Angrea

Ancestries of the Empire

The Neuranian Empire is home to dozens of distinct ancestries, each bringing their own culture, magic, and perspective to this infinite world. From the ambitious Humans who dominate politics to the mysterious Halflings who appeared from nowhere, every ancestry has a story to tell. While the Empire has many flaws, it stands as a beacon of acceptance - all ancestries, genders, and orientations are welcomed equally under imperial law.

The Common Peoples

• Humans

  Life expectancy: ~80 years | Average height: 175 cm The most prevalent ancestry in the Empire, Humans dominate politics through House Neuros. Ambitious and versatile, they are capable of both great good and terrible evil. Their relatively short lives drive them to leave lasting marks on the world.

  Creature Type: Humanoid Size: Medium (about 4–7 feet tall) or Small (about 2–4 feet tall), chosen when you select this ancestry Speed: 30 feet

  As a Human, you have these special traits.

  Resourceful. You gain Heroic Inspiration when-ever you finish a Long Rest. Skillful. You gain proficiency in one skill of your choice. Versatile. You gain an Origin feat of your choice (see “Feats”). Skilled is recommended

  ANCESTRY FEATURES

  High Stamina: Gain an additional Stress slot at character creation. Adaptability: When you fail a roll that utilized one of your Experiences, you can mark a Stress to reroll.

• Orcs (Vembila)

  Life expectancy: ~60 years | Average height: 200 cm “The People” in their language (Karee), orcs are integral members of imperial society. They value combat expertise without disregarding intellectual pursuits, producing both fierce warriors and brilliant scholars. Orcish unions have become models for workers’ rights movements across the Empire.

• Elves (Tetharius)

  Life expectancy: ~600 years | Average height: 190 cm Descended from the sea-dwelling Natharius, these Elves bear faint scale patterns that become prominent when wet. Prone to wanderlust and drawn to the sea, they hold the second most political influence in the Empire, dominating House Silvos. Many return to the ocean around their 400th year.

• Dwarves

  Life expectancy: ~400 years | Average height: 90 cm Split between Stone Dwarves (traditional mountain craftsmen) and Sea Dwarves (master shipwrights who adapted to maritime life), both branches have maintained their alliance with Gnomes since the great Flood. Their craftsmanship remains unmatched, and as prominent members of House Carthas, they control much of the Empire’s trade in precious metals, gems, and finely crafted goods.

• Goblins

  Life expectancy: ~150 years | Average height: 125 cm Goblins are renowned throughout the Empire as master architects and meticulous chroniclers. Their mathematical excellence manifests in breathtaking architectural designs - from soaring bridges to intricate clockwork mechanisms. Goblin historians maintain the most comprehensive records of the Empire’s history, and their architectural guilds have shaped the skylines of every major city.

• Ironborn Goblins

  Life expectancy: ~150 years | Average height: 135 cm A militaristic offshoot of goblinkind who value discipline and tactical excellence. They form the backbone of many imperial legions with their strategic minds and coordinated fighting styles, maintaining strict hierarchies and codes of honor that sometimes clash with their more chaotic cousins.

• Onchin

  Life expectancy: ~140 years | Average height: 215 cm A larger, more solitary cousin of goblinkind. Natural ambush predators who excel as scouts, hunters, and shock troops. Despite their fearsome reputation, many are gentle giants who simply prefer solitude.

• Gnomes

  Life expectancy: ~200 years | Average height: 100 cm Divided between Rock Gnomes (mountain inventors specializing in mining) and River Gnomes (maritime inventors enhancing ships), they rarely join Houses directly but influence politics from behind the scenes through their innovations.

The Mysterious Arrivals

• Halflings

  Life expectancy: ~125 years | Average height: 125 cm Of mysterious origin, appearing only after the Flood with no memory of where they came from. Agile and thrill-seeking, they’ve become economically influential through their dominance in trade and commerce. Halfling merchant caravans and trading houses are legendary for their ability to procure rare goods and broker impossible deals. Many also work with the Thieves’ Guild or in politics, where their negotiation skills are highly valued.

• Zwischen

  Life expectancy: ~130 years | Average height: 175 cm Born during the Shattering, they exist partially in the spaces between reality. Can step through shadows for short distances (a few meters), and when emotional, their voices echo regardless of surrounding acoustics, as if speaking from multiple dimensions.

• Siltlings

  Life expectancy: ~500 years | Average height: 140 cm The Clay People whose skin texture changes based on humidity - smooth when dry, slightly sticky when wet. They can draw nutrients directly from soil, making them excellent farmers and gardeners who literally become one with the earth.

• Steamling

  Life expectancy: Indefinite with care | Average height: 185 cm Artificial beings given life through magic and technology. No two are exactly alike - some are clockwork, others are carved stone, some are living armor. Question their purpose and seek meaning beyond their creation. Do not age but require maintenance and magical energy.

• Changelings

  Life expectancy: ~100 years | Average height: Variable (160-180 cm natural form) Natural shapeshifters who can alter their appearance at will. Often struggle with questions of identity and belonging. Form tight-knit communities where they can be their true selves. Excel as actors, spies, and diplomats.

The Essence-Woven

• Sidhe

  Life expectancy: ~3,000 years | Average height: 200 cm Magical beings from the Fey Isles, whose capital city Avernon was preserved underwater through the Flood. Their extremely long lives give them a different temporal perspective, making their motivations often inscrutable to shorter-lived peoples.

• Sonthalay

  Life expectancy: ~90 years | Average height: 170 cm Humanoids with visible circulatory systems of liquid crystal flowing beneath pale skin. Their “blood” changes color based on emotions and can be “read” by experts. They can interface with magical machinery through touch and are highly sought for diplomatic negotiations. Some learn to consciously control their chromatic displays.

• Echoes

  Life expectancy: ~100 years | Average height: 165 cm Born as twins who share emotions across any distance - when one falls in love, the other feels it too. They can switch places once per day if both consent. If one dies, the other becomes a “Half-Echo” - melancholic but psychically powerful.

• Bláthnat

  Life expectancy: ~50 years | Average height: 170 cm They bloom different flowers from their skin based on emotions, leaving flower trails when flustered (making secret crushes difficult). Can cultivate specific blooms to give as deeply personal gifts. Some learn to “speak” entirely in flower language for private conversations.

• Nubatili

  Life expectancy: ~180 years | Average height: 155 cm Humanoid forms with deep, opaque skin in shades of midnight blue to rich purple. Hair grows as fine crystalline strands that capture and reflect light like fiber optics. Must absorb starlight through exposed skin nightly or become lethargic. They experience subtle time dilation and can perceive stellar positions even during daylight.

The Ancient Bloodlines

• Drakin

  Life expectancy: ~450 years | Average height: 190 cm Descendants of ancient dragons and humanoid couplings, bearing scales, breath weapons, and draconic features. They come in metallic (gold, silver, bronze, brass, copper) and chromatic (red, blue, green, black, white) varieties. Often struggle with the dual nature of their heritage - mortal lives with immortal instincts. Natural leaders and warriors, though some reject their martial heritage for scholarly pursuits.

• Drakelings

  Life expectancy: ~120 years | Average height: 90 cm Small dragon-kin who serve as the lesser cousins to Drakin. Natural trap-makers and hoarders of shiny objects, they form warren communities often in service to greater powers. Excel as miners, trap-smiths, and scouts.

• Korians

  Life expectancy: ~120 years | Average height: 175 cm Mortals touched by infernal energies, bearing horns, tails, and unusual skin tones ranging from deep crimsons to midnight purples. They possess a natural affinity for magic, particularly fire and shadow.

• Nephilim

  Life expectancy: ~400 years | Average height: 180 cm The mirror to Korians, blessed by celestial powers with metallic skin, glowing eyes, or wings of light. Often feel compelled to acts of justice and mercy, though some rebel against this calling. Sought after as arbitrators and healers, though the pressure of expectations can be overwhelming. Can manifest halos of light when channeling their power.

• Duilean

  Life expectancy: ~150 years | Average height: 175 cm Beings infused with pure elemental energy - Air, Earth, Fire, or Water. Each type manifests differently: Air elementals have wind-swept features, Earth elementals have stone-like skin, Fire elementals have ember eyes, Water elementals have flowing hair. Must periodically return to areas strong in their element or weaken. Often work as specialized craftspeople using their elemental affinities.

• Ferallians

  Life expectancy: ~70 years | Average height: 175 cm Humans marked by lycanthropic heritage who can manifest beast traits. Not true shapeshifters but can grow claws, enhance senses, or gain animal features. Form tight-knit packs that protect their own fiercely. Often work as trackers, guards, or wilderness guides.

• Myceli

  Life expectancy: ~80 years | Average height: 140 cm Mushroom-like beings who share a collective consciousness through spore networks. Can communicate silently with others of their kind within range. Decompose and recycle, seeing death as transformation rather than ending. Often work as healers, gardeners, and morticians.

• Vembila Trau

  Life expectancy: ~100 years | Average height: 230 cm “Great Orcs” - the larger cousins of the Vembila. Descendants of ancient giants, standing head and shoulders above most others. Natural athletes with stone-like endurance. Often found in mountainous regions where they feel most at home. Despite their size, many are gentle souls who prefer crafting to conflict.

• Lagari

  Life expectancy: ~60 years | Average height: 190 cm Lizard-like people with natural armor and regeneration. Can regrow lost limbs over time and survive extreme temperatures. Form sun-worshipping communities in warm regions. Often work as guards, hunters, and healers.

• Fairies

  Life expectancy: ~400 years | Average height: 30 cm (can size up to 150 cm) Tiny winged fey who flutter between flowers. Often serve as messengers between the mortal world and fey realms. Maintain flower gardens that serve as their homes.

The Wild-Touched

• Katta

  Life expectancy: ~90 years | Average height: 170 cm Cat-like humanoids with fur patterns, tails, and retractable claws. Natural wanderers with insatiable curiosity about the world. Excel as scouts, performers, and traders. Form loose collectives rather than traditional families.

• Tartari

  Life expectancy: ~400 years | Average height: 160 cm Turtle-like people with natural armor shells and patient wisdom. Move slowly but think deeply, often serving as philosophers and judges. Can withdraw into their shells for protection and meditation. Maintain oral histories spanning thousands of years.

• Sethari

  Life expectancy: ~200 years | Average height: 180 cm Snake-featured humanoids with scales, serpentine eyes, and forked tongues. Natural diplomats who can sense emotions through taste and heat. Often mistrusted due to ancient conflicts, though most are peaceful. Excel in politics, espionage, and medicine.

• Apataur

  Life expectancy: ~90 years | Average height: 165 cm Ape-like humanoids with prehensile feet and incredible climbing abilities. Live in treetop communities and vertical cities. Natural acrobats and engineers who think in three dimensions. Maintain complex social hierarchies based on achievement rather than birth.

• Ranari

  Life expectancy: ~50 years | Average height: 120 cm Amphibious frog-like people who thrive in wetlands. Can breathe both air and water, with powerful jumping legs. Masters of alchemy using swamp materials and natural toxins. Maintain spawning pools that serve as communal nurseries.

• Firbolg

  Life expectancy: ~400 years | Average height: 240 cm Gentle giants with a deep connection to nature and the forests. Can speak with plants and beasts, serving as forest guardians. Despite their size, they prefer peaceful solutions and quiet lives. Often serve as druids, rangers, and mediators between civilization and wild.

• Centaurs

  Life expectancy: ~90 years | Average height: 210 cm (at human shoulders) Horse-bodied people who roam the plains and forests. Natural cavalry who form nomadic tribes. Honor-bound warriors and philosophers in equal measure. Often serve as scouts, messengers, and cavalry.

• Minotaurs

  Life expectancy: ~80 years | Average height: 210 cm Bull-headed people with natural strength and labyrinthine minds. Can never become lost and always remember paths they’ve taken. Often work as navigators, guards, and maze-builders. Value honor and straightforward dealing.

• Fauns

  Life expectancy: ~100 years | Average height: 170 cm Goat-legged revelers who embody joy and celebration. Natural musicians and dancers who can inspire emotions through performance. Often found at festivals, taverns, and courts as entertainers. Form loose communities based on shared interests rather than bloodlines.

• Liontaurs

  Life expectancy: ~80 years | Average height: 200 cm Lion-featured humanoids with natural pride and nobility. Form pride-based societies with complex social hierarchies. Natural leaders who inspire loyalty in others. Often serve as commanders, judges, and champions.

• Lagotaurs

  Life expectancy: ~60 years | Average height: 160 cm Rabbit-featured people with powerful legs and keen senses. Can leap incredible distances and always land on their feet. Form warren communities with extensive underground networks. Often work as scouts, messengers, and engineers.

• Fufelia

  Life expectancy: ~50 years | Average height: 155 cm Winged humanoids who make their homes in mountain aeries. Hollow bones make them fragile but allow for true flight. Often serve as messengers, scouts, and cartographers. Maintain the Empire’s aerial postal service.

Mixed Heritage

Mixed-ancestry individuals are increasingly common throughout the Empire, with human-elves and human-orcs being particularly notable populations. Rather than being seen as separate ancestries, they blend the traits of their parents in unique ways. The most common are:

• Human-Elf (showing varied lifespans and magical aptitude)
• Human-Orc (combining human ambition with orcish strength)
• Dwarf-Gnome (master crafters of both large and small)
• Any other combination, as love knows no boundaries in the Empire

In this infinite world, these ancestries represent only those commonly found within the Neuranian Empire. Travelers speak of strange peoples in distant lands - living crystals, smoke beings, time-shifted humans, and stranger things still. In Angrea, if it can be imagined, it exists somewhere.