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Minor Races/ Race Ideas
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Minor Races/ Race Ideas
#1This is a thread I have been threatening to create for quite a while now. This is a thread were we can post (either directly or by link) lists for all those minor races/ race ideas that we all have, but do not want to set up a full thread for. These could be races in the background of the world, races that are not appropriate to PCs, "monster races", or ideas about a race you want to put down but are not going to make a whole thread to flesh out. (An example would be a variation you want to do to basically traditional Elves...)
This is in Process of being converted over to V2. If you have an entry for it, simply go to the scroll at version 2.0 and enter from there.
Here is a list of several entries to start the thread off:
The Dunshar : In the 'nude', the Dunshar are just amorphous masses of jelly, moving around on gossamer-thin pseudopods, the only distinguishing features being several colorful eyes on stalks as well as two antennae, very sensitive to sound and smells. Rarely do they remain in this state though. Being able to grow thin tendrils through mud, earth, stone or metal, they can animate it and use as a body to shield their fragile self.
http://www.strolen.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=33398#33398
Qwards: The Qwards were just another type of goblinoid race -a bit more odd than most- living in the cramped dark spaces. While durrable and intelligent, they could achieve no level of dominance. They are relatively weak. Upon the advent of Technology, their natural aptitudes came forth. They are technically inclined. Their ancestors' odd lifestyle has given them an impressive three dimensional memory, an instinct for vibration/ forcesm and the ability to climb inside machines.
http://www.strolen.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=33409#33409
Ru-Men are an old race who dwell throughout the area encompassed by the Hundred, but are most plentiful in their traditional homeland on the Andraverly Mountains on the west coast of the Heavy Sea (northward of Peklichr). They live in small "nests" of 10-20 individuals which generally lie in the mountains or cliffs. Many call them the Crow Men or the Jackdaw Men, while others refer to them as the Black Mountain Bastards.
http://www.strolen.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=33414#33414
The Jabbaru or rhino folk: Towering giants that stand well above 15 feet,these inhabitants of the great grasslands that border the most remote boundaries of the nation of Xhiklus,are an intimidating cross between humanoid and rhino. Their massive heads resemble those of a rhino,but they possess the hunched,hulking lower bodies of a humanoid being,and are endowed with the ability to fashion and use tools with their huge,three fingered hands. Often called ''the Grey Monsters'' by most people of the Hundreds,they are a force to be reckoned with.
http://www.strolen.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=33420#33420
The Seto resemble nothing so much as smallish, thin wolves, or very thin and wolf-like maneless lions. They have lionish faces, with longer snouts, and strikingly human-like eyes (though Seto would say that humans have strikingly Seto-like eyes). Seto do not grow long coats of hair, like wolves, instead having the short body fur of lions; they have manes, but their manes run along the tops of their necks and heads like those of horses or mules rather than lions (Seto warriors spike their manes into large mohawks). Male Seto are generally quite a bit larger than females. Unlike most intelligent races, Seto are not able to go on two legs, and in any case, they consider the bipedal state to be somewhat unnatural.
http://www.strolen.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=33478#33478
The Daharvati bear a striking resemblance to large kangaroos forced to breed with apes by some deranged scientist. Though they have the powerful back legs and slender muzzle of a kangaroo,the elongated hairy arms that sprout from either side of their powerful,rounded chests are distinctly simian,as are their broad intelligent foreheads and the little pink rounded ears found on the sides of their heads.
http://www.strolen.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=33487#33487
The Monroi : Pride. Strength. Skill. These are the values of the Monroi, woven into their very being - for them, battle is not just self-preservation, but a need. Six to seven feet tal, the Monroi appear like walking twigs - they are extremely slender, actually emaciated, with their veins, muscles and tendons showing under their silvery skin. The attachment points of their muscles on the bones are more pronounced, likewise their thoracic and pelvic bones are larger, as to offer better leverage to their musculature, enhancing their slim appearance even more. Despite this, they possess great strength and resilience, as their flesh and bone are surprisingly durable.
http://www.strolen.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=33507#33507
This should be made a full race write up eventually
The Surash are without doubt,the most distrusted and least liked race in existence. Know for their slippery and conniving nature,their greedy,manipulative ways have given rise to a popular saying among the people of the Hundreds:After experiencing the deceit of the Search,one will smile upon the honest,barefaced greed of the Monroi. It's a good measure of just how unpopular the Surash are,that most of them would rather have commercial dealings with their foreighn aliens,rather than with their own kind.
http://www.strolen.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=33594#33594
the Deniae. Most of those who have seen a Deni think that all who venture out of their extremely secure cities are female, and that they hide their males inside - yet they do not. In fact, all Deniae are capable of functioning as several genders. The misconception of strangers is easy to follow, as they all have a sleek and vaguely female build and mammaries, as well as large, rainbow-hued eyes that further their image of the female.
http://www.strolen.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=29824#29824
The Carod dwell in mountainous regions, their wings allowing them to cross the terrain with ease. Gifted with shapr senses, they view the world from high above, their lands truly but a playground - with their wings, sharp talons and claws, they have little to fear. Their bodies are furred, while their wings carry feathers. Then, there is another kind of Carod: huge, muscular and little resembling the winged form - their fur is long, growing in a true mane around a head armed with vicious tusks, instead of wings they have a second pair of arms meant to manipulate, while their primary pair has changed into weapons, armed with claws a foot long.
http://www.strolen.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=29969#29969 -
Now Some Rules
#2Every Post should have a title
You should include a type for the lifeform AND an habitat
The type should be Intelligent Species
The Habitat varies but should be one of the following
Swamp
Mountains
Underground
City/ Ruin
Forest/ Jungle
Other
Plains
Water
Any
Desert
Tundra/ Arctic
The write up should have a quick summary, then space down some and give us the write up. The final listing should have any links appropriate to the lifeform
Type: Intelligent and Environment
Summary
Main Information
Associated Links and Entries
See. It is easy -
Elves of Tallarn
#3Elves of Tallarn
Intelligent/ any habitat
Summary
Elves are said to be girly, elves are said to be gay. What does this popular opinion stem from? Hardly their lack of facial hair.
Main
The Elves of Tallarn carry a strange heritage. The sex ratio is a bit off 5 boys are born for every girl that sees the light of day. To the strangers, this may not be apparent though, as the effeminate elven side is more pronounced here, resulting in many of the men having a female appearance.
Men are referred to as Kian and Kiannae - those with male and female looks. True ladies are called Aroi.
The society does strictly distiguish between male and female endeavours - males learn the crafts, farming, and the art of war; while the females are the carriers of culture, learning history and making up the vast majority of the priesthood, teaching and so on. Some Kiannae fill in minor positions of the female professions.
Art and magic are open to both, though a noticeable percentage of man lacks magical aptitude. Many Kiannae are magically or artistically apt.
The imbalance has led to peculiar courting customs, with several Kian and Kiannae circling every lady, and showering her with praise and gifts, while many of the men who fail to find a female end up in the arms of another men. These are usually Kiannae. It is socially "taboo" for two Kian (or two Kiannae) to get together.
Thus many of the males have a very feminine look, attemping to attract companionship. Some of it is genetic, some of it is appearance/ grooming. As a point of fact, Kiannae are effectively "non competitive" in the quest for real female mates, as they are not as "manly" as other Kian. That is okay. In fact most Kiannae prefer men.
I like this concept. It is enough to unnerve certain characters (and players).
Links
http://www.strolen.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=29817#29817 -
Growen
#4Growren:
Intelligent/ Forest
Growren are giant bear like people, who appear much like Giant Teddy Bears... and are as about as smart.
The Growren are Ursoids, bear people. They are bigger than people and proportioned more like Teddy Bears (think limbs) than normal bears. Strong, Tough, Endurance, with heavy fur, things you would expect. They are a fairly happy and friendly folk, perhaps a bit deficient in the mental prowess department.
They were somewhat intelligent when they were found by Humanity. the Local Humans decided to uplifted them to civilization the way Elves are said to "bring civilization" to Humans. (Any Elven personage would of commented NOOOOOOOoooooo!!!! if they had been asked). They taught them about tools and leaders and civilized things.
Of course once you give them civilization, which seems like such a good idea at the time, you are stuck with them. Now your "children" are doing stupid things, competing with you for resources, and mucking with your world. They cut down more wood than they need, then wonder why they run out of new trees. They can't figure out why things smell, when they keep garbage in the middle of their homes. They have mock wars for real reasons and real wars for fun. They just seem to have it all confused. -
Khor
#5Intelligent/ Any
The Khor are a monsterous and violent race that can grow to great size.
Khor are a monsterous and violent race that go through stages in their life. There general appearance is that of a block built human. Their skin is dusky to grey, their hair is sparse and thin, only slightly darker than their skin. They faces are approximately human with large cheeks, small deep set eyes, and craggy brows (with long overgrown eyebrows), though their heads seem overlarge for their bodies (most of it bone). Their eyes range from a odd light shade of green to a green gold. Their teeth are seperate, top and bottom meshing together in most cases.
Squats: Within five years of being born, they grow to about half human size and are very, very inteligent. They are very quick, both mentally and physically, but physically weak. They are almost round in their appearance, short, compact, with shorter limbs.
As they get older, they get larger... unfortunately they become less intelligent.
Kops or Khor: After their adolecesence (about seven years), they grow to human size and are of a low human intelligence. It is at this level they breed more squats (who often try to run their Kops, but Kops just beat them down). Breeding is what they do, in their spare time. There is physically very little difference between male and female Khor, except for their reproductive parts. Note: The classic head shot is pointless against a Kop or larger Khor. Their skulls continue to grow thicker and thicker to protect their shrinking brains. In fact, larger Kops or Grunts often head butt each other for fun.
Grunts: As they age, they grow larger, slower, and stupider. Most of them end their lives 3 to 4 meters in height. They become less and less motivated to do things. They eat. They walk about their areas. They torture squats. They sleep. That is pretty much it. They are not very bright at large sizes, but tend to follow their Kops around.
Giants: Khor have been reported upto 10 meters tall, though those elder giant Khor do little but hit anything that disturbs them. Once disturbed they will chase down what disturbed them. If they bump into something they will attack that for a few moments... it may or may not placate them. Remember, as Khor age they get larger (and dumber), they don't seem to ever die of natural causes. But given the violent nature of their society, few get the opportunity to die of natural causes. -
Children of HighFather
#6Intelligent/ Any
There are Elves of a different sort. The HighFather is the father of all his race. He is immortal, powerful, and a strong physical presence. His memory is quite powerful- it is the races way of immortality - to be remembered by the HighFather.
His children are extremely long lived and quite strong and fast (when compared to humans). They are classic Elves, tall, thin, angular features, large eyes, pointed ears, fair of skin, and their hair is variable, but normally blondish light.
The HighFather nominally runs all of Elven society, but he allocates much of it to his boy children. He has a huge harem of daughters... from them comes his entire species. His boys outnumber his girls almost two to one.
The men do most of the functions of society. Women assist. Not because they are weaker or discriminated against, but because of their duty. For many decades they will live among the males- living, laughing and loving desperately. They, like all the Children, are a strong and vibrant people. One of the Heralds then will come and call out their name. They then must report to the Harem.
Once they have contact with the HighFather, the females change. They lose themselves and all that they were. They forgo their old lovers, past jobs, their art, even their own lives. They became docile and willing to do anything to please the HighFather. They soon are with child and will help raise all the children of the HighFather for the first seven years of their life. Once their child is "away" (sometime between five and seven), they will turn back to the HighFather - hoping for another child. If they can not have his attentions, they will begin to "wilt away" and die. Unfortunately there are more of them than even the predigious powers of the AllFather can support. There are only so many hours in the day.
This bottleneck limits the numbers of the Elvenkind and the "replacement" of those lost to war and disaster. -
The Shards
#7Type-Intelligent race
Envioroment-Polar/Mountian
The Shards are humaniod beings of living ice, with super-cooled water running through their bodies instead of blood. They live mainly as hunter gatherers in polar regions, hunting down polar bears and caribou and other polar creatures. Some will work as guards for polar cities (at the gates outside, or on the walls) guarding barrows, ships ect, there are also as with every race a few criminals amongst them.
Heat harms them like cold harms us. They can handle it to an extent, but too much will cause *heatbite* or even cause death.As for cold, they can live in massivly low tempretures and even enjoy it.Their cold hands can *burn* unprotected human skin.Their skin colour varies from gleaming white to a dark blue-white.
(I need to develop this more.) -
Minor Races/ Race Ideas
#8Ban Bar
Intelligent/Mountains
Ban Bar are a strange, retiring, and rare race, also known as the glide-men, mountain-seals, or plateau racers. Dwelling in high cliffs and isolated plateaus in the mountains, generally above meadows and open areas, these beings can be seen swooping and gliding down into the forests and fields below to gather roots, fruit, and small animals for food. They rarely have a technological level higher than that of the stone age, and see no need for clothing.
The Ban Bar is rather salamander-like in body structure, with a long, soft-spined mass and a seal or otter-like head, with large round eyes possessing nictitating membranes. It has short legs and long arms, with four-fingered paws. Between it's arms and body it has stiff, leathery wing tissue which it uses to glide when it leaps. Ban Bar are rarely taller than 5 feet, but tend to be heavy for their height; they have fleshy pockets on their sides which are filled with superlight gas, making their gliding possible. -
The Frozan
#9Intelligent/Seas and rivers
The Frozan are revered as creatures so old and ancient that only the very ice caps and glaciers are older than they are.
Popular legend among Urania's people has it that they arose into existence when the great frost Giant Ymir was slain and cast into the seas by one envious of him. Famed for his kindness and compassion towards all who knew him,puny mortals and immortal elementals alike,Ymir was unfortunate enough to attract the envy of Thogrash,another frost giant of prodigious strength who had grown bitter with the love and popularity that all showered upon Ymir. So it was that he invited Ymir to meet him upon a great polar ice cap one day,pleading that he had a dire problem which required Ymir's great wisdom to resolve. Touched by the seeming severity of Thogrash's situation,Ymir arrived at the suggested location as he had promised,much concerned for the wellfare fare of Thogrash.
There,Thogrash attacked him with a deadly savagery that was truly fearsome to behold. Alarmed and horrified beyond measure by the deceit of Thogrash,Ymir fought desperately to save himself. Long did the ice cap resound with the might blows the two hulking titans rained on each other with deadly precision. But alas,despite his frantic will to survive,Ymir was no match for the awesome power of Thogrash. And with one final mighty blow to the other's head,Thogrash smashed open the huge skull of Ymir and gathering the still corpse of Ymir into his powerful arms,hurled it into the sea that churned below.
But once news of his death became known,the world wept bitterly for one that had tried his utmost to be friend to all,prompting the gods to see to it that something of Ymir's compassion and wisdom remained even in death. And through their divine grace and power,the fallen bones of Ymir were transformed into the Frozan.
A placid race slow to anger,the Frozan would strongly remind one of giant crocodiles if crocodiles stood upright,reaching an impressive height of twelve feet, and were covered in thick shaggy white fur. Their nature too,is far from crocodilian. The large and pointed yellow teeth protuding in a sniggled arrangement from their long jaws are for catching hold of the salmon that are the staple of their diet,contrary to what one unfamiliar with the legends of these gentle folk might think, and the large brown eyes located on either side of the heads are filled with gentle wisdom and compassion,rather than the crocodile's ruthless cunning and hunger.
Solitary wanderers by nature,the Frozan spend most of their lives following the great salmon shoals on their great migration from the spawning grounds of the seas all the way to the lakes and rivers where the fish will choose to make their new homes and vice versa,when the current generation of salmon leg it all the way back tot he seas to begin the spawning process anew. Along the way on these great treks,the Frozan will help any mortal they comes across that is in dire need of aid. Doing its best to provide the mortal with all the assistance he needs,the only thing the Frozan will ask for in return is a large fish or two to staunch its hunger. And if the mortal in unable to meet even that meager form of payment,the Frozan will tell him to think nothing before slipping back into the waters to continue its long journey. The Frozan are also well known in the myths of Urania for imparting their apparently limitless knowledge and wisdom of the elements to the most famous sages to ever appear in the old sagas and tales. However,this is a service they only render the pure of heart and their knowledge is such,that when an evil man reaches for it at a time when he needs it most,he finds himself vainly grasping at nothing.
The Frozan are sexless. When one finds itself overwhelmed with the periodic urge to spawn a new one of its kind,it sprays a large peice of ice with a peculiar pungent,green liquid that is secreated by a pair of glands located in the anal region. Then it wanders off about its usual business. Moments later,the ice that has been sprayed thus,is miraculously transformed into a fully grown Frozan equipped with all the skills it needs in order to survive. And thus do the Forzan spring forth from the ice.
It is also where they return in death. When a Frozan dies,either by violence or old age,a bane to which not even they are immune,their corpses revert back to the ice birthed them. This intimate connection of their to the ice,has often led many philosophers to wander if that could explain why the Frozan possess the powers of control over that particular element like the ancient tales say they do.
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