Places And Their Races

[Kerena]

PLACES

Lai’Nir

Lai’Nir is the continent primarily responsible for most of Arcynica’s farming and food supply. In the northern part of the eastern hemisphere, it’s perfectly suited to produce crops with a mild, temperate climate and fertile soil. The exception to the rule is the northern section of the continent, which is home to the mysterious Daur Mountains - a land shrouded in legend and myth, surrounded in fog for as long as the oldest memory can recall.

Atticus Isles

The warm, sunny islands of the Atticus Isles rest in the middle of the Aevelan sea. The islands are mostly sand, but enough vegetation sprouts up to support the Iccaru, and the large colorful birds that call the Atticus Isles home. All six islands are interconnected by all manner of complicated contraptions, and are always being updated (or accidentally mutilated) by the winged inventors.

Zyneca Ruins

Far to the West lie the Zyneca Ruins; decimated remains of a highly advanced society, with devices and contraptions the rest of Arcynica is only beginning to understand. An oppressive atmosphere of wistful melancholy hangs over the islands, as though the ancient inhabitants still mourn their destruction. An all-pervasive mist covers the islands, and sometimes in the distance, strange shapes can be seen, and haunting melodies drift through the heavy air…

Zyneca

Until recent years, Zyneca was a forbidden, menacing continent, that by unspoken mutual agreement, no one traveled to and no one traveled from. However, the guarded land is beginning to lower her walls, and commerce has risen between the reclusive inhabitants and the rest of the Arcynica.

Acellia

Directly beneath the continent of Lai’Nir is Acellia, connected by the Aesiod Isthmus. The northern half of the landmass is sandy seaports, separated from the Wynnedara Desert below it by the dangerous Koraetheil’s Spears mountain range. The steamy Cypraea Rainforest surrounds the lower half of Wynnedara, and host innumerous exotic species and races.

SEAS

Aevela

The Aevelan sea spreads between the northern half of Lai’Nir and Zyneca, cold and tumultuous. The roiling waves are stirred by the monstrous sea beasts, water dragons called Levidans, with enormous tails and tentacles they can use to wrap around entire ships and haul them down to a watery grave. Near the Atticus Isles is the king’s city, Astraea, hidden from these beasts by the Roanen Witches.

Yarou

Although the Aevelan sea isn’t exactly hospitable, the Yarou is downright perilous. Hulking creatures that would frighten your worst nightmares slink along in the black, murky water, and few ships dare sail these waters because fewer make it through to the other side, not that they would fare much better there; the Yarouan sea lays along the western edge of Zyneca. The Roane in the city of Sitrix are hard and cruel, and most other races leave them well enough alone.

Dalinor

This sea is thriving with life, it’s warm waters bursting with colorful corals and exotic specimen of every form imaginable. The Roane here are more sociable with surface dwellers, and a common trade has sprung up between them. The capital city of Espartaea is overflowing with odd trinkets and contraptions the Roane have traded for.

Cedan

Cedan stretches along the eastern side of both Acellia and Lai’Nir, and while it is neither as brightly colorful as the Dalinor nor as excitingly treacherous as the Aevelan sea, it is nice in it’s own way; calming and peaceful, the residents of this ocean are untroubled by monsters and tourists. Cyrnan, the kingdom’s heart city, is a relaxed and welcoming place, and the Witches here are more often occupied with culturing pearls than fending off monsters or controlling storms.

[Kerena]

THEIR RACES

Species Name	Scribes/Oar‘yan
Native Region/ Country	Daur Mountains/Lai‘Nir
Age Range	Birth - 1000 or thereabouts
Sexual Maturity/Reproduction	Sexual Maturity- 25; Mental Maturity- 50 /Scribes aren‘t terribly fertile, which makes children a rare occurrence, therefore spoiled rotten by everyone. Their incubation period is 10½ months.
Powers	Uncannily swift and graceful.
Description	High in their mysterious, lofty perch amid the Daur Mountains dwell the Scribes. Much like humans in appearance, the Scribes are basically the Gods’ filing cabinet. They record the history (of everything) and are very in touch with nature. They tend to be very ‘Zen’, and in tune with the universe, aware of the smallest repercussions of their actions. ’Stars and Stones’ and ’Bells and Briar’ are common phrases among them to indicate astonishment, despair, or anger. Often times the gods will come down and either ask to hear about a particular story centering around one of their victories (they are very self centered), or to inform the Scribes of a new event. Mostly, the Scribes actually prefer to be called Oar’yans, after their city, but the gods call them Scribes. Though they rarely leave their city, a few can be seen wandering around Arcynica, looking awestruck and confused, attempting to hide their tell-tale pointed ears in order to blend. Scribes are generally very tall, at least 6 feet, and are ethereally beautiful. Their hair shines brilliantly, their eyes dance with mirthful light even in the dimmest of places, wrinkles are virtually unheard of and grace of movement is a foregone conclusion. The Gods modeled them after humans, but…prettier.

Species Name	Humans
Native Region/ Country	Lai’Nir & Acellia
Age Range	Birth - 100 or thereabouts
Sexual Maturity/Reproduction	Sexual Maturity- 15; Mental Maturity- 25 /Humans breed like crazy and it isn‘t unusual for a female to give birth to more then one infant at a time, sometimes as many as five or six, but it‘s a rare thing. Their incubation period is 9 months.
Powers	None, usually.
Description	Humans. Humans are everywhere. They consume resources and territory like wildfire, conquer everything, and breed like rabbits on speed. While arguably the weakest race in Arcynica, they remain the greatest denominational power by virtue of sheer numbers. They come in all different shapes, sizes and colors, but mostly there is a uniformity to their appearance. They generally stand between 5 and 6 feet tall, have two arms, two legs, no wings, and no freaky antennae sticking out of their foreheads. Unless of a unique bloodline tainted by another race, generally their hair is either brown, blonde, black, or red, or some varying shade of the four, and their eyes are either brown, green, blue, black or grey. Conversely, the Magi tend to be a little oddly colored. While the majority of humans have no magic or unusual talents to speak of, during times of great strife the gods bestow some of the little guys with the ability to channel magic. There are two categories: Terra Magi and War Magi. The magic of Arcynica is like an enormous lake, and the Magi are like little bitty rivers that it feeds into, and they in turn feed it back out into the earth. But, if you dam up the river, it will overflow and destroy everything around it. Similarly, if a Mage doesn’t use (or release) magic, it will build up inside them and cause them to go insane, upon which time they will either go on a destructive rampage or just die. Terra Magi A Terra Mage has the power to muck around with nature, basically. They can slow down or speed up decay and growth, which translates into cell regeneration and forestry decay, altering stone formations, super-heating and condensing air, and a billion other little things like starting a fire or purifying water and things like that. A Terra Mage canNOT, however, control the weather. Weather is too grand a scale to tamper with. Okay, so they can, but it’s a really bad idea and I don’t want you doing it. If you want to try something with weather and are unsure about it, pm me and ask; I promise you that in this case, it is not easier to ask forgiveness than permission. So don’t be throwing lightning bolts at each other or I’ll sick Zeus on your asses. War Magi A War Mage is the polar opposite of a Terra Mage, each keeping the other balanced. (I’m big on balance, you know.) War Magi have an innate sense of battle and strategy, and can sense living presences from a distance off. When they fight, their senses blur and they draw upon the knowledge of the ancient war gods, who will guide their actions and influence their decisions. Watching a War Mage fight is like watching a choreographed dance of death and blood; they always know exactly where to turn and when, their steps have absolute surety, and the enemy seems to almost put themselves in his blades’ paths. War Magi have a strange connection with all sorts of metal, and can shine and sharpen the dullest, oldest blade with a mere touch. Conversely, they can also completely disintegrate a weapon in a mere instant, though these skills take time, practice, and insane amounts of energy to perform.

Species Name	Natives
Native Region/ Country	Lai‘Nir
Age Range	Birth - 150 or thereabouts
Sexual Maturity/Reproduction	Sexual Maturity- 15; Mental Maturity- 25 /Natives are slightly less fertile than humans, and very rarely have more than one child at a time. Their incubation period is 9 months.
Powers	Ability to change into the form of their Tandem and share coherent thoughts and feelings with them.
Description	Indigenous to Lai’Nir, the Natives look a great deal like humans. In fact, unless you look very closely, or happen to see them morph, you would most likely mistake them for humans. However, the Natives are more closely related to animals than man; Natives are anthromorphs. I say anthromorphs instead of lycanthropes because Natives can morph into whatever animal they are bonded with: wolves, eagles, chipmunks, platypus-es, etc. At birth, a Native and it’s Tandem, or soul sibling, are introduced. The moment they look at each other, they are bonded, and can change into forms similar in appearance. So, if a boy and a crow bond, the boy can then turn into a crow that will have similar features his human form possesses, and the crow, in turn, can change into a human with similar features his crow form possesses, though each generally prefers their original form. They will also exchange characteristics; the boy, for instance, will become mischievous and boisterous, and the crow will gain the life span of a human and perhaps some emotions. A Native’s Tandem is often born within arm’s reach of their bond mate, and it is nearly always simultaneous. On rare occasions, a Native is born and must locate his or her Tandem, and will feel alone and half-lost until they do, unable to escape their bipedal prison and unable to share their thoughts and feelings completely with anyone or anything. A Native and a Tandem never bond with more than one being, and it is unusual, though not unheard of, for one to bond again after their bond mate has died.

Species Name	Fey‘Lin
Native Region/ Country	Eayir/Lai‘Nir
Age Range	Birth - 100 or thereabouts
Sexual Maturity/Reproduction	Sexual Maturity- 12; Mental Maturity- 18 /Fey’Lin are natural parents, despite their self-absorbance, and often have several kittens per litter, as many as four or five, but rarely have more than one litter in their lifetimes. Their incubation period is 7 months.
Powers	Naturally stealthy and flexible, and able to lay around for hours at a time preening themselves, miraculously without getting bored.
Description	Fey’Lin are basically overgrown bipedal cats. They usually stand between 4 and 8 feet tall, and have a humanoid skeleton, though they are far more flexible than the average human. Their hands and feet are paw-like, and their bodies are covered with fur. They have vertical, feline pupils, tails, and blunt noses. They vary greatly in appearance, but are quite similar in character: relaxed, lazy, clean freaks, easily offended, and extremely conceited. There are, of course, exceptions, but they are few and far between. The Fey’Lin have a distaste for clothing, and generally wander about either naked or with a brief wrap-style cloth slung across their unmentionables. They adore attention, and often like to roam around far off cities in order to attract it. The take great pride in standing out and being admired, and can be known to simply sit in a city square on a sunny day, preening and lying about, for hours on end. Their place of origin is the city of Eayir, well hidden by dense forest in the south-eastern part of Lai’Nir, and their city is well guarded by spells, charms and enchantments to keep it that way.

Species Name	Iccaru
Native Region/ Country	Atticus Isles
Age Range	Birth - 200 or thereabouts
Sexual Maturity/Reproduction	Sexual Maturity- 15; Mental Maturity- 25 /Iccaru make great parents, and usually have two or three kids throughout their life, who are pampered and spoiled by the entire village. Incubation period is 13 months.
Powers	Short occasional flight
Description	The Iccaru are a most interesting species. They seem to be stuck at a stage of evolution between birds and men, unable to decide which to be. They stand on two legs, like humans, and have feet, but they are covered in the scale-like skin found on bird claws. Likewise, their arms are humanly jointed and proportioned, but have sprouted feathers from shoulder to wrist. Their faces are completely human, however, with no beaks, which makes speaking a good bit easier I imagine. Their hair color is usually the same or similar as their feathers, or at the very least complementary. The Iccaru have a passion for inventing, and are at it every waking moment. They also love to share their ideas - with anyone. And their idea of sharing is more akin to shoving it down your throat and adopting a wounded expression when your interest is less that captivated. They are flighty, however, and don’t stay angry or upset very long. They can fly, though usually only for short periods and are enormously tired and ravenously hungry afterwards, but tend to flutter about erratically when excited.

Species Name	Manticores
Native Region/ Country	Zyneca Ruins
Age Range	Immortal unless killed (so far)
Sexual Maturity/Reproduction	Sexual Maturity- 50; Mental Maturity- 85/Manticores are actually very good parents, surprisingly, despite the fact that they have a bad habit of eating their mates after a while. Very rarely have more than one …baby… throughout their life. Incubation period is 15 months.
Powers	Their voices have hypnotic qualities, and they can shoot poisonous barbs from their tails.
Description	Hidden in the rolling mists of the Zeneca Ruins are the Manticores, creatures of infinite age and wisdom, with the body and mane of an enormous lion and the head of a beautiful human. Sometimes they also have wings, or tails tipped with a scorpion stinger or poisonous barbs. Their teeth are terribly sharp and their voices are mellifluous, melodic, and ancient. Don’t let their pretty voices and faces distract you, however; they are vicious and bloodthirsty, for with their age come insatiable hunger. They have seen the rise an fall of nations too numerous to count, and hold nothing but disdain and contempt for the races of man and their kin. They of great knowledge have become selfish and cruel, and little amuses them now but the suffering of others. The younger generations, only several centuries old or younger, are less pitiless and spiteful, and more inclined to leave the shores of the timeless ruins, though they cannot entirely curb their bloodlust, for killing is in their nature. It is rumored that they are born with bloodstains on their teeth, from eating their mother inside out. To lure their prey in, they sing hauntingly beautiful songs of loss and despair, to which their victims are helpless to resist.

Species Name	Sherik and Kaah
Native Region/ Country	Forest of Living Ice/Zyneca
Age Range	Birth - 500, or thereabouts
Sexual Maturity/Reproduction	Sexual Maturity- 20; Mental Maturity- 35 /Sherik do things methodically and slowly, and it‘s no different with breeding. Incubation period is 13 months, and there‘s usually at least a 50 year gap between siblings.
Powers	Can withstand freezing temperatures with no ill side effects, and somehow can see just fine through blinding blizzards. Also have an innate sense of direction. Usually.
Description	The Sherik are vaguely humanoid creatures that inhabit the Forest of Living Ice in the northern reaches of Zyneca. The perpetual howling wind and hostile blizzards have pounded against the backs of the Sherik for so long that, even though they stand upright, they seem to be forever bowed against the wind, even indoors. Bleached by the lack of sun, their skin is a translucent white, and their hair is a cold blue-white, tangled and mussed from the constant gales. After eons in the cold, the bitter temperatures no longer seem to affect them; the average garb for a Sherik is a brief loincloth and perhaps a cape, or the like. Ever conservative, the Sherik abhor waste and never let anything go unused, especially with so few supplies in the barren wasteland of their home. They are extremely brusque, and have little tolerance for niceties such as communication and sociability. Their idea of socializing is going out in the blinding snow and bringing down an ice giant to feed upon. Their companions, the Kaah, are enormous dire wolves, as cold and fierce as their masters. They roam the frozen plains in packs, and woe betide the poor animal that crosses their paths.

Species Name	Yania
Native Region/ Country	Erahalla Swamp/Zyneca
Age Range	Birth -500, or thereabouts
Sexual Maturity/Reproduction	Sexual Maturity- 25; Mental Maturity- 50/Yania are relatively fertile, but due to the dangerous initiation of their offspring into adulthood, few children actually grow up. Incubation period is 12 months.
Powers	Webbed feet allow the Yania to run with ease through the most miserable of swamps, and they seem to have a second sense about when people, of any race, are lying to them
Description	This reptilian race is easily described in one word: hostile. They are raised to be ruthless; As soon as they hit puberty, Yanian youths are thrust into a deadly trial against the tribe elders, and deaths are just as common as victories. Should you survive the initiation into adulthood, you must then go through the tortuously long process of receiving the congratulatory tattoo, which covers their thighs, lower stomach, and arms. Pain is nothing to the Yania. As a rule, the Yania are generally tall and lean, usually around 6 to 7 feet high. Rough scales cover most of their bodies, including their thick, massive tails. Slitted yellow eyes peer out angrily, poised over long fangs and a forked tongue. Their five-fingered hands are tipped in intimidating claws, as are their toes. They have webbed feet to ease their movement around the swamps, and it is extremely difficult to outrun a Yania in his homeland. So long ago that no one alive remembers the whole story, the Yania were tasked with guarding the Stones, an enormous circle of stone pillars surrounding a massive stone slab, rumored to be were the Gods killed one another during the Great War. Unfailingly loyal, the Yania still defend the Stones and keep all unwanted visitors and trespassers away, by any means necessary; they tend to be the kind to ‘slaughter first and ask questions later’, rather than gather the facts. They hold little love for other races, and are slow to trust, if you manage to stay alive long enough to gain their trust.

Species Name	Vampires
Native Region/ Country	Impasse Jungle/Zyneca
Age Range	Immortal unless killed (so far)
Sexual Maturity/Reproduction	Sexual Maturity- 45; Mental Maturity- 110/Vampires don‘t mate in the traditional sense very often, mostly because they are lone, solitary creatures and don’t run into one another frequently. Since expanding their horizons, however, they have taken to turning other races into vampires, through an exchange of blood. Incubation period(for actual birthing) is 15 months. Incubations period (for turning into a vamp) is 6 hours.
Powers	Unimaginably swift and strong, annoyingly difficult to kill because they can regenerate cells and heal themselves of the most mortal injuries in but a few hours, and only really die when either decapitated or burned and their ashes scattered.
Description	Deep in the forest of Impasse reside the Vampires, evil, bloodsucking, once human-like creatures that thrive in the dark and dim. Their ashen grey skin only gains color when they drain the lifeblood of another animal of being, and their dead eyes tinge with red as the blood pools through them. They are unimaginably swift, and their hearing is so acute that they can pick out the breathing of a particular deer in a herd several hundred yards away. As they age, their minds grow more powerful and the eldest of the species can invade the minds of it’s victims, causing them to simply wander to the Vampires and render the need for hunting obsolete. Recently, as trade with other continents was established, the Vampires crept out of their dying home and found that, while unpleasantly bright, they could stand the sun. They traveled to the new lands, spreading their disease to the uninfected populations and corrupting the new stock, and they have found that humans are far tastier than the beasts they once fed on…

Species Name	Arachnae
Native Region/ Country	Necrynos/Zyneca
Age Range	Birth - 80 or thereabouts
Sexual Maturity/Reproduction	Sexual Maturity- 12; Mental Maturity- 15 /Being a matriarchal society, the female Arachnae choose their mates, and usually have more than one. They lay their eggs in a communal nesting web, then leave the care and nurture of the eggs and hatchlings to the males. It takes three months for the eggs to hatch, and those that don’t are eaten by the males to cover their failure, lest they be put to death themselves.
Powers	Creepily flexible and lightweight for their size. Their eyes have hypnotic properties, and the posion in their fangs can liquefy the insides of the average adult of most races in hours.
Description	The web-built city of Necrynos houses the spider-like race of the Arachnae. Their enormous bodies are reminiscent of weirdly jointed humans, covered in hard, slick carapaces, with small wiry bristles on their limbs. Their skin is purple-black, and their cobwebby hair piles atop their heads like loose thread, curling in tendrils and creating the perfect habitat for their smaller cousins. A pair of human eyes set in their faces, surrounded but other tiny eyes in a blinking arch, and poisonous fangs press against their lower lips. They, too, have developed a taste for man-flesh, and warmly welcome all humans into their grand, if creepy, city. It’s leaving again that’s the problem...

Species Name	Dwarves
Native Region/ Country	Koraetheil‘s Spears/Acellia
Age Range	Birth - 150 or thereabouts, but they usually get killed first.
Sexual Maturity/Reproduction	Sexual Maturity- 15; Mental Maturity- 25 /Dwarves are very family orientated, and it isn’t uncommon for a single family to have twelve or more members, including the parents. Incubation period is 9 months.
Powers	Astoundingly loud for people so small, and very ferocious with all manner of axes, clubs, and hammers.
Description	Tunneled deep in the harsh mountains of Koraetheil’s Spears, the dwarves have resided unbothered for centuries, only rarely setting forth into the tall, strange world of Arcynica. In these troubled times, however, the need to resurface has arisen, and they now venture reluctantly from their familiar mines and underground halls. Dwarves are short and stocky in appearance, hardly more than 4½ feet tall. Creatures of habit, dwarves are wary of change, and don’t particularly like strangers, especially ones that can step on them. Their height has given them a slight inferiority complex, but once they get to know someone, their loyalty is unmatched. Being a warrior based society, their rulers must prove themselves in battle before claiming the throne, and are always the first into battle and the last out. Unfortunately, this means that the rulers don’t usually last very long, so dwarves are always having to change their fealty and drinking songs to accommodate their new leader, resulting in the majority of dwarves being quite witty with lyrics. Dwarves love to sing and pride themselves on their voices, though their standards are a bit different from modern society. For dwarves, the louder you sing, the better you are, regardless of tune.

Species Name	Vynaeri
Native Region/ Country	Cypraea/Acellia
Age Range	Birth - 150 or thereabouts
Sexual Maturity/Reproduction	Sexual Maturity- 15; Mental Maturity- 25 /Vynaeri children are wild little things, raised more by the tribe than by a particular set of parents. They learn a little from everyone, and usually pick a favorite to go around and bug for a while.
Powers	Very powerful and graceful in battle.
Description	An altogether barbaric race. Tall and muscular, with bronze skin and shock-white hair, the Vynaeri are built for battle, which is convenient, because they fight constantly among themselves and anyone else brave enough to spar with them. They laze about their grand city, ferociously beautiful and slightly feline, with few cares about the politics of the outside world, save for the promise of war. They are honor bound and forthright, and don’t understand the need for deception and plots and the lies humans seem to exhale like air. To them, truth and knowledge are very important, and speaking when mistaken is grounds for a duel. And trust me, you don’t want to duel with the Vynaeri - very few people have been known to survive.

Species Name	Roane
Native Region/ Country	The Seas
Age Range	Birth - 150 or thereabouts
Sexual Maturity/Reproduction	Sexual Maturity- 15; Mental Maturity- 25/Roane have a rather hands-off approach to parenting; they give the child a place to sleep and food if they need it, but mostly let them fend for themselves once they are old enough to swim on their own. They are there when needed, however. Incubation period is 9 months.
Powers	Can swim extremely fast and their Witches can conjure or dissipate enormous storms.
Description	The water dwelling people of the Roane are reclusive and mysterious to those who live on the land, and often times are considered dangerous, or omens of ill fate close at hand. However, this is generally untrue; mostly, the Roane just don’t like enormous ship sailing around scaring off their fish, or try to warn the sailors of violent storms coming. It isn’t their fault that most races don’t speak Roanish. While they generally keep to the oceans, the Roane are perfectly capable of traveling on land for short periods of time, so long as they have plenty of water on hand. They have gill-like ears, slightly blunted noses, webbed hands and feet, and blue- tinted skin. They often have companions, large seal-like animals with enormous, intimidating fangs and horns at odds with their usually gentle natures. The Roane are a hierarchical society, and very territorial; there are four kingdoms that divide up the seas, and each Roane tribe patrols and defends their section with fierce determination. The elites, called Witches, have limited control over the weather, and can either call up or talk down deadly storms, but doing so puts great strain on the coastlines of the nearby continents, as well as messing with the food chains in the ocean.