Race a Day: Valdis

Valdis

The grace of the forest, the power of the Gods.

RACIAL TRAITS

Average Height: 5’-6’3”

Average Weight: 100-200 lb.

Ability Scores: +1 Intelligence, +1 Wisdom, +2 Charisma

Size: Medium

Speed: 6 squares

Vision: Low-light

Languages: Common, Elven, Valdis Dialect

Skill Bonuses: +2 Nature, +2 Religion

Beloved Gods: You gain training in Religion.

Silence of the Leaf: You gain training in Stealth.

Trance: Rather than sleep, valdis enter a meditative state known as trance. You need to spend 4 hours in this state to gain the same benefits other races gain from taking a 6-hour extended rest. While in a trance, you are fully aware of your surroundings and notice approaching enemies and other events as normal.

One of the first races created on Joresch, the valdis are proud and ancient. They have a vast array of knowledge, majestic, sweeping, ancient cities, and know the secrets of the old Gods. They were once a very proud race, boasting that they were the first race, but they have since learned some humility, and are now a much more open and friendly people.

Play a valdis if you want…

            ♦ to be a majestic, wise, and beautiful.

            ♦ to have a powerful tie to magic and the Gods.

            ♦ to be a member of a race that favors the bard, cleric, chaos wizard, paladin, sorcerer, and wizard classes.

Physical Qualities

Valdis tend to be close to human height. They are slender with delicate features, and unblemished, smooth skin. They are far more sturdy and resilient than their appearance would suggest. They have complexions that draw from the natural world; sky blue, ocean green, verdant forest, bark grey, etc. Their eyes are bright, clear, and somewhat larger than a human’s might be, running a wide range of colors, including colored pupils or a lack of pupils. You can find lovely natural blue eyes, or eyes that are solid green with brown pupils, eyes like a panther or large cat, and many other colors. Some valdis eyes sparkle like the sun refracting through a beautiful jewel. Their hair tends to be long, silky, and shiny, regardless of color, but the shade is the same as the flesh, and generally tends to match in some way or another. For example you may find a valdis that has pale, leaf green skin, with thick, lovely hair the rich color of oak bark. Another may have sea blue skin with long, wavy sea foam green or white hair. You can even find a few that have normal, human like qualities, but generally, even those will have strange and beautiful multicolored eyes. Valdis have long pointed ears and cannot grow facial hair.

            Valdis children grow quite slowly, and are not considered adults until nearly 50 years of age. They continue to age at a very reduced rate, and almost never seem to be old. Many valdis can see 2000 years or better, remaining vital, beautiful, and young right until the very end. One unusual aspect of the valdis is that, when they die, their bodies remain for a few minutes before they are reduced to some natural component, usually water, rich earth and clay, or seeds and plant life. There are no valdis bones to be found.

Playing a Valdis

Valdis society is old and well established. They were the second race created by Teyr during the Great Creation, and they once held it as an incredible source of pride. They were among the first, they were beloved of the Gods, they had the Gods blessing, they were better than anyone else and looked down on the rest of the world; even the humans who were made before them. They tended to their forests in Eivress and there have built the great city of Ha’tai Jyar, or Beloved Home in the valdis dialect. The city is built out of the living forest, merged with it through patience and dedication. It is vast and holds the largest concentration of elves on the planet. Their city, long lives, great magic power, and deep ties to the natural world and the Gods made them arrogant, self-absorbed and nearly destroyed them. It was only when they were aided during the first God Wars by humans and dragonkind that they learned humility and that they were not the perfect beings they imagined themselves. Since then, they have become friendly, insightful, and very careful not to repeat the sins of the past.

            Valdis are a deeply religious people. They were alive and in the presence of the creator of Joresch. They watched as many of the Gods they know today were born. They fought against Lor when she rose up against the light and fought against her dark Gods when she created them. They have no need of faith, they have seen the Gods for themselves. So it is only natural for them to have a close relationship with those they have fought and died for and for those who returned the favor, even as Gods. Though they know he has passed, they still offer prayers to Teyr and to his daughter Elysia, as they are one of the few races who know her truth. They revere Selatise as their favorite, for she took on the role of Mother Nature, and is now the guardian of the forests and natural world and they are very deeply tied to the natural world as well.

            The valdis see themselves as guides, guardians and teachers. They know they are not perfect, but they have accumulated a great deal of knowledge and are long lived enough to see the world as a whole and not as this land versus that land. They do their best to help people and send aid, dignitaries, and religious leaders all over the world, but only by request. They have, after a time, come to understand that it is not their job to force their ways on other people and instead choose to help when needed and called on. Generally they aid in the wake of some kind of tragedy; floods, droughts, famine, aftermath of wars, etc. Occasionally, if they see it as a great need, they will join in a war, but never lightly and never without great investigation and thought. If they do take a side in a war, you can be quite assured that the side they fight against are in the wrong and likely evil in some way.

            Overall, the valdis are a quiet, thoughtful people. They enjoy their peace as often as they can find it. Their true passions are nature, books, the Gods and music, and often, they are somehow promoting all their passions at once. They do not lightly make friends, but they generally give everyone a chance to prove themselves and are not hostile. Should you be lucky enough to be considered an ally, you are in excellent, warm, and very powerful company.

Valdis Characteristics: Alert, friendly, happy, intuitive, joyous, mystic, peaceful, perceptive, religious, wise

Male Names: Aelyon, Corundus, Doran, Eidar, Elrond, Hin, Kyden, Jerous, Landrar, Liorus, Minnis, Numfar, Orkarryn, Oxil, Suvyl, Tarlis

Female Names: Antonella, Avyna, Beya, Denliss, Eqala, Inserra, Jinra, Jorala, Lyssa, Morena, Nella, Ori, Seris, Sovi, Tulira, Westenra

Valdis Adventurers

Three sample valdis adventurers are described below.

            Ori is a summoner and devout follower of Selatise. She patrols the forests around her forest home with her panther, Isis, to ensure the safety of her village. One night she is taken by surprise by an army of goblins; hundreds flooding the woods surrounding her home with torches and weapons. She and her ranger allies do their best, but eventually they are overrun and Ori is badly injured and knocked out during the fight. She wakes in a cave, Isis nervously pacing next to her. Isis pounces on her, overjoyed that her friend is alive. It turns out that Isis rescued Ori when she was knocked out in the fight. Her home is gone. She is sad, but rage isn’t in her nature and she is confused as to the attack. She’s never known goblins to be so organized, well-armed, or vicious. She heads out to investigate, and perhaps, find some small measure of vengeance.

            Kyden is a light-hearted rogue.  He was born in the forests, but made his way to the cities where he found opportunity and fun. He has made his living through chance, lucky, skill, and  charm and he lives well. However, his luck has recently turned sour, and he finds that he has been captured by a rather nasty group of bandits who want him for the several substantial rewards offered for him in several countries. He’s thrown in with another prisoner, a lost prince who wishes to remain anonymous and especially wants to stay away from his home. The two work together to escape and quickly become friends. They head out, Kyden guiding the young man, looking for adventure, treasure, and a good time.

            Tarlis is a man on a mission. He was born and raised in slave pits. He bares the scares of whips and tyranny. He was stubborn and fought against his masters at every turn, so they put him in a coliseum to fight for sport. There he grew strong and learned to fight, taking on more scars. However, he refused to follow any sort of guide in the arena, fighting to fight and not killing or following orders from his owners. They poisoned him and sent him to die. On his knees, bleeding, poison coursing through him, Tarlis begged the Gods for help. He wanted to stop the monsters who had enslaved his family, stop slavery in general, and fight against evil men like those that were trying to murder him. A bolt of lightning erupted from the sky, incinerating his foes. Another blew open the slave pens. Tarlis felt the poison leaving him, saw his wounds closed and stood. He had been granted a reprieve by Jorren, the God of Honor and Battle. Talis took up the mantle of Avenger for Jorren. With his newfound power, he freed the slaves and destroyed those who had made his life hell for so long. He gathered weapons and supplies and headed out into the world to be Jorren’s hand of justice on Joresch and never looked back.