Borderfort Burning: Wood Elves

Larry MacDougall

“Borderfort Burning” is the name of an abandoned project from 2018. It was an attempt to synthesize my favorite classic fantasy influences (Tolkien, Warhammer Fantasy, Angus McBride, Japanese western fantasy) into a single, small-scale setting — essentially an expanded version of B2: Keep on the Borderlands. The scope of the setting was manageable, but since mechanically I was mostly trying to convert Adventures In Middle Earth (a 5e system) into something like B/X D&D (itself a deceptively fiddly set of rules), the rules framework I was using at the time was pretty maximalist in a way that I’m less interested in now. A lot of this material has reappeared in other projects, although as my tastes have changed the weight given to specific influences has shifted. Borderfort Burning skewed closer to Warhammer than The Hobbit, while the elves in particular also have a lot of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, the Fair Folk from Lloyd Alexander’s Prydain and the elves of Lorwyn and Shadowmoor from Magic: the Gathering in their creative makeup.

The elves and dwarves of Borderfort Burning use the “Some, Many, Few” system from Middenmurk.

I think this is Paul Dainton

Many Elves (roll 1d12 three times)

1. Have hair full of cobwebs
2. Become intoxicated by the thrill of the hunt
3. Have trouble telling humans apart
4. Have small antlers or horns
5. Hate Ugliness and seek to rid the world of it
6. Love Beauty and and seek to protect it
7. Cannot tell an outright lie
8. Attract butterflies and moths
9. Are drawn to ruins, graves, and burial sites
10. Are fascinated by bodies of water
11. Love wine, feasting, and revelry
12. Adopt a fanciful pseudonym for use among Men

A Few Elves (roll 1d12 once)

1. Have hooves like a deer
2. Refuse to touch mortal food
3. Shed a faintly sparkling dust from their skin and hair
4. Treat combat as a game and don’t seem to understand death
5. Sew beautiful garments from Man-skins
6. Become translucent and nearly invisible when they sleep
7. Are dappled and spotted like fauns or shoats
8. Have strange patterns carved in their skin
9. Glow faintly in the moonlight
10. Hate domesticated animals
11. Are morbidly fascinated by Mortal death and old age
12. Have vestigial insect wings

Some Common Traveling Gear (roll d20 twice)

1. A lantern full of fireflies
2. A wallet of acorns and dead leaves
3. A pouch of sparkling white sand
4. An instrument: 1) flute, 2) woodharp, 3) zither, 4) ocarina
5. A coil of silvery rope
6. A pouch of moonglove poison
7. A crown of leaves and berries
8. A jar of woad
9. A broach set with green gems
10. A loyal kestrel
11. An orichalcum boar-spear, hung with pelts
12. A hauberk of bronze and silver scales shaped like leaves
13. A conch-shell trumpet worn on a braided leather strap
14. A great rune-banded warhorn
15. A dagger of crystal-flecked stone
16. A mantle of ragged furs
17. The preserved head of your enemy, with a river stone forced between its teeth
18. A necklace of milk-white opals
19. An ancient bronze long-axe
20. A pale elf-horse with a harness of tinkling bells

Larry MacDougall again

Wood Elf Names

d30 Roll	Elf Names, Male	Elf Names, Female
1	Gwydion	Arwen
2	Eidilleg	Ariel
3	Finglas	Eilonwy
4	Elludyr	Dwyvach
5	Gwystyl	Fimbrethyl
6	Meurig	Rhiannon
7	Bedwyr	Eluned
8	Caerwyn	Iorwyth
9	Aerys	Nuala
10	Glyndwyr	Alauna
11	Goronwy	Olwyn
12	Haldyr	Morglei
13	Durthu	Nimue
14	Orlon	Cerridwyn
15	Manawydan	Gwyndeling
16	Prydwyn	Morrigu
17	Nuada	Aeronwy
18	Balor	Melianor
19	Culhwy	Filianore
20	Mathonwy	Eonwy
21	Gofannon	Orwen
22	Gwindor	Lutriel
23	Belen	Maeglin
24	Freyr	Miriel
25	Caranwy	Morwen
26	Finrod	Elwing
27	Glorfythyd	Merrion
28	Bregalad	Alseid
29	Mablung	Malon
30	Orwyn	Ordu

Fairies 

All wood elves have at least one fairy. An elf’s fairy appears when it is wanted. It might suddenly crawl out of the elf’s hair or clothes, step out from behind an object, or simply wink into existence with a small pop.

1. A glowing ball of light
2. A tiny winged elf
3. A tiny bearded gnome
4. A miniature knight with beetle-shell armor
5. A sharp-nosed imp with skin like nettles
6. A black-feathered skulker with clawed hands

Wood Elf Setting Stuff

• Wood elves live in ruins or caves: rough settings that they carelessly fill with beautiful, intricately made objects.
• Feasts of wild woodland game, fruit, nuts, flower and seedcakes, and strange wines (berry, dandelion, etc.)
• View travelers in their realms with suspicion and resentment, but occasionally invite a questing knight to their feasts or take lost human children to act as servants
• Wood elves do not bury their foes, instead letting them lie where they fall for the forest to reclaim.
• Blood poured from silver chalices onto the ancient roots
• Abandoned elvish towers beyond the boundary of the wood
• The Bridge of Birds

Tony DiTerlizzi