The Loxodon

In the nascent dawn of Wyrmdream, from the very determination and unyielding will of Ophyxia, the Loxodon were born. They came forth as living, breathing embodiments of steadfastness and stubbornness, their spirits as unmoving as the mountains and their resolve as inexorable as the tide. This origin is the foundation of their faith, a collection of truths and laws known as the Modest Truth, passed down through generations and accepted without question or deliberation.

A People of Simple Truths

To the Loxodon, the world is not a place of subtle grays and nuanced shades. It is a canvas of bold, casual absolutes: right and wrong, virtue and depravity. They find debate to be a fruitless and confusing exercise, as their minds are made up quickly, and no amount of discussion will alter their path. They are utterly confident, even to the point of seeming naive, and approach every challenge as a test of their personal skill and a chance to prove their mettle. Their plans are often direct and, at times, simplistic, favoring a head-on, brute-force approach to any obstacle. For the Loxodon, to face and overcome a challenge is a gift, and they often seek out strife and difficulty.

Despite their simple approach to justice, they have elaborate measures of punishment for those who break the rules. It is a two-step process: first, a physical assault, a crushing display of their formidable might to impose bodily pain, and second, an admission of guilt to a cleric or confessor. This process ensures a strict form of justice and guarantees absolute consent to the Modest Truth, though it is often considered barbaric by other races.

Their magic, when called upon, is a reflection of this directness. Loxodon wizards and clerics dispense justice with unambiguous and crushing force, summoning enormous avatars of law and retribution, scouring the plane of any who are deemed evil, and even resurrecting entire armies from the dead. What they lack in subtlety and trickery, they more than make up for in raw, overwhelming strength.

A Nomadic Past and a Symbiotic Present

Historically, the Loxodon were a nomadic people, their herds of elephantine humanoids roaming across the plains of Wyrmdream. However, their innate loyalty and sense of community led them to begin building permanent settlements, which in turn drew in other, more disparate races seeking their formidable protection and craftsmanship. The symbiotic relationship that formed with races like the Satyrs, Kenders, Harengon, and Hadozee has helped these races protect each other and build thriving villages throughout the eastern part of Wyrmdream.

Inhabitants of a Diverse Land

Loxodon inhabit the plains, the Dragon’s Foothills, and the Verdant Cradle. The Loxodon of the Verdant Cradle are slightly smaller in stature than their counterparts in the plains and foothills, a physical adaptation that allows them to better navigate the dense jungle growth. While the Loxodon of the foothills have a symbiotic relationship with other races, the Loxodon of the Verdant Cradle tend to prefer solitude, though they may form small nomadic groups of companions from other races. Within the last century, as the settlers entered Wyrmdream, Loxodon have been hunted for their ivory tusks. While many of these hunts have been unsuccessful, it is still a cause for great concern among Loxodon communities, particularly for the elderly and the young.

Diligence and follow-through are Loxodon bywords. They are skilled artisans, patient workers, and master stonemasons, who will carefully and skillfully see any task they are given through to its completion. Though their stoicism is not endless, they are a wise, patient, and loyal people who keep their calm and offer wise counsel long before resorting to violence. However, if one manages the formidable task of enraging a Loxodon, they will be rewarded with a self-contained stampede of trumpeting, ear-flapping, titanic fist-swinging fury.

Loxodon names have complex, tonal resonances that are usually lost on non-Loxodon ears. They often translate and add these subtleties as titles when interacting with other races.

Loxodon Racial Traits

Your loxodon character has the following racial traits.

  • Ability Score Increase: Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.

  • Age: Loxodons physically mature at the same rate as humans, but they live about 450 years. They are considered young until they reach the age of 60, and highly value the weight of wisdom and experience.

  • Alignment: Most loxodons are lawful, believing in the value of a peaceful, ordered life. They also tend toward good.

  • Size: Loxodons stand between 7 and 8 feet tall. Their massive bodies weigh between 300 and 400 pounds. Your size is Medium.

  • Speed: Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

  • Powerful Build: You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

  • Loxodon Serenity: You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened.

  • Natural Armor: You have thick, leathery skin. When you aren’t wearing armor, your AC is 12 + your Constitution modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield’s benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.

  • Trunk: You can grasp things with your trunk, and you can use it as a snorkel. It has a reach of 5 feet, and it can lift a number of pounds equal to five times your Strength score. You can use it to do the following simple tasks: lift, drop, hold, push, or pull an object or a creature; open or close a door or a container; grapple someone; or make an unarmed strike. Your DM might allow other simple tasks to be added to that list of options. Your trunk can’t wield weapons or shields or do anything that requires manual precision, such as using tools or magic items or performing the somatic components of a spell.

  • Keen Smell: Thanks to your sensitive trunk, you have advantage on Wisdom (Perception), Wisdom (Survival), and Intelligence (Investigation) checks that involve smell.