D&D 5E Tarras: A Homebrewed Campaign Setting

[Knightfall]

Tarras: A Homebrewed 5E Campaign Setting​

Spoiler: World Origins

So, I just recently bought the core books for 4th Edition. I had told myself I wouldn't do it, but once Dark Sun was announced, it became inevitable that I'd buy at least the PHB, DMG, and MM. (I've also bought PHB2 and MM2 as well as Manual of the Planes, The Plane Below, and Underdark.)​

Now, I haven't read them all yet, but I have started reading the PHB and looked through the MM and MM2. It's definitely a different kind of game and there are some things I've already decided to change.

First up, each PHB and PHB II race is going to have a minus 2 racial adjustment to one stat (except humans). That change is a given (see below).

I haven't really thought too much about how I want Tarras to be but it will definitely be a different creation than World of Kulan. The map is below. That map is the entire campaign world. I've placed terrain and some cities, ruins, and other locales. It's not much more than what you see on the map, at this point.

More on this in the next week,

Knightfall

While there will be a few 4e concepts (i.e fluff) that I still use for Tarras, it is going to be designed with another RPG system in mind. However, I've already decided that this world won't be a v.3.5 or Pathfinder world. And I'm using Castles & Crusades for my Dark World setting. Tarras might go BECMI (or maybe 2e [less likely]), but I haven't decided yet. The system I use will likely be a D&D-based system, since I prefer D&D to anything else. (It's what I know. )

UPDATE: Tarras is now being conceived with 5th Edition D&D in mind!

​

 

[Knightfall]

STANDARD RACES
Common Races
Dwarf
Dwarf, Hill
Elf
Elf, High
Firbolgborn *
Gnome, Cityfied *
Halfling
Halfling, Hairfoot
Hobgoblin [VG]
Human
Human, Aalrian *
Human, Sholite *
Ratling [RH]
Ratling, Blackfur [RH]

Uncommon Races (75% chance)
Catfolk *
Dragonborn
Gnome
Halfling, Feral [RH]
Halfling, Stout
Half-Elf
Half-Orc
Human, Anoccan *
Human, Tantuscan *
Kenku [VG]
Kenku, Tengu[RH]
Ratling, Whitefur [RH]

Rare Races (50% chance)
Bullywug [RH]
Catfolk, Ravenwild *
Dwarf, Mountain
Elf, Wood
Gnome, Rock
Goblin [VG]
Half-Dwarf [RH]
Half-Giant, Hill [RH]
Half-giant, Stone [RH]
Kenku, Nightcrier [RH]
Kenku, Shinefeather [RH]

Very Rare Races (25% chance)
Catfolk, Sholite *
Drow
Dwarf, Azerblood [RH]
Dwarf, Duergar [MTF]
Firbolg [VG]
Giant, Wood (Voadkyn) *
Gnome, Forest
Half-Giant, Cloud [RH]
Half-Giant, Fire [RH]
Half-Giant, Frost [RH]

 

[Knightfall]

NONSTANDARD RACES (50% chance)
Common Races (75% chance)
Aarakocra [EEPC]
Bugbear [VG]
Centaur [GGR]
Gith, Pirate of *
Gnoll *
Goblin, Forest [RH]
Goblin, Snow *
Goliath [VG]
Grippli [RH]
Kobold [VG]
Kobold, Dragonscale [RH]
Lizardfolk [VG]
Minotaur, Tantuscan *
Orc, Embersworn *

Uncommon Races (50% chance)
Centaur, Charger *
Centaur, Runt *
Elf, Eladrin [DMG]
Githzerai [MTF]
Gnome, Chaos [RH]
Goblin, Cave [RH]
Half-Orog [RH]
Kor [PSZ]
Lizardfolk, Blackscale *
Minotaur [GGR]
Orc [VG]
Tabaxi [VG]
Troglodyte [RH]
Tiefling, Abyssal [UATOBM (variant)]

Rare Races (25% chance)
Aasimar [DMG]
Centaur, Roanshield *
Changling [EBR]
Githyanki [MTF]
Glimmerfolk [RH]
Gnome, Deep [MTF]
Gnome, Xvart [RH]
Half-Troll [RH]
Lizardfolk, Poison Dusk *
Loxodon [GGR]
Seedling [RH]
Shadar-Kai [MTF]
Tiefling, Infernal (all) [MTF]
Troglodyte, Redscale *
Warforged [EBR]
Yuan-Ti, Pureblood [VG]
Yuan-Ti, Flamebrood *

Vary Rare Races (10% chance)
Bladeling [RH]
Elf, Sea [MTF]
Genasi [EEPC]
— Air
— Earth
— Fire
— Water
Kuo-Toa [RH]
Minotaur, Cursed *
Myconid [RH]
Shifter (aka Wandel) [EBR]
— Beasthide (aka Tierfell)
— Longtooth (Langezahn)
— Swiftstride (aka Lange Schritt)
— Wildhunt (aka Vildjage)
Stonechild [RH]
Triton [VG]
Vedalken [GGR]
Yuan-Ti, Halfblood [RH]

EBR = Eberron: Rising From the Last War; EEPC = Elemental Evil Player's Companion; GGR = Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica; MTF = Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes; PSZ = Plane Shift: Zendikar; RH = Racial Handbook (DM's Guild); SCAG = Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide; UATOBM = Unearthed Arcana That Old Black Magic; VG = Volo's Guide to Monsters.
* Homebrewed racial traits.

 

[Knightfall]

CLASSES (w/ Archetypes, Traditions, Et Al.)

Common Class Options
Barbarian
— Path of the Berserker
— Path of the Storm Herald [XG]
Bard
— College of Lore
— College of Swords [XG]
Cleric
— Life Domain [Basic Rules] *
Druid
— Circle of the Land
— Circle of the Shepherd [XG]
Fighter
— Champion
Monk
— Way of the Drunken Master [XG]
Ranger
— Hunter
Rogue
— Swashbuckler [SCAG]
— Thief
Sorcerer
— Sea Sorcery [UASSO]
— Shadow Magic [XG]
— Storm Sorcery [SCAG/XG]
Warlock
— Raven Queen [UAWnW]
Wizard
— Abjurer
— Diviner
— Enchanter

Uncommon Class Options (75% chance)
Barbarian
— Path of the Ancestral Guardian [XG]
— Path of the Battlerager (dwarves, half-dwarves, minotaurs [non-cursed]) [SCAG]
Bard
— College of Satire [UAKoO]
— College of Valor
Druid
— Circle of Spores [GGR]
— Circle of Twilight [UAD]
Fighter
— Knight [UAFMA]
— Sharpshooter [UAFMA]
Monk
— Way of the Four Elements
— Way of the Sun Soul [SCAG/XG]
Mystic [UATMC]
— Order of the Awakened
— Order of the Nomad
Paladin
— Oath of Conquest [XG]
— Oath of Devotion
Ranger
— Beast Master
— Horizon Walker [XG]
Rogue
— Mastermind [SCAG/XG]
— Scout [XG]
Sorcerer
— Pyromancer [PSK]
— Wild Magic
Warlock
— Archfey
— The Hexblade [XG]
Wizard
— Bladesinging (catfolk, elves, half-elves) [SCAG]
— Lore Mastery [UAWnW]
— Transmuter

Rare Class Options (50% chance)
Artificer [EBR]
— Alchemist
Barbarian
— Path of the Totem Warrior
Bard
— College of Whispers [XG]
Druid
— Circle of Dreams [XG]
— Circle of the Moon
Fighter
— Arcane Archer [XG]
— Cavalier [XG]
— Monster Hunter [UAGH]
Monk
— Way of Shadow
— Way of the Kensai [XG]
Mystic [UATMC]
— Order of the Immortal
Paladin
— Oath of the Crown [SCAG]
— Oath of Treachery [UAPSO]
Ranger
— Deep Stalker [UALDU]
— Primeval Guardian [UARnR]
Rogue
— Assassin
— Soulknife [UAPOR]
Sorcerer
— Divine Soul [XG]
— Stone Sorcery [UASSO]
Warlock
— Fiend
— The Undying Light [UALDU]
Wizard
— Illusionist
— Invoker

Vary Rare Class Options (25% chance)
Artificer [EBR]
— Artillerist (must worship a deity with the Forge Domain)
— Battle Smith
Barbarian
— Path of the Zealot [XG]
Bard
— College of Glamour [XG]
Fighter
— Battle Master
— Eldritch Knight
— Samurai [XG]
Monk
— Way of the Open Hand
— Way of Tranquility [UAMMT]
Mystic [UATMC]
— Order of the Avatar
— Order of the Wu Jen
Paladin
— Oath of the Ancients
— Oath of Vengeance
Rogue
— Arcane Trickster
— Inquisitive [XG]
Sorcerer
— Draconic Bloodline
— Phoenix Sorcery [UASSO]
Warlock
— Great Old One
Wizard
— Conjurer
— Necromancer

EBR = Eberron: Rising From the Last War; GGR= Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica; PSK = Plane Shift Kaladesh; SCAG: Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide; UABC = UA Bard Colleges; UABPP = UA Barbarian Primal Paths; UACDV = UA Class Design Variants; UAD = UA Druid; UAFMA = UA Fighter Martial Archetypes; UAGH = UA Gothic Heroes; UAKoO = UA Kits of Old; UALDU = UA Light, Dark, Underdark!; UAMMT = UA Monk Monastic Traditions; USPOR = UA Psionic Options Revisited; UAPSO = UA Paladin Sacred Oaths; UARnR = UA Ranger & Rogue; UASSO = UA Sorcerer Sorcerous Origins; UATMC = UA The Mystic Class; UAWA = UA Waterborne Adventures; UAWnW = UA Warlock & Wizard; XG = Xanathar's Guide to Everything

* All other PC clerics are considered uncommon or rare depending on the deity chosen.

 

[Knightfall]

BACKGROUNDS
Common
Acolyte
Criminal
Entertainer
Sailor
Soldier

Uncommon (75% chance)
Charlatan
Folk Hero
Knight
Pirate

Rare (50% chance)
Guild Artisan
Noble
Outlander
Urchin

Very Rare (25% chance)
Gladiator
Guild Merchant
Hermit
Spy

 

[Knightfall]

DEITIES
The list isn't finalized yet. Regardless, there will always be an equal amount of deities in each section. I've used the Etruscan names for various Greek deities; however, I've used the "Dawn War" names for Athena and Tyche. The Etruscan names might stick or I'll come up with new names for those deities in a similar way that WotC did for the Dawn War pantheon. All of the mythology-based names might get a unique name for Tarras.

Good
Aengus: Nature, Trickery.
Alpanu: Death, Life. **
Aritimi (aka Artemis): Life, Nature. **
Avandra (aka Tyche): Trickery.
Bahamut: Life, War. *
Balder: Life, Light.
Belenus: Light.
Lasas: Grave (XG), Life. **
Oberon: Nature, Trickery. *
Sif: Protection (UA), War.
Titania: Arcana (SCAG), Life, Nature. *
Thor: Tempest, War.
Turan (aka Aphrodite): Life, Light. **
Turms: Trickery. **

Neutral
Cel (aka Gaia): Knowledge, Nature. **
Erathis (aka Athena): Forge (XG), Knowledge, Protection (UA). ***
Ishtar: Arcana (SCAG), Knowledge, Life.
Kavtha: Light. **
Lord of Cats: Nature, Trickery. *
Melora: Nature, Tempest.
Nethuns: Nature, Tempest. **
Pacha (aka Dionysus): Life. **
Pan: Nature.
Raven Queen (akin to Hel and/or Wee Jas): Life, Death, Grave (XG). *
Selvans (aka Silvanus): Nature. **
Tinia (aka Zeus): Forge (XG), Order (GGR), Tempest. **
Tyr: Knowledge, War.
Uni (aka Hera): Arcana (SCAG), Trickery. **

Evil
Arawn: Life, Death.
Cilens: Nature, Trickery. * / **
Laran (aka Ares): Forge (XG), Order (GGR), War. **
Leinth: Arcana (SCAG), Death. **
Loki: Arcana (SCAG), Trickery.
Morrigan: War.
Nemain: Death, War. *
Queen of Air and Darkness: Arcana (SCAG), Death, Nature. *
Surtur: War. *
Thrym: War. *
Tiamat: Trickery. *
Torog: Death. *
Tuchulcha: Death, Grave (XG). * / **
Zehir (aka Set): Trickery, Death.

* PC clerics of these deities are considered rare. All other PC clerics are considered uncommon, unless the player chooses to play an unaligned cleric. Unaligned clerics use the Basic Rules cleric but cannot be evil.
** Etruscan deity.
*** Also known as Menrva.

 

[Knightfall]

CAT RACES
Catfolk
"I have always had a love for catlike races. The rakasta from the Mystara campaign setting. The tabaxi, as well. Anyone who has studied my Kulan campaign world knows that I'm a bit obsessed with the various catmen of D&D. One of those races, the catfolk, isn't as prominent in that world, so I figured I'd use that generic race as the lone catlike race for Tarras." - RPB

The catfolk are an enigma on Tarras. In the opinion of scholars, the race's history doesn't truly exist. The catfolk just are. They've been around for centuries but no one can say where they came from. The catfolk don't even know. Their oral legends speak of an "otherworld" where their divine master created them. This Lord of Cats is a mysterious figure and its demesne is an unknown star on an unknown plane.

What is known is that the catfolk are everywhere. The race is prolific and highly adaptable. Yes, they are more comfortable in the world's warmer regions but that hasn't stopped them from living all across Tarras. They are drawn to both rural and urban environments equally and tend to be excellent rangers and rogues. They excel with ranged weapons and their best warriors can shoot arrow for arrow when challenged by humans (and sometimes elves).

Catfolk are as common as half-elves and half-orcs, and they often receive similar treatment as those two half-bred races do by humans and savage humanoids such as gnolls and hobgoblins. Elves treat them with dignity but rarely do they form strong bonds with the short-lived catfolk. Dwarves consider them flighty while halflings consider them almost kindred.

Catfolk tend to get into trouble, a lot. They are very curious, which often leads to misunderstandings. If it wasn't for their uncanny luck, they'd have died out long ago. Having a catfolk companion always leads to new, and often dangerous, adventures. For their part, catfolk tend to leap before they look and see a new obstacle as a challenge to overcome. And they're more than willing to drag their closest friends along for the ride, willing or not.

Catfolk Traits
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.
Age. Catfolk are fast to mature — typically reaching adulthood at the age of 16. Mental maturity often takes longer. Regardless, Catfolk youngsters often leave their parents protection before the age of 18. Catfolk can live to be 70 to 90 years old.
Alignment. Catfolk are chaotic in the extreme but they also tend towards the moral path of good deeds. However, a catfolk's sense of right and wrong is often at odds with the ideals of other races, especially those of dwarves.
Size. Catfolk range from under 5 to over 6 feet tall and have builds similar to humans and half-elves. Females tend to be more lithe. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 35 feet.
Darkvision. Accustomed to night on dusky plains, you have superior vision in dark or dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Keen Senses. You have proficiency in the Perception skill.
Lucky. When you roll a 1 on an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll.
Stealthy. You have proficiency in the Stealth skill.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Feline. Catfolk use the Feline language amongst their own kind, but they are quick to converse with other races in Common or some other language. Feline is an abrupt language full of growling and hissing sounds. Catfolk don't like long-winded conversations. The catfolk word for 'debate' is the same as for 'bored'. Catfolk that choose to learn other languages other than Common often choose the languages of gnolls and halflings.

Patron Deity: Lord of Cats

"Heroism is good but danger is more fun." - a catfolk proverb/joke​

Subraces

• Catfolk, Ravenwild
• Catfolk, Sholite

---

Alternate Catfolk racial traits: Supreme Slayer's Racial Handbook (p. 2).

---

Tabaxi [VG]
Description still to be written.

Patron Deity: Lord of Cats

 

[Knightfall]

DWARVES
Dwarf
Dwarves value strength and skill. They live for resiliency and stoicism. They are also known for being gruff and a bit unpleasant; and while this is true when dwarves adventure with other races, they tend to be more gregarious amongst their own people. An adventuring companion that witnesses such a display is often unnerved.

Dwarves feel a kinship towards gnomes, but they rarely admire them. They find elves to be puffed up and flighty; however, they respect their fighting abilities. Dwarves admire the ability of humans to be able to adapt and strive for greatness, but they realize that humans, as a race, rarely honor such achievements beyond one or two generations. Dwarves admire halflings just for being halflings.

Like elves, dwarves have little tolerance for goblinoids and orcs, but they will give half-orcs the benefit of the doubt, once. Dwarves have an ingrained racial hatred for giants including hill giants, ogres, and trolls. Wars between dwarven clans and ogre tribes are often legendary.

Dwarves believe strongly in a Lawful society as long as that society looks towards the Good for its people. This belief is what usually causes friction between dwarves and elves. Dwarves want order while elves want freedom.

Patron Deity: Tinia.

"I like to see what I kill." - The response from a dwarven ally to the spoken bravado of his elven ally's well placed bow shot​

Subraces

• Azerblood (RH, p. 2)
• Duergar (MTF, p. 81)
• Dwarf, Hill (PHB, p. 20)
• Dwarf, Mountain (PHB, p. 20)
• Half-Dwarf (RH, p. 2)

Azerblood
Description still to be written.

Patron Deities: Erathis or Surtur

Duergar [MTF]
The Duergar, or gray dwarves, are a race of dwarves that live entirely underground. This makes them rare on Tarras since the world's underdark is sparse when it comes to areas that aren't underwater. Duergar males are completely bald while their females usually have long, thin hair that is kept braided off to one side. (The rest is usually shaved off.) Grays take dwarven unpleasantness to the extreme, and they like to think their way out of bad situations.

The Duergar do not get along with other races. They hate other dwarves with a passion, and they despise dark elves, as rivals for the underdark. In truth, Duergar don't associate with other races unles they are either enslaving or warring with them. They do respect races that fight back with vigor (like dragonborn and minotaurs) but that won't stop them from killing these foes with malice. Thus, any Duergar that chooses to become an adventurer and willingly associate with other races is considered a pariah (unless the gray is secretly spying on his 'so-called' companions).

The Duergar are more likely to associate with goblinoids or giants than the standard races of Tarras. But when they do so, it isn't an association that is equal. Goblins and kobolds make good slaves while hobgoblins make tolerable 'temporary' partners (but not always). Gray dwarves respect the strength and warlike nature of hobgoblins, but they never truly trust them, especially hobgoblins who choose to live in human-dominated cities such as Tantus.

The Duergar are highly Lawful, almost to fanaticism. They are also inherently Evil as a society. Gray dwarves that choose to become adventurers tend to be more Neutral in their outlook, but a gray dwarf who isn't lawful is considered odd. Good gray dwarves are considered an aberration and are usually hunted by their kin.

Patron Deities: Cilens and Laran.

Spoiler: Archived Homebrewed Traits

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1, and your Intelligence score increases by 1.
Superior Darkvision. Your darkvision has a radius of 120 feet.
Sunlight Sensitivity. You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the targets of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Silent Watcher. You have proficiency with both the Perception skill and the Stealth skill.
Duergar Resilience. You have advantage on saving throws against poison, spells, and illusions, as well as to resist being charmed or paralyzed. (This replaces the standard Dwarven Resilience trait on p. 20 of the 5E PHB.)
Duergar Magic. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the invisibility spell once per day. When you reach 7th level, you can also cast the enlarge spell once per day. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Duergar Weapon Training. You have proficiency with javelins and war picks.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Dwarvish, Common, and Undercommon.

"Do not shield your eyes from the surface world, my child, only the glare of the sun." - A duergar parent's words of warning to his son setting off for adventure.​

Half-Dwarf
Description still to be written.

Patron Deity: Any

"My blood belongs to me and no one else." - Half-dwarf's challenge to a slaver.​

 

[Knightfall]

ELVES
Elf
Elves are beautiful. Elves are vain. Elves are arrogant. Elves think they're Godlike. The other races of the world have a variety of opinions about elves. And, usually, only about one in four of them are flattering. Regardless, elves rarely worry about the opinions of other races and look towards the (very) long term. In the early centuries of human evolution, elves decided to wait out the fecund upstarts. Their leaders are still waiting.

Elves aren't much for civilization... well, at least not the civilizations of other races. They respect dwarves for their strength in battle, but they can't abide the need of the stout-folk to disturb nature in order to build their grand cities. They have a fondness for halflings but don't consider them truly civilized. The same can be said for gnomes although there is a common bond between them...

Magic.

Elves love magic in all its forms. They make great wizards and even better sorcerers. Magic lives in their blood almost as much as nature does. This often leads them to practice druidism while a few of their more unruly kinfolk become pyromancers. Necromancy is shunned by most elves, however, and an elf who becomes a necromancer is likely an outcast. Warlocks are nearly as rare but not as likely to be pariahs.

Elves hate goblins and most other savage races with a tendency towards evil. They rarely give members of such races the benefit of the doubt, which means that war is common between elven clans and goblinoid tribes. They have an intense hatred for orcs (and half-orcs); the two races are blood enemies and vendettas are commonplace.

Elves tend towards Chaos and are strong supporters of Good; however, they tend to shift their opinions more towards Neutrality as they age.

Patron Deities: Cel or Selvans.

"Elves? What are they good for? Roasting! Ha!" - An orc joke, sort of​

Subraces

• Drow (PHB, p. 24)
• Eladrin (DMG, p. 286)
• Elf, High (PHB, pp. 23-24)
• Elf, Sea (MTF, p. 62)
• Elf, Wood (PHB, p. 24)
• Shadar-Kai (MTF, pp. 62-63)

Eladrin
Description still to be written.

Patron Deities: Selvans or Uni

Half-Elf
Description still to be written.

Patron Deity: Any

"You aren't an elf and even less than human." - An eladrin insults a half-elf.​

Drow
Description still to be written.

Patron Deities: Alpanu or Queen of Air and Darkness

Shadar-Kai
Description still to be written.

Patron Deity: Raven Queen

 

[Knightfall]

I updated the main map; plus, here's a closeup of the smaller continent.

SHOL​

Most of the changes I made to the main map were on this continent. I felt the continent needed more location; plus, I added in some rivers.

Tantus will be on the other continent; however, the primary city on Shol (a large city) will be an important trade city. (It doesn't have a name yet.) The other cities on Shol won't be as large and the continent will be more rustic/backwater.

​