The Races:

There are seven races presented here, but the GM should feel free to introduce custom ones into his campaign. Not every race is available to the PCs in every campaign; for example one set in the modern times or the future is unlikely to have goblins, and even in a typical fantasy setting it might be wildly inappropriate for a character to play as an orc.

Humans

Physical Description: Look at yourself in the mirror. Chances are, you are a human. Humans are among the tallest of the seven races, topped only by orcs.

Personality: Humans are the most diverse and adaptable of the seven races. They are capable of learning and doing almost anything they set their minds to. They are extremely diverse in their customs and traditions

Game Statistics:

1.   Scale 0: Scale 0 creatures operate on 1m squares, have a scale multiplier of x1, have 6 toughness to size, and have no attack bonus or penalty from size.
2.   Diverse: Humans may choose up to two character backgrounds. Use the higher starting wealth of the two.
3.   Traditional Humans: Humans with no racial backgrounds can gain one additional technique in one skill they have ranks in at first level. Remember that Innate bonuses to the same skills and abilities don‚t stack.
4.   Speed: 2m/s

Elves

Physical Description: Elves resemble humans from a distance, although the differences become readily apparent up close. Elves are shorter and slenderer than humans typically are, with an average height of about 160 cm (5‚4”), without any noticeable height difference between men and women. They move with an innate grace that many humans find attractive, and have characteristically pointed ears. Elves are by far the longest-lived of the seven races, with an average lifespan of roughly 1,000 years, but very rarely have children. An elf is not considered an adult until she has reached her hundredth year.

Personality: Elves, due to their incredibly lengthy lifespan, tend to look at the world in a very different way from humans. They are much more conservative in their thinking, and while they don‚t necessarily dislike new ideas, it frequently doesn‚t occur to them that there might be a better way to go about it than they have been for the past several centuries. Elves tend to take the long view in thinking, remaining aloof from what they view as minor squabbles (a decades-long war is the blink of an eye to them). Their long lives result in incredibly deep relationships between elves, who have known their friends, and family for longer than most human nations exist. This results in what to a human might seem disproportionate rage at the death of a loved one. Despite this, elves take lives only on very rare occasions because, to an elf, a life cut short is a horror unlike any other. For this reason, their behaviour can, again to a human, seem cowardly at times „ they have much more to lose if they die in a meaningless battle.

Game Statistics:

1.   Scale 0: Scale 0 creatures operate on 1m squares, have a scale multiplier of x1, have 6 toughness to size, and have no attack bonus or penalty from size.
2.   Ability Modifiers: +1 Intelligence, -1 Strength
3.   Long-Lived: Elves get a +1 Innate Bonus to Humanities (History), and gain access to that branch for free (they know a lot about history because it was fewer generations ago before someone lived to see it).
4.   Grace: Elves get a +1 Innate Bonus to Charisma
5.   Traditional Elves: Elves with no racial background gain proficiency with the Bow or Blades weapon family for free, as well as the Perception: Track .
6.   Speed: 2m/s

Halflings

Physical Description: Halflings get their name from being much shorter than a human, with an average height of about 100cm (just over three feet), and an average weight of about 15-20 kg. They more than make up for their small stature in verve, however, and are known to (when absolutely necessary) show extraordinary resolve. Halflings are much more likely to have curly hair than straight, and Halfling men rarely have facial hair.

Personality: Halflings are, generally calm and conservative folk. However, they have been known to push themselves to accomplish feats of bravery that stagger the larger races. Halflings are rumoured to have a loose view of the finer points of property ownership, a fact which they fervently deny. Halflings are known for their upfront honesty, which may only be because they are so rarely caught lying.

Game Statistics:

1.   Scale -1: Scale -1 characters have a scale multiplier of x0.5, have 3 toughness to size, and get a +1/0 size bonus to attack, as well as a +1 to their Target score. For more information about Scale, look at chapter 3: Combat.
2.   +1 CR (countered by the decrease in scale)
3.   Ability Modifiers +1 Spirit, +1 Strength, +1 Endurance
4.   Plucky: Halflings gain a +1 bonus to Will.
5.   Survivalist: Halflings tend to survive attacks that should have, by all logic, completely flattened them. They get a +2 bonus to maximum (but not minimum) toughness.
6.   “Honest:” Halflings gain a +1 bonus the Charisma (deceive) checks, except when made against another Halfling.
7.   Speed: 1.5m/s
8.   Traditional Halflings: Halflings with no Racial Background get a +1 Innate Bonus to Athletics

Dwarves

Physical Description: Dwarves are short, stocky humanoids with well-developed muscles and a tendency to grow long beards. Dwarves rarely grow more than four feet tall, but make up for their lack of height in thick muscles and tough hide. Dwarf females are almost identical appearing to dwarf males (they have beards, too), leading to rumours that there are no dwarf women.

Personality: Dwarves are generally honest and conservative, and tend to dislike new ideas. They have a deep hatred of goblins caused by generations of war, and frequently attack them on sight. Outside of their homes in the mountains and underground, dwarves are rarely seen unarmed.

Game Statistics:

1.   Scale 0: Scale 0 creatures operate on 1m squares, have a scale multiplier of x1, have 6 toughness to size, and have no attack bonus or penalty from size.
2.   Ability Modifiers : +1 Endurance, -1 Dexterity
3.   Big for Their Size: Dwarves, while not much taller than a Halfling or Gretchin, are very stocky and wide for their height, which is why they are scale 0 instead of -1. However, they are smaller than most scale 0 races, so armour and clothing made for them weighs 0.75 times as much for them as it does for most scale 0 races.
4.   Speed: 1.5m/s
5.   Stocky: Dwarves can ignore one mobility penalty.
6.   Low-Light Vision: Dwarves count hazy illumination as normal light, but still cannot see in total darkness.
7.   Gruff: Dwarves take a -1 Innate Penalty to Charisma.
8.   Mechanically Minded: Dwarves who put one or more ranks in Engineering get one free technique.
9.   Traditional Dwarves: Dwarves with no racial background gain proficiency with the Axe or Blunt family for free.

Orcs

Physical Description: Orcs are massive, slow-witted, green-skinned humanoid creatures. Their tall bodies are covered in rippling muscles, and their teeth are long, pointed, and fanglike.  Orcs, when standing straight, would be more than seven feet tall, though they usually walk in a lazy slouch.

Personality: Orcs love violence, and they love it up close and personal. Generally, they avoid ranged combat ƒ although whether they avoid it because they are terrible shots, or whether they are terrible shots because they avoid it is unclear. When they do use ranged attacks, they like to find the largest, flashiest weapon they can get their hands on.  

Game Statistics:

1.   Scale 0: Scale 0 creatures operate on 1m squares, have a scale multiplier of x1, have 6 toughness to size, and have no attack bonus or penalty from size.
2.   Ability Modifiers : +1 Strength, -1 Intelligence
3.   Large: Orcs are in the upper limits of its scale category. When determining the creature's carrying capacity, weapon and armour effort increments, multiply the increments by 1.25. Armour for orcs weighs 1.25 times as much however. The creature's Size bonus to Toughness (and minimum toughness) increases by +1. Orcs take a size penalty of -1 to Stealth.
4.   Clumsy: Orcs take a -1/0 Innate Penalty to ranged weapon attacks, except for with thrown weapons.
5.   Gruff: Orcs get a -1 Innate Penalty to Charisma
6.   Speed: 2m
7.   Traditional Orcs: Traditional Orcs take the Savage racial background.

Goblins

Physical Description: Goblins are slightly shorter than humans. They are quick and have a knack for moving around completely silently. Goblins have disproportionately large eyes for seeing in the dark.

Personality: Goblins have a tendency towards cruelty and violence. They are fairly cowardly at heart (though not so cowardly as Gretchin, who are famous for it), and will generally not fight to the death.

Game Statistics:

1.   Scale 0: Scale 0 creatures operate on 1m squares, have a scale multiplier of x1, have 6 toughness to size, and have no attack bonus or penalty from size.
2.   Ability Modifiers: +1 Dexterity, -1 Spirit
3.   Low-Light Vision: Goblins count hazy illumination as normal light, but still cannot see in total darkness.
4.   Stealthy: Goblins get a +1 bonus to Stealth
5.   Natural Born Riders: Goblins get a +1 bonus to Ride and Pilot
6.   Speed: 2m/s
7.   Traditional Goblins: Goblins with no racial backgrounds can gain one additional technique in one skill they have ranks in at first level.

Gretchin

Physical Description: Gretchin are even smaller than Halflings, and always seem to be moving slightly. They never stand perfectly still. Gretchin have remarkably good posture to maximise their minimal height. Despite their size, they are deceptively tough and quick.

Personality: Gretchin are clever and skilled with machines, but due to their lack of size they are frequently captured and enslaved by Orcs and Goblins. This has led Gretchin, as a species, towards a cynical and cowardly way of life.

Game Statistics:

1.   Scale -1: Scale -1 characters have a scale multiplier of x0.5, have 3 toughness to size, and get a +1/0 size bonus to attack, as well as a +1 to their Target score. For more information about Scale, look at chapter 3: Combat.
2.   Ability Modifiers : +1 Intelligence, +1 Dexterity, +1 Endurance, -1 Spirit
3.   Speed: 1.5m/s
4.   Cowardly: If Gretchin have two or more morale penalties, they increase their move speed by +0.5m/s.
5.   Edgy: Gretchin get a +2 Innate Bonus to Initiative. This stacks with bonuses from techniques like Nerves.
6.   Go To Ground: Gretchin gain the Reflex: Evasion technique for free, and can make 1 extra dodge defence per round at their normal bonus.
7.   Mechanically Minded: Gretchin who put one or more ranks in Engineering get one free technique.
8.   Traditional Gretchin: Gretchin with no Racial Background get a +1 Innate  Bonus to Engineering.