The Folk of Cartyrion

The World of Cartyrion can be played using standard player character ancestries, heritages, backgrounds, and classes defined in any d20 rule system on the market. When published, the Folk of Cartyrion will resemble much of what you are familiar with from these other games, but there are many differences which will make the Folk of Cartyrion unique.

Elves, Dwarves, and Gnomes... Orcs, Goblins, and Kobolds... Birdfolk, Catfolk, Ratfolk, Lizardfolk... and of course Humans and Halflings. All of these are familiar to anyone who has played a fantasy role-playing game. They are all available as Player Characters in Cartyrion. But they may not be exactly like the ones you have experienced in the past. Each has distinctions - some subtle, some not so subtle - that make the Folk of Cartyrion unique.

None of the "Peoples" are inherently good or evil - there are good and bad individuals among every group. This is not to say there aren't some rivalries or misunderstandings between some, though - and that helps make for interesting role-playing within an adventuring party.

Player Character Peoples

The Awkwana People

These crow-like birdfolk were first Awakened by their gods high atop the mountains in a remote corner of the world. Seen by others as aloof and somewhat mystical, they learn dedication to purpose from a young age. While many prefer the high peaks to this day, there are some that are more comfortable in the forest, and still others that prefer a life sailing the seas of the world.

The Elven People

The first of the Folk to be Awakened, the Elves are often dismayed that other gods Awoke other Folk who do not have the same appreciation for beauty as they do. They have established enclaves in almost every forest large or small. But some of their numbers seek other venues of nature to appreciate: mountains, plains, and seacoasts, even the cities of others.

The Goblin People

Unlike most of the other Folk who were created in localized places, the first Goblins were Awakened wherever there were Elves, Dwarves, and Gnomes at the time. Imbued by their creator gods to demonstrate their worthiness as equals, goblins have injected themselves into every society of every ancestry ever since. Often overlooked by the rest of the Folk, they are resourceful, nimble, and hardy. They are also nearly impossible to discourage.

The Kobold People

Awakened to be attendants and minions of the great dragons, Kobolds have spread to many parts of the world where the dragons no longer rule. Despite their small size, they demonstrate the haughtiness, confidence, and selfishness of the great creatures they were intended to serve. Kobold colonies abound in the high mountains, but many have made their way to the cities of the world.

The Chittiki People

Awakened by their gods in a land of arid hills with desert and savannah not far away, these highly community-minded and industrious ratfolk have spread all across Cartyrion. There is not a city in the world that does not have a Chittiki population - often living not only among the other folk above ground, but in the warrens and tunnels that most cities hide below. Even on the seas, the Chittiki make their mark.

The Felisean People

Awakened in a land that featured both savannah and deep forest, the catfolk adapted to both quickly. Eventually, some chose a life in the mountains. Naturally curious, though, the Feliseans have spread across the world, and can be found living among other folk wherever one travels. A notable number of them have even found their homes sailing the seas.

The Halfling People

Awakened by one of the deities that created Humans, the Halflings were intended to correct what that deity perceived as some flaws in the Humans' outlook on life. While they worked hard to achieve great things, the Humans didn't properly appeciate the success and comfort they generated. The Halflings have no such shortcoming - there are no other Folk on Cartyrion that appreciate the good life as much as the Halflings.

The Orc People

Masters of the grasslands near the northern forests, The Orcs have been formidable hunters since they were first Awakened. Considered brutish by many, Orcs have a proud history of brave and noble heroes. This is tempered, though, by a parallel history of impulsive violence by more impatient members of their folk. Today, Orcs are found around the world, in cities as well as the plains and forests.

The Dwarven People

First Awakened by their gods in deep caverns of the tallest mountain on Cartyrion, the Dwarves have spread across both the surface and the underground of the world. While many still prefer to live deep within the reassuring stone of great peaks, Dwarf-built cities, towns, and villages dot the surface world. They live among the other folk easily, and are even the most formidable force on the seas.

The Gnomish People

These are not the gnomes you are used to. They do not hail from the "first world"; they are not Fey. The Gnomes of Cartyrion were Awakened when deities of the Elves and Dwarves pooled their talents to create a race that embodied the best features of both. Gnomes are the most inquisitive and adventurous of all the folk, and are now found living among the folk anywhere.

The Human People

By far the most prolific of all of the Folk, Humans have spread from the fertile lands of their Awakening to all corners of Cartyrion. Having been taught the value of cooperation, they have preferred living in communities since their earliest days. Where Humans venture, land is transformed. Villages and farms spring up, and roads are carved through forests. Sometimes this puts them at odds with other Folk who value the original natural beauty of the land.

The Taxlatl People

Awakened by their gods in a harsh land of marshes and fens, the Taxlatl spread across the world faster than any of the Folk. Ambitious, studious, and pragmatic, they developed powerful civilizations not once but twice in the history of Cartyrion. Felled first by disease and again by the god-war, the Taxlatl have not forgotten their history of greatness, and dream of rising a third time.

A Player is not limited to these twelve choices in Cartyrion. This is a cosmopolitan world, and there are many Hybrid Parentage options to choose from as well A player can choose a hybrid parentage from any two of the twelve Peoples, as long as both are either "live-birth" (Elf, Chittiki, Dwarf, Felisean, Gnome, Gobbin, Halfling, Human, and Orc), or "egg birth" (Awkwana, Kobold, and Taxlatl). Characters with Hybrid Parentage gain some attributes reminiscent of both sides of their family tree.

This means more than just the typical half-orcs and half-elves! If you wish to be the child of a Gnome father and Orc mother, you can! Awkwana (birdfolk) father and Kobold mother? That's available too!

These options include the ability to play characters that are essentially similar to the Tieflings, Aasimir, and other part-celestial, part-demonic, part-whatever other planar beings found in other RPGs. There are many races of Astralar, and only a few are deities. The rest have their own ways of influencing Cartyrion.

Finally, there are the Astral Hybrids. The beings that brought life to Cartyrion are the most powerful of their kind, but are not the only ones of their kind. Sometimes, the lesser Astralar leave their own marks upon the world. And sometimes, these marks take the form of children born to the Folk. The nature and special abilities of these rare hybrids will depend on the specific details of their parentage, and there are a wide variety of options available.

Heritages, Cultures and Backgrounds

Each of the Peoples has a number of Heritages that contributes to their inherent abilities. The Alev that migrated to the frozen tundra long ago have developed different attributes than those who remained in the forest, for example. Heritage describes specific attributes that are either present initially, or that can manifest over time, as a result of the bloodline and history of your ancestry.

In addition, there are a number of Cultures - some specific to one or two Ancestries, and others common to all - that reflect the social environment a Player Character was raised in, and which has therefore contributed to their skills and abilities.

Finally, a large number of prior professions (sometimes called backgrounds) allow a Player to choose what they were before their adventuring life began. Still more skills and abilities are made available to the starting-out player character from their prior profession.

Each of the available Peoples, Heritages, Cultures, and Backgrounds will include statistical information for Players and Gamemasters to allow them to create characters compatible with Dungeons & Dragons, 5th Edition, Pathfinder 1st Edition, or Pathfinder 2nd Edition - in addition to statistics for the Cartyrion rule-set that will be published soon.

Adventuring Classes - Or Lack Thereof

Characters created under the rulesets of existing RPGs will be ready to play using any of the Adventurer Classes those systems permit.

The upcoming Cartyrion Ruleset is a Classless system. Individual abilities are acquired over time, with different abilities being "purchased" with experience points acquired during play. A Player may choose to specialize, focusing all ability purchases from a single "class" of adventurer - or they can buy abilities that span disciplines. If you want your thief to be able to cast spells, buy a spellcasting ability once you've amassed enough experience.