Player's Companion

> Compatible with D&D 5e
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The peoples of Taen live in barren plains, harsh deserts, and

churning seas. They deal with the curse of undeath and the vile magic left over
from a world shattered long ago. Through all of history, empires have come and
gone and man has learned that his kin is far more deadly than any of the forces
on Taen. Though each nation has dealt with strife, trade is a binding force in
Taen: prospering throughout the world. Taen is filled with diverse cultures and
customs. Four powers control most of Taen.

Haean Unbound. The Dragons oversee basic legislation and organizes allocation of
resources within the empire, but otherwise allows individual cities to retain
some autonomy.

### Golden Order

A party of Edosi
nationalists that gained power in a coup. After they were forced out of Esros
by the Alliance, the Golden Order went to focusing on rebuilding the Hounds.
They prepare for war while attempting to abolish the bureaucratic system
ingrained in Edosian heritage. So far, this system has stifled the Order’s
attempt to convert Edos into a fascist system, but they are slowly making
progress towards dissolving the system.

## Cultures

### ***Asmiri***

The Asmiri have traveled Taen for all of recorded history. They are a nomadic people, though unlike their Esrio cousins, the Asmiri have honed their skills with words and diplomacy. A majority of the Asmiri population live in the Free City of Sigil, though the Asmiri can be found in every corner of Taen. The Asmiri are infamous for brokering peace at all costs (even inciting and backing rebellion to overthrow tyrants).

They are known as for their silver-tongues (metaphorical) and their black eyes (literal). They pride themselves in their mixed blood, claiming to be children of man. Due to their tendency towards interracial marriage, the only sure way to identify an Asmiri is by their black iris.

* **Ability Scores**: +2 Charisma, +1 Intelligence

* **Skill Proficiency**: Two skills of your choice, Forgery kit, any one artisan’s tool

* **Silver Tongue**: If you roll a one on a Persuasion check, you may roll again. If you do, you must use the new result.

### ***Astraeu***

Descendants of phantasm and man (allegedly), the Astraeu carry their heritage around their neck like a millstone. Their magic blood has brought them fear and hatred from the other cultures of Taen. They believe their true heritage to be the product of man and Pymes. In the past, they had been hunted to near extinction. These tumultuous times have forged a people forged in fear and tempered in hatred. They have created an empire among their fellow men, with the majority of the Astraeu residing in Menin, City of Tombs. The Astraeu are by no means evil. They see all Astraeu as family and are often overly altruistic to compensate for their heritage. Regardless of their intentions, the Astraeu are a people of extremes.

            All Astraeu have horns: with males sprouting small cow-like horns and females sporting full ram’s horns. Their eyes are orbs of solid color and are known to change color on occasion. Besides these traits, the Astraeu are slender in build and have sharp attractive facial features.

* **Ability Scores:** +2 Constitution, +1 choice of (Dexterity OR Wisdom)
* **Skill Proficiency:** Arcana, choice of (History OR Stealth), halberds, spears, any one artisan’s tool, any one musical instrument

* **Child of Pymes:** You may cast *darkness* once per day. At fifth level, you may cast *darkness* twice per day. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

### ***Edosia***

The Edosia are a blunt, efficient people. They value logic and innovation over all else and are often altruistic to a fault. They adhere to a strict social protocol and are administered by an effective bureaucracy. They have created a thriving kingdom in a harsh desert and are some of Taen’s greatest engineers and architects. The Edosia accept the Sorrows as the Powers that Be, but they do little in lines of worship. Instead, they look to the Sorrows as virtues to be achieved. For instance, an Edosian architect may inscribe Jacna’s symbol on a main support beam, but rarely will a citizen visit a Temple.

            Edosia range in skin tones from light ebony to dark amber. They are taller than most, often reaching 6 feet. Their eyes vary widely in color, but yellow eyes are said to mark a true Edosia. It is believed that those with golden eyes, or “Trueseers” are direct descendants of the nobility of Old Taen. Trueseers are believed to make the finest of leaders.

* **Ability Scores:** +2 Intelligence, +1 Strength
* **Proficiency:** Investigation, Perception, any two artisan’s tools

* **Hound’s Devotion**: Once per day, if an ally would be hit by a melee attack, you may choose to be hit instead.

* **Child of War**: You have proficiency with all martial weapons

### ***Esrio***

The Esrio are a more traditional nomadic people than their Asmiri cousins. The Esrio are a warring people whose lives revolve around the cycles of life, the truths in the night sky, and the companionship of a horse. Diviners search the night sky and tell the leaders the truths therein. Leaders lead the charge in battle and choose when the horde rides. The Esroi rarely stay in the same place for long, as the environment is harsh and food quickly grows scarce. Leadership moves frequently, as challenging authority is promoted. Often, leadership is decided by the best rider, with contenders engaging in land races, displays of horseback acrobatics, and mounted archery. The Esrio are a people of bow and spear, with even the lowliest warriors able to shoot a bird out of the sky.

The Esrio are stout and shorter than most, commonly reaching 5’4”. They are a light ebony hue and have common eye coloring. They are a resilient people.

* **Ability Scores:** +2 Wisdom, +1 Constitution
* **Proficiency:** Animal Handling, choice of (Acrobatics OR Nature), Longbow, Herbalism Kit, Drum, Horses

* **Horseman’s Knack:** While mounted on horseback, you gain advantage on melee and raged attacks. You also gain advantage to Acrobatics while mounted. You cannot take Disadvantage to ranged attacks while mounted.
* **Warden of Life:** You may use Wisdom as your spellcasting ability.

### ***Haen***

Haeanish history is littered with internal conflict. The Haen’s have been at war with one another for all of time. They believe strongly in liberty and personal freedom. As such, uniting them under one government has been a difficult task failed by many. At their first meetings with Taen’s cultures, the Haen’s were far behind in technology. Soon after, the Haen’s quickly took to advancement. They lead Taen in engineering and processing of raw goods. The Haen’s are fierce warriors that worship Edia above all other Sorrows. It is Her teachings that have influenced Haenish culture the most.

            The Haens are fair skinned and fair complected. They are average height and have stocky builds. Eye colors are generally fair: with blue and green being the most common colors. Also notable, Haens are the only people to have the trait for red hair.

* **Ability Scores**: +2 Strength, +1 Dexterity
* **Proficiency**: Acrobatics, Survival, all axes, shortbows, choice of (Mason’s Tools OR Smith’s Tools OR Woodcarver’s Tools), One gaming set

* **Unbound**: Once per day, if you would be restrained, you are not restrained

* **Awemother’s Boon**. When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll two of the weapon’s damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit

## Classes

*\*: This class name does not exist in the setting, people of Taen would use a common name.*

## *Optional Rule: Vitality*

**Summary: Taking more than 10 damage at a time will have temporary, long-term effects on your hit points.**

Each character has a pool of vitality in addition to hit points. A character’s maximum vitality equals the character’s Constitution score. Whenever a character takes 10 or more damage from an attack or effect, they lose 1 vitality for every 10 points of damage dealt by an attack or effect.

If a character suffers a critical hit, double the vitality lost, minimum 1 damage. Losing vitality causes a character’s hit point maximum to drop. Calculate the character’s current maximum using vitality instead of Constitution. Thus, as vitality drops, a character’s Constitution modifier for determining hit points also drops.

A character reduced to 0 vitality is immediately reduced to 0 hit points. If a character is reduced to 0 hit points but his or her vitality remains above 0, any additional damage is applied instead to the character’s vitality. A character is not unconscious until both hit points and vitality reach 0.

Completing a long rest increases a character’s vitality by 1 + the character’s Constitution modifier, up to the character’s maximum vitality. Effects that restore hit points have no effect on vitality. However, a character with maximum hit points who receives healing instead restores 1 vitality for every 10 points of healing.