Character

Kins

The world of Against the Darkmaster is inhabited by many different Kins: fair and otherworldly Elves, stocky Dwarves, massive Trolls, stunted Orcs, nimble Halflings, and Men coexist next to each other, even if not always peacefully. Kin determines a character's general appearance, influences their Stat Values, and grants them special abilities related to their ancestry.

Players choose their Kin during character creation, right before selecting their Vocation. Kin availability may vary depending on the setting and campaign — always check with the GM before making your choice.

Kin Modifiers Summary

Man

The Mannish race is the most numerous and adaptable of all Kins. Men of all sizes and colors can be found across the land, valiantly struggling against the forces of the Darkmaster, and even serving under His rule, either willingly or as slaves to His ruinous power.

Special Traits

• Specialization: Men gain a +10 bonus to any one Skill of their choice.

Suggested Cultures: Any but Deep, Fey, or Marauding.

High Man

The High Men are the last survivors of a rare and ancient Mannish Kin, said to be the descendants of the forefathers of all Men, forced to flee from their crumbling empire centuries ago. They tend to be taller and more muscular than common Men, often surpassing 190 cm. They have either very fair or dark skin, dark hair, and hazel, blue, or green eyes. High Men are long-lived, likely due to traces of Elven blood in their veins, living an average of 200 years, and sometimes surpassing 300.

Special Traits

• Imposing: High Men gain a +15 bonus to their Charisma Skill.

Suggested Cultures: Noble, City, or Seafaring.

Dwarf

Legends say Dwarves were born from stone, sculpted to life by their gods at the beginning of time. Surely, Dwarves seem to have an affinity with stone, or to have at least inherited some of its resistance and durability. They are short and stout, usually 140 to 150 cm in height, but often weighing as much as a far taller grown Man. Adult males have very long, curly beards, often worn in braids. They can live over 300 years, which tends to give them a somber and brooding temperament that shorter-lived Kins often find difficult to understand.

Special Traits

• Dark Sight: Dwarves can see up to 30m in Dim Light (treating the first 15m as Bright Light), and up to 3m in Total Darkness.
• Forgekin: Dwarves gain a +30 bonus to their Save Rolls and Defense against heat and cold attacks, and to all Rolls to work metals, stone, and gems, or to craft items from these materials. Any metal item successfully crafted by a Dwarf is always at least of High Quality.
• Stoneborn: Dwarves cannot swim, but gain a +20 bonus to their Nature and Wandering Rolls while underground.
• Superstitious: Dwarves cannot become Wizards, Champions, or Dabblers.

Suggested Cultures: Deep, Hill, or Weald.

Halfling

Halflings are a diminutive people, even smaller than Dwarves. Though they tend to be fat or pudgy, they are surprisingly nimble and possess an almost magical ability to disappear from sight and move unheard. Their skin tones mirror the range of the Mannish Kin, but their hair tends to be curly. Male Halflings rarely grow beards, but have big, hairy feet of which they are often very proud. They live slightly longer than Men, yet somehow maintain a joyous, almost childish disposition for most of their lives.

For reasons no one fully understands, Halflings seem to be impervious to magic. They struggle to learn Spell Lores and resist magical effects more easily than any other Kin. No Halfling mage has ever been born.

Special Traits

• Diminutive: Halflings are Small in Size and count as only half a group member (rounding up) when calculating group size for Camping purposes.
• Nimble: Halflings gain a special +20 bonus to their Stealth and Acrobatics Skills.
• Sure-Shot: Halflings gain a special +10 bonus to their Ranged Skill.
• Second Breakfast: Halflings double their HP recovery for the day if they manage to have a proper, lavish meal (not rations) before resting.
• Superstitious: As Dwarf — Halflings cannot become Wizards, Champions, or Dabblers.

Suggested Cultures: Pastoral.

Half-Elf

Half-Elves are a rare and wonderful combination of Elven and Mannish virtues. They are born from an Elf and a human parent, or from two Half-Elven parents, since Elven blood is resilient and takes generations to dilute. Half-Elves can be found in both Elven communities (where they are generally considered Elves) and in Mannish society, where their Fey nature can make integration difficult. Physically they vary greatly, but all share the fair complexion, slightly pointed ears, and sparkling eyes of their Elven half.

Special Traits

• Star Sight: Half-Elves can see in natural moonlight or starlight as if it were day, and up to 30m in Dim Light (treating the first 15m as Bright Light).
• Elven Ancestry: Half-Elves are incredibly long-lived. They are very resistant to disease (+50 to Toughness Save Rolls against sickness and disease), impervious to natural cold (gaining a +5 bonus against Cold-based threats), and need only 4 hours of sleep to gain the full benefits of a night's rest.
• Specialization: As Man — Half-Elves gain a +10 bonus to any one Skill of their choice.

Suggested Cultures: Fey, Noble, or Seafaring.

Dusk Elf

Among the Elven Kins, Dusk Elves are the most closely tied to the mortal world. Unlike the other Elves, they never traveled to the Immortal Lands, preferring to roam free in the wilderness, and are sometimes called Wild Elves by their cousins. They have slightly pointed ears, stand around 180 cm tall, and tend to have a ruddy complexion, sandy or golden hair, and green or blue eyes.

Special Traits

• Keen Senses: Elves have superior senses, granting a special +10 bonus to their Perception Skill. They can see in natural moonlight or starlight as if it were day, and up to 30m in Dim Light (treating the first 15m as Bright Light).
• Immortal: Elves do not age and are immune to disease. They are resistant to natural cold (+10 bonus against Cold-based threats) and do not need to sleep, gaining the benefits of a night's rest by meditating for 3 hours.
• Light-Footed: Rough Terrain does not affect Elven movement, as long as they are unencumbered and wearing light or no armor. Each Elf counts as half a group member (rounding up) for Camping group size.
• Sure-Shot: As Halfling — Dusk Elves gain a special +10 bonus to their Ranged Skill.
• Lithe and Graceful: Dusk Elves must assign one of their three highest Stat Values to their Bearing before Kin Modifiers are applied. They gain a +10 bonus to Acrobatics and a +20 bonus to Stealth Rolls in any natural environment.

Suggested Cultures: Fey or Woad.

Silver Elf

Silver Elves are fair, proud, wise, and industrious. Eons ago they sailed to the Immortal Lands and lived alongside the other Elven Kins at the court of the Gods, but eventually grew nostalgic for the Middle Lands and returned. They built majestic cities atop the highest mountains and deep in forests, and have stood countless times against the Darkmaster's hordes. Silver Elves are taller and lighter than most Men, averaging 190 cm, with fair complexions, pointed ears, and blonde, silver, or white hair. Their eyes may be blue, green, golden, silver, or violet.

Special Traits

• Keen Senses: As Dusk Elf.
• Immortal: As Dusk Elf.
• Light-Footed: As Dusk Elf.
• Shipwrights: Silver Elves are renowned sailors. They gain a +20 bonus to all Rolls made to build, repair, or pilot ships.
• Fair and Wise: Silver Elves must assign one of their two highest Stat Values to their Bearing before Kin Modifiers are applied. They also gain a special +10 bonus to their Songs & Tales and Charisma Skills.
• Lore of the Ages: Silver Elves gain access to two Kin Spell Lores: Elven Lore and Spell Songs. They also gain 2 ranks to distribute among these Spell Lores as they see fit.

Suggested Cultures: Fey or Seafaring.

Star Elf

Star Elves are the most ancient, the proudest, and the fairest of all Elven Kins. They were created and awakened by the Gods in the south-eastern Middle Lands when the sky was lit only by stars. Dearest to the Gods of all Kins, some grew envious and rose against them, sparking a great war. Those who remained faithful eventually sailed back to the Middle Lands, where they settled. They are incredibly tall, males averaging 200 cm or more, with hauntingly deep, wise eyes. They tend to hold a haughty attitude of contempt toward all other Kins, whom they consider inferior.

Special Traits

• Keen Senses: As Dusk Elf.
• Immortal: As Dusk Elf.
• Light-Footed: As Dusk Elf.
• Star-Blessed: Star Elves must assign their highest Stat Value to their Bearing before Kin Modifiers are applied. They also gain a special +20 bonus to their Arcana, Songs & Tales, and Charisma Skills.
• Lore of the Ages: As Silver Elf — access to Elven Lore and Spell Songs, with 2 ranks to distribute.

Suggested Cultures: Fey or Noble.

Wildfolk

The Wildfolk, also called Leshak or Leshy, are a mysterious Kin with close connections to the spirits of Nature. Some say they are the descendants of those who forsook civilization at the dawn of time; others claim they are the children of an ancient king and a forest spirit. They are short and stocky but move with surprising speed and agility. They tend to have long beards and bushy, unkempt hair, large flat noses, and strikingly green eyes that seem to glow like a cat's in dim light.

Special Traits

• Woodcrafty: Wildfolk gain a special +15 bonus to Nature and Wandering Rolls to forage and navigate in woods, forests, jungles, and similar terrain. Each Wildfolk counts as half a group member (rounding up) for Camping group size.
• Bloodhound: Wildfolk are master trackers with extraordinarily sensitive noses. They gain a +25 bonus to Hunting Rolls made to track prey and a +10 bonus to their Perception Skill.
• Animal Empathy: Wildfolk instinctively understand the emotional state (nervous, hungry, afraid, and so on) of any animal they observe. This does not extend to beast-like monsters or animals under magical influence, which will simply feel "wrong" to a Wildfolk.
• Dark Sight: As Dwarf.
• Aversion to Iron: Wildfolk avoid touching or wearing iron and other metals on bare skin, as doing so causes an unpleasant sensation of cold and numbness. They suffer double the normal Action Penalties for wearing metal armor.

Suggested Cultures: Woad, Weald, Fey, or Arctic.

Half-Orc

Half-Orcs, often referred to as Man-Orcs, are a strange and very rare hybrid of Men and Orcs. Whether they are born naturally or are the result of forbidden experiments remains uncertain. What is known is that they are infertile, which tends to give them a pragmatic and sometimes nihilistic outlook. They can be found in both Mannish and Orcish society, mimicking the customs of whichever group they live among, though they are often shunned by both. Physically, they average around 180 cm, with rough complexions and some Orcish features: fangs, pointed ears, and cat-like eyes.

Special Traits

• Dark Sight: As Dwarf.
• Fire-Hardened: Half-Orcs gain a +15 bonus to their Save Rolls and Defense against heat and flame.
• Sneaky: Despised by both Orcs and Men, Half-Orcs quickly learn to avoid unwanted attention. They gain a special +10 bonus to their Stealth Skill.

Suggested Cultures: Deep, Weald, Marauding, or Hill.

Orc

Orcs are short, hunched humanoids with sharp fangs and red or yellow cat-like eyes. They have been growing in countless numbers since their origins and live inside deep caves, on tall mountains, and in deep forests, organized in clans or tribes. Because of their fearsome appearance, they are shunned and despised by most other Kins, which made it easy for the Darkmaster to recruit entire Orcish tribes into His legions. Yet Orcs are not inherently evil. Some free tribes still exist, and in rare cases even ally with other Free Kins against the Darkmaster. Orcs average 150-160 cm in height but appear shorter due to their hunched posture, and possess incredible physical strength.

Special Traits

• Night Sight: Orcs can see in natural moonlight or starlight as if it were day, and up to 30m in Dim Light (treating the first 15m as Bright Light). They can see up to 3m in Total Darkness.
• Flame-Hardened: Orcs gain a +30 bonus to their Save Rolls and Defense against heat and flame.
• Sun Sensitivity: Orcs loathe sunlight. They are almost blind in full daylight (-60 to all actions) and find it difficult to function even on cloudy days or during dusk and dawn (-20 to all actions).
• Wicked Artifice: While Orcs rarely make beautiful things, they often create clever mechanisms and contraptions. Orcs gain a special +15 bonus to their Locks & Traps Skill.
• Superstitious: As Dwarf — Orcs cannot become Wizards, Champions, or Dabblers.

Suggested Cultures: Deep, Woad, Hill, Arctic, or Marauding.

Stone Troll

Stone Trolls, often called simply Trolls or Tall Wanderers, are wild and massive humanoids averaging 250 to 280 cm in height and often exceeding 200 kg. They possess immense physical power and stamina, but often alarmingly limited wits. They live secluded, solitary lives wandering the wilderness or hiding in deep caves, trying to avoid the hated Sun that can turn them to dead stone. They have bulbous noses, dangling ears, small inset eyes, and large mouths full of sharp teeth. They tend to use heavy, crude weapons, or simply tear apart their foes with their rending claws.

Special Traits

• Night Sight: As Orc.
• Hulking Brute: Stone Trolls are Large in Size and reduce any Critical Strike they receive by one degree. They also ignore any Stun result when receiving a Critical from a non-magical attack.
• Stone Skin: A Troll's bare skin counts as Light Armor.
• Rending Claws: A Troll's unarmed attacks are treated as Large Claws and resolved on the Beast Attack Table.
• Feral Predator: Stone Trolls gain a +20 bonus to their Hunting and Wandering Skills, as well as to all Stealth Rolls in any natural environment.
• Sun Cursed: Stone Trolls are blinded by daylight (-30 to all actions) and immediately turn to stone if exposed to direct sunlight. While stone, they cannot act and are oblivious to their surroundings, but do not need to breathe, are impervious to most attacks, double their HP recovery rate, and have Bleeding, poison, and disease effects temporarily halted. They revert when no longer exposed to direct sunlight.
• Superstitious: As Dwarf — Stone Trolls cannot become Wizards, Champions, or Dabblers.

Suggested Cultures: Deep (Cave Trolls), Woad (Forest Trolls), Arctic (Ice Trolls), or Marauding.

Firbolg

Firbolgs claim descent from the great Giant Kings who once ruled all creation. Though smaller than their forefathers, they still tower over most other Free Kins at around 250 cm. Massively built, they have strong facial features, sharp teeth, and long horns protruding from their heads. They are a reclusive people, living in isolation and avoiding contact with other Kins, to the extent that many consider them extinct or mythological. Recently, however, a few have ventured forth again, either answering the call of great heroes or sensing the Darkmaster's return.

Firbolgs carry a particular shame: they were once tricked into serving the Darkmaster, and when they finally rose against Him, He cursed them with a terrible fate.

Special Traits

• Giantkin: Firbolgs are Large in Size and reduce any Critical Strike they receive by one degree.
• Keen Sight: Firbolgs have excellent eyesight. They gain a +15 bonus to all sight-related Perception Rolls and reduce Range penalties for ranged attacks by 5 points.
• Imposing: As High Man — Firbolgs gain a +15 bonus to their Charisma Skill.
• Doomed: All Firbolgs have an additional Passion called Doom. At character creation, roll 1d10 on the Doom Table below to determine it. Doom works like any other Passion but cannot be changed until the Darkmaster is defeated. When facing a situation connected to their Doom, Firbolgs suffer -20 to all Rolls and add +20 to any Critical Strike severity they receive.

Suggested Cultures: Weald, Noble, Hill, or Arctic.