Races of Wild

CHAPTER 1ELVES16advisor that he shares the leadership of the communitywith that person.Successors are often members of the current leader’s familyor inner circle, because they learn early how to manage acommunity of highly independent individuals. When thequeen is busy, it’s natural for her to ask her son or consort ifhe can help. The current ruler may also suggest a successor tothe community. Though it is rare for the residents to refusea named successor, they are under no obligation to accepthim or her.Disputes over leadership are rare; when they do occur,they are almost never resolved through violent means.Leaders are not as important to the highly independentelves as they are to members of more lawful races, anddisputes over such positions are not worth the risk oflife. In cases where multiple candidates want a leadershipposition, the candidates present their qualifications tothe community in a large gathering, and the residentschoose between them. Such gatherings often featureimpassioned oratory on the part of the candidates, andoccasionally a quest. Should a contest be heated enoughto sharply divide the community, one of the candidatesmay choose to leave, taking his or her followers along tofound a new community.An elf king or queen typically rules over only one community.No overking, emperor, or other such ruler exists,because central authority is foreign to the chaotic elven soul.Each community is self-contained, but it may trade withother elf cities and even the settlements of other races. Still,should it become necessary, each community can survive onits own. An elf ruler may make alliances on behalf of his owncommunity but not on behalf of others. Such a decentralizedstructure often confounds other races; to the elves, it seemsmerely practical.An elf ruler is expected to mediate major disputes, planfor the community’s welfare, see that expansion does notthreaten the natural resources of the area, and ensure for aproper defense. He can require each individual to contributeto community stores as needed and call forth militias for thecommon defense. He represents the community in its dealingswith other races and other elf settlements. Nevertheless,he is also free to pursue his own interests when time permits,just like any other elf. Furthermore, unless he chooses toadventure, he rarely gains significantly more wealth thanany other elf.As might be expected, elf rulers generally consult a cadreof elders or advisors when making their decisions. However,anyone in the community who wants to advise the ruler ona particular topic may do so. The ruler is free to consult withthose whose opinions he most respects, and most rulers tendto consult the same individuals over and over again. There isno set limit to the number of advisors a king or queen mayhave, and the number typically fluctuates over time. Manyrulers consult family members for advice, and a few alsoregularly consult with individuals who oppose them, in orderto demonstrate the fairness expected of a ruler.COMMUNITY STRUCTUREA noble, advised by an informal group of confidants, typicallyheads an elf community. The noble’s title varies withthe size of the community; a noble governing a village ortown is generally known as a lord or lady, the ruler of acity is a prince or princess, and the ruler of a larger realmis a king or queen. A ruler’s advisors are usually known aselders, regardless of their age. They may or may not be familymembers, and they need not all be elves. In particular, rulerswho have tasted the adventuring life often invite their oldcompanions to live in the elf community, or to enjoy longvacations there. Such companions are often counted amongthe ruler’s advisors.OfficialsThough the ruler is nominally in charge of all major functionsof the community, including food, shelter, defense,judiciary, and training, the day-to-day functions of thesetasks are delegated to others within the community. Almostevery community has a captain of the watch, a master builder,a stores master, a guardian of nature, a keeper of the lore, amaster of arms, and a high priest. Technically, all these officesexcept high priest are bestowed by appointment, but in realitythe elf who most often performs the task is given the title. Theofficial then holds the title until he or she resigns from thepost or is found incompetent by the ruler.Captain of the Watch: This official commands the patrolsthat roam the area around the settlement. She ensures that thepatrols evenly cover the desired area, receives their reports,and passes along any useful information to the ruler andelders. When large gatherings occur, the captain of the watchmay assign a patrol of guards to keep the peace.Watch patrols normally consist of a handful of elf warriorsled by a slightly more experienced warrior or fighter.The patrols keep watch for intruders, predatory beasts, andanything unusual, such as trees dying for no apparent reason.No creature is challenged unless it appears likely to approachwithin a defined distance of the elf community. A challengeusually consists of a warning shot accompanied by a verbalwarning to stay clear, if the intruder is a sentient being. Watchparties may be assigned to hunt in the forest if supplies ofmeat are low in the community.Master Builder: The master builder coordinates the buildingwithin an elf community. Anyone wishing to build a dwellingor other structure must consult with him and convincehim of the suitability of the chosen site before building maycommence. The master builder ensures that new buildings donot crowd others and fit in well aesthetically with the town.If requested to do so, he may also provide advice and guidancein the construction process. The master builder decideswhen a community has reached its maximum sustainablesize based on the available resources. When this occurs, nomore new houses may be built in that area. Elves wishing tobuild new dwellings must depart and find another locationin which to found a community.