Expanding 5th Edition Goliaths

Goliaths entered Dungeons and Dragons in 3rd edition's Races of Stone.  They were carried over into 4th edition's Player's Handbook 2.  In the current, 5th edition we first saw the race in the Elemental Evil Player's Companion; it later appeared again in Volo's Guide to Monsters.  In its relatively short time as part of the game, the goliath race took an important step in its development in 4th edition's rendition of the Dark Sun campaign setting:  In this setting, the goliaths replaced its quintessential half-giants--a race of true-breeding human-giant hybrids.

In this post, I will explore the giant-ness of golaiths.  When adapting the goliaths to Monvesia, I had replaced the Stone features of the race with Storm traits, highlighting their half-giant nature.  Now, I choose to explore how each true giant race could be reflected as its own goliath subrace.

Monvesian Culture: Goliath Medicine

Medicine Work is nearest thing that goliath culture has to a religious tradition.  It is a profession that focuses on the purification and healing of the mind, body, and spirit--particularly in relation to the prevention, isolation, and eradication of taint.  This tradition incorporates several "sciences," represented by archetypes of several different classes.

• Spiritual Sciences, Hierosphere domains or Way of the Astral Self
• Mortal Sciences, Necrosphere domains or Way of Mercy
• Martial Sciences, Psi Knights ("Psychic Warriors") or Soulknives
• Natural Sciences, Alchemists

Medicine Terminology

As a whole, those who practice goliath Medicine are called Medicine Workers.  One's particular science could be specified instead--such as Physical Worker, Mortal Worker, Internal Worker, etc.  Following the "Tier of Play" model, levels of expertise are also noted:

• First Tier, Medicine Student
• Second Tier, Medicine Worker
• Third Tier, Medicine Elder
• Fourth Tier, Medicine Chief

5th Edition Dogfolk

Plane Shift: Amonkhet treated us to another therian race in D&D:  the dogfolk.  This race specifically takes the form of the Khenra--jackal-folk prone to twin offspring.  While this particular race is unique to the world of Amonkhet, the idea of dogfolk has been common to gaming for decades.  In BD&D, we had two versions:  the Lupins (the foil to and rivals of the Rakasta) as well as the isolated Hutaakan.  Just as with catfolk in my previous post, I will explore the possibilities of dogfolk subraces.

To play an alternate dogfolk subrace, disregard the features identified below as being specific to the khenra. Instead, apply the traits of your chosen subrace.

Khenra

Khenra are unique to the world of Amonkhet, one of the many planes of Magic: the Gathering.

Ability Increase:  +1 Strength
Khenra Twins:  {see Plane Shift for full details}

5th Edition Catfolk

MONVESIA RETCON NOTE:  With the release of Mythic Odysseys of Theros, to idea of this post is made somewhat obsolete.  For one, the Leonin, divided between Tabaxi and Rakasta below, are now represented by their own race.  For the needs of Monvesia, the Leonin from Theros will be used to represent the Rakasta of Prace, while the Tabaxi from Volo's Guide will be used for the Raviqi catfolk. 

Volo's Guide to Monsters presented our first taste of catfolk in 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons.  However, it only gave us one of several catfolk that have populated the game:  the Tabaxi.  While similar to other options from the game, such as rakasta, the tabaxi are optimized to a particular style of play.  Using the traits of the tabaxi as a baseline, we can explore some of the game's other catfolk--as well as those of other popular games.

To play an alternate catfolk subrace, disregard the features identified below as being specific to the tabaxi. Instead, apply the traits of your chosen subrace.

Tabaxi

Tabaxi typically resemble leopards and jaguars.  They are friendly and nimble hunters.

In Monvesia, these are the Parrsasca.  These are the female Leonin of Magic: the Gathering. 

Ability Increase:  +1 Charisma
Natural Climber:  You have a climb Speed of 20 ft.
Naturally Observant:  You have proficiency in the Perception skill.

Monvesian Culture: Veldi Madjiq

The magic practiced in Veldistan is not the tower wizardry (ie. Schools of Magic) of other human cultures, but something more closely related to early human practices in Desolation.  It was the form of magic once taught by the HMDJVNW known as ENSHZRYD.  During the Exodus, humanity developed the Old Ones' arts into their own.  This was the form practiced by the saint Mohas--writer of the text that would form the basis of human religion in Monvesia. 

Undying of Monvesia

In some settings, the undead are the creation of bored, evil gods who seek to terrorize the mortal world.  In Monvesia, they are a natural offshoot of the transitive region of the Necrosphere.  This region goes by several names:  the Plane of Shadow, the Plane of Fear, the Domains of Dread, the Nightmare Realm.  All undead are powered by this place, and it is in this place that the most powerful of their kind have come to live eternally and rule over their fellows.  These are the Undying who make pacts with warlocks.

Archfey of Monvesia

The archfey of Monvesia have already been visited briefly in the warlock entry of Mages of Monvesia.  Here I will explore each of the chief, five archfey in some detail.  Though each of the archfey represent one race or another, all are unique and powerful creatures.