Woodsprite
Woodsprites are regarded by many as a bit on-edge and slightly paranoid. They often seem react to danger before realizing what they're doing, and sometimes even react when no danger is present. Despite this, they have a thriving society in certain arboreal settings, with treetop villages that can put elven communities to shame. These communities aren't very hospitable to outsiders, however, as they are designed for small beings with wings.
Personality
Their somewhat jumpy nature causes them to be a bit reserved when dealing with new people or situations, unconsciously on the alert for the first sign of trouble. Once trust is earned, they ease up, but even a long-lasting friendship can be put in peril if it is stretched too much. They prefer the tried-and-true to the experimental, the calm to the exciting, and the open air to the cramped dungeon.
Physical Description
Woodsprites resemble a cross between human children and halflings, with key distinctions being their pointed ears, odd coloration, and wings. Their skin ranges in shades from pale white to dusky gray to ruddy brown, while their hair comes in red, green, blonde or brown. Sprouting from their back are two insectoid wings which can be ovular like a housefly or more elongated like a dragonfly. They can be translucent or transparent, with a hue that generally matches their hair color. Women and men are both of roughly equal builds, 2-3 feet tall and 20-30 pounds. Their bones are hollow, but strong. Both sexes usually lack body hair, but some men have a light smattering on their forearms and lower legs.
Relations
Woodsprites get along with elves despite their slightly chaotic natures, and their reserved nature meshes with dwarves, though their jumpiness can grate on a dwarf's nerves. They do pretty well with humans and half-elves and the odd darkaralome that they meet. Half-orcs are viewed with suspicion. Gnomes and halflings are tolerated, at best. A woodsprite often finds himself the brunt of practical jokes from those two races, usually just to see him jump. However, gnomes and halflings have been known to lose an eye or two when the reaction turns out to be more than was expected.
Alignment
Woodsprites tend toward lawfulness, as it tends to minimize the potential for surprises. They also tend towards good, as the life of evil leads itself towards a life of always watching your back. However, individual woodsprites can be of any alignment, and their nature helps them survive being chaotic or evil better than other races can manage.
Woodsprite Lands
Temperate forests and jungles are the most likely places for woodsprites to live. Most mountains are home to sudden changes in weather that can throw a woodsprite off-kilter, but certain forested peaks are settled, as the terrain capitalizes on their natural affinity for high places.
Religion
Woodsprites revere gods of the sun, forests and nature, but they hold their patron god Ailalea in the highest regard.
- Dogma: She is the Ever-Constant, the Woodsprite Mother, the light that breaks the darkness, and the dappled beams that shine through the treetops.
- Clergy: She accepts people of any race.
- Temples: Built above the ground, but below the canopy of a forest or jungle.
- Symbol: Beam of light illuminating a leaf
- Home Plane: Amoria, Elysium
- Alignment: Neutral Good
- Portfolio: Woodsprite
- Clergy Alignments: Lawful Good, Neutral Good, Chaotic Good, or True Neutral
- Domains: Air, Good, Plant and Sun
- Favored Weapon: Bow and arrow
Language
Woodspritish resembles Sylvan in many respects, even using the Elven script. Its sounds are sighing, melodious, and sometimes whispered. It's not impossible to have a shouting match in Woodspritish, but it's not made for such coarse usage.
- Automatic languages: Common and Woodspritish.
- Bonus languages: Elven, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, and Sylvan. Smart woodsprites learn the languages of friend and foe.
Names
Children are named by their parents at birth and it's very rare that the child ever grows up and changes it. Naming a child after an ancestor is common, as is blending the names of the parents or other relatives. Nicknames are unheard of, and a woodsprite often won't even respond if an outsider tries to give him one.
- Male Names: Alvar, Breiden, Dag, Harwan, Hauk, Lassen, Siv, Stian, Tauno, and Urya.
- Female Names: Aila, Eeva, Froya, Karin, Laurah, Liisa, Linnea, Tora, Ulla, and Valma.
Adventurers
Woodsprites adventure for different reasons. Some are thrillseekers who are energized by their jumpy nature and find home life to be too dull. Others are compelled to fight the hidden dangers of the world and thus make their own homelands safer.
Racial Traits
- Humanoid: Despite their name, woodsprite physiology differs enough that they are not considered sprite, nor even fey.
- +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma.
- Small: As small creatures, woodsprites gain a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but they must use smaller weapons than humans use, and their lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters those of Medium-size characters.
- Woodspritish base speed is 30 feet.
- Low-Light Vision: Woodsprites can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
- Bonus feat: A woodsprite can choose either Lightning Reflexes or Improved Initiative as a bonus feat. The bonus granted by the chosen feat is considered a racial bonus.
- Glide: A woodsprite with his wings free takes no damage from a fall from any height. Furthermore, he can travel horizontally four times the distance that he fell, with clumsy movement.
- +2 racial bonus to Climb, Jump and Balance checks, when his wings are free. A woodsprite making use of this bonus flaps his wings madly. He may keep his wings still and forgo this bonus at will (when silence is necessary, for instance).
- Favored class: Ranger.
Vital Statistics
Table: Woodsprite Random Starting Ages Adulthood Simple Moderate Complex 30 years +1d10 +3d6 +5d8 1. Woodsprites starting as a ranger use the simple column.
Table: Woodsprite Aging Effects Middle Age1 Old1 Venerable1 Maximum Age2 — — 200 8d% 1. Woodsprites do not take physical penalties or mental bonuses from aging.
2. Woodsprites do not die until slain by disease or injury. However, if they live long enough, they "ascend" to a higher being and depart the Material Plane. Most become a form of air elemental, but strongly aligned woodsprites may become a celestial or fiendish creature.
Table: Woodsprite Random Height and Weight Gender Base Height Height Modifier Base Weight Weight Modifier Male 2' 2" +2d4 in. 25 lb. ×1 lb. Female 2' 0" +2d4 in. 20 lb. ×1 lb.