4. Country of Origin

Within The World of Vala, your country of origin is of significant importance. It may define several aspects of your character, including proficiency, attributes, and inherited abilities. As you begin the journey of creating your character, pay extra attention to how their origins may impact them throughout your adventures. While the World of Vala is a vast world of magic and wonder, players can only create characters from the large continent of Matu. Each of these eight countries is integral to the lore of the World of Vala and welcomes players to immerse themselves in the culture that presents itself. Players can choose between Alexandria, Hellion, Ikarus, Kirin, Luloba, Nocterra, Thera, and Verdun. The following table showcases the traits that you get from selecting your country of origin. If you would like to know more about your country, click here.

• Alexandria, the City of Academia

  • Traits: The following are traits that a player would get if they are from Alexandria.

    • Attributes. If players choose Alexandria as their nation of origin, they will receive +1 to Intelligence and a +1 to Wisdom.

    • Danger Sense. Do to your time in a spirit heavy environment the natural defense of a spirit covers your body. while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Intelligence modifier + your Wisdom modifier.

    • Spiritual Possession. Growing up in the spirit saturated Alexandria has normalized a lifelong connection to spirits. you can use your action to enter a trance and allow a spirit to possess your body, giving you the abilities and mana pool of the spirit. You can use this trait twice. You regain expended uses when you finish a short or long rest. Your level determines the spirit that can posses you. If you attempt to let a spirit in that is a higher level than you, you run the risk of destroying your body instantly. You can maintain the possession by a number of minutes equal to half your level (rounded up.) You can also end the possession with a bonus action in your turn. You automatically end the possession if you fall to 0 hit points or die.

• Hellion, the Pride of Fire

  • Traits: The following are traits that a player would get if they are from Hellion.

    • Attributes. If players choose Hellion as their nation of origin, they will receive +1 to Dexterity and Strength.

    • City Guard. Being trained in the city guard has taught you how to pick out trouble before it starts. You gain a +1 to Initiative, and you are always able to act during the surprise round and drawing a weapon is a free action for you during that round.

    • Scout. Keen eyes and ears have served you well in your military service. You gain a +1 to Perception.

    • Jungle Patrol. You served your two years in the Jungles between cities, keeping bandits and large predators down. You gain a +1 to Strength or Dexterity.

    • Military Training. Due to your military training, you are proficient in one weapon of choice.

• Ikarus, the Underground

  • Traits: The following are traits that a player would get if they are from Ikarus.

    • Attributes. If players choose Ikarus as their nation of origin, they will receive +2 to Dexterity.

    • Body of Diamond. When unarmored your Armor Class is equal to 12 + your Dexterity modifier.

    • Hibernation. You can enter a catatonic state of hibernation. During this time, you and any items on your person are considered Petrified. You can hibernate indefinitely and can end the hibernation as an action.

    • Sense of Direction. You always know how far and in what direction you have traveled and can gauge the time to within 1 hour. These benefits apply even while hibernating

    • Crystalline Darkvision. You can see in dim light and darkness out to a radius of 60 feet as though it was bright light.

• Kirin, the Land of Storms

  • Traits: The following are traits that a player would get if they are from Kirin.

    • Attributes. If players choose Kirin as their nation of origin, they can receive +1 to Strength andConstitution or they may select the trait “Kirin’s Finest.”

    • Kirin’s Finest. You were given a Kirin Horse at a young age and taught to care for it. You start with a combat trained Kirin Horse.

    • Kirin Militia. You served in the local militia and defended your settlement with honor. You start with either a free short bow or short sword. Additionally, you gain a +1 bonus to all attacks and combat maneuvers made with that weapon.

    • Born in the Saddle. You are adept at riding and performing daring stunts while mounted on a creature you gain a +1 bonus to Acrobatics when dealing with your mount.

    • Riding Shank’s Mare. For whatever reason you spent a great deal of your life walking in rough terrain. As a result, you can ignore the movement penalty of either rocky difficult terrain or thick underbrush for the 1st 5ft of difficult terrain per round. Additionally, you gain a +2 bonus to Survival while on the open plains.

• Luloba, the Shining Star of Vala

  • Traits: The following are traits that a player would get if they are from Luloba.

    • Attributes. If players choose Luloba as their nation of origin, they will receive +2 to Charisma.

    • Wolf’s Dream. When asleep Lulobians do not dream normally, their mind enters the Plane of Dreams. They can travel this plane. Here the Golden Eyes can join and speak with any wolves that are asleep as well.

    • Danger Sense. You gain an uncanny sense of when things nearby aren’t as they should be, giving you an edge when you dodge away from danger. You have advantage on Dexterity saving throws against effects that you can see, such as traps and Spells. To gain this benefit, you can’t be Blinded, Deafened, or Incapacitated.

    • Wolf Speak. You gain the ability to speak with wolves.

    • Howl. When not in a town or city a Lulobian can let out a powerful howl twice between a short or long rest to ask for aid from local wolves.

• Spheris, the Duchy of the Sky

  • Traits: The following are traits that a player would get if they are from Spheris.

    • Attributes. If players choose Spheris as their nation of origin, they will receive +1 to Charisma and Dexterity.

    • Gladiator. You have practiced in the arena. Your training and your struggles have taught you how to survive combat and how to win the support of the crowd. Select one of the following skills: Acrobatics, Performance, or Perception. You gain a +1 trait bonus to this skill.

    • One for Many. You have learned how to fight and live in cramped conditions. Aid Another actions grant your allies a +4 bonus; additionally, you begin play with a free short sword and gain +1 to all attacks and combat maneuvers made with such weapons.

    • Unseen. The art of being unobtrusive as you go about your assigned tasks was rigorously drilled into you. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Stealth checks. This trait bonus increases to +2 in cities areas.

• Nocterra, the Dominion of Darkness

  • Traits: The following are traits that a player would get if they are from Nocterra.

    • Night Hunter. You gain a +1 attack bonus in darkness.

    • Giant Killer. When a Large or larger creature within 5 feet of you hits or misses you with an attack, you can use your reaction to attack that creature immediately after its attack, provided that you can see the creature.

    • Nanite Surge. If wearing MagiTech clothes inhabitants from the Land of the Dead can use the magical nanites within their clothes that can be used to repair any damage they sustain. As a bonus action, you may set these nanites to work and regain 1d6 + Wisdom Modifier in hit points. The hit points increase to 2d6 at 6th level, 3d6 at 11th level, and 4d6 at 16th level.

• Thera, the Empire of the Southern Sea

  • Traits: The following are traits that a player would get if they are from Thera.

    • Attributes. If players choose Thera as their nation of origin, they will receive +2 to Wisdom.

    • Oceanrunner. You may walk over water as if it were solid ground, as well as dive below, gaining a swim speed equal to your land speed.

    • Marine Recovery. If you complete a short rest while fully submerged in water throughout, you can regain extra hit points equal to your level.

    • Deep Diver. You are well-adapted to the harsh, cold environments of ocean depths. You have resistance to cold damage.

    • Sea Adaption. You can breathe underwater and gain a pair of gills.

    • Child of the Sea. You have inherited the affinity for the sea. You gain an additional 30ft to your swim speed.

• Verdun, the Scourge of the Sea

  • Traits: The following are traits that a player would get if they are from Verdun.

    • Attributes. If players choose Verdun as their nation of origin, they will receive +1 to Strength, +1 to Charisma, and a +1 to Dexterity.

    • Certain Death. As you feel the cold approach of death, your adrenaline pumps, your focus narrows, and you both know one of you won’t be coming out of this alive. If you are below 1/3 of your maximum health, any enemy you are dueling takes double the bonus dueling damage from your attacks, they cannot gain advantage against you, and your attacks against them cannot be at a disadvantage. Neither your target nor you may take reactions against any targets but each other. Should the enemy you’re dueling die or begin dying, dueling immediately ends, you regain HP equal to your class level, and if you were the one that put them into that state, you regain an additional 5 HP.