Human
Humans are native to Ata, where they compete with Orcs for control over the plains.
- Biggest seafaring race, with sea soraska being the only real competition.
- Even before sea travel was possible, human mages traveled the world and facilitated cultural exchange between Humans, Dwarves, and Elves.
- Humans have established at least one colony on all three continents, plus one settlement on the Ice Plains and several outposts in the Pyrmies.
- Many ethnicities exist, but the two biggest are the Etelaan and the Sonnern.
- Etelaan: bronze-skinned, black-haired, and brown-eyed southwesterners who currently control most of the south and west
- adjective=Etelaan, region=Etela
- speak Etelaan
- shorter on average
- exceptionally collaborative, building a strong network of schools, hospitals, and libraries
- Sonnern: tan-skinned, dirty-blond-haired, and blue-eyed easterners who currently control the east coast
- Tenga: dark-skinned, bald, amber-eyed plainsmen
- adjective=Tengan, people=Tenga, region=Tanatenga
- speak Tengan
- were very powerful 1000+ years ago, with cities at key locations across the plains
- decimated after bad earthquakes ruined their defenses and orcs invaded
- forced to take refuge in other nations, as orcs maintained a presence in old lands
- orcs left ~200 years ago after horrible wildfire destroyed all their crops and villages (first one since Shaitan's binding) and a group of Tengans reclaimed what was left
- scholars (many Tengan) have returned to Tanatenga
- they study ancient ruins to reactivate defenses against invasion and rediscover old religion, called Agama Lama
- many families also moved back
- worship of old gods has tentatively resumed
- currently a magocracy
- Fune: brown-skinned, black/gray-haired, dark-eyed southerners
- adjective=Funish, people=Fune, region=Funetochi
- speak Funish
- taller on average
- the original seafarers, but Etelaan and Sonnern copied them
- chose to be nomadic seafarers (and/or pirates) rather than be Etelaan subjects
- primarily sail in the Pyrmies
- Shamal: light-skinned, dark-brown-haired, blue-eyed northerners
- adjective=Shamalian, people=Shamal, region=Shamalia
- speak Shamalian
- rarely have red hair, which is taken as a blessing from the gods
- pushed out of northlands by Orcs, and now live in the fringes of Sonnern territory
- follow a religion known as Shamalism
- each tribe is led by its Red Priestess, who in turn serves the nomadic High Priestess
- gods manifest as animals to communicate
- Ogof: pale-skinned, blond/white-haired, and red-eyed cave dwellers in the mountains
- adjective=Ogofen, people=Ogof, region=Tir Ogof
- speak Ogofen
- can't stand bright light, especially sunlight
- persecuted by Sonnern, now only isolated tribes remain in the east
- a great Ogof city is rumored to exist in the western mountains
- different from other humans due to isolation in caves and some sort of magical influence
- adapted for darkness and more magically adept
- music is very important to them
- long, low notes (especially throat singing) that reverberate in caves
- gods respond in the echoes
- can broadcast messages throughout entire underground using powerful drums built into the ground
- Etelaan: bronze-skinned, black-haired, and brown-eyed southwesterners who currently control most of the south and west
Game Mechanics
Abilities
Some human cultures may place more importance on some abilities than others, but humans have no biological predisposition towards any.
Alignment
Humans generally share an alignment with their peers, which varies between cultures and generations. All alignments are represented to some degree.
Age
Humans reach adulthood at around 20. They have an old age threshold of 70 years and an aging rate of 5 years.
Human
Size
Medium
Medium
Speeds
Walk 30 ft.
Walk 30 ft.
Old Age Threshold
70 years
70 years
Languages
Any two languages of your choice, at least one of which must be a human language
Any two languages of your choice, at least one of which must be a human language
Senses
—
—
Aging Rate
5 years
5 years
Subraces
Select one of the subraces below.
Common Human
Personal Calling. Humans are known for dedicating themselves to a skill or trade and perfecting it. You gain expertise in one skill or tool of your choice.
Perfected Skill. Before making an ability check that the expertise granted by your Personal Calling applies to, you can opt to not roll the d20. If you do, treat the check as if you had rolled a 15. If the roll would have been made with advantage or disadvantage, instead treat the check as if you had rolled a 20 or 10, respectively.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Adaptable Talent. Pick an ability score for each of the following categories: saving throws, attack rolls, and ability checks. You gain a +1 bonus to a d20 roll if it uses the ability score you chose for its category.
Each time you level up, or by training for 40 hours over the course of 5 days, you can change the chosen ability score of one category.
Ogof
Darkvision. Your unusually large eyes confer darkvision (60 ft.).
Sunlight Sensitivity. You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Perception checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Soulsight. You can sense the presence and location of magic within 30 feet of you when you are not incapacitated. This ability can't penetrate through 3 feet of wood or dirt, 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, or a thin sheet of lead.
As a standard action, you can focus your attention on magic you can sense in this way. If you do so, you magically see a faint aura outlining the shape of the creature, object, or area bearing the magic, and you learn its school of magic, if any. You can use this action a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining expended uses after a long rest.
Heightened Casting. When you cast a spell of 1st to 5th level, you can can increase the level of the spell by 1. The resulting spell level can't exceed half your level (rounded up). You can't use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.
Suggested Backgrounds
Etelaan Almoner
Prerequisite: The ability to speak Etelaan
You spent time in the human nation of Etela as a social worker. You gain the following benefits:
- You are proficient in one of the following skills of your choice: Arcana, History, Medicine, Nature, or Religion.
- When you Help or receive Help to cause a roll to be made with advantage, that roll takes the highest of three d20s instead of two.
Sonnern Soldier
Prerequisite: The ability to speak Sonnern
You were trained in the stern combat style of the Sonnern military, which employs double lines of pikemen and greatswordsmen. You gain the following benefits:
- You are proficient with the greatsword and pike. Once on each of your turns when you make an attack with one of these weapons, you can extend your reach for the attack by 5 feet.
- You are proficient with medium armor. When you are wearing medium or heavy armor and are within 5 feet of an ally that isn't incapacitated, you can't be flanked.
Tengan Scholar
Prerequisite: The ability to speak Tengan
You studied the secrets of Tanatenga with the Tengan scholars. You gain the following benefits:
- You can read Old Tengan.
- You are proficient in Investigation and one of the following skills of your choice: Arcana, History, Nature, or Religion.
- You know two 1st-level wizard spells of your choice. The spells must have the ritual tag. You can cast these spells as rituals or using any spell slots you have. Your spellcasting ability for these spells is Intelligence or Charisma, chosen when you take this background, and you can use an arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for them.
Funish Sailor
Prerequisite: The ability to speak Funish
You learned how to sail from the Funish people. You gain the following benefits:
- You are proficient in Acrobatics and Athletics.
- You are proficient with navigator's tools, and you have expertise with water vehicles.
- You are proficient with the scimitar. If you are wielding a scimitar in one hand and nothing in the other hand when a creature you can see hits or misses you with a melee attack, you can use a reaction to make a grapple attack against the attacker.
Shamalian Acolyte
Prerequisite: The ability to speak Shamalian; red hair
You were trained in the holy tenets of the Shamal. You gain the following benefits:
- You are proficient in two of the following skills of your choice: Medicine, Nature, Persuasion, and Religion.
- You know the thaumaturgy cantrip, as well as speak with animals and one other 1st-level druid spell of your choice. You can cast each of these spells once per long rest without expending a spell slot. Your spellcasting ability for these spells is Wisdom or Charisma, chosen when you take this background, and you can use a druidic focus as a spellcasting focus for them.
Ogofen Sounder
Prerequisite: The ability to speak Ogofen
The Ogof taught you the ways of the Synau Dwfn, or "deep sounds." You gain the following benefits:
- You are proficient in Perception and Performance
- You are proficient with the drum and curtal.
- You know the spells mold earth and earth tremor. Your spellcasting ability for these spells is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma, chosen when you take this background, and you can use a drum or curtal as a spellcasting focus for them and other spells you know.
- For you, earth tremor has the ritual tag and you can cast it as a ritual. When you cast it as a ritual, you can trigger the spell's effect as part of each action used to cast the ritual. To gain this benefit, you must use a drum or curtal as a spellcasting focus for the spell, and you can't move and trigger the effect on the same turn.
Darkvision
Darkvision
Base sense: sight
Within a specified range, a creature with darkvision can see in dim light as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. The creature can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Light
Light
There are three categories of illumination: bright light, dim light, and darkness.
A source of light typically emits bright light in a small radius and dim light in a larger radius; these distances are given in parentheses. For example, a fire that sheds light (20/40 ft.) produces bright light within 20 feet and dim light for another 20 feet beyond that.
Bright Light
Bright light lets most creatures see normally. Even gloomy days provide bright light, as do torches, lanterns, fires, and other sources of illumination within a specific radius.
Dim Light
Dim light, also called shadows, creates a lightly obscured area. An area of dim light is usually a boundary between a source of bright light, such as a torch, and surrounding darkness. The soft light of twilight and dawn also counts as dim light. A particularly brilliant full moon might bathe the land in dim light.
Darkness
Darkness creates a heavily obscured area. Characters face darkness outdoors at night (even most moonlit nights), within the confines of an unlit dungeon or a subterranean vault, or in an area of magical darkness.
Obscured
Obscured
When vision in an area is hindered by smoke, darkness, or a similar phenomenon, the area is obscured. There are two degrees of obscurity.
Lightly Obscured
In a lightly obscured area, such as dim light, patchy fog, or moderate foliage, creatures have disadvantage on Perception checks that rely on sight.
Heavily Obscured
A heavily obscured area, such as darkness, opaque fog, or dense foliage, blocks vision entirely. Nothing in that area can be seen.
Walk
Walk
Natural Movement Modes: Jumping, walking
Other Movement Modes (+1 Cost): Climbing, crawling, sneaking, swimming
Other Movement Modes (+1 Cost): Climbing, crawling, sneaking, swimming
If you don't have a walk speed, you are prone while on the ground. If you have a walk speed of at least 5 feet, you can spend half of it as part of a move to stand up from prone.
Jumping
Jumping
Jumping is a movement modifier that lets you clear gaps or obstacles. Instead of the usual movement cost, you must spend 1 foot of movement for every foot you jump vertically or horizontally (whichever is higher).
When you jump, perform the following series of calculations; don't round until the end. The resulting value is the maximum number of feet you can jump.
- Start with your passive Athletics. Alternatively, you can make an Athletics check and use the result instead.
- If you did not get a running start immediately before jumping, divide the value by 2. To get a running start, you must move in a straight line in the direction you want to jump for a number of feet determined by your size, as shown in the Running Start Distances table. The speed you use to get a running start must be the same speed you use to jump.
- To determine the vertical distance you can clear, divide the value by 2 again.
Running Start Distances
| Size | Running Start |
|---|---|
| Minuscule | 0 ft. |
| Tiny | 5 ft. |
| Small | 10 ft. |
| Medium | 10 ft. |
| Large | 15 ft. |
| Huge | 20 ft. |
| Gargantuan | 25 ft. |
Prone
Prone
Effects of This Condition
- The only movement mode available to you is crawling.
- You have disadvantage on attack rolls.
- An attack roll against you has advantage if the attacker is within 5 feet of you. Otherwise, the attack roll has disadvantage.
Ending This Condition
You can end this condition by standing up, which requires spending half of your walk speed when you move.
Causes of This Condition
Walking
Walking
Walking lets you move in any direction across a non-vertical surface. There is no mechanical distinction between walking and running. If you are on land and lack a walk speed, you fall prone.
Climbing
Climbing
Climbing lets you move in any direction across vertical surfaces. If the surface is particularly difficult to climb, you may have to make an Athletics check to avoid falling off.
Falling
Falling
When you begin falling, you immediately fall 60 feet. While falling, you drop another 180 feet at the start of each of your turns.
On impact, you take one size die of bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet you fell, to a maximum of 20 dice. You land prone unless you avoid taking damage from the fall, such as via the Break Fall reaction.
If you land in a creature's space, that creature must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw. It can choose to fail. On a failed save, the fall damage is split evenly between you and it.
Break Fall
Break Fall
Trigger: you land at the end of a fall
You attempt to land safely. Make an Acrobatics check. The fall damage is reduced by half the result of the check.
Sneaking
Sneaking
Sneaking is a special movement mode that you use at the same time as another movement mode. If you are hidden, sneaking allows you to maintain your Hide DC.
Swimming
Swimming
Swimming lets you travel in any direction through a liquid. While swimming, you don't sink and are immune to the prone condition.
Greatsword
Greatsword
Martial melee weapon
Cost: 50 gp
Damage: 2d6 slashing
Weight: 6 lb.
Properties: heavy, two-handed
Damage: 2d6 slashing
Weight: 6 lb.
Properties: heavy, two-handed
Heavy
Heavy
Due to their weight distribution, Small creaturesExcept those with the Powerful Build trait have disadvantage on attack rolls with heavy weapons.
Two-Handed
Two-Handed
Two hands are required to make an attack with a two-handed weapon.
Pike
Pike
Martial melee weapon
Cost: 5 gp
Damage: 1d10 piercing
Weight: 18 lb.
Properties: heavy, reach (10 ft.), two-handed
Damage: 1d10 piercing
Weight: 18 lb.
Properties: heavy, reach (10 ft.), two-handed
Reach
Reach
The reach of a melee weapon with the "reach" property is given in parentheses after the property's listing.
Scimitar
Scimitar
Martial melee weapon
Cost: 25 gp
Damage: 1d6 slashing
Weight: 3 lb.
Properties: finesse, light
Damage: 1d6 slashing
Weight: 3 lb.
Properties: finesse, light
Finesse
Finesse
Finesse weapons are designed for speed and precision. When you make a melee attack with a finesse weapon, you can use use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls.
Light
Light
A light weapon is small enough to be easily wielded in one hand. Each time you spend at least 2 AP to take the Attack action and use a light weapon for the attack, you can take the Attack action once later that turn as a minor action. The secondary attack—called an offhand attack—must be made with a different light weapon, and it deals half damage.
Attack
Grapple
Grapple
Simple melee weapon
Cost: —
Damage: —
Weight: —
Properties: unarmed
Damage: —
Weight: —
Properties: unarmed
You attempt to grab an opponent with an empty hand or other suitable appendage. On a hit, the target is grappled by you, with you as the grappling creature.
Grappled
Grappled
Grappling is an act that requires two creatures. One creature, the "grappler," has the grappling condition, while the other has this condition (grappled).
Effects of This Condition
- Your speed is halved if you are one size larger than the grappler, or 0 if you are the same size or smaller.
- When you move, you drag the grappler with you.
- If the grappler attempts use the grapple to move you, you can make a Strength saving throw against its passive Athletics. On a success, it can't use the grapple to move you until the start of its next turn.
Ending This Condition
You can attempt to escape the grapple by taking the Disengage action.
Causes of This Condition
This condition is typically inflicted by the grapple attack.
Grappling
Grappling
Grappling is an act that requires two creatures. One creature, the "grappler," has this condition (grappling), while the other has the grappled condition.
Effects of This Condition
- Your speed is halved if you are the same size as the grappled target, or 0 if you are smaller.
- When you move, you drag or push the grappled target with you.
- If you are the same size as the grappled target or larger, you can move it to another space within your reach as a repeatable minor action.
Ending This Condition
You can end the grapple at any time, no action required. The grapple also ends if you become incapacitated or if the target is no longer within your reach.
Causes of This Condition
Disengage
Disengage
Cost: 2 AP
When you take the Disengage action, you attempt to escape from your foes. Your movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks for the rest of the turn. Additionally, if you are grappled, you can make an Athletics or Acrobatics check (your choice) against the passive Athletics score of each creature grappling you. You escape that grapple on a success.
Unarmed
Unarmed
When you use your own body as a weapon, such as when you punch or kick, the body part you use counts as a weapon with the "unarmed" property.
Thaumaturgy
Thaumaturgy
Transmutation cantrip
Components
V
V
Duration
1 minute
1 minute
Casting Time
1 standard action
1 standard action
Range
30 feet
30 feet
You manifest a minor wonder, a sign of supernatural power, within range. You create one of the following magical effects within range.
- Your voice booms up to three times as loud as normal for 1 minute.
- You cause flames to flicker, brighten, dim, or change color for 1 minute.
- You cause harmless tremors in the ground for 1 minute.
- You create an instantaneous sound that originates from a point of your choice within range, such as a rumble of thunder, the cry of a raven, or ominous whispers.
- You instantaneously cause an unlocked door or window to fly open or slam shut.
- You alter the appearance of your eyes for 1 minute.
If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have up to three of its 1-minute effects active at a time, and you can dismiss such an effect as a standard action.
Speak with Animals
Speak with Animals
1st-level divination
Components
V, S
V, S
Duration
10 minutes
10 minutes
Casting Time
1 standard action
1 standard action
Range
Self
Self
You gain the ability to comprehend and verbally communicate with Beasts for the duration. The knowledge and awareness of many beasts is limited by their Intelligence, but at a minimum, beasts can give you information about nearby locations and monsters, including whatever they can perceive or have perceived within the past day. You might be able to persuade a beast to perform a small favor for you, at the DM's discretion.
Drum
Drum
Cost: 6 gp
Weight: 3 lb.
Weight: 3 lb.
Curtal
Curtal
Cost: 20 gp
Weight: 4 lb.
Weight: 4 lb.
Mold Earth
Mold Earth
Transmutation cantrip
Components
S
S
Duration
Instantaneous or 1 hour
Instantaneous or 1 hour
Casting Time
1 standard action
1 standard action
Range
30 feet
30 feet
You choose a portion of dirt or stone that you can see within range and that fits within a 5-foot cube. You manipulate it in one of the following ways:
- If you target an area of loose earth, you can instantaneously excavate it, move it along the ground, and deposit it up to 5 feet away. This movement doesn't involve enough force to cause damage.
- You cause shapes, colors, or both to appear on the dirt or stone, spelling out words, creating images, or shaping patterns. The changes last for 1 hour.
- If the dirt or stone you target is on the ground, you cause it to become difficult terrain. Alternatively, you can cause the ground to become normal terrain if it is already difficult terrain.
If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have no more than two of its non-instantaneous effects active at a time, and you can dismiss such an effect as a standard action.
Difficult Terrain
Difficult Terrain
Each foot traveled through an area of difficult terrain costs 1 extra foot of movement unless otherwise stated. For example, the difficult terrain created by the plant growth costs 3 extra feet of movement per foot traveled. A creature traveling through an area of overlapping sources of difficult terrain only pays the movement cost of the most expensive terrain.
Low furniture, rubble, undergrowth, steep stairs, snow, and shallow bogs are examples of difficult terrain. The space of another creature, whether hostile or not, also counts as difficult terrain.
Earth Tremor
Earth Tremor
1st-level evocation
Components
V, S
V, S
Duration
Instantaneous
Instantaneous
Casting Time
1 standard action
1 standard action
Range
10 feet
10 feet
You cause a tremor in the ground within range. Each creature other than you in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage and is knocked prone. If the ground in that area is loose earth or stone, it becomes difficult terrain until cleared, with each 5-foot-diameter portion requiring at least 1 minute to clear by hand.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 1st.