Races in Útgarðar
This article details how the races work and function in Útgarðar. Note I am the DM and author I can change anything just ask.
Dwarves: The race of dwarves are centered on Hammerdeep their kingdom in the north. The halls of Hammerdeep have been around for so long that they have migrated out and can be found just about anywhere. A few small dwarven settlements can be found dotted about forming small communities. Hill Dwarves are found in these small settlements where as Mountain Dwarves are found in the lands of Hammerdeep itself. The two groups tend to not get along due to differences in ideology with Hill dwarves being much more individualistic.
Elves: The elves are found mainly in the Island of Araqar and the Forests of Hollow Oak. High are found in Araqar but a group called the Rana'vr have migrated out of the island with the two groups holding animosity with each other. The High elves are split into two groups the Island elves and the Mainland elves, the decedents of the Rana'vr. They have a few minor physical differences but are generally identical in base power. The mainland elves tend to be much more sociable and have a love for adventure, contrarily the Island folk tend to look down on the other races for perceived brutality, but this stems more from ignorance and isolation more than anything. Island elves often have a richer almost yellow completion due to their high proximity to the Emerald Sun's magic and often have green eyes and silver hair due to it. Mainland elves tend to have paler skin tones with more variety in features due to their lack of connection to the Emerald Sun, they also have a much wider range of hair and eye colors with gold-brown hair and grey eyes being the most common combination.
Wood elves in general live in Hollow Oak and fiercely dislike the other species of elves due to their perceived arrogance and snootiness. While this may not be entirely unfounded, at least with island elves, it does causes friction with the other groups. They tend to like mainland elves more, being much more willing to work with them. On average they have tan to light brown skin tones that developed to help them hide in the trees. They have a wide range of hair and eye colors similar to mainland elves. Their hair tends to the lighter spectrum with dirty blond or birch colored hair being common, though other colors are not unheard of.
Dark elves are found mainly in isolated communities in cave networks, or prowling the seas of Útgarðar. They are met with suspicion by the other sub-races of elves and are generally assumed to be Loth worshiping criminals, this tends to be correct which does not help their reputation. They have a purple to black skin tone and silver to black hair. Their worship of Loth tends to see them quickly killed of banished by other elves, the ones who don't worship her tend to make small settlements in isolated locals. Very few drow are found within elf cities, they are slightly more common in human settlements making a living as alchemist, herbalists, warriors, sailors, or expert night hunters.
Halflings: One of the rarer races to see in Útgarðar, allthough this does not mean that there are few of them, halflings are mostly found amongst other races. They are often found in larger cites where they make their own small communities. A few, known, towns are predominantly halfling but these are rare hard to come by. The Lightfoots are mostly found in human cites while the Stout halflings are mainly found in isolated towns especially near Hammerdeep. Some say the Stouts are descended from halfling dwarf crossbreeding, but both sides vehemently deny this.
Human: The most common race in Útgarðar. Most cites and settlements have a human population of at least 30% or higher. Most humans are Nords by ethnicity but not necessarily by traits. Others like the Dallermen of the south are known to be slightly different with tanner skin tones and darker hair.
Note: Not all nords are Nords. The Nord player race is a nord who has grown up and lived in the cold wilderness and adapted to it. Not all nords have cold resistance nor the traits of the race.
Dragonborn: The rare race of the dragon people are most often found in Galtarland near Mt. Drekafjall. Its is suspected that they came from the dragons of the mountain breeding in disguise with the people of the Vent Flats to create this new race. The color of a Dragonborn is random at birth but a few factors are known to influence the chance. For instance how warm was the egg or the humidity. They are a strange but not unknown race, your average peon may have seen one or two in his life. They like to travel so they are not as uncommon as you may think.
Gnomes: The gnomes are often found in secluded burrows or in small commutes in cites like halflings. Be warned comparing the two will get your ankles whacked by either. The Forest gnomes are often found in small villages hidden deep within the woods and wilds and are excellent at hiding via illusions or camouflage. Rock gnomes can be found either in small groups in cites or in communities hidden beneath the ground. Contrary to most worlds forest gnomes are the more numerous type in Útgarðar while rock gnomes are rarer and tend to become Rune Carvers.
Half-Elves: Half elves are as common as human-elf marriages. This is to say semi-common, mostly between mainland elves and nords. Half elves are usually found either wandering far afield or in larger cities. They tend to be treated suspiciously at first by either nords or the elves of Araqar. With nords this is their usual suspicion when elves appear, and with Araqarian elves they are suspicions that the half-elves are some plan to subvert them by the mainland elves. This suspicion usually wears off fast with the nords once the half-elf proves themselves not snobby. It takes much longer for the suspicion to wear off in Araqar, 10-15 years max. That is why not many half-elves are found in Araqar.
Half-Orcs: Found most common in Riki Björn due to its close border with The Orc Tribes and frequent raids launched by the tribes for slaves and loot. Half-orc half-dwarves can occasionally be found in Hammerdeep. In most places they are met with suspicion like half-elves. This wears off about as fast with the exception that they will most likely not be allowed to stay in Araqar. Útgarðar is a lot friendlier to half-orcs than most worlds due to the fact that the predominate warrior culture favors the strong and honorable.
Tiefling: By far the rarest race in all of Útgarðar is the tiefling. Due to the suspicious nature of most of Útgarðar devilish cults and pacts tend to be uncommon. This means that tieflings are so rare that even the most knowledgeable traveler may not of even heard of them. This means however that their are no preexisting stereotypes about them. Most nords would think "Eh yer skin's purple, ya have horns, and yer eyes are all red. But ya can swing a sword so have a drink." This leads to a similar situation to the half-orcs.
Other Races: When you make a character with a race other than the PHB core races tell me. That way we can work out what they may be doing in Útgarðar.
Dwarves: The race of dwarves are centered on Hammerdeep their kingdom in the north. The halls of Hammerdeep have been around for so long that they have migrated out and can be found just about anywhere. A few small dwarven settlements can be found dotted about forming small communities. Hill Dwarves are found in these small settlements where as Mountain Dwarves are found in the lands of Hammerdeep itself. The two groups tend to not get along due to differences in ideology with Hill dwarves being much more individualistic.
Elves: The elves are found mainly in the Island of Araqar and the Forests of Hollow Oak. High are found in Araqar but a group called the Rana'vr have migrated out of the island with the two groups holding animosity with each other. The High elves are split into two groups the Island elves and the Mainland elves, the decedents of the Rana'vr. They have a few minor physical differences but are generally identical in base power. The mainland elves tend to be much more sociable and have a love for adventure, contrarily the Island folk tend to look down on the other races for perceived brutality, but this stems more from ignorance and isolation more than anything. Island elves often have a richer almost yellow completion due to their high proximity to the Emerald Sun's magic and often have green eyes and silver hair due to it. Mainland elves tend to have paler skin tones with more variety in features due to their lack of connection to the Emerald Sun, they also have a much wider range of hair and eye colors with gold-brown hair and grey eyes being the most common combination.
Wood elves in general live in Hollow Oak and fiercely dislike the other species of elves due to their perceived arrogance and snootiness. While this may not be entirely unfounded, at least with island elves, it does causes friction with the other groups. They tend to like mainland elves more, being much more willing to work with them. On average they have tan to light brown skin tones that developed to help them hide in the trees. They have a wide range of hair and eye colors similar to mainland elves. Their hair tends to the lighter spectrum with dirty blond or birch colored hair being common, though other colors are not unheard of.
Dark elves are found mainly in isolated communities in cave networks, or prowling the seas of Útgarðar. They are met with suspicion by the other sub-races of elves and are generally assumed to be Loth worshiping criminals, this tends to be correct which does not help their reputation. They have a purple to black skin tone and silver to black hair. Their worship of Loth tends to see them quickly killed of banished by other elves, the ones who don't worship her tend to make small settlements in isolated locals. Very few drow are found within elf cities, they are slightly more common in human settlements making a living as alchemist, herbalists, warriors, sailors, or expert night hunters.
Halflings: One of the rarer races to see in Útgarðar, allthough this does not mean that there are few of them, halflings are mostly found amongst other races. They are often found in larger cites where they make their own small communities. A few, known, towns are predominantly halfling but these are rare hard to come by. The Lightfoots are mostly found in human cites while the Stout halflings are mainly found in isolated towns especially near Hammerdeep. Some say the Stouts are descended from halfling dwarf crossbreeding, but both sides vehemently deny this.
Human: The most common race in Útgarðar. Most cites and settlements have a human population of at least 30% or higher. Most humans are Nords by ethnicity but not necessarily by traits. Others like the Dallermen of the south are known to be slightly different with tanner skin tones and darker hair.
Note: Not all nords are Nords. The Nord player race is a nord who has grown up and lived in the cold wilderness and adapted to it. Not all nords have cold resistance nor the traits of the race.
Dragonborn: The rare race of the dragon people are most often found in Galtarland near Mt. Drekafjall. Its is suspected that they came from the dragons of the mountain breeding in disguise with the people of the Vent Flats to create this new race. The color of a Dragonborn is random at birth but a few factors are known to influence the chance. For instance how warm was the egg or the humidity. They are a strange but not unknown race, your average peon may have seen one or two in his life. They like to travel so they are not as uncommon as you may think.
Gnomes: The gnomes are often found in secluded burrows or in small commutes in cites like halflings. Be warned comparing the two will get your ankles whacked by either. The Forest gnomes are often found in small villages hidden deep within the woods and wilds and are excellent at hiding via illusions or camouflage. Rock gnomes can be found either in small groups in cites or in communities hidden beneath the ground. Contrary to most worlds forest gnomes are the more numerous type in Útgarðar while rock gnomes are rarer and tend to become Rune Carvers.
Half-Elves: Half elves are as common as human-elf marriages. This is to say semi-common, mostly between mainland elves and nords. Half elves are usually found either wandering far afield or in larger cities. They tend to be treated suspiciously at first by either nords or the elves of Araqar. With nords this is their usual suspicion when elves appear, and with Araqarian elves they are suspicions that the half-elves are some plan to subvert them by the mainland elves. This suspicion usually wears off fast with the nords once the half-elf proves themselves not snobby. It takes much longer for the suspicion to wear off in Araqar, 10-15 years max. That is why not many half-elves are found in Araqar.
Half-Orcs: Found most common in Riki Björn due to its close border with The Orc Tribes and frequent raids launched by the tribes for slaves and loot. Half-orc half-dwarves can occasionally be found in Hammerdeep. In most places they are met with suspicion like half-elves. This wears off about as fast with the exception that they will most likely not be allowed to stay in Araqar. Útgarðar is a lot friendlier to half-orcs than most worlds due to the fact that the predominate warrior culture favors the strong and honorable.
Tiefling: By far the rarest race in all of Útgarðar is the tiefling. Due to the suspicious nature of most of Útgarðar devilish cults and pacts tend to be uncommon. This means that tieflings are so rare that even the most knowledgeable traveler may not of even heard of them. This means however that their are no preexisting stereotypes about them. Most nords would think "Eh yer skin's purple, ya have horns, and yer eyes are all red. But ya can swing a sword so have a drink." This leads to a similar situation to the half-orcs.
Other Races: When you make a character with a race other than the PHB core races tell me. That way we can work out what they may be doing in Útgarðar.
Trivia
- Most jerky race: Island elves, least jerky: halflings.
- The standard nord way of accepting someone of another race is to challenge them to a drinking contest. If they win they're fine, they lose move on to step two. Step two: Observe if they take it in good spirit, if yes they're in, if no kick them out of the Mjødhall.
- Equating dwarves with halflings or gnomes, or vice versa, is a good way to get your kneecaps broken. Also insinuating that stout halflings are related to dwarves is also a good way to get hit by a thrown turnip.
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