ᚨᛖᚷᛁᚱ’ᛋ ᛞᛟᛏᛏᛁᚱ
(Singl. “ælf”). The dominant fae species of the realm of Faerie. Most ælfes stay in Faerie, in the vast demesnes of the Winter King or the Spring Queen, engaging in the internecine squabbles and court intrigues that are what pass for light entertainment in Faerie.
But “nothing fae stays at home,” as the plain folk of Britain have it, and ælfes have regularly emerged from the portals to Faerie that litter the British Isles on missions for the Winter King or Spring Queen. Perhaps a quarter of these ælfes attempted to carry out their missions and died in the trying or succeeded and returned home triumphantly. But the other 75% of the ælfes, freed of the constant terror and surveillance that are the hallmarks of Faerie, immediately abandoned their mission and choose to pursue their own paths. These ælfes found the freedom from the commands of the Winter King and Spring Queen a refreshing change.
Ælf Queen
ᚨᛖᛚᚠ ᛞᚱᛟᛏᛏᚾᛁᛜ
Medium fae, self-centered, dishonorable, and evil
Armor Class 23 (living rock armor)
Hit Points 120 (16d8+48)
Speed 40 ft
Str 10 (+0) Dex 17 (+3) Con 16 (+3)
Int 14 (+2) Wis 16 (+3) Cha 20 (+5)
Saving Throws DEX +7, CHA +8
Skills Insight +7, Perception +7
Damage Immunities cold
Senses darkvision 60 ft, passive Perception 17
Damage Vulnerability iron
Languages Fae, Old English
Reaction to fear and loathing
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
Fae Ancestry. An ælf queen rolls with advantage on saving throws against being charmed.
Fae Vulnerabilities. An ælf queen rolls with disadvantage for all actions taken while they hear the sound of church bells ringing or while touching silver
Innate Spellcasting. An ælf queen’s innate spellcasting ability is CHA (spell save DC 17). She can innately cast the following spells:
- At-will: change face, speak with animals
- 2/day: charm person, faerie fire, mirror image
- 1/day: ælfshot, blink, fae distraction
Iron Anathema. An ælf queen rolls with disadvantage on all actions taken while touching iron.
Ælf queens have disadvantage on saving throws involving iron and on any spell they cast against someone wearing iron armor or wearing an iron holy symbol.
When an ælf queen takes damage from an iron or steel weapon they gain the distracted condition (from the pain) until the end of their next turn.
Spellcasting. An ælf queen is a 13th level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Charisma (save DC 17, spell attack bonus +9). An ælf queen will have the following spells readied:
- Cantrips (at-will): chill touch, implicit threat, pollen bloom, produce flame, turn blow
- 1st level (4 slots): disguise self, flame arrows, shield, sleep
- 2nd level (3 slots): animal messenger, calm emotions, lesser charm
- 3rd level (3 slots): baleful suggestion, lesser curse
- 4th level (3 slots): greater invisibility, major charm
- 5th level (2 slots): dominate person, major curse, modify memory
- 6th level (1 slot): evil eye
- 7th level (1 slot): death glare
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The ælf queen makes two melee attacks.
+1 Fae Wood Long Spear. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target. Hit: 9 (1d8+4) piercing damage.
Summon Ælf Warriors (2/day). The ælf queen attempts to magically summon 8 ælf warriors with a 67% chance of success. The summoned ælf warriors appear in an unoccupied space within 60 feet of their summoner and act as sworn servants of the summoner. They remain for 10 minutes, until they or their summoner die, or until the summoner dismisses them with an action.
MOTIVES
The ælf queens, in Faerie, are the handmaidens of the Spring Queen, and obey her orders thoroughly and immediately. But outside of Faerie each ælf queen immediately seizes the opportunity for independence and creates her own court and domain, always in imitation of the Spring Queen herself. Each ælf queen longs to replace the Spring Queen, and once independent each ælf queen begins scheming against their former mistress.
Ælf Warrior
ᚨᛖᛚᚠ ᛊᛖᚷᚷᚱ
Medium fae, self-centered and evil
Armor Class 15 (animal hide armor)
Hit Points 20 (3d8+6)
Speed 40 ft
Str 14 (+2) Dex 17 (+3) Con 14 (+2)
Int 10 (+0) Wis 10 (+0) Cha 12 (+1)
Saving Throws DEX +5, CHA +3
Skills Acrobatics +5
Damage Vulnerability iron
Senses darkvision 60 ft, passive Perception 17
Languages Fae
Reaction to disgust and contempt
Challenge ¼ (50 XP)
Fae Ancestry. An ælf warrior rolls with advantage on saving throws against being charmed.
Fae Vulnerabilities. An ælf warrior rolls with disadvantage for all actions taken while they hear the sound of church bells ringing or while touching silver.
Innate Spellcasting. An ælf warrior's spellcasting ability is CHA (spell save DC 11, spell attack bonus +3). It can innately cast the following spells:
- At-will: change face, speak with animals
- 1/day: charm person, faerie fire, mirror image
Iron Anathema. An ælf warrior rolls with disadvantage on all actions taken while touching iron.
Ælf warriors have disadvantage on saving throws involving iron and on any spell they cast against someone wearing iron armor or wearing an iron holy symbol.
When an ælf warrior takes damage from an iron or steel weapon they gain the distracted condition (from the pain) until the end of their next turn.
ACTIONS
+1 Fae Wood Long Spear. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target. Hit: 9 (1d8+4) piercing damage.
+1 Fae Wood Short Bow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 80/320 ft, one target. Hit: 8 (1d6+4) piercing damage.
MOTIVES
An ælf warrior obeys its betters among the ælves and the fae. To disobey is to risk immediate and final destruction.
Ælf Witch-Knight
ᚨᛖᛚᚠ ᚺᛖᛁᚦᚱ-ᚺᚱᛖᛁᛊᛏᛁᛗᚨᚦᚱ
Medium fae, self-centered and evil
Armor Class 16 (magical leather armor)
Hit Points 65 (10d8+20)
Speed 40 ft
Str 16 (+3) Dex 17 (+3) Con 14 (+2)
Int 12 (+1) Wis 14 (+2) Cha 16 (+3)
Saving Throws DEX +6, CHA +6
Skills Acrobatics +6, Intimidation +6
Senses darkvision 60 ft, passive Perception 15
Damage Vulnerability iron
Languages Fae
Reaction to fear and disgust
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Fae Ancestry. An ælf witch-knight rolls with advantage on saving throws against being charmed.
Fae Vulnerabilities. An ælf witch-knight rolls with disadvantage for all actions taken while they hear the sound of church bells ringing or while touching silver
Innate Spellcasting. An ælf witch-knight's spellcasting ability is CHA (spell save DC 13). It can innately cast the following spells:
- At-will: change face, speak with animals
- 1/day each: blink, charm person, fae distraction, faerie fire, mirror image
Iron Anathema. An ælf witch-knight has disadvantage on all actions while touching iron. Damage against an ælf witch-knight done by an iron or steel weapon is rolled twice. Ælf witch-knights have disadvantage on saving throws involving iron and on any spell they cast against someone wearing iron armor or wearing an iron holy symbol.
Spellcasting. An ælf witch-knight is a 5th level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Charisma (save DC 13, spell attack bonus +5). An ælf witch-knight will have the following spells readied:
- Cantrips (at-will): chill touch, drop weapon, implicit threat, shooting pains
- 1st level (4 slots): fog cloud, hellish rebuke, hideous laughter, witchlight
- 2nd level (3 slots): blindness/deafness, hold person, ray of enfeeblement
- 3rd level (2 slots): baleful suggestion, slow
Summon Mount (1/day). The ælf witch-knight attempts to magically summon a unicorn with a 50% chance of success. The summoned unicorn appears in an unoccupied space within 60 feet of the summoner and acts as its mount. They remain for 1 year, until they or their summoner die, or until the summoner dismisses them with an action.
ACTIONS
+1 Fae Wood Long Spear. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target. Hit: 13 (2d8+4) piercing damage.
+1 Fae Wood Short Bow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 80/320 ft, one target. Hit: 11 (2d6+4) piercing damage.
MOTIVES
Ælf witch-knights have an unusual amount of independence for ælves. When not under orders, they tend to venture out of Faerie on personal missions of mischief.
ALLIES
Ælfes, as monsters, are more commonly encountered in groups rather than by themselves. Ælfes generally appear in squads, led either by witch-knights or by queens. They are often accompanied by a wide array of less powerful fae creatures.