Verdant Covenant

Faction Overview

Ideology	Surgical precision and nature's vengeance
Capital	Roothold, the Living Citadel (partially burned by Church)
Population	~12,000 elves (dwindling, forests dying)
Doctrine	The wounded do not escape. The forest remembers every wound.
Playstyle	Bleed damage-over-time, mobility, hit-and-run, surgical strikes, regeneration
Complete Deck	View Full Elven Deck (v2.0 Equipment System)

Species Origins

Elves are Homo Sylvanus - a divergent human evolution shaped by prolonged ley line exposure over 50,000+ years. Their physiology reflects millennia of symbiotic adaptation to forest environments and magical energies.

• Lifespan: 300-400 years, enabled by cellular regeneration enhanced by ambient ley line energy
• Enhanced Senses: Vision extending into infrared spectrum, hearing sensitive to subsonic frequencies, heightened awareness of environmental changes
• Symbiotic Biology: Incorporated chlorophyll analogs into their cells, allowing them to supplement nutrition through sunlight (though they still require traditional food)
• Magical Attunement: Not inherently magical, but their nervous systems are naturally aligned with ley line flows, making spellwork instinctive rather than studied
• Pre-Sundering Population: Only approximately 200,000 globally, compared to billions of humans

Before the Sundering, elves lived in profound isolation. Their enclaves existed in remote forests and mountain groves - places like Roothold and The Grove of First Light - hidden from human civilization. To surface humans, they were legends, folklore, or "lost tribes" at best. The few humans who stumbled upon elven settlements were either welcomed (rarely) or turned away with memory-wiping glamours (more commonly).

Elves viewed humans as "young, loud, and careless" - a species that burned through resources and lives without thought for consequences. The Veil Accords kept the peace: elves remained hidden, and humanity remained ignorant. This separation worked for thousands of years.

Post-Sundering Tragedy: When the Cataclysm struck, elven fertility dropped catastrophically. Void energy disrupted their symbiotic biology, severing the connection between their cells and the natural ley line flows. Elven women can no longer conceive. The species is dying out, generation by generation.

The Verdant Covenant formed from desperation - a final alliance of surviving elven enclaves trying to heal the wounded world before their species goes extinct. Every battle is fought knowing their people have perhaps 200 years left. They are the gardeners tending a dying forest, pruning away disease with surgical precision, hoping to restore balance before the final leaf falls.

This is why elves fight with such calculated ruthlessness. They have no future. They can only preserve what remains and ensure that when they are gone, something beautiful survives them.

Lore & Identity

Once guardians of ancient groves, the Elven Verdant Covenant watches their forests rot 437 years after the Sundering. Year 223 marked the Betrayal at Roothold...the Church burned 40% of their territory in a single night. The elves persist through stubbornness and rage, wielding nature's dying fury against those who would finish what the apocalypse started.

Elven Caskets are grown, not built. Living wood, thorns, and vines intertwine with metal frameworks. Pilots merge with their machines through organic integration...roots pierce flesh, bark encases bone. They are assassins wrapped in nature's wrath, striking from shadows and vanishing before retaliation.

The Mourned Necessity: Root-Grafted Pilots

The Elven Verdant Covenant approaches Casket piloting with profound reluctance. Unlike the Church (who embrace suffering as penance) or Dwarves (who celebrate engineering efficiency), Elves view neural thread integration as necessary desecration...a violation of natural symbiosis forced upon them by a broken world.

Root-Grafting: Living Wood Prosthetics

Elven pilots undergo "Root-Grafting"...the surgical removal of legs, replaced with living vine prosthetics. This procedure reflects Elven philosophy: if flesh must be sacrificed, replace it with growing material, not dead metal.

• Amputation Site: Legs removed at mid-thigh (femur). Bone is cleanly severed, flesh trimmed to leave space for root integration.
• Graft Material: Living vines from the Verdant Mother Tree (ancient oak at the heart of Roothold). Each pilot's vines are unique...genetically matched to their biology.
• Rooting Process: Vines are surgically inserted into femoral stumps, where they grow into bone marrow over 4-6 weeks. Roots fuse with skeletal structure, creating permanent biological connection.
• Post-Graft Mobility: Pilots can walk using root-leg prosthetics, but at half-speed (3 hexes per turn instead of 6). Roots are strong but inflexible compared to muscle-driven legs.

The Neural Thread Dilemma

Elves philosophically oppose drilling metal threads through living flesh. Their solution: Living Thread Variants...bio-engineered vines grafted directly to pilots' nerves.

Feature	Standard Metal Threads	Elven Living Threads
Material	Bio-conductive synthetic fiber	Living vine threads (bio-engineered from Mother Tree)
Installation	Drilled through fingertips into bone (invasive, painful)	Grafted to nerve endings, grow into fingers over 4 weeks (gradual, less traumatic)
Appearance	Silver-white wire emerging from fingertips	Green vine tendrils with leaves, photosynthetic glow in sunlight
Signal Conductivity	1× (standard)	0.9× (slightly slower, but living tissue adapts over time)
Thread Snap Resistance	Snap on 5-6 (d6 roll)	Snap on 5-6, but can regenerate if planted in soil (24 hours)
Maintenance	Sterile cleaning, mechanical replacement	Sunlight exposure, watering, pruning dead leaves

The Grafting Ceremony

Unlike other factions' clinical surgeries, Elven Root-Grafting is a sacred ritual:

1. The Vigil (Day 1): Pilot fasts for 24 hours in a sacred grove, meditating on sacrifice and necessity. Archdruid blesses the Mother Tree and harvests pilot-matched vines.
2. The Severance (Day 2, Dawn): Legs are amputated with herbal anesthesia (conscious but pain-dulled). Severed legs are buried beneath Mother Tree as offering. Pilot watches ceremony, bearing witness to their loss.
3. The Grafting (Day 2, Noon): Living vines are sutured to femoral stumps. Roots are guided into bone marrow using Elven growth-song (ritualized chant that accelerates cell division). Pilot remains conscious, feeling roots "take hold."
4. The Rooting (Days 3-42): Pilot rests in healing chamber filled with moss and nutrient-rich soil. Roots grow 1-2cm per day, fusing with bone. Neural thread vines are grafted to fingertips during Week 2.
5. The First Walk (Day 43): Pilot takes first steps on root-legs. Archdruid offers prayer: "You are half-tree now. May your roots find purchase. May your leaves remember sunlight."

Living With Root-Legs

Elven pilots describe their prosthetics as symbiotic partners, not replacements:

• Sunlight Dependency: Root-legs require 4-6 hours of sunlight daily. Pilots who stay indoors too long experience "root rot" (fungal infection, painful decay).
• Seasonal Sensitivity: Roots grow faster in spring/summer (requiring frequent pruning), go dormant in winter (pilots move slower in cold climates).
• Emotional Resonance: Pilots report feeling the Mother Tree's "mood" through their roots...calm when the forest is healthy, anxious when danger approaches.
• Photosynthetic Bonus: Root-legs supplement nutrition. Pilots can survive on half-rations if exposed to full sunlight 8+ hours daily.
• Watering Rituals: Pilots must "water themselves" daily...pouring nutrient solution over root stumps (intimate, vulnerable act most perform in private).

The Theological Tension

Root-Grafting creates profound tension within Elven culture:

Perspective	Argument	Cultural Impact
Traditionalists	"We desecrate our bodies by grafting trees where flesh should be. This is unnatural."	Refuse to pilot Caskets, view grafted pilots with pity/shame
Pragmatists	"Survival requires adaptation. Better living roots than dead metal."	Accept grafting as necessary evil, honor pilots as heroes making hard choice
Symbiants	"We do not lose ourselves...we become more. Human AND tree. This is evolution."	Embrace grafting, some voluntarily request additional plant integration

Combat Implications

Situation	Standard Pilots	Root-Grafted Pilots
Movement Speed (Outside Casket)	6 hexes per turn (normal walking)	3 hexes per turn (roots are slow, inflexible)
Thread Snap (Living Threads)	Requires surgery to replace	Can regenerate if pilot "plants" hand in soil for 24 hours (roots regrow)
Stealth in Forest Terrain	Standard difficulty	+2 bonus (roots sense vibrations, leaves blend with foliage)
Heat Generation	Standard Heat mechanics	-1 Heat per turn if in forest terrain (root-legs absorb excess warmth, photosynthesize)
Fire Damage	Standard damage	+2 damage from fire (living wood ignites easily, psychological trauma from Roothold Betrayal)

Comparison to Other Factions

Faction	Philosophy	Amputation	Pilot Agency
Church	Penance through suffering	Embrace pain as sacred	Willing martyrs
Dwarves	Efficiency through engineering	Pragmatic optimization	Compensated professionals
Ossuarium	Maximum horror as efficiency	Cold calculation	Contracted labor (paid upfront)
Elves	Mourned necessity	Reluctant symbiosis	Sacrificing themselves for dying world

Core Mechanic: Bleed Stacking

Elven Caskets apply Bleed counters that deal damage-over-time. Bleed stacks up to a maximum of 8 counters and never expires. (Balance Update Oct 19: Reduced from 10 to 8 stacks)

• Bleed Counters: Enemies take 1 damage per Bleed counter at START of their turn (before they can act).
• Stacking with Cap: Bleed 1 + Bleed 2 + Bleed 3 = Bleed 6 total on target. Maximum 8 Bleed stacks per target (prevents runaway scaling). (Balance Update Oct 19: Reduced from 10)
• Never Expires: Counters last entire mission. Enemies slowly bleed to death.
• Faction Bonus: All Elven weapons automatically apply Bleed 1 on hit (in addition to card effects).

⚖️ Balance Note: 10 Bleed counter cap prevents infinite scaling in extended fights while maintaining Elves' identity as DoT specialists.

The Elven strategy is simple: apply Bleed to all enemies, then survive while they die to damage-over-time. High mobility and regeneration allow Elves to outlast the slow death they inflict.

10 Faction Cards (Players Choose 6)

Support Units (6 Total)

Starter Units

1. Thorn Stalkers (2 slots)

HP: 6 | Movement: 5 | Defense: 1

Three lithe elven scouts wrapped in living thorns and moss. Apply 1 Bleed counter on any successful attack. Attacks deal 4 damage and apply 2 Bleed counters. After attacking, move 2 hexes away (hit-and-run). Heal 1 HP at start of turn if standing in Forest terrain. Gain Concealed when in Forest or behind Cover.

2. Rootweaver Circle (3 slots)

HP: 8 | Movement: 2 | Defense: 2

Four elven druids holding staffs, feet rooted to ground. Passive 3-hex Verdant Zone aura: allies heal 1 HP per turn, enemies lose 1 Movement, Elven units gain +1 Defense. Can Entangle enemies (cannot move next turn, -2 to all attacks). Create Forest terrain hexes. Thorn Eruption deals 3 damage to all enemies in zone and creates Thorn Walls (block movement, 2 damage to cross).

3. Verdant Archer Cadre (2 slots)

HP: 5 | Movement: 4 | Defense: 0

Four elven archers with living wood bows. Range 8 for all attacks. Coordinated Volley: When attacking same target, each archer adds +1 damage (4 archers = 18 damage total). Aimed Shot deals 4 damage + 1 Bleed. Poison Arrows deal 3 damage + 3 Bleed + target loses 1 SP next turn. Fragile (0 Defense) but devastating at range.

Unlockable Units

4. Briarwood Colossus (4 slots) - Unlock: Complete 3 missions

HP: 18 | Movement: 2 | Defense: 3

Massive humanoid construct woven from living briarwood and iron-hard thorns. Passive 2-hex Thorn Aura: enemies within 2 hexes take 2 damage per turn. Counts as Blocking Terrain (allies can take cover behind it for +2 Defense). Briarwood Slam deals 8 damage, knocks target back 2 hexes, applies 2 Bleed, creates Thorn Wall. Overgrowth converts 6 hexes around it into Forest terrain. Regenerates 2 HP per turn if in Forest.

5. Shadowleaf Assassin (3 slots) - Unlock: Build Grove Sanctuary

HP: 10 | Movement: 6 | Defense: 1

Lone elven warrior draped in living shadow-moss, form flickers and blurs. Shadow Step: Teleport up to 4 hexes to any Forest hex (once per turn). Assassinate: When attacking from behind or while Concealed, deal TRIPLE damage and apply 5 Bleed counters. Eternal Stealth: Always Concealed unless adjacent to enemy. Throat Cut deals 12 damage (Assassinate bonus) + 5 Bleed. If kill, gain Full Concealment (cannot be targeted until next attack).

6. Ancient Treant (5 slots) - Unlock: Defeat The Rot Lord

HP: 25 | Movement: 1 | Defense: 4

Towering tree brought to life, ancient beyond measure, standing 25 feet tall. Occupies 3 hexes (Large unit). Passive 5-hex Forest Heart aura: all hexes become Forest terrain, allies heal 2 HP per turn, enemies lose 1 Movement, Elven units gain +2 Defense. Immovable Object: Cannot be moved, knocked back, or displaced by any effect. Root Prison locks enemies in place (cannot move, take 3 damage per turn, must spend 3 SP to break free). Titanic Strike deals 12 damage, knocks back 4 hexes. Forest Awakening (once per battle): ALL Forest hexes within 6 hexes deal 4 damage to enemies entering, allies heal 3 HP entering, create 6 Vine Snare tokens (Entangle enemies). Regenerates 3 HP per turn (double if no enemies within 3 hexes).

Schisms & Exiled Groves

The Verdant Covenant splinters over philosophical divides: preserve what remains, or weaponize nature's dying fury? These Schisms enable mirror matches...Elf vs Elf, guardian vs avenger.

Faction Relations

Faction	Status	Notes
Church of Absolution	WAR	Betrayal at Roothold. The Church burned their forests. Blood debt unpaid.
Dwarven Forge-Guilds	NEUTRAL	Ancient grudges over territory, but no active conflict currently.
The Ossuarium	HOSTILE	Undeath perverts natural order. Philosophical opposition.
The Wyrd Conclave	COLD	Distant cousins, but Fae chaos disturbs Elven order.
Nomad Collective	FRIENDLY	Nomads respect Elven territories. Occasional trade.
The Exchange	NEUTRAL	Will trade for rare herbs and alchemical components.
Vestige Bloodlines	HOSTILE	Mutation threatens forest purity. Must be quarantined.
Emergent Syndicate	WAR	Hive-mind devours forests. Existential threat to nature.

Recommended Builds

Surgical Assassin (Thorn Dancer - Scout, 6 SP)

• Equipment: Thorn Blade (6 cards), Dueling Dagger (2 cards), Living Seal Sigil (3 cards)
• Tactics: Apex Predator (+2 damage vs Bleeding targets), Shadow Step (teleport 3 hexes after attacking)
• Total Deck: 29 cards (fast cycle, maximum mobility)
• Strategy: Leaf Dance + Shadow Step = move 6 hexes + attack + vanish. Thorn Blade applies Bleed 3-4 per hit (stacks rapidly). Living Seal doubles regeneration (2 cards per round passive). Hit-and-run guerrilla warfare.

Bleed Master (Rootwarden - Assault, 5 SP)

• Equipment: Thorn Whip (6 cards), Kite Shield (3 cards), Living Seal Sigil (3 cards), Targeting Sigil (3 cards)
• Tactics: Toxin Mastery (double all Bleed damage), Verdant Growth (summon vine walls)
• Total Deck: 33 cards (bleed specialist)
• Strategy: Stack Bleed on multiple targets (Thorn Whip has AoE). Toxin Mastery doubles Bleed damage (Bleed 2 becomes Bleed 4). Living Seal provides regeneration (2 cards per round). Enemies die to damage-over-time while you heal.

Nature Fortress (Ironwood Sentinel - Heavy, 4 SP)

• Equipment: Longbow (4 cards), Bark Shield (3 cards), Living Seal Sigil (3 cards), Reinforced Plating (3 cards), Repair Sigil (2 cards)
• Tactics: Verdant Growth, Ironbark Skin (gain 1 Armor counter per round, max 3)
• Total Deck: 36 cards (regeneration tank)
• Strategy: Longbow provides safe ranged damage (Bleed from range). Living Seal + Repair Sigil + Verdant Regeneration = recover 4 cards per round (passive). Reinforced Plating + Ironbark Skin = massive damage reduction. Outlast through regeneration and area denial.

Strategy Notes

Strengths: Best damage-over-time in game (Bleed stacks to 8 max), high mobility (Leaf Dance 2 hexes, Shadow Step, teleports), moderate regeneration (Verdant Regeneration 2 cards/round), surgical strikes (Pruning Cut targets specific components), area control (Root Bind, Vine Walls, Seed Pods). (Balance Update Oct 19: Bleed cap 10→8, Leaf Dance 3→2 hexes, removed Photosynthesis)

Weaknesses: Lower burst damage (relies on damage-over-time), fragile (light armor, low HP pools on Scout builds), requires setup time (Bleed stacks need multiple turns), weak to fast aggro (if killed before Bleed activates, wasted effort), equipment restricted (cannot use heavy weapons, metal armor, firearms).

Early Game (Turns 1-3): Apply Bleed to all enemies (spread damage-over-time). Use mobility to avoid retaliation (Leaf Dance, Shadow Step). Set up Vine Walls for area control.

Mid Game (Turns 4-6): Enemies now have Bleed 3-5 (taking 3-5 damage per turn). Apex Predator adds +2 damage to attacks vs Bleeding targets. Photosynthesis triggers when you don't attack AND don't take damage (requires safety).

Late Game (Turns 7+): Enemies have maximum Bleed stacks (8 damage per turn cap). Focus on survival...they die to Bleed, you just need to not die. Verdant Regeneration keeps you alive (2 cards/round). (Balance Update Oct 19: Bleed cap reduced from 10 to 8)

Version 3.0 Optional Rules

The Elven Verdant Covenant has unique interactions with the three new v3.0 optional mechanics systems:

Dice Pool Advantage System

Elven pilots work normally with the Dice Pool system. Positioning in forest terrain and ambush tactics can grant Advantage (roll 3 Attack Dice, take 2 highest). See Dice Pool Advantage Rules.

Taint Exploitation System

Elven pilots are extremely vulnerable to Taint due to their connection to nature:

• Fragile Immortals: Gain Taint at double rate (3 damage = 2 Taint instead of 1 Taint) - Engine corruption burns elven souls faster
• Nature's Protection: Corruption Save is 5+ only if standing in Forest terrain (nature shields them from corruption). Otherwise 4+ (normal).
• Regeneration Purges Taint: When you use Regeneration cards (Verdant Regeneration, Photosynthesis, etc.), remove 1 Taint Marker
• Severe Corruption: If Corrupted (failed save), mutation effects are MORE severe (roll with Disadvantage on Corruption Table)

Elven pilots are caught between Engine corruption and nature's refuge. They accumulate Taint twice as fast as other factions but can purge it through regeneration. Standing in forests provides protection; leaving them invites corruption. See Taint Exploitation Rules.

Pilot Grit System

Elven pilots suffer -1 Grit penalty at all times (Fragile Immortals):

• Starting Grit: 0 (normal), but effective Grit -1 on all checks
• Eternal Penalty: Can still gain Grit through missions (5 missions = Grit 1, 10 missions = Grit 2, 20 missions = Grit 3), but ALWAYS subtract 1 from Grit Checks
• Maximum Effective Grit: 2 (Grit 3 - 1 penalty) - even veteran elves are more fragile than rookie humans
• Philosophical Justification: "We are ageless, not invincible. Pain is... unfamiliar." Elves live for centuries without injury - when they DO get hurt, they shatter emotionally

This makes elven pilots the most fragile faction from a Pilot Wound perspective. Even Grit 3 veterans roll effectively as Grit 2 (1d6+2). Rookie elves (Grit 0) roll at effective Grit -1, meaning they need a natural 5 or 6 to avoid Full Wound (17% chance). Protect elven pilots at all costs. See Pilot Grit Rules.