Aspected
Rare Births Touched by the Material and Duskscsape Elements
“Aspected” is a general term for humanoids who have been touched (or chosen?) at birth by elements that weave the fabric of Waking Materia or the Duskscape. Aspected are not a true race. Rather, the phenomenon may occur in any race. Such births are rare, and most Material cultures react to visible aspected with awe or fear. Whether shunned or revered, people born aspected are rarely allowed to lead normal lives. For the base races of Materia, see Sapient Species of First Age Materia (ancient times, prior to the Deluge ) or Sapient Species of Third Age Materia (modern).
A question arises: what of other phenomena that occur due to blood? Are the horned Drow Matriarchs and multi-hued Enari U’shu’e ("Rememberers") a type of aspected, or something different? What of sorcerers, who are granted magic ability from their blood? Though these questions are heavily discussed, scholars may never agree on an answer.Elemental Scions
These are Aspected touched, usually from birth, by one of the primal elements that make up the Weave. The known Scions are as follows: brightlings (light), oreads (earth), sylphs (wind), ifrits (fire), ondines (water) and fetchlings (darkness). While Scions of all types may occur in any race, certain elements seem to have a “preference” for certain races, for example ifrits among humans, sylph among arakh, ondines among elves & halflings, et cetera.Tieflings & Aasimar
While most Aspected are tied to the Material Elements, the domain of the Material Gods, the Duskscape Regents may also exert such influences in rare cases. Tieflings, seemingly “chosen” by the demonic "Dust King", Malbolg, take on decidedly demonic aspects as they age. In contrast, aasimar (those touched by Overshepherd Rom) have undeniable similarities to the Valkyries. Individuals may be aspected to other Cenobites as well, however Malbolg and Rom (or perhaps some inherent property of demons and valkyries) seem to be the most prolific in this regard.Zoics & Leaflings
There also exist flora-aspected (called leaflings or viridians) or fauna-aspected (called zoics or wildlings) individuals, tied to Ahm, Kaleva, or perhaps nature itself. As their names suggest, they take on decidedly plant-like or beast-like attributes. Zoics may coincidentally resemble specific species of animal but there are also many who don't, suggesting this may just be random chance.Faetouched
Waking Mortals may also be tied to forces with less direct involvement by the Material Gods or Duskscape Regents, including “natural” Duskscape phenomena, the machinations of elder spirits or perhaps ritual magic.
Faetouched hold some strong affinity to the fae. Sometimes this is seemingly due to bleed-over from the shimmering jungles of Jabberwock’s Realm; other times these people are escaped or released servants of The Toadstool Queen, who sometimes kidnaps Waking Mortals to use as protectors or playthings. Faetouched are generally called "gnomes" when born to halflings, "changelings" amongst humans, and "gathlain" amongst the elves.Dhampir
As Materia’s oceans recede, its labyrinthine innards dry and the Veil weakens, powerful Dusckscape-aspected beings are beginning to awaken. Perhaps most frightening of these beings are the Estrié: powerful oneiromantic undead that draw sustenance from the dreams and memories of mortals. Their mortal agents are known as dhampir.Boggarts and Goblins
While true goblins are not a native race on Materia, "goblin" and "boggart" are terms amongst halflings for the occasional wildling, tiefling or similar born among them. This is not a coherent classification (insofar as the rest are! rather, it is a term of disdain among halfling societies for any aspected birth they deem to be sufficiently unflattering. Whether subtle or overt, boggarts are often mistreated in their home societies and end up becoming hermits or adventurers. While resentment and bitterness will lead many down the path of evil, they are not innately any more malicious than any other hobbit.
The only place true goblins are found on Materia are in the marvelous subterranean metroplis of Nibelheim, and even there only as visiting dignitaries or tradespeople who traveled there from abroad via the Near Umbra.
Banner: A gathlain or faetouched elf-human reading.
Illus. Maxfield Parrish
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