Races
These are the races of humans and human-adjacent species that either once did or still do live on Ayrus.
Humans
Humans! You, me, and the rest of us here on earth.
Giants
Giants can only be found in Giants’ Valley. Some may have migrated around Althea, but you’ll never see a giant outside of that continent. They’re big and incredibly strong. They’re known to have gestation periods of 3 years, and live to around the age of 60, before their bodies collapse beneath their weight and they can no longer move.
There are three types of giants:
King - There’s only one Giant King, and he has the intrinsic ability to control all giants within range using hive-mind. The Giant King is always male, capable of magic on par with Taurelians, and typically as intelligent, if not smarter than many humans. Its hive-mind range spans the entire continent of Althea.
Noble - Noble Giants, like the Giant King, have the ability to utilize hive-mind, however they cannot exercise it on their king or on other nobles. They can control Drones however, and have weak magic abilities, with intelligence typically lesser than even dwarves. These can be both male and female, and they have a hive-mind range restricted to their visible range.
Drone - Drone Giants exist for one reason, and one reason only: to kill and to have sex. All things that move classify as food for drones, and they’re very hungry creatures. They’re mindless, and have no resistance to the hive-mind abilities of their nobles or their king. They have no ability to use magic, either. Male drones are often referred to as Jacks, and they do the hunting. Female drones are referred to as Jills, and their role in life is little more than to get pregnant and give birth.
Cyclopes
The cyclopes were believed to have both lived to have lived and died long before Charlemagne first stepped foot on Ayrus. It's said they were masters of the forge, and some say they are the ones responsible for the construction of Calasithr.
Taurelians
Taurelians are elves; they were named Tuarelians by Vel Taurelios, who united them culturally.
Feraketes
Feraketes are known to have colorless skin, pointed ears, and many have been said to have black sclera. They’re typically revered as the most intelligent of the races, and have magic supposedly ten times more powerful than a Taurelian. Many pass this race of people off as myth, but it’s said that in the time of Charlemagne, they were labeled as demons and hunted to extinction. It’s said that these people feasted on the life force of others.
Ogres
Things didn’t go well for the ogres. From the start, they were never given a proper chance to establish a foothold on Ayrus. They went extinct very shortly after being introduced to feraketes. Little is known about the ogres, but it’s believed they were very strong and heavy, but incredibly slow. However, they do have the capacity to live for hundreds of years—so if any are still out there, they may still be roaming the earth. They also have a notable weakness to iron.
Dwarves
Dwarves, who live all over the world. They're widely looked down upon.
Sirens
Sirens are an aquatic race, half human and half fish. They’re renowned for their song, a form of magic that requires no medium and has various powers, such as driving any sane man mad, or lulling beasts to sleep. There are still tales told of these creatures using their abilities to lure unknowing sailors to their dooms. It’s said that these people have no need to eat, and that they can be killed by forcing them to see their own reflection in a mirror. Despite this, they are capable of appearing as beautiful men and women.
Oricians
Originally born as a crossbreed between an Ogre and an Elf, this race tended to be 6-8’ in height, and had thick, green skin. They put on muscle almost as fast as their Ogrian ancestors, and had a taking to magic at the same level as humans. Unfortunately, this poor people also went extinct at the hands of the Feraketes. This race, too, has a notable weakness to iron.
Ninetails
The Ninetails is technically believed to be a race, even though it is only one person. Ever female, the Ninetails is the queen of the foxes, and has many abilities beyond human grasp. Worshipped mainly in Ashara as the bridge between the mortal and divine planes, the Ninetails is said to be able to interact with all things mortal and spiritual. She is known to be a master of illusion, capable of using foxfire—often known as the will-o'-the-wisp—as she guides spirits between realms, shifting her form between human and fox, superhuman intelligence, and is often said to be rather mischievous. It’s said each Ninetails lives for a thousand years, and each can either mate with a fox as a fox, or with a human as a human. Their first daughter will inherit their abilities, however they will not be able to utilize them until they grow their ninth tail—upon the passing of their mother. Their fur is often the most beautiful of any fox, full and sometimes rich with a color unseen before. Meeting the Ninetails is said to bring extremely good luck.