Races

From Greatelementrpg

Current revision as of 20:42, 3 June 2007

The world is inhabited by a wide variety of races; humans being by far the most numerous, with everything else being much less well known. Most non-human races are not too common and only inhabit specific areas.

Duck Folk

Basic Info

The Duck Folk are simply large bipedal ducks. They're much smarter than their more common counter parts, and in fact seem to have a scholarly inclination.

Culture

While the Duck Folk have been known to be very effective in battle, especially when fighting in watery terrains, they prefer peace. Their city, has always enjoyed the protection of the Lizard Clan and the [[Grassland Clans|Archaco Clan]. This along with being smack in the middle of the Cayes Grasslands has made the Duck Village a large commercial center, and the largest city in the Cayes Grasslands. The Ducks have grown into the role of merchants very well, as they are friendly and generally tend to get along with everyone, and tend to be quite business savvy by nature. Like the Lizard Clan, they see the other Cayes Grassland Clans as family, although they don't take that role quite as intensely.

In a social sense, Ducks are very progressive. They don't tend to cling to tradition when something new is found. They've also grown capitalistic in a good-natured way. They regularly engage in commerce with humans outside of the Cayes Grasslands. They can be considered the most modern of the Cayes Clans.

Ducks tend to be very conservative in a dull minded sort of way when it comes to moral and family matters, however. It's not that they straddle a particularly high moral horse, but simply that they're not imaginative enough to be much mroe. While not particularly looking down on the few individuals who aren't, they see them as strange and very unusual. Most Ducks have simple aspirations; to work, earn money, and raise a family with little ducklings.

Ducks once had their own language, but have mostly abandoned it for more common tongues. Ducks learn Commonspeak in school, and generally learn Archaco and Chaldean.

Government

The Duck Clan is the only one not governed by a Chief; it is instead run by a mayer, elected by the citizens of the city. Though they are very friendly and encourage other races to live within their city, only Duck Folk are counted as citizens. This suits most of the non-Ducks that live in the city just fine; pretty much all Duck mayors tend to be calm and encourage business in the same way.

Crime of any sort is taken very seriously by Ducks. Most Ducks are generally very law abiding, and thus crime was extremely rare before other races started living in their city, with the culprit usually turning himself in anyway. Because they're so unfamiliar with crime, they often don't know how to react to it, and sometimes are overly harsh or overly indulgent, depending on the Mayor in charge at the time.

Ducks tend to have the most advanced education amongst the Cayes Clans; they make their young go to school until they're old enough to enter the working world.

Dwarves

Basic Info

Dwarves look like short, stocky people. Because they age about 1.7 times slower than humans, their culture is very statics and rarely goes through changes. They live their lives isolated from other races, and devote their time to mining, tunneling, and crafting powerful artifacts and weapons. They have a few settlements, but most are nothing but mining camps. Rockpyre however, is actually quite an impressive city, made of surprisingly large stone buildings.

Culture

The Dwarves have a simple culture, which is almost entirely built on mining and tunneling. Generally male Dwarves become tunnelers and miners, or take a craft such as Blacksmithing or architecture. Females are responsible for rearing children and keeping the town running. Because the males are almost always mining, this has caused the females to be in charge of trade and political relations.

Dwarves have little tolerance for those who deviate from the norm. All Dwarves are expected to marry a Dwarf of the opposite gender and raise a family; the males joining the workforce and the females filling once of the many roles needed around town. Any Dwarves that were outwardly homosexual would likely be subject to great ridicule and extreme ostracism - it would simply be impossible for them to continue living amongst other Dwarves.

Dwarves are generally very strict with laws; crime is nearly non-existant, but when it does happen, the result is generally a large fine; and for greater crimes, banishment.

Government

Dwarves have a simple republican government; every settlement elects a representative that is in charge of diplomatic relations and making sure everything goes smoothly. Often these positions are taken by female dwarves, or very elderly dwarves that have retired from mining. The position as Chief isn't particularly venerated, but a direct order from the chief is rarely disobeyed.

Elves

Basic Info

Elves tend to look very much like humans, except for having pointed ears and often very unusual hair colors of hair styles. Despite their similarities to humans, they despise humans even more than they despise most other races.

Culture

Elves are very reclusive, so not much is known about them. They seem to be quite abundant however, and many forests sport elven settlements. Specifics tend to differ from settlement to settlement, but all Elves are equally protective of their land. Most elves use some sort of magic to protect their villages; and the few settlements that are not magically protected are carefully watched over, and any intruders attempting to reached these elven villages will most likely be attacked. Elves are very long lived, and live to about 300 years old.

Elves tend to cling to tradition fiercely in most ways. In other ways though, they're quite open. They're willing to turn to turn a blind-eye to oddities such as homosexuality, because they don't consider it harmful to their society. These individuals are expected to reproduce and make children by their families however. Most elves don't mind this, because child rearing is a very important part of elf culture. You're not only the parent of your child, but their trainer as well. You're expected to guide them through their early years, until they can find a tutor that can guide them further in their talents.

However, they're strongly against interracial marriages because they see it as a pollution of the bloodline.

Government

Elves tend to have a very simple government system; any Elf past the age of 250 is considered an Elder. All Elders in a village make decisions together democratically.

Humans

Basic Info

Humans are by far the most common race, and the most diverse. Of the current 6 Great Kingdoms, 5 of them are primarily inhabited by humans, though all kingdoms have some non-human settlements. Humans tend to vary according to the culture they grew up in, but even within those cultures humans vary quite a bit.

Culture and Government

Varies according to location: Chaldean Theocracy, Keyroleth Empire, Regintine, Grassland Clans, Rugney, Audvera

Kobolds

Basic Info

Large anthropomorphic dogs, The Kobold race is actually quite closely tied with humans despite their differences. In the past they had their own settlements, but as time progressed they became more and more integrated with humans. So much so in fact, that despite their vast physiological differences, Kobolds are seen merely as ordinary citizens by most people. Kobolds are very common in the Kingdom of Rugney, and are treated no differently than humans there. They're also quite common in Keyroleth and Audvera, though they tend to be lower class citizens there; not really because of social prejudice, but simply because they're happy in poor positions, such as farmers. Kobolds tend to live shorter lives than humans, the average lifespan being about 55 years old.

Culture

Kobold culture is nearly as varied as human culture; quite simply, Kobolds tend to act and think like the humans around them. They have a few quirks though; namely, acting like dogs when they don't watch themselves. They love to gnaw on bones, for example.

Government

Because Kobolds don't have their own settlements, there are no 'Kobold Governments'. They have been known to have positions of power , especially in the military, in human settlements however. In Regintine Kobold Mayors and Generals are quite common.

Lizard Folk

Basic Info

The Lizard Folk are large bipedal lizards, native to the Cayes Grasslands. Amongst the Grassland Clans, they are the most war-like and amongst the most influential and powerful. Though one would be hard pressed to call the honest and straight-forward lizards deceitful, they do not uphold any chivalric notions such as honor. Ambush in battle, for example, is not seen a cowardly act but a smart strategic choice. They wear decorated cloth garments, and almost always carry a weapon - usually a large Glaive or Spear. Though most lizards grow to be warriors, other roles are also highly appreciated. They make their livelihood through hunting, weapon-smithing, and trade. The Lizard Clan is very communal; no Lizard Clan member is better off than another, even the chief - the fact that Lizards have very low requirements to be quite comfortable helps. The Clan as a whole make sure that everyone has enough to eat everyday, and that the young are looked after. One interesting note is that there are more female lizards than male lizards; at about a 6 to 4 ratio.

Culture

The Lizard Clan is extremely aggressive towards it's enemies, and equally supportive of it's allies. Despite their war-like nature, the Lizard Clan is one of the few reasons that the Cayes Grassland Clans are able to band together and resist outside invasion. They see other Grassland Clans as brothers; the Lizard Clan is often quite unaware that the other Grassland Clans often fight amongst themselves, and when they do notice they often dismiss it as a small squabble instead of the more serious conflicts that they actually are.

The Lizard Clan is extremely dedicated to their role as warriors and protectors of the Cayes Grasslands. Nearly all Lizards become warriors and hunters, and even the few who are less typically inclined take up roles that help with the effort, such as that of a blacksmith. All Lizard Clans members are extremely dedicated to the clan, and their chief. Clan members share all their resources with each other freely, and the top priority is to make sure that everyone in the Clan has everything they need to live a comfortable and happy life.

Homosexuality and Bisexuality amongst lizards is close to unheard of. This is simply because in reality, Lizards are quite asexual most of the time. Only young lizards between the ages of 13 and 25 have a libido at all, and even then only during a single brief month every year in the springtime, which culminates in the yearly mating ritual. Because sex for lizards is not nearly as pleasurable for lizards as it is for humans, most individuals see sex simply as nothing obscene and merely as biological function that needs to be taken care of . Much like the body needs to eat everyday, release excrements everyday, and sleep every night, so must they breed every year for a period of their lives. During the 12 years of in which they breed, Lizards typically produce 1 offspring each year. Lizards don't actually chose who they mate with; though their mates are not specifically assigned, Lizards simply mate with the Lizard of opposing gender closest to their rank.

Children are raised by the entire clan as a whole; elderly female Lizards often spend most of their time making sure all the children are well fed. Children rarely even know who their parents are, as the eggs are incubated through communal efforts.

Lizards generally don't have anything similar to conventional human marriages, and nothing official at all. They simply live with their clan as a whole. Generally Lizards develop a relationship of mutual trust with one other lizard, in which gender is not an issue, but other than that they regard all members of their clan with generosity and love.

Lizards are also quite interesting, because although they mature much faster than humans they also live quite a bit longer. They enter a slow puberty at about 7 years of age, becoming capable of breeding by 13 years of age and being fully mature by 16 years age. Most Lizards simply die in battle as old age deteriorates their ability; they're forced to retire as warriors if they reach the age of 80 however, and take more passive roles within their community. Lizards have been known to live as much as 150 years.

Government

The Lizards have a very simple government; all lizards are equal, except for the Chief. For a Lizard to become Chief, he must have proved himself to be a great warrior, and believed by his peers to be insightful. A position as Chief lasts until death. However, because the Chief traditionally the one that leads the Clan into large battles, time as Chief isn't nearly as long as it sounds. Although this system sounds very simplistic, it has served the Lizards quite well for hundreds of years.

Nekobolds

Basic Info

Nekobolds are seemingly related to kobolds; but instead of large humanoid dogs, they're cats. Much like kobolds though, they blend in with humans more than creating their own racial identity. They aren't as numerous as kobolds, but they generally seem better of than kobolds in the lower classes, because most Nekobolds in human settlements are merchants. Nekobolds are most numerous in Regintine, and there's even a Nekobold village there that is quite wealthy, but due to their inclination towards being merchants Nekobolds often travel far and wide. Nekobolds are more common in Keyroleth and Regintine than anywhere else. Gatt Island in Regintine has an near exclusively Nekobold City.

Culture

Though like Kobolds, Nekobolds generally tend to blend into the nearest human culture, they tend to retain some general traits. For example, most Nekobolds are generally friendly and open minded. Like Kobolds, they tend to retain a few quirks related to cats; most Nekobolds love to groom themselves, and can't stand being dirty. They also love fish.

Government

Nekobolds generally live in human settlements, and are generally disinterested in government anyway. The Nekobold village doesn't seem to actually have any sort of government; any important decisions are made by the heads of the village's households.

Vampires

Basic Info

Vampires are not so much a race, as an irreversible condition of humans. They all exist because of the power of the Blue Moon Rune, a True Rune which represents blood-lust and compassion. There are two types of vampires; Runic Vampires, which are humans that become vampires directly because of the Blue Moon Rune, and there are regular vampires, which became vampires when they were bitten by other vampires. Suikoden Vampires are not immortal, not even Runic Vampires. Though they have been known to live for almost two thousand years, they do age. Their aging is very slow, and even when they've reached their oldest appearance still look to be only about 50 years old in human terms. Runic Vampires are not harmed by sunlight, and are not hurt by holy artifacts more than a regular human would be. To regular vampires however, both of these things can be deadly. All vampires, unless under the protection of the Blue Moon Rune, need to kill at least once a week and feast on blood, to survive.

Culture

Long ago, there was a small village of Runic Vampires that lived peacefully for many centuries, under the protection of the Blue Moon Rune. They lived peaceful isolated lives of contemplation in the village, which was in the middle of a large and dark forest. However, over time a certain Vampire known simply as Laracra persuaded other vampires to leave the village, and create world which they could rule without hiding. With the power of the Blue Moon Rune, they managed to conquer a large portion of the continent, easily defeating any humans that stood in their way. Suddenly, the Blue Moon Rune abandoned the vampires, and lifted it's protection. Most vampires died, and their empire quickly returned to the hands of humans. Some very few of these original Runic Vampires managed to survive by feeding off humans, and turning them into lesser vampires. From these few Runic Vampires are where all 'regular' vampires come from. Vampires continued their existance in hiding, trying desperately to survive.

Government

Vampires don't have any sort of society; most vampires live alone and in hiding. Some very few powerful vampires have taken over some old deserted castles in Audvera. Either way, vampires mostly do as they wish.

Wingers

Basic Info

Wingers look mostly like normal humans, except for the large bat wings sprouting from their backs. They also have talons instead of wings. They're fully capable of flight. They're generally smaller than humans, and much lighter due to their hollow bones. Their muscles are usually quite well developed however. Wingers tend to have jovial and light hearted personalities, and generally don't take life too seriously. They're fond of alcohol and merriment, and love to have a good time.

Culture

Wingers, though already strongly resembling humans in many ways, have never truly mixed well with human society. Wingers are unfortunately very poor, and are unable to receive a good education. As such, they are generally unable to live anywhere but the lowest of slums in human settlements. They often have to resort to petty crime such as theft just to get by, and in many large human cities many gangs of wingers are present.

Due to the chaotic nature of their situation, their personalities generally reflect this. Most Wingers, while not blood-thirsty by any means, are not particularly opposed to banditry and even killing to be able to make money and feed their families.

Wingers tend to be very open about sex in general, and are fully comfortable with things such as homosexuality, and indeed most wingers exhibit at least some degree of bisexuality. The concept of marriage is something new introduced by humans, and hasn't really been absorbed. They tend to be quite promiscuous during their pubescent years and some after, but after a certain age they're expected to find only one or two sexual partners whom they grow close with and can trust (Though the occasional affair with another wouldn't be a big deal).

If a female is impregnated, the father is not necessarily expected to look after the child; those that are close to the mother are. Winger young are generally looked after by grandparents or other elderly wingers in the community most of the time, with slightly older wingers becoming teachers and guides for younger wingers. All wingers are expected to help with young to some degree.

Government

Wingers don't have any organized rule; most are members of gangs, and that's as close to government as they ever get. A few more honest wingers try to abide by human rules when living in human settlements. Traditionally they tend to live in anarchy, disputes being solved by force.