Humans tediously labor to build their kingdoms and pockets. They are very adaptive and hold dealings in all manor of trade from the normal to the mysterious. Humans pride themselves in their ability to master any career they choose and as such, it is possible to find any type of person amongst them.
Though elves and dwarves have been around for so long, they struggle to maintain their lifestyle just as everyone else does. Little remained after the war and punishment and everyone has been working hard to rebuild their kingdoms without the painful leadership of giants.
Quicklings, comprising the third largest population bulk, enjoy life far to much to suffer it. They often ally themselves with other nations allowing them an easier lifestyle. Though they provide just as well as any other, they prefer to find an easier approach to most scenarios. Few quickling settlements can be found but do exist.
Several other races are considered civilized though they may not build empires or ally themselves. Elitals and urash are included in this profile though their numbers are far fewer then that of humans, elves, or dwarves.
Along with humans, dwarves where the least hampered by the chaos of war. The huge citadels and fortresses they had built make up the majority of the ruins that still stand today. Though just as stubborn if not more so then humans, dwarves found themselves outsized by the large world around them and were more willing to seek shelter in the strength of the mountain caves and deep caverns spread beneath the world’s surface. Still today the dwarves reside in their stone fortresses and carved dwellings.
During the great wars, the dwarves found themselves worked harder then any other race. As the battles devastated the surface world, their tyrannical giant rulers forced them to forge greater weapons and build stronger empires. It is said that this directly led to their unrivaled skill in engineering and architecture as well as their unique techniques at the forge. Dwarven crafted weapons and armor are sought by collectors and adventurers around the globe.
Though a dwarf’s life span is roughly double that of a human’s, they have still managed to adapt to the lands that they call home. Today, there are several different cultures among the dwarves.
Cavern dwarves are not exclusive to underground and are quite common on the surface. They typically find employ in the surface societies as stonemasons and architects. Though they do appreciate metals for is many uses, their stone home life has granted them an affinity with stone that surpasses that of the guard or tech dwarves.
Regions: Cavern dwarves can be found in most regions. The vast networks of caverns underground have allowed them to spread to many of the far reaches of Aerastam. Usually Cavern dwarves can be found in Felloria, the Freelands, Gildendale, and Shyaland. Some have made their homes in the Badlands high in the safety of the mountains.
Racial Abilities: Cavern dwarves have all the dwarven abilities listed in the Player’s Handbook except as follows:
• +1 Constitution, +1 Strength, -1 Dexterity, -1 Charisma: Cavern dwarves are very hardened but have become slower due to the limited space of underground.
• Darkvision up to 120 feet. This replaces normal dwarven darkvision.
• Improved Stonecunning: Unlike the normal +2 bonus dwarves normally get, Cavern dwarves get a +3 bonus.
• +3 racial bonus to appraise checks concerning stonework or gems. The bonus remains a +2 when appraising metals.
• +3 racial bonus on craft checks concerning stone. The bonus remains a +2 when dealing with metal.
• Automatic Languages: Common, home region, regional dwarven. Bonus Languages: Elital, elven, felloric, giant, goblin, liaferic, orc, porushan, quameric, shierran, terran.
Fire dwarves live just as long as any other dwarf though they tend to have shorter life expectancies due to the danger they constantly place themselves around. Over the many years, these dwarves have come to be known for tempers as hot as the lands they love. Fire dwarves tend to be less tolerant of outsiders within their domains but still allow strangers to travel their lands. They have not become as reclusive as high elves but are clearly the least friendly of the dwarven races.
Regions: Fire dwarves are commonly found in Felloria, Grolet, the northern reaches of Maglovisha, and even hidden throughout the Waste, though many have been seen in the Freelands and Wakemouth.
Racial Abilities: Fire dwarves have all the dwarven abilities listed in the Player’s Handbook except as follows:
• +2 Constitution, +1 Wisdom, -3 Charisma: The prolonged exposure of extreme heat has caused the fire dwarves to become immensely rugged. Their more exclusive societies has also lessened their hospitality.
• Heat Resistance: Fire dwarves ignore the first point of damage made from heat per attack.
• Cold sensitivity: Fire dwarves have become so tolerant of heat that they can no longer handle the cold temperatures well. They suffer a -2 penalty in addition to any other penalties made for rolls to resist cold.
• Automatic Languages: Common, home region, regional dwarven. Bonus Languages: Elital, elven, felloric, giant, goblin, groletian, lamporcian, maglovan, orc, ravathor, terran.
Though cavern dwarves have developed a finer skill with stone, so too can be said of the guard dwarves when speaking of metals. Being the most militaristic of the dwarven races, guard dwarves have perfected the art of metalworking. They surpass all others when it comes to the making of armor, shields, weapons, and just about anything made primarily of metal. It is even known that the guard dwarves have created new metals, many of which the technique is kept secret.
Having chosen to live on the surface with many of the other races, the guard dwarf is comparably the most open of the dwarves. They mingle much more then the others and enjoy the company of the other races. When meeting a guard dwarf, it is usually safe to assume that they are members of some military, or have ambitions of joining a like service. Their strategic skills and power with the tools of combat have built them a reputation as great warriors.
Regions: Due to their willingness to spread and mingle with the other races, guard dwarves can be found nearly anywhere with the exception of those lands that do not allow them. They are most commonly found in the Freelands, Gildendale, Grolet, Shyaland, Uropa, and Wintersum.
Racial Abilities: Guard dwarves have all the dwarven abilities listed in the Player’s Handbook except as follows:
• +1 Constitution, +1 Dexterity, -1 Charisma, -1 Wisdom. Guard dwarves are tough and quick but tend to lack much worldly knowledge.
• Metallurgical Secret: When using the craft skill to forge metals, guard dwarves may take 10 without actually spending the extra time. Unlike the other races, the techniques at the forge are taught to all the guard dwarves and are considered common knowledge to them. Guard dwarves understand how to forge nearly any metal except those of secret origins. However guard dwarves will eventually figure out these secrets as determined by how many ranks they have in the craft skill. The ranks required are listed with the information about these metals in Chapter 3: Equipment.
• +3 racial bonus to appraise checks concerning metals. The bonus remains a +2 for stonework and gems.
• +3 racial bonus on craft checks concerning metals. The bonus remains a +2 for stones.
• Automatic Languages: Common, home region, regional dwarven. Bonus Languages: Elital, elven, giant, goblin, groletian, liaferic, orc, quameric, shierran, Uropian, and Vikaric.
Tech dwarves pride themselves on being more intelligent then the dwarves relatives. They have always preferred the motto “work smarter, not harder”. As a result, they birthed several mechanical constructs thus making their lifestyle easier. Though still considered rare, the import and export of dwarf technology is steadily becoming a popular staple in many lands.
Due to their more relaxed lifestyles, tech dwarves have began to live longer then most other dwarves increasing their longevity by as much 50 years. Sages relate this improved life span to the tech dwarf’s improved health and medicine. Tech dwarves are without question the most modernized race on Aerastam.
Regions: Tech dwarves are primarily found in Gildendale but have been slowly expanding into the Freelands, Uropa, and Wakemouth.
Racial Abilities: Tech dwarves have all the dwarven abilities listed in the Player’s Handbook except as follows:
• +1 Intelligence, +1 Wisdom, -1 Strength, -1 Charisma. Tech dwarves are very intelligent and wise, though their easier life as made them slightly softer than their dwarven relatives.
• Automatic Languages: Common, home region, regional dwarven. Bonus Languages: Elital, elven, felloric, giant, goblin, lamporcian, liaferic, orc, quameric, and uropian.
Elitals do not speak as most of the races do. They can hear and understand languages they learn just as everyone else can, they simply cant speak them. To compensate for this, elitals have been given an enhanced telepathic ability. Races that do not have telepathic abilities can still hear the elital in their heads and can thus communicate easily (though they would have to speak aloud to an elital normally). Elitals on the other hand can communicate with each other without making a sound. Many have found it eerie watching a group of elitals apparently hold a conversation. This telepathic ability reaches as far as their line of sight and can be directed to one person or broadcast to many as if yelling out loud.
Elitals have no social structure, or life span as normal mortals see it. Elitals do not age and are not effected by the effects of aging. They require no sustenance allowing them to operate without, food, water, air, or sleep. Elitals often act more like drones with one thing on their minds, their created purpose. It is extremely rare that elitals gather in groups or form organized structures. On the rare occasions that it happens, it is often a part of the complicated drive within them to complete or maintain the task they where created for.
Though elitals can think for themselves, develope their own personalities, grow in skill differently, and pursue thier separate goals uniquely, they all have one thing in common. The common tie between all elitals is that they serve Aerastam. It is always her intentions that they are created for. Should an elital ever complete it’s purpose, it vanishes from the world until needed again. When it returns, it has a new purpose but retains any skills, equipments, and abilities it previously collected. Aerastam prefers this as it makes her elitals much more efficient. Should an elital die, it is utterly destroyed. Only a druid of the same element or a cleric of Aerastam may resurrect an elital.
Elitals are often referred to as half-elementals due to their humanoid bodies and elemental traits. They are not born and have no childhoods. They do not reproduce. Aerastam has created elitals for each of the five elements, air, earth, fire, water, and wood. The nature and abilities of each elital differs depending on the element it is tied to.
Personality: Elitals are often percieved as cold and intimidating. This is largely due to their in ability to talk and rare desire to socialize. The truth is that elitals range in personalities just as wide as that of humans, though even the friendliest of elitals except that others are usually uneasy around them.
Physical Description: Every elital differs in appearance. Some look very close to that of a human while many look more like elementals themselves. They range in height just as humans do and their weight differs depending on the element they are tied to. Air and fire elitals are typically 50% lighter then they appear compared to humans. Wood elitals are usually around the same weight range as humans while earth and water elitals are much heavier, ranging as much as double that of a human their size.
Relations: Few people actually relate with elitals. They rarely socialize and are most often concerned with their own goals over other’s. This tends to make them difficult to negotiate with. They are natural friends with elementals and druids and often dislike wizards as the use of such power is usually against Aerastam’s will.
Alignment: Elitals are always neutral. Their concern for right and wrong as well as good and bad is solely relative to the goal they are working towards. It is not unheard of for an elital to help an enemy force if it brings them closer to their purpose in life.
Society: Elitals rarely claim lands unless it serves the purpose in which they were created. Usually this land is wilderness and undeveloped. Even on the rare occasions that an elital dominates an area, they rule in any way that suits them and their mysterious purpose. It is more likely that an elital will form an organization that can then develope the resources needed to accomplish it’s goal.
Religions: Elitals are always followers of Aerastam even if their class doesn’t dictate the need for a deity.
Regions: Elitals can be found anywhere. There is no limit to the locations Aerastam can place them.
Racial Abilities: Air Elitals have the following abilites:
• +2 Dexterity, +1 Wisdom, -3 Charisma: Air Elitals are as quick as the wind and very astute. They suffer socially as all elitals do.
• Medium-size.
• Air Elital base speed is 30 feet.
• Low-lightvision.
• Flight (Ex): Air elitals can fly at will with average skill. Their base speed remains the same.
• Blur (Sp): Air elitals may cast blur once per day as a 5th-level sorcerer. • Elemental Focus: Air Elitals must select air as their elemental path if they become druids or select the air domain if they become clerics.
• +1 racial bonus on saving throws made against air spells and effects. This bonus increases by +1 for every five class level attained.
• Low Density: Air elitals weigh half that of a normal human or comparable size.
• Self Sustaining: Air elitals do not require food, air, water, or sleep.
• Automatic Languages: Common, home region, regional elital. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages such as Druidic).
• Favored Class: Ranger
• Level Adjustment +2: Air Elitals are slightly more powerful than many other races and gain levels slower.
Regions: Elitals can be found anywhere. There is no limit to the locations Aerastam can place them.
Racial Abilities: Earth elitals have the following abilites:
• +4 Strength, -1 Dexterity, -3 Charisma: Earth elitals are extremely strong but slow on their feet. They suffer socially as all elitals do.
• Medium-size.
• Earth elital base speed is 30 feet.
• Darkvision up to 60 feet.
• Natural Armor +1: Earth elitals are much harder to wound then others.
• Tremorsense (Ex): Earth elitals can sense all things moving on or in the ground within 60 feet.
• Elemental Focus: Earth Elitals must select earth as their elemental path if they become druids or select the earth domain if they become clerics.
• +1 racial bonus on saving throws made against earth spells and effects. This bonus increases by +1 for every five class levels attained.
• High Density: Earth Elitals are roughly twice as heavy as a human of comparable size.
• Self Sustaining: Earth Elitals do not require food, air, water, or sleep.
• Automatic Languages: Common, home region, regional elital. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages such as Druidic).
• Favored Class: Ranger
• Level Adjustment +2: Earth Elitals are slightly more powerful than many other races and gain levels slower.
Regions: Elitals can be found anywhere. There is no limit to the locations Aerastam can place them.
Racial Abilities: Fire elitals have the following abilities:
• +2 Dexterity, +1 Intelligence, -3 Charisma: Fire elitals are very quick and as bright as their bodies. They suffer socially as all elitals do.
• Medium-size.
• Fire elital base speed is 30 feet.
• Self-lighting (Ex): A fire elital can project light from itself much like a torch with a range of 60 feet.
• Breath Weapon (Su): Once per day a fire elital may breath fire in a 45 degree cone up to 30 feet away for 1d6 damage per character level.
• Elemental Focus: Fire Elitals must select fire as their elemental path if they become druids or select the fire domain if they become clerics.
• +1 racial bonus on saving throws made against fire spells and effects.
• Low Density: Fire elitals weigh half that of a normal human of comparable size.
• Self Sustaining: Fire elitals do not require food, air, water, or sleep.
• Automatic Languages: Common, home region, regional elital. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages such as Druidic).
• Favored Class: Ranger
• Level Adjustment +2: Fire elitals are slightly more powerful than many other races and gain levels slower.
Regions: Elitals can be found anywhere. There is no limit to the locations Aerastam can place them.
Racial Abilities: Water Elitals have the following abilites:
• +1 Intelligence, +1 Strength, +1 Wisdom, -3 Charisma: Water elitals are powerful physically as well as mentally. They suffer socially as all elitals do.
• Medium-size.
• Water elital base speed is 30 feet. They can swim at double the base speed. Standard modifiers to swimming apply.
• Darkvision up to 60 feet.
• Create Water (Sp): A water Elital can create water once per day as if cast by a 5th-level druid.
• Drench (Ex): Water elitals can extinguish flames on contact, of a non-magical nature, that are large size or smaller. He can dispel magical flames as dispel magic (caster level equals the elitals HD).
• Elemental Focus: Water Elitals must select water as their elemental path if they become druids or select the water domain if they become clerics.
• +1 racial bonus on saving throws made against water spells and effects.
• High Density: Water Elitals are roughly twice as heavy as a human of comparable size.
• Self Sustaining: Water elitals do not require food, air, water, or sleep.
• Automatic Languages: Common, home region, regional elital. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages such as Druidic).
• Favored Class: Ranger
• Level Adjustment +2: Water elitals are slightly more powerful than many other races and gain levels slower.
Unlike, the other elitals, wood elitals have been seen on several occasions traveling or working in groups. Nobody is sure but it is believed that they must often have similar goals set for them. Still the elitals have not revealed why they do the things they do.
Regions: Elitals can be found anywhere. There is no limit to the locations Aerastam can place them.
Racial Abilities: Water Elitals have the following abilites:
• +1 Strength, +3 Wisdom, -1 Dexterity, -3 Charisma: Wood elitals are very wise but slow moving. They suffer socially as all elitals do.
• Medium-size.
• Wood elital base speed is 30 feet.
• Low-lightvision.
• Pass Without Trace (Sp): Wood elitals can use pass without trace once per day as if cast by a 5th-level druid.
• Regeneration (Ex): Wood elitals regenerate at a rate of 1 hp per round. Fire and acid still do normal damage. Lost limbs require full rest and one day to regrow.
• Elemental Focus: Wood Elitals must select wood as their elemental path if they become druids or select the wood domain if they become clerics.
• +1 racial bonus on saving throws made against wood spells and effects.
• Normal Density: Wood Elitals are usually the same weight as a human of comparable size.
• Self Sustaining: Wood elitals do not require food, air, water, or sleep.
• Automatic Languages: Common, home region, regional elital. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages such as Druidic).
• Favored Class: Ranger
• Level Adjustment +2: Wood elitals are slightly more powerful than many other races and gain levels slower.
After the great wars, the humans made the smallest amount of change in their lifestyle. Unlike some races that fled to safer lands or created highly guarded borders, the humans thrived in what ever conditions they found themselves left with. In nearly every aspect of their lives they learned to adapt and overcome before fleeing or surrendering. This trait has seemingly effected their mannerisms as well and as such have become known as one of Aerastam’s most stubborn races.
Genetic Quirks: Though humans do not have subraces as many other races do, they do have genetic quirks. This is to say that not all humans are exactly alike. Some grow with a natural knack for learning while some are simply more athletic then others. A genetic quirk acts much like a free feat in terms of selection and use. Each human may choose one quirk that cannot be changed ever. Genetic quirks are listed later in this chapter.
Regions: Humans can select almost anywhere as their home region excluding those regions that prohibit humans such as Tyrentia. The Dungeon Master has the final say.
Racial Abilities: Humans have all the standard racial abilities listed in the Player’s Handbook with the exception of genetic quirks.
• Genetic Quirk: Every human may select one genetic quirk.
• Automatic Languages: Common, home region. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages such as Druidic).