Saturday, June 15, 2024

Homebrew World: Expanded Ancestry Options

By default in my world I only allow certain player ancestries because most others are a bit too rare in the mundane world. However, some campaigns go beyond the world or range into remote or forgotten regions. In those campaigns, the list below provides an authoritative list of the ancestries that are thematically appropriate for my universe. I will note exceptions by exclusion in the campaign write-up. I’m also including a write-up about each species in my setting so players can use the information to craft their backstories appropriately for the setting.

Expanded Ancestry Options

Note: Players may reassign ability score increases that are included in their ancestry.
  • Astral Elf (Astral Adventurer’s Guide)
  • Bugbear (Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse)
  • Cambion (Cambion Player Option)
  • Changeling (Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse)
  • Chimeran (Path of the Planebreaker)
  • Chthonic Scion (MCDM - Arcadia 11)
  • Deep Gnome (Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse)
  • Derro (Midgard Heroes Handbook)
  • Dhampir (Von Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft or Midgard Heroes Handbook)
  • Dragonborn (Chromatic) (Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons)
  • Dragonborn (Gem) (Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons)
  • Dragonborn (Metallic) (Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons)
  • Drow (Tome of Heroes or Player’s Handbook)
  • Duergar (Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse)
  • Eladrin (Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse)
  • Fikrawi (MCDM - Arcadia 16)
  • Firbolg (Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse)
  • Genasi (Air) (Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse)
  • Genasi (Earth) (Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse)
  • Genasi (Fire) (Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse)
  • Genasi (Water) (Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse)
  • Ghoul (Darakhul) (Midgard Heroes Handbook)
  • Githyanki (Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse)
  • Githzerai (Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse)
  • Gnoll (Midgard Heroes Handbook)
  • Godsong Scion (MCDM - Arcadia 11)
  • Half-Giant (Goliath) (Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse)
  • Inkarnate (Path of the Planebreaker)
  • Leonin (Mythic Odysseys of Theros)
  • Lizardfolk (Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse)
  • Modron (the_singular_anyone)
  • Mushroomfolk (Tome of Heroes)
  • Ogre (MCDM - Arcadia 14)
  • Primordial Scion (MCDM - Arcadia 11)
  • Ratfolk (Midgard Heroes Handbook)
  • Ravenfolk (Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse or Midgard Heroes Handbook)
  • Reborn (Von Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft)
  • Ruin-Touched (somanyrobots)
  • Satarre (Tome of Heroes)
  • Sea Elf (Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse)
  • Shade (Tome of Heroes)
  • Shadow Elves (Shadar-kai or Shadow Fey) (Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse or Midgard Heroes Handbook)
  • Shifter (Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse)
  • Somnian (MCDM - Arcadia 3)
  • Thri-kreen (Astral Adventurer’s Guide)
  • Traveler (Path of the Planebreaker)
  • Triton (Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse)
  • Trollkin (Midgard Heroes Handbook)
  • Vindicator Scion (MCDM - Arcadia 11)
  • Yuan-Ti (Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse)

Descriptions

Astral Elf

Hailing from colonies in both the Astral Plane and amongst the stars of space, Astral Elves are the heirs to great spaceborne empires and powerful magic that drives their flying ships through the void to explore new frontiers.

Bugbear

Bugbears are found in greater numbers in remote areas, but also have communities in many large cities. They have great traditions of folk magic both arcane and divine, as well as a legacy of being talented and stealthy hunters.

Cambion

Cambions are the direct offspring of powerful fiends of all varieties from the lower planes. They lead diverse and often traumatic life experiences, often needing to fight to survive. Cambions are also inclined to oppose others of their kind, seeing them as competitors for power and control. Only one cambion may be part of a party.

Changeling

Changelings are humanoids possessed of the strange skill of being able to alter their appearance. Some discover this talent in their adolescence, while others grow up in changeling communities. Generally shunned in most societies when discovered, being a changeling is a hard life. Some adopt a particular persona and simply live out their lives, while others go off adventuring or journeying, changing their appearance in every place they find themselves.

Chthonic Scion

Chthonic scions are touched or literally descended from Dalquiel or Rindriaze. They most often manifest in families of Aasimar, already embued with the blood of celestials. These mysterious figures possess abilities to comfort or speed the dying upon their way. They are extremely rare, and often become known as saints for their activities.

Deep Gnome

Deep gnomes have bluish skin and have spent much more time underground than their surface swelling cousins. They often have experience in surviving and living in subterranean environments, and their culture emphasizes crafting to a lesser degree than other gnomes.

Derro

A subterranean people with blue and purplish skin, white shocks of hair, and wide eyes from generations in dark caverns, the derro may be related to dwarves, duergar, or gnomes. Some isolated communities of derro have taken to worship of strange eldritch beings or discovered corrupting artifacts, giving many who are familiar with the underground the false idea that all derro are insane. This is not the case, and many thriving communities of derro exist in hidden sanctuaries.

Dhampir

Not quite living and yet not quite dead, dhampir arise from a variety of circumstances—but most often after an encounter with a vampire. They possess a hunger like their undead kin and vampiric powers.

Dragonborn (Chromatic, Gem, & Metallic)

Dragonborn are rare in many lands, but many dwell with the draconic populations in the Thornspire Highlands. They possess some of the powers of their true dragon forebears, but are not as powerful as half-dragons.

Drow

An elvish people that primarily live in matriarchal societies in large cities deep beneath the earth, Drow are known to have potent spellcasters, and strong survivors against the alien entities in the deep places of the world.

Duergar 

Eladrin

Fikrawi

Firbolg

Genasi (Air, Earth, Fire, Water)

Ghoul (Darakhul)

Githyanki

Githzerai 

Gnoll

Godsong Scion

Half-Giant (Goliath)

Inkarnate

Leonin

Lizardfolk

Mushroomfolk 

Ogre

Primordial Scion

Ratfolk

Ravenfolk

Reborn

Ruin-Touched

Satarre

Sea Elf

Shade

Shadow Elves

Shifter

Somnian

Thri-kreen

Traveler

Triton

Trollkin

Vindicator Scion

Yuan-Ti


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