The Queldi
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The Queldi are the human race of the Element of Earth that live in the nation of Quelas.

History: The Queldi, like their Korrigan cousins were hit hard during the Age of the Void and suffered much, not just in casualties, but also in land and heirlooms. But in the wake of the Voids defeat and the coming of the Age of Fire, the Queldi were able to rebuild their society under the protection of the fledgling Wrotan Republic, in which they remain today.

Like many cultures, during the early years of the Age of Fire, many heroes gained renown. The greatest of these was called Loridres and founded the ruling line of the Queldi. But the Void does not sleep and does not always fight openly. Slowly, as time passed and Loridres and his line tried to establish themselves, insidious plots crept in to Queldi society that led to the royal line being overthrown and that tribe being all-but destroyed. For many years the remaining tribes argued amongst themselves, fighting and struggling for dominance over Quelas, but ultimately they succumbed to the guidance and authority of first the Wrotan Republic and in more recent times the Wrotan Empire.

The Bards spoke of a time when a True King would return, the Penn-Thanes and Thanes may have feared this and the Druids remained split about it, hiding in the Great Forest of Quelas as the Wrotan Empire threatened to enslave the Queldi. But slowly, the royal line rose once more, first with Lorican who paved the way, and then the issue was settled in civil war between his heirs, the Princesses Tiamey and Nia. Tiamey, a Demonic Child mothered by the Demon Yalirus tried to seize Quelas, but was ultimately thwarted by the efforts of Princess Nia and her supporters.

A new age had begun for Quelas, with new hope in the young Queen.

Physical Characteristics: The Queldi are a rustic race with a great variety of styles in which they dress and present themselves. In times of peace men wear either trousers and tunic or Kilts, with fur cloaks over the top in winter times. The women wear dresses, quite often with complex designs braided in them. In times of war Queldi will wear Leather Armour or heavy furs and face and body paint called ‘Woad’. The Queldi who have become more integrated with Wrotan society will make use of heavier armour. Hair among both men and women is often long sometimes platted and men will often have beards.

Culture: The Queldi are a rural people living in communities following a clan or tribal structure, the localised region or tribe holding being under the guidance and leadership of a Penn-Thane or Thane; The Thane is supported by a household of nobles called Leth-Thanes and normally at least one Druid. Within the Queldi nation there are many, many colourful and various clans, some fade within only a few generations and others appear as quickly as the rising sun yet form a part of the greater tribe. They are an open, warm and friendly race who place value on honour and the keeping of vows, for the majority the Queldi do not practice open warfare, but when roused they are tenacious and show true conviction in their goals.

Racial Advantages: As a human race, the Queldi get a bonus of +1 Skill points at character creation. The Queldi also have the following racial skill lists available to them at character creation, the ‘Bard’, ‘Born of the Tribe’ and ‘The Totem Warrior’. Advanced Skills are listed in the ELEMENT Advanced Skills Companion, and include ‘The Druid’ and ‘The Spirit Walker’, but they are outside the realm of character creation.

Racial Disadvantages: None.

Notes: The Queldi for the better part are based very much on the early Celts, Vikings and Saxons from our own world’s history; there is an abundance of source materials available to allow further influence and greater detail.

Skill Lists

The Bard: The Queldi bard plays an important part in Queldi lore, magic and Queldi society. A storyteller, singer, stirring emotions and possessed of intellect, they are the apprentice Druid for those with the will to go further beyond into the mysteries of magic, or Lore Masters who guide the warriors and the Queldi people.

Special Note: Any non-magic user may become a Bard, providing they are Queldi. Of course this is an apprenticeship to becoming a Druid, which is a magic using list. The rules state a player wishing to become a magic user must spend one hundred experience points to become a magic user. Completing the Bard skill list will reduce this high cost by half. The player of the bard must therefore decide on completion of this skill list if they wish to spend fifty experience points to become a magic user and pursue druidism. This explains why traditional druids are 'mature' shall we say and not vibrant youths! Queldi Magic users at the start of character creation must still complete the Bard skill list before they can start the Druidic list.

Level One: Identify Item of Queldi Origin: The Bard can look at any item that has been created by the Queldi and have a chance of identifying it and any abilities and history associated with it. The Bard examines the item for five minutes and must then make a simple test with a referee to know if they have successfully identified the item.

They may only make one test per day against one specific item, but may test the next day against a failed identify. They may use this skill as many times per day as they have items to identify.

As the Bard increases in this racial skill, they also automatically get Lore: Queldi equal to the level invested in this skill tree.

Level Two: Tale of Lethargy: The Bard, may through the use of a particular medium (song or tale for instance) send a target audience to sleep if they can enrapture them enough during the course of the first minute of their tale. The tale must be at least five minutes long and must end with the word ‘Lethargy’ for it to have any effect - this is a ‘Mundane Mind Effect’ that has vocal range, and can therefore be used as a ‘Mass Mundane Mind Effect’ if the Bard is confident of beating their target audience.

Groups of listeners have a better chance of ignoring the effects than say an individual target as there is more possibility of someone being able to resist the Mundane Mind Effect and keep others awake.

An individual target, lacking the ability to resist the Mundane Mind Effect, will fall asleep, if the Bard is able to complete their Tale of Lethargy.

Once asleep, the target(s) affected must remain asleep for at least five minutes or until awakened by someone trying to rouse them.

Level Three: Tale of Courage: The Bard is capable of reciting a tale that confers courage in all those who are willing to listen. Once the story has ended (it should last at least five minutes), the next quest (linear) that the Queldi Players who have heard the tale go on, will for the duration of the quest have the equivalent of the level five-Deception Skill of 'Cool'.

Level Four: Tale of Redemption: The Bard is capable of telling a powerful and moving tale that will reduce the Void taint within a Queldi Character or Non-Player Character. The tale may only be used on one target at a time and must revolve around the redemption of a Queldi Hero and must be overseen and deemed worthy enough by the referee team to cause the reduction in Void taint. The Queldi Bard may use this ability four times per event.

Level Five: Tale of Warriors High Endeavour: It is one thing for a Bard to infer courage to those who will listen, but another altogether to make a warrior think that he or she may be unbeatable and then go out and fight like a creature possessed.

The tale of Warriors High Endeavour must take at least thirty minutes in the telling, and be told with much shouting and conviction and audience participation, the effects of the tale needs to be agreed with the Referee Team before the tale begins.

Upon completion of the tale, the Referee Team, or Referee ruling on the tale states if the tale and its goals were successful, and then implements the purpose of the tale on all listening Queldi Players.

Bonuses that may be granted from the tale include being granted additional hits, or the ability to ignore a damage call (immunity to say ‘Triples’ or even ‘Quads’) or anything that is deemed reasonable by the Referee Team.

Born Of The Tribe: Born of the Tribe is specific to those who have grown up within the tribal structure that defines the Queldi, and while it lists the main tribes of the Queldi race, it may also be used to define clans within that tribe. A Queldi who was born outside of Quelas, or has shunned traditional Queldi life should not take this skill list.

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Queldi Tribes & Their Speciality Skills:
1: The Royal Tribe: Alchemy, Deception & Invocation.
2: The Farvalyn Tribe: Shield Use, Tracking & Trade: Horses.
3: The Sea Worthies Tribe: Deception, Evaluate & Trade.
4: The Blackmane Tribe: One Handed Weapon, First Aid & Shield Use.
5: The Irricente Tribe: Rogue, Trade & Two Handed Weapon.
6: The Durnstromm Tribe: Evaluate, Orientation & Trade.

Level One: Tribal Lore: The character knows the specific history of their tribe, including nobles, items of historic note and enmities; this skill rises with the level of the Skill List.

Level Two: Blood of the Tribe: The character gains +2 Hits to All Locations.

Level Three: Priodaur: The character gets +3 Free Points to spend on the Tribe's Specialities. If this skill is taken during play they gain +1 to each of the tribal speciality skills.

Level Four: Shieldwall: x4 Times per Event, the Tribe (requires at least four Queldi Player Characters) may invoke this ability to do one of the following effects by shouting and forming a 'Shieldwall':
- 'Strength in Arms' - Immunity to Mind Effects for Four Minutes.
- 'Brace for Impact' - Immunity to Mundane Damage for Four Minutes.
- 'Hold your Ground' - Immunity to Knock Back or Knock Down for Four Minutes.
- '>shouts & screams<' - Mass Intimidation for Four Minutes, causing FEAR in all enemies nearby.

Note: Four Queldi of differing Tribes may use this skill, but only at half duration.

Level Five: Strength in Numbers: The character gets +1 bonus Hits to All Locations, to a maximum bonus of +5 Hits to All Locations, per fellow Tribal Member with them (must be a Player Character and cannot be an NPC). The Queldi may use this ability if they are of different tribes, if they are united under a noble leader of the rank 'Thane' or higher.

The Totem Warrior: These are the special Queldi warriors, which have dedicated themselves to the path of an animal spirit, taking on the noted aspects of that creature to protect their tribe. Players are advised to adopt a totem similar in nature to the Animal Kin Skill Lists available to the Were-Urgo, or to speak to a Referee directly about any ideas they may have that go beyond those lists.

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Level One: Totem Tattoo: The warrior proudly has a Tattoo of their chosen totem inscribed on to their face. This Tattoo enables them to call upon their totem once per event for guidance.

Level Two: The Way of the Warrior: The Totem Warrior gains +2 Hits per location.

Level Three: Protection Woad: The Totem Warrior has had both their upper arms and upper part of their body painted with White Woad for protection. The Queldi gains ‘Enchanted Protection’ that allows the Totem Warrior to call ‘No Effect’ against three Enchanted Attacks. Each use destroys the Woad on one of the three bodily locations.

Each use destroys the Woad on one of the three bodily locations.

All Woad may only be applied Once per Day, and must be applied by a Queldi Bard or Queldi Druid and must have a physical representation. To show Woad has been used up, the Player, or a Referee should either wipe the Woad with a wet wipe or damp cloth to 'spoil' it or have a cover to conceal the Woad to show it has been used.

Level Four: Were Woad: The Totem Warrior is painted with symbols of Red Woad in honour of the Totem and the Were-Urgo, the Champion Race of Earth. The Totem Warrior may then call upon their totem to heal them in the places where the Were Woad symbols are painted, so that the location regenerates +4 Hits to that Location. The regeneration process takes 5 minutes to heal +4 Hits from Mundane Damage, and 30 minutes to heal +4 Hits for Enchanted Damage.

If there is any doubt, or a mix of wounds suffered, the 'Enchanted' damage suffered takes precedence and the healing process takes the longer duration.

Level Five: War Woad: The Totem Warrior has been inscribed with Black War Woad. The power of the totem will then grant the Totem Warrior +5 Hit points per Location that is painted with War Woad. When these bonus hits are used up, the Woad is destroyed.

A Totem Warrior who completes the Skill List, may then progress to become a Spirit Walker, as they begin to work more closely with the Druids.

Advanced Skill Lists

Bardas: The High Art of the Bard: Not all Bards progress into the world of the Druid, some are content with their lot and wander Quelas earning a living in the mead halls of thanes, and there are some to walk a finer path, and learn of Bardas.

Prerequisites:
- 1: Queldi Only
- 2: Bard (5)
- 3: May NEVER be a Druid
- 4: Forage (3)

Level One: Lore of the Land: The Character may educate other Queldi so that they gain a -1XP cost on any skills bought.

Level Two: Lesser Mundane Bardic Peace: Twice per Day, the Bard may interject themselves into a situation, to bring peace through the skill of deception, gaining a +2 to Mundane Deception.

Level Three: Greater Enchanted Bardic Peace: The Bard gains an increase to Bardic Peace, gaining one extra use per day to a total of Three Times per Day, to bring peace through the skill of deception, gaining now a total of +5 to Enchanted Deception for bringing about ceasefires and temporary peaceful situations.

Level Four: Apples are the Greatest Bounty: Requiring a field trip with Queldi Students, the Bard can lead them out into the wilds in search of fruit. The Bard can bestow, through the tales of Bardic wisdom, experience points in the embodiment of the foraged fruit, equal to 4XP in four fruits, once per months.

Note: Only Queldi may gain the rewards of this skill.

Level Five: The Bards Justice: Use of this skill is 'Once Only' and requires than the Bard travels/adventures/exists without carrying weapons - for so long as they maintain being unarmed, they need not fear the vengeance of swords, knowing that if they are killed, the sons and daughters of the Queldi Afterlife will come and claim the killers, without fail and drag the to the Halls of the Queldi, where they will be killed and assure the Bard a place in those hallowed halls.

The Druid: The Queldi druid is a powerful magic user in tune with nature, a spiritual guide and favoured for of priest to the Queldi people who is more often than not at odds with the teachings of the Elemental Union Church and its focus around the worship inside of temples rather than embracing the outdoor nature of the Druid.

Prerequisites:
- 1: Queldi Only
- 2: Bard (5)
- 3: May not be a part of any other kind of religion, organised or otherwise.

Level One: Tree Merging (Spell): A Druid may cast this spell to 'merge' with a tree to completely hide themselves from enemies. The spell effects grants Enchanted Stealth at +5 on top of any skill in Stealth the Druid possesses for the duration of the spell, but is vulnerable to the effects of the magical ability of Tracing.

Level Two: Tree Form (Spell): A Druid may cast this spell to transform themselves into an Oak Tree. They cannot move whilst in this form and must spend additional Mana to extend the tree form beyond the standard spells duration, lest they return to their human form.

Whilst in the tree form, they are considered Immune to all 'Mundane' forms of damage. Enchanted Attacks will affect the Druid directly and force them to return to human form.

Level Three: Animal Form (Spell): The Druid may change into any animal of their choice, retaining their own statistics, but gaining the abilities traditional for the animal (e.g. flight if a bird.)

The spell lasts until the Druid casts it again to return to normal form (so 3 Mana to change into an animal, an then 3 Mana to transform back.)

The Druid's Staff, if bound, will change and be absorbed within them whilst in a magical form. The form will revert to normal if Lord Helios rises in the sky.

Level Four: Nature's Passage (Spell): The Druid may open a short passage between one natural object and another, for the standard range of a level four spell. The range may be extended for the standard cost. An additional Queldi player may travel through with the Druid for an additional 1 Mana; this cost is tripled if the 'passenger' is of any race other than a Queldi.

Level Five: Ent Form (Spell): The Druid changes into a creature neither man nor tree, but a form that is built for combat. Physical representation is essential for the spell to cast successfully. The Ent form grants +10 Hits per location and Immunity from Mudane 'Singles', 'Doubles' and 'Triples'. Fire damage does normal damage. In combat, the Ent form may stomp an opponent to 'Crush' them once every five minutes.

The Druid may also cast magic while in this form.

The Spirit Walker: is a Queldi Totem Warrior inducted into the higher mysteries by the power of the Druids, often entrusted with specific tasks and duties that require them to walk this path. Induction requires a ritual taking place within the sanctity of the Druids' home in the Great Forest of Quelas.

Prerequisites:
- 1: Queldi Only
- 2: Totem Warrior (5)
- 3: Must have been in the Ritual Circle of the Druid Sanctuary in Quelas and endorsed by the Druids to pursue this path
- 4: Must be 'Blessed' by Lady Gaia.

Level One: Awakened: Unable to cast magic, the soul of the character is highly magical charged now to support the pursuit of this path. Once per Day, the character may cross from the physical world into that of the spirit world to pursue a spirit quest determined at the time of the crossing. Upon completion of the quest, to return the character must draw their blood an await the alerted Druids to draw them back once more into the physical world.

Level Two: Totem Attunement: They have gained the speed, the strength, an the cunning of their associated totem patron, gaining +1 Hit Point to all locations and +1 Enchanted Dodge per Day while within the Spirit Realm only.

Level Three: Path Maker: The character has become more infused with their Totem and the spirit world. As such, they may now enter or exit the Spirit World up to three times per day. (Crossing over takes five seconds.)

Level Four: Totem Fusion: While in the spirit world, the character gains +2 to Tracking and Stealth, and use of these skills are 'Enchanted.

Level Five: Separation: With this level of attainment, the character may separate their mind and soul from their body. A very dangerous endeavour that allows them to enter the subconscious mind of a target or to walk the spirit world to pursue a given quest bestowed upon them by the Druids.

The purpose of this ability is a very vague and unknown notion, and requires Referee Involvement with any use and role-play. The character may use separation five times per event, and must be used to first separate the mind and soul from the body, and another use must then also be used to rejoin the mind and soul with the body.

- Extended absence from the body can be damaging or terminal.
- Death to the mortal body can be terminal

With the expenditure of a Fate Point, it is possible for the character to foce their mind and soul into the possession of another body. This can be either to gain 5 minutes of possession in which the body's mind and soul, or host, is forced into submission for the duration of the control.

Or, if the host is absent, or their mind and soul is destroyed, the character may elect to take up permanent residence of that body.

Permanent Residence of a body destroys the existing skill lists of 'Totem Warrior' and 'Spirit Walker' for the character as their mind and soul now moves to adapt and attune to its new body. Nothing prevents them relearning the skill lists and leads to the belief in reincarnation that the Queldi hold.

The loss of the skill lists do not mean the character is reimbursed Experience Points previously spent developing the skill lists. Rather, they must be bought again from scratch.

The Queldi may also learn The Way of the Unicorn

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