DARK SUN® Campaign World

Athasian elves are entirely different from the high elves that settled Athas eons ago, for they have adapted to a life in the burning world. Understandably, these elves do not dwell in woodlands as do their more typical cousins, for there are few forests on Athas. Instead, they live on the plains and in the barrens, scratching out an existence where few survive. They are runners and raiders, disdaining the transport used by the weaker species in the desert. They, like the other races on Athas, are much more savage than the typical elf.

The elves of Athas are very tall, often reaching heights of 7 feet or more. Their long legs make them excellent runners, and they can cover unbelievable distances in a single day. They are the terror of the deserts, and their hunting bands are widely feared.

Not only do they prey on those foolish enough to pass through their territory, they exploit the gullible in the marketplaces of the city-states. Few of these places do not have some sort of market where the elves sell their ill-gotten or shoddy goods; the elves make an incredible profit from those who pass through because they are the only suppliers.

Although they act ignobly toward members of other races and even other elf tribes, the Athasian elves are not an evil people. They have strong ties to their tribes and are only as harsh as their planet dictates. The bonds that unite them are amazingly strong; elves of a tribe often have no other friends than their tribe members. Their lives depend on their companions, and so they trust only those who have proven they can be trusted.

Like the other inhabitants of Athas, the elves struggle to endure. Under the fires of the Dark Sun, only the strongest survive. The elves plan to be among that number, and if they must crush others . . . well, if such is the path to survival, they will take it.

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