Homebrew Eliksni Species Details

The following is an additional update I did to kodachrome2003's original work. kodachrome2003 has all credit for the description I used here.

From Riches to Rags

The Eliksni are a hardy species and can survive in a wide range of environments without heavy armour or complex modifications to their physiology. Eliksni have four arms, partable mandibles and typically wear a helmet with a built-in respiration apparatus. Through means either natural or artificial, the Fallen can regrow their arms if removed from their body.

Fallen depend on a substance called Ether to survive, which only Servitors can produce. Servitors convert scavenged matter and energy, presented to them ritualistically by the Eliksni, directly into ether via unknown processes. While Servitors were revered in ancient times, they have now become a symbol of the degradation of fallen society and their lost glory. Higher-ranking Eliksni get a bigger ration of ether, and more ether allows Eliksni to grow in size; this is why Captains are taller than Vandals or Dregs, and why Kells and Archons tower over other Eliksni; the Kell of a House controls and distributes ether flow using their own personal Cipher. When an Eliksni is killed, a quantity of ether escapes its body and dissipates.

Strict Hierarchy

Eliksni society is divided into a number of Houses, none of which are known to maintain friendly relations with one another, save for the House of Judgment, which was meant to live among the other houses and keep the peace. Each House is ruled by a Kell, who acts as the political leader of a House and commands a Ketch - a great moving fortress based on lost technology. Prime Servitors are exalted as gods among the Fallen, inspiring fanatical devotion from the House to which they belong and providing a steady supply of vital ether and new lesser Servitors. Archons serve as both high priests and chief engineers of a House, mediating between the Kell and the Prime Servitor in addition to overseeing the maintenance of the House's machines. Houses require all three to be fully stable; without a Kell a House becomes prone to infighting, without an Archon a House's Prime Servitor is vulnerable to attack, and without a Prime Servitor a House cannot produce new Servitors for ether. As such, Eliksni do not take the loss of their leaders lightly. If any or all of these leaders were to be killed, then members of the House would panic and scatter, weakening the House to the point of being permanently broken.

Below the upper echelon of House leadership are the Barons and Captains and the individual crews they command. Captains are Eliksni who have managed to gather a following of Vandals and Dregs, who serve as the Captain's crew, commanding respect through brute force. Most Captains swear fealty to a certain House, but some operate independently. A step above Captains in rank are the Barons, whose authority are second only to the Kells so they command their own Skiffs as well as their crews.

The majority of Fallen Houses consist of Vandals and Dregs. Vandals serve as both seasoned infantry and skilled workers. They aspire to become Captains and one day lead crews of their own. Dregs are the lowest class in Fallen society. Docked of their lower pair of arms in a ritual of humiliation and obedience, Dregs zealously fill the roles of shock troops and menial labourers in crews. The life expectancy of a Dreg is notoriously short, but those few who survive to be promoted to Vandals are permitted to regrow their arms. 

Religion

The Eliksni worship the life-giving Servitors, each clan having a named servitor as their deity. The Archon is the conduit through which the House communes with its prime servitor. An Archon will command a select group of Vandals as their acolytes.

Out in the world, Eliksni will tend to be fascinated by, and drawn to worship technological advancements - often the first to modify their bodies as a means of ascension to godhood. This practice is frown upon by most of the named clans, however, the Devils do have an experimental sect known as the Splicers who experiment with body modification.

Eliksni Names

As with much of their speech, Eliksni names include clicks, grunts, and hisses to the point that other peoples have a difficult time pronouncing them. Typically, Eliksni have one given name followed by their clan title - e.g. Siviks of House Devil. An Eliksni with no given house will tend to either use the honorific "of No House", or make up their own house title (however this will rarely be honoured by established houses).

An Eliksni of either gender may have one of these variants names, often heavy on their 'k' and 's' sounds: Dreksis, Elyksul, Hiraks, Kaliks, Merix, Phyksin, Siviks, Teleks, Visraa and Yaviks.

Eliksni Traits

As an Eliksni, you have significant Dexterity and climbing ability.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity Score Increases by 2 and your Constitution Score increases by 1.

Age

Eliksni are hardy individuals who tend to live longer than most races. They mature around age 20 and can live up to 800 years.

Size

Eliksni are taller than most humans, averaging around 6 to 7 feet in height. They are surprisingly light for their size weighing between 170 to 220 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet on two legs, but 40 feet if you use your additional arms.

Darkvision

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 cant discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Advanced Grappler

Your extra limbs allow you to seize targets with ease. You have advantage on Strength Grapple checks.

Well Versed Trader

You have advantage on (Charisma) Persuasion checks when speaking to a shopkeeper, merchant, or trader.

Languages

You can speak, read, write Common, Eliksnian and one other language of your choice.