Fantasy and science fiction have always overlapped a little. In post-apocalyptic fantasy you have permission to combine both a little more freely. I am going to swing at this idea which has been bouncing around in my head for a while. This is also pulling a good deal from my recent post about God Thrones, a post apocalyptic fantasy setting in my head of late. The idea of course can work in other settings. As an example, is a crashed spaceship in the classic Mystara setting. That ship is leaking radiation and causing a range of problems. This might fit in there.
Anyways….here we go
Blight Elves
The fall of civilization, and the rebirth of magic has produced many wonders both subtle and vast. It has made many horrors, as well. Elves became part of the world shortly after the fall. The elven people are tied in some innate ways to other worldly powers and nature itself. Normally, this manifests as ethereal grace and a certain set of magical abilities tied to that connection.
Blight Elves are the result of the negative side of that connection. When civilization fell, it iwas not just buildings that fell, but also systems that failed. Systems maintained to contain nuclear power failed, and tainted the land. Chemical factories collapsed spilling toxins into the soil. Warheads designed to someday be meticulously decommissioned instead decay and eventually go off.
These events taint the land, but the elves are tied to those lands so the taint seeps into them, as well. They are still fey creatures, but as the land is tainted and poisoned, so are they. Where humans would simply die or be simply sickened, Elves reflect the land they are tied to.
Blight Elves are dark and tortured beings. While they still form communities, they tend to hate the humans responsible for their condition. Imagine the notion of living hundreds of years knowing your nature is poison? Compassion and song are replaced with hate and pain.
Clans of Blight elves will often hunt down humans in their lands. If they catch the humans, then fortune favors those who die quickly. Many Blight Elves see it as their duty to see that humanity pays for what it did to the world. A favored form of punishment is leaving the humans exposed in the most toxic or radioactive places the Blight Elves can find. This often results in slow and unpleasant deaths.
Physical Description
Blight Elves are recognizably elves. They have pointy ears and slight build. Where as a wood elf might look willowy and graceful, the Blight Elf looks pallid, starving, and sickly. Their skin often looks splotchy and bruised with highlights of yellow and sickly green. Lesions are common and even open wounds are not unheard of.
Society
The Blight Elf society is as broken and tainted as the lands they live on. Anger and rage drive much of their lives. The Blight Elves are largely cut off from greater Elven society, so lack a lot of their traditions. Blight elves have more in common with human barbarian tribes. A local tribe is usually lead by a powerful leader or chief. Those more apt to magic tend to be shunned, but are not completely divorced from society. They may not go to war with the tribe, but the tribe will often seek a mage or shaman’s council.
Once a year, most tribes will begin what is called the Reaping. They will leave their home village and roam for leagues looking for humans. Those not killed on the spot are dragged home for ritual murders. I may have mentioned these guys really hate humans and blame them for their pain.
Mechanics
Per the DMG standard features list on Pg. 282. Added at the suggestion of Dan Dillon.
Blight Elves +2 Dex, +1 Con Fey Ancestry, Darkvision 60′, Innate Natural Ability: Venom’s Tears per the Racial Stats, Toxic Constitution: Advantage on Poison and Radiation related saves. And Resistance to Poison Damage. Difficulty Healing: External Healing effects (spells, potions, ect..) are reduced by half.
Monster Stats Blocks
BLIGHT ELF RAIDER
CR 1
Medium humanoid (elf), neutral evil 200 XP
Armor Class 15 (chain shirt)
Hit Points 19 (3d8+6) Speed 30’
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14(+2) 14(+2) 14(+2) 11(+0) 11 (+0) 10 (+0)
Skills Perception +2, Survival +2
Senses passive Perception 12
Languages Elvish, common
Fey Ancestry: The Blight Elf has advantage on saves against being charmed, and magic can’t put the Elf to sleep.
Toxic Constitution: Advantage on Poison and Radiation related saves. Additionally, The Blight Elf has Resistance to Poison Damage.
Difficulty Healing: External Healing effects (spells, potions, ect..) are reduced by half. Self-healing abilities, such as the Fighter’s Second Wind are not subject to this effect.
Innate Ability: Venom’s Tears (1/day ). The Blight Elf extends his hand and venom sack expels a thin stream of poison up to 10ft away. The creature must succeed on a Constitution(DC12) saving throw or take 1d12 poison damage.
ACTIONS
Spear. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, Range, Thrown, Versatile Reach 5’, one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) piercing damage or 6(1d8 +2) if wielded two handed. Can be thrown Once with a Range of 20/60.
Short Bow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 80’/320’, one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 13 Con save or take additional 1d12 poison damage.
BLIGHT ELF BERSERKER
CR 3
Medium humanoid (elf), neutral evil 700 XP
Armor Class 15 (chain shirt)
Hit Points 67 (9d8+27) Speed 30’
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16(+3) 14(+2) 17(+3) 11(+0) 11 (+0) 10 (+0)
Skills Perception +2, Survival +2
Senses passive Perception 12
Languages Elvish, common
Fey Ancestry. The Blight Elf has advantage on saves against being charmed, and magic can’t put the Elf to sleep.
Toxic Constitution: Advantage on Poison and Radiation related saves. Additionally, The Blight Elf has Resistance to Poison Damage.
Difficulty Healing: External Healing effects (spells, potions, ect..) are reduced by half. Self-healing abilities, such as the Fighter’s Second Wind are not subject to this effect.
Reckless. At the start of its turn, the berserker can gain advantage on all melee weapon attack rolls during that turn, but attack rolls against it have advantage until the start of its next turn.
Innate Abilitiy: Venom’s Tears (1/day ). The Blight Elf extends his hand and venom sack expels a thin stream of poison up to 10ft away. The creature must succeed on a Constitution(DC15) saving throw or take 2d12 poison damage.
ACTIONS
Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2D6 + 3) slashing damage.
BLIGHT HATE WITCH
CR 7
Medium humanoid (elf), neutral evil 2700 XP
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 45 (10d8) Speed 30’
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
9(-1) 14(+2) 11(+0) 17(+3) 13 (+1) 12 (+1)
Skills Arcana +6, Deception +5, Perception +4, Stealth +5
Senses passive Perception 14
Languages Elvish, common
Fey Ancestry. The Blight Elf has advantage on saves against being charmed, and magic can’t put the Elf to sleep.
Toxic Constitution: Advantage on Poison and Radiation related saves. Additionally, The Blight Elf has Resistance to Poison Damage.
Difficulty Healing: External Healing effects (spells, potions, ect..) are reduced by half. Self-healing abilities, such as the Fighter’s Second Wind are not subject to this effect.
Innate Ability: Venom’s Tears (1/day ). The Blight Elf extends his hand and venom sack expels a thin stream of poison up to 10ft away. The creature must succeed on a Constitution(DC13) saving throw or take 2d12 poison damage.
Spellcasting: 10th-level, Int-based, DC 14, +6 to hit 1st 4th 2nd 5th 3rd
Mage Hand (cantrip). Action to cast, 30’, 1 minute. The Blight Elf creates a ghost-like hand that can be controlled with an action. It can manipulate an object, open an unlocked door or container, stow or retrieve an item from an open container, etc.
Acid Splash (cantrip). The Blight Witch hurls a bubble of acid. Choose one creature within range, or choose two creatures within range that are within 5 feet of each other. A target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 acid damage.
Poison Spray (cantrip). Action to cast, 10’, instantaneous. The target creature must make a DC 14 Con save or take 2d12 poison damage.
Ray of Frost (cantrip). Action to cast, 60’, instantaneous. The Blight Elf makes a ranged spell attack (+6 to hit). On a hit, the target takes 2d8 cold damage, and its speed is reduced to 10’ until the start of the Blight Elf’s next turn.
Mage Armor (1st). Action to cast, touch, 8 hours. The Blight Elf’s base AC becomes 15.
Magic Missile (1st). Action to cast, 120’, instantaneous. The Blight Elf creates a number of darts equal to 2 + the spell slot used to cast it. A dart deals 1d4+1 force damage, each targeting the same or different creatures.
Shield (1st). Reaction to a hit on the Blight Elf, self, 1 round. Until the start of its next turn, the Blight Elf has an AC of 17, including against the triggering attack, and has immunity to magic missile.
Witch Bolt (1st). Action to cast, 30’, concentration up to 1 minute. Make a ranged The Blight Elf makes a ranged spell attack (+6 to hit). On a hit, the target takes 1d12 lightning damage per spell slot used to cast the spell. On each of the Blight Elf’s turns, the Blight Elf can use its action to deal 1d12 lightning damage to the target automatically.
Alter Self (2nd). Action to cast, self, concentration up to 1 hour. The Blight Elf uses an action to take or change into of three forms: Aquatic adaptation (can breath water and has swim speed 30’); change appearance (change form to another medium, humanoid creature); or natural weapons (gain natural weapons, reach 5’, +8 to hit, 1d6+1 damage).
Misty Step (2nd). Bonus action to cast, self, instantaneous. The Blight Elf teleports up to 30’ to an unoccupied space it can see.
Web (2nd). Action to cast, 60’, concentration up to 1 hour. The Blight Elf conjures a web that fills a 20’ cube from a point within range. If the webs don’t connect two solid masses, the web collapses, and the spell ends at the start of the Blight Elf’s next turn. The webs create difficult terrain. Each creature that starts its turn in the webs or enters them during its turn must make a DC 14 Dex save of be restrained. A creature so restrained may make a DC 14 Str save as an action to break free. Any 5’-cube of webs exposed to fire burns away in 1 round, dealing 2d4 fire damage to a creature starting its turn in the fire. Fly (3rd). Action to cast, touch, concentration up to 10 minutes. A willing creature gains a fly speed of 60’. When the spell ends, the target falls if it’s still airborne.
Lightning Bolt (3rd). Action to cast, 100’ line from self, instantaneous. Each creature in a 100’ long, 5’ wide line originating from the Blight Elf takes damage equal to 8d6 plus 1d6 per level of the slot used to cast the spell (9d6 at 4th level, etc.; DC 14 Dex save for half damage).
Evard’s Black Tentacles (4th). Action to cast, 90’, concentration up to 1 minute. A 20’ square space becomes difficult terrain. When a creature enters the area for the first time or starts its turn there, it must succeed on a DC 14 Dex save or be restrained until the spell ends. A creature already restrained at the start of its turn takes 3d6 bludgeoning damage. A restrained creature can use its action to make a DC 14 Str or Dex save to free itself.
Greater Invisibility (4th). Action to cast, touch, concentration up to 1 minute. The Blight Elf or a creature it touches (and their possessions) become invisible until the spell ends.
Cloudkill (5th). Action to cast, 120’, concentration up to 10 minutes. The Blight Elf conjures a 20’-radius sphere of fog. When a creature enters the sphere or starts its turn there takes 5d8 poison damage (DC 14 Con save for half damage). The fog rolls away from the Blight Elf at a rate of 10’ per round.
Blight Elf As A PC
The Blight Elf is an odd match for an adventurer. They would normally tend to being considered villains in the few human cities forming in the wastelands of Earth. As with the Drow, however, there are many moral Blight Elves born from their painful origins. Others may simply tolerate the human cities if they can make greater evils pay.
The base Elf Stats stay the same.
Ability Score Increase: Dexterity +2
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 feet
Darkvision: 60 feet
Keen Senses: Proficiency in the Perception skill.
Fey Ancestry: Advantage on saves vs magical charms and you can’t be put to sleep with magic. (Note: Fey ancestry doesn’t really work in God Thrones. In that setting I would say they are tied to the Wild Mother. The Game effect is the same, but story and metaphysics are different)
Trance: Can meditate for 4 hours a day instead of sleeping for 8 hours.
Languages: Common and Elvish. (note: in the God Thrones setting I would not actually have an elvish language. I would have local tongues and they would have an outlander version of that. Adapt to your setting as needed.)
The Sub Race stats are as follows.
Ability Score Increase: Constitution +1
Weapon Training: Proficiency in Spear, Great swords, and Bows.
Toxic Constitution: Advantage on Poison and Radiation related saves. Additionally, You have Resistance to Poison Damage.
Difficulty Healing: External Healing effects (spells, potions, ect..) are reduced by half. Self-healing abilities, such as the Fighter’s Second Wind are not subject to this effect.
Venom’s Tears: At 1st level, you can spray forth a natural cloud of radioactive and venomous spray, The effects are like Poison Spray with the Save DC being your 8+ your Proficiency Bonus + your Constitution modifier. This can be done once Per Long Rest. At 3rd Level this ability can be done once per short rest.
So….what do you think? Should I do more post apocalyptic stuff? How would you change the Blight Elf? Can they fit in your game?