Ember

"The elves harvest the elements while Thorn has begun to shackle them for basic frivolities. As an ember, I can feel the fire as I draw it out of the air and into existence. When I walk upon the stone, it yields to my feet. Do not seek those who claim they understand. Instead, turn to us, who know it innately, for it is within us."

~ Malik Kincaid
The Sovereign Sage
Arcane Collective meeting notes
5 UE

Description

Embers are a diminutive race of lizard people formed from the elements. Their appearance is a blend of sharp teeth, tails, and scales, with coloration and physical variations reflecting the environment they grew up in. Some embers may boast green, leaf-like scales, while others shimmer with fiery hues. Desert-dwelling embers develop viscous claws for digging and those who live in water exhibit webbed feet for navigating the depths. Embers who live underground have extraordinarily hardened scales, thanks to their rugged, stony homes. Embers are classified as - Forest, Lava, Rock, Sand, and Swamp, although the names are merely labels and not always indicative of where an ember is from. Embers are notably adaptive, their bodies acclimatizing to the world. While many dwell underground, they are spread across Dromaria and found in all communities. Embers claim their lineage to be born from the very stones and molten lava that shaped their homes. Renowned for their generally peaceful nature, Embers have a special bond with the elements, particularly the ones corresponding to their upbringing. Most embers stand around 3 feet tall and weigh around 40 to 60 lbs. Their lifespans burn brightly and fade swiftly, reaching maturity by age 14, and their average lifespan ranges between 35 to 50 years.

Societies

Embers guarding the depths of Stonehome.

Embers purposefully cultivate interconnected societies. Typically peaceful, most ember gatherings avoid political affairs, living in natural fortresses such as hills or mountains. Their architectural preferences lean towards the subterranean, with homes carved into the earth. Renowned as skilled crafters, Embers employ their environmental resources in unique ways. Rock and lava embers are particularly celebrated for their craftsmanship. Central to most ember communities is the concept of 'cluster families.' This system involves multiple families, usually three to four, living together under one roof and nurturing their young collectively. This communal lifestyle fosters a sense of family and shared responsibility. The philosophy of treating others as family, with a blend of respect and forgiveness, is a pervasive principle in ember societies. Their devotion regularly extends beyond worldly concerns to spiritual ones, with many venerating Mighty God, the ember who ascended to godhood. In addition, Groman, the deity of balance, is highly respected and believed to have been formed from the world's stones, similar to the embers. Embers are usually considered models of fairness and respect. They are also the creators of Stonesport, the world's most beloved games, Rockfall being their most famous creation. This sport has transcended ember communities, captivating audiences worldwide and becoming a universal spectacle. The city of Stonehome in the Eastlands of Pathriam claims the largest population of embers. While many other cities and towns boast large gatherings, Stonehome is the place everyone associates with the little lizardfolk.

Ember Traits

All embers have certain traits that are common to their race. Each ember's elemental affinity determines their secondary traits. Ability Score Increase
Your Wisdom score increases by 2. Creature Type
You are a Humanoid. Size
Embers average about 3 feet tall and weigh between 40 to 60 lbs. Your size is Small. Speed
Embers are slow to move and have a base speed of 25 feet. Darkvision
You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray. Elemental Affinity
You have lived among a specific element most of your life, most likely since birth. In addition to the base ember traits, choose one of the ember types from Forest, Lava, Rock, Sand, or Swamp as your elemental affinity.

Forest Embers

Forest embers are used to hearty living deep within the woods. While they are less likely to leave their homeland, the occasional adventurer makes for a fantastic guide for those seeking to traverse dangerous locations. They always come prepared. Ability Score Increase.
Your Dexterity score increases by 1. Hide from Sight
Forest embers are adept at blending into their surroundings during moments of need. Once per day, even if there is nowhere to hide or you are within sight of an enemy, you may hide as a bonus action. You regain this ability when you finish a short or long rest. Survival Instincts
Forest embers are proficient in Survival. If you gain proficiency from another source, double your proficiency bonus for Survival checks. Wood Manipulation
Embers who grew up surrounded by trees have bonded with their element, giving them control over wood. Forest embers automatically know the Druidcraft and Shillelagh cantrips. Wisdom is your spellcasting modifier for these spells.

Lava Embers

Living near volcanoes, lava embers are highly sought after for their natural smithing abilities and ability to blend ash, lava, and stone. They are the rarest of the embers. Ability Score Increase
Your Intelligence score increases by 1. Birthed in Flame
You have resistance to fire damage. Molten Form
Lava embers have a unique physicality, allowing their body to shift like magma. You may stand up from prone using only 5 feet of movement and have advantage to escape grapples. Fire Manipulation
Embers who grew up around large amounts of fire and flames have bonded with the element, giving them a semblance of control. Lava embers automatically know the Control Flames and Produce Flame cantrips and may use Control Flames as a bonus action. Wisdom is your spellcasting modifier for these spells.

Rock Embers

Embers that have formed a solid elemental affinity to earth are known as rock embers and are the most common of their race. They are heavily sought after for projects involving natural stone and craftsmanship. Ability Score Increase
Your Strength score increases by +1. Earthen Grip
Rock embers can manipulate the area they are climbing on with their innate skills. You gain a climb speed of 35 feet while on a stone surface. Stonehide
You receive a +1 armor bonus due to elements of stone melding with your scales. Stone Manipulation
All rock embers form a bond with the terrain around them. You automatically know the Magic Stone and Blade Ward cantrips and may use Blade Ward as a bonus action instead of an action. Wisdom is your spellcasting modifier for these spells.

Sand Embers

Sand embers are used to living in the most extreme environments, always fighting for survival. Unlike the others of their kin, they have developed ways to adapt against their environment instead of bonding with it. Most sand embers are parts of small roaming clusters, seeking refuge where the sands guide them. Ability Score Increase
Your Constitution score increases by +1. Unnatural Quickness
Sand embers have a base speed of 35 feet instead of 25. Burrow
Sand embers are able to move through the ground with ease. You gain a burrow speed of 25 feet in natural terrain. Jagged Claws
Your claws are natural weapons that can be used to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Swamp Embers

"Swamp Ember" is a common phrase for the ember cultures with an affinity toward water. Many of them live in or near lakes, bogs, swamps, and other damp areas. Their bond with the water allows them to be excellent fishers and sailors. Ability Score Increase
Increase an ability score of your choice by 1. Extended Breath
Swamp Embers may breathe underwater. Shield of Water
As a reaction, you may call upon the water in the air to attempt to deflect an attack directed at you. After an attack is rolled, you may force the enemy to re-roll their attack, and you have +2 to your AC until the start of your next turn. You must take the second result. You regain this ability when you finish a long rest. Swim
You gain a swim speed of 35 ft. Water Manipulation
Swamp embers have formed a bond with the water. You automatically know the Shape Water cantrip and may use it as a bonus action instead of an action.

History

The origins of embers are steeped in folklore. According to ember legend, Dromaria became a dragon and began pulling the first embers from the stone. The dragon wandered the world, creating embers from every available element. What is known for certain is that for the first 483 years, the Ancestors never saw an ember, and then there were many within years. The embers began to establish their homes within the ground, the most notable of these being the city of Stonehome. The embers, working alongside what they now called The Descendent, helped create Groman, a guardian god of earth and stone. People worldwide hold varying beliefs about the origin of Groman. Still, the embers revere the story of their creation and offer shelter for Groman in Stonehome, considered a holy site. For a long time, embers led quiet, peaceful lives, often overlooked by larger societies. Things changed with the advent of Stonesport, particularly the game of Rockfall, which started gaining international acclaim. The embers, who valued fair play, were instrumental in developing the games and have played them through the ages. Alongside Stonesport, one figure stands synonymous: the legendary Mighty God. His origins are that of myth, an orphan who rose to become a champion of and, eventually, a protector of the people. His relationship with Tarn Everbody, a priestess of the lava embers, is always a part of the tales surrounding him. Together, they journeyed alongside some of the most notable figures of their era, including the Sovereign Sage. As part of the Band of the Sage, Mighty God played a vital role in sealing away several formidable beings within the Ley Prisons. However, the specifics of Mighty God's demise remain a mystery known solely to the Sovereign Sage. Since his death, Mighty God has been venerated as a deity, seen as a guardian of sports, fair play, and the embers themselves. Before his passing, Mighty God paid a final tribute to his love, Tarn Everbody, who had become petrified. He scattered statues of her throughout Dromaria, with many of them situated at the bottoms of water bodies. It is believed that people can communicate with Everbody through these sculptures and gain an understanding of the intentions of Mighty God and the embers.

Ember Backgrounds

Here are a few Dromaria specific backgrounds associated with embers:

Primordian
Rockjock

While these represent some members of ember societies, people from anywhere may have similar backgrounds.

Geogeny
"Forming"

Embers have a unique form of reproduction known as Geogeny, distinct from any other species on Dromaria. The process, called 'Forming,' involves two (or sometimes more) embers deciding to create a child. The prospective parents gather materials or identify a suitable location from their native element. They then sculpt their child, whether carving from trees, molding from stone, cooling from magma, or shaping from water or ice. Once the sculpture, called the 'Form,' is complete, the parents dedicate time to infusing it with fragments of their life force. This infusion transforms the inanimate Form into a living child, marking the culmination of the Forming process.

Variant Traits

If your campaign uses the optional rules from the Player’s Handbook, your GM might allow this variant trait. Embers who live for years in a new location, surrounded by an element that is not their own, may change aspects of their elemental affinity. While exceedingly rare, if it does happen, an ember may find themself with this varying trait. Variant Trait: Prismatic Scales
Choose one of your elemental affinity traits and replace it with one from another element.

Stonesport
Stonesport's origins can be traced back to the ember communities of Stonehome. There, the inhabitants started creating games that utilized their underground environment. These contests quickly gained popularity among the embers, and competitions were held to determine the most skilled participants. Over time, different games emerged, many of which are still enjoyed today. In their original form, every game featured stone in some capacity. However, as their popularity spread, most were adapted to suit different environments and did not require the elemental affinity of the embers to play. The most popular Stonesport by a landslide is Rockfall. It has transcended its humble beginnings to become a global phenomenon known and loved by people across Dromaria. In Rockfall, contestants start by clinging to the inner walls of a floorless chamber. As the game progresses, parts of the walls become off-limits until just one player remains hanging. It's a test of endurance, strength, and strategy that has captivated audiences far beyond the ember communities.

Cultural Tidbits

Embers have established many gatherings. Some of the most populated locations are Alqui, The Dragon's Nest, Purut, Rubbleslab, Soot, Stonehome, and the Viscino Swamp.

Embers eat their dead, a ceremony called Dead Dinner. This sacred act allows the spirits of the deceased to return once more as embers.

Embers use basic naming techniques for both themselves and things around them. They do not carry on traditional surnames between generations. Instead, embers usually choose a last name based on something they enjoy.

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