This is the most finished race I have so far, and no, there are no biases present. This was just alphabetically the first race on the list before I added Aldmer and divided the races between playable eras.
- - - - -
Altmer, or self-titled "Cultured People", are a tall, golden-skinned race, hailing from Summerset Isle. They are also known as High Elves by the denizens of Tamriel. In the Empire, "High" is often understood to mean proud or snobbish, and as the Altmer generally personify these characteristics, the "lesser races" generally resent them. Altmer live two to three times as long as humans; with a 200-year-old Altmer being old and a 300-year-old Altmer being very, very old. Altmer consider themselves to be the most civilized culture of Tamriel; the common tongue of the continent is based on Altmer speech and writing, and most of the Empire's arts, crafts, laws, and sciences are derived from Altmer traditions. They usually have golden, green, or amber eyes.
The Altmer are the most strongly gifted in the arcane arts of all the races, and they are very resistant to diseases. However, they are also somewhat vulnerable to magicka, fire, frost, and shock, which makes them very weak against their strongest point - magic. They are among the longest living and most intelligent races of Tamriel, and they often become powerful magic users due to both their magical affinity and the many years they may devote to their studies.
Society: At the time the Crystal Tower was built in the Merethic Era, the Elves of Summerset had a relatively egalitarian society, though social stratification slowly developed into a rigid hierarchy of classes over the millennia. The Wise (teachers and priests) became the highest echelon, followed by Artists, Princes, Warriors, Landowners, Merchants, Workers, and enslaved beasts such as goblins. Early literature by man painted the High Elves in poor light, though the impartiality of these accounts is questionable. It was suggested that the Altmer practiced eugenic infanticide, putting to death nine in ten of their newborns due to impurities, that Altmeri names are simply combinations of numbers in their own language, and that Altmer culture revolves around displaying social status. Later writings contain no mention of any of these practices; whether they were fabricated, exaggerated, discontinued, or covered up afterwards is not known.
The creation myth of the Altmer begins before the start of the Dawn Era and the beginning of time: the primordial force of Anu, stasis or order, created Anuiel, the soul of all things, so it could know itself. Anuiel in turn created Sithis for the same purpose, who was the force of change and chaos and the sum up of all limitations, and their interrelation created the Aurbis, where the Original Spirits, the Aedra and Daedra, emerged before the creation of the Mundus. The ancient Aldmer believed they are the relatively feeble descendants of the Aedra ("Aedra" roughly translates to "ancestor spirit"), aspects of those Aedra who populated the Mundus so that it might last despite Lorkhan's deception.
As their hierarchical society developed, the lower classes stopped worshipping their own "lesser" Aedra in favor of those claimed by their social "betters". Thus the Altmer pantheon slowly formed around the most popular and well-known of the Aedra, which included Auriel, Trinimac, Syrabane, Phynaster, Magnus, and Y'ffre, many of whom would later be incorporated into the Nine Divines. The transition and choices have not gone without detractors.
As mentioned, whenever a substantial minority had some sort of socio-political or theological disagreement with the majority in Summerset in the Dawn Era, the dissidents would leave and usually go on to become other races of Mer. However, some time in the Merethic Era, one early group of dissidents who opposed the evolution to the traditional Altmer pantheon left the mainland of Summerset but remained quintessentially Altmer. The Psijics decided to follow the mystical Old Ways of Aldmeris and broke away to settle Artaeum, the third largest island of the Isle, though they apparently managed to stay friendly with their snubbed mainland brethren and it's assumed they use their advanced magic to help protect the Altmer in times of strife. A leader of the Psijics, Rite Master Iachesis, apparently led them throughout the entire First Era (about three thousand years), giving some indication of the potential longevity of the Altmer.
In recent times (for an Altmer, the last several hundred years), the younger Altmer have been pushing for social reform, an unusual phenomenon for a people who are used to dissidents simply leaving. But there are few if any places left to go at this point. Some change has already taken place: for the first time ever, the Altmer have started letting other races and cultures come to their shores; some have even been allowed to rise to the ranks of nobility in Summerset. Many young rebellious Altmer have turned to the Psijics for guidance (somewhat ironically consulting their distant past for a path to their future), while some militant radicals have turned to terrorism.
Time Period: MME to 4E.
Alignment: Any, but most are strictly lawful.
Male Names: Aldaril, Ciralind, Fainde, Heceril, Mirkali, Molleenen, Qorwyn, Sinyon, Tunenre, Volanare
Female Names: Ardaru, Culuma, Elaninde, Erissa, Estridar, Imarum, Nalcar, Taarum, Termanin, Viranirn
Altmer Racial Traits
+2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma, -2 Strength: Altmer commonly know a great deal and have strong magical aptitudes, and they can be very diplomatic. However, they tend to be less physically capable than most other races.
Medium: Altmer are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Normal Speed: Altmer have a base speed of 30 feet.
Altmer Magic Weakness: Altmer are unfortunately weak to electricity, cold, fire, and magic in general.
Altmer Disease Resistance: Altmer don't catch diseases often, and get a +5 bonus to all saves allowed against diseases.
Magical Affinity: 1 bonus spell slots for each spell level.
Magicka Focus: Some Altmer families have such long traditions of producing mages (and other spellcasters) that they raise their children with the assumption each is destined to be a powerful magic-user. Altmer with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on concentration checks made to cast spells defensively.
Languages: Altmer begin play speaking Tamrielic and Bosmeris. Altmer with high Intelligence scores can choose to learn Ayleidoon, Jel, Chimeris, Dwemeris, Falmer, Ta'agra, Kothringi, Nedic, and Nordic.(This is based on all my current information of the Merethic Era)
Alternate Racial Traits
Loremaster: Altmer keep extensive records about their history and the world around them. Altmer with this racial trait receive a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (history) checks that do not pertain to Altmer or Summerset Isles. Knowledge (history) checks that do pertain to Altmer or Summerset Isles get a +4 racial bonus. This racial trait replaces Magicka Focus.
Instructor: Many Altmer have devoted their lives to their chosen craft, performing art, or professions. Their deep understanding of the skill allows them to more easily assist others attempting them. Such Altmer gain a +2 racial bonus on skill checks to use the aid another action, but only as long as they are rolling a skill check for a craft, knowledge, perform, or profession that the Altmer has ranks in as well(this bonus does not apply to different perform skills, such as different instruments). The Altmer using this bonus must have more ranks in the specified skill than the one they are attempting to aid, or no bonus is applied. This racial trait replaces Magicka Focus.
Racial Subtypes
Subtypes will be planned out when all primary content is established.
Favored Class Options
The following favored options are available to all Altmer who have the listed favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the class reward.
Agent: Add a +1 bonus to Sense Motive checks to discern lies.(Class not yet created, this may change.)
Battlemage: Add one of the following weapon special abilities to the list of weapon special abilities the Battlemage may add to his weapon using his arcane pool: defending, ghost touch, merciful, mighty cleaving, vicious; allying, conductive, corrosive, corrosive burst, menacing. Once an ability has been selected with this reward, it cannot be changed.(Class not yet created, this may change.)
Healer: The Healer heals +1 hit point when using a cure spell on another.(Class not yet created, this may change.)
Mage: Gain a +1/2 bonus on Spellcraft checks to identify the properties of magic items and a +1/2 bonus on Use Magic Device checks.(Class not yet created, this may change.)
Monk: Add +1 to the Monk’s CMD when resisting a dirty trick and +1/2 to the number of stunning attacks he can attempt per day.(Class not yet created, this may change.)
Nightblade: Reduce the concealment or total concealment miss chance from mist, fog, and clouds by 5%. When the reduction reaches 50% the Nightblade can see through mist, fog, or clouds with no penalty.(Class not yet created, this may change.)
Scout: Increase the studied target bonus on Bluff and Perception checks by 1/3.(Class not yet created, this may change.)
Sorcerer: When casting Conjuration spells, add +1/3 to the effective caster level of the spell, but only to determine the spell's duration.(Class not yet created, this may change.)
Spellsword: Add a +1/2 circumstance bonus on critical hit confirmation rolls when using spellstrike (maximum bonus +4). This bonus does not stack with Critical Focus.
Witchhunter: Add +1/6 to the save DC of poisons applied to swordlike weapons.(Class not yet created, this may change.)
Racial Archetypes
The following racial archetypes are available to Altmer.
Archetypes will be planned out when all primary content is established.
Altmer Equipment
Altmer have access to the following equipment.
Equipment will be planned out when all primary content is established.
- - - - -
As always, feel free to use any of this content in any campaigns you run!
Disclaimers:
If I come up with anymore ideas, or certain aspects of it need to be changed for balance purposes, this submission itself will be altered. Changes or additions will be marked as such, for convenience. Any lore or mechanics-based disputes, questions, or otherwise may be presented to me via notes. I check notes regularly, but I will likely miss many questions or disputes if they are in the comments section below this submission.
I do not own any of this content, nor do I claim to own any of this content. All Pathfinder content utilized in this submission is property of Paizo Publishing, though some 3rd party content is also used throughout.
All Elder Scrolls-related content utilized in this project is property of Bethesda Softworks.
Everything I post related to ESPA should be considered nothing more than 3rd party content, and highly unofficial in all ways.
Description and social information borrowed from Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages and Elder Scrolls Wikia, and will change if requested.
All name suggestions created using Project Tamriel's random name generator.
Elder Scrolls lore utilized in this project is promised to be as accurate as possible, but many adaptations and ports I must create for this project to operate properly must be fabricated from little to no mechanical/statistical information, by no fault of Paizo Publishing or Bethesda Softworks.
Main sources of lore and mechanical/statistical information include Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages and Elder Scrolls Wikia.
I'm just a simple fan of both Pathfinder and Elder Scrolls, and wished to put my creative skills to the test combining them together.
- - - - -
Altmer, or self-titled "Cultured People", are a tall, golden-skinned race, hailing from Summerset Isle. They are also known as High Elves by the denizens of Tamriel. In the Empire, "High" is often understood to mean proud or snobbish, and as the Altmer generally personify these characteristics, the "lesser races" generally resent them. Altmer live two to three times as long as humans; with a 200-year-old Altmer being old and a 300-year-old Altmer being very, very old. Altmer consider themselves to be the most civilized culture of Tamriel; the common tongue of the continent is based on Altmer speech and writing, and most of the Empire's arts, crafts, laws, and sciences are derived from Altmer traditions. They usually have golden, green, or amber eyes.
The Altmer are the most strongly gifted in the arcane arts of all the races, and they are very resistant to diseases. However, they are also somewhat vulnerable to magicka, fire, frost, and shock, which makes them very weak against their strongest point - magic. They are among the longest living and most intelligent races of Tamriel, and they often become powerful magic users due to both their magical affinity and the many years they may devote to their studies.
Society: At the time the Crystal Tower was built in the Merethic Era, the Elves of Summerset had a relatively egalitarian society, though social stratification slowly developed into a rigid hierarchy of classes over the millennia. The Wise (teachers and priests) became the highest echelon, followed by Artists, Princes, Warriors, Landowners, Merchants, Workers, and enslaved beasts such as goblins. Early literature by man painted the High Elves in poor light, though the impartiality of these accounts is questionable. It was suggested that the Altmer practiced eugenic infanticide, putting to death nine in ten of their newborns due to impurities, that Altmeri names are simply combinations of numbers in their own language, and that Altmer culture revolves around displaying social status. Later writings contain no mention of any of these practices; whether they were fabricated, exaggerated, discontinued, or covered up afterwards is not known.
The creation myth of the Altmer begins before the start of the Dawn Era and the beginning of time: the primordial force of Anu, stasis or order, created Anuiel, the soul of all things, so it could know itself. Anuiel in turn created Sithis for the same purpose, who was the force of change and chaos and the sum up of all limitations, and their interrelation created the Aurbis, where the Original Spirits, the Aedra and Daedra, emerged before the creation of the Mundus. The ancient Aldmer believed they are the relatively feeble descendants of the Aedra ("Aedra" roughly translates to "ancestor spirit"), aspects of those Aedra who populated the Mundus so that it might last despite Lorkhan's deception.
As their hierarchical society developed, the lower classes stopped worshipping their own "lesser" Aedra in favor of those claimed by their social "betters". Thus the Altmer pantheon slowly formed around the most popular and well-known of the Aedra, which included Auriel, Trinimac, Syrabane, Phynaster, Magnus, and Y'ffre, many of whom would later be incorporated into the Nine Divines. The transition and choices have not gone without detractors.
As mentioned, whenever a substantial minority had some sort of socio-political or theological disagreement with the majority in Summerset in the Dawn Era, the dissidents would leave and usually go on to become other races of Mer. However, some time in the Merethic Era, one early group of dissidents who opposed the evolution to the traditional Altmer pantheon left the mainland of Summerset but remained quintessentially Altmer. The Psijics decided to follow the mystical Old Ways of Aldmeris and broke away to settle Artaeum, the third largest island of the Isle, though they apparently managed to stay friendly with their snubbed mainland brethren and it's assumed they use their advanced magic to help protect the Altmer in times of strife. A leader of the Psijics, Rite Master Iachesis, apparently led them throughout the entire First Era (about three thousand years), giving some indication of the potential longevity of the Altmer.
In recent times (for an Altmer, the last several hundred years), the younger Altmer have been pushing for social reform, an unusual phenomenon for a people who are used to dissidents simply leaving. But there are few if any places left to go at this point. Some change has already taken place: for the first time ever, the Altmer have started letting other races and cultures come to their shores; some have even been allowed to rise to the ranks of nobility in Summerset. Many young rebellious Altmer have turned to the Psijics for guidance (somewhat ironically consulting their distant past for a path to their future), while some militant radicals have turned to terrorism.
Time Period: MME to 4E.
Alignment: Any, but most are strictly lawful.
Male Names: Aldaril, Ciralind, Fainde, Heceril, Mirkali, Molleenen, Qorwyn, Sinyon, Tunenre, Volanare
Female Names: Ardaru, Culuma, Elaninde, Erissa, Estridar, Imarum, Nalcar, Taarum, Termanin, Viranirn
Altmer Racial Traits
+2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma, -2 Strength: Altmer commonly know a great deal and have strong magical aptitudes, and they can be very diplomatic. However, they tend to be less physically capable than most other races.
Medium: Altmer are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Normal Speed: Altmer have a base speed of 30 feet.
Altmer Magic Weakness: Altmer are unfortunately weak to electricity, cold, fire, and magic in general.
Altmer Disease Resistance: Altmer don't catch diseases often, and get a +5 bonus to all saves allowed against diseases.
Magical Affinity: 1 bonus spell slots for each spell level.
Magicka Focus: Some Altmer families have such long traditions of producing mages (and other spellcasters) that they raise their children with the assumption each is destined to be a powerful magic-user. Altmer with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on concentration checks made to cast spells defensively.
Languages: Altmer begin play speaking Tamrielic and Bosmeris. Altmer with high Intelligence scores can choose to learn Ayleidoon, Jel, Chimeris, Dwemeris, Falmer, Ta'agra, Kothringi, Nedic, and Nordic.(This is based on all my current information of the Merethic Era)
Alternate Racial Traits
Loremaster: Altmer keep extensive records about their history and the world around them. Altmer with this racial trait receive a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (history) checks that do not pertain to Altmer or Summerset Isles. Knowledge (history) checks that do pertain to Altmer or Summerset Isles get a +4 racial bonus. This racial trait replaces Magicka Focus.
Instructor: Many Altmer have devoted their lives to their chosen craft, performing art, or professions. Their deep understanding of the skill allows them to more easily assist others attempting them. Such Altmer gain a +2 racial bonus on skill checks to use the aid another action, but only as long as they are rolling a skill check for a craft, knowledge, perform, or profession that the Altmer has ranks in as well(this bonus does not apply to different perform skills, such as different instruments). The Altmer using this bonus must have more ranks in the specified skill than the one they are attempting to aid, or no bonus is applied. This racial trait replaces Magicka Focus.
Racial Subtypes
Subtypes will be planned out when all primary content is established.
Favored Class Options
The following favored options are available to all Altmer who have the listed favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the class reward.
Agent: Add a +1 bonus to Sense Motive checks to discern lies.(Class not yet created, this may change.)
Battlemage: Add one of the following weapon special abilities to the list of weapon special abilities the Battlemage may add to his weapon using his arcane pool: defending, ghost touch, merciful, mighty cleaving, vicious; allying, conductive, corrosive, corrosive burst, menacing. Once an ability has been selected with this reward, it cannot be changed.(Class not yet created, this may change.)
Healer: The Healer heals +1 hit point when using a cure spell on another.(Class not yet created, this may change.)
Mage: Gain a +1/2 bonus on Spellcraft checks to identify the properties of magic items and a +1/2 bonus on Use Magic Device checks.(Class not yet created, this may change.)
Monk: Add +1 to the Monk’s CMD when resisting a dirty trick and +1/2 to the number of stunning attacks he can attempt per day.(Class not yet created, this may change.)
Nightblade: Reduce the concealment or total concealment miss chance from mist, fog, and clouds by 5%. When the reduction reaches 50% the Nightblade can see through mist, fog, or clouds with no penalty.(Class not yet created, this may change.)
Scout: Increase the studied target bonus on Bluff and Perception checks by 1/3.(Class not yet created, this may change.)
Sorcerer: When casting Conjuration spells, add +1/3 to the effective caster level of the spell, but only to determine the spell's duration.(Class not yet created, this may change.)
Spellsword: Add a +1/2 circumstance bonus on critical hit confirmation rolls when using spellstrike (maximum bonus +4). This bonus does not stack with Critical Focus.
Witchhunter: Add +1/6 to the save DC of poisons applied to swordlike weapons.(Class not yet created, this may change.)
Racial Archetypes
The following racial archetypes are available to Altmer.
Archetypes will be planned out when all primary content is established.
Altmer Equipment
Altmer have access to the following equipment.
Equipment will be planned out when all primary content is established.
- - - - -
As always, feel free to use any of this content in any campaigns you run!
Disclaimers:
If I come up with anymore ideas, or certain aspects of it need to be changed for balance purposes, this submission itself will be altered. Changes or additions will be marked as such, for convenience. Any lore or mechanics-based disputes, questions, or otherwise may be presented to me via notes. I check notes regularly, but I will likely miss many questions or disputes if they are in the comments section below this submission.
I do not own any of this content, nor do I claim to own any of this content. All Pathfinder content utilized in this submission is property of Paizo Publishing, though some 3rd party content is also used throughout.
All Elder Scrolls-related content utilized in this project is property of Bethesda Softworks.
Everything I post related to ESPA should be considered nothing more than 3rd party content, and highly unofficial in all ways.
Description and social information borrowed from Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages and Elder Scrolls Wikia, and will change if requested.
All name suggestions created using Project Tamriel's random name generator.
Elder Scrolls lore utilized in this project is promised to be as accurate as possible, but many adaptations and ports I must create for this project to operate properly must be fabricated from little to no mechanical/statistical information, by no fault of Paizo Publishing or Bethesda Softworks.
Main sources of lore and mechanical/statistical information include Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages and Elder Scrolls Wikia.
I'm just a simple fan of both Pathfinder and Elder Scrolls, and wished to put my creative skills to the test combining them together.
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