In this thread I'll be posting everything that deals with my campaign setting of Lyria. First up are the races that will be in my world. Keep in mind that there could be many more, these are just some of the ones that have been encountered or documented.
In the steampunk world of Lyria, there exists a multitude of races. The most notable races that flourish in Lyria are the ones found in the Core Rule Book (except for Gnomes) along with the aasimars, drow, and tieflings from the Bestiary.
The other races that thrive in Lyria are as follows:
Along with the standard elves, there exist two offshoots: The arcanist, desert dwelling Savaldi and the shadowy, ancestral worshiping Urkai.
Savaldi Elves
The Savaldi elves abandoned their ancestor worship to worship the beings known as eidolons (which now they can summon as allies, not slaves). They did this because it is said that the eidolons showed them the way to what is now their desert kingdom of Savalia in the Shimmering Desert. There they constructed a monument to the eidolons on the oasis in the center of their kingdom.
Savaldi Traits
+2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, –2 Strength
Medium: Savadi elves are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Normal Speed: Savadi elves have a base speed of 30 feet.
Low-Light Vision: Savadi elves can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
Elven Immunities: Savadi elves are immune to magic sleep effects and get a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells and effects.
Elven Magic: Savadi elves receive a +2 racial bonus on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance. In addition, elves receive a +2 racial bonus on Spellcraft skill checks made to identify the properties of magic items.
Keen Senses: Savadi elves receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception skill checks.
+2 racial bonus on Handle Animal and Ride checks
Weapon Familiarity: Scimitar, rapiers, and shortbows (including composite shortbows), and treat any weapon with the word “elven” in its name as a martial weapon.
Languages: Savadi elves begin play speaking Common and Elven. Savadi elves with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Celestial, Draconic, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, and Sylvan.
Urkai Elves
The Urkai elves worship their ancestors as Undying, lifeforms much like undead but kept alive by positive energy instead of negative. These Undying serve as advisors and defenders and are considered by those who worship them to be divine as a whole, in the form of the Everlasting Court.
Urkai Traits
+2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, –2 Constitution
Medium: Urkai elves are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Normal Speed: Urkai elves have a base speed of 30 feet.
Low-Light Vision: Urkai elves can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
Elven Immunities: Urkai elves are immune to magic sleep effects and get a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells and effects.
Elven Magic: Urkai elves receive a +2 racial bonus on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance. In addition, Urkai elves receive +2 racial saving throw against necromancy spells or effects..
Keen Senses: Urkai elves receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception skill checks.
Weapon Familiarity: Scimitar, rapiers, and bows (including composite bows), and treat any weapon with the word “elven” in its name as a martial weapon.
Languages: Urkai elves begin play speaking Common and Elven. Urkai elves with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Celestial, Draconic, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, and Sylvan.
Crokalisk
These humanoid reptiles look like you average alligators and crocodiles that decided to stand on their hind legs and talk. Their skin color ranges from dark and light green, brown, grey, and the rare albino (white). They all usually share yellow for eye color, although albino Crokalisks have red eyes. Those that are born albino are usually the tribes shaman (usually druid or witch).
+2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, -2 Intelligence: Crokalisks are hearty and cunning, but not the sharpest tools in the shed.
Medium Size: Crokalisks are medium creatures.
Normal Speed: Crokalisks have a base land speed of 30 ft.
Darkvision: Crokalisks can see in the dark up to 60ft
Keen Senses: Crokalisks receive a +2 bonus on all Perception checks and receive scent as a bonus feat.
Intimidating: Crokalisks know how to intimidate others to get their way, +2 to Intimidate checks
Leathery Hide: Crokalisks have a natural +1 to their AC.
Aquatic: +2 to all swim checks and a Crokalisks can hold his breath for three times his Con score before drowning.
Languages: Crokalisks begin play speaking Common and Sylvan. Crokalisks with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Draconic, Elven, Goblin, and Orc
Gobbs (Goblin)
Gobbs are quite intelligent (despite their savage cousins), and have a particular knack for alchemy and mechanical work, both of which has made them useful as skilled workers and assistants to those who can put aside their prejudices.
Gobb Traits
+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, -2 Strength. Gobbs are quick and intelligent, but their small size makes them weaker than the larger races.
Small Size: Gobbs are small creatures and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a -1 penalty on their CMB and CMD, and a +4 size bonus on stealth checks.
Fast: Gobbs are quick like their counter part, so their base land speed is 30ft
+1 racial bonus on saving throws verses poisons
Darkvision: 60ft
+2 bonus on Craft (Alchemy), Disable Device, and Knowledge (Engineering) checks
Weapon Familiarity: Gobbs are proficient with all firearms
Languages: Common and Goblin. Bonus Languages: Any (except secret languages such as Druidic)
Groot
These bulky creatures range from 6 to 6 1/2 feet tall and from 250 to 400 lb. with the females tending towards the lower end. Their skin color ranges from a light green to a light brown and sometimes grey. They have thick patches of skin on their bodies (usually around the shoulders, chin, back, thigh, and chest) that are a darker color of their skin. Groots do not have any body hair what so ever, their irises are so colorless their eyes appear stark white, and their hands and feet end in overly large three fingers and three toes.
Groot Traits
+2 Strength, +2 Constitution, –2 Dexterity. Groots are strong and tough, but not very graceful due to their build.
Medium size
Normal Speed: Groots have a base speed of 30 feet.
Darkvision: Groots can see in the dark up to 60ft.
Giant Blood: Groots count as giants for any effect related to race.
Hardy: Groots receive a +2 racial bonus on saves against disease and poison.
Strong Willed: Groots gain a +2 racial bonus on saves vs compulsion and fear.
Muscular: A groots hands and muscles are larger than a normal medium creature. When wielding a large sized weapon, you don't take the -2 penalty for it being inappropriately sized. All other restrictions on inappropriately sized weapons still apply.
Languages: Groots begin play speaking Common and Giant. Groots with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Draconic, Elven, Goblin, Orc, and Sylvan.
Ironborn
Ironborn are a rare race of humanoid constructs constructed through powerful rituals. Ironborn average between 6' and 6'6" and are made up of bulky, metallic or stone bodies that weigh roughly 270-300 lbs. Extremely powerful and endurable, ironborn are able fighters. Unlike most constructs, ironborn are fully self-aware and maintain mental faculties on par with elves, humans, or similar races.
Ability Score Modifiers
Ironborn display a wide range of physical and mental abilities. Some of them are built for combat, while others are designed for reconnaissance or duty as battle wizards. Thus, their ability scores tend to reflect their intended role.
When building your character, you may give a +2 racial bonus to any two ability scores other than Strength in return for a –2 penalty to any other score. Or, if you want a +2 bonus to Strength, you gain no bonuses or penalties to other scores. You do not have to take any ability score modifiers if you do not wish to.
Size
Most ironborn are Medium, but a few are built for roles where a larger or smaller size would be advantageous. Ironborn of a size other than Medium tend to have fewer special abilities relating to their mechanical heritage.
Medium: Ironborn of this size gain no disadvantages due to size. They enjoy the full range of benefits from the ability packages described on the next page. A Medium ironborn’s base land speed is 30 feet.
Small: Ironborn of this size are built as scouts or rogues. Most of them are designed to take advantage of their size to sneak past their enemies or remain hidden in battle. A Small ironborn gains all the standard benefits for this size: +4 size bonus on Stealth checks, +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +1 size bonus to Armor Class. Its base land speed is 20 feet. A Small ironborn may opt for a –2 penalty to Strength, or it can drop its ability package’s secondary feature. See the next page for more information on ability packages.
Large: Ironborn of this size are invariably built for war. They use their great bulk to wield heavy weapons and slam opponents before they can draw near. A Large ironborn gains a natural reach of 10 feet, but takes a –4 size penalty on Stealth checks and a –1 size penalty on attack rolls and AC. Its base land speed is 30 feet, and its space is 10 feet rather than 5 feet for Small and Medium characters. A Large ironborn does not gain its ability package’s secondary feature. Also, a Large ironborn takes a –2 penalty to Dexterity due to its ponderous bulk. Large ironborn are too heavy and unwieldy to move with the agility of their smaller brethren.
Ironborn Traits
All ironborn share the following traits and features:
Ironborn Subtype: Ironborn have the humanoid creature type with the ironborn subtype. This categorization indicates their partial, but not complete, artificial nature. Ironborn are, in essence, beings with the outer body of a construct but the inner workings of an organic creature. The following traits are shared by all humanoids with the ironborn subtype: Ironborn do not need to sleep and are immune to all sleep-based spells, poisons, and other attacks. They need one-quarter of the food and water required by other creatures of their size; as a rule of thumb, multiply the days’ worth of food and water that an ironborn carries by 4 to determine how long it can make its supplies last. Unless otherwise noted, ironborn do not gain any of the other standard construct traits, such as immunity to critical hits.
Immortal: As artificial creatures, ironborn suffer none of the drawbacks and gain none of the benefits of aging. They never die of natural causes, and they are immune to any attacks or effects that age a character.
Natural Armor: All ironborn have heavy, metallic bodies. They gain a +1 natural armor bonus to Armor Class.
Rust Vulnerability: An ironborn suffers damage from a rusting attack, as it disintegrates its body. Use the damage value given for the spell or effect if one is mentioned. If a damage value is not given, the ironborn makes a save using the Difficulty Class and save type indicated for the effect, if any. If no save is allowed or if the save fails, the ironborn takes 1d6 points of damage for each of its Hit Dice, with half damage on a successful save.
Humanoid: Unless otherwise noted, an ironborn is treated as a humanoid creature. For example, it falls below 0 hit points, stabilizes, and dies using the same rules as any other creature and has no other vulnerabilities or immunities based on its type and subtype.
Skills: Ironborn are ignorant of the ways of society and other creatures. They are born as adults and have few of the social skills that other intelligent beings take for granted. They take a –2 racial penalty on all Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Sense Motive checks.
Languages: Ironborn speak Common and whatever language their creators use. Ironborn with high Intelligence scores can choose any languages they want (except secret languages such as Druidic).
Ability Packages
In addition to the traits described above, ironborn have other abilities based on their purpose. An ironborn crafted to serve as a cleric might be covered in holy runes, while one built as a warrior could have a thick, heavy layer of armor. These specialized abilities are organized into a series of packages. You may choose one ability package for a Medium ironborn character. Each package comes with a primary ability and a secondary ability. Once you have chosen a package, you cannot switch to a new one.
Acrobat: With its slender, long limbs, sleek chassis, and elegant design, an ironborn with this ability package can move with a speed and agility that belie the image of constructs as shambling, creaky machines. This set of features is most common in ironborn designed as monks, scouts, and other warriors who rely on mobility rather than heavy armor and brute strength.
Enhanced Agility (Primary Ability): Your slender but strong limbs and intricately designed joints allow you to perform difficult feats of agility and acrobatics with ease. You gain a +2 racial bonus on all Acrobatic and Escape Artist checks.
Enhanced Mobility (Secondary Ability): With your long, powerful legs and efficiently designed frame, you move faster than normal. You gain a +5 foot increase to base land speed.
Artisan: You were designed as a blacksmith, a cobbler, or in some similar craft before making a choice to take a different path, regardless of your burden.
Builder (Primary Ability): You gain 1 rank in Craft at 1st-level and 1 bonus rank to spend upon it at each subsequent level. You can purchase goods that you can make with your Craft skill at a 10 percent discount, as you know enough about your trade to find bargains on quality goods.
Professional (Secondary Ability): select one of the following trait abilities: Clever Worker: You were built for efficiency. When you take 20 on a skill check, you use half the normal time. You can use this ability on any skill check where you are able to take 20.
Materials Expert: You were designed to have a keen eye for spotting flaws in objects. When you damage an inanimate object, you inflict 1.5 times your Strength bonus in damage with a one-handed weapon, or twice your Strength bonus in damage with a two-handed one.
Merchant’s Eye: You were created to have an almost uncanny ability to spot valuable items. You gain a +2 bonus to Appraise checks and can sell items at 10 percent more than their normal price.
Built for Burden: You must be size Large to select this ability package as you were built to be bigger and stronger than almost any other ironborn. Designed with broad shoulders that can support a heavy load, you are nearly an unstoppable force and an immovable object.
Laborer (Primary Ability): Whenever you are subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as during combat maneuvers), you are treated as Huge if doing so is advantageous. You are also treated as Huge for the purposes of calculating your carrying capacity for your light, medium and heavy loads.
Centurion: This package is normally used for warriors and other ironborn meant to take a direct hand in fighting. It is easily the most common package, reflecting the fact that most ironborn are crafted for use in war.
Armored Body (Primary Ability): The centurion’s body includes a number of heavy plates, reinforced joints, and additional shielding. This protection provides a +9 armor bonus to Armor Class, a +1 maximum Dexterity bonus to Armor Class, a –6 armor check penalty, and a 35 percent arcane spell failure chance, and you reduce your speed as normal for wearing heavy armor. You gain these attributes in addition to the +1 natural armor bonus to Armor Class that all ironborn enjoy. Note that if you lack proficiency with heavy armor, you apply your armor check penalty to attack rolls and all skill checks involving movement. You can add magical abilities and enhancement bonuses to this armor as if it were any other suit of armor. You cannot remove this armor, nor can you wear armor over it.
Tough as Iron (Secondary Ability): The thick armor plating that covers a centurion helps shield it from critical hits. There is a 25 percent chance that any critical hit against a centurion deals only normal damage.
Combat Virtuoso: You were designed to use tactics and cunning to defeat your enemies. Many of the urban folk who have learned the secret of the ironborn prefer this set of abilities, because it produces an efficient, loyal warrior.
Battle Tactician (Primary Ability): You are built for tactical combat, allowing you to perform exceptionally effective tactical techniques. You gain a +2 bonus on combat maneuver rolls.
Counter Design (Secondary Ability): You are created with the ability to counter an opponent's combat maneuvers. You gain a +4 bonus to your Combat Maneuver Defense.
Divinely Inspired: You were created in strict observation of religious tenets. You might even be a priest of the faith, though you could simply be one of the faithful.
Product of Worship (Primary Ability): The holy symbol of your faith is part of your body, you are filled with resolution and faith that your deity watches over you. You gain a +2 bonus against all fear effects and, once per day, may opt to gain a +2 bonus on a single d20 roll of
your choice.
Divine Design (Secondary Ability): you enjoy one of the following trait abilities:
Fanatic: You were developed to fight in the name of your deity, and your faith drives you forward against the enemy. Once per day, you gain a +4 bonus to damage on a single attack as you strike with strength fired by your faith.
Inquisitor: As part of your religious design, you were imparted with the knowledge of how to detect heresy among the faithful. You gain a +2 bonus to all Sense Motive checks.
Ordination: You are ordained as a priest of the faith, though your rank is just above that of a lay person. When dealing with others of your faith, they must obey your orders within reason. They do not fight for you unless the need is dire, and they do not sacrifice themselves. You can expect them to treat you as a valued friend, such as by offering information, giving you a place to stay, feeding you for at least a few days, and so forth. A title may come with this position. Consult with your DM for information on religions in your campaign.
Divine Mark: Your body is covered in religious icons and holy symbols. You have been blessed by your creator, soaked in holy or unholy water, and consecrated within your faith’s sacred chapels.
You are a living divine artifact. When you select this package, pick an alignment opposed to your own. Your abilities help you defeat followers of that ethos.
Divine Vengeance (Primary Ability): You can channel your divine energy in several different ways. If you use the ability to harm undead or living creatures, you can augment your ability with your body’s divine energy. You add +2 to the DC of your channel energy class feature. You can create a surge of divine power to harm your enemies, sheathing your weapon or fist in a nimbus of energy that grants you a +2 bonus on damage rolls against enemies that have your chosen opposing alignment as a subtype. Choose a single alignment subtype, such as chaotic, evil, or good. Against opponents that have that subtype, you gain a +2 bonus on damage rolls.
For example, if you chose evil, you would gain this bonus against a vrock because its subtype is evil.
Blessings of the Divine (Secondary Ability): You gain a +1 bonus on all saving throws against spells cast by someone of your chosen opposing alignment. Your patron god’s protective energy wards danger away from you.
Iron Heart: Unlike other ironborn, you have only the slightest shred of an organic component. You were built to serve as an obedient warrior or soldier. Your intellectual abilities were given only passing attention, but the magical processes that power you are too strong to keep your personality and mind dormant. You have phenomenal toughness and durability thanks to your manufactured nature.
Machine Body (Primary Ability): You do not need air to breathe, allowing you to survive indefinitely underwater. Your natural armor bonus increases to +2.
Machine Mind (Secondary Ability): You are immune to all mind affecting effects, since your mechanical mind is simply too alien for such spells and magical attacks to affect it.
Slayer: You were designed to use stealth and cunning to defeat your enemies. Many of the evil folk who have learned the secret of the ironborn prefer this set of abilities, because it produces an efficient, loyal assassin.
Blood Seeker (Primary Ability): You can see and smell the blood that flows through your enemies, allowing you to make a deadly strike when their guard is relaxed. You gain a +2 bonus on melee attack rolls against opponents that you flank or that have lost their Dexterity bonus to Armor Class. You do not gain this bonus against foes that are immune to sneak attacks.
Weapon Spike (Secondary Ability): You have a short blade that can retract into your hand, leaving you armed and ready for combat at all times. This weapon is a dagger of the appropriate size. It cannot be disarmed, and a Perception check (DC 25) is required to notice it if you leave it sheathed. You ready it like any other weapon. This blade can receive magical abilities just like a normal dagger and be upgraded to masterwork status. If it is sundered, use the standard price for a dagger of its size and features to determine the repair time and cost.
Spellmaster: Your outer shell is augmented with a lattice of carefully worked metals enchanted with arcane energy. Lead, copper, silver, and other metals treated by an alchemical process turn your body into a magnet for magic. This lattice makes it easier for you to use and focus magic, allowing you to handle spells with greater precision. Ironborn created to serve as wizards and sorcerers commonly have this set of features, though many clerics built for combat also feature it.
Spell Precision (Primary Ability): When drawing magical energy and shaping it into a spell, you can direct it with greater precision than normal. You gain a +1 competence bonus on attack rolls with spells that require attack rolls of any kind, such as touch spells.
Spell Durability (Secondary Ability): The arcane lattice in your body absorbs and holds magical energy even when you are on the verge of losing it. Once per day, if you fail a Concentration check when attempting to cast a spell, you can opt to reabsorb the spell’s energy into your body before you lose control of it. You do not lose the spell’s slot and can attempt to cast it again later.
Trailblazer: Your chassis was designed to withstand the elements, allowing you to endure extreme temperature, heavy rains, and other hazards of the natural world. You survive on the water and nutrients available in the environment around you, allowing you to spend months in the wilds without supplies. Ironborn created to serve as druids and rangers are usually built with this ability package, as are scouts who spend months seeking out enemy units and pathways through difficult terrain.
Survivor (Primary Ability): You gain resistance to cold 2 and fire 2. In addition, you no longer need to eat or drink.
Scion of Nature (Secondary Ability): Your mechanical body is laced with tiny plants and soil and rock blessed by a druid. These modifications grant you an innate affinity for the natural world. You gain a +2 bonus on all Handle Animal and Survival checks. You can feel the ebb and flow of natural energies, granting you an almost intuitive sense of nature.
*This race can be found in the Ironborn of Questhaven book.
Strigoi
The very existence of the Strigoi is a constant reminder to a subjugated populace of the undead overlords who tried to take over Lyria. Bastard children of Lyria, they’re neither fully mortal nor fully undead and are caught between the two worlds.
Strigoi Traits
Living Dead Subtype: Strigoi are humanoids with the living dead subtype. They are a very unique race which is said to be somewhere between life and death. This gives them the following abilities.
Low-light Vision: Strigoi can see twice as far in poor lighting as a human can in similar conditions.
Resistances: +2 to saves verses poison, disease, paralysis, mind affecting spells and effects, and energy drain.
Death-tainted Soul: All healing with positive magic only heals at half of its strength, in addition negative healing spells heals at half of its strength as well. Spells that deal damage only to undead deal half damage to Strigoi.
Strigoi only need to eat, sleep, and breathe half as much as a normal being of similar size; but spell casters need 8 hours of meditation to regain their daily spells. Strigoi can also hold their breath for a number of turns equal to their Con multiplied by tree.
+2 Constitution, +2 Charisma, -2 Wisdom. Strigoi are resilient and have an unnatural air to them, but the process that brought them to life has warped their rational thought.
Medium: As Medium creatures, Strigoi have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Strigoi base land speed is 30 feet.
Unnatural Vitality: strigoi may stay active even after they drop below 0 hit points. One the round after a strigoi drops below 0 hit points he may take one move or standard action. Immediately he loses twice as many hit points as he would normally loose and falls unconscious.
Deaths Blessing: A strigoi may feast upon a humanoid corpse in order to gain a small amount of health. 3/day the strigoi my heal 1d4 HP per racial hd of a humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature (minimum 1d4) when ever he feeds on the corpse of a humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature. This takes 10 minutes for a medium or small creature and an additional 10 minutes per size catagory larger than medium.
Automatic Languages: Common. Bonus Languages: Any (except secret languages such as druidic)
Tiikeri
These humanoids resemble upright predatory cats standing 5 feet tall and weighing approximately 160 ponds, both male and female. Their fur coloring is usually black with white stripes, though the stripes on the female tend to be thinner. Even though tiikeri walk upright, most prefer going around on all fours. Some scholars think the reason for this is because their paws are not developed enough to wield weapons.
Tiikeri Traits
+2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, -2 Intelligence. Tiikeri are nimble and cunning, but choose cunning over intelect.
Medium: Tiikeri are medium-size creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to size.
Varied Speed: Tiikeri have a base speed of 30 feet. However, if its hands are free a tiikeri can, as a swift action drop down on all fours and move at a rate of 40 feet.
Low-light vision: Tiikeri can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
Scent: Tiikeri have a heightened sense of smell, and receive the Scent special ability.
Heightened Hearing: Tiikeri have sharp ears and gain a racial +2 bonus to all sound-based Perception checks.
Nimble Stalking: Tiikeri gain a +2 racial bonus to all Acrobatics and Stealth checks.
Paws: A tiikeri’s paws are not well suited for holding weaponry, and as a result suffer a –2 racial penalty to all attack rolls made with any weapon other than its own claws and teeth.
Natural Weaponry: Tiikeri have two claws that deal 1d6 and a bite that deals 1d8 points of damage, these are considered weapon attacks and do not provoke an attack of opportunity. The critical rating for these attacks is 19-20(x2).
Languages: Tiikeri begin their careers speaking Common and Sylvan. Tiikeri with high Intelligence scores can choose can choose from Elven, Halfling, and Orc.
Core races:
The racial traits for the races in the core rule book (and Bestiary) are identical to the ones found in Lyria, with a couple of changes. The dwarves gain proficiency with all fire arms. If it wasn’t for them and the gobbs, they wouldn’t be in mass production like they are today.
Aasimars, drow, and tieflings:
These three races’ racial traits are largely unchanged, except for the drow. The drow posses no spell like abilities, are immune to poison, and they’re not bothered by bright light. The reason for these changes is because Lilith never existed to pass on those abilities and they also spend as much time above ground as the do below it. They’re immune to poison because at a young age they tattoo them selves with the poison of a scorpion that leaves white markings on their skin.
The drow also replace the proficiency with crossbows with short bows (and compound short bows). This is due to their primitive society and have not developed the crossbow.
A full write up of each of the races are coming soon, along with racial favored class options for the new races and some for the ones that can be found in the core books.