The Runemasters created all life there is on Askanir. But they created only four species that can be called sentient. Three of those are still alive today.
Giantkin are the modern descendants of the primordial Giants. Their ancestors were exposed to transforming sorcery, shrinking them in size and strength. Now, Giantkin are still tall, but not nearly as tall as their forefathers.
Today, they mostly live on the island of Kennengar, off the north coast of Maltabir. Having travelled the seas for a long time in the past, Giantkin are accomplished sailors and their ships can be seen in many ports, even far to the south. Giantkin sailors are therefore uncommon, but not really new sights in ports.
Their size and strength make them formidable warriors, and some are well-paid mercenaries and bodyguards for nobles and rich merchants. The Southern Emperor had a troop of Giantkin bodyguards, that were famous in the whole realm for their shining bronze breastplates and purple cloaks.
Giantkin have strong ties to family and clan. A clan consists of several families, that are tied together by bonds of marriage. Each clan has a clan-lord, elected from the families of the clan to steer the fate of the clan through the sea of time.
Age. Giantkin have lifespans comparable to humans. They enter adulthood in their late teens and usually live less than a century.
Size. Giantkin are between 7 and 8 feet tall and weigh between 280 and 340 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 45 feet.
Damage Bonus. Due to your mass, you add +2 to any melee weapon damage.
Stamina. Your muscles and size make you resilient to damage. Every level, when you gain Hit Points, you add 2 to the result.
Heavy Lifter. When determining your carrying capacity and the weight that you can push, drag, or lift, your size is considered to be Large.
Giantkin Gifts
Strong Grip
You gain an expertise die to your maneuver difficulty class when a creature is attempting to resist you grabbing on using the Grab On basic maneuver and you gain an expertise die to your saving throw when resisting an attempt to disarm you using the Disarm basic maneuver.
Giant Stability
You gain an expertise die on saving throws against effects that would knock you prone, and on saving throws made to resist being shoved.
Giant Toughness
As a bonus action, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to 1d10 plus your level. These temporary hit points last for 1 minute. You can’t use this trait again until after you finish a long rest.
You gain an expertise die on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage.
Giantkin Paragon
As a Giantkin writes his saga, the ancestors bestow upon them even greater gifts. When you reach 10th level, you gain one of the following paragon gifts.
Oaken Stoicism
As a bonus action you gain an expertise die to all Constitution and Wisdom related rolls for one minute. You may do this a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest.
Tread of Thunder
You gain an expertise die in Intimidation. In addition, as a bonus action, you may stamp the ground, causing all creatures you choose within a 30 yards radius to make a Wisdom saving throw vs your passive Intimidation or become frightened of you until the end of your next turn. You may use Strength, Constitution or Charisma, whichever is higher. to calculate your passive Intimidation (10+ability+proficiency). You may use this ability a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest.
Humans are the most numerable race of Askanir. They built the Empire, and settled the smaller continents of Dai Trahn and Hrathfelt. They are farmers, craftsmen, merchants, soldiers and nobles. They can be heroes and villains, and everything between.
There are several distinct cultures of humans on Askanir.
Those, that claim to be descendants of the humans that built the Empire, call themselves Imperials. Though their ancestors came from the south, most of them nowadays live in the remnants of what was the Northern Empire.
In Edesus and Naxeia, they form the majority of people, while they still are the nobility in Olbomenus. In the country, most people may be of a more mixed stock, but still proudly call themselves Imperials.
Imperials are of a darker complexion, with brown eyes and brown or black hair. They rarely reach 6’ and tend to be lean, though especially in the nobility, there are a lot of fat men and women.
The Plains of Dakhara are the traditional home of a people, that were called Kythians by the scholars of the Empire. They call themselves not by a single name, as they live in tribes that roam the land. Those tribes can number from 30 to about 300 souls, the largest ones often consisting of many smaller tribes that lost their leaders and united under the leadership of another tribe.
Kythians are nomads, keeping herds of sheep, goat and Saurids. Their Ironheads are famous, and ensured their freedom even under Imperial rule. They paid for their land and freedom with Ironheads for the Imperial Cavalry.
Kythians are of a lighter complexion, with dark eyes and black hair. They have high cheekbones and most have bent legs from growing up on sauridback. They rarely grow taller than 5’5“, and most are lean and strong. When they get older, some can grow rather fat, which is seen as a sign of good fortune and wealth.
The earliest settlers to reach the continent of Dan Trahn were kin to the humans that would build the Empire. They settled in the fertile plains, fought the monsters that inhabited the land and built the first towns. In the following centuries, the people grew to be a race and finally, a kingdom.
The capital, Atamgarong, is a wonder to behold, with its colourful rooftops and white walls. The palace stands atop a rock, towering above the city - showing the difference between nobility and common folk on first sight.
The Murong are born into a caste, and it is almost impossible to change it. Only exceptional deeds may lead to an advancement of social standing. For the most part, they die in the caste they were born in.
The easiest way to flee this system, is to become a sailor. On a ship, caste is of no meaning. It is no wonder than, that Murong has become the dominant sea-power, with ships that sail from Suya to Naxeia - if they make it past the Shattered Isles, that is. For here, the outcasts and the rebellious have formed sort of a pirate nation.
Murong rarely grow taller than 5’ and are of a dark complexion. They have almond-shaped eyes, mostly brown, seldom grey, and black hair. They tend to be lean, and for the common folk, it is hard to find someone on the chubby side.
To the scholars of the Empire, all the people that lived along the northern coast, were Northlanders. To them, they were just people of different tribes, like the Kythians. And, what was most important to them: they would not bend their knee to the Emperor.
Life is hard in the north of Maltabir, and it forms a hardy folk. It is a proud, strong race of men that lives here, and when the Imperial army marched into their territory, they gave battle. Their fierceness became legend, their power struck terror into the hearts of veterans, and after a number of lost battles, the Emperor decided that it was not worth the trouble. They built Pyliada as a trading town, the northernmost settlement of the Empire, after buying the land from its former inhabitants, paved a road - and left.
The town sits in the shadow of the Barrow Heath, where a lot of clans have buried their fallen heroes and chieftains over the millenia in barrows. This keeps it safe from raiding parties, as the land is sacred to most people.
Northlanders see themselves as members of a clan, a kind of extended family, where not everyone is bound by blood, but by oath. Some of the clan-leaders call themselves ‘king’, others ‘Theign’, but they all demand loyalty from their subjects.
Northlanders are tall and strong, easily growing over 6’ tall. They are of a fair complexion, with blonde oder auburn hair and blue or grey eyes. The men grow thick beards, which they sometimes wear in braids. The men tend to grow fat without excercise, which is seen as a sign of a good life in older men - and of laziness in younger.
Created as guardians over the Runemaster’s legacy, the Winged have performed their duties until humanity drove them off to the island of Guthland. There, their clans have established rookeries upon the mountains, where they live under the rule of the Council.
Winged look similar to humans in most regards, but for their frail frame and slightly elongated and pointed ears. Their hair is mostly dark, their skin pale and they do not grow facial hair. Eyes tend to be grey and blue.
And, of course, they sprout a pair of feathered wings from their backs. Those wings have spans up to 13 feet, with strong muscles that attach to their back.
Winged are not really good flyers in comparison to some birds like falcons and hawks or even crows. Their flight resembles more the flight of vultures and eagles, gliding on thermal winds for long periods of time. Taking to the air is no trivial matter for them, and that is probably one reason for them to build their homes in higher altitudes.
Winged are seldom seen in the world anymore. To most humans, they are creatures of legend, sometimes even seen as a kind of divine beings, closely associated to the Runemasters of myth. As they are often stoic and lack the emotionality of humans, to those that get to know them, they are cold and strange.
Age. Winged reach maturity by age 12. Winged can live up to 200 years, but due to the harsh environment in which they live, they seldom get older than 100.
Size. Winged are about 5 feet tall. They have thin, lightweight bodies that weigh between 80 and 100 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Fly Speed (30 ft). When flying you can't use or wear armour that isn't light or use or wear a shield that is not light or medium. If, for whatever reason, your movement speed becomes zero, then you may no longer fly and fall to the ground which may cause you to take falling damage. Your carrying capacity is reduced to twice your Strength score and you may not fly either upwards or horizontally whilst encumbered. Whenever you spend 3 full consecutive rounds airborne without landing, you gain a level of fatigue. Any fatigue gained in this way is removed upon finishing a short or long rest.
Winged Gifts
Flyby Attack
As long as you are airborne, you can make one attack action and move away from the target without provoking an Attack of Opportunity. To do this, you must move at least 20 feet in a straight line towards the target before the attack, and at least 10 feet after the attack.
Soaring
You have mastered the art of soaring like a bird of prey. When you fly, you can climb to great heights and use thermal winds to carry you. When flying in this way, you gain one level of fatigue per hour.
Touch of Magic
You may choose a cantrip from the Bard, or Wizard spell lists.
Winged Paragon
When you reach 10th level you are an exemplar of the Winged, and you gain one paragon gift from the following list.
Airborne Agility
Your flying carrying capacity now matches your regular capacity and, as a reaction, you may add 1d4 to your AC.
Soaring Champion
You double your fly Speed, which stacks as normal with other Speed granting effects. In addition you gain an expertise die to your maneuver DC when attempting the grapple and knockdown basic maneuvers against flying creatures.