Races

Below follows a list of the races considered native to the city of Zwll. Combined, they make up the majority of Zwll’s population. Other races are called 'Trailsdwellers, and they usually assumed to have been born ourside the city.

Genasi (Djennasi)

[Elemental Evil Player’s Companion]

The Djaninn that rule the city of Zwll are, like all of their kind, hopeless romantics. They fall in love easily, and so it often happens that young noble genies ask a mortal to marry them. If such a wedlock produces children, they often resemble the mortal parent with a touch of the Djaninn’s element. The Djennasi, as such children are known, grow up as nobility. They receive extensive education, and are expected to become heavily involved in the city’s politics once they grow up. Most positions within Zwll’s government are fulfilled by Djennasi, and they make up a major part of the nobility.

''EXTRA FEATURE: HIGHBORN. You are well-regarded within Zwll. You add a +1 to Persuasion, Deception, and Intimidation checks while inside the city. This bonus increases to +2 at 5th level, +3 at 10th level, and +4 at 20th level.''

Gith

[Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes]

Long ago, there was one race of Gith. Nobody knows what they were exactly, for their hypogean shores were conquered by the Illithid Mind Flayers, and the survivors became a race of slaves. Generations of genetic manipulation led to the current form of the Gith, and then, rebellion! They broke free of their masters’ bonds, and split into two philosophies.

The Githzerai decided to be free of their history, and strive to become the best their kind could achieve. They left the entrails of the earth behind, and took to the skies in the world of Chaos above. Amidst the eternal thunderstorms they built flying fortresses of Law, where they thrive eternally in their wisdom. The Githzerai return beneath the ground only to age or bear children. Time does not exist above ground, after all.

The other half of the Gith race decided to root out the Mind Flayers wherever they could be found. The Githyanki, as they are known, stalk their prey through narrow tunnels until any given hive is weak enough to be rooted out. Some look down upon them for their vengeful nature, but the Githyanki see themselves as liberators of those others taken by the Illithid scourge.

''EXTRA FEATURE: DOWN IS NOT DOWN. You are able to change the way gravity acts on your body to some extent, walking on walls and ceilings as if they were the floor. You have a climbing speed equal to your walking speed, and climbing in this way leaves your hands free.''

Humans

[Player’s Handbook: variant human only]

(Note: since race does not grant ability score increases in this game, all humans are variant humans.)

This species of bipedal great apes has long prided itself on its endurance and its grand civilisations. It is said that humans were the first to invent agriculture, and ever since their cities were the most sprawling, their societies the most ambitiously constructed. The first human city, now known only as The House of Lahmu, stood for nearly three millennia before the Chaos conquered the surface-world. When the sky became a demon-spawning abyss, most human mages departed this world. The remainder of the race was left to hide underground, and founded the seed that would grow into the city of Zwll.

Like most city-folk, humans primarily worship the pantheon of New Gods such as Hakos and Extolumë. The presence of these deities is perpetually felt in the presence of Hell’s ambassadors, and many view them as the city’s lone protectors against the demons above.

EXTRA FEATURE: RELENTLESS ENDURANCE. When you are reduced to 0 Hit Points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a Long Rest.

Lizardfolk (Olm)

[Volo’s Guide to Monsters]

Some cultures in Zwll still have some memory of the moon, the stars, and the Sunlit Earth. Not the Olm, for their species evolved below the ground. These creatures resemble blind, bipedal geckos. They are long and slender - a human posture stretched like a string of cheese, and their pale skin is translucent in places. Shine a bright enough light on the Olm, and you’ll see their organs throb. Their faces sport no eyes or exterior ears - they rely mostly on smell. Two vertical, blood-red nose slits stretch from their foreheads down to just above their mouths. The Olm also have an excellent sense of touch, which allows them to detect even the most minute vibrations while underwater.

Most denizens of the ‘Trails are feared and reviled in the city, but not the Olm. Their friendly and curious demeanour serves them well when dealing with other races. Some people might have to get over their tendency to say things such as “may your bones feed the family” - Olm eat their beloved dead as a sign of respect. Expeditions into the ‘Trails often include at least a few Olm, as they are well-adapted to guide sighted races through that dark and hostile world.

''EXTRA FEATURE: EYELESS SIGHT. You have blindsight out to 200 ft., and are blind beyond that radius. You have tremorsense out to 15 ft. While submerged in water, you can blind-see everything in that same body of water within 1000 ft.''

Tabaxi

[Volo’s Guide to Monsters]

There is no species known as Tabaxi, that is to say, the Tabaxi are not quite related to each other. They are created by the wealthy wizard-nobility to serve as bodyguards. The process involves a long and complicated ritual that transmutes a house-cat into a sapient, humanoid being. The rite is steeped in tradition and reverence, for the act of creating an intelligence is not to be taken lightly. Powerful magocrats are often accompanied by a single tabaxi guard, always of their own creation, who is considered more than ample protection. Slavery is forbidden in Zwll, so Tabaxi are always able to leave the magocrats service. Some do abandon their high-status position to explore the world, raise children (adopted), or pursue other interests.

''EXTRA FEATURE: SPEAK WITH CATS. You know Feline, the language spoken by cats. Stray cats are incredibly accomplished spies, and give you advantage on Intelligence checks for the Research downtime if the research is done within Zwll.''

Tieflings

[Player’s Handbook, Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes]

The House of Downwards Doors, also known as the Infernal Embassy, oversees the proper transportation of marked souls to Hell. A soul becomes marked as a part of some contracts with the Embassy, which are mostly overseen by Tieflings. These mortals, whose lineage is somehow influenced by the folk of Hell, are the perfect diplomats to bridge the gap between the city and those Below. A constant turnout of souls is needed to fuel the war between the lawful armies of Hell and the chaotic forces that rule the sky above.

Not all Tieflings in Zwll work for the Embassy - not by a long shot - but most of them have some sort of relationship with the institution. As scions of Hell, Tieflings can meet with a lot of fear and distrust in their daily lives. The House of Downwards Doors uses its significant political power to protect and support them, but like all gifts from Below, their aid comes with a price.

''EXTRA FEATURE: SOULMONGER. As an action, you can imprison the soul of a corpse that has been dead for no longer than a minute. You have the right to sell these souls to the Infernal Embassy in Zwll at a price equal to (100 x the creature’s maximum amount of hit dice.) You can imprison no more than 5 souls per year.''

''   You may use your action to learn if a soul imprisoned by you knew any spells in life. As part of that same action, you may force it to cast one of the spells it knew. The soul appears in your space, casts its spell, and concentrates on it for the duration. When the spell ends, the soul sinks into the ground, and departs to Hell.''

Yuan-Ti

[Volo’s Guide to Monsters]

The word yuan-ti refers to a taxonomic family of snake-like humanoids that are found widespread over the entire world. A large part of Zwll’s population consists of a subtribe of yuan-ti colloquially known as ‘purebloods.’ These serpentfolk are considered the most civilized and the most intelligent of their family, and are often well-versed in magic. The other types of hail from outside the city, and range from dangerous animals to people of humanoid intelligence.

Many yuan-ti work to maintain the magical sunlight in the glass gardens where Zwll’s food is grown. Most serpentfolk communities in Zwll worship older gods than humans, such as Lehem and Tiamat. It is believed that the latter created their people at the same time that her husband, Abzu, created humans.

''EXTRA FEATURE: REJUVENATION. If you die, you return to life in a secluded area near the place where you died 1d6 days later. Only a Wish spell or magic that somehow binds or destroys your soul can prevent this trait from functioning.''