My Documents
Support GM Binder!
Dragonmaw Chronicles
\pagebreak # Table of Contents
- ##### [
4
Preface
]() - ##### [
4
Chapter 1: The Dragonmaw Chronicles
](#The-Dragonmaw-Chronicles) - [
5
Brief History
]() - [
5
The Free Races
]() - [
5
Battle of Dragonsgate
]() - [
5
The Meeting
]() - [
6
The Road South
]() - [
6
Battle of Mountains Gate
]() - [
6
Aftermath
]() - ##### [
4
Chapter 2: The Dragonmaw Peninsula
]() - [
0
The Blasted Plains
]() - [
0
The Bright Sands Desert
]() - [
0
The County of Eastern Reach
]() - [
0
The Drachenmagens Abyss
]() - [
0
The Dragonscale Mountains
]() - [
0
The Dragons Isle
]() - [
0
The Dragons' Maw Mountains
]() - [
0
The Dragons Spine
]() - [
0
The Duchy of Kurst
]() - [
0
The Eastern March
]() - [
0
The Feywild Forest
]() - [
0
The Hammerfist Mountains
]() - [
0
The Hell Horn Peaks
]() - [
0
The Horned Peaks
]() - [
0
The Ice Horn Range
]() - [
0
The Kingdom of Drachenherz
]() - [
0
*The County of Drachenherz*
]() - [
0
*The Duchy of Drachenherz*
]() - [
0
*The Principality of Drachenherz*
]() - [
0
The Principality of Dernor
]() - [
0
The Tenebrous Moors
]() - [
0
The Two Buroughs
]() - [
0
The Untammed Plains
]() - [
0
The Western Hold
]() - ##### [
0
Chapter 3: Player Races
]() - [
0
Dwarf
]() - [
0
Elf
]() - [
0
Half-Elf
]() - [
0
Halfling
]() - [
0
Human
]() - [
0
Minotaur
]() - [
0
Mousefolk
]() - ##### [
0
Chapter 4: Classes
]() - ##### [
0
Chapter 5: Spells
]() - ##### [
0
Chapter 6: Deities
]() - ##### [
0
Chapter 7: Factions
]()
\pagebreakNum # Preface \pagebreakNum
\pagebreakNum # Chapter 1: The Dragonmaw Chronicles Welcome to the world of Terris. Terris is a world of adventure fraught with peril. It is a place upon which Evil has gained the upper hand, and continuously attempts to press its advantage. Most of the world is either overrun by darkness or wilderness. The Free Folk of the world are constantly vigilant and work together to survive. Together they explore and push back against the tide whenever possible. Currently most of the known Free Folk are concentrated on the Dragon-Maw Peninsula. Its northern border is protected by a large impassable mountain terrain, and it is here that they hold back the dark tide. ### Brief history Well over 500 years ago, the dark god Tharizdun, began a war on Terris. Through his Commander, Azul the Lich King, he drove the Orcs and Goblins of the surface world to fight the various Free Folk across Terris. For over 150 years, various wars were waged across the continent of Central Trangaea. As this happened on the surface world, the Realm of the Underdark was also at war. The Dark Elves, driven by Lolth the Demon Queen of Spiders, saw an opportunity to advance their power, and they too waged a war deep in the dark recesses of the world. At first, the Free Folk of the world fought alone, separated by race, each thinking they could attain victory alone. However, over time it became apparent they could do no such thing. Putting their differences aside, they banded together to fight back. However, the Lich King could replace his fallen with Necromancy. Dead Orcs, Goblins, Humans, Elves and more were re-animated and continued the onslaught. About 300 years ago the free people were almost completely spent, most had fallen back from their ancestral homes, forever being pushed south toward the Dragon-Maw Peninsula. The Free Folk attempted to make a final stand at the Dragons’ Artery, a powerful river that flows from the northwest, dips south just north of the Dragon-Maw Mountains and heads back northeast. Here there were three great cities, the southernmost called Dragonsgate. Dragonsgate sits at the southernmost bend of the Dragons’ Artery, guarding the road to the Dragon-Maw Mountains. ### The Free Races The Free Folk consist of primarily the following; Humans, Elves, Half-elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Minotaur, Mousefolk. Besides these there are other less known races counted as friends with the free folk. \columnbreak ### Battle of Dragonsgate The Battle for Dragonsgate was when the free folk truly came together for the common good. Pressed from the Northeast and the Northwest, the Free Folk had fallen back to the last three cities North of the mountains along the Dragons’ Artery. There they meant to hold the hordes of the Lich King and give enough time for their families to make the journey through the Mountains. For Days, the families and armies of the Free Folk streamed through the cities. The armies meant to stay and fight, hoping to hold the hordes at the river. However, the Lich Kings’ armies were swift. Orcs and goblins quickly over took the East and west cities. This gave them access to the opposite side of the river. The Free Folk armies fought battles to the east and west to try and buy Dragonsgate more time to retreat. It was at this time a dire choice had to be made. Who would stay and keep the darkness at bay while everyone else fled south? ### The Meeting Representatives of all the Free Folk were called to a meeting. There the situation was related. The generals asked who would stay behind and fight while the others fled. The Calvary would be needed along the flight south to protect the caravans of refugees. Archers would be needed and foot soldiers, the generals knew they couldn’t spare any warriors. While they debated amongst themselves what was to be done, a small voice spoke,” We will do it.” at first it wasn’t heard. Then it was said a bit louder, “We will do it!” everyone went silent and turned. There at the knees of the Generals stood the small mousefolk representative. Nobody laughed, but the Commander asked,” We appreciate your bravery, but how could you possibly stop what is to come?” The mouseling, Podrick, replied,” We know the sewers of this city better than anyone. We have traps and tunnels running throughout the city, if you leave your fire powder here with us, we can use it against them!” he continued,” We can man the wall with bows just as well as any of you, and we are quick, able to move from breach to breach quickly. We will then fall back to the buildings and bring them down on the enemies’ heads! From there we will retreat below the city, to the tight tunnels works we have. There our size will be an advantage, we can hold a tunnel with 2 for every one of them. Constantly falling back and collapsing tunnels on them as we go. We should be able to buy you plenty of time.” Finally he said,” All we ask is that you take our women and children with you, and protect them as you would your own, our people are small and might be left behind on the road south. To us it is our only chance.” The generals looked at one another, each knew Mousefolk were good fighters when backed into a corner, they also knew that the Mousefolk might fall behind on the road south. It was then, they agreed to Podricks’ plan. \pagebreakNum ### The Road South The following morning found the Armies of the Free Folk and the refugees moving south, mousefolk women and children were borne on the backs of wagons and donkeys, behind cavalry and even the shoulders of larger folk. Looking back the last Mounted scouts headed south, those that looked back could see the small heads of mousefolk males waving goodbye between the crenellations of the walls, soon they disappeared and the fate of all was set. The first days of the march south were tough, everyone walked and kept a quick pace. Scouts reported daily as the column moved south. They reported that their east and west Armies and fallen and that the Lich Kings’ armies raced to Dragonsgate. It was reported the battle had started on the north side of the river and that the mouselings seemed to keep them at bay, at least at first. Soon the reports had come that goblin scouts were heading south along the road toward the column. Only one battle however was fought during the march. A fight a few miles behind the column was fought between the goblin scouts, elven scouts and Halfling Wardog Riders. The Elves and Halflings had won, leaving no survivors. The reports from Dragonsgate were sparse, consisting only that it had been surrounded and possibly breached. On the fourth day, the front of the column came to the Mountain Gate. There Dwarves and Minotaur opened the gates and watched as thousands streamed through. On the fifth day, the column was safely inside. Once reaching the Mountain Gate, the Armies of the Free Folk bolstered their defenses. Upon the ramparts were Dwarves, Minotaur, Elves, Humans, Half-Elves, and Halflings. Deep in the halls even Mouseling females, who had no young, tended the wounded and kept the fighters fed. Day after day the scouts would come with a report. Far in front of the gate was a hill, and each day if the Lich Kings’ army wasn’t seen, a green flag was raised. Originally the generals had hoped the delaying action of the mousefolk at Dragonsgate would buy them a few days. Once a full week had passed the defenders’ hearts were raised. For as long as any could remember the Lich Kings’ armies seemed unstoppable. For the first time they had hope, and thought to themselves,” If the wee Mouselings standing naught but 3 feet high could stand for so long, surely they could do the same." Each morning during the second week, a scout would come and raise a green flag, and each day they would cheer. Then one morning the scout came for the last time, raising a white flag, The Dark Host was on its way. The Generals had hoped the mousefolk could give them two or three extra days respite. They received twelve. ### Battle of Mountains Gate The next day the Dark Horde of Azul, the Lich King, arrived. His forces, though Vast and outnumbering the Free Folk, were noticeably depleted. Many of the Goblins and Orcs under his control must have been incinerated at Dragonsgate. This could be the only reason they weren’t turned to undead. The battle for Mountains Gate was long, it lasted for years. However, Azul was finally stopped at its gates. The Minotaur/Dwarf Phalanx was pivotal in stopping the Horde from breaching the Mountain Gate. Dwarves and Minotaur standing one behind the other proved to be an impenetrable wall upon which the Dark Horde finally broke. With Humans and Elves manning the walls with archers and Halfling Ranger and Wardog Riders scouring the Mountain slopes, Azul stopped his advance for the first time. Eventually his forces retreated, falling back to Dragonsgate and fortifying his gains. The long plains between Dragonsgate and the Mountain Gate would prove deadly for both sides, a barren wasteland. Since that battle, only skirmishes are fought, sporadically the Lich Kings’ minions will try their luck against a Gate, always failing. For the Last 300 years, there has been a stalemate. Neither side gaining ground on the other. ### Aftermath 300 years ago the war effectively came to a standstill, and the Free Folk moved and spread out into the Dragons-Maw Peninsula. The Elves and Dwarves already had ancient Cities in the Peninsula. Humans had some villages and towns along the coasts. The Halflings were new as were Mousefolk. The Minotaur were native to the Dragon-Maw Mountains and hadn’t ventured south much. The races all moved south and settled different areas. The Humans, who liked to travel and were very industrious, would go to every corner, building roads for all to use and build defensive castles. Their Cavalry patrol the peninsula actively searching out dangerous creatures and keeping the roads and lands relatively safe. The Halflings found a nice peaceful area to the southeast and they send Rangers and Wardog Riders to the Gates. The Elves retired to their ancient forests, sending contingents of archers to the Gate to help in its defense. Dwarves either stayed at the Gate or went south to their ancient kingdom, always defending against incursions from the Underdark or at the Gate. The Minotaur did the same, and even sent a group south to the dwarven kingdom to help against the Underdark. Mousefolk went everywhere. They had earned a special place in the hearts and homes of the Free Folk. Humans took them in to their homes and offered them a place in their families. They took residence in the attics of homes, living in harmony with each other. Today it is considered an honor to have ”Mice in the Attic.” \pagebreakNum # Chapter 2: The Dragonmaw Peninsula \pagebreakNum # Chapter 3: Player Races Your first step in playing an adventurer in the Dungeons & Dragons game is to imagine and create a character of your own. Your character is a combination of game statistics, roleplaying hooks, and your imagination. You choose a race (such as human or halfling) and a class (such as fighter or wizard). You also invent the personality, appearance, and backstory of your character. Once completed, your character serves as your representative in the game, your avatar in the Dungeons & Dragons world. Before you dive into step 1 below, think about the kind of adventurer you want to play. You might be a courageous fighter, a skulking rogue, a fervent cleric, or a flamboyant wizard. Or you might be more interested in an unconventional character, such as a brawny rogue who likes hand-to-hand combat, or a sharpshooter who picks off enemies from afar. Do you like fantasy fiction featuring dwarves or elves? Try building a character of one of those races. Do you want your character to be the toughest adventurer at the table? Consider the fighter class. If you don’t know where else to begin, take a look at the illustrations in any Dungeons & Dragons book to see what catches your interest. \columnbreak Once you have a character in mind, follow these steps in order, making decisions that reflect the character you want. Your conception of your character might evolve with each choice you make. What’s important is that you come to the table with a character you’re excited to play. Throughout this section, we use the term character sheet to mean whatever you use to track your character, whether it’s a formal character sheet (like the one at the end of these rules), some form of digital record, or a piece of notebook paper. An official D&D character sheet is a fine place to start until you know what information you need and how you use it during the game. ## 1. Choose a Race ## 2. Choose a Class ## 3. Determine Ability Scores ## 4.Describe Your Character ## 5.Choose Equipment
\pagebreakNum ## Player Races A visit to one of the great cities in the worlds of Dungeons & Dragons — Waterdeep, the Free City of Greyhawk, or even uncanny Sigil, the City of Doors — overwhelms the senses. Voices chatter in countless different languages. The smells of cooking in dozens of different cuisines mingle with the odors of crowded streets and poor sanitation. Buildings in myriad architectural styles display the diverse origins of their inhabitants. And the people themselves — people of varying size, shape, and color, dressed in a dazzling spectrum of styles and hues — represent many different races, from diminutive halflings and stout dwarves to majestically beautiful elves, mingling among a variety of human ethnicities. Scattered among the members of these more common races are the true exotics: a hulking dragonborn here, pushing his way through the crowd, and a sly tiefling there, lurking in the shadows with mischief in her eyes. A group of gnomes laughs as one of them activates a clever wooden toy that moves of its own accord. Half-elves and half-orcs live and work alongside humans, without fully belonging to the races of either of their parents. And there, well out of the sunlight, is a lone drow — a fugitive from the subterranean expanse of the Underdark, trying to make his way in a world that fears his kind. ### Step 1: Choosing a Race Humans are the most common people in the worlds of D&D, but they live and work alongside dwarves, elves, halflings, and countless other fantastic species. Your character belongs to one of these peoples. Not every intelligent race of the multiverse is appropriate for a player-controlled adventurer. Dwarves, elves, halflings, and humans are the most common races to produce the sort of adventurers who make up typical parties. Dragonborn, gnomes, half-elves, half-orcs, and tieflings are less common as adventurers. Drow, a subrace of elves, are also uncommon. Your choice of race affects many different aspects of your character. It establishes fundamental qualities that exist throughout your character’s adventuring career. When making this decision, keep in mind the kind of character you want to play. For example, a halfling could be a good choice for a sneaky rogue, a dwarf makes a tough warrior, and an elf can be a master of arcane magic. Your character race not only affects your ability scores and traits but also provides the cues for building your character’s story. Each race’s description in this section includes information to help you roleplay a character of that race, including personality, physical appearance, features of society, and racial alignment tendencies. These details are suggestions to help you think about your character; adventurers can deviate widely from the norm for their race. It’s worthwhile to consider why your character is different, as a helpful way to think about your character’s background and personality. View details for each race in the Races list.
### Racial Traits The description of each race includes racial traits that are common to members of that race. The following entries appear among the traits of most races. Ability Score Increase Every race increases one or more of a character’s ability scores. Age The age entry notes the age when a member of the race is considered an adult, as well as the race’s expected lifespan. This information can help you decide how old your character is at the start of the game. You can choose any age for your character, which could provide an explanation for some of your ability scores. For example, if you play a young or very old character, your age could explain a particularly low Strength or Constitution score, while advanced age could account for a high Intelligence or Wisdom. ### Alignment Most races have tendencies toward certain alignments, described in this entry. These are not binding for player characters, but considering why your dwarf is chaotic, for example, in defiance of lawful dwarf society can help you better define your character. ### Size Characters of most races are Medium, a size category including creatures that are roughly 4 to 8 feet tall. Members of a few races are Small (between 2 and 4 feet tall), which means that certain rules of the game affect them differently. The most important of these rules is that Small characters have trouble wielding heavy weapons, as explained in the Equipment section. ### Speed Your speed determines how far you can move when traveling (“Adventuring”) and fighting (“Combat”). ### Languages By virtue of your race, your character can speak, read, and write certain languages. “Personality and Background” lists the most common languages of the D&D multiverse. ### Subraces Some races have subraces. Members of a subrace have the traits of the parent race in addition to the traits specified for their subrace. Relationships among subraces vary significantly from race to race and world to world. In the Dragonlance campaign setting, for example, mountain dwarves and hill dwarves live together as different clans of the same people, but in the Forgotten Realms, they live far apart in separate kingdoms and call themselves shield dwarves and gold dwarves, respectively. \pagebreakNum ## Dwarf “YER LATE, ELF!” CAME THE ROUGH EDGE OF A *familiar voice. bruenor battlehammer walked up the back of his dead foe, disregarding the fact that the heavy monster lay on top of his elven friend. in spite of the added discomfort, the dwarf’s long, pointed, often-broken nose and gray-streaked though still-fiery red beard came as a welcome sight to drizzt. “knew i’d find ye in trouble if i came out an’ looked for ye!”* — R. A. Salvatore, The Crystal Shard Kingdoms rich in ancient grandeur, halls carved into the roots of mountains, the echoing of picks and hammers in deep mines and blazing forges, a commitment to clan and tradition, and a burning hatred of goblins and orcs—these common threads unite all dwarves. ### short and stout Bold and hardy, dwarves are known as skilled warriors, miners, and workers of stone and metal. though they stand well under 5 feet tall, dwarves are so broad and compact that they can weigh as much as a human standing nearly two feet taller. their courage and endurance are also easily a match for any of the larger folk. Dwarven skin ranges from deep brown to a paler hue tinged with red, but the most common shades are light brown or deep tan, like certain tones of earth. their hair, worn long but in simple styles, is usually black, gray, or brown, though paler dwarves often have red hair. male dwarves value their beards highly and groom them carefully. ### long memory, long grudges Dwarves can live to be more than 400 years old, so the oldest living dwarves often remember a very different world. for example, some of the oldest dwarves living in citadel felbarr (in the world of the forgotten realms) can recall the day, more than three centuries ago, when orcs conquered the fortress and drove them into an exile that lasted over 250 years. this longevity grants them a perspective on the world that shorter-lived races such as humans and halflings lack. Dwarves are solid and enduring like the mountains they love, weathering the passage of centuries with stoic endurance and little change. they respect the traditions of their clans, tracing their ancestry back to the founding of their most ancient strongholds in the youth of the world, and don’t abandon those traditions lightly. part of those traditions is devotion to the gods of the dwarves, who uphold the dwarven ideals of industrious labor, skill in battle, and devotion to the forge. Individual dwarves are determined and loyal, true to their word and decisive in action, sometimes to the point of stubbornness. many dwarves have a strong sense of justice, and they are slow to forget wrongs they have suffered. a wrong done to one dwarf is a wrong done to the dwarf’s entire clan, so what begins as one dwarf’s hunt for vengeance can become a full-blown clan feud.
### clans and kingdoms Dwarven kingdoms stretch deep beneath the mountains where the dwarves mine gems and precious metals and forge items of wonder. they love the beauty and artistry of precious metals and fine jewelry, and in some dwarves this love festers into avarice. whatever wealth they can’t find in their mountains, they gain through trade. they dislike boats, so enterprising humans and halflings frequently handle trade in dwarven goods along water routes. trustworthy members of other races are welcome in dwarf settlements, though some areas are off limits even to them. the chief unit of dwarven society is the clan, and dwarves highly value social standing. even dwarves who live far from their own kingdoms cherish their clan identities and affiliations, recognize related dwarves, and invoke their ancestors’ names in oaths and curses. to be clanless is the worst fate that can befall a dwarf. dwarves in other lands are typically artisans, especially weaponsmiths, armorers, and jewelers. some become mercenaries or bodyguards, highly sought after for their courage and loyalty. ### gods, gold, and clan dwarves who take up the adventuring life might be motivated by a desire for treasure—for its own sake, for a specific purpose, or even out of an altruistic desire to help others. other dwarves are driven by the command or inspiration of a deity, a direct calling or simply a desire to bring glory to one of the dwarf gods. clan and ancestry are also important motivators. a dwarf might seek to restore a clan’s lost honor, avenge an ancient wrong the clan suffered, or earn a new place within the clan after having been exiled. or a dwarf might search for the axe wielded by a mighty
ancestor, lost on
the field of battle
centuries ago.
\pagebreakNum >##### slow to trust >dwarves get along passably well with most other races. “the difference between an acquaintance and a friend is about a hundred years,” is a dwarf saying that might be hyperbole, but certainly points to how difficult it can be for a member of a short-lived race like humans to earn a dwarf’s trust. > > **elves**. “it’s not wise to depend on the elves. no telling what an elf will do next; when the hammer meets the orc’s head, they’re as apt to start singing as to pull out a sword. they’re flighty and frivolous. two things to be said for them, though: they don’t have many smiths, but the ones they have do very fine work. and when orcs or goblins come streaming down out of the mountains, an elf’s good to have at your back. not as good as a dwarf, maybe, but no doubt they hate the orcs as much as we do.” > >**halflings**. “sure, they’re pleasant folk. but show me a halfling hero. an empire, a triumphant army. even a treasure for the ages made by halfling hands. nothing. how can you take them seriously?” > >**humans**. “you take the time to get to know a human, and by then the human’s on her deathbed. if you’re lucky, she’s got kin—a daughter or granddaughter, maybe—who’s got hands and heart as good as hers. that’s when you can make a human friend. and watch them go! they set their hearts on something, they’ll get it, whether it’s a dragon’s hoard or an empire’s throne. you have to admire that kind of dedication, even if it gets them in trouble more often than not.” ### dwarf names A dwarf’s name is granted by a clan elder, in accordance with tradition. every proper dwarven name has been used and reused down through the generations. a dwarf’s name belongs to the clan, not to the individual. a dwarf who misuses or brings shame to a clan name is stripped of the name and forbidden by law to use any dwarven name in its place.
**male names**: adrik, alberich, baern, barendd, brottor, bruenor, dain, darrak, delg, eberk, einkil, fargrim, flint, gardain, harbek, kildrak, morgran, orsik, oskar, rangrim, rurik, taklinn, thoradin, thorin, tordek, traubon, travok, ulfgar, veit, vondal
**female names**: amber, artin, audhild, bardryn, dagnal, diesa, eldeth, falkrunn, finellen, gunnloda, gurdis, helja, hlin, kathra, kristryd, ilde, liftrasa, mardred, riswynn, sannl, torbera, torgga, vistra
**clan names**: balderk, battlehammer, brawnanvil, dankil, fireforge, frostbeard, gorunn, holderhek, ironfist, loderr, lutgehr, rumnaheim, strakeln, torunn, ungart
### dwarf traits Your dwarf character has an assortment of inborn abilities, part and parcel of dwarven nature.
**ability score increase** Your constitution score increases by 2.
**age** Dwarves mature at the same rate as humans, but they’re considered young until they reach the age of 50. on average, they live about 350 years.
**alignment** Most dwarves are lawful, believing firmly in the benefits of a well-ordered society. they tend toward good as well, with a strong sense of fair play and a belief that everyone deserves to share in the benefits of a just order.
**size** Dwarves stand between 4 and 5 feet tall and average about 150 pounds. your size is medium.
**speed** Your base walking speed is 25 feet. your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor.
**darkvision** Accustomed to life underground, you have superior vision in dark and 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.
**dwarven resilience** You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage (explained in the “combat” section).
**dwarven combat training** You have proficiency with the battleaxe, handaxe, light hammer, and warhammer.
**tool proficiency** You gain proficiency with the artisan’s tools of your choice: smith’s tools, brewer’s supplies, or mason’s tools.
**stonecunning** Whenever you make an intelligence (history) check related to the origin of stonework, you are considered proficient in the history skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.
**languages** You can speak, read, and write common and dwarvish. dwarvish is full of hard consonants and guttural sounds, and those characteristics spill over into whatever other language a dwarf might speak. \pagebreakNum ### subraces Two main subraces of dwarves populate the worlds of d&d: hill dwarves and mountain dwarves. Choose one of these subraces or one from another source.
***hill dwarf*** As a hill dwarf, you have keen senses, deep intuition, and remarkable resilience. The gold dwarves of faerûn in their mighty southern kingdom are hill dwarves, as are the exiled neidar and the debased klar of krynn in the dragonlance setting.
**ability score increase** Your wisdom score increases by 1.
**dwarven toughness** Your hit point maximum increases by 1, and it
increases by 1 every time you gain a level.
***mountain dwarf*** As a mountain dwarf, you’re strong and
hardy, accustomed to a difficult life in rugged
terrain. you’re probably on the tall side
(for a dwarf), and tend toward lighter coloration. The shield dwarves of northern faerûn, as well as the
ruling hylar clan and the noble daewar
clan of dragonlance, are mountain
dwarves.
**ability score increase** Your strength score increases by 2.
**dwarven armor training** You have proficiency with light
and medium armor.
>##### duergar > >In cities deep in the underdark live the duergar, or gray dwarves. these vicious, stealthy slave traders raid the surface world for captives, then sell their prey to the other races of the underdark. They have innate magical abilities to become invisible and to temporarily grow to giant size.
\pagebreakNum ## Elf "I HAVE NEVER IMAGINED SUCH BEAUTY EXISTED,” *Goldmoon said softly. The day’s march had been difficult, but the reward at the end was beyond their dreams.The companions stood on a high cliff over the fabled city of Qualinost. Four slender spires rose from the city’s corners like glistening spindles, their brilliant white stone marbled with shining silver. Graceful arches, swooping from spire to spire, soared through the air. Crafted by ancient dwarven metalsmiths, they were strong enough to hold the weight of an army, yet they appeared so delicate that a bird lighting on them might overthrow the balance. was no wall around Qualinost. The elven city opened its arms lovingly to the wilderness.* — Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman, Dragons of Autumn Twilight
Elves are a magical people of otherworldly grace, living in the world but not entirely part of it. They live in places of ethereal beauty, in the midst of ancient forests or in silvery spires glittering with faerie light, where soft music drifts through the air and gentle fragrances waft on the breeze. Elves love nature and magic, art and artistry, music and poetry, and the good things of the world. ### Slender and Graceful With their unearthly grace and fine features, elves appear hauntingly beautiful to humans and members of many other races. They are slightly shorter than humans on average, ranging from well under 5 feet tall to just over 6 feet. They are more slender than humans, weighing only 100 to 145 pounds. Males and females are about the same height, and males are only marginally heavier than females. Elves’ coloration encompasses the normal human range and also includes skin in shades of copper, bronze, and almost bluish-white, hair of green or blue, and eyes like pools of liquid gold or silver. Elves have no facial and little body hair. They favor elegant clothing in bright colors, and they enjoy simple yet lovely jewelry. ### A Timeless Perspective Elves can live well over 700 years, giving them a broad perspective on events that might trouble the shorter-lived races more deeply. They are more often amused than excited, and more likely to be curious than greedy. They tend to remain aloof and unfazed by petty happenstance. When pursuing a goal, however, whether adventuring on a mission or learning a new skill or art, elves can be focused and relentless. They are slow to make friends and enemies, and even slower to forget them. They reply to petty insults with disdain and to serious insults with vengeance. Like the branches of a young tree, elves are flexible in the face of danger. They trust in diplomacy and compromise to resolve differences before they escalate to violence. They have been known to retreat from intrusions into their woodland homes, confident that they can simply wait the invaders out. But when the need arises, elves reveal a stern martial side, demonstrating skill with sword, bow, and strategy. ### Hidden Woodland Realms Most elves dwell in small forest villages hidden among the trees. Elves hunt game, gather food, and grow vegetables, and their skill and magic allow them to support themselves without the need for clearing and plowing land. They are talented artisans, crafting finely worked clothes and art objects. Their contact with outsiders is usually limited, though a few elves make a good living by trading crafted items for metals (which they have no interest in mining). Elves encountered outside their own lands are commonly traveling minstrels, artists, or sages. Human nobles compete for the services of elf instructors to teach swordplay or magic to their children. ### Exploration and Adventure Elves take up adventuring out of wanderlust. Since they are so long-lived, they can enjoy centuries of exploration and discovery. They dislike the pace of human society, which is regimented from day to day but constantly changing over decades, so they find careers that let them travel freely and set their own pace. Elves also enjoy exercising their martial prowess or gaining greater magical power, and adventuring allows them to do so. Some might joinwith rebels fighting against oppression, and others
might become champions
of moral causes.
\pagebreakNum >##### Haughty but Gracious > >Although they can be haughty, elves are generally gracious even to those who fall short of their high expectations—which is most non-elves. Still, they can find good in just about anyone. > >**Dwarves**. “Dwarves are dull, clumsy oafs. But what they lack in humor, sophistication, and manners, they make up in valor. And I must admit, their best smiths produce art that approaches elven quality.” > >**Halflings.** “Halflings are people of simple pleasures, and that is not a quality to scorn. They’re good folk, they care for each other and tend their gardens, and they have proven themselves tougher than they seem when the need arises.” > >**Humans**. “All that haste, their ambition and drive to accomplish something before their brief lives pass away—human endeavors seem so futile sometimes. But then you look at what they have accomplished, and you have to appreciate their achievements. If only they could slow down and learn some refinement.”
### Elf Names Elves are considered children until they declare themselves adults, some time after the hundredth birthday, and before this period they are called by child names. On declaring adulthood, an elf selects an adult name, although those who knew him or her as a youngster might continue to use the child name. Each elf’s adult name is a unique creation, though it might reflect the names of respected individuals or other family members. Little distinction exists between male names and female names; the groupings here reflect only general tendencies. In addition, every elf bears a family name, typically a combination of other Elvish words. Some elves traveling among humans translate their family names into Common, but others retain the Elvish version.
**Child Names**: Ara, Bryn, Del, Eryn, Faen, Innil, Lael, Mella, Naill, Naeris, Phann, Rael, Rinn, Sai, Syllin, Thia, Vall
**Male Adult Names**: Adran, Aelar, Aramil, Arannis, Aust, Beiro, Berrian, Carric, Enialis, Erdan, Erevan, Galinndan, Hadarai, Heian, Himo, Immeral, Ivellios, Laucian, Mindartis, Paelias, Peren, Quarion, Riardon, Rolen, Soveliss, Thamior, Tharivol, Theren, Varis
**Female Adult Names**: Adrie, Althaea, Anastrianna, Andraste, Antinua, Bethrynna, Birel, Caelynn, Drusilia, Enna, Felosial, Ielenia, Jelenneth, Keyleth, Leshanna, Lia, Meriele, Mialee, Naivara, Quelenna, Quillathe, Sariel, Shanairra, Shava, Silaqui, Theirastra, Thia, Vadania, Valanthe, Xanaphia
**Family Names** (Common Translations): Amakiir (Gemflower), Amastacia (Starflower), Galanodel (Moonwhisper), Holimion (Diamonddew), Ilphelkiir (Gemblossom), Liadon (Silverfrond), Meliamne (Oakenheel), Naïlo (Nightbreeze), Siannodel (Moonbrook), Xiloscient (Goldpetal) ### Elf Traits Your elf character has a variety of natural abilities, the result of thousands of years of elven refinement.
**Ability Score Increase** Your Dexterity score increases by 2.
**Age** Although elves reach physical maturity at about the same age as humans, the elven understanding of adulthood goes beyond physical growth to encompass worldly experience. An elf typically claims adulthood and an adult name around the age of 100 and can live to be 750 years old.
**Alignment** Elves love freedom, variety, and self-expression, so they lean strongly toward the gentler aspects of chaos. They value and protect others’ freedom as well as their own, and they are more often good than not. The drow are an exception; their exile into the Underdark has made them vicious and dangerous. Drow are more often evil than not.
**Size** Elves range from under 5 to over 6 feet tall and have slender builds. Your size is Medium.
**Speed** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
**Darkvision** Accustomed to twilit forests and the night sky, you have superior vision in dark and 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.
**Fey Ancestry** You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.
**Trance** Elves don’t need to sleep. Instead, they meditate deeply, remaining semiconscious, for 4 hours a day. (The Common word for such meditation is “trance.”) While meditating, you can dream after a fashion; such dreams are actually mental exercises that have become reflexive through years of practice. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep.
**Languages** You can speak, read, and write Common and Elvish. Elvish is fluid, with subtle intonations and intricate grammar. Elven literature is rich and varied, and their songs and poems are famous among other races. Many bards learn their language so they can add Elvish ballads to their repertoires. \pagebreakNum ### Subraces Ancient divides among the elven people resulted in three main subraces: high elves, wood elves, and dark elves, who are commonly called drow. Choose one of the three subraces presented below.
***High Elf*** As a high elf, you have a keen mind and a mastery of at least the basics of magic. In many of the worlds of D&D, there are two kinds of high elves. One type (which includes the gray elves and valley elves of Greyhawk, the Silvanesti of Dragonlance, and the sun elves of the Forgotten Realms) is haughty and reclusive, believing themselves to be superior to non-elves and even other elves. The other type (including the high elves of Greyhawk, the Qualinesti of Dragonlance, and the moon elves of the Forgotten Realms) are more common and more friendly, and often encountered among humans and other races. The sun elves of Faerûn (also called gold elves or sunrise elves) have bronze skin and hair of copper, black, or golden blond. Their eyes are golden, silver, or black. Moon elves (also called silver elves or gray elves) are much paler, with alabaster skin sometimes tinged with blue. They often have hair of silver-white, black, or blue, but various shades of blond, brown, and red are not uncommon. Their eyes are blue or green and flecked with gold.
**Ability Score Increase** Your Intelligence score increases by 1.
**Elf Weapon Training** You have proficiency with the longsword, shortsword, shortbow, and longbow.
**Cantrip** You know one cantrip of your choice from the wizard spell list. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for it.
**Extra Language** You can speak, read, and write one extra language of your choice.
***Wood Elf*** As a wood elf, you have keen senses and intuition, and your fleet feet carry you quickly and stealthily through your native forests. This category includes the wild elves (grugach) of Greyhawk and the Kagonesti of Dragonlance, as well as the races called wood elves in Greyhawk and the Forgotten Realms. In Faerûn, wood elves (also called wild elves, green elves, or forest elves) are reclusive and distrusting of non-elves. Wood elves’ skin tends to be copperish in hue, sometimes with traces of green. Their hair tends toward browns and blacks, but it is occasionally blond or copper-colored. Their eyes are green, brown, or hazel.
**Ability Score Increase.** Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
**Elf Weapon Training.** You have proficiency with the longsword, shortsword, shortbow, and longbow.
**Fleet of Foot.** Your base walking speed increases to 35 feet.
**Mask of the Wild.** You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena.
***Eladrin*** Creatures of magic with strong ties to nature, eladrin live in the twilight realm of the Feywild. Their cities sometimes cross over to the Material Plane, appearing briefly in mountain valleys or deep forest glades before fading back into the Feywild.
**Ability Score Increase** Your Intelligence score increases by 1.
**Elf Weapon Training.** You have proficiency with the longsword, shortsword, shortbow, and longbow.
**Fey Step.** You can cast the misty step spell once using this trait. You regain the ability to do so when you finish a short or long rest.
\pagebreakNum ## Half-Elf FLINT SQUINTED INTO THE SETTING SUN. HE *thought he saw the figure of a man striding up the path. Standing, Flint drew back into the shadow of a tall pine to see better. The man’s walk was marked by an easy grace—an elvish grace, Flint would have said; yet the man’s body had the thickness and tight muscles of a human, while the facial hair was definitely humankind’s. All the dwarf could see of the man’s face beneath a green hood was tan skin and a brownish-red beard. A longbow was slung over one shoulder and a sword hung at his left side. He was dressed in soft leather, carefully tooled in the intricate designs the elves loved. But no elf in the world of Krynn could grow a beard . . . no elf, but . . . “Tanis?” said Flint hesitantly as the man neared. “The same.” The newcomer’s bearded face split in a wide grin. He held open his arms and, before the dwarf could stop him, engulfed Flint in a hug that lifted him off the ground. The dwarf clasped his old friend close for a brief instant, then, remembering his dignity, squirmed and freed himself from the half-elf’s embrace.* — Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, Dragons of Autumn Twilight Walking in two worlds but truly belonging to neither, half-elves combine what some say are the best qualities of their elf and human parents: human curiosity, inventiveness, and ambition tempered by the refined senses, love of nature, and artistic tastes of the elves. Some half-elves live among humans, set apart by their emotional and physical differences, watching friends and loved ones age while time barely touches them. Others live with the elves, growing restless as they reach adulthood in the timeless elven realms, while their peers continue to live as children. Many half-elves, unable to fit into either society, choose lives of solitary wandering or join with other misfits and outcasts in the adventuring life. ### Of Two Worlds To humans, half-elves look like elves, and to elves, they look human. In height, they’re on par with both parents, though they’re neither as slender as elves nor as broad as humans. They range from under 5 feet to about 6 feet tall, and from 100 to 180 pounds, with men only slightly taller and heavier than women. Half-elf men do have facial hair, and sometimes grow beards to mask their elven ancestry. Half-elven coloration and features lie somewhere between their human and elf parents, and thus show a variety even more pronounced than that found among either race. They tend to have the eyes of their elven parents. ### Diplomats or Wanderers Half-elves have no lands of their own, though they are welcome in human cities and somewhat less welcome in elven forests. In large cities in regions where elves and humans interact often, half-elves are sometimes numerous enough to form small communities of their own. They enjoy the company of other half-elves, the only people who truly understand what it is to live between these two worlds. In most parts of the world, though, half-elves are uncommon enough that one might live for years without meeting another. Some half-elves prefer to avoid company altogether, wandering the wilds as trappers, foresters, hunters, or adventurers and visiting civilization only rarely. Like elves, they are driven by the wanderlust that comes of their longevity. Others, in contrast, throw themselves into the thick of society, putting their charisma and social skills to great use in diplomatic roles or as swindlers. ### Half-Elf Names Half-elves use either human or elven naming conventions. As if to emphasize that they don’t really fit in to either society, half-elves raised among humans are often given elven names, and those raised among elves often take human names. ### Excellent Ambassadors Many half-elves learn at an early
age to get along with everyone,
defusing hostility and finding
common ground. As a race, they
have elven grace without elven
aloofness and human energy
without human boorishness.
They often make excellent
ambassadors and
go-betweens
(except between elves
and humans, since
each side suspects
the half-elf of
favoring the
other).
\pagebreakNum ### Half-Elf Traits Your half-elf character has some qualities in common with elves and some that are unique to half-elves.
**Ability Score Increase** Your Charisma score increases by 2, and two other ability scores of your choice increase by 1.
**Age** Half-elves mature at the same rate humans do and reach adulthood around the age of 20. They live much longer than humans, however, often exceeding 180 years.
**Alignment** Half-elves share the chaotic bent of their elven heritage. They value both personal freedom and creative expression, demonstrating neither love of leaders nor desire for followers. They chafe at rules, resent others’ demands, and sometimes prove unreliable, or at least unpredictable.
**Size** Half-elves are about the same size as humans, ranging from 5 to 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.
**Speed** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
**Darkvision** Thanks to your elf blood, you have superior
vision in dark and 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.
**Fey Ancestry** You have advantage on
saving throws against being
charmed, and magic can’t
put you to sleep.
**Skill Versatility** You gain proficiency in
two skills of your choice.
**Languages** You can speak, read, and
write Common, Elvish, and one
extra language of your choice.
\pagebreakNum ## Halfling REGIS THE HALFLING, THE ONLY ONE OF HIS KIND *for hundreds of miles in any direction, locked his fingers behind his head and leaned back against the mossy blanket of the tree trunk. Regis was short, even by the standards of his diminutive race, with the fluff of his curly brown locks barely cresting the three-foot mark, but his belly was amply thickened by his love of a good meal, or several, as the opportunities presented themselves. The crooked stick that served as his fishing pole rose up above him, clenched between two of his toes, and hung out over the quiet lake, mirrored perfectly in the glassy surface of Maer Dualdon.* — R.A. Salvatore, The Crystal Shard
The comforts of home are the goals of most halflings’ lives: a place to settle in peace and quiet, far from marauding monsters and clashing armies; a blazing fire and a generous meal; fine drink and fine conversation. Though some halflings live out their days in remote agricultural communities, others form nomadic bands that travel constantly, lured by the open road and the wide horizon to discover the wonders of new lands and peoples. But even these wanderers love peace, food, hearth, and home, though home might be a wagon jostling along a dirt road or a raft floating downriver. ### Small and Practical The diminutive halflings survive in a world full of larger creatures by avoiding notice or, barring that, avoiding offense. Standing about 3 feet tall, they appear relatively harmless and so have managed to survive for centuries in the shadow of empires and on the edges of wars and political strife. They are inclined to be stout, weighing between 40 and 45 pounds.
Halflings’ skin ranges from tan to pale with a ruddy cast, and their hair is usually brown or sandy brown and wavy. They have brown or hazel eyes. Halfling men often sport long sideburns, but beards are rare among them and mustaches even more so. They like to wear simple, comfortable, and practical clothes, favoring bright colors. Halfling practicality extends beyond their clothing. They’re concerned with basic needs and simple pleasures and have little use for ostentation. Even the wealthiest of halflings keep their treasures locked in a cellar rather than on display for all to see. They have a knack for finding the most straightforward solution to a problem, and have little patience for dithering. ### Kind and Curious Halflings are an affable and cheerful people. They cherish the bonds of family and friendship as well as the comforts of hearth and home, harboring few dreams of gold or glory. Even adventurers among them usually venture into the world for reasons of community, friendship, wanderlust, or curiosity. They love discovering new things, even simple things, such as an exotic food or an unfamiliar style of clothing. Halflings are easily moved to pity and hate to see any living thing suffer. They are generous, happily sharing what they have even in lean times. ### Blend into the Crowd Halflings are adept at fitting into a community of humans, dwarves, or elves, making themselves valuable and welcome. The combination of their inherent stealth and their unassuming nature helps halflings to avoid unwanted attention. Halflings work readily with others, and they are loyal to their friends, whether halfling or otherwise. They can display remarkable ferocity when their friends, families, or communities are threatened. ### Pastoral Pleasantries Most halflings live in small, peaceful communities with large farms and well-kept groves. They rarely build kingdoms of their own or even hold much land beyond their quiet shires. They typically don’t recognize any sort of halfling nobility or royalty, instead looking to family elders to guide them. Families preserve their traditional ways despite the rise and fall of empires. Many halflings live among other races, where the halflings’ hard work and loyal outlook offer them abundant rewards and creature comforts. Some halfling communities travel as a way of life, driving wagons or guiding boats from place to place and maintaining no permanent home.
\pagebreakNum >##### AFFABLE AND POSITIVE > >Halflings try to get along with everyone else and are loath to make sweeping generalizations—especially negative ones. > >**Dwarves**. “Dwarves make loyal friends, and you can count on them to keep their word. But would it hurt them to smile once in a while?” > >**Elves**. “They’re so beautiful! Their faces, their music, their grace and all. It’s like they stepped out of a wonderful dream. But there’s no telling what’s going on behind their smiling faces—surely more than they ever let on.” > >**Humans**. “Humans are a lot like us, really. At least some of them are. Step out of the castles and keeps, go talk to the farmers and herders and you’ll find good, solid folk. Not that there’s anything wrong with the barons and soldiers—you have to admire their conviction. And by protecting their own lands, they protect us as well.”
### Exploring Opportunities Halflings usually set out on the adventurer’s path to defend their communities, support their friends, or explore a wide and wonder-filled world. For them, adventuring is less a career than an opportunity or sometimes a necessity.
### Halfling Names A halfling has a given name, a family name, and possibly a nickname. Family names are often nicknames that stuck so tenaciously they have been passed down through the generations. **Male Names**: Alton, Ander, Cade, Corrin, Eldon, Errich, Finnan, Garret, Lindal, Lyle, Merric, Milo, Osborn, Perrin, Reed, Roscoe, Wellby **Female Names**: Andry, Bree, Callie, Cora, Euphemia, Jillian, Kithri, Lavinia, Lidda, Merla, Nedda, Paela, Portia, Seraphina, Shaena, Trym, Vani, Verna **Family Names**: Brushgather, Goodbarrel, Greenbottle, High-hill, Hilltopple, Leagallow, Tealeaf, Thorngage, Tosscobble, Underbough ### Halfling Traits Your halfling character has a number of traits in common with all other halflings.
**Ability Score Increase** Your Dexterity score increases by 2.
**Age** A halfling reaches adulthood at the age of 20 and generally lives into the middle of his or her second century.
**Alignment** Most halflings are lawful good. As a rule, they are good-hearted and kind, hate to see others in pain, and have no tolerance for oppression. They are also very orderly and traditional, leaning heavily on the support of their community and the comfort of their old ways.
**Size** Halflings average about 3 feet tall and weigh about 40 pounds. Your size is Small.
**Speed** Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
**Lucky** When you roll a 1 on the d20 for an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll.
**Brave** You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened.
**Halfling Nimbleness** You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours.
**Languages** You can speak, read, and write Common and Halfling. The Halfling language isn’t secret, but halflings are loath to share it with others. They write very little, so they don’t have a rich body of literature. Their oral tradition, however, is very strong. Almost all halflings speak Common to converse with the people in whose lands they dwell or through which they are traveling.
\pagebreakNum ### Subraces The two main kinds of halfling, lightfoot and stout, are more like closely related families than true subraces. Choose one of these subraces or one from another source.
***Lightfoot Halfling*** As a lightfoot halfling, you can easily hide from notice, even using other people as cover. You’re inclined to be affable and get along well with others. In the Forgotten Realms, lightfoot halflings have spread the farthest and thus are the most common variety. Lightfoots are more prone to wanderlust than other halflings, and often dwell alongside other races or take up a nomadic life. In the world of Greyhawk, these halflings are called hairfeet or tallfellows.
**Ability Score Increase** Your Charisma score increases by 1.
**Naturally Stealthy** You can attempt to hide even when you are obscured only by a creature that is at least one size larger than you.
***Stout Halfling*** As a stout halfling, you’re hardier than average
and have some resistance to poison. Some say
that stouts have dwarven blood. In the Forgotten
Realms, these halflings are called stronghearts,
and they’re most common in the south.
**Ability Score Increase** Your Constitution score increases by 1.
**Stout Resilience** You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage.
\pagebreakNum ## Human THESE WERE THE STORIES OF A RESTLESS PEOPLE *who long ago took to the seas and rivers in longboats, first to pillage and terrorize, then to settle. Yet there was an energy, a love of adventure, that sang from every page. Long into the night Liriel read, lighting candle after precious candle.* *She’d never given much thought to humans, but these stories fascinated her. In these yellowed pages were tales of bold heroes, strange and fierce animals, mighty primitive gods, and a magic that was part and fabric of that distant land.* — Elaine Cunningham, Daughter of the Drow
In the reckonings of most worlds, humans are the youngest of the common races, late to arrive on the world scene and short-lived in comparison to dwarves, elves, and dragons. Perhaps it is because of their shorter lives that they strive to achieve as much as they can in the years they are given. Or maybe they feel they have something to prove to the elder races, and that’s why they build their mighty empires on the foundation of conquest and trade. Whatever drives them, humans are the innovators, the achievers, and the pioneers of the worlds. ### A Broad Spectrum With their penchant for migration and conquest, humans are more physically diverse than other common races. There is no typical human. An individual can stand from 5 feet to a little over 6 feet tall and weigh from 125 to 250 pounds. Human skin shades range from nearly black to very pale, and hair colors from black to blond (curly, kinky, or straight); males might sport facial hair that is sparse or thick. A lot of humans have a dash of nonhuman blood, revealing hints of elf, orc, or other lineages. Humans reach adulthood in their late teens and rarely live even a single century. ### Variety in All Things Humans are the most adaptable and ambitious people among the common races. They have widely varying tastes, morals, and customs in the many different lands where they have settled. When they settle, though, they stay: they build cities to last for the ages, and great kingdoms that can persist for long centuries. An individual human might have a relatively short life span, but a human nation or culture preserves traditions with origins far beyond the reach of any single human’s memory. They live fully in the present—making them well suited to the adventuring life—but also plan for the future, striving to leave a lasting legacy. Individually and as a group, humans are adaptable opportunists, and they stay alert to changing political and social dynamics. \columnbreak >##### Everyone's Second Best Friend > >Just as readily as they mix with each other, humans mingle with members of other races. They get along with almost everyone, though they might not be close to many. Humans serve as ambassadors, diplomats, magistrates, merchants, and functionaries of all kinds. > >**Dwarves**. “They’re stout folk, stalwart friends, and true to their word. Their greed for gold is their downfall, though.” > >**Elves**. “It’s best not to wander into elven woods. They don’t like intruders, and you’ll as likely be bewitched as peppered with arrows. Still, if an elf can get past that damned racial pride and actually treat you like an equal, you can learn a lot from them.” > >**Halflings**. “It’s hard to beat a meal in a halfling home, as long as you don’t crack your head on the ceiling—good food and good stories in front of a nice, warm fire. If halflings had a shred of ambition, they might really amount to something.”
\pagebreakNum ### Lasting Institutions Where a single elf or dwarf might take on the responsibility of guarding a special location or a powerful secret, humans found sacred orders and institutions for such purposes. While dwarf clans and halfling elders pass on the ancient traditions to each new generation, human temples, governments, libraries, and codes of law fix their traditions in the bedrock of history. Humans dream of immortality, but (except for those few who seek undeath or divine ascension to escape death’s clutches) they achieve it by ensuring that they will be remembered when they are gone. Although some humans can be xenophobic, in general their societies are inclusive. Human lands welcome large numbers of nonhumans compared to the proportion of humans who live in nonhuman lands. ### Exemplars of Ambition Humans who seek adventure are the most daring and ambitious members of a daring and ambitious race. They seek to earn glory in the eyes of their fellows by amassing power, wealth, and fame. More than other people, humans champion causes rather than territories or groups.
### Human Names and Ethnicities Having so much more variety than other cultures, humans as a whole have no typical names. Some human parents give their children names from other languages, such as Dwarvish or Elvish (pronounced more or less correctly), but most parents give names that are linked to their region’s culture or to the naming traditions of their ancestors. The material culture and physical characteristics of humans can change wildly from region to region. ### Human Traits It’s hard to make generalizations about humans, but your human character has these traits.
**Ability Score Increase** Your ability scores each increase by 1.
**Age** Humans reach adulthood in their late teens and live less than a century.
**Alignment** Humans tend toward no particular alignment. The best and the worst are found among them.
**Size** Humans vary widely in height and build, from barely 5 feet to well over 6 feet tall. Regardless of your position in that range, your size is Medium.
**Speed** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
**Languages** You can speak, read, and write Common and one extra language of your choice. Humans typically learn the languages of other peoples they deal with, including obscure dialects. They are fond of sprinkling their speech with words borrowed from other tongues: Orc curses, Elvish musical expressions, Dwarvish military phrases, and so on.
***Variant Human*** If your campaign uses the optional feat rules from the Player’s Handbook, your Dungeon Master might allow these variant traits, all of which replace the human’s Ability Score Increase trait.
**Ability Score Increase.**
Two different ability
scores of your choice
increase by 1.
**Skills.** You gain
proficiency
in one skill
of your
choice.
**Feat.** You
gain one
feat of your
choice.
\pagebreakNum ## Minotaur SHARLAN, THE WHITE WITCH, WORKED HER WAY *through the mountainous path. She came to a bend and upon coming around the turn she spied a hulking figure in the distance. Quickly she moved off the road and took shelter behind a large boulder to observe the newcomer. Soon she identified the newcomer as a minotaur, one which walked with purpose. She was suddenely startled by its Booming voice saying, "Come out milady, I can see you just fine, and mean you no harm!"* —Chronicles of the White Witch
A minotaur combines the features of a human and bull, with the build and musculature of a hulking humanoid, but with cloven hooves, a bovine tail, and, most distinctive of all, a bull's head. Fur covers a minotaur's upper body, coarse and thick on the head and neck, gradually thinning around the shoulders until it becomes humanlike hair over the arms and upper torso. The thick hair turns shaggy once more at the minotaur's waist and thickens around the loins and legs, with tufts at the end of the tail and around the powerful hooves. Minotaurs take pride in their horns, the sharpness, size, and color of which are related to an individual's place in minotaur society. Fur and skin coloring runs from albino white to coal black, though most minotaurs have red or brown fur and hair.
### Noble Competitors Every day brings a new challenge to a minotaur. A single mistake can bring doom to an entire group or clan, while an individual’s heroic effort can ensure the entire group’s survival. Minotaurs thus place a premium on self-sufficiency and individual skill. They have a compulsion to keep
score, counting their deeds and tallying their accomplishments to compare to others.
Minotaurs love to win, but they see
defeat as a prod to improve their skills. For Minotaurs competition exists only
when it is supported by a level playing field.
Competition measures talent, dedication, and effort.
Those factors determine survival in their home
territory, not reliance on magic items, money,
or other elements that can tip the balance one
way or the other. Minotaurs happily rely on such
benefits, but they are careful to remember that
such an advantage can always be lost. A minotaur
who relies too much on them can grow complacent,
a recipe for disaster. ### Honor above All Minotaurs are bound by a powerful sense of honor.
Each victory brings greater honor to both
individual minotaurs and their families.
Defeat invokes a stain that only death can
fully wash away. Honor demands that minotaurs keep their word once it is offered, and each minotaur remains faithful to friends and clan above all else. Minotaurs typically strike up friendships with other creatures that display the minotaurs’ virtues and love of battle. To such friends, a minotaur becomes an ally whose support will never waver. ### Symbol of the Labyrinth Labyrinthine patterns are important to minotaurs, and these decorations appear on their clothing, armor, and weapons, and sometimes even on their hides. Each pattern is particular to a clan, and the pattern's size and complexity help minotaurs identify family allegiance and caste. The patterns evolve through the generations, growing more expansive based on clan members' deeds and a clan's history.
\pagebreakNum
### Minotaur Names Minotaur clan names originate with a great hero whose descendants take on that name as their own, doing their best to live up to the ideals of their ancestor. On Krynn, clan names are always preceded by the prefix “es‐” for minotaurs from lands controlled by the island of Mithas, or “de‐” for minotaurs from areas under the sway of Kothas. **Male Names:** Beliminorgath, Cinmac, Dastrun, Edder, Galdar, Ganthirogani, Hecariverani, Kyris, Tosher, Zurgas **Female Names:** Ayasha, Calina, Fliara, Helati, Keeli, Kyri, Mogara, Sekra, Tariki, Telia **Clan Names:** Athak, Bregan, Entragath, Kaziganthi, Lagrangli, Mascun, Orilg, Sumarr, Teskos, Zhakan ### Minotaur Traits Your minotaur character possesses a number of traits that reflect the power and superiority of your kind. **Ability Score Increase.** Your Strength score increases by 2. **Age.** Minotaurs enter adulthood at around the age of 25 and can live up to 150 years. **Alignment.** Minotaurs believe in a strict code of honor, and thus tend toward law. They are loyal to the death and make implacable enemies. \columnbreak
**Size.** Minotaurs typically stand well over 6 feet tall and weigh an average of 300 pounds. Your size is Medium. **Speed.** Your base walking speed is 30 feet. **Goring Rush.** When you use the Dash action during your turn, you can make a melee attack with your horns as a bonus action. **Horns.** You are never unarmed. You are proficient with your horns, which are a melee weapon that deals 1d6 piercing damage. Your horns grant you advantage on all checks made to shove a creature, but not to avoid being shoved yourself. **Labyrinthine Recall.** You can perfectly recall any path you have traveled. **Languages.** You can speak, read, and write Common and Undercommon. **Darkvision.** accustomed to life underground, you have superior vision in dark and 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. ### Subraces The two kinds of minotaur, Shorthorns and Longhorns, are diferentiated by thier horn structure. Choose one of these Subraces. ### Shorthorn As a Shorthorn Minotaur you use strategy and cunning to overcome challenges. You like to keep the fight close when it is to your advantage, using your strength as an advantage one vs. one. **Ability Score Increase.** Your wisdom score increases by 1. **Hammering Horns.** On a successful use of your Goring Rush trait, in addition to dealing 1d6 peircing damage, you can choose to shove an opponent OR knock a creature prone. ### Longhorn As a Longhorn Minotuar you take pride in martial prowess. You prefer to trample your enemies before you. **Ability Score Increase.** Your Constitution score increases by 1. **Impaling Horns.** On a successful use of your Goring Rush trait, in addition to dealing 1d6 peircing damage, you can choose to shove an opponent OR impale your opponent causing an additional 1d6 piercing damage.
\pagebreakNum
## Mousefolk OBSCURED IN THE THICK UNDERBRUSH OF THE *forest, every muscle in Moira's body was screaming. She had been crouched, completely still, for half a day, waiting for her quarry to emerge from its den. Thick mud clumped and matted her dark fut; insulating her from the high sun. Her large round ears twitched, focusing on a faint scratching coming from the cave. Her prey was awake. Moira drew her bow and deftly nocked an arrow without a sound. She waited. Soon the mighty owlbear lumbered out of the cave. A dry summer had forced it closer to civilization, and it had begun preying on trade caravans. Moira took aim, and let fly her arrow. The Barbed Trail would be safe to travel once more.*
The life of the Mousefolk is one spent close to the ground. With no great empires or kingdoms to call home, the Mousefolk spend their lives carving a place for themselves in the cities of the larger races or in the untamed wilds. They form tight-knit communities where every member is expected to contribute to the success of the whole. Some Mousefolk study a trade skill to support their families, while others use their natural agility and intellect for contract services. \columnbreak
### Furry and Nimble Reaching a little over 2 feet tall, the Mousefolk often go unnoticed in their day to day activities. Their diminutive stature and quiet demeanor make the Mousefolk inoffensive to most, granting a certain detachment from the major conflicts and strife of the age. Their fast metabolisms and quick feet give the Mousefolk a slender build, usually weighing between 20-30 pounds. Mousefolk fur color ranges from white to tan to brown or black, with various patterns passed through heredity. They take care to groom and clean their fur, as it represents their family and community. A Mousefolk's eye color is either red or black. Mousefolk like to wear comfortable dark colored clothes that allow for discretion and a wide range of movement. The concept of personal wealth or glory doesn't pervade through Mousefolk culture, most actions taken are for the good of the community rather than the self. Any wealth or resources gained are utilized for the betterment of the group. Some Mousefolk, however, use their natural abilities for personal gain. These individuals tend to be outcasts or black sheep of the clans. \pagebreakNum
### Home and Hearth The Mousefolk are a resourceful and tenacious race. Mousefolk settlements can be found in the most unlikely and inhospitable of places. They tend to build homes in the dark shadows and forgotten corners of the world, such as city slums, deep forests, scorching deserts, arctic tundras, or port cities in exotic lands. The Mousefolk aren't typically farmers, instead preferring hunting, trade, and craft to meet their needs. Mousefolk caravans are not an easy target for bandits, guarded by skilled archers within and a bristling wall of oak and steel without. Mousefolk families extend beyond blood ties, an individual's entire community is treated as kin. Mousefolk settlers will seek out other colonies, and new warrens will arise within close proximity to each other. These communities will eventually grow and merge, the members of each becoming kin to the other. ### Artisans and Adventurers The Mousefolk have a deep love of art, literature, song, and craft, and will often spend a lifetime perfecting their trade. True masterworks are rarely seen by the outside world, instead they are preserved and passed through the generations. To be a keeper of lore and heritage is among the highest honors and greatest responsibilities in Mousefolk culture. The Mousefolk who do not end up learning a trade will often put their skills to use pursuing esoteric knowledge, training as defenders, spiritual leaders, rangers, covert agents, or they might even travel the world as an adventurer-for-hire. > ##### Virtuous and Headstrong >Despite their generally flighty appearance, mousefolk are a very honorable people. They believe strongly in personal honor, less so in the idea that the actions of others can impugn that honor. When a mousefolk makes a mistake, especially one that causes harm to others, they will work hard and at long lengths to correct that mistake. ### Mousefolk Names When a Mousefolk is old enough to read, they are taken by an elder to the clan's archives to study the lore and histories of their people. After several years, the individual is allowed to pick their own name, either adopting the name of a past hero, or inventing a new name for themselves.
**Male Names:** Aengus, Ashwin, Aynselle, Boris, Byrnstan, Celanawe, Colin, Demitri, Elric, Esegar, Finn, Gregory.Joseph, Luke, Martin, Matthias, Mattimeo, Odric, Seyth, Thom, Waldwin
**Female Names:** Baeylie, Caley, Clove, Daewn, Dalla, Eda, Elis, Gale, Ingrid, Kearra, Mariel, Millicent, Moira, Nola, Rona, Rosalee, Sayble, Serra, Sylvia, Veira
**Historical Names:** Abershaw, Bluebell, Dalgill, Faolan, Garrow, Gamilon, Grimwold, Hannidy, Larkin, Sloan, Taryn, Tenny, Tinble, Toller, Vidar, Walmond ### Mousefolk Traits Your Mousefolk character has a number of traits in common with all other Mousefolk.
**Ability Score Increase.** Your Dexterity score increases by 2.
**Age.** A Mousefolk reaches adulthood at the age of 5 and lives to be about 40 years old.
**Alignment.** Most Mousefolk are neutral, and tend towards good. They try to keep the conflicts of the other races at arm's length, but display remarkable ferocity when their friends, families, or communities are threatened. A reverence for nature and life is close to the heart of Mousefolk, and they are loath to take a life if it can be avoided. They prefer to live quiet and unassuming lives, giving honest work for honest pay.
**Size.** Mousefolk grow between 2 and 2 1/2 feet tall and weigh about 25 pounds. Your size is Small.
**Speed.** Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
**Keen Senses.** You have proficiency in the Perception skill.
**Mousefolk Weapon Training.** You have proficiency with the rapier, shortsword, shortbow, and handaxe.
**Nimble Dodge.** When attacked by an Attack of Opportunity, you may use your reaction to impose disadvantage on that attack.
**Languages.** You can speak, read, and write Common and Squeak Speak. Mousefolk place great value on the written accounts of their legends and histories, and encourage everyone to keep journals and records of their deeds. Almost all Mousefolk speak Common to converse with the people on whose lands they dwell or through which they are traveling.
**Subrace.** The two main kinds of Mousefolk, Softpaw and Meadowgard, are more like closely related families than true subraces. Choose one of these subraces. \pagebreakNum
### Softpaw As a Softpaw Mousefolk, you avoid the dangers of the untamed wilds for the security of civilization. Your bookish nature gives you an edge in the arcane studies and a knack for trade skills and craft. The mark of the Softpaw is a seal of the utmost quality. A Softpaw's natural dexterity and keen intellect make them desirable contract thieves and infiltrators.
**Ability Score Increase.** Your Intelligence score increases by 1.
**Artistry.** You gain proficiency with one type of artisan's tools or one musical instrument.
**Squirm.** You can move through tiny sized spaces as if you were tiny size. ### Meadowgard As a Meadowgard Mousefolk, you make your living in the wilds. You have keen senses, deep intuition, and a connection with nature that few other races can boast. The Meadowgard stand staunchly at the edge of civilization, knowing that their eyes are the first alarm and their body and blade are the last bulwark of countless others. They have an unwavering sense of duty and a lifetime of experience which keeps them sharp against the dangers of the world. With an Eider's blessing some Meadowgard leave the service of their clans to travel the world and record their journeys.
**Ability Score Increase.** Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
**Brave.** You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened.
**Speak With Small Beasts.** Through sounds and gestures, you can communicate simple ideas with Small or smaller beasts.
\pagebreakNum # Chapter 4: Classes \pagebreakNum # Chapter 5: Spells \pagebreakNum # Chapter 6: Religions \pagebreakNum # Chapter 7: Factions \pagebreakNum
Practice Safe Homebrewing
People love to flex their creative muscles while composing new homebrew content. More often than not, the inspiration for you homebrew comes from another source. Sometimes significantly. Other times just as a spark. What is important for the community is that you share your sources of inspiration. This back cover can serve as an easy to find, easy to read place for you to do just that. So go ahead, remove this chunk of copy and tell everyone who inspired you. Cover Art: [Lindsey Burcar](http://www.lindseyburcar.com/)
When you're ready to share with the community, don't forget to mark your document as public so people can find it in the [GM Binder Search](https://www.gmbinder.com/search)
[WWW.GMBINDER.COM](https://www.gmbinder.com)
\columnbreak
##### More Credits Cover Art: "Talindor's Guest" By Lindsey Burcar Dragonmaw Map: By Paul Carnahan Maybe you have so many people to give credit to that you need a bit more space. Well, you can use this column to do exactly that!