Common Orcs fear the sun and make their dwellings in caverns beneath the mountains. Their myriad tribes prey upon the world of men, often prompted merely by a greed for plunder.
Build: Heavy, with thick hides, short legs, and long, thin arms. They have grotesque, fanged faces and random hair growth. Males and females average 65 pounds.
Coloring: Black or grey hair, black or reddish-brown eyes, and deep grey or black hides.
Endurance: Tremendous. They can travel for 2 days without sleep. +20 to exhaustion points (see Section 22.3).
Height: Males and females average 4'.
Lifespan: Indefinite; certainly hundreds of years, but the nature of their warlike life permits few to live past the age of 50.
Resistance: +30 DB and RR bonuses versus heat and cold attacks.
Special Abilities: Common Orcs sleep during daylight hours, although they need sleep only once every 3 days (more often to restore Power Points). Common Orcish vision in most darkness is as good as a Man’s during the height of day. When there is barely any light (cloudy, moonless nights; upper caverns, dungeons), Common Orcs can see at least 50' perfectly and fairly well up to 100'. In absolute darkness, they can see 10’.
Clothing & Decoration: Skins, leathers, and metal armor—crude, but well made and effective.
Fears & Inabilities: Natural sunlight and deep, running water. In full daylight, they only have 60% of normal activity each round; in artificial or magical daylight, they only have 80% of normal activity each round.
Lifestyle: Bred as laborers and warriors, Orcs respect power and terror above all things. They join and cooperate in substantial groups only when led by a “focused will,” some overwhelmingly strong individual. To them, politics equates with force, and separate Orc tribes often war. Inter-tribal cannibalism is the norm.
They are, however, quite skilled. Their smiths rival those of the Dwarves and Elves and, although the items they produce lack beauty in form, they are exceptionally effective. Orcs are also fine healers, despite their lack of concern for scarring.
Marriage Pattern: Common Orcs do not marry; they breed. The females live together in secluded areas which are nor- mally accessible only to the strongest males. In addition, the females are receptive only to the fiercest and most attractive males. This results in the strongest offspring. The many young are kept together and raised jointly by all the female Common Orcs.
Religion: Most Orcs worship Darkness and power.
Demeanor: Common Orcs are cruel, jealous, petty, ambitious, selfish, and suspicious. They are almost always uncomfortable and, aside from mealtime or battle, are never happy or at peace.
Language: Starting Languages: Orcish (S8/W2); Common-speech (S4/W0). Allowed Adolescence Development: Orcish (S10/W10), Common-speech (S6/W6), and Black-speech (S6/ W6).
Prejudices: Common Orcs hate all races, including Orcs of other tribes. They particularly despise Elves, who they believe to be a spiteful, wicked, and wayward race.
Professions: Most Common Orcs are Fighters, Rogues, or Thieves; they make very poor spell users.
Special Skills: Everyman: Athletic Games (Brawn), Power-striking, Power-throwing, all skills within one of the following categories: Weapon • 2 Handed or Weapon • Polearm, Weight-lifting; Restricted: Public Speaking, Seduction, Trading.
Standard Hobby Skills: Acrobatics, Ambush, Animal Handling (bats and wolves), Appraisal, any Armor skills, Body Development, Caving, Climbing, Contortions, Disarming Traps, First Aid, Gambling, Hiding, Juggling, Jumping, Leather-crafts, Metal-crafts, Picking Locks, Pole-vaulting, Rappelling, Region Lore (any cavernous region), Riding (wolves), Scaling, Sprinting, Stalking, Tactics, Totem Making [Crafts], Tracking, Trickery, any Weapon skills, Wood-crafts.
Weapons: Club, dagger, handaxe, scimitar, short bow, spear, whip, harpoon, poisoned arrows.
Armor: None, soft or rigid leather. Leather helmet. Shields are rare.
Money: 20 sp of varying mints, obtained as plunder in battle or stolen from the tribe’s hoard.
Common Orcs get five background options.
Extra Languages: In addition to the tongues listed above: Wood-speech (S5/W5), Black-speech (S8/W8), and Common (S8/W8).
Extra Money: Varying mints, obtained as plunder in battle or stolen from the tribe’s hoard.
Special Items: Daily spell items and spell adders not available (re-roll). Weapons and tools made by Common Orcs are ungainly to look upon, but serviceable. Iron, steel, hide, and sinew are typical materials.
Talents: Re-roll “spell user” and “high-culture” results.
Although Dwarves are spread across the world, they are close to one another and have spawned a universal reputation for ruggedness, practicality, and unwavering loyalty. Most groups favor the rocky highlands and deep caverns of the mountains. They are superior craftsmen and they love to mine the earth for precious gems and metals to forge into weapons of strength and artifacts of beauty and power.
Build: Short, stocky, strong, with exceptionally strong limbs. Males average 150 pounds; females, 135 pounds.
Coloring: Black, red, or dark brown hair. Fair to ruddy complexion.
Endurance: Tremendous. +21 to exhaustion points (see Section 22.3).
Height: Males average 4'9"; females, 4'5".
Lifespan: 200-400 years.
Resistance: Resistance against flame and ice: +30 DB and RR bonuses versus heat and cold attacks.
Special Abilities: Dwarves see well in extreme darkness. In the dimmest light, they can see 50' perfectly, and fairly well up to 100'. They can see 10' in total darkness (non-magical).
Clothing & Decoration: Beards, sometimes braided. Long hair. Heavy garb with colorful hooded cloaks.
Fears & Inabilities: Open water; they do not normally swim (-50 to Swimming maneuvers).
Lifestyle: Dwarves are superb miners and craftsmen, and unsurpassed stoneworkers. They live in tightly-knit groups and favor underground cities which are usually cut into rugged hills or mountains.
Marriage Pattern: Monogamous. Only a third of the race is female. The line is traced through the male.
Religion: Dwarves believe that each lineage has a common spirit which permeates them all and ties them together. They revere their ancestors above all other things but their maker, and believe that in each Dwarven King exists a part of his predecessors.
Demeanor: Sober, quiet, possessive, suspicious, pugnacious, introspective, and often very greedy. Tenacious warriors, they fight without quarter and never retreat. Each Dwarf treats his kind as brothers and non-Dwarves as lesser beings. They enter into agreements with extreme care and honor them to the letter.
Language: Starting Languages: Among themselves, Dwarves speak Dwarvish (S8/W6), a guarded tongue. They also speak Common-speech (S5/W5) and Elvish (S4/W4). Allowed Adolescence Development: Dwarvish (S10/W10), Common-speech (S10/W10), Hill-speech (S2/W2), Plains-speech (Rank S6/W6), and Wood-speech (Rank S6/W6).
Prejudices: Orcs and Dragons are sworn enemies. In addition, they are extremely suspicious of mages and Elves.
Professions: Dwarves do not make good Essence or Mentalism spell users. They generally scoff at the ways of Elves or other conjurers, preferring instead to use such power in the making of permanent physical items.
Special Skills: Everyman: Caving, Leather-crafts, Metal-crafts, Mining, Smithing, Stone-crafts, Suvival (underground); Restricted: Swimming.
Standard Hobby Skills: Appraisal, any Armor skills, Attunement, Body Development, Caving, Climbing, Contortions, Disarming Traps, First Aid, Leather-crafts, Metal-crafts, Picking Locks, Public Speaking, Region Lore (any cavernous region), Riding (wolves and bears), Smithing, Tactics, Trap-building, any Weapon skills.
Weapons: Dagger, handaxe, short sword, club, war hammer, mace, crossbow, battle-axe, spear, heavy crossbow, light crossbow, war mattock, pole arm.
Armor: Any. Dwarves favor chain mail. Lamellar (treat as Chain with a -5 vs. melee, +5 vs. missile) and scale (treat as Plate) are also available. Target shields and wall shields are popular.
Money: 2 gold pieces or a gem (aquamarine, topaz, garnet, peridot, spinel) of comparable value.
Dwarves get five background options.
Extra Languages: In addition to the tongues listed above: High-speech (S5/W5), South-speech (S4/W4), and North-speech (S5/W5).
Extra Money: Gold pieces or a gem (emerald, amethyst, ruby, sapphire, diamond) of comparable value.
Special Items: Spell items may only contain Channeling spells. Any weapons will be of superior workmanship and forged of steel.
Talents: Re-roll all “spell user” results. For one background option a Dwarf may select one of the following talents (both for 2 options): (1) the ability to sense the presence of mechanical traps 50% of the time (GM should roll); (2) superior orienting abilities underground, the character always knows the direction of true north and the approximate elevation of his location.
While Gnolls generally inhabit the upper highlands, they seldom seek homes far from the surface. They are not an unfriendly folk, but it does take time before they warm to strangers. Most Gnolls pursue magicial studies and arts, but every tribe has its warriors. It is curious to note that both the males and females have the same basic physical builds.
Build: Short and very quick. The average weight is 75 pounds.
Coloring: Sparse hair, relatively dark in hue. Skin coloration is usually light (though they will darken with prolonged exposure to sunlight). Eyes tend to be dark with only slight variations in color.
Height: Average height of 3'2".
Lifespan: 110 years.
Special Abilities: Gnolls see well at night. In the dimmest light, they can see 100' as if it were daytime. In addition, Gnolls have an unusual ability to sense shifts in the weather (reflected by a special bonus of +25 to Weather Watching skill).
Clothing & Decoration: Gnollish clothing tends to be rather mundane and practical (though they do wear brighter garb when secluded from watchful eyes).
Fears & Inabilities: Gnolls tend to be very timid around strangers.
Lifestyle: Gnolls are not generally a violent race; nor do they tend to seek material gain. They seek little except to remain at one with the earth and world around them.
Marriage Pattern: No formal marriages, though long-lasting relationships are common. Families are rarely large.
Religion: Gnolls have no formal religion; though they do worship the power of the earth and the might of nature.
Demeanor: Sometimes deemed overly defensive, Gnolls are remarkably even-tempered. They are often very timid around strangers, but in the company of close friends have been known to be quite sociable.
Language: Starting Languages: Gnolls speak their own musicial language (S8/W6). They also speak Common-speech (S7/W5) and Plains-speech (S7/W5). Allowed Adolescence Development: Gnoll (S10/W10), Gnome (S5/W4), Dwarvish (S5/W4), Elvish (S6/W5), Black-speech (S6/W4), Common-speech (S10/ W10), Plains-speech (Rank S8/W6), and Hill-speech (S6/W6).
Prejudices: Gnolls have the same hatred for violent folk that many races have, and so despise Orcs, Goblins, and others of their ilk. They are suspicious of all strangers, however, and may treat even an Elf with the same disdain as an Orc.
Professions: Gnolls may freely select any profession in the realm of Arms or Essence (including hybrids and semi-spell users with Essence as a realm). They do not, as a rule, practice Mentalism or Channeling (though exceptions have been noted in their societies).
Training Packages: Gnolls may normally choose from any of the Training Packages in the RMSS as well as the special Gnoll Training Packages.
Special Skills: Everyman: any skill in the Subterfuge • Stealth skill category; Restricted: any skill in the Urban skill category.
Standard Hobby Skills: Acrobatics, Appraisal, Attunement, Caving, Climbing, Cooking, Camouflage, Disarming Traps, Hiding Items, Leather-crafts, any skills in the Weapon • Missile skill category, Observation, Setting Traps, Stalking, Tracking, Trap Building, Weather Watching, any skill in the Power Awareness skill category, and any Open Essence spell list.
Weapons: Their preferred weapon is the sling, though they have been known to use the short sword, handaxe, dagger, main gauche, warhammer (though rare), club, mace, spear, javelin, short bow, any crossbow (usually light), or bola. Their racial- specific weapons include a tunch and/or a hup.
Armor: Any. Gnolls favor lighter armors (particularly leathers).
Money: 1-2 gold pieces.
Gnolls get five background options.
Extra Languages: In addition to the tongues listed above: Elvish (S6/W6), Wood-speech (S6/W6), North-speech (S5/W4), and Orcish (S5/W4).
Extra Money: Gold pieces (of various mints) or small gemstones of comparable value.
Special Items: Most special items that Gnolls acquire will be utilitarian or stealthy in nature (though they have been known to employ all types of items).
Talents: See Section 6.6.4 for Gnoll-specific talents (and guidelines for using them).
As a race, Greater Orcs were breed to be very capable of independent and intelligent action. They are much more suited to the formation of societies than are Common Orcs.
Build: While Greater Orcs have a more “human” appearance than Common Orcs, they are still heavy with cat-like eyes, fang-teeth, and thick hides. They have longer, stronger, and straighter legs than Common Orcs. Males and females average 145 pounds.
Coloring: Black or grey hair, black or reddish-brown eyes, and black/grey hides.
Endurance: Tremendous. They can travel for 2 days without sleep. +30 to exhaustion points (see Section 22.3).
Height: Greater Orcs average 5'6".
Lifespan: Indefinite; certainly hundreds of years, but the nature of their warlike life permits few to live past the age of 50. Resistance: +30 DB and RR bonuses versus heat and cold attacks.
Special Abilities: Greater Orcs usually sleep during daylight hours, although they need sleep only once every 3 days (more often to restore Power Points). Greater Orcs operate freely in daylight, and their vision in most darkness is as good as a Man’s during the height of day. When there is barely any light (cloudy, moonless nights; upper caverns, dungeons), Greater Orcs can see at least 30' perfectly and fairly well up to 75'. In absolute darkness, they can see 10'.
Clothing & Decoration: Skins, leathers, and metal armor—crude, but well made and effective.
Fears & Inabilities: They dislike natural sunlight and deep running water, but they do not fear them.
Lifestyle: Bred as warriors, Greater Orcs respect power and terror above all things.
Marriage Pattern: Greater Orcs do not marry; they breed. The females are receptive only to the fiercest and most attractive males.
Religion: Most Orcs worship Darkness and power.
Demeanor: Greater Orcs possess more intelligence and cunning than Common Orcs, but they are still cruel, jealous, petty, ambitious, selfish, and suspicious.
Language: Starting Languages: Black-speech (S8/W2), Orcish (S8/W3), Common-speech (S5/W2). Allowed Adolescence Development: Black-speech (S10/W10), Orcish (S10/W10), Common (S8/W8), Wood-speech (S6/W3), Hill-speech (S6/ W3).
Prejudices: Greater Orcs hate all other races. They particularly despise Elves, who they believe to be a spiteful, wicked, and wayward race.
Professions: Most Greater Orcs are Fighters, Rogues, and Thieves; they make very poor Essence and Mentalism spell users.
Special Skills: Everyman: all skills within one of the following categories: Weapon • 2 Handed or Weapon • Polearm; Restricted: none.
Standard Hobby Skills: Acrobatics, Ambush, Animal Handling (bats and wolves), Appraisal, any Armor skills, Attunement, Body Development, Brawling, Caving, Climbing, Contortions, Disarming Traps, First Aid, Fletching, Gambling, Hiding, Interrogation, Jumping, Leadership, Leather-crafts, Metal-crafts, Military Organization, Picking locks, Pole Vaulting, Rappelling, Region Lore (any cavernous region), Riding (wolves), Scaling, Signaling, Sprinting, Stalking, Tactics, Totem Making [Crafts], Tracking, Trickery, any Weapon skills.
Weapons: Broadsword, club, dagger, handaxe, long bow, mace, scimitar, short bow, short sword, spear, whip, clawed club or clawed mace (use morning star table), long sword, harpoon, poisoned arrows.
Armor: Any, excepting plate armor. Steel helmets and round or target shields common.
Money: 20 sp of varying mints, obtained as plunder in battle or allotted from the tribe’s hoard for service to the tribe’s chief.
Greater Orcs get four background options.
Extra Languages: In addition to the tongues listed above: Plains-speech (S8/W6).
Extra Money: Varying mints, obtained as plunder in battle or allotted from the tribe’s hoard for service to the tribe’s chief.
Special Items: Weapons and tools made by Greater Orcs are usually ungainly to look upon, but perform admirably. Iron, steel, hide, and sinew are typical materials.
Talents: Re-roll all “spell user” and “high-culture” results.
Less tall and lordly than the High Elves, the Grey Elves are nevertheless more noble than the Wood Elves. They are a settled people that feel a kinship for the sea (they are sometimes called the “Sea Elves”).
Build: Thin when compared to Men, the Grey Elves are nearly as tall as the High Elves but are generally slighter of build. They are more muscular than the Wood Elf folk. Males average 190 pounds; females, 155 pounds.
Coloring: Most have fair hair and pale blue or grey eyes. Like the High Elves, they have light skin.
Endurance: They are capable of traveling 16-20 hours a day. See the general Elf description in Section A-3.0.
Height: Males average 6'5"; females, 6'1".
Lifespan: They are immortal and will only die due to violence or if they weary of life and lose the will to live.
Resistance: They cannot become sick or scarred and are virtually immune to disease. +15 DB and RR bonuses versus cold attacks.
Special Abilities: See the general Elf description in Section A-3.0.
Clothing & Decoration: Grey Elf clothing is exceedingly well made, yet subtle and utilitarian. Greys and silvers are their chosen colors.
Fears & Inabilities: Nothing special.
Lifestyle: The Grey Elves are the most open and cooperative of Elves. They are great teachers and borrowers and have an interest in the works of all races. Grey-elves are a settled people and enjoy the company of others—they build towns and havens and gather in close-knit communities. Many Grey Elves feel a kinship to the sea; they build superb ships and are renowned sailors.
The Grey Elves are less musical than the High Elves or Wood Elves, and are less skilled in forging or crafts than the High Elves. Nonetheless, they are adept at all the arts and excel in their special provinces.
Marriage Pattern: Monogamous and for life.
Religion: Informal and centered around communal celebration and personal meditation.
Demeanor: Of the three Elven races, the Grey Elves are the quietest and calmest, and appear to be the most content. They are less frivolous and playful than the Wood Elves and are less fiery and passionate than the High Elves. Grey Elves feelings are deep and not easily aroused, but when they are they cannot be stayed.
Language: Starting Languages: Grey-elvish (S10/W10), Common-speech (S8/W6), Elvish (S8/W6), High-elvish (S6/W4). Allowed Adolescence Development: Common-speech (S10/ W10), Elvish (S10/W10), High-elvish (S8/W8), High-speech (S8/W8), Plains-speech (S8/W8), Wood-speech (S8/W8).
Prejudices: The Grey Elves are great friends of most races and have remained particularly close to Dwarves. Their chief enemies are Orcs and Dragons.
Professions: No special notes.
Special Skills: Everyman: Research, Public Speaking, Sailing; Restricted: None.
Standard Hobby Skills: Acting, Attunement, Boat Piloting, Embroidery [Crafts], Fletching, Hiding, Languages, Leadership, Linguistics, Meditation, Navigation, Observation, Play Instrument, Poetic Improvisation, Public Speaking, Read Runes, Rope Mastery, Sewing, Signaling, Singing, any Spell List skill, Spinning [Crafts], Stalking, Star-gazing, Ship-building [Crafts], Swimming, Any Weapon skills, Weather-watching, Weaving [Crafts], Wood-crafts.
Weapons: Dagger, broadsword, composite bow, long bow, flail, quarterstaff, two-handed sword, javelin, spear, kynac, falchion, foil, dag, main gauche, rapier, bastard sword, gé, yarkbalka.
Armor: Any. Grey Elves prefer to derive the protection given by armor from magical clothing (robes, capes, gauntlets, belts, veils) where such is available rather than from encumbering leather or metal suits.
Money: Gems (clear quartz, blond chalcedony, zircon, mother-of-pearl, white spinel) worth a total of 2 gold pieces.
Grey Elves get three background options.
Extra Languages: In addition to the tongues listed above: South-speech (S6/W6), Black-speech (S6/W6), Sea-speech (S8/W8), and Orcish (S6/W6). For each background option allocated, a Grey Elf gets two languages.
Extra Money: Gems (fire opal, diamond, pearl, moonstone).
Special Items: All available. Most are beautifully crafted, and are constructed from fine materials.
Talents: All available.
True Half-elves have one Human and one Elven parent. They must choose relatively early in life whether they shall be mortal (and of men) or immortal and of Elvenkind. Should they choose immortality, they usually follow the lifestyle and course of their Elven parent. They are akin to “High Men,” for the latter may (depending on race and game setting) have varying degrees of Elven blood.
Build: Strong and slender, thinner than Men but stouter than Elves. They have thin, angular features. Males average 190 pounds, females 135 pounds.
Coloring: Fair, generally with brown or black hair and grey eyes.
Endurance: Considerable. Half-elves need but 4 hours rest a day: sleep for mortals or meditation for the immortals.
Height: Males average 6'3", females 5'11".
Lifespan: Mortal Half-elves live 250-500 years. Resistance: Half-elves are highly resistant to disease and natural illness. They have a +5 DB and RR bonus versus cold attacks.
Special Abilities: Half-elves can see extremely well in the dark. Under moonlight or starlight they can see perfectly for 500'. In other darkness situations they see as Elves do (50' to 100' if a light source is available).
Clothing & Decoration: Varies, although it is generally well-made and beautifully and subtly adorned. Favored colors are deep blues and greens, greys and grey-greens, silver, and white.
Fears & Inabilities: Nothing special.
Lifestyle: Varies, although they generally live in secluded retreats or havens, or among Elvenkind. Their culture is much like that of the Grey Elves, although they are constantly concerned with the ways of Men.
Marriage Pattern: Monogamous. The line is traced through the male or female.
Religion: Quiet, personal, and involving meditation—in general, they are like the Elves in this (see Section A-3.0).
Demeanor: Patient, reserved, considerate, balanced, mellow, and thoughtful.
Language: Starting Languages: Grey-elvish (S8/W6), Common-speech (S8/W6), High-elvish (S6/W5). Allowed Adolescence Development: Grey-elvish (S10/ W10), Common-speech (S10/W10), High-elvish (S10/ W10), High-speech (S10/W10), Elvish (S10/W10).
Prejudices: Orcs are their sworn enemies.
Professions: No special notes.
Special Skills: Everyman: none; Restricted: none.
Standard Hobby Skills: Acrobatics, Acting, Ambush, Animal Handling, any Armor skills, Boat Piloting, Culture Lore, Diplomacy, First Aid, Fletching, Foraging, Hiding, History, Leadership, Meditation, Play Instrument, any Power Awareness skills, Public Speaking, Region Lore, Riding, Sewing, Singing, Skating, Skiing, Sprinting, Stalking, Star-gazing, Swimming, Tale Telling, Tracking, any Weapon skills, Weather-watching.
Weapons: Dagger, broadsword, long sword, war hammer, mace, morning star, composite bow, crossbow, battle-axe, flail, quarterstaff, two-handed sword, lance, spear, falchion, main gauche, rapier, dag, heavy crossbow, war mattock, bastard sword, boar spear.
Armor: Any. Half-elves are comfortable in plate, scale, and lamellar (as chain, -5 vs. melee, +5 vs. missile).
Money: 20 silver pieces in High Mannish mint.
Because of their strong cultural and racial ties, Half-elves only get four background options.
Extra Languages: In addition to the tongues listed above: North-speech (S6/W6), Plains-speech (S6/W6), and Wood-speech (S6/W6).
Extra Money: Gold pieces of High Mannish mint.
Special Items: All available. Finely wrought metals are a popular material for such.
Talents: All available.
Half-orcs are a hideous creation, born of Man and Orc. They are often confused with Greater Orcs, but are a distinct race, small in number but capable and deadly. Half-orcs normally have Hillman blood in them and some are capable of blending into Hillmen societies.
Build: Half-orcs are akin to Greater Orcs, but look more like dark Men. Males average 150 pounds; females, 135 pounds.
Coloring: Black or grey hair, black or reddish-brown eyes.
Endurance: They can travel for 2 days without sleep. +10 to exhaustion points (see Section 22.3).
Height: Males average 5'8"; females, 5'5".
Lifespan: Normally 250-500 years.
Resistance: +15 DB and RR bonuses versus heat and cold attacks.
Special Abilities: Half-orcish vision in most darkness is at least 300'. When there is barely any light (cloudy, moonless nights; upper caverns, dungeons), Half-orcs can see at least 25' perfectly and fairly well up to 50'. In absolute darkness, they can still see 5'.
Clothing & Decoration: Varies, but leather and metal armor is standard with other clothing being depend upon the Orcish or Mannish group they are currently associated with.
Fears & Inabilities: They perfer to avoid bright sunlit places, but they are not adversely affected by sunlight.
Lifestyle: Individual Half-orcs respect power and terror above all things. Their lifestyle is dependent upon the Orcish or Mannish group they are currently associated with.
Marriage Pattern: This is normally dependent upon the Orcish or Mannish group they are currently associated with.
Religion: Most Half-orcs worship Darkness and power.
Demeanor: Half-orcs are normally cruel, jealous, petty, ambitious, selfish, and suspicious.
Language: Starting Languages: Common-speech (S8/W4), Orcish (S8/W4), Black-speech (S4/W3). Allowed Adolescence Development: Common-speech (S10/W8), Orcish (S10/W8), Black-speech (S8/W8), Hill-speech (S6/W6).
Prejudices: Half-orcs dislike most races, but they particularily despise Elves and High Men.
Professions: No special notes.
Special Skills: Everyman: none; Restricted: none.
Standard Hobby Skills: Acting, Ambush, Animal Handling, Appraisal, any Armor skills, Attunement, Body Development, Bribery, Caving, Climbing, Directed Spells, Disarming Traps, Fletching, Gambling, Hiding, Jumping, Languages, Leadership, Leather-crafts, Metal-crafts, Military Organization, Observation, Picking Locks, Rappelling, Region Lore, Riding, Scaling, Seduction, Signaling, Sprinting, Stalking, Swimming, Tactics, Tale Telling, Tracking, Trap-building, Trickery, any Weapon skills, Weaving, Wood-crafts.
Armor: Any. Chain and plate armor are made of utilitarian steel. Money: 20 silver pieces.
Weapons: Broadsword, club, dagger, handaxe, long bow, mace, morning star, scimitar, short bow, short sword, spear, war hammer, whip, clawed club or clawed mace (use morning star table), long sword, harpoon, poisoned arrows.
Half-orcs get five background options.
Extra Languages: In addition to the tongues listed above: North-speech (S8/S8), and Wood-speech (S8/W8).
Extra Money: Coinage, gems, and weapons.
Special Items: All available. Most Half-orcs are equipped from the armories of their evil lords and thus have some of the finest gear.
Talents: All available.
Halflings have an unclear origin, although they arose about the same time as Men. Indeed, they are said to be related to Men. They are the smallest of the races, Halflings range between 2 and 4 feet in height, and tend to be fat or pudgy. They are sometimes called “The Hairfoots” because of their large hairy feet.
Build: They have large and hairy feet—to the point of being furry. Males average 54 pounds, while females average 51 pounds.
Coloring: Brown skin and hair. Neat and uniformly beardless. Endurance: Halflings have a subtle ruggedness which is akin to that of Dwarves and Orcs. When pushed, they can travel long distances over tough terrain.
Height: Males average 3'5", females average 3'3".
Lifespan: 90-110 years. They become adults at 30. Resistance: Their feet and hands are almost immune to heat and cold. Accordingly, they are almost always barefoot. +30 DB and RR bonuses versus heat and cold attacks. Their innate simplicity and innocence gives them heightened resistance to magical attacks (this is reflected in their high racial RR modification).
Special Abilities: Dexterous, they move nimbly and quietly. Their long, strangely slender fingers allow them to craft fine handiwork and help explain their fine reputation as thieves (this is reflected in their high racial Agility stat bonus).
Clothing & Decoration: They wear linen or wool garb—shirts, pants which fall to the upper ankle, and brightly colored vests. They occasionally don hats, but rarely wear shoes or gloves.
Fears & Inabilities: Halflings shy away from the bizarre or unusual, but otherwise have normal dispositions.
Lifestyle: Generally, Halflings burrow and dig and reside in “holes.” They are capable craftsmen, but are not friends of complex machines or magic. Their vices are few: six hefty meals a day, pipeweed smoking, and bright apparel.
Most Halflings enjoy the simple life of farmers, millers, and craftsmen. Workshops and sheds dot their territories, uniformly low structures, for the halflings hate towers and rarely build above the first story.
Marriage Pattern: Monogamous. They trace their lines through either the male or female.
Religion: Halfling religion is without exception low-key and informal. It is actually a series of joyful celebrations centering on the gifts of Nature.
Demeanor: Halflings are basically cheery, conservative, unassuming, and peaceful folk. Ambition is not part of their makeup. Most are conformists who avoid the unknown and shun adventure.
Language: Starting Languages: Small-speech (S8/W6), Common-speech (S8/W6). Allowed Adolescence Development: Small-speech (S10/W10), Common-speech (S10/W10), High-speech (S8/W8), Grey-elvish (S8/W8).
Prejudices: Halflings hate Orcs.
Professions: Halflings make very, very poor spell users; in fact they are unheard of.
Special Skills: Everyman: Caving (Halfling-holes), choice of any five skills within the Crafts category, Horticulture; Restricted: none.
Standard Hobby Skills: Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Anthropology (Genealogy), Appraisal, Athletic Games (Gymnastics - horse shoes), Boat Piloting, Caving (Halfling-holes), Climbing, Cooking, Dancing, Disarming Traps, Fletching, Flora Lore, Horticulture, Juggling, Leather-crafts, Metal-crafts, any Missile weapon skills, Observation, Picking Locks, Play Instruments, Public Speaking, Region Lore (local region), Rope Mastery, Scaling, Sewing, Skating, stalk/hide, Star-gazing, Stilt-walking, Tale Telling, Tracking, Weather Watching, Wood-crafts.
Armor: None, or soft or rigid leather.
Money: 20 silver pieces of High Mannish mint.
Weapons: Dagger, handaxe, short sword, club, short bow, sling, blackjack, jo, pilum.
Those Halflings who dare venture away from home are assumed to be extraordinary, and therefore get five background options.
Extra Languages: In addition to the tongues listed above: Hill-speech (S4/W4), Wood-speech (S6/W6), Orcish (S2/W2), and Elvish (S8/W8).
Extra Money: Gold pieces of High Mannish mint.
Special Items: Spell adders and items that cast spells not available. Only items that perform a natural task in a superior way (weapon, saddle, rope, lockpick, etc.) would be present in Halfling society.
Talents: Re-roll all “spell-user” results.
The High Elves are called that ostensibly because they are considered to be the most noble of the Elves. They are said to have once resided in the land of demi-gods and may still maintain close ties to those demi-gods.
Build: Of all the Elves, the High Elves are the strongest and sturdiest of build, although they are still slimmer than Men. Males average 215 pounds; females, 175 pounds.
Coloring: Most are dark haired and have greyish eyes, but a few are fair haired and blue eyed.
Endurance: They are capable of traveling 16-20 hours a day. See the general Elf description in Section A-3.0.
Height: Males average 6'7"; females, 6'3".
Lifespan: They are immortal and will only die due to violence or if they weary of life and lose the will to live.
Resistance: They cannot become sick or scarred and are virtually immune to disease. +20 DB and RR bonuses versus cold attacks.
Special Abilities: See the general Elf description in Section A-3.0. High Elves are unparalleled at understanding and working with crafts. They get a special +20 bonus to their Attunement skill.
Clothing & Decoration: They favor rich clothing and fine craftmanship, and often have the appearance of great wealth.
Fears & Inabilities: Nothing special.
Lifestyle: Of all the Elves, the High Elves are the most ordered. While their brethren are content to wander or mark time in quiet diffusion, the High Elves seek to build communities and states in beautiful, guarded places.
Marriage Pattern: Monogamous and for life.
Religion: Informal and centered around communal celebration and personal meditation. Like the Dwarves, the High Elves are fiery craftsmen with a heightened respect for physical objects.
Demeanor: Regardless of the line, all High Elves are noble of bearing and carry themselves with assurance. They are haughty and often appear to be arrogant. Of all the Elves, they are the most inquisitive and passionate, being full of a desire for experience and expertise in the arts and the ways of the world.
Language: Starting Languages: High-elvish (S10/ W10), Grey-elvish (S8/W6), Common-speech (S8/ W6). Allowed Adolescence Development: Grey-elvish (S10/W10), Common-speech (S10/W10), North-speech (S6/W6), Elvish (S8/W8).
Prejudices: The High Elves hate Orcs, Trolls, and Dragons above all creatures. Due to their pride they tend to look down upon non-High Men.
Professions: Any. They produce the greatest number of Elven Bards and loremasters.
Special Skills: Everyman: all skills within the Crafts category; Restricted: none.
Standard Hobby Skills: Acting, any Armor skills, Attunement, Body Development, Dancing, Directed Spells, Embroidery [Crafts], History (famous weapons, enchanted creations), Jewelry-smithing [Crafts], Languages, Leadership, Meditation, Metal-crafts, Observation, Play Instruments, Poetic Improvisation, Public Speaking, Read Runes, Riding, Sewing, Singing, spell lists, Star-gazing, any Weapon skills, Weather-watching.
Armor: Any. High Elves prefer to derive the protection given by armor from magical items (rings, bracelets, tiaras) where such are available rather than from encumbering leather or metal.
Money: Gems (peridot, aquamarine, beryl, citrine, tourmaline) worth a total of 2 gold pieces.
Weapons: Dagger, broadsword, mace, composite bow, long bow, flail, two-handed sword, quarterstaff, javelin, lance, falchion, foil, main gauche, rapier, bastard sword, irgaak, kynac, long kynac.
High Elves only get two background options.
Extra Languages: In addition to the tongues listed above: North-speech (S8/W8), and Elvish (S10/W10), Black-speech (S6/ W6), Woods-speech (S6/W6), and Plains-speech (S6/W6).
Extra Money: Gems (amethyst, diamond, emerald, opal, sapphire).
Special Items: All available. Most should be constructed from fine or rare materials.
Talents: All available. For one background option a High Elf may select the following talent: Sensitive to the Essence, the way it pools and flows; this sensitivity allows the character to be aware of the presence of any enchantments or spells (cast by Essence or Mentalism users only) within 50 feet (when he concentrates).
High Men are great warriors and builders of empires, for their initiative matches their physical stature. They are said to have traces of Elven blood and maybe even a little blood of the Gods.
Build: Tall and strong. Men average 225 pounds; women, 150 pounds.
Coloring: Fair skin and black or dark brown hair. They have grey, hazel, blue, or green eyes.
Endurance: Considerable.
Height: Men average 6'5"; women, 5'10". Lifespan: 100-300 years.
Resistance: Normal.
Special Abilities: None.
Clothing & Decoration: Rich and well made, with elaborate collars. The High Men of the southern lands wear light tunics and often go without leggings. Those of colder areas wear more. They favor feathers and white symbols on dark fields.
Fears & Inabilities: The High Men fear Death, for they are acutely aware of their own great skills and potential.
Lifestyle: Well organized, comfortable, and centered around cosmopolitan cities and towns. High Men are traditional and well-educated—their early days are so filled with learning.
Marriage Pattern: Monogamous. They often marry folk of other races. The line is traced through the male.
Religion: Restrained and personal. The High Men revere the “True Gods.” They have elaborate burials involving preservation of the body.
Demeanor: Noble, confident, impatient, proud, and often haughty.
Language: Starting Languages: High-speech (S8/W6), Common-speech (S8/W6), Grey-elvish (S6/W6), High-elvish (S2/ W2). Allowed Adolescence Development: High-speech (S10/ W10), Common-speech (S10/W10), Grey-elvish (S8/W8), High-elvish (S6/W6), Hill-speech (S6/W6), Sea-speech (S8/ W8), Small-speech (S6/W6), Plains-speech (S6/W6).
Prejudices: The High Men hate the Mariners, for they blame them for a variety of wars that plagued the southern lands. The Hillmen and Orcs have always been their enemies.
Professions: Any. They are well-suited to magic, although the High Men of the North use spells and enchantments more often than any other group. However, in both North and South, the royal lines, court artisans, and court seers practice various forms of traditional and blessed magic (e.g., sword-making and observations through Seeing-stones).
Special Skills: Everyman: none; Restricted: none.
Standard Hobby Skills: Animal Handling, any Armor skills, Boat Piloting, Body Development, Diplomacy, Culture Lore (Elven), Embroidery [Crafts], First Aid, Fletching, Hiding, History, Jumping, Languages, Leadership, Meditation, Metal-crafts, Military Organization, Observation, Play Instrument, Poetic Improvisation, Pole Vaulting, Public Speaking, Read Runes, Riding, Rope Mastery, Sewing, Singing, Skating, Skiing, Sprinting, Stalking, Star-gazing, Stone-crafts, Swimming, Tactics, Tracking, any Weapon skills, Weather-watching.
Armor: Any. High Man warriors have access to some of the best armor made, as well as the powerful physique necessary to feel comfortable in the heavier types.
Money: 20 silver pieces.
Weapons: Battle-axe, broadsword, composite bow, dagger, flail, halbard, lance, long bow, mace, morning star, quarterstaff, short sword, spear, two-handed sword, war hammer, armored fist, bastard sword, boar spear, dag, falchion, foil, kynac, long kynac, main gauche, rapier, war mattock.
High Men get four background options.
Extra Languages: In addition to the tongues listed above: High-elvish (S8/W8), Hill-speech (S8/W8), Plains-speech (S8/W8), North-speech (S8/W8), and Wood-speech (S8/W8).
Extra Money: Gold pieces.
Special Items: All available.
Talents: All available.
This group of Common Men traditionally lives in the hills and highlands. Many have become settled farmers and herders and make up majority populations in many rural areas. Others remain pure and live in the foothills and mountain vales.
Build: They are of medium to stocky build and rugged, with little body hair. Men average 175 pounds; women, 135 pounds.
Coloring: They have a tanned or ruddy complexion and brown hair.
Endurance: They are superb mountaineers and handle tough terrain with little additional effort.
Height: Men average 5'10"; women, 5'6".
Lifespan: Short; about 50-80 years.
Resistance: Normal.
Special Abilities: They get a special +20 bonus for Scaling skill, Acrobatics skill, Public Speaking skill, and Acting skill.
Clothing & Decoration: Crude wool and hide tunics with leggings. They also wear rough over-coats, short cloaks, and fur hats. The woolens are woven in bright plaids, the colors indicating the wearer’s family lines and clan. Ritual tattooing is widespread.
Fears & Inabilities: Numerous superstitions, notably a fear of Darkness centering around the spirits in the earth and plants (which come forth at night).
Lifestyle: Hillmen are herders, hunters, and gatherers who live in extended families and reside in villages and fortified clan- holds. They use chariots. Extremely theatric, they are gifted poets, musicians, singers, and storytellers. Pugnacious, they often settle disputes by raiding, fighting, or even warring on one another (and of course others).
Marriage Pattern: Monogamous, but one must marry outside the family. Political marriages common. Line traced through the female.
Religion: Superstitious rituals devoted to a complex grouping of vengeful petty deities. Many are vaguely based on the Hillmen’ s peculiar interpretations of the “True Gods.” Oral traditions are crucial to the keeping of histories and law. Sacrifices are widespread and the clergy are both revered and feared.
Demeanor: Suspicious and self-centered, yet vocal and ani- mated. They love to talk, laugh, sing, and scream.
Language: Starting Languages: Hill-speech (S8/W4), Common-speech (S8/W4). Written Hill-speech is rare, for a premium is placed on oration and the performing arts. Allowed Adolescence Development: Hill-speech (S10/W10), Common-speech (S10/W10), Plains-speech (S8/W8).
Prejudices: Hillmen generally hate the Nomads; many also despise the High Men, Dwarves, and Orcs.
Professions: No special notes.
Special Skills: Everyman: Driving, Herding, Horticulture, Hunting, Play Instrument, Poetic Improvisation, Singing, Tale Telling; Restricted: none.
Standard Hobby Skills: Acrobatics, Acting, Ambush, Animal Handling, any Armor • Light skills, Attunement, Body Development, Painting (body painting), Brawling, Caving, Climbing, Directed Spells, Foraging, Hiding, History (Hillmen), Jumping, Leather-crafting, Metal-crafting, Observation, Play Instrument, Poetic Improvisation, Public Speaking, Region Lore (local) , Riding, Scaling, Singing, Spell Lists, Sprinting, Stalking, Star-gazing, Swimming, Tale Telling, Tattooing [Craft], Tracking, any Weapon skills, Weather-watching.
Armor: None or soft leather. Some elite warriors fight naked.
Money: Goods to be bartered or exchanged for coinage: 10 deerskins, finely worked, worth 2 sp each; 5 skunk pelts worth 4 sp each; 4 red fox pelts worth 5 sp each; a bale of carded wool worth 20 sp.
Weapons: Broadsword, club, dagger, handaxe, javelin, short bow, spear, cudgel, baw, cabis.
Common Men get get six background options; Mixed Men get five background options.
Extra Languages: In addition to the tongues listed above: Plains-speech (S10/W10) and North-speech (S8/W8).
Extra Money: A selection of pelts (black fox, 5 gp; marten, 8 gp; black sable, 10 gp; ermine, 13 gp; golden sable, 15 gp; mink, 11 gp; red sable, 12 gp; white fox, 7 gp) or a selection of herbs worth 1-200 gp.
Special Items: All available. Hillmen workmanship is rather crude, although it has aesthetic appeal to those with rustic tastes; it is usually of materials that do not long endure (bronze, copper, tin, leather, yarn, wood).
Talents: All available.
Kobolds are the smallest of the small races. They are viewed with disdain by all races; good and evil alike. However, they have a penchant for flattery and clever speech (and knives in the shadows). Kobolds have made it their life to survive in a world that views them as useless and worthless.
Build: Kobolds are rarely taller than 3' and while similar to Goblins in general, they have less round faces and tend to be much leaner (and of course have no problems with their feet). Both males and females have such similar builds as to be often confused.
Coloring: Their ruddy skin is often dirty. Their hair is bristly and always dark in hue. Their short horns are lighter in color (but rarely grow long enough to use as an attack form).
Endurance: Kobolds have an inner resolve that is rarely displayed. They can go for up to a day and a half without sleep (and then only need half as much rest as a man).
Height: A verage 2'10".
Lifespan: 75 years.
Resistance: The hardy system of the Kobold is slightly more resistant to poisons and disease (a special bonus of +5 to RRs versus poison and disease).
Special Abilities: Like all Goblin breeds, Kobolds have the ability to see in dim light (up to100'). In addition, they receive a special bonus of +10 to the Influence skill category (representing their ability to lie, whine, and bemoan their way out of situations).
Clothing & Decoration: Though the skills of tailoring and weaving are not unknown to the Kobolds, they can rarely make anything that is better than serviceable (they will, however, steal clothes of bright colors from other diminutive races).
Fears & Inabilities: Kobolds fear anyone bigger than themselves (with is practically everyone). The sun is particularly loathed (-75 to all actions while in the sunlight).
Lifestyle: Survival. The Kobolds have become great at it by becoming great at whining, lieing, flattering, etc. Rarely will a Kobold be truly alone (there are usually others waiting in hiding). They will often maneuver themselves into a position as a follower (where they will be quite loyal).
Marriage Pattern: Marriages are tenuous in Kobold society. Mates are often taken at a whim.
Religion: Kobolds have no organized religion, except to fear greater powers (to whom tributes are often paid).
Demeanor: Almost as a whole, Kobolds are cunning almost beyond compare. They prefer to keep the element of surprise when forced to combat (performing maneuvers that seem unreasonable, just to keep their foes off guard).
Language: Starting Languages: Goblin (S7/W7) and Black-speech (S6/W6). Allowed Adolescence Development: Black-speech (S8/W8), Common-speech (S7/W6), Hobgoblin (S6/ W6), and Hill-speech (S6/W4).
Prejudices: Kobolds dislike everyone equally (though fear works wonder on their loyalty).
Professions: Spell using Kobolds would be quite a rare sight indeed. Channeling users have been reported (though highly rare) and no reports of any Essence or Mentalism users have ever been made.
Training Packages: Kobolds could conceivably learn any Training Package in the RMSS. In addition, they may select the Kobold Training Packages.
Special Skills: Everyman: Duping; Restricted: none.
Standard Hobby Skills: Alertness, Ambush, Body Development, Caving, Climbing, Detect Ambush, Detect Traps, Hiding, Leather-crafts, Lock Lore, Metal-crafts, Metal Lore, Mining, Prepare Poisons, Setting Traps, Scrounging, Sprinting, Stalking, Stone Lore, Surveillance, Trap Building, Use/Remove Poison, Wood-crafts, any skill in the Weapon group.
Armor: Kobolds are rarely seen in armor (though they have been reported to wear leathers upon occassion).
Money: 1-10 silver coins of various mints.
Weapons: Any small, light weapon will be gladly used. Kobolds also have a like of piercing weapons (spears, spiked clubs, etc.).
Kobolds have six background options.
Extra Languages: In addition to the tongues listed above: Small-speech (S6/W4), Black-speech (S10/W10), and Hill-speech (S8/W8).
Extra Money: Rarely would a Kobold have more than a couple of gold coins worth of extra money (and this is usually in an accumulation of lesser valued coins).
Special Items: Kobolds would only seek out items that enhance their abilities as sneaking liars (though weapons would gladly be taken).
Talents: Kobolds should re-roll any “spell-user” results. See Section 11.6.4 for Hobgoblin-specific Talents.
The Mariners are descendants of High Man rebels who fled the southern empires. Most settled in the far south and began a long struggle for control with the native elements. Since that time, modest inbreeding with the locals has created a somewhat distinct group, although their High Man roots remain strong. Their heritage as sailors and merchantmen from the southern empires still influences their culture and lifestyle. They long to reclaim the southern empires.
Build: Strong of build. Males average 215 pounds; women, 145 pounds.
Coloring: Mariners are generally fair skinned and have grey or bluish eyes and black or dark brown hair.
Endurance: Considerable. They do not get seasick. Height: Men average 6'3"; women, 5'9".
Lifespan: 95-190 years.
Resistance: Normal.
Special Abilities: They get a special +20 bonus for the following skills: Boat Piloting, Navigation, Rope Mastery, Rowing, Sailing, Star Gazing, Weather Watching.
Clothing & Decoration: Mariners favor purple, red, and gold clothing made from silk or fine cotton. They wear tunics and only rarely don leggings. Men wear gold collars, while women are well-adorned with jewelry.
Fears & Inabilities: Disease and illness, and their own natural mortality.
Lifestyle: Mariner culture reflects the conservative ele- ments found among southern empires’ aristocracy, only it is carried to an extreme.
Marriage Pattern: Monogamous. Line is traced through male.
Religion: Mariner religion is preoccupied with Death and Darkness, and largely revolves around ancestor and hero worship. The great Ancient Kings are revered as god-like. Ceremonies dwell on the perpetuation of the life of the individual and, more importantly, the lineage. The dead are buried with elaborate fanfare and are laid to rest in a preserved state, one of pronounced splendor.
Demeanor: Aggressive, haughty, determined, embittered—the Mariners have the attitude of royalty in unjust exile.
Language: Starting Languages: High-speech (S8/W6), Common-speech (S8/W6), Sea-speech (S8/W6). Allowed Adolescence Development: High-speech (S10/ W10), Common-speech (S10/W10), Sea-speech (S10/ W10), South-speech (S8/W8), Wood-speech (S6/W6), Plains-speech (S6/W6).
Prejudices: Their greatest enemies are the High Men, because they are held to blame for the wars of the southern empires.
Professions: No special notes.
Special Skills: Everyman: Rope Mastery, Rowing, Sailing, Star Gazing; Restricted: none.
Standard Hobby Skills: Acrobatics, Acting, Ambush, Appraisal, any Armor skills, Boat Piloting, Body Development, Climbing, Cultural Lore, Dance, Embroidery [Craft], First Aid, Hiding, History, Jumping, Leadership, Metal-crafting, Navigation, Observation, Painting, Public Speaking, Rappelling, Region Lore, Riding, Rope Mastery, Sculpting, Signaling, Spell Lists, Sprinting, Stalking, Star-gazing, Swimming, Tracking, Trading, any Weapon skills, Weather-watching, Wood-crafting.
Armor: Any. Mariners who are wealthy adorn their armor with gold chasing or engraving.
Money: 2 gold pieces.
Weapons: Dagger, scimitar, broadsword, short sword, mace, morning star, whip, bola, composite bow, long bow, short bow, flail, quarterstaff, two-handed sword, lance, spear, armored fist, bastard sword, boar spear, cat of nine tails, cutlass, falchion, harpoon, main gauche, net, pole arm, sabre.
Common Men get get six background options; Mixed Men get five background options.
Extra Languages: In addition to the tongues listed above: Wood-speech (S8/W8), Plains-speech (S8/W8), Black-speech (S8/W8), Orcish (S6/W6), Grey-elvish (S6/W6), and Elvish (S6/W6).
Extra Money: Gold pieces.
Special Items: All available. Mariners favor weapons and tools ornamented with gold.
Talents: All available.
This term refers to the many nomadic peoples who live in the plains and steppes. These nomadic tribes and confederations are ever in search of territory and wealth and have been known to invade the lands of their neighbors. Each group has its own subculture and dialect, although most are related—the following descriptions are a general view of an “average” tribe.
Build: Compact and agile. Men average 135 pounds; women, 95 pounds.
Coloring: Swarthy, with a tan or yellowish/tan quality.
Endurance: Normal, although they can ride horses, wagons, or chariots for long periods without exhaustion (accumulate only half normal exhaustion in these conditions).
Height: Short to medium. Men average 5'6"; women, 5'1".
Lifespan: Short, about 40-65 years.
Resistance: Normal.
Special Abilities: They are superb with riding animals and produce fabulous horsemen. They get a special +20 bonus for Mounted Combat and all Outdoor • Animal skills.
Clothing & Decoration: Colorful linen cloaks, woolen tunics, leather pants, and lower leg protectors. They also wear fur hats with ear flaps, or fur-covered pot helms. Some groups paint their upper bodies and faces.
Fears & Inabilities: Darkness and thunderstorms.
Lifestyle: They are nomads who live in mobile camps and move their camps using great wagons (wains). Warriors all, they also herd horses and cattle. The leaders travel in, and fight from, rugged war chariots.
Marriage Pattern: Men may take more than one wife, but this is rare and costly since they must pay a bride-price. The line is traced through the male.
Religion: Superstitious rituals concerning nature spirits and heroic ancestral deities. Many worship Darkness.
Demeanor: Cold, determined, brave to the point of foolhardiness. They relish, or are at the least unconcerned with, death in battle.
Language: Starting Languages: Plains-speech (S8/W6), Common-speech (S4/W4). Allowed Adolescence Development: Plains-speech (S10/W10), Common-speech (S10/W10), South-speech (S6/W6), Black-speech (S6/W6).
Prejudices: Nomads have little regard for anyone except their own people. They hate the High Men.
Professions: No special notes.
Special Skills: Everyman: Mounted Combat skill and all Outdoor • Animal skills involving horses (unless Profession cost is cheaper); Restricted: none.
Standard Hobby Skills: Acrobatics, Ambush, Animal Handling, Attunement, Body Development, Painting (body painting), Bone-carving [Crafts], Contortions, Crewelwork [Crafts], Directed Spells, Fauna Lore, Fletching, Foraging, Hiding, Leather-crafting, Military Organization, Observation, Riding, Signaling, Spell Lists, Stalking, Star-gazing, Tactics, Tale Telling, Thrown and Missile Weapon skills, Tracking, any Weapon skills, Weather-watching.
Armor: None but shield and helm.
Money: Draft-kine worth 20 sp.
Weapons: Bola, dagger, javelin, scimitar, short bow, short sword, sling, long sword, usriev (8-foot long cross between a lance and a long, thin two-handed sword—razor-sharp 4-foot blade—use two-handed sword table, changing Krush crits to Puncture crits).
Common Men get get six background options; Mixed Men get five background options.
Extra Languages: In addition to the tongues listed above: South-speech (S8/W8), Black-speech (S8/W8), North-speech (S6/W6), Orcish (S6/W6), and Elvish (S6/W6).
Extra Money: Livestock and possibly a wain (wagon) or a war chariot (draft-kine, 20 sp each; light horse, 45 sp each; wain, 6 gp; war chariot, 25 gp).
Special Items: All available. Nomad crafts involve shapely creations from bone, leather, iron and bronze.
Talents: All available. Animal Empathy (Minor Talent) may be chosen with no flaw for only one background option.
This is a generalized label for the rural folk of the northern and southern empires. Ruralmen contain varying degrees of Hillman, Nomad, Woodman, and High Man blood. This catagory represents men born and raised on farms, on grazing lands, and in small hamlets.
Build: All types, but normally medium. Men average 160 pounds; women, 125 pounds.
Coloring: Variations of fair to tan or olive skin. All colors of hair and eyes.
Endurance: Average.
Height: Males average 5'10", women 5'4".
Lifespan: Moderate, averaging 60-80 years.
Resistance: Normal.
Special Abilities: None.
Clothing & Decoration: Practical wool and linen garb, including cloaks, boots, etc. Tunics are worn in warmer areas; shirts belted over pants or skirts and leggings predominate in cooler locales.
Fears & Inabilities: Nothing special, aside from local superstitions.
Lifestyle: These rural folk are mostly farmers and herders with little contact areas outside their village or region.
Marriage Pattern: Monogamous. The line is traced through either the male or female.
Religion: Variations of subdued rituals. Most have reverence for local spirits, although the principal worship focuses on the “True Gods.”
Demeanor: Practical, hard-working, quiet, loyal, and often shy.
Language: Starting Languages: Common-speech (S8/W6). Allowed Adolescence Development: Common-speech (S10/W10), High Man (S6/W6), Small-speech (S6/W6).
Prejudices: Ruralmen are suspicious of most outsiders and might be in awe of some. They hate no race, aside from the Orcs.
Professions: No special notes.
Special Skills: Everyman: none; Restricted: none.
Standard Hobby Skills: Armor • Light skills, Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Caving, Climb, Cooking, Dancing, Foraging, Hiding, Leather-crafting, Observation, Rope Mastery, Scaling, Stalking, Star-gazing, Swimming, Tracking, any Weapon skills, Weather-watching, Wood-crafting.
Armor: Leather or no armor.
Money: Livestock which may be sold for coinage: a milk cow (20 sp), a pair of sheep (10 sp each), four goats (5 sp each), or ten geese (2 sp each).
Weapons: Dagger, handaxe, club, throwing dagger, sling, quarterstaff, fishing spear (treat as -5 javelin).
Common Men get get six background options; Mixed Men get five background options.
Extra Languages: In addition to the tongues listed above: High-speech (S8/W8), Small-speech (S8/W8), and Hill-speech (S8/W8).
Extra Money: Silver and bronze pieces.
Special Items: All available. Weapons and tools made by these rural folk are usually crude, but serviceable. Wood, bronze, iron, leather, wool, and linen are the most abundant materials.
Talents: All available.
This is a generalized label for the town and city folk of the northern and southern empires. Urbanmen contain varying degrees of Hillman, Nomad, Woodman, and High Man blood. This catagory represents men born and raised in major towns and cities.
Build: All types, but normally medium. Males average 155 pounds; women, 125 pounds.
Coloring: Variations of fair to tan or olive skin. All colors of hair and eyes.
Endurance: Average.
Height: Males average 5'10"; women, 5'4".
Lifespan: Moderate, averaging 65-85 years.
Resistance: Normal.
Special Abilities: None.
Clothing & Decoration: Various types of elaborate or practical wool and linen garb, including cloaks, boots, etc. Tunics are worn in warmer areas; shirts and pants or leggings are worn in cooler locales. Some imported silks and fine cottons are in evidence.
Fears & Inabilities: Nothing special, aside from local superstitions.
Lifestyle: Urban folk are a varied, rather cosmopolitan lot. Many are from mercantile or guild backgrounds and some have dealt with enchantments.
Marriage Pattern: Monogamous. The line is traced through either the male or female.
Religion: Variations of subdued rituals with some organized cults and shrines. Most have reverence for local or community spirits, although the principal worship focuses on the “True Gods.”
Armor: Any. Inhabitants of the larger cities have more reliable access to to chain and plate mail than do those in towns or small cities.
Money: 20 silver pieces of High Mannish mint.
Weapons: Battle-axe, broadsword, composite bow, dagger, halberd, javelin, long bow, mace, morning star, quarterstaff, short sword, spear, two-handed sword, bastard sword, foil, main gauche, rapier.
Common Men get get six background options; Mixed Men get five background options.
Extra Languages: In addition to the tongues listed above: Hill-speech (S6/W6), Small-speech (S6/W6), Plains-speech (S8/ W8), and High-elvish (S6/W6).
Extra Money: Silver pieces.
Special Items: All available. Items made by urban Urbanmen display high quality craftsmanship and include durable materials often unavailable in more rural societies (steel being a prime example). Enchanted metals (mithril, eog, etc.) are not normally available, however.
Talents: All available.
Wood Elves are more numerous and “rustic” than their brethren, the High Elves and the Grey Elves. They live in the safety of the woods, forests, and mountains.
Build: Most are slight of build, and all are thin by mannish standards. Males average 150 lbs; females, 125 lbs.
Coloring: Ruddy of complexion, with sandy hair and blue or green eyes. Generalizations are difficult, however, since they are many kindreds.
Endurance: They are capable of traveling 16-20 hours a day. See the general Elf description in Section A-3.0.
Height: Males average 6'0"; females, 5'9".
Lifespan: They are immortal and will only die due to violence or if they weary of life and lose the will to live.
Resistance: They cannot become sick or scarred and are virtually immune to disease. +10 DB and RR bonuses versus cold attacks.
Special Abilities: See the general Elf description in Section A-3.0. The Wood Elf folk are superb musicians and have tremendous hearing, even for Elves (they get a special +10 bonus to Base Spell attacks from Bard spell lists). They get a special +10 bonus to their Trickery skill and their Stalking, and Hiding skill.
Clothing & Decoration: Their preferred clothes are usually forest green, grey, or brown, and range from functional designs to fanciful expressions of individual creativity.
Fears & Inabilities: Nothing special.
Lifestyle: The culture of the Wood Elves is best characterized as unstructured and rustic by Elven standards, but rich and relatively advanced when compared to the ways of Men. They are independent, but many have settled in kingdoms ruled by the High Elves or Grey Elves. Still, all the Wood Elf folk enjoy a good journey or adventure and most look at life much as a game to be played. Music and trickery are their favorite pastimes. The Wood Elves are also masters of the wood and know much of wood-craft and wood-lore.
Marriage Pattern: Monogamous and for life.
Religion: Informal and centered around communal celebration and personal meditation.
Demeanor: They are a fun-loving but guarded folk. Outward mirth often hides their grim intentions.
Language: Starting Languages: Elvish (S10/W10), Grey-elvish (S8/W6), Common-speech (S8/W6), High-elvish (S4/W4). Allowed Adolescence Development: Grey-elvish (S10/W10), Common-speech (S10/W10), High-elvish (S10/W10), High-speech (S4/W4), Plains-speech (S8/W8), Wood-speech (S8/ W8).
Prejudices: The Wood Elves readily seclude themselves, for they have a less friendly history of relations with Men. They despise Orcs, dislike Dwarves, and are suspicious of Men.
Professions: No special notes.
Special Skills: Everyman: Music, Play Instrument, Trickery, Wood-crafting; Restricted: none.
Standard Hobby Skills: Armor • Light skills, Acrobatics, Acting, Ambush, Animal Handling, Attunement, Boat Piloting, Climbing, Cooking, Directed Spells, Fauna Lore, First Aid, Fletching, Flora Lore, Foraging, Hiding, Languages, Leather-crafting, Meditation, Observation, Play Instruments, Rappelling, Rope Mastery, Signaling, Singing, Skating, Skiing, Spell Lists, Spinning, Stalking, Star-gazing, Surfing, Swimming, Tracking, any Weapon skills, Weather-watching, Weaving [Crafts], Wood-crafting.
Armor: Any. Wood Elves are a varied group. Some prefer enchanted leather armor, while others favor no protective garb, and guard themselves instead with spells.
Money: Possessions to be bartered or sold: Elven rope (100' worth 20 sp; holds up 500 lbs., weighs only 3 lbs.), Elven silk (length of 3 yards worth 2 gp), or an assortment of precious stones (lapis lazuli, malachite, agate, turquoise, onyx, amber) worth 2 gp.
Weapons: Dagger, handaxe, broadsword, short sword, whip, bola, long bow, short bow, quarterstaff, two-handed sword, javelin, spear, main gauche, shang, rapier, gé, kynac, boomerang, net, boar spear.
Wood Elves get four background options.
Extra Languages: In addition to the tongues listed above: High-speech (S8/W8), South-speech (S6/W6), Black-speech (S6/ W6).
Extra Money: Gems (aquamarine, black opal, bloodstone, carnelian, garnet, fire opal, blue topaz, jade, star sapphire).
Special Items: All available. Due to the Wood Elf fondness for woodland, many items should be fashioned from fine or enchanted wood, even weaponry typically metal in other cultures.
Talents: All available. For one background option a Wood Elf may select the following talent: special affinity with trees and woodland foliage; all physical activities performed by the character get a special +15 bonus when in forested terrain.
The Woodmen have long dwelt in the great forests. They are a loose tribe of hunter/gatherers who live in or below the trees as extended families, bands, or clans.
Build: Average to stocky, with strong but angular features. The men possess large amounts of facial hair. Men average 195 pounds; women, 135 pounds.
Coloring: Fair skin with reddish highlights. They have blond hair and blue or green eyes.
Endurance: Average.
Height: Men average 6'1"; women, 5'5".
Lifespan: 65-85 years.
Resistance: Average.
Special Abilities: They can climb and move along tree limbs exceedingly well. They get a special +20 bonus to Climbing skill and Acrobatics skill. They get a special +10 bonus to Foraging skill.
Clothing & Decoration: They wear crude woolen tunics and short pants with leggings. Most favor coats, cloaks, and fur hats.
Fears & Inabilities: Nothing special.
Lifestyle: They are an independent lot who have no formal political structure. Living off the gifts of the forest, they reside in small, close groups secluded from other races. They interact with few other than the Wood Elves. Utterly at home in the woodlands, their tracking, climbing, hiding, hunting, and foraging techniques are superb.
Marriage Pattern: Monogamous. The line is traced through the male.
Religion: Mostly personal and within the family or band. Female shamans act as seers, healers, and spiritual leaders. They manage the ancient Cult of Growing (“Alanakyn”) which meets for rare tribal ceremonies.
Demeanor: Quiet, independent, reclusive.
Language: Starting Languages: Wood-speech (S8/W6), Common-speech (S6/W4), Grey-elvish (S4/W3). Allowed Adolescence Development: Wood-speech (S10/W10), Common-speech (S8/W8), Grey-elvish (S6/W6), Plains-speech (S6/W6).
Prejudices: Woodmen hate Orcs, Trolls, and Giant Spiders.
Professions: No special notes.
Special Skills: Everyman: Climbing, Foraging, Hiding, Hunting, Tracking; Restricted: none.
Standard Hobby Skills: Acrobatics, Ambush, Armor • Light skills, Body Development, Climbing, Crewelwork [Crafts], Dancing, Fauna Lore, First Aid, Fletching, Flora Lore, Foraging, Hiding, Leather-crafting, Observation, Rappelling, Read Runes, Region Lore (forested regions), Rope Mastery, Signaling, Stalking, Swim, Tale Telling, Tightrope-walking, Tracking, any Weapon skills, Wood-crafting.
Armor: None or soft leather.
Money: Herbs worth 20 sp.
Weapons: Club, dagger, handaxe, long bow, quarterstaff, short sword, sling, woodman’s axe, throwing darts, knife.
Common Men get get six background options; Mixed Men get five background options.
Extra Languages: In addition to the tongues listed above: Grey-elvish (S8/W8), Plains-speech (S8/ W8), Orcish (S6/W6), and Elvish (S6/W6).
Extra Money: Herbs worth 1-200 gp.
Special Items: All available. Woodmen create items of wood, bark, fur, leather, and feathers.
Talents: All available.