Homebrew Arcadian Species Details

Sergeant Echo gazed through the trees, eyes locked on the splendor of the army before him.  Their armor and weapons glistened like a sea of diamonds in the sunlight.

A cough caught his attention. Didamus, elder of the Arcadian Auxillary that he had been attached to wanted his attention.  Echo thought he was an odd looking fellow, really they all were.  Elvish in their features, including pointy ears, except for being a little short, and stocky to be true elves, and their men all wore beards.  On top of that, they went to war without armor, taking only a shield, spear, and sling.  Didamus, seeing he had the soldier's attention, and annoyed he had to wait for it, said, "We have spoken, and decided I should ask you again to leave behind your plate armor.  It will do you no good in the battle to come."

Echo scoffed at the idea, and said, "You worry about your men. I am a trained soldier of the king.  I know how to survive a battle."  

Didamus returned to his companions, and soon it was time.  The enemy army had shown their flank to the small band of Auxiliaries, and the Arcadians let fly a volley of leaden acorns in a high arc.  Then another, and a third.  A fourth volley was in the air before the first hit its target, and soon the marching enemy was scrambling to recover from the sudden assault.  Echo watched in wonder the disorder that the slingers had sown at such range.  A unit broke off of the harried army, two hundred men strong, and started towards the attackers, though slowed by their assault.  

Echo turned to speak to Didamus, only to see that the Arcadians had withdrawn some twenty yards while he wasn't looking.  He called out to them, "What are you doing?"

Didamus answered, "Drawing their men away from the battle.  I wasn't paid to kill twenty or fifty men, but to remove hundreds of spears from the battle that is coming.  This is why we do not need armor.  If those men catch us, it will do us no good."

 

 

Arcadians have been a people of the sea for time immemorial.  Millennia ago the Arcadians were a race of seafaring humans, traders based off of a chain of islands.  Over time, wandering elves joined their crews, and their communities.  A series of wars closed the trade routes used by the Arcadians, cutting them off from the outside world, and when they re-emerged the elves and men had blended so thoroughly that none could tell they had once been two peoples.  

To humans, Arcadians look like elves, and to elves, they look human. They tend to be shorter than elves, with a frame akin to a slender human. They range from under 5 feet to nearly 6 feet tall, and from 100 to 170 pounds, with men only slightly taller and heavier than women. Their hair tends to be copper in color, and curly.  Arcadian men pride themselves on their facial hair, with most grooming it to a distinct point. They have olive colored skin, and their eyes tend to be green to brown, though other colors found in men and elves aren't uncommon.

Sailors, and Mercenaries

 

Most Arcadians have their home in the Arcadian isles, but they are a common sight on the fishing vessels and merchant fleets of the southern sea.  Over the centuries, they have developed a reputation as the best slingers in the world, and are often sought after as mercenaries, or pulled into continental wars as begrudging allies.

Arcadians are slow to trust outsiders, especially representatives of monarchies, but once trust is established they form solid bonds of friendship.  They are fiercely loyal to groups where they feel a sense of belonging, and are known to graft new members into their families and communities.  They often show a special affinity for half-elves, feeling a shared kinship.

Arcadian Names

Arcadians give names reflecting their unique culture.  They don't use surnames, due to their insular island communities, but rather will be referred to based on a well known relative, a birth island, or a striking trait.

Didamus of Adromache

Diades 

Perinias

Agata

Alexius

Kadmos

Leda

Narkissa

Rhea

Theron

Yorgos

 

 

 

Arcadian Traits

Your half-elf character has some qualities in common with elves and some that are unique to half-elves.

Arcadian Sailing

Spending their lives in and near the water, Arcadians learn to handle boats at a young age.

Arcadian Sling Training

When using a sling, your short range is 120 yards, and your long range is 500.  You do an addition 1d4 damage with slings.

Arcadian Skirmisher Training

Arcadians are skilled skirmishers and light infantry.  You gain a +2 to AC when using a shield without armor.

Age

Arcadians mature at the same rate humans do until the age of 25. They then considered legal adults, allowed to own a house or boat, and to speak at the Assembly.  At age 75 they have aged much like a human of 45, and are considered an elder, eligible to sit on the island's Assembly, should the other members approve.

Alignment

Half-elves share the chaotic bent of their elven heritage. They value both personal freedom and creative expression, demonstrating neither love of leaders nor desire for followers. They chafe at rules, resent others’ demands, and sometimes prove unreliable, or at least unpredictable.

Size

Half-elves are about the same size as humans, ranging from 5 to 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Fey Ancestry

You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, Elvish, and one extra language of your choice.