Homebrew Nord Species Details

Skyrim, also known as the Old Kingdom or the Fatherland, was the first region of Tamriel settled by humans: the hardy, brave, warlike Nords, whose descendants still occupy this rugged land, and, although perhaps somewhat reduced from the legendary renown of their forebears of old, the Nords of the pure blood still unquestionably surpass the mixed races in all the manly virtues.

— YR, Pocket Guide to the Empire, First Edition: Skyrim

Citizens of Skyrim, they are tall and fair-haired people. Strong and hardy, Nords are famous for their resistance to cold. They are highly talented warriors.

A Broad Spectrum

There are three types of men on Nirn: the Imperials, the Nords, and the Redguard. Each has their own distinct culture and feature unique traits based on acclimation to varying environments in the world. Nords occupy the niche of northern Men. An individual can stand from 5 feet to a little over 6 feet tall and weigh from 125 to 250 pounds. Nords tend toward the heavier and shorter side of this range. Nord skin shades tend toward the tawnier, fairer side but can range into the light browns, and hair colors from brown to blond; males might sport facial hair that is sparse or thick. Men reach adulthood in their late teens and rarely live even a single century.

Ancient Vikings

The Nords climbed out of the ice in Atmora and crossed the sea at the very beginning of their time on Nirn. They are accustomed to the harshness of the world and have often grown bitter because of it. They come to expect disappointment and hardship and spit in the face of challenges. Nothing comes without a hefty price and they're able to carry it and work their way through it. They are stoic, rough, and very dedicated to their clans. They can come off as selfish and cruel to others.

The Cold Shoulder

The Nords do not always take too kindly to outsiders, especially if they come asking for something. They would rather be left alone with their families and their farms, that is, unless they're looking to fight.

Altmer. “The Whit-Gold Concordant has brought nothing but ruin to Skyrim. We never asked for their occupation, and we don't need them in our homeland. They can't get their golden chalices out of my face soon enough.”

Imperials. “The Imperials think that they can wander into any land they please and grab it by the ballsack. They'd better be prepared when that ballsack squeezes back and breaks their spindly little fingers.”

Dunmer. "The Dark Elves don't bother us too much, mostly keeping to the shadows in the slums. I'd bet they find it pretty hard living in the harsh cold of Skyrim, though. Poor fools."

Redguards. “I'd trust my life to any Redguard, just so long as he isn't one of those travelers going from town to town with their curved swords asking for our help.”

Lasting Institutions

Where a single Mer might take on the responsibility of guarding a special location or a powerful secret, Men found sacred orders and institutions for such purposes. While Dunmer elders pass on the ancient traditions to each new generation, the temples, governments, libraries, and codes of law built by Men fix their traditions in the bedrock of history. Men dream of immortality, but (except for those few who seek undeath or divine ascension to escape death’s clutches) they achieve it by ensuring that they will be remembered when they are gone.

Although some Men can be xenophobic, in general their societies are inclusive. The lands of Men welcome large numbers of nonhumans compared to the proportion of Men who live in nonhuman lands.

Exemplars of Ambition

Men who seek adventure are the most daring and ambitious members of a daring and ambitious race. They seek to earn glory in the eyes of their fellows by amassing power, wealth, and fame. More than other people, Men champion causes rather than territories or groups.

Nord Names

I'm not writing up a list of names. Here are a couple of sections of the Human names list that I think work pretty well.

Calishite

Chondathan

Nord Traits

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

Ability Score Increase

 Your Strength score increases by 2 and your Constitution score increases by 1.

Age

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

Alignment

Nords tend toward no particular alignment. The best and worst are found among them.

Size

Men vary widely in height and build, from barely 5 feet to well over 6 feet tall. Regardless of your position in that range, your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Skills

You gain proficiency in one skill of your choice.

Feat

You gain one feat of your choice.

Nordic Frost

You are acclimated to cold climate and frequent, harsh winter storms. It's like ice runs in your veins. You have a resistance to cold damage.

Race Spells

Every person, depending on their race, has the ability to cast a small handful of spells on command. You can cast the cantrip produce flame, and the 1st-level spell cure wounds at will. These two spells do not count toward your prepared spells or spells known list and do not consume spell slots when used. The spells cannot be cast at higher levels using this power. Once you have used a spell once, you cannot use it again until you have completed a long rest.

Use your Intelligence modifier when casting each of these spells, even if you are a magic user whose spellcasting ability is not Intelligence. Your Spell Save DC and Spell Attack Modifier are as follows:

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + Intelligence modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Tamrielic, Nordic and one extra language of your choice. Men typically learn the languages of other peoples they deal with, including obscure dialects. They are fond of sprinkling their speech with words borrowed from other tongues: Orc curses, Elvish musical expressions, and so on.