Races of Karthun
In the northern mountains of Thulengard, the Sunwalker dwarves- freed refugees from their tyrannical cousins the Underlords, bask in the
sunlight while studying the arcane arts. To the southern shores of Ilrenar, the Illyn serve as peacekeepers and caretakers to the beauty
and music of Karthun. Cavorting through the forest realm of Symul, the elves draw power from Karthun’s three moons while locked
in a bloody civil war that has raged for generations. Lizardfolk clans in the southern kingdom of Sylnn wage shadow wars to gain
power and favor from their patron god, while scattered across the Last Continent, the gnomes of 'The Lost' wander, searching for a new
home and purpose.
Dwarves
Underlord dwarves carry dense, muscular builds while the majority of Sunwalker dwarves carry less weight and rely more heavily
on dexterity. In appearance, dwarves of the Underlord realm are pale, heavily scarred by decades of battle or the lash, and bald (either
by choice or by force at the hand of their slaver masters). Underlord beards are long and unkempt, often stained with blood earned in
combat and adorned with trophies from past victories.
The liberated dwarves of Thulengard are a direct opposite. Sunwalkers revel in daylight giving them healthy skin tones and lighter
hair. Sunwalkers grow their hair long and adorn it with intricate braids or accents. To further separate themselves from the Underlords,
all Sunwalker men shave their beards. While many Sunwalkers carry the scars from former lives under the Underlord’s lash, many
make efforts to tastefully cover the worst of their scars but allow some to remain in view, as reminders of their former lives, a life that
could return if the Underlords prevail in their war with the surface races of Karthun.
Sunwalker Dwarf
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity and Intelligence scores each increase by 1.
Cantrip. You know one cantrip of your choice from the wizard spell list. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for it.
Underlord Dwarf
As Mountain Dwarf
Elves
Elves of the three clans vary in appearance, based on their alignment with each of Karthun’s three moons (Ogwan, Sheluun, and Timus).
During the full phase of their patron moons (known as a moon reign), elves strength, speed, and other characteristics heighten, as well
as augment their appearance. The need for hunting and warlike emotions escalate during moon reigns with varying strength across the
three clans. For the Wolf Clan, the hunts of the moon reign are ceremonial times used for cleansing of their lands and rites of passage.
For the Bear Clan, their increase in strength during moon reigns is a time for contests and battle among their champions. Among the
Jackal Clan, moon reigns are a time for savage debauchery filled with ritual sacrifice and brutal assaults on outlying Wolf and Bear Clan
settlements.
Wolf Clan Elf
The elves of the wolf clan are lean, strong, and swift. Male elves of the wolf clan do not grow facial hair but all Wolves
favor long hair, typically braided with threads of colors representing their houses. Wolf clan hair color ranges from dark brown to
grey/silver. During their moon reign, Wolf Clan elves increase slightly in size, their skin tone shifting color towards pale grey-blue
tones, their teeth sharpen, their senses heighten and their eyes take on a pale blue glow.
Traits are as Wood Elf, with the following addition:
Moon Reign: During the full phase of your patron moon, you can make a bite attack as an action dealing 1d6 piercing damage, and you gain
advantage on Wisdom (perception) checks. A creature hit by your bite attack must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency
bonus + your Dexterity modifier) or be knocked prone.
Bear Clan Elf
The elves of the Bear clan are naturally larger than elves of the Wolf and Jackal Clans. Bear Clan elves wear their hair (which
ranges from deep red to dark brown) long and unkempt. The men of the Bear Clan typically wear long, unadorned facial hair. During
their moon reign, Bear Clan elves increase in strength, size, and weight, they become more resistant to physical damage, their coloring
shifts towards red tones, and their eyes take on an orange glow.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score improves by 1.
Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
Bear Clan Weapon Training. You gain proficiency in one martial melee weapon of your choice. The weapon selected must have either
the Heavy or Versatile property.
Moon Reign: During the full phase of your patron moon, you grow to large size as though affected by the Enlarge effect of the Enlarge/Reduce
spell.
Furthermore, you can focus yourself to occasionally shrug off injury. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to roll a d12. Add your
Constitution modifier to the number rolled, and reduce the damage by that total. After you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a short
or long rest.
A Bear clan elf's Powerful Build trait is nonfunctional while under the effects of his Moon Reign.
Jackal Clan Elf
The elves of the Jackal clan are the smallest physically of the three elven clans with thin, almost sickly builds and sunken features. Most Jackal
Clan elves appear underfed and nervous with an uneasy demeanor that is sometimes off-putting. Jackal Clan hair color ranges from dirty blonde to
brown and varies in length and styles. During their moon reign, elves of the Jackal Clan develop a hunched posture, gnarled teeth, claws, increased
speed and their eyes glow with a sickening, yellow glow.
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score improves by 1.
Nuisance. You gain proficiency in either the Deception skill or the Intimidation skill.
Vicious Attacks. When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, the target must save on a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your
proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier) or take the bonus critical damage again at the beginning of your next turn.
Jackal Clan Weapon Training. You have training with the scimitar, flail, and hand crossbow.
Moon Reign: During the full phase of your patron moon, you gain a bite attack and a claw attack as melee weapon attacks with the light and
finesse properties. As an action, you can attack once with both your bite and claw attacks, dealing 1d4 piercing damage each. Creatures who are hit
by both attacks take an additional 1d6 poison damage. In addition, your speed increases to 35 feet.
Illyn
As the children of Elinar, the Illyn are a race tied to the seasons of Karthun. From the renewal of spring, the
warmth of summer, the passing of life in fall, and the cold end of winter courses through the Illyn’s veins. For this reason, Illyn are
referred to as the season for which they are born: Child of Winter, Child of Spring, Child of Summer, and Child of Fall. Illyn on
average are the same height and build as humans with deep set eyes of colors matching their given season. All Illyn bodies are covered
in ornate birthmarks along their arms, legs, torso, and neck. These birthmarks appear as swirling patterns akin to ribbons in the wind.
As varied as each season, each type of Illyn possesses their own sets of hair color and birthmark characteristics, as described below:
Spring: Children of Spring typically have red hair and pale green birthmarks, to signify growth and life.
Summer: Children of Summer typically have blonde hair and gold birthmarks in reverence of the sun.
Fall: Children of Fall typically have brown hair and auburn birthmarks to signify the changing of seasons.
Winter: Children of Winter typically have dark hair and blue-grey birthmarks to mark the arrival of winter.
Traits: Substitute in Elf, Half-Elf, Human, or Aasimar traits if you wish. If playing a Diminished, let me know and we can work out some racial traits.
Other Races
Let me know if you want to play some other race than the ones listed above or those listed in the Player's Handbook, and we can work out the logistics.