Races & Racism

In a world where the only planes in play are the material plane, races (species) must be limited to only those hailing from this plane as well right? Well not necessarily. In the history of Therovar, all species are inhabiting the world - just not equally. Below we will list the common races, and then give a quick breakdown on common thoughts of rarer races found in the world. Perhaps there are more races in the world than listed here. If you want to utilize a race not listed consult your DM and create the background of the race in Therovar together.
 
 

Common Races of Therovar

The following races are found in abundance throughout the world. Minor things may shift in their backstory or lore (for example ties to the Feywild) but all-in-all they are here and known.
 

• Aarakocra

  RAW. Hail mostly from the mountains of Shu'Yun Zhen with their nests and communities dotting the inaccessible cliffs and spires. Not formally a part of the monasteries, but deeply respected by the monks. Occasionally, an aarakocra is born with feathers of pale silver or deep obsidian and are considered Skymarked. These are destined for change and leave their peaks to journey the world below.

• Aasimar

  Said to be touched by Mother Isha and their bloodline blessed instead of hailing from the upper planes. Often are given roles as Luminaries are tied to the upper church. Granted rights to minor healing upon maturity.

• Dragonborn

  RAW but no ties to draconic pantheon of gods. Dragonborn may be direct kin of dragons, or the product of a bloodline pact with ancient dragons.

• Dwarf

  Dwarves hail from deep within mountains and ruins. Most of their cultures isolate from the surface world, but there are some sects that work in mines or forging amongst the surface.

• Elf

  No longer tied to the Feywild, but to memory. Elves are said to have sprung into existence when the earth wept for forgotten civilizations or forests. While others dream of gold and glory, elves are said to dream of the places they hail that no longer exist.

• Gnome

  It is thought they branched from dwarves, but both gnome and dwarf people will vehemently deny this. Illusion and tinkering are traits shared by gnomes to help them survive as they are shunned and looked at distrustfully in Sanctia and where followers of Mother Isha are. In Karnatel they are looked upon more favorably as skilled workers and inventors.

• Goliaths

  Goliaths hail from the Giants of Veilcrag Mountains - the mountains sealing The Red Waste from the rest of Therovar. Goliaths have a shared theology known as "The Weight," a shared ideology that each life carries a burden passed down by generations. For them it is guardianship and protection, echoing the purpose bestowed upon their home.

• Halfling

  An offshoot of humans created in ways unknown. They have expanded and now can be found in cities around Therovar, using their skills where possible for work or crime.

• Human

  RAW

• Orcs

  Beasts evolved and gained sentience, orcs act and are treated mostly RAW. Some turn from their tribes and homes to live in cities and take on new experiences.

 

Uncommon Races of Therovar

Below is listed races that are not found as commonly throughout Therovar. These races are hidden or hail from otherwise uninhabited areas of Therovar. Sighting of these will attract stares or questions. Some invite worry while others bring curiosity based on the connotations and stereotypes behind species.

• Bugbear

  Known but seldom seen. Bugbears do not hail from the Feywild, but are infused with magic. They dwell on the edges of civilization like in forests or canyons. They are tribal and independent keeping to themselves not out of fear, but by tradition and design. Many associate bugbears with violence or savagery, but the truth is far from. While their image is daunting, bugbears are mostly peaceful and tend to help those who are kind.

• Firbolg

  Firbolgs hail from deep in the wilds near the Veilcrag Mountains. It is thought they were pushed out from their homes originally in the territory of Verdath. Though few outside druidic circles have seen one, firbolgs do not incite fear, but wonder. Traders and couriers speak of leaving offerings near hollowed out stumps, hoping firbolgs will bless their passage. Gentle giants of myth.

• Genasi

  Genasi are rare beings whose blood hums with power of the elements. With no known connection to elemental planes, scholars are fascinated and argue over how these creatures can exist at all. Prevailing beliefs include the earth bringing forward protectors for her forces - not unlike she did with the Twin Gods - or that maybe long ago other worlds were connected to our own and these beings are the ancestors of travelers forgotten by their homes. Genasi are thought to be blessed by the wilds to some while others regard them with unease.

• Goblin

  Once widespread in ancient times, goblin ruins are spread across Therovar. Today they are a shell of what they once were - some citing persecution war and slaughter, others stating that they were hunted to near-extinction by the Carrion Hunter - divine punishment for some forgotten transgression. They are seen as pests - feral and cruel. But in reality they are survivors of a forgotten genocide, twisted not by nature but by necessity.

• Kobold

  Small in stature but vast in numbers, kobolds tend to swarm away from civilization. Cunning and fiercely communal, kobolds make their home in tunnel systems, quarry systems, and under the earth in caves and shafts. They are found in many places, but the vast majority of them survive in The Red Waste underground. Most regard kobolds as vermin: scrappy miners, petty thieves, or would-be engineers too concerned with dangerous inventions. They truthfully thrive in purpose - constantly constructing, cataloging, and worshiping through labor. They are known to worship places and things long forgotten, things they cling to as though real. It isn't uncommon to find a kobold tribe making their home and protecting the skeleton of a dragon, a ruined bunker left abandoned by an artificer, or ancient ruins.

• Tabaxi

  Tabaxis are wanderers from all over Therovar. A rare and flickering presence when seen, they are drawn by instinct rather than map. By memory rather than mission. Tabaxi themselves cannot describe what pulls them to hoard things with obsessive devotion. A tabaxi may gather everything they can relating to a bronze-handled soup spoon; not just the spoons themselves but literature citing the spoon or referencing it at all. Darker and more evil tabaxi may find their focus extend not just to the object of their fixation, but the people around it. These tabaxi will venture and kill anyone that has knowledge of the object in addition to collecting texts and the object if possible. In cities they arrive in they are watched fiercely and shunned often.

• Tiefling

  Tieflings hail not from a noation, nor are they tied to any bloodling of nobility or beast. Instead, they appear in scattered births around Therovar. Usually this is among humans or elves, but always without explanation. In Sanctia they are labeled "Ash-Blooded" and often feared. Mother Isha 's Chosen watch and investigate the families around these births, many times ending in bloodshed for blasphemy or heresy. In Karnatel they are regarded as the natural evolution of mortal flesh, and although not revered they are allowed to exist as they please. In Shu'Yun Zhen it is thought the tieflings were born with echoes too loud to silence. Few are accepted among the monasteries and into the Pilgrimage to Enlightenment, but those who are tend to pursue more dangerous paths and traditions.

• Tortle

  Far from the mainland and seldom seen outside of their quiet shores, tortles are a slow and contemplative people. Believed by most to be myths until one lumbers into a city with little but their shell and maybe a talisman or drum in hand. Tortles are seen as story tellers and keepers of knowledge. Their memory great and their voice smooth, they often are surrounded by people the moment they arrive in a city.