The Yon

The Yon, also known as Yonfolk and Yonsola, are a hardy species of humanoid descended from primates. Their culture is considered brutish by human standards, although they are only slightly less innovative technologically than their human counterparts.


Yon culture grew from epic and terrible wars with the hobgoblin tribes they share their continent with. They met barbarism with barbarism, although Yonfolk grew culturally to include aspects of honor and duty to the greater good.

Just before being banished from this plane of existence, the hobgoblin gods cursed the Yon to never know the touch of gods of their own. To this day, Yon worship gods who never answer their calls; many have become godless, although many more continue to fight and earn glory in the hope that their gods will someday return and uplift their species.

All Yonsola are trained to battle, with civilians being considered trained reserves who were cut from the front line forces. Yonfolk can be found all throughout Strathos, but concentrated mainly in the castle towns and fortress cities amid their nations in the temperate rainforests and mountains of the Northwest. 


Physically, Yonfolk are larger than humans, standing 7 to 10 feet tall. They can use human-sized two-handed weapons single-handed, and giant-sized weapons two-handed with no penalty. They have more body hair than humans, but it isn't very thick, and they must wear clothing to protect themselves from the elements just as humans do. Skin color ranges from light grey to near black, and hair colors tend to be shades of brown to black, with reds and even beige seen occasionally.

Yon are vegetarians, and get sick if forced to eat meat. They prefer leafy greens and fruits and berries of all types.

The Yon of Strathos have come to an agreement with the Fungoids they share the forests with; giving the fungoids waste material in exchange for free reign of the forests. As such, Yon and Fungoids are allies against any military incursions into their mutual lands.

Yonsola player characters have the following ability adjustments;

• Strength +2, Charisma -1, Dexterity -1 (Their species maximum for these abilities are 20, 17, and 17, respectively).
• Being a size level up from a human, Yon receive hit points as per their Class, but of one die type higher. If it is over d12, then add an additional d4 when calculating Hit Points.  So a Rogue would have d8 instead of d6, and a Barbarian would have d12+d4, instead of a d12. This rule comes from the Crusader's Companion by Peter J. Shroeder.
• Being blocked from the light of the gods, they are not healed by deific based magics; automatically save against cleric magic with a +10, even that which is beneficial and desired, including healing touch. 
• Because of their inability to be magically healed, Yon prefer to wear the heaviest and most protective armor available. Yon healers are well known throughout the continent for making some of the best herbal remedies and poultices.
• Yon from Strathos receive a  +1 to damage against hobgoblins due to their ancient feud.
• The most common classes for Yonfolk are Fighter, Barbarian, and Ranger. While theft is just as common as in other species' nations, there are very few professional Yon thieves. Mainly because they just aren't good at it.The Cleric and Druid classes are unavailable. Yon generally do not practice magic themselves, finding it distastefully lacking in hand to hand combat, but will hire wizards as advisers and for special missions. 
• When not part of an organized war band, Yon love to adventure; slaying monsters and finding treasure are considered glorious pursuits with the greatest stories being recorded in books and retold in song.

image by MichoBD