Elsen (5e Race)
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Elsen
| “ | Uh... Yes. There are ghouls in the mines that are... Are becoming more and more aggressive. They... They keep us from working properly. If you're g-going down there... Uh... Be careful mister... | ” |
| —Horian, Elsen Miner | ||
Originally the main inhabitants of three lost worlds, Elsen were scattered across the Material Plane with the destruction of these worlds. Now, they try to find their place in their new world.
Physical Description
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| An Elsen. Source |
From a distance, Elsen appear human, but close inspection reveals their true nature. The skin of Elsen is an alabaster white, and their eyes, flesh, and blood are a pitch black. All of them are also bald, no matter the gender. Their vocabulary is mildly skewed, always referring to hostile entities as 'ghouls' and hostile undead as 'specters' or 'phantoms'. All Elsen generally dress in very sterile, formal attire, which seems to be related to their jobs. They have limited awareness about both themselves and their environments. The most notable trait of Elsen is what happens to them when under immense amounts of stress or injured. When injured or under stress, Elsen will leak a black, warm fluid from the base of the neck that comes out in waterfall-like flows. These flows always go up, and never reach higher than 50 feet. Under some occasions, this fluid will cover the hands and head in a sphere-like formation and coagulate, forming claws and even new heads.
History
Although the Elsen have no recollection of their creation, they were first created by an entity known as Vader Eloha. They know of her as simply 'the queen'. She created guardians for three 'zones' that she created filled with Elsen. Zone 1 was ruled by an entity named Dedan, with the Elsen under his rule more inclined to support their jobs despite being faced with both physical danger as well as Dedan, their unruly supervisor. Zone 2 was ruled by an entity named Japhet, with the Elsen under his rule obsessive with safety and let their fears get the best of them, much to Japhet's dismay. Zone 3 was ruled by an entity named Enoch, with the Elsen under his rule all addicted to a substance called sugar, growing hostile when undergoing withdrawal. This substance was made from the burned bodies of the Elsen that died in Zone 3. At some point, they say that their 'world turned white', causing their worlds to be shattered, scattering their inhabitants across the multiverse, including the Elsen.
Society
While many Elsen have successfully joined humanoid societies, especially humans and dwarves, some Elsen have formed their own cities, which are often called 'Zone sects'. Each sect is typed either 1, 2, or 3.
Zone 1 sects are divided into five different parts, being main entrance, smoke mines, metal farms, office complex, and meat fountain, all of which can be accessed by train. The Elsen that live in these sects are mostly timid, and they are more inclined to support and complete their jobs properly despite being faced with the physical danger that comes with some of them. The smoke mines are, as the name suggest, mines in which Elsen work and supply large volumes of smoke trapped in the rocks before being shipped to some unknown entity. Metal farms are city block-sized farms in which a type of metal is harvested from cow-like creatures and shaped into balls which, for some unexplained reason, seems to form in their bodies. The rest of the animal is cut into strips and served as food, as one would expect from livestock. The high quality metal is used for tools Elsen use, while the lower quality metal is buried around the zone sect. The office complex is an enormous building with 100,000 floors and a basement. In this basement, some Elsen have taken up office due to all the others being full. The Elsen that work here supply a biodegradable substance called plastic, which is often used to make tools. This substance is made out of various metals, including some bits of smoke. The meat fountain plays host to a large, insect-like creature that spews raw meat from its orifice at such force that it literally forms a fountain in the center of the sect. This meat is bottled and sent to other sects and other parts of the sect, where it is cooked by other Elsen. Navigation through the meat fountain is done by way of Pedalo, which are small boats that vaguely resemble ducks. The Elsen in this area are particularly prone to stressing out and becoming Burnts, possibly due to the urgency of constantly having to prevent the fountain from overflowing.
Zone 2 sects are among the largest types of zone sects, and usually consist of a library, a shopping mall, an amusement park, and a residential location. The Elsen that live in these sects all seem to be afflicted with great paranoia and place heavy importance on safety, even while possessing a large lack of self-awareness as well as understanding of what's happening around them. The library is an enormous, towering structure that some believe to be as tall as an ancient red dragon is long. The Elsen of these sect always block off the fortieth floor and beyond due to others tearing pages out of the books. There are also false shelves in the library, presumably for book safety reasons. However, there are real books that can be read on the second floor and up. The shopping mall is largely maze-like and confusing in terms of layout for those that have not lived their lives in the sect. The products inside these malls are always contained in chests that are usually unlocked, but need to be bought before you leave. Because of this, the malls tend to become hotspots for Mimics, and when this happens, the malls are always closed down until the mimics starve to death. The amusement parks, due to the Zone 2 sect Elsens' strict value of safety, consists mainly of low risk attractions, such as a pedalo ride, a balloon popping game, and a set of chairs to sit in, which are supposed to emulate a roller coaster, but still manages to stir up the Elsen that sit in them. The residential areas take up the majority of the sects, but are usually blocked off to non-residents due to safety concerns. However, even a drow matron mother can fool the Elsen into thinking she's a resident by simply wearing a necktie. While filled with apartment buildings, there are large bunkers intermittently placed in spots in the residential areas due to safety concerns.
Zone 3 sects are large factories split into four different areas, all of which being accessible via monorail. The Elsen that live in these sects believe the sect to be a haven in which every Elsen may have a job and feel productive. However, all the Elsen that live here are addicted to sugar, their own product, so that saying is usually taken with a grain of salt by non-residents. In the sects, there are many posters which encourage a calm and compliant work environment. One of such posters instructs the Elsen that if they are polite to any passing spirits and monsters, they will not be harmed. However, this is mostly false, with an incident involving a Canoloth in a sect south of Waterdeep proving it. The first area consists of a reception area, a cafeteria, and several dorms. The second area consists of sugar treatment rooms and sugar storage warehouses, with the Elsen in the latter location becoming violent if their stockpiles are disturbed. The third area is a sugar production plant, where the corpses of Elsen that died in the line of work are burned, and through a complex sewer system, are reduced to sugar, a product which these sects solely produce. This substance is highly addictive to Elsen, but has no effect on all other races. The fourth area consists of a sugar packing/distribution plant as well as most of the other dorms.
Elsen Names
Elsen names are usually in Common.
Male examples: James, John, Logan, Robert
Female examples: Mary, Maria, Susan, Dorothy
Elsen Traits
The scattered inhabitants of three dead worlds trying to find their place.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1.
Age. Elsen mature at an age similar to humans. They live for about 100 to 125 years before they die of natural causes.
Alignment. Most Elsen are lawful neutral.
Size. Elsen usually stand around 5 to 6 feet tall and are usually 125 to 175 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Cowardly. You have disadvantage on saving rolls against being frightened.
Become Burnt. When creating an Elsen character, you may roll a d6 to decide which type of Burnt your character turns into. The choice of the form can't be changed, and your character can only return to Elsen form after a short or long rest unless you are rendered unconscious. According to what kind of burnt you turn into, you gain resistance to one damage type. The ability score increases and damage resistances are granted always, but other traits are only usable in "Burnt mode".
When you are reduced to less than half of your maximum hit points, you automatically undergo a transformation into what is called a Burnt. While you are in Burnt form, you become enraged. You also have a blindsight radius of 30 feet. You cannot become a Burnt outside of combat.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and two other languages of your choice.
| d6 | Burnt Type |
|---|---|
| 1 | Common Burnt |
| 2 | Valzong Burnt |
| 3 | Calvary Burnt |
| 4 | Critic Burnt |
| 5 | Pastel Burnt |
| 6 | Roll again |
Common Burnt
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2.
Swing. As an action, you can put away any weapons you currently wield and perform an unarmed strike against a target of your choice. The attack has a reach of five feet, +1 to hit, and deals 1d6 bludgeoning damage.
Burnt Blast. As an action, you can crouch down on all fours and fire a concentrated blast of your fluid at a target of your choice within 20 feet. The target must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 8 + Con modifier + your proficiency bonus. On a failed save, the target takes 1d6 necrotic damage plus 1d6 poison damage and is stunned until the end of its next turn. It takes half as much damage and isn't stunned on a successful one. This damage increases to 2d6 at 6th level, 3d6 at 11th level, and 4d6 at 16th level.
Burnt Resistance. You have resistance to necrotic damage.
Valzong Burnt
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score and Dexterity score increase by 1.
Clawed Swing. As an action, you can put away any weapons you currently wield and perform an unarmed strike against a target of your choice. The attack has a reach of five feet, +2 to hit, and deals 1d6 slashing damage.
Murmur of the Flies. As an action, you can put away any weapons you currently wield and stir up the fluid that envelops your head. This fluid will distort and lash out at a target of your choice within 15 feet. The target must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 8 + Con modifier + your proficiency bonus. On a failed save, the target takes 1d6 necrotic damage and is blinded until the end of its next turn. It takes half as much damage and isn't blinded on a successful one. This damage increases to 2d6 at 6th level, 3d6 at 11th level, and 4d6 at 16th level.
Valzong Burnt Resistance. You have resistance to thunder damage.
Calvary Burnt
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2.
Clawed Swing. As an action, you can put away any weapons you currently wield and perform an unarmed strike against a target of your choice. The attack has a reach of ten feet, +3 to hit, and deals 1d8 slashing damage.
Inhuman Decadence. As an action, you can spin in a circle, spraying your fluid within a 10 foot radius. All hostile creatures in this radius must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 8 + Con modifier + your proficiency bonus. On a failed save, the targets take 1d6 necrotic damage plus 1d6 poison damage and are stunned until the end of its next turn. They take half as much damage and aren't stunned on a successful one. This damage increases to 2d6 at 6th level, 3d6 at 11th level, and 4d6 at 16th level. You can only use this attack when your Burnt form is down to half its hit points and you can't use it again until you complete a short or long rest.
Calvary Burnt Resistance. You have resistance to fire damage.
Critic Burnt
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score and Wisdom score increase by 1.
Sonic Scream. As an action, you can let out a loud screeching sound that, upon listening closely, sounds suspiciously like a cry for help. This attack has a circular radius of 20 feet. All hostile creatures in this radius must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 8 + Con modifier + your proficiency bonus. On a failed save, they are deafened until the end of their next turn. On a successful save, creatures will become immune to the Sonic Scream for the next 24 hours. Creatures immune to being deafened are exempt from this.
Critic Burnt Resistance. You have resistance to radiant damage.
Pastel Burnt
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score and Strength score increase by 1.
Clawed Swing. As an action, you can put away any weapons you currently wield and perform an unarmed strike against a target of your choice. The attack has a reach of ten feet, +3 to hit, and deals 1d8 slashing damage.
Burnt Blast. As an action, you can crouch down on all fours and fire a concentrated blast of your fluid at a target of your choice within 40 feet. The target must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 8 + Con modifier + your proficiency bonus. On a failed save, the target takes 1d6 necrotic damage plus 1d6 poison damage and is stunned until the end of its next turn. It takes half as much damage and isn't stunned on a successful one. This damage increases to 2d6 at 6th level, 3d6 at 11th level, and 4d6 at 16th level.
Aspirating Suzerain. As an action, you can focus your energy on yourself. After successfully concentrating for 1 minute, you regain 1d6 hit points. This trait can only be used once per transformation and will regenerate after a short or long rest.
Pastel Burnt Resistance. You have resistance to poison damage.
Suggested Characteristics
When creating an Elsen character, you can use the following table of traits, ideals, bonds and flaws to help flesh out your character. Use these tables in addition to or in place of your background's characteristics.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | You're timid around people you haven't seen before or don't know. |
| 2 | You prefer to stay silent because you don't really like the sound of your own voice. |
| 3 | You startle very easily and jump at the slightest sound. |
| 4 | You're fascinated by burnt members of your kind and you can't help but wonder how they feel every day. |
| 5 | You often feel lost in the world you live in. |
| 6 | You shrink away from loud people. |
| 7 | You sometimes say things that people don't understand, but make sense to you and other Elsen. |
| 8 | You make sure every job you do has the bare maximum done on time. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Hard Work If you work hard enough, you'll be promoted to the head of the project or more! (Any) |
| 2 | Safety As long as everyone is safe from any kind of danger, everything will be fine. (Lawful) |
| 3 | Sugar Sugar should be for everyone and anyone to enjoy freely. Why doesn't anyone else get this? (Chaotic) |
| 4 | Teamwork If lots of people put their heads together for something, anything is possible. (Lawful) |
| 5 | Pacifism If people would just stop fighting each other over stupid things, those people might get along great. (Good) |
| 6 | Subservience The work you do for the people you work for is important in the long run for both them and you. (Lawful) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | You owe an innocent bystander your life after they saved you from being crushed under a support beam. |
| 2 | You're the highest ranking employee of your workplace and plan to keep it that way. |
| 3 | You keep working on things at the workplace even when it's already closed. |
| 4 | All the other Elsen under the person you worked for became burnt and revolted. You've fled and never come back out of fear. |
| 5 | You work alongside your rival, and while neither of you like it, you both accept it. |
| 6 | A close friend of yours is forever in your debt because he helped you overcome your sugar addiction. |
| d8 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | You're addicted to sugar, and if you don't get at least a handful of it a day you feel like your head's going to explode. |
| 2 | You obsess over safety and let your fears get the better of you. |
| 3 | You fear monsters and will flee if you so much as hear one. |
| 4 | You start having panic attacks if you find out that you did something wrong while you're working. |
| 5 | No matter how dangerous they appear, you believe all monsters are friendly. |
| 6 | You put your line of work over physical safety. |
| 7 | This world is confusing to you and you can't help but ask questions that people might find stupid. |
| 8 | You compulsively ask people for their weapons because they look too dangerous. |
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