Human Races of the Hyborian Age

Contributed by: Thulsa ()

"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