Kingdoms

The races of Stonehearth are present and future playable characters.^[1]^[2] As of Alpha 19 release-687, only the Humans are playable, with two playable kingdoms, The Ascendancy and Rayya's Children. There are three non-human kingdoms and another Human kingdom planned. The non-human races have no announced time frame for when they will be playable. Additional community created races and kingdoms will be playable as well, added through modding.

Each race starts with their own starting talisman that indicates a difference between the styles of play of each race.

Humans

Stonehearth three kingdoms — The Three Human Kingdoms

The Humans are the only playable race implemented as of Alpha 19 release-687. The Humans are split into three kingdoms, each of which will have its' own playstyle, along with benefits and drawbacks, however, there are only two playable Human races as of Alpha 19: the Ascendancy and Rayya's Children. The Northmen's Alliance is the third kingdom, albeit unimplemented.

Ascendancy

“Sheep? Check. Hoe? Check. Swords? Check. Embark!”

Earnest and hardworking, loyal and well-rounded. Citizens of the Ascendancy chop, build and farm, confident that the known world is theirs to inhabit.

The Ascendancy, released in Alpha 12, is one of the two playable kingdoms. Their starting talisman is the Carpenter's Saw, as Ascendancy villages are typically found in temperate biomes with an abundance of trees. This race is the default Stonehearth experience. The player’s time is balanced between building, crafting and fighting.

They appear to be based on Medieval Northern and Western Europe cultures.

Rayya's Children

“Meditation, mediation, medication: Order in self brings order to others brings health to all.”

The southern people of the mountains learned early that to survive, they needed each other, and preferably as many others as they could reach. Now, though the members of their trading cities and traveling caravans pride themselves on ascetic discipline, visitors find them generous hosts with access to goods from all over the world.

The Rayya's Children, released in Alpha 13, is the other playable kingdom. Their starting talisman is the Potter's Cutter, as Rayya's Children villages are typically found in desert biomes that lack trees. They also have new trading encounters. The people of the south are still most at home in the desolate canyons to the south and east. They are populous and clever; they have the best artisans in the world. They trade often, and to great advantage compared to the other kingdoms. The player's time is split between trading and crafting.

They appear to be based on tribes and cultures Middle East and Northern Africa, circa 1000 AD.

Northmen's Alliance

“My fathers have followed the stars for a thousand, thousand cycles.”

Brave and hardy, the men and women of the north live for the sight of a new dawn over unexplored territory. Armed with compass and hatchet, they form strings of small defensible settlements and pride themselves in their tenacious adaptability.

The Northmen's Alliance is an upcoming Human kingdom. The people of the north are tougher and stronger than their inland kin, but their settlements are more surveyors’ camps than cities. Merchants, immigrants, and luxury goods are few and far between. They thrive in cold empty lands that others have forgotten. The player's time is split between fighting and exploring.

They appear to be based off Viking culture and are likely set in colder biomes, based on Scandinavia. They will have cultural and construction options suited to living in the coldest areas of the world.

Other Planned Races

Additional races are planned to be added to the game, but no time frame is known about when they will be available to players.

Dwarves

The Dwarves are a playable race that was added to the game after the Kickstarter reached the $750,000 mark. Not much is known about them at this time.

Goblins

The Goblins, as of Alpha 12, have been implemented into the game, but are not yet a playable race. Currently, in-game, Goblins function as enemies who will attempt to extort and raid your village. It is not known at this time how the Goblins will function as a playable race.

Kobolds

The Kobolds are an archer race and will attack your village along with Trolls after you defeat Ogo Skullbonker.

Rabbit Clan

The Rabbit Clan is a race of potential allies and playable race that was planned as part of the original Kickstarter. There are usually rabbit statues found around the map, however not much information is known about them. Although, they've been said to be fierce warriors.^[3]