The Races of the World

The world is a big place, with many races and species inhabiting it. Many are so old that no one really remembers their origins, others are shrouded in myth. 

Human

The Human Race for Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) Fifth Edition (5e) - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com)

Humans empires rise and fall. Humans are the empire builders, the conquerors, the freedom fighters, the groups of people who band together to accomplish the greatest things the world has ever seen. Or at least, that's the level of self-importance the rest of the world perceives humanity to have. There's no doubt that throughout history, Humans have built empires, advanced magic, and done great things - but their reputation for hubris and arrogance have often brought about the fall of those very empires, or the loss of that advanced magic. 

Obviously, you can't paint an entire race with a single brush, and humanity is perhaps the most diverse of them all. While "humanity first" may be an attitude shared by large groups of people, even nations, it's often the case that individuals have varied and nuanced feelings about the big issues of the day. 

Firbolg

The Firbolg Race for Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) Fifth Edition (5e) - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com)

Not much is known about the Firbolg's origins on the material plane. While the origins and deeds of all the races are hallowed in the Loreforge, such knowledge has long since been forgotten in mortal realms. 

Firbolgs live alone or in small family units, and they often prefer the wilds to city life. This lifestyle is necessary for a couple of reasons: Firbolgs are one of the most sought after races by slavers. Their size and strength makes them a target by people who prize such things. But even many respectable townfolk give Firbolgs a wide berth - fearing them as giants, or half giants, or some such ignorant nonsense. 

However, many Firbolgs are gentle, and kind, and care about the world around them. For the lucky few from other races who form bonds with one - they will find few better friends in life. 

Kenku

The Kenku Race for Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) Fifth Edition (5e) - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com)

The Kenku are an odd race. One legend has it that they are the keepers and the guides of the dead in Malakar, the Lord of the Night 's realm. That over time, they heard so many stories, so many voices that they became expert mimics. In that same legend, it's that one wise Kenku declared "there is nothing new under the sun or the moon" and that was the last original thing the Kenku ever created as a species. 

Another legend says that they were once the messengers of Tharok, the Allfather - Giant God, carrying prayers to the All Father, and delivering his responses. Over time, it's said that they got so good at carrying those prayers that they began speaking them in the voices of those who originated them. 

There is only one thing that all of the legends agree on. At some point, they rebelled against their station. The gods stripped them of their wings, and cursed them, binding them to their mimicry so that no creative spark could ever burn in their souls again. 

It is prophesied that one day a Kenku will atone for their rebellion, and will create something new. Many Kenku, in search of being that one, have gone into creative professions in their youth, only to create things that have already been created before. How frustrating must it be to write what you believe is an absolute masterpiece, only to be accused of plagiarism by five other writers. Or write the perfect song which sounds so much like last tavern's hit that you are booed out of the tavern. So, often those same Kenku turn to professions before long where their mimicry is an advantage.

One quirk of most Kenku - they tend to refer to themselves in third person. No one really knows why. 

Aasimar

The Aasimar Race for Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) Fifth Edition (5e) - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com)

The Aasimar are a race, yes, but it's probably more appropriate to consider them celestial-touched mortals. An aasimar can be created in two ways. If a celestial being mates with a mortal, it will infuse that celestial's essence into that bloodline. Their direct child will be an aasimar, and each generation afterwards will have a decreasing chance of being born an aasimar. If two aasimar have a child together, that child will be born an aasimar. This is the most common source of aasimar's in the world. 

The rarer method is if a celestial and mortal fuse some portion of their souls together up to and including becoming a single being. 

To have an aasimar child is considered a great blessing. 

Usually an aasimar will live relatively normal lives in their societies. However, every aasimar child hears tales of mad wizards who take children like them and use their blood for profane rituals. And once in a great while, those tales come true. 

Tiefling

The Tiefling Race for Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) Fifth Edition (5e) - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com)

Tieflings are similar in origin to the aasimar, but their heritage comes from fiends. However, their lives are often very different. While having an aasimar child is often considered a blessing, to have a tiefling child is often considered a curse. 

Because of this, it's far more common for tieflings to band together and form small communities. While you might think that being often rejected by one's parents would lead to having a negative or cynical view in life, a tiefling is just as likely to be full of joy and free from the normal expectations of familial baggage.

Bugbear

The Bugbear Race for Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) Fifth Edition (5e) - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com)

Bugbears range in reputation from those bands of ambushers on the road to cruel slave traders, and there is no doubt that they are often considered an 'evil' race by ignorant folk from 'civilized' society. However, while they do have a tendency to be selfish beings, they are by no means inherently evil. In fact, even their selfishness tends to be a response to how they are treated by society. Every bugbear has a story of hurt and rejection, if you are kind and persistent enough to find it.

Bugbears tend to live in small family units. Each family unit has a profession passed down through generations - their strength and ability to be unusually stealthy for their size makes professions like banditry attractive. These family units are loud, fight frequently, but they are always there for each other when push comes to shove. Because if you don't have family, what do you have in an otherwise cruel world?

Changelings

The Changeling Race for Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) Fifth Edition (5e) - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com)

There are few races as feared and hated as the changelings by civilized society. While modern societies like Tura have guaranteed equal rights for all races - including changelings, and while changelings can live open lives as who they are, they face a constant threat of harassment, fetishizing, and even violence against them. 

Because they are so feared, how they even exist isn't really known. It has to be something in their bloodline, but no one really knows what or how. What is known is that changelings, even in societies where they do not have to, tend to hide who they are their entire lives. Many are taught at an early age to create a persona that fits in, choosing a race, gender, etc. and assuming that identity throughout their lives. 

For changelings who reject that, they are often find the most success in the brothels as prostitutes - fulfilling the desires of the rich and powerful - or as thieves and assassins. The later of which doesn't help their reputation much. 

Because of their traumatic experiences and desire to hide, they often live in the largest of cities, trying to blend in anonymously so no one notices them, remembers them, or cares about them. 

Elves

The Elf Race for Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) Fifth Edition (5e) - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com)

They're old, very old. By legend, they are the oldest of the races, the firstborn to walk under the stars. This has given them a somewhat timeless perspective - even though they are still mortals. 

They live secluded in their grand halls and beautiful cities in many places with little apparent care for the troubles or delights of the world. Their cities rarely appear on maps, and you could walk right past the front gates without even realizing it. By general convention, they are granted rights of self-rule when their cities are inside the borders of a human kingdom - because it has never worked out well for an invading force trying to subdue them. 

However, should you ever find yourself in an elvish city, they are known as having some of the best hospitality of any city you will ever visit. However, violate that hospitality, and you may just find the world a colder and more formidable place than it was before. 

Dwarves

The Dwarf Race for Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) Fifth Edition (5e) - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com)

Dwarves are dwarves. They are almost as old as elves. Though don't mention that elves came first, because they dispute that through and through. Dwarves live in mountain halls, and out of all the primary civilizations, tend to stick to their own society the most. Their kingdoms borders tend to be measured underground. Because of that, you might have a dwarven kingdom which overlaps several other kingdoms without any conflict or strife. Their halls in some cases go so deep that they cross channels of the world's oceans - and it's even said that there is no land which the dwarves do not have a path to. 

Most surface dwellers know of the nearest dwarven city, but few know how deep or how wide their kingdoms are past that, and few tales are ever told of the wars and adventures dwarven folk undertake in the deep places of the earth. 

Halflings

The Halfling Race for Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) Fifth Edition (5e) - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com)

As long as anyone can remember, halflings and humans have lived side by side. While humanity seeks glory and conquest, halflings seek comfortable lives with the happiness of home and family. They've built societies alongside humans, but not in search of greatness, but in search of a place to call home. 

Even the most xenophobic of humans sees halflings as one of their own, and their kindness to strangers has garnered them goodwill with all free peoples.