Choose a Lineage & Heritage

Once your class is decided, choose your character’s lineage and heritage from the options in the “Lineage & Heritage” section presented later in this chapter.

Adventurers can choose to be human or can be one of the lineages common to the fantasy genre, like dwarf or elf. A heroic character’s lineage informs certain hereditary traits like average lifespan, size, speed, and any special adaptations like the ability to see in the dark.

You will also choose your character’s heritage, which informs traits your character has because of their connection to a particular group or society.

While humans are common to most settings, the fantasy genre is full of other fantastical kinds of people. When you create your character, you can choose whether your hereditary traits are human or one of these other fantasy lineages. You will also use this section to determine if you have heritage traits tied to your lineage or to an entirely different kind of society.

Lineages

• Dwarf
• Elf
• Human

Elements of a Lineage

Your lineage dictates certain fantastical lineage traits your character has because of their ancestry. The following sections are included among the traits of each lineage option.

Age

The age entry notes the age when a member of the lineage grows into adulthood, as well as expected lifespan. You can choose any starting age for your adventurer, but if you want to play a very young or very old character, make sure to run it by your GM.

Size

Characters of most lineages are Medium, a size category including creatures that are roughly 4 to 8 feet tall. Members of a few lineages are Small (between 2 and 4 feet tall) or can choose to be Small, which means that certain rules of the game affect them differently. The most important of these rules is that Small characters have trouble wielding heavy weapons, as explained in “Equipment.”

Speed

Your speed determines how far you can move when traveling (“Adventuring”) and fighting (“Combat”).

Elements of a Heritage

Your heritage dictates certain abilities you have because of your connection to a particular group or society. Heritage includes all manner of tangible and intangible cultural elements such as architecture, works of art, folklore, traditions, language, and natural environment.

While it is impossible to represent all the different types of heritage present in the fantasy genre, each lineage includes example heritages common to the fantasy lineages presented here. Choose one of the heritages detailed in your character’s lineage or choose one of the heritages detailed in a different lineage if that better fits the narrative of your character.

Each lineage includes heritage options that are most common to members of that lineage, so if you want to play a typical dwarf, you’ll likely want to select one of the heritage options listed in the dwarf section. However, you can choose any heritage you wish from any section, regardless of your choice of lineage. This flexibility is helpful if you want to play a character with unique origins. For example, if your character has one human parent and one elven parent, you could choose the human lineage option to represent your dominant hereditary traits, but one of the elven heritage options to represent being raised in an elven society.

Alignment

Part of deciding your character’s traits is selecting an alignment, which broadly describes your character’s moral and personal attitudes. Alignment is a combination of two factors: one identifies morality (good, evil, or neutral), and the other describes attitudes toward society and order (lawful, chaotic, or neutral). By default, you choose your own alignment—with the approval of your GM. Alternatively, you can select one of the suggested alignments given in your chosen heritage.

Languages

Your choice of heritage dictates how many languages you know. By default, all characters know the Common language and one other language of your choice, but some heritages allow you to choose additional languages. If you are unsure which language to choose, consult the suggested languages provided in each Heritage option.