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From Fax Encyclopedicus

Back to [[Serpents and Sewers: The Dark Eye| The Dark Eye D20]] Back to the [[Serpents and Sewers|Main page]] ==Humans in The Dark Eye== Humans are the most numerpus sentient species in Aventuria by far, and they are spread over the whole continent and have developed a vast number of different cultures and adapted to an equally broad range of climates and environments, from the tropical jungles of the deep South to the frozen wastes of Firun's country. Human characters must take the general human, and template one of the subtypes described below. As usual in [[Serpents and Sewers]], specific details of a character's culture and upbringing are simulated through [[Serpents and Sewers: Background Traits|Background Traits]]. ==Human Racial Traits== All human subspecies and cultures use these common features: * ''Medium'': As Medium creatures, humans have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size. * Human base land speed is 30 feet. * ''Adaptability'': Human characters gain 1 extra feat at 1st level. * ''Human Resilience'': Human Characters receive a +1 Bonus to all Saving Throws. * ''Fast Learners'': Humans gain 4 extra skill points at 1st level and 1 extra skill point at each additional level. * ''Favored Class'': Any. At character creation, human characters choose two classes as their favorites and receive an additional skill point or hitpoint when they take levels in one of these classes. ==Human Subspecies== ===Middle Men / Mittelländer=== These are the descendants of the settlers from Myranor who crossed the Ocean of the Seven Winds in Ancient times and colonialised large parts of Central Aventuria. Middle Men are the most common human ethnos in Aventuria. ====Middle Men Racial Traits==== Middle Men Characters use the following traits: * ''Abilities:'' +2 to any physical ability score, -2 to any other score. Middle Men are the most diverse and versatile of all humans and demonstrate a wide range of physical qualities and even more various drawbacks. * ''Cultural Diversity:'' The different cultures of the Middle Men differ more than among any other ethnos in Aventuria, from the civilized and urban modern men and women of the Horas Empire to the rural farmers in the harsh and cold Fountland. At character creation, a Middle Men character may chose one skill of his choice and gain a +2 racial bonus to skill checks with it. This skill should plausibly derive from the environment and culture the character grew up in. * ''Weapon Familiarity:'' Middle Men characters may treat one exotic weapon which is characteristic for teir region as a martial weapon instead of an exotic weapon. ===Nivesi=== The Nivesi are tribal people and ancient natives of Aventuria who live in the Tundra and Taiga of the high North. Nivesi are hunters, gatherers and herdsmen who live in semi-nomadic tribes in a sparsely populated land. ====Nivesi Racial Traits==== * ''Abilities'': Constitution +2, -2 to either Strength or Charisma. The cold and frugal homeland of the Nivesi people breeds hard and tough men and women who are used to ice and exhaustion, but this hardyness comes at a price: Nivesi are slighter built than other humans and tend to be more withdrawn and taciturn. * ''Cold Adaptation'': Nivesi characters gain a +4 racial bonus on Fortitude saves made to resist the effects of cold weather or exposure. * ''Survivalists'': Nivesi characters gain a racial +2 bonus to Knowledge (Nature) and Survival checks. * ''Weapon Familiarity'': Nivesi characters may treat the Bola and the Lasso as martial, instead of exotic weapons. ===Norbards=== The Norbards are te descendants of Tulamidian tribes which settled further North and whose homeland was conquered by the Myranorian invadors. Since then, the Norbards are a people without a homeland and constantly on the move, without ever being able or allowed to settle down anywhere in a larger scale. ====Norbard Racial Traits==== * ''Abilities:'' Charisma +2, -2 to any other ability score. Norbards are often forced to make a living from trade and merchandise, and since they require to be welcome everywhere, they put a lot effort in their social skills and adaptability, but also demonstrate a wide range of various drawbacks. * ''Far-Travelled:'' Norbards are travellers and are used to deal with many different people. They gain a racial +2 bonus to either Handle Animals, Intrigue or Sense Motive checks or gain two additional ranks in language to learn more about their neighbors tongues. ===Thorwalians=== Like the Middle Men, the Thorwalians migrated to Aventuria from the Continent in the West, but settled further North and had and kept an own and unique culture. From all human species, the Thorwalains are the physical most impressive. ====Thorwalian Racial Traits==== * ''Abilities:'' Strength +2, -2 to either Dexterity or Wisdom. Thowalians are tall and broad-shouldered but their physical mass is sometimes too much bulk for fast movement, and Thorwalians tend to recklessness and superstition. * ''Athletic:'' Thorwalians favor phyiscal prowess and sheer strength to solve many of their daily life problems, and often rely on this physicality. They gain a racial +2 bonus to Athletics checks. * '' Hardy:'' Thorwalians are tough and hardy. They gain two aditional hitpoints at 1st level. * ''Weapon Familiarity:'' The trade mark weapons of the Thorwalians are large, heavy axes. Thorwalians may treat the Waraxe as a martial, instead of an exotic weapon. ===Tulamidians=== The Tulamidians are another people native to Aventuria, and most common in the East and South of the Continent. They are similarly versatile as the Middle Men, but were pushed back into a smaller territory. ====Tulamidian Racial Traits==== * ''Abilities:'' +2 to any mental ability score, -2 to any other ability score. Tulamidians are the scions of an old and highly civilized culture and the cradle of many innovations in both science and magic, and demonstrate a wide range of mental qualities and even more various drawbacks. * ''Kissed by the Sun'': Tulamidians are used to a hot climate and gain a +2 racial bonus on Fortitude saves made to resist the effects of hot weather. *There is a vast difference between the Urban, civilized Tulamidians of Arania, and the City States and the Horse Nomads of the Shadif and the Khom desert. Tulamidian characters chose one of the following packages: **Novadi: The character gains a +2 bonus to Ride checks. **Townsfolk: The character gains a +2 racial bonus to Intrigue checks. ===Woodfolk=== The Woodfolk are the bronze-skinned inhabitants of the Southern jungles and live in tribes as hunters and gatherers in the Green Hell. Physically, they are the smallest of all human people. ====Woodfolk Racial Traits==== * ''Abilities:'' +2 to Dexerity, -2 to Strength. Woodmen are almost as agile and quick as Elves, but their small size and lithe built is much better suited for nimbleness * ''Hot Weather Endurance'': Woodsmen are used to a hot climate and gain a +4 racial bonus on Fortitude saves made to resist the effects of hot weather. * ''Expert Hunters:'' Woodsmen need to live as hunters and gatherers or else they starve in teir native environment. They gain a racial +2 bonus to all Survival checks. ==Further Advancement of Humans== All human characters, independently from their subtype use the following advancement scheme: {| border="1" !Level !Feature |- |4th |Adaptive Learning, Skill Focus |- |8th |Ability Boost |- |12th |Improved Human Resilience, Skill Focus |- |16th |Ability Boost |- |20th |Dominion of Men, Skill Focus |- |} * ''Adaptive Learning (Ex)'': At 5th level, a human can designate any two skills as adaptive skills. These skills are treated as a class skill in all respects for all classes that character has levels in, both current and future. For example, if a human chooses Spot as an adaptive skill, he treats Spot as a class skill for all future class levels he gains, even if it is not normally a class skill for the class in question. * ''Skill Focus'': You gain Skill Focus for a skill of your choice as a bonus feat on 4th, 12th and 20th level. * ''Ability Boost (Ex)'': At 8th and 16th level, a human increases one ability score of his choice by 2 points. The same ability cannot be chosen twice. * ''Improved Human Resilience:'' At 12th level, the bonus to Saving throws based on the human resilience trait increases to +2. * ''Dominion of Men (Ex):'' Mankind has become one of the dominant species, against all odds. At 20th level, a human character can reroll any roll for as many times per day as their charisma or constitution ability bonus, whichever is higher (but at least once). The second roll must be used, even if it is worse than the original one.

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