Races
From Aalynor's Nexus
Contents |
[edit] Races of Altin
[edit] Dark Elf
The Dark Elves betrayed the surface Elves during the first War of Races, and were doomed to dwell in shadow from that point on. Their bodies were changed by the dark magic that they embraced to survive, so that Drow have skin ranging from black to deep blue or dark violet, and usually white hair. Drow generally have red or violet eyes, (it is believed that these colors are a result of their powerful infra-vision, allowing them to see in complete darkness using heat differentials) although a rare few have blue. On average, a Drow will stand a few inches taller than a human, but are far more slender and graceful. A highly magical race, they make their home in the murky depths of Tilnar's Vein to the northwest of Nexus, the City of All Races. They are frequently scorned by the other breeds of Elves, and many consider it a disgrace to be seen with them. Dark Elves are long-lived and have been known to live well beyond five-hundred years. Since Tilnar's return to the Light, another schism occured amongst the Drow, with some pledging themselves to Tilnar (Called High Drow, or Grey Elves now) and many others deciding to remain in shadow and revere Kyorl as their patron. Dark Elves are man-sized creatures.
[edit] Dwarf
General Background:
The Dwarven people were created by the advisement of Twilia, the Mistress of Night and Darkness, since slain in the Godswar, leaving them without a patron God. Many Dwarves now revere Erisar, for battle prowess, or Andaras, due to their metalwork. Dwarves are renowned for their skill in shaping metals, and many of the best weapons in Nexus are of Dwarven manufacture. Nexus Dwarves trace their ancestry to the city of Narnek, deep within the Crystal Mountains, which was sealed when the Goblins attacked again. Dwarves are long-lived and have been known to live well beyond four hundred years.
General Appearance:
Dwarves stand, on average, just over four feet tall, yet their shoulders are as broad as any human's. Dwarven society places a great importance on the growth of facial hair, and all male Dwarves who are not shamed by their people wear full beards. In Dwarven society, beards are optional for females, although many female warriors also wear beards. Dwarves possess infra-vision, allowing them to see in complete darkness using heat differentials. They are sturdy fighters, stronger and more rugged than humans despite their smaller size. Most Dwarves are considered to be stubborn and practical.
Further Detail:
In the decades following the sealing of the Dwarfgate, the appearance of the Dwarven people began to reflect their ancestors' place in the historical division.
Those who traced their lineage to deep in the mountains- to Narnek or its outlying settlements- are typically fair of skin, dark of hair, and light of eye. The most common coloration of the Mountain Dwarf combines chestnut or black hair with blue, green, or grey eyes, and a pale complexion. Part of this can be contributed to the founding clans, part to their infrequent exposure to sunlight, and part to the mysteries of history. Beard braiding is considered a hobby among the Mountain Dwarves, some even elevating it to an art form, and it has given rise to many different variations of the theme. Clothing is mostly dark in shade and functional, with the occasional accent of a precious metal or a well-shaped gem.
Those Dwarves who were among the survivors of that long ago slaughter on the slopes of the Crystal Mountains eventually founded new strongholds, joining together with the remnants of other clans to form new families. A few of the modern Vale Dwarves (as they came to be called) hold some resentment for the sealing of the Dwarfgate, viewing it in their minds as a betrayal by the nobles of the time. The descendants of these forefathers most often have light hair (in shades of red, blonde, or light brown), darker skin (ruddy or tanned skin tone), and darker eyes (browns and the occasional hazel). In general, the Vale Dwarves are more gregarious, more open with their emotions, and more colorful in their attire than their xenophobic kin.
Besides the Mountain and Vale Dwarves, many other communities were scattered during the sealing of the Dwarfgate. Some communities were entrenched by the Horde, some sealed themselves away from even their own kind, and still some managed to avoid the detection of the enemy. Their descendants vary as widely in complexion, appearance, and culture as humans do.
History
For history on the dwarves, see the History of the Realms
[edit] Elf
Elves, which is to say, Light Elves, are the Children of Pandora. Physically, Elves are slightly shorter than humans, with the average male Elf being the same height as the average female human, with the female Elves being appropriately shorter. Elves are very slender, and beautiful, so much so that many human women suffer from malnutrition trying to match the Elven figure. Their slender forms, however make them less strong and rugged than humans physically, though their greater dexterity and intellect makes up for the lack. Elves have milky-white skin, almond-shaped eyes, which are either blue, green or hazel. Elves possess remarkable night vision, able to see in moonlight what it requires daylight for most other races to see. Elven hair is thick and silky, and the colors range from silver (they claim this is due to their affinity to the moon) to gold to light browns, the color of honey. Rare Elves have black hair, and when they do, it is as dark as the feathers of a raven. Elves have an affinity for nature, and are quite adept at magic. Most of the Elves of Nexus trace their ancestry back into the Eldane Forest - either in small cottages, or in the Elven City. Elves are long-lived and have been known to live well beyond five-hundred years. Elves are man-sized creatures.
[edit] Gnome
Gnomes are closely related to Dwarves in size and build. The Gnomes owe their creation to Rudestyle, and most of them revere Trista now. The reason for this is simple: Gnomes seem to revere alcohol and practical jokes. In fact, one's place in Gnomish Society is based upon how one responds and retaliates to practical jokes. Strangely, despite their behavior, Gnomes are a pious people, though that may have to do with their choice of Gods. On average, a Gnome stands as high as the eyes of a Dwarf, and they have given up some of the stockiness, making them less strong than humans, on average. Gnomish eye and hair coloration is usually tones found in autumn, with a tanned skin, smooth, unlike that of Dwarves. They also have a reputation for invention, and many strange devices throughout the realm have been attributed to the strange creativity of this race.... of course, a majority of these devices do not work. Gnomes are relatively short-lived with a typical lifespan spanning close to two-hundred years. Gnomes are small-sized creatures.
[edit] Goblin (NPC)
Goblins are vile creatures, hated by all. Once a proud and beautiful race, the Goblins were so blessed by the Gods that each was born with a unique magical ability, or "Gift". However, as Enchantress, their patron Goddess, fell into darkness, and used the Goblins to produce the War of the Races, so were the Goblin people punished, given dark twisted forms to match their hearts. The Goblins were defeated by the Allied Races, and fell back to garner their strength... Allying themselves and enslaving others, the Goblins returned, in force, having conquered most of the rest of the world. A few Goblins revere Tilnar, who absorbed Enchantress' powers during the Godswar, although Tilnar does not answer their prayers. These Goblins believe that Tilnar will embrace them once they have completed their conquest. Many Goblins have turned to Kyorl, and some of these have displayed Clerical powers. Goblins are fierce, violent, stupid, yet cunning and dirty. On average, a Goblin stands approximately 5' high, with the females taller and more powerful than the males. Goblin skin is usually a light ruddy color, or grey amongst the ruling class. Goblin hair is generally blue, green, black or orange and their eyes are opaque with no visible pupils, usually light orange, yellow, or the color of bone. As part of their punishment, Goblins once vast lifespan (over 400 years) was reduced to an average lifespan spanning approximately forty years, although the sheer number of many of battle deaths makes this an arbitrary number. However, an increasing number of Goblin Spies, who have seen the lie in the preaching of the "evil ways" of the Allied Races. These Goblins have defected to Nexus, and are being kept safe from their fellows and the townsfolk. Strangely enough, these Goblins have very human-like features, less twisted than their brethren. Goblins are man-sized creatures.
[edit] Half-Giant
A magical cross-breed between the Giant and human races, Half-Giants were created by the original Giants, the Storm Giants, as they are known now in an attempt to aid their degenerated Hill and Stone brethren. Half-Giants are as diverse as humans in coloration, though they stand just under twice the size of humanity. Half-Giants, as a created race, have no patron deity, so to speak, though many revere Dilanis. Because of their size and nature, Half-Giants are brutally strong, and quite rugged, and while they regained much of their lost intellect in their creation, they are still, on average, slower mentally than humanity. A Half-Giant is relatively short-lived with some known to live to be close to one hundred years old. Half-Giants are large-sized creatures.
[edit] Half-Elf
A Half-Elf is a cross between an Elf and a human, as the two races are sexually compatible. Not a race per se, their increasing numbers, due to the Alliance of Free Races, has caused many to consider them as such. They have no true patron deity, however, the Goddess of Merriment, Trista, has adopted a Half-Elven form, making her a popular Goddess amongst them. Half-Elves have some difficulty, being creatures of two worlds, and facing prejudice on both sides, although the Alliance has made such prejudices minor, for the most part. They combine Elven grace with a human frame, averaging out the strengths of each race. They are relatively short-lived due to their human heritage, and have been known to live up upwards of two-hundred years. Half-Elves are man-sized creatures.
[edit] Hobbit
Hobbits are a small race, which are like in size to human pre-adolescent children (which is to say, approximately 3'-4'). This is compounded by the fact that Hobbits cannot grow facial hair. As such, other then greying and wrinkles, Hobbits tend to always look like children, which causes other races to attempt to protect them, or think less of them, something which they greatly loathe. Hobbits are renowned for their agility, and have been known to make exceptional rangers and thieves. In fact, the patron god of the Hobbit race was Plekto, the Lord of Thieves. Since his death in the Godswar, the race has been without a Patron. Hobbits generally inhabit villages which they call Shires, living within homes dug out of hills. Since the most recent Goblin push, contact was lost with Brandyshire, the Hobbit village southwest of town, where most of Nexus' Hobbit population can trace roots to. It is feared that the town has been occupied, and its inhabitants enslaved, giving Hobbits even more reasons to hate the Goblins. Hobbits vary in coloration as do humans, only furthering their childlike appearance to members of that race. Add to that the Hobbit natural disposition toward curiosity and a cheerful spirit, and it is quite obvious why humans especially seek to protect Hobbits. They are also known to other races as Halflings, but they prefer to be called by their chosen name of Hobbit. Hobbits are small-sized creatures.
[edit] Half-Orc
As is the case with Half-Elves, so are Half-Orcs a cross-breed between humanity and another member of the Allied Races. Half-Orcs gain more human intellect and dexterity to combine with their Orcish strength and power. Half-Orcs, like Half-Elves, face prejudice due to their half-breed nature, shunned slightly by humans and Orcs both who cannot release their petty prejudices. Half-Orcs stand an easy four to six inches taller than humans, and their well muscled form resembles the Orcish parentage far more than the human. Half-Orcs possess elongated bottom incisors, though less so than Orcs, though these "tusks" only barely break through the lips. Largely because of the human parentage, Half-Orcs range in skin-tone, eye-color and hair-color as do humans, although their hair tends to be coarser, and usually darker than humans. The Orcs' harsh features are softened somewhat by the human blood as well. The resulting package is quite tough, and has the intellect and dexterity to make use of that strength. Many Half-Orcs embrace the Orcish culture, and therefore pay homage to Erisar, although followers of every God are present amongst their numbers. They are short-lived, living upwards of eighty years. Half-Orcs are man-sized creatures.
[edit] Human
A human is the most predominant of all the Allied Races. They are extremely diverse, and extremely adaptable, and do quite well in any occupation. Humans are relatively short-lived, living upwards of one hundred years. Humans are patroned by Andaras, the goddess of Art and Beauty, although because of their diversity, there are followers of all the Gods amongst their numbers. This effect was only heightened after Andaras' death, and seems, so far, unaffected by her resurrection. Humans are man-sized creatures.
[edit] Ogre
Ogres are one of the largest of the Allied Races, second only to Half-Giants. Ogres are notorious for their physical strength and toughness, as well as their dim-wittednes. Some smarter Ogres, attempting to cure this trait, have attempted to cross-breed with humans (as it is generally believed that humans are sexually compatible with all members of the Allied Races), but so far, none of these (usually forced) unions has produced offspring. Ogres stand roughly ten feet tall, but their powerful musculature often makes them seem even bigger than they truly are. The Ogres of Nexus, thankfully, seem more civilized than their Clansogre brethren, which lends to a theory that Ogres need only to be taught to overcome their dimwittedness. Ogres have thin hair, almost always black or dark brown, although rarely a deep forest green results instead. Ogre skin is yellowish, ranging from what appears to be sever jaundice to a bone-color. Ogres' facial features are best describes a bulbous, similar to those of human, but having lost their sense of proportion as they were stretched to their new size. The Ogres of Nexus seem to have renounced their ties to the Clansogres which dwell in the Crystal Mountains, (in fact, both the City Ogres and the Clansogres view the other as inferior) though that is where they would place their roots, if they bothered to keep track of family more than two generations back. It is believed that the Clansogres have recently fallen, leading to speculation that Ogrish Battleslaves will soon become part of the attacking force of Nexus. Ogres were the patroned race of Malakai, the Lord of Justice, often called Malakai the Cruel for his lack of mercy, a trait which his children seem to share. Ogres are very short-lived, known to live for just over fifty years. Ogres are large-sized creatures.
[edit] Orc
Orcs are fierce warriors, who seem to possess a philosophy of living every day to its fullest. Orcs, while slightly less intelligent than humans, claim that this is due to their shorter lifespans, and so, they must make the best use of their days. As such, Orcs are a highly passionate race, and prone to giving into their passions. Orcs stand, on average, a foot taller than humans, and their thick musculature makes them quite imposing, far more so than the taller Renis. Orcish coloration is darker than the human norm, their skin the color of untanned leather, and their thick and coarse hair is almost always black. Orcish eye color is the same as humans, although, in the words of both themselves, and humans, their eyes tend to be "more intense". Rare Orcs have black irises, making it impossible to see where the pupils begin and the irises end. Orcish features resemble human ones, although their face is more angular and fierce than those of humans. Also, the lower incisors of Orcs are elongated into tusks, which project from the mouth and end a half-inch or so below the nose. Orcs revere Erisar above all other Gods, he was their patron, and many Orcish clans went into mourning when he was killed. The day of Erisar's ressurection has become an official Orcish holiday in Nexus. However, some Orcs worship other Gods, usually Trista, Tilnar or Aalynor. The Orcs of Nexus do not speak of their settlement, which is believed to be west of Nexus - to do so is to insult an Orc. It is unknown why this is, although some scholars speculate a schism, similar to the one that created the Dark-Elves. Their size and musculature make Orcs strong, and their society seems largely based on gaining battle honors, and honor in general. As such, Orcish warriors, barbarians and paladins are quite common in the realms. Orcs dislike bright light, and prefer the dark, as they are capable of seeing in the starlight as humans do at noon. Orcs are relatively short-lived, with lifespans of around seventy years. Orcs are tall-sized creatures.
[edit] Renis
General Background
The Renis are a scholarly race, once responsible for maintaining all of the knowledge of the Allied Races. The Renis, generally a pacifistic people, were believed to have been eliminated during the first War of the Races, dying even as did their patron Arskol. When Tilnar's experiment recreated Arskol, although a mad version, so did the Renis make themselves known again. Although they still pursued knowledge, much of their pacifistic nature was lost. Suffice it to say that due to the recreated Arskol's nature, few Renis mourned his second death.
General Appearance
Renis are a tall, slender people, half again as tall as humans, though weighing slightly less. Renis are covered in very short fur, usually pale blue in color, but often grey, green or even rarely black. Renis' ears end in points, similar to those of Elves but more severe. Like most races, the Renis have hair, which is always the colors of a precious gem-stone. It is believed that this trait is a result of their affinity for crystals in science and magic. Renis are extremely long lived, and some speculate that they are even Immortal. Reni are tall-sized creatures.
Further Detail
Even before the War of the Races, Renis were never numerous, perhaps because of their long lifetime. Childbearing is dangerous and infrequent for a female Reni, and an arrival of a baby is celebrated by all of the community. A Reni child is physically helpless for many years, taking 5 years before he or she can walk steadily. However, the active brain of a Reni baby absorbs everything around it as soon as it is born, and trivial details never escape its notice nor are forgotten. Because of this infatuation with details, a young reni, despite his or her 100 years of knowledge accumulation, can be quite ignorant of world at large. It is said that Reni understanding is deep and detailed, but not necessarily broader or wiser. Ancient Reni sages were well aware of this shortcoming and encouraged their people to travel and wander, producing many traders and minstrels. Many years of hiding after the War of the Races dismantled this tradition. Without this conscious effort, the vast majority of modern Renis is devoted to scholarship and knowledge.
Once, Reni communities dotted the foothills of the Crystal Mountains. Their physiques unfit for mining the crystals they long for, the Renis have relied on the Dwarves for various crystals that are mined from the mountains. The Dwarves, in turn, have gained from Renis knowledge and news from abroad. Although the two peoples can never understand each other's temperaments, there is still a strong sense of respect and alliance between them. The War of the Races decimated the original Reni communities, and remaining Renis went into hiding, many of them in various obscure valleys in the fold of the Crystal Mountains. When Dwarvengate was closed, many a Reni watched the carnage and cursed their inability to aid the Dwarves and fight against the Goblin horde. To this day, that tale of humility drives young Renis to travel to Falcion to start their apprenticeship to join the effort of the Allied Races.
[edit] Sprite
Tiny and mischevious, agile and swift, Sprites are like in personality to Elves and Gnomes. Sprites are woodland creatures who are connected to the life force of all things, having been born from it. As such, Sprites revere Aalynor (though they once revered Tilnar as well, before his fall), the Lord of the Light from which they were created. Sprites are highly magical, possessing many magical abilities, one of which is the ability to shrink items, allowing them to get by in a world of (relative to them) giants. Shrinking items does not affect their weight, however, which means that Sprites cannot use heavier items, due to leverage problems. They are quick of mind and body, but their small size makes them fragile. Sprites are viewed by most races to be annoying, but with the Time of Darkness and the coming of Void, they alone of the Faerie races came forward and asked to join the Allied Races. There is much prejudice against Sprites, especially by the Trolls and Ogres who have too often run afoul of their practical jokes, who, in fact, consider it a great game to pop the heads off of Sprites, pulling off their wings, or keeping them in jars. However, in response to this, the Sprites are attempting to make peace with the larger races. When told that they are hated for their weakness, Sprites are quick to point out that proportionally, they are the strongest and most rugged race, and it is simply a problem of scale. Fun-loving sprites have skin-color which matches the shades of the sky, pale blue, pale grey, dark grey, and their eye color is usually a deeper shade of their skin tone. Sprite's hair color changes through the year, reflecting the season. In winter, it is grey, white or black, in spring it is the color of leaf-buds, fresh bark or lilac blooms, in the summer, it is the color of leaves, or bloomed wild flowers (bright yellows and oranges are common), and in the fall, the color of the falling leaves, from tawny to red to pale-yellow. Their magical nature and connection to the lifeforce of the world makes them excellent magi or rangers, while their dexterity makes them excellent thieves. Sprites are unnaturally lucky. Sprites naturally levitate and can detect-invisible creatures and objects.
[edit] Troll
Trolls are a massively powerful race, similar to Ogres in size. The average Troll stands well over nine feet tall, and seems to be of roughly Orcish proportions, as opposed to the long-limbed and bulbous Ogres. Their musculature is even denser than that of humanity, giving them amazing power and ruggedness. Their faces appears similar to those of Orcs, though while they lack the tusks, they possess large horns, which are a sense of pride amongst Trolls. While not as mentally adepts as other races, Trolls are said to possess a cunning which is not easily matched, making them crafty opponents. Combined with their natural fierceness and battle prowess, this makes them very dangerous opponents, indeed. Trolls do not grow facial hair, and their skin resembles that of Dwarves, leathery and tough. Trollish skin and eye color closely matches those of Orcs, lending credence to the possibility of a connection between the two races, both in their physical appearance and outlook. Some Trolls, however, are known to have green skin. Usually such Trolls are considered to be less intelligent than others. The stray magic of the Godswar made their mark on Trolls, degenerating some of them as it did the Giants. The most common of these sub-races, the Cave Troll, is known to eat the raw flesh of sentient beings. Trolls view challenge and hardship as the things which define existence, and strive constantly to overcome obstacles, no doubt due to the fact that they were once patronized by Vrackon, the Lord of Hardship. Troll society is fierce, and most Trolls carry a large sense of personal honor, enriched by overcoming challenges (usually in battle). As such, Trolls are quick to anger, for even the smallest of comments can grate against their strange honor system. A dishonored Troll, exiled by his people, will have his horns sawed off to show his shame and dishonor to others. No honorable Troll will speak to such a horn-less Troll. The Trollish honor-system has been subdued somewhat by the Trolls of Nexus, learning tolerance of the ignorance of other races to their ways. The Trollmoot in the Crystal Mountains is known to have been overrun by the Goblins, who experiment on the Trolls to create Battleslaves. No Troll will willingly allow a Battleslave to live. With Vrackon's death, the most revered of the Gods to the Trollish people are Erisar, for skill in battle, Tilnar, for his own pain, and Trista, for the strength of their brew. Trolls are considered as stubborn as Dwarves, and as such, many powerful Troll magi and clerics exist, gaining their power through sheer stubbornness and dedication. Trolls are short-lived with lifespans that average ninety years. Trolls naturally regenerate. Trolls are tall-sized creatures.
