Element: Metal This is the force of gravity, the minerals within the earth, the patterns of the
heavenly bodies and the powers of the thunderstorm. It has form and structure, but with skill can be made
to accept a new form when molten. It's motion is consolidating and inward, of cutting and reforming, but
it is also a solidifying process.
Unlike most other races, draconics do not gradually grow into a new form. After hatching from eggs they grow from tadpoles into troglodytes, a short humanoid form lasting until about age ten. At that point they undergo their first illumination and change into their adult form, though most skinks never leave the amphibious stage. Most draconics are long-lived, with a remarkable number possessing an incredible lifespan (Dragons get to buy more points of Longevity).
Growth Cycle: Dragons have two genders and reproduce by means of external fertilization in water (spawning pools). The two genders are otherwise indistinguishable and childrearing is a communal effort.
Governments: Pedocracic bureaucracies (rule by educated administrators) are common, with theocracies, confederacies and oligarchies known. Caste systems are also common, though always with means to change one's station in life.
At War: The draconic sub-races are nearly tailor made to roles in battle: saurus warriors form a heavy infantry core, with kobolds as light infantry, salamanders as missile support, skinks as scouts & skirmishers and slaan in the support roles. They have a natural affinity with some of the large reptilian species and often bring immense war beasts into battle.
| Draconic Racial Package | Cost | +1 CON (2), 1 PD/ED Armor (3), Diminished Eating (1), Extended Breathing (1), Longevity (1), +2" Swimming (2), Distinctive Features (-5) | 5 |
Element: Earth This is the spirit of harvest time, abundance, nourishment and fertility,
as well as decay, diease, death and rebirth. This is also regarded as central to balance and the
place where motion takes on a new direction. It is the symbol of stability and being properly
anchored.
Physical Aspect: Dwarves are generally short and stocky. Their bodies are built for labor - solidly muscled and broad-shouldered with powerful limbs. Their hands are large and thick-fingered with considerable manual dexterity. Dwarven endurance is legendary; they are highly resistant to fatigue, illness and toxins - particularly alcohol (which they drink in great quantities).
Growth Cycle: Dwarves have two genders and reproduce by means of internal fertilization (sex), with an eight-month gestation period in the female. One child is typical but twins are not uncommon. The average lifespan runs into the centuries, with ancient dwarves living as long as 600 years. Dwarves that are strongly aligned with their element grow slightly larger and much denser (becoming, in effect, living stone), while the less attuned simply grow larger (becoming giants, who are often exiled from their homes because of sheer size issues).
Governments: Dwarves tend towards tradition-bound monarchies (rule by a single person with well-defined rights & responsibilities), though geriatocracies (rule by the old) and autocracies (rule by a hereditary family) are not uncommon.
At War: Dwarves make the best heavy infantry on the planet, with their endurance (high carrying capacity), tradition of metalworking (heavy armor) and size (their low center of gravity makes a dwarven shield-wall nearly impossible to topple). Their missile troops favor crossbows that may be used in tight quarters. With their short legs they cannot utilize stirrups effectively on large mounts, so they have light cavalry, war beasts and chariots as their mobile forces, and have developed mechanized (mounted) heavy infantry.
| Dwarven Racial Package | Cost |
| +3 CON (6), +2 BODY (4), +1 EGO (2), Bump of Direction (3), Longevity (2), Infravision (5), -1" Running (-2), Distinctive Features (-5) | 15 |
Element: Water Water is infinitely flexible, yielding yet patient and infinitely powerful, ever
changing and often dangerous with the capacity to nourish, cleanse and drown. Water can be rushing and
musical or quiet and cold, representing the resting time of winter. It has a waiting, silent, still
quality and its motion is downward.
Physical Aspect: There are two known sub-species of merfolk, the sahuagin and the tritons (shown left). Sahuagin are humanoids with a scale-like skin, gills and webbing between their fingers and toes, and are able to walk on dry land. Tritons have a humanoid upper torso and the lower half of a fish, and are entirely waterbound. Both have powerful upper torsos, tough skins and are much more at home in the water than out.
Growth Cycle: It is believed that merfolk reproduce by internal fertilization (sex), though there are reports of merfolk spawning pools on the western shores of Dil'Gotha. Multiple sets of merfolk have displayed similar physical characteristics and referred to one another as "brother", but it is not known if they are biological siblings or are brothers in a metaphorical sense. From comments made about schools of fish as "young ones," the former is more likely.
Governments: The majority of merfolk interaction comes from trade, and appears to be dominated by a multitude of merchant houses. This has lead many to speculate on a syndicracy (rule by the major business interests, e.g. zaibatsu), but the fact that most merfolk encountered are male had lead others to speculate on both matriarchial and patriarchial societies. One of the few facts known about merfolk society is that there are at least five major nations, all but two of which are violently opposed to each another.
At War: Merfolk and land-dwellers rarely fight well-defined wars. Ships occassionally report repelling sahuagin boarders, but if a group of triton wanted to sink a ship that was out of sight of land, it's likely there would be no survivors. It is not known how sahuagin and tritons fight each other, but rumors speak of riding dolphins and trained giant squid.
| Merfolk Racial Package | Cost |
| Sahuagin: +5 STR (5), +1 CON (2), +1 PRE (1), +1 PD/ED (2), Bump of Direction (3), Environmental Movement: Underwater (1), Life Support: High Pressure (1), Waterbreathing (5), +2" Swimming (2), -1" Running (-2), Dependency: water (-5), Distinctive Features (-5) | 10 |
| Triton: +5 STR (5), +2 CON (4), +1 PRE (1), +1 PD/ED (2), Bump of Direction (3), Environmental Movement: Underwater (1), Life Support: High Pressure (1), Waterbreathing (5), +5" Swimming (5), -6" Running (-12), Dependency: water (-5), Distinctive Features (-5) | 5 |
Element: Wood This is the spirit of growth, spring and the creative urge to achieve - but which can
turn to anger when frustrated. It is associated with the capacity to look forward, plan and make decisions.
The motion of wood is outward, expanding, and is the force of growth and flexibility.
Physical Aspect: Orks undergo almost continuous growth throughout their lives, and growth rates, maximum size, coloration and temperment vary widely between tribes. The only accurate description is that are a bipedal humanoid (two arms, two legs, two eyes, nose, mouth, four fingers & a thumb, etc). Everything else can vary. Their bodies are a symbiosis of animal and plant biologies, specificly an algal/fungal fusion subservient to a humanoid structure. This plant-like sub-system grants them a great resiliance to shock and damage, and is key to their reproductive biology.
Both orkish physiology and psychology are products of the environment. They are affected by and (over many generations) become more like the place they were born; this creates a tremendous variation in what an ork looks like, and to a lesser extent, how he behaves (the ongoing ork-draconic wars of central Molnai have created a number of very aggressive tribes).
Growth Cycle: Orks reproduce via sporulation (they drop seeds that grow into new orks). The release of spores is an unconsious action, much as a human sheds dead skin tissue without realizing it. When they settle in receptive conditions they will germinate and a new ork plant will grow, just like any other plant. Depending upon environmental conditions, within 2-5 years the root structure will attain maturity and a newborn ork will unearth itself. Himself, actually, as all orks consider themselves and are referred to as male.
Damp and dark conditions are ideal for ork spore growth, and all forests on Lithgar have at least a nominal ork population. Caves, swamps and grasslands are also fertile areas, with mountains, tundra and deserts having virtually no native orks.
When an ork is 'born' it is a small (10"), nearly-mindless being that wants little more than to eat and sleep. At this stage it is called a gretchen (equivalent to a 2-year-old human child), and is taken in and cared for by the community. After a few years a gretchen will have matured sufficiently to choose a name for himself. This is an ork's birthday and he is now called a goblin. Over the years (assuming he survives) he will grow in size and intellectual capability into a goblin and later an ork (and further into an uruk-hai if he wins a lot of leadership fights).
Ork spores travel widely, and orks are sometimes born where there is no local orkish society. There is a high mortality rate among these gretchen, and those that survive are feral beings called hobgoblins. They travel widely, causing problems as they band together and 'investigate' (overrun, loot and eat all the food) farms and settlements they come across. Ork communities rarely feel a sense of kinship with hobgoblin bands.
Governments: Orks favor communal organization such as communism and socialism, but this rarely works out in practice as rule by the strong has a firm hold. Confederations, militocracies and geriotocracies (rule by the old & therefore strong) are likely.
At War: Ork armies vary widely but almost always contain a core of heavy infantry, though the quality and training may vary widely (from ranked phalanxes to a howling mob). There is usually a cavalry element (often on beasts as bloodthirsty as the rider) and a skirmishing force (usually made up of gretchen), and specialized units depending on the local terrain, technology and the preferences of the commander. Giants are commonly recruited to serve as mobile artillery.
| Ork Racial Package | Cost |
| +3 STR (3), +2 CON (4), +2 BODY (4), +1 PRE (1), +2 PD/ED (4), Infravision (5), Life Support: Disease (4), Distinctive Features (-5) | 20 |
Element: Fire This is the spirit of heat, summer and enthusiasm. It is things at the peak of growth, and
warmth in human relationships. It is symbolic of combustion, fleeting moment and maximum activity, with the knowledge
that decline is then inevitable. Its motion is upward.
Physical Aspect: Skaven are anthropomorphic rats, having long arms and legs and a pronounced snout. They are by nature graceful and athletic, with high hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity. Due to a fast-burning metabolism they must eat often, and famine is a common occurrance in densly-populated areas.
Male skaven are workers & warriors. Females are more docile and slightly more attuned to the workings of magic, and those that have the spark of magic within them work especialy hard to cultivate it, as the life of the non-magical female is generally one of servitude, hard work and child-raising. A female can produce a litter of up to a dozen young every other year, and most do so.
Skaven are covered with short fur. There is a high degree of intracacy and specialization in coloration, pattern and grooming, with information such as ancestry, age, clan affiliation, status and profession, as well as personal preferences.
Growth Cycle: Skaven have two genders and reproduce by means of internal fertilization (sex), with an six-month gestation period in the female. A young skaven looks very much like a common rat, are self-sufficient within six months, and are able to walk upright within two years (and are then called skitterlings). Maturity is attained within ten years, old age reached by the age of 30 and a skaven that manages to live past 60 is ancient indeed.
The link between physical or mental maturity is the most pronounced in skaven. An adult who is capable of self-control, of maintaining discipline and a balance in their life, is much more likely to grow old. Those that cannot control themselves, or allow themselves to be ruled by hatred and anger, undergo pronounced physical growth and a corresponding lowering of mental capabilities - this produces a wide variety of large, aggressive and semi-intelligent monsters such as minotaurs, owlbears and rat ogres. The more magically inclined skaven are more likely to possess this harmony, resulting in the classic wise old wizard. Magical longevity is a popular research topic.
Governments: Skaven societies vary widely, with an inclination towards governments that promote social equality among the males (such as democracies and republics), though some may be more equal than others (e.g. democracy in ancient Greece). There is always a strong streak of geriatocracy, as the old are revered for their wisdom and self-control.
At War: Skaven favor light and medium infantry supported by chariots and/or large war beasts. Their hips are not made for riding astride, and their natural speed gives them an advantage when lightly encumbered. Skirmishers and raiding parties are significant elements to skaven armies.
| Skaven Racial Package | Cost |
| -2 STR (-2), +3 DEX (9), -1 EGO (-2), +.7 SPD (7), Infravision (5), +1" Running (2), +1 Normal Hearing & Smell PER rolls (+2), Longevity (-1), Distinctive Features (-5) | 15 |