Character Creation
This article is a draft
World of Seven Seas uses D&D 5e as a base platform, with homebrew rules, variants, and modifications. If a specific detail is not defined here or in Homebrew Rules, it can be assumed to follow the rules of D&D 5e.Race
As in 5e, the first step in character creation is to pick a race. Racial traits are detailed below for each of the playable races in WSS, and further information about each can be found in the codex. Playable races in WSS include Human, Marelis, Dracanis, Vasati, and The Folk.Dracanis
WSS
Dracanis
Dracanis are a bipedal race of humanoids with distinct draconic characteristics. They are native to Oskksul. The lore says they are descended from dragons, but as no one alive or in recent history can credibly claim to have seen a dragon on Oskk or anywhere else on the planet, there is some doubt as to whether this is true. They are trimorphic; with male, female, and hermaphroditic individuals.
Dracanis are incredibly peaceful, and fight only when necessary to protect themselves or their families (and sometimes not even then). They are craftspeople, talented mages, storytellers, musicians, and farmers. They value the family unit above all else, followed by a respect for all life, and conflict is often ended nearly before it begins by adherence to a fairly strict social structure within the family units. They have a strong respect for the elderly and the seers amongst their people.
Dracanis are incredibly peaceful, and fight only when necessary to protect themselves or their families (and sometimes not even then). They are craftspeople, talented mages, storytellers, musicians, and farmers. They value the family unit above all else, followed by a respect for all life, and conflict is often ended nearly before it begins by adherence to a fairly strict social structure within the family units. They have a strong respect for the elderly and the seers amongst their people.
ability score increase:
None - See Class
age:
Dracanis have long lifespans, around 300-1000 years, and are considered adults around their hundredth year. Physically, the mature slightly slower than humans.
Size:
Medium
speed:
You have a base walking speed of 30 feet.
Languages:
Common, Dracanic
race features:
Eurybarc
Dracanis are eurybarc, which means they are well-adapted to life at high altitudes, and can thrive in environments that are very hard for humans and other living creatures to live in. The same physiological adaptations that makes them ideal for life at high altitudes makes it easier for them to survive in the cold and the dark, such as cave systems. You are resistant to extremes such as cold, heat, depth, and altitude, though this resistance cannot be sustained during periods of high energy or high movement. Dracanic Senses
Dracanis have excellent hearing and eyesight, with eyes that can adapt from incredibly bright to incredibly dark conditions with ease, including being able to see in extremely low-light situations with clarity (though not color). They also have an extra organ which allows them to 'see' thermodynamically with a combination of enhanced sight and smell. Their sense of touch varies - when excited or aroused with more blood flow they can be so sensitive to touch as to be also disabled by it, while at the other extreme when they are conserving warmth by reducing bloodflow they can almost lose their sense of touch entirely. Natural Armor
With your scales, talons, and horns you have a natural defense system that is better than most mortals. Add +2 to your AC. Your talons can be used as an unarmed melee weapon, dealing 1d4 + 1 slashing damage.
Eurybarc
Dracanis are eurybarc, which means they are well-adapted to life at high altitudes, and can thrive in environments that are very hard for humans and other living creatures to live in. The same physiological adaptations that makes them ideal for life at high altitudes makes it easier for them to survive in the cold and the dark, such as cave systems. You are resistant to extremes such as cold, heat, depth, and altitude, though this resistance cannot be sustained during periods of high energy or high movement. Dracanic Senses
Dracanis have excellent hearing and eyesight, with eyes that can adapt from incredibly bright to incredibly dark conditions with ease, including being able to see in extremely low-light situations with clarity (though not color). They also have an extra organ which allows them to 'see' thermodynamically with a combination of enhanced sight and smell. Their sense of touch varies - when excited or aroused with more blood flow they can be so sensitive to touch as to be also disabled by it, while at the other extreme when they are conserving warmth by reducing bloodflow they can almost lose their sense of touch entirely. Natural Armor
With your scales, talons, and horns you have a natural defense system that is better than most mortals. Add +2 to your AC. Your talons can be used as an unarmed melee weapon, dealing 1d4 + 1 slashing damage.
Physical Description
All dracanis are bipedal, have prehensile (grasping) hands, and have some sort of scaling or plates on their bodies. From there, there are as many differences as similarities between the individual members of this species. They are generally taller than a human, with the average height being between 6'2" and 7'2". Most dracanis have fairly humanoid faces, with pointed ears and 2-6 horns on their heads, though some individuals have more dragonic facial features with a more elongated snout, defined brow ridges, and no ears. Their eyes have vertical slit pupils reminiscent of a lizard or cat's, and their eyes can be any color. They have prehensile hands with three to four fingers and a thumb; most have fairly humanoid fingers with thicker talon-like fingernails, but some have hands more resembling those of a climbing lizard. Most dracanis have dragon-esque feet with three to four taloned toes. About half to two-thirds of dracanis have tails, which range from barely touching the ground to almost twice their height in length.All dracanis have scales or plates of some sort in addition to skin. The minimum tends to be scale or plate along the hair line, top of the arms/chest/shoulders, on the feet, and on the tail; the maximum are individuals who have almost no exposed skin, though you will usually find it at least on the palms, center of the chest and down the belly, as well as the inner thighs and private areas.
In coloration, they can have hair, skin, eyes, horns, scales, etc. of almost any color: however, the color of an individual's scales/plate and human hair tend to be in the same color family. Colors as well as extent of dragonic traits runs in families, and is thus thought to have some sort of genetic component. The extent of dragonic traits is also generally linked - i.e. you are unlikely to see an individual whose entire body is covered extensively in dragonplate who has a completely human face and hands. The vast majority of individuals fall somewhere in the middle of the scale from most humanlike to most draconic.
Names
The Dracanic language has no "q"s, and the first set of "k"s is always double (if there is a third or more "k", it is singular). Names cannot start with "y". A Dracanis has three to four names: a clutch name or given name, a childhood nickname, a personal name they may choose when they reach adulthood, and a Khyimi name.Dracanis of single birth have a given name assigned by their birth parent; dracanis born in a clutch are all given the same clutch name by their birth parent, though it may have variations by gender.
Examples: Sarmit, Arnat/Arnati, Tatakk/Tatakki, Edlyen/Edlye
Many Dracanis, especially those who have a clutch name instead of a given name, are given a childhood nickname by their family and may go by it even into adulthood, especially with close friends or family. Dracanis may choose to take or be given a new such nickname or use name as adults, especially if the name no longer fits. Often (though not always) these are inside jokes, adjectives, or descriptors.
Examples: Tikki, Mischief, Beryl, Courage, Skkal
The family name of the Dracanis is that of their Khyimi, which is their matriarch's name plus the suffix "sul". When an individual leaves their childhood Khyimi and joins a new one, this name changes accordingly.
Examples: Hanatisul (family of Hanati), Martuksul (family of Martuk), Tansumsul (Family of Tansum)
Thus, an individual's full name might be Edlyen Mischief Beryl Martuksul. They do not usually give this full name except in extremely formal situations or when first meeting other Dracanis. Amongst outsiders and casual acquaintances, they will generally choose to use one first name (Given/Clutch Name, Nickname, or Usename) and their Khyimi name (i.e. Edlyen Martuksul or Beryl Martuksul).
For more information, see the Dracanis race page.
The Folk
WSS
The Folk
The Folk are hard to describe. As time goes by, more and more humans who've never seen the Folk simply don't believe they still (or, to some, ever did) exist. Even to those who believe, most common people rarely meet one and if they did they might not know...or remember. They are masters of disguise and hiding in plain sight, which only further serves to confuse the issue. The only places you might know to find them with any regularity are their homeland, the continent of Saman, and Galanthis. All "common" knowledge of the Folk comes from stories and tales. This lack of information is perpetuated by the fact that all Folk have both a "true" form and a disguised, human-appearing form.
ability score increase:
None - See Class
age:
Centuries to Millenia
Size:
Medium
speed:
Varies by Type
Languages:
Common, Folk
race features:
There is no standard build for a member of the Folk, and you'll need to work with the GM. They do, however, all share a few characteristics:
There is no standard build for a member of the Folk, and you'll need to work with the GM. They do, however, all share a few characteristics:
- All Folk have a True Form, which can be tiny to gargantuan, and nearly anything you can imagine. However they also have a Deep Disguise, which is a secondary form that resembles one of the other races of the world. This form is nearly foolproof unless they choose to reveal themselves...or if they die, at which point they revert to True Form
- The Folk are inherently magical beings. They are almost all spellcasters, though they may multiclass. No matter their class, they know the following spells at the appropriate levels: Minor Illusion (Cantrip), Faerie Fire (1st), Suggestion (2nd), and Mislead (5th).
Human
WSS
Human
The humans of this planet are remarkably similar to the familiar Homo sapiens sapiens, but the differences could be most easily described by saying they are a little bit More in every category. For every trait from lifespan to height, from skin color to build, Homo sapiens septemaria fall into a slightly larger range of possibilities than humans from Earth.
ability score increase:
None - See Class
age:
Humans live an average of 150 years. They reach adulthood between 20 and 55, depending on their culture, but mature physically at the rate you'd expect.
Size:
Medium
speed:
Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Languages:
You read, write, and speak Common. You may know other languages based on Class and Background.
race features:
A Little Bit More
Humans of this world have enhanced perception, sensory, and extrasensory capabilities. Even humans with no magical aptitude to speak of might have enhanced or changed eyesight, hearing, taste, smell, touch, or even 'other' or sixth senses. These traits are often culture- or habitat-specific, and humans rarely have more than one or two enhanced senses. Furthermore, the more enhanced a sense is, the more likely a different sense will be diminished, and humans with more than two enhanced senses will almost certainly have diminished capacity in their un-enhanced senses.
Option 1
Choose one of your senses which is super-enhanced. This sense is enhanced to an incredible degree, making it nearly a superpower; but beware: having such strong use of this sense comes with drawbacks.
Option 2
Choose one or two of your senses which are enhanced. They will offer your advantages when using theses senses, but thankfully are not so overpowering as to prevent you from effectively using your remaining senses. While you will not suffer the extent of the drawbacks that those with incredible senses have, you will often find you have strong preferences, aversions, and quirks related to your enhanced senses.
Option 3
Choose three or more of your senses which are enhanced (see above table). For every number over 3, other senses begin to deteriorate. If you have 3 enhanced senses, 2 of your senses will be average and the last will be poor. If you have 4 enhanced senses, the remaining two will be poor. While you will not suffer the extent of the drawbacks that those with incredible senses have, you will often find you have strong preferences, aversions, and quirks related to your enhanced senses.
Option 4
Having no enhanced senses, you've always had to work harder to keep up with your friends and companions, and you've developed coping mechanisms. Take two proficiencies.
Adventurers Are a Different Breed
Humans drawn to a life of adventure (and likely heroism) just tend to be a little different than the others. Humans select an extra feat at level 1.
A Little Bit More
Humans of this world have enhanced perception, sensory, and extrasensory capabilities. Even humans with no magical aptitude to speak of might have enhanced or changed eyesight, hearing, taste, smell, touch, or even 'other' or sixth senses. These traits are often culture- or habitat-specific, and humans rarely have more than one or two enhanced senses. Furthermore, the more enhanced a sense is, the more likely a different sense will be diminished, and humans with more than two enhanced senses will almost certainly have diminished capacity in their un-enhanced senses.
Option 1
Choose one of your senses which is super-enhanced. This sense is enhanced to an incredible degree, making it nearly a superpower; but beware: having such strong use of this sense comes with drawbacks.
Option 2
Choose one or two of your senses which are enhanced. They will offer your advantages when using theses senses, but thankfully are not so overpowering as to prevent you from effectively using your remaining senses. While you will not suffer the extent of the drawbacks that those with incredible senses have, you will often find you have strong preferences, aversions, and quirks related to your enhanced senses.
Option 3
Choose three or more of your senses which are enhanced (see above table). For every number over 3, other senses begin to deteriorate. If you have 3 enhanced senses, 2 of your senses will be average and the last will be poor. If you have 4 enhanced senses, the remaining two will be poor. While you will not suffer the extent of the drawbacks that those with incredible senses have, you will often find you have strong preferences, aversions, and quirks related to your enhanced senses.
Option 4
Having no enhanced senses, you've always had to work harder to keep up with your friends and companions, and you've developed coping mechanisms. Take two proficiencies.
Adventurers Are a Different Breed
Humans drawn to a life of adventure (and likely heroism) just tend to be a little different than the others. Humans select an extra feat at level 1.
Physical Description
Humans come in a vast range of shapes, sizes, and colors. Humans on this world have an average height of 5'2" to 6'2", and generally weight between 125 to 250 pounds. They can have hair that is long, short, straight, curly, or kinky in shades from white-blonde to brown to red to blue-black. Men may grow facial hair, though women rarely do. Skin colors also vary from very pale to very dark.Names and Ethnicities
Human naming conventions vary greatly based on ethnicity.Delrynian
Those of Delrynian heritage are generally those who live in the Kingdom of Delryn or Principality of Arion.
Eschen
Those of Eschen heritage are generally those who live in the Empire proper, the Principality of Heirin, the Principality of Staton, and most of the humans in Oskssul.
Marchian
Those of Marchian heritage live in the Marches of Ranoke, Risand, and Ryfile. In the Marches, all place names start with R, and so no people's names do. For inspiration, consider Celtic (any variation), Scottish, or Inuit names.
Tribal
Those of Tribal heritage live in Mare'n.
For more detailed information, see the Humans race page.
Marelis
WSS
Marelis
The Marelis are a semi-aquatic species who are found almost exclusively on Ryold. Marelis are, in a clamshell, people of the water. Present-day marelis are amphibious, but their history tells of a time when their ancestors lived mainly underwater, so their tendency to live on land is probably a choice. They can be male, female, agender, or hermaphroditic.
Undine tend to be very charismatic, but they are a secretive and often capricious people. Trying to get to know a marelis is like trying to get to know the sea - beautiful and enchanting, but it can be dangerous or even deadly if don't give it enough respect. Even when they seem to be conforming to human societies, they are rarely as simple as they seem. In general, they are semi-nomadic and unlikely to form any lasting attachments to physical places or dwellings, but they form incredibly strong bonds with other sentient beings and hold strong personal ideals amongst their social units, called Pods.
Undine tend to be very charismatic, but they are a secretive and often capricious people. Trying to get to know a marelis is like trying to get to know the sea - beautiful and enchanting, but it can be dangerous or even deadly if don't give it enough respect. Even when they seem to be conforming to human societies, they are rarely as simple as they seem. In general, they are semi-nomadic and unlikely to form any lasting attachments to physical places or dwellings, but they form incredibly strong bonds with other sentient beings and hold strong personal ideals amongst their social units, called Pods.
ability score increase:
None - See Class
age:
Marelis have long lifespans, around 150-200 years, and are considered adults around their mid-fifties. They physically mature slightly slower than humans.
Size:
Medium
speed:
You have a base walking speed of 30 feet and a swim speed of 60 feet.
Languages:
Common, Marelis
race features:
Amphibious
Marelis are amphibious, able to breathe both air and water, but they do not have visible gills. Instead they have the ability to close off their trachea before it reaches their lungs, and they have internal gills lining their trachea and nasal passages.
Aquatic Heritage
Thanks to their acclimation to living underwater, the marelis don't suffer negative effects from entering deep sea environments and are excellent swimmers. Most marelis also tend to be a little on the bulkier side, and it's because they still have a good layer of blubber under their skin, which also aids in their swimming abilities and protects them from cold water temperatures.
Marelic Senses
Marelis have adaptations to their five senses of sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell that allow them to be amphibious, but some of which offer some slight disadvantage to land living. They have strong muscles around the eyes that allow them to change from a sperical shape (for air) to cylindrical (for water) and a large pupil for seeing in dark conditions. However, this leaves them disadvantaged in bright conditions, and often somewhat near-sighted. Their hearing is developed to be able to be used in air and water, but it is not especially good in either place; however, they have some measure of bone conductivity to assist their hearing and can, to an extent, echolocate. Their skin is extra sensitive and can give them some advantage in investigation by touch, even as far as navigating based on wind direction. Unfortunately, their soft skin is delicate and sensitive, leaving them extra sensitive to pain and while their skin heals fast, they often have many scratches and minor cuts and subsequent scars. Their sense of taste and smell tend to be somewhat muted, leaving them often searching for extra strong flavors and scents to compensate.
Amphibious
Marelis are amphibious, able to breathe both air and water, but they do not have visible gills. Instead they have the ability to close off their trachea before it reaches their lungs, and they have internal gills lining their trachea and nasal passages.
Aquatic Heritage
Thanks to their acclimation to living underwater, the marelis don't suffer negative effects from entering deep sea environments and are excellent swimmers. Most marelis also tend to be a little on the bulkier side, and it's because they still have a good layer of blubber under their skin, which also aids in their swimming abilities and protects them from cold water temperatures.
Marelic Senses
Marelis have adaptations to their five senses of sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell that allow them to be amphibious, but some of which offer some slight disadvantage to land living. They have strong muscles around the eyes that allow them to change from a sperical shape (for air) to cylindrical (for water) and a large pupil for seeing in dark conditions. However, this leaves them disadvantaged in bright conditions, and often somewhat near-sighted. Their hearing is developed to be able to be used in air and water, but it is not especially good in either place; however, they have some measure of bone conductivity to assist their hearing and can, to an extent, echolocate. Their skin is extra sensitive and can give them some advantage in investigation by touch, even as far as navigating based on wind direction. Unfortunately, their soft skin is delicate and sensitive, leaving them extra sensitive to pain and while their skin heals fast, they often have many scratches and minor cuts and subsequent scars. Their sense of taste and smell tend to be somewhat muted, leaving them often searching for extra strong flavors and scents to compensate.
Physical Description
The marelis are bipedal, with facial and body features very similar to a human's. They tend to be similar in size to the humans, though they tend to be on the shorter side compared to their human cousins, an average height of 4'4" to 5'4". They may or may not have some fish-like features such as fins (usually on the head, ears, back, wrists, or ankles), scales, or webbed hands and feet. Marelis eyes come almost exclusively in shades of blue and green, with occasional occurances of purple and gray. Their skin comes in shades of blue and green that can range from a very pale whitish-blue or whiteish-green to dark colors to rival the deepest depths of the oceans. Generally, a marelis' hair and aquatic characteristics (scales, webs, fins, etc.) are either a lighter or darker shade of the same color as their skin.Names
A Marelis has a given name and family (pod) names. Whenever they leave a pod to join another pod at any stage of life, they generally simply add the new pod name; so while they have a minimum of two names, they may have several more than that. For inspiration, consider Celtic (any variation), Scottish, or Inuit names.Examples of Given Names: Nauman, Imele, Taluit, Namik, Hellis
Examples of Pod Names: Aberviegin, Seralloch, Cabercly, Bomberllere, Abersoch
Ethnicities
Amongst the Marelis there are two ethnicities.Common
Common Marelis are those might likely to be encountered by others and to live amongst land-dwellers.
Deep Sea
Deep Sea Marelis are reclusive and shy; they are more likely to build homes and spend time underwater or in exclusive Marelic communities.
For more information, see the Marelis race page.
Vasati
WSS
Vasati
Vasati are very similar to Humans, to an extent where they could be considered a subspecies. They come in the same shapes, sizes, colors, etc. The main difference between Humans and the Vasati is the Vasati's ability to form telepathic bonds with each other and with sentient animal companions. They are native only to Westra, specifically the Western half, though being indistinguisable physically from humans they could be hiding amongst them anywhere.
ability score increase:
None - See Class
age:
Vasati live an average of 180 years. They are considered no longer children around age 20, but not full adults until closer to 55. Physically, they mature like humans.
Size:
Medium
speed:
You have a walking speed of 30 feet.
Languages:
You speak Vasati. You may also choose to speak Common.
race features:
Essentially Human
The Vasati are closely enough related to humans as to be nearly indistinguishable. Thus, they have the same four sensory options available on the Human stat block.
Telepathic Bond
The single trait that sets the Vasati apart most from their human friends and tribesmen is the ability to form telepathic bonds with each other and sentient animal companions. These bonds are limited by familiarity and physical distance - 1 mile is standard, though this can be increased by meeting a DC challenge determined by the GM based on distance and your familiarity with the other person in the link.
Animal Companions You are able to form a telepathic bond with commonly 1, uncommonly 2, of the specially-bred sentient animals who live amongst the Tribes. The type of animal depends on the tribe - the Plains tribes tend towards breeding horses, hounds, and big cats while the Jungle tribes tend towards birds of prey, big cats, otters, and monkeys. You can also see through the eyes of your animal companion(s), though to do so you must give it your full concentration and cannot be doing anything else.
Other Humanoids You are able to speak telepathically to any other Vasati. You may also develop the ability, over time, to speak to close friends and family from other races.
Essentially Human
The Vasati are closely enough related to humans as to be nearly indistinguishable. Thus, they have the same four sensory options available on the Human stat block.
Telepathic Bond
The single trait that sets the Vasati apart most from their human friends and tribesmen is the ability to form telepathic bonds with each other and sentient animal companions. These bonds are limited by familiarity and physical distance - 1 mile is standard, though this can be increased by meeting a DC challenge determined by the GM based on distance and your familiarity with the other person in the link.
Animal Companions You are able to form a telepathic bond with commonly 1, uncommonly 2, of the specially-bred sentient animals who live amongst the Tribes. The type of animal depends on the tribe - the Plains tribes tend towards breeding horses, hounds, and big cats while the Jungle tribes tend towards birds of prey, big cats, otters, and monkeys. You can also see through the eyes of your animal companion(s), though to do so you must give it your full concentration and cannot be doing anything else.
Other Humanoids You are able to speak telepathically to any other Vasati. You may also develop the ability, over time, to speak to close friends and family from other races.
Physical Description
The Vasati, in theory, come in the same wide range of shapes, sizes, and colors as humans. However, while some clans and families do have outlying physical appearances, the majority of Vasati have skin in shades of gold, tan, brown, or olive with dark hair and strong features. They have an average height of 5'2" to 6'2", and generally weight between 125 to 250 pounds. Men rarely grow facial hair. They make an art of tattooing, and it is rare to see an adult Vasati not decorated with tattoos representing their life story, profession, relationships, and acheivements.Names
Naming conventions amongst the Vasati vary by tribe but usually include a given name and a tribal name, and sometimes in a large tribe or by personal preference, also a family name (which functions as a middle name when they have it). Tribal or family names usually follow one of two conventions: the suffix "din" (mean "of") or a compound word that describes something about the tribe or family.Examples (Given Names): Teva, Enaker, Nahdah, Rathual, Kriva, Alisar, Velhah
Examples (Tribal or Family Names): Trallkardin, Wildwalker, Elde'thdin, Menetatdin, Amborlantyr, Flystraight
Ethnicities
There are two ethnicities of the Vasati - Jungle tribes and Plains tribes. The Jungle tribes form stationary communities. The Plains tribes are nomadic. In many other ways they are quite similar, with a focus on innovation, preserving environment and history, and the study of magic and other arts.For more information, see the Vasati race page.
Class
At this time, WSS will be using the same Class options as D&D 5e. Some thoughts on the fit of particular Classes into the world of WSS will at some point be found here:Dracanis
Dracanis tend to be peaceful, but they maintain some advanced forms of martial arts in the tradition of 'being prepared' and 'self advancement
The Folk
The Folk are as varied as the imagination can conjure. They can be found in pretty much every class.
Human
Marelis
Vasati
Additionally, Ability Score Increases will be based on Class and not Race; that table can be found below.
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