Races

Races.

The history of any race, in this world is dubious at best. But each prefer to believe what they like...and each have their own traits. Read below.

Humans.

Ancient, and adaptable, humans inhabited the land since times immemorial. They do not stand out, in any specific way, but they are pretty comfortable with a lot of environments, as well as styles of fighting, magic, and many other circumstances. Their capacity for ingenuity, and their creative spirit, has lead them far, they now possess mighty cities, and armies, albeit, ones standing in a dying world.

Exalts.

Formerly, human, but changed in a cataclysmic event. While retaining a mostly human appearance, there are elements, such as horns, tails, wings, odd skin, hair or eye colors, extra limbs, or other traits, that set them apart from normal humans. Magic comes naturally to them, but so does specialization, as Exalts often find it difficult to master more than a single field of magic. Their residual magic energy, allows them to transform into a different form, briefly, this transformation unique, to any Exalt.

Incarnates and Anima.

In times immemorial, nature was left so untouched, most of it's notable portions developed embodiments. The immortal Anima. But when mankind, Exalts, Golems, Clock Men and others, as well as the war with the Old Kin occurred, Anima felt themselves hurt, as the locations they were bound to, were hurt. A decision had to be made. In the end, a vast majority of them, split, in smaller, weaker, no longer immortal fragments. Incarnates.

Incarnates, are no longer connected to a single place, but some traces of their old identity survive. Some of them dwell in packs. They do not die of old age, most of the time (but can be killed). They do not talk, generally, bur have an innate mana sense, allowing them to feel the mana in everything. Thus, they can talk to one's "soul" instead. Even if an Incarnate cannot be heard, they can be understood...as most of the ones with reason to talk to humans, speak to their souls (and minds) in human languages. Others, prefer visions and bizarre sensations.

Golems.

Constructs, made of pure, solid matter, and then having a network of mana, as well as a high powered core, inserted in. Golems however, keep absorbing mana, meaning that they can grow quite powerful, over time. Golems can channel more mana into their bodies, and achieve higher levels of strength, or regeneration. Especially when hurt. It is said that a golem who achieves great power, can even attain a temporary transformation into a much stronger being.

As they age, golems grow larger, gigantic even, at their later years. However, their regeneration is slower, and their mana output is also lesser. Eventually they lose the power to channel mana, but are instead much larger, stronger and surprisingly faster.

Clock Men.

Machine people, created by an ancient human civilization. It's name is not remembered, but their purpose was to assist and aid humans in any way they could. Something they did gladly...until the humans, somehow betrayed them. It is unknown exactly what happened, and Clock Men refuse to say, but now, their species is at best, in some cold relationship with...almost everyone else.

Their lives depend on their cores. Should the core be damaged or destroyed, the Clock Man (or Woman, technically) is destroyed. Should it run out of mana, the same happens. It is said that a sub-species of very human-like Clock Men exists... But that is dismissed as just fairy tales by the Clock Capital.

Dragons.

Legendary beings, whose existence would be considered a myth, if not for their descendants. Dragons left both, mutated, crippled and otherwise outcasted members of their species, as well as many, many crossbreeds with generally humans, but golem-dragons, Exalt-dragons and Dragon-tainted Incarnates exist. Mostly, they maintain the shape of their non-dragon species, and instead have other traits...like the horns, wings, fire breath, or scales as parts of their form. In most countries, they are considered practically members of their non-dragon race.

In the Seven Castles of Dust, they are revered, and many of them are respected leaders of the Dragon Legion. Proud bearers of unique physiologies and dragon magics.

Undead.

It begins with illness. And then, it continues with decay. It moves further into death, as the body is cremated for good measure, and only bones remain, thrown into some forgotten heap. Yet the spirit has not departed. It awakens. You go through this imperfect awakening, inside your own corpse. No recollection of who you were, or what you did. You are now, but a heap of bones, with some flesh left, if those from your former life, have not burnt you to cinders.

You may go insane, and begin consuming mana. It will turn you into an abomination, mutated beyond what is natural to the human corpse. You may also try to collect yourself, and live with your new state. But as your touch and breath and very soul are venomous, you must either cover yourself very well, or flee, to where all undead gather. It seems, the spiteful Old Kin were fond, of cruel gifts.

Woven.

Most would see the weird humanoid shades, made of mist, or occasionally with slight covers of rock, rainwater and dew, as odd yet fascinating tricks of nature. Nevertheless, the Woven are as old as the earth itself, is said, and have always remained by it's cold side. They live as ghosts, until some sort of event, triggers a transformation, into a luminous, ethereal being.

The bright Woven, now no longer a pale shade, spreads his or her wings, and flies, for it's new form comes with an inexplicable drawing, to a location oft seeming meaningless.

Fiends.

There was once a kingdom of men, that valued the heart above all else. They sook to make themselves immortal, and their kingdom everlasting, and found it fit to do so by fire, for it is what dwells with the heart. They hoped to burn the chains that held the tremendous power of one's soul locked, yet the fires they used took it too far. Their souls overflowed, and transformed them into immortal beings, yet for the unlucky made them look like the stuff of nightmares. The lucky, while still partially human, were altered too much, to still be able to hold that title.

Fiends, are filled with an insatiable hunger for mana, as their souls are ever burning and for that fire not to go out, more fuel is always needed.