Player Races

The following is a list of player races found in Ellorien's core setting aka The Known World. They are divided into two groups: fundamental and templates. Fundamental Races include the four common races (dwarf, elf, human and halfling) found in D&D Basic Rules v.1 with the additions of the dragonborn, half-drow, gnomes, half-giants, half-elves, half-fiends, half-orcs, and lycans. Template races begin as humans, the most populous race in the Known World. Through a specific form of magic or curse, the character was transformed from human into metahuman. The template races include the eladrin, imbued, lycanthropes, revenants, vampires and warforged.

Player Races & Morality
Certain races have a natural affinity with a certain moral alignment. Player characters, the adventuring heroes and anti-heroes of Ellorien, are by their basic nature "exceptional" beings. They can begin with any one of the nine moral alignments. It is recommended, however, to select a moral alignment that is going to be a good fit for the specific campaign created by your GM. As a rule of thumb, "good" and "nuetral" alignments are a better fit for adventurer player characters (PCs) than the three evil alignments. Races like the drow, lycanthropes, half-fiends, revenants and vampires are going to be at constant odds with the dark aspects of their nature, however and their struggle to remain "humane" can easily be a central story arc within the campaign. Likewise, it will be very difficult for races like half-orcs, lycans and eladrin to conduct themselves lawfully rather than chaotically, but that does not mean it is impossible for an individual PC to discipline themselves into following a lawful alignment, only that it will be far more of a struggle for them than for someone who's race (dwarves as example) has a natural affinity towards lawful conduct.

List of Available Races



 * cambion - cursed descendents of diabolical unions
 * cheval - once human, now possessed
 * dragonborn - humanoid descendants of dragons
 * dwarf - stout warriors and craftsmen of the Northlands
 * eladrin - former prisoners of the Feywilds
 * elf - earthbound fey
 * gnome - diminutive, magic-loving race closely allied with the dwarves
 * half-drow- forsaken bastard children of the Underdark
 * half-elf - most populous of the half-breed races
 * half-giant - native to the Northlands, typically barbarians


 * half-orc - taller and bulkier than humans with a greenish skin tint
 * human - shortest lived and most populous race in Ellorien
 * therian - born or cursed shapeshifters
 * vampire - cursed race of blood-drinking immortals

Demographics
The total humanoid population of the Known World in 500 NE is 25 to 30 million, roughly equivalent to the population of Europe during the era of Charlemagne. Over 50% (12-15 million) are human; of the remainder, another 50% (6-7.5 million) are half-human or a template "metahuman" race. This leaves approximately 1 million each of dragonblooded, dwarves, elves, halflings, gnomes and lycans all of whom have their own small kingdom or kingdoms within the Known World that contain the majority of their population.


 * Lycan/thrope is meant to cover both the naturally born shapeshifting Lycan and those who become were-creatures through an infectious bite or curse. The latter are typically more common.