Elves of elements: Acid?

[Xuldarinar]

I was looking around and noticed the elemental resistance alternative racial trait for elves. Elves who live in certain environments will become resistant something inherently dangerous to it, and one could argue the elves there become attuned to it, reflected likely in personality and appearance.
Fire and cold are straight forward enough for thinking of environment, culture, personality, and so on.

Acid, however.. is the least straight forward for me to contemplate, so I pose this to the playground. 'Acid' Elves: What would they typically be like in personality, in appearance, and what sort of environment(s) would they inhabit such that they would become this way? What other alternative racial traits would pair well with the concept?

[animewatcha]

I'm thinking along the lines of poisonous environments.

[Raven777]

Since Acid in D&D/PF is associated with Earth, I suppose these Elves would be the cave dwelling types. Some deserts also have pools of acid, like Dallol (http://www.travel-tour-guide.com/ethiopia_danakil_lalibela_pictures/5_danakil_dallol_trip_photos.htm).

[Xuldarinar]

Since Acid in D&D/PF is associated with Earth, I suppose these Elves would be the cave dwelling types. Some deserts also have pools of acid, like Dallol (http://www.travel-tour-guide.com/ethiopia_danakil_lalibela_pictures/5_danakil_dallol_trip_photos.htm).


Well now. Thats a great inspiration for environment.


Alternate Racial Traits: Desert Runner, Elemental Resistance (Acid). If underground, darkvision as well almost certainly, may take silent hunter instead of desert runner.



But now, personality and culture?

[Honest Tiefling]

Going with the desert theme (there are already cave elves, after all)...They don't have the bonus to magic (Elven Magic) if they're taking Desert Runner. So maybe a race that has more sorcerers then wizards, and even then, more multi-class ones. Likely nomads, so maybe more of a reliance on an oral tradition then heavy books. (They can still be INT casters with the Sage bloodline, which makes sense that they'd have plenty of those)

They're still fragile, so maybe they have an idea of overcoming such fragility, maybe blaming snooty high elves for causing their ancestors to favor book-reading over push-ups and are trying to fix that. Could be a cultural focus on honing one's body as well as one's mind, not one or the other.

Could very well be that they were shoved into caves and the desert because they were descended from a prisoner camp or outcast caste. Without access to the magic traditions, their spell casting prowess took a big hit. They're still weak, because they're trying to survive in a harsh environment and starvation is rife.

They are probably territorial, given that they need to protect their herds/wells/plants/etc. They could however, still have trade perhaps, and might rely on being hospitable enough to outsiders. If they have an oral tradition, then they might respect story-tellers or history keepers. Wizards might remind them of those who exiled them to the wastes, so they might be suspicious of anyone holding a book who looks wizard-y.

[Raven777]

We should totally remake the Fremen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fremen) or the Aiel (http://wot.wikia.com/wiki/Aiel) as Desert Elves. Yes. Totally.

[Anlashok]

Likely nomads, so maybe more of a reliance on an oral tradition then heavy books.
Man, nearly every Desert race ever in every iteration of D&D and every other flavor of fantasy ever is some brand of mysterious, primitive nomads with hidden power. Every single one.

How about take some flavor from the Pharaohs or Arabian empires? Technologically savvy, centralized and powerful. Maybe an emphasis on divine power (for the former) or harnessing the powers of various flavors of djinn (for the latter).

[Necroticplague]

HHmmmm..... Going the opposite direction of some of the earth-associated answers here, I'd go for a swamp connection. Maybe their elves that grow up in swamps that tend towards acid bogs.

For their society, they'd probably be much more predatory and aggressive than a normal elf, because their homes lack places suitable for growing crops, meaning that almost their whole diet would be meat. The lack of large plants also means that most other things that live their are similarly predatory, so from experience with that, they tend towards being quick to get others before they're gotten themselves.

Its almost midnight, so my brain really isn't working enough to put more down. Might come back to this later.

[Extra Anchovies]

Since Acid in D&D/PF is associated with Earth, I suppose these Elves would be the cave dwelling types. Some deserts also have pools of acid, like Dallol (http://www.travel-tour-guide.com/ethiopia_danakil_lalibela_pictures/5_danakil_dallol_trip_photos.htm).

Wait, there are actually places that have pools of acid? And they actually look like that? That is so cool. Thank you for this.

[Xuldarinar]

We should totally remake the Fremen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fremen) or the Aiel (http://wot.wikia.com/wiki/Aiel) as Desert Elves. Yes. Totally.

I can get behind this. The fremen as desert dwelling, acid centric elves.



Man, nearly every Desert race ever in every iteration of D&D and every other flavor of fantasy ever is some brand of mysterious, primitive nomads with hidden power. Every single one.

How about take some flavor from the Pharaohs or Arabian empires? Technologically savvy, centralized and powerful. Maybe an emphasis on divine power (for the former) or harnessing the powers of various flavors of djinn (for the latter).

I agree it does get to be a bit redundant. It would be nice to draw flavor from different sources, such as those.


HHmmmm..... Going the opposite direction of some of the earth-associated answers here, I'd go for a swamp connection. Maybe their elves that grow up in swamps that tend towards acid bogs.

For their society, they'd probably be much more predatory and aggressive than a normal elf, because their homes lack places suitable for growing crops, meaning that almost their whole diet would be meat. The lack of large plants also means that most other things that live their are similarly predatory, so from experience with that, they tend towards being quick to get others before they're gotten themselves.

Its almost midnight, so my brain really isn't working enough to put more down. Might come back to this later.

Thank you for going a different direction on this one. It is appreciated.

[Raven777]

Wait, there are actually places that have pools of acid? And they actually look like that? That is so cool. Thank you for this.

Yes. The world also has giant crystal caves (http://www.tourismontheedge.com/places/largest-crystals-in-the-world-giant-crystal-cave-mexico.html) for our Acid Elves to live in.

[Manly Man]

Yes. The world also has giant crystal caves (http://www.tourismontheedge.com/places/largest-crystals-in-the-world-giant-crystal-cave-mexico.html) for our Acid Elves to live in.

Almost makes me wanna make a psionic elf variant.

[Xuldarinar]

Almost makes me wanna make a psionic elf variant.

Nothing some alternate racial traits cannot do.

Elven Psionics: Elves receive a +2 racial bonus on manifester level checks made to overcome power resistance. In addition, elves receive a +2 racial bonus on Spellcraft skill checks made to identify the properties of psionic items. This racial trait replaces elven magic.

Psionic Elven Immunities: Elves are immune to psionic sleep effects and gain a +2 racial saving throw bonus against telepathy spells and effects.

Psionic Focus: Some elven families have such long traditions of producing psions (and other manifesters) that they raise their children with the assumption each is destined to be a powerful manifesters, with little need for mundane concerns such as skill with weapons. Elves with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on concentration checks made to manifest powers defensively. This racial trait replaces weapon familiarity.

Would this do?

[Manly Man]

It's a start, at least.

[Lord Haart]

Some deserts also have pools of acid, like Dallol (http://www.travel-tour-guide.com/ethiopia_danakil_lalibela_pictures/5_danakil_dallol_trip_photos.htm).

Talk about acid trips.

[Psyren]

Nothing some alternate racial traits cannot do.

Elven Psionics: Elves receive a +2 racial bonus on manifester level checks made to overcome power resistance. In addition, elves receive a +2 racial bonus on Spellcraft skill checks made to identify the properties of psionic items. This racial trait replaces elven magic.

Psionic Elven Immunities: Elves are immune to psionic sleep effects and gain a +2 racial saving throw bonus against telepathy spells and effects.

Psionic Focus: Some elven families have such long traditions of producing psions (and other manifesters) that they raise their children with the assumption each is destined to be a powerful manifesters, with little need for mundane concerns such as skill with weapons. Elves with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on concentration checks made to manifest powers defensively. This racial trait replaces weapon familiarity.

Would this do?


It's a start, at least.

I would personally replace "Psionic Focus" above with free Wild Talent, thus making them truly psionic.

[avr]

Or for something else - in Eberron there are acid-spitting creatures which were bred to fight otherworldly horrors (the Horrid template IIRC.) The gatekeeper sect of druids uses and protects these. Perhaps your elves have inherited a duty to raise Horrid animals to fight against the next incursion, though they may or may not remember why they are doing so.

[TandemChelipeds]

Well now. Thats a great inspiration for environment.


Alternate Racial Traits: Desert Runner, Elemental Resistance (Acid). If underground, darkvision as well almost certainly, may take silent hunter instead of desert runner.



But now, personality and culture?

Wouldn't they just be really snippy and rude?

[atemu1234]

Wouldn't they just be really snippy and rude?

Or dress in bright colours?

[Spore]

Wait, there are actually places that have pools of acid? And they actually look like that? That is so cool. Thank you for this.

There are whole planets in the milky way covered in toxic substances. It's pretty reasonable for a fantasy world to have whole inhabitable areas (like our poles).

[Honest Tiefling]

The reason that I suggested nomads is because acid deserts do not seem like places where you'd get a lot of natural resources to settle down in one place. Base elf stats really lend themselves well to spell casters. Psionic elves that reject wizardy and rely on psionic powers to avoid needing food or water and hence, can settle in a city in the middle of the acid desert could also work.

[Xuldarinar]

The reason that I suggested nomads is because acid deserts do not seem like places where you'd get a lot of natural resources to settle down in one place. Base elf stats really lend themselves well to spell casters. Psionic elves that reject wizardy and rely on psionic powers to avoid needing food or water and hence, can settle in a city in the middle of the acid desert could also work.

You know, that isn't a bad idea.


A crystalline wasteland, pocked with pools of toxins and acid. These elves were likely forced there by the intent of another race or retreated there when faced with overwhelming force. They sculpt their cities from landscape, reshaping it to their needs. The crystals may even be corrosive in nature to most things, making this landscape even less hospitable for most creatures. Users of psionics are common among their people, given they have the talent inherently. Sorcerers are not unheard of though, though most of these are multiclass wilder/sorcerers. Elves of these wastelands, when they do take up more typical classes, tend to be of psionic archetypes.

Food is not a commodity easily obtained by these elves. While they have spellcasters among their numbers that can create food and water, and many swiftly learn the sustenance psionic power, they must gather what they can from their environment. Creatures they manage to catch must be prepared carefully to insure that they are edible and every drop of water they can gather must be purified and rationed. As with much life in any desert, they are nocturnal, avoiding much of the sun's oppressive heat during the day.

More concerned about their own survival than aiding others, these elves tend towards Chaotic Neutral and True Neutral more than anything else. Still, some delight when travelers come across them, and they are more than happy to take their possessions and make use of their visitors for sustenance.

Racial Subtype's Traits: Desert Runner, Elemental Resistance (Acid), Wild Talent [replaces weapon familiarity]. Darkvision occasionally shows up.

[Spore]

I would honestly just go for the standard nomadic desert tribe schtick. With the difference that they can also drink from acidic lakes due to their acid resistance. But that's just my opinion, man.

[Honest Tiefling]

Or compromise and do both! They boot out those without enough psionic power, both due to prejudice and practicality. They value the psionic powers highly, but also simply don't have enough food lying around for people who cannot live without it. Those booted out have formed nomadic tribes to band together against raiders and monsters.

[Amechra]

For a completely different tack, what about a group of elves that adapted to live in heavily industrial cities? Smog can eat through brick and lungs, so they've adapted a resistance to it. Just slap on Urbanite, and you've got a pretty good set-up.

Heck, perhaps the psionic desert elves base their technologies around the acidic lakes of their homeland, giving them unique contraptions of acid-washed crystals. Of course, the byproducts from the processes they use include plumes of acrid smoke...