Heritage and Culture

While the Estian Islands are a melting pot of races and cultures, each group still have different values and observe separate traditions. This page also presents several homebrew races, which are available for use when you create a character.

Suggested classes: Fighter, Cleric, Paladin, Rogue, Wizard

Elves

From a distance, elves and humans look similar, elves growing perhaps a little taller and lither. Up close however, there is no mistaking them: elf eyes have no pupils, their eyes are a solid color with much variation in hue and brightness. They also have more pronounced cheekbones, and their ears are longer and pointed. Elves most commonly worship the Vanir, which are traditionally depicted as elven.

Elves take much pride in teaching their young in artistic pursuits, magical scholarship, or martial prowess. It is not uncommon for elves to set out adventuring for a few years when they are young, but most settle down afterwards. Martially minded elves fight with many types of weapons, usually preferring ones requiring agility and skill over brute force.

Elves live much longer than humans, about 215 (10d12+150) years. This long lifespan makes them less concerned with the passage of time. Elven names are a complex system of honorifics and descriptors, but most describe the circumstance of their birth, such as Silwen, 'Star-lady' for someone born during a particularly starry night.

Over the aeons, elves are shaped by the essences of where they live. All elves descend from the eladrin of Alfheim, the Feywild. The ancestors of the material elves migrated to the relative peacefulness of the material plane many thousands of years ago. The material elves have split into two distinct, but still closely related kin, the sylvan wood elves, and the proud high elves. All elves still maintain a connection to their ancestral home, often choosing to settle in areas influenced by that plane.

Despite their outward differences, both wood and high elves share a large part of their culture. They do not put much emphasis on heritage, as long as it is elven.

Wood Elves

The Thartire, as they call themselves, have adapted to a life in the forest through countless generations under the canopies. Iacaris is mostly home to wood elves. Worship of Skadi, Uller, and Freya is most common among wood elves.

They have earth-toned skin, hair, and eyes, and rounder faces than their high elf cousins. Like all elves, their ears are pointed, but it is slightly less pronounced. Wood elves value and practice primal magic most often of any race. Some of the greatest alchemists can also be found among them, foraging the forests for magical ingredients.

Out of all the elves, wood elves are the most inclined towards primal magic. About one in fifteen wood elves, and even more among the ancient noble lines, can invoke some of nature's power. Archery also has a special place in their culture. Many wood elves adorn themselves with facial tattoos and weave flowers, vines, and leaves in their wild-growing hair.

High Elves

The High Elves, or Imotire, hail from the open lands, be they fields, hills, or coasts. Amnora is the seat of high elven power in the Estian Sea. They are lither and taller than their woodland cousins, with narrower faces and paler skin. Their hair is usually black, gold, or silver, and naturally grows straight. High elf eyes take a variety of pure colors, including gold and purple.

High elves are the most arcanely minded of the fair folk, and take great pride in their mastery of the magical arts. Swords - especially single-edged ones - are the primary weapon type among high elves. Some even use multiple swords or double-bladed weapons.

The high elf culture values noble metals and brilliant gems, and jewelry is commonly worn by all high elves. Heimdall, Odin, and Aegir have the most adherents among the high elves. High elves are also more prone towards maritime pursuits and monumental building projects.

Elven Ideals

• Mastery: Be it art or music, magic or swordplay, there is virtue in perfection. (Any)
• Manners: Regardless of your true feelings, treat everyone with respect. (Good)
• Wilderness: I want to be as free as the birds in the sky or the fish in the sea. (Chaotic)
• Beauty: I live to witness the unsurpassed splendor of nature and life itself. (Good)
• Patience: There is no need to rush to action when you are blessed with long life. (Lawful)
• Supremacy: Elves are the greatest mortal species, and I will prove it so. (Evil)

Suggested classes: Ranger, Druid, Monk, Wizard

Half-elves

Elves and humans can produce children that appear take on characteristics of both their parents, with the mother's genes being slightly more important to the final appearance of the child. For example, a half-elf with a human mother will only very rarely have the characteristic elven eyes, but about half of half-elves with an elven mother will. Half-elves are themselves infertile, but inheritance laws provide for adopting an heir.

Some half-elves consider their background to be a blessing, given the best traits of both sides, and freedom to do whatever they want with it. Others rue their inability to have children and always being considered an outsider, wherever they go. Half-elves have a lifespan of around 145 (7d12+100) years, slightly longer if your mother was elven.

Many half-elves lean toward artistic endeavors or the adventuring life, as their dual ancestries can make them feel like outsiders wherever they go. It is common for half-elves to adopt names from the 'opposite' side they were raised on, for example a half-elf that grew up in a human town might take an elven last name, but this is not a hard rule.

Mechanically, half-elves are humans with a special origin feat.

Half-elven Ideals

In addition to these ideals, many half-elves' beliefs are shaped by the community they grew up in, be that human or elven.

• Fellowship: I desire to be accepted for who I am. (Any)
• Artistry: I live to create beautiful things. (Good)
• Wanderlust: I want to travel to the horizon and beyond. (Neutral)
• Legacy: Without children, who will talk of my deeds? (Lawful)

Suggested classes: Bard, Warlock, Rogue, Paladin

Dwarves

A long time ago, the dwarves lived in small clans in the forests and mountains. Since then, most hill dwarves have banded together and live with humans and halflings in the towns and cities. A few mountain clans still exist, on the frontiers of civilization. Dwarves almost exclusively worship the Aesir gods, with some even denying the divinity of the Vanir. The only exception is Heimdall, who has his fair share of dwarven devotees, especially among artisans.

Dwarven societies are matrilineal, with titles and property being inherited by the eldest daughter. Dwarves only rarely have more than two or three children, so male heirs are far from unheard of.

Dwarves enjoy feasting, and the most important room of any dwarven home is where meals are taken, usually meats cooked over an open fire in large hearths. At a dwarven feast, it is tradition for the pitmaster to be honored with a horn of the finest mead the household can muster.

Sometimes, dwarves are known to be slow to trust, but equally faithful once their favor has been earned - a dwarf will probably not invite a stranger for dinner, but those who do get an invite will be treated very well.

Before the Empire ruled the islands, Estia was a dwarven kingdom, centered on the city of Kundamar. A small but vocal minority of dwarves want to return to this state of affairs and overthrow what they believe is an unjust occupation of their ancestral lands.

Dwarves usually stand between four and five feet tall, with males a few inches taller than females. Many dwarves take great pride in their appearance and braid their hair and beards in intricate patterns. They have stocky builds, and are very strong for their height. They only rarely go into combat without armor, and prefer large weapons with a big impact. Blunt weapons are more common than bladed ones, atleast in traditional dwarf societies.

Dwarves live about 132 (5d12+100) years. Dwarven names can be boasts of martial prowess, or include the name of a deity. It is not uncommon for a dwarf to change their last name to something that fits them more closely once they are grown up.

Dwarven Ideals

• Ambition: The world will know my name. (Any)
• Strength: Only the mighty are righteous rulers. (Lawful)
• Loyalty: Those who have earned my trust can count on my support. (Good)
• Resourcefulness: I will use any tools that will get the job done. (Chaotic)
• Ancestry: I want to live up to the deeds of the heroes of old. (Neutral)
• Treasure: I'll do anything for the right reward. (Evil)

Suggested classes: Fighter, Barbarian, Cleric

Smallfolk

Gnomes and halflings are collectively known as smallfolk, and while their cultures are quite different, they are united in their stature. They share a common ancestor and can have children, who take on the characteristics of its mother.

Appearance-wise, the smallfolk are quite similar. Halflings have more human proportions, while gnomes have slightly larger heads and hands.

Halflings

Halflings are a jovial people who like to live their lives without making much of a fuss, although a few of them do feel the wanderlust of an adventurer's lifestyle appealing. A majority of halflings follow Idun, the goddess of Luck. Halflings lean more toward primal magic than their arcane-minded gnomish cousins.

Most halfling societies are highly agrarian. Usually, halflings are vegetarian, preferring legumes and vegetables over meat. Most inns are able to cater to this, as halflings are known as a courteous and honest people. Some people of other races prefer halfling food, albeit in larger portions.

Most halflings stand between three and four feet tall, which limits their options in combat. Daggers, quarterstaffs, slings, blowguns, and shortbows are popular weapons, as are lighter armors.

Halflings live slightly longer than humans, becoming on average 94 (3d12+75) years old. Halfling names commonly include a plant or flower.

Halfling Ideals

• Merriment: It is the little things that bring enjoyment of life. (Any)
• Harmony: Balance in all things, such is the proper way. (Neutral)
• Bounty: I will help myself to what my path provides. (Evil)
• Truth: Dishonesty begets more dishonesty, and I will have no part in that vicious cycle. (Good)
• Luck: What's life without leaving some things to chance? (Chaotic)
• Community: I trust my neighbors, as they can trust me. (Lawful)

Suggested classes: Rogue, Bard, Cleric

Gnomes

Gnomes are more curious than their halfling cousins. They are scholars and inventors, always striving to learn. Gnomes have a very high aptitude for arcane magic, with almost one in five having some ability for magic.

Gnomish culture values knowledge highly, especially the study of history. Many gnomes take up professions that uphold the law, such as magistrates or lawyers, to the point that go to the gnomes is an Estian idiom for seeking legal aid.

Gnomes live longer than halflings, usually becoming around 116 (4d12+90) years old. Gnome names often refer to a feature of the land or a profession.

Gnomish Ideals

• Inquisitiveness: The day I stop learning is the day I die. (Any)
• Logic: Knowledge must also be applied well before it is useful. (Lawful)
• Justice: Society must swiftly punish wrongdoers, but do so without cruelty. (Good)
• Authority: I want to be in charge. (Evil)
• Discipline: Too much of anything spoils it. (Neutral)
• Invention: Old knowledge applied in a new light can be the solution to many problems. (Chaotic)

Suggested classes: Artificer, Wizard, Rogue

Plane-touched

Some humans carry the essence of some other plane of existence within their being. This usually happens through a blood connection to a powerful entity from that plane, but can also result from being born in close proximity to such power during. These people are far more likely to develop magical ability, usually of a similar kind to that of their ancestor. These heritages can skip several generations before revealing themselves, and then fade back again.

While elves can also become infused with essences, they do so over eons, while humans can achieve the same thing in a single generation.

The lifespan of plane-touched humans heavily depends on the purity and power of their ancestry. It can vary from no longer than a regular human to over 400 years, but the latter case is vanishingly rare. Very generally, aasimar and astralites are the most long lived, followed by genasi and changelings, and then tieflings, but there is much overlap between them.

Aasimar

Those descended from celestials or infused with positive essence have glowing elf-like eyes, usually in gold or silver, and can summon a glowing halo above their heads (the Light cantrip from their Light Bearer feature). Almost all aasimar show a predisposition to divine magic, seemingly acting like a conduit of the gods - divine soul sorcerers are not uncommon among aasimar. Many aasimar are given virtue names by their parents.

Suggested classes: Cleric, Paladin, Sorcerer

Tieflings

Tieflings are descended from devils or demons, beings of negative essence. Easy to spot, their brightly-colored skin and horns mark them as outcasts from birth. Many tieflings grow up as orphans as the heritage is said to be a mark of bad luck, leading some to grow up resentful of their parents, while others simply ignore their past. Many tieflings choose, or are forced to choose, an adventuring lifestyle. Like aasimar, their lifespan is longer than humans, but not to the same degree. Tieflings are the most common plane-touched lineage.

Suggested classes: Rogue, Warlock, Wizard

Half-breeds

While half-elves also technically are half-breeds, they are rarely included in this category, which usually only includes those with a parent that is not a member of conventional civilized species.

Half-orcs

Usually the result of orc raids on unprotected shore villages, these children are outcasts from birth, but some prove themselves to be worthy members of society. A large proportion of half-orcs end up adventuring. Half-orcs are very loyal to those who accept them.

Suggested classes: Barbarian, Fighter, Paladin

Dragonborn

When a dragon mother and a mortal father have a child together, the child becomes a dragonborn, taking on the color of its mother. Unlike other half-breeds, dragonborn are not infertile. When two dragonborn of different colors breed, the resulting color is usually that of the mother. Metallic dragonborn band together into societies of their own, either as an enclave in a human or elven settlement or on their own, and are well accepted into civilization. Chromatic dragonborn are not given the same acceptance, although a few have managed to earn the trust of mortals.

Suggested classes: Barbarian, Paladin, Sorcerer

Sylvanites

Inhabitants of the Feywild, these races descend from the animals of the ancient world.

Exotic races

While they are not unheard of, these races are far less numerous among normal people. However, they are less rare among adventurers.