Homebrew Elca Species Details

Her skin shone brightly in the morning sun. The sheen that reflected the sun gave off a yellow-green glow. She was without a doubt, different than those of this land. She would always be, without truly belonging. This is what Nakir thought of the child he had just moments ago helped birth. He passed the beautiful outcast to her mother. The huemirn held her so tightly, he nearly warned her to let the child breathe. But Nakir saw in her eyes, a love that would last a lifetime.

This was the huemirn’s first child. That he knew. He also knew this child would cause her much hardship in her lifetime. He did not know her personally, and did not want to, but his curiosity got the better of him.

“Who is the child’s father?” he spoke abruptly. The huemirn raised her thick brow and glared up at him. The sweat at her hairline glinted in the sun. The line made a dark contrast between her muddy green skin and black as night hair. But as Nakir watched her expression, a smile crept onto her face.

“Her father is a very talented and prosperous elphian mirn. But he did not want her, so I must return home to continue my duties.” Nakir’s mind reeled. Who was this elph? Why would he impregnate an orcish huemirn? What were her duties at home? Who was waiting for her there? Would their existence threaten the child? These were all questions to be left unanswered. The huemirn left with payment and a word of gratitude. He never saw either of them again.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                              ~A Single Grein, by Whit McKay

 

 

 

Born of two bloodlines, the combination of both physical and mental prowess is highly sought after. Elca claim the best qualities of both lineages, often refuting the negative traits that might be attached to them. They have a similar life expectancy to that of elphs which is two to three decades longer than that of an orc. Therefore, they tend to wander and search in their younger years and are drawn to adventure and excitement. You will hardly find an Elca living life within mundane daily structure. Elca tend to thrive in and around areas that pull from nature and have a pleasing aesthetic. Their eye for beauty and detail are nearly as honed as their ancestors, the Elph. 

Half and half

As half and half of the worlds’ only existing races, Elca (and Orphs) claim their birth rite to the future of Mirn. To elphs, Elca look more similar to an orc, and to orcs, they look elphish. In height, they’re on par with both parents, though they’re neither as slender as elves nor as broad as orcs. They range from 5 feet to about 6 feet tall, and from 120 to 240 pounds, with mirn only slightly taller and heavier than huemirn. Elician mirn may have facial hair, and sometimes grow tusks similar to orcs, but never quite as pronounced. Elca coloration pulls similarly to that of an Orph, with hints of yellow and red mixed in with dark grey, green, and blues. The feature that tells you whether they are an Orph of an Elca lies not in the eyes, but in the ears. Elca have softer, more supple ear structure with longer elegant folds and curves. Their ears tend to be a fingers length shorter than a pureblood Elph. Most would not be able to tell the difference between an Orph and an Elca without the ears.

Diplomats or Wanderers

Elca have many roles in society, but in some areas of the world, they have none. In the Northern Holds of HanalEdge, mixed races are uncommon. Orcs populate the northern lands and elphs are tolerated. In the Southern lands of Ryewells, Galewood, and the Sonnoset Islands, Elphs populate the the cities. They are very structured and orderly, therefore mixed races are looked down upon, excluded, and treated very harshly.

The hostility practiced through the ages has resulted in many Elca and Orphs becoming wanderers and nomads.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, the midlands of Axefell and NopeunStone, are very welcoming of mixed races. These lands were founded by both Orcs and Elphs alike. Together they became stronger and built a utopia of equality and the sharing of talents and skills. For a few hundred years, mixed children were rare. But by the year 3000, Elca and Orphs had made their way into positions of power and leadership. Now days, half breeds make up about 60% of the population.

Their progress through the centuries, in contrast with the Northern and Southern lands, has been both a detriment and a saving grace. Elca and Orphs are typically not as equipped to handle magick as deep as their pure elph ancestors, and not as brutally strong-willed as their orcish family. But despite those slight disadvantages, the mixed racial lands have developed something entirely different. Possession magick.

With the Orcs ability to craft and the Elphs ability to harness magick, they began to make weapons and items that would harness that magick and become possessed. This new craft gave them an edge in their ability to help their aliied people in Galewood become independent from Ryewells. Their talents go much farther on a personal level.

 Like elphs, they are driven by the wanderlust that comes of their longevity. Others, in contrast, throw themselves into the thick of society, putting their brute strength and social justice to great use in diplomatic roles.

Elca Names

Elca and Orph tend to use names so unlike their ancestry. Shorter and less harsh sounds suit the mixed races. As to emphasize that they are NOT their predessessors, that they are another people all together. There are some who still hold to familial traditions and give their children ancient names from stories or names that have been passed down, but often those who do, are called by another name.

 

EXCELLENT AMBASSADORS

Many Elca and Orphs learn at an early age to get along with everyone, defusing hostility and finding common ground. As a race, they have elven grace combined with an orcish sense of justice and duty. They often make excellent ambassadors and go-betweens (except between elves and orcs, since each side suspects them of favoring the other).

 

Elca Traits

Your Elca character has some qualities in common with elphs, orcs, and some that are unique to half-orc-elphs.

Cantrip

You know one cantrip of your choice from the wizard spell list. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for it.

Savage Attacks

Savage Attacks. When you score a critical hit with 
a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon’s damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.

Ability Score Increase

Your Intelligence score increases by 2, and two other ability scores of your choice increase by 1.

Age

Elca mature at the same rate Elphs do and reach adulthood around the age of 18. They live twenty to thirty years longer than Orcs, often reaching 120 years easily.

Alignment

Elca tend to pull toward the chaotic bend of their elphian heritage. They value both personal freedom and creative expression, demonstrating two extremes of total love or absolute hatred for their leaders. They chafe at rules, resent others’ demands, and sometimes prove unreliable, or at least unpredictable. This unruky attitude might be tempered by that of an Orcish upbringing, which is structured by duty and justice. 

Size

Elca tend to be tall and slender similar more to their Elphian heritage. Their height ranges from 5 to 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

Thanks to your Elph blood, 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.

Racial Versatility

Being half of two powerful races, you gain proficiency in two skills of your choice. Orcs are adept in physical skills, and have a great sense of justice and responsibility. Elphs on the otherhand have a keen sense of magick and the ability to tap into greater magicks. They also have a eye for detail and finery, which is often used in battle, though Elphs prefer not to battle and use cunning and trickery more often. 

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Fellian and Naeroka (the ancient language of magick).