Hylian

Among the kingdoms and realms, the Hylians stand as a diverse and noble people, hailing from a wide array of origins, both regal and humble. With an innate connection to the divine, their pointed ears and graceful features bestow an otherworldly air upon them. Proud and valiant, they hold a deep respect for wisdom and courage, valuing both intellect and bravery in equal measure. Hylians are versatile people, excelling in various disciplines, from skilled swordsmanship to adept spellcasting. Blessed with an inherent link to magic, they wield the arcane arts with finesse and brilliance.

Hylia's Chosen

Hylians are believed to be the chosen people of the goddess, Hylia. Legend has it that she even assumed human form in ancient times and became the ancestor of the Hyrulean royal family. This distinction is demonstrated in their long, pointed ears. It was said this feature allowed them to receive messages from the gods, which granted them a special status to the other peoples of Hyrule for this divine conduit. At their most potent, Hylians have a talent for harnessing magic and wielding psionic abilities. As years have passed, Hylians have dwindled in numbers. Hylian bloodlines are usually a sign of a noble lineage, be it that of royalty or an old knightly bloodline. However, Hylian features are known to skip several generations, and it is not unusual for a Hylian child to be born to human parents. Such features are usually taken as a sign of a great future and may be enough to elevate a peasant's child to becoming a member of a noble family.
In the current era, Hylians have dwindled so that humans vastly out populate them, at about one Hylian for every hundred humans. The royal family of Hyrule was always able to maintain a Hylian bloodline and Hylians were plentiful in the lands of Hyrule, where Hylians formed the majority population. The Desolation of the Demon King resulted in much of that population being slaughtered or scattered to the far reaches of the land. Outside of Hyrule, Hylian births remain somewhat rare and almost nonexistent in the eastern continent. The royal and noble families of Calatia and Harkinia have been alarmed at the prospect of their own Hylian lineages coming to an end. Despite all that, there has been an increase in Hylian births in Old Hyrule in the past few decades as the land begins to heal and repopulate.

Known Settlements

Hylians do not form the majority population in any settlements but are common sights in the human cities of Harkinia, Calatia, and Old Hyrule. Hylians are extremely rare in the Eastern Continent, except for immigrants. The lands of Old Hyrule are considered a sort of holy land for the Hylian people and over the last few decades, their population has started to grow. Most children and young adults that were born in Old Hyrule are Hylians, even if their parents are not.

Thematic Archetypes

Cavalier - Fighter
These fighters are born to the saddle and are well equipped to fend off foes and protect their allies and their mount from the worst of battle.
Way of the Sun Soul - Monk
Bathed in the radiant light of Hylia's magic, these Hylians monks have unlocked the sacred power of their ancient bloodline.
Oath of Devotion - Paladin
Many of the great heroes of the past have been Hylian, these Paladins take oathes and devote themselves to following that example.
The Soulknife - Rogue
Most Hylians have some latent telepathic ability. If properly nurtured, they are capable of channeling that psionic force for more potent applications.

Hylian Features

Age. Hylians age at much the same rate as humans, reaching adulthood at the age of 20. They can live longer than humans, however, often exceeding 120 years.
Size. Hylians are more or less the same size as humans, ranging from 5 to 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Enhanced Hearing: You have better than average hearing. You have advantage on Investigation and Perception checks that rely on sound.
Heroic Ancestry
Your ancestry speaks to ancient knightly lineages and of great or forgotten heroes. You may be generations removed from any great warriors, but the blood of heroes is within you and yearns to seek adventure.

• Heroic Fortune. When you roll a 1 on the d20 for an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll.
• Preparedness. You gain proficiency in two skills of your choice among Acrobatics, Athletics, Stealth, Investigation, Animal Handling, Survival, or Intimidation.
• Indomitable Bravery. You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened.

Divine Ancestry
Your ancestry speaks to a noble lineage that is part of the royal line or branched off at some point in the past. A drop of Divine ancestry doesn’t make you a noble, but you may just share some of their natural gifts.

• Divine Favor. You have advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against magic.
• Telepathy. You can speak telepathically to any creature you can see within 60 feet of you. You don’t need to share a language with the creature for it to understand your telepathic messages, but the creature must be able to understand at least one language or be telepathic itself.
• Learned. You have proficiency in one skill from Insight, Medicine, History, Religion, Arcana, or Nature. You can read, speak, and write one additional language.

Stalwart Ancestry
Your ancestry may not speak of great warriors or leaders, but you come from a people who have endured the greatest of calamities and persisted throughout the ages. Some legacies are formed from the most humble of origins.

• Stalwart Will. One additional Ability Score not chosen with your Background or Aspect is increased by 1.
• Fleet of Feet. Your movement speed is increased by 5 feet.
• Talented. You have proficiency in one artisan’s tools of your choice and one instrument of your choice.

Lifespan
About 80 years
Average Height
Between 4'10 and 6'4 tall
Colouring and Markings
Hylians have more or less the same appearance as humans do, aside from their pointed ears. Hylians of Divine Ancestry will sometimes be born with hair or eye color that reflects their Aspect in shades of Blue, Green, or Red.
Geographic Distribution
Hylians are fairly uncommon, but can be found in any human settlement across the world. Like humans, Hylians are very adaptable to different environments, but typically enjoy open areas with plenty of greenery that is ripe for agriculture.