FAUNS

Fauns are one of two main fey races that are commonly seen throughout Etheria. Many people believe that fauns are the half-breed offspring of satyrs and humans, but in truth they are a separate race that has been native to the region for thousands of years. Fauns possess an interesting blending of traits; they are mischievous but not hedonistic like satyrs, and are refined yet not fastidious like humans, elves or many of the other "civilized" races. Fauns are therefore equally comfortable in the deep wilderness as well as the more civilized regions of Etheria.

Fauns have never been a major power in Etherian history. They are not a numerous people and seldom gather in sufficient numbers to influence their surroundings. Fauns instead enjoy traveling and interacting with the other (friendly) races in the region. They are particularly skilled at music, and many of the most notable songs and ballads in Etheria are the product of faun musicians. Most tavern owners would give their right arm in order to have a faun minstrel perform regularly at their establishment.

The recent downturn in the fey's war against the dark dwarves has saddened the fauns in Etheria. While some fauns have returned to their ancestral homeland to help defend it, others help by using their bardic talents to turn public opinion against the dark dwarves and their exploits. Although the dwerger have not publicly responded to these social attacks, stories have begun to circulate of outspoken fauns disappearing under mysterious circumstances...

Personality: Fauns are pleasure-seeking and self-indulgent, but never greedy or extravagant. They are most content when celebrating life, laughter and merriment among friends. However fauns can be deadly serious when the situation requires it. Fauns dislike combat and try to avoid it whenever possible, but when forced to fight they can do so fiercely and passionately. A faun will often sing during combat, timing their strikes to the rhythm of the music.

Although fauns often frequent the largest cities of Etheria they are never truly at home there. They much prefer the forests and grasslands of the countryside that resemble their ancestral homelands. When traveling through the wilderness a faun will often become calm and retrospective, spending much of his time lying around daydreaming of past experiences. This may come as a shock to the faun's companions, who are more accustomed to his boisterous behavior in bars and taverns. A faun will always react negatively towards people who intentionally abuse or destroy natural habitats.

Physical Description: At first glance fauns appear very similar to satyrs, but there are several notable differences. Like satyrs, fauns are covered with fur from the waist down and have legs that end in hooves rather than feet. However the legs of fauns are thinner and more closely resemble those of a deer than the goat-like legs of satyrs. In addition, fauns usually have a much more slender build in their upper bodies than satyrs do. Fauns do have horns growing out of their foreheads like satyrs do, but faun horns seldom grow to more than a few inches in length. The most notable difference between the races is that while satyrs are all-male, fauns can be either male or female.

Fauns are short and slender. They usually stand between 5 and 5 1/2 feet in height and weigh between 110 and 160 lbs. Faun eye colors typically range from dark brown to amber, although some occasionally have unusual colors like violet or green. Their hair and fur commonly ranges from red to chestnut brown to black, which eventually turns grey or white late in their lives. A typical faun matures at age 15 and can live to be as old as 200.

Although fauns don't see much point in clothing they do understand that most of the other races in Etheria consider nudity taboo. When they do wear clothes they tend to prefer loose, light items that complement their fur color. They also greatly admire jewelry, particularly bracelets, armlets and necklaces. A faun's thick fur usually makes clothing below the waist unnecessary. Fauns dislike armor and will never wear anything heavier than light armor unless absolutely necessary.

Relations: Fauns get along well with almost anyone who is not openly hostile towards them. They are particularly attracted to halflings and gnomes, both of which share their love of song and companionship. Fauns generally view elves as aloof and boring, although the races can relate to each other via their mutual love of music. Litorans and fauns share a strong reverence of nature, and they can enjoy each other's company for hours in wilderness settings without ever saying a word. Fauns respect the strength of half-orcs and the skill of half-hobgoblins but are careful to give both races a wide berth. They are fascinated by the seemingly endless variety and unpredictable nature of humans, and this often attracts them to human settlements so that they experience this multiplicity firsthand. The only race that fauns have trouble relating to is the dwarves, and they actively fear and despise the dark dwarves due to their continued war against the fey races.

Outlook: Fauns regard two virtues above all others; freedom and friendship. Fauns believe that all races have a sacred right to live as they choose and to not be oppressed by other beings. They have an extreme dislike of slavery and will never knowingly associate with persons who actively practice forced servitude. A faun who witnesses slavery or kidnapping will be sorely tempted to intervene, regardless of the personal risks involved. The idea of being enslaved themselves is among most fauns' greatest fears.

Fauns view friendship as the greatest of all gifts. In their view, the one thing that separates a person from a monster is not intelligence, but friendship with others. Fauns are always loyal to their companions, and will usually go to great lengths to help any friend in need. On the other hand, betraying a friendship is considered the greatest insult that one can inflict on a faun. While a faun may eventually forgive someone who betrays him, he will never again trust that person or consider him a friend. Fauns regard people who continually betray their companions as the worst of villains.

Faun Lands: Fauns regard the Twilight Woods in western Etheria to be their ancestral homeland, although many now live in the Agarian Forests and Southern Forests on opposite side of the Etherian Sea. Fauns also used to inhabit what is now called the Doomwood but have not actively dwelled in that region since the Sundering.

Religion: Although fauns don't worship the thousands of separate gods that the faen do, they do see divinity in simple pleasures, such as the winds blowing through a calm forest or the companionship of friends at the end of the day. Many fauns revere the Green, and faun greenbonds are not uncommon. Some fauns also pay homage to the gods of other races, although a faun's idea of worship is typically dedicating a song or a toast to the deity on the appropriate holy day. Many faun rituals resemble parties and usually involve copious amounts of drinking, music and dancing.

Language: Like all fey races fauns speak sylvan as their primary language. All fauns learn common as well so that they can interact with the majority of races in Etheria. Many fauns will go out of their way to learn additional languages as well so that they can experience the songs and poetry of other cultures.

History: The fey are said to be among the oldest races still inhabiting Etheria, perhaps even older than the dragons of legend. Fauns themselves pay little attention to this, even though some faun songs that have been handed down over the generations date back to cultures that have long since vanished. Faun ballads have kept the stories of many past events such as the Elven Civil War and the Sundering alive long after they would have faded into history, sometimes to the dismay of the races involved in such incidents. The most notable event in recent fey history has been their territorial war with the dark dwarves that has raged for the past 60 years. The war has not been going well for the fey and many fear that if it continues much longer the fauns may lose their homeland forever.

Names: Fauns typically name their children after animals, plants or other natural phenomena from their forest homelands. They feel that names are something to be shared with other things, not possessions to be hoarded. Fauns will often try to integrate the symbolism of their names into their performances for added flair.

Faun Male Names: Cloud, Crag, Eagle, Hare, Oak, Quill, Vine, Wing, Wreath.
Faun Female Names: Dawn, Echo, Fox, Ivy, Lark, Moonlight, Olive, Rain, Swan.

Adventurers: Fauns have little attachment to material goods, and thus rarely participate in adventures for the sake of gaining wealth. Fauns instead quest for new experiences and inspirations for their inner muse, although they are also attracted to objects of great beauty such as jewelry and artwork. Faun adventurers tend to invest the majority of their spoils into a small number of highly ornate items (such as musical instruments or magic items) and give the leftovers to friends or donate them to charity.

Although there is no bard class in Etheria, adventuring fauns typically become rogues with an emphasis on Charisma-based skills. Fauns are also attracted to the greenbond class, and multiclassed rogues/greenbonds are not uncommon. Faun mage blades, unfettered, and the occasional totem warrior can also be found throughout Etheria. Fauns seldom possess sufficient discipline to become magisters, runethanes or witches, and they tend to avoid more combat-oriented professions such as barbarians, champions and warmains.

Favored Drink: Fine wines; Favored Food: Fruits, nuts and sweets; Favored Weapon: Quarterstaff.

FAUN RACIAL TRAITS

• +2 Charisma, -2 Wisdom: Fauns carry a measure of fey presence within them, and can be surprisingly forceful and charming. However, their part-fey nature also weakens their resolve.
• Medium Size: As Medium creatures, fauns have no special bonuses or penalties du to their size.
• Faun base land speed is 30 feet.
• Low-Light Vision: a faun can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight and similar conditions of poor illumination. He retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
• +2 racial bonus to saving throws against enchantment spells or effects.
• +4 racial bonus to saving throws against disease. Fauns are very resistant to sickness.
• Add +1 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against enchantment spells cast by fauns. Their innate familiarity with these effects makes them more difficult to resist. This adjustment stacks with those from similar effects, such as the Spell Focus feat.
• +2 racial bonus to Balance, Climb and Jump rolls. Fauns are nimble and athletic, at home on steep hillsides or in uneven terrain.
• +2 racial bonus to Perform rolls. Fauns are natural performers and are widely regarded as the best in Etheria. In addition, faun characters always treat Perform as a class skill regardless of their chosen class.
• Faun base unarmed strike damage is 1d4. A faun's hooves and horns, although not truly lethal, still give him a slight advantage in unarmed combat.
• Fauns always gain Knowledge (Fey) as a class skill.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Sylvan.
• Bonus Languages: Agarian, Aquan, Auran, Draconic, Elven, Gnome, Halfling, Ignan, Litorian, Lysean, Terran, Verrik.

FAUN LEVELS

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The faun racial template originally appeared in Relics & Rituals: Olympus written by Sword & Sorcery Studios, © 2004 by White Wolf Publishing, Inc. Parts of that work are used here without permission.