Race Options #

Dwarves #

While known for their great subterranean nations, dwarves have long traded and traveled among the peoples of Krynn’s surface. The Cataclysm devastated many dwarven lands and destroyed some of their greatest underground kingdoms. Others, like the nation of Kayolin, were isolated from their allies as the New Sea flooded the land. And some, like the great dwarven realm of Thorbardin, turned inward and have yet to rejoin the world.

Thorbardin and the Dwarfgate War #

The kingdom of Thorbardin has endured beneath the Kharolis Mountains of southwest Ansalon for thousands of years, but the centuries since the Cataclysm have created new divisions within it.

The dwarves of Thorbardin divide themselves into ancient clans. Many generations before the Cataclysm, dwarves who dwelled on the surface established the Neidar clan, known for working the land and trading with other surface folk. In the wake of the Cataclysm, with food scarce and the future uncertain, the High King of Thorbardin sealed the gates of the kingdom to all outsiders, including the Neidar. Betrayed and hungry, these surface dwarves allied with other desperate refugees and unsuccessfully attempted to take Thorbardin by force. The conflict that came to be called the Dwarfgate War caused deep enmity between the dwarven communities of the surface and those that live below.

Mountain Dwarves #

Led by the aristocratic Hylar clan, mountain dwarves are the unquestioned rulers of Thorbardin. Many great fighters, engineers, and artisans call these magnificent halls home. Proud and reserved, most Thorbardin clans want nothing to do with outsiders—dwarves or otherwise. However, some dwarves grow tired of life within their ancient tunnels and wonder about rejoining the world above.

As a mountain dwarf, you might come from a dwarven nation like Kayolin or Thorbardin. You could be part of an expedition of traders or explorers, sent by your people to live on the surface for years before reporting back. Or you might have ventured forth on your own, eager to see what the wider world holds.

Hill Dwarves #

The dwarves barred from Thorbardin experienced the years following the Cataclysm on the surface. Now known as hill dwarves, they lived among the lands and peoples of the surface for centuries. Few still call themselves by their old name, the Neidar, preferring to forget their ties to their mountain dwarf cousins.

Some hill dwarves live as traveling traders, while others make their homes among the communities of Ansalon’s other peoples. Still other groups eke out lives in ruins or harsh lands as reclusive survivalists.

As a hill dwarf, you might come from lands near the great mountain dwarf nations or from a diverse town far away. Or perhaps you come from everywhere, having been raised in a traveling community that’s seen most corners of Ansalon.

Elves #

Several distinct elven cultures inhabit Ansalon, including the Qualinesti and Silvanesti high elves, the Kagonesti wood elves, and the Dargonesti and Dimernesti sea elves.

Over two thousand years ago, the Kinslayer War divided the high elves of Ansalon into two groups, Silvanesti in the east and Qualinesti in the west. Through the intervening millennia, neither group has sought reconciliation. In the even more distant past, both high elf nations separated from their Kagonesti kin, while the waves themselves isolate Dargonesti and Dimernesti from their surface-dwelling cousins.

As the elves of Ansalon largely keep to themselves, half-elves are few and are rarely seen outside the elven nations.

Silvanesti High Elves #

Silvanesti, the original elven kingdom, lies in southern Ansalon. For untold generations, the aloof Silvanesti elves lived in a stratified society closed to outsiders. They don’t hate their cousins in Qualinesti, but they consider their ways misguided.

In recent years, war has come to Silvanesti. When the Dragon Armies besieged the realm, the leader Lorac Caladon, Speaker of the Stars, ordered his people to evacuate. Lorac then attempted to defend the kingdom with an orb of dragonkind—but the artifact’s magic unexpectedly warped Silvanesti into a nightmarish land. The surviving elves of Silvanesti now find themselves a people without a homeland. Most journeyed together across the sea to Southern Ergoth, seeking refuge with the Kagonesti, while others refused to give up Silvanesti and sought to reclaim their ancestral home.

As a Silvanesti high elf, you know what few in Ansalon do: the home of the elves has fallen. During the Dragon Armies’ invasion of Silvanesti, you might have been separated from your people or even taken captive before escaping the Dragon Armies in unfamiliar lands. You could have fled Silvanesti with your people but now seek a way to restore your homeland. Or perhaps you’ve spent your life exploring the world, cultivating relationships with people other than your kin.

Qualinesti High Elves #

Long ago, a group of high elves left Silvanesti, desiring a more egalitarian society. They traveled far to the west and founded a new forested homeland called Qualinesti. Less hierarchical than their progenitors and more willing to deal with outsiders, Qualinesti elves even enjoyed good relations with the dwarves of Thorbardin. Since the Cataclysm, however, they’ve withdrawn from the world, and few outsiders dare approach their well-guarded borders.

As a Qualinesti high elf, you might have been raised in seclusion in the forests of Qualinesti. You could have been sent forth to learn the state of the wider world or to pursue rumors of Silvanesti’s fate. Or perhaps your family left Qualinesti long ago, and you have connections with folk from other lands.

Kagonesti Wood Elves #

Kagonesti are the descendants of elves who never settled in the forest cities of Silvanesti, instead living a nomadic way of life and seeking harmony with nature. Most of these wood elves live in small tribes in the forests of Southern Ergoth. Although few outsiders intrude on the Kagonesti’s ancient forested lands, thousands of Silvanesti refugees have begun seeking their aid. While the Kagonesti welcome their cousins and seek to support them, they refuse to be overwhelmed by the Silvanesti’s numbers and distinct ways.

As a Kagonesti wood elf, you likely spent a great deal of your life in the forest and know much about the natural world. You might have left years ago to explore the world, or perhaps you’ve just begun your travels, seeking to prevent the threats that befell the Silvanesti from reaching your people’s home.

Sea Elves #

Two groups of sea elves inhabit the oceans surrounding Ansalon. Dargonesti, also known as deep elves, call the vast oceans home. Their cousins, Dimernesti, are often called shoal elves. Although Dimernesti live closer to land, they have deep bonds with the sea and all life within. Both groups of sea elves are rarely seen by the peoples of Ansalon and keep to their own aquatic communities. Though sea elves are exceptionally rare, you can create sea elf characters using Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse.

Gnomes #

Mount Nevermind—a hollow, dormant volcano on the island of Sancrist—is a hub of wonders and catastrophes. Here, energetic gnome inventors endlessly create and test stupendous devices—and learn from equally stupendous failures.

Forest gnomes are less populous in Ansalon. Their few communities lie deep in the forests of Sancrist and Kendermore, where they embrace harmony with nature over the pursuit of invention.

As a gnome, you might be a tinker pursuing some niche scientific endeavor, coaxed from Mount Nevermind to conduct research or to seek inspiration beyond the mountain. Alternatively, you might be a forest gnome, exploring the wonders of the world or seeking to heal the lands of the Cataclysm’s scars.

The tinker gnomes of Mount Nevermind are the best-known gnome community on Krynn. Despite living in a world steeped in magical forces, many of these rock gnomes indulge in specialized scientific pursuits and create complicated inventions.

Humans #

Humans are ubiquitous on Ansalon. They ruled the continent’s largest empires before the Cataclysm, then were scattered during the devastation that followed. Many humans never resettled after the Cataclysm, joining itinerant and nomadic cultures. Human cities are few and usually small, developed around natural structures that sheltered communities following the Cataclysm.

As a human, you might hail from any corner of Krynn. Below are just a few of the distinct human nations of Ansalon. You might be a member of any of these societies, or you can choose another home to define as you please.

Abanasinia #

Several peaceful communities dot the Abanasinia region, including Solace, a village built among the branches of towering Vallenwood trees. In recent years, the theocratic Seekers have risen to power in the region. This power-hungry religion controls the city of Haven and surrounding settlements in the name of vague, fickle deities who condemn the use of magic.

The broad plains of the northern Abanasinian peninsula are home to nomadic humans known as Plainsfolk. Divided into several tribes with territories across the region, Plainsfolk are skilled warriors, traders, and collectors of stories that predate the Cataclysm.

Northern and Southern Ergoth #

The Cataclysm split the land of Ergoth in two, dividing the remnants of the human empire that once ruled there. On Northern Ergoth, scattered communities claim to be inheritors of the fallen Empire of Ergoth and dwell among the remnants of its cities and fortresses. These Ergothians enjoy a prosperous peace with the kender enclave of Hylo and the goblins of the arid southern lands, with whom they share their island. Fewer humans make their home on Southern Ergoth, living primarily along the coast and avoiding dangerous groups of ogres and giants.

Solamnia #

Once a mighty empire, Solamnia has fallen from the glory it knew. Though Solamnia remains one of the largest and most prosperous nations on the continent, its provinces are self-concerned and prone to squabbling. The land’s once-legendary defenders, the Knights of Solamnia, are much diminished in numbers. Nevertheless, the knights still stand as defenders of the innocent and paragons of honor.

Tarsis #

After the Cataclysm, the verdant plains of southern Ansalon wasted away, becoming the Plains of Dust. Coastlines shifted, and the city of Tarsis found itself a seaport without a sea. In the dry harbor, decrepit remnants of the city’s famed ships list on waves of sand. The rest of the city clings to life as a trade hub for small communities and itinerant bands across the plains. Those who dwell here have adapted their ancestors’ seafaring ways to their current arid environment, becoming hunters, scavengers, and traders.

Other Lands #

Other parts of Ansalon are home to distinctive tribes of nomads and small, diverse settlements.

Estwilde. The fiercely independent human tribes of Estwilde travel the steppes of Qlettaar from the Turbidus Ocean to New Sea. These nomads brook no trespassing on their lands, whether by Solamnics or hobgoblin raiders from the east.

Goodlund. While Goodlund is predominantly inhabited by kender, scattered human tribes wander the Dairly Plains and coasts bordering the Blood Sea of Istar. Many inhabit ancient Istarian ruins, occasionally forced to grapple with half-understood technology and magic from the ancient past.

Icereach. The humans of Icereach live in the frozen south, where they compete with groups of thanoi (walrus-folk) for hunting grounds.

Khur. The nomadic human tribes of Khur inhabit a harsh, rocky land. These groups have been forcibly united under the local leader Salah-Khan, who allied his people with the Dragon Armies. A robust resistance, centered at the trade hub of Khuri-Khan, opposes the invaders.

Nordmaar. Most humans of Nordmaar live either in rugged coastal communities to the north or among the nomadic tribes of the south. Both proud groups have strong ties with the people of Solamnia.

Kender #

During the mythical origins of Krynn, Reorx, god of craft, indulged in an age of unfettered creation. Many peoples sprang from his divine forge, but not all among them remained as the god created them. Altered by unbridled magic, a group of gnomes were transformed and given almost supernatural curiosity and fearlessness. These were the first kender.

Originating on the world of Krynn, kender are diminutive Humanoids who look like humans with pointed ears and diverse appearances. Kender have a supernatural curiosity that drives them to adventure. Due to this inquisitiveness, many kender find themselves falling through portals to other planes and worlds.

Kender sometimes amass impressive collections of curiosities. Some might collect mundane knickknacks or relics from magical sites, while others might become professional thieves.

What’s Yours is Mine, What’s Mine is Yours #

Kender have a loose definition of ownership. In a kender home, a relic is anything that hasn’t disappeared after three weeks. Kender have a unique “handling” ability, that allows them to “find” objects unconsciously. If a kender were to walk through a crowd of people, it would be unlikely if the kender’s pouches were not bulging with the belongings of at least half the people there. If anyone cornered him and asked him about it, the kender would truthfully reply that “it must have fallen into my pouch. It’s a good thing that I found it or somebody else might have taken it.” Because of this, one of the worst insults one can hurl at a kender is “thief” or “cutpurse.”

Small, but Fearless #

Despite their small size, kender are so fearless that they will even taunt enemies. These taunts are usually highly personal, insulting the target’s lineage, appearance, or intelligence, with the intent of throwing the target into such a rage that they attack without thinking, allowing the kender to gain the upper hand.

This, as well as their signature weapon, the hoopak, makes them surprisingly adept warriors.

Other Peoples #

While Dwarves, Gnomes, Humans, Elves, and Kender are the primary peoples of Krynn, other individuals or pockets of other peoples are rare, but not unheard of, with two notable exceptions: dragonborn and kobolds. Due to the events leading up to the Cataclysm, the dragons left Krynn, and this included the dragonborn and kobolds. Most left when the true dragons did, while the few who tried to remain eventually died off due to conflict and prejudice, among other reasons.

Halflings #

No one knows how halflings came about on Krynn, nor how many actually exist here. This is in no small part due to the confusion most have between halflings and kender. Most inhabitants will just assume exactly that – that a halfling is simply an odd kender – and treat them as such. This can be a double-edged sword for the halfling, thanks to the kender reputation for sticky fingers.

Animal-Folk #

In the wilds of Krynn live various animal-folk, most in remote locations or as isolated tribes scattered in the wilderness. On rare occasions, a member of these outskirts peoples will come into “civilization” for one reason or another. As the mysterious army advances, however, these outer folk are being increasingly driven into the open and forced to comingle with the primary peoples.

Orcs and Half-orcs #

Like the animal-folk, orcs tend to keep to themselves outside of “civilization,” forming their own societies in more remote locations. However, their formidable appearance often leads to encounters of various kinds with the nearby villages and their inhabitants. It’s also due to their striking appearance that any children resulting from these encounters are raised as orcs, in orcish society.

Giant-kin #

Whether it’s the stone-like Goliaths, or the mysterious Firbolgs, the giant-kin tend to make their homes in the mountains, away from the goings-on of the smaller peoples. They form small communities, or herds, and tend to land most others find inhospitable. The encroaching army threatens them as much as it does the rest of Krynn, prompting some members to come and join the defense.

Mechanical Creations #

Between the Gnomes, Kender, and Dwarves, sentient mechanical beings – sometimes known as Warforged or Autognomes – are not uncommon. While the vast majority tend to stay with their creators, extraordinary circumstances sometimes lead a creation to leave and roam the wider world.

Divine and Extraplanar Descendants #

Among the rarest of the people found on Krynn are those with extraplanar ancestry – aasimars, tieflings, gith, genasi/tritons, and fey. These peoples only rarely come from somewhere offworld – typically by way of travel from the plane of their ancestral origin – resulting in sole members of their race, trying to fit into the alien world, with varying degrees of success, depending on who they try to assimilate with.