Neljis

Neljis are a matriarchal and poorly understood, diminutive race of hirsute forest-dwellers. They are intrinsically linked to their forest and draw strength from the trees themselves. Mostly, Neljis keep to themselves, but a few youths leave every decade to seek adventure in the outside world.

Forest Folk

The Neljis are not just forest dwellers; they draw physical and spiritual strength from the trees themselves. Underneath the forest canopy they can heal from grievous injuries, conjure up magics, and call upon their forest allies. Few Neljis leave their forest homes, and those that do feel a constant calling to go and run beneath the nearest stand of trees.

Led By Nurturers

Neljis form small tribes that are led by magic-using Nurturers. These matriarchs guide their people for a period of thirty moons before handing off the job to another, thus keeping the near total power of a Nurturer in check. Most often Nurturers are spellcasters, usually druids, but mighty warriors and cunning sorcerers can be found among their number. The Nurturers of the tribes gather together to form the Council of Abundance, which oversees the needs of the race as a whole.

Master Craftsmen

Despite living in primitive conditions, the Neljis are masters at working wood and leather. They are known as the finest carpenters, though they only make items they would normally use such as tools, sculptures, jewelry, and hunting weapons. Their scrolls are said to be of the finest quality and are much prized by wizards throughout the Lost Lands, both for their use in crafting spell scrolls and as pages for spellbooks.

Hunters

While it is the Nurturers who lead the tribes of the Neljis, it is the hunters who hold the highest social positions. A hunter who is bold yet humble, skilled yet wise enough not to overhunt prey, and brings in the finest game is afforded the greatest respect. Those few who have faced extraordinary prey, giant animals and monsters, find their names immortalized among their people.

Racial Traits

• Age: Neljis age much as humans do for the first fifty or so years of life, reaching adulthood at around sixteen. After reaching fifty years of life they age much slower, living to two centuries before their bodies give out.
• Alignment: The Neljis have an ordered society that goes to great lengths to tend to its peoples and lands needs, making them both lawful and good.
• Ability Score Modifiers +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, -2 Constitution: Neljis are smaller than the average human, but more dexterous and wise.
• Type: Neljis are humanoids with the Nelji subtype.
• Size: You stand between four and a half and five feet tall, and weigh around 115 pounds. You are medium sized.
• Speed: Your base speed is 30 feet.
• Senses: Low-light Vision. You can see in dim light as if it were bright light.
• Born to the Forest: Neljis gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC while in a forest and are not slowed by natural difficult terrain in a forest.
• Covered by Trees: Neljis gain a +4 racial bonus to Stealth while in a forest and reduce the penalty for using Stealth while moving in a forest by 5. A Nelji can make a Stealth check while running in a forest with a -20 penalty.
• Feral magic: Neljis have a mystic connection to forests. The character selects three 0-level druid spells and one 1st-level druid spell. If the character has a Wisdom score of 11 or higher, when in a forest, they gains these spells as spell-like abilities that can be cast once per day. The caster level for these effects is equal to the user’s character level. The DC for the spell-like abilities is equal to 10 + the spell’s level + the user’s Wisdom modifier.
• Embrace of the Trees: Neljis heal faster in forest settings. When a nelji is surrounded by trees and at least one mile from the nearest settlement, he heals 2 points of damage overnight per hit die after resting, rather than the 1 point per hit die normally healed by other races.
• Hunter: Neljis gain a +2 racial bonus to Survival.
• Natural Protection: The neljis’ light fur protect them in conditions of both heat and cold. Neljis receive a +1 racial bonus to Fortitude saves against heat and cold dangers.
• Natural Scribe: Neljis gain a +2 racial bonus to Craft (bookbinding) and Profession (scribe).
• Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common and Neljium. Neljium is a language of chirps, chitters, and growls, but has many subtle complexities. Nelji with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following bonus languages: Elven, Gnome, Sylvan.