First of two new races, the Avariel, winged-folk closely related to elves.
Living in seclusion, the Avariel are reclusive from other races. They live for approximately 500 years and the first 50 are spent deciding their path through life. All Avariel are expected to learn a trade and provide for their families. They are expected to build their roosts at age 100. The most noticeable aspect of the Avariel are their wings, large enough to support their weight, allowing them to fly. Not surprisingly this also causes them to have hollow bones, much like any avian creature. Because of their flight, the concept of small spaces where they cannot take flight is frightening beyond belief to them, giving their race inherit claustrophobia.

Wings: While burdened by no more than 1/2 of a light load, an Avariel may fly at their Speed*2.
Fragile: -1 to Stun Rating
Eagle Eyes: +4 to Percetion rolls involving sight
Claustrophobic: As per the Flaw.

Avariel-Only Talents
Armored Wings (Unique)
Benefit: An Avariel may plate their wings and use them as a shield with a +3 rating to Defense, however he may no longer fly due to the interference of the armor.
Normal: An Avariel cannot defend with their wings.

Greater Lift (Unique)
Prerequisites: Strength 3
Benefit: Increase the amount of weight you are able to carry to your light load while flying.

Powerful Shoulders
Prerequisites: Strength 3
Benefit: Add +2 to your flight speed.
Advanced: You may buy this Talent twice for an additional +2 to your flight speed.

Diving Strike
Benefit: Add +2 to your Melee or Brawl attack while diving at your oppoent. You may only perform this maneuver every other turn.
Normal: You get no benefit from diving at your oppoent.
Advanced: You may purchase this Talent twice for an additional +2 to the attack roll.

Very interesting. Questions spring to mind. Despite their seclusion, was the existence of the race known in the Before? What is their technological level? Are they savages or do they have some manner of civilization? What is their current status in the After?

The way they're described, I can see them inhabiting mountainous regions, where they can keep out of sight among the peaks.

I'm curious. Do you perchance have a copy of Mysteries of the Hollow Earth, the latest sourcebook for the Hollow Earth Expedition RPG, which also uses the Ubiquity system?

The sourcebook has a winged race with a set of specific Talents, plus rules for creating new races, and I wondered if you'd had a chance to look through it.

In any case, a good addition to a game. Thanks for sharing!

Their existence was known in the Before, though they only interacted with those their civilization had deemed "worthy of it's effort" (not sure how they decide this quite yet). Technologically, they are actually close to the Desert Dwarves, as they also make crystal weapons (lighter weight to enable flying). They are extraordinarily civilized, actually having split the beginning of their lives in between two areas, academics and warriors, all Avariels are placed into both school for the from ages 5-30, then into the school of their choice for the remaining 20 years of their adolescence. Afterwards they may go on to another school to further their academic education or into the military service in response to the threats to their mountain homes (looking for their counterparts, but I am actually thinking it is all internal power struggles).

I do not have that book, but I will have to get it or find someone who does to have a good read. Thanks for the tips and questions.

Something else. Is there a Magical Tradition that stands out for this race or are they without Magic?

OK, so far so good. I would suggest locating them somewhere inaccessible enough so as to allow them to escape from the Empire's expansionist interests (in the same way as the Desert Dwarves).

As for opposition, depending on their location and pursuits, they could go up against the Warlanders or the Oruskans, as both have a tendency for raiding and general warlike behavior. Or the Avariel themselves could practice raiding as part of their society.

Magic? The Avariel could have access to the Elemental discipline, just as regular elves do, with a focus on air and wind, due to their winged nature.

I highly recommend checking MoTHE (as fans of the Hollow Earth Expedition RPG are fond of calling the book). There's a strong crossover between the two games due to the common system; there's a lot in the book that could be very useful in a Desolation game. At the risk of sounding like I'm pimping another company's products (or is it too late for that? ), it is available in PDF form from RPGNow.

Another book I recommend is the new Desolation sourcebook, Survivors. It has detailed backgrounds on some of the non-human races (e.g., goblins, kobolds, orcs) and can provide a decent template for additional write-ups of that sort. Not to mention all the other really neat stuff it's packed with.

I'm actually locating them in the far South with what I'm doing right now, so not sure where others would place them in their own personal settings. I'll be posting a lot f what I'm doing right now later on for others to use and expand upon, mostly because I'm curious as to what others would do with the same material.

For example, my initial thought for the Avariel were winged Elves who lost their wings during the Apocalypse (at least the flesh) so the entire race now have bone wings erupting from their backs and no amount of magic seems able to heal the flesh for more than a few hours. I still might use that, but only if I place them in the North seeing how my idea of the Southlands is a continent not unaffected by the Night of Fire, but rather only felt it's tremors.

Oh, absolutely, please, continue sharing your ideas. It's what these forums are all about.

The bone-wing thing sounds attractively gruesome. A change like that would be disastrous to a society where flying was an inherent element. Conversely, you could have only a certain portion of the race suffer the affliction, thus creating a pariah group (similar to lepers) who have to deal with the pain of loss and shame.

That's really cool: the race, the background, and the bone wings? AWESOME! XD I just have a few questions about the "Armored Wings" talent: For a society that values their wings and the gift of flight as much as these elves do, this seems to be a great sacrifice to make. Were the warriors who had their wings armored forced to, or did they do it voluntarily? If the second, did they occupy a special rung of Avariel society, like the Unshattered in Jherlind? And one last thing... could you ever take the armor off?

I look at it like this..... whatever suits your campaign world. As for my own game world here, any Avariel could wear the winged armor in the Before, but it was a great compromise as the claustrophobic nature and fear of being nearly unable to fly was terrifying. Most are only now armoring their wings in the After and chief among those are those that have lost the flesh of their wings (I went with Nestor's idea for my game world, it works great). More often than not, I have had players choose to not have the flesh of their wings for the roleplay element it presents. Of course, I also have others who only do it to have an excuse for their character to heavily armor their wings and be a power-gamed melee combatant.

And on a related note about the bone wings:

Xarath (Necromancer): "Ok we have 6 of these... things bearing down on us, any ideas?"

Hagath (Dwarven Underdark warrior): "Well we have nothing to fight them back with...." Everyone looks at the Avariel.

Riri (Avariel entertainer): "What?! Oh... OH!" And then the greatest question I have ever been asked "Can I break my wings at the joints and use them as clubs? It's not like I can fight anyway, so even if I pass out from the pain we should still be fine. Plus Riri is charitable and would help out anyway he could."

Me: "Sure, why not! You're gonna need help though...."

Riri: "Alright Raz (our resident bear-Mongrel), start ripping. Oh and can Xarath sharpen the wings or something with Necromancy?"

Me: "No, but Hagath could use Rune crafting on the bones once they are removed. Xarath might want to get ready to keep you alive just in case..."

Raz: "Awesome, I've been wanting some toothpicks with awhile now." RIIIIIP....

Ahh, good times! By the way, Riri nearly died, Xarath kept him alive with a crazy roll and wiped out a forest (that they were hiding in) but Hagath tried to sharpen the bones and rolled 13 dice, 12 successes, they were wicked weapons... for all of one hit a piece. Avariel bones are very brittle, especially without tendons and ligaments holding everything together.

That.

Was.

AWESOME!!!!!!!!

Breaking off your wings and using them as clubs?! Now THAT takes some brass balls! Way to go, Riri!!!!!!!!

Ahahaha, sweet.