume food with salt in it, too much salt will actually cause the faerie discomfort. Extended exposure to a high salt content, such as being locked in a jar with it or submerged in salt water, will cause the faerie to break out into terrible, itching sores. These sores reduce the faeries attack and evade caps by 5%. Eventually, a faerie could die in such a fashion, though most likely it would be due to infection or starvation, not the actual salt itself.

Restrictions
• Faeries are unable to wield weapons not designed for their race in most situations. Faeries may wield daggers, dirks, or knives of human design, but must use two hands when doing so, and suffer a -5% to their attack and evade cap while fighting.
• Faeries are unable to wear any armor or clothing not designed for their kind.
• Due to the fae frame's lack of strength, faeries cannot be barbarians, druids, fighters, or paladins.
• Evil faeries are a rare thing, but known to happen. However, even more uncommon, is a faerie of a Lawful Alignment. Because of their own chaotic nature, faeries are unable to take any Lawful Alignment. However, all other alignments are open to them.

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