The Hominid Strain

Hominid, or “Human” as they have come to be called in more recent times, is the Umbrella term used to refer to the people which have come to dominate the middle-eastern regions of Kashura and their surrounding lands. They are the youngest Strain, first evidence of their existence only dating back around 3000 years.

Homeland:

Hominids have come to call many places on Kashura their home in the past 1000 years or so:
From The Ashen Peaks of Rungholt far in the north, over the eastern coast of The Shattered Sea and the rugged hills, mountains and woodlands of Griselderyn, through the fertile rivers, lakes and seas of Zagesi, down to the coast of The Conflux Sea. While most Hominids live in these regions, their natural adaptiveness has allowed them to settle in a wide variety of different places across the continent living alongside the members of other Strains, either as nomadic travelers, such as the Yurekai, also known as “Sandwalkers”, of The Daga-Kurum Desert, or as minority populations in lands dominated by other strains.

Faith and Culture:

The predominant faith practiced amongst Hominid Cultures is known as The Ur-Ashaar, roughly translating to “The First Immortals” in the proto-hominid tongue. Nowadays though it is most commonly referred to as “The Creed of the Seven”, or simply “The Seven”.
As much a historical record as holy scripture, The Ur-Ashaar tells the story of how the seven immortals, led by Zargoran, rose up in rebellion against their Draconid masters, breaking the chains of their enslaved people in the process and establishing the first hominid nations. The Faith puts a heavy focus on hospitality, celebration and freedom. Cultural practices vary from place to place, but something almost all Hominid societies have in common is “The Right of The Wanderer”. This cultural practice dictates that a faithful follower must provide shelter, food and clothing to those in need if they are capable of providing so. Be they a wandering vagrant, a slave on the run, friend or foe, stranger or not, hominid or otherwise. Hominids are highly adaptive not just in body and mind, but socially. As such, hominids living in the lands of others tend to assimilate into whatever culture they are now a part of, mixing and matching the practices of the locals to their own and even picking up the worship of other cultures' deities.

General Appearance:

While not as diverse in appearance as other strains, hominids still have a lot of diversity in their physical characteristics:
Hominids have 2 arms and 2 legs, usually varying in height between 5-6ft. (150-180cm), though certain groups can reach heights of up to 7ft. (210cm) or as little as 3ft. (90cm). They are as varied in their physical frames as they come, short and tall, slender and stocky, thin and thick. Their skin tends to be smooth, varying in color from pale whites to dark browns and ebony blacks. Certain Hominids display more “exotic” skin colors though, from ashen grays and whites, to pale greens and blues. Finally, some are said to have an almost stone-like or sandy texture to their skin, though these individuals tend to be quite rare.
Hair Color varies widely, though blacks and browns are by far the most common, the same goes for eye-color.

Sexual Dimorphism:

Male Hominids on average tend to be a bit taller and stronger than their female counterparts, though this is by no means a hard rule. Their body hair also tends to be more pronounced.

Average Lifespan:

Hominids tend to live around 1 century, though there have been major outliers which have drastically exceeded this lifespan.

Born of Earth, molded by Flame:

Regardless of the culture, most Hominids have myths or stories detailing the creation of their species. These of course vary from place to place, but they all have one thing in common: stating that Hominids were formed from earth and given life by a "Divine Flame" of sorts.
These are likely attempts to explain Hominids natural resilience and resistance to fire, a trait unique to them amongst all other Strains.

Strain Abilities:

When choosing Hominids as your Primary Strain, you get the following abilities for free:

+2 to any one Ability Score and +1 to any other Ability Score

Proficiency in The Language of your Homeland and one other Language.

Flame of Divinity:

Your Hominid heritage grants you resistance to fire and radiant damage.

As the Divine Flame brought life to Hominids, so too did its protection suffuse their bodies, extending to their very flesh and bones.

Fleeting Mastery:

Your Hominid upbringing has caused you to excel in a specific field or skill. Choose one skill or tool with which you are proficient, you add 1d4 to any rolls you make using that skill or tool.

As most Hominids do not believe in an afterlife they are driven to achieve as much as they can in their own lifespan, driving them to unprecedented mastery in their chosen field of expertise. Even those that do however are still subject to the cultural practices which produce such talent, benefitting from it all the same.

Optional Strain Abilities:

The Following are Strain Abilities available to you by choosing the Hominid Strain: (As all other Strain, Hominids get 5 Strain Points (SP) and can get additional additional points by spending 2 Ability Score Points per Strain Point).

Gigantism: (1 SP)

Prerequisites: minimum +2 Strength from Strain, Class and Background

This Ability Cannot be chosen with the Pygmy Strain Ability

Certain Hominid Individuals are much greater in stature and bulk than others. These Individuals tower over their kin, wield greater power, carry greater burdens and are naturally much more intimidating. This trait is the most common amongst Hominids in the far north of Kashura.

Your Height Increases to anywhere from 6-7ft. (180-210cm)

You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

You gain proficiency in the Intimidation Skill.

The Amount of Food and Water you need to Consume per day is doubled.

Your unarmed strikes deal damage equal to 1d4 + Str.

Pygmy: (1 SP)

Prerequisites: minimum +2 Dexterity from Strain, Class and Background

This Ability Cannot be chosen with the Gigantism Strain Ability

Conversely, there are some Individuals amongst the Hominid Strain which are much smaller in stature than others. This trait is most common amongst the forest-dwelling people of Griselderyn, where it is almost ubiquitous, but it is by no means a rarity in other places.

Your Height Decreases to anywhere between 3-4ft. (90-120cm), your size category becomes small and your carrying capacity is halved.

You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours.

Your base movement walking speed is set to 25ft.

You gain proficiency in the Stealth Skill.

The amount of food and water you need to consume on a daily basis is cut in half.

Adaptive Acclimation: (1SP)

Those Hominids which have settled the harsher parts of the world, have since developed the ability to better acclimate to the adverse effects of their environment, from the harshest deserts to the coldest tundras.

If you have resistance to fire damage, you gain advantage on all saving throws against and resistance to all effects of extreme heat. If you are immune to fire damage, you are completely unaffected.

If you have resistance to cold damage, you gain advantage on all saving throws against and resistance to all effects of extreme cold. If you are immune to cold damage, you are completely unaffected.

If you have resistance to poison damage, you gain advantage on all saving throws against and resistance to all effects of extreme precipitation. If you are immune to poison damage, you are completely unaffected.

Toxin Adaptation: (1SP)

As heavily forested regions with high precipitation have come to be the home to large quantities of toxic flora and fauna, many Hominids which settled these regions evolved the ability to naturally resist the toxins of both their predators and prey. This trait is most common amongst the Jungle-dwelling inhabitants of Yambuku.

You gain resistance to poison damage.

You gain advantage on all saving throws against poison, as well as hallucinogenic and psychoactive substances.

Altitude Adaptation: (1SP)

Many hominids that have come to settle the northern Regions and Mountains of Kashura have had to, over time, adapt to the low temperatures and thin air of the places they now call their home.

You have resistance to cold damage.

You are unaffected by the negative effects of high altitudes and can hold your breath for 10 minutes.

Natural Resilience: (1SP)

Prerequisites: minimum +2 Constitution from Strain, Class and Background

Hominids are known for their resiliency, and not without reason, as this trait is widely spread amongst many Hominids from the Conflux Sea to the ashen peaks of Rungholt. The Bodies of these individuals have over time adapted to suffer great amounts of Damage and live to tell the tale, be it particularly tough skin, hardened bones, or whatever else you can think of.

You gain 1 extra Hit Point (HP) per character level.

Death Defying: (2SP)

Prerequisites: the Natural Resilience Strain Ability

A rare subset of Hominids however takes things even further, their bodies keeping them alive and blood pumping where conventional medicine cannot. Seen by many as a blessing by Arkas, the Stoic Warrior God of The Ur-Ashaar, these individuals often seek out ever greater dangers, often leading to an early death.

You have advantage on death saving throws.

Once per long rest, while you are at 0 HP and making death saves, at the start of your turn you can choose to wake with 1 HP, though this does immediately inflict 1 Level of Exhaustion upon you, as your body puts more and more energy into keeping you alive.

Stone-like Physique: (2SP)

As the legends go, Hominids were born and shaped from the earth. While some Scholars and Mystics have called these stories into question, they usually change their opinion after meeting one of these individuals. Not quite a body of stone, these Hominids, whose skin often takes an earthy brown, gray or even charcoal black color, have bodies which harden in response to physical trauma. This trait is most common amongst the “Grey Giants” far in the North of Kashura, though it is still quite rare amongst them.

Your skin takes on a more earthen or stone-like color, and possibly texture (how this manifests is up to you).

Whenever you take damage from a source that deals bludgeoning, piercing, slashing or a type of damage you are resistant to, you can use your reaction to roll 1 die, which equals your hit die, and subtract the result from the damage, potentially reducing the damage to 0.

You can use this ability for free once per short or long rest, but can keep using it by spending your unspent hit dice at a rate of 1 hit die per reaction.

The Fire Within: (2SP)

Prerequisites: The Flame of Divinity Strain Ability.

While all Hominids display an inherent resistance to fire and heat, there are some whose bodies are entirely immune to it, allowing them to stand in fire and even wade through streams of lava. This trait is rather rare, but it is the most common amongst the desert dwelling Yurekai, where it is seen as a divine Blessing of Zargoran. This trait is rather subtle in appearance, only resulting in a slight increase in body temperature and some particularly vibrant eye colors.

You gain immunity to fire damage.

Blazing Blood: (2SP)

Prerequisites: the The Fire Within Strain Ability

The divine flame roils within your blood, blazing bright like magma, possibly even shining through your skin. Individuals with this trait are often seen to have blazing bright eyes, glowing veins across their body and possibly even burning hair.

Your Body temperature rises to 122f (50C)

You can temporarily increase your Body Temperature to up to around 2000F (~1100C), allowing you to easily ignite flammable materials and even melt bronze. You can do this for an amount of turns equal to your Proficiency Bonus every day, gaining 1 level of exhaustion for every 6 seconds you push yourself beyond this limit.

A creature that touches you, or is touched by you in this state takes 1d6 points of fire damage, and your unarmed strikes deal an additional 1d6 points of fire damage while in this state.

A creature that deals damage to you while in this state with a melee attack takes 1d6 points of fire damage, as your blazing blood splatters and burns your assailant.

Blessing of Arcana: (2SP)

Prerequisites: minimum +2 Intelligence from Strain, Class and Background

Certain Hominids possess a natural talent for understanding the rituals and processes of Arcane Magic. Even without rigorous study and practice, these individuals possess the capabilities to perform minor spells.
It is a widespread belief that these individuals have been blessed by Arcana, The Ur-Ashaar Goddess of Knowledge, Mysteries, the Keeper of the Record of the Dead and creator of Arcane Magic.

You gain proficiency in the Arcana Skill.

At Level 1, choose one of the following Arcane Cantrips: (Light, Mage Hand, Mending, Message, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation) the spell is added to your spell list and you can cast it, using intelligence as your spellcasting modifier.

At Level 3, choose one of the following 1st. Level Spells: (Color Spray, Detect Magic, Floating Disk, Identify, Jump, Magic Missile) You can cast the spell for free once per day, using intelligence as your spellcasting modifier.

At Level 5, choose one of the following 2nd. Level Spells: (Blur, Detect Thoughts, Levitate, Magic Aura, Misty Step, Suggestion) You can cast the spell for free once per day, using intelligence as your spellcasting modifier.

If you have any levels in an Arcane Spellcasting Class (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard, Eldritch Knight, Arcane Trickster) you can cast these spells with your regular spell slots, using that class's spellcasting ability.

Absolute Understanding: (3SP)

Prerequisites: the Blessing of Arcana Strain Ability

Some Hominids' understanding of Arcana and Magic however goes even further, allowing them to easily understand and identify the nature of spells when seeing them, and instinctually defend against them.

Even if you do not know a spell when it is being cast, you instinctively might understand its purpose and effects (DM decides whether or not this is applicable)

You have advantage on all saving throws against spells.

Broken Chains: (1SP)

Certain Hominids still carry the spiteful spirit of their ancestors within them, allowing them to more easily resist attempts at coercion, supernatural or otherwise.

You have advantage on saving throws against the charmed and frightened conditions.