This rare community of elves in Elfaivar were for centuries shunned because they were accused of accepting the blessing of a violent bestial god, which gave them features that shift between those of elf and tiger. The Harimau, however, believe they have been blessed by Hewanharimau, bringing them closer to the purity and strength of nature. 

Though their women did not perish with the death of Srasama, the Harimau were forced into hiding by Elfaivaran survivors who assumed they and their ‘curse’ were somehow to blame. Once the empire had collapsed, though, the Harimau would sometimes let outsiders join them, even Elfaivarans who longed for the power their god offered in blessing. Today the gulmohar matriarch Dhebisu has allied with them, promising them a role in restoring Elfaivar’s greatness.

Hidden Intentions. Because of long-standing slander against your people, you prefer social restraint and subterfuge. You can gain advantage when you make a check with a skill or tool against a creature that you are hidden from, or if you are successfully disguised, or if you have deceived that creature somehow. After you do, you cannot use this trait on that same creature until you complete a long rest .

Jungle Predator. You are proficient in either Stealth or Survival.

Tiger Visage. Whenever you attack, you can shift your appearance to grow claws, deadly teeth, and striped fur like a tiger. While so shifted, your unarmed strike can deal bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage, and deals 1d6 + your Strength modifier damage. Making this transformation requires no action, but once you do, you have to spend an action to revert back to your normal appearance.

Pounce. If you move at least 20 ft. straight toward a creature and then hit it with a melee attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier) or be knocked prone . If the target is prone, you can make one unarmed attack against it as a bonus action, though you must use your tiger visage for this attack. You do not need a free hand to make this unarmed attack, since you could bite or perhaps use your feet to claw your enemy.

Languages. You can speak, read, write, and sign in Common, Elvish, and Abyssal (the blessed language of Hewanharimau).

The largest woodland in Lanjyr is Elfaivar, the eponymous empire of the region’s southeastern subcontinent. Elfaivar’s elves developed wondrous magic and learned to blur the borders of the Waking and the Dreaming. But their holy war with the Clergy ended with the death of Srasama, the Elfaivaran goddess of womanhood, and the backlash slew all but a few hundred Elfaivaran women. The surviving men fought over the ruins or fled in a diaspora.

But secretive enclaves run by matriarchs were committed to protecting the surviving women, preserving Elfaivaran culture, and rebuilding the civilization. In time these enclaves grew into secretive cities, where women were revered and given the finest training in martial arts, spellcraft, and statecraft, while men competed in grand competitions of art and athletics, hoping a woman might favor them and choose to have a child with them. 

The enclaves were sometimes aided by foreigners who felt a drive to help save a people from near death, and even sometimes sheltered those who were persecuted in the colonies that were slowly conquering the empire’s old land. Then twenty years ago the gulmohar’s return added millions of women, skewing the sex imbalance in the opposite direction and giving all Elfaivarans a hope for a new future.

Elfaivarans have a close connection to the Dreaming, which manifests whenever they use magic, causing their entire eyes to glow faintly with the color of their irises. Almost every Elfaivaran possesses the inherent power to step briefly into the Dreaming, allowing them to bypass enemies and difficult terrain before reappearing in the Waking.

Dreaming Native. Your time in the Dreaming has suffused your being with its very energy. In addition to being humanoid, you also have the fey creature type. Additionally, you are proficient in either History or Nature.

Elfaivaran Training. Elfaivarans must be able to defend their people, but art and beauty elevates life beyond mere survival. You are proficient in longswords, scimitars, and whips. You are also proficient in one tool or instrument of your choice.

Endure and Thrive. A story can only be a tragedy if we let it end. You can cast the cantrip spare the dying . In addition, at 3rd level you can cast heroism once per long rest . When you use either of these powers, you recite a verse from the Dirge of Vekesh or a similar mantra.

Fey Step. You know how to briefly slip between the Waking and Dreaming. You can cast misty step , but must take a short or long rest before you can do it again. If you aren’t on the Waking or Dreaming, this power still functions, and to an outside observer you appear to instantaneously teleport, but to you it feels like you spend long moments in a void between worlds before arriving at your destination.

Languages. You can speak, read, write, and sign in Common, Elvish, and Sylvan.
 

Drakran culture is steeped in philosophical debate, and those who study and devise their own philosophies are the main drivers of society.

Epistemological Breadth. You are proficient in Culture, and you gain an expertise die when you make a check with a skill to debate or know about philosophy.

Ethical Imperative. You can cast command once per long rest. At 3rd level you can cast suggestion once per long rest. The saving throw DC for either of these is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom or Charisma modifier.

Hard to Sway. You have advantage on saving throws against illusions and to resist being charmed . Deception, Intimidation, and Persuasion checks against you have disadvantage .

Languages. You know Common, Dwarf, and Primordial, enough to study nearly all major philosophies.
 

De Guerra orcs are more common in the mountains and highlands of Ber, with their strongest core on the northeast coast, along the shore of the Marrajado del Oro, where orcish sailors long raided Risuri lands. They take their name from the de Guerra family, whose matriarch Corta Nariz de Guerra is the current Bruse and ruler of Ber. 

Since the establishment of modern Ber, many non-orcs have adopted de Guerra ways, especially those in the military, which often shuffles citizens around the country to train with those descended from other tribes, the better to foster national unity and pride in cultural heterogeneity.

Aggressive. As a bonus action, you can move your speed toward an enemy of your choice that you can see or hear. You must end this move closer to the enemy than you started. After using this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, you cannot use it again until you finish a short or long rest .

Punch Above Your Weight. You are accustomed to dealing with peoples and creatures much larger than normal. Add half your proficiency bonus on damage rolls for attacks against creatures Large or larger.

Reliable and Vigilant. When you would have disadvantage on an ability check  or saving throw , you can instead make the roll normally. After you use this trait, you cannot use it again until you finish a short or long rest .

Steady Legs. Whether climbing mountains or crewing a ship, you’ve learned how to keep yourself and your allies from becoming unbalanced. When you or an ally within reach would fall prone or be pushed, you can grant them an expertise die on the saving throw or check to resist. (An expertise die is an extra 1d4 that you roll and add to your main d20 roll.)

Languages. You know Common, Orc, and one Beran language such as Draconic, Gnoll, Goblin, or Minotaur.

Bloodmarked gnolls are by far the more likely to be seen in Beran society or elsewhere in the world. They still emphasize a feral menace, but form bonds with allies that are almost as fierce as with family.

These gnolls and others who reject modern Beran society live in a patchwork of unincorporated tribes which all share the adulthood tradition of “blooding.” To become an adult, one must kill an animal with one’s teeth, which once had to be done on a hunt. Today, though, all but the most severe tribes have made this into a formalized ceremony with domesticated animals, sometimes drugged, presented for youths to slay. 

Bond of Blood. You and allies within 5 feet of you have advantage on death saving throws .

Harrying Barks. When you deal damage to a creature you can bark, chortle, howl, or make other unnerving vocalizations. The creature makes a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier) or it is frightened of you until the end of your next turn. After you use this trait, you cannot use it again until you finish a short or long rest .

Speak with Hunting Beasts. Through sounds and gestures, you can communicate with carnivorous mammalian hunting beasts, such as bears , hyenas , and wolves . These animals have no special fondness for you.

Unyielding. When you fail a saving throw , you may reroll it. After you use this trait, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest .

Languages. You know Common, Gnoll, and one Beran language such as Draconic, Goblin, Minotaur, or Orc.

Lizardfolk Traits

Lizardfolk gain the following traits.

Age. Lizardfolk reach adulthood at age 14 and live up to 70 years.

Size. Medium. 

Bite. You can use your teeth as a natural weapon to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it your bite, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier.

Coldly Calculating. You can resist unwise impulses. When you fail a Wisdom saving throw or would become frightened , you can delay that effect until the end of your next turn. You cannot use this trait again until you complete a short or long rest .

Speed. Your base Speed is 30 feet.

Lizardfolk Gifts

Lizardfolk have diverse combinations of abilities, so choose two of the following gifts.

Aquatic

You can hold your breath for up to 15 minutes at a time, and you have a swim speed of 30 feet.

Autotomous

As a reaction you can detach one of your limbs, typically a tail, to escape from a grab. At the Narrator’s discretion, this might also help you end other conditions as well. This detachment does no hit point damage to you. Without intervention, you can regrow a limb to full functionality after a week. However, if you receive 20 hit points worth of magical healing when you are already fully healed, your limb will regenerate during your next long rest . You cannot use this trait again until your limb has regrown.

Chameleon

You can change the patterns and colors on your scales, and with effort you can extend that ability to your equipment. You can spend an action to become invisible until the end of your next turn. This invisibility ends if you attack, cast a spell, or move more than 5 feet.

Climber

You have a climb speed of 30 feet.

Runner

You can Dash as a bonus action.

Spiky

When a creature grabs you and until it lets go it takes ongoing piercing damage equal to your proficiency bonus.

Tough-Scaled

When you aren’t wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier. A shield’s benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.

Venomous

When you damage a creature with your bite, you can inject venom that deals poison damage equal to your proficiency bonus. At the end of each of the creature’s turns it makes a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier) or takes that poison damage again. On a successful save the effect ends. After you use this trait, you can’t produce venom again until you finish a short or long rest .

You can alternately spend a bonus action to release venom onto a weapon you’re wielding, which will have the same effect when it damages a creature.

Your venom loses potency within an hour once it leaves your fangs, but someone proficiency with a poisoner’s kit can use it as one of the ingredients needed to create a vial of basic poison . This reduces the cost of the vial of poison from 100 gold to 90 gold.

Lizardfolk Paragon

When you reach 10th level, choose one of the following paragon gifts.

Metamorphosis

Whenever you complete a long rest , you may choose one of the lizardfolk gifts you don’t normally possess. Your body shifts to gain that gift until you use this ability again.

Torpor

Your metabolism can slow enough to put you into stasis. You can spend a hit die to make a death saving throw while in torpor and do so with advantage. You can intentionally enter torpor as an action. You become incapacitated and appear dead, but remain conscious, and you do not need to eat, drink, or breathe until you emerge from torpor, which requires no action. 

You may automatically enter torpor when reduced to 0 hit points. While in torpor and at 0 hit points, you do not normally need to make death saving throws on your turn. However, you still must make a death saving throw if you take damage while at 0 hit points.

Lizardfolk Culture

Most lizardfolk communities protected themselves from the old dragon tyrants by presenting themselves as methodical, quiet, and not driven by emotion - simultaneously not a threat to the dragons, but also an ineffective target of their oppression. After centuries, what was once an affectation became seen as a mark of distinction, and a restrained lizardfolk would be seen by their people as having the moral rectitude to resist temptation. Lizardfolk in Ber are often seen as trustworthy in matters of building effective bureaucracies.

Quiet doesn’t mean dull or heartless, though. Their art and culture are simply more focused on internal reactions, and their festivals focus on serenity or cooperation rather than celebratory outbursts. 

There are a few exceptions to this trend, as some lizardfolk tribes allied closely with one dragon tyrant or other, or lived in remote swamps that seemingly offered little of value to exploit. These communities have reflexively begun to revel in raucous behaviors, and make some of the loudest and most experimental music on the continent.

Suggested Cultures. While you can choose any culture for your lizardfolk character, the following cultures are linked closely with this heritage: cosmopolitan , Pedresco , villager .

Kobold Traits

Kobolds gain the following traits.

Age. Kobolds reach adulthood at age 16 and live up to 200 years.

Size. Small. 

Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Speed. Your base Speed is 30 feet.

Easily Unseen. When a creature first comes within line of sight of you, you can use your reaction to Hide , even if you don’t have anything to hide behind. When you hide this way, you gain an expertise die on your Stealth check. (An expertise die is an extra 1d4 that you roll and add to your main d20 roll.)

Kobold Nimbleness. You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours.

Kobold Gifts

Select one of the following gifts.

Close Quarters

You gain an expertise die on melee attacks made against a creature whose space you are in. Also, your sensitive whiskers grant you blindsight with a range of 5 feet.

Draconian Wings

You have a flying speed of 30 feet. To use this speed you can’t be wearing medium or heavy armor. Whenever you spend 3 consecutive rounds airborne without landing, you gain a level of fatigue . Any fatigue gained in this way is removed upon finishing a short or long rest .

Kobold Paragon

When you reach 10th level, you gain the following paragon gift.

Preternatural Senses

With a twitch of your whiskers, you can extend your senses. You can cast one of the following spells: arcane eye , clairvoyance , detect magic , locate creature , or locate object . Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this spell. After you use this ability, you cannot do so again until you complete a short or long rest.

Kobold Culture

Suggested Cultures. While you can choose any culture for your kobold character, the following cultures are linked closely with this heritage: itinerant , Pedresco , villager .

Goblin Traits

Goblins gain the following traits.

Age. Goblins reach adulthood at age 12 and live up to 60 years.

Size. Small. 

Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Nimble Escape. You can Disengage  or Hide as a bonus action. After using this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, you cannot use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Speed. Your base Speed is 30 feet.

Goblin Gifts

Select one of the following gifts.

Adaptive Fortitude

You gain an expertise die on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance to poison damage.

At 3rd level, you gain the ability to cast enhance ability  once per long rest . Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell.

Soothe the Beast

You can call upon instincts to calm a dangerous creature. Beasts and monstrosities with Intelligence 3 or less have disadvantage on attack rolls against you.

At 3rd level, you gain the ability to cast animal friendship  once per long rest , except it can also work on monstrosities with Intelligence 3 or less. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell.

Goblin Paragon

When you reach 10th level, you gain one of the following paragon gifts.

Natural Escapist

You can use Nimble Escape an unlimited number of times.

Unbreakable

When you succeed a death saving throw you can spend one Hit Die to heal 1 hit point. You can’t use this feature again until you complete a short or long rest .

Goblin Culture

Goblins are integrating into society, but many still live on the fringes. Most goblins are seen with suspicion, even hunted.

Suggested Cultures. While you can choose any culture for your goblin character, the following cultures are linked closely with this heritage: De Guerra , stoneworthy , wildling .
 

Gnoll Traits

Gnolls gain the following traits.

Age. Gnolls reach adulthood at age 12 and live up to 50 years.

Size. Medium. 

Bristling Instinct. You gain an expertise die on saving throws against being frightened , and against other effects that would alter your emotions. (An expertise die is an extra 1d4 that you roll and add to your main d20 roll.)

Speed. Your base Speed is 35 feet.

Gnoll Gifts

Select one of the following gifts.

Magic in the Blood

You know one cantrip of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. At 3rd level, choose one 1st- or 2nd-level sorcerer spell, which you can cast once per long rest without any material components. A 1st-level spell chosen this way can be cast as if using a 2nd-level spell slot, if the spell allows. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Predatory Body

You have advantage on Perception checks that rely on smell. Additionally, your fanged maw is a natural weapon,  which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
While you aren’t wearing armor, your AC equals 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.

Gnoll Paragon

When you reach 10th level, you gain one of the following paragon gifts.

Free-Minded

You gain an expertise die  on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Supernatural Hide

You can spend a bonus action and choose one of the following damage types: acid, cold, electricity, fire, necrotic, poison, radiant, or thunder. You gain resistance to that damage type for the next minute. After you use this trait a number of times equal to half your proficiency bonus, you cannot use it again until you finish a short or long rest .

Gnoll Culture

Suggested Cultures. While you can choose any culture for your gnoll character, the following cultures are linked closely with this heritage: Bloodmarked , Pedresco , Steelmarked .
 

Deva Traits

Devas gain the following traits.

Type. Humanoid. However, you can be detected by magic that can detect celestials.

Age. Devas reincarnate into adult bodies, and die of old age perhaps seventy years after their incarnation begins.

Size. Medium usually, though Small deva who were once gnomes or halflings are not unknown.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Deathless Calm. You gain resistance to necrotic and radiant damage, and cannot be blinded by bright light.

Memory of Past Lifetimes. You can choose to gain an expertise die when making an ability check or saving throw . If this is an ability check using a skill, tool, or vehicle you are not proficient with, you gain proficiency for the next minute. After you use this trait, you cannot use it again until you complete a short or long rest .

Deva Gifts

Select one of the following deva gifts.

Pluripotent Form

You have one or more extra sets of spiritual arms, which are clearly magical and not attached to your torso, but instead float a short distance away. You can dismiss them or manifest them with a thought. You still only have two limbs that can wield weapons, shields, and the like, and you don’t gain any extra actions. However, these limbs allow you to hold many extra hands’ worth of items, and are quite useful at confounding those who would tie you up.

Additionally, you count as one size larger for the purpose of grabbing and shoving. Your unarmed strikes count as magical. Once per round when you hit with an unarmed strike, you can deal an extra 1 radiant damage.

Presence of the Divine

You also know one cantrip of your choice from the cleric spell list. At 3rd level, choose one 1st- or 2nd-level cleric spell, which you can cast once per long rest without any material components. A 1st-level spell chosen this way can be cast as if using a 2nd-level spell slot, if the spell allows. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Deva Paragon

When you reach 10th level, you gain one of the following paragon gifts.

Combined Soul

Your memories now include those of many devas who lived before you. You gain an expertise die on ability checks . In addition, when you finish a long rest you gain proficiency with a skill or tool kit of your choice until you finish your next long rest.

Manifest Incarnation

You learn to call forth a past life more fully. When you gain this ability, create a 3rd level deva character with your same base ability scores (though slightly altered if you choose a different background).

As a bonus action you can call forth a shimmering manifestation of this past life. You share senses intuitively. Each of you can move independently, but you share a single pool of one action, one bonus action, and one reaction per round. You share hit points .

When you fall unconscious , or if you and the incarnation are separated by more than 250 feet, the incarnation is destroyed. If the incarnation is adjacent to you, you can spend a bonus action to absorb it.

If the incarnation is destroyed without you absorbing it, you cannot manifest it again until you complete a long rest . If you do absorb it, you can manifest it again after a short rest. However, any limited-use abilities or spells it has used are still expended. The incarnation only regains expended abilities and spells when you complete a long rest.

When you manifest your incarnation, its spiritual essence has the equivalent of mundane equipment worth no more than 200 gold. Any of this equipment that leaves its possession vanishes after one round. The incarnation is corporeal and can wield other objects if it picks them up, but when the incarnation is destroyed or absorbed it drops those items.

For every minute the incarnation is active, you suffer a level of strife , which goes away when the incarnation is destroyed or absorbed. 

Deva Culture

Devas spread across the world, and only a handful of deva communities exist.

Suggested Cultures. While you can choose any culture for your deva character, the following cultures are linked closely with this heritage: forsaken , godbound .