Deseret was once a gleaming theocracy, the spiritual center of a world religion. Now it lies betrayed and broken, and people say they have killed the Gods. New heralds of new gods walk the land, preaching new ways. All bonds are broken, and even the priesthood rob from the poor. Will no one act to save those that are chained to the earth?
Cultures of Deseret
All are irrevocably marked by the culture that produced them. Culture is not destiny, but shapes what attributes are given the greatest chance to grow and which are more likely to be neglected.
Arameans are an agreeable folk who strongly hold to traditions of hospitality, and love nothing more than a good story well told. Shrewd bargainers and hard workers, they are simple people with a great love of their nation. The reason their country is so united lies in the fact that it is in an unannounced state of eternal war with the horrors that spill from the places the moon does not touch each night.
-To Know and Not Know: Initiation into the Dreaming skill takes two tries, but once you are initiated you gain a +4 bonus. You are well rested even with only 4 hours of sleep. You do not have to practice the Bureaucracy skill to increase it as long as your wisdom is less than 10. You are an excellent story teller and could probably go all day if uninterrupted. You have advantage on will saves. If one of this will saves would succeed and the other fail, you compartmentalize the mental trauma to a subconscious part of your mind.
Changelings are the progeny of one of the mundane races with one of the Fair Folk or Elves. Not quite fitting in either world, they are unsettling to both humans and elves. If raised amongst elves, a Changeling would speak their tongue.
-To Be Elf and Man: Your keen sense allow you to see things twice as far away as a human reasonably could. You always act in surprise rounds if possible. Start play with a folk arcana. You are initiated into Dreaming, Cartography, or Faerie Lore. You may have fey-inspired insights afflicting you. If your mother was an elf (or other fey of similar proportions), flip a coin. On a tails, you killed your mother being born.
Desereti are a scattered and confused people, heirs to the mantle of a great empire. They have been betrayed and will not forget it. The dream their prophecies will come true, that a Pious Prince will unite the divided country and kick out the invaders. For now, they dream only.
-To Burn to Keep Warm: You have a cultural hatred of invaders. +1 to hit and damage against intelligent humanoids working for a government or project that involves invading your homeland. When you are wounded, you may make a free attack against any enemy within range. Shalmic Priests will grant you blessings, restoring vitality and granting boons. You may use Dogma (Shalmic) to influence crowds of Deseretis.
Dwarves are ancient, skilled, and small-minded. They weigh as much as the stone they famously carve through, and produce the finest quality metal and gems in the world. Dwarves speak dwarven and are automatically literate. You know what you’re getting with a dwarf.
-To Be In and Of Stone: Your base speed is 20 ft instead of 20 ft, but is not reduced for wearing heavy armor. You weigh as much as stone and definitely can’t swim. You are so old you have a nugget of ancient lore and are initiated into one esoteric skill of your choice, as well as dowsing. You have advantage on fortitude saves and will never bleed out. +2 to all craft rolls and ruin lore. Being somewhat xenophobic, you get a -20 to literacy checks made to learn new languages, can never initiate folkways or dogma.
Elves are the cousins of the fey, more beautiful and elegant than any of the other races of the earth. Timeless and unaging, they have seen the coming and passing of the Gods. Elves speak elven and one dead language of your choice.
-To Be Fey and Man: Being ancient, you have a nugget of ancient lore and may initiate one esoteric skill of your choice. Your keen sense allow you to see things twice as far away as a human reasonably could. You always act in surprise rounds if possible. You are immune to magical madness and confusion effects that others cast on you, though you may have to make a save or succumb to madness when someone you love is killed. You gain a +2 to skill checks for arcanas. You never suffer negative effects from aging.
Neash are tribal pillagers from Bakar in the east. Once it would have been unheard of to see them within the Kingdom proper, now they come and go as they please just as any of Deseret’s defilers do. They worship a God of Blood and Prophecy, Iotan. Their champions fight in berserk rages, and they don’t go down without a fight. Each tribe speaks one of several languages of which Majallnae, Karakor, Nelnae, and Shelkak are the most common.
-To Have Blood Like a Drum: Neash do not stop fighting when they are wounded. They are proficient with unarmed combat, and their cultural hatred gives them +2 damage against dwarves, drow, chimera, giants, and other Neash. Empathy and Meditation are practiced skills for Neash. Neash have disadvantage on attack rolls in direct sunlight.
Oxfolk are a range of bovine humanoids, covering everything from oxen to gazelle to bison to holstein. They are known for their industrious work ethic and tremendous strength. They are (unfairly) seen to be artistically dull, but most communities treasure any oxfolk settlers that come their way. An honorable people, Oxfolk have vowed never to make use of swords (except for knightly oxfolk). They speak the Oxish language.
-To Labor For Labor: You are legally and culturally barred from holding any title of importance higher than knight. You have vowed to forsake swords. Your hooved feet make it difficult to step with precision or caution on delicate terrain or over traps. If you say something is true, people will generally believe you believe it. You are unfairly patient.
Padfoots are a range of rodent humanoids, covering mice, rats, and chipmunks. Homebodies, there is nothing they like more than a soft chair, a good cup of tea, and a steaming hot meal. Padfoots that choose to leave home on an adventure are either driven by something desperate or some other peculiar force.
-To Dream Only of Pies: The Padfoot’s small size means their base speed is 20 ft and grants a +4 to stealth. They can easily bunch up with allies, occupying the same few feet without penalty. They gain +2 on empathy and profession checks. The provincial culture of the Padfoots mean they can never cast arcana, but they gain advantage on saves to resist magic effects.
Samaritans are the offspring of any race conceived out of wedlock, and unless legitimized postbirth suffer from decreased legal status (except amongst the Neash tribes). They have a hellish range of animalistic features, no two looking exactly alike.
-To Suffer the Mother’s Sins: Roll twice on the Sins of the Mother table. +20 to literacy checks to learn evil languages or to learn from evil books. You are initiated into Dreaming, Arcana, or Theology. You take half damage from fire and have no soul.
Sidhelians are descendants of a noble race that once held all righteous authority on earth. Blood now muddled with the mortal races, they are more excessive than they are pure. If elves are more graceful humans, Sidhelians are more forceful humans. They tower half a foot over their counterparts with strong limbs and stronger personalities. Most noble positions that have existed for a century or more are held by Sidhelians.
-To Be Without Limit: Fey treat you with more reverence than they would other mortals. Everyone expects you to be in charge of whatever group you’re with, you gain a bonus to attracting followers. You have disadvantage on saves against confusion or madness, and must make a save against madness whenever facing a major setback or personal tragedy. Failure begins an episode or rage, melancholia, or whatever other emotion would be appropriate but taken to an excessive proportion.
Ushtari are the descendants of a group of humans who once betrayed the gods. Everywhere they go they are second class citizens, except in Gregor where they are slaves. No one trusts the produce of Ushtari hands, so they are barred from producing goods.
-To Be Traitors to God: -4 to all craft rolls, -2 to Bureaucracy rolls, +3 to a skill related to your profession. You face strong prejudice and suspicion. Strong cultural traditions mean you can read and speak Pouck, and start play with a random folk arcana.
Vulpid are fox-featured humanoids drawing their heritage from a mythical race of shapeshifters. They were the first people to settle this region in ancient times, and they still know the old paths all others have forgotten. Their nomadic and clan-based society shuns cities, moving seasonally from den to den. The upheaval in Deseret has been very hard for them and their way of life.
-To See Cities With No Men: Overland travel goes faster when a Vulpid guides the way. You are never totally lost in mundane wilderness. You never feel rested when sleeping in a city, but can always find a comfortable place to sleep in rural areas. You begin the game illiterate, but are initiated into Cartography and can speak Tiki Tavi.
