Friday 27 January 2017

Player Character races: Kobold

There are 10 core player character races available in the second edition of the Faerie Wood role-playing game. Faerie races are spirits that inhabit the natural world and fall into one of three categories: Plant spirit, Creature spirit and Elemental Spirit. Each faerie race takes on physical and magical attributes related to the form its spirit inhabits. So, for example, plant faerie spirits might resemble trees, flowers or root vegetables; creature faerie spirits will have animal-like phyisical characteristics such as hooves, horns or fur and elemental faerie spirits would be associated with the earth, fire, air or water. Listed below are the 10 core Faerie Wood player character races:
  • Kobold (creature spirit)
  • Root Elf (plant spirit)
  • Sprite (fire spirit)
  • Grasshopper (creature spirit)
  • Tree Elf (plant spirit)
  • Nymph (earth/water/air/fire spirits)
  • Deerfolk (creature spirit)
  • Faun (creature spirit)
  • Flower Elf (plant spirit)
  • Gnome (earth spirit)
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Kobold

Kobold Faerie Wood game player character race. Illustration by Garry Robson (© 2017 Garry Robson)
Faerie type: creature spirit
size: 1 and half foot tall

Kobold's are very mischievous faeries and can transform into different types of animals. They do this to trick people, find out secrets and cause mischief. They often live in caves or other dark places but sometimes they live in human dwellings where they cause havoc. In very ancient times Kobolds were spirits trapped inside figurines carved from wood or roots and were made to do chores for humans and Witches. However, these days Kobolds are no longer trapped in this way and are free to take their own form or assume the form of others.

Physical description:

 
Kobolds are about 1 foot tall and covered in thick bristly hair, except for their face, which is similar to a Gnome. They have big hairy pointed ears and sometimes have beards. Female Kobolds do not have beards but they too are covered in bristly hairs. They tend to go barefoot and usually only wear clothes when it’s very cold. They are also much stronger than their small size would have you believe and are generally quite tough creatures.

Core abilities and skills:

  • Transform into one or more animal forms such as a rat, small fox, rabbit, cat, bird, fish or a human baby.
  • Transform into the resemblance of another faerie character to fool their companions or friends
  • Hide in shadows below or above ground and seem almost invisible 
  • Speak with animals of the same type the Kobold is able to change into (e.g. rodents, foxes and other canines etc.) as well as subterranean animals such moles and worms etc.
  • Exceptional night vision
  • Start with one magic spell and weapon skill

Kobold Dark Elf Counterpart: Changeling

If a Kobold becomes an evil Dark Elf, then it will physically transform into a Changeling. All its bristles will fall out and it will go bald and wrinkly, appearing quite ugly and mean. Changelings are cruel faerie folk who can change their appearance to resemble others, even humans. Some people have been convinced that their child, wife or husband has been replaced by a Changeling and have called on a Priest or Witch to cast them out. Changelings are sneaky and cruel creatures and use their magic to cause others harm and misfortune.


Learn more about Faerie Wood Game player character races here

Monday 23 January 2017

Faerie Sources: Troll: Fantasy horror movie from 1986

I loved this movie growing up and it’s still fun to watch now. If you are playing a Faerie Wood game set in modern times involving humans, then the movie Troll is a good place to look for some inspiration. It’s got everything you need, Trolls, Elves, Witches, Changelings and clueless humans who don’t stand a chance against the mischievous faerie folk. 

 See more Faerie Wood Sources here



Friday 20 January 2017

Faerie Fact 02: Faeries are spirits that inhabit animal, plant and elemental forms

The majority of Faeries, including all player character races in Faerie Wood fall into one of three types: Elemental, Plant and Creature. The Faeries are spirits of nature, like a kind of psychic fauna, and they inhabit forms that are relevant to their type and this gives them their unique appearance as well as their magic abilities.

Element-based Elves are split into four kinds (Earth, Air, Fire and Water) and usually dwell in places where their element is in abundance (e.g. Water Nymphs live in streams and rivers). The appearance of these Elves sometimes takes on aspects of their element, for example: Gnomes are Earth spirits and their skin colour and texture varies depending on where they come from. Gnomes from clay areas will have dark reddish or brown skin, while others may have pinkish, grey or even very pale skin in places where there is a lot of chalk or limestone. 

Apple Tree Elf  Faerie Wood game player character race. Illustration by Garry Robson (© 2017 Garry Robson)
Apple Tree Elf

Plant-based Elves are grouped into three broad types: Tree Elves, Flower Elves and Root Elves, however there are other variations such as those that come from fruit, berries or fungi. These vary in appearance according to what type of tree, flower or root their spirit has inhabited. For example, a Tree Elf that comes from an Oak tree will be strong and will look like it is carved from wood and part of its head or face may resemble an acorn. It may also have small oak leaves for hair or there may be leaves growing from its arms or legs 

Deerfolk (Buck)  Faerie Wood game player character race. Illustration by Garry Robson (© 2017 Garry Robson)
A male Deerfolk (Buck)

Creature-based Elves fall broadly into three groups: animal, insect/invertebrate and amphibians. These have physical characteristics that resemble creatures and their abilities are also related to these types. For example: The Deerfolk are miniature sized deer, about two feet tall but have a torso, arms and head of an Elf with deer-like features. Grasshoppers, as their name suggests, have the hind legs of a grasshopper but the body, arms and head of an Elf.

See more Faerie Wood Facts here


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Saturday 14 January 2017

Faerie Fact 01: Faerie Folk come in all shapes and sizes

Flower Elf Faerie Wood game player character race. Illustration by Garry Robson (© 2017 Garry Robson)
All faeries are magical in one-way or another and have special powers. The term ‘faerie’ or ‘faerie folk’ is used to refer to all intelligent enchanted creatures including giant trolls and ogres as well as the small player character races such as Tree Elves, Sprites, Nymphs, Kobolds and Gnomes. Many other names are often used by humans to describe them including ‘little people’, ‘little blessings’, Sidhe (Irish Faeries), ‘fair folk’ or even ‘little devils'. All Faeries are essentially ‘Elves’ and ‘Elf’ is a generic term for all races, however, some races include the word ‘Elf’ in their title or descriptions while others do not. Some Elves can also transform them selves into a much larger form, such as a Leshy (or Leshiye) that can grow bigger than a house.

See more Faerie Wood facts here

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Thursday 12 January 2017

New player character races for second edition

Deerfolk (Buck) Faerie Wood game player character race. Illustration by Garry Robson (© 2017 Garry Robson)
Concept illustration for a male Deerfolk
 
The new edition of Faerie Wood has a revised set of 10 core player character races including a new race called the Deerfolk (concept illustration pictured above). Deerfolk are one of a number of faerie animal spirits and can be either male or female (males are called ‘Bucks’ and females are called ‘Doe’). They are about two feet tall and resemble centaurs but have the body, legs and tail of a woodland deer. The males also have antlers. They are proud protectors of woodland animals and formidable warriors.

I’ve been working on new concept illustrations for other player character races including a range of Plant Elves that are based on flowers, roots and trees. But more on those later…

Deerfolk (Buck) Faerie Wood game player character race. Illustration by Garry Robson (© 2017 Garry Robson)
 Colour concept illustration of a male Deerfolk looking a little more animal-like