The avariels, or winged elves, are without a doubt the most reclusive and least numerous of the elven sub-races on Faerûn. Many scholars have long dismissed them as creatures of myth. In truth, small numbers of avariels still dwell in Faerûn, concealed in hidden enclaves and remote regions.
The most striking feature of the avariels is their soft, feathered wings. These wings have spans of anywhere from twelve to sixteen feet and are usually white, but may also be grey, brown, black or speckled. Avariels take great pride in their wings and spend long hours grooming them. Their skin is pale, often porcelain white, with tinges of blue or faint silver. They have silver-white or black hair, with other shades being rare but not unheard of. The avariels’ eyes are rather large and more expressive than those of other elves, and they tend to be brilliant shades of blue or green. A few avariel have scintillating violet eyes as pure as amethysts. Avariels stand 5’9" tall on average, with thin, graceful limbs and angular facial features. They are the most beautiful and striking of the elven races, although too often this beauty is marred by haughtiness and condescension toward their landbound kin, whom they often pity.
Avariels are even more delicate than other elves, and their movements are quick, calculated and graceful. They prefer to wear loose fitting, diaphanous clothing that catches the wind in flight and ripples and weaves in the air. Armour is almost never worn, because it tends to weigh the avariels down and hinder their graceful motion. Avariels cannot fly while wearing heavy armour.
History: Along with the green elves and lythari, the avariels are one of the three oldest elven races. Today, though, they are all but extinct, forced into the far corners of the world ages ago by the ancient dragons and hunted mercilessly by evil folk.
The avariels, upon first migrating to Faerûn millennia ago, found the world to be a vast, beautiful place. Unfortunately, vicious dragons ruled the skies above ancient Faerûn. The newly arrived avariels were nearly wiped out by the dragons before the First Flowering. The last of their race flew eastward long before the first Crown War, wandering the skies only when they had to, hiding on the ground like vermin and living terrible, dirty lives as nomads and scavengers.
The last redoubt of the avariels today is known as the Aerie of the Snow Eagles, a crystal citadel hidden atop one of the most remote peaks in the Icerim Mountains of distant Sossal. The exact location of the Aerie of the Snow Eagles is one of the avariels’ most closely guarded secrets.
The aerie itself resembles a tremendous castle or tower of glass, built on a sheared-off mountain-top. A flight of avariel nomads discovered it abandoned ages ago. The avariels believe that the original mountain-top was taken by a Netherese archmage who wished to use it to build a floating city. The present-day aerie is a wonder to behold. The walls of the glass aerie are magically hardened to the strength of steel. Inside, the Aerie of the Snow Eagles supports a tropical climate, complete with jungles of plants and trees long extinct elsewhere in Faerûn.
For two centuries, this last lair of the avariels has been led by Winged Father Aquilan Greatspan (CG male avariel Ftr4/Clr12/Dis5/Hie1). The avariels fly there still, fishing in the freezing waters of the Great Ice Sea and hunting the icy reaches of the Great Glacier.
Outlook: Avariels came dangerously close to extinction long ago, and it has taken them thousands of years to recover to the point where they don’t have to worry about the fate of their race. Only recently have they begun to expand back into the world, sending explorers, diplomats and merchants south into Faerûn proper. Small, scattered bands of avariels still exist in the heartlands of Faerûn, but these groups rarely number more than a dozen and usually avoid civilized areas.
Avariels are free spirits who would like nothing better than to simply soar on the currents high above the ground, taking in the views Faerûn has to offer. They possess an irrepressible zest for life. Even in the darkest, most desperate situation, an avariel remains cheerful. Unfortunately, while friendly to those they consider their equals, avariels also tend to be condescending and even downright rude to landbound races. The avariels are usually unaware of this; it’s just their natural reaction to treat landbound races as lesser creatures. Given time and enough exposure to other cultures, avariels can overcome their natural bias.
Characters: Winged elves combine a tradition of vigilance and skill at arms with a joyous reverence for the sheer peaks and open skies of their homelands. Many become fighters, rangers or clerics. Avariel civilization is old and established, so avariel barbarians are unheard of. Winged elves lean toward the divine rather than the arcane, but a small number take up the study of wizardry and generally excel at it. Common multiclass combinations include fighter/cleric, cleric/ranger and cleric/wizard.
Favoured Class: The favoured class of the avariels is cleric. While many avariels are drawn to the study of combat and skill at arms, the hearts of the winged elves favour a more contemplative and philosophical existence. Even those who spend their lives studying the martial path often set aside these pursuits in order to return to a holier calling.
Prestige Classes: Some avariels practice the art of the bladesong and use it to protect their communities. Like other kinds of elves, winged elves greatly respect the skill needed to become a bladesinger. Avariel wizards often aspire to become arcane devotees or loremasters, while avariels of all other classes are drawn to the divine champion and divine disciple prestige classes.
Society: The avariels have a unique model for their societies, separating into two groups when they congregate in large numbers: a warlike society of fighters and soldiers, and a peaceful society of thinkers and religious scholars. These two subcultures, as diametrically opposed as their separate philosophies may be, work together to forge a powerful symbiotic relationship.
War-like avariels have a complex code of honour that they use to guide and temper their militaristic activities and training. These avariels spend their lives defending their kin. Their lives are geared toward war and power, and they answer to their war chiefs, who share responsibility for ruling the society with the religious leaders of the peaceful avariels. The martial avariels are proud and hearty, and they form eternal friendships with those who earn their respect and trust.
In combat, warlike avariels have little pity or remorse about cutting down their enemies. The concept of surrendering is highly dishonourable to these avariels, both for themselves and for their enemies. Once lethal combat begins, few avariels break off until they or their enemies are dead. Drawing blood from an enemy is nothing less than a promise to honour the enemy with one’s skills in combat and not humiliate him by leaving him alive to dwell on an embarrassing defeat. The act of slaying an enemy is viewed simply as delivering on that promise.
War-like avariels prefer to use ranged weapons, and they aren’t above using wings to gain an advantage over land-bound enemies. This is supported by their code, which allows them to cut down an enemy from an unassailable distance in the skies above. Those who cannot defend themselves against an attack from the skies should know better than to make an enemy of a clearly superior foe.
The peaceful avariels, unlike their warlike kin, focus mainly on arts and the intellectual aspects of life. When faced with conflict, a peaceful avariel relies on her brains and diplomatic abilities — and often on her magic power. Peaceful avariels are artists, philosophers and researchers who spend their lives studying the world and its history and creating works of art simply for the sheer joy of creation. The peaceful avariels are also responsible for providing their society with food, entertainment and education. Many peaceful avariels are also very religious and spend much of their time contemplating the ways of their deity, Aerdrie Faenya.
Despite their divergent personalities, these two subcultures interact surprisingly well. Young avariels typically spend time immersed in each subculture, learning from both warriors and priests. These exchanges, which often last for a decade or longer, allow avariels raised in one subculture to learn how the other subculture lives.
Language: All avariels can speak Elven and Common, and each learns an additional language based on his or her native region. Most winged elves are intelligent enough to pick up at least one additional language. This additional language is usually Auran, so the avariels can speak with allied creatures of the air such as the giant eagles they adore. Additional languages often learned by avariels include Goblin, Orc, Sylvan and the predominant human language(s) of their home region. Avariels also often learn the Draconic and Giant languages so that they can converse with their hated enemies if the need arises.
All avariels are literate, except for avariel barbarians (assuming they exist).
Magic: Although the warlike subculture of avariel society appreciates magic and respects its power, members of the peaceful subculture are the true masters of divine and arcane magic. The avariels, like most other elven races, have wholly and completely embraced the art of both divine and arcane magic. Unlike most other races, though, the avariels have only recently (in elven terms) become re-established on Faerûn. For most of their history, the avariels simply haven’t had the luxury of experimenting and toying with magic; they were too focused on simply surviving. But with their discovery and colonization of the Aerie of the Snow Eagles they have, for the past 500 years, felt safe enough to begin researching magic once again.
Spells and Spellcasting: Avariels favour conjuration and transmutation magic for their versatility, and the miniature jungle world within the Aerie of the Snow Eagles is the culmination of their most potent conjurings and transmutations. Avariels have also been focusing more on divination spells of late, as they seek out their lost — and well-hidden — brethren.
Magic Items: The avariels are commonly thought to be the originators of wings of flying. Ancient rumours hold that powerful and compassionate avariel spellcasters invented the first wings of flying as gifts for landbound friends so that they too could know the bliss and rapture of soaring the skies above Faerûn. It stands to reason that winged boots may have also been introduced into the world by generous avariels as well.
Religion: Like the aquatic elves, the avariels acknowledge the Seldarine as a whole and pay lip service to most of these elven deities, but they hold a special reverence for a single member of that pantheon — in their case Aerdrie Faenya, the elven goddess of the skies, weather and avians of all sorts. Although they do not elevate their religious beliefs to the level of fanaticism, the avariels as a whole are deeply religious, and the thought of not venerating a deity is alien and unwholesome to most of them.
Avariels believe that it is due to Aerdrie Faenya’s intervention that they are able to survive at all. Ages ago, Aerdrie Faenya gifted the avariels with their wings because she knew that they would face great trials and danger in the future and would need the advantage of flight if they were to have any hope of survival. Avariels also believe that she takes more of a direct hand in their lives than do the gods of the other elves. Avariels often attribute to Aerdrie Faenya’s intervention events that most other races would view as simply fortuitous coincidences.
Relations: The avariels are on good terms with other sentient, good-aligned avian races. They admire and respect giant eagles, a bond that survived the dark centuries of draconic persecution. The avariels are also fond of the aarakocras, but since the winged elves were driven from the Star Mounts, their interaction with these birdmen has dropped off significantly. They get along well with air genasi as well, although they are often frustrated with the genasi’s ambivalence and disinterest in good and evil.
Avariel relations with land-bound races are not nearly as productive. The avariels have traditionally viewed those who can’t fly as objects of pity (at best) or derision (more commonly). Recently, the avariels have begun to realize the error of their ways — the landlocked races, despite their lack of wings, can be powerful and helpful allies. Avariels from the Aerie of the Snow Eagles have recently sent diplomats to neighbouring kingdoms (Narfell, Rashemen, Damara and the Great Dale in particular) and have been doing their best to treat the ground races as equals.
The avariels are still hunted to this day by evil dragons, who view the winged elves and their magical aptitude as the greatest threat to their dominion over the skies of Faerûn. Dragons have nowhere near the presence in the skies as they did in the ancient past, but their memories are long. In particular, the white dragons of Hoarfaern are particularly dedicated to the final destruction of the avariels and the Aerie of the Snow Eagles.
Equipment: The avariels have taken the craft of glass-blowing and elevated it to an art form. When most races turn to metal, wood or stone to craft gear, the avariels have turned to the fragile and delicate medium of glass. In a way, their affinity for glass as a medium reflects their very nature, for the avariels themselves are fragile and beautiful people.
While much avariel glass is delicate and decorative, the winged elves have also mastered glassteel, a form of glass as strong as metal. Many avariel outposts are made of glassteel, as are some armour, weapons and tools.
Arms and Armour: The avariels prefer to fight with ranged weapons and usually carry bows of some sort when they are away from the Aerie. The avariels sometimes prefer ranged weapons that incapacitate their victims. As a result, the winged elves train with lassos and bolas extensively. When forced into melee combat, avariels use swords almost exclusively, with a marked preference for longswords (for stronger avariels) or rapiers (for more dexterous avariels). Avariels prefer lighter armours that do not restrict their ability to fly, so mithral armour is especially valued.
Animals and Pets: The avariels have long had a close bond with the giant eagles of Faerûn, and they settle in the same areas. Giant eagles are intelligent creatures and are considered allies, not pets. Avariels are naturally fond of any non-evil avian creature, particularly birds; most avariels keep a few birds as companions or pets. Pet birds are never caged, though, and can come and go as they please. Cages don’t sit well with the avariels.
Avariels sometimes employ arrowhawks, griffons and hippogriffs as guards for their aeries. They adore rocs and think of them as magnificent beasts touched by Aerdrie Faenya. Rocs are admired from afar, however, as such massive creatures don’t easily fit in avariel cities.
Regions: Snow Eagle Aerie
+4 Dexterity, -2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom. Avariels have hollow bones and, as a result, are more fragile than humans. At the same time, they are gifted with a keen intuition and intellect and an almost otherworldly grace.
Medium: As medium creatures, elves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Normal Speed: Elf base land speed is 30 feet.
Elven Immunities: Immunity to magic sleep effects, and a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells or effects.
Low-Light Vision: An elf can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish colour and detail under these conditions.
Weapon Proficiency: Avariel are automatically proficient with the longsword, rapier, lasso and bolas.
Keen Senses: +2 racial bonus on Listen and Search checks. An elf who merely passes within 5 feet of a secret or concealed door is entitled to a Search check to notice it as if she were actively looking for it. An elf’s senses are so keen that she practically has a sixth sense about hidden portals.
Keen Sight (Ex): Avariels gain a +4 racial bonus on all Spot checks.
Avariels gain a +4 racial bonus on Jump checks. They are strong for their weight.
Flight (Ex): Avariels have a flying speed of 50 feet with average manoeuvrability, as long as they do not carry more than a Medium load, are not wearing Heavy armour, and are not fatigued or exhausted. Avariel wings have a span of 12 feet on average; they cannot fly in an area that does not allow them to fully extend their wings.
An avariel may make a dive attack. A dive attack works just like a charge, but the avariel must descend a minimum of 30 feet and attack with a piercing weapon; if she hits, she deals double damage. An avariel can use the run action while flying, provided she flies in a straight line.
Automatic Languages: Common, Elven, Home Region.
Bonus Languages: By Region.
Favoured Class: Cleric. A multiclass avariel’s cleric class does not count when determining whether she takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing.
Level Adjustment: +3. Avariels are more powerful and gain levels more slowly than most of the other common races of Faerûn.
Source: Races of Faerûn (Page 31)
Your character can be either male or female.
Every player character starts as an adult. You can choose or randomly generate your character’s age. If you choose it, it must be at least the minimum age for the character’s race and class (see Table: Starting Ages). Your character’s minimum starting age is the adulthood age of his or her race plus the number of dice indicated in the entry corresponding to the character’s race and class on Table: Starting Ages.
Alternatively, refer to Table: Starting Ages and roll dice to determine how old your character is.
| Adulthood | Intuitive1 | Self-Taught2 | Trained3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 years | +4d6 (44—64) years | +6d6 (46—76) years | +9d6 (49—94) years |
1 This category includes barbarians, rogues and sorcerers.
2 This category includes bards, fighters, paladins and rangers.
3 This category includes clerics, druids, monks and wizards.
With age, a character’s physical ability scores decrease and his or her mental ability scores increase (see Table: Aging Effects). The effects of each aging step are cumulative. However, none of a character’s ability scores can be reduced below 1 in this way.
| Middle Age1 | Old Age2 | Venerable3 | Maximum Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 years | 150 years | 200 years | +3d% years |
1 -1 to Strength, Dexterity and Constitution; +1 to Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma.
2 -2 to Strength, Dexterity and Constitution; +1 to Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma.
3 -3 to Strength, Dexterity and Constitution; +1 to Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma.
When a character reaches venerable age, the DM secretly rolls his or her maximum age, which is the number from the Venerable column on Table: Aging Effects plus the result of the dice roll indicated on the Maximum Age column on that table, and records the result, which the player does not know. A character who reaches his or her maximum age dies of old age at some time during the following year, as determined by the DM.
The maximum ages are for player characters. Most people in the world at large die from pestilence, accidents, infections or violence before getting to venerable age.
Choose your character’s height and weight from the ranges mentioned in the appropriate race description or from the ranges found on Table: Height and Weight. Think about what your character’s abilities might say about his or her height and weight. A weak but agile character may be thin. A strong and tough character may be tall or just heavy.
Alternatively, roll randomly for your character’s height and weight on Table: Height and Weight. The dice roll given in the Height Modifier column determines the character’s extra height beyond the base height. That same number multiplied by the dice roll or quantity given in the Weight Modifier column determines the character’s extra weight beyond the base weight.
| Gender | Base Height | Height Modifier | Base Weight | Weight Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 5’ 0" | +2d8 (5’ 2"—6’ 4") | 70 lbs. | ×1d6 (72—166 lbs.) |
| Female | 4’ 8" | +2d8 (4’ 10"—6’ 0") | 65 lbs. | ×1d6 (67—161 lbs.) |
Source: Player’s Handbook (Page 109), Races of Faerûn (Page 31)