Races of Kytira

The continent of Kytira and the symbolic centre of the world, with many different people having migrated to the continent over the last thousand years. This guide is meant to give insight into which races are playable, where they typically live in Kytira, how your character may fit or give a frame of reference for how they differ from the average. Some of this may differ from the information provided in the sourcebooks but should be considered canon for the world of Olyandra. These are by no means 'rules' to follow, only a context of the typical, and should not limit creativity in character creation.

Overview

Many sapient creatures exist, cooperatively or otherwise. Sapient is a broad term and includes any intelligent, self-aware and self-determined creature and not every sapient is available as an option for player characters. Dragons, kraken and vampires are sapient but not available for players.
Olyandra is an alignment-agnostic world, meaning that although some sapient creatures may have strange or alien psychologies and basic needs, no race is inherently evil. True evil requires both an awareness of consequences and the free will to choose to do harm to others. As such, monstrous races are not monstrous in the sense that they are inherently violent, selfish or cruel but rather that they have significant differences in psychology and biology to the humanoid races such as humans, elves, dwarves, gnomes and halflings which all have enough in common physically and mentally as to be grouped together. Sapient monsters are as likely to be good or evil as humans and how exactly they express their strange nature and negotiate that with the world is a matter of nurture as much as nature. Aarakocra are considered monstrous because their avian and elemental traits outnumber their humanoid ones but are generally considered good while many think the cold, calculating, logical and emotional-less Yuan-ti to be evil because they lack recognisable empathy despite not having any history on which to base this assumption.
That said, many people do hold some prejudice toward the monstrous races, the actions of the less civilised members overshadowing the deeds of the good in the minds of many. Playing a monstrous race may pose challenges in getting into a distinctly non-human mindset as well as interactions with less tolerant elements of the world. Other people and places in the world are more cosmopolitan and welcoming regardless of a person's race.
Another factor to consider when it comes to the races is the emergent races. The current age, the Emergent Age, was marked by the arrival of several races into the world. The age began only 32 years ago and while some of the emergent races had some small presence on Olyandra before that, this age has seen them make a significant step onto the global stage. A few races were totally unknown before their emergence. Some of the emergent races are humanoid and some are monstrous.
The last term that applies to the races is 'plane-touched'. This refers to humanoids who have some innate connection to one of the other planes. Generally these are the children of at least one human parent born with the power of a planar ancestor or the intervention of a planar entity. Aasimar and Tieflings are plane-touched, with traits of the celestial and fiendish planes respectively, while genasi are plane-touched by the Elemental planes. Eladrin, Shadar-kai, Drow, Duergar and Gith are not considered plane-touched although many are native to another plane.

The Races

Aasimar

Aasimar are rare, born to human parents but with a tiny celestial spark. They are almost indistinguishable from humans for the most part, though tend to be the prime examples of human physicality as though they are the best possible outcome of inherited characteristics. Many pass through the world completely unnoticed though a few have one or two traits that reflect their true nature such as unusual eye or hair colours. Aasimar have a certain inner glow about them and magnetic personalities. Sometimes aasimar are the expression of a celestial ancestor many generations in the past, often long forgotten or completely unknown to the family. Other times, they are the result of celestial intervention, the celestial spark gifted to an unborn child with the promise of a great purpose in the world.
Most aassimar are born with the guidance of the celestial from which their spark originates though this guidance is rarely simple or straightforward, typically given through obtuse prophesy, symbolic dreams or confusing visions. Some aasimar are fallen, possessed of a celestial spark but without the grace of divine favour. Some are simply born fallen and these aasimar are typically the result of a celestial dalliance with mortals, their ancestor having no desire to be part of their lives. Others, like celestials in ages past, reject their divine purpose and choose to sever the connection. A few are rejected by their celestial guides because of some mistake or misunderstanding that the guide's implacable and binary morality could not support though celestials are not infallible in their moral interpretations.
Work with the DM to determine how involved your celestial guide is in your character's journey, if any.

Birdfolk (Aarakocra & Owlin)

Aarakocra and Owlin are emergent races that coexist in the Aeries, cities built on and into massive flying rock formations that travelled from the Elemental Plane of Air to the materiel plane at the start of the Emergent Age. Birdfolk were previously fought of as myths and folktales, with only the most learned scholars of the elemental planes believing them to be real until recent decades. With avian minds and lofty perspectives, it is difficult for those that walk upon the ground to understand. The Aeries have proven to be reliable trade and peaceful additions to Kytiran as they drift leisurely around the continent.
There are three Aeries flying around Kytiran, each acting as independent city-states.

• Ekuqaleni in the west
• Umoya in the centre of the continent
• Ndiza in the northeast.

Centaur

Centaurs are an equine-bodied people with a love of freedom. Centaur heards roam the Grenulum Plans of Tereno, the Wild Lands, the steppes of Mohnah and Manjadiid and the rolling hills of Wadawandra. Some beleive they originally came form the Feywold but centaurs have been part of the world so long, no one can rightfully say they are not native to the Materiel Plane.
The upper torso of centuars come in all the variety of humans, with broad, square features and slightly pointed ears. Their hair and the fur of the lower equine body usually match and come in all colours found among humans and horses. The upper bodies of centaurs are comparable to human torsos in size, and their lower equine bodies average about 4 feet tall at the withers.
Centaurs culture is deeply connected with nature, with a "leave no trace" philosophy of their nomadic lifestyle, their understanding of the interocontected nature of life is reflected int their love of family and the herd. They celebrate life, with births being celebrated as festivals among a herd. They have a strong oral tradition of history and stories. Two heard meeting is a cause for celebration, with a hunt, a great feast and many impromptu races.
Among centaurs, there is a ritual that empowers a centaur, making them bigger and stronger. This ritual is a deeply held secret of the hard shamans, performs only on the most dedicated and selfless members of the herd who will act as its protectors. (This is a lore explanation of the difference between the centuar as presented as a monster, which is a Large Monstrosity, and the centre as presetn as a playable race".
Centaur warriors often train to utilise their equine bodies to full effect, developing tactics similar to mounted cavlry among other races, with long handled weapons such as spears and ranged weapons like long bows. They are also steeped in druidic traditions, some learning druidic magic, and a few practice arts similar to bardic traditions. Few leaves the herd, uncomfortable in the confines of settlements but some are full of wander lust, some seek to protect their people from unforeseen dangers and others desire to study subjects uncommon to their own people such as the arcane.

Changeling

Changelings, also called the hidden people, live hidden in plain sight among the other races. Sometimes called face dancers, changelings are shapeshifters of great subtlety. A few live openly, known to their neighbours, and a few are nomadic but many live in a small communities in the cities and of other people without a place of their own in the world. They are a fluid, adaptable people, secret but highly emphatic people with an unpleasant reputation for being thieves, spies and assassins. Many worship a version of the Traveller though only nominally pay tribute to other gods in the Sovereign Host

Dragonborn

Dragonborn in Kytira hail mostly from Mohnah in the south of the continent. Believing to be descended from dragons, though there are conflicting beliefs as to the details. Some believe dragons mixed their blood with chosen from the other races, others think their race was placed in the world by Bahamut, the Divine Platinum Dragon Himself. They share an extended pantheon with dragons, though there are gods that offer specif patronage to the dragonborn. From the outside, dragonborn culture appears rigid and honour bound, with individuals devoted to singular purpose. In truth, dragonborn have the freedom to find where they fit in society but are expected to give their lives to that role. They are a clan-based society, most clans having a specialisation and many dragonborn care greatly about the honour of their clan, sometimes more than personal honour.
There is some rather marked variation among dragonborn. Most have scales as soft as human skin rather than the hard armoured hide of dragons, though some have tougher skin than others. Their scales are typically dull colours of rusty brown shades with hints or patches of colour. Some have more vibrant colours. Scale colours reflect the scales of true dragons and the breath weapon they possess. Most draonborn are solidly built and tailless though roughly a third of the population are larger and sturdier than others. Another third are lighter of frame with tails which is often seen as a sign of greater mental potential. Being born larger or with a tail is a random trait among dragonborn and although seen as auspicious it holds no greater significance and many tailed dragonborn are uncomfortable with the pressure of expectation this brings.

Dwarf

Two offshoots of the dwarf race occupy quite difference places in Kytira. Most worship a common dwarven pantheon but otherwise there are as many differences in their cultures as there are similarities.
The slightly taller, fairer mountain dwarves of Kytira live in independent city-state strongholds within the mountain ranges of the continent. More involved in the wider political scenes, existing as they do within the borders of the other nations, they are more common sight than other dwarves. In some ways, they are friendly than other dwarves and in others more proud, seeing themselves as both more self-sufficient in their contained strongholds and more social and connected in their ability to main strong relations with their neighbours. Though contradictory to most others, this makes perfect sense to the mountain dwarves.
Hill dwarves most commonly hail from their own nation of Omrode. Shorter, darker-skinned, more spiritual and more aggressive than their mountain dwarf cousins, the hill dwarves have had tumultuous relationship with their neighbours, in particular the Orcs of Mekan and the Dragonborn of Mohnah. They have constructed great tiered settlements on the sides of mountains, spanning ravines and across cliff faces, have massive monuments to the gods overlooking the landscape and mighty walls protecting their nation. They see living out in the sun as a point of pride, rather than mountain dwarves who cower underground.
Grey dwarves are almost unheard of though they are known to the grey elves. There are a handful of grey dwarf settlements that have managed to escape the Underdark, living deep underground, content in isolation. They rarely have any interest in the world, sensitive to sunlight as they are. Perhaps, in the future, when the trauma of the underdark's horrors has lessened, they will be ready to find a place in the world.

Elf

Elves are nearly as diverse as humans and have occupied a number of different places in the world. They have a shared pantheon, though different offshoots have their own interpretations and patrons within that pantheon, sometimes looking like completely different religions in some cases. There is an old elven tradition of tattooing, usually the face and hands, which denote clan, occupation, accomplishments and in some cases patron god. Following this tradition is a personal choice and the number of people who follow it vary by culture.
Eladrin live most commonly in the boundless wonder of the Feywild though the Emergent Age has seen the fairytale island-nation of Anor'Haer appear like a dream in the sea south of Kytira. For the first time in recorded history, the Eladrin have returned in number to the Material Plane and are interacting with the other races. A deeply passionate and emotional race suffused with the chaotic nature of the Feywold, their physical appearance often reflects their mood, changing like leaves through the seasons. The island remains politically and economically distant, maintaining only to most cursory relations with nearby nations, unaccustomed to the short lives of their other races and taking a longer perspective on integrating with the world. A few hot headed young eladrin have left the island however, looking to explore the Materiel Plane, drawn to adventure for whatever reason. They have an affinity for the arcane, nature and the fey.
The grey elves have lived in underground colonies for centuries but are considered an emergent race as they have only in the last few decades established their own nation. The nation of Sel K'lar rose out centuries of slow, concerted and perfectly legal land acquisition with some less than legal espionage and blackmail in order to be recognised by other states. The grey elves loathe being called drow, having left the Underdark and the oppressive culture and constant fight for survival a millennia ago. Instead, they return to the surface seeking to put their past behind them, taking up their own version of worship of the Seldarine. They live nocturnally, sensitive to the sun after generations in the dark, and several of their cities are protected by a magical shroud of darkness at all times. They have an unfortunate reputation due to the drow and the assassination of King Kyrilian Valaera en Tumerilo of Tereno which has been attributed to drow or grey elves. They have a more gendered society than most other elves and are nominally matriarchal but they are no more or less equal than any other surface race.
The drow are grey elves who still reside in the Underdark, twisted by generations of brutal enslavement under the Illithid. They turned to higher powers for salvation, with many now worshipping the Demon Spider Goddess, Llolth while a smaller cult worships the Elder Elemental Evil. They have traded one form of slavery for a more insidious one, becoming no better than the Illithid. With a strict, matriarchal society, they are constantly caught in intricate webs of deceit, betrayal and murder, warring as much with themselves as they are with the other evils of the Underdark. Renegades seek to break away from the cycle of oppression and escape to the Materiel Plane to join the grey elves there, though few survive long enough to reach them.
High elves have built grand city-states in the open grasslands and rolling hills of Kytira. They are a learned and cultured race, experts in diplomacy and steeped in the arcane. They are the most commonly seen elf race on the continent. Their long lives allow them to accumulate much knowledge and training, sometimes making them seem aloof and dismissive to other races but they are the most approachable of the elven peoples for all the time they spend among them. They have some of the greatest mages and swordsman among them, and sometimes called upon as impartial mediators in disputes of other nations.
Sea elves have adapted to living beneath the waves of Olyandra's oceans, migrating below the waves before recorded history. Living on the seafloor, they are more reclusive than most peoples however the city of Ryn’av ath’Alu Quirea’nar has the most contact with world above, located closest to the surface and using powerful magic to create pockets of air for visitors. They allow limited outsiders for diplomatic or trade purposes but they act as a buffer between the other sea elf cities and the world above. Sea elves are rare on land, needing time to acclimate to life out of the water, needing to return to water regularly to keep hydrated although with time can get to a point of going a week out of water without ill effect. They are the elven people least inclined to magic but have a number of great warriors and tacticians, underwater combat offering a perspective few on land ever have, and great sages of the natural sciences.
Shadar-kai are to the plane of the Shadowfell as the Eladrin are to the Feywild and in many ways their opposite. They are a colourless, emotionally retrained people rarely seen outside their home plane. They are inextricably connected to the Raven Queen, universally worshipping and serving Her in some capacity. Those in the Material Plane are usually there in the belief they are serving the will of their goddess, though the Raven Queen is mysterious and vague in her communications. Many confuse Shad-Kai with particularly pale drow and as such are not always met with kindness. They are experts in illusion magic, have mastered a number of unconventional weapons, are masters of stealth and martial arts, and the Raven Queen has several conduits of her will and power among them.
The wood elves of Kytira mostly come from the northern jungle realm of An'Glad. It is a more reclusive, close bordered nation though not quite isolationist. Dark skinned and more connected with nature, they are a shorter, nimbler race living in settlements magically grown out of the great trees deep in the jungles of their nation. There are many hidden places in An'Glad with only a few cities open to outsiders for trade and diplomacy. They are skilled in the magic of the earth as well as expert hunters and marksmen. Tattooing traditions are most prevalent among wood elves, with the majority having at least a clan tattoo on their face.

Fairy

Fairies, also called Fair Folk, are small, winged people originally from the Feywild and some migrated to the Materiel Plane with the islands of Anor'Haer. They have a similar appearance to elves but are closer in height to gnomes and slender. Their wings come in all manner of shapes and sizes, some brightly coloured like those of butterflies, others diaphanous and clear like a dragonfly, and some tiny and some feathered like a hummingbird.
The faeries of Anor'Haer live in arboreal cities and towns all over the islands, including within the parks of elven cities, and are ruled by King Alaneo and Queen Vilotta to whom most are unwaveringly loyal, and they are staunch allies with the eladrin.
Fairies can be flighty and nervous due to their smaller stature and are terribly protective of their wing but are remarkable similar to eladrin and other elves in temperament, except that they have a more immediate view of the world as they live about as long as humans.
Fairies have some innate magiac and it gives them an advantage in learning druidic magic though some study in the arcane schools of the eladrin. Their natural dexterity and flight mean those martial interests training smaller, more versatile weapons, sometimes learning to sneak and find the weaknesses of their enemies.

Firbolg

Firbolgs are a large, hairy, strong and wise people deeply connected with nature. They live deep in forests and jungles, often entirely hidden from other races and striving to living in harmony with their environment. A few firbolg settlements coexist with nearby communities among other races if they deem them good people with shared values but otherwise they use magic and natural camouflage to hide. Although a generally peaceful people preferring to deter, dissemble and disorient invaders away from their homes, they are capable of swift and violent justice to those who seek to harm their families and their homes, or who harm nature. Many firbolgs live in the rainforests of An'Glad, coexisting with the Wood Elves although there are other settlements, particularly in southern regions of Kytira.

Genasi

Genasiare one of the plane-touched races, genasi are born with a spark from one of the elemental planes. Some are born near an elemental node or portal, some have a genie in their ancestry, or in a random confluence of wild magic. Like other plane-touched, genasi can be born into human families seemingly at random. Born and raised among their human family, they typically inherit the culture and of their parents. Exactly how strong a genasi elemental nature manifests in the physical appearance varies greatly and is no indication of significance although some might believe it to be a portent. Some look human bar one or two minor traits while others look humanoid only in the most general sense.
Air genasi tend to be thinner, lighter on their feet and can hold their breath indefinitely. Some can move through the air unrestrained by gravity. They typically have light blue skin, hair, and eyes. A faint but constant breeze accompanies them, tousling the hair and stirring the clothing. Some air genasi speak with breathy voices, marked by a faint echo. A few display odd patterns in their flesh or grow crystals from their scalps. They can be flighty, tempestuous and moody at times but rarely stay so long and are generally free-spirited and fun-loving people.
Earth genasi are typically strong and have some innate control over the earth, stones and rocks rarely impeding their movement. Some earth genasi always have bits of dust falling from their bodies and mud clinging to their clothes, never getting clean no matter how often they bathe. Others are as shiny and polished as gemstones, with skin tones of deep brown or black, eyes sparkling like agates. Earth genasi can also have smooth metallic flesh, dull iron skin spotted with rust, a pebbled and rough hide, or even a coating of tiny embedded crystals. The most arresting have fissures in their flesh, from which faint light shines. They are generally solid, dependable and deliberate
Fire genasi tend to be intelligent but rash. They can see int he dark and have a limited residence to the heat of flames. They can control small flames and some cause serious burns to those they touch. Nearly all fire genasi are feverishly hot as if burning inside, an impression reinforced by flaming red, coal-black, or ash-grey skin tones. The more human-looking have fiery red hair that writhes under extreme emotion, while more exotic specimens sport actual flames dancing on their heads. Fire genasi voices might sound like crackling flames, and their eyes flare when angered. Some are accompanied by the faint scent of brimstone.
Water genasi are typically independent, self-sufficient and proud, and some can be truly selfish. They can breathe underwater as well as in air, have a natural affinity for swimming, can resist many toxins and have some magical control over water. Most water genasi look as if they just finished bathing, with beads of moisture collecting on their skin and hair. They smell of fresh rain and clean water. Blue or green skin is common, and most have somewhat overlarge eyes, blue-black in colour. A water genasi’s hair might float freely, swaying and waving as if underwater. Some have voices with undertones reminiscent of whale song or trickling streams.

Gith

The gith are a race divined. Taken as slaves by illithid before recorded history, they overthrew their masters millennia ago and have since made their home in the Astral Sea. How exactly they came to the Astral Sea is unknown, though some speculate it has something to do with the origins of the Illithid and how they came to Olyandra. They are taller and thinner than humans, with tapered ears like elves but have hard, angular features, flat and upturned noses, and golden yellow skin that sets them apart as something else entirely. They are rarely seen on the Materiel plane though there are small, well-hidden communities on the Material plane where children are raised and the old live out their remaining years, as creatures do not age in the Astral Sea.
Some gith were hardened by the experience of enslavement and became the githyanki, a more militant people determined to never again be enslaved and willing to fight to the death for their freedom, hunting down any illithid in the Astral Sea. They ruled by their immortal lich-queen who they believe led the rebellion against the illithid and who they all but worship. Among them are many mighty warriors, some trained since infancy, and a few have developed psionic abilities from the influence of the Astral Sea. Outsiders might view them as driven by anger and revenge, they can be single-minded in their goals and their loyalties, sometimes rigid and holding others to impossible standards. A few among the githyanki operate as pirates similar to vikings, raiding the planes for resources. They are masters of navigating the Astral Sea and travel with more freedom than most across the planes. Some may travel the Material Plane, retaining some fascination from their childhood, seeking adventure, or on a mission for their people.
Some gith sought a path of self-improvement and inner strength, becoming the githzerai. They retreated into seclusion and have gained such mastery over themselves that they have developed some ability to exert that control over their surroundings. Their psionic abilities have allowed them to create near-impenetrable monasteries and strongholds. Pacificts for the most part, hatred for illithid still lingers and they will destroy any they come across. Some may seek to travel the planes to for study or for a pilgrimage of self-discovery, or simply because they do not conform with the static isolation of their people.

Gnomes

Gnomes live primarily in the south-central nation of Yandoril. They are an industrious, inventive people who live every moment to its fullest, as dedicated to their jobs as they are to having fun. Yandoril is the result of colonisation by both forest and rock gnomes from across the sea who formed a single nation centuries ago. They can be found in equal measure in one of the five cities of Yandoril or in one the hub towns.
Rock gnomes live more openly outside the cities, with marked burrows dotting the countryside among farmland, the smoke from forges curling up from chimneys poking out of hills. They are studious and inventive, with some of the finest engineers among them, known for ingenuity and innovation though their advancements are often loud, dangerous and sometimes combustible. They are also known as fine metal smiths and jewellers and accomplished mages.
Rural forest gnomes tend to be more secluded, their burrows hidden beneath forests. They have an affinity for nature, especially small woodland beasts which many raise as beloved family pets. A few have an affinity for the fey as well. They are excellent hunters and marksmen and many have a gift for illusion magic.

Goblin-kin

Goblin-kin is a term for a few closely related monstrous races, including goblins, hobgoblins and bugbears, and are sometimes called goblinoids. Maligned by the vast majority among the other races, many of the conflicts are the result of differences in culture and the resulting misunderstandings. There are evil goblin-kin the world who are the scourge of many rural communities, travellers and inexperienced adventurers by there are also others who wish only to live in peace. They have a shared pantheon with shared mythos but they tend to worship their own gods with only a passing acknowledgement of the other gods in the pantheon.
Goblin-kin have found the most acceptance among the orc nation of Mekan, with strong communities in Gudjand, the capital, as well as among Sunahara Sthaan. Many live freely in the Wild Lands of the North as well.
Bugbears are big and hairy but capable of great stealth despite their size. Those of their kind that turn to evil are capable of great savagery, leading bands of smaller goblin-kin with violence. Those inclined to good, however tend to find stability in like-minded communities of goblins or hobgoblins. Some form small clans and most are content to be left alone. Sometimes thought of as lazy, they prefer to exert themselves only as much as needed. They can be by friendly giants willing who give blind and unquestioning loyalty to those they care about, although they sometimes forget their own strength.
Goblins are small, of a size with halflings. They live in simple tribes many are nomadic or semi nomadic. Most are ruled by a near-constant anxiety, being small and weak in a world that hates them. Some hate the world in return, being cruel in victory and fawning in defeat. Others hide, avoiding conflict or any kind of attention. A few have reason to leave their tribe and seek out adventure. Goblin culture does not have a sense of ownership. If an object is not being used, it is available for anyone to pick up and use themselves. Among other races, this has earned them a reputation as thieves, especially when they are naturally nimble. Some goblin adventurers are from a more civilised or friendly clan who sets off for their own reason while others may be rebelling against an evil tribe.
Hobgoblins are a proud and honour-driven race as civilised as any other and are the most welcome of the goblin-kin among other races. In other parts of the world, they have formed powerful nations and at one time had one in Kytira however it fell the survivors scattered. Some believe they are the original race of the goblin-kin or the closest to it. They have a strong martial tradition, being highly skilled warriors but they practise the arcane arts just as well when they chose to. They are iron-willed but can be stubborn and once their mind is set, it is hard to change. They loathe to show weakness and have difficulty dealing with the insecurities of others, leaving them awkward at best. There are several hobgoblin strongholds across Kytira with varying moral ideals, and maybe find work in the world as mercenaries with more open-minded companies.

Goliath

Goliath are as big, strong and rugged as the mountains in which they dwell. Thought by some to be descended from or have some connection to giants, they are mostly human in appearance besides their size. Adapted to the high altitudes of their mountain homes, they are adapted to the coldest weather and thin air, though they can still succumb to the elements if they are not careful. Living in isolated clans, they have little business with the world below, though occasionally trade with mountain dwarves living beneath their mountain ranges. They are nomadic hunter-gatherers with spiritual beliefs that vary from clan to clan including totemic shamanism, animism and ancestor worship. They have some of the fiercest barbarian warriors and storm sorcery runs strong among some clans, believed to be inherited from giant ancestors. Goliath adventurers are often outcasts or those seeking greater challenges and self-improvement, or those that rebel against their clan's traditions.

Half-Elf

Half-Elves are usually either to a human parent and an elf parent or two half elven parents. One parent being a half-elf results in a half-elf child roughly half the time and two parents of the same race sometimes have a half-elf child if one or more grandparents is of the other race of a half-elf. Half-elves can be found throughout human and elven communities, and most are of high elven decent. They generally inherit the culture, traditions, values and beliefs of whatever society they are raised in. Few ever feel like they truly belong in either society but caught in the middle, they often find ways to bridge the cultural divides of their two ancestries. There are a number of prominent half-elf families such as the Lightningbrands of Nymark which has human and elven members but have such a long tradition of interracial marriage that the half-elf traits almost always breed true. Many half-elves can also be found in the city-state republics, which have no significant racial demographic and where the races mingle more freely.

Half-Orc

Half-Orcs follow much the same pattern as half-elves and can be found among both human and orc communities, inheriting the traditions of their parents and their community. Half-orcs are generally treated as equals to orcs in Mekan, though some face prejudice, especially when young. Some grow up among the tribes outside Mekan, many of which worship dark gods and raid their neighbours while others follow other religious traditions and coexist peacefully. There is a small orc and half-orc community in most major cities around the world, and they're more common in the city-states. Among those that fear or hate orcs, half-orcs are considered no better. Like orcs, half-orcs are cursed with what is called the blood song. While not as strong as in full-blooded orcs, half-orcs can be passionate and short-tempered though most resist the impulse toward violence. There are strong druidic traditions among the tribal orcs that some half-orcs are drawn to, and the Blood Song of their orcish ancestry makes those that chose to embrace it truly terrifying berserkers.

Harengon

Sometimes called rabittfolk, Harengon originate in the Feywild and migrated to the materiel plane with the islands of Anor'Haer where the majority remain as part of An'Hear society. They vary in size from as smaller as a gnome to as tall as an elf. They are known for quick reflexes, remarkable leaping, sharp sense and natural luck.
Harengon often have a wanderlust, a love of travel, many taking up as wandering merchants and travelling performers, and otherwise find some other way to take their profession on the road. They are otherwise similar in temperament to other humanoid peoples.

Hin (Halfings)

Halflings as they are called by the taller races, the Hin are generally content people. Rarely having any interest in conflict or dominion, most hin are happy with a warm fire, a good meal and pleasant conversation but above all, care about their friends and family. They are a practical people, preferring simple comforts, straightforward solutions and easy answers. They enjoy bright colours but avoid ostentation. They can be very stealthy and impeccably polite, lessons learned from navigating a world much larger than they are. Most live in gymeoned, more commonly called shires of three or four small villages, dotted throughout gentle hills and rolling grasslands. They are pockets of idyllic rural simplicity, or well-tended farms and kitchen gardens, orchards and vineyards, and hearty livestock. The Hin spend the days in safe, predictable routine, honest work and respectable relaxation. Halflings outside of the shires are usually drawn to cities where they can disappear, more comfortable avoiding attention.
Halfings turn to elders for guidance but otherwise have little need for leadership and the gods of the Hin reflect that. Many pray in the form of one-sided conversations as though with an old friend or beloved elder, offering up food and drink as though sharing a meal. The gods are a family and the mythos is full of stories of drama and comedy with many lessons on resolving conflict, navigating relationships and generally being a good person but does does not lay out defined commandments.
Hin who seek adventure often do so out of simple curiosity, wanderlust or for friendship, rarely interested in materiel gain. Even urban hin drawn into criminal lifestyles usually turn to such activities for the thrill or to provide for people they care about rather than money for themselves, and even then typically avoid violence. Although most Hin see the study of magic as an overly complicated waste of time, many know a few quick and easy ease-of-life spells. Many Hin adventurers pursue the bardic arts, drawn to music and art and entertaining others. Others put their stealth and curios minds to use instead as spies, thieves or investigators
There are three major "clans" among the Hin. Lightfoot and Stout live among the other races and a shIre will be of either one or the other. Lightfoots are lighter on their feet, as their name suggests, and generally a little more charming. Stouts are a little sturdier and resistant to some poisons. They are otherwise very similar, and most among the other races can't tell the two clans apart.
The third clan is the Gohstwise Hin, an isolationist clan who took more to the idea of going unnoticed than to being agreeable. They retreated deep into the forest of the world and most have forgotten their existence. So adapted to being silent, they have developed to power to communicate within the silence of their own minds, having limited telepathy. Few have any desire to leave their homes but on very rare occasions, one has reason to venture into the world.

Human

Humans are the most prolific race, attributed to their remarkable adaptability and versatility. It is sometimes said that while the other races were made in the image of their gods for a particular purpose, humans sprung spontaneously from the dirt without purpose, making their gods in their image, and have filled every corner of the world, fitting every niche like the clay they are said to have originated from. It goes to explain their ambition and will to survive in the face of all odds.
In Kytira, many human cultures and ethnicities are present. A simplified guide to most common ethno-linguistic groups (people shared the same language as part of their ethnicity):

• Meniskr: Compare to northern Europe. Generally fair of skin, hair and eyes. Most commonly found in Nymark.
• Kyklosi: Compare to southern Europe. Generally olive-skinned with dark hair. Most commonly found in Tereno
• Volken: Compare to central and eastern Europe. Generally fair-skinned and ark haired. Most commonly found through Tereno and Mymark.
• Insahlah: Compare to the Middle East. Generally brown-skinned with dark hair and eyes. Most commonly found in Manjadiid.
• Binadamu and Watu: Compare to north Africa. Dark complexions. Most commonly found in Manjadiid
• Garawan and Wadjiril: Compare to First Nations Australia. Dark completion. Most commonly found in Wadawandra.

Other human ethnic, linguistic and cultural groups exist, such as the peoples of the Ao Taiāwhio islands, other peoples on the continent of Pana and the peoples of the continent of Eiridon-Urgun who are present in small numbers on Kytira.

Kenku

Kenku are a monstrous race of short, flightless bird people. In the past, they had no voice of their own, attributed in legend to a currse or divine punishment, and relied on their remarkable capacity for mimicry to communicate. In the last few decades, the power of true speech seems to be returning to them as some children are born with their own voices. Those with their own voice still retain their natural ability for mimicry. Currently one in three Kenku have their own voices and many claim this as a sign of the age and marks the Kenku as an Emergent Race.
The Kenku do not have a nation of their own, living in large family groups on the outskirt of society for the most part. Centuries of prejudice have pushed them to the fringes and many turn to crime though others choose to reject society's role from them and live far from other peoples. As speech returns, more and more Kenku are venturing into cities and towns, trying to be part of civilised society despite much rejection. Many make a living employing their talents for memorising and copying as scribes, others work as spies or scouts, and they are highly reliable messengers as they can perfectly recall and mimic any message as it was originally spoken.
With the slow return of their voices, many kenku are feeling bold and seek to break the other two curses said to be on their race. According to myth, kenku were robbed not only of their voice but of their creativity and ingenuity, and their wings. To this end, some seek to amass a fortune large enough to help others to solve the problem while others look to the arcane study, forbidden knowledge, dark bargains and the lost secrets of ruins to find the answers.

Kolbold

Kobolds are a short vaguely reptilian race. Kobolds believe they were created from the spilled blood of a dragon god, through which one depends on the individual kobold's worldview. The population is neatly divided between good and evil, believing themselves to be descended from Bahamut or Tiamat respectively, though neither is worshipped as a primary god. Despite the similarities in their origin myth, neither kobolds nor dragonborn feel they are in any way related. They are one of the most accepted monstrous races and the evil ones are rarely more than nuisances until led by a more powerful and intelligent creature and those that are good often find way to make themselves productive and helpful.
Kobolds are cold-blooded and most live in the warmer north of Kytira, with a sizeable population living in Sunahara Sthaan among the yuan-ti. They are small and weak and they accept this. They rely on their allies and work very well in groups and they can be very quick and nimble. Expert tunnellers and nocturnal, they are sensitive to light but many are highly intelligent. They leave nothing to waste, omnivores in the extreme, what they don't eat they put to use and some tribes practice cannibalism of their dead, though they generally avoid eating other sapient creatures unless they are desperate or have killed in self-defence... or happen across fresh corpse.
Their intelligence and dislike of waste has made them highly resourceful and as a race, they have a knack for repurposing scavenged junk and a few are skilled scrap tinkerers. They also have no fear of magic, with many being born with the power of draconic blood and others taking the time to study it in a sometimes reckless pursuit of arcane knowledge. They also know they have little hope of ever being a warrior to match the strength of other creatures. They rely on stealth and agility when they do not have numbers and would rather avoid conflict and incite it and even the greediest of kobolds would rather drop pilfered loot and leave unseen than fight the rightful owner unless backed into a corner.
Many find work among other races as miners and excavators, especially in digging the smaller tunnels used for sewers. They take payment in food and tools as much as coin and if a friendly relation continues, are likely to build a warren under or near the settlement and continue to work with the people to expand infrastructure as the settlement grows. They come out at night to trade as needed but are mostly self-sufficient and in larger settlements, many of the residents might never know a kobold tribe is living and working beneath them.
Kobolds tend to have a fairly bleak outlook at least as far as other races see it. They are tiny and frail, the world can be harsh and survival is hard. Kobolds see the acceptance of these realities as a source of strength however but rather than dwell in negativity they tend to throw themselves, sometimes recklessly, at everything. They live hard and die young, with many kobolds not even knowing that, with some caution, they could live for over a hundred and fifty years rather just two or three decades. They are not a particularly emotional race, their feelings more of a mild suggestion than what other races might experience. They are not very sentimental in their relationships. Friendship is more a continued alliance and acknowledgement of effective cooperation while enemies are just people that cause pain and should be avoided.

Leonin

Most leonin hail from an arid lands of the continent of Pana across the seas and are rare in Kytiran. They are imposing lion-like humanoids typically possessed of broad shoulders and tawny fur, some with thick manes that they style much like hair. They can be in one moment regally graceful and in the next, fearsomely intimidating. Leonin lands have only a single, ancient city; the seat of the Leonin religion, Theriokopolis. Most leonin live in nomadic clans - or prides - that travel the deserts and savannahs of their home, only visiting Theriokolois on pilgrimages or for festivals.
Leonin tend to be self-reliant, believing they must not only be useful but must not be a burden and that they just earn the right to be vulnerable, such as illness or old age, through service to the pride. This sense of personal responsibility does not make them ungenerous and a pride will almost always care for sick and injured members, often with all involved complaining the entire time. They also believe in charity, that some people are cruse with bad fortune and that a single act of kindness may break such a curse. Doing harm to a member of one's clans is grounds for immediate banishment, branded with a mark of shame which an almost certain death sentence as no other pride will take in a marked individual and they must survive in the harsh environment alone. Theirs is a culture of harsh truths and tough love.
Among leonin, females often take on the most physically active roles, such as hunters and warriors, while males often remain at home to cook and care for cubs. This is not to say that women cannot be homemaker or that the men are without martial prowess, as leonin have a great deal of respect for a person's ability to adapt to different situations.
Because of their size and dedication to self-reliance, Leonin tend to be sure of themselves, and confident at least in their own skills, sometimes coming across as arrogant. Conversely, they can be extremely anxious in situations they are unfamiliar with but tend to cover hesitation or insecurities with either stoicism or overconfidence. They also take great care if their appearance, ensuring their manes are brushed and styled, sometimes applying fragrant oils or jewellery. These serve not only as symbols of status but of self-respect, with confidence being so valued in leonin culture. Some not familiar with leonin may see them as arrogant and vain, not knowing how selfless leonin can be.
Leonin may also be seen as violent with fragile egos. In truth, leonin can be stubborn particularly about things they feel they are experts in, but leonin also enjoy friendly competition, physical sparing and verbal debate. It is seen as a virtue to be able to stand ones ground and prove ones point in an argument as much as in a physical fight. Children playfight and roughhouse which often continues into adulthood as friends casually insulting each other as comedy which reassure each other of unbreakable bonds and sparring, pushing each other to be better. Couples can be heard arguing all around about seemingly trivial matters and the making up can be just as vocal. Leonin are quick to forgive and rarely seek to do real harm, and most try to temper their instincts when interacting with other races to avoid true insult.
Leonin make skilled hunters and fierce warriors, often trained in two-handed weapons and marksmanship, though do not have a formal military in their homeland, and some learn to draw on animal savagery to protect their prides with barbaric ferocity or focus on turning their bodies into weapons with combat arts their utilise their claws The priesthood seeks out children ordained by their gods to be raised as mighty clerics however the gods expect self-sufficiency as much as their people, offering little guidance, while others learn harsh druidic lessons to make the most of their inhospitable homeland. A few learn magic in Theriokopolis but arcane study that doesn't benefit the people in some way is usually seen as self-indulgent or outright selfish.

Lizardfolk

Lizarfolk are another reptilian monstrous race. Typically avoiding other races, they usually live in small tribes in swamps and marshes. In Kytira, this holds true for the few tribes that live in the fetid swaps around Ampton. The lizardfolk tribes of the swamps of southern Sunahara Sthaan have banded together and have their own place in the nation's government alongside the yuan-yi. They are an alien and inscrutable people to the humanoid races, unreadable and unfathomable. Their reasoning, for the most part, revolves around survival, calculating practicality, and physical sensation. Anger is a response to a threat and fear is an assessment of danger to self or tribe. Happiness is a full stomach, warmth and physical contact with someone trusted. Love is shared survival, sacrifice counter to reason for ongoing cooperation. Their sense of empathy, though real and present, is barely recognisable by human standards, with lizardfolk generally being neither needlessly cruel nor unreservedly kind. They can learn to recognise and respect the emotional responses of other races.
Survivalists by nature, lizarfolk are skilled hunters and warriors. They little interest in gods but have a strong druidic tradition and relationship with their environment. They rely on their sharp teeth and scaled hide as much as weapons and armour and they are naturally adapted to water, being able to hold their breath for extended periods and swim with ease.

Minotaur

The minotaurs live in great cities around the world, some underground, some inside mountains and some out in the open. These cities are all built around paths to the Underdark and straddle the planes, giving them strange spatial properties the minotaurs have learned to harness. The cities are folded like paper upon themselves in geometries impossible to imagine, making them incredibly difficult to navigate except by a minotuar, and gravity seems to be applied at random. The wells that lead down from the surface can at times be short simple walks or take weeks to traverse, and the tunnels that cross into the Underdark are similarly inconsistent. Minotaur minds have long since adapted to the folded dimensions of their landscape and architecture, and can navigate places of regular space with uncommon ease, recalling any path they have previously travelled.
The minotaurs of Kytira all hail from the city of Thési Metaxý built atop a high mountain on the border between Yandoril and Mohnah. At the heart of the city is the Well of Tears, the largest stable portal to the Underdark in Kytira. They have taken it upon themselves to guard the largest stable way into the Underdark. Big and strong, honourable and dedicated, they take this self-appointed duty very seriously. They regularly patrol that region of the Underdark, keeping its dangers at bay, and provide passage to renegade drow trying to escape.
Often seen in angry and violent, they are passionate people, prone to raucous laughter, deep friendship, fierce loyalty and unwavering determination. When provoked to violence they are brutal and efficient but are generally slow to anger. Among them are mighty warriors, stalwart champions and terrifying berserkers. They also produce some remarkable engineers and architects, and are one of the few races to have studied the secrets of graviturgy. Most worship the goddess Erathis and Her ideology of building, of forming community, protecting what's important and leaving the world a better place.
A few minotaurs go mad, their complex minds breaking for all manor of reasons, or are twisted by evil. Some give in to despair at the endless war with the creatures of the Underdark. Those that turn to evil inevitably end up succumbing to the corrupt will of the demon lord Baphomet. They are usually hunted down by their own kind and put out of their misery but some escape to become just another monster of the Underdark. Some believe minotaurs were first created by Baphomet as cults of the demon lord perform rituals that turn supplicants into mad and savage minotaurs but no good minotuar feels any connection to the Abyss or the Horned King. Others believe Baphomet was a minotaur who turned to evil and seeks out others like Himself.
A minotaur might chose to explore the world for any number of reasons. Boredom, curiosity or wanderlust, challenge and personal improvement, perhaps atonement or to reclaim lost honour. They have few dealing with the other races, and sometimes stories of evil minotaurs prejudice people against them but is it is fairly common knowledge among adventurers that most minotaurs are good and honourable, standing guard against the Underdark, and a minotaur adventure can usually find allies and friends among other adventurers.

Orc

Orc are humanoid though many among the humanoid races see them as monstrous. A passionate people with short tempers, many wars with and among orcs have been fought over minor disputes. Their image, their size, rugged features and tusks, do little to allay fears. They are usually as quick to forgive as they are to anger, however. Most orcs are honourable, determined and driven by deep emotion, loving passionately, partying raucously, offering fierce loyalty and throwing themselves against uncertain odds with glee. Some, however, have given in the darkness of what they call the Blood Song, the name orc kind for the impulse that fills their blood with fire, fuelling their passions, fraying their nerves. Most orcs feel that the Blood Song is just their hot-blood nature while others claim it to be a racial curse. Some call it a siren song tempting orcs to violence and destruction and use it to justify their actions. These orcs are the ones that sour the reputation of others.
The orcs of Kytira hail primarily from the landlocked nation of Mekân. Some live in cities and towns, ruled by the laws of the monarchy while others are tribal with only nomail fealty to the crown. There are orcs tribes scattered about the rest of the continent with varied morality. Many orcs who give in to the Blood Song and turn to the worship of Gruumsh are those that live on the fringes of other societies and many fear tribal orcs for this reason, though are in the minority.
Orcs may turn to adventure for any reason that a human might, though some among the evil tribes might be rebelling against their upbringing like Xug Warmaw of the Venator did, learning to channel the Blood Song into a Berserker rage. Some may have been born into the adventuring lifestyle Like Xug's son Ruhk. Others may be simple folk who are trying to provide for their loved ones the best way they know how, like Sarodar Kashir who sends money home to his wife and step children.

Satyr

Satyrs are native to the Feywild, born to celebratory abandon, of revelling in the simple pleasure of life, giving in to spontaneity and whimsy. They are vibrant, optimistic, always looking for a silver ling and seeking to lighten sour moods with a quick joke. They are humanoid from the waist up with goat legs, pointed ears and horns. They have thick, fur-like hair up their spines, sometimes across their shoulders and on the backs of their arms that matches the fur of their legs. Satyrs are few and far between on Olyandra but those on the continent migrated from the Feywold with the Anor'Haer islands.
Most see satyrs as raucous, decadent and hedonistic and not without some merit, satyrs commonly reject the arbitrary rules and categorisations of other societies, doing what makes them happy without consideration of what others expect of them or the consequences of their actions, though they rarely intend to do harm to others. They live in wonder at the colour of a bird's feathers, the sound of raindrops, the smell of a good meal, the feel of cool water on a warm day. For satyrs, there is no greater celebration of life than living every moment to the fullest. Satyrs also enjoy making fun of the seriousness of other races, their cultures and philosophies, often in the form of plays, poems, painting other art forms that can be crude, intelligent and sometimes explicitly anatomical, originating satire. They are not especially prone to introspection but find work satirising themselves as enjoyable as anything else.
Satyrs are often drawn to the arts, some studying as bards. Their extreme emotions can be channelled by some in barbarous rages, and their fey nature gives them advantages in learning druidic magic.

Shifter

Shifters are a proud race of were-touched, believed to be descended from therianthropes such as werewolves. They live in small clans, many of which are nomadic, on the edges of the civilisation, though some live in rural communities and a few have settled in cities. Many among the other races are not really aware of the existence of shifters, thinking they are no different from more savage shapechangers. Many shifters are confused for hirsute half-elves though those who have encountered shifters before will recognise the broader, more harshly angular features. They can tap into the beast within, drawing power from it, heightening their senses, strength and speed and taking on a more animal appearance.
They tend to be reserved and deliberate of speech though bold of action, preferring it over wasting time on talk. When they talk, they tend to be soft spoken, but direct and blunt. To most, their clan is everything, relying on each other for survival, deeply loyal and protective of each other against outsiders. They can be highly independent and self sufficient as well as being excellent collaborators, having to hone both skill to best serve their small clans.
Shifter clans are diverse. Though they have no racial religion, many clans worship one of the transient pantheons or gods. Others practise ancestor worship or druidism. They are remarkable hunters and survivalists with an intuitive understanding of beasts.
Shifters might leave their clan to become an adventurer because they are the last survivor of their clan, like Tarok of the Venator who's clan was taken by slavers. Others may feel they have failed their clan in some way and exiled themselves, looking for ways to atone for their perceived shortcomings, whether the clan sees it that way or not. Others may simply be driven by curiosity or wanderlust.

Tabaxi

Tabaxi are extremely rare in Kytira as few leave their home on Pana across the sea. A few small communities are dotted around the continent in large cities among other racees, adapting to the local culture. They do have a traditional, monotheistic religion that many adhere to and maintain a few racial traditions but for the most part, simply become part of the cummunity without issue. The cat-folk are a naturally curious people, with an innate love of collecting knowledge and stories, at least in areas of interest to them. Some are content to live a normal, quiet life and allow the stories to come to them, running stores and taverns and engaging in conversation with customers. Others pursue the arts, telling stories as much as listening to them. A few strike out and employ their natural grace and agility to less noble ends, giving rise to the common description of "cat burglar".
Some tabaxi are drawn to an more active pursuit of knowledge, possessed of a wander lust that drives them to travel and experience as much of the world as they can. They go about this in a variety of ways. Many are drawn to honing their dexterity and cunning in roguish training, others pursue the bardic arts. Some seek knowledge through the study of the arcane. Although they can be prickly of personality, they are steadfast companions who take no shame in giving into fear if it means surviving to fight another day.

Teifling

Tieflings are a plane-touched race, born of a fiendish legacy of Baator just as aasimar are born of a celestial one. The source of this legacy is rarely a direct one, usually the result of some interaction between a human and a devil in the distant past and most teilfings are born to human parents who know nothing of their infernal heritage. Some however are born to two teifling parents or more in extremely race cases, born to one teifling parent and a parent of another race. Teiflings are generally the result of a metaphysical intervention such as an infernal bargain though occasional the fiendish traits are injected into the bloodline in a more tradition way.
Many are apprehensive of teiflings for their devilish appearance and heritage though rarely outright fearful or hateful. Many tieflings have found welcoming homes in Tevicii where a few tiefling families have achieved some wealth and prominence. Being born to humans, for the most part, they tend to adopt the culture they are born into, many choosing pantheons and patron gods that best suit their personalities and professions rather than out of some inherited obligation.
Teiflings have a tradition of 'face names', a name chosen by the individual that they feel represents who they are or at least what they want to present to the world. The origins of the tradition have been forgotten though many believe it has something to do with the power of true names and that face names have allowed taiflings to avoid falling under the power of their infernal progenitors. Face names are typically used by those who travel extensively or who have a public profile, such as Valour the Warrior-Poet, a renowned writer and adventurer.
Tieflings often feel like outcasts or outsiders at best, always standing out and rarely finding many of their own kind. Because of this, they seek to either make it on their own, being totally independent or seeking other outsiders like themselves. They take to all manor of professions, including adventuring, and while some might embrace evil for all manor of reasons, many are jsut looking for a place to belong and a ragtag tag and eccentric group of adventurers is as good as any.

Triton

Tritons originate on the Plane of Elemental Water and would be considered one of the Emergent races if they had interacted with anyone other than a few sea elves. A single settlement exists on the Materiel Plane, the city of Pelavia, which migrated from the Water Plane around the same time as the Aeries and Anor'Haer. The city is built into a deep marine trench, at the bottom of which is a portal to the Plane of Water.
Tritons are a proud, noble people who have lived in the tumultuous and treacherous currents of the Water Plane for millennia, fighting back against all manor of sea monsters. Those of Pelavia see themselves are crusaders against the evils of the depths and protectors of the world above the waves that lives in ignorance of the dangers. They are skilled warriors and mages. They have a meritocracy, position granted by those higher in their social order in recognition of deeds and achievements. Respect, like position, is earned and the highest position, that of Primach, is granted by will of the council of sages.
Tirton care a great deal about respect, and can seem haughty and arrogant to outsiders who do not know that they respect the expect is respect they have worked hard to achieve. They also feel people should be grateful for the service they provide in protecting the sea and guarding against incursion from the Water Plane and the sacrifice that takes. Tritons however have limited understanding of how the Materiel Plane and its various cultures work due to the isolation, often not understanding that the position they have earned in their own society is not one that is universally recognised, and having little to no knowledge of the struggles of the surface world to their single-minded goals. Once they do understand their limited perspective, they tend to be humble and apologetic for their misunderstanding and will work tirelessly to prove themselves worthy of respect.
Tritons have a deep sense of service and, once they understand the surface world better, are often prone to charity, standing as stalwart defenders of the innocent against all manner of evils and are willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good. Any waterborne evil is felt by tritons like a personal failure they must atone for. Without an understanding of the world, they can be easily decided or turn too readily to violence as a solution. Many live preconceptions and false assumptions of the surface world that can also lead them astray, despite their good intentions.

Warforged

Warforged are an emergent race and some would argue, a monstrous one. Without doubt synthetic creatures but unlike true constructs, they are sapient, intelligent, self-determined and capable of empathy. They were created before recorded history by a people long forgotten to time. They know they were built as soldiers but believe that the war never came and they were left to slumber for untold aeons underground vaults. Now they are waking up one by one, the trigger unknown, and stepping out of their vaults to be part of the world.
Warforged wake up knowing only two things: that they were made for war and that they are free to choose peace. They do wake with all their physical faculties and motor functions but they know nothing of the world they were created in or of the world they wake to now. They must learn to speak the languages of other races, learn to read and write, learn of etiquette and gods. Those who woke first, upon realising that they could not wake the other of their vaults themselves, scouted around, learned what they could and brought it back to teach those who were to wake next.
More than just knowledge of the world, a warfoged wakes with no knowledge of themself. As much as they are without distinguishing features externally, they are blank slates on the inside. This is not to say that they are without individuality but they do not have the benefits of childhoods, or societal expectations with which to test themselves against, and must figure who they are as much as they must figure out the world around them. Warforged who have newly awakened can be very robotic, socially awkward, overly literal, and linear in their logic. They have no social skills, speak their mind without filter, do not understand personal space, ownership or social boundaries. They have the social and emotional understanding of newborns but the intelligence and independence of adults. This is often confusing for others but can be disorienting, frustrating and distressing for the warforged,
Those that spend some time around other races begin to understand nonverbal communication and to compensate for their expressionless faces and monotone voice bystate their feelings or their intended tone to clarify to those they are talking to. Over years, warforged are able to adapt their vocalisations to better express tone and as they explore the cultures of other races, they begin to form their own personal identifies. For example, though they were created genderless, some discover a gender identity for themselves reflected in another race, whether it is the clear and defined expressions of humans, the fluidity of the elves or remaining comfortable in their original state.
As a warforged learns more about themselves, they are able to change their bodies to reflect who they are, returning to their vaults and seeking the services of a warforged physician, those of their kind have uncovered and understood the secrets of warfoged creation. These physicians use their skills as healers as well as to alter a warfoged body. It is thought that this was originally intended to alter generic warforged to a specialised purpose and many choose to specialise their bodies to be lighter or bulkier, to incorporate trade and artisan tools, weapons and/or armour. It also includes cosmetic changes such as a more humanoid and relatable face plate, change their vocal pitch, engraving of metal plating much like tattoos. Some even get genital attachments to better express their identities though the vast majority of warforged have not yet developed an interest in exploring sexuality and such attachments are mostly aesthetic.
As more warforged wake up, their vaults are being converted from silent halls full of living metal statues to proper settlements and diplomatic relations are starting with the other races. They have yet to develop a fully realised culture, have no knowledge of those that made them and few resources but they are learning quickly, finding work, and making themselves useful as they explore.
Some warforged seek out adventuring as the best way to explore the world and experience different things, as well as collect useful resources that they could send back to their vault if they were so inclined. Many of the first warforged to wake and leave their vaults taught themselves survivalist skills as they surveyed their surroundings. Others had to begin interacting with the other races, either sneaking around them to gather information in secret or boldly seeking civilisation out as diplomatic envoys. Now, three decades later, warforged fill many niches, though their numbers are still relatively small as the majority of the population remains asleep. Some have taken to studying magic, others have become warriors and soldiers, and some among them have become talented artificers from studying their own design. Many, however, have taken to totally normal professions.

Yuan-Ti

Yuan-ti are a monstrous race also called snake people. They believe themselves to have been created by or descended from an ancient serpent god. Most Yuan-ti in Kytira are purebloods and hail from Sunahara Sthaan in the northeast. Those that migrated to Kytira centuries ago left behind a slowly collapsing decadent empire built on slavery, as well as their less humanoid kin. They formed alliances with the kobolds and lizardfolk of the region to build a different society from the one they had left behind.
Yuan-ti purebloods look mostly human but they have cold serpentine eyes, flat noses and prominent fangs. They have small soft scales on parts of their bodies such as the tops of their arms, shoulders, forehead, and down their spine. They are a cold, calculating and logical race. This lack of empathy has given them a reputation among other races as psychopaths but this humanoid-centric comparison is unfair. They do have feelings, though they are alien to humanoids and dull, more like suggestions than the immediate and sometimes overwhelming emotions of other races. A yan-ti can feel something, analyse and decide whether to act on the feeling or not without any inner conflict or discomfort. Yuan-ti are not inherently cruel and have no desire to hurt another creature without a logical reason. They are also not selfish as cooperation ensures survival and antagonising others risks retribution, especially among other races. They have a mentality of following the path of least resistance at least in daily life and that rarely means seeking conflict.
Yuan-ti may seek adventure out of a sense of idle curiosity or a sense of restlessness, out of duty to be envoys of some kind. Any reason that is logically sound is good for a yuan-ti.

Lineages

A lineage is character option that represents some kind of change someone might have undergone that replaces a traditional race. For example, a character may be an elven dhamir, being born an elf but an encounter with a vampire has turned them into a dhamir. They remain an elf, with all the history and culture that goes with that, however they use dhamir statistics instead of elven ones in character creation.

Dhampir

Dhamirs are in some way part vampire. They remain mortal (and are categorised as humanoid), poised on the threshold between life and undeath. They are not consumed by the terrible hunger of vampires but it is a constant craving and not always for blood. They have some small taste of vampiric power, being slightly faster than the average person, having no need for air and being able to climb and can restore their strength by drinking from the living.
The creation of a dhampir is not widely known and dhampirs are often extremely secretive on the matter. For some, it is a curse, for others the answer to a prayer. Some maybe the survivors of a vampire attack. Some theorise they are the offspring of a vampire and a human, though most claim that to be impossible either because vampires cannot reproduce the traditional way or because they cannot control their urges enough to let a romantic partner survive the conception process.

Hexblood

Hexblood are the result of the influence of a powerful hag Hexbloods are marked in some unusual way, with strangeshaped ears, forked tongue, inhuman eyes, horns or some other, singular and striking mark. Some are born as hexbloods, whether the offspring of a hag or similar creature or a pregnancy influenced by a hag's magic. Some may have be transformed later in life as the result of a deal with a hag. Some are thought to be false children swapped out at birth by a hag.
Hexbloods have some hag-like powers such as darkvision and some innate magic to hex their enemies, disguise themselves and imbue tokens with a spark of power.

Reborn

Reborn is a term for someone who has died and returned to life by mysterious means or created by some fell magic or alchemy. They often have some mark of their ordeals, such as the scar of their fatal injury, a deathly pallor, veins filled with some substance other than blood, patchwork seams of a stitched-together body, or the lack of bellybutton of an artificially grown body.
A reborn keenly feels their second chance at life and seeks out experience, and possible answers to their strange existence. Their minds often rebel against some truth of their life, having little to no memory of their previous life and no memory of the afterlife that followed. Sometimes new experiences trigger old memories or unexplained, visceral, emotional responses. Sometimes, discordant memories of different lives rise in a chaotic and indecipherable jumble.
Although reborn are living, they are empowered by undeath. They are resistant to diseases and toxins, their will to live makes them hard to kill, and they have no need to eat, drink, breath or sleep. They can also occasionally draw on their foggy memories of their past life when using their skills.