Races
Table of Contents:
Information on the ability modifiers based on race and a brief description of each
Race Stat Modifiers
List of the bonuses and penalties that apply to the individual races. Keep in mind that Charisma (CHA) was not included as a factor in the Net +/- column. Also, the three races that have an overall + to their stats is because of other limitations imposed on that race, like can´t wear armour, etc.
Creature | STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | POW | CHA | NET +/- |
Dwarf | +3 | -2 | +4 | -2 | -1 | -2 | -1 | 0 |
Elf | -2 | +3 | -2 | +2 | -3 | +2 | +4 | 0 |
Fire Hatchling | +5 | 0 | +6 | -3 | -8 | +5 | 0 | +5 |
Fireborn | -5 | +4 | 0 | +2 | +2 | +7 | -2 | +10 |
Gnome | -1 | -3 | -2 | 0 | +3 | +3 | 0 | 0 |
Half-Orc | +2 | +1 | +2 | -2 | -2 | -1 | -3 | 0 |
Halfling | -4 | +3 | +4 | 0 | -3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Human | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Northman | +1 | +1 | +2 | -2 | -1 | -1 | 0 | 0 |
Quetzalcoatl | +6 | +3 | +6 | -8 | -8 | +6 | 0 | +5 |
Serpentman | +2 | +2 | +4 | -2 | -2 | 0 | -4 | 0 |
Troll | +5 | -1 | +5 | -5 | -2 | -2 | -4 | 0 |
Wraith | -3 | +4 | -3 | +2 | -3 | +3 | -4 | 0 |
Race Descriptions
Dwarf
The Dwarves are the hardy scions of Mostrai. The traditional profession
of the dwarf is smithery, and you'll be hard-pressed to find a dwarf
who is not competent at it. Whether their great strength and hardiness
leads them to become smiths and miners, or whether their profession
leads to their strength and hardiness is unknown. Their thick musculature
makes them slow of body, and seemingly, some of their muscle has crept
into their brain. Perhaps their repetitive tasks dull their minds, perhaps
they're just plain born dumb.
Dwarves can see in the dark, but they're slightly impious and tend to
be a bit poor at controlling magic. Despite this, there are indeed dwarven
clerics and mages. They're just not quite as good as human clerics or
mages.
Elf
An Elf is a child of Faerie, a scion of Lythander. Being of Faerie,
they heal more slowly than other races, but mana flows into them more
quickly. They also need far less food than other races. Every elf is
taught the use of a bow, but their long lives allow them to take up
any trade. They are weaker and less hardy than humans, but quicker of
body and mind, and generally make more powerful spellcasters. However,
they have a notoriously offhanded attitude toward their religious devotions
and make poor priests.
As a race, Elves possess a preternatural beauty and eyes that see into
the dark.
Fire Hatchling
Dragons are completely different to any other race. Their vast size
and bizarre body prevents them from wearing both armour or weapons.
Dragons disdain these human tools anyways. Instead, they are gifted
with the ability to evolve and grow stronger by eating the flesh of
their defeated foes. Over the years, the dragonhide will harden and
it can provide better protection than the best armour. Instead of wielding
a weapon, they use their sharp and lethal claws in combat. Moreover,
dragons have a natural talent for magic and particularly spellcasting.
Dragons are very interested in the lore of the elements and usually
choose to specialize. While focusing their metabolism on a certain element,
they can gain various new abilities - including new spells, enhanced
claws and more. Eventually, a dragon is able to evolve from the hatchling
stage into a grown-up terrifying ancient dragon.
Fireborn
Legends say that fireborn are sparks struck off the anvil of creation
which had life and spirit, and after time, mind. Those who research
magic think that they are relatives of some kind to will 'o the wisps.
An observer seeing one for the first time would see a strangely intelligent
vortex of flame somehow carrying items without burning them.
Their insubstantial nature makes them both very weak and very quick.
Their minds are agile, and they are able to commune well with the gods.
However, their area of excellence is magic. They spellcast more powerfully
than any other race, and mana flows into them readily. They can even
cast cold spells with devastating effectiveness. They all know a basic
fire spell.
They have the ability to levitate at will, and they can touch to burn.
As they gain more power, they are increasingly difficult to hit with
weapons. However, they cannot use weapons or armour, and thereby miss
out on many benefits (including powerful magical enchantments) those
items may bring.
Fire does not harm them, nor poison. Cold, spiritual drain, and physical
drain present great peril to them.
Gnomes
Gnomes and dwarves look so much alike that some speculate that they
are the same race, but with very different cultures. No one has been
able to talk a Dwarf and a Gnome into attempting interbreeding, however,
which would settle the issue. Dwarves and gnomes have a disgust for
one another and both find the thought of intimacy with the other repulsive.
Despite that, they coexist peacefully enough: perhaps because their
interests and needs never conflict.
Gnomes do not have nearly the strength or hardiness of dwarves, and
they are even more clumsy. They are quite spiritual, and make very good
priests, and many are very strong magicians. They can see in the dark,
and their familiarity with the gods seems to bring a general blessing
of good luck on all Gnomekind.
Half-Orcs
Half-Orc's are usually the product of rape or slavery or some unpleasantness
of some sort. They look it too: Half-Orcs are rather ugly. On average,
they're stronger, a bit quicker, and hardier than humans, but also dumb
and impious, and unmagical. They're resistant to poison and can see
in the dark, and every half-orc seems to know how to steal.
Halflings
Halflings are another sub-race of humankind, like the Northman. They
are much smaller and shorter than humans, so they are weaker, but they
are far quicker and hardier. They're quite unreligious, but many take
up magic. Their small sizes lets them hide more effectively, and for
some reason, chance seems to favor them with good luck. They are also
surprisingly resistant to loss of lifeforce.
Humans
Humans are the generalists of the races. They are fit for any trade,
and usually pick up a skill from their parents in addition to what they've
learned as apprentices in their craft.
Northmen
Northmen are simply humans who have been shaped by their harsh environment.
They are stronger, quicker, and hardier than most humans, but also stupid
and impious. Most races also consider them a bit unattractive. They
have some resistance to cold, but the few of them who take up magic
find it difficult to master fire spells.
Quetzalcoatl
Quetzalcoatls are a strange mix of snake, bird, human, and a dash of
the divine. They are able to manipulate objects with their claws. They
are amazingly strong, very quick, and amazingly hardy, but quite stupid
and impious (despite the dash of divinity). However, they are strongly
magical in nature and usually have a vast reservoir of mana with which
to cast any spell they're not too stupid to learn. Often, they're only
able to grasp one basic fire spell.
Their strongly draconic nature immures them to fire and helps them with
fire spells, but they are vulnerable to cold and paralyzation.
They can grasp weapons, but their bizarre body shape prevents them from
using armour, helmets, and other items of apparel usually intended for
bipedal creatures with two arms and two legs and a head. Their inability
to use armour comes
back to haunt them when they compare themselves with other races: highly
enchanted armour is usually more beneficial than dragonhide! The wings
come in handy: they can use them to 'levitate', and their hide gets
thicker as they gain power, compensating them somewhat for not being
able to use armour.
Serpentman
The Serpentman adventure is a rare breed. Few serpentmen ever leaves
the swamps, as they are not well adjusted for human society. Their heads
and feet are not shaped properly to use boots or helmets made for humanoid
folk, but their unsual build gave rise to a cultural habit of wearing
pieces of bracelet- and ring-like jewelry on their tails. They possess
a tough hide and strong legs which enable them to leap further than
most folks. Their nasty claws can also double as weapons
They are only partially warm-blooded, and are as a result somewhat susceptible
to cold.
Troll
A Troll is a nasty creature, usually: a scion of Gnarg. They have amazing
strength and amazing hardiness, but they're a bit clumsy, very stupid,
impious, and bad at handling and obtaining magic. They heal with amazing
rapidity and can see in
the dark. Because of the above attributes, they're great in any fight.
Well, they're great until someone waves torches at them: fire presents
great peril to trolls.
Most trolls are destroyed on sight by civilized people: but a few have
proved deserving of tolerance and are permitted to enter cities.
Wraith
A Wraith is a spirit which has made an evil bargain in order to persist
after natural death, or been forced involuntarily into its new undead
state. This transformation frees them of the limits of a natural lifespan,
and grants them immunity to diseases, poison, and loss of lifeforce.
Wraith's also need feel little fear of cold, and they can see well in
the dark.
A Wraith's corporeal form has terrible vulnerabilities: Fire and most
godpower are dangerous to Wraiths. Their tenuous form makes them quick,
and somewhat harder to hit, but also weaker and less hardy.
Wraith's have a strong affinity to magic, especially cold spells, and
are very strong spellcasters. However, they cannot use fire spells for
fear of self-destruction.
Maximum Stats
The maximum value a stat can obtain (based on race) without the aid of equipment.
Creature | STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | POW | CHA | Special | |
Dwarf | 23 | 18 | 24 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 19 | Ac 10, Wc 21, Dam 1 | |
Fire Hatchling | 25 | 20 | 26 | 17 | 12 | 25 | 20 | Ac 5, Wc 21, Dam 10 | |
Elf | 18 | 23 | 18 | 22 | 17 | 22 | 24 | Ac 10, Wc 21, Dam 1 | |
Fireborn | 15 | 24 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 27 | 18 | Ac 0, Wc 21, Dam 0 | |
Gnome | 19 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 20 | Ac 10, Wc 21, Dam 1, Luck 1 | |
Half-Orc | 22 | 21 | 22 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 17 | Ac 10, Wc 21, Dam 1, | |
Halfling | 16 | 23 | 24 | 20 | 17 | 20 | 20 | Ac 10, Wc 21, Dam 1, Luck 1 | |
Human | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | Ac 10, Wc 21, Dam 1 | |
Northman | 21 | 23 | 22 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | Ac 10, Wc 21, Dam 1 | |
Quetzalcoatl | 26 | 23 | 26 | 12 | 12 | 26 | 20 | Ac 5 , Wc 21, Dam 10 | |
Serpentman | 22 | 22 | 24 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 16 | Ac 5, Wc 21, Dam 8 | |
Troll | 25 | 19 | 25 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 16 | Ac 6, Wc 21, Dam1 | |
Wraith | 17 | 24 | 17 | 22 | 17 | 23 | 16 | Ac 6, Wc 21, Dam 1 |