More Races of Krynn | dlsaga.com

Krynn is truly a rich and diverse planet, ripe with creatures of all sorts. Let’s examine some more races of Krynn. Buy Races of Ansalon: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/27946/Races-of-Ansalon-35?affiliate_id=50797

Time Stamps:

0:00 Intro
1:32 Ithin’carthians: Tarmak, Damjat, and Keena
2:58 Wild Gnomes
3:53 Thoradorian Minotaurs
5:03 Wendle Centaurs
6:02 Goblins: Goblins, Bugbears, and Hobgoblins
7:46 Kyrie
8:23 Phaethons
8:53 Thanoi
9:30 Ursoi

Transcript

Cold Open

I have briefly covered some of the more popular playing character races in the Dragonlance campaign setting, but we aren’t done quite yet.

Intro

Welcome to another DragonLance Saga episode. My name is Adam and today we are going to talk about some more races of Krynn. I would like to take a moment and thank my collaborator patrons, the Heroes of the Lance, and invite you to consider becoming a patron or member of this channel by visiting the links in the description below. You can even pick up Dragonlance gaming materials using my affiliate link. I am referencing the Races of Krynn, Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition supplement by Sovereign Press for this information.

Discussion

Krynn and it’s continents are home to all manner of races. Some are more suitable to player characters than others, and some even straddle the line between creatures and races. What I am presenting today are some races that can easily be considered creatures but due to the rich history of Krynn can be used as player characters in a creative campaign.

By now we are all familiar with the story of the Graystone of Gargath and its effects on the original races of Krynn, so I won’t go over the story again, only to say the following races owe their origins to the chaos spread by the gem in it’s many sojourns across Krynn.

Ithin’carthians were introduced to Ansalon by Lord Ariakan prior to the Summer of Chaos. They are humans, though separated and distinct from the civilized and nomadic humans on the rest of Krynn. Separated from the world on their isolated island, Ithincarthians consist of three separate racial offshoots. The Tarmak, with their thick beards, average six feet high and 200 pounds. They have pointed ears though, All Ithin’carthians have pointed ears to some degree. Damjat are the second offshoot who have the least pronounced ears, they do not favor facial hair, and they are shorter than their Tarmak cousins. The Damjat are legendary for their horsemanship, but have been subjugated by the Tarmak. The third offshoot is the Keena. They are more slender than Tarmak, composed of sorcerer-priests. They are the religious caste of the Tarmak. Both the Damjat and Keena have their heads shaved to reflect their diminished social status. In the Fifth age the Ithin’carthians have spread from their island to the eastern beachheads of Ansalon, even conquering into the eastern Plains of Dust.

We have covered a few of the parent races of the following racial offshoots. However, because they are different enough from their fellows, I believe they deserve a brief inclusion here. Wild Gnomes are the first of the three. The race of Gnomes are broken between Tinkers and Mad (or Thinker) gnomes, but Wild Gnomes, though small in number, are varied enough to discuss. Founded by Picket in the Great Moors of Nordmaar, Wild Gnomes excel at biological tinkering, producing a variety of strange and wonderful plants and even creatures! They average four feet in height, featuring dark skin covered in paints, oils and poultices, and bright blue eyes. They have naturally white hair, typically kept in dreadlocks or braids. They are not as wild as they are unconcerned with the rest of civilization. They are obsessed with organics and as such don’t have much respect for personal space or privacy, living in a communal society.

Thoradorian Minotaurs is the second racial variant I would like to present. They were cast off from other minotaur society before the cataclysm due to their degeneration. Why they were degenerating is yet unknown, speculation suggests inbreeding. Another legend is that an ancestor betrayed an emperor, who exiled the entire clan. Sargas then cursed them. They dwell in a southwestern area of Mithas known as Thorad-Duur. Generally they look the same as other Blood Sea minotaurs, only more bestial, with harder animalistic features. Their stature is hunched over and they feature hoofed feet rather than toed feet like their cousins. They typically wear leather kilts or loincloths, with the females decorating their horns with the symbols of the gods. Their outlook is similarly bestial, allowing their base emotions to influence their decisions. Their society is split between warriors and Kagas, or spiritual leaders. This split follows gender lines. They are split between five different tribes.

With the third and last of the racial offshoots I would like to highlight are the Wendle Centaurs. They are nomads who prefer intellectual and philosophical pursuits. Smaller than their cousins, Wendle centaurs are the size of a war pony, though generally slightly taller at five feet tall and heavier at 800 pounds. They feature bony plates and spurs which extend from their rib cages and joints, highlighting a more primitive appearance. They are known to decorate their plates and spurs. They originated in the Wendle woods in southern Goodlund in the Age of Might. It was because of Kender interaction that they began their semi-nomadic lifestyle. They live in tribes and have a robust and surprisingly accurate oral history legacy. They are spartan and celebrate knowledge over possessions. They are reclusive and distrustful. They can typically be found in the wooded areas of Blode and southern Nordmaar.

Goblins have been marginalized by the other races of Krynn. Hell, even stray dogs and Kender are treated better. Legend claims they are either the result of the wandering Greygem or the result of a high-ogre breeding project between smaller ogres and captured elves to create a slave race. They sprang from the ogre areas of Taman Busuk, Kharolis, and Bloten. Their larger kind evolved into Hobgoblins and Bugbears after three or four generations. All goblins feature more or less the same physical traits: Flat-faced, bandy legged and odiferous. They have squashed noses, sunken eyes, and wide, toothy mouths. They have a tendency to violence and recklessness. Their females are pushed to breeding and magic. Goblins, the short variation of the lot makes up seventy percent of the total population. Goblins are never taller than three and a half feet and weigh around 45 pounds. Thye don themselves with hides and even tattoos. Bugbears are the largest and wiliest of their cousins. They are large and muscular at seven feet tall. They are covered in coarse fur. They are known for their aggressiveness and find themselves as the Murza, or leaders, over goblins in tribes. Hobgoblins are more disciplined and organised than their cousins. They are often brawny and militaristic. They are sized as most human males, though much stronger. They are fast and capable of enduring pain. They typically prefer leather or chain armor and swords and axes in combat.

The Kyrie are an avian race. Believed to be descended from bird loving humans who were touched by the Greygem and embraced by Chislev. They feature a human torso and head, with feathers for hair. Their body looks much like a hawk. They are taller than humans and usually weigh around 90 pounds, living around 120 years. They live in coastal settlements, in semi-nomadic style. They dwell in large caves or nests. They navigated the oceans with the Northstone, which was stolen by minotaurs, and now tend to stay around Ansalon’s islands.

Phaethons are a reclusive, mountain dwelling species. They physically resemble half-elves, with ruddy and weathered skin. They are able to manifest wings of flame. Legend claims it is the result of a Kagonesti elf who was the son of Habbakuk, fled Silvanesti in the Kinslayer wars and settled in the Khalkist Mountains. They dress simply and believe in honesty over all. They are isolationists and do not enjoy the company of outsiders.

Thanoi are the walrus people of Icereeach. They are savage and bloodthirsty, spreading beyond their icereach tribes in the Fifth Age. They stand eight feet, though their posture is crouched over. They have two foot long tusks, clawed hands and feet, and thick blubbery hide. They may wear belts and use crude weapons. Thanoi live in nomadic tribes that follow migrating fish and wild game. Their females may become kagogs, or medicine givers, but they are not religious in general.

And finally, the Ursoi. These bear folk used to dwell in Chorane until the War of the Lance, where they were ousted and driven to Icewall. They look much like polar bears, who may wear sparse clothing and even use tools. They have fingers rather than paws, and feature striped or patterned fur. They can reach ten feet tall and weigh over eight hundred pounds. They live in nomadic clans, which are driven by the cycles of travel by their food. They are very loyal and honor battle.

Outro

And that is all the time I have to talk about the races of Krynn. Do you think some of these creatures don’t fit in as player character races? Have you ever played a creature in a campaign? And finally are there any other races that you would like to learn more about? Leave a comment below.

I am able to create these weekly videos because of your attention and support. If you are not already a patron or member of this YouTube channel, I would like to invite you to consider becoming one. If you would like to pick up any edition of Dragonlance gaming materials, feel free to use my affiliate link in the description. Thank you again for your time and attention.

This channel is all about celebrating the wonderful world of the Dragonlance Saga, and I hope you will join me in the celebration. Thank you for watching, this has been Adam with DragonLance Saga and until next time, remember:

He lost the damn gem in a game of bones!