Races#
There are two different types of races, sentient and non-sentient. Though some beasts and creatures may be sentient they don’t necessarily represent playable races, just races that a character might be able to communicate with. Both sentient and non-sentient races can have various archetypes. Playable races generally remain in their standard archetype other than rare role-play occasions when the storyteller decides it accommodates the situation.
Basic Existence Statuses#
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Living | All beings that have life and were born into existence |
| Dead | All beings that had life, but died, ending their existence |
| Undead | All beings that had life, died and were then again given life into the sub-existence of their corpse where they have control of their own body. Animated beings are not undead, but are still dead while being animated by a controller and are completely unaware shells without existence. |
| Incorporeal | Creatures that began life into a sub-existence of undeath without ever having been dead. |
Race Archetypes#
Archetype is a more distinct classification of races. When players become a different archetype it is at the storyteller’s discretion whether said player may return to previous archetypes and the requirements to do so. In most cases once a Standard creature dies he or she gains a dead existence status, ending the life cycle and playability of the character. There are special occasions where the character may become a Zombie, Spirit if leaving their corpse behind, or Skeletal archetype if their flesh and muscle is torn from their body. Players can’t become other archetypes because they are or were developed and created differently, not necessarily originating from the Standard archetype.
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| standard | standard creatures are living. standard creatures may not be animated, assembled or enslaved. |
| zombie | zombie creatures are undead. zombies may be animated but not enslaved. zombies were a product of the war of souls. |
| skeletal | skeletal creatures are undead. skeletons may be animated but not enslaved. they were created as an experiment by an unknown liche; there are few still remaining today. they cannot be assembled. |
| spirit | spirit creatures are incorporeal. spirits may not attack or be attacked. they can’t be animated but may be enslaved. spirits are made naturally by beings who die that aren’t yet satisfied with death, said by some that they linger in hopes of resurrection. they cannot be assembled. |
| phantom | phantoms are incorporeal. phantoms can only be attacked by magic and cannot be animated or enslaved. phantoms are made by the spirits of nature themselves and are difficult to be rid of because of their sub-elemental magical essence. they cannot be assembled. |
| wraith | wraiths are undead. wraiths can only be attacked by magic; they may be animated but not enslaved. wraiths are said to be the abomination of the tainted power of dekkashraen as he killed ettephemone and are the strongest evil beings known today. they cannot be assembled. |
| spectral | spectral creatures are incorporeal. spectrals are immune to magic and can’t be animated but can be enslaved. spectrals are said to be unnatural spirits that have animated objects due to their severe attachment and refusal to give up existence after being ripped from their bodies by necromantic magic. they cannot be assembled. |
| horror | horrors are incorporeal. horrors are immune to all attacks, but will leave once all players are awake. horrors cannot be animated, assembled, or enslaved. horrors are spirits that invade ones dreams and can’t be destroyed. horrors consume the souls of those who they kill within sleep. horrors are always malevolent. |
| bugbear | bugbears are living. bugbears imitate all attacks, can’t be animated or enslaved. bugbears are creatures that change form drastically when fighting, imitating the players attacks with unnatural magic said to be created by the draconians. they can be assembled. |
| apparition | apparitions are incorporeal. apparitions disappear on first contact, can’t be animated or enslaved. apparitions are more-or-less figments of the players imaginations and don’t exist in any form. apparitions cannot harm or be harmed. |
| beast | beasts are living wild animals and creatures. beasts can be tamed but not animated, assembled or enslaved. they rely on instinct rather than intelligence. |
| deity | deities are divine beings of immense power. they cannot be attacked, animated, assembled or enslaved. deities shape the world through their will and are immortal by nature. |
| elemental | elementals are beings of pure elemental energy. they can be enslaved through magical bindings but not animated or assembled. elementals are manifestations of natural forces. |
Non-Sentient Races#
Non-sentient races in their basic form are of the Standard creature archetype. Non-sentient races cannot be played. Some examples of non-sentient races might include a Centaur, a chicken, a rat, Chimera etc. Non-sentient races cannot communicate except in very rare cases. For a more complete list of exotic creatures and a few basic animals see Animal Husbandry.
Sentient Races#
There are fifteen known sentient races in the world of Urd. There are three genders that specify more clearly the distinctions between sentient races. The gender “Neutral” represents not having a sex. This gender is found in celestial or infernal creatures, for example, where they are created not by intercourse but by their own planes of existence. Other instances of the gender “Neutral” could be that of a Half-elf where intercourse between two different races that wasn’t meant to be resulted in a biological outcome that was somewhat unnatural as well. Not all of the sentient races still exist, and a few seem to be disappearing quickly. Giants haven’t been seen since the War of Souls but there have been rumors of the high elves, (Wood elf royalty) befriending these legendary beings. Other mysterious races might include the tall Dryads. There have been rumors of recent sightings of Dryads as Blademasters, all originating from or around Mandaks Legion. Rumors also say Sea Nymphs have been trading with the humans in port city Crecia. Orcs have been fighting the Legion within the Bleak outside of Narsis and Lizardlings have been found only among the ruins of ancient civilizations representing an old age of dragon riding where draconian magic ruled the world. Dragons are highly intelligent creatures confined secretly about Urd waiting for an end of the Age of Man. Wyrms are colossal creatures in the Plains of Endless Despair who once were Dragons and were brought into existence by the immense magic used during the War of Souls.