Kossith

Kossith are a mysterious and formidable people, distinguished by their towering height and potential horns. They are rarely encountered—many view them with suspicion or fear, unsure if these massive newcomers are allies or foreign conquerors. While most live in small, hidden enclaves along remote coasts or mountain passes, a growing number of outcasts roam the land as mercenaries, bandits, or exiles.

Biological Traits

Kossith are known for their physical power and distinctive features:

Height & Build: They can stand a head taller than most humans, typically with broad shoulders and dense musculature.
Skin & Hair: Skin tones often range from ashen gray to ruddy bronze, and hair—if not shaved—tends to be white, gray, or very pale shades. Many Kossith keep their hair cropped or styled in practical ways, though some adopt decorative braids or shaved patterns.
Horns: Most Kossith are born with prominent, curving horns. A minority lack horns, which can influence their societal role or how others perceive them.
Eye Color: Typically include shades of gold, silver, or violet, though variations occur.
Longevity: Kossith have similar lifespans to humans.
Magical Resistance: Kossith do not share the dwarves’ physical resistance to magic, but their strict oversight of mages grants Kossith greater mental resistance.

Kossith who live outside of settlements, or have been exiled, might display more individualistic style. Longer hair, personal tattoos, or piercings that reflect their break from their people.

Racial Traits

Lifespan: Usually more than a century

Height: 210 - 240cm

Languages: Common, Kosslat

Physique: Large Humanoid

Movement Rate: 6 Tiles

Features

Standard Skills +5: Athletics, Endurance
Available Cultures: Anderfels, Rivain, Outcast Band, Fringe Settlement
Strong Minded: Starts with +2 Head HP and the Templar Trait: Mental Fortress which increases Willpower by +15.

Cultures

Kossith, although they have no direct homeland or recognized nation, they have their strict ways—and those who have abandoned them or been exiled. The following Cultures are available to Kossith and can be explored further on the Cultures page.

HISTORY

Kossith first appeared along the far northern coasts of Thedas before the Blight took hold. Their exact origin remains unclear to most Thedosians—some suggest they hail from far-off islands across turbulent seas. Initial sightings were sporadic and focused on small landing parties interested in exploration or trade.

When Tevinter’s magisters returned tainted from the Golden City, unleashing the darkspawn, the Kossith found themselves in a world descending into chaos. Any hopes of establishing footholds or expansive settlements vanished. Instead, a few enclaves fortified their modest coastal or mountain positions, prioritizing survival over expansion.

The rigid structure of most settlements did not sit well with all. In the face of resource scarcity and constant danger, disagreements escalated. Some Kossith were exiled for defying orders, while others chose to abandon their settlements willingly, forming roaming bands. These exiles scattered across Thedas, mingling—often uneasily—with human, elven, and dwarven communities in search of work, shelter, or a fresh start.

Even after four centuries here on Thedas, Kossith remain a scarcely seen presence. Their minuscule enclaves struggle in the face of raids by those who hold fear or disdain for them, and outcasts roam the wartorn countryside, selling their formidable strength as mercenaries or bodyguards. Suspicion from local populations runs high, but desperate times sometimes forge unlikely alliances.

With the Grey Wardens in the Anderfels, some Kossith—moreso nomadic exiles—occasionally lend their martial skills to battles against the darkspawn, though no united Kossith front exists in any direction for a specific faction or nation.

Due to their low numbers, the Kossith remain an enigma in Thedas: a scattered people clinging to a pragmatic way of life in remote pockets, or forging new identities far from the disciplined nature of their settlements.