dreaded_beast said:
Humans are resourceful and adaptable. They dwell in large cities, and are the founders of great civilizations. They avoid the wilderness, but they aren't afraid of it: they seek to tame nature to serve their purposes. (Kinda like real life humans, actually).
As one of the only two races that were directly created by the gods, and more specifically the one that was created by the greater god of goodness, elves may be granted miracles by their patron, and may take the cleric class. They aren't very martial, preferring the study of knowledge, though PCs (being adventurer) will have a degree of martial skill. Still, elves cannot devote themselves to any full-BAB class; their Good, nonviolent god frowns upon this practice and curses any elf who devotes most of his time to war by turning him into a drow. Like humans, elves are very civilized and sophisticated, and seek to tame nature rather than live in it. Lots of elves live in cities together with humans, though they are much less in numbers.
Half-Elf - Fighter, Rogue, Cleric
Half-elves stand in the middle between humans and elves. Anyone with elven blood can receive spells from the Good god; at the same time, half-elves aren't bound by the divine decree against warfare and may become quite proficient soldiers. Like both of their parents, most half-elves live in the big cities.
Dwarf - Wizard, Sorcerer, Bard
The dwarven race is cursed and blessed by the gift of arcane magic. Dwarves are the only race that can sense and tap the flow of magic without any external help from divine powers. Their minds are shaped by this 'sixth sense' to the point where all dwarves spend most of their time trying to control their magical affinity in some way - otherwise, they go insane and dangerous as the untamed raw power of magic seeks to escape in the world through their bodies. Many dwarves attempt to codify magic, studying and understanding it with a nearly-scientific attitude, and they are called wizards. Others try to control their power through meditation and the understanding of themselves - becoming sorcerers. Some dwarves, odd enough, can satiate "the dragon" (their name for the consuming magical power) very effectively through art and performing; their contained power oozes through their art, granting them the special bardic powers. While this isn't nearly as effective in giving them raw power, it does free up time for picking up a weapon and pursuing other interests. Dwarves mostly live in secretive underground complexes, full of magical wonders and beautiful works of art. Maybe because of their "problem", they don't get along as well with the other races, fearing to be hated or manipulated for their power.
Gnome - Fighter, Barbarian
Gnomes are ten feet of rage in a three-feet can. They are physically weaker than the "giants", but surprisingly ferocious and very tough. Though not evil, they are at odds with the civilized races more often than not. Gnomes respect strength and martial prowess more than anything else; every gnome, male or female, is given at least some training as a warrior and given their natural bloodlust this lifestyle suits them perfectly.
Halfling - Fighter, Ranger
Halflings live within the wilds and woods and dislike large settlements. They are much calmer than gnomes, but not any less martial. Halflings make the best hunters of the world, and maintain small, highly-trained units of guerrilla fighters to defend their rural settlements from the disciplined, large armies of humans and elves. All halflings are nominally part of the militia of their small settlement, and are expected to be fully trained and ready for war at a moment's notice. Though it is not widely known, some halflings can get in touch with nature on such a deep level that they can receive divine power from it. They don't think this gift is as useful as a good sword or a bow, though.
Half-Orc - Paladin, Cleric, Druid
Half-orcs are descendant of the second god-created race, the orcs, and as such may receive spells from the god of Evil. That said, the majority of orcs live in a xenophobic theocracy which absolutely forbids unions with other races, and all orc parents of half-orcs come from a splinter group which has turned from evil in recent times. The god of Good is hell-bent on stealing these people from the god of Evil, and is picking the best and brightest half-orcs (and, very rarely, some good orc) to become Paladins, a path unknown for any other race. They have a very narrow road to follow. Additionally, this splinter group of orcs has discovered a deep level of connection with nature and has organized themselves around druidic practices. Most half-orcs (save for paladins) are initiated as druids. Those that are born outside of the "good-orcs" group and aren't called as paladins invariably feel the unresistible call of the god of Evil eventually, and are drawn back into the theocracy.
) I wanted to think of a world that went against the mold. Only Half-Orcs can be Paladins, the best fighters come from the Gnome and Halfling races, etc.
