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Message: <blockquote data-quote="llashismll" data-source="post: 3891303" data-attributes="member: 57222">here are humans and dwarves...HumansHumans are as varied as the waves of the great seas and can be as unexpected as a storm. Humans have exploded across the world and from the spires of the nearly fallen empire to the vastness of the southern plains to the colonies of the unnamed wilds and the trade cities along the central seas, and countless other city states and kingdoms and free cities. As a result they are not only physically diverse but politically and religiously and social diverse as well.Personality: Humans are the most adaptable and ambitious peoples of the world. The northern humans of the central empire tend to be insular and haughty, clinging to the once proud traditions and history of their beloved imperium. The tribes of the south are proud and savage people, constantly harassing the edges of the empire and living their lives in an endless cycle of life among the harsh plains. The humans of the free cities are a varied and independent bunch and here can be found the very paragons of good and the very exemplars of tyranny. The colonists of the far eastern realms are a hardy and grounded folk who worry more about surviving their new world than with the politics and dramas of the west.Physical Description: The Empire: The humans at the heart of what was once the central imperial society in the world have changed little over the years. They stand between 5 ½ and 6 ½ feet tall, and are built solidly weighing in from 140 to 220 pounds, with women often being taller yet slimmer than men. Their skin is often a deep mahogany brown but can also sometimes appear as a light milky brown, as they age their skin darkens so that the eldest of the race often have a very deep and rich brown skin tone. Their hair tends to be wavy and a very dark black, fading to silver as they age. Men wear their hair long to the shoulder and often have ribbons of silks worked in. Women tend to keep their hair no longer than their jaw line and often wear it in severe and straight cut fashions. The eyes of these humans tend towards very pale colors, often watery blues and greens and hazels, with the occasional violet or turquoise. Imperial humans reach adulthood at 16 and live well into their 7th decade.Barbarians: The barbarian hordes of the southern plains are typically larger and more muscular than their northern cousins. They’re appearance is often dictated by whatever Totem-Tribe they belong to, however they are all universally pale with almost white skin and their eyes are one uniform color, no separation between white, iris or pupil.•    Lion: These fierce barbarians are tall and lean, standing well over 6 feet tall and weighing in at around 225 lbs. As all barbarians they are pale, but carry a faint golden sheen to their skin, their hair tends to be golden and thick, often growing in wild manes about their heads. They tend to also keep well maintained beards, kept short and trim for the most part. Their eyes are amber or golden and they stand with a fierce and proud stance.•    Rhino: These huge barbarians are the biggest of the southern tribes, standing at around 6 ½ feet tall on average, but so thickly layered with muscled that they weigh somewhere close to 350 lbs. Although pale, their skin seems to carry a rough texture when seen up close, their hair is shaved off with perhaps just a long braid jutting out of the base of their skull. Their eyes are a deep brown or black and they often walk with a lumbering stride, although when they charge it’s a sight to behold.•    Horse: These lean and very tall barbarians stand closer to 7 feet than 6 and weigh in near 220 lbs, they are lean and muscular. They are pail skinned and tend to keep their bodies and faces shaved; they wear their fine hair in long manes, with the sides of their scalps shaved leaving only a single mane down the center of their head. Their eyes are deep and emphatic light brown or hazel, and they walk with a cantering stride.•    Jackal: These dangerous and sinewy barbarians only stand around 5 ½ feet tall with the tallest being 6 feet, they weigh from 130 to 175 lbs. They are pale and scruffy looking with a lot of body hair and often wear long sideburns. Their hair is worn long and unkept, and they possess sharp and longer than usual canines. Their eyes are a dangerous and icy blue, and they prowl with a nervous and twitchy energy. The Free nations: The people of these nations encompass all the rest of humanity, they come in many shapes and sizes, ranging from 5 feet to 6 feet and weighing from 110 to 200 pounds. Their builds range from skinny to obese and all the differences in between. Their skin can be fair or dark with every shade in between, and their eyes can come in any color of the rainbow. Relations: Humans have at least some sort of relations with everyone, and there can be seen a sprinkling of every race within their cities. They have stronger relations with some than others especially depending on the region from which they come. The Empire is less inclined to deal with or allow in members of the other races at random, and can be counted on to at least keep a semi accurate tally and watch over the other races. The exception is the dwarves from whom they receive one of their border garrisons. Orcs are generally not allowed in at all considering their tensions with Thar, although even the men of the imperium will occasionally bring home an exotic and alluring orc wife. Elves are kept a close watch on and never trusted here, the long held scars of the fey wars before the founding of the empire can still be felt.The Barbarians do not freely mingle with the other races, making exceptions to halflings and occasionally half orcs but not in any sort of broad strokes. They hate the gnolls and see them as the only thing between the tribes and the riches of the north. The free cities and colonies accept and get along with everyone, and it is here that one will find the most representation of the other races.Alignment: Humans can be of any alignment, but in general the empire tends towards lawful and the barbarians towards chaotic. The free cities and colonies run the gamut.Lands: Humans have 4 major regional separations. The empire, founded long ago by the victors of the fey wars, it has held to its long traditions of service and law and it is by its influence that humans have been able to expand as they have. The empire is now in decay and being assailed from within and without. Most of their resources go towards holding the fronts against That and have thus fallen to rely more and more upon the gnolls for their protection to the south. Imperial cities are still spectacles of the grand design that swept across the north at the height of the empire, and their roads once linked the world. The barbarian lands are the south, they are constantly on the move following the game which sustains them, and they consider anything they can see from horizon to horizon to be theirs. The free cities are a series of city states and kingdoms who have broken away from the empire long ago or been founded by exiles of the empire in generations past. The colonies of the far eastern lands are small and isolated and must fend for themselves against a harsh environment as they try to make their fortunes and build lives for themselves away from the shadows of war and the empire.  Religion: The empire still retains a fallen god, but just like the empire has decayed over time so has this god, the Blade of the World. This god once inspired the humans onto greatness and fueled their imperial ambitions, their emperors and heroes cried its name as they strode forth into the darkness of the world and brought with them the light of civilization. Now this gods powers are failing and it may be actually dying, the priests and exemplars of the god cannot explain why this is happening and it remains a great mystery and also a great secret that must never leave human lands. The barbarians of the tribes worship totem spirits which infuse them with strength and inhuman abilities, each barbarian has a personal relationship with the totem and there are no shamans or priests to get in the way of their communication with their small gods. The humans of the free cities tend to worship a variety of spirits and idols, they tend to be superstitious and any given human city might have hundred of daily rituals practiced throughout, there is little organized religion present here. The colonies tend to offer worship to the primal elementals and spirits of nature which live so close to their settlements, they tend to offer these prayers more out of fear then any sense of true devotion. Language: The human tongue was once prevalent throughout the world, but with the influx of trade common has fallen to the wayside when it comes to interracial communication. There are still many regional dialects which humans are proficient in. Their written language is the language of the empire and the characters which comprise it are flowing and very artistic.Names: Adventurers: Humans become adventurers for any number of reasons. They are the most daring and audacious of peoples and a  human adventurer can come from any background imaginable. Racial Traits•    Medium: As medium creatures humans have no special penalties or bonuses for their size.•    Human base land speed is 30 feet.•    1 extra bonus feat at 1st level, humans are quick to master specialized tasks and are varied in their talents.•    4 extra skill points at 1st level and 1 extra skill point at each additional level, since humans are versatile and capable.•    Maximum rank in any skill is increased by 1, humans tend to be able to master wide-ranging skills more quickly than other races.•    Weapon Familiarity: Humans may treat Bastard Sword (one handed) as martial weapons.•    Automatic Languages: Trade Common and Regional dialect •    Bonus Languages: Any except Draconic•    Favored Classes: Any•    4th level ability: Jack of all Trades, after only some experience in the world do humans become able to tap into even unknown skills with ease.•    8th level ability: Bonus feat, with more experience come even more ability to master special talents and tasks.•    12th level ability: +2 bonus to any ability score. Humans after gaining in more and more experience become greater than they were; stronger, faster, smarter, hardier, wiser, and captivating.•    16th level ability: Bonus feat, with more experience come even more ability to master special talents and tasks.•    20th level ability: +2 bonus to any ability score. Humans after gaining in more and more experience become greater than they were; stronger, faster, smarter, hardier, wiser, and captivating.DwarvesDwarves are known for the Endless War in which they have been embroiled for more than an age. They are stoic and hardy folk who are able to withstand and resist most magical attacks and their battles have hardened every dwarf into a capable warrior. They have vast skill in the arts of crafting and war, and their hidden empire beneath the world spans in all directions and is also beset in all directions.Personality: Dwarves are stoic and slow to jest, their endless war have given them a pessimistic outlook upon life and they devote themselves to war which will never end beneath the world. Dwarves values those whom manage to prove themselves to them especially when it come to the Endless War. Dwarves value things which will help them in the crafts of warfare, and heavy metals and stone hold special significance to them. They can be shrewd and canny traders and rarely will a dwarf end up on the losing end of a barter.Physical Description: Dwarves stand anywhere from 4 to almost 5 feet tall, but they are so broad and densely muscled that they tend to weigh as much if not more than humans. Dwarf men are slightly heavier than women, but the difference tends to be negligible most times. Dwarf skin tones range from a deep charcoal gray to light shades of slate and even alabaster, with their skin texture being generally very craggy and rough and only smoothing out with age, so that the eldest dwarves have lost most of the definition on their faces and when standing still tend to appear more like statues than living beings. Their hair is course and is usually white or black with very few dwarves having a brilliant red which is worn long and often pulled back with a heavy stone ring. Dwarf men value their beards greatly and go to great pains to groom them and braid or plait them. Dwarves favor simple and functional styles for their clothing and often incorporate some element of armor into even everyday clothes, never knowing when the next incursion will be. Dwarves are considered full adults after having served 5 years in an outpost on the fringes of the empire, this can be anywhere from 20 to 40 years of age and they live well into their 4th century…however most don’t make it that far, more often becoming a casualty of the endless war. Relations: Dwarves have little contact with other races, being consumed by the war which affects all aspects of their lives. Humans are often traded with and the dwarven host has sent a contingent of dwarven warriors to help the crumbling human empire gold their own borders against the march of Thar. This service is often viewed as repayment for the bravery and dedication of the human hero, Thalis, who long ago struck deep into ranks of the endless host who assail the dwarves, his actions brought to the dwarves fifty years of peace, not so long in the eyes of a dwarf but fifty years that’s they had never before had. Dwarves are naturally inclined to be at odd with the elves, their fickle and chaotic nature opposite to the dwarves orderly and structured lives. Hobs are commonly seen within the dwarven tunnels on monastic missions seeking to test themselves against the nameless hordes of the underworld, and the dwarves welcome their silent and stoic assistance. Gnolls are not well known except by reputation, and dwarves are generally inclined to admire the vigilance of the gnolls and their ability in battle. Orcs are not tolerated by dwarves and the savage species is often in conflict with the dwarves for the prime real estate near the surface of the mountains. The Yuan Ti are a mystery for the most part and since the dwarves have a way of dealing with whatever fell wastes erupt beneath the earth, even their paladins are little seen. Halflings are valued for the news they bring and the valuable trade goods, but dwarves tend to treat them gruffly, they do not wish for the diminutive people to become too close to the dwarves and their dangerous struggles un the underworld. Goblins are viewed as a nuisance to the dwarves and although they will occasionally shelter them from the ravages of the elves, since the elves hold no power under the earth, they never do so for long.   Alignment: Dwarves are very lawful, and believe in well ordered lives. This is the vein which protects them from the chaos of the deeps as well as the chaos of the elves. Evil dwarves are very rare and they tend more often than not towards good or neutrality.Lands: The dwarven empire stretches far and wide in all direction from the heart of the world. Deep below the sun drenched lands they dig their tunnels. At some point in the far distant past they dug too far and too deep and let loose the nameless hordes of the under, and have fought their endless war ever since. They fight a constant battle to keep their own borders, and the edges of the empire shift with alarming regularity. The Dwarves keep no lands above ground, and have been forced to focus on their own deeply delved lands for countless generations now. There are no true cities in the empire, instead everything spreads from the central hub of the empire, The Deeping, and so everything is more akin to one gigantic city than a series of separate ones, and is divided instead into districts, since vast stretches of the “city” are empty tunnels and mining shafts.Religion: The dwarves worship one of the fallen gods which lies far from the center of their empire, The Sleeping Keeper. It is believed that this is the reason the dwarves delved so far in the first place, they heard the call of the Sleeping Keeper and went in search of it. For many years the dwarves searched the deepest parts of the world, trying to reach this fallen god, and when they did they found that in their fervor they had opened passages to places in the world that were never meant to be opened. The dwarves defend the site of where the Sleeping Keeper fell, and fight to keep the vast hordes from reaching it. Their god helps them in any way it can, knowing that if it fell into the keeping of the nameless hordes that all would be lost. Language: The dwarves speak in a baritone and rumbling voice, which reminds one of cascading rocks in the deep parts of the world. Their written tongue is runic in nature and very precise. Names:Adventurers: Dwarven adventurers are often those few dwarves who come to the surface seeking some great power that might help their people in the corse of their war. Some dwarves are on the surface on assignment to serve in the garrison among the humans and some very few dwarves are deserters, who have grown tired of a life of endless war.Racial Traits•    +2 Constitution -2 Dexterity: Dwarves are hardy and tough, but they tend to be slower and less agile than others. Much like the earth and stone from which they come. •    Medium: As medium creatures dwarves have no special penalties or bonuses for their size.•    Dwarf base land speed is 20 feet. However dwarves can move at this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load.•    Darkvision: Dwarves can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and dwarves can function with no light at all.•    Stonecunning: This ability grants a dwarf a +2 racial bonus on Search checks to notice unusual stonework, such as sliding walls, stonework traps, new construction, unsafe stone surfaces, shaky stone ceilings and the like. Something that isn’t stone but is disguised as stone also counts as unusual stonework. A dwarf who merely comes within 10 feet of unusual stonework can make a Search check as if he was actively searching and a dwarf can use the Search skill to locate stonework traps as a rogue can. A dwarf can also intuit depth, sensing his approximate depth underground as naturally as a human can sense which way is up. Dwarves have a sixth sense about stonework, an innate ability they get plenty of opportunity to practice and hone in their underground empires.•    Weapon Familiarity: Dwarves may treat dwarven waraxes and dwarven urgroshes as martial weapons.•    Stability: Dwarves are exceptionally stable on their feet. A dwarf gains a +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed, tripped or overrun when standing on the ground.•    +2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells and spell like abilities. Dwarves are innately resistant to magic.•    +2 racial bonus on saving throws against toxins. Dwarves are hardy and able to better resist toxic gases, liquids and substances. •    +1 racial bonus on attack and damage rolls against aberrations and oozes. Dwarves have battle the aberrations of the deeps for countless generations and have developed a special sort of ferocity when fighting them.•    +2 racial bonus on Craft and Appraise checks that are related to stone, metal or gemstone. Dwarves are familiar with valuable objects of all kinds, and their skill at working these items is unsurpassed. •    Automatic Languages: Trade Common and Dwarven •    Bonus Languages: Orc, Goblin, Hob, Terran and Sporegan •    Favored Classes: Fighter and Cleric•    4th level ability: Improved Stonecunning, dwarves add another +2 bonus to their Search checks when detecting unusual stonework and can automatically notice unusual stonework from an additional 10 feet away. Dwarves can also now intuit direction while underground always knowing where the center of the empire lies. Craft Expertise: Dwarves become master craftsmen, adding half their character level to any Craft check made using stone, metal or gemstones.•    8th level ability: Aberrations and Oozes become favored enemies as the Ranger ability. Dwarves gain a +2 bonus to Perception, Bluff, Sense Motive, and Survival checks against Aberrations and oozes as well as gaining a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls against them. If the dwarf already has aberrations or oozes as their favored enemy the bonuses stack.•    12th level ability: +2 bonus to Constitution or Strength, with time and experience dwarves become even tougher and stronger, the better to survive in a harsh environment and during a life of constant warfare. •    16th level ability: Tremorsense, dwarves of this level of power have forged a special bond with the earth they become part of it and it becomes another one of their senses. A dwarf can sense the location of any creature that is in contact with the ground within 60 feet. As long as the other creature is taking physical actions the dwarf can home in on it, if no straight path exists the dwarf can intuit the shortest direct route to the creature.•    20th level ability: +2 bonus to Constitution or Strength, with time and experience dwarves become even tougher and stronger, the better to survive in a harsh environment and during a life of constant warfare.</blockquote>

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