View source for Elf, Frost (3.5e Race)

===Lands===

The frost elves claim large swaths of territory in remote, frozen wastelands and high mountain peaks. The vast potential of earthen resources, such as gems and metals, often goes untapped in their territory. This occasionally leads to border intrusions by other races looking for resources to exploit. Incursions usually happen in the warmer months of summer on border lands and don't go contested until autumn or winter. Whole settlements that have hunkered down for winter have been shredded apart by frost elves re-establishing territorial borders.

Frost elves do not have many possessions, as living in such foreboding lands affords them few resources. Their possessions are often very old, handed down for generations and kept in prime order. Because of their dislike of warmth, frost elves primarily forge cold iron as it doesn't need the heat necessary when working with ordinary steel. What items they do make are of exceptional craftsmanship and enduring quality. Whatever else they happen to own is typically gained by looting the bodies of slain foes.

Frost elf homes are often built out of stone blocks with natural stones piled around the outsides to gather ice and snow. This design allows small settlements to blend in to the natural environment and avoid drawing attention. Larger cities are almost always fortified garrisons with sheer icy walls and spike-filled gorges in place of moats. Their royal castles are often jagged palaces made of stone and ice. It is not unknown for royal palaces to be built into ancient glacial caves. Most entryways are built to their size to inhibit would-be invaders such as giants.

Trespassers in frost elf lands are almost always attacked on sight, and those who surrender are questioned and imprisoned, where they often die of mistreatment within a short time. Frost elves strip the corpses of those they kill, leaving their bodies out as both a warning and bait for scavenging beasts. Bone pile markers in the snow serve as border markers for their territory and are often found near landmarks and natural lines of division, such as frozen rivers, rocky outcrops and glacial crevasses. Frost elves also maintain large, rune-carved cairn stones to mark territory. These stones often have several languages written onto them and typically hold a message of "Frost elf territory. Stay out." or other such warning.

Frost elf culture is maintained and unified by ruling families of inbred royalty. The royal family of a territory presides over their country and enforces their strict borders and laws. All young frost elves, once they come of age, are obligated by law to pledge themselves into servitude to the royal family. The royals choose what duty the young frost elf is to fulfill and when that duty is released. Typically, a few years to a decade of service is common wherein the servant serves as an apprentice or guard within the palace, gaining necessary training. This servitude also ingrains a fear of the royal family, allowing for continued peace through oppression.

Due to their isolated populations and a hatred of outsiders, inbreeding is fairly common practice. Royal families are often highly inbred to maintain power amongst as few individuals as possible. This also aids in limiting possible usurpers from among their ranks.
Author	Ganteka Future +
Effective Character Level	1 +
Favored Class	Ranger +
Identifier	3.5e Race +
Level Adjustment	0 +
Racial Ability Adjustments	+2 Dexterity + and −2 Charisma +
Rating	Unrated +
Size	Medium +
Subtype	Elf +
Summary	Also known as nifnalves or nifalfkyn, the vicious frost elves hail from frozen tundras. +
Title	Elf, Frost +
Type	Humanoid +