So about four years ago I played a game with some online friends called Dawn of Worlds. It’s all about worldbuilding and collectively creating an entire fantasy setting, and it was a blast. In the aftermath, one other player and I started tinkering with it in our spare time, adjusting the map and rebranding some of the races we created (there was quite a lot from one player that would get us a very sternly worded C&D from WotC, among other things). Anyway with PF2’s release, we felt it was a good time to start seriously working on it, and I’m gonna use this soapbox I made myself here to talk about them, starting with the ancestries. What you’ll see in this series are the setting neutral versions of these ancestries, so you can plug them in to any setting you like. Enjoy~

The realities of life in the desert can be harsh. There are limited resources, a harsh environment, and unforgiving flora and fauna determined to protect itself at all costs. This is the environment that the tyrn evolved in and formed their society around. Every tyrn, from hatching to death, is made aware of the consequences of action and the importance of duty. Outsiders might call them stiff and rigid, but the tyrn would call themselves disciplined, focused, and honor-bound.

Oral tradition from centuries back holds that the tyrn were formed from the sand itself by a warrior god, and accordingly their history is one of violent conflict. Between themselves, against other societies, against extraplanar invaders and undead hordes. If there is war to be waged, it’s expected that tyrn will be there. This has led to a common perception among the other ancestries that tyrn are savage and bloodthirsty, but most tyrn see war as a sacred duty rather than sport, and approach it as they do most things, with discipline and structure.

You Might…

Maintain a daily routine, and take personal offense if not allowed to complete it.

View outsiders with suspicion and mistrust, but those you have fought alongside as true friends or even family, regardless of how well you know them.

Jump to formalized violence to resolve problems, such as challenging someone to a duel over a disagreement or declaring war to solve a border dispute.

Others Probably…

Treat you civilly out of fear as much as respect.

Assume you can’t be reasoned with once you’ve made a decision, and work against or around you instead.

Will toss you a sword when a fight breaks out, assuming you’ll both know how to use it and want to get involved.

Physical Description

The common tyrn is humanoid in shape, averaging around 7 feet tall for both male and female. They trend towards wider frames and store fat more easily than other races, though their metabolism is such that they need less food than others and burn fat more efficiently; as such, a typical tyrn will gain and lose weight repeatedly over the course of time. Their faces are distinct for a lack of nose; instead, much like serpents, they use their tongues for a sense of smell.

Their skin typically comes in darker shades of brown, but very little can be seen past the chitinous plating covering their bodies. This protective layer is believed to have been developed as protection against the harsh sandstorms of their native home, but also adds a distinct level of bright color to their bodies, coming in a varying range of yellows, oranges and reds.

Tyrn are born from eggs and age rapidly, both physically and in culture. They are physically adults by 12, but children are given tasks and responsibilities in accordance with their physical and mental ability to achieve them rather than based on age, leaving little concept of “childhood” in tyrn society.

Society

Tyrnish culture is inherently militaristic, leaning heavily into structure, discipline and obedience to those above you. Individualism is often dismissed and scoffed at, and while creative pursuits and self-expression aren’t discouraged they are considered unimportant hobbies and distractions. Tyrnish society views working for the collective as the highest good, and as such compulsory public service is common. Even where it isn’t, particularly in non-tyrnish nations or settlements, there is a great deal of cultural pressure to go into military or government positions.

Alignment and Religion

Given the heavy structure of their society, it should come as no surprise that tyrn are typically lawful. Despite their community-focused nature, or perhaps because of it, tyrn are very rarely willing to extend aid to those outside of their own circle, retaining resources for themselves and those they are personally attached to rather than sharing them freely. As a result, truly good tyrn are a rarity.

Tyrn usually prefer deities who value order and discipline, making their faiths almost exclusively lawful as well. They also prefer deities of war or warriors, or those who promote public service. However, while there are those tyrn who stray from the norm and worship neutral or even chaotic gods, the idea of a tyrn worshipping a chaotic war god is unthinkable; inviting chaos into the battlefield is anathema to everything tyrnish society stands for.

Names

The tyrn hold names to be incredibly important. Traditionally, every tyrn is named for someone their parents greatly admired. The person they were named for is treated as a part of their identity, a heritage unto itself of which many track their lineage (as a name taken from a fellow tyrn was, naturally, taken from another tyrn, who took it from yet another). Many tyrn are also given epithets by those around them, in part to differentiate themselves from others bearing their name-in childhood these are often generic and descriptive, such as “the Bold” or “the Quick-footed,” but over time they change to reflect the accomplishments of their holder, and many accomplished tyrn will take on multiple epithets. It is considered a grave insult to leave a tyrn’s epithet from their name when referring to them, though the social ramifications depend on how deserved those around believe the epithet to be.

Sample Names

Dekaro the Butcher, Kinos the Dragonslayer, Llara the Silvertongued, Lorka the Mighty, Tarak the Windsinger, Vekarius the White, Zenavrus the Songweaver-Beastmaster-Ruin of Men-Wildhearted-Lord of Wyrmhold

Hit Points 10; Size Medium; Speed 25 feet; Ability Boosts Constitution, Intelligence, Free; Ability Flaw Dexterity; Languages Common, Tyrn, additional languages equal to your Intelligence modifier (if it’s positive). Choose from the list of common languages and any other languages to which you have access (such as languages prevalent in your region); Low-Light Vision You can see in dim light as though it were bright light, so you ignore the concealed condition due to dim light.

Tyrn Heritages

Adaptation is key to survival and the tyrn have mastered it both biologically and culturally. Choose one of the following tyrn heritages at 1st level.

Fringe Tyrn Your ancestors made their home at the edges of the desert, or even outside of it, and your communities are often looked to for communicating with outsiders. You are trained in Diplomacy and gain one additional language of your choice, chosen from among the common and uncommon languages available to you. Every time you take the Multilingual feat, you gain another new language.

Legacy Tyrn Your name comes from a long line of great heroes, and you’ve lived your life with the expectation of living up to that legacy. Whether you’ve become accustomed to the weight or it has filled you with confidence, this has made it difficult to shake you. If you roll a critical failure against an emotion effect, you get a failure instead.

Scorpion-cursed Tyrn Centuries ago, a curse afflicted the tyrn homeland, causing the birth of monstrous half-scorpion tyrn children that still roam the desert to this day. Though the curse was cured, its effects still sometimes appear in young tyrn. You gain poison resistance equal to half your level (minimum 1) and each of your successful saving throws against a poison affliction reduces its stage by 2, or by 1 for a virulent poison. Each critical success against an ongoing poison reduces its stage by 3, or by 2 for a virulent poison.

Stormborn Tyrn Your family’s homeland is subject to daily sandstorms and harsh winds on a normal day, and have thicker, stronger shells to prove it. You gain resistance to slashing damage equal to half your level (minimum 1).

Warhatched Tyrn Originally a term for tyrn hatched on a battlefield, this has grown to encompass tyrn raised in military service. Choose a common simple, martial or advanced weapon. You are trained in that weapon. At 13th level, you become an expert in that weapon.

Ancestry Feats

Desert Runner FEAT 1

<Tyrn>

You’ve spent enough time moving across the desert sands to gain surety in your step. You can ignore difficult terrain caused by uneven ground made of sand and earth. You also ignore the first square of difficult terrain when Stepping or Striding.

Discipline FEAT 1

<Tyrn>

You have trained your self-control, making your mind difficult to affect. You gain a +1 circumstance bonus to saves against enchantment effects, and any other effects that would inflict the frightened, fleeing, controlled or confused conditions.

Cursed Tail FEAT 1

<Tyrn>

Prerequisites Scorpion-cursed heritage

The ancient curse that nearly destroyed the tyrn grows stronger within you than in most, mutating your body to grow a scorpion tail. You gain a stinger unarmed Strike that deals 1d6 piercing damage.

Tyrn Lore FEAT 1

<Tyrn>

You were raised with an emphasis on service, discipline, and a respect for history. You gain the trained proficiency rank in Athletics and Society. If you would automatically become trained in one of those skills (from your background or class, for example), you instead become trained in a skill of your choice. You also become trained in Tyrn lore.

Tyrn Weapon Familiarity FEAT 1

<Tyrn>

In your youth you were taught at least the basics of sword and shield. You are trained with the longsword, shortsword, shield boss and shield spikes, and gain Shield Block as a bonus feat.

You also gain access to all uncommon tyrn weapons. For the purpose of determining your proficiency, martial tyrn weapons are simple weapons and advanced tyrn weapons are martial weapons.

Militia Training FEAT 5

<Tyrn>

You’re always prepared to aid your comrades in battle, even in the midst of combat. You are always considered to have used an action during your turn to prepare the Aid basic action, but only to Aid an attack roll.

Cursed Pincers <A> FEAT 5

<Tyrn>

Prerequisites Scorpion-cursed heritage

The chitin on your hands fuses together, forming makeshift pincers. You gain a pincer Strike that deals 1d8 damage. You also gain the Grab ability with your pincer Strike. This effect lasts until you spend three actions to pull your fingers apart. While this effect is active, you cannot wield weapons or perform Interact actions.

Tyrn Weapon Drills FEAT 5

<Tyrn>

Prerequisites Tyrn Weapon Familiarity

Your training with sword and shield approaches mastery. Whenever you critically hit using a longsword, shortsword, shield boss, shield spikes, or a tyrn weapon, you apply the weapon’s critical specialization effect.

Will of the Desert FEAT 5

<Tyrn>

Prerequisites Discipline

Your will is harder than steel, and you refuse to bow to anyone else’s. If you would start your turn confused, controlled, or fleeing due to a failed Will save, you can attempt a Will save against the same DC; on a success, you become paralyzed until your next turn, rather than act against your will.

Scorpion Venom <R> FEAT 9

<Poison><Tyrn>

Prerequisites Cursed Tail

Frequency a number of times per day equal to your level

Trigger you hit with your stinger Strike and deal damage.

The target of your Strike is exposed to giant scorpion venom (CRB p. 551), using your class DC in place of its regular DC.

Tyrn Weapon Expertise FEAT 13

<Tyrn>

Prerequisites Tyrn Weapon Familiarity

Your tyrn affinity blends with your class training, granting you greater skill with tyrn weapons. Whenever you gain a class feature that grants you expert or greater proficiency in a given weapon or weapons, you also gain that proficiency in the longsword, shortsword, shield boss, shield spikes, and all tyrn weapons in which you are trained.

Vicious Grip FEAT 13

<Tyrn>

Prerequisites Cursed Pincers

Your pincer Strike gains the Improved Grab ability. You also gain the Constrict ability, dealing damage equal to 1d6+your Strength modifier and using your class DC. If your pincer has additional damage dice from a rune, your Constrict gains the same number of damage dice.