Dark Elves
Dark Elves -- or Druchii as they are called in the Elf tongue -- are descendants of
Elves who long ago made pacts with the Dark Gods of Chaos. Over the ages, while they still
bear some faint resemblance to their ancestors, they have become corrupted by their dwelling
in the Northern Realm of Naggaroth, and exposure to the warping effects of Chaos. Their
skin is pale and sallow, their hair often bleached white -- though it is not unusual for
them to dye their hair or tattoo their bodies in outrageous patterns. The natural affinity
toward magic of the Elves, combined with their close proximity to the Realms of Chaos and
their alliances with the Chaos Gods has made their Wizards the ultimate masters of dark
sorcery. The rest of the world largely only knows them by their raiding parties that
occasionally head south to the "lesser" civilizations, many of them undertaken for the sake
of obtaining captives to take back as slaves -- or sacrifices.
Dark Elves have no in-game benefits or restrictions. If a player chooses a Dark Elf
character as a Hero, it is most likely that this Dark Elf is repentant of the ways
of his wicked forebears, or else that he is an outcast, and passes himself off as a High
Elf of pale complexion -- joining the Heroes for material gain or to pursue a personal
agenda. As a matter of tradition, Dark Elves favor crossbows rather than the long
bows favored by their Wood Elf and High Elf kin, but there are no special bonuses or
restrictions in this regard.
It should be noted that the special Wardancer Henchman detailed in Terror in the Dark
will not become a follower of a Dark Elf.
Special professions only available to Dark Elves include:
Witch Elf
Half-Elves
If a player chooses to play a "Half-Elf" -- that is, one of mixed human and elf lineage --
then for game purposes the Hero is either closer to his Elf or Human heritage. For purposes
of generating statistics, create the character as either Human or Elf. He may have a blond
beard and pointed ears, which might make him a visually distinctive character, but in terms
of game play, there's nothing special about being a half-breed.
High Elf Ranger
The "High Elf" character listed in the Advanced HeroQuest rules as a conversion from the
HeroQuest system is referred to in these house rules as a "High Elf Ranger" (the name
being inspired by a character expansion from Warhammer Quest). A player may choose to
select that as a pre-generated character, rather than rolling dice to determine starting
abilities. Otherwise, the Ranger may be chosen as a
special profession reserved for High Elves.
Elf Wizards
Elf Wizards are slightly varied from the standard Elf profile. Special rules apply.
Phoenix Guard
Warriors of the Phoenix Guard are deathly silent, never speaking or vocalizing. They
are members of an ancient order of honor-bound warriors of the High Elves, and carry
ceremonial armor and weapons. A Phoenix Guard Hero must be a High Elf, and may never
speak. The Phoenix Guard has the same characteristics as a High Elf Warrior, except
that he starts the game with a suit of chainmail and a halberd. Neither of these items
may be sold.