Egalrin

Egalrin
Common Alignments	Tendency towards good and neutral alignments
Common Classes	Fighter, Monk, Druid, Ranger, Cleric
Influencial Faiths	Gilead (Cernan the White), Dana (Ceiwen the Huntress), Daeus (The Sun Lord)
Most Frequently Found In	Khazad-Duin (Sky Curtain Mountains), Roof of the World, Alexandros (Redridge Mountains)

The origins of the reclusive and majestic Egalrin is a mystery to many; even the wisest and most learned of sages and scholars know little to nothing of how they came to be.

In keeping with the traditions and patterns of the rise of other races such as the Sith'makar, or the Arvek Nar, one might presume that originally the Egalrin were another species altogether. Perhaps, a clan or tribe of humans in the mist-shrouded haze of the First Age of the world before some event changed them, shaped them, and forced their refuge to be among the peaks of the highest mountains of the world. The Egalrin themselves consider their patrons to be the brother and sister gods Gilead and Dana whom they know as Cernan and Ceiwen. Of these two gods, Cernan manifests himself as a tremendous White Roc and is considered to be the patriarch of their tribes, with Ceiwen symbolic of the living mountains and wind.

The Egalrin have thus always been a shamanistic culture of warriors devoted to the protection of the skies, dwelling in bliss within majestic cities carved throughout the peaks of the mountains and cities situated in the mouths of dormant volcanoes. Friends of giant eagles, air elementals and even dragons, they have maintained their hidden society for generations. The Storm Dwarves became their staunch allies upon their appearance but they have had little dealings with the races of men and elves. Orcs, however, soon became a bane to them as the Fel Orcs and giants who dwelled among the mountains sought to overtake their homes and destroy their ways of life.

Physical Description

Egalrin are tall and sturdy with broad wings, the countenance of the eagle and the strength of the bird of prey. Their bones, though hollow, are far sturdier then one might guess. As a race, Egalrin live among the mountain ranges. Young ones learn to climb the cliffs and glide, as it takes time for their wings to reach full growth, given their size.

As a race, their most defining features are their wings, which can span 10 to 12 feet in width. Their heads and bodies have the bearing of humanoid eagles from piercing eyes down to taloned feet. They do not have facial hair of course (on account of the beaks) but the plumage on their heads grows thick and wild in many Egalrin, and, along with the styling of feathers and differences in coloration, enable one to tell the differences between male and females. Males possess a brighter, more colorful coloration, with the females duller by comparison, possibly urged on by the need to protect young among the nests. This is no easy task given the tenaciousness of creatures there (especially the giant bloods and occasional mul'niessa pockets).

Eaglefolk favor light but colorful clothing that does not impede their movement, and disdain items on their wings--though they may use dyes to style them in the case of competitions or important visitations.

Society and Lands

The Eaglefolk dwell in communities known as Aeries scattered throughout the great mountain ranges of the world. Each Aerie is composed of a council of elders that rule the tribe, with a Speaker who is elected from that council. Egalrin society is vaguely matrilineal; Egalrin names are passed on from the mother's side of the family down to the children. The largest gatherings are in the Sky Curtain Mountains and in the Roof of the World, respectively.

Most Aeries are built into mountainside cliffs, taking advantage of natural formations. They employ an almost innate talent for weaving to craft together natural surroundings, and shun no material, be it rock, wood, or brush. Perhaps unsurprisingly, they also boast a number of stonemasons, who make use of the earth's natural structures.

Other Races

Despite their great differences, one being sons of the earth and the other sons of the skies, they get along well with khazad and share mutual enemies with them in the form of mountain Fel-Orcs, mul'niessa, giantish tribes and other dangers that inhabit the peaks of the mountains of the world. Though they dislike enclosed spaces, they have been known to join on hunts against the mul'niessa in order to drive them from nesting sites and preserve the safety of their homes. Such excursions are infrequent, though often involve an alliance with local khazad.

Their affinity with nature causes them to have some resonance with the more fey of the sildanyar, but they have a distrust for their amount of mingling with arcane magic, as its use is often foreign to them and their more spiritual outlook. Humans they have mixed thoughts on as they see humanity as often squandering the gifts of the world.

Other races often regard them with a sort of mixed curiosity, as few egalrin are seen outside of the mountains. As a race, they tend to prefer the wild, open places, and areas where they might stretch their wings.

Alignment and Religion

The Egalrin see themselves as a race of sky-warriors and defenders of the wild, and their dual gods Cernan and Ceiwen (aspects of Gilead and Dana, respectively), reflect this. They take great pride in their freedom, and feel a sense of kinship and ownership with the skies. Their homes reflect this tendency--egalrin homes favor openness where possible, and reflect their dislike of enclosed spaces.

Like the birds they resemble, they may appear serene, noble and even majestic, yet in the blink of an eye become wrathful, passionate and savagely aggressive, resembling the strength and audacity of the eagles of the sky. This attitude has earned them the respect of some, but also a reputation for being at times, flighty and temperamental.

The Egalrin consider Cernan the White to be one of two of their great gods. Cernan is another name for Gilead the Hunter. It is simply another aspect he takes on when dealing with this race. Despite the fact Cernan is male, given the matriarchal nature of Eaglefolk society, the Cernan priesthood sees equal numbers of males and females among its ranks with a slight leaning towards the female. Ceiwen the Huntress is seen as the sister of Gilead, and she is another aspect of Dana the Earthmother. Her priesthood is almost exclusively female.

As a winged race, the egalrin have a strong connection with the sky and winds, and these elements often feature in what rituals they do have. They see Caracoroth as the Destroyer, and name him Kakkai'on. Parents often weave wreathes to hang above a youngling's nest to protect them from Kakkai'on's wrathful winds and teeth, which can send the young tumbling below with their as-yet weak wings. As young egalrin are born with the ability to glide, and not fly (due to the size and bulk of their unusual bodies), the age at which an egalrin gains their final strength is considered an event worthy of great note. At such a time, an egalrin might undertake a private spirit quest to commune with the skies themselves. Relatives await such a return eagerly, and often festoon the new arrival with wreaths and accolades for a brief time.

Their religious as well as home objects tend to be of weave--crafted deftly with quick talons out of natural and threaded materials alike, though careful use of stone and stonemasonry is also present. These same skills are used in construction of nests and aerie.

Adventurers

By nature, the Egalrin are predatory warriors who are influenced greatly by the teachings of their patron deities. They have little love for the ways of Evil and care greatly for the positive reinforcement of their cultures. Young Eaglefolk who leave their Aeries to seek fame and fortune in other lands often gain quick attention due to their exotic appearance and abilities.

Recent Events

As growing trouble persists all throughout the lands of Gaea, the Eaglefolk seek to learn more about these current events outside their own Aeries, the ills that trouble their neighbors and the source of such conflicts in lands distant to their own that are still somehow affecting them. Eaglerin striking out from the aeries as a more common sight, robed in the clothing of pilgrims and adventurers, seeking to bring word of the world's developments, and its accomplishments, back to the lands of wind and mountain.

Egalrin Racial Traits

Egalrin mature at roughly 25 years of age, and live to be over 450-500 years old.

The below numbers below assume an "average" person. That is, they probably have a strength and constitution within the 9-11 range. Higher physical stats will make these numbers go up. In other words, a character with 18 strength will weigh much more than one with 9.

Egalrin Average Height and Weight
Name	Base Height	Base Weight	Modifier	Weight Multiplier
Egalrin, male	5ft 2in	110 lbs	+2d8	x5 lbs
Egalrin, female	5ft 0in	90 lbs	+2d8	x5 lbs

Egalrin Starting Age
Adulthood	Barbarian, Rogue, Sorcerer	Bard, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger	Cleric, Druid, Monk, Wizard
25 years	+1d6	+2d6	+3d6

• Classification: humanoid (egalrin)
• +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma: Egalrin are natural predators and have a strong sense of the natural world, but are notoriously aloof and stand offish. Their natural dexterity also plays into their weaving, a talent many (though not all) egalrin are trained in from birth. As other races build their houses and structures, egalrin weave them with deft talons.
• Medium: Egalrin are medium creatures and gain no bonuses or penalties due to their size
• Normal Speed: Base speed of 30 feet.
• Flight (Ex): Egalrin have the ability to fly but the strength of their wings does not come into full glory until later in their career development. Only true paragons of their species attain full command over their wings. When an Egalrin reaches 5 Hit Dice they become able to fly at a speed of 40 feet, however may do so for a number of rounds equal to their constitution modifier after which they are fatigued at the end of the flight. When they reach 10 hit dice they can fly with no more exertion then walking or running and gain a +4 bonus on flight checks. Egalrin with this ability may qualify for a limited number of feats that enhance flight based abilities (see Feats for details).
• Glide (Ex): Egalrin whose wings have not fully developed are still able to unfurl them and use them to glide for distances, negating damage from a fall from any height and allowing 20 feet forward motion travel for every 5 feet of descent. They glide at a speed of 40 feet (average maneuverability). They cannot glide if carrying a medium or heavier load. Finally, Egalrin who are rendered unconscious when in flight unfurl their wings and stiffen them by instinct and descend in a corkscrew pattern and take 1d6 points of falling damage no matter the distance of the fall. If their wings are somehow pinned then this ability is negated.
• Weapon Familiarity: All egalrin are proficient with standard bolas. In addition, they treat the egalrin hunting-bolas as a martial weapon (see Equipment for details).
• Keen Senses: A +2 racial bonus on Perception checks. Egalrin have a keen eye for details, from their ancestry as aerial predators.
• Natural Avian: Egalrin are at home in the air. They gain a +4 racial bonus on flight checks.
• Languages: Egalrin begin play speaking Common and Auran. Egalrin with a high enough intelligence score can also choose from the following: Jotun, Khazdul, Sylvan, Yrch-Speak