Human Races of the Hyborian Age
Contributed by: Thulsa (
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"There were men of many races and many crimes. There were tall Hyperboreans, gaunt, big-boned, of slow speech and violent natures; tawny-haired Gundermen from the hills of the north-west; swaggering Corinthian renegades; swarthy Zingarians, with bristling black mustaches and fiery tempers; Aquilonians from the distant west." -- Robert E. Howard: "Black Colossus"
Note: Refer to Oriental Adventures for details of the Shaman class.
| Name | Ability Modifiers | Racial Traits | Available Classes | Typical Appearance |
| Aesir | Con +2 | +2 racial bonus to Intimidate and Wilderness Lore skills | Barbarian, Druid, Ranger, Shaman | Golden-haired, blue-eyed, bearded barbarians, with chain hauberks, axes and wooden shields |
| Afghuli | Dex +2 | +2 racial bonus to Climb and Hide skills | Fighter, Ranger, Rogue | Tall and powerful, with broad shoulders, curly hair and long beards, brown skin wrinkled by harsh winds and sun |
| Aquilonian | Str +1, Cha +1 | +2 racial bonus to Ride and Diplomacy skills | Cleric, Fighter, Ranger, Rogue | Tawny-haired, grey-eyed, fair-skinned people |
| Argossean | Dex +1, Cha +1 | +2 racial bonus to Profession (sailor) or Profession (shipwright) skill, and +2 racial bonus to Appraise skill | Cleric, Fighter, Rogue | Dark-skinned, with thick, curly dark hair and short, stocky bodies |
| Brythunian | Dex +1, Wis +1 | +2 racial bonus to Knowledge (nature) and Handle Animal skills | Cleric, Fighter, Ranger, Rogue | Stocky, but with fair skin and blond hair |
| Cimmerian | Dex +1, Con +1 | +2 racial bonus to Climb and Intuit Direction skills | Barbarian, Druid, Ranger, Shaman | Dark-haired, bronze-skinned hillsmen, bare-chested with steel shields and battle-axes |
| Corinthian | Con +1, Wis +1 | +2 racial bonus to Gather Information skill | Cleric, Fighter, Ranger, Rogue | Dark-skinned as Hyborians go, due to intermixing with the Zamorans, with stout build and tawny hair |
| Hyperborean | Con +1, Wis +1 | +2 racial bonus to Intimidate and Knowledge (nature) skills | Druid, Fighter, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Wizard | Tall, unnaturally thin, fair-skinned folk with light brown-blonde hair and blue-green eyes |
| Hyrkanian | Dex +2 | +2 racial bonus to Ride and Spot skills | Barbarian, Fighter, Monk, Ranger, Rogue | Horsemen with hooked noses, black hair and eyes, and deeply tanned skin, riders wear steel and silk and gold |
| Iranistani | Str +1, Wis +1 | +2 racial bonus to Bluff and Knowledge (religion) skills | Cleric, Fighter, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer | Short, stout, broad-shouldered people with light brown skins, blue or brown eyes, and steely-blue hair (much like the Shemites, to whom they are distantly related) |
| Khitani | Dex +1, Int +1 | +2 racial bonus to Concentration and Tumble skills | Cleric, Fighter, Monk, Rogue, Shaman, Sorcerer, Wizard | Black-haired and yellow-skinned with slanted dark eyes, dressed in silk robes and oriental armor |
| Kothian | Con +2 | One extra bonus feat | Cleric, Fighter, Rogue | Dark-haired, bronze-skinned folk with light to dark brown eyes |
| Kushite | Str +1, Dex +1 | +2 racial bonus to Hide and Wilderness Lore skills | Barbarian, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Ranger, Rogue, Shaman, Sorcerer | Light brown to deep black skin and savage eyes |
| Nemedian | Int +1, Wis +1 | +2 racial bonus to Knowledge (all) skill | Cleric, Fighter, Rogue | Tall, fair-skinned people with blue or grey eyes and light or blonde hair |
| Ophirian | Int +1, Cha +1 | Begin play with 50% more starting money and/or equipment | Cleric, Fighter, Rogue | Tan, with dark hair and lean bodies |
| Pictish | Dex +1, Con +1 | +2 racial bonus to Move Silently and Wilderness Lore skills | Barbarian, Druid, Ranger, Shaman | Short, stocky, dark skinned people with wild black hair confined by copper bands, decorated with feathers |
| Shemitish | Con +1, Wis +1 | +2 racial bonus to Diplomacy and Gather Information skills | Cleric, Fighter, Rogue, Sorcerer, Wizard | Generally of medium height, though sometimes when mixed with Stygian blood, gigantic, broadly and strongly built, with hook noses, dark eyes, and blue-black hair |
| Stygian | Int +2 | +2 racial bonus to Knowledge (arcana) or Knowledge (religion) skill, and +2 racial bonus to Spellcraft skill | Cleric, Fighter, Rogue, Wizard | The ruling class is tall, hawk-faced, bronze-skinned with dark hair and black eyes, the lower classes are a downtrodden, mongrel horde, a mixture of Kushite, Stygian, Shemitish, even Hyborian bloods |
| Turanian | Dex +1, Int +1 | +2 racial bonus to Appraise and Diplomacy skills | Cleric, Fighter, Rogue, Sorcerer, Wizard | Turbaned men with hooked noses, veiled women with black hair |
| Vanir | Str +2 | +2 racial bonus to Ride and Swim skills | Barbarian, Druid, Ranger, Shaman | Red-haired ravagers and raiders in longships, with ring mail, horsehide shields, spears and swords |
| Vendhyan | Wis +2 | +2 racial bonus to Knowledge (the planes) or Knowledge (religion), and +2 racial bonus to Sense Motive skill | Cleric, Fighter, Monk, Rogue, Shaman, Sorcerer, Wizard | Black-haired, light brown skin, shaven-headed priests, turbaned warriors |
| Zamoran | Int +1, Cha +1 | +2 racial bonus to Knowledge (arcana) and Move Silently skills | Cleric, Fighter, Rogue, Sorcerer, Wizard | Deeply tanned with dark eyes, wearing loose-fitting robes |
| Zingaran | Cha +2 | +2 racial bonus to Search and Swim skills | Fighter, Rogue | Tanned, curly-haired sailors and princelings, an admixture of Zingg Valley folk (possibly of Shemite origin), invading Picts, and Hyborian tribes |