Homebrew Dark Sun Elf Species Details

 

Elf culture, while savage, is also rich and diverse. They have turned celebrating into an art form, and elf song and dance is captivating and seductive to non-elves. Elven war parties are greatly feared in the deserts, for they are a deadly force of endurance and maneuverability.

Others see elves as dishonest and lazy; generally, a fair assessment. Elves idle for days until compelled to exert themselves, but they can run for days without complaint. No self-respecting elf will ride an animal, the only exception is when they need the animal to haul loot they have pilfered. Custom dictates those who cannot keep up are left behind, and this includes the pregnant and the elderly. Elves prefer to live short, happy lives rather than long, boring ones. Unlike traditional settings, Athasian elves rarely live past 140 years. Seeing the future as a dark, deadly place, they prefer to live in the “here and now.” They thrive in open spaces and tend to wither in captivity, making them poor choices on the slave block.

 

LONG AND LEAN

Elves are long-limbed sprinters who stand between 6 ½ and 7 ½ feet tall with slender yet muscular builds, averaging 175 pounds. They have deeply etched features with rugged skin as varied as the other races of Athas. They grow no facial hair but the locks atop their heads comes in from lightest blond to darkest black. They dress in garb designed to protect them from the elements.

 

TRUST IS FOR FOOLS

Elves keep to their own tribe – there is no racial unity - and the rare friend, unless there’s an angle to be gained. Strangers are potential enemies waiting to take advantage of an elf, so they look to get the advantage first. If a companion shows promise, the elf devises a series of “tests” of trust that allows them to prove their friendship is “stronger than the bonds of death,” as elves say. Once gained, one is forever a friend, but if that trust is betrayed, it is gone forever. In the tribe, elves are all equals, except the Chief. The Chief is elected and rules for life, making all major decisions for the tribe, and elves are expected to tithe a choice piece of loot. Holding out suggests a lack of loyalty to the tribe. Your natural enemy are the thri-kreen who view your people as a delicacy.

 

HOME IS WHERE YOU RUN

Elves are nomads by nature, though they maintain semi-permanent settlements in the wilderness. Their ability to cover vast distances makes them master raiders, and they consider anywhere their legs can take them as their territory to take from as they see fit.

Elves may flippantly adventure for wanderlust, but those who persist often do so for a desire for profit, glory, revenge, or loyalty. They like to boast about their accomplishments, weaving these into song. Elves often take keepsakes from memorable raids and sew these into their cloaks. Elves are pleased by flaunting a stolen item before an owner. Elven custom dictates the victim congratulate the thief on his possession of such an attractive item (those who don’t are poor sports).

Dark Sun Elf Traits

Your elf character has a variety of natural abilities, the result of thousands of harsh desert evolution.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and your Charisma score increases by 2
Constitution decreases by 1

Age

Although elves reach physical maturity at about the same age as humans, the elven understanding of adulthood goes beyond physical growth to encompass worldly experience. An elf typically claims adulthood and an adult name around the age of 100 and can live to be 750 years old.

Size

Elves range from under 6 and a half to over seven and a half feet tall and have slender builds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 50 feet.

Darkvision

Accustomed to twilit forests and the night sky, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Keen Senses

You have proficiency in the Perception skill.

Languages

You can speak, but not read or write, Common and Elvish. There is an Elvish script but it is used by a rare few, such as tribal elders or elven bards

Trance

Elves don’t need to sleep. Instead, they meditate deeply, remaining semiconscious, for 4 hours a day. (The Common word for such meditation is “trance.”) While meditating, you can dream after a fashion; such dreams are actually mental exercises that have become reflexive through years of practice. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep.

Elven Resilience

You are conditioned to the extreme weather of the wastelands and have advantage on all saves against extreme heat and cold.

Fleet Footed

Little impedes your swift movement. You ignore the penalties of movement through nonmagical difficult terrain. Additionally, you can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of your turns.

Cheap Trick

As an action on your turn, you can distract foes around you. Until the end of your next turn, your allies gain advantage on attack rolls against enemies within 10 feet of you that can see you. Once a creature has seen you perform Cheap Trick, they can't be affected by the feature for 24 hours.