Mage
Basic Information
Anatomy
Mages are one of the most basal descendants of humans, descending from human survivors of the Reign of Dragons with unusually low magic resistance. Physically, they are almost identical to their human ancestors, but with great abilities in shapeshifting, able to take on the appearance of other people, animals, or monsters, although for a short period of time. As such, mages require more food than their human ancestors to power this magic.
Generally, although this differs by region, mages have brown, blonde, or black hair, with brown or blue eyes. Red, yellow, and unnaturally bright green eyes are much more uncommon, although they still appear from time to time, along with naturally silver, white, and slightly blue tinted hair. They have a wide variety of skin tones, identical to those found in their human ancestors. Mages generally stand between 5'5 to 6' tall, regardless of gender, making them one of Terra's smaller races.
Genetics and Reproduction
Reproduction in mages is identical to that of humans, although non-identical twins are much more common. Their long youth and extreme sociability, being able to quickly form lifelong bonds, has allowed mages to become the most abundant race on the planet.
Growth Rate & Stages
Mages reach physical adulthood around 20 years of age, and are considered truly independent and mentally mature around 30 years old. At this time is when most mages will begin seeking out their own partners to start a family of their own. Although mages are known for travelling far to find areas they wish to settle down in, they frequently make trips once or twice a year, or around major holidays, to travel back and visit their older family members and distant relatives.
Mage children are often born as non-identical twins, so families are generally quite large with many members. Sickness is not common in childhood outside of minor afflictions such as head lice and brief colds, so child mortality is extremely low when in comparison to other races.
Ecology and Habitats
A mage can be at home in any environment, although most prefer urban or suburban cities high in population, as they are incredibly social. Their ability to transform and shapeshift their bodies allows them to have a much higher chance of survival in hostile terrain, and many mages take advantage of this to live in areas most others would avoid, allowing them to have an incredibly high and diverse population.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Mages retain diets similar to that of their human ancestors, being much more tolerant to a much wider array of foods than many races. They can tolerate foods with an extremely high potency of magic and often prefer them as snacks or desserts. It is rumored although little studied that mages are more resistant to toxins in their food, at least compared to races with more delicate digestive systems such as werewolves, centauri, or harpies.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Mages are a social species, having numerous social bonds and friendships throughout their lives. They are known for their high energy, quick loyalty, and long lasting friendships with any race, regardless of history, and are fantastic allies to have. Mages have a fondness of sharing new magic techniques with their close friends, and although in some regions this is seen as a negative, polyamory is common among their society.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Global
Average Intelligence
Human Intelligence
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Mages, as the name implies, are incredibly skilled with magic and the average mage is often on par with skilled magic users of other races. They can detect magic at a greater range than others, are much more sensitive to it, and are known to be incredibly fast learners in forms that don't come naturally to them. Mages are also known for a skill that generally takes others years to perfect- shape shifting. Changing their own bodies come naturally to most mages, and they use it for a variety of reasons from fashion, espionage, and simple fun and games.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Mages often follow the naming traditions of their human ancestors in a large array of languages, some only now used for their names.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Common
Common Dress Code
There is very little in the way of a dress code for mages, as they adopt the styles of other races and regions they live in frequently.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Sharing cultural norms and picking up on those of other races is incredibly common as they often mix in with other communities, so there is very little in terms of a 'general' mage culture, instead varying wildly depending on the region and population of other races in the area. Mage societies will pick up on the cultural views, aesthetics, and norms of other groups quite easily and bend their own habits to suit that of the area they are in quickly, and many mages will also 'adopt' traits of other population groups into their general appearances: Mages in areas with a large vampire population may subtly transform themselves to look more vampiric, while mages in an area high in angels will do the same with traits associated with angels. By most, this is not seen as cultural appropriation, but instead a form of mage's own culture to fit in with those around them. Those who have been told they are being disrespectful quickly stop and will find something else to mimic.
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
Mages are deeply tied to the elemental festivals, and are the most common and easily excited participants. They often are present at all festivals, including those of the dragons.
Common Taboos
Although all mages posses the ability, it is frowned upon to take on the appearance of someone else without their permission, as there is no good reason to 'wear the face of another without their knowing.'
Mages also completely avoid culturally closed aesthetics, clothing, and tattoos from other races and the gods, as not to overstep their bounds mimicking their neighbors.
History
The mages evolved from humans, being perhaps other than the Omnia, the most basal race of the entire humanoid family tree. They have varied little in appearance, aside from unusual hair and eye colors making their way into the population that were absent in humans, with no large changes like wings in angels and demons, animal like bodies like the centaur, arachne, and mermidae, and culturally, have clung to many of the old ideals and norms found in humans as well. Due to being so similar culturally and genetically, it is largely unknown when mages first arose. Some theorize that what we know of as mages today always existed and were marked in the human era as witches or warlocks, and other people of myth, though many call this a fringe theory.
Historically, mages were often lumped in by the dragons with no distinction between them and humans, and suffered at their hands just as equally. Before the extinction of humankind mages were often allies of them, with even the humans themselves making little distinction between mages and themselves, viewing one another as the same race.
Historical Figures
Soliairs Taeyang, The Goddess of Cranes, is regarded as a very important figure in recent times, as they were born a mortal mage and elevated to a god.
Benjamen Stridde was also a mortal mage until his death and subsequent revival, and similarly to Soliairs is often known as a bit of a celebrity in mage circles.
Many mages also view most of the minor gods as taking forms 'in their image', as most gods' mortal forms are fairly humanoid and similar to mages.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Mages are an incredibly social species and on fairly good terms with all races on Terra, although particular regions do have tense relationships with Fairies and Dragons.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Scientific Name
Homo sapiens magi
Origin/Ancestry
Humanoid
Lifespan
100 to 150 years
Conservation Status
Abundant
Average Height
5'5 to 6'
Average Physique
As a basal humanoid race, mages retain a strongly human physique with two arms, two legs, two eyes, and an upright posture.
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