Races of Cormuth Condensed Version

These are the races I’m allowing for the campaign.  There’s no new information here, but I’ve done my best to condense the races into a short description to help you decide which is best for you.  Racial Skills, noted in the description of each entry, may be purchased as “class” skills.  The favored alignment is a preferred attitude for that race, but nothing that you need adopt. 

·         Ardenite Human – essentially the English or German.  Ardenites are ruled by a king and the monotheistic Church of Di (pronounced “Dee”) is prominent in their culture.  Most of the Arden lead a pastoral life, farming the plains and never leaving their own tight knit communities.  Although the Church of Di is strict and discourages bad behavior, the Arden are known to be social people with a love of drink and storytelling.  Racial Benefits: no attribute adjustments, +1 Bonus Feat, +4 starting skills (with +1/level afterward), Racial Skills: gather information, handle animal, perform, and knowledge (nature).  Favored Class: any, Additional Languages – Trade Tongue and Auld Arden.  Favored Alignment: NG

·         Boebb Human – Vikings, maybe with some Irish/Scottish thrown in.  Ruled by a Jarl, a feudal lord or war chief, the Boebb are divided into clans and were all nomadic until the great unifier, Boebb, brought them together.  The Boebb believe in family and are thought by others to have weak morals (especially regarding property).  Their language is called “Northman” and is part sign language and signals.  Originally, it had no “words” and was used for scouting, hunting and raiding.  Racial Benefits: as other humans above with the following exceptions: Racial Skills – Athletics, Bluff, Survival and Handle Animal.  Automatic Languages: Trade Tongue and Northman.  Favored Alignment: CN.

·         Weston Empire Humans – Romans.  Governed by a republic, with an emperor and a senate.  The Westons believe in strength and self reliance.  They are technologically, militarily and philosophically advanced in comparison to other human societies, but they are landlocked and hampered by tall mountains, unable to expand.  The Weston Empire has conquered many indigenous peoples and in some cases, incorporated their beliefs with their own.  Racial Benefits:  no attribute adjustments, +1 Bonus Feat, +4 starting skills (with +1/level afterward), Favored Class: any, Additional Languages – Trade Tongue and Higher Weston.  Racial Skills: Diplomacy, Athletics, Knowledge (Academics) and Knowledge (Religion).  Favored Alignment: LN.

·         Trueborn Elves – are tall and willowy, long lived folk with an ancient past.  Elves are good with magic and this makes the Arden think they may be evil.  Legends abound about the mysteries and fowl deeds of the Elves.  Elves are quite rare in the human lands.  They tend to live with one another or in quiet seclusion, far away from the eyes of man. Racial Benefits: +2INT, -2CON, +2 to saves vs. Enchantment School or magical charm effects, immune to magical aging effects, Elven Attention To Detail (+2 Search, +2 to Craft), Low Light Vision, Keen Vision (+4 to offset range penalties), Longevity, Racial Skills: Appraise, Knowledge (Academics), Knowledge (Arcana), and Notice.  Favored Class: Wizards, Automatic Languages: Elven and Trade Tongue, Optional: +1 Attractive Perk, -2 Saves vs. Disease Quirk.  Favored Alignment: CG.

·         Spritelings – are short (4’) and wiry, with big eyes, large pointy ears and delicate angular features.  The humans think that Spritelings are Elves and the Spritelings don’t generally go out of their way to discourage this notion.  Spritelings generally avoid humans like the plague, but occasionally, their inborn curiosity gets the best of them.  They live in harmony with nature and build their homes in and around the environment.  Because Spritelings feel so adamant about how best to use nature’s resources, Spritelings are often at odds with their human neighbors.  They hold the quaint notion that no man owns the land.  Racial Benefits: +2 DEX, -2 INT,  Small Size, “Elven” Weapon Proficiencies, +2 Racial Bonus to Move Silent, Survival, Acrobatics and Athletics checks, Keen Hearing (+4 to offset range penalties for hearing), Low Light Vision, Wild Empathy as a 1^st level druid, Spriteling Druids gain a +2 bonus to this ability.  Racial Skills: survival, athletics, acrobatics, move silently, Favored Class: Rogue, Automatic Languages: Elven and Trade Tongue, Favored Alignment: Neutral.

·         Stonehand Dwarves – Dwarves don’t get out much, so you may need to decide what made your particular Dwarf want to wander.  Stonehand is a law abiding, almost communistic society through necessity.  They still have a King, but each individual knows his role in Stonehand society and a strong sense of personal duty ever present.  After centuries of war, the Stonehand and the Boebb finally agreed to be friends and now have an almost symbiotic national relationship.  Racial Benefits: as Dwarves in the PHB.  Racial Skills: Appraisal, Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering), Intimidate and Sense Motive.  Favored Alignment: LG.

·         Aasimar – the result of couplings between a human and a celestial being.  Aasimar are rare but not unheard of.  Your most important decision is what human society you come from.  Generally, Aasimar are revered or scorned by their people.  Aasimar have some physical distinction which sets them apart from the rest of their people.  Some of them actually give off light, surrounded by a holy aura.  Racial Benefits: +2 CON, +2 WIS.  ECV +1, Innate Spells (once per day cast as an equal level Sorcerer): light, divine favor, consecrate, daylight.  +5 Resistance to Acid, Cold and Electric.  Environmental Survival – Cold.  Dark Vision, Racial Skill Bonus: +2 Sense Motive, +2 Athletics.  Racial Skills: as Human parent.  Automatic Languages: As Human parent.  Favored Class: Paladin.  Favored Alignment: Any non Evil, optional: +1 Attractive Perk, +2 vs. Fear Perk, -2 Distinctive Features Quirk.

·         Tiefling – similar to Aasimar, you are the “devil child” of one Human parent and one Infernal parent.  You must decide what Human society you come from and how they dealt with you.  Tiefling are generally very social but have some distinctive feature which are hard to hide and sets them apart from other humans.  They’re outgoing, but frequently rejected by society, which may lead to bitterness and fuel their natural predilection to chaos.  Racial Benefits: +2 DEX, +2 CHR. ECV +1, Innate Spells (Cast as an equal level Sorcerer once/day): Prestidigitation, Doom, Summon Swarm and Curse.  +5 Resistance to Fire, Electric and Cold damage.  Environmental Survival – Heat.  Dark Vision, Racial Skill Bonus: +2 Acrobatics, +2 Bluff (Tieflings are more flexible than other races and have a way with stretching the truth).  Racial Skills: As Human Parent.  Automatic Languages: As Human Parent.  Favored Class: Bard.  Favored Alignment: Any non Good.  Optional: +1 Attractive Perk, +2 Saves vs. Poison Perk, -2 Disticntive Features Quirk.