Homebrew Corsican Species Details

 "Scholars and priests can not explain it. While those of us with this blood know what it is to be one with the island, none amongst us can explain how it came to be. Whether a blessing from the gods or a trait of our most ancient ancestors matters little in the grand scheme of life. The power to see and interact with the magical weave that surrounds us is the gift and curse of all Corsicans."

— Raviir de Luc, Reflections of an Old Soldier  1st ed.

A Corsican human grows up largely isolated from the world around them on the massive island of their birth. Travel to the island of Corsica is treacherous and only the most experience ship captains even attempt it. This limits the influence that other groups from Western Faerûn can have on them and their culture. In addition, nearly every human child born of at least one native parent has the ability to sense and interact with magic. This phenomenon has yet to be fully explained by study or religion and it has translated to many of the creatures on the island. Even other races on the island have seen third and fourth generation children born with this connection to magic. 

Mystical Origins

Corsican humans physically seem nearly identical to their mainland counter parts. Their skin tones trend towards medium and darker shades of brown due to centuries of adaptation to their geographic location. Growing up on an island as diverse as Corsica tends to help develop their strength and dexterity. Nearly every Corsican child has spent some time on or in the water. This is due to the simple fact that sailing is one of the easiest ways to move around the island once you are inside the barrier reefs and storms that surround it.

A human child born of Corsican parents typically begins to sense the weave and magic around them around the age of 10. Traditional Corsican settlements place children of this age with druid and shaman teachers who show them the way to control their magic. In the more metropolitan and progressive parts of the island, schools and colleges for children of all races with magical talent have been established in recent decades. 

Solitary and Resourceful

Corsican humans rarely leave the island of their birth, preferring the seclusion and solitude that their smaller communities believe. Rare is the missionary priest or crusading paladin braving the wilds to convert them from their belief in the four gods of their island; Sun, Moon, Sea and Land. Their lack of interaction with others has made small settlements of Corsican humans extremely resourceful. A singular community often is completely self-sufficient and only trades for creature comforts and frivolities not typically available to them. 

The largely human settlements on Corsica can be split into two distinct groups; traditionalists and progressives. The progressive Corsicans see their place in the larger world of Faerûn and seek to interact with people from other nations. The largest city on the island, Fool's Landing, is a bastion for progressive Corsicans and marks the place on the eastern coast where Mainlanders first interacted with the native people of the island. Traditional Corsican communities focus on the tenants of their religion and their duty to each other and the island that is their home. While not hostile to outsiders, traditionalists would just as well see the island returned to the small tribal communities of the past. 

Corsican Names

Names given to the human children born in Corsica depend largely on the region of their birth. Children born in progressive cities like Fool's Landing or New Daggerford will have names that look more like human names from mainland Faerûn. Those names typically consist of a name and surname, with the surname being the family name. In traditional Corsican communities children are given a name and are referred to "from" somewhere. That somewhere can be the name of a place or family. In that case, the prefix of "de" or "of" is given to indicate their naming. Some adult Corsican will drop the "de" Prefix from their names while others keep it out of sign of respect. 

Male Corsican Names: Amine, Antoine, Artorius, Brice, Charles, Christophe, Emile, François, Guy, Jacques, Leo, Mathieu, Max, Michel, Phillippe, Raviir, René, Yves

Female Corsican Names: Angélique, Avril, Cécilia, Chantal, Danielle, Emma, Joëlle, Joniece, Michèle, Nicole, Odette, Rachel, Yvonne

Progressive Surnames: Aubert, Bardot, Clarens, Darrieux, Féron, Guilbert, Held, Jannot, Korbell, Lemonnier, Mallet, Piaf, Renoir, Sadier, Thibaud, Valmont

Traditional Surnames: de Bois, de Est, de Fleuve, de Lac, de Luc, de Mer, de Montagne, de Nord, de Ouest, de Sud 

MAGICAL MANIPULATION

How a particular Corsican can and will manifest their magical talent is relatively unpredictable. The weave in itself allows for infinite possibilities, however where the Corsican learned their craft will typically tell most of the story. Druids and shamans focus on the land and the sea and their students exhibit the ability to manipulate those environs. The priests of the sun and moon teach their students to command light and darkness. Creating fire or light from nothing is frequently a skill these students have. 

The weave and magic is unpredictable however and it is not uncommon to find a Corsican who has learned to manifest their talent in other ways. Caution is wise when meeting a new Corsican for the first time. At least until you have a firm understanding of their magical capabilities. 

Corsican Traits

Corsicans share certain racial traits that are likely the result of centuries of life on the magical island they call home.

Ability Score Increase

Your Strength score increases by 2, your Dexterity score increases by 1, and your Wisdom score also increases by 1.

Age

Corsicans mature at the same rate as humans but tend to live to ages up to and past 100 years old. 

Alignment

Corsicans are not inherently good nor evil and tend toward no particular alignment.

Size

Corsicans are about the same size and build as humans from the mainland of Faerûn. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Mystical Legacy

You know the light cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the absorb elements spell as a 2nd-level spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the lesser restoration spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Corsican Weapon Training

Corsicans and their dwarven allies have perfected a recipe for a new weapon in Faerûn called black powder. One of the key ingredients to their recipe is a stone found only in the mountainous regions of Corsica. This makes tools such as firearms, cannons, and small explosives possible. Most Corsicans are familiar with these weapons. You gain proficiency in traditionally Corsican longswords and shields as well as firearms. 

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Dwarvish.