Loxodon
A loxodon looks like a perfect blend of elephant and man, with the thick, leathery skin of an elephant and the bipedal stance of the more civilized races. Their Elephant-like heads are by far their most distinct feature, containing the same level of wisdom as their distant kin. Male loxodon tend to have a slimmer, yet more muscular, build than their female counterparts, as well as longer tusks. Regardless of gender, the beings stand head and shoulders above even the tallest of humans. Some are covered in a coarse, brown hair, others have only faint tufts of black, while others still are completely bald, lacking any trace of covering.
The history of the race is as much a mystery to mortals as the origin of the universe. It is rare to hear a loxodon creation story, but all agree that the gods were directly involved, and that they were likely one of the first races to split off from giants. Their forces were never directly used in the wars between their larger counterparts, but nonetheless played a role in keeping the destruction in check. Many loxodon revere their ancestors, claiming that all were important in the formation of the world as we know it. Despite their haughty nature, their numbers are very few and it is rare to see one in the world.
Loxo clans, also referred to as herds, are governed by a matriarchal leader, chosen at birth through ritual. They reside in well hidden clans in far mountain ruins, or jungle villages. Regardless of location, the clans are almost always filled with females of the species, and typically consisted of a few family units and unattached males. Defending the clan were a number of fithik (lieutenants), the lox-fithik (herd-lieutenant or chief), and the tannuk (shaman).
Men tend to fall into war bands alongside orcs and minotaurs, as their size and strength are a priceless commodity on the battlefield, but otherwise, loxodons stayed with their own kind but would travel to cities for trade. They ignored the conflicts of the region around them unless it threatened their own people. To them, extremes in life were detrimental whereas balance contributed to the survival of the herd.
Loxodons were often druids, shamans or fighters. Their immense strength and natural connection meant they were often very powerful, but never developed great civilisational features such as written texts or religion.
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