Welcome to the table,
For those of you who don’t know what Dragonbane is, it’s Sweden’s first and arguably biggest TTRPG. Known in Sweden as Drakar och Demoner it has been reborn in English as the epic new fantasy RPG Dragonbane, now available for pre-order on the Free League website, with immediate access to the complete PDF package, ahead of the boxed edition release later this year. You can get an overview of the game I wrote at this link here.
One of the coolest things about a game setting is the various species you can inhabit as you build the characters you are going to inhabit in the game. These avatars are your eyes and ears in the game world and will grow and change as you gain experience on your tabletop adventures.
In Dragonbane your playable species are called Kin and consist of human, halfling, dwarf, elf, mallard, and wolfkin.
Humans – In Dragonbane the humans are the youngest of the species but they are full of wonder and a fearless sense of adventure.
Halflings – The Halflings of Dragonbane are short humanoids who live in hilly farmlands in earthen dwellings with well-stocked larders. Very much like the Hobbits of Tolkien’s tales, the Halflings of Dragonbane prefer life at home but, on occasion, with the right inspiration from an epic tale or a beautiful song, they can be lured into the life of adventure and exploration.
Dwarfs – The oldest of the elder folk, if you ask them anyways, are the Dwarfs. A proud people who are steeped in customs and traditions these skilled craftsmen are not only adept at making a truly beautiful axe but also wielding it in glorious combat.
Elves – The Elves are forest guardians, guided by the stars and the ebbs and flows of nature. These introverted and often self-isolating entities can be difficult to understand until you spend some time around them. While confusing to outsiders an Elf is a valuable ally to have as their skills with bow and blade are widely praised.
Mallards – These mysterious duck-like humanoids are a standout in the lineup offered by Dragonbane. Small, but fierce, it’s not uncommon to see these feathered humanoids across the world in various roles ranging from mercenaries, pirates, trade caravan masters, or even the brigands who steal from them.
Wolfkin – Another fairly unique addition to the Dragonbane playable species lineup is the Wolfkin. These wolf-like humanoids are as introspective as the elves but much quicker to act on instinct. Powerful hunters and mystics, the Wolfkin tend to anger quickly as their history with the other species is stained with past wrongs that have stuff gone unavenged.
While some of these offerings are traditional tentpoles in fantasy landscapes, Dragonbane is such a cool setting that is full of possibilities to make these traditional species fun and unique to the story at your table.
I’m honestly so impressed that something like “Duck People” feels like it could have come off so goofy but in the Dragonbane setting they just feel so laced into the world and super cool. I adore the way all these species are presented and honestly, as cool as these are this is just the tip of the iceberg of what makes Dragonsbane so great.
Next time I will be back with a dive into what the playable professions in the game. So keep an eye on this space as I continue my coverage of Dragonbane!
Until next time, Mallards are so damn cool!
Welcome to the table, For those of you who don’t know what Dragonbane is, it’s Sweden’s first and arguably biggest TTRPG.COMICONRead More