Humans

**Humans** are the most versatile and widespread of races in Ygdren. They can be found across most continents, in every nation, from the vast reaches of the Aldwyran Empire, to the dozens of kingdoms and territories in Maíandir and Yuantica; some small and bickering, some large and powerful, but all surviving because of the one trait that makes humanity so persistent: the capability to adapt to anything.

## Culture & Society

Humanity is perhaps the most tenacious of the races that now inhabit the western continent. They are to this day warlike and stubborn, and although they have constructed great civilisations in their respective territories, often their societies balance on the edge of a knife, walking the thin line between peace and outright war. Due to their variety and diversity of culture, it is difficult to pin down a single attitude towards humanity, but many find it difficult to trust them, for their promises are often as fleeting as their lives.

## Crossbreeds

### Half-Elves

Though there has been a great deal of conflict between elves and humans, the coupling of the two is not uncommon, and has become even more commonplace in modern times. With the versatility of humans and the tenacity of elves, half-elves often find themselves excluded, able to fit well enough into either side but somehow being shunned by both.

## Other Variants

### Aasimar

The term Aasimar is a collective name given to those plane-touched humans that possess the touch of celestial or divine blood. This variance in their genetic makeup often sets them apart from the rest of humanity, and can derive from a variety of sources. In some cases, Aasimar are marked at birth by beings from the Planes of Limbo, and bear that link for the rest of their lives. In others, interference from deities and other consecrated creatures somewhere along the bloodline leads to the manifestation of such divine features. Regardless of the cause of their nature, rarely are any two Aasimar exactly alike. Their appearance can range from near-identical to an average human, to having wildly different distinguishing features such as pupil less or opalescent eyes, tinted skin in a range of colours, and other features derived from the root of their nature.

No matter where they come from, Aasimar are very often set apart from their cultures in some way or another. In some cases, they are revered. In others, they are reviled. Though a relative rarity, there are cases of Aasimar births across almost all of Ygdren where humanity has taken root, and some even believe that they are the next step in human evolution, although this is generally dismissed due to the generally haphazard nature of Aasimar origin.

### Genasi

Genasi are a rarity amongst the people of northern Yuantica that find their origin in the magical disturbances before the Convergence. Seen as an oddity, and rarely accepted by common folk, most Genasi are sent away to live under the Enclave, a neutral religious sect of monks that watch over the teachings of the Shénziao pantheon, who insists that genasi are a product of their gods.

Following the events of the War of Ashes in Northern Maíandir, unbeknownst to the participants themselves, the massive amounts of energy used to fuel the end of the war sent rippling effects through the arcana, causing a compounding disturbance that culminated in the four elemental planes seeping into the material plane, notably around the region where humans from the Domari settlers in the far south had migrated north. This area, now the territory of Kyoshai, saw the bulk of the elemental onslaught over a period of decades. As the legend would have it, in an effort to prevent catastrophe, twelve mortals that were thought to possess a special link to the arcana stepped forth to absorb the magic and direct it away. By doing so, they restored the balance that was necessary to re-align the four elemental planes. This was known as the Convergence.

Despite this, arcane energy from the four planes still lingers, and more periodically seeps through the barrier created by the twelve. This energy tends to manifest in a number of ways, not least of which are the genasi. Born halfway between two very different worlds, genasi are typically scorned by the superstitious and cast away. However, since the Enclave teaches peace and harmony between the material plane and the elemental, they cannot simply be killed. Most genasi instead find themselves part of the Enclave, or escaping their home countries to travel far abroad. Spirited and adventurous, fickle and impulsive, they often tend to find themselves in the middle of problems that are not their own.

## Properties

### Humans

* ***Ability Score Increase.*** Two different ability scores of your choice increase by 1.
* ***Size.*** Your size is Medium.
* ***Skills.*** You gain proficiency in one skill of your choice.
* ***Feat.*** You gain one feat of your choice.
* ***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

### Half-Elves

* ***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Charisma score increases by 2, and two other ability scores of your choice increase by 1.
* ***Size.*** Your size is Medium.
* ***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
* ***Darkvision.*** Thanks to your elf blood, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
* ***Fey Ancestry.*** You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.
* ***Skill Versatility.*** You gain proficiency in two skills of your choice.

### Half-Orcs

* ***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.
* ***Size.*** Your size is Medium.
* ***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
* ***Darkvision.*** Thanks to your orc blood, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern colour in darkness, only shades of grey.
* ***Menacing.*** You gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill.
* ***Relentless Endurance.*** When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not k illed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.
* ***Savage Attacks.*** When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon’s damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.

### Aasimar

#### Protector Aasimar

* ***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.
* ***Size.*** Your size is Medium.
* ***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
* ***Darkvision.*** Blessed with a radiant soul, your vision can easily cut through darkness. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern colour in darkness, only shades of grey.
* ***Celestial Resistance.*** You have resistance to necrotic damage and radiant damage.
* ***Healing Hands.*** As an action, you can touch a creature and roll a number of d4s equal to your proficiency bonus. The creature regains a number of hit points equal to the total rolled. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
* ***Light Bearer.*** You know the *light* cantrip. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for it.
* ***Radiant Soul.*** Starting at 3rd level, you can use your bonus action to unleash the divine energy within yourself, causing your eyes to glimmer and two luminous, incorporeal wings to sprout from your back. Your transformation lasts for 1 minute or until you end it as a bonus action. During it, you have a flying speed equal to your walking speed. Until the transformation ends, once on each of your turns, you can deal extra radiant damage to one target when you deal damage to it with an attack or a spell. The extra radiant damage equals your proficiency bonus. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

#### Scourge Aasimar

* ***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.
* ***Size.*** Your size is Medium.
* ***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
* ***Darkvision.*** Blessed with a radiant soul, your vision can easily cut through darkness. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern colour in darkness, only shades of grey.
* ***Celestial Resistance.*** You have resistance to necrotic damage and radiant damage.
* ***Healing Hands.*** As an action, you can touch a creature and roll a number of d4s equal to your proficiency bonus. The creature regains a number of hit points equal to the total rolled. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
* ***Light Bearer.*** You know the *light* cantrip. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for it.
* ***Radiant Consumption.*** Starting at 3rd level, you can use your bonus action to unleash the divine energy within yourself, causing a searing light to radiate from you, pour out of your eyes and mouth, and threaten to char you. Your transformation lasts for 1 minute or until you end it as a bonus action. During it, you shed bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet, and at the end of each of your turns, each creature within 10 feet of you takes radiant damage equal to twice your proficiency bonus. Until the transformation ends, once on each of your turns, you can deal extra radiant damage to one target when you deal damage to it with an attack or a spell. The extra radiant damage equals your proficiency bonus. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

#### Fallen Aasimar

* ***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Strength score increases by 1.
* ***Size.*** Your size is Medium.
* ***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
* ***Darkvision.*** Blessed with a radiant soul, your vision can easily cut through darkness. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern colour in darkness, only shades of grey.
* ***Celestial Resistance.*** You have resistance to necrotic damage and radiant damage.
* ***Healing Hands.*** As an action, you can touch a creature and roll a number of d4s equal to your proficiency bonus. The creature regains a number of hit points equal to the total rolled. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
* ***Light Bearer.*** You know the *light* cantrip. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for it.
* ***Necrotic Shroud.*** Starting at 3rd level, you can use your action to unleash the divine energy within yourself, causing your eyes to turn into pools of darkness and two skeletal, ghostly, flightless wings to sprout from your back. The instant you transform, creatures of your choice within 15 feet of you must succeed on a Charisma saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier) or become frightened of you. Creatures can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns. Your transformation lasts for 1 minute or until you end it as a bonus action. Until the transformation ends, once on each of your turns, you can deal extra necrotic damage to one target when you deal damage to it with an attack or a spell. The extra radiant damage equals your proficiency bonus. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

### Genasi

#### Air Genasi

* ***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1.
* ***Size.*** Your size is Medium.
* ***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 35 feet.
* ***Darkvision.*** You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colours in that darkness only as shades of blue.
* ***Unending Breath.*** You can hold your breath indefinitely while you’re not incapacitated.
* ***Lightning Resistance.*** You have resistance to lightning damage.
* ***Mingle with the Wind.*** You know the *shocking grasp* cantrip. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the *feather fall* spell with this trait, without requiring a material component. Starting 5th level, you can also cast the *levitate* spell with this trait, without requiring a material component. Once you cast feather fall or levitate with this trait, you can't cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait.

#### Earth Genasi

* ***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Strength score increases by 1.
* ***Size.*** Your size is Medium.
* ***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
* ***Darkvision.*** You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colours in that darkness only as shades of green.
* ***Earth Walk.*** You can move across difficult terrain without expending extra movement if you are using your walking speed on the ground or a floor.
* ***Merge with Stone.*** You know the *blade ward* cantrip. You can cast it as normal, and you can also cast it as a bonus action a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Starting at 5th level, you can cast the *pass without trace* spell with this trait, without requiring a material component. Once you cast that spell with this trait, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast it using any spell slots you have of 2nd level or higher. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait.

#### Fire Genasi

* ***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Intelligence score increases by 1.
* ***Size.*** Your size is Medium.
* ***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
* ***Darkvision.*** You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colours in that darkness only as shades of red.
* ***Fire Resistance.*** You have resistance to fire damage.
* ***Reach to the Blaze.*** You know the *produce flame* cantrip. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the *burning hands* spell with this trait. Starting at 5th level, you can also cast the *flame blade* spell with this trait, without a material component. Once you cast *burning hands* or *flame blade* with this trait, you can't cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait.

#### Water Genasi

* ***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.
* ***Size.*** Your size is Medium.
* ***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
* ***Acid Resistance.*** You have resistance to acid damage.
* ***Amphibious.*** You can breathe air and water.
* ***Swim.*** You have a swimming speed equal to your walking speed.
* ***Call to the Wave.*** You know the *acid splash* cantrip. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the *create or destroy* water spell with this trait. Starting at 5th level, you can also cast the *water walk* spell with this trait, without requiring a material component. Once you cast *create or destroy water* or *water walk* with this trait, you can't cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait.

### Kalashtar

* ***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Wisdom score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.
* ***Size.*** Your size is Medium.
* ***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
* ***Dual Mind.*** You have advantage on all Wisdom saving throws.
* ***Mental Discipline.*** You have resistance to psychic damage.
* ***Mind Link.*** You can speak telepathically to any creature you can see, provided the creature is within a number of feet of you equal to 10 times your level. You don't need to share a language with the creature for it to understand your telepathic utterances, but the creature must be able to understand at least one language. When you're using this trait to speak telepathically to a creature, you can use your action to give that creature the ability to speak telepathically with you for 1 hour or until you end this effect as an action. To use this ability, the creature must be able to see you and must be within this trait's range. You can give this ability to only one creature at a time; giving it to a creature takes it away from another creature who has it.
* ***Severed from Dreams.*** Kalashtar sleep, but they don’t connect to the plane of dreams as other creatures do. Instead, their minds draw from the memories of their otherworldly spirit while they sleep. As such, you are immune to magical spells and effects that require you to dream, like the *dream* spell, but not to spells and effects that put you to sleep, like the *sleep* spell.