Homebrew Race Changes

## Overview

This page serves as a rough overview of how races change with respect to the RAW races within the World of Eko. Naturally, there are no real restrictions on any player character, but these serve as general guidelines for NPCs.

## Aaracokra

Aacokra hail almost entirely from the Guardian Mountain Range. There are many different variants, typically expressed by appearing as different type of bird, but the two main tribes are the Falcon Aaracokra, and the Owl Aaracokra. Normally, the tribes live in relative harmony, given the Diurnal and Nocturnal nature of the creatures, respectively, but conflict between the tribes has been known to occur, and will occasionally drive Aaracokra from the mountains to seek a life elsewhere, such as Postmaster Ravi.

The Aacokra eschew most forms of learnt magic as evil, and view writing as the source of said evil. As a result, they have long oral traditions. They believe themselves to be the third oldest race on Eko, and the second oldest existing race, after the Progenitors and the Lizardfolk.

## Elves

Elves hail from the aptly named Elvish Isles, the largest of which is Illonia. While Elves have the typical association with nature and the fae, in Eko, the Elves have a brutal, bloody history as colonizers and enslavers. They viewed their longevity as divine providence over the other races. Thousands of years ago, when the Humans were just a scattered collection of tribes across the Scintali Desert and Ervian plains, the Elves would raid human settlements for slaves. The blood of the slaves was what built Illonia, the capital city of the Elves.

As a result, Elves are despised by most humans, and an elf in a human settlement would be a rare sight. Typically, elves who do work in human cities either hold positions of great power (such as Lothari Lightwick) or live in squalor, forced there by an ancient hatred.

## Dwarves

The Dwarves in Eko are similar to Dwarves across fantasy, though these dwarves bare no ill-will towards the Elves (insomuch as the ill-will they've inhereted from their human allies). Dwarves across Eko have coexisted famously well with humans. Given that humans and Dwarves can live in close proximity without interference (the Dwarves underground and the humans above) and the need for the goods that the other produces (Dwarves: Weapons and Tools, Humans: Food), the two have a close, ancient aliance. So deep is this alliance, that after the Dwarves of Magmaria discovered Redpowder, not a few years later they decided to trade the new technology to humans exclusively, prompted in part by the War for the Chain.

All dwarves look the same, regardless of gender. To know a dwarf's gender, one must ask, but this a grossly rude question for a stranger or non-dwarf to ask. Amongst dwarfs, there are occasionally very subtle clues as to the gender, but mostly, Dwarves grow close, then quietly inquire privately amongst themselves, then decide to wed.

### Naming Conventions

Dwarven names have, over the years, become a representation of what Dwarves hold most dear: food. Most Dwarven first names are food types. Examples include: Oatmeal, Haggis, Bludpuddin, Pickle, Sage. Examples of last names include: Shincleaver, Calfhacker, Silverthumb, Magmaforged.

### Redpowder Training Variant

Given that the Dwarves invented and utilized Redpowder, a dwarvish character in Eko (after the year 1815) may replace **Dwarven Combat Training** with **Dwarven Redpowder Training**:

> You have proficiency with the Pistol, Musket, Blunderbuss, and Steelbow.
>
>

## Gnomes

### Naming Conventions

Gnome names are palindromic, such as Fenfin Finfen, Foxfit Fitfox, or Jamsen Senjam

## Half-Elves

Half Elves can be found anywhere in Eko where humans and Elves intermingle- so not many places. However, they're far from uncommon. The vast majority of Half Elves hail from the lands of the Adji. As a result of their history as slaves of the Elves, they have eschewed Elven culture and created a austere and lawful society. This strict code of honor grants Half-Elves from the lands of the Adji a bonus to their wisdom.

Half Elves from elsewhere across Eko may have traits more similar to the Half Elves found in the PHB.

### Naming Conventions

Half Elves hailing from the lands of the Adji will have names typically associated with Japanese or Korean medieval cultures, if not classically Elven.

### Adji Variant

Your half-elf character has some qualities in common with elves and some that are unique to half-elves.

**Ability Score Increase**

Your Wisdom score increases by 2, and two other ability scores of your choice increase by 1.

**Alignment**

Half-elves have a lawful bent, having rejected the more Chaotic culture of their Elvish ancestors and overlords. They strongly value honor, obedience to authority, and filial piety.

## Half-Orcs

Half-Orcs raised in the Orcish tribes will either belong to the Northern Tribes or the Western Tribes. As a result, they will have spent the majority of their lives on Horseback or Sailing, respectively. As a result, a Half-Orc in Eko may replace the **Menacing** Trait with one of the following variants:

### Northern Tribe Variant

**Saddle-born**

Half Orcs raised in the Northern Tribes learn to ride practically before they can walk. You gain proficiency in Animal Handling.

### Western Tribe Variant

**Sea-Worthy**

You belong to the sea-born Orcs, who's prowess at the helm of a ship made them a terrifying force in days past. You gain proficiency with Vehicles (Water) and Tools (Navigator's Tools)

## Humans

Humans come in three variants: Valucian (Egyptian), Ervian (Medieval French/English) or Northern (Mongolian). A human player character may use the standard human race, or the variant human race, with some modifications present below.

### Ervian

The Ervians are a generic name for the people of the Great Plains of the continent, named after the Ervian Hegemony, which actually encompasses a culturally-diverse spectrum of humans. Still, most Ervians share some traits; millennia of dwelling on the flat plains with few geographical defenses meant millennia of defending themselves against the orc hordes of the north, or even other humans. As a result, Ervians tend to have an "attack first and survive" political and cultural philosophy. Despite this, they are a warm, welcoming people who view the bonds of friendship and brotherhood as a sacred trust, if not a critical component of survival.

### Valucian

Valucians are a hardy race of people who live on the Valucian peninsula, which divides the Storm Sea from the Shattered Chain. Whether the desert-dwelling nomads of the north, or sea-faring sailors of the south, Valucians are a hardy people who's faith in the gods is as unshakeable as their will to survive.

**Alignment**

Valucians are society builders, above all else. Their ancient pyramids dominate the skyline in every Valucian city. Valucians, like all humans, can have any alignment, but tend towards Lawful Alignments in general.

## Progenitor

The Progenitors were an ancient race of humanoids that have not been seen in Eko for millennia. In fact, some believe that the Progenitors, scattered by the Morning Wars, have diverged genetically, and were the prototype for the various species seen across Eko today, specifically, Humans, Elves, Orcs, and Dwarves. This would, at least, explain the ability to interbreed amongst these populations.

While a progenitor would be an *incredibly* rare sight in Eko- they would need to have been magically preserved for tens of thousands of years- perhaps one day a Progenitor will be found walking the surface. A progenitor looks not entirely different from a Half-Elf. The distinction lies in their elongated faces, long ears, round eyes, and flattened nose.

**Ability Score Increase**

Your Constitution score increases by 2, and two other abilities of your choice increase by 1.

**Age**

Progenitors reach physical maturity at about the same age as humans, they are much longer lived. An progenitor can live to around 450 years old.

**Alignment**

Defined by the millennia of war that consumed their civilization, Progenitors tend to be Lawful in alignment, viewing a strong society as the only bulwark against the Abyssal (or, eventually, Infernal) forces. Still, a Progenitor awaking in the modern world might take a chaotic alignment in response to seeing a society free from the oppressiveness of eternal war with the forces of darkness.

**Size**

Progenitors range from under 5 to just about 6 feet tall, at most, and have medium builds. Your size is Medium.

**Speed**

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

**Fiend-foe**

Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) or (Religion) check related to a fiend, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.

**Skill Versatility**

You gain proficiency in two skills of your choice.

**Brave**

You have advantage on saving throws against being Frightened

**Languages**

You can speak, read, and write Primordial, Celestial, Abyssal, and Infernal. A Progenitor having lived amongst modern society from some time may know common, but a newly awakened Progenitor would need to take the time to learn common.

## Tieflings

The Tieflings have a long history of rejection and ostracization from other societies, so ancient that the reason has been lost. However, while the memory of the Morning Wars has mostly been forgotten, perhaps the hatred for anything of Demonic Heritage has not. As a result, Tieflings became nomadic wanders throughout the known world. Through their shrewd cunning and fierce determination, they have since earned a position of begrudging respect, for their acquired wealth if not their ancient heritage.

### Naming Conventions

As Nomads, most Tieflings don't have last names, identifying themselves by their tribe, religion, or deeds. Such an example would be Ege of Geoff or Erras Von Erfgurd.

## Warforged

The Warforged of Eko are an ancient race of constructed humanoids, created either by the Celestials or Progenitors as weapon during the Morning Wars. They are rare enough that they often are sold as slaves for incredibly high prices, but seeing one as a bodyguard of a powerful noble isn't uncommon.

All Warforged typically begin their modern careers when they are excavated or awoken from a dormant state in some ancient ruin. Curiously, almost every single Warforged has undergone some sort of memory loss from their time during the Morning Wars, and as such, typically can only remember small pieces at most, and often need to relearn their skills anew.

### Naming Conventions

Most Warforged that can remember anything of their past lives remember their name, or designation. Typically, it is a four or five letter abbreviation, where the first two letters designate it's designed purpose, and the following letters differentiate it as an individual from other Warforged of a similar purpose (and follow the Celestial Phonetic Alphabet Convention). An example of this would be Isov of Erfgurd, or Infiltration Specialist Obsidian Vorpal. Another infiltration unit may have the designation Infiltration Specialist Arrow Golem, or Isag.