Homebrew Dark Sun, Human Species Details

You see those poor sods, strolling about, minding their own business? All those people around you, in their various garments and colorations. A foolish lot they are, for they outnumber every other race, yet they can’t control their very lives, instead choosing to live under the tyranny of those sorcerer-kings and their lackeys, the templars. But just because they accept this oppressive life doesn’t mean they don’t have goals or ambitions. This mass of unclean bodies you see can topple their superiors just as easily as they bow their heads at them. You only have to give them motivation, or the promises or wealth and power.

 

 

Humans are the predominant race on Athas. They are a versatile breed, brilliant and exceptional as often as they are unremarkable and mundane. A resourceful and hardy race, they can be found in every social stratum and situation: city dweller or desert villager, herder or trader, noble or slave. Humans’ drive, ambition, and ingenuity help the race survive on the dying world and thrive under the rule of the sorcerer-kings.

Diverse in Appearance

There is no typical human in the Tyr Region. An individual can stand a little over 6 feet tall and weigh between 150 and 200 pounds. While they come in all shapes and sizes, they tend to reflect certain traits common to particular city-states. Humans in Draj, for example, have broad chins, bronze skin, and black hair that hardly ever grows on their faces. Humans from Gulg have dark brown skin and rounder features with thick, curly hair. And humans hailing from Balic bear tanned complexions, dark eyes, and grow finely-trimmed beards.

More diverse are the humans that have been subject to the abusive magic that devastated the land and twisted its appearance. These people show unusual physical traits —odd skin or eye color, lack of body hair, webbed fingers, or exaggerated features. While unusual, these traits are not uncommon and rarely elicit more than a glance.

A Multitude of Personalities

Humans are the most adaptable, ambitious, and individualistic people among the common races; even the tyranny of the sorcerer-kings hasn’t stamped out their diversity. Other races often don’t know what to expect when meeting a human for the first time, because predicting their behavior based on cultural norms is difficult. Their widely varying tastes, morals and customs is linked to their various different cultures, which are based around the seven city-states. Individually and as a group, humans can be adaptable opportunists, and they stay alert to changing political and social dynamics.

Bereft of Past

What generally passes for the history of Athas is actually a jumble of folklore and propaganda. Prohibited by the sorcerer-kings and templars from keeping written histories, most humans know only the stories told in their communities. These tales paint the despots as saviors, gods, or anointed champions who, through selfless actions, saved Athas from certain destruction. Many humans scoff at these tales, however, being more concerned with the problems of the present than devoting themselves to the lessons of the past.

Still, there are those who chafe against tyranny’s chains, but hold their tongues, seeing no reason to jeopardize the shelter, water, and food they receive in the city-states they usually live in return for their loyalty. The most daring, ambitious, relentless, or even foolish among them are usually the ones who defy the comforts of a city-state to choose the life of adventure.

Human Names

Humans generally adopt the culture of the city-state they livein or close by.

Balic Male Names: Acamus, Agis, Charon, Dymas,Eurythion, Ibykos, Kaletor, Leocedes, Meles, Memnon,Pandaros, Sygaros, Theron, Xenophon, Zagreus.

Balic Female Names: Akantha, Amaltheia, Celandine,Damaris, Eris, Hekate, Iantha, Korinna, Maia, Ophelia,Persephone, Selene, Tanis, Xenia, Zenovia.

Draj Male Names: Acalan, Aztlac, Ezhual, Ilhuitl, Ixcahuani,Ixcanan, Matlal, Mezhua, Tenoc, Tlalli, Xonite, Yolotaca.

Draj Female Names: Aztalani, Chimali, Etalpalli, Izel,Matzatl, Talaxa, Tezcalal, Tlaloc, Xiomara, Xocah, Yasha.

Gulg Male Names: Akusa, Azizi, Dumaka, Ebo, Gahji,Gowon, Jafari, Hasani, Idi, Ishaq, Kokayi, Kwasi, Madu,Obasi, Obi, Poki, Ranaki, Tau, Useni, Yazid, Zikoma.

Gulg Female Names: Abayomi, Dulani, Esi, Fasani, Hasina,Izegbe, Jaha, Khadija, Marjani, Nailah, Panya, Rashida,Rukiya, Saada, Shani, Suma, Thema, Ulu, Zahara.

Nibenay Male Names: Acharya, Bora, Chakara, Kiri, Kosal,Kravann, Mao, Narin, Nhean, Phalla, Prak, Rith, Rithisak,Samay, Sann, Sokha, Sovan, Thom, Vannak, Veha, Vithu.

Nibenay Female Names: Akara, Chaya, Chariya, Dara,Kalliyan, Kannitha, Makara, Nakry, Rachana, Seda, Sikha,Sita, Sophea, Soriya, Sovanni, Thyda, Tola, Vanna, Vaeta.

Raam Male Names: Akhenaten, Amenhemet, Aosakar,Ehput-Ki, Khayu, Imhotep, Kenamon, Khamet, Merkha,Nakha, Nikhari, Pawara, Ramas, Semerkhet, Tetankha.

Raam Female Names: Aneksi, Dedeyet, Inhapi, Kemsiyet,Kiya, Maharet, Maia, Mekare, Nefertiti, Nephethys,Nithotep, Nulara, Raia, Sadeh, Senna, Sikara, Tuya,Tekharet.

Urik Male Names: Akiya, Anu, Dagan, Enki, Enkidu,Hamaru, Istaran, Kal, Lahar, Shamash, Tammuz, Zaqar.

Urik Female Names: Arah, Ashani, Enkara, Inanna, Iltani,Ishtar, Ninkasi, Ninkura, Shala, Shara, Tikanna, Zorah.

 

Variant Human Traits

You may choose the following variant human racialtraits for your character if you wish, all of which replace the human’s usual Ability Score Increase trait.

Ability Score Increase. Two different ability scoresof your choice increase by 1.

Skills. You gain proficiency in one skill of yourchoice.

Feat. You gain one feat of your choice.

 

Dark Sun, Human Traits

It’s hard to make generalizations about humans, but your human character has these traits.

Ability Score Increase

Your ability scores each increase by 1.

Age

Humans reach adulthood in their late teens and live less than a century.

Size

Humans vary widely in height and build, but most range between 5 feet and 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Languages

You can speak Common and one extra language of your choice.