Gemkine, a Kindred, for Dungeons & Dragons (5E)

Those outside of Gemkine culture tend to see them as full of contradictions, the Gemkine are clannish and standoffish, yet mercantile and outgoing.  They are traditionalists who stick to the way their ancestors did things and yet they are the force of innovation in building a new world of machines and practical improvements.  But like all people, we do not see our nature as contradictory.

We love our extended families and honor our clan but we enjoy traveling the world and meeting people, yes, and selling useful things to them as well.  What we make is well-made, durable, and functional, it helps us to sell it and proves useful to the buyer, the world is made better in these small ways.

We rely on the wisdom, work, and knowledge of those who have gone before us, we build upon what they have learned.  We do not rush blindly toward new ideas and inventions, rather we test them against the old ways and ultimately adopt the one that performs best, it is through hundreds of incremental improvements that progress happens . . . usually.

–Thoughts on My People by Dia (unpublished).

Gemkine

The Gemkine, and their cousins the Metalkine, were created by the Lords and Ladies of Crystal and Metal who shaped the first of them from gems and metals, working tirelessly to make them them perfect in their eyes.  When they breathed life into their creations, it took their divine spark from the Ladies and Lords of Crystal and Metal to animate their children and they became mortal to live alongside them until they grew old and passed from the world.  So, while the Gemkine worshiped other gods as well, until the gods were cast down, their primary faith has been ancestor worship leading back to the very beings that created them.  This ancestor worship has not changed even under Dragonrule indeed it may have even been strengthed by the loss of other faiths.

The Gemkine are solid and stout people, well suited to both hardship and hard work, they are hardy of body and mind.  Their makers crafted them well.  To those who have not met one of the Gemkine before, their hair and eyes are often shockingly colorful, as they embody the gems of their namesakes, with Amethyst Clan members having purple hair and deep violet eyes, while the bright green hair and sparking moss green eyes can be no less concerting, the nearly colorless pale hair of the Diamond clan and with piercing ice blue eye seem muted by comparison.  Gemkine men are often exceptionally proud of their beards and braid and decorate them occasionally to an absurd degree (this is more common to Gemkine who spend a great deal of time traveling away from their home), Gemkine women are no less proud of their hair and have a well-deserved stereotype for seeking hair decorations and new hairstyles.

The Gemkine are organized in vast clans under one gemstone, such as the Ruby or Diamond, while non-Gemkine can become part of the clan, it is a difficult task but once achieved they are treated as full members in all things.  Gemkine from other Clans are occasionally adopted or married into a Clan where, apart from their coloration, they are considered to be one of their new Clan.  When Gemkine from different Gem lineages have children together, the coloration of the children usually follows one or the other of their parents (boys usually favoring the father and girls the mother) but, exceedingly rarely, a child is born with “banded coloration” mixing the two.  There are rituals and diets that a family can follow to increase the chance of a child falling into one coloration or another and for those who have joined a clan, they are usually followed (there is a great deal of social pressure for this in fact, it is even worse for non-Gemkine).

While the Gemkine seek to be self-sufficient they have demands for many things, food especially, that is difficult to produce in their underground fastnesses.  So, they have become great merchants trading hardwearing and well-made tools for what they need, that the tools make it easier for the people to produce food more efficiently is a benefit to both sides.

Gemkine Traits

Your Gemkine character has a number of traits in common with all other Gemkine.

Ability Score Increase. The durability and endurance of the Gemkine borders on legendary and many do their best to live up to that reputation.  (Taking +2 to Constitution is common.)

Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet and this is not slowed by heavy armor.

Age. The Gemkine age more slowly after reaching puberty and there is a cultural basis toward the elders so a Clan member may not be legally treated as an adult until they are in their forties or fifties.  The Gemkine toughness is reflected in their lifespan which can easily reach three hundred or even four hundred years if an accident or violence does not cut it short.

Alignment. The Gemkine usually grows up with a deeply traditional mindset which may, or may not, be opened upon meeting with outsiders and their travels (if any).  Loyalty to your family and Clan is expected and those who fail to show loyalty and respect to both can expect a swift exile at best.  A counter-current of seeking better and more efficient ways of doing things is constantly having to route around deep-seated conservatism.

Size. The Gemkine tend to be solid of build and notable less than the average person in height, there is no significant difference in height between women and men in the Gemkine.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write the Gemkine language, possibly scattered with technical terms from your upbringing and the Imperial Tongue.  The Gemkine language seeks technical precision and clarity but each Clan has drifted into its own dialect.

Darkvision. The Gemkine spend much of their time away from the Sun, underground or in workshops, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You cannot discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Iron Blood. Toxins and poisons from the environment or creatures have less effect on the resilient Gemkine.  You have advantage on saving throws against poison and you have resistance against poison damage.

Raised to Work. A young Gemkine is expected to turn their hand to the maintenance and creation of things.  You gain proficiency with the artisan’s tools of your choice.

Revere the Makers. Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin of stonework or metal tools or items, you are considered proficient in the History skill.  If it is something you have specialized knowledge of, you add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.

Makers

You embraced the path of the making, with forge and tool, skill and hard work. your family makes beautiful and practical things, will you follow in that path or find your own.

Ability Score Increase.  Those who grow up among the craftspeople and builders learn to keep their focus and work long hours.  (Taking +1 to Wisdom is common.)

Guild Militia Duty: You have been trained in a variety of weapons for the defense of your guild and city (often a heavy crossbow and a polearm).

Skilled Artisan. You gain proficiency in a set of artisan tools of your choice or expertise in a set of tools you already have proficiency in.

Merchants

You have spent years on ships and the road as an apprentice merchant learning the ins and outs of trade and transactions.

Ability Score Increase.  Merchants rely on both knowledge and charm to expand their markets.  (Taking +1 to Intelligence or Charisma is common.)

Caravan Guard: You have learned to use weapons to aid in keeping the caravans and ships safe from attack.  (Usually proficiency in crossbows and occasionally a hand weapon as well.)

Practical Skills.  Gain proficiency in one of: Animal Handling, Investigation, Persuasion, or with a vehicle type of your choice.

Traveler.  You have visited many places in your travels and you have mastered the language of one of them.

Wardens

Your family lives on the edge of a Clan’s clan, defending it from hostile powers, raiders, or monsters (or all of them) so you have become tough and unyielding to hold the line.

Ability Score Increase.  Those who guard are often forced to value strength over other things.  (Taking a +1 to Strength is common.)

Armed.  The wardens are all trained to be able to defend themselves from a variety of threats.  (They are usually proficient in all crossbows, the short sword, and one or two weapons of particular use in their region.)

Indomitable.  The wardens are renowned for fighting to their last breath.  Your hit point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level.

Notes: The Gemkine are, obviously, the analog to D&D-esque dwarves in the Sea of Stars.  I thought it was odd that the default abilities of the sub-groups of dwarves in the SRD were all combat-oriented so I added a bit more flexibility while still leaving an option for those who wanted a combat-focused Gemkine.

This builds off of this piece Gemkine and Dwarves but I thought I would move to a complete writeup for them.  I am sure there is something I am missing that I will have to add in and if you have any questions, just ask.

Upper image from Epic Dwarves by Peipp, Lower image Dwarf with mount 01 by LeonardsVuskarnieks both found on Deviant Art and both used under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives Works 3.0 License.