Hybrid Lineages

In principle, any lineage other than the steelborn can interbreed successfully with any other. In practice, the only ones who are seen are mixes between humans, elves (ihmisi or gwerin), and orcs, and most commonly human mixed with either elf or orc. These hybrids are stable, meaning the child of two half-elf/half-human parents will be notably hybrid. Most other crosses aren’t nearly as stable, taking strongly after one parent or the other and not perpetuating in future generations. Oddly, fiend-touched humans make a more stable hybrid parent with other lineages than regular humans do.

To make a character of a hybrid race, pick a lineage other than steelborn and a sub-lineage/culture from a different, non-steelborn lineage. If one base lineage has a trait marked with a (+) and the other does not, you must make the one with the marked trait your base lineage. Any cultural traits that rely on features the base race does not have (such as choosing a dragonborn culture on a human base, meaning no breath weapon) are replaced with a similar-power cultural trait from the base lineage. Making a character of a hybrid race other than human + elf or ihmisi + orc requires explicit DM collaboration and approval.

Three examples are given: human base + traveler ihmisi, ihmisi base + Night’s Child human, and orc base + sylvan ihmisi.

Traveler Human

Most common in the northern Sea of Grass and Dreamwall mountain regions, as well as into southern Kotimaa, these are the result of generations of mixing between the local traveler ihmisi population and the wall-builder humans. Physically, they’re shorter and more slender than the humans, and more charismatic and less primally oriented than the ihmisi side. Culturally, they have troubles fitting into the very settled, boring human society but are too gregarious to fit into the tribal-dominated, insular ihmisi cultures of the region.

Lineage Traits

  • Ability Score Increase. +1 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom OR +2 Charisma

  • Age. Adult at 16, live until 80-ish

  • Size. Medium. 5′ - 6′6″, 100-300 lbs

  • Speed. 30 feet.

  • Status. Core

  • Languages. You know Common.

  • Additional Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in one skill and language of your choice, as well as land vehicles, animal handling, thieves tools, and one artisan’s tool of your choice.

  • Desperate Plea (+). As a reaction when you make an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, you can choose to reroll the check and take the second result. If you had advantage or disadvantage, the reroll does as well. You can use this trait a number of times equal to half your proficiency bonus, regaining expended uses when you finish a long rest.

  • Traveling Mender. You can make full progress with your chosen crafting skill while on the road. You learn the schema for one Common magic item that requires a tool proficiency you have.

  • Weapon Training. You are proficient in longbows, shortbows, shortswords, and longswords. Longswords are finesse weapons for you.

Night’s Child Ihmisi

Making up a full third of the population of Byssia, these generational mixtures of the local Night’s Children humans and the highlands sylvan ihmisi are a staple part of society, especially where the highlands and lowlands meet.

Physically, they’re of intermediate height and build between their tall, bulky human ancestry and their shorter, slimmer elven ancestry. They have the jet-black, very straight hair of their human side, but their skin is darker [not hard compared to the ivory paleness of a Night’s Child -IB] and they tan in the sun. Their eyes are generally green or brown.

Lineage Traits

  • Ability Score Increase. +1 Dexterity, +1 Intelligence, +1 Strength

  • Age. Adult at 20, live until 110-ish

  • Size. Medium. 5′2″ - 6′0″, 100-210 lbs

  • Speed. 35 feet.

  • Status. Core

  • Languages. You know Common and Metsae (wood elven). You can understand most speakers of Yonwach as long as the mode is common (rather than High Court Yonwach).

  • Additional Proficiencies. You are proficient in Investigation and Insight.

  • Darkvision. The Lady of Mystery, Queen of Night, has gifted you with darkvision out to 60 ft.

  • Intuitive Detective. When you make an Investigation check to discover a hidden door, trap, concealed lever, you add twice your proficiency bonus instead. When you make an Insight check to figure out what secrets someone is keeping or detect a hidden motive, you gain one additional insight on a success.

  • Naturally Stealthy. Your connection with the land makes you able to hide more easily. While on the Mortal Plane or Shadow, you can attempt to Hide as long as you are in an area of dim light or are lightly obscured.

  • Trance. Instead of sleeping, you remain semi-conscious and aware of your surroundings. You still require 6 hours of trance to complete a long rest. You can not be magically put to sleep.

  • Voices of the Kami (+). While on the mortal plane you can meditate for 1 minute. During that time, your senses (vision and hearing) expand to 100 feet (increasing to 200 feet starting at level 5, 500 feet starting at level 11, and 1000 feet at level 17) regardless of natural obstructions and you can sense the presence and number of any creatures within range. The exact location of unnatural creatures (fiends, undead, aberrations, or celestials) are pinpointed and you know their type. In cities or other built-up environments, the range is halved and only unnatural creatures are sensed. You cannot see through or into buildings or other constructed obstructions. You can use this trait a number of times equal to half your proficiency bonus, regaining expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Wood Orc

Found in tribes where the orc-dominated Fiach Woods blends into the elven-dominated Kotimaan forests, these are physically orcish (grey, mottled skin and prominent bottom canines, with sunken eyes) but more slender and nimble and more innately connected to the wilds. Orcish tribes tend to treat them as tolerated cousins; the ihmisi are less favorable (but not outright hostile). They are rare in more civilized lands.

Lineage Traits

  • Ability Score Increase. +1 Strength, +1 Dexterity, +1 Wisdom

  • Age. Adult at 15, lives until 90-ish, although 100 is not uncommon.

  • Size. Medium. 5′4″ - 6′6″, 120-280 lbs

  • Speed. 35 feet.

  • Status. Core

  • Languages. You are proficient in Common and Ard-teang (Orcish).

  • Fury’s Legacy (+). Once per long rest, you can rage as if you were a level 1 barbarian, except that you can concentrate on spells (but not cast them) while raging in this way. If you have the Rage class feature, you instead can use that feature an additional time per long rest and can concentrate on spells while raging.

  • Primal Initiate. You learn one cantrip of your choice from the Druid list, as well as one spell of 1st level from that same list. Wisdom is your casting ability for these spells. You can cast the spell once with this feature and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. If you have the Spellcasting feature, you can use your spell slots to cast it as well.

  • Relentless Advance. Your speed increases by 5 feet (included in the speed entry).