Character creation essentials

Guide & Lore

Before you build a character, choose where they come from and what place they held in society. This page keeps only the minimum needed to choose a nation and a background.

Rivalorie Driadalisian Empire Arugosy Prerogative Commonwealth Pravalor Elexia Lavanie Okron Empire Duelo

How the classless system works

Dragon's Grasp does not ask you to choose a class first. Your character begins as a person with a race, a nation, a background, equipment, relationships, and goals. Their identity grows through the abilities they learn during play, and only later does their discipline become clear. For now, the important choices are simple: choose a nation of origin, then choose a social background.

Nine Nations

Every character must come from one of these nations. Your nation shapes starting equipment, cultural identity, and how the world may react to you.

Rivalorian

Rivalorie

Human capital of the world

Prosperous, artistic, deeply tied to the teachings of The One, and watched over by the House of Order.

Identity

Most commonly human, though all peoples are represented, especially among the higher classes.
Citizens are expected to have no criminal record or unresolved debt.
Common folk value art, celebration, farming, storytelling, and public respectability.

Origin Benefits

You receive a holy symbol of The One.
You receive a traveler's backpack with extra carrying capacity.
You receive a profession book that lets the character begin with level 3 in a craft.
You receive the required tools for that craft.
You receive a Rivalorian identification document.
You receive advantage on Rivalorian history, territory, and politics.

You receive all of these

Rivalorians do not choose between these benefits; the origin package includes them together.

Holy Symbol of The One

A sacred focus connected to The One, useful for characters who want faith, social recognition, or divine themes in their story.

Profession Book and Tools

A practical start for a craft-focused character, giving them an established trade from day one.

Driadalisian

The Driadalisian Empire

The elven alliance beyond the bladed mountains

An unlikely high elf and drow alliance that has tamed perilous lands and turned beast mastery into a point of pride.

Identity

Most commonly elven, drow, underdark-born, or culturally tied to those peoples.
Darkvision is likely.
No elf in Dragon's Grasp is older than 250 years because of the world's young mysterious history.

Origin Benefits

You receive a shard of obsidian glassblade from the homeland.
Choose one: an animal companion or a high quality weapon (+1).
You receive a Driadalisian hearth emblem as identification.
You receive the Undercommon tongue.
You receive advantage on Driadalisian history, territory, and politics.

Choose one origin reward

Driadalisian characters choose between the companion and the weapon; the other listed benefits are received automatically.

Driadalisian Animal Companion

A trained beast companion that travels and fights beside the character without taking an ability slot.

High Quality Weapon (+1)

A clean martial option for characters who want their origin to show in combat immediately.

Arugosy or Arugousian

Arugosy

The mending wanderers

Nomadic healers crossing the sea of sand on city-sized striders, devoted to repair, generosity, and useful knowledge.

Identity

No strict race limitation, though loxodon and tabaxi are strongly associated with the desert striders.
They disapprove of cruel or unethical methods, even when the result seems useful.
Their wandering kings act only when in perfect agreement.

Origin Benefits

You receive an expanded, reinforced, concealable, heavier waterskin.
You receive an improved medicine kit.
You receive Survival proficiency.
You receive a Royal sand strider signal runestone as identification.
You receive a portable sail wing strider.
You receive advantage on Arugosian history, territory, and politics.

You receive all of these

Arugosy characters receive the support tools and the sail wing strider together.

Portable Sail Wing Strider

A living-wood contraption that can deploy as a shield or personal riding device, excelling in wind, sand, water, and soft ground.

Improved Medicine Kit

A strong support identity for characters who want to heal, repair, and survive harsh travel.

Citizen of the Commonwealth

The Prerogative Commonwealth

Sailors, traders, mercenaries, and pirates

A money-driven sea power ruled by companies, bands, private deals, and the terrifying influence of Grand Commander Antiveros.

Identity

No strict race limitation; even monstrous origins can fit here.
Lawful people exist, but this culture makes life difficult for them.
Others often distrust Commonwealth citizens once they know where they are from.

Origin Benefits

You probably have a criminal record, wanted or not.
You receive five concealed rations.
You receive a family signet ring, company contract, or band tattoo as identification.
Choose one: a shoddy shotgun or a grappling hook.
You receive advantage on Commonwealth lore, controlled seas, and politics.

Choose one origin tool

Commonwealth characters choose between the shotgun and the grappling hook; the reputation, rations, identification, and lore advantage come with the origin.

Salt Grinder Shotgun

A devastating but unreliable short-range firearm for a reckless sea-born character.

Grappling Hook Bracer

A swashbuckling tool for movement, escapes, climbing, and grabbing small objects at a distance.

Pravalorian

Pravalor

Plateau kingdom of pride and contest

A tortle and halfling alliance built on contests, peace, food, craft, democratic knights, and surprisingly terrifying battlefield teamwork.

Identity

Usually tortles or halflings, or someone adopted into their society and likely discriminated against at home.
Lawful is common; chaotic is rare.
Many Pravalorians take pride in a great deed done by them or their family.

Origin Benefits

Choose one: a shell shield or a dog saddle with a great mastiff companion.
You receive a high quality pipe, musical instrument, or decorative fashion item.
You receive a medal of pride with inscriptions as identification.
You receive a climber's kit and climbing proficiency.
You receive advantage on Pravalorian history, territory, and politics.

Choose one pride reward

Pravalorian characters choose between the shield and the mastiff saddle package; the remaining benefits come with the origin.

Shell Shield

A treasured defensive shield with personal heritage and long-term upgrade potential.

Pravalorian Great Mastiff and Doggy Saddle

A loyal companion and mount option, especially charming for small characters.

Elexian

Elexia

Copper, steel, and scientific progress

A young, advanced republic that values proof, invention, research, education, and carefully guarded technology.

Identity

Usually elven, dwarven, gnomish, goblin-descended, or another minority raised inside the city.
Alignment matters less than what can be proven, but crime is still punished.
Elexians often respect titles, discoveries, doctorates, and research more than anecdote.

Origin Benefits

Choose one technology package: flintlock pistol or wrist crossbow with ammunition-making knowledge, or one Elexian support unit.
You receive an apprentice identification document naming a field of knowledge.
You receive proficiency in one knowledge skill: arcana, animal handling, history, nature, or medicine.
You receive advantage on Elexian history, territory, and politics.

Choose one technology package

Elexian characters choose either a weapon package or one support unit; the identification, skill proficiency, and lore advantage come with the origin.

Flintlock Pistol or Wrist Crossbow

Choose a technological weapon: loud blackstone firearm power or silent collapsible wrist utility, with the knowledge to make and maintain ammunition.

Elexian Support Unit

Choose one tiny construct companion: self preservation, surgeon, or reconnaissance.

Lavanian

Lavanie

The queendom of black marvel and red banners

A dangerous volcanic homeland claimed by tieflings, dream-led exiles, genie legacy, and a new economy eager to meet the world.

Identity

Most commonly tieflings.
Alignment is irrelevant.
Lavanians usually reject discrimination and are seen as exotic outside their borders.

Origin Benefits

You receive an ornate crown, medallion, or upper arm bracelet decorated with gems.
You receive lava resistance.
You receive a Lavanian lamp amulet of heat or cold.
You receive advantage on Lavanian history, territory, and politics.

You receive all of these

Lavanians receive the jewelry, resistance, lamp amulet, and lore advantage together.

Genie Lamp Amulet

A small lamp-shaped amulet tied to fire or cold, minor wishes, and the legacy of Queen Dodelain.

Lava Resistance

A homeland benefit that marks the character as someone shaped by the dark wastes.

Okronian

The Okron Empire

Dwarven crystal and goliath marshland strength

A northern empire joining ancient dwarven mountain culture with centaur-riding goliath power under a symbolic royal bloodline.

Identity

Usually dwarves, underdark dwellers, goliaths, centaurs, or related peoples.
Alignment is open, though capital dwarves are often lawful.
Okronians tend to know many people at home and fewer outside it.

Origin Benefits

You receive a ring or pendant with one large gem.
You receive Perception proficiency.
You receive a bullseye lamp charged with an eternal glowshard and a large knapsack.
Choose one: a magical cape or a magical pickaxe.
You receive advantage on Okronian history, territory, and politics.

Choose one imperial relic

Okronian characters choose between the cloak and the pickaxe; the gem, lamp, knapsack, proficiency, and lore advantage come with the origin.

Cloak of the Mists

A heavy mistbound cloak connected to cold resistance and battlefield concealment.

Prospector's Dwarven Pickaxe

A brutal tool-weapon that can help find valuable ore and expresses the empire's mining legacy.

Duelorian

Duelo

The Estoc and the art of the duel

A half-elven and half-orcish kingdom of strict manners, annual champions, craftsmanship, music, art, and ritualized combat.

Identity

Most commonly half-breeds, though anyone can join their ranks.
Alignment is open, but lawful is likely.
Duelorians value new skills, clean looks, good manners, and extreme personal rules.

Origin Benefits

You receive a beautifully decorated concealable dagger, handaxe, or whip with symbolic value.
You receive advantage on combat-oriented insight and perception.
You receive high quality armor or weapon of choice, summonable after a long rest and fully repaired.
You receive advantage on Duelorian history, territory, and politics.

You receive all of these

Duelorians receive both the bound gear and combat insight as part of the origin package.

Bound Weapon or Armor +1

A reliable signature weapon or armor choice that returns repaired after rest.

Combat Insight

A non-slot ability representing Duelorian training in reading opponents during combat.

Social Standing Background

After nation, choose how you lived before the campaign. This sets starting gold, proficiencies, social expectations, and how people treat you.

Noble

Property, education, and inherited expectations

Your family owned property and you received a proper education. Others expect refinement from you, and your family name may open doors or create obligations.

Initial gold increases by 1d10 gp.
Learn two additional languages.
Proficiency in history, arcana, and investigation.
One extra proficiency of any kind, chosen by you.
Fine clothing bearing your family signet or shield.
Backstory dependent: eventual inheritance of property and/or title.

Civilian

A craft, normal roots, and practical survival

Your family may have owned property, but education was not affordable, so a trade or craft shaped your life instead.

Initial gold increases by 1d8 gp.
Learn one additional language.
Choose a profession; it begins at level 3.
Proficiency in survival, animal handling and athletics.
One extra proficiency of any kind, chosen by you.
Normal clothing and the starting tool for your profession.

Deprived

No safety net, hard skills, and debts to outrun

If your parents raised you, they had nothing. You survived by learning useful expertise and by navigating places polite society pretends not to see.

Initial gold increases by 1d6 gp, and debt to the law increases by 1d4 gp.
Learn thieves' cant, but only enough to read or interpret it, not write it.
Proficiency in sleight of hand, stealth and acrobatics.
One extra proficiency of any kind, chosen by you.
Choose one skill expertise.
You own no proper clothing; your rags barely count.