Darkgate (3.5e Campaign Setting)/Races

There are many different races that walk the world known as Darkgate. Only a few races have truly adapted to society, but many are playable. The Non-playable Races are the ones that have (and still do, though almost never) shape the workings of Darkgate.

Major Races
As with most worlds, this one is dominated by humans. Recently however, elves have started to come out of their lands to the west. Dwarves are still at the edge of society as when they first appeared, but are trying to make it work.

Humans
Humans are the most populace race in the world. They have always been the most out going, having multiple nations in the world. However, they are also the most hated race on Darkgate because they often feel they are better then the other races. A few Humans have started to revise this unjust few, however, if only because the races all first appeared at roughly the same time. This is being headed by King Ri of Aronim.

Dwarves
Dwarves have always lived just under the surface of Darkgate, but not far enough down to where they live in Deepgate with their Duergar brothers and the Drow. They are seen by many as the master craftsmen of Darkgate. Few Dwarves ever want to leave the mountain or hill they reside in, but will for trading or farming. You even get a stray adventure or two form time to time.

Elves
Elves are a thing of history to most residents of Darkgate. They live in the Wolestland. Few others can pass through this area without the elves watching them. Few ever notice these elves, but you should never try to attack nature (or even insult it for that matter) unless you need to save your life. Only the Drow reside outside of the normal Elven culture. The Drow reside in an area far to the south known as Uhadu. Elves in Darkgate tend to be taller then elves in other worlds as well (see Darkgate (3.5e Campaign Setting)/Character Creation)

Gnomes
Gnomes tend to live where just beyond where humans do. They enjoy entertaining the human children with their illsusions and often make some coin off of it. While gnomes do live in human countries, few care for their laws. Why sould a human pay attention to one so small after all?

Half-Elves
Half-elves are rare. They are one of the least populace of the races on Darkgate. Many of the half-elves band together to form small hamlets, while others travel in freak shows. The most unusual thing about half-elves is their children. When a half-elf woman gives birth to a child who's father was another half-elf, 70% of the time it is a normal half-elf, 20% of the time it is a human, and 10% if the time it is a full blooded elf. This leads many to think that the gods are fighting on the subject of half-elves dieing out or surviving. They are the only half-race that do this. They are also unusually short. They do not even get the height of their shorter, human parent.

Half-Orcs
Half-orcs are even less numerous then their distant cousins the Half-elves. This is do to the fact that, for all recorded history, orcs have been at war with humans. Orcs are never even allowed to pass through Wolestland without being harassed by the elves (usually killed). Half-orcs are driven out of any human cities when found out. a small population of half-orcs become illusionists trying to learn how to change their appearance to that of a human so they can live in peace, but they almost never successful.

Halflings
Halflings are well loved by many people, for they are rare and exotic to most. This is do to their dislike of the loud and rambunctious "cloudheads" (a name that was originally given by dwarves to humans, but has long fell out of use by all but Halflings). They are always welcomed in taverns (for their hilarious drinking songs) or pipe and tobacco shops (they usually love to smoke). There is a legend amongst them that Newrok Shadowblade, on of the Three Grand Brothers, used to stay with them when he would travel Darkgate, and would watch over the house of any Halfling that could make him laugh (witch, apparently, was not hard to do)

Aasimars
Aasimars are the grand children of celestials. They are wanted in any human army. They tend to make great leaders. Elves will allow only Aasimars and their traveling companions through Wolestland untouched. Aasimars, ironically, tend to hate all the attention they get. This is usually because it either annoys them or stops them form completing their mission as soon as they would like (which is always as soon as possible). They are one of the few races that tend to worship a specific deity as well. They idol Newrok Shadowblade for his undying devotion to protecting the Planes and all wish to be trained by him.

Half-Monsters
This is the catch-all name for you Half-fiends, Half-celestials, and Half-dragons. They are rare, but always feared (and in the case of a Half-celestial, loved). Half-dragons are more common then the other two, but are still almost never seen. What is unusual about Darkgate’s variants of these races is that there have been good half-fiends and evil half-celestials. No one knows why they are the only ones, while on other planets they are always good (half-celestials) or evil (half-fiends). Half-dragons tend to be more aliened with the draconic parent then their human one, but even they have a rare one that refuses to follow in their parents footsteps (for good or ill)

Lost Elves
These are the elves that (for what ever reason) cannot use arcane magic. They are often pitied by the other races (as even Dwarves can use Arcane magic). However, to make up for their lack of magic, they tend to make some of the best infantry in militaries. See Elf, Lost (3.5e Race) on how to make them (this replaces the normal elf racial stats)

Tieflings
Tieflings are often called "the blight every city has, but no one wants to talk about". Tieflings inhabit almost every city that is on the surface of Darkgate. They always live in the slums, if they are lucky enough to find a land-lord that will rent them a house. Many live on the streets. While they tend to be evil, this is more because of their unfair treatment in life.

Dark Demons
Dark Demons are the spawn of a demon and shadow. They are almost never born any more, but there was a time in Darkgate's history where they ravaged the lands. They are some of the most powerful being to existence. The weakest Dark Demon could hold is own in a fight against Demogorgon. They appear to be a Balor demon, but they are just as black as a shadow. Their decedents (which now consist of many) are the only ones that can be the Darkblade class. (To use a Dark Demon, double all of a Balor's stats and then give him undead traits. DO NOT LOWER ITS HP FOR NOT HAVING A CON. SCORE!)

Shadowwolves
Shadowwolves are the main army of Rage. They appear to be normal Werewolves in hybrid form, but their fur glows red from Rage's Blessing. They are thought to be extinct, but around 500 still live in or around Rage's school.

Kaotics
Kaotics are a group of people that exists in every sentient race. These people are said to have been around since the dawn of time. They rage an eternal war where to gain ultimate power. There are three kinds of Kaotics: sleeping, awakened, and grand. A sleeping kaotic is one that has the gene in their DNA, but it has yet to be activated. An awakened kaotic is one whose gene is awakened. To awaken the gene, a kaotic may need to kill another kaotic (sleeping or awakened), be in the area when an awakened kaotic is killed by a non-kaotic, or be in an area where the person calls on his every power to save someone (such as a single fighter storming a castle to save his wife; doomed but somehow prevails). A grand katoic is one of the top ten most powerful katoics. They always know if they are a grand kaotic, and know what "rank" they are. They have the power to sense other kaotics as well. Almost everyone in Darkgate has the kaotic gene, but it is almost never awakened. If a GM does want to allow an awakened kaotic for a character, add +5 to two attributes and gain a Level Adjustment of +3. A kaotic that kills another gains a bonus (500 x levels of defeated kaotic) experience. They also gain a feat off of the killed kaotic's list (if the victor wants a feat but doesn’t meet the prerequisites, he may gain it, but not use it until he meets the prerequisites). A kaotic may be from any race with a normal intelligence (listed in the book the race is found in) of at least 3.