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Species Rules

In the Perilous Adventures Warbands Guide (PAWG), your species is the heartbeat of your character—a deep-rooted identity that shapes your place in a fractured, vibrant world. Whether you’re new to tabletop roleplaying or a seasoned adventurer, choosing a species gives you a unique edge and a rich story to tell. We use the d100 system for rolls—lower is better—but this page focuses on what your species brings to your warband, not the numbers behind it. Our example characters—Torren, Lira, Eryn, Kael, and Veyra—show how these species fit into the tapestry of the Crooked Crown and Ashen Veil campaign worlds. Each species comes with attribute adjustments that shift your strengths (keeping the total balanced) and a special trait that acts like a free distinction (you’ll still pick two more at creation). Dive into these ten peoples, explore their lore, and find your kin in the shadows of legend!

How Species Work

  • Attributes: You start with 340 points to divide across six attributes (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma), with a maximum of 80 at creation. Each species tweaks these—some boost, some lower, but the net change is zero, letting you customize within the shift.
  • Species Trait: A unique ability that sets you apart, like an extra distinction at no cost, enhancing your role in the warband.
  • Hit Points (HP) and Mana: Calculated after adjustments—HP is Constitution + Strength doubled, Mana is Wisdom + Intelligence, shaping your resilience and magic.
  • Lore: Below, each species unfolds with a vivid backstory, physical traits, and their haunts in the Crooked Crown and Ashen Veil—grounds for your saga.

Newbie Tip: Pick a species that sparks your imagination—Humans bend to any fate, Stonekin stand like rocks—then build your hero around it!

Human

  • Attribute Adjustments: None—total freedom with your 340 points.
  • Species Trait: Adaptable Spirit—Gain a +10 bonus to one skill of your choice and reroll it once per session.

Humans are the unyielding pulse of a broken world, their bodies a testament to endurance and diversity. Their skin spans a vivid range—pale as winter frost in the north, deep as sun-baked earth in the south—often marked by scars of battle or toil, their frames lean and wiry from lives of struggle or broad from labor’s forge. Eyes gleam with defiance in every shade—stormy gray, earthy brown, or piercing blue—framed by hair that might be shorn close to weathered scalps or left wild in tangled braids of black, blonde, or red. They are the everymen of survival, their adaptability a spark that refuses to gutter out. In the Crooked Crown, humans are the backbone of the Fractured Highlands, clinging to windswept villages where they fish and farm amidst spectral knights, or roaming the Iron Marches as warbands, scavenging amidst rusted battlefields and shattered keeps, driven by a relentless will to reclaim what was lost or carve a new legacy from the chaos. In the Ashen Veil, they rule the Emberfall Wastes as Ashriders, their forms darkened by the relentless sun, astride flame-scarred mounts that gallop across crimson dunes in search of water and plunder; others scrabble in the Ashen Heart, sifting Glimmerhold’s golden ruins for scraps of a past they can barely recall, their songs of survival echoing through the dust-haunted streets. Torren embodies their grit, a warrior whose stubborn strength holds the line against any foe.

Duskborn

  • Attribute Adjustments: Boosts Dexterity and Wisdom, lowers Strength and Constitution.
  • Species Trait: Night’s Embrace—Gain a +20 bonus to Perception and Stealth in dim light or darkness, with no penalties for low-light conditions.

Duskborn are twilight’s enigmatic children, their presence as fleeting as the last rays of dusk. Their skin is a pale, ashen gray that shimmers faintly under moonlight, etched with subtle, vein-like patterns that hint at their shadowed origins, while their eyes glow like embers—violet, amber, or deep silver—in gaunt, angular faces framed by hair as dark as midnight or as pale as mist, often worn long and unbound. Slender and wiry, they move with a silent grace that belies their fragility, their forms cloaked in shadows as if born from them. In the Crooked Crown, Duskborn dwell in the Wyrdwood’s labyrinthine depths, a reclusive folk descended from ancient cave-dwellers who fled the sunlit kingdoms long before the crown’s shattering; here, they weave through twisted roots and whispering boughs, guarding secrets older than the Sovereigns, their lives a dance with the forest’s malevolent will. In the Ashen Veil, they haunt the Verdant Scar, their stealth threading through neon vines and toxic blooms, survivors of an elven lineage that embraced the jungle’s curse after the water Shaper’s wrath, crafting hidden enclaves where they trade in poisons and lore with those brave enough to seek them. Lira is their shadow, a rogue whose silent steps and keen senses make her a phantom in any dark corner.

Embermarked

  • Attribute Adjustments: Boosts Intelligence and Wisdom, lowers Dexterity and Charisma.
  • Species Trait: Flameheart—Increase your Mana Pool by 10, resist 10 fire damage once per day, and gain the Fire Bolt spell for free if you cast.

Embermarked are the fiery heirs of a primal spark, their bodies a canvas of elemental vigor. Their skin glows with hues of bronze or copper, etched with faint, swirling scorch patterns that pulse like embers beneath the surface, while their eyes blaze like coals—crimson, gold, or molten orange—set in broad, intense faces crowned with wild hair that flickers in shades of red, amber, or black, as if kissed by flame. Stocky yet graceful, they radiate a subtle heat, their presence a living hearth in a cold world. In the Crooked Crown, they forge their lives in the Shattered Peaks, dwelling in volcanic caves where the earth’s fire roars, crafting weapons and seeking crown shards to rekindle a lost age of brilliance; their smoky settlements cling to cliffsides, a testament to their resilience amid avalanches and ashfall. In the Ashen Veil, they roam the Emberfall Wastes, their flame-lit camps blazing against the crimson dunes, descendants of the Aetheric Conclave who wield shard-fueled magic to defy the sun’s wrath, forging alliances with Ashriders or warring over dwindling oases. Eryn carries their spark, a scholar whose fiery intellect and magic burn through any mystery.

Windrunner

  • Attribute Adjustments: Boosts Dexterity and Charisma, lowers Constitution and Intelligence.
  • Species Trait: Fleet of Foot—Increase your base Movement by 10 feet (to 40 ft) and gain a +20 bonus to Athletics for running or jumping.

Windrunners are the living breath of the plains, their forms sculpted by speed and song. Their skin is sun-kissed or dust-brushed, ranging from tawny gold to sandy beige, adorned with swirling tattoos that mimic the wind’s dance, while their eyes—sharp as hawks—gleam in shades of green, blue, or hazel beneath hair that flows like banners—blonde, chestnut, or raven—whipped by their ceaseless motion. Lithe and wiry, they dart across the earth with a grace that defies its weight. In the Crooked Crown, they race across the Iron Marches, nomadic heirs to the Sunward Tribes who once sailed Europe’s rivers; now, they roam rolling plains and rusted battlefields, their songs of freedom rising over the clash of rival warbands, trading or raiding as the wind guides them. In the Ashen Veil, they thrive in the Sapphire Abyss, their swift feet pounding storm-tossed decks or leaping between coral spires, remnants of seafaring clans who turned the Shaper’s storms into their ally, crafting wind-powered skiffs to outpace kraken and pirate alike. Veyra is their voice, a leader whose swiftness and charisma rally any crew.

Stonekin

  • Attribute Adjustments: Boosts Constitution and Strength, lowers Dexterity and Charisma.
  • Species Trait: Rocksteady—Gain 10 Damage Reduction (DR) and reduce your base Movement by 10 feet (to 20 ft).

Stonekin are the unyielding pillars of the earth, their bodies a testament to its enduring strength. Their skin is rough and rocky, ranging from slate gray to earthy brown, streaked with mineral veins that glint like quartz or iron, while their eyes shine like polished gems—onyx, emerald, or sapphire—set in broad, chiseled faces beneath hair that’s sparse or moss-like, in hues of stone or lichen. Built like boulders, their massive frames stand firm against any storm, their steps slow but deliberate. In the Crooked Crown, they hold the Iron Spine’s rugged quarries, a stoic folk descended from mountain clans who once served the Holy Roman Empire’s forges; now, they endure wyrm-haunted peaks and crumbling mines, crafting stone and steel to protect their kin from the land’s chaos. In the Ashen Veil, they anchor the Crystaline Peaks, Stonebound Clans forging amidst golem-guarded caverns and glittering cliffs, their ancient bond with the earth Shaper keeping them rooted as they wield shard-infused hammers against basilisk and foe. Torren could stand among them, his might a match for their unyielding resolve.

Tideborn

  • Attribute Adjustments: Boosts Constitution and Dexterity, lowers Intelligence and Charisma.
  • Species Trait: Aquatic Kin—Swim at your full Movement speed (30 ft + DEX bonuses), hold your breath for 10 minutes, and gain a +20 bonus to Athletics in water.

Tideborn are the shimmering children of the sea, their bodies a fluid dance of water’s grace. Their skin glints with scales in hues of blue-green, pearl-white, or stormy gray, slick and iridescent, while their eyes—wide and luminous—shine in shades of azure, teal, or deep violet, set in sleek, webbed faces framed by hair that flows like kelp—black, green, or silver. Slender yet resilient, they glide through water as if born to it, their forms a blend of land and tide. In the Crooked Crown, they rule the Hollow Coast’s jagged shores, a people born of sunken ports and forgotten fishing villages; they dive amidst storm-lashed cliffs and wrecked ships, trading fish and pearls with coastal survivors or raiding with tridents forged from coral and steel. In the Ashen Veil, they navigate the Sapphire Abyss, their shimmering villages perched atop coral spires or hidden in underwater caves, descendants of Sunward sailors who adapted to the air Shaper’s storms, battling krakens and weaving nets to claim the sea’s bounty. Veyra could swim beside them, her agility honed by their watery ways.

Ironvein

  • Attribute Adjustments: Boosts Strength and Intelligence, lowers Wisdom and Dexterity.
  • Species Trait: Forgeborn—Gain a +20 bonus to Craft and halve weight penalties for weapons and armor (e.g., Plate’s -20 becomes -10).

Ironvein are the forged souls of metal and mind, their bodies a fusion of might and craft. Their skin is a rugged tan or bronze, streaked with metallic veins—silver, copper, or rust—that shimmer faintly with every flex, while their eyes—keen and piercing—gleam in shades of brown, gray, or steel beneath cropped hair or bald scalps hardened by forge heat. Burly and broad, they carry the weight of their labor in every sinew, their hands calloused from hammer and anvil. In the Crooked Crown, they labor in the Shattered Peaks’ volcanic forges, a people descended from smiths who once armed the Holy Roman Empire; now, they craft amidst ash and lava, their smoky halls ringing with the clang of steel as they seek crown shards to fuel their fires. In the Ashen Veil, they fortify the Crystaline Peaks, Stonebound kin wielding shard-infused tools to shape glittering quartz and iron, their ingenuity a bulwark against golems and the earth’s tremors. Torren might hammer alongside them, his strength a forge-born gift.

Mistwraith

  • Attribute Adjustments: Boosts Wisdom and Charisma, lowers Strength and Constitution.
  • Species Trait: Veilwalker—Gain a +20 bonus to Stealth in fog or mist and become intangible for 1 round once per day (immune to physical damage, can’t act).

Mistwraiths are the ethereal whispers of the air, their forms as fleeting as a morning haze. Their skin is a translucent swirl of gray-blue or pale white, shifting like mist caught in a breeze, while their eyes—sharp and luminous—pierce through in shades of silver, white, or soft lilac, set in gaunt, delicate faces framed by hair that drifts like vapor—colorless or faintly tinted. Slender and fragile, they glide with an otherworldly grace, half-seen in the fog they call home. In the Crooked Crown, they haunt the Blackened Marches, spectral survivors of mist-choked ruins where the crown’s shattering birthed a shroud; they drift among wraith-haunted fields, trading secrets with those who brave their eerie realms. In the Ashen Veil, they weave through the Verdant Scar, elusive remnants of air Shaper-touched folk who adapted to the jungle’s toxic mists, their hidden lairs a refuge from hydras and Thornkin alike. Lira could fade with them, her stealth a wraith’s own.

Sunforged

  • Attribute Adjustments: Boosts Charisma and Wisdom, lowers Dexterity and Intelligence.
  • Species Trait: Solar Grace—Gain a +20 bonus to Persuasion in daylight and emit bright light (20 ft, dim to 40 ft) once per day (no Mana cost).

Sunforged are the radiant beacons of a darkened world, their presence a flare against despair. Their skin shimmers in golden-brown or warm bronze tones, kissed by an eternal sun, while their eyes blaze with inner fire—yellow, amber, or bright hazel—set in proud, statuesque faces crowned with hair that glows like sunlight—blonde, red, or sandy—often worn in bold, flowing locks. Tall and commanding, they carry a warmth that defies the cold. In the Crooked Crown, they roam the Iron Marches, a scattered people born of Sunward Tribes who once followed the Crusades’ call; now, they lead warbands or inspire villages, their light a hope amid rusted plains. In the Ashen Veil, they stride through the Emberfall Wastes, Sunward heirs whose radiant camps defy the ashfall, rallying survivors or clashing with Ashriders under the crimson sky. Veyra shines as one, her charisma a sunlit force.

Rootsworn

  • Attribute Adjustments: Boosts Wisdom and Constitution, lowers Charisma and Dexterity.
  • Species Trait: Earthbond—Gain a +20 bonus to Survival in natural environments and regain 10 HP or 1 Fatigue once per day when resting on soil (1 hour).

Rootsworn are the steadfast guardians of the earth, their forms a living bond with nature’s might. Their skin is a rough tapestry of olive, brown, or gray, knotted with bark-like patches or faint vines that twist across their flesh, while their eyes—deep and earthy—glow in shades of green, hazel, or mossy gray beneath hair that’s sparse or tangled like roots—black, brown, or green-tinged. Sturdy and grounded, they stand like ancient trees, unbowed by time or storm. In the Crooked Crown, they guard the Wyrdwood’s twisted groves, a people born of Verdant Kin who fused with the forest after the crown’s curse; they protect its heart from outsiders, their quiet strength a bulwark against its malice. In the Ashen Veil, they endure the Verdant Scar, Thornkin who embraced the water Shaper’s wrath, their root-bound villages thriving amidst neon blooms and carnivorous vines, a testament to their unyielding tie to the wild. Kael could root with them, his wisdom a natural fit.

Epic Legends Mode Note

In Epic Legends Mode (450 attribute points, 150 skill points, HP x 3, Mana x 1.5), attribute adjustments scale up (e.g., +20 becomes +30, -20 becomes -30), and traits enhance (e.g., Rocksteady +15 DR, Flameheart +15 Mana).

For Experienced Players

  • Depth: Traits stack with distinctions—combine Night’s Embrace with Shadow Step for Lira’s stealth supremacy, or Forgeborn with Inventor’s Spark for a crafting titan like Torren.
  • World Ties: Duskborn fit Wyrdwood/Scar ambushes, Sunforged lead Marches/Wastes warbands—place your story!
  • Tactics: Leverage traits—Veyra’s Fleet of Foot outruns, Kael’s Earthbond heals—build your legend.

That’s species in PAWG! Simple roots for newbies, rich lore for pros—choose your kin, roll that d100, and carve your path. Tweak with your GM!