Loxodon

Loxodon are elephant-like humanoids, native to In'qwane. They are known for their stoicism, wisdom, and pacifism.

Description

Loxodons tower above most other humanoids, standing over 7 feet tall. They have the heads—trunks, tusks, ears, and faces—of elephants, and hulking bipedal bodies covered by thick, leathery skin. Each of their hands has four thick digits, and their feet are the flat-bottomed, oval-shaped feet of elephants.
Like that of an elephant, a loxodon's trunk is a useful appendage. In addition to providing a keen sense of smell, the trunk can be used to lift and carry even heavy objects. The trunk can be used to carry both food and liquid to the mouth and can even act as a snorkel.
Loxodon mature at a similar rate to humans, but aren't considered mature until they are 60 years old when they are considered as gaining sufficient worldly knowledge. The oldest loxodon can live until the age of 500.
Loxodons believe that the members of a group have a responsibility to look out for each other. Once they have bonded with other individuals in any capacity, loxodons devote themselves to maintaining that bond. They coordinate their efforts and are often willing to sacrifice themselves for the sake of the group. They expect reciprocal loyalty and commitment from the other members of their communities and can be severe in their disappointment when their trust is betrayed.

A loxodon in ceremonial robes

Society

Loxodon are largely found in their ancestral homelands in In'qwane. They are very peaceful and spiritual creatures, who spend much of their time in quiet contemplation. Though outsiders may be intimidated by their large physical stature, loxodon are well known for their extraordinarily pacifist temperment. They are also very deeply respectful of elders and those with more knowledge, demonstrating a profound humbleness towards anyone who is more knowledgable than them.
The structure of loxodon society is somewhat confusing to outsiders. Most people who encounter them believe them to be solitary creatures who spend most of their time in meditation or engaging in humble activities such as gardening or observing the natural world. In fact, loxodon are social creatures who do hold a very loose familial clan based on an elderly knowledgable matriarch. It is common for loxodons to congregate around their matriarch on important festivals, feasts, or other significant events. These events can unclude dozens, if not hundreds of loxodons part of a large extended family who celebrate and eat together. Despite this, most loxodon tend to live in small family units of parents and children.
They viewed music, more specifically singing, as a way of bringing themselves closer to the fabric of the world, and thus would sometimes sing during their meditation. Singing also played a large role in their social lives, with gatherings often being littered with folk songs in harmony together. Even when they were apart, the songs of loxodon echoed in harmony across the planes of In'qwane.
The rearing of young is deemed the most significant journey of a loxodons life, and thus once a child is born the parents tend to dedicate themselves wholly to this endeavour. They spend much of their time overseeing the childs ventures into the wilderness of In'qwane where they learn to interact and observe the natural world around them.
Loxodons are tireless, patient artisans with an unrivaled intuition about their craft. Although they make nurturing spiritual leaders, their gift for stonework is so ingrained that they are often at a loss when they try to impart that knowledge to others. They typically make their homes at the base of large mesas in the savannah of In'qwane, where they carve cave-like homes with beautiful facades in the rock face.

Religion

Loxodon worshipped the In'qwane Pantheon alongside Kenku, Aarakocra, and giant eagles. In particular, they worshipped their patron god Ndlovu. Loxodon who travelled the world sometimes included the worship of the Dwarvish Pantheon, particularly Korol due to his crafting ability.
Loxodon considered vibrant colours as religiously significant, and tended to wear their brightest robes and covour their face with paint during religious ceremonies.

Combat

The entire race are largely pacifist, owing to their profound respect for the natural world and tendancy to feel as if they are silent observers as opposed to active players in the world around them. This means that loxodon rarely, if ever, engage in combat. When they do, most loxodon prefer to use spellcasting if they have the ability, and even still tending to avoid fatal attacks. For those who are not gifted with magic, physical combat is treated as an absolute last resort in order to defend oneself or one's family.
Loxodon usually utilise blunt weapons, such as clubs, staffs, and slings, in order to allow them to better avoid fatal damage.

Relations

Due to their affable nature, loxodon tended to get on with most other races they encountered. Their only cause for conflict fell with violent races which wished to upset their peaceful way of life. They also found cultures which placed emphasis on combat ability, such as Elf bladesinging, Goliath competitiveness, and Leonin forces of strength as deeply troubling to their view of harmonious living.

Player Race Features

• Ability Scores. Choose any +2; choose any other +1.
• Size: Medium.
• Speed: 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.
• Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and In'qwanan.