THROUGHOUT
the world, sentient life has emerged so widely and in such a diverse array, you may go through your entire life not meeting half of the races that inhabit it. Even worse still, those who do possess heritages not found commonly within the Coalition run the risk of becoming part of the emergent collectivist culture and losing part of what makes them unique.
This is why I - Renowned Anthropologist and Explorer, Kol Quinn - have made it my mission to archive and record as much as possible about the many ancestries of the world. In this I will observe them not only as unique members of the family animalia, but I will also endeavour to encapsulate the cultures that they are found in and a small part of their greater history. So for anyone out there looking to find out more about themselves or others and want a place to start - Look no further!
The Bird Races,
whilst culturally very different, all seem to stem from the same genetic family, whilst also sharing aspects of multiple, more common bird families such as Strigidae, Tytonidae, Cathartidae, Accipitridae and many more. Most notably, the Kenku seem to stem from specific members of the Corvidae family though studies are yet to show if they may indeed inhabit more traits of this family than is currently known. My belief is that they all stem from the same family and, particularly between Owlin and Arracocra, are defined by culture, more so than the physical divergences found in each of their species.
Aarakocra and
Owlin share the ability of flight, the latter having the ability to fly completely silently - though this doesn’t seem to impede their movement as it does for their smaller relatives. They also have the ability to rotate their heads 270 degrees. Why they are so similar to the birds who share their namesake, where the others differ quite widely, is still unknown.
Kenku unfortunately have vestigial wings and therefore remain grounded. They have, however developed a very unique hunting strategy, possibly explaining this deficit which their cousins do not share - Near perfect vocal mimicry. Sounds, songs, even other voices can be replicated and reused for as long as they are remembered.
As a species, the
Aarakocra’s physical species seems to be the most varied among the bird folk, seemingly taking cues from different species ranging from across the world. Their culture seems to stem from amongst The Shards, an archipelago renowned for its treacherous waters. Seafaring birds, they have since travelled across the waters and have fit in surprisingly well to life within the federation, and can be found across most of the continent. Whilst still having a cultural hub amongst the islands, their culture has recently come under attack from pirates who use the area as a hub from which to attack trade routes.
The
Kenku seem to be a displaced people - Whether they were banished or evacuated from their original homeland is difficult to say as most of their history comes from oral traditions and most I have spoken to have widely varying stories on the subject (which, I must admit, I was more than slightly frustrated to find.) They are the most widespread race of the three and are seemingly very well adapted to city life; they thrive in most places they can nest in. However, as a species they seem to be naturally inquisitive, seeking out trinkets, odds and ends to suit their fascinations. This does see them get a rather negative reputation in a lot of places.
The
Owlin hail from the cold north, up amongst the crown of the world, whose features seem to derive exclusively from members of the Strigidae and Tytonidae families. At some point in their history, there was a divide - two leaders who wanted best for their people. One took their people south to search for knowledge and easier game among the warmer climates - taking on a tawnier hue and creating their great library: Lunaria.
Another stayed in their ancestral home, hunting the northern marauders and their great Skyplows whilst keeping their white feathers.
The Influences,
Is a term used to describe those whose heritages have been changed by either Demonic, Infernal, Celestial and Elemental arcana. Generally these can come from any race, although Elves have variations that I classify as separate cases as they are exclusive to their Genus.
Those who live close to infernal or demonic incursions often find Tieflings in and amongst their community. In aeons gone, the presence of tieflings was met with superstition and dread. Since they bore a crown of horns so closely tied with the God of Doom, Mamon, many feared it to be the sign of his oncoming. This spurred on ritualistic killings of turf kings and the steady segregation of the people in many cultures.
In today’s society, the coalition has laws that protect tieflings. However the enforcement of this has yet to reach everywhere within their borders and there are places where this dangerous superstition like this still exists.
Each Tiefling’s appearance can vary widely from person to person. From the curvature, size and number of the horns, the shaping/absence of their tails or even uniquely coloured scleras. The spectrum of colours displayed in their skin pigment is also very vivid, ranging from primary to tertiary and everything in between.
A large Tiefling population resides within The Republic of ûltus. Due to this fact, this is where most documentation of Tiefling society originates from. However Tieflings can be found most anywhere in the world and like most influences are more likely to adapt to the culture around them rather than forming their own.
There are documented cases of enclaves that have existed prior to the genocides of the century war. They have developed nearly entirely in seclusion to the rest of the world, However, due to the isolationist nature of these groups, meeting with them is tricky without knowing a representative who will vouch for you.
The rarest influence by far is the Aasimar. Celestial by nature, these rare and radiant peoples are born maybe once in a decade in non secular communities - however they are much more frequent in Aasimar communities or those closely linked with a church.
They are known to occasionally suffer a variety of unique conditions. Once such affliction acts similarly to synesthesia. However it acts quite unusually as those with the condition are able to either taste, smell or see emotions. Depending on the severity this sense can even overpower the original, leaving them, essentially, blinded.
Another condition is kintsugi - the sudden appearance of golden or silvery scar tissue. This occurs when there is an over abundance of celestial arcana that the body can no longer safely contain. The energy causes rupturing which then seals itself with those same energies.
Genasi are those people with innate connections to the primal forces of the world. Their entire beings are composed of some key element, whether that be fire, earth, wind or water.
Goblinoids
Bugbear/Goblin/Orc/Hobgoblin/Verdan
Beastfolk
Giff/Hadozee/Loxodon/Minotaur//Leonin/Grung/Locathah/Tabaxi/Tortle
Harengon. Their line of kings can be identified by their pair of antlers and wings. Those with these traits all have a claim to the throne, no matter how distant a relative they are.
Fae
Changeling/Eladrin/Fairy/Centaur/Satyr/Shifter/goblinoids
Undead
Dhampir/Reborn
Reptilian
Dragonborn/Kobold/Lizardfolk/
Dwarves
Mountain/Hill/Duergar
Elves
Sea Elf/Triton/Shadar-Kai/Drow/High Elf/Wood Elf
Elves are characterised by their elongated ears, slender frames and impressive lifespans. It is difficult to say how they are able to live so long- much longer than any other humanoid, however this may be, in part, due to the magic that seems to be so innate to them. Even the most unlearned can perform some kind of low grade magic.
The elvish people have a long and storied history, which some may consider “unenviable.” The century war has tarnished milenia of peaceful relations and, understandably, many elves expect a level of enmity when interacting with other cultures.
The tritons and the sea elves are both sea dwelling members of the elven Kin. Extant text from Val’assar describes a sister city - Val’es, which sank beneath the waves. Although the remnants of this city have been all but lost to those unable to descend the oceans depths, its descendants seem to live on in these two species.
The sea elves are distinguished by their blue skin, webbed hands and their natural ability to move and speak underwater. Due to their amphibious nature, they tend to stay closer to shallow seas and port towns, which allows for a quite charmed and idyllic life, away from the monsters of the deeper oceans or the wars of the land. Historically, as a people, they have tended to stay away from most major conflicts, being in a unique position where they could maintain peace with their land based kin whilst also not having a (known) aggression within living memory.
Taking on a very divergent form in order to be better suited to the pressurised, lightless world that they live in, The Triton are a far cry away from the traditional elven silhouette, with some even taking on more fish like, decapodian or even insectile features. Being so isolated from the rest of the world, I have to rely on secondary or third hand reports to say what their society is like, seeing as even getting there means exposure to water pressure that is a 1,100-fold increase of the pressure experienced at the surface.
In my experience, meeting some of those few lucky enough to venture that far down, and meeting a few of the people that live there, they are determined people. They create conglomerates using bio-luminescent plants, bones of gargantuan sea creatures and the formations naturally found down in the trenches.
Whilst some are divided on whether or not to try and reach out to their elven cousins or to stay independent, most defer to a matriarchal figure that resides in their capital of Kri'vess - the remnants of the original sunken city.
Warforged
Technically not a “species,” as they have come from multiple lineages, and yet do not fit into the bracket of the influences. They come from the country of Alba, formerly Etruria which houses a large series of fortified tunnels beneath it. During the century war, life in Eturia was near impossible. Forced to live underground and with supplies dwindling, the researchers of the country created a construct in which to house a soul.
The idea of eternal life inside of a construct might not sound too awful and to some even enticing. However this is not without its downsides. The structure is designed to imitate life in some aspects. One of those aspects is a working brain. However, this brain can only retain so much information. Unlike human brains that work by picking and choosing which memories to retain and which to remove, all these memories are stored with perfect clarity. At some point, the brains will either stop functioning or large chunks of information have to be regularly removed. From my understanding, this is not sustainable, and some have lost all their memories - starting from scratch, as it were. However the soul remains bound in the construct and can not move on until it is destroyed. This is technically the same person, however they lose everything that makes them, them.
Decapodians
Half-Elf
Gith
Githyanki/Githzerai
Gnome
Deep Gnome/Rock/Forest
Giant kin
Firbolg/goliath/cyclops/
Cyclops look like rocks as they are the closest, genetically, to the Hecatoncheires of old.
Half-Orc
Halfling
Several different clans, displaying divergent evolution, some going even as far as developing a kind of telepathy.
Human
Thri-Kreen
Yuan-Ti
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