Desert Elves

Solitesti

Desert elves, also known as Solitesti, are the most common of all the elven subraces in the wastes and The Forbidden Zone. They originate from ancient mixing of true elf and human lineage, making them lesser elves.

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Description

An desert elf stands between 6 1/2 and 7 1/2 feet tall. They are slender, lean, and generally in terrific physical condition. Their features are angular, sharp, and desert elves sport distinctive ears longer than all other elves.
Their features are deeply etched into their weather-toughened faces, and their dark skin made rugged by the windblown sands and baking sun of the wilderness.
Solitesti typically dress to survive in the desert environment. Even when at an oases or in the cities, Soletesti tend to prefer their native garb, designed to wrap the wearer against the brutality of the elements.

Culture

In the desert, elves are a nomadic race of herders, raiders, peddlers, and thieves. Solitesti have a strict honor culture, in which each elf feels obliged to protect her reputation and that of her tribe by answering insults, affronts, and threats, oftentimes through the use of violence. In the lawless wastes, a tribe's reputation for strength is its primary defense against attack. Honor is maintained in a tribe by defeating enemies, providing for the tribe (through shrewd trading or raiding), and shows of strength (particularly long distance running).

Combat & Commerce

Solitesti use their superior speed in the desert for both trading and raiding. Tribes will run into a vulnerable settlement, strike, abscond with valuables or herds, and be gone before their victims can mount a response. When not raiding, tribes will use their speed to act as high speed couriers between the same settlements or traders. Without pack animals, they focus their business on small, high value items that can be carried by hand or in a pack.

Relations with Outsiders

Desert elves are all brethren within their own tribe, but regard all outsiders as potential enemies. There is no unity among the desert elves—an elf from outside the tribe is just as much a foe as a human, halfling, or dwarf Acceptance of an outsider by an individual desert elf can be achieved, but trust will only develop over time. Acceptance of an outsider by an entire tribe is also possible, but rare. It is usually only awarded after some great sacrifice has been made on behalf of the tribe, Many outsiders have been accepted posthumously into elven desert tribes.

Born to Run

Individually, desert elves are swift, sure, and self-reliant to the extreme. An Solitesti is conditioned to run quickly over sandy and rocky terrain, sometimes for days at a time. An elf warrior can cross better than 50 miles per day. An Solitesti war party on the move is a deadly force of endurance and maneuverability. Desert elves use no beasts of burden for personal transportation. It is dishonorable among elves to ride on an animal unless wounded and near death. Even pregnant women and old elves are expected to keep up with the tribe or be left behind.

Religion

Most Solitesti tribes participate in a form of The Way of The Spirits that focusses on the spirits of the desert, wind, and the oasis. Each tribe has a shaman, a few have The Gift of Magic. These few are desert druids, clerics of the desert spirits, or warlocks in pact with other desert powers.
One curious feature is that Amata, the sun goddess, is characterized as an evil crone, punishing the world with her fiery gaze. Worship of her is one of the vilest acts a person can commit and is a sign of a disordered mind.

Homelands

The dunes and steppes of the deserts and The Forbidden Zone are home to hundreds of tribes of nomadic elves.

Your elf character has a variety of natural abilities, the result of your celestial ancestry.
Ability Score Increase: Dex +2, Con +1
Size: 6 to over 7 feet tall. Size is Medium.
Speed: Your base walking speed is 40 feet, at 10th level it becomes 50'
Darkvision: 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, shades of gray.
Keen Senses: You have proficiency in the Perception skill.
Fey Ancestry: You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep.
Trance: Elves don't need to sleep. Instead, they meditate deeply, remaining semiconscious, for 4 hours a day. While meditating, you can dream after a fashion; such dreams are actually menatl 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.
Languages: You can speak Imperial & Solitesti
Mountain Weapon Training: You have proficiency with the spears and all bows
Temperature Resilience: Desert elves suffer extreme cold as if it were only very cold.
Desert Craft: Desert elves have advantage on hide checks in sandy or arid areas.
Elf Run: After a minute of warm-up and a Con check (DC 10), desert elves can run for long distances as easily as humans walk. The check increases each day in this order: 15, 20, 30, 40. If the elf fails, he must make at least a full days rest before attempting again. When with a group of desert elves, the runners add their leader's Charisma bonus to their checks.
Favored Classes: Barbarian, Cleric, Fighter, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Warlock
Rare Classes: Artificer, Bard, , Monk, Paladin, Wizard
Life Span: 200-300 years
Homeland: deserts and The Forbidden Zone