Races

Races of Terranea

People of all shapes and forms exist on the world of Terranea each with their own unique cultures and customs. Most of them live in peaceful coexistence with one another, but there are several special bits of information to consider when meeting people (or creating characters) in the world. Although, each individual’s circumstances are unique, there are some broad generalizations that can be assumed about certain peoples in the world and how they are viewed by the world at-large.

DM Notes: All the races presented in this list are allowed for character creation. Much of the descriptive text for each race from the PHB still applies to each race unless otherwise stated. Some of the more common races that are not as affected by the Terranean lore may not have much descriptive text (ex. humans, gnomes, goblins, and others), so please utilize the PHB for flavoring your character.

If there is a race missing from this list that is included in the WotC sourcebooks it was likely excluded purposefully (notably, Gith - they just don’t exist here!). But, if you think a race was excluded in error, please let me know! Also worth noting: lineages (such as dhampir, reborn, and hexblood) are not included here because they can apply to any race. Mixed (“Half”) species typically carry the benefits and detriments of both.

Aasimar

Aasimar are the descendents of Celestials and the mortal inhabitants of Terranea. Rarely an act of love, the bearing of Aasimar children is most often a reward for a noble families’ piousness and dedication to the Church. First generation Aasimar are exceptionally rare, with later generation Aasimar being slightly more frequent. Regardless of the number of generations between the individual and their most pure ancestor, each Aasimar carries tell-tale features indicative of their race. In most civilized areas, Aasimar are immediately recognized as nobility and are treated as such, even if they aren’t.

Beastkin

The term “Beastkin” is a catch-all term for the beastial races on Terranea. This group includes most species that are humanoid, but animal in appearance. Many have integrated themselves into Republic civilization and are a common sight within the major cities and towns, but historically are the primary denizens of nomadic tribes that circulate around the continent. These tribes are not necessarily restricted to one subspecies, as many of them have a variety of species and subspecies traveling within them.

Religious practices vary between tribes. While many worship the common gods of Caius as a means of paying penance for their people’s absence during the Invasion millenia ago, many do not worship a god at all, opting to view natural phenomena as a give-and-take between the people and the natural world. Although it is not typical, many citizens of the Republic still carry animosity towards the Beastkin for their lack of assistance during the Invasion. This sentiment, in conjunction with the practice of some tribes of worshipping no gods, have resulted in the Beastkin being referred to as “Godless” - often intended as an insult.

Includes: Aaracokra, Centaur, Giff, Grung, Hadozee, Harengon, Kenku, Leonin, Lizardfolk, Minotaur, Owlin, Satyr, Tabaxi, Thri-kreen, Tortle, Yuan-ti

Bugbear

Bugbears rarely make their way into Republic society, typically living as parts of travelling groups of raiders similar to or alongside goblins, hobgoblins, and orcs.

Changeling

Included among the Fey, the ancestors of the changelings that reside on Aeros were forced here by the creation of the storm. Most reside among the others of the fey realm in hidden forests, protected by illusion magic. On occasion, one or more will find their way into Caius to sow a little mischief, but they typically remain hidden in plain sight.

Dragonborn

Dragonborn existed long before the invasion, and had already distanced themselves from their full-blooded bretheren, fighting on the side of Terranea. Despite the complete decimation of the dragons by the gods, the dragonborn live comfortable lives as welcome members of Republic society. Some groups of dragonborn purists lament the destruction of the dragons, believing their destruction to have been a rash judgement by the gods, fueled by animosity. These groups keep their beliefs in the shadows, for fear of retribution from the church.

Dwarf

Unlike other denizens of the underground, the dwarves’ ties to the overworlders brought them to arms against the invaders, freeing them from the affliction that the Dark Elves, Duergar, Deep Gnomes, and other denizens of the Underdark suffer. Dwarves are ubiquitous across Aeros and can be found in every major settlement. Some dwarves still cling to their heritage and take residence in traditional dwarven mining towns where the settlements tend to be split both below and above ground.

Elf

The betrayal of the elves during the invasion led to a curse that decreases their once several hundred year lifespan to only 50 years. This betrayal has made the elves one of the most persecuted peoples in Caius, and they are often treated as second class citizens in many settlements. Despite this curse and the disrespect suffered by others, many elves - especially those among the elven nobility - still perceive themselves as a superior race and are unwilling to rely upon the help of others and often deny any intermingling with other races unless it is for the purposes of trade. For this reason, mixed race elves are exceptionally rare - limited only to special circumstances or those born to elves in exile. All elves suffer from this curse regardless of subrace (High elf, Wood elf, Dark elf/Drow, Eladrin, Shadar-kai, etc.).

There are many factions of elves spread across Aeros who seek to end the curse, and each faction has a unique strategy for doing so that can sometimes cause disagreements within a group. Some of the more purist societies lean on strategies of selective breeding to try and maintain the bloodline, while others utilize more scientific methods of extending their lifespan, utilizing necromancy or artificer prosthetics.

Fairy

Included among the Fey, the ancestors of the fairies that reside on Aeros were forced here by the creation of the storm. Most reside among the others of the fey realm in hidden forests, protected by illusion magic. They primarily stay secluded within their forests, but some have left, following the eladrin who joined elven society, and serve as their devoted servants.

Firbolg

The firbolgs are most prominent in druidic circles, but are regularly seen across Caius. They are often seen on pilgrimages to other villages of druids, and rarely have cause to visit the major cities of Caius for any reason other than curiosity. Those who have abandoned their pilgrimage or whose ancestors did, have made lives for themselves among the general populace.

Genasi

The genasi are descended from the greater elemental beings that invaded Terranea and were trapped within the storm when it sealed the continent. The volatility of their genie ancestors gave the genasi a similar, if unfounded, reputation. In the years immediately following the Invasion, many were culled, greatly reducing their numbers and driving them into hiding. Although these people continue to face discrimination from the general populace, time has healed some wounds, and they find themselves generally safe in the Caius of today.

Gnome

Gnomes are one of the core races in Caius society. Their natural ingenuity makes them the predominant race that makes up the Artificers Guild. Generally speaking, gnomes are less likely to look down upon other races, and their jovial nature and enjoyment of life make them more likely to treat everyone with respect.

Goblin

Goblins will occasionally leave their clans and join Republic society, but typically live as parts of roving groups of raiders similar to orcs, hobgoblins, and bugbears.

Goliath

Goliaths are the descendents of the clans of giants that invaded the world millenia ago. They retreated to the mountains, where they survived in the wilderness, living off of the land and forming new self-sufficient tribes. The strongest of these tribes would receive the blessing to split off and create their own, for good or ill. The eastern regions rarely see Goliaths and remain fearful of these giant people, but some townships closer to their homes have established trade relationships with some tribes. While Goliaths are very uncommon outside of their mountain home, some do leave their tribe for a variety of reasons.

Halfling

Halflings’ natural desire for a peaceful life makes them more likely to be found in the inner cities and towns of the Republic, closer to the Holy City of Caius. Since settlements closer to the Holy City are statistically less likely to incur the wrath of a Titan, they are much safer places to live, albeit expensive. As a result, some halflings have a tendency for greed, not so much for personal gain, but for being able to maintain a safe home for their families.

Hobgoblin

Hobgoblins will occasionally leave their clans and join Republic society, but typically live as parts of roving groups of raiders similar to orcs, goblins, and bugbears.

Human

Humans are the most populous race on Aeros and make up close to 50% of the general populace.

Kobold

Kobolds existed in Terranea long before the Invasion occurred. They fought alongside the dragons, but were not as instrumental in the war as their larger bretheren, so much so that the gods seemingly ignored the kobolds when punishing some of the other races that participated in the fight against them. This “disrespect” along with the destruction of the dragons that they worshipped has left the kobold people with a lasting grudge, and they act as a menace to society on the fringes of Caius.

Orc

Orcs will occasionally leave their clans and join Republic society, but typically live as parts of roving groups of raiders similar to goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears.

Tiefling

The tieflings are descended from the fiends that invaded Terranea and were trapped within the storm when it sealed the continent. The fiends were among the most fearsome of the Planewalkers and as a result tieflings receive horrible treatment to this day, if not so violent as it was millenia ago. Some tieflings have been able to find moderate success in Caius, but still lead a challenging existence where one mistake could cost them everything they worked so hard to achieve. Tieflings tend to keep to the lower levels of society in larger settlements, as it brings less attention upon them. However, they remain easy scapegoats for crimes committed by others.

Triton

The tritons are rarely seen above water, seeking to maintain their solitude in the ocean. The storm brings its own challenges to the oceans, stirring up the currents and making life much more hazardous than it once was. The main benefit of life underwater is the presence of only one known Titan who appears in the ocean - Leviathan.

Warforged

The warforged were created by the Artificers of old to supplement the weakened celestial armies during the Invasion. Today, the warforged act more as servants than as soldiers, as most were decommissioned after the war and repurposed for peacetime. The warforged typically dutifully serve the church and state, but some have come to be servants for noble households and government officials. Some people who had strong attachments to the privately owned warforged in their employ have been known to release them from servitude, allowing them freedom to act as they will. These freed warforged people, however, are few.