Approximately 1.5m – 2m tall, human
@RP Impact:
The [contentblock id=playlink1] is the defacto starting point for characters and races of the Steel Realms. The Human Elon of the Steel Realms correlate to the Human race of DnD. Elon culture require different options.
The Elon (traveler) folk of the Steel Realms are the equivalent of modern gypsies. Their population is human and a few half-elven only. The value mobility, freedom, and family; they dislike confining rules, don’t have much regard for the social mores of other cultures, races, and have no respect for the boundaries of nations. The concept of boundaries is not difficult – it is simply disregarded. They are cavalier, and often come across as rude. Most lack the ability to see why others fear and disrespect them – the social and moral superiority of their culture and people grows a myopic exceptionalism.
Unwelcome:
Accepted
Welcomed: The Bronzemen descendants in The Saelish of Dunstrand embrace the them. There is strong historical evidence that they come from the blood of the Tribes of Bronze.
They often do not participate in education programs – these too often challenge the exceptionalism at the heart of their own world-view. However, they do emphasize literacy; all Elon are literate at least in the primary language of the region they are in. They don’t recognize normal social standing strata; they see themselves at the top, and all others as inferiors though do grant that with enough hard work, outsiders can be equals.
Disadvantages: In social situations they are distrusted, characters may generally pay more for goods and services unless they develop a relationship to overcome this. They have developed a manifestly strong social focus to overcome this, but overcome it needs be.
All Elon follow their code.
Unique Backgrounds: None
The Elon are not a separate stock of human, but more an independent culture. They are rumored to once have been dwellers in the east in the far past, before it fell, as they bear some physical resemblance to the Ilbarsi (who they openly trade and mix with despite that people’s hostility to outsiders as well) Hill People in the Tolkisson mountain range (though Elon eyes are almost all green, not blue like the Ilbarsi). Whatever their origins, the Elon, who are now known as ‘travelers’ (‘gypsy’), once occupied an area in the eastern edges of the Merchant Cities on the edges of rivers and forests, bordering the hills of Dunstrand Vale. Their culture has been preserved, at least much of their identity as a single people. They are typically hostile to outsiders, as the anger at being forced out of their homelands now projects to any outsider. This makes them unwelcome in most places, as many demonstrate little regard for the welfare of property of non-Elon. Though their plays and music ARE welcome, and through thee their culture and provide a mystique for the rest of the world. Though the hostility to outsiders is the common perception, most simply try and make their way amidst a world now hostile to them. Elon folk’s accent and language consists of combination of Dunlapian, Gladnorian, Mercat, and Cant (pigeon Mercat, originally developed by the Buildengands). Their accent is thick and they commonly have green hued eyes and coppery-brown colored hair. They tend to stick within their own culture for marriage, though half elves are welcome as they are seen to possess the right “fire” inside them. They follow a loose code of conduct where their own people are concerned.
They are known as a mysterious and superstitious folk with a reputation for never being caught and avoiding angry locals that get angry with them. They are feared because they are known for the two poisons referred to collectively as “Messengers Bleak” that they are known to make exclusively in their community.
Once they were nominal allies of the Gwinn and their copper (a color sacred to Elancil) colored hair was considered a great beauty in the their culture. They were said to have been fishermen and worshipers of Elancil, but they were displaced by settlement, war, and disaster. They resisted, though they were finally forced by the will of all ‘lords’ to move in order to satisfy the martial ambitions of the Teilhard’s of Umbak, then other lords who demanded land carved from the fallen empire. Since then, they have sworn never to settle. They are said to be followers of the goddess Elancil, though their culture typically frowns upon open practices of faith.
The Elon as the descendants of the Tribe of Elonia, the faded folk of the Bronzemen. They have lost their roots, as when the Bronzemen spent themselves n defeating the Sea Kings, the clan survived but no clan elders. Spread from Ser Caynth and southern Rhyl. Their tribe elders died fighting with the Salisnean clan. They suffer guilt and shame at the vague tales passed down of their defeat, but take great pride too in their sacrifice to save of Saelisnean tribe. They are welcome in The Saelish and are friends to their long lost countrymen in that region.
Dirty Fighters: They have no compunctions about using deceptive and dirty tactics. Victory is not something noble, it is just necessary. They have a strong self preservation streak that means they typically learn to use improvised items and tactics which may be seen as “dirty”. There is definitely no limit to which they would not drop to in order to ensure the survival of clan and family.
Thieving Ward: Many who help the folk will receive a special bond, a ceremony wherein the Elon promise not to thieve from the target. Of course, its common practice to pick their pockets during the BYOB ceremony. Any Elon will sense this ward with a DC 5 Intelligence (Religion) check as long as the target is in Good Standing with the Elon.