Races (Ruins & Dragons Setting)
There are 12 playable races in R&D. Six lucian races (elvians, gnomes, fey, humans, nephelim and giants) and six non-lucian races (angles, terians, toadians, rodents, scalios and uncommon).
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Elvians
They differ from humans for their greater longevity (live up to 300 years) and their pointed ears. The elves inhabited all of Keratea, west of Megala, north of Ivory and South Emerya, but were almost wiped out by the orcs.
Common Elves
They are the most common elvian sub-race. They are allies of the teudene human. They live in large urban centers and even form reasonably independent elvian cities. They have great rivalry with the fairies (due to the conflicts of the teudene invasion of Bretas Isles) and with the dwergs. Alfheim was an ancient kingdom of common elves between Teudland and Nordland. Its capital was the city of Lorenen, which still exists today. They speak the common language and low and high teudene.
Caiporas
Wood elves who migrated to South Emeria thousands of years ago, coming from the sea. They have tanned skin and black or auburn hair. They the speak common language, luzean, and tribal languages.
Desert Elves
Also called djins, they live in the desert, in Mesagea and northern Ivorya. They are probably the oldest elven lineage. Due to the environment they live in, they have tanned skin. They speak the common language and qorish. Zerzura is a djin city in southern Mesagea.
Night Elves
They are also called "vampire elves", "vampires", or drows. They were cursed by the goddess Hogali. They live longer than their relatives, up to 500 years, but have weakness in light and commonly feed on blood. They have generally pale skin, but the older and more powerful they become, their skin becomes grayer and darker like obsidian and their hair is white and platinum. They tried to form a kingdom, Izakai, between the border of the Palatine and Visla-Veneds Kingdoms , but they were massacred. Most of the night elves fled to Unda-Yera. And those who remained on the surface are nomads who have great contempt for the other lucian races. They speak the common language, low and high teudene, palatine and abyssal.
Snow Elves
They live in the northern end of Keratea and Megala. Their hair is white and their skin is bluish-gray and they have resistance to cold damage. They speak the common language and high teudene.
Wood Elves
Also known as dryads, these elves do not come as close to human civilization as common elves. They live isolated in cities hidden among the forests of Keratea. They speak the common language and low and high teudene.
Feerians
The feerians, or feys, are about a meter tall and have pointed ears. Initially, the fey inhabited almost all of Keratea. With the appearance of goblins, their population began to be decimated. Feerians live around 500 to 600 years.
Fairies
They differ from the larians and leprechauns for they have artificial wings that mimic insect wings. Some fairy tribes that inhabited the Bretas Islands refused to serve humans. Instead, they pleaded with the gods for protection. Only the goddess Modera answered the call. She made a revelation to Oberes, a druid priestess. When a young feerian reached puberty, four petals of the lunar flower should be glued to their back with nectar from the same plant during a full moon night. The small, white petals would turn into wings similar to those of butterflies and bees. That's how fairies came about. And this ritual came to be called the Chrysalis Festival. Oberon, son of Oberes, unified almost all the feerian tribes of the Bretas Islands and became the First Fairy King. Later on, the fairies would form an alliance with the keltine humans against the teudene invaders and their elvian allies. Fairies are divided into three castes: common fairies (with bee wings), pixies (with butterfly and moth wings) and sprites (with dragonfly wings). They speak the common language, low teudene and keltine.
Larians
After the appearance of goblins, some feerians tribes associated themselves with humans, becoming servants. Thus emerge the duendes of Luzea and Castelea, the nisses of Nordland, the visla-vened domovois, the brownies of Teudland and Eastern Breta and the other larians. They speak the common language and several other idioms.
Leprechauns
One of the oldest feerians tribes. Almost extinct, they live in remote forests. They speak the common language and keltine.
Giants
They are about three to four meters tall and have great physical strength. They inhabited all continents, but with the appearance of ogres, their population has almost become extinct. Currently there are tribes of giants in Keratea, Mesagea, Nagini and in the Emeryas. They speak the common language and several tribal tribal idioms.
Cyclops
Cursed sub-race of giants. Lifemo, the leader of a giant tribe, once attacked a settlement of human triclopes, devouring everyone there. This offended Titan Tatara, the three-eyed dragon and creator of the triclopes. As a punishment, the people of Lifemo gained a third eye on their forehead while the other eyes closed forever. Some animancer mages believe that the cyclops came about after a mutation from eating the meat of triclopes.
Gnomians
They are relatives of human beings, but have short stature: around one meter tall. They inhabited several continents, but were wiped out by trolls. They differ from the feerians by their non-pointed ears, like those of humans and giants. They live around 150 to 250 years.
Gnomes from Below
They live mainly underground. There are villages and even underground cities of these gnomes throughout Keratea. They speak the common language and several idioms.
Forest Gnomes
They live in forests, small villages and sometimes as servants (garden's gnomes). They speak the common language and several idioms.
Halflings
They live in country villages across northern Keratea. They are the most friendly sub-race of gnomians. The only physical difference between a halfling and a gnome is their large, hairy-backed feet. They speak the common language and low teudene.
Dwergs
Also called dwarves, they are the most robust sub-race of gnomes. They live in northern Keratea, often in villages dug out of mountains and volcanoes. The dwergs adopted the choleric and temperamental volcanic god Randora as their patron. They speak the common language and high low teudene.
Ebuans
Gnome tribes scattered across the southeast of Megala and Emeryas. They speak the common language and several tribal idioms.
Humans
The most populous and diverse race in the world today, with several ethnicities and cultures. Not even the emergence of cambions was able to decrease the human population. Humans worshiped several deities, including the 12 gods of the old danean pantheon. Today, the main religion among humans is the Clergy of Helo. In addition to different ethnic differences, there are variations among humans due to some mutation or curse. Examples are the triclopes, human vampires and lycanthropes. They speak the common language and several idioms.
Nephelim
Ancient and almost extinct race of giants related to fairies and elves. They have an average of three meters in height and pointed ears. Nephelins are easily mistaken for giants. The only thing that betrays their identity is their pointed ears, often hidden by helmets, hoods or long hair. They speak the common language.
Fire Giants
Sub-race of nephelim that inhabits volcanic areas. They have fire damage resistance.
Ice Giants
Sub-race of nephelim that inhabits cold areas. They have resistance to cold damage.
Lightning Giants
Sub-race of nephelim that inhabits the top of mountains, remote islands or floating castles. They have resistance to electrical damage.
Non-lucian Races
Non-lucian races are not actually races, but sets of different races that have evolved in parallel and have several characteristics in common.
Rodents
They are small - about a meter tall - and have large incisor teeth. They speak the common language and several idioms.
Rabbitfolk
The peaceful rabbit people live in forests and on the hills. They often form communities with halflings and pigmen. They are worshipers of the rabbit goddess of love and fertility Feneri. Rabbitman tribes' fertility festivals are famous for their joy and abundance.
Ratfolk
Ratmen live everywhere, often being chased by other races.
Scalians
Known as people of scales. They speak the common language and several idioms.
Dragonborn
Dragonborn are the proud descendants of dragons. They are believed to have been created by the god Godera. That is why the majority of priests and paladins of this god are dragonborn. Every dragonborn, with at least +1 in wisdom or charisma, can learn elemental breath spells.
Gorgons
Gorgons originated from basilisks. The lower part of their body is serpentine and the upper part is vaguely humanoid. Every gorgon, with at least +1 intelligence, can learn the “flesh to stone” spell.
Lizardfolk
They are less illustrious members of the scalians. They live from swamps to deserts.
Snakefolk
Snake-men, or yuan-ti, resemble gorgons very much, but do not have the blood of basilisks in their veins.
Therians
Also called beast people, they are agile and fierce. Some live well with the lucian races, like the catfolk and the dogfolk. Others are always involved in disagreements, like the wolffolk and the foxfolk. But most are too wild to live with. Therians should not be confused with a humanoid capable of shape-shifting. For example, a lupin is a humanoid who was born of this race, while a werewolf is a human who can transform into a wolfman or a dire wolf. The werewolf's metamorphosis can be the result of animancy or a curse. They speak the common language and several idioms.
Bearfolk
The largest of the therian races, the bearmen live in seclusion in forests and mountains. There are four major tribes: black ones, white ones, brown ones and black and white ones.
Catfolk
Ailurians (catmen) are the smallest of the therian breeds. They are usually the size of lilies and gnomes. They love big human and elvian cities.
Dogfolk
Together with the cat people, it is one of the few Terian breeds that lives peacefully with humans.
Foxfolk
Known in the east as huli jing and kitsunes, the fox people are smart and agile. Their wit makes them not well regarded by humans, who see them as liars and deceivers.
Gnolls
The gnolls, or hyena-people, are an aggressive therian race that lives in Ivorya.
Leonin
Lion-men, or leonin, are the most powerful therian race in Ivorya. However, their power is often threatened by gnolls and teralis.
Lupins
Fierce and proud, lupin tribes were far more numerous in the past. They harbor a great resentment towards humans, especially mages who perform rituals of animancy to create werewolves. Lupins are also called wolffolk.
Tabaxis
Tabaxis, or jaguarmen, are the therian race native to South Emerya.
Teralis
Teralis, or leopard-men, live in Ivorya where they remain in conflict with gnolls and leonins.
Toadians
They are three related amphibious races that live on the banks of rivers, lakes and in swamps. They speak the common language and several idioms.
Bullywags
Bullywags are the most common variety of toadians.
Salamanderfolk
The peaceful and bucolic salamander people live in riverside communities.
Batrakes
The mysterious batrake people resemble human beings, despite their amphibious features.
Ungulians
Also known as hoof-people, they are strong and resistant. Veli, the satyr god, was an ungulian protective deity of nature. His hatred of the lucians corrupted him, transforming him into an evil and vengeful entity. They speak the common language and several idioms.
Boaris
Boar-men, better known as boaris, pride themselves on their strength and savagery, unlike pig-men, who in the boari view are weaks.
Deerfolk
Idyllic people who live in the forests all over the world.
Goatfolk
The race of satyrs and fauns. Goatmen were the most numerous ungulian race in the past. They were brutally pursued by the lucians because of the fall of the god Veli.
Ipotanes
Also known as horsefolk, ipotanes are an almost extinct race found in a few places in Keratea.
Minotaurs
Also called the bullpeople, minotaurs are strong and brave. They are the largest of the ungulian race, reaching up to 3 meters in height.
Pigfolk
Numerous ungulian race living along humans and gnomians.
Velians
When the lucians appeared, they spread and popularized the whole land. Their ingenuity was their greatest weapon. And their curse. They dammed rivers, cut down entire forests, hunted down to the last prey. They left only death, carcasses and destruction wherever they went. Veli, the protective god of nature, was overcome with hatred against them.
Most deities are neutral. They take over mundane elements (water, fire, earth, air, ice and lightning) and one aspect of the etheric element (light and life, darkness and death or mana and mind ). Most deities take over the "mana and mind" aspect of the ether. However, some deities, usually in search of more power, start to interact with more than one of the other two aspects, choosing light or darkness, leaving neutrality behind.
That's what Veli did. After uselessly pleading for help to the other gods of the Pantheon, Veli was forced to embrace the darkness as a way to eliminate the lucians. Overcome with hatred and darkness, he creates abominations. Six corruptions of the lucian races with the aim of destroying them. Thus came trolls, shaitans, ogres, orcs, goblins and cambions. Bestial beings, moved by the instinct to kill and consume.
The velians remember quite physically races from which they emerged, but with some distinctions. They often have green, gray, yellow or bluish skin, and some Veli features, such as goat eyes and horns. Their attributes are the same as the species from which they were created. They speak abyssal.
Cambions
Cambions were created from humans, but have not been successful in decreasing the human population. They have a human appearance, but with horns and sometimes red, gray, blue or green skin. Male cambions are called incubus and female succubus.
Goblins
Corruption of the feerians. They have goat eyes and commonly green skin. More powerful goblins have gray or reddish skin.
Ogres
Corrupted giants. They have gray, blue or green skin.
Orcs
Created from the corruption of elvians. They have gray skin and tusks.
Shaitans
Corrupted nephelim, they resemble cambions, they resemble cambions, but larger and with pointed ears.
Trolls
Corruption of gnomians, they look like ogres, but smaller.
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