Korth'an Disenchantment: Characters

Highborne

The Korth'an Conclave is fairly egalitarian, but that doesn't mean that there are not those with privilege. Some of the member species (Lizardfolk and Fungifolk in particular) have castes that are granted more power within their communities for instance. In addition, the city of Conclave by its nature has a significant population of diplomats / highly ranked beings. Whether these beings have actual power or not, living and moving within the circles of those who do brings real benefit.   For whatever reason, it is these highborne that seem to be disproportionately affected by the malady brought upon the region. It is unknown what may be responsible for this, and various families are reacting in wildly different ways. Some are isolating themselves, others are seeing it as a punishment and an opportunity to right wrongs they may have committed.  

Are you aware of the benefits that come from your family's station? Do you embrace those or do you rebel against the expectations?

Did your upbringing shelter you from the dangers of the world or something else that might be important? Did you learn it later in life, and if so when did you discover it?

Has your family been affected by the malaise? How have they reacted to it?

Loreborne

There are several Loreborne communities across the Korth'an region. Knowledge, lore, history, song - all of these are kept in high regard by many of the cultures around the forest. There are Felidasi families that dedicate significant time to sharing histories of their journeys through the forest, Centaur lineages tracing lore of their wanderings to shortly before their settling near the coast, entire colonies of Fungifolk in caverns below the forest holding the lore of the trees, roots, and growth.  

Do you carry special knowledge that is important to pass on to the next generation?

Did the lore you have learned get passed to you through traditional means or did you seek out and find it in the wilds or from dealings with the Fae?

Are you charged more with seeking new knowledge or keeping the old knowledge safe to be passed on?

Ridgeborne, Underborne, Wanderborne, Wildborne, Seaborne

All of the geographically-centered communities are present within the region. Orghyr have built dwellings into the sides of the Horned Peaks (where they frequently clash with Minotaurs). Fungifolk and others live deep under the forest floor. Diverse bands of nomads traverse the Southern Wastes, while the Gleaming Fleet seeks knowledge and treasure from out of the Wurmsbight. And at the core of it all, many communities can be found within the Korth'an Forest.  

Are you still directly connected to your home? Or have you left to seek life outside of it? What are your reasons?

What are your attitudes towards beings from different types of communities? Do you consider them to be of different standing to yours?

What ideals has your community taught you that you try your best to hold dearly to?

Orderborne

The culture across the Korth'an Conclave is generally one of equality and freedom, but the Lizardfolk communities are a stark exception. The seaside and marsh villages of the lizardfolk are often built upon a strict hierarchy, with a chieftan in a position of absolute leadership. While the communities are not necessarily militaristic, they are built around efficiency and order. Challenges to the power of a chieftan often result in ritualized combat, while those that grow to reject the strict order of their community leave to find others with which to build a new life. It is these latter that are the source of several smaller and hidden lizardfolk communities which might be built around other principles.  

What is your role within your community? How do you uphold that principle to elevate yourself in the eyes of your village?

Have you been sent out from your community on a mission, to complete a goal? Or have you exiled yourself to seek a different life?

Slyborne

There is not a dedicated Slyborne community within the Conclave (with the possible exception of part of The Fae Realm) but there are small and hidden groups that meet in secret for various nefarious means. The Conclave is not a monolith, and not every being holds to their ideals nor are satisfied with their place in the world. While some simply leave - Southport is a common destination for those who dislike the nature of the forest region - others express their dissatisfaction in other ways.  

Why have you grown to reject the teachings of your home community, and how do you choose to act out against it?

Do you have overarching goals that you wish to act upon?

Would you act directly against your former community if asked to?

 

Humans

Humans are very rare within the Korth'an Conclave. The few humans present are those who have fled the City-States Region either due to some major problem with laws or because they are a Sorcerer - and thus marked for execution within that region.  

Dwarfs

Dwarfs outside of The Sink are rare. Those that journey as far as the Korth'an Forest are exceptionally so. But if they do journey here, they will generally be traders, seeking out something that can only be found in the Korth'an region, or their guard.  

Katari, Faun, Ribbets, Giants

These four ancestries have been "reskinned" to fit Lasair: [Felidasi][Centaurs][Goblins][Orghyr (Ogres)] . The ancestry rules are identical but the names or appearances have been changed to match species already present in Lasair. All of these species are extremely active within the Korth'an Conclave in roles fitting their abilities, commonly within the Korth'an Wardens. Faun and Ribbets would also fit perfectly fine in the setting in their original form, they're just not written into the setting yet (and would be mechanically identical to the reskinned species).  

Goblins and Simiah

This section also could include Goblins: "goblin" is a catch-all term for a number of creatures in Lasair. This ancestry can be used to represent any that might fit within the Korth'an area. Goblins would be an active and outgoing species within the Conclave. Simiah don't directly exist within Lasair but that ancestry would simiarly fit in just fine in the Conclave - it's likely they'll be renamed into something to fit Lasair at some point - but might be more fitting in another area, geographically. Their abilities were used to create Ratlings and River Goblins.  

Fungril, Galapa, Lizardfolk

Fungril have been renamed as Fungifolk, Galapa to Testudana. Lizardfolk are a customized ancestry, based on Drakona but without their inherent elemental abilities. These ancestries are common within the Korth'an Conclave, though suffer some limitations. Fungifolk have a difficult time communicating with others (they do not "speak" but communicate to each other through spores, similar to pheremones used by some insects). Testudana and Lizardfolk are both native to wetlands and must take their need for moisture into account. Each of these ancestries can be played but will come with "weaknesses" through which a GM can offer more roleplaying opportunities.  

Clanks

Clanks created within the Korth'an Forest or surrounding lands would most likely be made from wood - either from the forest or from driftwood along the sea. Clanks from the human lands (often crafted from fine brass, gold, and magic-imbued gems) would be very rare here. Similarly to humans, a clank here would be on the run from the Mages - quite possibly the very one that created it!  

Half-Elf, Virtueborn

These custom ancestries - [Half-Elf] [Virtueborn] - would fit in quite well within the Conclave. Virtueborn are exceptionally rare beings and most that survive through the crisis that causes them to be summoned find purpose within the City-States Region but it's well within possibility that one would make their way here. Beings similar to Virtueborn could also come into existence around other species' belief systems but they're not yet documented within the Lasair setting.  

Orcs, Halflings, Ratlings

Orcs, Halflings, and Ratlings (a customized ancestry) are located elsewhere in Lasair and would not be found in Korth'an barring extraordinary circumstances. That doesn't mean they CAN'T be here but it'll take some heavy character work to establish WHY they're here!  

Faeries

Normally, the Fae would be a rare sight but one possible to find as an adventurer with a home in the Korth'an Forest. The Southern Fae have a home within that forest, and the younger members will sometimes spend an inordinate amount of time with mortals, even going on long treks with them. However, with the events of this campaign frame, all fae have either withdrawn to within The Fae Realm or are active antagonists.  

Elves, Drakona, Infernis

These ancestries are not available for player character use within this campaign frame. Elves secreted themselves away into enclaves nearly a thousand years ago and it takes extraordinary events to summon even one from their hidden homes. Drakona and Infernis do not exist on Lasair in such forms - though the Drakona ancestry was used to create Lizardfolk.
 

 

Warriors, Guardians, Rogues, Rangers

The "fighting" classes all are present in large numbers especially within the Korth'an Wardens. Rogues are probably less common in terms of thieves but the class's abilities all work very well for a forest scout that doesn't use a bow and is more about fading away.  

Wizards, Bards, Druids, Sorcerers

The "casting" classes are generally in positions of social leadership and keeping of knowledge. Within the Korth'an Conclave, these are those who find a particular affinity for history, for nature, for the elements. Learning these skills or finding the aptitude is fairly rare but those to whom such gifts are given are socially expected to use them for the good of their community - whether their species' home lands or for the Conclave as a whole. (Do remember the notes about Humans and Wurmborn from the "Ancestries" section, though!)  

Seraph

Deities do not exist in the setting of Lasair (or at least, they do not do so openly). That does not mean that "divine" characters do not exist, but the source of their powers is very different. It can be a deep personal discipline, dedication to high ideals, a strong connection to nature (in a way different to a Druid), or many other ways.   The Seraph class is somewhat rare within the Conclave. Many that focus on healing or magic that comes from the spirit will be better flavored by the Druid classes. That said, flavoring Seraphs of either subclass to fit well within this region could be a very fun exercise for the player.   Human clerics of The Virtues are not unheard of within the region, either. They will occasionally accompany the rare trading missions that come in from the North, and the extremely rare priest may journey here alone with the intent of tending to the few humans who live here. They may even find empathy for the odd human Wurmborn exile in this land far away from the eyes of the Mages.