Introduction:
Players can play the following ancestries detailed in this category based on the ones they have "unlocked". At the start of the campaign only the ancestries/races from the player's handbook will be playable. Those ancestries are as follows;
- Dragonborn
- Dwarf
- Elf
- Gnome
- Half-Elf
- Halfling
- Half-Orc
- Human
- Tiefling
Additional ancestries including ancestries from other published books and reputable 3rd party sources like Kobold Press, Griffon's Saddlebag, and Magehand Press may be unlocked through adventuring. Homebrew ancestries can be unlocked by submitting the acncestry to DMs and then unlocking the ancestry through play. For example, the Aasimar ancestry may be unlocked by aiding an Aasimar based group or assisting a town or village that is populated by Aasimar. Alternatively, a character may change ancestry, when appropriate, through magic or supernatural influence. For example, extended exposure to the plane of fire could result in a character becoming a Fire Genasi.
There are no custom lineages. If an ancestry is excluded it is because it does not fit the world, is imbalanced, or is ill-suited to being a PC ancestry. For example, the Yuan-ti as an ancestry concept is very ill-suited to being part of a collaborative game. The worldbuilders are currently in the process of adding pages within world anvil that detail the most important information concerning the playable ancestries.
DMs have the irrevocable right to address an imbalance in a class, ancestry, subclass, or any other character feature. This will always be done after discussing the concerns with the players, but the DMs will always have the right to make changes for the sake of the game. Do not expect to make an overpowered character and then have the DMs just sit back and let a single PC dominate the game. This does not mean your character has to be weak or not make sense mechanically, but if you are significantly outperforming similarly situated PCs in multiple aspects of the game, a DM will likely begin to address your build.
Half Ancestries:
The "Half Ancestries" of Half-Orc and Half-Elf are traditionally assumed to be the result of the union between a Human and an Orc or Elf. This is not the case in Thinia. Half-Elves and Half-Orcs can result from a pairing with any mammalian humanoid. For example, a Half-Elf can have an Elf parent and a Dwarf parent, but not an Elf parent and a Lizardman parent. When an Elf and Orc have children there is an even chance that the child will take more Elf or more Orc characteristics.
Unique Features of Ancestries:
Most ancestries will have access to some unique features in play. For example, dragon magic is only available to those with a draconic connection such as a Dragonborn, kobolds, or a draconic sorcerer. These features are exclusive to maintain diversity and flavor. If any of these unique features start to imbalance the party or dominate the game that will be addressed. No one character can do everything, so not having access to a fraction of the features for your character should not be an issue. Additionally, every ancestry has its own unique features that they may be able to access through play.
Common Traits Amongst Fantasy Ancestries:
The fantasy ancestries in Thinia often share general traits amongst themselves. This means that ancestries will be described as having a disposition toward particular views, passions, and pursuits. This does not mean that every Elf, Dwarf, Orc, or Halfling is the same. But most Elves have a love of art and music, most Dwarves love crafts and smithing, most Gnomes are inquisitive, and so on.
This choice has been made to make these fantasy ancestries different from Humans beyond mere aesthetics. A Dwarf shouldn't just be a stocky short Human and an Elf shouldn't be a Human with pointy ears. What makes Humans unique is that they are overwhelmingly individualistic and diverse. This is one of the things that frustrates fantasy ancestries about Humans.
