The Races of Pyrrhos
Pyrrhos has many exotic races, some the product of a certain goddess’s experiments (or so the story goes). Let’s take a look at them.
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Human
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Elf
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Half-Elf (Khoravar)
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Changeling (Khoravar)
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Dwarf
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Tabaxi
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Goliath
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Orc
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Half-Orc
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Aarakocra
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Kenku
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Kobold
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Tortle
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Hobgoblin
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Goblin
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Bugbear
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Shifter
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Loxodon
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Centaur
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Minotaur
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Drow
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Tiefling
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Aasimar
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Firbolg
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Lizardfolk
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Triton
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Kalashtar
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Warforged
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Dragonborn
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Gnome
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Halfling
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Genasi
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Vedalken
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Satyr
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Simic Hybrid
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Giant
Human [wiki] - The product of the end of a war between Gods and Demons, this race is the most versatile race in the world (aka an even amount of every alignment). They hold the royal family of Calatios, and are mostly congregated there, although they can be found sporadically in other areas. Humans are dynamic creatures, young and ambitious compared to the Elves, Dwarves, and Halflings.
Elf [wiki] - Known as the ‘Precursor Race,’ the Elves were one of the first races to settle the lands of Erebos from their native Gostren (a completely isolated island between Orestes and Erebos). Many exotic races such as Genasi, Triton, and Dragonborn are the descendants of Elves, and Elves are also known for their superb abilities as mariners and sailors.
Half-Elf (Khoravar) [wiki] - The majority of the Khoravar people, Half-Elves, along with their cousins the Changelings, are a fiercely proud people. The Khoravar live in many enclaves outside of their native Kasseiopia, and are known for their tightly-knit communities.
Changeling (Khoravar) [wiki] - Being a genetic mutation of half-elves, they are a rare possibility when an elf and a human mate (also when half-elves mate together). They are most often found in large congregations of half-elves, and older Khoravar sometimes steal changeling children from elf and human parents like with half-elves.
Dwarf [wiki] - One of the most dominant races on Erebos, the desert-dwelling Dwarves occupy two massive countries, Bulus and Galima. Though these two countries are very divided, the Dwarves share a love of discipline, pragmatism, and both subraces utilise subterranean tunnels to escape the heat. Respected in many countries as great thinkers and tacticians, Dwarves only experience tension in countries that Bulus has conquered.
Tabaxi [wiki] - Native to the Isles of Constros, the Tabaxi are a curious and quite playful race. Escaping the conquests of Kishori, Tabaxi aren’t an oppressed race, but are neglected and ignored in other countries. Aside from Constros, another enclave of Tabaxi can also be found in the forests of Orestes, and commonly interact with gnomes. Together, the Gnomes and the Tabaxi understand the Feywild the best out of any races.
Goliath [wiki] - Native to the mountainous continent of Kestren, the nomatic Goliath culture revolves around little else besides their never-ending conflict with the Giants due to their origin with the Goddess of Might. The Goliaths are fierce fighters, as comfortable underground as they are on the peaks of mountains, and know how to hunt dragons. While the Orcs have gained the respect of the Erebans, most Goliaths actively avoid Ereban travellers on Kestren, and will only interact with them if absolutely necessary. To the Goliaths, Erebans are considered a nuisance, and should be ignored whenever possible. To the Erebans, Goliaths are intimidating figures, mysterious, and very dangerous.
Orc [wiki] - The Orcs scavenge and hunt in the deep valleys of Kestren, profiting and surviving off of the Giant-Goliath war the best they can. Because of this, the Orcs aren’t as experienced in hunting, but know how to make any scraps of food found last as long as possible, and are also recruited as Sherpas for any Ereban explorers in Kestren. Due to their extensive knowledge of Kestren, and survival skills, the Orcs have gained respect from their Ereban contemporaries, and while it is not common, some can be found as mercenaries throughout Erebos.
Half-Orc [wiki] - Half-Orcs are an odd rarity in Pyrrhos, seeing as how Orcs and other humanoids only just discovered each other 50 years ago. As such, many who have not set foot on Kestren doubt the existence of half-orcs, and treat them with caution, whereas Orcs themselves consider the Half-Orcs unfit for survival on Kestren due to their ‘human’ blood. Due to this, many become guides in Kestren and Mercs in other continents.
Aarakocra [wiki] - Originally Elven explorers, these creatures were gifted the ability of flight by the goddess of elements out of spite (there was a dispute between her and the God of Justice). The Aarakocra inhabit the peaks of Kestren, and are drawn to elementally touched areas of air. Hardly seen anywhere other than Kestren, Aarakocra are often the subject of conversation when seen on other continents. Most don’t know what to make of them; in origin, they’re similar to Triton, but at the same time the two races are so far apart, it’s hard for most to judge whether an Aarakocra is friend or foe.
Kenku [wiki] - An elusive species, the Kenku scurry around the Valleys of Kestren. Originally Aarakocra, these creatures were cursed by the God of Justice for being “unworthy of their gifts”, and were warped beyond comprehension. At least they know how to hide from the much more powerful Giants and Goliaths! Still, Kenku are sometimes captured by other races, in some cases for a good meal (they’re considered a delicacy by giants), but more often for their mimicry skills.
Kobold [wiki] - Slaves to both the Giants and Goliaths, the Kobolds dig tunnels in the mountains for their masters to reside in, and craft weapons for the soldiers. Outside of Kestren, Kobold immigrants have become great artificers and inventors, and many can be found in the Calatian city of Pallas. Well, underneath, specifically.
Tortle [wiki] - Most Tortles dwell on the continent of Piskus (though a few inhabit the deserts of Erebos). A peaceful race, the Tortles see the value in their relatively short lifespan, and maintain pacifist traditions. Tortles treat any and all races with kindness, or at least mild respect, and most Erebans do the same, albeit with a bit more caution. A few see this respect as a weakness, and some expeditions are attempting to unearth what resource the Tortles may be trying to hide.
Hobgoblin [wiki] - Hailing from Enutrof’s Peaks in Erebos, Hobgoblin culture puts an emphasis on martial discipline. Most Hobgoblins are adept spellcasters, and can be found in the ranks of the armies of Bulus.
Goblin [wiki] - A people native to the Archipelago of Chrysseos, the Goblins were once content with their life on tropical islands, fishing their days away. Unfortunately, the Halflings of Kishori arrived, and enslaved most Goblins, causing a hatred against halflings that may never resolve.(due to the enslavement, goblins can now be found all over the world in small numbers when not enslaved)
Bugbear [wiki] - The Bugbears inhabit the forests of Orestes, and are generally isolationist. However, that did not stop the Halflings from finding and enslaving a significant portion of the Bugbear population. Considered brutes in other ‘civilised’ countries, Bugbear culture is completely ignored by all except the Bugbears, which is quite a pity.
Shifter [wiki] - Skilled Hunters hailing from Nardone, the Shifters once had all of Northern Erebos under their control. The Shifters gave most of their land back to the native Erebans after a defeat against Calatios. Slowly starting to gain respect from other races for their hunting and combat skills, Shifters are still feared in most places for those exact same things as well as their association with shifter terrorists.
Loxodon [wiki] - Philosophers inhabiting the southern coast of Galima, the wise Loxodon are a mysterious people. The Dwarves of Galima commonly speak with the Loxodon and go to them for advice (and their tea). Strangely enough, a few Loxodon have also been spotted on the continent of Piskus.
Centaur [wiki] - Hunters similar to the Shifters (a race which the Centaurs in fact HATE), the Centaurs inhabit the northern fields of Erebos. Haughty and distant, Centaurs prefer not to speak when in the presence of non-centaurs. Though the Centaurs technically inhabit Drusque, they are not considered citizens, for they ignore all of Drusque’s laws, and have never contacted the government of Drusque.
Minotaur [wiki] - The partners in crime to the Shifters, the Minotaurs are a race far more ancient than their Shifter cousins. The Minotaurs value discipline, and control over strength of body and will. (don’t let power control you kind of thing)
Drow [wiki] - A cursed form of Elves, the Drow long ago retreated back to the Shadowfell, to build a civilisation that has stood the test of time. Largely regarded as an evil race, the Drow actively harass, raid, and pillage the material realm. If any Drow stay on the Material Plane, they can often be found as mercenaries or assassins with no moral strings attached.
Tiefling [wiki] - A group of elves that had pledged servitude to a demon, and were going through the ritual to demon spawn, but deserted halfway through. This left them and their offspring scarred, and disliked by both sides of the moral spectrum. Tieflings are a rarity, much more than in any other campaign setting, and though no country has outlawed them, they are often driven out of towns when discovered. Only in Galima are they accepted, and treated as other than beasts or demons. However, most of the survivors of this ritual now travel the world, alone, still recovering from the honor they lost 60 years ago.
Before them, however, another form of tieflings had appeared a couple hundred years ago. The Oni. They are differentiated due to their long, tall horns and lack of tail, and overall more cruel personalities, whether they mean to be or not. Most people don’t know where they originated from, and even many of the Oni themselves have forgotten, other than that they once appeared long ago from boats.
Giant Kin Oni: These oni are usually built more like Orcs or Goliaths than humans or elves, with large muscles and stern and serious personalities. Instead of the usual racial bonuses, Giant Kin Oni have a +1 to strength and the spells in order are produce flame, cause fear, and enlarge for a reduced time.
Third Eye Oni: These oni are in contrast usually a bit shorter than normal tieflings, with their main characteristic being a third eye that usually appears closed sideways on the forehead (these eyes usually only open when casting magic). They tend to have more reserved and collected personalities. Instead of the usual racial bonuses, Third Eye Oni have a +1 to Wisdom and the spells in order are Guidance, Identify, and Detect thoughts.
Aasimar [wiki] - Once, the God of Justice and Law blessed a man, who became the first Aasimar. All current Aasimars are descendants of this man. Aasimar subrace names and considerations are different, Fallen is called “dark Aasimar” and while they still follow evil, in society they are not considered fallen. Rather, the Scourge Aasimar, which tend towards more chaotic alignments, are considered fallen due to straying from the path of the god that gifted them
Firbolg [wiki] - Native to Piskus, the Firbolgs are pacifists and isolationists. Excellent stoneworkers, the Firbolgs try not to let any other humanoids (with the exception of Tortles) within their lands.
Lizardfolk [wiki] - An alien, atheistic, unempathetic species, the Lizardfolk are largely a self-serving race. Though they are hired as guides, the Lizardfolk have been known to eat their employers if they find them unbearable (which isn’t that uncommon).
Triton [wiki] - Once, the ancestors of the Triton were a crew of sea-faring elves. Travelling around Erebos, and innovating in the art of sailing, these elves, headed by their captain, Nyriad, were brilliant. But they were also arrogant. One day, the captain declared that his crew was going to travel as far south as they could from Erebos, and discover a new continent. So the crew departed from Erebos, passed by the Isles of Constros for supplies, and sailed off into the night. This is the last civilisation would see of them for a long, long time.
You see, these elves did as they proclaimed - they discovered the continent of Orestes, and the archipelago next to it. Fueled by their success, the captain proclaimed that they sail through it at top speed, ignoring the storm brewing around it. The sailors shipwrecked on a desolate island. With no way off, the sailors knew they could not swim, and they would not survive the night, as they had angered the few beasts that did live here, the Sahuagin. On the beach, the surviving sailors gave up their arrogance, and prayed to the goddess of the tides for a solution. She answered, and these elves felt their bodies transform into that of an amphibious creature. Quickly, the Triton jumped into the water, and swam to the bottom of the sea…
The triton still live in that same area. Now, the Triton and the Sea Elves (two subraces, same race) protect their land fiercely, and have set up an underwater kingdom. Though they communicate with the outside world, anybody who sets foot on the deserted islands surrounding their stretch of water, named after their captain will be asked to leave. If they don’t have a good reason for staying, they will be fought off the islands. These Triton are known as fierce fighters, if a bit haughty.
Kalashtar [wiki] - True Kalashtar only appear once each generation, in a culture inhabiting the forests of Orestes called Kalistos. This culture believes in Fate, or Inanja, and they often use divination to tell a traveler’s future. The Quori that the Kalashtar are bound to are different from normal. The 11 original founding bloodlines of the cultures found a way to capture Quori in magical vessels, one per bloodline, and bind them to the spirits of the founders. Every generation, after the person the Quori is bound to dies, a ritual is performed in which the Quori becomes bound to the youngest child in the bloodline. (there is slightly more information if you want to become a Kalashtar or a “normal” person from that culture)
Warforged [wiki] - The legend goes that Warforged were an attempt at creating a new race by Ankris the great lich demon. These Warforged became Ankris’ Legion, and although he is now gone, the Warforged still operate in servitude to him, mostly under the command of their preator Life. However, deserters are becoming more and more common. Despite this, the Warforged Base of operations has remained a mystery due to a sort of magical failsafe that erases the memory of the legion’s secrets from the minds of deserters. Warforged still in The Legion are a relatively uncommon sight, but when they are seen, it’s always in groups and wrecking some sort of havoc to meet a certain goal. Deserters are frequently distrusted and discriminated against for being “just robots” and are often wanderers and mercenaries, and usually aren’t keen on strict orders or doing things that are against their morals. All warforged are made imprinted with The Legion symbol on their right shoulder, a skull with gems in the eye sockets. A scratched out legion symbol is a common sign of a deserter. Additionally, they seem to not like the number eight, though it’s unknown why.
Dragonborn [wiki] - A group of Human explorers ventured out 2,000 years ago to the Mountainous peninsula of Erebos, seeking glory. They found and managed to kill a dragon, but the god of ambition and greed whispered in the explorers’ ears, and convinced them to drink the dragon’s blood. Now, the dragonborn sit in the endless halls of dragons long dead, a subterranean species still participating in rituals and striving for power they never really had. Most of society looks upon Dragonborn with a mixture of fear, disgust, and a peculiar fascination. Dragonborn color types aren’t dependent on heritage in this world, and they all have the same breath weapon, cold, instead of varying types. However, color does slightly determine personality traits, such as a red dragonborn being more likely to have anger issues. In some Dragonborn, as a genetic variant, wings capable of flight appear. While in the early days of dragonborn society these were looked at as signs of power, more recently as Dragonborn are straying from their ancestors choice of greed these wings are a symbol of bad luck for the family, and individuals are usually looked down upon in the society because the wings are seen as bringing them closer to the dragons they are trying to stray from. Dragonborn with these wings are usually a decent bit thinner and lighter than those without, and get a flying speed of 20 ft if not wearing heavy armour or encumbered
Gnome [wiki] - Fey-like tricksters native to the Feywild, but long ago mostly migrated to Orestes on the Material plane. They managed to avoid Halfling enslavement by being too difficult to catch. The Gnomes are very upbeat and jovial, and in their society a good prank is always appreciated. Gnomes are quick to make shallow friendships, but deep ones are much less common or encouraged, other than in family or amongst lovers. Because of this, once a Gnome makes a deep connection with someone, they are usually quick to protect and keep it thriving.
Halfling [wiki] - Having founded a colonial superpower, the Halflings are quite proud of themselves. They value the art of cooking, winemaking, and food culture over most other things.
Genasi [wiki] - Once, the Goddess of Elements used her power to change a group of elves into ‘elementally heightened’ versions of themselves. The Genasi are quite rare, and are drawn to elementally touched areas, although some reject this nature. Today, it is still debated whether or not the goddess changing these Elves was a blessing or a curse.
Vedalken [wiki] - More a myth than anything, the Vedalken are said to lurk on the ocean floor. A highly sophisticated, yet unempathetic race, they supposedly have technology that rivals the greatest of Calatios’.
Satyr [wiki] - Elf-like in their upper body stature, their lower body is furred and resembles the hind legs of a goat and differently shaped horns also much like that of a goat. They are a very proud race and very attuned to nature. Toddlers and you kids are often called ‘faun’, and the adults are usually slightly less than average human height. Contrary to their half-horse cousins the centaurs, Satyrs are mostly hunter-gatherers and farmers, though this does not stop them from being fierce fighters, with a unique style of martial combat and a heavy reliance on druidic powers. Racial benefits and other stuff are TBD for a while
Simic Hybrid [wiki] - The Simics were created around 600 years ago on the island of Gostren. Nevaeh had visited her sorcerous house to offer guidance on how to discover where the aberrations that had forever plagued the world came from. This guidance led a group of elves that worked for the House of Nevaeh to Gostren to build some kind of machine, but before it was finished, something went wrong and the machine malfunctioned, causing all of the researchers, and even some surrounding elves, to mutate into the Simics. This event caused the new Simics to cast out their loyalty to Nevaeh and the gods in general, taking a more pessimistic stance on them. Additionally the rest of the Elves on Gostren and Vasileios started to argue with the Simic’s place on Gostren, wanting to keep their birthplace to only those considered to be “True elves”. Eventually, the House of Volkmer had to intervene, and gave the Simics a portion of the island’s southern coastline, as well as the vast mostly unexplored cave system that it has. Now, the Simics are mostly underground, spread out in separate city-state like towns in the cave system, with a couple still remaining in their land above.
Giant [wiki] -