Ashkari

The Ashkari (اشکاری), which roughly translates to "people of the open desert" in their tongue, are a nomadic ethnicity native to the vast deserts of Athas. They are known for their resilience, adaptability, and deep connection to the harsh desert environment they call home. Commonly called "desert elves" by outsiders due to their pointed ears and lithe builds, the Ashkari have distinct cultural practices and physical adaptations that set them apart from other elven groups on Athas.

They have a strong genetic similarity to the Illari, or "city elves", who dwell in urban centers such as Tyr. However, the Ashkari have evolved to thrive in the extreme conditions of the desert, developing traits such as enhanced heat tolerance, efficient water conservation, and keen survival instincts.

According to Ashkari oral tradition, their ancestors were once part of a larger elven population whose ways are very similar to their current ones. Per said tales, they maintained their ancient ways during the Green Age, albeit in more lush world, and their natural asceticism and reverence for nature helped them endure the cataclysmic changes that transformed Athas into a desert world. Over generations, they adapted to the new environment, developing unique cultural practices and physical traits that allowed them to survive and thrive in the harsh desert conditions.

Historians, particularly among the Illari, question this assumption, preferring a history where their kind were more similar to the Illari, using magic to tame their environment, until said environment was ravaged by the defiling practices of sorcerer-kings. This is considered heretical by the Ashkari, whose taboo against arcane magic is deeply ingrained in their culture.