Magitech Awakenings

Humans:

Humans come in all shapes, sizes and colors and can be found most places across the continent. They tend to settle in the fertile plains where they can build their cities they are so proud of. They generally have a lifespan of fifty to seventy years, although some few live considerably longer with the aid of magic.

They tend to be arrogant towards the other races and incline towards being greedy and selfish people, this author having found but few redeeming individuals in their travels. They also frequently break out in war over the slightest concern, and the other prime races always try to ensure the war is between human nations, having long since tired of the squabbling children that humans can be at a moments notice.

Humans also boast the most numerous population, numbering some two hundred million split between the seven kingdoms, as of the last census five years ago.

Dwarves:

Dwarves are stout and often smelly folk who hide away underneath the mountains, short of stature and of grim personality they are hard to find and harder to befriend for us merfolk. But they are widely renowned as artists of metal and stone, their fanatical devotion to their crafts and skill therein worthy of respect.

While once they were a mighty people whose kingdoms stretched across and under every mountain, now their people are shattered and few. Their lifespan is greater than humans, being some hundred and twenty to a hundred and fifty years in breadth. Their population numbered is unknown but estimated at fifteen thousand odd, based on what the few wandering dwarfs tell. Many fascinating ruins have been left as they have retreated back to their strongholds after the last great war.

Elves:

Known as woodland people the elves stand with willowy figures near a head taller than the average human. While omnivorous they do not partake of meat save that which is obtained through their hunts that are held sacred. They are strong in magic, more so than any of the other races, yet in return there have always been fewer elves in existence.

Elves have always been aloof but never more so than now, perhaps the hardest hit by the last great war their population dove steeply, they now treasure every child born, as rising infertility puts their very culture and race at risk. I have it on good authority that they currently number just one thousand and thirty seven.

Indeed each elf is known to carry a carved amulet, which matches another held in their hall of the living in their now singular city, both amulets are rent in twain at the event of their owners death. These deaths are jealousy investigated by Elvish Justicars, an elite group of warriors and hunters, and revenged upon if found to be unnatural.

The long lives elves are blessed with are as coveted as their beauty, being some four to five hundred years, this length coupled with their youthful appearance throughout their lives has even lead to myths of elvish immortality in centuries past.

While there have been occasions where slavers have attempted to capture elves to sell, their attempts, even if initially successful, all ultimately fail. The Justicars see to that.

The descriptions of cruelty of what was done to the slavers once caught shall be omitted from this account.

Merfolk:

Other races do not have the gills we possess, they cannot breathe on land or under the waters as we can. While humankind look similar to us merfolk we are built more slender and tall. They do not share our sense of humor either, getting easily annoyed with the pranks we pull to show affection. Neither do they have a good picture of our people, they view our magics" of illusion and weather control as unnatural and distrustful so be careful what you show to them, it could incite fear and hatred in lesser minds.

Our lifespans are also well placed, averaging 100-120 years and they know not of our true population of over 10 million, split between the 12 tribes as they are.

For we are the free folk, wanderers, explorers, and artists. Foolishly the other races call us tribal and savage, how can their cities and lands possibly compare to the beauty of the ocean deeps and waves that we experience? Or the beauty of the cresting morning light over the horizon after a typhoon? They have not visited our centers of learning and culture, nor communed with the denizens of the seas as have our beast masters.

Dragons:

These n.o.ble beings once thrived on this world, we know this not only from our wisdom mothers, but from the ruins and nests many of our best explorer and archaeologist cadres have discovered.

What happened to them? None here know for certain, we have but precious little knowledge that has been pa.s.sed down.

Their lifespan was said to be between 2-3 thousand years each, while their historical population is only guessed at, certainly we have found none alive to converse with, search as our beastmasters may.

What stories we have tell us that each dragon would choose one of the twelve aspects of magic upon reaching maturity, and forever after their scales would be tinged with the color of their prismatic magic. The only exception was said to be their Kings, known as albino crystal dragons, only one was born each generation, it"s color decided from birth.

The only hint of their culture we have is from crude carvings we have unearthed from millennia ago, which seem to suggest that the old dragons raised the young communally, while all the dragons in their prime disappeared into the astral expanse, returning only to lay their eggs and leave them in the care of their elders before leaving once more.

Truly, the dragons culture has been lost in time, and the world is lesser for it.

Beastkin:

Being the three races created by Galafel the Insane, Mother of Monsters

Orcs:

These creatures are the most prolific of the three, with a lifespan of a mere 3-4 decades they are the shortest lived of the sentient races. But their reproductive cycle can outstrip any other. As such their population is carefully controlled by the human bureaucracies, enslaved by the human"s fear after the third great war.

They are used as heavy labor in the fields and cities of the humans, or as meat-shields in their many skirmishes, and their large dusky bluish grey bodies ripple with muscles as they go about their tasks. They stand as tall or taller than our people. But could snap us in two with naught but their hands, I do not hold with slavery but I am grateful we do not have to deal with the potential threat to our people.

They are a testament to how pride can destroy a species, in their wild ambitions during the last great war they gambled for all, and lost, now they barely consider each day as it comes, leaderless and cowed they think of naught but bare survival, reduced to little more than animals.

I have watched them go about their labors, eyes dull and filled with a weary pain I could not fathom. I was forced to turn my head else my own heart break for them.

Lycans:

Not much is known of this reclusive species, we know they live to 120 years like our people, with a population estimated in the tens of thousands they have never been numerous, yet records of their feats and physical prowess are enough to make one never wish to cross one of their kind.

They took up residence around a ma.s.sive tree in the northern parts of the Terrapian continent, existing in small scattered tribes called packs.

According to scholarly accounts they look much like human barbarians, large of stature and intensely muscled, but with the ability to transform into ma.s.sive bipedal creatures of fur, fangs and claws.

Unlike populist tales people bitten by them do not turn into a similar being, instead they inflicted with a magical curse that sends them berserk on nights where both moons are full, killing all around them in a mindless rage unless restrained. But I digress

They are also said to hold immense regenerative powers and an immunity to most diseases and poisons. As for their sociality, all I have managed to find was that they love their pack members ferociously and can hold a grudge their entire lives, a pa.s.sionate people if ever there was one
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Calgaree:

These beastkin are bipedal with fur, claws and fangs, but are far smaller more graceful than the Lycans. Also, unlike lycans they are permanently furry, unable to shift between a human and beastkin form.

Their population numbers approximately 10 million with a lifespan of 4-5 decades. They can be found wherever humans can, living in a form of symbiosis throughout the seven kingdoms. They are also far shrewder than their beastkin relatives and possess great talents in commerce and clerical work.

Due to past conflicts with the humans they take a differential role as a species, even going so far as to abstain from meat for a millennium in order to prove they would no longer consume humans, as they did during the many years of the third great war.

While they have pawed feet their hands have humanesque fingers, which enables them to use most of the tools and devices that are designed for humans, allowing for greater integration into society.

They are ruled in the shadows by a matriarchal council much like our own, a sign of their maturity as a species despite its relative youth. I have even heard whispers of a shadow police comprised of calgaree, police not for external threats, but to keep the calgaree populace in line with the laws set by their council of matriarchs. History has proven them to be effective, almost never is a calgaree convicted of a crime, any guilty parties merely disappear.

Halfs

While there are some few half breeds amongst the races they are quite rare due to a high chance of stillbirths, and the fact that often the birth will prove fatal for the mother, leaving many unwilling to take the chance. They are also discriminated against, and few welcome their company. Usually they will bear a random mix of traits from both parents but usually predominantly from the mother.

Animals:

While there are many varieties of monsters on land and in the oceans, these are the most commonly seen and domesticated animals of Terrapia.

Chur`ka:

An equine animal of which there are many varieties, they are used in many spheres including agriculture and war. Loyal to their owner, they are social animals

Suk

A canine animal found amongst the human populations. While they are little more than tame worgen, they bear some traits of civilization such as being smaller and friendlier than their wild kin.

Worgen

A canine beast. Wild packs of worgen roam every forest of the continent. Ferocious and brave, a pack can easily take down the unprepared.

Mako:

A feline mammal. Extremely rare and honored by the Calgaree and the elves. They come and go as they please and have been known to guide heroes and accompany sages, Seen as the Patron animal of the G.o.ds.

Boola:

A very common bovine animal, bred for its meat, leather, milk, and its long hair, variants of Bola exist across the continent.

Zugzug:

A very fat, lazy, swine, bread for meat. Orcs and Calgaree refuse to eat it.

Balicog:

An annoyingly silly hoofed animal that comes to one"s knee, their flocks are bred for their wool, milk and meat.

Murgoat:

A four legged scourge of an animal that will eat just about anything, including your paint, brush, and tapestry, breed for their pelts, meat and milk. Males have two sets of curved horns while females have one forward facing set.

Clukie:

Small avian animals that cannot fly, quite stupid and a pain to take care of. Domesticated for their meat, eggs and feathers.

Luppie:

Small rodents that abound in fields and cities.

For in depth discussions on a variety of magical beasts and their histories see my other works, Beasts Magical and Mundane Throughout the Ages, Volume One through Fifteen.