Forest gnomes live close to nature. They are not often seen, for they dwell in small, hidden villages in deep woodland. Most forest gnomes are shy and feel more comfortable around animals than they do humans, dwarves, and other peoples—indeed, many never leave their village.

Forest gnome villages are comfortable and usually house around a hundred members. These villages are very well-hidden with homes located within trees, and many people walk close by forest gnome communities without realizing it. Such settlements are carefully built so as not to damage the local environment, carved in ways which do as little harm as possible. These gnomes gather nuts and berries, tend to the forest, and care for the wildlife with which they live in harmony. Forest gnomes live an idyllic lifestyle, and often devote themselves to artistic pursuits and creative crafts. 

These diminutive folks enjoy illusions, and incorporate figments into their lives on a daily basis. They enjoy changing their appearance, and use illusion magic to do so frequently. 

Characters raised in the forest gnome culture share a variety of traits in common with one another. 

Artistic Pursuits. You have proficiency in one type of artisans’ tools of your choice. 

Natural Illusionist. You can cast disguise self once per long rest. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast blur once per long rest. At 5th level, you can cast major image once per long rest. You don’t need material components for these spells, and when casting them your spellcasting ability is Intelligence or Wisdom (whichever is higher).

Small Beast Speech. You have an innate ability to communicate simple thoughts and ideas with beasts of size Small or smaller.

Languages. You can speak, read, write, and sign Common and Gnomish. 

These elvish people are the most accustomed to life in the Dreaming—what some call the Feywild. Some people say eladrin are the most ancient lineage of elves with the closest blood link to other faeries, while others claim that the elves expanded into the Dreaming and were there transformed. Settlements of eladrin empires (and the ruins thereof) can be found scattered all across the Faerie Realm, and some appear in the Material Plane where the boundary between worlds is thin.

Life in eladrin cities and villages is lively, even spectacular. Fey creatures of all stripes can find a place in the eladrin capitals, from quickling couriers to fortune-telling hags lurking in dark alleys. Even non-fey mortals can be found in eladrin settlements, such as foundlings, wanderers, and those stolen from their cribs as babies and replaced by changelings. In keeping with the kaleidoscopic politics of the Faerie Courts, eladrin settlements have feasts and celebrations many times a week, for ancient holidays, obscure political observances, and seemingly random birthdays of innumerable villagers and enchanted creatures. 

Eladrin and other folk in their midst learn a handful of ways to traverse the gap between the visible world and the invisible world. There are certain “fey gates” in natural sites and ancient ruins which function as doors between the worlds, and with decades of exposure some eladrin learn the unlikely geometry of the Faerie Realm and the boundaries between planes. After years of passing through the fey gates, eladrin folk master the sensing of planar ripples—even the most subtle ones caused by their own heartbeat. From there, hopping between worlds becomes as easy as skipping rope. 

Eladrin have a reputation for being arrogant and capricious. Part of that is true: even kindly eladrin usually take pride in their high status, but the best eladrin can be just as benevolent and noble as the most pure-hearted fairy. Still, vindictive faeries and their eladrin envoys are known to repay slights with cruel and unusual curses; wise mortals stay on their guard until an eladrin’s motive is clear. 

 Characters raised in the eladrin culture share a variety of traits in common with one another. 

Eladrin Weapon Training. You have proficiency with longswords and rapiers. 

Fey Sublimation. Your time in the Faerie Realm has suffused your being with its very energy. In addition to being humanoid, you also have the fey creature type. 

Invocation of the Eladrin Lords. Hierarchies among the fey often deploy pact magic and a ripple of that power is available to all eladrin subjects. You know one cantrip from Table: Eladrin Invocations, based on the aspect of nature you wish to manifest or that of your liege.

Your selected aspect also imparts minor changes of your choice to your appearance, such as to your eye and hair color, skin tone, or even the color of your clothing. At the end of a long rest , you can change your selected aspect. Your spellcasting ability for this cantrip is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (whichever is highest). 

Knowledge of the Faerie Courts. You are proficient in one of the following skills: Arcana, Culture, Deception, History, Insight, Persuasion, Survival. 

Twilight Step. You have learned how to skip out of the Material Plane, fly through the Plane of Faerie, and land back in your native realm. You can forego your movement on your turn to teleport 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. Once you have used this trait, you cannot do so again until you finish a short or long rest. 

Languages. You can speak, read, write, and sign in Common, Elvish, and Sylvan. 

Eladrin Invocations  

• Autumn: resistance
• Hiding: minor illusion
• Respite: mending
• Rot: chill touch
• Spring: druidcraft
• Stars: dancing lights
• Storm: shocking grasp
• Summer: produce flame
• Toxicity: pestilence
• Winter: ray of frost

Dragonbound clans live under the direct rule of a dragon; in the case of dragonborn characters, that dragon will usually be their progenitor dragon. Whether that dragon is malevolent or benign, the clan exists to serve it. Living under a kind and wise dragon can be a safe and joyful upbringing, though one of strict control. Life under a cruel dragon can be fraught with the uncertainty of survival, scrounging off what a dragonic overlord deems a servant worthy of. Dragonbound living can often be comfortable or even enjoyable, but it is not living for oneself. Whether their chains are literal or metaphorical, dragonbound live at their master’s whims. Thankfully those whims often involve directives and missions that range far and wide, endeavors that expose dragonbound to countless viewpoints and quite often plant the seeds of sedition. 

Characters raised in the dragonbound culture share a variety of traits in common with one another. 

Draconic Diplomacy. You’ve been well trained in the sometimes difficult art of draconic etiquette and protocols. You gain an expertise die on Charisma checks made to influence dragon creatures. 

Dragonbound Teachings. You know one cantrip of your choice from the cleric or wizard spell lists. Your spellcasting ability for this cantrip is Intelligence or Wisdom (whichever is highest). 

Progenitor’s Boon. Members of dragonbound clans overseen by their progenitors usually enjoy the benefits of their progenitor’s boon. Choose one of the following: 

Chromatic Dragon’s Boon: Chromatic dragons raise their warriors to shock and terrify their enemies. You can cast fear without the need for material components once per long rest. Your spellcasting ability for this spell is Charisma. Until you reach 5th level, the area of this casting of the spell is limited to a 15-foot cone.

Essence Dragon’s Boon: Essence Dragons ensure that their guardians can easily commune with the land and the spirits within. You know the druidcraft cantrip. In addition, your diplomatic understanding extends towards the creatures of the land and the spirits within it. You gain an expertise die on Charisma checks made to influence beast and celestial creatures. 

Gem Dragon’s Boon: Gem dragons ensure their agents’ missions go undetected by bestowing upon them subterfuge magic. You know the message cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast illusory script once per long rest. At 5th level, you can cast invisibility once per long rest. You don’t need material components for these spells, and when casting them your spellcasting ability is Intelligence or Charisma (whichever is highest). 

Metallic Dragon’s Boon: Metallic dragons let their pupils study vast repositories of knowledge. Choose a skill from among Arcana, History, Medicine, Nature, or Religion. You have proficiency with the chosen skill and you gain an expertise die on ability checks you make that uses that skill. 

Languages. You can speak, read, write, and sign Common and Draconic. 

Dragon cults exist in most major cities, hidden deep within forgotten cellars or ancient crumbling ruins, plotting their draconic overlord’s return to power. The life of a dragon cultist is often filled with hushed conversations in darkened rooms, acquisitions of “sacrifices”, and the ever present tantalizing promise of a taste of their dragon god’s power. Dragon cultists often live entirely mundane lives by day, only to shuffle down some darkened stair to their “true lives” down below. 

Characters raised in the dragoncult culture share a variety of traits in common with one another. 

Draconic Umbra. Dragon cultists are often blessed with power from the object of their devotion so that they may spread their dragon’s word or further its plans. As a bonus action, you can cause draconic power to course around you in a draconic umbra. This draconic umbra lasts for 1 minute or until you use a bonus action to end it. Once you have used this trait, you cannot use it again until after you finish a long rest . Choose one of the following effects: 

Damaging Umbra: Common amongst the chromatic dragons, this umbra burns with draconic power. Once on each of your turns while this umbra is active, you can deal extra damage of the type dealt by your Dragon Breath to one target when you deal damage to it with an attack or a spell. The extra damage equals half your level (minimum 1). If you are not dragonborn, you may choose the damage type dealt by your umbra from those available in the Dragon Breath trait.

Ethereal Umbra: Common amongst the essence dragons, this umbra shimmers with draconic will. While this umbra is active you can move through nonmagical solid objects and occupied spaces as if they were difficult terrain . Opportunity attacks made against you while this umbra is active have disadvantage . You cannot move further than 5 feet into walls or other solid objects in this way. If you would end your turn in an occupied space, you are shunted into the nearest unoccupied space and take 1d6 force damage.

Spiritual Umbra: Common amongst the gem dragons, this umbra shifts with draconic cunning. While this umbra is active you gain an expertise die on Stealth checks, and once on each of your turns you may alter your appearance (as the disguise self spell). When your umbra ends, so do any illusions conjured by it. 

Protective Umbra: Common amongst the metallic dragons, this umbra sparks with draconic ingenuity. While this umbra is active you gain resistance to the damage type dealt by your Dragon Breath (if you already had resistance to that damage type, you gain immunity instead), and you gain an expertise die on Wisdom or Intelligence checks. If you are not dragonborn, you may choose the damage type for your umbra from those available in the Dragon Breath trait.

Secrets of the Wyrm. Draconic cults require diverse skill sets and the utmost secrecy. Choose two skills from among Arcana, Deception, Persuasion, Religion, or Stealth. You have proficiency in the chosen skills. 

Languages. You can speak, read, write, and sign Common and Draconic.

Thriving in the darkest, most remote depths, deep gnomes excel when working in darkened or stealth conditions. In general deep gnomes tend to be thin and muscular, and typically bald. They have adapted to underground environments and are at home in the darkness, easily blending in against rocks and stonework. This cultural predilection for stealth manifests itself in magical abilities, including the power to blind others, change appearance, and even conceal themselves from divination magic.

With precious stones common in their communities, deep gnomes place great value on gems and many turn their hand to jewelcraft. Other than to trade for their wares, their society does not welcome outsiders. As such, most find deep gnomes to be unfriendly and humorless; within their own kind however, they show kindness and compassion. Hardworking, deep gnome settlements tend to revolve around mining and forging. Most of these towns and villages are carved out of great underground caverns, and many deep gnomes never leave them—several have grown to the size of cities.

Characters raised in the deep gnome culture share a variety of traits in common with one another. 

Superior Darkvision. The range of your darkvision increases to 120 feet. If you didn’t have darkvision already, you instead gain darkvision to a range of 60 feet.

Dark Gnome Magic. You can cast disguise self once per long rest. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast blindness/deafness (blindness only) once per long rest. At 5th level, you can cast nondetection once per long rest. You don’t need material components for these spells, and when casting them your spellcasting ability is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (whichever is highest). 

Subterranean Camouflage. You gain an expertise die on Stealth checks made to hide in rocky terrain. 

Languages. You can speak, read, write, and sign Common, Gnomish, and Undercommon.

Deep dwarves make their homes underground, far from most other creatures and from the sun. Their communities are the most isolated of all dwarven cultures. Some of them refuse trade even with other dwarves. Those that do trade, however, quickly realize that some goods they grow underground cannot live on the surface, and vice versa. Deep dwarf beer is unique, prized across all other dwarven cultures and many other peoples. 

Living so isolated and surrounded by dangerous monsters makes these people extremely cautious and calls for specialized training. While hammers and axes are similar to tools dwarves use, they are not much use in the cramped environments deep dwarves navigate. 

Mountain dwarves are adapted to underground living but the deep dwarves even more so, with the ability to see clearly in the darkest depths. They are a pessimistic culture, distrustful and often cruel, with a society that emphasizes adversarial relationships even amongst kin. Most deep dwarf adventurers are exiles, cast out for breaking a cynical code of behavior.

Characters raised in the deep dwarf culture share a variety of traits in common with one another. 

Superior Darkvision. You grew so used to being underground that you can see in the dark farther than other dwarves. The range of your darkvision increases to 120 feet. If you didn’t have darkvision already, you gain darkvision with a range of 60 feet.

Deep Magic. You know the resistance cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast jump once per long rest. At 5th level, you can cast enlarge/reduce once per long rest . You don’t need material components for these spells, but you can’t cast them while you’re in direct sunlight (although sunlight has no effect on them once cast). Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells. 

Deep Suspicion. Your lack of trust protects you from some magic. You have advantage on saving throws against illusions and to resist being charmed or paralyzed .

Underground Combat Training. You are proficient with hand crossbows, short swords, and war picks. 

Languages. You can speak, read, write, and sign Common, Dwarvish, and Undercommon. 

Cosmopolitans grew up in one of the world’s largest, most diverse cities. People of every heritage and way of life brush shoulders, speaking any tongue that can be imagined. Any faith can find a place of worship—even if it is in a home and not a proper temple. The main roads are active all through the night, and there are shadowy alleys where any good might be procured no matter the hour. 

Folks tend to have polarized opinions on the city—you either love it or hate it. For some people the big city is a cesspool of corruption and debauchery, but for others the cosmopolitan lifestyle represents what could be: a peaceful global society. The ideal of creating a culture where everyone can fit in fills some folks with hope. 

Characters raised in the cosmopolitan culture share a variety of traits in common with one another. 

Discreetly Armed. Even while armed, you know how to keep the fact discreet and nonthreatening. You gain an expertise die on checks made to persuade others to let you remain armed or to conceal weapons or items about your person.

Fashion Sense. You know how to read people through their clothes and bearing. After you spend at least 1 minute observing a creature within 60 feet, you can use an action to make either an Insight or History check against a DC equal to the creature’s passive Deception check score. On a success, you learn the following information about that creature:

• Whether the creature has a lower Charisma score than yourself.
• The creature’s culture and national origin (if any).
• The creature’s social standing in the local majority culture. 

Skill Versatility. In the big city, you never know what skills you’ll need to get by. You gain proficiency in Culture and one other skill of your choice. 

Urban Denizen. You know your way around big cities, and know how to find people in urban locations. You can make an Investigation check to learn the location of (or at the Narrator’s discretion gain a helpful clue to the trail of) a person by discreetly asking around in the right places. The difficulty of the check is DC 15 if the individual is not hiding, or DC 20 if they are trying to conceal their location.

Well-Connected. You gain an extra connection, selected from a background of your choice. This person is of a different heritage or national origin than yourself. 

Languages. You can speak, read, write, and sign in Common and two additional languages. 

Sometimes a village, farm, or city becomes a hub of new ideas and innovations in knowledge and technology. Other times, great institutes of learning arise, universities and colleges where one can spend their entire life in study. Those from these learned communities are renowned for their ability to apply their intellect to their field of expertise.

Characters raised in the collegiate culture share a variety of traits in common with one another. 

Philosophic Mind. Your rationale shields your psyche occasionally. Once between long rests , at the start of your turn you can suppress the effects of an enchantment spell you are under for 1 round as your logic overrides it.

Practiced Artisan. You are proficient with calligrapher’s supplies and two other artisan's tools.

Studied Discipline. You have extensive knowledge in certain fields. For all skill proficiencies gained through this trait, you always choose which ability score to use for these rolls (Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma). Choose one of the following:

Architecture: You gain proficiency in Engineering. You can use a bonus action to intuitively identify the weight-bearing wall or pillars of a structure, dealing double damage against it with your next weapon attack. Alternatively, you can double the hit points a structure regains from the next action you or an ally take to repair it.

Engineering: You gain proficiency in Engineering, and you gain an expertise die on checks made to fix or take apart mechanical mechanisms. You also gain an expertise die on checks and saving throws made against environmental damage from structural changes and collapse.

Fine Arts: You gain proficiency in Performance. In addition, choose one artisan's tool you are proficient with. You gain an expertise die on checks made using that tool.

Magic: You gain proficiency in Arcana. In addition, at 3rd level, you can cast detect magic once per long rest . Your spellcasting ability for this spell is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (whichever is highest).

Mathematics: You gain proficiency in Engineering.  In addition, once between rests, you can spend a full uninterrupted minute observing an environment, at the end of which you can use the Ricochet combat maneuver without spending exertion. 

Medicine: You gain proficiency in Medicine. You gain an expertise die when identifying disease and poison, or doing small field surgeries and triage.

Sciences: Pick two skills from Arcana, History, Nature, and Religion. You gain proficiency with the two skills.

Languages. You can speak, read, write, and sign Common and three additional languages. 

Circusfolk value wit, surprise, and daring which they display in both their lifestyle and their folktales. While some communities are found in villages and insular neighborhoods, they are most famous for their traveling carnivals. These troupes often began as just a handful of entrepreneuring entertainers but blossomed into big top circuses with caravans complete with support staff, spouses, and new family members. Orphans, runaways, and misfits of all heritages find a new family among circusfolk. 

The circusfolk oral tradition is exceedingly rich and best known for its trickster characters. These mythological trickster-heroes are numerous and diverse—some never fail, others undermine their successes through their own folly. They all turn the world upside down. A circusfolk storyteller’s excellence is judged not by their perfect recall but by their improvisation and engagement with the audience. All this reveals the unspoken message of circusfolk stories: anything can change. 

Characters raised in the circusfolk culture share a variety of traits in common with one another. 

Rapid Escape. You can use the Disengage action as a bonus action. 

Slapstick. You are proficient with improvised weapons, and improvised weapons you use can deal 1d6 damage rather than the damage they normally deal. You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your improvised weapons. 

Trickster’s Veil. You can cast disguise self once per long rest. Your spellcasting ability for this spell is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (whichever is highest). 

Languages. You can speak, read, write, and sign Common.

Sometimes societies are overturned by war and conflict, and there isn’t always a homeland to return to once the war is over. Refugees with nowhere to go often go nowhere together, forming great roaming caravans. They travel along the migratory routes of wild animal herds, or from city to city as travelling merchants, or to cities unafraid of a few hundred or a few thousand travelers suddenly arriving on their doorsteps. 

With no land to call their own the caravans make the roads their home. Wagons and carts are loaded up with everything that made their homeland theirs, songs herald their arrival, and colorful pennants wave behind them as they go. It can be an appealing lifestyle, and quite often runaways escape on caravans. Caravan life can be harsh, but it is still a life of adventure on the open road. 

Characters raised in the caravanner culture share a variety of traits in common with one another. 

Caravanner. Long hauls require steady handling of a wagon and a good rapport with the pack animals. You are proficient with the Animal Handling skill and with land vehicles. 

Long Hauler. Sometimes riding in a caravan means enduring long hours and harsh weather. You have proficiency in the Survival skill. In addition, you have advantage on saving throws made to avoid fatigue from a forced march.

Mobile Living. You can create a ramshackle version of a cart or wagon with 30 minutes of work if you have access to raw or reclaimed materials. Ramshackle vehicles created in this way function identically to their normal counterparts, except their gold piece value is always 0, they have half as many hit points as their normal counterparts, and they break and become useless if they are hit by any attack roll with a result of natural 20. 

Trampling Charge. Caravanners have learned to bowl down obstacles in their way. When you or a mount you’re riding uses the Dash action or a vehicle you’re driving uses the Ahead Full action, you can move through spaces occupied by creatures with a size category smaller than you, or your mount, or the vehicle. Creatures moved through in this way must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your Dexterity modifier + your proficiency bonus). On a failed save, creatures are knocked prone and take an amount of bludgeoning damage equal to your level. Creatures cannot be damaged twice from the same trampling charge. Once you use this trait, you cannot do so again until you finish a short or long rest .

Languages. You can speak, read, sign, and write Common and one other language.