Species
Listed below are the most common of the mortal beings within Broadsea, the remainder of those who struggle to survive, as well as some lesser common beings.
Thaddeus "Klep" Klepfeld
A lot of hubbub and chatter on what constitutes a "mortal" these days. You know, versus, all of those weird, eldritch, monstrous things out in the Greater World.
Before, it was "anyone the God-Emperor decided," which, as we know, became the concept of a "soul." Back then, a soul was literal divine purpose imbued in a person through the God-Emperor (or, much more often, one of his aasimar envoys).
In reality, "mortality" is something you can't really define, as there will always be an exception. But it's something you know when you see it.
Aasimar - Aasimar occupy an interesting position among the people of Broadsea. They are, in short, descendants of those mortals whom the God-Emperor chose to breed with. Aasimar were often the governors of cities and nations, or held other aristocratic titles granted to them by their father. This makes them the object of scorn for many in modern times, who see aasimar as malevolent emperorkin, or even as potential reincarnations of the God-Emperor himself. Most aasimar, however, were treated as poorly, or worse, than their non-celestial kin. Today most are peaceful and want nothing but to live their lives free from harm.
I pity the aasimar people, for they carry a heavy burden. The blood of the God-Emperor flows through their veins, but that does not make them the God-Emperor! We should honor their ability to forge their own paths now.
Dragonborn - The history of the dragonborn is unknown to anyone. Even them. In all the ancient text fragments that have survived, none mention the dragonborn, and yet dragonborn exist and seem to have existed for all time. It is clear that they are some type of humanoid dragonkin, but all the dragons of antiquity have given no indication that they created dragonborn. This often creates a sense of drive for individual dragonborn, as they seek out a purpose in life that was presumably never granted to them by anyone.
It is said that dragonkin were the creations of ancient dragon gods, back when the world was first formed. I doubt we'll ever truly know why...
Dwarf - Also known as Stonemen*, dwarves were churned to life long ago among the hot magma deep below the earth, breaking themselves free from cocoons made from cooled lava within the deepest caverns. As with all species under the thumb of the God-Emperor, dwarves were conscripted indefinitely; their task was to forge the weapons wielded by the God-Emperor’s forces. When the surface world ended, the stonemen returned to the rock, their ancient underground cities unknown to those on the surface. There they witnessed the fall of the Underdark by the Rockbringer, including the fall of Dekhza, their city underneath Broadsea, forcing them to scramble to the surface once again. The last remaining dwarven population takes refuge in Stoneward, within the Haven Mesa.
* In this instance, “men" is being used in the Old English way, to mean "people".
I've never met a dwarf I didn't like, and I admire their craftsmanship. Indeed, Stoneward is an architectual delight! (They brew fantastic ale, too.)
Elf - Elves are the longest lived species in the world, and also the species most attuned to magic. Historically, they were known for their lifespans and their general aloofness; though, in the modern era, the remaining elven population strives to ready themselves for the end of the world. Elven myths point to an ancient, unknown god of magic, who steeped the prehistoric elves into the current of arcane power itself. Some elves believe that they were created specifically to counter the divine power of the God-Emperor. As such, elven culture has a strong sense of militaristic duty against the divine.
The elves speak of a "final synchrony," though I've no idea what that means. Something about "all things happening at once." Their version of the end of the world. *shrugs*
Gnome - In elven folklore, gnomes are known as the “failed caste," a rejected initial creation by the god that created elves. For the gnomes, this means only one thing: that they arrived before the elves, which gives them great pride. Gnomes are tinkerers by nature, who love to create and employ magically-empowered machinery. They also love to joke and play tricks and generally enjoy their time as much as possible.
I had a gnome build me a little mechanical flying bird once, in exchange for a rare tome. I let it fly around the library until I discovered that Selli also gave it the ability to shit
Goliath - Many goliaths, or giantkin, were forced to flee from their tribes in the Tolstead Mountains after the giants went to war among themselves following the God-Emperor's death, vying for power in their formerly subjugated lands. The giants were essential in creating a defensive force against larger and more powerful beings, as well as keeping the primeval entities from growing larger. Goliaths, meanwhile, were force-bred by the God-Emperor to create a strong inner sanctum of powerful warriors dedicated to protecting the God-Emperor and his closest kin and advisors. After his death, those goliath that fled the brutal civil war turned to the cities for safety, with most goliaths living in Highhaven due to its elevation. There, they generally seek a more mundane life as tradesmen or mercenaries.
Oh, the poor giantkin. Stuck between a rock and a hard place: to join the schism of the giants, or find a home among the alien people's of Broadsea. Knowing the toll of the Giants War, the latter was probably the better option.
Halfling - The halfling creation myth states that they were created by the god of leisure, and that their primary role in life is to kick back and enjoy the simple things. Ironically, however, halflings are the most common species who live outside of the Three Sisters, taking refuge among the dangers in small, hillside villages called “warrentowns" throughout Broadsea. Most halflings want little to do with the rest of the world, but those that seek adventure are often used to get into, or out of, tricky situations.
You say "leisure," I say "lazy." I've hired no fewer than three halflings in my time and each one of them would rather sleep than work! Pah!
Human - Humans are the dominant species of Broadsea, having lived in the area since prehistory, when Broadsea was a mostly submerged archipelago. They lived free from the meddling of the greater world. Following the Last Holy War, those who survived struggled and fought their way to Broadsea, escaping the travesties beyond. Many humans resent the other species for entering their realm unannounced, despite the collapse around them.
The good thing about humans is that they are plentiful and always eager to do something. The bad thing about humans is that they're plentiful and always eager to do something.
Orc - To be an orc in society is to work diligently to prove again and again that you are not here to murder anyone for the glory of the Empire of Orcs. The former cannon fodder for the God-Emperor, most orcs chose to unite in the ruins of Gauldia following their creator's death, forming the vast, highly territorial and incredibly xenophobic Empire of Orcs. But, of course, not all orcs agreed with this proposition, and some have chosen to live among the other species.
The stigma of orcs is unfortunate, very unfortunate, yet, to be fair, they did extricate themselves from Broadsea to make an empire hellbent on vengeance against the world. I get it, but still.
Tiefling - Once hunted to near extinction in the ancient times, tieflings—the descendants of fiends—have found a new foothold in the world following the death of the God-Emperor. The old legend says that one of the God-Emperor's kin, the aasimar Uraevus, fell from grace after disobeying his father, and in return made a pact with an unknown fiend, turning his celestial blood infernal and creating the first tiefling.
I don't buy that origin story. There are too many tieflings to come from one person, don't you think? It stinks of a way earlier pact, to me.
Others
Beyond the normal, most abundant species of Broadsea, there are other, less populous, who yet still reside here. Some are the so-called “beastlings," beings who resemble beasts but are also humanoid.
Note: beings whose origins are explicitly from another plane of existence are not included in this game, unless that origin has been altered by me.
Bugbear - Bugbear are the largest of the goblinoid kin, created as silent, powerful infiltrators, able to hide in spaces smaller than themselves.
Duergar & Deep Gnomes - Once dire enemies of the dwarves and gnomes, duergar and snirfneblin were forced to ally with their kin to aid in the escape from the Underdark. Those who survive reside in the poorer sections of Stoneward, under the watchful eye of the dwarves.
Firbolg - Firbolg are distant cousins to the giants, who are said to have left the land of giants to wander into the forests of the world, where they stayed as caretakers and defenders.
Genasi - Genasi are incredibly rare, being the offspring of a genie and a mortal. So rare, in fact, that they tend to hide their genie heritage for fear of being ostracized. If you ever met one, it would be in Highhaven.
Goblin - The primary infantry of the God-Emperor's monstrous army, goblins became so prevalent in the world that they are now a primary nuisance of the Encroaching Darkness. Goblin camps pop up seemingly out of nowhere, fueled by chaos and hunger.
Hobgoblin - Hobgoblins are the military prowess of the goblinoids. They commanded the armies of goblins as they were the only ones capable of quelling the goblins' chaotic nature.
Kenku - Masters of mimicry, kenku were the God-Emperor's special forces. They all once lived in Carantia, and those who escaped are scattered throughout Highhaven.
Kobold - Like dragonborn, no one really know where kobolds came from. But they're as abundant as goblins and seem endlessly curious. Some think they are distantly related to gnomes due to their love of invention.
Lizardfolk - The lizardfolk of the Gauldus Swamps share a tenuously peaceful relationship with the people of Bellerost, who took much of their land to build their city.
Sea Elf - It's not like sea elves can't exist here, but if they do, nobody has seen one.
Tabaxi - Tabaxi are as diverse as any species. Many once hailed from the Ungruan jungles, but others lived in the desert of Broadsea and the tundra of the Frostlands.
Tortle - Tortles were one of the last species to arrive in Broadsea. Their homeland, the island of Greengrove, was taken over by Rykkelm roughly 300 years ago, forcing them to find a new home.
Yuan-ti - The origins of the yuan-ti people are unknown. They lived in the south, beyond Gauldia, in a warm rainforest which burned to the ground during the Last Holy War. Since then, the yuan-ti have struggled to find a permanent home due to their vile history.
Where is _____? I've chosen to not use several of the expanded rules species for a variety of reasons, such as originating from another world/plane, 5.5e's hard stance (apparently) on no mixed species, and because centaurs suck ass.
Extraplanar PCs might exist in the future, but right now, Broadsea has no real connections to other planes.
