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House Rules: Races
Languages: The
standard language selection differs from the core DnD books. "Eyrian Common" is
the standard language for humans. It is also not
assumed that anyone is literate, since writing
has much less importance than the spoken word in this
tradition. One language slot or skill point must be used to purchase
literacy. Once purchased, the character can
read and write in any language they can speak. Freeman's
Cant, a variation on Eyrian Common, used mostly
by bandits, is also an available language. Sylvan
and the language of the Worgs is
available to a character who, as part of their class or
background, has spent some time near the Wood Between or
with the Faye. Other languages, most of
which are dead or from forgotten times include: Fomorian, Giant, Old Eyrian, Cant of Me'Al, Ogre (very
close to Giant).
Racial Makeup of Eyru: Humans make up nearly 100% of
Eyrian society with half-elves being the only occasional
exception. In most cases, half elves born into this
entirely human society are taken to be children of the
faye and are shunned. Frequently, a half elf's parents will attempt to "send them back to the
Faye" through a variety of methods. Being sent
downriver in a small boat, left outside in a deep wood,
or various other means of exposure are not uncommon. Sometimes a parent's
love will override superstition and they will do their
best to raise the child, hiding or even trying to
physically alter their features. Aside from the
explanation borne of superstition, that of Faye creatures
tricking humans into bearing their children, there is no
known reason for the occasional half-elven birth (nor
would most humans from Eyru even know what an elf is.)
Other races which
inhabit the area include a wide variety of monstrous humanoids and
the sylvan people of the Faye. Not much is known about these people
except from earlier times. Times when heroes and giants regularly
fought for the land and powerful druids sought the elusive faye to
assist them with their magics. The lands north of the Wood were lost
centuries ago. The Wood Between is assumed haunted by "evil and
mischievous spirits". Because of this superstition, the humans of Eyru
have not encountered these other races for centuries. That is soon to
change however....
The races currently in the campaign include:
As the campaign progresses and the
players explore, expect more races from times of legend to appear!
Any
not included in the core Players Handbook are optional and used only
at the DM's discretion. Most are unsuitable for some campaigns. So
remember rule zero: (Player's Handbook P. 4) CHECK WITH YOUR DUNGEON
MASTER. :) These are also currently under play testing. Expect some
changes.
Also note, the Sprite races
available DO NOT have Spell Resistance as per the standard
Sprite. I see that as a little overkill for a PC. If you need
an in-game explanation, they are faye that have gone
adventuring and left their secluded power centers and thus are
more vulnerable to magic and their spell-like abilities are a bit stunted
Humans
Humans follow all the standard rules in
the PHB. They are the base of the campaign world to date and
are the most common race by far. At the beginning of a campaign, it is
suggested that Human or Half Elf is the sole choice available to PCs.
As the players uncover Eyru's mysteries and beyond, more races are
available for play. Other DM's may opt to skip this
"exploration" method. However, its a great way to slowly
divulge the history of Eyru to newcomers and, for DM's who actually
include character death, (myself included, I realize its rare in many
games) it gives player's ever expanding possibilities to look forward
to with new characters.
Elves
Elves hail from a land far to the east.
Not much is none of these beings as only one has ever made the island
of Eyru his permanent home (see Session
9 and later for more info on Cu Roi.) However the impending war on
Eyru has drawn a few Elves here in pursuit of an ancient foe.
Half-Elf
Half-elves follow the standard game
rules outlined in the PHB. Much with the other races, the history,
society and background information provided in the PHB is superseded
by the Eyru historical material. Half-elves, are not
commonly accepted in Eyrian society and their inclusion in a campaign
is a rare event. As of yet, the current player characters
have only met one "elf" on the Isle of Eyru (Session
8) and he presumably hails from a land far to the east on the
other side of the Dragon's Spine. Nearly all half-elves on Eyru are a
product of this single individual's, shall we say, exploits. (Such as
Ceridwen and her brother as we learn in Session
8.)
Worg
While not recommended for most campaigns, I'm presenting it as a unique option
for anyone daring enough to try. Allowing player's to be Worgs should be done at the DM's
complete discretion (as with any of the non-standard races.) Worg's
are nearly always Neutral Evil in alignment (which does not make them
ideal party members). Players also need to be aware
of certain facts: Worgs cannot wield weapons or wear standard armor
and there is a next to zero chance that the majority of found items will work for them.
Worgs can also not wear standard rings or many other magic items. Creative DM's
and players can overcome some of these obstacles, though not all.
Worgs are intelligent wolves that hunt
the reaches of the Wood Between. Worgs are large wolves, about five
feet in length and three feet at the shoulder. They are deadly and
cunning fighters. Through obvious physical limitations, they cannot
study as Mages. A generous DM may allow divine spell casting or sorcerer abilities with great difficulty. Many standard skills are not useful or even
possible
In order to add a Worg to a campaign,
the level of new incoming characters must be at least level 5. Four of
these levels are accounted for by the Worg's natural abilities and the
fifth by their starting class. Worg's are limited in the classes open
to them. They make suitable fighters or barbarians. Rogue is also
an option though some of a rogue's skills can't be accomplished
without an opposable thumb.... (Pick lock, Disarm Device, etc. Its up
to the DM to decide which skills are unusable by a Worg.) Some DM's
may allow Ranger, Cleric or Druid as an option. A creative player with
a lot of patience, who picks the right feats, can be a Sorcerer
(Still Spell and close attention paid to material components.)
Traits:
Starting HD 4d10 + con bonus for each dice (first is max).
Speed 50ft.
AC 12 (+2 natural)
AB +3, Bite 1d6
Saves: Fort +4 Ref +4 Will +1
Special Attacks: Trip
Special Qualities: Scent (see MM)
One feat.
Skill points 15 + INT mod.
Class skills: Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Spot, Wilderness Lore-all
else is cross-classed.
Ability scores: +5 STR, +4 DEX, +4 CON, INT 3-10 (see the DMG for
determining this score.), WIS +2
+1 Racial Bonus to Listen, Move Silently, Spot checks, +2 to Hide. +4
to Wilderness Lore checks when tracking by scent.
Nixie
Nixie's are waterborne faye who are
quite reclusive. They are loath to leave their ponds and
streams and are much more comfortable in familiar surroundings. Thus,
they do not make ideal adventurers. It takes extreme situations to
motivate a Nixie to explore beyond their watery homes. Nixies have
webbed fingers and toes, pointed ears and silvery eyes. They are
lightly scaled with pale green skin and dark green hair. They stand
roughly 4 feet tall. (The official campaign records a brief encounter
with a similar being in Session One.)
Nixie's are only allowed in campaigns
where the starting character is at least 4th level. Three levels are
accounted for by the Nixie's starting abilities.
Traits:
Starting HD 1d6 + con bonus
Speed 20ft. Swim 30ft
AC 11 (+1 size)
AB +1
Saves: Fort +0 Ref +2 Will +2
Special Attacks: Charm Person 3x per day (as by a Sorcerer of their
character level)
Special Qualities: Water Breathing (Can also confer this once per day
as a Sorcerer of their character level, max 6th level)
Skill points: 3 x Int Score
Class skills: Animal Empathy, Bluff, Craft (any one), Escape Artist,
Handle Animal, Hide, Listen, Perform, Search, Sense Motive, Spot
Ability Scores: STR 1-12 (see the DMG), +6 DEX, +2 WIS, +6 CHA.
+2
Racial Bonus to Search, Spot and Hide. +5 Racial Bonus to Hide
when in water.
Feats: Two
Favored Class: Druid
Half-Ogre
Half-Ogre's are nearly always the
product of violence. None have been seen in the Eyrian lands in
centuries. That may soon change as the Giant-kin slowly move
south and encounter more and more humans. Where ogre's pillage, the
rare half-ogre is bound to be produced. Ogres have beset the party on
several occasions (Session Two and Session
Six), for a few early encounters.
While adult ogres stand about nine to
ten feet tall weighing 300 to 350 pounds, their half human offspring
average about seven feet tall and 250+ pounds. They have a yellowish
skin tone and their sweat and oil glands are immensely more active
than those of their human parentage. Through great effort, some may
pass as above average size humans. Though often times, their parentage
is obvious.
Traits:
+2 CON, +4 STR, -2 DEX, -4 INT, -4 CH
Medium Size, base move 30
Darkvision
Ogre Blood
Favored Class: Barbarian
Grig
Grig are tiny faye that appear to be a
cross between an elf and a grasshopper. They have a humanoid head and
torso with the lower half of a grasshopper. They usually have light
blue skin, forest-green hair and brown hairy insect legs. They stand a mere
1.5 feet tall. Like most other faye, they are pranksters at heart and
love to play tricks on people; especially those larger than they are.
A great example of their brand of practical jokes can be viewed in Session
5.
Grig's are only allowed in campaigns
where the starting character is at least 4th level. Three levels are
accounted for by the Grig's starting abilities.
Starting HD 1d3 + con bonus
Speed 20ft
AC 14 (+2 size, +2 Natural)
AB +2
Saves Fort +0 Ref +2 Will +2
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities
Special Qualities:
Skill points: 3 x Int score
Class skills: Craft (Any One), Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Listen, Move
Silently, Perform, Search, Spot
Ability Scores: STR 1-8 (see the DMG), +6 DEX, +2 CHA.
+2 Racial
Bonus to Search, Spot and Hide. +8 Racial Bonus to Jump. +5 Racial
Bonus to Move Silently in forest settings.
Feats: One and a free feat: Hero's
Salmon Leap lheim braddan
Grigs also have the following spell-like abilities: Change Self,
Entangle, Invisibility, Pyrotechnics and Ventriloquism. These are cast
as if by a Sorcerer of their character level, max 9th level. A total of three of
these abilities can be used per day.
Favored Class: Rogue
Fomorian
Fomorians are an ancient sea dwelling race which
once inhabited the eastern shores of Eyru. Incredibly xenophobic, the Fomorians went to great
lengths to disguise their homeland in the sea. The Fomorians would masquerade as land dwelling
humans and use coastal cities as a means of keeping tabs on the "earth dwellers". Their coastal cities normally
included a white tower for royalty which also doubled as a town square with hidden access
into the sea. These towns were constructed entirely as facades to hide
their true nature and thus the location of their homeland deep beneath the sea. Even after
abandoning these cities during their war with the humans, they continued to patrol these
areas for centuries and left behind fierce gaurdians to keep out those who might seek to
learn more about their secretive society.
Fomorians are slightly shorter than your average human with scaly,
slimy skin. Their scales can be nearly any variety of color with beautiful, striped patterns quite common.
They have large, bulbous eyes and webbed fingers and toes. Their mouths very much resemble those
of a fish. They are mostly aquatic but can survive, uncomfortably, above water for indefinite periods. Many
have varying degrees of agoraphobia when outside the comforting weight of the ocean.
Speed Walk 30 ft, Swim 30 ft
Special Qualities: Water Breathing, Change Self
Ability Scores: -2 STR, +2 INT, -2 CHR
+8 Racial Bonus to Swim. +2 Racial bonus to detecting Illusions.
Fomorians have the ability to Change Self at will.
Favored Class: Wizard (Illusionist specialists are most common.)
Doppleganger
Just before war broke out between the humans and the
Fomorians, there existed a fragile peace and an impending alliance between these mighty races.
While xenophobic, the Fomorians could see that such an alliance would be beneficial as the humans
slowly gained the upper hand against the Giant-kin. A splinter group among the Fomorians were outraged at the
prospect of an alliance with any air breathing being and a small group of them entered into a conspiracy
to end the negotiations.
These
rebels knew they needed help to seal their plans so they appealed to
the Triumvirate from over the eastern sea. The Triumvirate obliged, but
at a terrible cost. The rebel Fomorians were given fantastic
powers-their illusions were made real. They were now able to not
just "appear" as a different being but wholly become one. They used
this power to infiltrate the humans and destroy the alliance. The true
cost of this victory was soon realized however as the Triumvirate
pulled this rebel band into their fold. The newly formed dopplegangers
became a slave race beholden only to the Triumvirate's whims.
Dopplegangers have retained the bulbous eyes of their original
Fomorian features, but all other identifying features have been lost.
They are slender and frail with hairless, pale bodies that range in color from sickly grey to light shades
of purple or green. They are cunning, having retained the intelligence of their ancestors, but are also
physically powerful. They are ruthless in serving the Triumvirate but rarely attach themselves to any
ideal or cause beyond that.
Dopplegangers are only allowed in campaigns
where the starting character is at least 9th level. Eight levels are
accounted for by the Doppleganger's starting abilities.
Starting HD 4d8 + con bonus
Speed 30ft
AC 14 (+4 Natural)
AB +4
Darkvision 60 feet
Saves Fort +1 Ref +4 Will +4
Special Attacks: Detect Thoughts
Special Qualities:Change Shape, Immune to Sleep and Charm
Skill points: 2 x INT
Class skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, Intimidate, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot
Ability Scores: +2 STR, +2 DEX, +2 CON, +2 INT, +4 WIS, +2 CHR.
+4 Racial Bonus to Bluff and Disguise. +10 on Disguise when
Shapechanged. +4 circumstance on Bluff and Disguise, if it can
successfully read an opponent's mind.
Feats: Two
Dopplegangers have the following spell-like abilities: Detect Thoughts as the spell,
DC 13 caster level 18. Change Shape into any small or medium humanoid. True Seeing reveals
the true nature.
Favored Class: Rogue
Lizardfolk
The story of the lizardfolk is one of tragedy and misfortune when
viewed in the eyes of any save the Triumvirate. Centuries ago, a wandering elf pilgrim stumbled
across the Lizardfolk. He found them to be a simple people at one with their swamp laden
lands and at peace with each other. This pilgrim thought it was an excellent opportunity to
share his wisdom and he opened a monastery among the Lizardfolk. Curious
and friendly, many were won over to the elf's teachings and the hardy Lizardfolk proved
to be excellent students.
Then
came the Triumvirate. Awakened from the very same swamps, these
serpentine beings mesmerized the simple Lizardfolk. Soon the Medusae
had the Lizardfolk worshipping them as gods. Some among the
Lizardfolk rebelled and tried to protect the elf and his monastery.
Their fate is unclear. The remaining Lizardfolk retained the martial
skills taught to them by the elven pilgrim but renounced his peaceful
philosophy for one of service to the Triumvirate.
Lizardfolk are reptilian humanoids that stand roughly six to seven feet
tall and weigh anywhere from 200 to 250 pounds. Their scales range from green to gold in color.
Lizardfolk are only allowed in campaigns
where the starting character is at least 4th level. Three levels are
accounted for by the Lizardfolk's starting abilities.
Speed 30ft Walk, Swim 30ft
Ability Scores: +2 STR, +2 CON, -2 INT
Hit Dice: 2d8
BAB: +1
AC: 15 (+5 natural armor)
Feats: One feat
Skill Points: 6 + INT MOD
Skills: Balance, Jump, Swim. +4 Racial Bonus to all three due to their tails.
Proficient with simple weapons and shields.
Natural Weapons: 2 claws and a bite (d4 each)
Favored Class: Monk
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