The Lost City [ EDIT ]

These rules replace the outdated concept of "race" in D&D. Instead of choosing a race, you choose an ancestry and culture. If for example, you wanted to play a dwarf, you would choose dwarven ancestry and dwarven culture. This would create a dwarf pretty much directly from the Player's Handbook. But what if your dwarf had been raised by humans? In this case, you would choose dwarven ancestry, but human culture. Elements of your character that are inborn are determined by ancestry, but those that are shaped by your upbringing are determined from culture. As an extreme example, you could even create a character that had one tiefling parent and one one dragonborn parent, who was raised in an elven sub-culture in a human city. In this case, you would determine which traits from each ancestry your character has, and which traits from each culture that your character possesses to create a completely unique individual, unlike any other D&D character!

You will start at 1st level and should choose both ancestry and culture. Your ancestry is your parentage (choose one parent from each side) and your culture represents the environment in which you grew up. You may choose from the following ancestries/cultures:

Dragonborn
Dwarf, hill
Elf, high
Gnome, rock
Halfling, lightfoot
Human
Orc
Tiefling

These are essentially right out of the Player's Handbook and should be familiar to all of you. The ones below are NOT covered by the Player's Handbook and thus a few words of explanation are given,

Amazonian: Amazonian culture esteems excellence in all things, but especially physical endeavor and martial prowess. Amazonian culture is welcoming of any who identifies as a woman. Those who live among them are all considered equal regardless of identity, receiving accolades based on their contributions to society and their success in the games. Their friendly competition aside, amazonian communities are remarkably harmonious, almost idyllic places.

Bear folk: Bear folk are ursine humanoids. They resemble bipedal bears, with brown, black, or white fur, large frames, heavy, clawed paws, and long large snouts.

Bugbear: Bugbears are muscular, hairy humanoids with long arms and a frightening mien. Folklore depicts bugbears as cruel thugs who form gangs to menace peaceful settlements. Indeed, some such gangs exist, but other bugbears walk a different path, despite the prejudice they often face from others.

Cat folk: Cat folk are feline humanoids, roughly human in height but thinner and usually weighing less. They are covered in short fur of as wide a variety of colors and textures as wild felines exhibit, including panthers, jaguars, leopards, cheetahs, tigers, and even lions. They have cat-like teeth and claws and a feline tail that seems to have a mind of its own.

Construct: Constructs are humanoids in shape and size but made of iron, wood, and other inorganic materials. They are not mere machines, however, nor mere magical constructs like a golem, for these beings are self-aware and intelligent.

Devan: Devans are humanoids descended from celestials known as devas. These divine forebears were often tasked with spending time among mortals, disguised as one of them. In rare cases, such devas fell in love with mortals and had offspring with them, resulting in small communities of those who descend from such unions.

Dhampir: The dhampir is the offspring of a vampire and a human. They appear to be humans, though their skin often has a pallid or subtly corpselike aspect. They have retractable canine fangs that appear normal when not in use.

Dog folk: Dog folk are humanoids that resemble dogs, though they have humanoid hands. Their appearance can vary as broadly as that of dogs, with fur of virtually any kind or color. Some family lines inherit a keen sense of smell; others, hearing. Some have long fur that keeps them warm, while others are sleek.

Dwarf, deep: In addition to the more common dwarf communities who live beneath the hills or on mountain tops, some dwarven communities delve deep into the subterranean reaches of the very foundations of the land. These deep dwarven communities develop their own distinctive
culture and practices as a result of their exploratory practices. Indeed, they must work very hard to find sufficient food and resources for their communities to survive in such a dangerous environment.

Dwarf, rock (mountain): In addition to the more common dwarf communities who live beneath the hills, some dwarven communities develop above ground, high in the mountains or deep within ravines. These rock dwarven communities develop their own distinctive culture and practices, emphasizing defense of their communities as an important value.

Elf, deep: Deep elven culture differs from that of the high elves, mostly because of centuries of subterranean life. Whereas those who live on the surface might become practiced in hunting or the use of traditional elven weapons, those who live deep in the earth adapt to their surroundings differently. Those who grow up immersed in this culture often take on certain traits.

Elf, fey: Elven communities can sometimes be found beyond the material plane, most commonly on the Plane of Faerie, in part because the elves claim an ancestry that originates on that mystical plane. Some of these communities were founded by elves who traveled from the
material plane, but others may very well have always existed among the fey. Those who grow up in a fey elf community share certain traits.

Elf, forest: Forest elven culture differs from that of the high elves in certain ways. Whereas those who live in high elven culture each study magic and certain traditional elven martial arts, forest elven culture is freer, embracing nature as a parent. Those who grow up immersed in this culture often take on certain traits.

Elf, shadow: Shadow elf communities are those founded by elves who have passed from the material plane into the plane of Shadow. These elven communities have dwelt in the Shadow for long enough to have developed their own beliefs and practices, ones colored by the dismal and dreary realm around them. Some of these communities originated in those who worshiped the deities of Shadow, but just as many found themselves pulled through a portal, or fled here to hide from some threat. Now, though, these communities remain because this is where their history lies. In general, members of shadow elf communities tend to have certain traits.

Fox folk: Fox folk are humanoid foxes that usually have red fur, large pointed ears, long, thin snouts, and a bushy tail. Some fox folk have gray or even white fur, however. They are smaller and usually more agile than humans.

Giant kin: Giant kin are most likely the descendants of both humans and giants. Some speculate they are the result of cloud giants using magic to assume human size and having offspring with humans, though the details of this ancestry are lost to time. Giant kin appear to be humanoid, but are significantly larger and taller than most humans, with the sturdiness of the giants apparent in their forms.

Gnoll: Gnolls are humanoids who resemble dingoes or hyenas, with yellow and brown striped, spotted, or ringed fur, a pointed snout, sharp teeth, and large ears. Their voices are often high pitched and barky. They have long legs, a fairly lean body, and are generally quick on their feet.

Gnome, dark: High mountain dwellers, worshippers of the spirits of storm and avalanche., which makes them pariahs.

Gnome, wood: Wood gnomish culture revolves around the connection to the forests in which they live. Whereas rock gnomish cultures value ingenuity and craft, wood gnomish communities tend to value harmony with and the comprehension of nature.

Goblin: Goblins are small, green skinned humanoids with yellow eyes and teeth.

Grimalkin: Grimalkin are humanoids with several cat-like features, including cat?s ears that sprout from the tops of their otherwise human-looking heads. They have human-looking skin, hands, and feet. Most grimalkin also have subtle cat?s whiskers, slightly elongated, slender but sharp canine teeth, short claws, and thin tails that do little but cause trouble.

Halfling, sturdy: Sturdy halfling culture can be as warm and friendly as lightfoot halfling culture, but they often also adhere to dwarven cultural practices in addition to halfling ones.

Halfling, urban: Urban halfling neighborhoods spring up in large towns and cities with some regularity. Rather than living in grassy hills, tending their gardens, and puffing pipes, urban halfling communities hock wares at the market, grow networks of contacts and customers and prefer snuff tobacco. Urban halfling communities tend to work hard and celebrate with as much intensity.

Hobgoblin: Hobgoblins are humanoids related to goblins and bugbears and often found among them. Their origins are unknown, though their history has always been entwined with the other two goblinoid ancestries. Indeed, in many old hobgoblin tales, hobgoblins occupied positions of leadership in multicultural goblinoid communities. Whether these tales are self-serving are accurate is unknown.

Ink Hexen: Ink hexen are an ancestry of humans who originate in the plane of Shadow. Some folks say that the ink hexen are humans who lived for generations in the Shadow and have been forever changed. Others say one or more of their ancestors made a deal with the ruler of Shadow and forever carry the shadowy mark. In truth, ink hexen are born appearing human, with only one tattoo they magically receive in utero from their parents. Even so, this tattoo is exceptionally powerful, formed from the blood magics at play during conception and birth.

Insect folk: Insect folk resemble humanoid praying mantises, though their arms and legs are scaled like a humans', and they have hands. They have a hard carapace, sharp mandibles, and antennae.

Kobold: Kobolds are small, scaly lizard-like humanoids with long snouts and tails. Some say they descend from dragons, but others say that they are a branch of lizard folk who have grown smaller over many generations, due to their lives spent in narrow tunnels underground.

Lizard folk: Lizard folk are humanoid lizards, usually with green, gold, or black scales, sharp teeth, and a tail.

Minotaur: Minotaurs resemble large humans with a bull head and horns. Tales tell of an ancient ancestor of all minotaurs who was cursed by the gods as a result of his crimes, though many minotaurs dismiss that as a myth.

Paragons: Paragons are a distinct human culture that claims it originates in a community of legendary heroes a thousand or more years ago. Over the generations, they have passed down the tales and values of those epic heroes in tales, practices, and beliefs. These communities welcome others into their number who are willing to take up the values and commitments that they hold dear.

Qivux: Qivux are bipedal anthropomorphic foxes. Variations in fur coloration largely stem from the ancient geographic distribution of the clans. Oral tradition among qivux communities claim that the qivux hold a deep affinity to the elemental plane of fire and their innate ability to conjure forth flame serves as good evidence. As such, many refer to the qivux as the Children of Fire.

Raptor folk: Raptor folk are humanoids that resemble bipedal dinosaurs. They are roughly the size of human beings, though much more slender, with narrow torsos and long bony limbs. They have three fingers tipped with a talon on each hand. Covering their bodies are hard, metallic carapaces, which come to spiky points at their joints and the backs of their heads, though these head spikes are more prominent in males than females. Around their mouths are more bony plates that form mandibles of sorts as well, though they are not powerful enough to use as weapons.

Rat folk: Rat folk are humanoid rats. They have rat-like heads, with large ears, long snouts, whiskers, and large, strong teeth. Their bodies are covered in short fur but are otherwise human in form.

Raven kin: Raven kin are humanoids ravens, though they lack the wings of their raven or bird folk siblings, having feathered arms instead. Known for their uncanny ability to replicate sounds they hear and their tendency to collect shiny things, the raven kin are sometimes referred to as mockingbirds or magpies, though the raven kin themselves usually dislike these monikers. The origin of the raven kin is unknown, though some historians speculate they are an offshoot of bird folk that fell under some foul curse.

Shapeshifter: In their natural form, a shapeshifter has gray skin and indistinct, muted features, pupil-free gray eyes, white hair, and can choose to appear as any gender.

Snake folk: Snake folk are humanoid serpents, featuring scaly skin, a forked tongue, snake-like eyes, smooth, streamlined ears and nose, and long, slender bodies.

Troll folk: Those of troll folk ancestry are the descendants of humans and trolls. For the most part, the details of those unions are unknown, though many suspect magic was involved. Indeed, some communities tell tales of an ancient queen who tasked her wizards with creating a powerful army by magically melding her soldiers with trolls, with the troll folk being the result.

Wolf folk: Wolf folk are humanoid wolves, with black, gray, brown, or white fur. They walk upright and have humanoid limbs, but a distinctively lupine head. Most wolf folk have a growling undertone to their voices, though it need not sound menacing.

Tell me of your parentage (both parents) and your culture and I will provide details for you. Aside from that, your character should be created as normal (4d6, drop the lowest six times and assign as desired). You begin at 1st level and have everything that you would normally possess except food and water.