Elves of Hodas are something I spent a long time thinking about. They were mentioned in the original game of wasteland that created the setting but they weren't a focus, just an offhanded comment. So I had some freedom. Elves in Hodas fall into two categories: The ones who stayed behind and the ones who left the plane. Most elves in the world simply left as the empire of humanity rose and enslaves all in its path. The ones who stayed behind secluded themselves in extremely hostile or magical locations that the empire simply couldn't gain access to. This created a culture of elves who are something of a cross between Tolkien and Llanowar from MTG. They are hostile to outsiders and powerful, immortal beings.
On the other hand, the elves that left all changed. The elves and land are one, a friend decided that in another game a long time ago and I've always loved it. So what happens when the elves find a new land? In Hodas, they take on properties of the land they move into. Almost all of the ancient elven cities shifted themselves onto another plane and took on the properties of those planes. Some elves now reside on the elemental plane of fire, their weaknesses and patron have changed. Others settled on the mechanical plane of law, their bodies taking on an almost clockwork appearance.
This session was the first time I really got to break out the elves who stayed behind and show what they were really like. I like elves as an antagonist that believes it is in the right.
Session 6:
Orkov came to the party and revealed that the party, through Deranged, was indebted to him. When the party asked for proof he had a featherfolk step forward and relay the entire conversation between Orkov and Deranged to them. Deranged began to make outlandish claims about Orkov and claimed that anyone could say anything and that it wouldn’t always be true. After some confusion it was explained to Deranged that featherfolk can replicate any noise or voice they hear with absolute accuracy as long as they only repeat the thing that they heard, exactly as they heard it. This prompted Deranged to insult him. Naturally he demanded full repayment immediately. Deranged challenged Orkov to a battle in the arena and Orkov accepted, believing his champion would crush anyone Deranged could hire.
Deranged, unable to find a champion stepped into the arena to battle against Black Stone, Orkov’s champion. Deranged put up the best fight they could but ultimately was defeated by Black Stone. In a desperate attempt to survive Deranged switches minds with the original Deranged in the dagger. Shockingly Black Stone heals Deranged, stating that if they couldn’t pay the debt then Orkov would gain a new slave.
The party collected their friend and wiped out quite of bit of their funds paying off the debt owed to Orkov and departs for Evernight in order to find some treasure and wealth to make up for their losses.
The party hacks it’s way into evernight and finds that the foliage is growing back behind them. Eventually they get into the forest itself, they find it is dark but lit by a strange silvery light that permeates the forest in the form of moon beams coming though the trees above. The party scouts the area and spots a strange group of rat creatures scavenging something nearby until a horn is blown in the distance which startles the creatures and sends them running. The party soon finds out exactly what startled the creatures when they are ambushed by elves and surrounded. They are told, through Witherbone’s translation, that the only reason they are alive is because they travel with this disgrace for an elf.
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