Post by Piffy on Jul 10, 2013 0:12:34 GMT
Races
The world of Lysilus is home to many peoples and civilisations which have been shaped by the passage of time. While not all of these races are humanoid, the many who are may well share a common ancestor. Academics from the Order of Jethro continue to investigate the vast biology of Lysilus, in hopes of deciphering the mysterious building blocks of life itself.
The List
Midmen (Humans)
Humans - By far the most common and widespread race, humans stand between five to seven feet tall and range in skintone from a pale white to a darker brown. Physically, they appear "average" in all respects and represent perfectly the baseline to which all other races are compared. They are incredibly successful and, despite their seeming lack of natural prowess in comparison to more "powerful" races, hold the credit for many world-changing accomplishments, namely academic systems such as the scientific method or the magician's code.
Greymen - Descended from humans exiled to underground slaver colonies, the Greymen have been physically warped by exposure to the world's core. Together with the underworld dwarves, they dominate the squabbling underground empires which flourish beneath Lysilus' surface. They are tall, thin, hairless and colourless. Their skin and eyes are both a sickly, ghastly grey colour. The greymen can see perfectly in complete darkness, and are believed to hold unsettling telepathic powers. Many travellers advise never shaking hands with a greyman, for his touch extends beyond your physical body. Historically, the greymen have been cruel, cold and sadistic, and still hold legions of slaves which work tirelessly for their unjust masters.
Alfmen (Elves)
Bright Elves - A proud, ancient and long-lived race hailing from the elven homeland of Thessel, the bright elves represent the remainder of the oldest elven civilisations. They are highly emotional, holding feelings of magnitudes that exceed human comprehension, and are said to react explosively to otherwise-insignificant stress. Bright elven society is based on hedonism and decadence, with an appreciation for the arts and a lingering feeling of xenophobia towards other races. Bright elves are usually taller and slimmer than humans, with pointed ears and a distinct lack of facial hair. They tend to be lightly tanned, with their hair, skin and sometimes eyes reflecting an elegant golden colour. Bright elves are rarely seen outside of their own closed communities, and their appreciation of aesthetic beauty is demonstrated in their fashion and architecture, which are elaborate to the point of being impractical.
Bleak Elves - The bleak elves stand in direct contrast to their arrogant ancestors, having adopted a racial philosophy of pessimism and nihilism which can make them appear gloomy or depressed to outsiders. They abhor beauty and preach the virtues of living simply and finding joy in the little things, as ordinary events are what make up life's majority. Bleak elves are not only humble but self-deprecating, sometimes going to extreme lengths to appear "ugly" to strangers to ensure that they are not placed above others. If the bright elves represent happiness, the bleak elves essentially represent sadness, a feeling of guilt that was passed down generations ever since the first bleak elves were born. Bleak elves are unique in their skintone, which is usually a dark grey-blue or purple colour. Their hair has all the colour variation present in human hair, plus the possibility of unusual colours such as pale blue, crimson red or white. Their eyes are always the same colour as their hair.
Wild Elves - A small, scattered race, the wild elves have made their home in the natural world, a choice born out of millennia-old conflicts. Wild elves are both aggressive and peaceful, existing in a kind of paradox. They are the balance between the elven races, choosing to forgo conventional, "civilised" society altogether. Living in tribal communities, wild elves do all that they can to defend their forest homes from the destruction caused by urban expansion. The wild elves are usually more muscular than their bright and bleak cousins, and have skintones, eye colours and hair colours identical to humans.
Svartmen (Dwarves)
Underworld Dwarves - Originating underground, the underworld dwarves are the elder dwarven race. For a long time, they were isolated from other civilisations and built their own underground kingdoms with little outside support. The underworld psyche is dominated by a drive to be self-sufficient, leading outsiders to misinterpret the underworld dwarves as selfish or greedy. This perception is not helped by the fact that they possess the largest mines and gold deposits in Lysilus, having hoarded immense treasures during their time exploring their cavernous homes. When the greymen arrived, the underworld dwarves had trouble fending off the expanding empire, and they lost much of their wealth in the war that followed. Underworld dwarves stand shorter than humans, and are surprisingly strong for their size. They usually have rather dark skin, and pitch-black hair coupled with eerie, luminescent yellow eyes which are not unlike those of a cat. They can see in complete darkness. The underworld dwarves are the creators of gunpowder and the brotherhood of sorcerers, partly due to their large collections of magical artifacts.
Overworld Dwarves - These dwarves have ventured out of their underground homes in response to the cruel tactics of the greymen, the perceived spinelessness of their underworld brothers and a feeling of curiosity which was tugging at their minds for ages. Overworld dwarves are accepted readily in human societies, prized for their craftsmanship and sensible nature. An overworld dwarf is honest, loyal and honourable to the point of self-sacrifice. At times, they have trouble understanding sarcasm because they just aren't used to lying. Overworld dwarves differ from their underworld ancestors in that they are slightly taller, with healthier skin and a human range of hair colours.
Jotmen (Orcs)
Urban Orc -
Wild Orc -
Musmen (Goblins)
Brownies -
Redcaps -
Hobgoblins -
Niflmen (Hybrids)
Changelings - Changelings are quite rare, byproducts of fey influence on mortals. Changelings tend to resemble their mortal parents until reaching maturity, where clearly demonic traits begin to surface. Vestigial wings, tails or horns may appear, alongside an aura of bad luck which follows the changeling wherever he goes. Changelings don't tend to be welcome in their respective communities, shunned by peers and family as freaks of nature.
Ogres - A special kind of changeling born initially from the union of trolls and orcs, the Ogres are surprisingly widespread. Ogres are quite large, portly and brutish, sharing many common qualities with their trollish ancestors. Unlike other changelings, Ogres don't seem to hold many inborn magical powers, instead holding the immense strength and fortitude present in trolls.
Serpentines - A mysterious, malevolent race which have eluded human knowledge since their first contact with other species, the Serpentines are believed to be the byproduct of infernal influence on a still-evolving people. Resembling sapient lizards, Serpentines stand taller than both humans and elves. Their bodies are covered in thick, jagged scales and their mouths are lined with razor-sharp, venomous fangs. Scales vary in colour, usually a dim green or shining black. Wizards believe the Serpentines to be a form of Cambion, therefore making them creatures of pure evil. Their society has never properly been observed, and as Serpentine culture collapsed long ago, it might never be.
The world of Lysilus is home to many peoples and civilisations which have been shaped by the passage of time. While not all of these races are humanoid, the many who are may well share a common ancestor. Academics from the Order of Jethro continue to investigate the vast biology of Lysilus, in hopes of deciphering the mysterious building blocks of life itself.
The List
Midmen (Humans)
Humans - By far the most common and widespread race, humans stand between five to seven feet tall and range in skintone from a pale white to a darker brown. Physically, they appear "average" in all respects and represent perfectly the baseline to which all other races are compared. They are incredibly successful and, despite their seeming lack of natural prowess in comparison to more "powerful" races, hold the credit for many world-changing accomplishments, namely academic systems such as the scientific method or the magician's code.
Greymen - Descended from humans exiled to underground slaver colonies, the Greymen have been physically warped by exposure to the world's core. Together with the underworld dwarves, they dominate the squabbling underground empires which flourish beneath Lysilus' surface. They are tall, thin, hairless and colourless. Their skin and eyes are both a sickly, ghastly grey colour. The greymen can see perfectly in complete darkness, and are believed to hold unsettling telepathic powers. Many travellers advise never shaking hands with a greyman, for his touch extends beyond your physical body. Historically, the greymen have been cruel, cold and sadistic, and still hold legions of slaves which work tirelessly for their unjust masters.
Alfmen (Elves)
Bright Elves - A proud, ancient and long-lived race hailing from the elven homeland of Thessel, the bright elves represent the remainder of the oldest elven civilisations. They are highly emotional, holding feelings of magnitudes that exceed human comprehension, and are said to react explosively to otherwise-insignificant stress. Bright elven society is based on hedonism and decadence, with an appreciation for the arts and a lingering feeling of xenophobia towards other races. Bright elves are usually taller and slimmer than humans, with pointed ears and a distinct lack of facial hair. They tend to be lightly tanned, with their hair, skin and sometimes eyes reflecting an elegant golden colour. Bright elves are rarely seen outside of their own closed communities, and their appreciation of aesthetic beauty is demonstrated in their fashion and architecture, which are elaborate to the point of being impractical.
Bleak Elves - The bleak elves stand in direct contrast to their arrogant ancestors, having adopted a racial philosophy of pessimism and nihilism which can make them appear gloomy or depressed to outsiders. They abhor beauty and preach the virtues of living simply and finding joy in the little things, as ordinary events are what make up life's majority. Bleak elves are not only humble but self-deprecating, sometimes going to extreme lengths to appear "ugly" to strangers to ensure that they are not placed above others. If the bright elves represent happiness, the bleak elves essentially represent sadness, a feeling of guilt that was passed down generations ever since the first bleak elves were born. Bleak elves are unique in their skintone, which is usually a dark grey-blue or purple colour. Their hair has all the colour variation present in human hair, plus the possibility of unusual colours such as pale blue, crimson red or white. Their eyes are always the same colour as their hair.
Wild Elves - A small, scattered race, the wild elves have made their home in the natural world, a choice born out of millennia-old conflicts. Wild elves are both aggressive and peaceful, existing in a kind of paradox. They are the balance between the elven races, choosing to forgo conventional, "civilised" society altogether. Living in tribal communities, wild elves do all that they can to defend their forest homes from the destruction caused by urban expansion. The wild elves are usually more muscular than their bright and bleak cousins, and have skintones, eye colours and hair colours identical to humans.
Svartmen (Dwarves)
Underworld Dwarves - Originating underground, the underworld dwarves are the elder dwarven race. For a long time, they were isolated from other civilisations and built their own underground kingdoms with little outside support. The underworld psyche is dominated by a drive to be self-sufficient, leading outsiders to misinterpret the underworld dwarves as selfish or greedy. This perception is not helped by the fact that they possess the largest mines and gold deposits in Lysilus, having hoarded immense treasures during their time exploring their cavernous homes. When the greymen arrived, the underworld dwarves had trouble fending off the expanding empire, and they lost much of their wealth in the war that followed. Underworld dwarves stand shorter than humans, and are surprisingly strong for their size. They usually have rather dark skin, and pitch-black hair coupled with eerie, luminescent yellow eyes which are not unlike those of a cat. They can see in complete darkness. The underworld dwarves are the creators of gunpowder and the brotherhood of sorcerers, partly due to their large collections of magical artifacts.
Overworld Dwarves - These dwarves have ventured out of their underground homes in response to the cruel tactics of the greymen, the perceived spinelessness of their underworld brothers and a feeling of curiosity which was tugging at their minds for ages. Overworld dwarves are accepted readily in human societies, prized for their craftsmanship and sensible nature. An overworld dwarf is honest, loyal and honourable to the point of self-sacrifice. At times, they have trouble understanding sarcasm because they just aren't used to lying. Overworld dwarves differ from their underworld ancestors in that they are slightly taller, with healthier skin and a human range of hair colours.
Jotmen (Orcs)
Urban Orc -
Wild Orc -
Musmen (Goblins)
Brownies -
Redcaps -
Hobgoblins -
Niflmen (Hybrids)
Changelings - Changelings are quite rare, byproducts of fey influence on mortals. Changelings tend to resemble their mortal parents until reaching maturity, where clearly demonic traits begin to surface. Vestigial wings, tails or horns may appear, alongside an aura of bad luck which follows the changeling wherever he goes. Changelings don't tend to be welcome in their respective communities, shunned by peers and family as freaks of nature.
Ogres - A special kind of changeling born initially from the union of trolls and orcs, the Ogres are surprisingly widespread. Ogres are quite large, portly and brutish, sharing many common qualities with their trollish ancestors. Unlike other changelings, Ogres don't seem to hold many inborn magical powers, instead holding the immense strength and fortitude present in trolls.
Serpentines - A mysterious, malevolent race which have eluded human knowledge since their first contact with other species, the Serpentines are believed to be the byproduct of infernal influence on a still-evolving people. Resembling sapient lizards, Serpentines stand taller than both humans and elves. Their bodies are covered in thick, jagged scales and their mouths are lined with razor-sharp, venomous fangs. Scales vary in colour, usually a dim green or shining black. Wizards believe the Serpentines to be a form of Cambion, therefore making them creatures of pure evil. Their society has never properly been observed, and as Serpentine culture collapsed long ago, it might never be.
