Thanks in advance.
I've only run one 3.5 Dark Sun campaign so far, and am about to run another one. I was rather taken aback today when a player sent me his character concept with 'Elan' stamped assertively under the 'race' section of his sheet. I only recall a breif mention of this race before, and I'm not even sure if it was in 2E... I just picked up a copy of Dragon 319 and noticed that it was statted and explained there. Apparently this is some psionic servant race of The Order. I was wondering if there is any more precise information about this race, as I'm searching through The Will and the Way and various other sourcebooks with no success.
Thanks in advance.
I've only run one 3.5 Dark Sun campaign so far, and am about to run another one. I was rather taken aback today when a player sent me his character concept with 'Elan' stamped assertively under the 'race' section of his sheet. I only recall a breif mention of this race before, and I'm not even sure if it was in 2E... I just picked up a copy of Dragon 319 and noticed that it was statted and explained there. Apparently this is some psionic servant race of The Order. I was wondering if there is any more precise information about this race, as I'm searching through The Will and the Way and various other sourcebooks with no success.
Thanks in advance.
You won't find Elans in DS. Ignore what Draon has to say, as well as EPHB races chapter. Stick with the DS3 release from Athas.org if you wish to remain in DS cannon. Elans are a 3E new race-thingy, nothing to do with DS. The fact they are in EPHB doesn't mean anything - EPHB is a general psionic handbook, not tied to Dark Sun.
You won't find Elans in DS. Ignore what Draon has to say, as well as EPHB races chapter. Stick with the DS3 release from Athas.org if you wish to remain in DS cannon. Elans are a 3E new race-thingy, nothing to do with DS. The fact they are in EPHB doesn't mean anything - EPHB is a general psionic handbook, not tied to Dark Sun.
But they are mentioned in the (....shudder...) Dragon/Dungeon magazines, which like it or not, are equally "official" as the Athas.org version (as in both are sanctioned releases of Dark Sun for 3/3.5e). Of course, I would strongly recommend that people look at the Athas.org version, and then figure out what they want or don't want from both.
Personally, I don't like the Elan as a race. I just think they don't fit for Dark Sun at all.
PS: Athas.org has kept all the 2E Dark Sun races, as well as keeping all 2E classes as core classes.
Elans came from Cinnebar Shadows, by Lynne Abbey, a Dark Sun novel. The main character of that book was an Elan.
It's your call. Since you already have the CPH to play our core rules, you hardly need our blessing to put Elans in your campaign.
Unlike the CPH half-giant, the elans don't need any tweaking to fit Dark Sun. Some of the CPH races might not quite fit as main character races in DS, but Elans *are* Dark Sun critters; they originated here.FYI, the Elan idea did not come from the CPH.
Elans came from Cinnebar Shadows, by Lynne Abbey, a Dark Sun novel. The main character of that book was an Elan.
Guess I learn something new every day after all. Wasn't aware of it. But then again, my collection of Dark Sun novels is still pretty incomplete.
Elans came from Cinnebar Shadows, by Lynne Abbey, a Dark Sun novel. The main character of that book was an Elan.
The main character was a New Race, which admittedly may have some similarities to Elans, but I am not convinced they are the same. Where did the cinnabar trick go for example?
PS: Athas.org has kept all the 2E Dark Sun races, as well as keeping all 2E classes as core classes.
No no no my good friend Jon! They did not kept one of the most important one. They didnt kept the Trader. Now we have rogue trader...
Btw, hi everybody! I look like Brax in these time... Very very busy.
But I miss you all!
The main character was a New Race, which admittedly may have some similarities to Elans, but I am not convinced they are the same.
I think that the word "Elan" appearing in the book as the main character race, is a pretty striking similarity, John
I don't have the book here, but I recognized the word the second I saw it in the XPH.Where did the cinnabar trick go for example?
There are lots of racial details from the novels that didn't make it into the rule-books. That one seemed unworkable from a PC rules standpoint. If we were developing the Elan ace from Cinnebar shadows as a Core Rules race, I'd be very surprised if any of you would want to keep the cinnebar trick as a racial characteristic.
This is out of my area of expertise, but I would not recommend putting the Elan into the core PC race. OTOH, we might give a Dark Sun writeup in ToA, and perhaps using them as NPCs, like the Lask or other new races. The stats themselves, seem fine, unless I've missed something.
It's cool, but it's hardly "just what Dark Sun needed" at this point. What Dark Sun needs, is what you and I have been trying to provide, Jon: more stories, more adventures, more people, and more publication of the great new Dark Sun art.
What's the deal with Elan? Well, for starter...he's a gay bard! Not that there's anything wrong with being gay, but bardish? Yeww! :P
you got a problem with bards there, friend Penn? *sharpens his bard's friend*
maybe we should have a drink as we discuss it *slow wicked grin*
I think that the word "Elan" appearing in the book as the main character race, is a pretty striking similarity, John I don't have the book here, but I recognized the word the second I saw it in the XPH.
Ok, I can´t recall that, though. From what I remember, Mathra is referred to as New Race. Could someone help me out with a page reference or similar memory? This is an interesting link if Brax is correct!
"He'd never seen anyone like her before, but he knew what she was-
"New Race"
"What?" Ruari asked, his curiosity calming him already.
"Rotter," Zvain interrupted....."
What's the deal with Elan? Well, for starter...he's a gay bard! Not that there's anything wrong with being gay, but bardish? Yeww! :P
He's definitely not an Athasian bard either!
..........So spake the Sith Lord on his curious trip to a desert world.....
Mahtra is indeed a New Race character, and the word used to describe her is elagante, not elan - which is to speak of her profession, not her racial heritage. Pavek, as well as a few others, refer to her as a Rotter as well - which is interchangeable with "New Race" as shown on p. 87 of CS.
Thanks. To be nitpicky, it is eleganta - not elagante.
No no no my good friend Jon! They did not kept one of the most important one. They didnt kept the Trader. Now we have rogue trader...
Allow me to reiterate: Athas.org has kept all the classes that appeared in the original Dark Sun boxed set. ;)
I have to say, I have been playing Dark Sun for a long time. My friend and I are avid lovers of this world and setting ( and you guys at athas.org are doing a great job ! ). I recently allowed an Elan in a DS campaign and found out something interesting...they are completely Broke ! They can spend PP's to repair Physical damage, or stave of starvation and thirst....hell, what's the point of Dark Sun if THIRST doesn't enter the picture ? They are really not viable, and truthfully...same goes for the Soulknife class...while I love it, not being hampered by the lack of metal is another " Easy " out. So no, from experience, don't let these two into a DS campaign.....
..........So spake the Sith Lord on his curious trip to a desert world.....
heh actually they are not broken, just interesting
they get a net -2 on abilities (-2 cha per expanded psionic handbook, I do not use the dragon magazin rules as refference here)
note they cannot "repair" damage, they can only absorb it as it happens as an immediate action.... this means in doing so they lose their swift action for the next round. This also means they can only absord ONE attack per round.... so if they are hit by 2+ attacks, they have to choose which one to absorb.... but they have no idea which will do the most damage/hit them.... it is a gamble at best
yes they can also use 1 PP per day to not need to eat/drink.... but there are other ways around this and this is one of only 3 race abilities they get.... each of which uses power points.... and they get 2 count them 2 power points per day unless they take a psionic class or feat.
so overall not an overly powerful race for dark sun
Though in my own campaigns I am more likely to require a good background for an elan, or force the character to actually become one through play.... including returing to first level when they are transformed.
I had one player play one in my own campaign.... He was actually converted against his will by the Order. He was originally a stage I dragon that they captured, and sought to cleanse him of his "taint" on his psionics by tranforming him.
He was not happy about this, and he was working to recover his defiler and psionic power to return to his dragon transformation.
A really powerful use for Elans that I would see involves making psionic bodies that are Elans, and mind seeding them, or transfering the mind of a psion into the new body.... in fact I would see this as a likely tactic of renegade members of the Order.
Remember the Order does not believe in extending their own life beyond the natural.... though I do not know how they would feel about transforming oneself into a pure psionic being like the Elan.
How does the order feel about Psion Uncarnates?? (Does an uncarnate, being pure thought, and no longer having a body, does it age anymore?? I figure that since a 10 level PrC like the GreenStar Adept can effectively gain immortality (not invulnerability) it's ok for a psion class as well
To be honest as long as the person is not using epic psionics (the most likely thing the Order is going to protect is epic manifesting as that fits with them only protecting the highest of psionic powers) I dont see the order really caring about them at all.... before that they are but children playing with psionics.
Once the person starts using epic psionics then they are in trouble... The order is of the convert or kill school of thought on people of their power level.
Now in 2nd edition the Order was very specific about NOT allowing its members to extend their age beyond normal. But that was only using normal psionics, not an actual transformation into a more psionic being.... which they would more likely associate with a noble psionic beast than a member of the order so may or may not decide to kill them.... this is a really really good question though, and I am not sure on the answer.
btw this might also be why the order was hunting down Avangions but not Dragons. By what we are talking about now, the Avangions will actually be continuing to advance in psionic ability... so they are likely to actually learn epic manifesting too.... so would be targets for purification.
btw this might also be why the order was hunting down Avangions but not Dragons. By what we are talking about now, the Avangions will actually be continuing to advance in psionic ability... so they are likely to actually learn epic manifesting too.... so would be targets for purification.
Actually though, wasn't the dragon Farcluun, from the Black Flames adventure, a survivor of an attack made by the Order?
Actually though, wasn't the dragon Farcluun, from the Black Flames adventure, a survivor of an attack made by the Order?
I would need to go back through all my notes on Farcluun and what was actually in the modules and what was in the writeup I helped with on him that added to it.
but even so there is nothing stopping Farcluun from actualy having epic manifesting and having the highest levels of psionics..... after all there is only a 3 level difference between dragon/avangion with both psionics and arcane magic able to cast/manifest 9th level spells/powers.... and with 2 feats (practiced manifester and practiced spellcaster) their caster and manifester level is pretty much right up there with normal straight classed characters.
compare:
wizard 7/Psion 7/cererbramancer 10
total level 24 (gains a bonus psionic feat, and with both practiced spellcaster/manifester feats the caster and manifester level are both at 21
vs.
wizard 8/psion 3/cerebramancer 10
total level 21 (minimum level to start the transformation.... with practiced spellcaster the caster level is 21)
the first choice allows for you to take both epic manifesting and epic spellcasting. And with the proper power (i.e. psychic reformation) you can switch out feats at will to make yourself more usefull for whatever you are wanting to do.
Overall I would take the 3 extra levels if I was going dragon.... just to keep my options open. Plus it would not be hard to make a item to increase your caster and manifester level up to your HD... at least not at this level.
So right there is a reason for the order to go after farcluun, after all in 2nd edition he was considered a 20+ level psionicist though not quite a 21st level one.
but then again, some of the Order just think all new dragons and new avangions should die (though noticably none look at the SK's that way)
The millenial ABs out there - SKs, etc - the Order considers natural parts of the world not to be interfered with.
In other words, they're afraid of them and lie to themselves about the SKs 'cos they just be to powerful. Bahk! Bok, bok, bok, bahk!
Mahtra is indeed a New Race character, and the word used to describe her is elagante, not elan - which is to speak of her profession, not her racial heritage. Pavek, as well as a few others, refer to her as a Rotter as well - which is interchangeable with "New Race" as shown on p. 87 of CS.
"He'd never seen anyone like her before, but he knew what she was-
"New Race"
"What?" Ruari asked, his curiosity calming him already.
"Rotter," Zvain interrupted....."
Chapter 3 of Cinnebar Shadows:
[INDENT]As he was, with those unmarked cheeks and wearing little more than his long, dark hair and a length of bleached linen wound around his body, she took him for eleganta, like herself.
"Who are you waiting for?" he asked, standing in front her and offering his hand.
Without answering the question, she accepted help she didn't need. He was stronger than Mahtra expected, leaving her with the sense of being set down on her feet rather than lifted up to them. Indeed, there seemed something subtly amiss in all his aspects, not a disguise, but not quite natural either. He was like no one she'd known, as different as she was, herself.
In the space of a heartbeat, Mahtra decided that the eleganta was made, not born. That he was what the makers meant when they called her a mistake.
....
The eleganta smiled then, a perfect, full-lipped smile that sent a chill down Mahtra's spine, and she thought she would take whatever reward the Lion-King offered, leaving the vengeance to others. His smile faded, and she asked for his side of their bargain.
"Tell me about the makers—you promised."
"They are very old; they were old when the Dragon was born, older still when he was made—"
Behind her mask, Mahtra gasped with surprise: one life, both born and made!
"Yes," he said, with a quick, almost angry, twitch of his chin. "They do not make life, they make changes, and their mistakes cannot be undone." He touched the leather of the mask. "But there are masks that cannot be seen. [/INDENT]
Chapter 5
[INDENT]"She was—" he groped for the word. "They're called the eleganta. They entertain behind closed doors."
"A freewoman?" There were gold marks on the woman's skin. Pavek hadn't seen anything like them before, but he knew they weren't slave scars, and Akashia knew it, too.
"I would die first."
Pavek smiled, as he rarely did, and let his own scar twist his lips into a sneer. "Not everyone is as determined as you, Kashi. Some of us have to stay alive, and while we live, we do what we have to do to keep on living."
Ruari spat out a word that belonged in the rankest gutters of the city and implied that the New Race woman belonged there as well.
..."I go with High Templar Pavek," the New Race woman replied without flinching. She was eleganta. She made her life in the darkest shadows of the high templar quarter. [/INDENT]
Chapter seven
[INDENT]Pavek, Ruari, and Zvain were nothing to look at, but Mahtra, the eleganta with her stark white skin and unusually masked features, captured the onlookers' attention. [/INDENT]
It's strange. The profession always seems to come up in the context of the race. And people refer to her, politely, as "eleganta."