Athas Minor Races

Last 3 Edits

13th May, 2019

  • Removed references to the drawbacks Illiterate & Primitive - as these are standard to everyone on Athas.
  • Removed Wild Talents from racial choices. All characters just get one.
  • See the ALL Races added section that explains this.

5th April, 2019

  • Added sharmind 5E D&D stats.

26th Sept, 2018

  • Finish Halflings. Compiled info from various sources, added some of my own, and added an Ability Score bonus to them.
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The minor races dwell on the fringes of the Tyr region settlements or are mostly found out in the wastes. Small tribes may often visit the settlements, such as a dray, but more than likely members of minor races are an oddity in places of civilization.

Table of Contents
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ALL RACES

To create a unique Dark Sun character all characters need to check the [[[Athas House Rules]] page for the following:
Illiteracy. Only a select few can read and write on Athas.
Lack of Steel. Weapons normally made of metal gain the Fragile property.
Wild Talents. All characters may choose to start with a psionic wild talent, but this is chosen randomly.

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DRAY

Information for roleplaying this race in Dark Sun: D&D 4E Dark Sun Campaign Setting p24.

Various Flavour Headings

Try to hit on 2-4 main points that best represent the race and give them catchy headings. These can inc notes on appearance, culture, common personality traits/quirks, outlook, likes/dislikes, what they are good at, where they live, myths, religion, what might lead them to adventure, where they fit into society, etc.


Common Traits

Age & Appearance

How they age. Height ; Weight ; Eye colour ; Hair ; etc.

Allies & Enemies

List.

Alignment & Outlook

Typical alignment. Common personality traits (like 4E) or see 3E MCAU for 'Outlook'.

Classes & Concepts

Sorcerer/Spellscale (defiler); Mercenary; Warrior/Fighter/Clan Blade; Slaver; Smuggler; Deal broker/Money lender/Speculator; Elemental priest; Gladiator; Primal or site protector; Templar; Nomad; Wilder.

Language & Names

State main language spoken. Types of names. Example names.

Realms & Regions

Tight-knit clans live in isolated towers, citadels and ruins scattered throughout the Tyr region. Some clans have also struck deals with the sorcerer-kings for licenses to practice both magic and slave trading.

Religion & Deities

State which type they follow and individual gods if common.


GAME MECHANICS

Dungeons & Dragons 5E

Not done yet - deciding whether to go with dragonborn?

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GENASI

(There are other types of genasi for Dark Sun in the 4E D&D PDF/Dragon Magazine article, Winning Races: The Genasi of Athas).

Intro paragraph. Very general statements that summarises the race.

Various Flavour Headings

Try to hit on 2-4 main points that best represent the race and give them catchy headings. These can inc notes on appearance, culture, common personality traits/quirks, outlook, likes/dislikes, what they are good at, where they live, myths, religion, what might lead them to adventure, where they fit into society, etc.


Common Traits

Age & Appearance

How they age. Height ; Weight ; Eye colour ; Hair ; etc.

Allies & Enemies

List.

Alignment & Outlook

Typical alignment. Common personality traits (like 4E) or see 3E MCAU for 'Outlook'.

Classes & Concepts

List common archetypes and actual classes backgrounds and subclasses for D&D.

Language & Names

State main language spoken. Types of names. Example names.

Realms & Regions

List lands where they are found in this setting.

Religion & Deities

State which type they follow and individual gods if common.


GAME MECHANICS

Dungeons & Dragons 5E

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HALFLING

Information for roleplaying this race in Dark Sun: D&D 4E Dark Sun Campaign Setting p28; D&D 2E Dark Sun Boxed Set Rules Book p11.

Halflings live apart from other races, divided by their stature and odd customs, but no one can deny their bravery and cunning. (4E D&D Dark Sun Campaign Setting p28).

A United People

Halflings possess a great deal of racial unity. Though divided politically into separate villages and communities, halflings have great respect for their race as a whole. Political differences between them are settled wherever possible peaceably, through ritual and custom, most often under the direction of their spiritual leaders. (D&D 2E Dark Sun Boxed Set Rules Book p11).

Halfling culture is fabulously diverse, but difficult for other races to comprehend. A complete history of their culture, if such a thing existed, would speak volume of complex social change, inspirational spiritual leaders, and in-depth personal studies of the halfling and his duty to his jungle home. Conspicuous in their absence would be references to great wars of conquest or tremendous monetary wealth - the yardsticks by which other races measure cultural success. Halfling culture cares for the individual's inward being, his identity and spiritual unity with his race and environment. Their culture does not provide for more traditional values, and vices such as greed and avarice are particularly discouraged. (D&D 2E Dark Sun Boxed Set Rules Book p12).

Loners

Natives of the rain-kissed Forest Ridge, halflings are tribal people who maintain their distance from other humanoid races of Athas. They interact little with the Seven Cities or the people of the desert and are notorious for eating captured enemies. They're not above stealing livestock or ambushing unwary travellers to remedy an empty cook pot. Most halfings want nothing to do with outsiders, though. They defend their home with poisoned darts and primal magic. (D&D 4E Dark Sun Creature Catalog p60).

One with Nature

The savagery for which they are feared masks a deep and abiding reverence for the natural world and an uncommon connection to the land's spirits. The halflings are an ancient people; according to the myths, they are among the oldest in the world. Once stewards of all the land, the halflings retreated when dark amgic came to power, and they built a civilisation on top of the world. Over the ages they have forgotten much of their learning, but they remain a spiritual people, and their connections to the natural world are the strongest of any civilized race in the Tyr Region. These connections make it hard for them to establish productive relationships with other races. (4E D&D Dark Sun Campaign Setting p28).
The richness of the land may be disturbed an examined, even for a halfling's own gain. However, those riches belong to the land and, in the mind of a halfling, should never be moved away. For instance, nature intended a spring to bring water only to a certain area. To move the water through irrigation to some other area is not what nature had in mind. Similarly, an archeaelogical find in the jungle that yields a great pile of gold and metals is an event that shouldn't be tampered with - the gold might be used to raise a spectacular series of clerical buildings on the spot, but should not be carted off to some other location. (D&D 2E Dark Sun Boxed Set Rules Book p12).


Common Traits

Age & Appearance

Ages as standard halflings.

A halfling is very short, standing no more than 3 1/2 feet in height. They are muscled and proportioned like humans, but they have the faces of wise and beautiful children. A halfling weighs around 50 pounds and is virtually always in peak physical condition. (D&D 2E Dark Sun Boxed Set Rules Book p11).

Height & Weight
Base height Height modifier Base weight Weight modifier
2' 10" +2d4 45 lb. x 1 lb.

Allies & Enemies

Although halflings distrust other intelligent humanoids they often take forest (or desert) creatures as pets and companions. They are even known to work with larger and more intelligent creatures such as kirres, drakes and griffons. Pet panthers, giant lizards, etc are common.

Alignment & Outlook

Halflings have a very loyal and tribal outlook. They place little emphasis on the individual

Each halfling is merely part of the overall race, which itself is part of a much larger organism - the world. This view makes it nearly impossible for halflings to deceive or betray one another. (4E D&D Dark Sun Campaign Setting p28).

On a personal level, halflings relate very well to one another, well enough to have built a considerable culture rich in art, song, and other expressive communication. However, they tend to rely heavily on their culture for communication, a culture that both parties in a conversation are assumed to understand. It is difficult for a halfling to compensate in conversation for a listener who isn't intimately familiar with halfling culture, and as such they easily become frustrated with outsiders. Depending upon how 'official' a meeting is, outsiders often have to take great pains to learn local customs merely to communicate with the halflings in question. (D&D 2E Dark Sun Boxed Set Rules Book p12).

Though they rarely deal with outsiders, halflings have been known to work with others for mutual gain. However, anyone who breaks an oath to a halfling tribe will find himself or herself quickly pursued by a band of headhunters. These marauders pose a threat to any traveller who wanders into their hunting grounds. (D&D 4E Dark Sun Creature Catalog p60).

Halflings are well known as cannibals.

Halflings see all creatures as potential sources of sustenance. After all, living beings compete to survive, and halflings think nothing of eating their enemies, for doing so ensures their own survival. (4E D&D Dark Sun Campaign Setting p28).

Halflings feel they are misunderstood; that they are so much more than savages. In fact, their world view and view of the way the other races, contradicts what others think of them. A typical halfling struggles being called a savage when he sees other races use resources to enslave and manipulate others, defile the land with arcane magic, and build large cities ruled by tyrants. But rather than mock the cultures of others, halflings are open-minded and their curiosity leads them to try to understand the way others live. For a halfling that has ventured beyond the Forest Ridge it is very important for a halfling to understand the customs of their new allies, to the point of adopting these customs. Such knowledge is seen as a great accomplishment among the halflings and information on the customs of other races is valued should a halfling return to his home.

Classes & Concepts

Hunter/forest runner/headhunter; witch doctor/shaman/forest keeper; explorer; slave; mercenary; raider; barbarian; primal warden; exile; curious wanderer; seeker of knowledge; wilder, nature's protector.

Language & Names

Starting Languages: Common and Halfling.

Names. Similar to standard halflings, though tribal names that refer to their jungle home instead of family names.

Realms & Regions

Halflings hail from The Forest Ridge, a mysterious and legendary jungle said to crown the Ringing Mountains. Those found in the tablelands are typically lone wanderers, though some are slaves, mercenaries or raiders. It matters not where a halflings are currently living, they all consider the Forest Ridge their home.

Religion & Deities

Halflings are very spiritual, Druids and nature clerics are often tribal leaders or at least advisers to those leaders. Halflings revere the world almost like a deity or living being. They do the same for areas of natural beauty from as large as the Forest Ridge to a small spring. The line between spirits dwelling in these place and the place itself being sentient is blurred and confusing to outsiders, but typically this just varies slightly from tribe to tribe.


GAME MECHANICS

Dungeons & Dragons 5E

As halfling in the 5e D&D Player's Handbook chapter 2, with the following adjustments and subrace:

JUNGLE HALFLING

Jungle Halfling Traits

  • Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
  • Poison Resistance. You have advantage on saving throws against poison and you have resistance to poison damage.
  • Fleet of Foot. Your base walking speed increases to 30 feet. Dark Sun halflings are leaner and tend to move a lot faster than standard halflings.

Typical Jungle Halfling Drawbacks

  • Weak (Minor). All halflings are small which limits their physical strength.
  • Curious (Minor): Jungle halflings are intrigued by other cultures and like to learn why others act the way they do. A wide variety of experience is encouraged by the teachings of the tribal witch doctors.
  • Outsider (Minor). Jungle halflings possess a great deal of racial unity, but have trouble communicating with other cultures. Other races, that have heard of the halflings' strange customs (notably cannibalism) are also reluctant to get too close to these little guys from a strange land.
  • Loyal (Minor). Applies the jungle halfling subrace as a whole. Jungle halfling culture is very unified.

Bonus Proficiencies. For each minor drawback assigned to a jungle halfling, you select one of the following: Acrobatics, Endurance, Nature, Stealth, Survival, Blowguns (Simple + Martial), Brawling weapons (Simple + Martial), Spears (Simple), Thrown & Slings (Simple + Martial) or herbalism kit.

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SHARDMIND

Shardminds are psionic creatures formed from physical and psychic crystals. Their description is from the Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition Player's Handbook 3.

Various Flavour Headings

Try to hit on 2-4 main points that best represent the race and give them catchy headings. These can inc notes on appearance, culture, common personality traits/quirks, outlook, likes/dislikes, what they are good at, where they live, myths, religion, what might lead them to adventure, where they fit into society, etc.


Common Traits

Age & Appearance

How they age. Height ; Weight ; Eye colour ; Hair ; etc.

Allies & Enemies

List.

Alignment & Outlook

Typical alignment. Common personality traits (like 4E) or see 3E MCAU for 'Outlook'.

Classes & Concepts

Psion; Mystic; Wasteland warrior; Wilder; Guardian.

Language & Names

State main language spoken. Types of names. Example names.

Realms & Regions

The black shardminds (Obsidians) are predominantly from the south of the Tyr region. In particular they live under the obsidian plains known as The Dead Lands. Red shardminds are typically from the north on the Try Region (an area known as the Jagged Cliffs region).

Religion & Deities

State which type they follow and individual gods if common.


GAME MECHANICS

Dungeons & Dragons 5E

Shardmind Traits

  • Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 2.
  • Expressionless: Those interacting with a shardmind, have disadvantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks. Not having facial expressions makes it hard for others to read you.
  • Languages. Common, Deep Speech and 1 other of your choice.
  • Living Construct: Shardminds do not need to eat, drink, breathe, or sleep. They never make checks to resist starvation, thirst, or suffocation. They have advantage on saving throws versus poisons and are immune to disease. Medicine checks are made at disadvantage on shardminds, and even when a healing kit is used, a Medicine roll (at disadvantage) must be rolled for the shardmind to stabilise. Someone can, alternatively, make a repair roll using Intelligence. (Proficiency with mason's or gem cutter's tools can be added) or use the mending cantrip (which functions as spare the dying) on a shardminds.
  • Self-Stabilising. You have advantage on all death saving throws.
  • Telepathy: Shardminds can communicate telepathically with any creature within 30 feet that has a language.
  • Unsleeping Watcher. Shardminds do not sleep, but enter a state of inactivity for 4 hours to gain the benefits of a long rest. While in this state, they are fully aware of their surroundings and can make Wisdom (Perception) checks as normal.
  • Moving Crystals (Minor Racial): You have disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks. Shardminds are made up of many individual crystals that are in constant movement, and hence, make constant grinding and tinkling sounds. (If this drawback is 'bought off', this represents a shardmind that has learnt to 'separate' when stealth is needed).
  • Size. Medium.
  • Speed. Base speed is 30 feet.

Shardmind Drawbacks

  • Socially Inept (Minor). Shardminds do not have expressions and are generally hard for others to relate to.
  • Fragile (Minor): Sonic and thunder attacks really rattle your crystaline make-up.

Bonus Proficiencies. For each minor drawback assigned to a shardmind, you select one of the following: Arcana, Endurance, History, Insight, or Investigation or one relevant language.

Shardmind Subraces

There are no subraces for the generic shardmind race, though for some settings you may wish to create some, such as having different coloured shardmind with their own traits based upon the supposed properties of the relevant gem compositions.


SHARDMIND RACIAL FEATS

Race Feat & Source
Shardmind Impenetrable Mind (House, D&D Feats)
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THRI-KREEN

Information for roleplaying this race in Dark Sun: D&D 4E Dark Sun Campaign Setting p23; D&D 2E Dark Sun Boxed Set Rules Book p15.

Various Flavour Headings

Try to hit on 2-4 main points that best represent the race and give them catchy headings. These can inc notes on appearance, culture, common personality traits/quirks, outlook, likes/dislikes, what they are good at, where they live, myths, religion, what might lead them to adventure, where they fit into society, etc.


Common Traits

Age & Appearance

How they age. Height ; Weight ; Eye colour ; Hair ; etc.

Allies & Enemies

List.

Alignment & Outlook

Typical alignment. Common personality traits (like 4E) or see 3E MCAU for 'Outlook'.

Classes & Concepts

Hunter/predator; Last clutchmate/loner; Explorer; Scout; Wilder; Follower of The Great One; Elemental priest/shaman/druid; Primal guardian.

Language & Names

State main language spoken. Types of names. Example names.

Realms & Regions

Thri-kreen are people of the deep desert. Most are nomads from the Western Hinterlands and have little experience in cities, but some come from large packs of raiders that plague the Ivory Triangle and the Tablelands.

Religion & Deities

State which type they follow and individual gods if common.


GAME MECHANICS

Dungeons & Dragons 5E

haven't done 5E kreen yet.

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RACE NAME

Intro paragraph. Very general statements that summarises the race.

Various Flavour Headings

Try to hit on 2-4 main points that best represent the race and give them catchy headings. These can inc notes on appearance, culture, common personality traits/quirks, outlook, likes/dislikes, what they are good at, where they live, myths, religion, what might lead them to adventure, where they fit into society, etc.


Common Traits

Age & Appearance

How they age. Height ; Weight ; Eye colour ; Hair ; etc.

Allies & Enemies

List.

Alignment & Outlook

Typical alignment. Common personality traits (like 4E) or see 3E MCAU for 'Outlook'.

Classes & Concepts

List common archetypes and actual classes backgrounds and subclasses for D&D.

Language & Names

State main language spoken. Types of names. Example names.

Realms & Regions

List lands where they are found in this setting.

Religion & Deities

State which type they follow and individual gods if common.


GAME MECHANICS

Dungeons & Dragons 5E

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