Skies of Escarnum - Homebrew Setting (Introduction, Races & Feats)

This is the land of Alm. Here, humans have only recently arrived after serving as a slave race on the nearby continent of Parosea. Led by their "awakened" guides and with the aid of their allies, the stoic equitarn, humans have fought to earn a place amongst the savage bestial races who rule Alm – but not without generating their own conflicts.

In the absence of other organised religions, the zealous Church of the White Staff has arisen, claiming unique revelations and damning "heretic" magic users. The neighbouring kingdom of Kalyvas is cautious and methodical, refining swords and soldiers into machines of war, while the smaller nation of Tenebrae has turned to dark alliances to fend off their powerful neighbours. The city-state of Independence serves as a neutral trade hub where warring kingdoms come to bargain and barter, while the Rogue Isles are a haven for lawbreakers of all stripes.

All around, the gnolls of Beasthome provide an ever-present threat, always eager to prove their strength and win back territory. The mottled kingdom of Brandeis controls much of the mainland, mighty and proud, and dogged by those who await their misstep. The eladrin of Calanshae present the appearance of allies, but their courtly games have only their own best interests at heart.

From the deserts of Ashar, the jovial abilen align themselves with humans, developing vast trade networks in all civilised lands. The forests of Deepwood reach into the feywild, traversed by clever elves and their strange cousins, while the jungles of Kaath are home to the roguish wu-kan. Jotun fey-trolls walk their solitary paths through the every secret wilderness, while the regal soratami remain aloof and unchanging on their isolated island home.

All about the relics of the past are a reminder of ideas and inventions long-forgotten. Deep below the earth, industrious kobolds explore deep caverns in search of Aethyr artefacts, crafting bizarre gadgets of metal and magic; beneath Independence, the mysterious felbraug instead seek to unravel the secrets of their own souls. And above it all, airships scour the skyline for the lifeblood that drives these impossible machines: Escarnum.


Skies of Escarnum is a contemporary fantasy setting with a lighthearted, age-of-adventure atmosphere and pulp themes. It draws its style from various fantasy anime and manga, and from countless classic video games. It takes a bold, stylised approach to storytelling, emphasising fun and cinematics over realism.
Ideally,Escarnum attempts to blend fondly-held themes and tropes from two particular styles:

• Pulp Heroism: At the core of Escarnum's style is the notion that heroes should be larger than life. Whatever happens, they are the stars of a story before they are pieces in a game; they should always be able to make bad choices and take risks in the name of style or character, and in turn have opportunities to mitigate or escape the consequences. If in doubt, think of narrative before you think of realism; something that is entertaining is always better than something that is sensible.
  
• Inclusive Fantasy: Escarnum is a world designed around modern ideals and sensibilities, even as it is set in a fantasy era. The trappings may be old-fashioned, but the themes are enlightened. Sexism, racism, homophobia – such prejudices are certainly not absent, but they are the stuff of villains, or distinct character flaws. Escarnum furnishes its protagonists with enlightened ideals and sensibilities, then contrasts them with savage and prejudiced opposition.
  

What Escarnum isn't, is another pseudo-historical European fantasy realm, where men are men (as long as they are straight, white, cisgender men), women are princesses, and everybody in between need not apply. We already have plenty of traditional high-fantasy settings, so Escarnum's flavour is much more contemporary, inspired more by animation, superheroes and video games as sprawling high-fantasy novels. But more than anything, Escarnum aims to be welcoming. If you feel like there's never been a place for you in other D&D settings, we want there to be a place for you here.

The Ancient Future

Wherever they go, adventurers in Escarnum can discover strange relics that serve as the legacy of an ancient civilisation, the precursors. Far advanced in their knowledge of both magic and science, the precursors combined both to create incredible items whose secrets are now lost to the world. Most such relics are buried deep beneath the surface of the world, or concentrated on the continent of Aethys, and it was the kobolds who first began to discover and experiment with them.
Many relics are still a mystery to modern races, and more still are long-since broken. However, as engineering and magic advance once more amongst the peoples of Alm, their understanding of these powerful devices also deepens. As adventurers in the age of humanity, your characters have the chance to seek out and recover devices most people only dream about – and maybe even to be amongst the first to discover their true purpose.

Skies of Adventure

Floating far above the surface of the world, mysterious crystals known as Escarnum await those bold enough to claim them. Infused with tremendous arcane energy, Escarnum is the key to powering precursor relics – and developing new devices in their image. The crystals are amongst the most sought-after resources in the world, and various trade cartels wage daily economic wars for the right to harvest and sell them.

Gathering Escarnum, though, is a challenging and costly practice. Funded by enterprising kingdoms or wealthy private interests, crews of daring sailors traverse the skies in whatever vessels they can acquire, hoping to strike upon the mother lode that will bring them fame and fortune. Competing with vicious sky pirates and airborne beasts – as well as each other – are your characters willing to brave the Skies of Escarnum?

Campaigns in Escarnum

If you are a player in Escarnum, you should think hard about the character you want to portray, whether you are planning their personality in advance or developing it as you go. Consider ways you can use your character's goals and quirks to enrich the game for everybody – especially ways to cooperate and advance the story. Work together with other players, and be conscious of how much time you spend in the spotlight so you can make sure everybody else gets their turn.

In-character conflict is valuable when roleplaying, but make sure it doesn't leave the game world. If you foresee a situation where your character might make things difficult for the group, conspire with your fellow gamers to keep them in check. Share your ideas, and be open to suggestions from other players. If you don't let it become an obstruction, your character's personality will be a powerful tool for adding to the story.

If you are a GM in Escarnum, think of how you can pitch plot hooks at the characters' individual motivations, rather than just offering treasure or fame as universal incentives. Involve them as deeply as possible; don't let a plotline be something they can just walk away from. Try to empower the PCs as much as you can; this doesn't mean giving them more power in terms of game rules, but in the way the world and the story treat them. Run with their ideas when you can; reward them for taking initiative and use their own concepts to keep them hooked.

Use the world to treat the characters as their players envision them; if somebody is playing a gnoll because they like their character to be alienated, have NPCs draw attention to them or challenge their presence. If a player wants her wu-kan to be an infamous rogue, have them be recognised (for better or worse) except in the most backwater towns.

Strong characterisations can make or break a story, and a story is what you create in Escarnum. Work together with your group to make sure each character gets to be the person their player envisions, and the experience will be better for everyone.

This chapter lists the races normally available for player characters in Escarnum. The races you are likely to encounter here are a little different to those presented in the Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook. Here, bestial races dominated the land of Alm before the time of humans, meaning many of the major races are descended from more savage stock than their human-like counterparts. Where other settings have dwarven craftsmen or gnomish inventors, Escarnum has the crafty kobold clans; in place of halflings, one finds the cheerful and mercantile abilen. Instead of using half-orcs or dragonborn to provide physical might, Escarnum relies on the hardy jotun, horse-like equitarn and monstrous gnolls.

Other races are still present, but rather different in flavour or abilities. Other kobolds are cowardly, cave-dwelling lizardfolk, while those in Escarnum are draconic canines with a penchant for engineering and technology. Eladrin are descended from insular, refined aristocrats with an oriental flavour, not wilderness-dwelling elves. This change may be jarring at first, but remember there are vast areas of Escarnum which are yet to be explored. Traditional kobolds or elves may be just around the corner, so to speak.

In other worlds, just because a race doesn't have a pre-defined place in the setting, doesn't mean there is no room for them. Sticking to the races here will help to present Escarnum's unique flavour, but adding your group's favourite races from other 4th-edition D&D[/size][/size][/font][/color] products is a great way to customise that flavour to your own tastes. For more about this, see the Other Races section at the end of this chapter.

Racial Backgrounds

Each race detailed here comes with several additional choices of background. These are designed to give you an idea of common archetypes for Escarnum characters, but they're provided as an option only – there's no need to choose a race-specific background instead of those found in other sources. Use them to help you design a character who belongs in the setting, not a straight-jacket!

Escarnum racial backgrounds differ from other backgrounds you may have seen, by offering an associated ritual in addition to other benefits. Intended as a way to prompt groups who often ignore ritual casting, this is an option the GM may allow to be chosen as the character's background benefit. A character who chooses the associated ritual as their benefit can perform the ritual as if they mad master4ed it, without requiring a ritual book or ritual caster feat, though they must still pay any associated costs when the ritual is used.

Abilen

Gentle, civilised catfolk descended from savage beasts
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Racial traits

Average Height: 4'6"-5'6"
Average Weight: 60-100 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Charisma, +2 Intelligence or Dexterity
Size: Small
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Darkvision
Languages: Common, Abil, plus any one.
Skill Bonuses: +2 Diplomacy, +2 Insight
Feline Grace: You have a +1 racial bonus to Reflex and Will.
Cultural Savant: At first level, you gain training in one additional skill of your choice.
Through the Crowd: You have the through the crowd racial power.

Through the Crowd  · Abilen Racial Power

You utilise your small frame to slip into the perfect position, right under your enemies' noses.

Encounter

Free Action · Personal

Effect: Until the end of your turn, you do not provoke opportunity attacks for moving, and you can move through enemy squares.

Known the world over for their hospitality and smooth social skills, the catlike abilen are a fixture of civilised cities. They adapted quickly to human arrival in Alm, going about their lives peacefully, gradually ingratiating themselves with a fortuitously-timed trade offer or favourable business deal. Abilen became a necessary part of the new era so smoothly it was barely noticed.

Like the nation of Independence, the abilen's approach to the recent wars was to take great pains to work themselves into the political and mercantile foundations of all of Alm's important nations, meaning hostility toward them is widely frowned upon.

Play an abilen if you want...

• to have feline traits and appearance.
  
• to get along easily with friends and strangers.
  
• to be a nimble, lightly-armoured adventurer.
  

Physical Qualities

Abilen are small and slight creatures, with delicate builds and fine features. Their height is close to that of a human – typically a little under five feet – but they are extraordinarily light, weighing little more than a human youth. Their slender bodies lack the physical might of their bestial forebears, but in return grant them natural grace and agility.

Although their shape and stance are quite human, abilen bear many feline features, especially on their face. They have rounded faces with short muzzles, sharp teeth, and small pointed ears which sit toward the top of their heads. Their soft, sleek fur ranges in colour and markings, and they have tails much like domestic cats. They also sport small claws on fingers and toes, which retract when they are at rest.

Abilen have lifespans close to humans, but progress through childhood quickly, spending much longer in their prime. In turn, they show virtually no signs of aging until their twilight years, when their health typically deteriorates very swiftly.

Playing an Abilen

Although they descended from the beast-kin races long ago, abilen are now true creatures of comfort – mild-natured city-dwellers who have even less in common with their savage brethren than with the domestic cats they resemble. Friendly and cheerful, they have a natural aptitude for interpersonal skills, and are surprisingly able to make others feel at ease. If they have any predatory instinct at all, it shows only in their business dealings, where they are ruthless and uncompromising – they frown upon foul play, but think nothing of using their connections to run opponents into the ground.

Though they are native to the desert nation of Ashar, there are few civilised places where abilen have not become part of the community. Their kindly disposition and strong work ethic (coupled with the likelihood that they own or support most businesses in any major city) mean that few races bear them much distaste. Those who do not set up permanent businesses usually travel with merchant caravans, going wherever they perceive value.

An abilen adventurer is an unusual find, given the race's taste for comfort and structure. Most such individuals see an adventuring party as an investment, an avenue to social status, or the means to a more personal goal. Optimistic but practical, abilen adventurers like to plan for both the best and worst outcomes. They are most likely to take on jobs which involve social interaction and intrigue, though tactical warfare can prove just as suited to their talents.

Abilen Characteristics: Friendly, easygoing, sharp-witted, practical, mercantile, sanguine, creative, adaptable, sensible.

Names: Adina, Ari, Ashei, Eisha, Janya, Laksha, Leyla, Mia, Myan, Ruhan, Samira, Sanura, Shadi, Shameen, Shema, Tasha.  
Abilen names are the only modern use for Abil, the native abilen tongue. They are typically short – no more than two syllables – and usually end in vowel sounds.

Abilen backgrounds

Merchant Prince

“I believe there is an opportunity here.”
The heir of a wealthy business empire, you have grown up wanting for nothing. Now, however, you find yourself separated from your former life of luxury. Did you strike out to find your own worth, without the aid of your lineage? Or have been sent forth by your family to prove yourself an adequate heir? How badly do you want to return home – and what will allow you to do so?
Associated Skills: Bluff, diplomacy
Associated ritual: Fluid funds (EPG)

Caravan Minstrel

“You know, this reminds me of a song...”
Growing up as a traveller on the merchant caravans, you have never felt the desire to settle; to you, home is about what you experience, and with whom you share it. You collect performances like souvenirs – an exotic dance from Ashar, an artful symphony from Sorairo, a bold epic from Brandeis – and better yet, you can share them freely without ever giving them away. Are you travelling with your current group in order to add their heroic chronicle to your repertoire? Or have you decided it's finally time to be part of the story?
Associated Skills: History, religion
Associated ritual: Call of friendship (AP)

Industrial Saboteur

“I protect something which is bigger than all of us.”
Culturally, abilen value community and cooperation – and they see worldwide economic stability as something more valuable than any individual. Threats to the international marketplace are taken as seriously as anything can be, and the agents of this cause are subtle and without recognition. If an arms dealer runs aground after subverting trade sanctions, if a powerful cartel makes a bad deal and loses its monopoly, why should any special interference be assumed? Only a few are ever aware that the market does indeed possess invisible hands.
Associated Skills: Bluff, diplomacy
Associated ritual: Fool's gold (AP)

Awakened

Gifted humans sensitive to psionics and emotions
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Racial traits

Average Height: 5'5” - 6'2”
Average Weight: 130-190 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma or Intelligence
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Normal
Languages: Common plus any one.
Skill Bonuses: +2 Insight, +2 Perception
Familiar Blood: You can take feats and paragon paths that have human as a prerequisite, as long as you meet any other requirements.
Psionic Endowment: You gain one power point, which you can use to augment psionic powers and feats with the augmentable keyword, as if you had the psionic augmentation class feature. You are considered to have the psionic augmentation class feature for the sake of feats, paragon paths and other requirements.
Awakened Awe: You have the awakened awe racial power.

Awakened Awe · Awakened Racial Power

You use your psionic sensitivity to turn your own suffering into your enemies' pain.

Encounter · Psionic, Augmentable

No Action · Personal

Trigger: You would spend a healing surge and regain hit points. Effect: You do not regain any hit points. Instead, you can deal psychic damage equal to your Wisdom modifier to one adjacent enemy. Augment 1: Effect: You do not regain any hit points. Instead, you or one ally who can see you can make a melee or ranged basic attack as a free action.

The key to humanity's freedom, the awakened appeared in numerous human bloodlines in the last century, bringing with them the gift of psionic power. It was these individuals who heard the mysterious voices beckoning them to the lands of Alm, and led their people across the seas. Although other humans later came to find the power of the soul within themselves, the inherent psionic nature of the awakened still sets them apart.

The true nature of the awakened is a subject of controversy; some consider the awakened to be the logical progression of human evolution. Others wonder if the awakened were created by outside interference – if an existing psionic race could have gifted their powers to humanity – or suspect that they are the result of an ill-conceived Overseer experiment. Some even hold them as divine beings, shepherds sent to guide humanity's path.

Play an awakened if you want...

• to have native empathic powers.
  
• to be revered by your people, but kept at arm's length.
  
• to receive visions of the past, and the future.
  

Physical Qualities

Awakened come from various human stock, and do not have any genetic traits of their own. They are prone to be visually appealing, but not necessarily in a conventional sense – rather than simply beautiful, they tend to be unusual and interesting, compelling in ways which are difficult to describe. Most are marked in some fashion – set apart by unusual colouration, natural tattoo-like "brands", or other quirks.

Playing an Awakened

Though they vary almost as much as ordinary humans, most awakened have in common a somewhat introspective nature. Most are acutely aware of being different, even as children, and grow to be quiet and thoughtful individuals. Although they possess a kind of unnatural magnetism which is difficult to explain, most seek to exercise it only when necessary; many are not as socially adept as their appeal might suggest.

Having a great sense of the emotions around them, awakened are individuals who are rarely at peace; many are dubious that their abilities are truly gifts. A good number of awakened seek solitude even when they are well-liked, preferring the "quiet" of keeping their own company. Nonetheless, most are held by their home communities as a sign of good fortune, or at least as special being who must be treated well.

Perhaps due to this contradiction, many awakened never feel truly at home even in the place of their birth. For many, the life of an adventurer is simply the natural choice. Others still feel the call that caused their ancestors to lead humanity out of Parosea – these individuals are driven and determined adventurers, striving to discover new ways to help their kin.

Awakened Characteristics: Ethereal, rare, visionary, emotional, sensitive, introspective, intriguing, restless, lonely, treasured.

Names: As the human, though they may also be given a title by their community, such as "dreamwalker" or "farseer".

Awakened Backgrounds

Messiah

“I have a duty – I must show my people the path.”
Like the visionaries who led humanity out of Parosea, you have a duty. Blessed with the ability to glimpse the road ahead, you must guide and protect your people as they seek their destiny. You recognise and accept this duty – but is regret also there in your heart? Do you doubt your own abilities, or is your resolve firm and unyielding? Do you worry for a home or family you left behind, or has your calling kept you from forming such bonds? And what, then, of your current companions?
Associated Skills: Diplomacy, intimidate
Associated ritual: Battlefield Elocution (D366)

Gifted Recluse

“I never asked for this!”
Although the awakened are normally celebrated by their communities, you have instead fallen into the role of the outcast. Perhaps you have hidden your true powers, feeling you are unworthy of adoration – or fearing responsibility. Perhaps your empathy is too strong for comfort, forcing you away from company just to hear yourself think. For whatever reason, you have secluded yourself until falling in with your current group. How and why did you join them, and was it against your own wishes?
Associated Skills: Stealth, nature
Associated ritual: Seek rumour (FRPG)

Village Mystic

“All big problems are made up of small things.”
While most awakened feel themselves destined for grand purposes, your concerns are for more immediate things – for the people around you and the community they form. The problems you solve may seem trivial to others, but you know that by dealing with them, you tend your community like a garden, keeping fear and hatred from ever taking root. Are you seen as a benevolent oracle, or a mysterious soothsayer? Perhaps even an imperious prophet, levying your aid for status and renown? And what has motivated you to leave the home you care so much for?
Associated Skills: Insight, streetwise
Associated ritual: Object reading (AP)

Equitarn

Stoic equine giants originally bred for slave labour
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Racial traits

Average Height: 9'6"-10'6"
Average Weight: 1,500-2,000 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Strength, +2 Constitution or Wisdom
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Normal
Languages: Common, plus any one.
Skill Bonuses: +2 Endurance, +2 Athletics
Pack Mule: When determining your normal load, heavy load, or maximum drag load, you treat your Strength score as 5 points higher.
Stubborn: You gain a +5 bonus to saving throws against effects that daze, stun or dominate.
Rock Solid: You have the rock solid racial power.

Rock Solid · Equitarn Racial Power

By stopping still and holding your ground, you become a truly immoveable object.

At-will

Move Action · Personal

Effect: Until the beginning of your next turn, you are immobilised and cannot be pushed, pulled or slid.

Bred by the Overseers through experimental rituals that blended humans and horses, the equitarn were created on Parosea to serve as soldiers and labourers. Conditioned to be reliable and obedient, the equitarn suffered in silence until humanity rebelled – when, as one, they turned to aid their fellow slaves. Bound by an unspoken alliance, they journeyed with the humans to the new world of Alm, where they have remained their firmest allies.

Many equitarn feel a kinship with humans and share their cities, lending much-needed physical labour and defensive might to their fledgeling kingdoms. Others, feeling the call of the wilderness as their ultimate freedom, struck out for the open plains. Today, their nomadic tribes roam much of the Grasslands of central Alm.

Play an equitarn if you want...

• to be a massive, unmoveable foe.
  
• to choose your own family.
  
• to act slowly, but decisively.
  

Physical Qualities

Equitarn are tall and broad, very much resembling a midpoint between humans and horses. Their sturdy forms pair powerful equine muscles with a humanoid structure, though individuals may lean further toward one form or the other. An equitarn is covered by a short, velvety coat with horse-like markings, and is crowned with mane-like hair on a scalp that stretches to the base of the neck. Their faces reveal varying degrees of mixed heritage; most have broadly humanoid features with an elongated nose and muzzle, though some look distinctly more human or equine. Equitarn typically have yellow, orange or deep brown eyes.

Bred to endure the harshest of weather, equitarn usually opt for minimalistic clothing that does not hamper movement. Such armour as equitarn wear is reminiscent of barding, though rare is the equitarn who will willingly serve as a mount.

Equitarn grow extremely quickly, becoming full-grown in less than ten years. This rate of growth does not continue for long, however; these beasts of burden were built to live long and sturdy lives, and remain in their prime for almost 90 years before experiencing a quick, sharp decline.

Playing an Equitarn

Equitarn are known for being stoic, reserved creatures, of few words and little emotion. They are typically slow to judge or act, preferring careful reasoning to rash decisions; however, once their minds are made up, they are resolute in their choices. Equitarn have long memories, holding grudges deeply and rarely forgetting a debt; often, dying equitarn even pass unsettled scores on to their next-of-kin, a responsibility treated with great solemnity.

Most equitarn have a strong sense of family, attaching themselves to a small social group with in a distinct merit-based hierarchy. Roles of authority shift regularly, but usually without conflict – equitarn typically respect structure as the best means to maintain order, and challenges are typically resolved through voting or peaceful competition.

Equitarn also tend to be tremendously protective of their "family", and take slights against them as seriously as personal insults. Indeed, equitarn rarely become adventurers for the sake of their own interests, but can frequently be found acting as bodyguards for less hardy creatures.

Equitarn Characteristics: Loyal, dependable, stoic, stubborn, cautious, vengeful, patient, placid, momentous.

Example names: Alder, Autumn, Bank, Briar, Bracken, Calyx, Dust, Eve, Maple, Oak, Rust, Smoke, Storm, Teak, Trace, Thorn.
Most equitarn names come from an aspect of nature significant to their birth; a particular type of tree, for example, or the time of year they were born.

Equitarn backgrounds

Indebted Bodyguard

“I go where you go.”
For some reason, you owe a debt of gratitude to one of your companions. Perhaps they helped you directly, or maybe their ancestor did you a great service. Perhaps you even agreed to inherit the debt of a herd member who passed away. Either way, your duty to repay this debt is even more important than your home and family, and you are a loyal guardian to your charge – whether they like it or not.
Associated skills: Intimidate, insight
Associated ritual: Warded campsite (MP2)

Herd-Lost Wanderer

“There is nothing left for me here.”
Though you chose the life of the herd, your family was somehow taken from you. What happened to them, and who was responsible? Did they fall to the ravages of nature, or to deliberate warfare – and how were you spared? Do you seek revenge? Do you regard your current group as your new family, or do you believe that nothing can truly replace your old herd?
Associated skills: Nature, endurance
Associated ritual: Long-distance runner (MP2)

Day Labourer

“One, two, three – heave!”
While others of your kind yearn for the freedom of the open plains, your world is that of the city. Wherever goods need to be hauled or structures built, there is always work for a strong pair of arms and a steady back. With a reputation for reliability and diligence, equitarn labourers rarely have difficulty finding work. Do you live up to that reputation, or are you using it to cover a private lazy streak? Who is your current employer, and how do they feel about you taking up with an adventuring party?
Associated skills: Athletics, endurance
Associated ritual: Feat of strength (FRPG)

Felbraug

Diminutive rat-folk with a racial knack for psionics
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Racial traits

Average Height: 3'6"-4'6"
Average Weight: 60-80 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Wisdom, +2 Dexterity or Intelligence
Size: Small
Speed: 7 squares
Vision: Normal
Languages: Fel and Common, plus any one.
Skill Bonuses: +2 History
Racial Memory: You gain a +2 to all Knowledge skills, and can make checks with Knowledge skills untrained.
Psionic Endowment: You gain one power point, which you can use to augment psionic powers and feats with the augmentable keyword, as if you had the psionic augmentation class feature. You are considered to have the psionic augmentation class feature for the sake of feats, paragon paths and other requirements.
Threads of Fate: You have the threads of fate racial power.

Threads of Fate · Felbraug Racial Power

In a brief flash of psychic insight, you see the ideal point to strike down your foe.

Encounter · Psionic, Augmentable, Psychic

Free Action · Personal

Trigger: You would make an attack roll. Effect: You make the attack roll twice and choose one.   Augment 1: Effect: You make the attack roll twice and choose one. If both attack rolls hit, the target takes extra psychic damage equal to 1d8 + your Wisdom modifier. Level 11: 2d8 + your Wisdom modifier. Level 21: 3d8 + your Wisdom modifier.

Diminutive, rodent-like creatures who share a psionic gift, felbraug were stumbled upon by humans when the newcomers colonised Independence. In the layers of ancient buildings below the island's surface, these mysterious creatures had survived for countless generations in the ruins of what had come before. The felbraug brought with them stories of a "precursor" race from the dawn of time, psions who once harnessed untold forces with their tremendous mental might. Then, some terrible tragedy wiped them from the world, leaving only the felbraug to recall them. The story is considered apocryphal by most other races, but Escarnum's scattered ruins of advanced civilisation, older even than the fey races can recall, lend some veracity to the claim.

In any case, the felbraug were greatly excited by the humans' coming, and eager to work with them as they found their place in Alm. It is whispered in the deepest tunnels that humans and felbraug are kin, their fates forever interwoven on the loom of souls – and that, in time, they will open the way for the precursors to return to Alm.

Play a felbraug if you want...

• to be a small, speedy combatant.
  
• to share your memory and experiences with other members of your race.
  
• to come from the oldest race in Alm.
  

Physical Qualities

Felbraug share many physical traits with rats, though they are humanoid in general shape. Short and slender creatures, they seem quite frail, often weighing less than a human child; however, they are as durable as any human adult. They sport a single long tail extending from the coccyx, and also a series of very fine tails growing from the scalp, forming what appears to be tight braids of hair. Indeed, it is often mistaken for hair by other races.

Felbraug faces are human-like but childish, with a slightly extended muzzle and soft fur up the bridge of the nose. Like rats, felbraug have prominent front teeth on both jaws, which are barely visible when the mouth is closed. Their ears appear long and thin, similar to elven ears; in fact, they are a rubbery membrane stretched between fine bones, which splays into a fan shape when alert. Their hands and feet are particularly delicate, with tiny pin-sharp claws.

Felbraug live only slightly longer than humans. However, their appearance and serene attitude – and their collective racial memory – give them a certain ageless quality, which has led to the myth that they are much longer-lived.

Playing a Felbraug

Felbraug are mysterious, patient creatures who spend a great deal of time observing their surroundings. Although the depths of their tunnels keep ages-old secrets, they are both inquisitive and open-minded. They are always seeking to learn new things – especially since that means sharing such knowledge with their kin. Although they are careful in choosing quests and companions, they are almost always eager to pursue new experiences.

As psionic beings, felbraug make no distinction between the concepts of mind and soul; what is a soul, if not the sum of one's every fear, hope and dream? In turn, they view the presence of consciousness as more important than physical form; a "country" to a felbraug is not a place where one lives, but rather the community of people who live there.

The felbraug race has its own philosophy on life and death; to them, the world is a never-ending ebb and flow, where souls die in one life to begin anew in another. They call this cycle "the weave" or "the pattern", likening the universe itself to a great loom where endless threads are woven into one cloth. Felbraug share a sort of collective memory, a pool of knowledge from which they can all occasionally draw; they claim that this too comes from the weave, a place where the mind's eye can briefly glimpse the pattern that describes all truths.

Felbraug Characteristics: Thoughtful, introspective, perceptive, wise, exotic, philosophical, curious, patient, mysterious.

Names: Archer, Brewer, Caller, Carter, Hunter, Mender, Runner, Seeker, Smith, Speaker, Trapper, Wayfinder, Weaver, Wright.
Fel names are unpronounceable to non-psionic beings, so they typically adopt the name of their job when dealing with other races.

Felbraug Backgrounds

Contemplative

“There is a lesson to be learned here.”
Like many of your kin, your life has led you to the way of contemplation, the pursuit of enlightenment by harmonising mind and body. The path you walk is that of discovery – every new experience, every piece of knowledge, furthers your understanding of the weave, and of your true strength. Do you walk this path with discipline, through temperance and careful study? Or do you seek enlightenment in joy and beauty? More importantly, how has your path led you here?
Associated skills: Religion, history
Associated ritual: Last sight vision (OG)

Kinseeker

“You are not Fel, but I sense in you the soul of my kin.”
Felbraug revere the weave, the pattern of souls dying and being reborn. Most are reborn into their own race, but sometimes, they join another species for a time, gaining valuable experiences which will be woven into the great pattern once they die. You are one chosen to seek out these "errant felbraug", to watch over them as they carry out this important duty. Do you serve one of your party members, believing them to be such a soul? Or is your search yet unfulfilled?
Associated skills: Insight, diplomacy
Associated ritual: Comprehend language (PHB)

Loom-child

“The weave guides my path.”
Once every so often, a felbraug is born whose connection to the weave is so strong, they can hear the voices of the ancestors. You are an individual so blessed, who carries the hopes and dreams of those gone before. Your ancestors are always watching over you, but their guidance is not always welcome. Do you agree with their wisdom, or do you think they misunderstand your place in the pattern? Do you find it hard to live up to their expectations, or are you every bit the golden child they believe you to be?
Associated skills: History, perception
Associated ritual:Hand of fate (PHB)

Jotun (Fey Troll)

Proud fey infused with the spirit of the wilds

Racial traits

Average Height: 6'0"-8'0"
Average Weight: 275-400 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Constitution, +2 Strength or Charisma
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Darkvision
Languages: Sylvan, plus either Common or Bestial.
Skill Bonuses: +2 Nature, +2 Perception
Fey Origin: You are considered a fey creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.
Weathered Soul: You do not need to make Endurance checks to resist the effects of natural environmental dangers.
Unfathomable Stomach: You can live on almost any "food" you can consume, regardless of whether or not it is intended for eating – twigs, sand, rocks and even coins can all make an adequate meal. You are immune to starvation, and the time you can go without water is measured in weeks rather than days.
Acquired Immunity: Your bizarre diet has left you inured to many toxins. You have resist poison 5.
Landfall: Your have the landfall racial power.

Landfall · Jotun Racial Power

You drive your fist into the earth, drawing forth the power of your birthright.

Encounter · Primal, Zone

Minor Action · Close burst 2

Effect: You create a zone that lasts until the end of your next turn. Squares in the zone are difficult terrain for enemies. Each time an enemy enters the zone or starts its turn in the zone, you can slide it to an adjacent square in the zone.

Jotunar are one of the few races native to the continent of Alm which are not bestial in nature. Instead, these creatures are descended of the fey, their origins rooted deeply in the most hostile of nature's reaches. Although they draw life from the land, jotunar are far from whimsical sprites; their strength rivals that of any beast, and they are terrible foes indeed. Nonetheless, they have found little acceptance from the beast races, and thus they remain solitary creatures, diverse individuals focused on survival.

Found in every sort of wilderness – from the forests of Deepwood to the barren outlands, the mountains of Okarthel to the swamps of K’aa – the tenacious jotunar occupy a strange ecological niche. They live at one with nature, but not in the way that other races might claim – rather, they are hard-bitten survivalists, free from the opulent tastes which so afflict civilised folk. Refusing to relinquish their place even through eras of destruction and war, the jotunar have endured, in their own quiet but proud fashion.

Play a jotun if you want...

• to be able to eat anything.
  
• to be inherently connected to the wilderness.
  
• to be a monstrous creature of fey origin.
  

Physical Qualities

Jotunar stand head-and-shoulders over most civilised races, and are markedly heavier. They do not appear "monstrous" in the traditional sense; rather, they have an almost noble bearing. Their bodies are lean and rangey, their shoulders broad; they have broad foreheads, strong noses, short pointed ears and angular jaws. They also have pointed canines and small horns, and eyes typically of bright red or violet. Jotunar exhibit little sexual dimorphism, and even females appear fairly masculine to human sensibilities.

Jotunar inherit some physical aspects from their environment. A jotun born in forest or swampland probably has green-tinged skin with the texture of moss. Weathered brown hides are seen in the deserts and mountains, while snowfields or deep caves yield smooth grey and white. The typical jotun cultivates a savage but practical appearance; they often grow their hair long, but wear it in tight braids or bands, keeping it out of their way in combat. They also favour scars, regarding them as tokens of pride, and extensive tribal tattoos or wode.

Playing a Jotun

Jotunar are typically solitary, pragmatic and proud. They live in perilous lands, where if something isn't trying to eat you, it's probably because you're too big; decisive, powerful action tends to keep them alive better than caution or restraint. Some are grim and pragmatic, while others feel that their emotions are the true voice of their savage soul. They are not without philosophy, but pastimes without practical results have little traction amongst them; typically, one will listen to your words, but base judgements only on your actions.

Jotun adventurers are uncommon but valuable; their tenacity and toughness, as well as their native connection to the wilderness, make them born survivalists. Though they prefer solitude, jotunar can often be persuaded to act as guides or bodyguards in treacherous terrain – at least for a temporary time. A debt may also be a compelling reason for a jotun to join a group; their pride seldom allows such dues to go unpaid. Unscrupulous groups exploring a new land might even capture a jotun and force it to aid them – if they have the power.

Jotun Characteristics: Proud, spiritual, rustic, solitary, decisive, practical, physical, determined.
Names: Ald, Ark, Baldur, Drea, Ein, Ix, Keld, Lai, Rhynnu, Rine, Skald, Skarn, Slew, Thrall, Tarn, Urdh.
Jotun names are simple and short, and can be yelled easily (to make it easier on whoever avenges their death).

Jotun Backgrounds

Pathfinder

“Follow me, if you wish to live.”
Like most of your kin, you choose to live away from civilisation, making your home deep in the wilderness. There, your intimate knowledge of nature and survival skills makes you a desirable companion for explorers, if only in a temporary role. Those who can find you, and persuade you to act as their guide, find your skills invaluable. This is probably how you met your current companions, but what is it that makes them worthy of your continued support?
Associated Skills: Nature, Insight
Associated ritual: Endure elements (PHB)

Gatekeeper

“This world is not yours.”
Jotunar are scions of the feywild, living embodiments of those savage places where one plane bleeds into the next. Many instate themselves as the guardians of such places, watchers who see that creatures born of the feywild do not overstay their welcome on the material plane. Is your stewardship born of a sense of great duty? Or is it simply the way to find a worthy challenge? Were you in pursuit of an escaped quarry when you met your current companions, and are you chasing them still?
Associated Skills: Perception, Intimidate
Associated ritual: Hunter's Curse (D380)

Stolen One

“The jotunar reflect the land… what must I reflect?”
Though it is outlawed in most human settlements, black market slavery is hardly unknown in Alm. Wild instincts and physical prowess make the jotunar difficult but rewarding targets for those who would exploit them, especially given their generally solitary nature. You are one such individual – probably captured during your youth by arrogant eladrin or unscrupulous gnolls. Where did you grow up, and how has it set you apart from other jotunar? Do you mourn for the freedom you lost, or do you believe your unusual experiences have made you all the stronger?
Associated Skills: Diplomacy, Endurance
Associated ritual: Iron Vigil (DP)

Kobold (Almish)

Small but ingenious, pioneers of invention

Almish kobolds are identical to the kobold race detailed in the D&D 4e Monster Manual, except as noted below:

Racial Traits

Ability Scores: Choose either Constitution or Dexterity. Instead of a +2 to the chosen ability score, you instead gain a +2 to Intelligence.
Languages: Draconic, plus either Common or Bestial.
Beast Kin: Your ancestors were amongst the many bestial races who once ruled Alm. You are considered a beast creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature type.

Far from cowardly reptiles, the kobolds of Alm are an inventive and enterprising race. Once the poorest of the beast-kin races, the downtrodden slaves of their tyrannical "god", kobolds changed the course of history through their ingenuity and courage. Learning from the relics left by the precursors, the kobolds discovered gunpowder and went on to destroy their god, revealing his divinity – perhaps all divinity – to be a ruse. This world-shaking event changed the way religion was perceived forever, and made the kobolds the pioneers of the what would later become known as "technology".

After their emancipation, the Almish kobolds sent a band of heroes to the surface world to seek a new homeland. Each of these "Seven Seekers" formed their own mining colony, and they became the forebears of the seven kobold clans.

Play a kobold if you want...

• to be an inventor of machines and magecraft.
  
• to have helped overthrow a tyrannical divine overlord.
  
• to have draconic and canine traits.
  

Physical Qualities

Almish kobolds draw their ancestry as much from canine forebears as from draconic, making them a peculiar mix of mammalian and reptilian traits. They are small and thin creatures whose natural stance is a crouch, balanced by a long, tapering tail. They stand digitigrade on long, clawed feet, which can be extended along with their legs to gain a remarkable burst of speed.

An Almish kobold's muzzle is long and thin, like a reptile, but their teeth are closer to a dog. Their fur coats come in various lengths, colours and patterns, depending on the clans from which they hail; Leirith kobolds typically have shaggy grey coats, while the Tihuirl have short, rough coats in brown hues. Beneath their fur, tough scales are a quiet testament to their draconic heritage; looking close, one can see the colourful sheen of a kobold's ancestral dragon. Those in whom the draconic influence is strongest also sport reptilian crests or fins.

An Almish kobold has a slightly shorter lifespan than a human, though they also mature somewhat more quickly.

Playing an Almish Kobold

Used to being mistreated or looked down upon, Almish kobolds are typically stubborn and slow to trust, and distinctly uncomfortable with authority. However, this contrary streak makes them fiercely protective of their kin, including those outsiders they consider family. As adventurers, they are tough, determined creatures whose courage belies their small size.

Possessed of a frenetic energy, Almish kobolds are difficult to control or keep up with. They are renowned for a sort of bizarre sideways-thinking that leads them to ideas other races might never reach. Their off-the-wall solutions often seem incomprehensible to others – even moreso the disquieting devices they create – but it's difficult to argue that they aren't effective. Not all kobolds are gadgeteers, of course, but even those who are not typically share this creativity and unconventional outlook.

Philosophy is not a traditional area of interest for kobolds, but since the death of their "god", it has become a point of much curiosity. If the god is a lie, what of his promised afterlife? Much debate moves through kobold communities regarding this topic, though much of it seems a simple contest of exaggeration. It is broadly believed that they will eventually vote in the most outrageous theory.

Almish Kobold Characteristics: Inventive, impulsive, inquisitive, energetic, irreverent, courageous, industrious, determined, tough, skeptical, stubborn.
Names: Arytiss, Chicahua, Edar, Leirith, Manauia, Mejir, Nanixtl, Neitl, Skeltr, Talz, Tihuirl, Vaess.
Almish kobold names are taken from the draconic tongue as a mark of pride, and it is a common practice for a young kobold to choose a new name for themselves when they reach adulthood.

Kobold Backgrounds

Gearsmith

“No no. Try this.”
Like the Seventh Seeker Vaess, you have an uncanny knack for engineering and craftsmanship. Always looking for a new development, you're constantly furnishing your party with odd devices – and keeping their existing gear in working order. Why did you become an adventurer, when you could have had a successful career back home? Are you looking for new inspiration? Or stockpiling funds for a grand experiment?
Associated skills: Dungeoneering, arcana
Associated ritual: Enchant magic item (PHB)

Calamitous Tinkerer

“I wonder what would happen if...”
Even for a kobold, you have an insatiable desire for experimentation – and an under-developed voice of reason. Even working devices can be improved with a little adjustment. The occasional perilous misfire is simply part of the process! "Normal" people prefer to keep their distance from you – do you make your adventuring party nervous too? Or do you choose these companions because they have the vision to truly appreciate science?
Associated skills: Thievery, arcana
Associated ritual: Disenchant magic item (PHB)

Trapspringer

“Hand me that pole.”
While other kobolds tinker with Aethyr relics or devise bizarre machines, you follow one of your race's older traditions. Dedicated to exploration, you seek out the secret places at the very heart of the world. Accustomed to deadly hazards and vicious beasts, you are used to being in constant peril; do you rely on steely resolve to keep your feet moving, or is your sense of consequences as stunted as that of your inventor kin?
Associated skills: Perception, dungeoneering
Associated ritual: Detect secret doors (PHB)

Soratami (Ancestral Eladrin)

Insular aristocrats who value honour and tradition

Soratami are identical to the eladrin race detailed in the D&D 4e Player's Handbook, except as noted below:

Racial traits

Languages: Sorana, plus any one.

An ancient race native to the floating island of Sorairo, the soratami are a dignified, structured people who place great importance on etiquette and composure. They have little interest in mingling with the races of the mainland, preferring to remain above the concerns of other races – and keep their own matters entirely private. In truth, the soratami are closely related to the eladrin of the mainland, separated only by time and distance – though both races are loathe to admit this carefully guarded secret.

Play a soratami if you want...

• to be a stern, proud aristocrat.
  
• to strongly respect – or pointedly defy – your nation's ancient traditions.
  
• to be exotic and otherworldly, perhaps even feared.
  

Physical Qualities

Much like eladrin, soratami are tall, slender creatures who are known for their grace and beauty. They have no facial or body hair save for eyebrows and lashes, and tend toward thin builds with narrow shoulders and hips; they display little sexual dimorphism, and often seem androgynous (if generally feminine) to humans. Their skin tone is typically very pale. Soratami hair comes in all colours of the rainbow, but typically in soft, pale hues; it is typically worn long, bound up in elaborate, fashionable styles.

Playing a Soratami

Even more than their eladrin cousins, soratami are aloof and insular. Although the people of Sorairo are not openly hostile toward the mainland, they avoid other races, and take advantage of their isolation to keep them away. Appearance and conduct are paramount in their society; they strive to contain their emotions and present a dignified front at all times.

Even adventurer soratami still share most of these values; they are regal, stern and regimented folk who place a high value on honour. Even those who mingle with the surface races tend toward a certain blithe arrogance; rather than scorning other races, they often observe them with patient curiosity, as if studying a strange animal.

Most soratami adventurers are outcasts: individuals forced to leave Sorairo for reasons of social or political origin, rebels who spurn the traditional ways of their people, or the rare soratami born on the mainland. These rare few may gain a true appreciation of other races and their ways, which often makes them more mature than their isolated counterparts.

Soratami Characteristics: Proud, aesthetic, perfectionist, insular, aloof, erudite, honourable, structured, strict, patient, dignified, elite.

Given Names: Akeshi, Amaya, Baiken, Emiko, Haruka, Hidatsu, Kanae, Koujiro, Kurai, Masaru, Naoko, Saori, Shiki, Tenseikou, Uyoku, Yasuo.
Soratami have as many as five given names, forming elaborate titles written with a special alphabet and taken from a limited pool. Every name carries the weight of history – most children hope to have the honour of inheriting names from important forebears. A soratami's names belong not to an individual, but to their entire family, and all those who have carried the names before.

Soratami Backgrounds

Courtly Outcast

“My departure was deemed... prudent.”
Although you are a native of Sorairo, you have somehow lost the favour of your peers, cast out of courtly society until you can redeem yourself. What happened to bring such shame upon you – and was it legitimate, or the work of an underhanded rival? Were you cast out by force, or did you leave on your own to save face? Will you eventually win back your former status, or discover something even more valuable?
Associated Skills: History, religion
Associated ritual: Seek Rumour (FRPG)

Trailblazer

“Ignoring the lesser races will lead to our stagnation.”
Though your family may not have been pleased, you are one of the proud few who willingly chose to leave your homeland. Perhaps you see some value in the "lesser races" that your peers do not, or perhaps you are fascinated by their alien ways. Do you aim to bridge the gap between your insular people and the races of the mainland? Or are you happy to leave your own kin behind, if that is what it takes?
Associated Skills: Diplomacy, streetwise
Associated ritual: Comprehend Language (PHB)

Shadow Warrior

“There is but one virtue greater than honour, and it is duty.”
The society of soratami is built on millennia of strict political structures and codified behaviour. Soratami leaders need to appear beyond mortal failings, yet they are still mortal; how, then, can they be divine and infallible? To allow your exalted leaders to occupy such a role, you have taken on the heavy mantle of the shadow warrior. Unseen by mortals and by history, you do what your master cannot, sacrificing your own honour to maintain the celestial order.
Associated Skills: Diplomacy, thievery
Associated ritual: Hidden Pocket (MP2)

Wu-Kan

Fearless treeborne acrobatics, perpetually optimistic
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Racial traits

Average Height: 5'5"-6'0"
Average Weight: 85-135 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Charisma, +2 Dexterity or Constitution
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Normal
Languages: Kaash, plus one of Elven, Common or Bestial.
Natural Acrobat: You gain a +2 bonus to Acrobatics checks, and may use Acrobatics in place of Athletics when climbing.
Blessed Fortune: You gain a +1 racial bonus to Will, Reflex and Fortitude defences.
Insatiable Curiosity: You have the insatiable curiosity racial power.

Insatiable Curiosity · Wu-kan Racial Power

You throw caution to the wind, shaking off your misgivings. What could possibly go wrong?

Encounter

No Action · Personal

Trigger: Your begin your turn. Effect: You end all fear effects on you that a save can end.

The wu-kan are a small offshoot of the beast-kin races who found a home on the isolated island of Kaath. They claim to have descended from a great hero named Sunmon'Tzu, a beast-kin slave with a hint of angelic ancestry. Sunmon'Tzu used his formidable cunning to escape from his slow-witted masters and establish his own stronghold on Kaath, where – protected by the sea and the jungle – he resisted many an invasion. There are countless tales of his daring exploits, but the most important details how Sunmon'Tzu won the heart of the beautiful soratami princess Kannou, and through their union began the wu-kan race.

Their sheltered home allows the wu-kan to enjoy a position of safety in times of war, which has made them irreverent, anti-authoritarian, and a little smug. They are fiercely protective of their save haven, but are usually friendly toward those who don't try to threaten it.

Play a wu-kan if you want...

• to travel mostly by the seat of your pants.
  
• to be at home in both the jungle and the city.
  
• to be a fearless daredevil who relies on luck and charm.
  

Physical Qualities

Wu-kan are slim, long-limbed humanoids with broad, friendly faces. They are graceful, and carry themselves with easy style. They tend to be pale-skinned, with slate-grey eyes and hair of grey, white or silver. Their bodies are covered with a very fine coat of pale fur; they don't appear to have pelts, but their skin has a soft, velvety texture. Though they are otherwise mammalian, tufts of white or grey feathers sprout around their ankles, wrists and elbows, and sometimes their shoulder blades.

Wu-kan sport long furry tails which can be used for grasping or balance. Coupled with elongated, double-jointed fingers and toes, these aids make climbing trivial for a kan, who live most of their lives in the treetops. Wu-kan usually dress with this in mind, keeping any shoes or gloves open to allow grip. They are also identified by large, round, furry ears that sit low on their heads, almost flat against the neck.

The typical wu-kan lives about half as long as a soratami, but they rarely show any physical signs of old age, even in their last days.

Playing a Wu-kan

Wu-kan have a long lifespan coupled with a serioulsy truncated attention span. They are typically spontaneous and reckless, perfectly able to recognise consequences, but rarely considering their relevance. This strange inability to feel fear has led to wu-kan being perceived as somewhat mad, though never boring.

Inquisitive, open-hearted and irresponsible, wu-kan have an inherent dislike for authority and structure. They are all but expected to embrace wanderlust at some point, though most eventually return to Kaath and raise a family in their autumn years. However, it's not unusual for a kan to settle in a foreign town that refuses to relinquish his interest – or to continue adventuring in search of fame, fortune and friendship.

Wu-kan are inclined toward honesty and good humour, and most share a common desire to bring joy to the world. Combined with their rather cavalier attitude toward friendship and love, this open-mindedness has given the wu-kan a reputation for being delightful, if unreliable, companions.

Wu-kan Characteristics: Witty, fearless, loyal, lucky, reckless, enthusiastic, friendly, cheerful, optimistic, joyful, humourous, irreverent.

Names: Arra'Chea, Aro, Bo, Eka'Ri, Haru, Jia'Wan, Kala'Ru, Kannou, Kana'Ye, Lin Yee, Rin'Keru, Sun'Mon, Tika'Ru.

Wu-kan Backgrounds

Fortune Seeker

“My legend has just begun!”
Every wu-kan babe hears the epic tale of Sunmon'Tzu, many before they leave their cradle. Combined with natural wanderlust and a literally fearless mind, the exploits of the great wu-kan hero inspire countless adventurers to journey forth from the jungle, seeking fame and fortune in the vast lands to the east. You are one such traveller, forging your own legend, chasing the horizon as far as fate allows.
Associated Skills: Streetwise, nature
Associated ritual: Knock (PHB2)

Jester

“Why so hostile? We're all heroes here!”
With all their childlike wonder and adventurous spirit, people often dismiss all wu-kan as fools. That's something you can take advantage of – why not smile and play along, if it keeps everybody happy? Whether you act the clown to defuse tensions, to conceal less wholesome intentions, or to ease some private sorrow, you can always be relied on to bring some levity to a difficult situation. After all, everybody needs to laugh.
Associated Skills: Bluff, diplomacy
Associated ritual: Calm Emotions(AP)

Existing Races

Eladrin (Almish)

Former soratami outcasts, now rulers of Calanshae

Thousands of years ago, a political fracture within the soratami nation led to entire bloodlines being exiled from their island home. Desperate to find a place for themselves, the losing faction had no choice but to escape to the surface, where they concentrated their efforts into wresting a small piece of land from beast-kin control. With the forests of Deepwood at their backs, they found power in the land's connection to the feywild – and unexpected allies in the elves who dwelt there. Adopting the language of the elves, they became known as eladrin, and their land as Calanshae.

Ultimately, Almish eladrin believe they are a blessed people, chosen as lords of the feywild to rule on the material plane; their dealings with other races are polite and civilised, but never kind. Even the elves, who made it possible for them to first establish their kingdom, are now treated as n exploited working class. Though their position between beast kingdoms and human settlers was once highly tenuous, their cunning has made them strong; through ruthless court games, carefully-worded alliances, and the sacrifice of an occasional pawn, they expanded their domain considerably during the Establishing War. They are now a significant force amongst the mainland's nations.

Game mechanics for the Almish eladrin are identical to the eladrin race detailed in the D&D 4e Player's Handbook, except as noted below:

Racial Traits
Languages: Sylvan, plus any one.

Human (Almish)

New arrivals to Alm, fresh from centuries of slavery

The humans of Escarnum came to Alm from the continent of Parosea, where they were enslaved by a supernaturally powerful race calling themselves the Overseers. Unable to learn magic and without naturally gifted individuals such as sorcerors, humans languished under this rule for many centuries, until finally – by some mysterious cause still unknown – the awakened began to appear amongst their number, bringing with them the power of psionics.

With this aid – and that of their fellow slaves, the equitarn – the humans finally managed to overthrow and destroy their masters. Then, under the guidance of the awakened, they left their scarred homeland and struck out toward the new continent of Alm. Here they found the land populated by what they called "the beast-kin" – races of bestial humanoids such as gnolls and kobolds, and magical beasts such as griffons and wyverns. Through a combination of desperation and tenacity, humans fought to win themselves a place in Alm, forming settlements which eventually grew into the three human kingdoms – Aurion, Kalyvas and Tenebrae.

Game mechanics for the Almish human are identical to the human race detailed in the D&D 4e Player's Handbook.

Gnoll (Almish)

Mightiest of the beast-kin, the former rulers of Alm

Before humans came to Alm, the lands were shared by countless beast-kin tribes of all races. The most powerful of these were the gnolls, whose strength and numbers allowed them to dominate most lesser races. Arrayed in matriarchal clans from one side of Alm to the other, these savage warlords began to lose their grip only after the eladrin founded Calanshae, and began to rally the might of the feywild against them.

When humans arrived on Alm, the gnolls greeted them with scorn, viewing them as weaklings only fit to serve as a new food source. Gnoll tribes were responsible for countless human casualties in the Establishing War, and would likely have wiped the humans out entirely if the newcomers had not found allies. Yet, at the same time, the first thulls began to appear, signalling that humans and gnolls shared more than either had expected.

Although they failed to keep the humans from prospering, Almish gnolls remain predators on humans and their allies. The rare human sympathisers amongst them are cast out – if not simply killed – and face a life of scorn and exile, hunted by their kin and feared by outsiders. Nonetheless, they are becoming more common over time, as those with foresight see an increasing need to cooperate. These few become adventurers – hard-bitten survivors, seeking to rise above the savagery of their people. Many remain outcast to the end, but others earn genuine respect from the other denizens of Alm, setting themselves apart forever.

Game mechanics for the Almish gnoll are identical to the gnoll race detailed in the D&D 4e Monster Manual, except as noted below:

Racial Traits
Ability Scores: Choose either Constitution or Dexterity. Instead of a +2 to the chosen ability score, you instead gain a +2 to Strength.
Languages: Bestial and Common.
Beast Kin: Your ancestors were amongst the many bestial races who once ruled Alm. You are considered a beast creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature type.

Names: Blackheart, Bladeclaw, Bloodburn, Bonesaw, Deadscar, Denward, Godhand, Longtooth, Redfang, Stonefist, Warcry. Gnollish names are given in bestial, largely unpronounceable to other races. However, to make their achievements known to their enemies, most translate their names into common as well.

Thull (Half-Gnoll)

Rare but powerful outcasts, born of human and gnoll

Since the continent was dominated by beast-kin races in the past, other monstrous predators such as orcs and goblins have only marginal populations on Alm. As such, humans and orcs have never mingled enough to produce recognisable halfbreeds. However, there are such creatures as the thull – the offspring of human and gnollish parentage – who occupy much the same position.

Thulls are lean, muscular creatures who appear very similar to humans. Though they occasionally grow manes or shaggy pelts down their backs, usually they are only set apart by their faces; these are typically elongated and slightly animalistic, with yellowy eyes and slightly pointed canines. Although their stance is entirely human, thulls often have slightly longer limbs, and larger hands and feet, than their human counterparts. A thull who is lucky – and careful – might be able to pass as a large human if they wish.

Though they are rare, residents of large cities have probably seen several thulls in their life. Most people keep their distance, however, since relations between humans and gnolls are strained at best. Independence, however, is known for welcoming thulls – along with anybody else who will work for a living – and is home to several small thull communities.

Game mechanics for the thull are identical to the half-orc race detailed in the D&D 4e Player's Handbook 2, except as noted below. For all other mechanical purposes (including feats, paragon paths, etc.), thull is simply an alternative name for half-orc.

Racial Traits
Ability Scores: You may choose to gain a +2 bonus to Wisdom instead of Dexterity.
Languages: Bestial and Common.
Beast Kin: Your ancestors were amongst the many bestial races who once ruled Alm. You are considered a beast creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature type.

Drow (Almish)

Descendants of darkness, graceful and deadly

Most mainlanders have never even heard of the drow, much less met one. Cautious and secretive, these rare folk look much like eladrin, but with somewhat more wiry builds and skin of muted grey or blue hues. They have no land or nation of their own, but they are occasionally encountered in the quieter and more remote – or more accepting – corners of Alm.

Unknown to surface dwellers, Sorairo's largest island houses a labyrinthine prison hidden called the Aganai. Originally conceived as a teaching tool, the Aganai was intended to reform dangerous prisoners by forcing them to work with others to overcome the many dangers beneath the surface. Perhaps predictably, this reformation did not occur, and the prison instead encouraged its inhabitants to form vicious gang-like hierarchies with the ultimate goal of overthrowing the soratami empire.

Today, the Aganai is sealed, with only a few ancient inhabitants who were not born below the surface. Raised in the darkness, these descendants know only that they are trapped here not because of their own misdeeds, but in punishment for the sins of some long-forgotten ancestor. Their world is one of ruthless anarchy, where the weak must beg the protection of more powerful beings if they hope to survive.

With all entrances barred by the soratami, the only way to escape the Aganai is to explore the endless tunnels in search of a one that emerges beyond the labyrinth – either to the island's underside, or to the foreboding dark of the shadowfell.

Escapees of the Aganai are few and far between, but those who do reach the sunlight tend to remain self-reliant, opportunistic individuals who forever carry the trauma of their imprisonment. Surface scholars came to know these rare individuals as "drow" – a corruption of the soratami "doro" – and mistakenly (or not) attributed their origin to "The Agony".

Game mechanics for the Almish drow are identical to the drow race detailed in the D&D Forgotten Realms Player's Guide.

Other Races

These races are either not a major part of Escarnum's core and history, or are not included in the setting by default. However, they can easily be included in your campaign if you desire. If the group does not wish to add new races, this section also provides suggestions for replacing the desired race with an equivalent race from Escarnum's core.

Races which are not mentioned here can still have a place in Escarnum. Whilst Alm itself is fairly well-established, its neighbouring continents are largely unexplored, and even within it, wild places such as Kaath and the Barrens could easily provide new races a place to develop. Other races might be unique occurrences – magical experimentation with creatures was a common practice in the history of the Overseers, and there is the possibility that they might have created many other magically-altered hybrids and offshoots of the existent races.

Dragonborn

Dragonborn evoke the importance and majesty of perhaps the most iconic creature in common fantasy. In Escarnum, however, dragons are not nearly as prominent as in most Dungeons & Dragons settings; they are far more rare and less integral to the world. Between the scarcity of dragons and the absence of a creator-god such as Bahamut, it's no surprise that dragonborn are not a standard PC race.

If the dragonborn did appear in Alm, they would most certainly spring from a natural source, rather than the hand of a deity. Since dragons are rare, perhaps dragonborn originated in a time long ago, when their ancestors were more plentiful; perhaps something happened in that era to wipe out many of the dragons, giving the beast-kin their chance to seize control. On the other hand, perhaps dragonborn never dwelt in Alm, and instead hail from one of the less-explored continents. Maybe they are like equitarn, hybrids created by the Overseers from human and dragon traits.

Alternatively, there are plenty of substitutes for the dragonborn in Escarnum; gnolls mirror their offensive strength, while equitarn and jotunar provide the same hardiness. Soratami and equitarn share a dragonborn's dutiful, regimented nature.

Dwarves

Dwarves are a race which is not included in Escarnum by default. Essentially, the common roles of dwarves as a race – those of miners and/or craftspeople – is filled by the kobold clans. If the group wishes to include dwarves in setting, a good place for them may be as allies of the kobold clans, working side-by-side in the mountains; alternatively, they may be a race that rivals the felbraug for age, who faintly remember some of the precursors' secrets that now exist only in the ruins of Aethys and the relics below ground.

If the group does not want to add dwarves to the setting, a kobold of the Vaess clan may serve well in the role of a technologist or item-crafter. Alternatively, if the desired aspect is that of a sturdy, unrelenting warrior, an equitarn or gnoll should be a more suitable replacement.

Gnomes

Gnomes are not included in Escarnum by default. The appropriate replacement will depend on the role they are to play; some settings see them as tricksters, others as bumbling inventors, others as bardic tale-weavers, others as eccentric wizards. Indeed, the somewhat ill-defined identity of the gnomish race is a major reason for their absence from Escarnum's world.

In Escarnum, most of the gnome race's various roles are filled by the various clans of kobold, especially that of inventors. Alternatives include felbraug, for magic-using gnomes – a felbraug's psychic nature and small stature make it a good replacement. For bardic or trickster gnomes, the abilen is a substitute – they possess the same social grace and small size.

Half-Elf

Half-elves do exist in Escarnum, though they are usually bred from eladrin stock rather than elven. Most mixed-blood children take strongly after either the eladrin or human parent, and since they do not breed true, half-elves have never had their own racial identity or nations. A half-elf who is noticeably neither human nor eladrin will stand out as a most unusual occurrence; the player should be prepared for their character to draw attention and curiosity wherever they go.

Though strange, half-elves are generally accepted on the mainland. However, the eladrin of Calanshae resent the existence of these halfbreeds, unwilling to accept the concept that their "pure" blood can mingle with that of humans. They may have better luck in Deepwood, but generally a half-elf is well advised to keep clear of fey lands.

Halflings

Halflings are not included in Escarnum by default. In most settings, halflings are smaller and weaker than medium-sized races, yet known for their agility and social natures. In most cases, an abilen is the ideal replacement for a character who would be a halfling. Alternatively, both kobolds and felbraug match the small stature and nimble nature of the halflings, and can make excellent substitutes for the favoured halfling rogue.

Tieflings

Former humans influenced by a fiendish taint, tieflings are the evidence of mortals consorting with evil extraplanar powers. There is no reason that such a thing could not happen in Escarnum; mortals still seek power from sources outside their world, and evil entities of all sorts still seek to corrupt and control mortals and their affairs. In fact, many demons and devils are particularly eager to exert their influence on the material plane, in hopes that they will eventually attract a cult following.

However, the planes of Escarnum are more abstract than those of other settings, and their borders more difficult to cross; a creature like a tiefling would be all but unique amongst the "ordinary" races. Most likely, a tiefling would not be born, but would be "created" by an infernal creature seeking to empower one of its followers – or the unfortunate child of such a follower.

New Feats

Adrenaline Rush

Prerequisite: Wu-kan, Bard
Benefit: As long as you have at least 1 temporary hit point, whenever you hit with a bard attack, you may deal damage equal to your Charisma modifier to one enemy adjacent to one of the attack's primary targets.

Artificial Instinct

Prerequisite: Kobold
Benefit: At the end of your turn, if a creature you summoned with an arcane power has not been commanded this turn, it can make a melee basic attack against an adjacent enemy.

Arytiss' Ward

Prerequisite: Kobold, Paragon Tier, Defender
Benefit: When you roll initiative, you can designate one ally as your ward. Until the end of the encounter, you receive a +1 bonus per tier to attack rolls against the enemy closest to your ward (if two enemies are equally close when you make the attack, you choose one).

Attention Grab

Prerequisite: Kobold, Defender
Benefit: When you provoke an opportunity attack from an enemy you've marked, that enemy cannot move away from you until the end of its next turn.

Audacious Bluff

Prerequisite: Wu-kan
Benefit: During a skill challenge, you can substitute a Bluff check for an Insight or Intimidate check.

Blade Catcher

Prerequisite: Equitarn
Benefit: While you do not wield any crafted weapons and are not using a shield, you gain a +2 bonus to your AC and Reflex defences.

Blood Fury

Prerequisite: Gnoll
Benefit: The first time you bloody an enemy during an encounter, you gain a +1 bonus per tier to damage rolls until the end of the encounter.

Blood Hunt

Prerequisite: Gnoll, Warlord
Benefit: Whenever an ally taking advantage of your commanding presence feature misses all targets, that ally regains an Action Point at the end of their turn and may spend it during this combat.

Blood Magus

Prerequisite: Gnoll
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus per tier to attack rolls with arcane powers. When you are bloodied, you gain an additional +1 to attack rolls and +2 to damage rolls per tier with arcane attack powers.

Bounce Back

Prerequisite: Kobold
Benefit: When you successfully save against a slow, immobilise or daze effect, you may shift 3 as a free action.

Break Even

Benefit: During a skill challenge, you can spend a round to negate the effect of a previous failed check (reducing the group's total number of failures by one). Other consequences of the failed check still apply.

Break Free

Prerequisite: Kobold
Benefit: When you successfully save against a slow, immobilise or daze effect, you may shift up to 3 squares.

Breath of Heaven

Prerequisite: Wu-kan
Benefit: When you are pushed, pulled or slid by a melee attack, and the forced movement moves you out of melee range with the attacker, you can make a ranged basic attack against that enemy as a free action.

Brutal Display

Prerequisite: Gnoll
Benefit: When you reduce an opponent to 0 or fewer hit points, each enemy who can see you suffers a -2 penalty to attack rolls and damage rolls until the beginning of your next turn. This is a fear effect.

Bullheaded

Prerequisite: Equitarn
Benefit: You can move through squares occupied by targets marked by you.

Caveat Imperator

Prerequisite: Equitarn, Leader
Benefit: Whenever an ally charges, you gain a +2 feat bonus to speed until the end of your next turn.

Centre of Gravity

Prerequisite: Equitarn
Benefit: As long as three or more enemies are flanking you, any enemy that begins its turn flanking you cannot move away from you until the start of its next turn.

Circle of Fate

Prerequisite: Abilen or Awakened
Benefit: When you or one of your allies misses all targets with an attack power, the next creature to attack one of those targets gains a +1 bonus to their attack roll for that attack.

Cleave Ranks

Prerequisite: Equitarn
Benefit: When you push, pull or slide an enemy, you can increase the distance of the forced movement by 1, if this puts the enemy in a square that is adjacent to no other enemies.

Communal Instinct

Prerequisite: Abilen or Equitarn
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls and a +2 bonus to damage rolls on attacks granted to you by allies.

Community Spirit

Prerequisite: Abilen, Shaman
Benefit: Whenever you summon or dismiss your spirit companion, one ally adjacent to it gains temporary hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier.

Conflagration

Prerequisite: Kobold
Benefit: Whenever you use a blast or burst power with the fire keyword, the area of that power is increased by 1.

Cracked Earth

Prerequisite: Jotun
Benefit: When you attack a prone foe who is on difficult terrain, you can score a critical hit on a roll of 19-20.

Crash Landing

Prerequisite: Jotun
Benefit: At the end of a charge, you can use your landfall power as a free action before you attack.

Daring Gambit

Prerequisite: Wu-kan
Benefit: While you are bloodied, enemies suffer a -1 penalty to attack rolls against you, but gain a +2 bonus to damage against you.

Dashing Flourish

Prerequisite: Wu-kan
Benefit: The first time you reduce an enemy to 0 hit points during an encounter, you gain a +2 feat bonus to speed until the end of your next turn.

Definitive Might

Prerequisite: Gnoll or Equitarn, trained in Intimidate
Benefit: You use your Strength modifier in place of your Charisma modifier on Intimidate checks.

Deft Manoeuvre

Prerequisite: Wu-kan
Benefit: You ignore difficult terrain when you shift.

Double Dealing

Prerequisite: Abilen, Con 13+
Benefit: Whenever an ally's healing power causes you to gain hit points, you also gain temporary hit points equal to half the amount healed. Whenever an ally's healing power causes you to gain temporary hp, you heal hit points equal to half the number of temporary hit points.

Draconic Petulance

Prerequisite: Kobold
Benefit: When you miss a target with a burst or blast power, you may choose to deal damage to that target equal to your Intelligence modifier. If you do, you take damage equal to the amount of extra damage dealt this way, which cannot be reduced or prevented in any way.

Drunken Monkey

Prerequisite: Wu-kan
Benefit: When you make a basic attack with a staff or unarmed strike, you can choose to target Reflex instead of AC.

Duck and Cover

Prerequisite: Kobold or Wu-kan
Benefit: When you have cover against an enemy, they suffer a -3 penalty to hit you instead of -2. If you have superior cover, they suffer a -7 penalty instead of -5.

Earth's Renewal

Prerequisite: Equitarn or Jotun
Benefit: Your total number of healing surges increases by two. You add your Constitution modifier to your healing surge value.

Edar's Swiftness

Prerequisite: Kobold
Benefit: Whenever you shift three or more squares as one action, you can move through enemy squares during that movement.

Eternal Cycle

Prerequisite: Jotun, Paragon Tier
Benefit: Your landfall power gains "Sustain minor: the zone persists". The zone moves with you as you move.

Eye of the Storm

Prerequisite: Abilen
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to all defences against burst and blast powers used by your allies, and any damage dealt to you by such powers is reduced by half. At the end of your turn, you may end any effect on you, caused by an ally, that a save can end.

Fates Intertwined

Prerequisites: Awakened or Felbraug
Benefit: As long as you have at least 1 power point remaining, you ignore partial concealment, and treat full concealment as partial concealment.

Fel Claws

Prerequisite: Felbraug
Benefit: When you make a weapon attack, you can use your claw, which is a weapon in the light blade weapon group. This weapon has the off-hand weapon property and a +3 proficiency bonus, and it deals 1d6 damage. While you aren't holding anything, you are considered have this weapon in each hand. You can enchant and disenchant your claws. When you disenchant your claws, they do not turn to dust.

Fel Strike

Prerequisite: Felbraug, Fel Claws
Benefit: You can swap one 1st-level at-will power you know for the fel strike power.

Fel Strike · Feat Power

The power of your mind is always present, even in the simplest of motions.

At-will · Psionic, Weapon, Augmentable

Standard Action · Melee Weapon

Target: One creature Attack: Wis vs. AC Hit: 1[W] + Wisdom modifier damage. Level 21: 2[W] + Wisdom modifier. Special: You can use this power in place of a melee basic attack. Augment 1: Hit: 1[W] + Wisdom modifier damage, and the target is dazed until the end of your next turn. Level 21: 2[W] + Wisdom modifier.

Fortified Defences

Prerequisite: Equitarn
Benefit: When you are wearing heavy armour, you gain a +1 bonus to Fortitude and Will.

Friendly Face

Prerequisite: Abilen
Benefit: During a skill challenge, failed Diplomacy or Bluff checks you make do not count against the total number of failures.

Grinding Halt

Prerequisite: Jotun
Benefit: While you are in the zone created by your landfall power, you can increase or decrease the distance of any slide effect that takes place within the zone by 1.

Hammer Fists

Prerequisite: Equitarn
Benefit: When you make a melee weapon attack, you can use the hammer fists natural weapon. This is a 2-handed melee weapon in the hammer group. Your hammer fists weapon has a +2 proficiency bonus and deals 2d6 damage. While your hands are free, you are considered the be wielding this weapon. You can enchant and disenchant your fists (as a single weapon). When you disenchant your fists, they do not turn to dust.

Heir of Earth

Prerequisite: Jotun
Benefit: When you spend a healing surge to regain hit points, if you are not healed to maximum hit points, you regain the use of your landfall power.

Heroic Underdog

Prerequisite: Wu-kan
Benefit: When you are threatened by three or more enemies, you gain a +1 bonus per tier to attack rolls.

High Spirits

Prerequisite: Abilen, Shaman
Benefit: Allies adjacent to your spirit companion gain a +5 bonus to saving throws versus fear effects.

Hounding Harrier

Prerequisite: Gnoll, Leader
Benefit: Whenever an ally misses all targets with a basic attack granted to them by one of your powers, you can make a melee basic attack against the missed target.

Howl of Command

Prerequisite: Gnoll, Warlord
Benefit: At the end of a charge, you can use brash assault in place of a melee basic attack.

Imminent Domain

Prerequisite: Jotun
Benefit: When an enemy provokes an opportunity attack from you by moving, you can use your landfall power as an opportunity action instead.

Independent Thought

Prerequisite: Awakened or Felbraug
Benefit: You can still take minor actions while stunned.

Inevitable Might

Prerequisite: Equitarn, Str 15+
Benefit: When you miss all targets with a daily attack power that has no miss effect, each target takes damage equal to your Strength modifier.

Insider Information

Prerequisite: Abilen
Benefit: Whenever an ally makes a ranged attack against an enemy who is flanking you, that ally gains a bonus to the attack roll equal to your dexterity modifier.

Inspiring Clash

Prerequisite: Wu-kan
Benefit: The first time you reduce an enemy to 0 hit points during an encounter, your allies gain a +2 bonus to damage until the end of your next turn.

Invisible Hand

Prerequisite: Abilen
Benefit: When you hit an enemy with an at-will attack power, your next attack against that enemy has combat advantage against it.

Irrational Valour

Prerequisite: Wu-kan
Benefit: Your insatiable curiosity power also ends charm and domination effects.

Killing Fields

Prerequisite: Jotun
Benefit: When you hit a prone enemy, that enemy considers squares within burst 1 to be difficult terrain until the end of your next turn.

Land's Bounty

Prerequisite: Jotun, Paragon Tier
Benefit: When you use a close burst attack power, you can choose to use your landfall power as part of the same action. If you do, the zone created by your landfall power occupies all squares in the burst caused by the chosen power.

Landstrider

Prerequisite: Equitarn or Jotun
Benefit: You and all allies gain a +2 bonus to overland speed.

Leirith's Command

Prerequisite: Kobold
Benefit: Whenever you and an ally are attacking an enemy from the same side, you are both considered to be flanking that enemy.

Lifebloom

Prerequisite: Jotun
Benefit: When you use your second wind, instead of recovering hit points, you can choose to gain regeneration 5 until the end of the encounter.

Lightning Rod

Prerequisite: Jotun, Defender
Benefit: When a lightning power targets one of your allies, and you are in difficult terrain, you become the only target of the power. The affected power gains a +1 bonus to hit you.

Lion of War

Prerequisite: Awakened
Benefit: You may use your Wisdom modifier instead of your Strength modifier to determine attack and damage rolls for warlord powers.

Loyal Companions

Prerequisite: Wu-kan, Ranger, Beast Mastery
Benefit: If you and your pet each attack a different enemy during your turn, you each gain a +1 feat bonus to attack and +2 feat bonus to damage rolls until the end of your next turn.

Lurking Light

Prerequisite: Felbraug or Kobold, Leader, Paragon Tier
Benefit: When one of your allies makes an attack granted by one of your powers, that attack has combat advantage against enemies from whom you are hidden.

Marked Merger

Prerequisite: Abilen
Benefit: If an enemy marked by you is adjacent to another enemy marked by you, it suffers a -3 penalty to attack rolls for attacks that don't target you, instead of the normal -2 penalty.

Maw of Earth

Prerequisite: Jotun
Benefit: If an enemy is suffering ongoing damage caused by you, it cannot move from difficult terrain into normal terrain.

Mejir's Insight

Prerequisite: Kobold
Benefit: Whenever you shift three or more squares in one action and end your movement adjacent to an enemy, you can make a melee basic attack against that enemy as an free action.

Memory of Flame

Prerequisite: Awakened or Felbraug
Benefit: When you deal fire damage to an enemy not marked by you, that enemy cannot move closer to you until the end of its next turn.

Memory of Pain

Prerequisite: Awakened or Felbraug
Benefit: When you cause an enemy to take ongoing damage with a psionic or psychic power, the ongoing damage is increased by 1 per tier.

Memory of the Void

Prerequisite: Awakened or Felbraug
Benefit: Enemies take a -2 penalty to saving throws against fear effects caused by you.

Mighty Hammer

Prerequisite: Equitarn, Hammer Fists
Benefit: Your hammer fists have a +3 proficiency bonus instead of +2, and grant a +1 bonus per tier to damage rolls.

Mighty Hurl

Prerequisite: Equitarn, Paragon Tier, Str 15+
Benefit: When you push, pull or slide an opponent 2 or more squares with a melee or close attack, you may knock that target prone at the end of the movement.

Mindshield

Prerequisite: Awakened or Felbraug
Benefit: As long as you have at least one power point remaining, you gain a +2 bonus to AC against opportunity attacks.

Mindslip

Prerequisite: Felbraug, Battlemind
Benefit: Whenever you augment your battlemind's demand power, you may slide yourself or all targets of your battlemind's demand power 1 square.

Natural Armour

Prerequisite: Equitarn
Benefit: When you are wearing light or no armour, you gain a +2 racial bonus to AC.

Neitl's Gift

Prerequisite: Kobold, Shaman
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls with spirit powers. When you use your shifty racial power, you spirit companion also shifts one square.

Obnoxious Taunt

Prerequisite: Wu-kan
Benefit: Enemies marked by you gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls against you, but grant combat advantage to your enemies.

Opportunity Cost

Prerequisite: Abilen
Benefit: The first time an opportunity attack is made against you during an encounter, you can make a melee basic attack against the attacking creature as a free action.

Path of Iron

Prerequisite: Felbraug, Battlemind
Benefit: Whenever you use your blurred step power, enemies cannot willingly enter the squares you move through until the end of your next turn.

Pride of Dragons

Prerequisite: Kobold
Benefit: You can take dragonborn racial feats. You do not gain the dragonborn racial breath weapon power.

Read the Weave

Prerequisite: Felbraug
Benefit: During a round in which you are surprised, you can still take a move action.

Rebellious Instinct

Prerequisite: Equitarn
Benefit: When you fail a saving throw against an effect that dazes, stuns, or dominates you, you can make a melee basic attack as a free action. If this attack hits the source of the effect, you get a +5 bonus to your next saving throw against that effect.

Savage Hunt

Prerequisite: Gnoll
Benefit: If a bloodied enemy is threatened by you and at least one ally, you gain combat advantage against that enemy.

Scent of Roses

Prerequisite: Wu-kan
Benefit: At the beginning of your turn, if you are threatened by two or more enemies, your first square of movement does not provoke opportunity attacks.

Scion of Stone

Prerequisite: Jotun
Benefit: If an enemy ends its turn in difficult terrain created by your landfall power, it is slowed until it leaves the area of your landfall.

Scorched Earth

Prerequisite: Jotun
Benefit: An enemy who moves into difficult terrain created by you must make a saving throw or take ongoing 2 fire. The ongoing damage increases to 5 fire at paragon tier.

Scorn Earth

Prerequisite: Felbraug
Benefit: As long as you have at least one power point remaining, you ignore difficult terrain.

Second Sunrise

Prerequisite: Jotun, Paragon Tier
Benefit: Whenever a power you use causes an ally to spend a healing surge, you can spend a healing surge.

Settle the Score

Prerequisite: Abilen
Benefit: Once per round, when you strike an enemy by whom you are marked, you may choose to end that enemy's mark on you.

Shamanic Shiv

Prerequisite: Kobold, Sorceror
Benefit: When you wield an implement which is also a weapon, you can apply the weapon's proficiency bonus to your shaman attack powers.

Shared Soul

Prerequisite: Felbraug, Ardent
Benefit: You can choose any ally in the area of your mantle as the origin square for your Ardent attack powers.

Shield of Blood

Prerequisite: Gnoll, Paragon Tier
Benefit: At the beginning of your turn, you can choose to take 10 damage which cannot be reduced in any way. If you do, you gain resist all 5 until the start of your next turn.

Shudderstrike

Prerequisite: Equitarn, Paragon Tier, Str 15
Benefit: When you make a close or melee attack that targets AC, you may make the attack target Fortitude instead.

Sidestep

Prerequisite: Wu-kan
Benefit: When an enemy misses you with an opportunity attack that was provoked by movement, you can shift 1 square as a free action.

Skitter

Prerequisite: Kobold
Benefit: When you move through a creature's square, you do not provoke opportunity attacks from that creature.

Snatch the Kill

Prerequisite: Heroic Tier
Benefit: When one of your allies would reduce a creature to 0 or fewer hit points with an attack, you can deal damage to that creature equal to your Dexterity modifier. You can choose whether this damage is dealt before or after the ally's damage.

Steel, Rust, Guilt

Prerequisite: Jotun
Benefit: As long as an enemy is subject to ongoing damage caused by you, all of its resistances are reduced by 5 (if this effect would reduce the resistance to 0, the resistance is lost entirely until the ongoing damage ends).

Still Water

Prerequisite: Wu-kan
Benefit: When you roll initiative, you gain a bonus to attack rolls equal to your Charisma modifier. This bonus ends when you miss with an attack, move, or are hit by an attack.

Stonewall

Prerequisite: Equitarn, Paragon Tier
Benefit: At the end of your turn, if you did not move during your turn and are immobilised, you gain resist all equal to your Constitution modifier until the beginning of your next turn.

Strategic Withdrawal

Prerequisite: Abilen, through the crowd power, at least one Encounter attack power
Benefit: At the beginning of your turn, if you have no encounter powers remaining, you regain the use of your through the crowd power.

Swift Shepherd

Prerequisite: Felbraug, Ardent
Benefit: Whenever an ally uses a healing surge granted by your ardent surge ability, you can shift a number of squares equal to your dexterity modifier.

Terror Firma

Prerequisite: Jotun
Benefit: Once per round, when you hit an enemy with a fear attack power, you can create a zone which covers all squares adjacent to or occupied by that enemy. Your enemies treat each square in the zone as difficult terrain until the end of your next turn. The zone does not move with the enemy.

Thief of Fate

Prerequisite: Wu-kan
Benefit: As long as an enemy suffers from an effect caused by you that a save can end, you gain a +2 bonus to saving throws, and that enemy suffers a -2 penalty to saving throws.

Think Fast

Prerequisite: Felbraug
Benefit: As long as you have at least one power point remaining, you gain a +1 feat bonus to speed. This bonus increases to +2 at 11th level.

Third Hand

Prerequisite: Wu-kan
Benefit: Your gain a third 'hand' which represents your tail. You cannot use your tail to wield a weapon, but you can use it to hold other items, including an implement, or for climbing.

Thirst of the Beast

Prerequisite: Gnoll
Benefit: The first time you become bloodied during an encounter, you regain the use of your ferocious charge power.

Tihuirl's Sacrifice

Prerequisite: Kobold
Benefit: When an enemy marked by you would damage an ally adjacent to you, you can choose to reduce the damage dealt by half. If you do, you take an equal amount of damage which cannot be reduced or prevented in any way.

Tower of Fear

Prerequisite: Equitarn or Jotun, Trained in Intimidate
Benefit: Foes marked by you suffer a -2 per tier penalty to damage.

Trade Futures

Prerequisite: Abilen
Benefit: The first time you become bloodied during an encounter, you regain the use of your Second Wind. The first time each day you drop to 0 hp, you regain one Healing Surge.

Trade Up

Prerequisite: Abilen
Benefit: The first time during an encounter you reduce an enemy to 0 hit points, you may shift half your speed as a free action, as long as you end your movement closer to another enemy than when you started.

Unexpected Advance

Prerequisite: Abilen, Paragon tier
Benefit: When you use your through the crowd racial power, you can spend a standard action to use an at-will melee attack power on an enemy whose square you move through. That attack gains Combat Advantage against the target

Uphill Struggle

Prerequisite: Equitarn, Con 13
Benefit: As long as you are bloodied, you gain a +1 bonus per tier to all defences. When you are on 0 hit points, this bonus is doubled.

Vaess' Ingenuity

Prerequisite: Kobold
Benefit: Creatures you summon with arcane powers gain a +1 bonus per tier to attack.

Vested Interest

Prerequisite: Abilen
Benefit: When the first enemy you attacked during an encounter becomes bloodied, you gain a bonus to damage rolls against that enemy equal to your Intelligence modifier. The bonus lasts until the end of the encounter.

Weavewrack

Prerequisite: Felbraug, Battlemind
Benefit: When you use your mindspike power, the target suffers a penalty to its damage equal to your dexterity modifier until the end of your next turn.

[Reserved for Later Additions]

[Reserved for Later Additions]

OKAY, that's all there is for now. Hopefully this will add a little value to some of your 4e games, or at least help build up the 4e material available online

Fox Lee wrote:

Escarnum racial backgrounds differ from other backgrounds you may have seen, by offering an associated ritual in addition to other benefits. Intended as a way to prompt groups who often ignore ritual casting, this is an option the GM may allow to be chosen as the character's background benefit. A character who chooses the associated ritual as their benefit can perform the ritual as if they mad master4ed it, without requiring a ritual book or ritual caster feat, though they must still pay any associated costs when the ritual is used.

I like that.. my game world has some cultures magical enough that associated cantrips are very appropriate. They call them convenience magics.

That's exactly the feel I was going for with them. I wanted there to be magic that wasn't particularly special or impressive - wide magic, rather than high magic

Fox Lee wrote:

That's exactly the feel I was going for with them. I wanted there to be magic that wasn't particularly special or impressive - wide magic, rather than high magic

This might be another arena where reflavoring skills as magic can have an impact

So, I went ahead and put this up in my actual webspace: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] . Better control of formatting etc. makes me happy. So that's where the most recent versions will be. I won't remove anything from here, of course!