The Land of Umber

Long ago, the land known as Umber was a place of magnificent beauty. Golden spires towered above green fields and verdant forests. The races of Umber lived together in peace, leaving behind all racial enmities. Cities thrived with diverse populations existing harmoniously. Great universities taught philosophy, literature, history, science, and the magical arts. This era, now called the Ageless Summer, lasted untold thousands of years.

The Fall from Grace

All that ended with the Fall. No one really knows what cataclysmic sequence of events resulted in the end of civilization. In truth, no one really cares—the study of history holds little meaning when your daily existence must be protected with guile and strength of arm. Regardless, the turmoil that ended the Age of Summer witnessed the crumbling of the grand cities of Umber, and with them the end of peace and prosperity. In a virtual eyeblink, untold millennia of culture and knowledge were lost.

There are those who say that society didn’t collapse right away—that a few brave souls struggled for decades to restore the fading glory of the world they had lost. And had the Fall been the worst of it, they might well have succeeded. But as every child knows, after Fall . . . comes Winter.

The Gloom of Winter

Today, the land of Umber is gripped by weather harsher than any known by the Ancients. Days are short, with only a few short months of thawing each year. The hardy survivors of the Fall have adapted as best they could to this new climate, raising quick-growing crops and sturdy livestock.

Even so, the land has withered as shadows linger all too long. Once-mighty forests have shrunk to scattered groves. Rolling hills once lush with greenery are now dry and brown. Cities have been abandoned to the elements or lost to raiders; the largest settlements now number in the hundreds, rather than the tens of thousands.

Most don’t live in such groups, however, preferring a nomadic existence. Small bands of wary travelers scratch a meager existence from the land, settling for no more than a few months at a time before moving on. Some of these nomads seek only the next day’s meal for their families. Others have more selfish ways, taking advantage of those weaker than they.

Tales tell of a third kind of traveler: one who seeks to protect the innocent. Such rare individuals typically suffer from an overabundant sense of righteousness or justice. Though most people agree that such things are good only for getting one in trouble, secretly they hold out hope that such nobility is not yet lost.

More than ever, the Land of Umber needs to believe in heroes.

Races of Umber

The world of Umber is home to many sentient humanoid species. In the far-distant past, these cultures contested with one another for land and resources, but those struggles largely ended well before the Fall. For centuries, the so-called civilized races existed in relative harmony. Cities, even kingdoms, became integrated. Elven princes ruled over cities of halflings and gnomes; aasimar dukes rose to power among humans, and dwarven merchant-lords controlled vast mercantile empires that included half-elf traders and half-orc mercenaries alike. While some racial enmities never truly faded into history, the peoples of Umber shared their world in peace.

Though peace ended with the Fall, the world afterward, curiously, didn’t return to polarized racial rivalries. Instead, the people of Umber sought allegiances wherever they could, regardless of the races involved. Half-orc warlords took on gnoll bodyguards and gnome advisors, while human barons retained elven seneschals and halfling spies. In Umber, a person’s worth isn’t measured by his heritage, but by his skill.

Human

The humans of Umber share a mixed heritage, but retain their ultimate adaptability.

            Key Descriptors: Adaptable, resilient, mutt.

Human Racial Traits

As Player’s Handbook, with the following modifications.

Aasimar

Not truly a separate race, the aasimar are humans born with the blood of celestial beings running through their veins. Graced with this touch of the holy, aasimars are usually tall, good-looking, and generally pleasant. Some have a minor physical trait suggesting their heritage, such as silver hair, golden eyes, or an unnaturally intense stare. Aasimars make natural leaders, and often cling to outdated ideals of nobility and honor. They fight against tyranny and attempt to sway others to do the right thing. Occasionally they taken on the vengeful, judgmental aspect of their celestial ancestor, but this is rare.

            Key Descriptors: Noble, thoughtful, commanding.

Aasimar Racial Traits

Aasimar characters possess the following racial traits.

Dragonblood

The last proud heirs of the draconic races, the dragonbloods display a natural talent for sorcery derived from their ancestral forebears. Their pride sometimes manifests as a superior attitude taken toward other races. They are taller and more massive than humans, with scales of green, red, gold, or any of a number of other colors. Most have reptilian tails, and some even have vestigial wings.

            Key Descriptors: Proud, imposing, honorable.

Dragonblood Racial Traits

Dragonblood characters possess the following racial traits.

Dwarf

The master craftsmen of the world of Umber, both before and after the Fall. Despite their lack of agility, they remain powerful warriors. The dwarves of Umber are exceptionally reclusive, and don't get along well with others.

            Key Descriptors: Aloof, stubborn, cautious.

Dwarf Racial Traits

As Player’s Handbook, with the following modifications.

Elf

Once seen as a blessing from the gods, the elves now curse their long lives—most know all too well the tales of the beauty of the Old World told them by their fathers and grandfathers. Of all the races of Umber, elves are the most likely to take up arms in defense of those tales…but also the most likely to succumb to depression and fear.

            Key Descriptors: Mournful, ruthless, detached.

Elf Racial Traits

As Player’s Handbook, with the following modifications.

Gnoll

Once a proud race of feral savannah hunters, the gnolls now subsist on scraps purchased with the meager funds derived from mercenary work. Despite this, they remain cunning warriors.

            Key Descriptors: Aggressive, superstitious, uncivilized.

Gnoll Racial Traits

Gnoll characters possess the following racial traits.

Gnome

Of all the races surviving the fall of the Old World, the gnomes have retained the most hope for the future. Many have taken on the task of safekeeping the stories (and secrets) of the Ancients, believing that there will come a day when such knowledge is needed once again.

            Key Descriptors: Hopeful, friendly, energetic.

Gnome Racial Traits

As Player’s Handbook, with the following modifications.

Half-Elf

Living emblems of the mixed-heritage nature of the world, half-elves tend to be accepted wherever they go. They are natural survivalists, able to take care of themselves in all situations.

            Key Descriptors: Open-minded, even-tempered, curious.

Half-Elf Racial Traits

As Player’s Handbook, with the following modifications.

Half-Orc

The product of a close alliance between the ancient kingdoms of humans and orcs, half-orcs are now a fully stable species. Though the alliance is long dead, and the orc race now hunts humans and other civilized races as food, the half-orcs remain integrated with the other races of Umber.

            Key Descriptors: Abrasive, reckless, moody.

Half-Orc Racial Traits

As Player’s Handbook, with the following modifications.

Halfling

Abandoned by their goddess, their tight-knit communities rent asunder by the Fall, the halfling race has grown more cynical and individualistic in recent generations. However, they still retain their innate courage, and many have taken up arms to better defend their personal needs.

            Key Descriptors: Brave, individualist, sarcastic.

Halfling Racial Traits

As Player’s Handbook, with the following modifications.

Tiefling

As with aasimars, the tieflings are born of human but manifest nonhuman heritage--in this case, an ancestry born of Hell itself. Twisted, devious, and untrustworthy, tieflings more often than not follow their inherent tendencies and heed the call to evil. A few defy their nature, but still must fight against popular opinion (if their nature is known) or the feeling of otherworldly “wrongness” that seems to follow them wherever they go.

Aside from a demeanor that many find disturbing, many tieflings are all-but-indistinguishable from humans. Others have small horns, pointed teeth, red eyes, a whiff of brimstone about them, or even cloven feet. No two tieflings are the same.

In Umber, tieflings generally maintain a low profile. As befits their nature, they tend to seek their fortunes through stealth and guile over force of arms. Occasionally one rises to a position of power, but this is rare.

            Key Descriptors: Sly, cowardly, suspicious.

Tiefling Racial Traits

Tiefling characters possess the following racial traits.

Other Creatures of Umber

In addition to the many sentient humanoid races present in the world of Umber, the land is home to a wide variety of fauna.

Of the humanoid races, only the orcs have fully turned their backs on civilization. The race has descended to pure savage brutality. Orcs particularly hate dwarves and humans.

Creatures of Nature

Animals typical to temperate or cold climates call Umber home, including bears, wolves, wild boars, cougars, birds of prey, elk, and deer. Most humanoid races keep domesticated animals as well, including dogs, horses, goats, and sheep.

Creatures of Legend

Giants still walk the land, though they give the smaller races a wide berth in most cases. Ogres can sometimes be found among bards of brigands or serving local warlords.

Small populations of fey lurk in hidden places, though sightings of these wondrous beings grow rarer each year. Inextricably linked to the land, the fey suffer as the Gloom takes hold.

The race of dragons has suffered even more greatly. While a few lesser drakes and wyverns still eke out an existence in desolate areas, the noble dragons of old have been extinct since the Fall.

Creatures of Gloom

The most frightening category of beasts are those that have been tainted by the rising tide of shadow. From monstrously sized vermin to horrific minglings of beast and man to murderously intelligent plants, the Gloom has twisted and changed many otherwise familiar creatures.

Other, stranger creatures have also been rumored to exist. Some are described as foul things cloaked in fire and shadow, while others squirm or crawl about like nightmares given life. It seems impossible that such things were born of this world.

Common Types: Animal, Humanoid (dwarf, elf, gnoll, human, orc, reptilian)

Uncommon Types: Elemental, Fey, Giant, Magical Beast, Monstrous Humanoid, Vermin

Rare Types: Aberration, Construct, Dragon, Ooze, Outsider, Plant, Undead