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Mountain Elves

Montesti

Mountain elves, also known as Montesti, a rare offshoot of the wood elves, that roam the high peaks. They originate from extensive mixing of true elf and human lineage, making them lesser elves and half elves.

Description

A mountain elf stands between 5 and 6 feet tall. They are tall, majestic, and well muscled. Mountain elves have more contact with humans than most elves and as a result have more human ancestry than most elven subraces, to the point that many can be considered to be half elves and not lesser elves. This gives them a more human appearance, with rounder ears. They are known for their fair skin and blond hair.   Montesti dress for the cold of their mountain homes with the fur of their prey and the skins of their goats.    

Culture

While the dwarves seal themselves in their citadels below the mountains, the Montesti roam in the snows above. Living in tribal clans, they exist by hunting and moving herds of goat and rams between their pasture lands. They are semi-nomadic, with each clan having an established territory, moving down the mountains during the winter and up during the summers. Montesti are warriors when necessary, but are not especially warlike. But, the strength to scale mountain faces is prized both in men and women.    

Religion

The traditional religion of the Montesti is worship of Yaman - God of The Mountains and Lanal - Goddess of Peace, Good Harvests, and Fertility who are characterized as man and wife and who represent the virtues of masculinity and femininity in the clan. Yaman provides strength to the land and the soul, and Lanal provides for the health of the herds and the young.   Each tribe has a Holy Man who is charged with interpreting the will of the gods and looking for signs to lead the clan. However, tribes that have converted to The Teachings of Chantrel have a Pastress. Depending on the clan, the Pastress may be a Montesti of the clan or a missionary moon elf sent from the lowlands.   However, missionaries of The Brothers & Sisters of Chantrel have brought the The Teachings of Chantrel to many clans. As a result many clans have been converting to a rough form of The Teachings of Chantrel. This has caused conflict within many tribes between those who who hold to The Old Ways led by the clan's Holy Man and those who hold to the new faith led by the Pastress.     

Government

Mountain elves organize themselves into clans led by the a council of the tribes elders. The council is a loss gerontocracy, with the most voice given to the eldest members. The council is advised by the War-Master and the Holy-Man. The War-Master is a temporary position given in times of war to the strongest or boldest of the young warriors.     

Relations with Outsiders

As Montesti move along their annual circuits through their territories, they make periodic contact with Sylvanesti, other Montesti clans, dwarven settlements, and human clans. Relations with the Sylvanesti and other Montesti clans are mostly amicable, characterized by trading and group rituals.   Contact with humans is the most common source of conflict, due to their belligerent nature. After rounds of back and forth raiding, peace treaties will be solidified with arranged marriages between the clans. This has resulted in the Montesti being extensively mixed with humans, too the point that many Montesti are considered to be half elves rather than lesser elves.    

Free Climbers

Montesti are known for their abilities to free hand climb even the most perilous and jagged of mountain faces. Mountain elf children begin climbing small rocks as soon as they can walk and by the time they are teenagers they become masters rock and mountain climbers. Many clans have a specific especially difficult rock face that serves as a right of manhood for the young males of the clan.    

Homelands

The highlands and the mountains.
Your elf character has a variety of natural abilities, the result of your celestial ancestry.   Ability Score Increase: Dex +2, Str +1   Size: 5 to over 6 feet tall. Size is Medium.   Speed: Your base walking speed is 30 feet   Darkvision: Superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, shades of gray.   Keen Senses: You have proficiency in the Perception skill.   Fey Ancestry: You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep.   Trance: Elves don't need to sleep. Instead, they meditate deeply, remaining semiconscious, for 4 hours a day. While meditating, you can dream after a fashion; such dreams are actually menatl exercises that have become reflexive through years of practice. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep.   Languages: You can speak, read, & write Imperial & Sylvanesti   Mountain feet: You move across rough terrain as if it were open.   Climber: You have advantage on all climbing checks.   Favored Classes: Barbarian, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Warlock   Rare Classes: Artificer, Bard, Monk, Paladin, Wizard   Life Span: 200-300 years   Homeland: high mountains

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