RaceMan is not a body, but a soul. He is a mind; an idea; a consciousness. When he first trod upon the many worlds created by the gods, Man became surrounded in flesh, assuming a shape to reflect the character of that world. Each race is descended from the original forms these souls took.
Though each race originally inhabited only its native world, the cultural exchange of the Second Age saw to the dispersing of people groups from one far end of the Sphere to another. On their worlds of origin, the Disc’s native inhabitants are typically the most populous species, though a great number of other races have also come to call these places home. |
Character CreationPick which Race you are, then decide which Ethnicity within that Race you belong to. |
For the most part, people tend to group together with others who look and think like them. Races of humanoids often dwell together in cities dominated by their kind or at least within districts of larger cities where they are the majority. That isn’t to say that there isn’t a healthy mix of different people groups in large, cosmopolitan metropolis, nor does it imply that there isn’t a great deal of tension, spoken or unspoken, between the races.
The same cannot always be said for groups of adventurers, which tend to draw membership from a wide variety of sources, resulting in rag-tag bands which miraculously manage to form cohesive bonds and work together as a team. Perhaps it is the will of Mana that draws them together or perhaps it is simply a necessity of survival. Whatever the reason, groups of heroes are often composed of members from several different races which can compensate for one another’s weaknesses to improve the overall effectiveness of the entire group.
This section deals in the generalities of the various races; their habits, attitudes, appearances, and the traits possessed by heroic members of their species. It is important to remember that each person, especially a hero, is unique and there are bound to be more than a few individuals who deviate greatly from the norm. Don’t feel limited by the information given here. Rather, use it as a guideline or as inspiration to help you determine the effect which your character’s race has on his personality, outlook, and approach to the life of a hero.
The same cannot always be said for groups of adventurers, which tend to draw membership from a wide variety of sources, resulting in rag-tag bands which miraculously manage to form cohesive bonds and work together as a team. Perhaps it is the will of Mana that draws them together or perhaps it is simply a necessity of survival. Whatever the reason, groups of heroes are often composed of members from several different races which can compensate for one another’s weaknesses to improve the overall effectiveness of the entire group.
This section deals in the generalities of the various races; their habits, attitudes, appearances, and the traits possessed by heroic members of their species. It is important to remember that each person, especially a hero, is unique and there are bound to be more than a few individuals who deviate greatly from the norm. Don’t feel limited by the information given here. Rather, use it as a guideline or as inspiration to help you determine the effect which your character’s race has on his personality, outlook, and approach to the life of a hero.
Pick Your Race
Click on the links below to learn more about each Race, its special bonuses, and its various Ethnicities.
Aen Sidhe
ayn she
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When a river dries up, when a forest is cleared, when a part of nature is no more, the god who once presided over it becomes lost. Some of these spirits make their way across The Veil, shedding their divinity and becoming Mortal shadows of their former selves. Such beings are known as Aen Sidhe; the lost.
Though divorced from their authority, Aen Sidhe still retain all their ancient wisdom and much of their mastery over the powers of nature, leveraging these gifts as they adapt to life as a Mortal.
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CYREAN
sahy-ree-un
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An adventurous and enterprising people native to the ocean world of Astora, Cyreans inhabit vast glimmering cities built amongst the shoals and reefs. Cyrean biology allows their people to live beneath the sea or among the land-dwelling races, and many choose to forego a cloistered life beneath the waves for the lure of adventure.
As a general rule of thumb, the closer a tribe of Cyreans lives to the surface, the more they tend to resemble the land-dwelling Mortals in their physical features. Likewise, the more time a tribe has spent in the depths, the more their biology has changed over the ages to take on the deep-sea adaptations of the creatures around them.
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DROW
draʊ
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The Ekunquendi (Dark Elves) are a thin, wispy, fierce people with eyes that faintly glow in darkness in hues of white, blue, or dusky red. Drow are typically abrasive and xenophobic, mistrustful of anyone outside their small, clannish circle of friends and relations.
Ritual scarring (called Karisett in Drow culture) is a widely practiced tradition where in one receives a Karis, or patterned scar, on the face or body to denote status, clan, some great deed, or political rank the individual has risen to. Dark Elves have a reputation as thieves, assassins, and spies of the highest order. Of course, not all Drow are criminals. Many find success as scholars, well-versed in the study and practice of The Mystery. Yet even in the vaunted halls of learning, Drow are pronee to rebellion, searching after forbidden knowledge and taboo magic. Ekunquendi hail from the the mushroom forests of Fal Gorsikha on Arcadia and rarely venture outside the haunting vales of their homeland. Those who travel afar carry a blade in one hand and cunning guile in the other.
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DRYAD
drahy-uhd
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Children of the World Trees, souls sown in the soil and grown into loyal servants. Dryads are agents of the natural world, sharing a spiritual link to one another and the Tree from whence they came. All Dryad who come from a World Tree are quite similar in appearance, often indistinguishable to anyone but another Dryad. Even so, the personalities of seedlings could not be more different from one another and clashes of ideals and agendas aree not uncommon. Though all Dryads aspire to serve the will of their World Tree, they may do so with a vastly different approach from their seedmates. This disparity in ideals leads some Dryads on long journeys, far from the safety of the forest on a quest to work the will of their World Tree.
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Eldar
el-dahr
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When the Apolcalypse shook the foundations of the Sphere, the land of Mara broke apart from mainland Arcadia. The Elves living there were changed by its rampant, wild magic, learning to wield it even as it warped their bodies. These Elves became the Ciraquendi, the Eldar; sages and guardians sworn to curb the chaotic power of magic gone wrong.
Upon the floating isle of Zu, the Eldar have built a near-utopian society replete with magical wonders and forward-thinking social policies. Crime is scarce, corruption is unheard of, and want has all but been eliminated under the crushing boot of state authoritarianism. The Eldar mindset of ends justifying means has led their society down a path of peace and prosperity at the cost of freedom. Zuvians are masters of magic, understanding The Mystery intuitively from a young age. Their genius intellect and prodigious grasp of spellcraft makes them revered as magicians and scholars across The Sphere. Yet their cold, logical nature makes them vulnerable to heartless and cruel actions in pursuit of noble goals.
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FOMORIAN
foh-mawr-ee-uhn
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At the dawn of the Apocalypse, the Raksha captured tribes of primitive Mortals. In dark pits, the spirits of these unfortunates were broken, their bodies twisted into monstrous slaves and soldiers known in furtive whispers as Fomorians. Now free from the control of the Raksha, the Fomorian people are free to choose the light, even as they feel themselves pulled inexorably back into the dark.
Fomorians resemble the forms of the various Mortal races, tainted by the touch of demonic influence. Their frightening form, vilified reputation, and natural bent toward chaos often sees them devolve into criminals and con artists or settle in cloistered communities of their own back-stabbing kind. Yet a few rise above to become heroes of a different sort.
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GOBLIN
gaw-blihn
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Gobos, the youngest of the True Khan's children, was stunted and weak of body, but sharp of mind and a genius inventor. His children, the Goblins, inherited his small stature and keen intellect. Driven from their mountainous homeland, the Goblins are a people living on the edge of society, seeking a way to reclaim and rebuild their way of life.
Goblins are hard-minded and tougher than they look. When faced with an insurmountable problem, the Goblin's solution is to outsmart it, using every trick in their considerable arsenal to engineer a solution. Goblins are (in)famous for their chaotic brilliance when it comes to things of a mechanical nature. Sure, they may be slapped together with copious amounts of glue and gunpowder, but they work! Until they don't. While many of their kind struggle under the yoke of Orcish slavery or make their way as petty criminals, some pursue aa higher cause: to liberate their brethren, retake their homeland and restore the Goblin race back to its former glory.
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Halfling
hahf-ling
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Living among the rolling green hills, windswept valleys, and pastoral beauty of nearly any environment, Halflings are a simple folk known mostly as peaceful farmers or prosperous merchants and financiers. Sometimes called Gold Dwarfs, Halflings have little renown as great heroes, despite their unshakeable courage, conviction, and true hearts that let them stand alongside any legend.
Halflings generally prefer to stay out of trouble, but will defend their homes and loved ones to the bitter end. Most have personalities bigger than their small bodies and dreams as grandiose as their egos. Some such dreamers chase
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HUMAN
hyoo-muhn
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Though Thera gave birth to humanity, their kind calls every far corner of The Sphere home. As the most widespread and populous race, the span of Human culture and history can be felt everywhere. From the cadence of language to the iconography on currency, Humans are the dominant cultural force nearly everywhere their kind has settled.
Humans are adaptable, strong-willed, and creative, with an insatiable drive to achieve great things. Whatever a Human pursues, they work at it with all their hearts from dawn to dusk. Perhaps their short lifespan gave rise to this drive, or perhaps it is a gift from their creator Leone, the god of courage. Whatever the source of their strength, humanity abounds with the tenacity, will, and sheer numbers to remake The Sphere to their liking.
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KINDRE
kin-der
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On the wild world of Tendale, Mortral souls evolved to take on animalistic forms. The many Tribes of Tendale are known to outsiders as Kindre. Each Tribe of Kine has its own beliefs, sacred traditions, and way of life, though many have left or adapted the old ways to embrace new lives, new possibilities, and new adventures.
Even outside their wild world, Kindre prefer to live among their own kind, forming tight-knit communities of others from their Tribe, or even rival Tribes in a pinch. Those who become adventurers rarely stay in once place for long, choosing instead to adopt a new Tribe from like-minded folk they meet during their journeys. Such a bond is precious to a Kindred; treasure comes and goes, but Tribe is forever.
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MECHAN
mehk-uhn
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Just as the gods once fashioned Mortalkind from the raw stuff of creation, so too were the Mechan born from the ingenuity of Mortals. Forged during the Second Epoch at the height of Mortal power and hubris, the Mechan were lost at the passing of that Age. Yet as a new era dawns, the ancient machines awaken, desperate to remember and fulfill their purposes.
Mechan awaken with fractured memories of their past, recollections of the Golden Age flashing across their consciousness like bits of fragmented data. Every Mechan was made for a purpose, but with no memory, no identity, no place in the modern world, Mechan struggle to find belonging and fulfillment in the task they were built for. It should come as no surprise then that many take to the job of adventuring, wandering the land as itinerant guardians, treasure hunters, and collectors of lost knowledge in a daring bid to find and fulfill their purpose and perhaps even to recover and reassemble the pieces of memory and identity lost to the entropy of ages.
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NOLDOR
nohl-dohr
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Known to many as Dwarves, the Noldor are famed for their craftsmanship, mercantile savvy, and resilience in battle. The Noldor are infamous, however, for their bullheaded tenacity and unwillingness to ever back down when challenged. The Way of Stone, as it is often called, is reflected in their art and culture, which emphasizes tradition, honor, and service to the clan above all else.
Thee Noldor are not native to any world, but were created by the Quendi as a slave-race during the height of their power. When the Apocalypse broke the power of their creators and captors, the Noldor threw off their chains and became a free people. Yet even through the long centuries since, their ancient grudge against the Elves has not waned one bit. The Dwarf who keeps the ways of their people, acts with honor and integrity, and holds fast in the face of opposition is considered great among the Noldor. It is not unusual for a Dwarf to leave their mountain home in pursuit of adventure, either to champion the cause of justice, make a name and fortune, or bring honor to the clan by way of great deeds.
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OLUXAR
awl-luhk-sahr
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A race of insectoid Mortals of unknown origin, renown as scavengers, traders, and masters of the wastelands where they make their homes. Most of the Oluxar are content to spend their lives serving the Queen and her Swarm within the towers of their labyrinthine hive-cities. Their society is divided along genetic lines into castes with each member assigned a specific role for life. Adventuring Oluxar are either exiles, fed up with this way of living, or specially selected by the Queen for a unique purpose.
Outsiders rarely commune with the Swarm and vice versa, due not only to their frightening outward appearance and alien mindset, but the difficulties inherent in communication between Oluxar and other Mortals. Thus, Oluxar who make a life for themselves outside the Swarm are usually loners, fortunate if they can count a small cadre of other outsiders as friends. For those who leave the Swarm behind, loneliness is a small price to pay for freedom, adventure, and the good of one's own soul apart from the Hive.
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ORC
awrk
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Orcs are a mighty warrior race, sought out as much as they are feared for their prowess in battle. No mere brutes, Orcs marry spirituality and martial skill into a harmonious strength unmatched by any foe. Their kind values honor and hates meaningless violence; every fight has a purpose, even if that purpose is simply to prove one's strength.
Born from the blood-soaked sands of Helios, Orcs have risen to meet their home world's challenges and emerged as its conquerors, edging out Goblins and other Helions in their rise to dominance. It is now the Orc clans who fight for supremacy on their ever-embattled world. No matter where he roams, the Orc meets every challenge with this same merciless valor, resolving to end each conflict as a corpse or a conqueror.
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QUENDI
kwehn-dee
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Graceful, mysterious, and beautiful, the Quendi are natives to the forest world of Arcadia. Theirs was among the greatest empires of the Second Epoch and their mightiest works of conquest and magic linger still, great and terrible echoes of a bygone era. Elves, as they are known far and wide, are often seen as cold and rigid, rarely showing overt displays of emotion or explaining the complex tapestry of thought that weaves its way through their minds. Yet beneath the austere demeanor lies a deep sea of feeling which all Elves strive to master. Quendi born within the strictures of Elven society treat all endeavors with absolute seriousness, striving to gain honor and avoid shame. This pursuit of perfection and truth sets many on the path to becoming heroes and legends.
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ZOAN
zoh-uhn
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A Zoan is the offspring of Mortals and gods, a half-spirit who lives somewhere between the tangible and the Unworld. Like their immortal parents, Zoa are intemperate, prone to fits of passion, and connected interminably to the natural world. Yet like Mortals, they are versatile, curious, and very much consumed by the impermanent material, caught in the steady flow of time and mortality.
A Zoan will forever struggle to find her place in the world, doomed to be caught somewhere between the worlds of flesh and spirit, Mortal and immortal, mundane and magical. It's no wonder that so many choose to embark on their own path as heroes, villains, and figures of legend.
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