Okay, pardon the title, but I wasn't sure how to phrase it. Basically, according to the lore of the setting and such, are there any darker/asiatic type looking people in the setting? I've looked at some of the art/illustrations online and that doesn't seem to be the case. I'm going to be buying the book soon and, as a person of color, I always like to know, setting-wise, if there are folks that look like me in a particular setting. Probably buy it anyway for the rules and such, but FFG did SUCH a good job in this regards in the Star Wars lines that I wondered if that philosophy extended to their own fantasy setting (whereas I'm sure, by the art, it does to their sci-fi settings, for example; mind, I mostly mean from the main Genesys book, but still...).

Terrinoth is very much a Europe ananlog as a continent. The Al Kalim empire is a north Africa/ Middle East analog. Zanaga has a sub-Saharan Africa tone but humans don’t seem to be a native species there.

I’m not the best go to guy for lore in this setting but those were the impressions I got from the book.

The chapter breaks are done as journal entries from a Tarik Al Farabi of Al Kalim. “People of Color” in Terrinoth proper wouldn’t be unheard of but definitely foreigners.

Hope that helps.

15 minutes ago, ESP77 said:

Terrinoth is very much a Europe ananlog as a continent. The Al Kalim empire is a north Africa/ Middle East analog. Zanaga has a sub-Saharan Africa tone but humans don’t seem to be a native species there.

I’m not the best go to guy for lore in this setting but those were the impressions I got from the book.

The chapter breaks are done as journal entries from a Tarik Al Farabi of Al Kalim. “People of Color” in Terrinoth proper wouldn’t be unheard of but definitely foreigners.

Hope that helps.

Yes, that helps quite a bit, actually. Very good to know. As I don't have the book yet, I didn't know there were other settings implies (such as Al Kalim). That's the analog place I'm looking for. Thanks for that!

I think from memory that the people of the Empire of Lorimor are said to have darker skin tones in general than the citizens of Terrinoth.

Remember though it's your game, the entire human race (and any other species you like) can be darker skinned if you desire.

They deliberately leave the lore open ended and you can make the world anyway you wish besides.

17 minutes ago, Suneisha said:

I think from memory that the people of the Empire of Lorimor are said to have darker skin tones in general than the citizens of Terrinoth.

Remember though it's your game, the entire human race (and any other species you like) can be darker skinned if you desire.

They deliberately leave the lore open ended and you can make the world anyway you wish besides.

Is true, I know, but I have folks in my group that also care about such, and will look at "official" things if we play a game and I use Terrinoth. They'll look at the art especially and judged based on it. Like, we did a Forgotten Realms game a while ago and two of my players REALLY wanted "non-white" characters. Just something they had in their heads (for the record, one guy was Hungarian and wanted to play something "Arabian-esque" and the other guy Chinese and wanted, well, someone Chinese looking). Pouring over the Sword Coast Guide helped in that regard (as did the main D&D 5e book; just having such pictures there was enough to push/help their imaginations and such not).

I get you, one thing to bear in mind though is that the idea of Genesys is that nothing is official and it's all a guide/toolbox.

Realms of Terrinoth is also designed to be used as inspiration for your own fantasy design if you prefer.

I don't think there are any Asiatic people in the pictures from memory. I think there is a Dark skinned Dream Walker portrayed but since they all fell into corruption and ruin they may not be the best example.....

As others have mentioned, Al-Kalim is a good, lore-friendly spot for non-European PCs and is where my character hails from. He was raised in Vynelvale, though, since the campaign is still very much a standard Western Fantasy one at the moment. However, the long-term plan is for custom areas far off the current map that will provide adventures in African, Asian, and Mesoamerican settings.

I don't have the book on me at the moment, but doesn't it say humans vary in skin color from light to dark?

I'm playing a Deep Elf Templar that I assumed as a colored race like a dark elf from D&D. Found a pretty slick picture of my concept on Pinterest that just spoke to me, but didn't see any art in the book for the Deep Elf race.

I noticed a distinct lack of darker skin tones in the book. It surprised me.

In the Legacy of Dragonholt game, set in Terrinoth, one of the pre-generated characters is a trans-female human who has a dark skin-tone - Kei Dawnstarr.

Also the book describes humans as having no lack of variation, with skin tones ranging from deep brown and red to gold and pale pink, with most Albesians, Lorimorians and Sayr-Savim having dark or heavily tanned appearances.