Fantasy (RP Title TBD): Races

[GojiBean]

Playable Races​

Along with describing each race, I'm going to provide a "progress bar" to show their Magical Potential as a visual aid to see how each race compares to the next in terms of how strong/powerful their mages are.

Enjoy!

Humans - Human beings are what one would expect. Human. In terms of magical fantasy, it means "average," which is appropriate. Their magical potential is somewhat middle of the road, though they can often make up for any lacking magical prowess with sheer numbers and/or force of arms. They have strong relations with several of the more prominent humanoid races such as Dwarves, some Miithi and Aerolian tribes, Merfolk, Naiads, and the Uranus. They have less favorable relations with the Orks, Harosians, Sirens, Succubi, and Imps due to both territorial competition reasons, as well as because their species is prey for the Succubi and Harosians. Despite numerous attempts at diplomacy, this predator-prey relationship can't seem to be shaken.

The average human male stands at a height of 5' 8". Females stand an average of 5' 4". The average human life span is 80 years, though a very select few have cracked 90. None have yet lived to reach 100.

They have a very diverse range of ethnic features which is largely dependent upon the geographical location of their genetic origins (more on this very soon). They also sport a number of different spoken languages and dialects, and their cultural diversity is about as vast as one would expect of such a flexible and widely spread species.

Magical Potential

Elves - The standard fantasy Elf that we all know and love. Typically light-skinned (aka pale) with various shades of blonde hair ranging from pure white to a deeper yellow-brown shade. Their ears are longer than those of humans and are pointed at the tips. These ears point up and out from the head giving them a very uniquely identifiable silhouette even amongst other pointy-eared humanoid races such as their cousins, the Dark Elves.

The average male Elf stands 6' in height, with the average female standing at 5' 6".

Due to their history living in the deep forests beneath and around the Eldertree, the average life span of an Elf was once thought to be indeterminable as they lived for such long periods of time that it became pointless to track. However, in more recent ages following the wars with Dragons and the destruction of the Eldertree the average Elven life span has become 1,000 years. Very long-lived, yes. But nowhere near the previously indeterminable ages they were living.

The Elves have a history steeped in self-importance. At one time they were the most populous race in the world. At one time they were the wealthiest in terms of natural resources and commerce. At one time they were the most envied for their longevity and the fact that claiming the territory around the Eldertree meant they either slaughtered or drove out the Dragons of the forest, giving them the title of Dragon Slayers in ages past... But no longer. Following the wars with Dragons, and their race's total collapse, the Elves have since lived largely in seclusion within the ruins of their once great empire, or scattered throughout various other societal regions keeping a low profile and adapting to a world where they're no longer "on top," so to speak.

Magical Potential

Dark Elves - A sub-species of Elves with darker skin and much longer pointed ears which angle down and away from the head, the more physically inclined cousins of the Elves often prefer physical combat to magical combat. Though they do carry a sense of pride and arrogance similar to their cousins, they were spared much of the humiliation of the downfall their cousins suffered following the destruction of the Eldertree.

The average Dark Elf male stands 6'2", with the average female, curiously, standing only 5' 2".

After the destruction of the Eldertree and the collapse of Elven society, Dark Elves took to living underground and built vast cities and stretches of underground road ways illuminated by Luxionite. Not only does this substance provide them with light, but it also serves as a natural source of raw Mana which can be harvest and utilized in runes and various trinkets to fuel a Mage's magical efforts. However, the supply of any given Luxionite piece is limited. If drained completely it becomes an ordinary crystal. If not drained completely it can and will regain its stores of Mana over time and again be usable as a source of Mana for a mage to draw from either to help mitigate their natural Mana drain during magical usage, or as backup if they run out of Mana before they run out of stamina. This has made the Dark Elves one of the primary progenitors of the discovery, harvesting, and trade of Luxionite in the world.

Magical Potential

Orcs - Large and powerful, the Orcs were at one time thought to be nothing more than brutish forces of nature with a humanoid shape. However, following wars in centuries past, it was discovered that they are in fact quite intelligent. In fact, many of their War Chiefs were as smart or smarter than the generals of other race's militaries, and came up with more sound and reliable wartime strategies to reduce damage to their own forces while maximizing damage to their enemies. Following almost two centuries of careful negotiation, diplomacy, and cultural exchange, the Orcs have cemented themselves as a powerful, thoughtful, and interesting race.

The average male Orc stands 8' 4" and the average female stands at 7' 6".

As well as having uniquely functional and effective military tactics and know-how, the Orcs have also perfected the art(s) of Beast Taming/Riding. In fact, their society has dedicated an entire caste to said arts known as Whisperers. These whisperers are trained to attune themselves with nature from a young age to the point where they, as adults, can see a wile beast and identify certain behaviors, body language tells, vocalizations, and other environmental territorial hints and determine whether or not the beast would make a suitable tame. This has led them to great success taming beasts other humanoids would never dare approach such as Dire Wolves (wolves the size of horses with exceptionally aggressive natures), Horxio's (horse-like creatures with carnivorous tendencies), and even Griffons.

Another element of Orcish society which was surprising to other humanoids until the age of cultural exchange were their uses of medicine and holistic healing. Shamans were working with herbs and roots and other naturally occurring resources to produce salves and medical wraps not used anywhere else, or by anyone else (until after this period of cultural exchange). And holistic healers prayed to the heavens for a speedy recovery while also using holy water and other more ritualistic means to help encourage a strong recovery. The delicacy of the Orc's medical efforts belied their size and strength. Despite having no magical potential, the Orcish society greatly resembled those of other humanoids to such an extent it was surprising to learn of their non-magical nature.

Magical Potential

Dwarves - Dwarves are stout humanoids who prefer mountains and caves to open cities and plains. They've always held a natural penchant for construction and metalworking. And, contrary to many a common stereotype, they are not constantly rushing in pursuit of riches. They do fancy gold as a resource, however. Many of their Royal Family thrones are built of solid gold, and statues of the greatest Dwarven rulers are often built of pure gold as a symbol of respect and admiration for what they accomplished in life. In Dwarven society Gold is seen as the mineral embodiment of strength, assurance, and prosperity.

The average male Dwarf stands at 5', with the average female standing 4' 8".

Dwarves are also rather uniquely gifted with forging magical runes and essences into weapons and armor. In fact, they were the first to ever do so. A sword with a rune of Fire in the hilt, for example, could be flushed with Mana to produce a raging flame following the arc of the blade. This rune charge doesn't last forever, though, and must be wielded with great skill and care. Once the rune is out of Mana, or the essence drained from the weapon, it becomes ordinary unless recharged via a special restoration process known as Rejuvenation. As the name suggests, a smith must use another rune or magical essence to help revitalize the one which has been drained by sharing its stores of Mana. Doing so forces both the doner rune and the recipient rune to reset to half-strength (roughly), and then begin the natural process of fully restoring themselves over time.

Magical Potential

Faeries - Humanoids with transluscent insect-like (typically butterfly) wings who can understand animals as if they're speaking the same language. They are normal human sized, speak the modern tongue very well, and have a unique language with nature which requires no audible vocalizations of any kind. They are highly secretive and usually very shy. Fairies live to be around 400 years old and live in deep, dark forests well beyond the comfort zone of most other humanoids.

Their culture revolves around oneness with nature in all its forms. As such, Faeries are incredibly pacifist by nature and would not harm even a single blade of grass if they didn't have to. They wear clothing constructed from vines, leaves, and other naturally occurring materials of the forest, and have evolved to not require food intake in the same manner as other humanoids. Instead, Faeries subsist off of Mana. The healthier the forest, the more Mana is present, and the healthier the Faeries themselves are. When they become sick or fatigued, they know something is wrong and will begin seeking the source of the issue as soon as possible in hopes of finding a resolution.

Magical Potential

Nymphs - Humanoids who can become one with inanimate nature around them (like trees) for a short time (very draining on stamina to hold it for extended periods, though). They can sense nature's distress and will shriek at the top of their lungs, a technique among their kind known as the Seid Call, to summon creatures of the forest around them to aid them in times of need. They are also average human size and very, very reclusive. Because their ties with nature are so strong they actively seek to protect it, sometimes more violently than one would imagine from creatures who are normally so peaceful. Nymphs live to be around 800 years old and live in almost all of the world's forested environments whether or not the other inhabitants know about it.

Similarly to Faeries, Nymph culture revolves around being one with nature in all its forms. They do not "tame" the beasts of the forest. They coexist with them. They do not "tame" the land. They harmonize with it. All of their crops and other major food sources come from the forest and are acquired through peaceful or otherwise non-harmful means. For instance, they can sense when a creature has died from old age nearby and will fetch the corpse to harvest for its meat and materials. They will not actively hunt young, healthy animals. In this way one could think of them as scavengers when it comes to their Hunter/Gatherer philosophy.

Magical Potential

Miithi - Humanoids with at least two animal extremities such as a tail, ears, eyes with slit pupils, or claws. They can transform into the animal whose physical traits they share and are much larger than their natural world counterparts (in some cases, anyway ). Though they are non-magical, they are very keenly attuned to the balance of mana in the world around them thanks to their animalistic senses. Miithi live to be around 200 years old and live in a vast array of environments suited to their animal form's biology. Additionally, when they transform they retain their human intellect, but are no longer able to speak due to their animal anatomy not being suited to it.

Miithi are strong, proud, and very independent as individuals, and as a society. They live in Clans or Tribes with an Alpha pair, a Beta pair, and a small council of diplomatic envoys for communication with other nations/races if and only if necessary. They much prefer keeping to their own, and solving their own problems. Being forced to rely on others makes them feel inadequate and is a breach of their pride. But, if it's necessary, they will. But they won't like it.

They prefer living at least partially nomadic lifestyles with what might be considered outposts more so than towns or villages. These outposts usually consist of a large central tent for the Alpha pair, and two flanking tents for the Beta pair and envoys. Everyone else lives in communal tents or small buildings (if there are enough materials around to make them). The Clan will usually travel between outposts with the changing seasons. But they may also travel if they sense any changes in the environment, or sense any threats to their territory from other Tribes/Clans.

Magical Potential

Aerolians - Humans with bird-like wings on their backs. They can survive high altitude conditions and fly on their own power. They typically live high in the mountains away from other civilized peoples and will interact with them solely through trade or diplomacy during times of great need. Other than that they prefer to keep to their own. Aerolians live to be about 100 years old and are largely concentrated in the Northern mountains of Northundra.

Their culture revolves around life in the skies, and they spend as much time airborne and in their avian forms as possible. In fact, it's not uncommon for a member of an Aerolian Tribe/Clan to spend upwards of 90% of their life in their avian form. Less common are those who prefer their human forms. And such individuals are often looked down upon as black sheep. They're also commonly subjected to hazing and other bullying treatments with a common insult being them getting called "grounded," meaning they're bound to the Earth instead of the sky to which they were born. Though not a slur, it's definitely an unfriendly jab one wants to avoid in most cases in Aerolian culture.

Because they spend so much time on the wing and in their Avian forms, they rarely socialize or engage with other land-based races. In particular, the Miithi, with whom they have an incredibly antagonistic relationship due to the polar opposite life philosophies their respective existences have wrought. Many a war has been fought between these two races in the past leading to untold levels of bloodshed. And both sides, at the Clan level, have had to start from scratch due to individual clans being annihilated down to one or no members. In some cases, Clans have been entirely lost and forgotten to time which is a major black mark to their pride.

For Aerolian and Miithi alike, the Clan is everything. To lose it all is akin to dying without visiting the underworld. Starting over in a new Clan when one's entire Clan is lost is one of the hardest things for any Aerolian or Miithi to have to endure. There have even been cases of Aerolians and Miithi mysteriously passing away after losing their Clans. Though never scientifically confirmed, there are numerous theories revolving around the idea that it is simply the overwhelming sadness and pain of loss which overtakes their will to live and causes them to slip away in their sleep.

Magical Potential

Merfolk - Humanoids who, when exposed to enough water, transform the lower halves of their bodies into a fish tail to swim at high speeds and reveal the gills on their neck allowing them to breathe under water. They usually keep to themselves in the oceans unless other races begin tampering with or contaminating it during which time they will aggressively defend their homes by any means necessary. Merfolk live to be around 100 years old and live all throughout the world's oceans except the waters near the Dragon's Maw due to the aquatic Dragons who drive away any and all seagoing intruders.

Merfolk society is utopian, or at least that's the goal. They seek to live in complete social harmony with everyone knowing from an early age what their place in society is, and accepting it. Obviously, there are individuals who seek something more than what they're born to. However, 99.99% of Merfolk live in happiness with what they're handed as they're raised to want for nothing and live for the sake of all, not just themselves. As such, words and acts of selfishness are heavily frowned upon and discouraged.

Merfolk are also history buffs, and are often seen in their human forms visiting any libraries, museums, art galleries, etc which they can afford to visit given the limitations of their ability to travel too far away from the sea.

Speaking of which... There is a reason the Merfolk cannot travel far from the ocean.

Their bodies have evolved to live in the world's oceans. AKA, in saltwater. Saltwater contains nutrients and minerals not found in freshwater, or on land. And as the Merfolk have evolved within the salt waters of the ocean the longer they remain away from it the more mineral and nutrient deficient their bodies become. If they remain deprived of said nutrients and minerals for long enough, they will die. It's not food. But it may as well be just as important to their bodies and health as food intake.

Magical Potential

Goblins - Small humanoids, and a sub-species of Orcs. They're mischievous and kinniving, and often get into trouble with other races. Despite their non-magical nature they are very light footed and adept at combating magical arts using a combination of agility and speed belying their small size. Goblins can live for up to around 60 years and typically live in mountains and caves, though they can sometimes venture into valleys and forests as well.

Magical Potential

Treants - Tree-like humanoids who move slowly, but are very, very strong and long-lived. The oldest Treant in the world is about to celebrate its 33,068th birthday. They are largely peaceful creatures but will violently defend their forest homes from any destructive invaders. Treants live an average of 25,000 years when left in peace, and life in the deep forests of Ilstramark.

Magical Potential

Giants - Humanoids with massive stature, averaging 15' (4.5m) in height. They are non-magical, and do not speak the common tongue. They can often be found wandering the wilds at the bases of mountains and in very cliff-filled terrain setting up large camps and bonfires to keep warm at night. Giants live to be around 1,000 years old and live primarily in the Wastes of Katal.

Magical Potential

Imps - Small humanoids with bat-like wings who are even more mischievous than Goblins. While not really threatening individually, in great numbers they can raze an entire city in a single night. They're very cowardly, so this is not a common occurrence... But it has happened before. Imps live to be around 50 years old and live in various environments, but are largely nocturnal.

Magical Potential

Succubi - An all-female race which can transform from fully-human looking guises into vampiric creatures of the night with sharp teeth, wings, and devilish tails to feed off of the life energy and innermost desires of their favorite prey: human males. Though this is inherently non-lethal as an isolated act, it does drain vitality from their prey and turns them, over time, into husks of their former selves if the same prey is chosen multiple times in succession. A side effect of this feeding method is that the Succubus can see their prey's desires and memories as if they were a video being played for them while they feed. So even if you've never told anyone of your deepest desires to see your first crush naked, she will see it when she feasts on your desires. They live to be around 500 years old and can live in almost any environment so long as there is an ample supply of male humanoids to feed from every few weeks.

Succubi reproduce by converting the energy and vitality they drain from their prey into a special organ in their lower abdomen which acts much the same as a human female's womb. When enough vitality and energy is collected, a viable embryo is formed and is usually born within the next two to three months.

Magical Potential

Kobolds - Small canine-like humanoids with a penchant for thievery and deception. Incredibly intelligent, but physically frail. They are non-magical, but very fond of their chosen trades. It's all but a scientifically recognized instinct for them to behave this way. Kobolds live to be around 80 years old and live mostly in grassland areas where their speed and agility are best put to use.

Magical Potential

Naiads - Humanoids with the ability to transform into plants (most commonly flowers or trees). They can also communicate with creatures in nature and sense the distress of their forest homes. Though they can use magic, it's not very powerful. And this species, due to its pecaeful nature, is often the victim of attacks by other, more aggressive races seeking more territory or bloodsport. Naiads live to be around 350 years old and live in only the most fertile of lands, both grassland and forested.

Magical Potential

Spriggans - Tree-like humanoids with aggressive tendencies who protect their forest homes with their lives, even in peace times. They do not speak the modern tongue and often don't care to learn the reasons intruders into their homes have for being there. They're a very attack-first, ask questions later kind of race, not unlike Orcs. However, they have been known to show respect for beings which treat the forest with respect and cause no harm as they pass through. Spriggans live to be around 200 years old and live in deep forests all over the world.

Magical Potential

Sirens - All-female humanoids who sing songs near the sea to lure sailors to sink or crash their ships, and proceed to feed on the hapless fools. They are similar to Merfolk, but do not transform into fish-people. Instead, they are all Water Magic users who can use their magic to move rapidly through the water to ambush and assault their prey once they've crashed. Sirens live to be around 200 years old, reproduce in the same manner as Succubi, and live throughout many of the world's ocean coastlines.

Magical Potential

Harosians - The Harosians are the all-male counterpart of the Succubi. As such, their favorite meal is the blood and vitality of human females. In their human form they look indistinguishable from normal humans. However, if and when needed, they can transform into a vampiric entity with sharp fangs, wings, and a devilish tail.

Why they do not breed with Succubi has been a subject of great interest and confusion to many a scientific community. However, it was ultimately determined that their bodies simply hadn't evolved to be viable with the standard human methods of reproduction. The Harosians in particular, given they lack the organs required by human males to produce viable offspring with females.

Similarly to the all-female Succubi, the all-male Harosians have a reproductive cycle wherein which, after absorbing enough vitality, their bodies produce a viable embryo in a special sack within the depths of their throat. Upon reaching a certain level of maturity the embryo is expelled (in a manner similar to vomitting) and is then tended to like any other humanoid infant.

The average Harosian stands at around 5' 9".

Magical Potential

Shemaians - Eyeless humanoids with thin, frail bodies who, despite their blindness, use a unique form of magic inherent to their race in order to "see" the world around them, and can detect positive and negative energy sources. They cannot use any form of magic int he traditional sense. But they are nonetheless more resistant to other magical arts in ways most other races aren't as well. This species is very rare and lives in solitude following the decimation of their species to war with other humanoids over the centuries. They're nowhere near extinct, but they are on the decline, and very elusive. Shemaians live to be around 300 years old and live largely in isolated mountain valleys cut off from the rest of the world.

Magical Potential

Uranus - They are identical to humans in appearance, but the females of this species have a unique form of magic which allows them to manipulate the emotions of any individual of their choosing within a range of about fifteen feet (4.5m). This ability is very draining on their stamina and can usually only be used once every few hours. In most cases this is done as a form of conflict evasion wherein which they try to use their influence to calm anyone engaging in rising tensions or violent confrontations. Uranus live to be around 200 years old and can live in almost any environment, but prefer grasslands and low-lying mountains.

Magical Potential

Sylthii - Hyenamen humanoids with a penchant for mercenary work. At around the same bipedal standing height as humans, and with a largely similar anatomy save their hips and ankles being more canine-like. They're able to run both bipedally and quadrupedally with incredible speed and grace to chase down their targets. Sylthii live to be around 100 years old and prefer to live in grassland environments, though they're equally at home in thinly forested areas. They are non-magical.

Magical Potential