Mountain-folk

The mighty Archangels were the worst afflicted, and suffered through their curse in agony. Not only did they too lose their flight, but the curse afflicted their minds, making them bitter and violent. To avoid conflict with their brothers and sisters, they exiled themselves to the mountains where they remained for one hundred years. Their howls of agony were heard throughout the desolate valleys of soot and cinders. For this, they were called the 'mountain-folk'.

Towering over most races of the world, mountain-folk stand eight to nine feet tall on average. They are a race of large, demonic humanoids who find themselves most at home in Ragnarok's mountains.
They were once the mighty archangels and suffered through their curse. While it stripped their flight from them like it did their demon cousins, the curse also afflicted their minds, making them bitter and violent. To avoid conflict, they exiled themselves to the mountains where their howls of agony were heard from the peaks for a century until they returned transformed. This is how they earned their moniker.

The mountain-folk look like their demon cousins, but they are much taller and burlier. Their colorations vary between dark, muted, and earthy tones. They sport thick, dark fur, particularly from the middle to the end of their thick tails, on their elbows, and on the lower portions of their legs like a Clydesdale horse. One of their most striking features is the large, thick mane of dark hair that begins from the backs of their heads to the smalls of their backs. This is often braided, ornamented, and dreaded. Their horns are also much larger and thicker than those of demons.
The mountain-folk are a calm and steady race that embrace the natural world and are loyal to their nomadic ways, for they have no true ancestral home. Mountain-folk are taught to be pillars of stoicism from a young age and to respect their elders as a source of ageless wisdom.
The mountain-folk are a noble race that embraces spirituality and the natural world, but one would be a fool to mistake their peaceful nature for weakness. Mountain-folk are slow to anger and incredibly patient, but should they need to fight, their warriors are second to none.
Though strong and capable in a fight, most see combat as a last resort, as they are not wrathful by nature, as losing control of one’s emotions through anger and passion is considered a sign of instability and weakness.

A Nomadic People

Mountain-folk are an advanced hunter-gatherer society, living in large, family clans that often construct temporary villages high up within the numerous frigid mountains of Ragnarok. It is rare for such settlements to stay in one place for an extended period of time, and many such mountain-folk villages are often abandoned a year after settlement due to the changing seasons and the migration patterns of the creatures they hunt for food such as the mighty aurochs and the great, white mammoth.

Because of their hunter-gatherer warrior culture, their wandering clan societies are not without their faults. Clans are typically patriarchal, headed by an elder male chieftain who leads hunting parties while female mountain-folk are often seen as more fit to raise children. More often than not, many female clan members will become healers and mystics while many male clan members will become warriors and hunters. These roles are by no means strictly enforced but have merely developed over thousands of years out of tradition and the need to survive.
Mountain-folk born in clans come from isolated corners of Ragnarok. Raised in harsh environments, whether atop a freezing mountain, in the ash-filled air near volcanoes, or in isolated settlements in the great steppes of the Dominion of Torment, not all survive. Those that do are believed to be of strong blood. They find peace in the voices of the wind, the patter of the rain, the low rumbles of the earth, and the crackling of campfires. They have a strong oral tradition, learning how to overcome life’s challenges through grand tales of heroic deeds, and without the need for the complexities of civilized society.
Many mountain-folk rejoined civilization long ago with their fellow demon and imp cousins. Despite their size, these city-born mountain-folk have grown accustomed tothe tighter spaces of cities, even if most establishments in Ragnarok aren't made to accommodate their size. They are not exposed to harsh climates like their clan-born brethren and thus tend to be smaller and lighter. Most settlements in Ragnarok employ a population of mountain-folk as guards and soldiers to patrol the streets.

Thrill of the Hunt

Every mountain-folk lives for the great hunt; the idea of victory over a powerful monster or foe, especially in competition with other mountain-folk. Every generation a group of young aspiring hunters are sent out into the wilderness to find and kill a mighty and dangerous creature, bring back the body and a trophy carved from it.
This trial pits mountain-folk against each other on a level playing field, and it is through this trial that instills a sense of competitiveness measured in talent, dedication, and effort. It’s these factors that determine survival in their unforgiving mountainous home terrain, not a reliance on wealth, status, or Magic that might tip the scales in one way or another. Every mountain-folk, in some aspect or another, seeks to prove their bravery against the most dangerous creatures of the wild. Sometimes one may seek identity as a hunter or a servant to nature and spirituality. Hunters are often revered and seen as important to their fellow clansmen. To be a hunter is seen as a mountain-folk’s greatest honor. Mountain-folk hunters hunt either for food, honor or to earn the respect of their ancestors.

Religion and Spirituality

Despite their apparent brash warrior culture, mountain-folk are deeply spiritual in nature. They put their faith and reverence into what they call the Breath of the Land, a mysterious force they believe speaks to them high atop the mountains through the whistling of frigid winds. Many elder mystics have attempted to listen to the Breath of the Land, claiming to have uncovered hidden messages and meanings that may lead them to some form of enlightenment. Other groups of mountain-folk revere in the Pantheon of the Wild, as the Pantheon's philosophy regarding the Hunt resonates with many clans.
Meditation is a common practice among all mountain-folk. This is typically accompanied by a pipe infused with a herb called ridgebloom, which many mountain-folk hold sacred to the degree that it is often cultivated for such a purpose, or that travel to such a cultivated location is considered a rite of passage.
Mountain-folk often use ridgebloom-induced meditation to commune with their ancestors, which they revere more than even their elders.

Mountain-folk Names

Every mountain-folk has two names. One is given by the mother, the second by the father. These two names are typically combined into a two-syllable name. Surnames typically follow the same formula as the rest of demon-kind, with the first prefix being representative of their birth dominion and its second half paying homage to a great figure of demon-kind. Mountain-folk typically prefer heroes of their own people.
Male Names: Akkal, Kornun, Gaarnus, Vernak, Kvarnuk, Rentus, Akmir, Krovor, Phanus, Rekkmor, Dhrakkor
Female Names: Mepha, Hachi, Kaya, Opa, Magna, Fala, Tadi, Una, Mona, Shima, Siska
Surnames: (Dominion of Torment) Aul'Akkna, Aul'Vetra, Aul'Chitsa, Aul'Mika, Aul'Honon, Aul'Viho; (Dominion of Indulgence) Al'Kitchi, Al'Patwin, Al'Nigan, Al'Taima, Al'Payat, Al'Niakku; (Dominion of Doubt) Ul'Toka, Ul'Neka, Ul'Paco, Ul'Kresh, Ul'Zannitha, Ul'Malis

Mountain-folk Traits

Mountain-folk Traits

As a mountain-folk, your traits are as follows.
Ability Score Increase. Increase one ability score by 2, and increase a different one by 1, or increase three different scores by 1.
Age. Mountain-folk reach physical maturity at around 30 years old, but are considered adults only at 50. They can live up to 600 years.
Size. Mountain-folk tower over almost any race in the world, save for perhaps the giants of old. Females average around 8 feet while males average around 9 feet. It is absurdly rare for a mountain-folk to be taller than 10 feet. Your size is Large.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Natural Athlete. You have proficiency in the Athletics skill.
Mountain-Grip. When wielding a melee weapon, you may increase its damage dice by one rank. You may also wield melee weapons with the two-handed property with one hand. When using a two-handed weapon in one hand, the weapon loses the heavy property and its damage dice are reduced by one rank. The damage dice progression is as follows: 1d4, 1d6, 1d8, 1d10, (1d12/2d6)*, 2d8, 3d6, 3d8, 4d6, 4d8, etc. *1d12 and 2d6 are considered a singular rank when increasing or decreasing a weapon's damage dice.
Home Among the Peaks. You gain resistance to cold damage and ignore difficult terrain resulting from rocky surfaces.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Demonic and Trade-tongue.

---

City-born

As a city-born mountain-folk, you also have the following traits.
Crowd Control. You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls and saving throws while you have 2 or more enemies within reach.

---

Clan-born

As a clan-born mountain-folk, you also have the following traits.
Mountain’s Endurance. 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. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

---

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Demon-kind

Lifespan

500-600 years

Average Height

9'

Average Weight

650 lb.

Geographic Distribution

• Behemoth's Back Mountains
• Dead Wastes
• Koruna Hinterlands
• Ragnarok
• The Known World

Notable Mountain-folk

• Akkal Aul'Kainus
• Keema Aul'Tuma
• Korm Aul'Ironcatcher
• Tuli Ul'Verda
• Liska Aul'Luma 

Mountain-folk Classes

Most mountain-folk adventurers tend to be druids, shamans, rangers, fighters, and barbarians, though barbarians try to channel and hone their rage into a tranquil fury so as not to lose control. These teachings are passed down through generations. Those who become bards are often storytellers who revere their peoples’ strong oral traditions while using percussion instruments. Mountain-folk sorcerers outside of those wielding the power of the natural elements are incredibly rare, and wizards are often city-born from the Dominion of Doubt. Mountain-folk rogues and rangers are often scouts for hunting parties or hired muscle in cities. Mountain-folk clerics and paladins are very rare and are often city-born, channeling their power from nature, or even the Breath of the Land itself. Mountain-folk warlocks and monks are almost entirely unheard of.

---

"There's nothing to prepare you for a mountain-folk walking towards you in the street. It's like a parent among toddlers; everybody is waist high or lower. To think, those monsters are the bulk of Ragnarok's armies. No wonder the Commonwealth stopped bothering them."

— Barnard Farmire