TM

ELVES
Written by ALDEN LOVESHADE
Edited by SEAN PUNCH
Illustrated by GUY BURWELL and SHEA RYAN
Additional Material by ROGER BURTON WEST, STEVE JACKSON,
PHIL MASTERS, DAVID MORGAN-MAR, DAVID L. PULVER, SEAN PUNCH,
WILLIAM H. STODDARD, and JONATHAN WOODWARD

GURPS System Design z STEVE JACKSON Chief Executive Officer z PHILIP REED
GURPS Line Editor z SEAN PUNCH Chief Creative Officer z SAM MITSCHKE
GURPS Project Manager z STEVEN MARSH Chief Operating Officer z SUSAN BUENO
Production Artist and Indexer z NIKOLA VRTIS Director of Sales z ROSS JEPSON
GURPS FAQ Maintainer z Page Design z PHIL REED and JUSTIN DE WITT
VICKY “MOLOKH” KOLENKO ­­­Art Direction and Prepress Checker z NIKOLA VRTIS

Lead Playtester: Roger Burton West

Playtesters: Sam Baughn, Topher Brennan, John Dallman, Peter V. Dell’Orto, Rory Fansler,
Bertram Jänsch, David Johnston, Phil Masters, Anders Starmark, and William H. Stoddard
Dedicated in memory of Michael Lee Viviano, a.k.a. Kilmore – creator and head GM
of the world of Edyleine, where several things in this supplement appeared for the first time.

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trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated, or used under license. GURPS Fantasy Folk: Elves is copyright © 2021 by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. All rights reserved.
Stanza of poem “Elves” on p. 11 copyright © 2003-2021 by Lorien Loveshade, used with permission.
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 Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Publication History . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
1. History of the Elves . . . . 4
The Banestorm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Elves of Yrth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Elves of Dungeon Fantasy . . . . . .
Elves of Elsewhere . . . . . . . . . . . .
Elves in Myth and Folklore . . . . .
Secret History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Crafter Elves? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. Elven Culture . . . . . . . . . 6
Cultural Traits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cultural Familiarities . . . . . . .
Languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Social Organization . . . . . . . . . . .
Elven Leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Elven Communities . . . . . . . . .
Military Matters . . . . . . . . . . . .
Elves in Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Everyday Life of the Elves . . . . . .
Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
His, Hers, and Theirs . . . . . . . .
Jobs and Responsibilities . . . .
Elven Agriculture . . . . . . . . . . .
Arts and Entertainment . . . . . . . .
Religion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Eternal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Druidism, Polytheism,
and Other Beliefs . . . . . . . .
Holidays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. Elves and Other Races . 10
Elves and What? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
4. Racial Templates . . . . . . 11
Elves (Standard) . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Generic Elf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Unaging? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Generic Fantasy Elf . . . . . . . .
Yrth Elf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Physiology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Psychology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Elves (Variations) . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dark Elf
(Dungeon Fantasy) . . . . . .
Dark Elf (Yrth) . . . . . . . . . . . .
Deep Elf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Eldritch Elf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Half-Elf (Dungeon Fantasy) .
Half-Elf (Yrth) . . . . . . . . . . . .
High Elf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mountain Elf . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Underwater Archery . . . . . . . .19
Wildspeak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Martial Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Underwater Battles . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Powers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Sea Elf (Dungeon Fantasy) . . 15 Spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Sea Elf (Yrth) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Singing Trees . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Even More Elves? . . . . . . . . . . 15 Waterproof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Shadow Elf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Sky Elf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 6. Iconic Professions . . . . . 21
4 Winged Elf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Forest Warden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
4 Wood Elf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Other Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
4 Giladilofotajovi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
5 5. Racial Abilities . . . . . . . 17
Advantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 7. Equipping Elves . . . . . . . 23
5
Perks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Clothing and Armor . . . . . . . . . . 23
5
Common Advantages . . . . . . . 17 Spider Silk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
5
Talent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Terrain Adaptation . . . . . . . . .18 Elven Bows Table . . . . . . . . . . 24
6 Tree Walking . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Elven Longbow . . . . . . . . . . . 24
6 Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Elven Warbow . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
6 Early Maturation . . . . . . . . . . 18 Sea Elf Archers . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
6 Disadvantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Elven Seabow . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
6 Code of Honor . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Mounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
7 Dependency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Elven Elk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
7 Phobias . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Orca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
7 Quirks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Animal Companions . . . . . . . . . . 25
7 Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Common Disadvantages . . . . . . . 19
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
8
8
8
8
8 About GURPS
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Contents 2
 Introduction
It was not the largest dragon Sir Jacques had heard of, but GURPS Fantasy, and Dungeon Fantasy Companion 2. It
it was the biggest he’d ever seen. The wounded Sir Jacques de also borrows from GURPS Bio-Tech, GURPS Power-Ups 2:
la Croix knew that even an adolescent dragon could take off his Perks, GURPS Thaumatology: Magical Styles, and “GURPS
head with one bite – and this was no adolescent. Fathom Five” in Pyramid #3/26: Underwater Adventures.
The dragon started to rear up its dark, long-necked head like
an enormous venomous snake, but that was its last mistake.
Seeing the white throat exposed, the bleeding knight thrust his
sword with all his remaining might. Impaled from throat to
brain, the dragon froze. Then, suddenly, it fell – on top of the
badly wounded Sir Jacques.
A moment passed, then another. Then a very young girl
crawled out from her hiding place in the shadowy bushes on the
edge of the ancient forest. Her flowing blonde hair blew in the
warm summer breeze. She blinked several times with eyes the
color of a clear morning sky. The little elf girl knew the human
had saved her life, but did not see where he had gone.
Milasiel stood and squinted in the bright sunlight, and spoke
as bravely as she could manage: “Please, kind man,” she said in
her native elven tongue, with the accent of the Maluviel clan,
“Please, tell me, where are you?”
The frightened child brushed her hair back from her pointed
right ear, and listened carefully. But the only answer was a noisy
puff of smoke from the dragon’s mouth as the creature exhaled
and expired.
Elves are among the most popular races in roleplaying,
and they are much more than skinny, pointy-eared humans.
Not only do their form and function vary greatly in fantasy,
but they also dwell in the realms of science fantasy, science
fiction, steampunk, horror, and more. The wood elves, sea
elves, mountain elves, half-elves, dark elves, sky elves, and
other elves in this supplement can be heroes, victims, Patrons,
Allies, Dependents, and even Enemies in almost any genre.
GURPS Fantasy Folk: Elves is for gamers who want the
depth of mythic adventures in exotic lands – and also for those
who prefer the hack-and-slash, kill-the-monsters-and-take-
their-stuff approach of GURPS Dungeon Fantasy. It collects
all things elven from a number of GURPS books and beyond.
It also gives suggestions for featuring elves in GURPS Infinite
Worlds, GURPS Space, and other campaigns, including the
GM’s original creations. About the Author
This work introduces new elven races, advantages, dis- This is Alden Loveshade’s first supplement for Steve
advantages, perks, quirks, and more. These are intended for Jackson Games. A self-proclaimed “keybard,” he wrote his
GURPS, but the discussions of history, culture, and so on first professionally published piece (a poem) when he was 16;
could prove useful in any game featuring elves. it mentions an elf. He considers himself lucky to have been
This is a guide to the elf – but, like an elven tree house, paid as a journalist, columnist, reviewer, playwright, and fic-
nothing is set in stone. The GM, or the player with the GM’s tion author, including publishing stories set in his GURPS
permission, is free to adapt and change anything. campaign worlds. One of his GURPS elf PCs recently cele-
brated her 700th birthday. Alden’s not quite that old. He lives

Publication History
This is the first edition of GURPS Fantasy Folk: Elves.
It sprouted from the material on elves in Third Edition’s
GURPS Fantasy Folk, but grew well beyond that. It trans-
plants things elven from the GURPS Basic Set, GURPS
Banestorm, GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 3: The Next Level,
offline in the woods where he practices elven garden agricul-
ture, and lives online at AldenLoveshade.com.
He thanks the Lords of Ozona for sparking his love of
roleplaying, the Ek-sen-trik Mountain SCAdians for fanning
the flame, the Strategicon Denizens of Davenford for spread-
ing the blaze, and the Elves of Edyleine for keeping the home
fires burning.

Introduction 3
 Chapter One
History of
the Elves
“Finally, somebody who’s not talking Ren Faire speak,” said
the man. “Can’t understand a word of that stuff. Like the ears,
though.”
The elf woman brushed her very long blonde hair away from
her pointed right ear. “I can speak several languages, including
yours,” she replied. The man was obviously human, and also
obviously from Earth. As someone who had for decades tracked
victims unwillingly transported by the Banestorm, Milasiel
Maluviel had a job to do – a job she sometimes hated.
“Glad that weird storm’s over,” the Earth man said. “Where
am I, anyway?”
The man had a profession, friends, even a family. Milasiel
knew his memory of the people and things he loved would soon
be gone. But it had to be done. The future of Yrth depended on it.
“You are home,” she answered.
The history of elves varies from story to story, genre to
genre, world to world. And even the long-lived elves may not
know it all.
T B
he anestorm
The Banestorm was a massive, misfiring, dark-elf-created
spell. It brought – and still brings – creatures and people of
other races to the world of Yrth (in GURPS Banestorm). But, as
GURPS Infinite Worlds shows, the GM needn’t limit it to Yrth.
For a campaign with magic but not elves, some form of the
storm would be an excellent way to introduce elves. It could also
bring something new to a campaign that already has them.
The storm – or something similar – could be used with GURPS
Space. A wormhole, black hole-white hole connection, or inter-
stellar nexus could transport elves or other beings. It could be a
natural phenomenon, a purposely or accidentally opened space
portal of an ancient race, or a massive psionic cataclysm.
And the Banestorm could bring in more than creatures and
people. The spell stripped mana from hundreds of thousands of
square miles of Yrth, and elven villages disappeared. What’s to
say it didn’t deposit both the elves and the magical energy in a
formerly nonmagical world?
Turning things around, the Banestorm or something like it
might not introduce new races to the PCs, but introduce the
heroes to new people and a new world. They could be snatched
from their home and dropped somewhere else – including the
world of Yrth, with its elves.
History of the
Elves of Yrth
On the world of Yrth (GURPS Banestorm), elves have
existed for untold millennia. Some claim that, long ago, they
built great cities. This is puzzling, given elves’ seeming need
for the forest or, in the case of sea elves, the ocean; the expla-
nation may be buried in their hidden history.
Their earliest recorded history goes back only a little over
two thousand years. Those early scrolls tell of elven tribes
struggling against nature, orcs, and sometimes dwarves. But
scholars suspect that elves of that time recorded only major
events such as threats and disasters; their songs, poems, sto-
ries, and traditions were passed down orally.
Somewhere around 1,500 years ago, Yrth’s only known
continent of Ytarria was, for the most part, peaceful. Elves
lived and traded in concord with dwarves; war between them
was something found only in old tales.
Orcs were a different issue. They would sometimes raid elf
villages, or set forests afire to clear areas for hunting.
After many years of this, the Defenders of the Shaded
Woodlands (called “dark elves” by others) decided
they needed a final solution. Almost a thousand years
ago, groups of powerful mages worked to create a
massive spell to end the “orc problem” once and for
all. For more on the Yrth storm and possible varia-
tions, see The Banestorm (above).
Now, most elves live in tribes and small settle-
ments led by elders, but some dwell in human towns.
The template for the standard Yrth elf is on p. 12.
See also those for the dark elf (p. 13), half-elf (p. 14),
and sea elf (p. 15).
E lves of
D ungeon antasy F
Building social networks and alliances, and
gaining a deep understanding of foreign cultures,
are not primary goals of the GURPS Dungeon
Fantasy series. The priority there is to kill monsters
and take their stuff. Therefore, Dungeon Fantasy
largely skips over elements of history and culture.
However, there’s no reason why the GM couldn’t
broaden the background with bits of interesting his-
tory – especially if it leads to finding that long-hid-
den dungeon in the midst of the forbidden forest!
Elves 4
Even dungeon crawls can, over time, develop their own
history.
Templates for the half-elf, high elf, mountain elf, sea elf,
shadow elf, winged elf, and wood elf are on pp. 14-16. If the
GM wants to incorporate those races into another kind of
GURPS campaign, some history and culture from this supple-
ment can add depth and breadth.
Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian elves, however, are tradi-
tionally depicted as diminutive people. These loose invisible
arrows to cause elf-shot (sudden shooting pains – this could
be the Pain spell, p. B244).
While elves are usually thought to be fictional, histori-
cally, many people believed they were real; some still do. The
huldufólk, or hidden people, of Icelandic and Faroese folklore
are sometimes thought to be elves; they’re often described as

Elves of Elsewhere living under rocks or in a parallel world, and as being capable
of turning invisible. In some interpretations of Norse mythol-
In GURPS Fantasy Folk for GURPS Third Edition, unag- ogy, light or “good” elves (ljósálfar) and dark elves (dökkálfar)
ing elves are the firstborn. They accept the natural order, and inhabit separate realms. The related Irish and Scottish beings
are content knowing that they will eventually leave the mortal called aos sí, meaning “people of the mound (sidhe),” are
world behind to newer, shorter-lived people. physical, not supernatural. Other elf-related entities include
Long ago, the dark elves came under the influence of a sin- the European fairy, Greek satyr, Nordic nisse, Asian djinn,
ister eldritch god and fought other elves. Their defeat and exile Mexican chaneque, Sioux canotila, Irish leprechaun, and
from elven society led to their bigotry against others – elves Māori patupaiarehe.
included. Some changed their ways, and were gradually In the 16th and 17th centuries, little or no distinction
accepted back, but some young elves voluntarily embraced was made between “elf” and “fairy”; Edmund Spenser’s The
their intolerance. Faerie Queene uses the two terms interchangeably. William
Elves and dwarves had both battled orcs before meeting Shakespeare has impish, diminutive beings in A Midsummer
each other. They may have mistaken each other for variant Night’s Dream, as does fellow Elizabethan Michael Drayton in
orcs, and a great war was fought because of that mistake. some of his works. These apparently led to the small cobbler
While the war is long over, it is not forgotten (although many elves of the Brothers Grimm, which became Christmas elves
of the “remembered” details are likely inaccurate). in the hands of Louisa May Alcott and others.
In other worlds, elves may have moved past battle – or be More recently, Lord Dunsany’s The King of Elfland’s
embroiled in it. In GURPS Horror or GURPS Zombies, elves Daughter and J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings popu-
could be heroes, villains, or victims. Elven tribes might meet larized the human-sized elf of modern roleplaying games. A
dwarven prospectors in a GURPS Old West or GURPS Big variety of elves appear in novels such as Poul Anderson’s The
Lizzie game. GURPS Infinite Worlds features elven and other Broken Sword, Raymond E. Feist’s Rides a Dread Legion, and
domains, and anything – including elves – could gain extraor- Charles Stross’s The Nightmare Stacks. Novel series featuring
dinary powers in GURPS Supers. elves include Terry Brooks’s Shannara, J.K. Rowling’s Harry
Beings similar to mythic elves in Third Edition supple- Potter, and Kim Harrison’s The Hollows series. And some mod-
ments include the Sidhe of GURPS Celtic Myth, the soulless ern authors call their race “sidhe” instead of “elves.”
of GURPS Fantasy II: The Mad Lands, and the alvar or alfar But the world’s most famous elf is described as “little” in
of GURPS Vikings. a poem usually attributed to Clement Clarke Moore. He uses
The elf template from p. B316 is reiterated on p. 11, and a miniature sleigh pulled by tiny reindeer in “A Visit from St.
templates for the new deep elf, eldritch elf, and sky elf are on Nicholas”: the “right jolly old elf,” Santa Claus.
pp. 13-14, 16. The Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying
Game has its own take on elves (for the dark elf
from Dungeon Fantasy Companion 2, see p. 13),
and the supporting Norðlondr Fólk supplement Secret History
from Gaming Ballistic features the elfàrd (true Were wood elves always forest dwellers, or did they once live
or high elf) and the hálfálfar (half-elf). Pyramid in great cities? If elves began in the forest, where did those that
#3/50: Dungeon Fantasy II includes an old-school frequent towns and villages – not to mention sea elves and winged
“elf as a profession” template. For even more vari- elves – come from? Were some elves secretly transformed into the
eties, see the “typical” elf, elf royalty, elf-kin, and original orcs? The elves’ background could remain a mystery, or
more in the Discworld Roleplaying Game. lead to a series of adventures to uncover their hidden past.

Elves in Myth Crafter Elves?

and Folklore
Scholars don’t know when the concept of elves
began, but it was over a thousand years ago. A
form of the word “elf” exists in the Royal Prayer
Book of the late eighth to early ninth century. Elves
in some Germanic myths are beautiful, magical,
seductive beings that can help or harm humans,
even making them and their livestock ill. These are
apparently human-sized (or at least can appear
so, as they are often described as supernatural).
From “The Elves and the Shoemaker” to Santa’s elves, reported
from the North to the South Pole, fiction and folklore often fea-
ture “elves” who make or repair clothing, furniture, toys, etc. These
are smaller than humans (the better to hide in the wainscoting!)
and gifted craftspeople. In fantasy gaming, this description fits
not elves but gnomes; e.g., in GURPS Dungeon Fantasy, gnomes
have SM ‑1 and a racial Talent for tool use (Widget-Worker). While
more often associated with dwarves than with elves, there’s no rea-
son why gnomes couldn’t be an elven sub-race – or even a magi-
cally created cross between elves and dwarves! – if the GM prefers.

History of the Elves 5

 Chapter Two
Elven Culture
“I enjoyed Bu-Shorreli’s visit, I really did,” said the winged
elf Vandiskia. “She has a beautiful singing voice, I enjoyed her
poetry, and she could play music through her pair of conch shells
that I did not think possible. I do believe in living in harmony
with others, including elves who are . . . different. But honestly,
she spent most of her visit immersed in Drucilla’s Pond.”
“Well,” pointed out his wife Loramarí, “she is a sea elf.”
“I know, and I understand that.” Vandiskia sighed. “Some-
times I wonder, though, what it’s like to be an elf that cannot fly.”
“Perhaps,” mused Loramarí, “she wonders what it’s like to be
an elf that can’t swim.”
Fictional races can seem stereotyped. However, the mental
processes and behavioral patterns of real-life species can dif-
fer so much as to obscure the differences between individuals.
For instance, if humans ever encounter an intelligent alien
race, they might seem “stereotypical” – and humans might
seem so to them. As with all things, it’s up to the GM to decide
how to handle this in a campaign.
The elven cultures described here fit what most roleplayers
are looking for – with some unexpected variations. The GM
can throw players a curve by having very different elven soci-
eties, as in the fantasy comic book Elfquest. In a GURPS Space
campaign, elves forced to leave the woods might bring the for-
est with them in the form of plants in their quarters or even an
onboard arboretum, and squabble with non-elven shipmates
over the “waste of precious cargo space” (see Elves in Space,
p. 7). GURPS Infinite Worlds features some distinctive elven
societies; an Infinite Worlds campaign could completely break
the mold, with one world’s elves living like dwarves, or even
orcs (and vice versa).
Cultural Traits
Elves value nature and the indi-
vidual, living in harmony, natural ele-
gance, and style. Their culture reflects
their psychological and physiological
nature – although exceptions can
occur (for elven psychology, physiol-
ogy, and related aspects, see Chapter
4). They prefer to make decisions by
consensus rather than by vote; how-
ever, individuals and small groups do
sometimes go their own way.
Cultural Familiarities
While the GM could define Cul-
tural Familiarity (Elven), CF normally
varies by society – not by species. Familiarity with one’s native
culture is free. For prices for others, see p. B23.
Elven Culture
Languages
Depending on the setting, elves may have one language
that others call “Elvish,” one language for each type of elf,
or different languages for different cultures. Some may use
a trade tongue for interactions with other societies. Elves
from diverse civilizations or even worlds, as in a GURPS
Infinite Worlds or GURPS Space game, might understand
each other’s languages at Broken or Accented level.
Elven speech might focus on vowels and avoid “harsh” con-
sonants, explaining the “musical” sound often attributed to it.
Some elves may have a tonal language, where the meaning of
words and phrases varies with pitch.
As elven societies tend to be epicene, they’re likely to use
genderless pronouns. They could use something like “e” for he/
she, “es” for his/hers, “em” for him/her, and “emself” for him-
self/herself. Or they might use a form of “they” for everyone.
Social Organization
Compared to many human cultures, elven society might
seem loose and disorganized, even anarchistic. When a coun-
cil of elders, chieftain, or king or queen makes a decision, indi-
vidual elves may be free to follow or ignore it. (Some elven
societies, such as those of Yrth’s dark elves, are much stricter.)
In practice, elves respect the wisdom and experience of
elders, and are psychologically and physiologically oriented
toward living cooperatively. Consequently, the seemingly law-
less elven society is likely to contend with fewer “violations”
than a highly structured human society.
While solitary elves are uncommon, some do decide
to take a traveling holiday of a few months – or
decades – to explore other places. And a number
of tribes are quite small, too small for a coun-
cil. For major decisions, they might consult with
other tribes. For themselves, after receiving the
advice of an elder or two, decisions that would
affect the whole tribe may be made by consensus.
Elven Leaders
Some elven societies have no formal leaders,
but are guided by elders. Tribes or groups of
tribes may have a council of elders, a high coun-
cil, or even a chieftain to make final decisions
when needed. In these, status is based primarily
on wisdom and experience.
In other societies, elves have nobility, even
royalty. These leaders could be chosen in the
same ways as elders, selected for their war victories
or other accomplishments, or recognized for their “noble or
royal blood.”
6
Elven Communities
Elven communities are often small: 20 to 100 individu-
als. However, in high-tech and ultra-tech societies, they can
be substantially larger. Roles within a colony may be vague
and fluid.
Some communities are also clans. These could have
an actual, perceived, or symbolic ancestor, or follow a set
of ideals. In other cases, members of more than one clan
may live in the same colony, with clans having members in
many settlements.
Military Matters
Elves typically do not have standing armies, but form war-
bands when needed. These are usually small groups that use
guerrilla tactics for fighting in forests (or, in the case of sea
elves, at sea). Some elves have mastered shooting bows while
in trees; Brachiator, Perfect Balance, Tree Walking (p. 18),
Acrobatics, and Climbing can all help with this. In a GURPS
Space campaign, elves may fire ultra-tech weapons from great
heights indeed!
Similarly, sea elves rarely form navies, but organize when
needed. As with their spacefaring cousins (Elves in Space,
Elves in Space
At first glance, nature-loving elves exploring space’s
endless vacuum sounds like a contradiction. Elves don’t
seem to fit GURPS Space or Transhuman Space, so they
couldn’t be used there – or could they? Elves might be
genetically engineered humans, and several well-known
alien species seem suspiciously elven. In addition, science
fiction features starships and other options that make
elves in space quite reasonable.
The film Silent Running follows a spaceship carry-
ing several enormous, geodesic domes filled with plant
life, and television’s space station Babylon 5 has its own
gardens. Robert A. Heinlein’s novel Orphans of the Sky,
Kim Stanley Robinson’s Red Mars, and Harry Harrison’s
Captive Universe also present useable options. For a twist,
the miles-long trees of Larry Niven’s novel The Integral
Trees thrive with other life in a thick cloud of gas orbiting a
planet. In a campaign, such ships, stations, or trees could
be home to elves.
The ultimate elven spacecraft would be a bioship. A liv-
ing ship could be composed of one huge, non-self-aware
plant, or a number of plants, or sentient (self-aware) but
not sapient life, or a fully sapient being that’s its own per-
son – who might not always agree with the crew. Aboard
it, elves would be surrounded by nature. The vessel could
have an exterior composed of modified wood, bone, or
chitin, be self-healing/self-repairing, and perhaps even
boast a “living force field” generated by its life force and/
or that of its crew.
Bioships and variations appear in Robert Sheckley’s
short story “Specialist,” Peter F. Hamilton’s The Night’s
Dawn Trilogy, Julian May’s The Many-Colored Land, and
television’s Babylon 5. The GURPS Spaceships series pro-
vides rules for organic hulls, living ships, and bioships.
Elven Culture
below), they might travel, live, and go to war in living ships – or
fight while riding orcas (p. 25).
Elves trapped in an oppressive human or other society
could practice nonviolent resistance. Good real-life inspira-
tions are Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Alice Paul,
Te Whiti o Rongomai, and Henry David Thoreau. For a fan-
tasy example, Deby Fredericks’s ongoing Minstrels of Skaythe
series follows mages and minstrels who battle an oppressive
regime through artistic and nonaggressive means.
Everyday Life of the Elves
Because elves are raised by not only their parents but also
the community, they grow up with both shared ideals and
individualism. They may choose to associate closely with
a particular group or clan, or even an extended household,
whether or not they’re related by blood.
As elves typically live in forests, oceans, or other environ-
ments they carefully cultivate, they usually have plenty of food
and water readily available. Thus, most do not need to spend
much time “at work.” What many human societies see as a
job, elves consider a craft.
As an alternative, elves might view the things of space as
nature. Space elves could value pristine asteroids, comets,
moons, and uninhabited planets. Their “prime directive”
might be to protect these from exploitative spacefarers
who mine and colonize.
And several science-fiction species have many of the
characteristics of the traditional fairy folk. These include
the Na’vi from the film Avatar, the Asgard of television’s
Stargate SG-1, the Loroi of the web comic Outsider, and
the Abh from the anime series Crest of the Stars. For a
surprising twist, there are the “elves” of GURPS Aliens:
Sparrials. Even actual elves can be found in science fic-
tion, although rarely, which can give a fresh sense to the
race in space.
Back on Earth, elves could be “steampunks.” Victo-
rian England had a fascination with the otherworldly
and supernatural, including fairies and elves. In the real
American “Wild West,” stories, myths, and legends of set-
tlers from the east met with those of American Indians.
In a game, elves could visit an eastern steampunk city,
or might have their own tribes living in the 19th-century
West. Or they could dwell in a forest anywhere, facing
encroachment by a steampunk society.
And elves – or something like them – could even be vis-
itors to Earth. The gray aliens (Greys) of modern ufology
bear some similarity to elves as an ancient precursor race
known for human abductions (as were the elves in many
early stories). Less sinister are the wise, long-lived, har-
monious, music-appreciating, vegetarian, mystically pow-
erful, pointy-eared Vulcans from a certain well-known
space-opera setting, which of course have nothing to do
with elves. Or do they? A GURPS Prime Directive or
GURPS Federation campaign could search for the truth.
7
Children
Elven gestation lasts a year. Elven couples usually bring
up one child at a time, and a total of one to three children is
typical. This helps explain why, on many worlds, elven popu-
lations are in a gradual decline.
Typically, children are raised, cared for, and played
with by the community as a whole. There may be
no formal distinction between learning and playing
(both of which can include animals), and the long-
lived elves are typically in no hurry to “grow up.”
As elves are often highly individualistic, most of
their societies don’t recognize adulthood by a rigidly
defined age. Instead, they look for an individual’s
demonstration of mental and emotional maturity, in
addition to physical maturity. Some groups have a
ceremony where adulthood is formally recognized.
His, Hers, and Theirs
Few elven societies have clearly defined gender roles. They
are egalitarian, believing that every individual has equal rights
from birth. While most elves are physiologically male or
female, some have elements of both or are “sexless.”
Courting is often artistic, involving music, poetry, and
dance. Not all elves form couples; not all couples marry. Some
elves remain single all their lives, others form couples for a
year and a day, yet others stay with one mate until death,
and still others are polygamous or part of a group marriage.
However, divorce is rare. As in all things, elven societies gen-
erally admit a great deal of individual freedom.
Sexual activity is usually defined by action, not by orienta-
tion. And while elves may be interfertile with only a few spe-
cies, that doesn’t stop interspecies physical intimacy.
Jobs and Responsibilities
Not all elven societies have formally defined jobs. Often,
individuals can choose occupations based on personal skills,
talents, and interests, and on their community’s needs. How-
ever, positions such as “healer” or “member of the council
of elders” are somewhat standardized. High-tech and ultra-
tech elven societies may be more specialized by necessity. But
even in science-fiction settings, the indefinitely long lifespans
of elves enable them to be generalists more easily than the
much shorter-lived humans.
Elven Agriculture
Formal farming, which often means clearing out trees, is
unlikely for elves. It could be practiced by some half-elves or
by an elf raised by another race, however.
A subtle form of natural gardening, which some call “gar-
den agriculture,” is popular. Food, medicinal, and decorative
plants are tended and grown in ways that blend with the sur-
rounding environment. Some gardeners are naturally talented
herbalists (p. 18); for more ideas, see GURPS Thaumatology.
Even on a small scale, crop rotation and fallow periods are
helpful. And elves “balance” their gardens rather than “weed”
them, though outsiders might see those as the same thing.
The way elves deal with what others call “pests” is quite
different from what many “civilized” human societies prac-
tice. Elves may use companion plants that repel pests, or keep
Elven Culture
natural predators. They might plant more than they need, and
let animals feed on the extra. They may put out appropriate
food or even suitable garbage for creatures near – but not too
near – the dinner table or encampment, and keep it replen-
ished (though they may keep this to a minimum to avoid
attracting even more animals). When insects and woodland
mammals find something to eat there first, they’re
much less likely to move in to eat closer. And
goats, sheep, cattle, rabbits, and other herbi-
vores leave droppings that nourish the soil.
As a result of these practices, Survival
rolls in an elf-overseen environment are at +1.
GURPS Low-Tech Companion 3: Daily Life
and Economics has more information on agri-
culture and how it and the environment affect
Survival and other skills.
Optionally, some elves might forgo the prac-
tices above, and live by hunting and gathering.
Arts and Entertainment
Elves like music, dance, poetry, and bardic and story cir-
cles. While their dancing can be freeform, their physical
artwork tends to be subtle and nature-based. Their weap-
ons – notably bows, staffs, and swords – have some ornamen-
tation, or at least a stylish elegance. Elves avoid both the plain
and the ostentatious.
For the GM who desires an alternative, elves might appre-
ciate the beauty of nature, but not be great artists themselves.
Pastimes and Hobbies
Many elves enjoy archery, especially with longbows,
whether or not they are hunters; however, they rarely hunt
for sport, as they consider killing an animal and leaving its
carcass to be wasteful (unless it’s to feed hungry animals).
Singing, playing musical instruments, creating and reciting
poetry, and dancing are all popular pastimes; see Popular
Entertainment (below) and The Arts (p. 9). Riddle games are
well-liked, and many youngsters play a form of hide-and-seek
that includes hiding in trees.
Popular Entertainment
The Industrial Age human split between “high” and “low”
art isn’t found among the elves. They enjoy anyone-can-partic-
ipate entertainment by and for the populace, and appreciate
art created by the highly skilled. Elven popular entertainment
is often loosely organized. Bardic and story circles, singa-
longs, and freeform dancing accompanied by musical instru-
ments are popular.
While the creations and performances of masters are often
subtle, the singing and instrument playing at elven revels can
be fast and spirited. The dancing may be sprightly, with skip-
ping and jumping. Orderly human critics might call this group
singing and dancing “wild” – and elves in harmony with feral
nature wouldn’t disagree! More perceptive observers might see
that the “wildness” is subtly refined and aesthetically pleasing.
Crafts
Elven artisans put nature and art into their creations.
Their craftwork, unlike that of many dwarves, is often subtle.
8
It is beautiful and durable, even for mundane items like cook-
ing and eating utensils.
Elves are known for their clothing, jewelry, furniture, dec-
orative art, and even household items and tools. While crafts
may be sculpted, elves rarely make sculpture for sculpture’s
sake, but instead shape practical things. At TL4+, their clock-
makers can craft beautiful timepieces. At any tech level, the
greatest crafters can become recognized as true artists.
The Arts
To the casual observer, elven art, whether visual or per-
forming, may appear low-key – but its beauty lies in its har-
monic subtlety.
Group singing at revels may be lively and spirited, but at
more formal ceremonies, the best vocalists lead the songs,
focusing on nuance and sustained notes and tones. One or a
few highly skilled instrumentalists may play elven variations
of the lute, lyre, harp, flute, panpipes, recorder, oboe, xylo-
phone, slit drum, or mbira; high‑ and ultra-tech elves might
have orchestras. The blast of a trumpet, however, does not
usually signal a concert, but war! Elven dirges are said to be
so powerful and mournful as to melt the heart of an orc; this
is likely an exaggeration.
At lower tech levels, elves produce little or no literature.
Their stories, ballads, and poems are preserved orally. History
is passed down in ballads and in narrative poems that grow
through the generations.
At any tech level, magic and art can mix, with subtle uses of
illusion, plant, and sound spells. Some entire art forms focus
on magic. Natural and magical gardening, flower growing,
and gently shaping the growth of trees are considered art, and
are more common than formal painting or sculpture.
In some worlds, elven theatre exists, and choreography and
dance are recognized as art forms.
Religion
Not surprisingly, elven beliefs emphasize balance with
nature. Destruction for destruction’s sake is considered waste-
ful, which is essentially sinful. Elves rarely have a formal
priesthood, instead consulting guides, advisors, and ritual
leaders, who are typically elders.
Elven religions are often a world’s oldest, but some elves
adopt the faiths of humans and other races.
The Eternal
On the world of Yrth (GURPS Banestorm), most elves
follow the Eternal. This is a perfect consciousness that exists
through all time and space. The ultimate end for worshipers
and all people, trees and other plants, animals, and even non-
living things is to become one with it.
The qualities of nature that worshipers hold in the highest
esteem are those they most admire in trees and in themselves.
They value growing slowly and deeply, spending time in
silence and stillness, living in balance with nature, and being
a part of the cycles of life. Like a weeping willow or a soft coral
reef, they believe in holding firmly in life’s storms but, when
needed, bending to those forces instead of breaking.
Elves of the Eternal believe in the interdependency of all
life, and live in harmony and cooperation with nature. Some
prefer homes made of living nature, whether a coral reef or
Elven Culture
a tree house. They recognize that change is an essential part
of creativity and of life itself, but prefer to shape and mold
nature rather than trying to twist, mangle, or destroy it to
their own ends.
While the elves of Yrth have no formal priesthood, the anch-
aliel (humans call them “dryads” – or “nereids,” if sea elves)
come close. These are intimately in touch with the Eternal,
and serve as ritual leaders, advisors, and spiritual guides. They
are usually, but not always, powerful wizards.
Druidism, Polytheism, and Other Beliefs
The ancient druidic custom of preserving traditions orally,
combined with modern Druidism’s focus on environmental-
ism, can make the religion a great fit for elves. In a mythic
campaign, it might even have begun with the forest folk.
Elven druids could view nature as representing one god or
force such as the Eternal. Others could be polytheistic, seeing
the world as influenced by many powerful beings, or even by
endless minor spirits, with each tree having its own.
Merry elves might follow the shapeshifting nature god
Natura; often appearing as a satyr, he’s known for hosting orgi-
astic revels at his temple home composed entirely of trees and
other living plants. The purer and more tranquil might look to
the elven (or half-human) virgin nature goddess Sylviana; also
known as Maple, this unicorn-riding deity planted her pow-
erful staff to become the first maple tree, which was named
after her. Sea elves and others who travel the oceans may
look to Raehonia, orca-riding goddess of water and the sea.
Deep elves may adapt dwarven beliefs, and both dark elves
and shadow elves are rumored to follow a hellish, scantily clad
spider goddess.
Other forms of polytheism could exist. Each deity might
have their own domain, with gods for trees, other plants,
birds, land animals, fire, water, and so on. Some elves may see
certain gods as being in conflict with one another. Dark elves
are likely to believe “our gods are better than your gods.”
In addition to Druidism, the most likely human religions
for elves include Buddhism, Hinduism, Shintoism, Taoism,
or a form of Paganism including Wicca. Philosophically,
many elves are “personists,” believing that every sapient
being (racial IQ 6+) should be considered a person. Some
believe elves have souls; some say they don’t, but merge with
nature – or are reincarnated.
Almost all elves venerate nature, seeing it as living,
dynamic, and imbued with spirit.
Holidays
As with other aspects of religion, elven holidays or “holy
days” vary by culture. The concept of a holiday recogniz-
ing an individual or a specific event is largely foreign to the
indefinitely long-lived elves. However, elves who dwell with
other intelligent races may celebrate historical and personal
anniversaries.
Many elven cultures recognize the spring and autumn
equinoxes, and the winter and summer solstices; the new year
typically begins on the first day of spring. Elves may celebrate
the full and new moons, and keep track of time through sea-
sonal and moon cycles. The GM could decide that holidays
are very different in a place or world without clear seasons or
lunar cycles!
9
 Chapter Three
Elves and
Other Races
“I have been very patient with you over the past several
moons,” said the elven teacher Kimnura. “I have told you many
times how we struggled to live peacefully with dwarves, gnomes,
other elves, even ogres and orcs, for thousands of years, for time
past all remembering.”
Kimnura sighed, took a deep breath, then continued. “We did
not make ourselves what they call ‘the dark elves.’ The others’
continuing harassment and brutality finally escalated to the vir-
tual genocide of our people. We had to fight back for our sur-
vival. We did not choose to hate; the magnitude of their horrors
created our hate for us. It was their choice, not ours.”
“I still am not sure,” replied the pupil Antiras. “Somehow,
hating other races just does not seem . . . elven.”
Most elves avoid long-term contact with other races
except for those who live in balance with nature; they may be
Chauvinistic (p. B163), not with regard to sex or skin color,
but in the sense of seeing shorter-lived races as “childlike”
and “inexperienced.” However, many elves see an individ-
ual as an individual, and are accepting of those who don’t fit
their “racial stereotype.” They could even be Broad-Minded
(p. B163), although this is rare among Yrth’s dark elves, who
are intolerant by definition. Elves often get along quite well
with halflings, gnomes, and pixies and other faerie folk; rela-
tions between sea elves and merfolk vary. Sometimes, elves
do well with humans (if they’re civilized – but not so civilized
that they’ve lost touch with nature), but there are exceptions.
Relations with dwarves and orcs are another matter.
Elves Among Humans
Elves are more likely to associate with humans than with
many other races. Humans may live in an elven community
or vice versa; more often, an elven community will dwell in a
chummy – often, the most peaceful solution is to avoid each
human forest. The half-elf is the most common elven hybrid
Elves and What?
Most fantasy games assume that there are sapient non-elven
races, and that these are standard fantasy folk: dwarves, gnomes,
orcs, etc. There are other options, though. What about an all-elf
campaign with just one type of elf? A world with only elves, but of
several different varieties? A setting where the “other races” aren’t
the usual, but are fox-people, ice demons, and walking fungi? Even
if the GM wants the home world’s races to be what’s expected, trav-
elers could encounter elves in an area that’s no place like home.
Elves and Other Races
(although elves call them “half-humans”). However, any
group that wantonly destroys forests is unlikely to receive a
friendly reception, and elf-human battles have occurred on
several worlds.
Elves and Dwarves
The enmity between elves and dwarves is well known – but
not necessarily true. The conflict is largely a construct of fan-
tasy RPGs loosely interpreting J.R.R. Tolkien. The worldbuild-
ing GM has other possibilities.
While elven societies may value the trees, other plants, and
animals above ground as much as dwarven societies value the
gold and gems below, they can work together. An elven com-
munity might live quite harmoniously in the forest near, even
directly above an underground dwarven community. And
deep elves and dwarves may share their caves. In other cases,
elves and dwarves may share distant respect – as long as they
stay at a distance. Both groups value crafts highly, and may
admire each other’s work.
But because of their different views and societies, they
sometimes get along poorly. Some speak of a long-ago war
between elves and dwarves that the elves worked to forget
and the dwarves work to remember. Conflicts can still esca-
late to battle.
Even enemies can be brought together by a common enemy,
though. This could be a threat from orcs or something else.
In any event, elves and dwarves cannot interbreed – at
least, not without magical or technological aid.
Elves vs. Orcs
Relations between elves and orcs are seldom
other. Many orcish societies’ bent for victory, which
often includes destruction, does not sit well with
elves who follow harmonious polytheism or the
indestructible Eternal. Violent conflicts between
the races are not uncommon. Many elves (espe-
cially Yrth’s dark elves) are intolerant of orcs. On
the other side, an orc band may hate elves so much
as to launch a suicide mission against them. While
elves rarely start the battles, they often finish them.
However, there are exceptional elves and
extraordinary orcs, so friendship between individu-
als isn’t impossible. If it’s possible for elves and orcs
to interbreed, the elves do not discuss it.
10
 Chapter Four
Racial
Templates
“Hey nonny nonny nonny, hey nenny nee,
We’re free to dance and dance for free.
Hey nonny nonny nonny, hey nanny nay,
We’ll dance until the light of day.”
Seeing and hearing the dancing and singing of the cavorting
elves, Elder Ariedor Thaeshadimi scowled. It was just enough
to convey his disapproval without looking undignified. “Young
wood elves,” muttered the high elf elder.
“Ah, now, Elder Ariedor,” said sister Elder Persilemiya qui-
etly. “As you said, these wood elves are young and inexperienced.
Why not let them have their fun?” The elf woman smiled. “I
recall that in our youth, even you were not always quite so dig-
nified as you are now.”
“Maybe not quite,” Ariedor admitted with regret. “But I
knew how to behave,” he asserted, “even when I was young
and in my 90s.”
Elves (Standard)
As elves are among the most popular of races in all of
fantasy, they have a number of fascinating variations. The
GM – or the player, with the GM’s permission – has a wide
variety from which to choose.
Here are three templates for the “standard” elf, one
apiece from the Basic Set, GURPS Fantasy, and GURPS
Banestorm. Each can fill a different need: genre-nonspecific
elf, generic fantasy elf, and setting-specific fantasy elf, respec-
tively. For a hack ’n’ slash fantasy elf template, use one or
more of the GURPS Dungeon Fantasy variants, borrow from
the Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game, or adapt one of the
others. For variant elf templates – including the dark elf, deep
elf, half-elf, sea elf, winged elf, and more – see pp. 13-16.
Generic Elf
55 points (70 points if Unaging)
This is the elf template used for the character Iotha
(p. B316). These elves find it much easier to learn languages,
which well suits a world-traveling elf such as Iotha – or any
elf in a GURPS Infinite Worlds campaign. Their voice adds
to their attraction, and their balance and vision make them
well suited to climbing trees, buildings, and other high places.
While the Basic Set doesn’t describe the appearance of
elves in general, it does say that Iotha’s ash-blonde hair is
highlighted with green.
Racial Templates
Attribute Modifiers: ST-1 [‑10]; HT+1 [10].
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: Per+1 [5].
Advantages: Appearance (Attractive) [4]; Language Talent
[10]; Magery 0 [5]; Perfect Balance [15]; Telescopic Vision
1 [5]; Voice [10].
Racially Learned Skills: Connoisseur (Natural Environ-
ments) (A) IQ-1 [1]‑9.
Source: Basic Set.
Unaging?
Elves are Unaging (p. B95), but aging-related
traits are irrelevant in some games – notably GURPS
Dungeon Fantasy. Thus, each elven template lists a
cost without this trait, plus a reminder that you can
add it if it matters. In campaigns where Unaging is
almost but not entirely irrelevant, make it a perk, rais-
ing cost by 1 point instead of 15.
However this is handled, elves may live hundreds
of years or longer, although active ones who are 700+
years old are rare. The GM who doesn’t want them
accumulating hundreds, even thousands of points
in usable skills might enforce Maintaining Skills
(p. B294) or Learning and Realism (GURPS Social
Engineering: Back to School, p. 6).
Generic Fantasy Elf
55 points (70 points if Unaging)
Similar to those in the Basic Set, these elves can fit
almost any fantasy game. With both an attractive appear-
ance and a pleasant voice, they’re among the most likeable of
elves – although individuals can vary.
Skin, eye, and hair colors are up to the GM (or the player,
with the GM’s permission).
Attribute Modifiers: ST-1 [‑10]; DX+1 [20].
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: Per+1 [5].
Advantages: Appearance (Attractive) [4]; Magery 0 [5]; Perfect
Balance [15]; Telescopic Vision 1 [5]; Voice [10].
Racially Learned Skills: Connoisseur (Natural Environ-
ments) (A) IQ-1 [1]‑9.
Source: GURPS Fantasy.
11
Yrth Elf
26 points (41 points if Unaging)
This is the “standard” elf of the world of Yrth, but could
fit many fantasy or other worlds. These elves are artistic and
musical, value honor, and are naturally skilled with a bow.
Their skin may have the same range of colors found in
humans, with eyes typically of blue, green, or gold. Their hair
is usually silver, gold, red, or black, and often worn long.
(More details appear throughout this supplement, notably
in Elves of Yrth, p. 4.)
Attribute Modifiers: ST-1 [‑10]; DX+1 [20]; IQ+1 [20].
Advantages: Appearance (Attractive) [4]; Gifted Artist 1 [5];
Magery 0 [5]; Musical Ability 1 [5].
Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Elven; p. 18) [‑10]; Sense of
Duty (Nature) [‑15].
Racial Skill Bonuses: +1 to Bow [2].
Source: GURPS Banestorm.
Physiology
Elves are bipedal humanoid mammals. While technically
omnivores, many choose to be vegetarians.
Note that skills dealing with physiology typically require
specialization by species. These include Body Language,
Diagnosis, First Aid, Physician, Pressure Points, Pressure
Secrets, and Surgery. “Elf” and “Human” specialties of such
skills default either way at ‑2; “Elf” and most other specialties
(“Dwarf,” “Orc,” etc.) default at ‑3; and “Sea Elf” and “Winged
Elf” are their own specialties that default to “Elf” either way
at ‑2, and to other specialties at an extra ‑2 (e.g., “Sea Elf” vs.
“Human” or “Winged Elf” is at ‑4). Half-elves are generally
too uncommon to have their own specialties; for a half-elf of
any kind, use the specialty for either parent species at ‑1. The
worst default penalty for any of these humanoid races from
the same world is ‑4. Defaults for the Physiology skill itself
are left to the GM, but the above could be used for it, too. For
more details, see Physiology Modifiers (p. B181).
Racial Templates
Anatomy
Elves are humanoid, with two legs, two arms, one head,
and no tail (although there are rumors . . .). They’re more than
“thin, pointy-eared humans,” but their anatomy is very sim-
ilar to that of humanity. While the great majority are either
male or female, they tend toward androgyny; for the perk, see
Passing Appearance (Androgynous) (p. 17).
Size
Most adult elves are SM 0, but tend to be tall and slender.
For most mature elves, find height normally for ST and then
add two inches without increasing weight. Thus, not all vari-
eties of elf have the same average size. For instance, Yrth’s
sea elves tend to be a little taller and heavier than their forest
cousins, while sky and winged elves are usually shorter and
lighter than deep elves.
Appearance
While elves are humanoid, the appearance of different vari-
eties varies. Specifics are included with each template – see
Elves (Standard), pp. 11-13, and Elves (Variations), pp. 13-16.
Any racial reaction modifiers also apply to humans and simi-
lar species unless stated otherwise.
Lifecycle
GURPS Banestorm gives half-elves one level of Extended
Lifespan without Early Maturation, meaning they take twice
as long to mature as humans (more options appear with the
relevant templates). Presumably, full-blood elves wouldn’t
mature faster than this. But there are also the questions
of when elves stop visibly aging, when can they no longer
reproduce, and so on. Because of the wide variety of elves
and campaigns, these decisions are left to the GM.
For details and options for Unaging, see Unaging? (p. 11).
Names
An elf rarely if ever has exactly the same name as another
known elf, and suffixes such as “junior” and “the third” are
virtually nonexistent. Personal names and surnames (if any)
often have three or more syllables, may be in any order, and
usually show little or no distinction between female and male.
Most names come from an elvish language, but not all. Human
names such as Mikael, Annaliisa, Sebastian, and Helena are
not unknown.
Individuals may choose their own appellation/surname, if
any. This may honor an admired ancestor or clan, or describe
a personal or professional aspect of the elf. Due partly to elves’
long lives and partly to their individuality, elven names, espe-
cially appellations, may change over time and place.
For example, there’s only one Milasiel named for the
Maluviel clan, only one stargazing weather forecaster Patrero
named Athlen Patrero, and only one known elf named
Giladilofotajovi. But the child known to elves as Milasiel,
daughter of Ethilsia was called Milasiel Elvengirl by the
humans who found her. She became Milasiel the Seeker when
she started looking for Banestorm victims. When she was
believed the only survivor of her clan, she asked to be called
Milasiel Maluviel.
Yrth sea elves (p. 15) have their own name variations.
12
Psychology
Elves are often the oldest humanoid race on a world, and
the teachers of others. Because of their ancient history and
open-ended lifespan, they tend to see things in the long term,
making decisions based on what effects an action might have
many years later. Almost all are emotionally stable. They usu-
ally think and act in moderation, and are slow to anger or other
strong emotions. A crisis that would worry most humans may
be seen as just another momentary difficulty that will pass.
Innately tuned to nature, elves care about the overall envi-
ronment. They look for beauty in all things, whether that be a
budding flower, a long-standing tree, or a finely crafted bow.
While elves may accept that in order to create one thing some-
thing else must be destroyed, most cannot fathom destruction
for destruction’s sake.
Elves are affectionate, but like many other aspects of elven
life, this tends to be subtle and viewed in the long term. In
romance, sharing physical intimacy can last for hours.
Because elves love beauty and peacefulness, some folk
believe them weak – a dangerous mistake. As a race that usu-
ally chooses to live in the wild rather than in the safety of
towns and cities, elves deal with danger regularly. They may
be attacked and killed, but in the end their tribes are rarely
defeated. Their ancient culture attests to their success.
Due to these qualities, elves strive to be harmonious with
others. But sometimes, that isn’t possible.
The supreme art of war is to subdue
the enemy without fighting.
– Sun Tzu, The Art of War
Elves (Variations)
As one of the first and most popular fantasy races, elves
are portrayed many different ways. Here are several exam-
ples. The aspects discussed after the templates in Elves
(Standard), particularly pp. 12-13, apply to these as well. For
different ways of dealing with Unaging, including making it
a perk, see Unaging? (p. 11).
Many of these elves come from earlier GURPS supple-
ments. Where two distinct templates share a name in the
source material, a parenthetical note has been added to
avoid confusion.
Dark Elf (Dungeon Fantasy)
20 points (35 points if Unaging)
Unlike most elves, dark elves live underground – and have
a talent for lore that others may find unnerving. Like their
cousins the shadow elves (p. 15), they’re rumored to worship
a scantily clad demonic spider goddess. Whether or not the
rumor is true, most elves avoid them. A dark elf who dwells
with another race might well have a negative Reputation, even
if undeserved.
Attribute Modifiers: ST-1 [‑10]; IQ+1 [20].
Advantages: Dark Gift 1 (p. 18) [5]; Magery 0 [5]; Night Vision
5 [5].
Disadvantages: Callous [‑5].
Racial Templates
Features: Jet-black skin with cobweb-gray or white hair – or
cobwebby white skin with jet-black hair.
Source: Dungeon Fantasy Companion 2.
Dark Elf (Yrth)
16 points (31 points if Unaging)
Elves of Yrth’s now-lost western forest of Ytarria endured
years of harassment. Finally, orcish hordes wielding stolen
dwarven weapons nearly exterminated them. Most of the sur-
viving elves decided they could no longer live with “destruc-
tive, inferior races.” While they call themselves the “Purifiers”
or “Defenders of the Shaded Woodlands,” the racially intoler-
ant elves are better known to others as the “dark elves.”
They’re bound together by their shared intolerance.
This not only makes them callous and obsessed with con-
trolling others, but also renders their society more internally
controlling.
Their social systems are more structured, organized,
and conformist than those of other elves of Yrth. Ironically,
theirs is the most like many of the human societies they
hate. Decisions of their high council are not only supported
by general consensus, but also enforced by coercion, includ-
ing physical force.
Biologically, dark elves came from their less-regimented,
forest-dwelling cousins; it’s their attitude that makes them dif-
ferent. Their skin color follows the human range, and their
eyes are most often blue, green, or gold. Hair color is usually
black, silver, gold, or red.
Attribute Modifiers: ST-1 [‑10]; DX+1 [20]; IQ+1 [20].
Advantages: Appearance (Attractive) [4]; Magery 0 [5].
Disadvantages: Callous [‑5]; Intolerance (Total) [‑10]; Obses-
sion (Destroy or totally control all non-elves) (12) [‑10].
Racial Skill Bonuses: +1 to Bow [2].
Source: GURPS Banestorm.
Options
Not all dark elves are typical, but they are largely defined
by their Intolerance. Many have higher levels of Magery and
more antisocial disadvantages – although a few aren’t Callous,
or lack the Obsession. They may replace these problems
with a Phobia of strange and unknown things (Xenophobia,
p. B150), the -3 to self-control rolls applying to non-elves
instead of nonhumans. Despite many years of battling, certain
individuals still possess Gifted Artist or Musical Ability.
For players with Banestorm, a dark elf could be a mem-
ber of a werewolf or other lycanthropic band that defends the
Blackwoods. Elders who were caught in the Banestorm back-
lash may suffer from Lifebane (p. B142).
Deep Elf
20 points (35 points if Unaging)
Deep elves are similar to their mountain elf cousins (p. 15),
but instead of living on top of the mountain, they dwell in cav-
erns beneath it. While not as keen-eyed or surefooted as their
introvertive, higher-altitude relatives, they make up for it by
being stronger and able to see well in poorly lit caverns. They
usually get along well with dwarves and gnomes.
Although their skin color varies, they tend to be pale
because they spend much of their time away from sunlight.
13
Albinism (p. B165) is more common than among other elves.
Eye color varies.
Attribute Modifiers: DX+1 [20].
Advantages: Acute Hearing 2 [4]; Magery 0 [5]; Night Vision
5 [5].
Perks: Elven Gear (p. 17) [1].
Disadvantages: Sense of Duty (Nature) [‑15].
Features: Dark blue, brown, or black hair.
Eldritch Elf
160 points (175 points if Unaging)
These powerful elves inspire awe – wonder, respect, and
even reverence, mixed with dread. Their way is the old way
and the best way – and the prudent never get in their way.
They are Chauvinistic not to differences in sex or skin color,
but to anyone who’s not an eldritch elf, especially non-elves.
Many have higher levels of Magery. They are thin even for
elves; for typical adults, add two inches to average height
based on ST, and then decrease weight by 10%. Skin, eye, and
hair color vary.
Attribute Modifiers: DX+3 [60]; IQ+1 [20]; HT+1 [10].
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: Per+2 [10].
Advantages: Appearance (Attractive; Universal, +25%) [5];
Charisma 2 [10]; Fearlessness 1 [2]; Magery 0 [5]; Night
Vision 2 [2]; Parabolic Hearing 1 [4]; Perfect Balance [15];
Resistant to Metabolic Hazards (+3) [10]; Telescopic Vision
1 [5]; Voice [10].
Perks: Passing Appearance (Androgynous) [1]; Sanitized
Metabolism [1].
Disadvantages: Callous [‑5]; Hidebound [‑5].
Quirks: Chauvinistic [‑1]; Proud [‑1].
Racial Skill Bonuses: +1 to Thaumatology [2].
Options
Eldritch elves would make good inhumans in a GURPS
Monster Hunters campaign. To increase racial cost to the
standard 200 points for such beings (Monster Hunters 1:
Champions, pp. 49-51), add another +1 to DX [20] and +1 to
Per [5], and Basic Speed+0.75 [15].
Half-Elf (Dungeon Fantasy)
20 points (see options below)
Where elves and humans live near each other, half-elves
are sometimes the result. In general, they are stigmatized by
both elves and humans, and are not as dedicated to nature as
are most elves – but individuals can vary. For those living in
more accepting societies, omit Social Stigma or replace it with
another suitable disadvantage.
Elves are like trees, grounded and focused from the
trunk down but graceful and agile on top.
– Orlando Bloom
Racial Templates
Skin and eye color can follow human or elven ancestry, or
be a blend of the two.
Attribute Modifiers: DX+1 [20].
Advantages: Magery 0 [5].
Disadvantages: Social Stigma (Half-Breed) [‑5].
Features: Any hair color that isn’t a typical human one.
Source: GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 3: The Next Level.
Options
In a game where aging matters, the GM may want to add
one or more levels of Extended Lifespan [2/level] to the tem-
plate, possibly along with the same number of levels of Early
Maturation (p. 18). In a campaign where Unaging is a perk
(p. 11), Extended Lifespan could be free.
Half-Elf (Yrth)
25 points (see options below)
Usually called “half-humans” by elves, half-elves are typi-
cally thin with slightly pointed ears. Most human and elven
communities of Yrth accept them, although dark elf societies,
and a few highly intolerant human ones, do not.
Half-elves can produce fertile offspring with either elves
or humans. The child will typically be the same race as their
elven or human parent (because they’re essentially 3/4 elf or
3/4 human, respectively), although they may be half-elven
themselves.
Half-elves may have any skin, eye, or hair color found
among Yrth humans or elves. If one or more of these fea-
tures makes them stand out in their society – e.g., the half-elf
who’s the only golden-eyed, pointy-eared person in a human
town – add Distinctive Features [‑1].
Attribute Modifiers: IQ+1 [20].
Advantages: Magery 0 [5].
Source: GURPS Banestorm.
Options
In Banestorm, half-elves have Extended Lifespan 1 [2]. For
more possibilities, see the options under Half-Elf (Dungeon
Fantasy) (above).
High Elf
20 points (35 points if Unaging)
Not all elves are merry. High elves are better known
for being well-dressed, serious, and mysterious. They sing
laments, write and recite mournful poetry, and, when
needed, display their wizardry. Skin and eye color may fol-
low that of humans or other elves.
14
Attribute Modifiers: ST-1 [‑10]; IQ+1 [20].
Advantages: Appearance (Attractive) [4]; Magery 0 [5]; Musi-
cal Ability 1 [5]; Voice [10].
Perks: Elven Gear (p. 17) [1].
Disadvantages: Sense of Duty (Nature) [‑15].
Features: Gold or silver hair.
Source: GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 3: The Next Level.
Mountain Elf
20 points (35 points if Unaging)
The reclusive elves of the highlands have keen vision,
amazing balance, and typically average appearance – except
for their atypical bright-blue hair. Skin and eye color are up to
the GM and player.
Attribute Modifiers: ST-1 [‑10]; DX+1 [20].
Advantages: Acute Vision 2 [4]; Magery 0 [5]; Perfect Balance
[15]; Telescopic Vision 1 [5].
Perks: Elven Gear (p. 17) [1].
Disadvantages: Loner (12) [‑5]; Sense of Duty (Nature) [‑15].
Features: Electric-blue hair.
Source: GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 3: The Next Level.
Sea Elf (Dungeon Fantasy)
20 points (35 points if Unaging)
Unlike their land brethren, sea elves have gills, along with
webbed hands and feet. They can function on land as well as
in the sea – as long as they aren’t within five yards of fire.
While skin and eye color can vary, their eyes tend to be
blue or green.
Attribute Modifiers: ST-1 [‑10]; DX+1 [20].
Advantages: Amphibious [10]; Doesn’t Breathe (Gills,
‑50%) [10]; Magery 0 [5]; Nictitating Membrane 1 [1];
Pressure Support 1 [5].
Perks: Elven Gear (p. 17) [1].
Disadvantages: Phobia (Fire) (9) [‑7]; Sense of Duty
(Nature) [‑15].
Features: Pastel-blue or ‑green hair.
Source: GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 3: The Next Level.
Sea Elf (Yrth)
36 points (51 points if Unaging)
These sea elves have gills, largish webbed feet, slightly
webbed hands, and little or no body hair. Some theorists
believe that all elves originated in the ocean; others assert
that sea elves, like other aquatic mammals, began on land
and then returned to the sea; still others suspect they were
created by ancient magic. In any case, most sea elves of Yrth
cannot breathe air – and haven’t forgotten how the dark elves’
Banestorm destroyed their ancient underwater homes.
Sea elves are as dedicated to the sea, and to its coral
reefs and other denizens, as their forest cousins are to the
woods and woodland creatures. For most of them, what hap-
pens over the waves or on the shore is of little concern. But
they are ready to fight when necessary.
Sea elf names tend to have long vowels and soft conso-
nants. Some may be difficult to pronounce outside of where
they’re normally spoken: underwater.
Racial Templates
While sea elf skin color may be as for humans, it tends
toward grayish tones. Eye and hair color are as found in
their land-based Yrth cousins. While long hair slows most
swimmers who have it, this is of little concern to these
amphibious folk.
Attribute Modifiers: DX+1 [20]; IQ+1 [20].
Advantages: Amphibious [10]; Appearance (Attractive) [4];
Gifted Artist 1 [5]; Magery 0 [5]; Nictitating Membrane 1
[1]; Pressure Support 1 [5].
Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Elven; p. 18) [‑10]; Low TL 2
[‑10]; Sense of Duty (Nature) [‑15].
Quirks: Hates Dark Elves [‑1].
Racial Skill Bonuses: +1 to Net [2].
Features: Can’t speak in air; Doesn’t Breathe (Gills, Can’t
breathe air).
Source: GURPS Banestorm.
Options
Hates Dark Elves is a quirk in a campaign where dark
elves are rarely encountered; where they’re very common,
it becomes Intolerance (Dark Elves) [‑5], reducing template
cost by 4 points. If Low TL doesn’t fit the campaign, drop it
or replace it with another ‑10-point disadvantage.
While the Amphibious sea elves can walk on land as well
as they can swim, most don’t – they can’t breathe air. How-
ever, some have the advantage Doesn’t Breath (Gills, ‑50%)
[10] instead of the two features; they can breathe both water
and air. With Speak Underwater [5], racial cost increases by
15 points.
Even More Elves?
There are stories of swamp elves, snow elves, desert elves,
jungle elves, and more. Whether these represent distinct
races or simply folk in different locations and cultures is up
to the GM. There could also be human/variant elf versions of
half-elves (e.g., half human, half sea elf), and even elves with
mixed parentage (such as the child of a mountain elf and a
winged elf).
Shadow Elf
20 points (35 points if Unaging)
Unlike most elven races, shadow elves do not share a uni-
versal Sense of Duty to anything (although individuals can).
Their demeanor and vocations tend to be a bit unnerving to
others – including other elves. They are sometimes, but not
always, the subject of nasty and ominous rumors, some of
which might be true; a shadow elf living with another race
could suffer from a negative Reputation.
Their skin color follows the human spectrum, and eye
color can vary.
Attribute Modifiers: ST-1 [‑10]; DX+1 [20].
Advantages: Magery 0 [5]; Silence 2 [10].
Disadvantages: Callous [‑5].
Features: Cobweb-gray or jet-black hair.
Source: GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 3: The Next Level.
15
Sky Elf Attribute Modifiers: ST-2 [‑20]; DX+1 [20].
Advantages: Appearance (Attractive) [4]; Flight (Winged,
48 points (63 points if Unaging) ‑25%) [30]; Magery 0 [5].
Most elves live on the ground; a few live beneath it. Sky Perks: Elven Gear (p. 17) [1].
elves live above it. Sometimes called “cloud elves,” they dwell Disadvantages: Sense of Duty (Nature) [‑15].
on large, towering (cumulonimbus) clouds, often ones that Features: Snow-white hair. Torso armor isn’t interchangeable
bring lightning and hailstones to folk below. While most with human torso armor. Wings are targeted at ‑2, and can-
clouds form and disappear, a sky elf’s home can be as per- not be armored; they could be folded inside specially made
manent and tall as a mountain – and as hard to propel. How armor, but then could not be used to fly. Folded wings can
clouds were enchanted to enable people to walk and function be attacked only from behind. Treat a wing as a limb (arm
normally on them, and to last virtually forever, is unknown. or leg) for crippling purposes; a crippled wing means the elf
The sky folk can travel from enchanted cloud to enchanted cannot fly (normally – flying magically remains possible).
cloud, often using a small magical cumulus for transport. Source: GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 3: The Next Level.
They also use the Apportation and Walk on Air spells (and, for
gamers with GURPS Magic, Cloud-Walking, Cloud-Vaulting,
Flight, Flying Carpet, Levitation, and related magic, although
they avoid Teleport due to the risk of dangerous failures).
Despite its height, their sky home is not natureless. Even
ordinary clouds often contain substances used as fertilizer; sky
elves have gardens, possibly forests, and use cloud-raised cot-
ton for clothing. They share their homes with flocks of birds,
including varieties of geese, ducks, storks, vultures, swans,
tits, and teals. (The GM could include the great eagle and wise
owl on GURPS Banestorm, p. 194.) Arthropods include but-
terflies, bees, ballooning spiders, and other creatures that nor-
mally wouldn’t fly or float that high up. There are also small
mammals such as rabbits and pikas, mice and rats, and more
exotic creatures – and fish and crabs in cloud pools.
There are stories of giants, dwarves, winged folk, and other
beings who live in the clouds with the sky elves; whether these
are true is up to the GM. And some sky elves may form friend-
ships with pegasi (Banestorm, p. 224).
While sky elves are perfectly comfortable strolling on
permanent clouds (they can’t walk on regular clouds without
magic), most cannot fly. Despite their excellent balance, then,
they usually avoid doing anything near the edges. This and
their common fear of the ground help explain why they
and their gardens are rarely seen from below.
Sky elves can have skin of any color found in humans. Eyes
are often blue, yellow, or a cloudy gray.
Attribute Modifiers: ST-1 [‑10]; DX+1 [20]; IQ+1 [20].
Advantages: Appearance (Attractive) [4]; Magery 0 [5]; Perfect
Balance [15]; Telescopic Vision 1 [5].
Disadvantages: Sense of Duty (Nature) [‑15].
Racially Learned Skills: Jumping (E) DX+1 [2]‑12.
Racial Skill Bonuses: +1 to Meteorology [2].
Features: White, blonde, light blue, and gray hair are common.

Options Wood Elf

Terrain Adaptation (Clouds) (p. 18) is very common, as is
Terraphobia (p. 19). Either could be made part of the racial
template.
Winged Elf
25 points (40 points if Unaging)
These elves’ wings make them unique among elven races.
Unlike sky elves (above), they don’t necessarily prefer living
in clouds, and are fully comfortable on the ground. They can
serve as messengers between those above and those below,
and may associate with other winged folk.
Their skin and eye color are as for humans or other elves.
20 points (35 points if Unaging)
Also called “green elves,” wood elves are known for their
agility, archery, dedication to forests, and green hair. Their
eye and skin color follow those of humans or other elves.
Attribute Modifiers: ST-1 [‑10]; DX+1 [20].
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: Basic Move+1 [5].
Advantages: Appearance (Attractive) [4]; Forest Guardian 2
(p. 18) [10]; Magery 0 [5].
Perks: Elven Gear (p. 17) [1].
Disadvantages: Sense of Duty (Nature) [‑15].
Features: Green hair.
Source: GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 3: The Next Level.

Racial Templates 16
 Chapter Five

Racial
Abilities
“Well, that was different,” said Lemissa. Attribute Substitution (Innate Attack based on Per)
“Agreed. I’ve never seen a goblin lead a city’s apothecaries’ see GURPS Power-Ups 2: Perks, p. 15
guild,” replied her cousin, Leyim.
Your Innate Attack skill is based on Per instead of DX. You
“I was thinking of that dragon disguised as a duke,” said
must specialize by Innate Attack specialty.
Lemissa, “or was it an earl? And that’s not even mentioning the
rumors of that city of the dead; I’m dying to go there.”
Elven Gear
Leyim rolled her eyes.
“So,” Lemissa continued, “where’s the Cabal sending us see GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 3:
next?” The Next Level, p. 6
“You forget my promotion,” reminded Leyim. “I – we – now Gives 10% off the final price of gear qualified as “elven”
have a choice of assignments. I’ve been offered three, all involv- (GM’s decision) – armor, rations, weapons, mounts, etc.
ing elves – we may need to get our ears temporarily sharp-
ened for these. I’ll check my notes . . . Interesting. There’s
one world where elves run over the tops of trees. Another
where they walk on clouds. And . . . oh boy, if I know you,
you’ll want the third.”
Common Advantages
Alongside the traits named in Advantages, a number of
“What’s that?” asked Lemissa.
advantages are common among elves. Several appear in
“A world where elves use psionics instead of magic,” her
some elven racial templates but not others. These are: Abso-
cousin explained.
lute Direction, Acute Hearing, Acute Vision, Allure*, Ani-
“You mean I can finally use my animal telepathy with-
mal Empathy, Animal Friend, Appearance, Artificer, Bard*,
out having to hide it?” Lemissa’s eyes flashed. “Let’s go!”
Beastmaster*, Born Entertainer*, Charisma, Close to the
“Well . . . I guess so,” agreed Leyim. “But please, prom-
Earth*, Cunning Folk*, Destiny, Empathy, Fashion Sense,
ise to be more careful with it this time? I don’t ever again
Gifted Artist, Green Thumb, Heroic Archer†, Musical Ability,
want to be chased across the ocean by a lovesick killer
Night Vision, Outdoorsman, Perfect Balance, Plant Empa-
whale.”
thy, Poet*, Reputation, Sage*, Sanitized Metabolism, Speak
with Animals‡, Speak with Plants‡, and Voice.
Advantages * See GURPS Power-Ups 3: Talents.
Many advantages in the Basic Set suit elves well, † See GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 1: Adventurers, p. 14.
including most of those related to animals and plants. ‡ Requires suitable Unusual Background (p. B96) or
For suggestions, see Common Advantages (below). There Racial Gifts perk (GURPS Power-Ups 2: Perks, p. 12).
are others available to elves – some exclusively.
Some advantages are more common in certain areas.
For example, an elf might have a few of the creatures and
possibly plants of their home area (forest, coral reef, cloud, Passing Appearance (Androgynous)
etc.) as Allies or even a Patron. With the GM’s permission, see GURPS Power-Ups 2: Perks, p. 4
forest-dwelling elves who live near the sea may have Speak Your looks never trigger bigoted NPCs’ biases or Intolerance
Underwater (p. B87). disadvantages against your sex. With minimal effort, you can
ensure that you’re mistaken for whatever sex is convenient.
Perks
Below are elf-useful perks not found in the Basic Set, Perfect Pitch
including some new ones. Two are included for gamers who You can identify or recreate a given musical note with-
believe that mages shouldn’t need high coordination to aim out a reference tone. You have +2 to all rolls to tune musical
magical jets, missiles, etc.; they are common among but not instruments or to confirm that they’re in tune (or out of tune).
exclusive to elves. Singers and players of continuous-pitch instruments won’t be
thrown off the pitch by distractions.

Racial Abilities 17
Perfect Timing Terrain Adaptation (Clouds): Eliminates DX and Move
A limited and realistic form of Absolute Timing (p. B35). penalties on top of magically “firm but bumpy” clouds
You can set yourself to awaken at an approximate time, and (not ordinary ones!). Permanent cumulonimbus clouds are
can estimate the time to within a few often relatively smooth on top and
minutes of your world’s best time- don’t require this – but enchanted
piece. You can keep the beat within a clouds used for transport can be
small fraction of a second, even when extremely bumpy. 5 points.
distracted. This is especially useful to
dancers and musicians (many bands Tree Walking
wish their drummer had this!).
10 points
Psychic Guidance This cinematic ability gives
full Move over the tops of trees. It
see GURPS Thaumatology: allows faster movement than the
Magical Styles, p. 29 more realistic Brachiator (p. B41),
You’re capable of controlling a but like that advantage gives +2 to
Missile spell with your mind instead Climbing.
of hurling it like a bolt or grenade.
Use your effective skill with the spell
instead of the Innate Attack skill to Features
attack as well as to cast. Ranged com- One zero-cost feature is useful
bat modifiers apply as usual. You when defining the lifecycle of cer-
must specialize by Missile spell. tain elves.

Tough Feet Early Maturation

Your feet are tough, as if you were
wearing light foot coverings even see GURPS Bio-Tech, p. 212
when barefoot. This grants no DR, You mature at the same rate as
but your feet enjoy protection against if you had Short Lifespan (p. B154)
the environment comparable to that without affecting the frequency of
provided by moccasins. This lets you aging rolls. Up to five levels are
walk on rocks and stiff, dry grass, possible. Early Maturation 1 could
avoid frozen toes, etc., exempting you be an option for half-elves; along-
from Hiking or Running skill penal- side Extended Lifespan 1, this
ties the GM assigns for going barefoot. would give them the same matura-
tion rate as humans.
Talent Level 1 2 3 4 5
see pp. B89-91 Maturity 9 years 4 years 2 years 1 year 6 months
A few Talents especially suit elves:
Dark Gift: Alchemy, Hazardous Materials (Magical), Hid- Disadvantages
den Lore, Occultism, and Thaumatology. Reaction bonus: Disadvantages almost universal to one variety of elf are
Truly evil supernatural beings when negotiating for arti- common in others. A few suit nearly all elves.
facts, knowledge, or power. Notes: The Dungeon Fantasy
Roleplaying Game assigns this to its dark elves, but it
also suits other dark elves and shadow elves. For close-to-
Code of Honor
nature elves, it could affect Herb Lore instead of Alchemy. see p. B127
5 points/level. This Code (from GURPS Banestorm, p. 185) suits most
Forest Guardian: Bow, Camouflage, Fast-Draw (Arrow), elves:
Stealth, and Survival (Woodlands). Reaction bonus: Druids,
Code of Honor (Elven): Never allow needless harm to trees
faeries, and bunnies. Notes: Elves only! 5 points/level.
(“coral reefs,” for sea elves) or animals, and always seek to live
Herbalist: Biology, Gardening, Herb Lore, Naturalist, Phar-
with elegance and style. The world should be more beautiful
macy (Herbal), and Poisons. Reaction bonus: Customers and
and full of life for your efforts. ‑10 points.
those who work with herbs. 5 points/level.

Terrain Adaptation Dependency

see p. B130
see p. B93
An elf could have a Dependency on being in natural sur-
A version of this trait is common among sky elves (p. 16).
roundings – perhaps one type of natural environment (ocean
The GM may restrict it to them and other cloud-dwellers
for a sea elf, forest for a wood elf) or even a specific area (e.g.,
and ‑travelers.
the Blackwoods, for a magically afflicted dark elf).

Racial Abilities 18
Phobias
see pp. B148-150
One Phobia is common among cloud- and sky-dwelling
elves:
The Ground (Terraphobia): You are afraid of the ground,
and are uncomfortable even seeing it. If there’s a chance of
an actual fall from a height, self-control rolls are at ‑5. ‑15
points.*
Quirks
Common quirks among elves include Broad-Minded
and, ironically, Chauvinistic (both p. B163). An elf living
among humans might take Distinctive Features (p. B165)
for pointed ears; a human among elves, for rounded ears.
Claustrophobia (p. B149) that applies only when there are
no indoor plants, or windows to see the outdoors, is a quirk;
another possibility is Likes Sleeping Outdoors. And many
elves are Fatalistic, believing “whatever will be, will be.”
For more inspiration, see GURPS Power-Ups 6: Quirks.
Skills
Nature-related skills are prevalent among elves. Popular
animal skills include various specialties of Animal Handling,
Mimicry, and Riding; sea elves learn Animal Handling (Orca)
and Riding (Orca) (which defaults to Riding (Horse)‑6),
while Riding (Elven Elk) is the same as Riding (Horse). For
plants, many elves have Gardening. Naturalist suits animals
and plants. Due to the care elves give to their homes, an elven
wood, coral reef, or cloud can give +1 or better to appropriate
rolls against Survival – yet another common skill.
Forest- and mountain-dwelling elves (and those living on
mountainous clouds) may want Climbing and Hiking. Light
Walk (p. B205) might be commonly taught in some communi-
ties (GM’s decision).
As for weapons, Bow is near-universal in some tribes.
Broadsword, Knife, and Staff are common. Less violently,
many elven elders are extremely skilled at Diplomacy and
Savoir-Faire, making them excellent advisors for their own
and other races.
The only purpose for which power
can be rightfully exercised over any
member of a civilized community,
against his will,
is to prevent harm to others.
– John Stuart Mill,
On Liberty
Racial Abilities
Common Disadvantages
Common disadvantages for elves include Code of
Honor (Elven or Professional) and – among low-tech
elves – Technophobia. Claustrophobia, too, but this
would be crippling and thus very rare for a deep elf
(pp. 13-14) or GURPS Dungeon Fantasy dark elf (p. 13).
Some may have Intolerance (Urbanites). Very young
elves, like humans, often have Impulsiveness or Short
Attention Span, and need Extra Sleep.
Honesty, however, is uncommon – not because elves
tend to be criminals, but because few of them can relate
to the multitude of strict laws found in many other
humanoid societies. Bully and especially Sadism are
very rare, but might be found among dark elves and
shadow elves.
Techniques
These techniques follow the rules on pp. B229-233.
Underwater Archery
Average
Default: Bow-4.
Prerequisite: Bow; cannot exceed Bow skill.
Lets you use a seabow or other waterproof bow underwa-
ter. (See Underwater Battles, p. 20, for more details.) If not
using techniques, treat this as a DX/A skill that defaults to and
from Bow at ‑4.
Wildspeak
Average
Defaults: prerequisite skill-2.
Prerequisites: Mimicry (Bird Calls) or Mimicry (Animal
Sounds); cannot exceed prerequisite skill+2.
Allows the communication of simple ideas,
on a par with Gesture (p. B198), but using
sounds rather than hand gestures, mak-
ing it more practical in thick forests where
vision is blocked. Elves often have Mimicry
(Bird Calls) or more rarely Mimicry (Animal
Sounds) – although the latter is common
among sea elves, who use it for messages to
each other and simple commands to their
mounts. If not using techniques, treat this as
an IQ/E skill with the appropriate Mimicry
specialty as a prerequisite.
Martial Arts
Many elves focus on the bow, staff, or
sword; see Sylvan War Lore (GURPS Martial
Arts: Yrth Fighting Styles, pp. 18-20). Sea
elves also use the bow, but otherwise favor the
net and trident; see Net and Trident Lore (Yrth
Fighting Styles, pp. 21-22).
19

Underwater Battles
Melee-weapon attacks underwater are made at ‑4 per yard
of maximum reach; e.g., a spear is at ‑8, even if used to attack
someone within one yard. Unarmed attacks and Reach C weap-
ons suffer no penalty.
Water drag also affects damage underwater. Thrusting weap-
ons do ‑1 damage per yard of maximum reach. Swung weap-
ons suffer the same penalty per die of damage! Again, unarmed
attacks and Reach C weapons take no penalty.
All thrown and other muscle-powered ranged weapons
divide their ranges by 10 underwater and do half normal dam-
age (explosive warheads are unaffected). Bows, crossbows, and
arrows don’t work at all unless built with materials that won’t
stretch or warp when wet. For possibilities, see Elven Seabow
(p. 24) and Waterproof (below).
Pyramid #3/26: Underwater Adventures, from which these
rules were taken, has detailed rules for fighting and many other
underwater activities – including environmental hazards. It is
strongly recommended for underwater adventures, like anything
involving sea elves. And GURPS Martial Arts: Yrth Fighting
Styles features the Underwater Combat technique.
Powers
For an alternative to magic – especially for modern-day
or GURPS Space campaigns – elves may rely on psionics.
Elven psionics will likely have a mystical aspect to them, tun-
ing one’s mind in harmony with the unseen forces of nature.
GURPS Powers features Psionic, Nature, Biological, Chi,
Magical, Spirit, and other powers that could be useful to elves.
For psionics that work on animals – including the Animal-
ism technique, the Animal Speech, Beast Control, and Mind
Swap abilities, and the Animal Telepathy power – see GURPS
Psionic Powers.
Spells
Elves often learn Animal, Plant, and elemental spells
appropriate to maintaining and protecting their environment.
Below are two new spells, both IQ/H. For many more elf-ap-
propriate spells, see GURPS Magic, GURPS Magic: Plant
Spells, GURPS Magic: The Least of Spells, and Pyramid
#3/68: Natural Magic. To change the nature of magic alto-
gether, see GURPS Thaumatology.
Racial Abilities
Singing Trees
Similar to Forest Warning (Magic, p. 162) and
Area
Nightingale (Magic, p. 167), but cast on an area of
trees or bushes. When anybody walks by or touches
a plant in the area, a breeze through the leaves
makes a whistling sound. The caster is alerted or
awakened automatically if within hearing range;
others nearby are likely to be alerted, too, but must
make a Hearing roll if the area is already noisy. If
the caster has at least a point in any musical skill,
the spell can whistle a simple tune specified at the
time of casting.
Duration: 10 hours.
Base cost: 1/2 (minimum 2). Same cost to maintain.
Prerequisites: Either Sense Danger or one Air spell,
one Plant spell (or the Plant Empathy advantage), and
one Sound spell.
Item
Can be cast permanently on an area of trees or
bushes. Energy cost to create: 100 per yard radius.
Waterproof
Regular
An object – or the hair, fur, feathers, and skin/hide/exo-
skeleton of a person or creature and anything they’re carry-
ing – becomes waterproof. This also prevents an aquatic life
form drying out when outside of the water.
Waterproof won’t prevent rain, snow, or hail from hitting
the subject (that’s Umbrella; Magic, p. 185), only from making
them wet. It doesn’t remove water, either; for that, use Destroy
Water (Magic, p. 185) or Dehydrate (Magic, p. 188). And it
cannot change water pressure, make one amphibious, give
the ability to breathe or speak underwater, or prevent damage
from acids and alkalis.
Duration: 10 minutes.
Cost: 2 to cast. 1 to maintain.
Time to cast: 2 seconds.
Prerequisite: Destroy Water or Umbrella.
Item
(a) Wand, staff, or jewelry. Energy cost to create: 400. (b)
For 100 times casting cost, any item (not person or creature)
may be permanently Waterproofed.
20
 Chapter Six
Iconic
Professions
“All those trees, bushes, animals – burned and destroyed for
nothing. What a cruel waste,” lamented Norven, leaning on his
axe. “I’m a dwarf, and it bothers me. I don’t know how you as
an elf can stand it.”
“I am deeply saddened at the loss,” said the elven forest war-
den Florínsha. “But we need to focus on the positive: That you
and I and the others succeeded in protecting both my village and
your band.”
“Barely,” replied Norven. “There was fire everywhere. And for
what? I hate orcs.”
“I would not hate them, my friend,” advised Florínsha.
“Abandoning love for others is what led to . . . those who left
my people.”
“Your dark elves?” Norven asked. “I heard they claim their
hate makes them stronger.”
“No,” answered Florínsha. “So they may say, but it does not.
Hate is like fire; it burns those who hold it.”
Almost all elves want to preserve nature and themselves.
This often leads them to become some form of guardian or
warden.
The Elven people believe
that preservation of the land and
all that lives and grows upon it,
plant and animal alike, is a moral
responsibility.
– Terry Brooks, The Elfstones
of Shannara
Forest Warden
125 points
A forest warden is half forest ranger, half forest guard.
Most would prefer to avoid violent conflict, but are ready
when needed.
Note: Some traits here may already be included in a racial
template. When overlap arises, avoid duplication, making
suitable substitutions where necessary.
Iconic Professions
Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 12 [40]; IQ 12 [40]; HT 11 [10].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10
[0]; Will 12 [0]; Per 12 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Speed 5.75 [0];
Basic Move 5 [0].
Advantages: Outdoorsman 1 [10]. • A further 15 point chosen
from among Absolute Direction [5], Acute Vision [2/level],
Allies [Varies], Animal Empathy [5], Animal Friend 1-3
[5/level], Brachiator† [5], Combat Reflexes [15], Danger
Sense [15], Elven Gear [1], Fearlessness [2/level] or Unfaze-
able [15], Forest Guardian 1-3 [5/level], Herbalist 1-3
[5/level], Higher Purpose (Protect my territory) [5], Out-
doorsman 2 [10], Patrons [Varies], Perfect Balance [15],
Plant Empathy [5], Signature Gear [Varies], Tree Walk-
ing† [10], or another level of Magery [10].
Disadvantages: ‑5 points in an appropriate Duty or Sense
of Duty. • Another ‑10 points chosen from among Broad-
Minded [‑1], Chauvinistic [‑1], Code of Honor [Varies],
Dull [‑1], Enemies [Varies], Hidebound [‑5], Light Sleeper
[‑1], Overconfidence [‑5*], Stubbornness [‑5], Truthfulness
[‑5*], Vow [Varies], Workaholic [‑5], or more severe Duty
or Sense of Duty.
Primary Skills: Area Knowledge (Patrolled area) (E) IQ+2
[4]‑14; Survival (Jungle or Woodlands) (A) Per+2 [4]‑14‡;
Tracking (A) Per+1 [2]‑13‡; and 4 points in any one Melee
Weapon or missile weapon skill.
Secondary Skills: 7 points spent on any of Crossbow, Fast
Draw (Arrow), Jumping, or Knife, all (E) DX+1 [2]‑13;
Bow, Climbing, Riding (any), Staff, or Stealth, all (A) DX
[2]‑12; Blowpipe or Net, both (H) DX-1 [2]‑11; Camouflage
(E) IQ+1 [1]‑13‡; First Aid/TL (E) IQ+1 [2]‑13; Navigation/
TL (Land) (A) IQ+1 [2]‑13‡; Animal Handling (any), Cook-
ing, Interrogation, Meteorology/TL, or Traps/TL, all (A) IQ
[2]‑12; Mimicry (Animal Sounds or Bird Calls) or Natu-
ralist (any), both (H) IQ [2]‑12‡; Herb Lore/TL (VH) IQ-2
[2]‑10; Hiking (A) HT [2]‑11; Fishing (E) Per+1 [1]‑13‡; or
Scrounging (E) Per+1 [2]‑13.
Background Skills: 4 points selected from among Acrobat-
ics, Escape, or Light Walk†, all (H) DX-2 [1]‑10; Armoury/
TL (Missile Weapons), Holdout, or Public Speaking, all
(A) IQ-1 [1]‑11; or Diplomacy or Poisons/TL, both (H) IQ-2
[1]‑10.
* Multiplied for self-control number; see p. B120.
† Cinematic/larger-than-life trait requiring GM’s permis-
sion.
‡ Includes +1 from Outdoorsman.
21
Other Templates
Especially suitable occupational templates for elves
include the bard, battle wizard, entertainer, freelance wizard,
healer, martial artist, merchant, and woodsman on GURPS
Banestorm, pp. 202-217; the archer, artificer, bard, battle wiz-
ard, enchanter, hedge wizard, holy man, merchant, peasant
Giladilofotajovi
(110 points, 125 points if Unaging)
Giladilofotajovi (nickname “Gilad”) is a traveling
mage-merchant who’s more interested in merchanting
than in “maging.” The deep elf’s travels usually don’t
take him very far – most often to nearby elven villages or
human towns – but he knows his territory.
Gilad’s brown skin, green eyes, and long black hair
aren’t remarkable in many human and elven lands, but
most humans he encounters like his looks and love his
voice, and notice the flower he always seem to have in
his hair. He insists that his wares can be properly viewed
only in sunlight, so he won’t deal indoors (he hasn’t gone
underground since that childhood mining disaster). His
wagon driver also serves as a guard.
Giladilofotajovi is suitable as an NPC or heroic PC.
His native Cultural Familiarity and Language are listed
as “Elven” and “Elvish” respectively, but the GM should
adjust those, the world specialty of his Naturalist skill,
and his TL to fit the campaign.
ST 9 [‑10]; DX 11* [0]; IQ 12 [40]; HT 11 [10].
Damage 1d-2/1d-1; BL 16 lbs.; HP 10 [2]; Will 12 [0]; Per
12 [0]; FP 11 [0].
Basic Speed 5.50 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]; Dodge 8.
5’ 8”; 135 lbs.
Social Background
TL: Campaign default [0].
CF: Elven [0]; one other [1].
Languages: Elvish (Native) [0]; one other spoken, at
Accented [2].
Advantages
Acute Hearing 2* [0]; Appearance (Attractive) [4];
Business Acumen 1 [10]; Deep Elf [20]; Magery 0* [0];
Night Vision 5* [0]; Outdoorsman 1 [10]; Reputation +1
(Keeps his bargains; Merchants; All the time) [2]; Voice
[10]; Wealth (Comfortable) [10].
“Why?” she slowly asked herself, “do dormant trees make me
want to dance?”
– Deby Fredericks, Dancer in the Grove of Ghosts
Iconic Professions
adventurer, scholar, spellcaster, village sage, and wardancer
on GURPS Fantasy, pp. 114-127; the dark-elf defender on
GURPS Martial Arts: Yrth Fighting Styles, p. 31; and most
GURPS Dungeon Fantasy professions, notably the bard,
druid, scout, and wizard, and the “elf’s elf” (Pyramid #3/50:
Dungeon Fantasy II).
Perks: Elven Gear* [0]; Honest Face [1].
Disadvantages
Claustrophobia (12) [‑15]; Code of Honor (Profes-
sional) [‑5]; Pacifism (Self-Defense Only) [‑15]; Sense of
Duty (Nature)* [0]; Workaholic [‑5].
Quirks: Changes the name of his merchandise to please
the customer (without cheating); Imaginative; Likes to
dance after a good sales day; Sings when entering a town
or village; Wears a fresh flower in his hair. [‑5]
Skills
Accounting (H) IQ [2]‑12†; Area Knowledge (Trade
route) (E) IQ+1 [2]‑13; Armoury/TL (Body Armor)
(A) IQ-1 [1]‑11; Bow (A) DX-1 [1]‑10; Dancing (A) DX
[2]‑11; Diplomacy (H) IQ+1 [2]‑13‡, Fast-Talk (A) IQ+2
[2]‑14‡; Finance (H) IQ-1 [1]‑11†; Hiking (A) HT [2]‑11;
Housekeeping (E) IQ [1]‑12; Jeweler/TL (H) IQ-1 [2]‑11;
Leadership (A) IQ-1 [1]‑11; Merchant (A) IQ+2 [4]‑14†;
Meteorology/TL (A) IQ-1 [1]‑11; Mimicry (Bird Calls) (H)
IQ+1 [1]‑13‡§; Naturalist (World) (H) IQ [2]‑12§; Sing-
ing (E) HT+2 [1]‑13‡; Survival (Woodlands) (A) Per+1
[2]‑13§.
Techniques: Wildspeak (Bird Calls) (A) Skill-1 [1]‑12.
Spells
Create Air (H) IQ-2 [1]‑10; Ignite Fire (H) IQ-2 [1]‑10,
No-Smell (H) IQ-2 [1]‑10; Predict Weather (H) IQ [4]‑12;
Purify Air (H) IQ-2 [1]‑10; Purify Water (H) IQ-2 [1]‑10;
Seek Earth (H) IQ-2 [1]‑10; Seek Water (H) IQ-2 [1]‑10;
Stench (H) IQ-2 [1]‑10.
* From deep elf racial template (pp. 13-14).
† Includes +1 from Business Acumen.
‡ Includes +2 from Voice.
§ Includes +1 from Outdoorsman.
22
 Chapter Seven

Equipping
Elves
“Spider silk makes the best, most dyeable, and lightest armor Some elven tribes may eschew clothing altogether, or wear
you can buy for the price,” declared the traveling elven merchant nothing but flowers and leaves, jewelry, shoes, or hats.
Giladilofotajovi.
“I know, I know. You’ve told me that,” said the half-elf Spider Silk
Loreshan. “I’d like to buy it, but . . . truthfully, the thought of
Spider-silk cloth is valued for its light weight, flexibility,
being covered in something secreted by an icky spider doesn’t
durability, and dyeability. Its extreme stretchiness means
make me feel very comfortable.”
that cutting and impaling weapons deform rather than pierce
“In that case, you may think of it as web-crab silk,” replied
it; this doesn’t remove their wounding modifiers, but it does
the merchant, smiling reassuringly.
negate any blood or contact agents they carry, and the addi-
Loreshan paused. “I’ll take it.”
tional injury for extracting barbed weapons (GURPS Low-
Elves living with nature in a low-tech society likely need Tech, p. 73).
little equipment. Common weapons include bows and arrows, Spider-silk clothing has 2¥ the cost and 2/3 the weight of
staffs, swords, and knives. Clothing might be worn to protect the equivalent cloth item. Spider-silk cloth armor (pp. B283-
against severe cold, for modesty, or for decoration; armor, for 284) has 100¥ the cost, the same weight, and +2 DR vs. cutting
protection. Mounts are valuable for long-distance travel and and impaling attacks.
for war.
Distinctly elven equipment includes
the elven rations, weapons, and armor
in GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 1: I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now
Adventurers; the elven limb brace and
rope in Dungeon Fantasy 8: Treasure From up and down, and still somehow
Tables; the elven coaches, boots,
blind, and cloak in Dungeon Fantasy It’s cloud illusions I recall
16: Wilderness Adventures; and the
high elf skyship and sea elf submers-
I really don’t know clouds at all.
ible in GURPS Vehicles: Transports
of Fantasy.
– Joni Mitchell, “Both Sides Now”
For elves living at higher tech lev-
els, GURPS High-Tech, GURPS Ultra-
Tech, and especially GURPS Bio-Tech offer many options.
Weapons
The most popular low-tech weapons for elves are bows,
Clothing and Armor followed by staffs, swords (often longswords), and knives.
Most elves favor freedom of movement over bulky protec- Wooden bows and staffs are frequently transformed with
tion – climbing trees, walking on or flying above clouds, and Essential Wood (GURPS Magic, p. 164). Swords are often fine
swimming in the ocean aren’t very practical in plate or mail. quality. For more ideas, see GURPS Low-Tech, GURPS Low-
Armor tends to be light and flexible, such as cloth or light Tech Companion 2: Weapons and Warriors, and GURPS
leather, when used at all. Dungeon Fantasy 1: Adventurers.
Clothing is often in forest tones, especially greens and For sea elves, tridents, nets, spears, and bows are popular.
browns, although some elves prefer bright colors. Dark and See Underwater Battles (p. 20) and Elven Seabow (p. 24).
high elves tend toward the dark and subdued, while white, Elves in a futuristic world using GURPS Space or GURPS
gold, and light gray are popular among sky elves. Sea elves Ultra-Tech may substitute guns or beam weapons for bows.
might wear rings or necklaces made from shells or pearls for Whatever the TL, elven weapons are known for being well-
decoration, but wearing anything more than skintight cloth- made and elegant. Many wooden ones have subtle decorative
ing in the ocean is largely impractical. carvings. Metal and plastic ones may be engraved while the
material is still hot and malleable.

Equipping Elves 23
Elven Bows Table
Terms and notation are as defined on pp. B268-271.
TL Weapon Damage Acc Range
1 Elven Warbow thr+3 imp 3 ¥25/¥30
1 Seabow thr imp 1 ¥10/¥15
Elven Longbow
Elves are known for their longbows. But what is an
“elven longbow”? The GM could use the standard longbow
(p. B275), the elven bow on Dungeon Fantasy 1, p. 26, or
the following warbow.
Elven Warbow
While elves may avoid battle, they’re usually prepared
when they engage. The elven warbow some call pagrimuslovus
is a type of composite longbow made of heartwood, sapwood,
and horn, with a string of plant and animal fiber. All materials
are carefully gathered without damage to the source animals
and plants – living matter is considered “donated,” while the
heartwood comes from “elevated” (dead) trees.
Instead of being in the middle of the bow, the grip is about
two-thirds of the way down from the upper tip, as is true of the
traditional Japanese longbow (yumi). This lets an equestrian
archer shoot over the sides of their mount without interfering
with its movement. It’s also effective while the user is stand-
ing, though not under low ceilings.
The six-foot-long bow and three-foot-long arrows are cere-
moniously shaped and assembled. The bow is of fine quality,
with increased range and ‑1 to rolls for breakage, and also
stealthy (‑1 to Hearing rolls to detect it). It takes much longer
to make than many other bows, but long-lived elves are rarely
in a hurry. Thus, it’s expensive; Signature Gear (p. B85) can
help. Archers of modest strength might want the Strongbow
perk (GURPS Martial Arts, p. 51, or GURPS Power-Ups 2:
Perks, p. 7).
Sea Elf Archers
If there’s one thing that strikes terror in shore-fighting
combatants, it’s sea elf archers. Because they’re amphib-
ious, they can “float” while standing straight up in the
water, waist-deep in the sea, their feet above the ocean
floor. (Though sea elves who cannot breathe air can’t do
this for long!) Assuming a calm sea, they’re just as accu-
rate shooting their seabows (or Waterproofed bows) from
that position as other elves are on dry land. And some have
learned to shoot from the backs of orcas.
Elven Seabow
Traditional bows, arrows, and bowstrings are ruined if they
get wet. Sea elf bowyers and fletchers have mastered the dif-
ficult art of constructing archery equipment that can be used
immediately above the sea – and in it! Their short bows are
made from baleen (the regrowing hornlike substance baleen
whales use to filter food), backed by a cable made of a special
Equipping Elves
Weight RoF Shots Cost ST Bulk
4/0.1 1 1(2) $3,600 10† ‑7
2/0.1 1 1(2)    $100 7† ‑6
variety of seaweed. Arrow shafts are made from reeds; heads,
from stone, bone, or metal; and strings, from exceptional sea-
weed fibers.
Range and damage listed on the table are for use in air. For
submerged use, see Underwater Battles (p. 20). A water-resis-
tant arrow costs $4.
For another option, consider the Waterproof spell (p. 20).
“Yes, they are Elves,” said Legolas;
“and they say that you breathe so loud
that they could shoot you in the dark.”
– J.R.R. Tolkien,
The Fellowship of the Ring
Mounts
Elven mounts are more likely to be cooperative noble
horses, superior horses, or possibly unicorns (if the uni-
corn accepts a virgin rider) than standard horses. Some
elves – notably sky elves – might ride pegasi. Sea elves may
ride dolphins, holding onto the dorsal fins of one or a pair of
the sea mammals. An elven elk (below) or an orca (p. 25) can
make an effective war mount.
Templates for noble horses and Yrth dolphins, and statis-
tics for unicorns and pegasi, appear in GURPS Banestorm.
For another unicorn, and a superior horse template, see
GURPS Fantasy.
If an elf does ride a horse, the animal will often have
the Mount skill. As a rule, elves do not use bits and seldom
use bridles. If headstalls and saddles are used, they’re often
decorated – and must be accepted by the mount.
The orca and elven elk stats below describe typi-
cal trained mounts. For a wild one, remove Mount skill,
and substitute Wild Animal for Domestic Animal. For
an untrained but potentially trainable animal (which is
younger and smaller, and thus has temporarily lower sta-
tistics), reduce cost by 1/3.
Elven Elk
Most deer are light-boned, skittish, and unreliable,
and thus not suitable mounts. The deer called elven elk are
an exception.
Their thick bodies, with slender legs and short tails, give
them an adult height ranging from about 2 1/2 to 5 feet at the
shoulders, with length varying from about 5 to 9 feet. Weight
varies from around 400 to 1,100 lbs. Mounts fall on the larger
side of those ranges. Coloration is usually light-, reddish-, or
dark-brown, sometimes with some white (especially on the
rump or tail); a few are black.
24
 Ye elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes and groves,
And ye that on the sands with printless foot
Do chase the ebbing Neptune and do fly him
When he comes back . . .
– William Shakespeare, The Tempest
Like other deer, elven elk are hoofed ruminant mammals. kill. While legends of people hunting from the backs of killer
They primarily graze, but do browse on leaves. Unlike most whales are unverified, there are recent reports of orcas attack-
deer, both males and females grow antlers, which are not shed. ing boats!
Sea elves may find orcas very useful and deadly mounts. A
ST 20; DX 12; IQ 3; HT 12.
group of sea elves riding “war whales” is greatly feared – per-
Will 11; Per 11; Speed 6; Dodge 10; Move 9.
haps even by sea dwarves.
SM +1 (3 hexes); 1,000 lbs.
ST 43; DX 10; IQ 5; HT 10.
Traits: Combat Reflexes; Domestic Animal; Enhanced Move
Will 10; Per 10; Speed 5; Dodge 8; Move 10 (Water).
1 (Ground Speed 18); Hooves; Quadruped; Striker (Impal-
SM +3 (7 hexes); 10,000 lbs.
ing); Weak Bite.
Skills: Brawling-12; Jumping-12; Mount-12; Swimming-12. Traits: Breath-Holding 4; Domestic Animal; Enhanced Move
Cost: $4,500. 1/2 (Water Speed 15); Ichthyoid; Injury Tolerance (No
Neck); Nictitating Membrane 1; No Sense of Smell/Taste;
Orca Peripheral Vision; Pressure Support 1; Scanning Sense
(Sonar); Ultrasonic Hearing.
Orcas, or killer whales, are actually oceanic dolphins, not
Skills: Brawling-12; Mount-12.
true whales. They are white on their bellies and usually black
Cost: $5,000.
on their backs, with a white eye patch. Apex predators, they
kill and consume fish (even sharks!), squid, and other sea
mammals. While they seem to prefer colder water, they also
inhabit warm seas and are one of the most widely distributed
Animal Companions
The concept of owning animals is foreign to most elves,
mammals on Earth.
although they might have animal Allies or familiars (both
Adult size varies by sex, variety, and location. Adult
in GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 5: Allies), or even totem spir-
males average about 23 feet long and weigh around six tons,
its (in GURPS Powers: Totems and Nature Spirits). They
while females average about 19 feet long and weigh around
regard the rest as fellow creatures or something that needs
three tons. Orcas live and travel in matrilineal pods of five to
protecting. GURPS Power-Ups 2: Perks has several elf-
40 orcas, with members caring for and teaching the young.
appropriate animal perks that could help here, notably
They appear to have no sense of smell and
Call of the Wild, Good with (Animal),
a very limited sense of taste; the latter
and Pet (which for elves could be
can be ignored for game purposes.
renamed “Companion Animal”).
They can vocalize for group recogni-
Given their long lifespans, elves
tion and coordinated behavior (see
may befriend an entire flock, hive,
Wildspeak, p. 19).
or herd, staying close to them
Orcas can “spy-hop,” moving to a
through many animal generations.
vertical position in the water, enabling
Elves may relate to colonies of rats
them to see what animals – including
or mice, or hives of bees. Individ-
people – are on the ice or land. An orca
ual animals popular among forest
can also beach itself, jumping onto land
and mountain elves include birds
to catch prey and then dragging its catch
(especially owls and parrots), mon-
back into the water. An orca pod can
keys, lemurs, wolves, raccoons,
create waves to knock small ice-dwelling
and the elusive unicorn. Sea elves
animals into the water where they can
can be close to a particular dol-
be eaten. Pods can even attack much
phin (including an orca) or a pod,
larger whales. Attacks on humans in the
or even to an entire school of fish.
wild are rare, but have occurred.
Sky elves may favor a pegasus or a
There are historical reports of a pod
nest of rabbits or pikas; both they
of orcas that helped human hunters:
and winged elves might befriend
The orcas would shepherd large baleen
flocks of birds. Deep elves might be
whales into a bay or similar area, swim
cordial with a colony of bats, and a
to alert the hunters, and then help in the
bear could make a useful Ally.

Equipping Elves 25
Advantages, 17-18; animals, 17, 25; common,
17; cultural, 6.
Index
Generic fantasy elf template, 11-12.
Giladilofotajovi (example character), 22.
Half-elves, 10; Early Maturation, 18; GURPS
Dungeon Fantasy template, 14; lifecycle,
Aging, 11, 12, 18. Gnomes, 5. 12; physiology modifier, 12; Yrth template,
Agriculture, 8. Green elves, see Wood Elves. 14.
Allies advantage, 17, 25. Ground, fear of, 19. Herbalist Talent, 18.
Anatomy, 12. GURPS Dungeon Fantasy, animals, 25; High elves, 23; clothing, 23; template, 14-15.
Anchaliel, 4. common gear, 23; gnomes, 4; history, 4-5; History, GURPS Dungeon Fantasy, 4;
Animals, agriculture and, 8; children and, 8; unaging, 11; variant templates, 13-15. elsewhere, 5; myth and folklore, 5; secret, 5;
Code of Honor, 18; common advantages, 17, GURPS, 3, 4, 5; Aliens: Sparrials, 7; Yrth, 4.
25; common perks, 25; common powers, Banestorm, 3, 4, 9, 11-16, 18, 22, 24; Basic Hobbies, 8.
20; common skills, 19; common spells, Set, 3, 11, 17; Big Lizzie, 5; Bio-Tech, 3, Holidays, 9.
20; companions, 25; elven attitude, 8, 24, 18, 23; Celtic Myth, 5; Dungeon Fantasy, Humans, elven quirks and, 19; elves and, 7, 8,
25; mounts, 24-25; related profession, 21; 3-5, 11, 19, 22; Dungeon Fantasy 1: 10; history, 4, 5; orcas and, 25; religions, 9;
religion and, 9; Wildspeak, 19. Adventurers, 17, 23, 24; Dungeon Fantasy see also Half-Elves.
Appearance, 12. 3: The Next Level, 3, 14-17; Dungeon Jobs and responsibilities, 8.
Armor, 23; winged elf, 16. Fantasy 5: Allies, 25; Dungeon Fantasy 8: Languages, 6; related technique, 19.
Arts, 9. Treasure Tables, 23; Dungeon Fantasy 16: Leaders, 6.
Attribute Substitution (Innate Attack based on Wilderness Adventures, 23; Fantasy, 3, Lifecycle, 12.
Per) perk, 17. 11, 22, 24; Fantasy Folk, 3, 5; Fantasy II: Longbows, 24.
Banestorm, uses for, 4. The Mad Lands, 5; Federation, 7; High- Magic items, new, 20.
Beliefs, religious, 9. Tech, 23; Horror, 5; Infinite Worlds, 3-6, Martial arts, 19, 20.
Broad-Minded quirk, 10, 19. 11; Low-Tech, 23; Low-Tech Companion Military, 7; martial arts, 19, 20; sea elf archers,
Character, example, 22. 2: Weapons and Warriors, 23; Low-Tech 24; war mounts, 7, 24; weapons, 23-24.
Chauvinistic quirk, 10, 19. Companion 3: Daily Life and Economics, Mountain elves, animals, 25; template, 15.
Children, 8. 8; Magic, 16, 20, 23; Magic: Plant Spells, Mounts, 24-25.
Clothing, 23. 20; Magic: The Least of Spells, 20; Martial Names, 12.
Cloud elves, see Sky Elves. Arts, 24; Martial Arts: Yrth Fighting Norðlondr Fólk, 5.
Code of Honor, 18. Styles, 19, 20, 22; Monster Hunters, 14; Orcas, 7, 25; archers and, 24; elf skills, 19.
Communities, 7. Monster Hunters 1: Champions, 14; Orcs, elves and, 10; history, 4.
Courting, 8. Old West, 5; Power-Ups 2: Perks, 3, 17, Passing Appearance (Androgynous)
Crafter elves, 5. 24, 25; Power-Ups 3: Talents, 17; Power- perk, 17.
Crafts, 8-9. Ups 6: Quirks, 19; Powers, 20; Powers: Pastimes, 8.
Cultural Familiarity advantage, 6. Totems and Nature Spirits, 25; Prime Perfect Pitch perk, 17.
Culture, 6-9. Directive, 7; Psionic Powers, 20; Social Perfect Timing perk, 18.
Dark elves, Banestorm, 4; GURPS Dungeon Engineering: Back to School, 11; Space, Perks, 17-18; animal related, 25.
Fantasy template, 13; half-elves and, 14; 3, 4, 6, 7, 20, 23; Spaceships, 7; Supers, Phobias, 19.
history, 4, 5; orcs and, 10, 13; Yrth template, 5; Thaumatology, 8, 20; Thaumatology: Physiology modifiers, 12.
13. Magical Styles, 3, 18; Ultra-Tech, 23; Polytheism, 9.
Dark Gift Talent, 18. Vehicles: Transports of Fantasy, 23; Powers, 20.
Deep elves, animals, 25; beliefs, 9; Vikings, 5; Zombies, 5. Pronouns, 6.
disadvantages, 19; dwarves and, 10;
example, 22; size, 12; template, 13-14.
Defenders of the Shaded Woodlands, see Dark
Elves.
Dependency disadvantage, 18. Elves are wonderful. They provoke
Disadvantages, 10, 18-19; common, 19.
Discworld Roleplaying Game, 5. wonder.
Druidism, 9.
Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game, 5, 11, Elves are marvellous. They cause marvels.
18; Companion 2, 3, 5, 13.
Dwarves, elves and, 10, 13; history, 4, 5. Elves are fantastic. They create fantasies.
Early Maturation feature, 18.
Eldritch elf template, 14. Elves are glamorous. They project
Elk, elven, 24.
Elven Gear perk, 17. glamour.
Entertainment, 8.
Equipment, armor, 16, 23; clothing, 23; magic Elves are enchanting. They weave
items, 20; perk, 17; weapons, 23-24.
Eternal, the, 9. enchantment.
Everyday life, 7-8.
Features, 18. Elves are terrific. They beget terror.
Forest Guardian Talent, 18.
Forest warden template, 21.
Gender roles, 8.
– Terry Pratchett, Lords and Ladies
Generic elf template, 11.

Index 26
Psionic powers, 20.
Psychic Guidance perk, 18.
Psychology, 13.
Purifiers, see Dark Elves.
Pyramid, #3/26: Underwater Adventures, 3, 20;
#3/68: Natural Magic, 20; ##3/50: Dungeon
Fantasy II, 5, 22.
Quirks, 19.
Racial abilities, 17-20; see also Advantages,
Disadvantages, Perks, Skills, Templates.
Religion, 9.
Sea elves, animal companions, 25; archers,
24; beliefs, 9; clothing, 23; Code of Honor,
18; Dependency, 19; Eternal, 9; GURPS
Dungeon Fantasy template, 15; history,
4, 5; military, 7, 19, 20; mounts, 7, 24, 25;
physiology modifiers, 12; size, 12; technique,
19; typical skills, 19; vehicle, 23; weapons,
19, 23, 24; Wildspeak, 19; Yrth template,
4, 15.
Seabows, 24.
Sexual activity, 8.
Shadow elves, beliefs, 9; common Terraphobia, 19.
disadvantages, 19; Talent, 18; template, 15. Tough Feet perk, 18.
Singing Trees spell, 20. Transhuman Space, 7.
Size, 12. Tree Walking advantage, 18.
Skills, 19; physiology and, 12; techniques, 19. Unaging advantage, 11.
Sky elves, animals, 24, 25; clothing, 23; Underwater Archery technique, 19.
Phobia, 19; size, 12; template, 16; Terrain Underwater, battles, 20, 24; orcas, 25; racial
Adaptation, 18. template, 15; related spell, 20; seabows, 24;
Social organization, 6-7. technique, 20; see also Sea Elves.
Space, elven military, 7; elves in, 4, 7; weapons, Vehicles, mounts, 24-25; sea, 7; space, 7.
23. Warbows, 24.
Spells, 20. Waterproof spell, 20.
Spider silk, 23. Weapons, 23-24.
Steampunk elves, 7. Wildspeak technique, 19.
Survival skill, bonus, 8, 19; Winged elves, history, 5; Phobia, 19; physiology
related Talent, 18. modifier, 12; size, 12; template, 16.
Table, elven bows, 24. Wood elves, Dependency, 19; history, 5;
Talent advantage, 18. template, 16.
Techniques, 19. Yrth, dark elves, 6, 10, 13; history, 4; martial
Templates, additional ideas, 15; common arts, 19, 20; mounts, 24; profession
profession, 22; new profession, 21; suggestions, 22; religion, 9; standard elf
standard, 11-13; variant racial, 13-16. template, 12-13; variant elf templates, 13-15.
Terrain Adaptation advantage, 18.

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Index 27