# Sylph (starting race)
In Fourk, Sylphs are a playable race.  They are elemental fairies.  As such, they have fairy senses which tend to see through illusions.  All sylphs are female and are displayed as an E.

Contents

1 Racial benefits and restrictions
2 Items and Skills

2.1 Armor Restrictions and Healing
2.2 Encyclopaedia entry

2.2.1 Further Reading

Racial benefits and restrictions
Sylphs may be Healers, Priests, Rangers, Rogues or Wizards. They can be Chaotic or Neutral.  They lose alignment for eating meat, in the same way that monks do.

Intrinsically, Sylphs can see invisible and have protection from shape changers. At experience level 5, they receive infravision, at 7 they receive displacement, and at level 16 they passively detect monsters at all times. The following table outlines their maximum (unaided) attribute levels.[1]

Str

Dex

Con

Int

Wis

Cha

16

19

17

18

19

20

(note, in Fourk, these attribute maximums can be adjusted per role by +1 or -1.)

Items and Skills
Sylphs start with 1 potion of gain energy and 1 potion of healing, unless they are a healer, in which case the potion of healing is replaced with a magic harp. Stealth skill is increased by 1, and regardless of role a sylph can get to Skilled in healing spells. 
Any armor that would interfere with your healing begins unequipped.

Armor Restrictions and Healing
To be precise, being restricted to "cloth or wood" armor means small or elven shield, cloak, shirt, and a cornuthaum or fedora.  Wearing anything else will prevent the sylvan rapid recovery from status effects and HP/PW regen, which is detailed in this commit.  
Healing a status effect or recovering HP this way costs extra nutrition. Combined with the race's vegan conduct, it is a good idea when you're not in danger to use healing spells and unicorn horns, when possible, rather than spend nutrition via your innate recovery method.
Where relevant, your role's quest artifact doesn't inhibit this regeneration.  Being in gehennom greatly reduces your racial regen, and being polymorphed prevents it.

Encyclopaedia entry

As a creature of faerie (reportedly, the daughter of a water sprite
	and a wood nymph), the sylph is not easily fooled by appearances.
	She is not strong in battle, though her touch can slow her attackers.

 

Further Reading
The full changelog: https://github.com/tsadok/nhfourk/blob/master/doc/changelog-fourk.txt

(note, the changelog tends toward imprecise language, so it can be helpful to look at sylph-related commits instead.
↑ https://jonadab.jumpingcrab.com/nethack-stuff/spoilers-fourk/4.3.0.4-postrelease-compat/players.html#race