Races in my game
I apologize in advance for such a long post...please bear with me.
Humans: There are four ethnicities of them taking cue from Forgotten Realms. So as to not get bogged down with campaign specific language I won't use it here. You have "Imperials". They came to the current country from another to live a better life. The lands they came from were over run with evil such as hags, earthbound demon and such. Their leader is this quasi divine person. Cross between Moses and Jesus...he died and came back AND he takes his people to the promise land. I only recently read and saw "Prince Caspian" and saw how the Telmarines were and said "Oh Gawds...that is very much like these guys". After the great war that view softened a bit. Prior to the Great War they were very much like Telmarines in attitude about non-humans. "Merchants" are foreigners from a Slavic-like land similar to Ravenloft Barovia and all. They came with the "Imperials" when they came to the new lands. Third are the "Barbarians". Think of how Europeans treated Native American and you are on the right boat. The "Barbarians" treated them pretty good but were forced off their lands after the "Imperials" + "Merchants" got settled. Lastly are the "Pirates". They have African looks rather than European ones. They do not have lands...they live on ships their whole lives. They actually get sea sick on land...lack of motion bothers them. They use to be the scourge of the seas until the "Great War" in which they became privateers for the "Imperials". The "Imperials" have a religion that will remind people of the Church of Silver Flame from Eberron or the Church of Light from Fading Suns. Initially non-humans had no soul...period per church doctrine. Thusly they had no problem with expansion in the new world. No issues slaughtering goblins and displacing orcs. This changed when they meet halflings. There were like them...but short. Their native religion was even similar. Rather than slaughter and take over...they absorbed them into their country. Similar things happened with other demi humans.
Halflings: Most are fat, hobbit, shire living farmers. There are other ones that are slender gypsy types (PHB standard), mountain dwelling and allied with dwarves and pony riding tall ones allied with elves. All in all...get along with humans well. They adapted the fastest to "Imperial" culture and their language is mostly "Imperial" with a few old halfling words.
Gnomes: Two types. The standard PHB one had a nice kingdom that was on the brink of civil war when "Imperials" stepped in. One wanted a council to rule. The other supported the king. The "Imperials" stepped in and supported the king who in turn is basically a puppet for the "Imperials". The "Imperials" and gnomes loyal to the king squashed the rebels and now live in an oppressive autocratic state. The second gnome is the fey like forest gnome as inspired by D&D 4E.
Dwarves: They live in city states. Each is a different nation for a lack of a better word. They don't all get along. Seeing how good they were in battle and the fact they have smoke powder (Think Iron Kingdoms, not Forgotten Realms) the "Imperials" would keep trading agreements with them, mutual protection pacts (excluding dwarf on dwarf war) and hire them as mercenaries. There are four flavors of dwarf depending on what happened during a cataclysm long ago. Hill Dwarf...standard dwarf. They stayed put and rebuilt. Mountain Dwarf...they went higher in elevation...not deeper in depth. They have griffon riders and the like. Deep Dwarves...think Forgotten Realms Gold Dwarves. When quakes happened they went deeper underground. Lastly Sundered. They were locked out. The trauma caused them to NOT like underground. Think Narnian Dwarves. Great smiths, carpenters and good with their hands...not necessarily miners.
Elves: When the "Imperials" moved west and either slaughtered goblins, orc and bugbears (oh my) for their lands...or added a race to their lands like with halflings the finally came across elves. Not Tolkinesque high elves. No...savage, dark hair, tattooed, woad wearing Wild Elves. Think Grugach or Kagonesti. Nomadic, spartan and everything antithesis to the "Imperials". When they tried to subjugate them like Halflings and Gnomes...they fought back. When the "Imperials" fought back and started to win...they brought in "High Elves". At first the "Imperials" were losing...they thought they were divine mithral clad angels. No one saw one fall in battle. They wielded powerful magic and never took off their armor or showed their faces under their helms. The high elves took command of the Wild Elves and that was the "Elf Wars". This went on for about 4 years...until....well...see orcs for more.
Orc (and other humanoids): There were VERY numerous prior to the "Imperials" coming to town from across the sea. Hobgoblins at one time had cities and an oppressive empire across the country. They were very caste driven with Hobgoblins on top everyone else below. Orcs were looked on as “tribal primitives” and have a druidic outlook…guardian hippie good guy druids…primal nature type…somewhat like Iron Kingdoms druids. With the coming of the “Imperials” from a homeland wrought with monsters and a divine mandate that absolves them of sin for killing an “inhuman” they kicked the hobgoblins and other “inhumans” out by any means possible. There were pushed to the absolutely worst lands that there was. They then plotted, planned and swore revenge. The orcs emerged as two races. The druid tribal type that wanted to stay put and show they can survive and the militant organized type…like Spelljammer Scro….call them “Tough Orcs” for now. A very charismatic and ambitious “Tough Orc” united orcs with other inhuman races and created a “horde” that hit the “Imperial Humans” and the High Elves while in the middle of their squabble. That caused them to put their differences aside and fight together as allies against the “horde”. After the “Allies” one the “Great War” the divided lands up. They gave the “Barbarians” lands…mind you it was horrible wastelands but land is land…and they found gold and iron in it. “Imperials” are now kicking themselves over it. The borders are now set…no “Imperial” expansion into “High Elven” land. The “Wild Elves” have land…and settle now…they have one whole city! The inhumans are back to in-fighting and scrapping out a life away from humans.
Half Races: Half Elves raised by humans are like other half elves. No real change from standard games. Ones raised by elves have different racial abilities and are more elf-like. Orcs are in the same boat. Ones raise by humans...almost always “Barbarians” are like other half orcs in other games. The ones raised by orcs are assassins and other sneaky professions. They are smarter and more inclined to think about stuff before killing it then an orc.
Other Races: There are other ones…but I haven’t really gone into detail about them. I like Goliaths, Raptorans and a few others. Not a big fan of animal headed furries. From on table top sources…I love the idea of Tengu, Asurans and Norn from Guild Wars.
So…this is my setting in a nutshell. I don’t normally share details online…so this is a big deal to me. Please be honest and help me “pimp my game”.
