Please, let him be soft.
You have already made an Atlas,
you have already made an Achilles,
and an Icarus and a Hercules.
You have already made a sacrificial lamb of your son,
You have already made so many heroes,
and you can make another again.
You can have your pick of heroes,
and the world has so many more.
Please, let him be soft,
and let him be mine.
human
Human Beings are the most numerous race in the World of Íberia. They have two arms, two legs, a chest and a head, and they stand erect. Humans made their way into the land as early as its creation; however, they were not native to that world. King Gale and Queen Helen were the first king and queen in Íberia and, it became the Íberian custom to call a male human a Son of Adam, and a female human a Daughter of Eve.
The monarchs of the Kingdom of Íberia are always human. Certain other Íberian races (notably Dark Elves) often voice the opinion that humans should not be considered the rightful rulers of Íberia since they are not native to the land.
However, as Lady Morgwais said,
"Íberia was never right except when a Son of Adam was King... It's not Men's country, but it's a country for a man to be King of."
factions
— PEOPLE OF ÍBERIA
— MAGE
— SOULBURNER
— DRAGON RIDER
— ARCANE TATTOOIST
— RUNE WARRIOR
— SHADOW WEAVER
— DEMON SUMMONER
— WARLOCK
TBA; description.
elf
Elves are a magical people of otherworldly grace, living in the world but not entirely part of it. They live in places of ethereal beauty, in the midst of ancient forests or in silvery spires glittering with faerie light, where soft music drifts through the air and gentle fragrances waft on the breeze. Elves love nature and magic, art and artistry, music and poetry, and the good things of the world.
With their unearthly grace and fine features, elves appear hauntingly beautiful to humans and members of many other races. Especially the Eilrieth Forest Elves, they favor elegant clothing in bright colors, and they enjoy simple yet lovely jewelry.
factions
— EILRIETH FOREST ELVES
— DROW (DARK ELVES)
TBA; description.
mer-people
Merpeople are creatures resembling half-human, half-fish hybrids (though they are not, in actuality, half-breeds). Like humans, merpeople come in a variety of appearances. For instance, the majority of the Black Lake Merpeople colony had green hair, yellow eyes, and grey skin. They also had silver tails. It is very unlikely a human would resemble that. Merpeople also seem to be taller than humans, with seven feet appearing to not be an unusual height.
Merpeople have a developed language, Mermish, and have even created music (which they are known, as a whole, to be fond of). Evidence that the Merpeople have a thriving culture is that they live in highly organised communities, some containing elaborate dwellings made of stone, and have been known to domesticate creatures. Other signs of their intelligence include jewellery and weapon making, production of art (both paintings and statues), and an ability to understand basic communication via gestures.
factions
— MERMAID & MERMAN
— SIREN
TBA; description.
fairies
In the world, fairies make their homes in deep forests, far beyond the sight of other humanoids. In these places, fairies cast their shimmering lights to color their domains in incandescent hues, gradually shifting from soft red to bright yellow to deep violet and back again. Some say that the realms of the fairies are the places where rainbows begin and end, and those rainbows are fairy roads emanating from the light of the kingdoms they connect, which can be seen by mortals only when the sun shines through the rain. Though fairies prefer to keep out of sight, they can be found almost anywhere in Íberia. As intrinsically magical as they are whimsical, fairies enhance the world around them with their presence.
factions
— NAIAD
— NYMPH
— NIXIE
TBA; description.
centaurs
Being part man and part horse, the centaur is stuck between two worlds: that of the wild beast and that of the civilized human being. Centaurs are defined by a blend of human and horse characteristics, but this blend can take a number of different shapes. The most common chimeric variety is a man’s head and torso, melding into a horse’s body, where the neck would be, and terminating in four finely sculpted horse’s legs. Others have a full human body, with the hindquarters of a horse sprouting from their hips to furnish two extra legs and a long, silky tail.
Their ears are pointed, their hair unruly, and their skin browned by the sun. Although they often sling a bow and a quiver of arrows over their shoulders, or swords on their hips, they don’t wear any clothing. A few tribes even have horns like a goat or a bull.
Their strength and bravery made them frightening enemies. They are loyal and devoted, and wise and brilliant military strategists. With once glance at the stars, they could predict the outcome of a battle and make necessary adjustments. Some of them are also trained in the art of healing. The centaurs are believed to live in the forest of Kodoba, or can be found somewhere in the northern part of the country such as The Harthenham woods, or any other discreet areas, beyond the laws of man.
faun
Fauns are mythical creatures with both human and goat features. They are notorious for their love of the forest and music, and they are generally charming to the people they encounter as they trot along their happy, woodland paths. With horns, hairy legs, hooves, and a twitchy tail, they might not sound like the loveliest characters, but they have their own undeniable charm. You can’t help but love their faces, which combine pointy ears and a head full of woolly curls with youthful features, sparkling eyes, and a roguish smile.
Above the waist, these woodland creatures have handsome male bodies with lithe limbs. Below the waist, they have two goat legs, which make them extremely nimble dancers. While they’re not especially fond of clothing, they like to adorn themselves with crowns of leaves and berries from their woodland home, especially before one of their legendary parties.
Fauns are merry creatures, and they have a talent for brightening the hearts of others. If you are waylaid by a group of them, you can be sure that you’re not going to get away any time soon. The little creatures will lure you into their festivities with their dancing, jokes, and delicious food. Of course, they are best known for their flute playing. With just a small, wooden flute, they can hypnotize you with fantastic melodies.
orc
Orcs varied in appearance, based on region and subrace, but all shared certain physical qualities. Orcs of all kinds usually had grayish skin, stooped postures, low foreheads, large muscular bodies, and porcine faces. Many also had wolf-like ears that were pointed on the ends, similar to elves. Orcs are roughly the same size as humans and other similar humanoids, though usually robust and muscular.
Orcs have poor temperaments and are given to anger more easily than some races. Easily offended and impatient, orcs generally prefer violent solutions and rarely consider multiple ways of approaching a problem. However, in spite of this many orcs are excellent at getting results, since they are creatures of action, not thought. Traditional orcish culture is extremely warlike and when not at war the race is usually planning for it. Most orcs approach life with the belief that to survive, one has to subjugate potential enemies and control as many resources as possible, which put them naturally at odds with other races as well as each other.
Most orcs didn't build cities of their own, instead relying on those left behind by others and improving their fortifications or operating out of small camps and dens, often in natural caves. Orcs manage ironwork on their own, as well as stonework, though their tools are often inferior to those of more disciplined races. Orcs are found in some parts of Íberia, though some areas had a higher concentration than others. Marauding bands of mountain orcs are most commonly found in mountain ranges in the southwestern parts of the world, particularly around Heimir Highlands.
berserker
A Berserker is a strong warrior with an ursine aspect. They would enter the battlefield in a trancelike ecstacy. And it was said that no steel or fire could harm them. If there were elite troops such as berserkers and wolfskins available on the battlefield, they were put in the front of the phalanx (a rectangular mass military formation, usually composed entirely of heavy infantry) to resist the main weight of an attack, or at the front when launching an attack. But berserker troops could be a double-edged sword, as they are difficult to control in a battle and are often ill-suited to formation warfare. Instead, they seem to prefer to operate in smaller groups, attacking independently.
Berserkers developed their own brotherhood of professional warriors who travels around and takes service with different chiefs. What distinguished them is that they had bears and wolves as totem animals, and clad themselves in their skins. Irrespective of whether it is a bear or a wolf, the warriors believed they are endowed with the spirit of the animal.
minotaur
Minotaurs are creatures with a man’s body and a bull’s head. Their body is fully human, although their legs and arms are bulging with almost superhuman muscles. Beginning at their shoulders, they transformed into a bull with blue-black fur and sharp horns that could easily gore any human challenger. Minotaurs have gone down in history as a bloodthirsty, mindless monsters. They kill innocents, unarmed victims and feasted on their bodies. They are often found in the southern side of Íberia, near the Eranbole Mountains and the Mountain of Abanthus.
dwarf
A dwarf is a human-shaped entity that dwells in mountains and in the earth, and is variously associated with wisdom, smithing, mining, and crafting, and even some dwarfs take on the attributes of a knight. They most clearly separated from normal humans by their small size, in some cases only reaching up to the waist. Despite their small size, dwarfs typically have superhuman strength, either by nature or through magical means.
Many dwarfs have the ability to make themselves invisible, typically via a "Tarnkappe" (cloak of invisibility), which seems to be a very old attribute of the dwarfs. They also possess other magical objects, and often appear as master smiths. Typically they live inside of hollow mountains, though in some cases they may live above the ground. In Íberia, most of them lives in the Eranbole Mountains.
halfling
The diminutive halflings survive in a world full of larger creatures by avoiding notice or, barring that, avoiding offense. Standing about 3,5 feet tall, they appear relatively harmless and so have managed to survive for centuries in the shadow of empires and on the edges of wars and political strife. They are inclined to be stout, weighing between 45 and 50 pounds.
Halflings’ skin ranges from tan to pale with a ruddy cast, and their hair is usually brown or sandy brown and wavy. They have brown or hazel eyes. Halfling men often sport long sideburns, but beards are rare among them and mustaches even more so. They like to wear simple, comfortable, and practical clothes, favoring bright colors. Halfling practicality extends beyond their clothing. They’re concerned with basic needs and simple pleasures and have little use for ostentation. Even the wealthiest of halflings keep their treasures locked in a cellar rather than on display for all to see. They have a knack for finding the most straightforward solution to a problem, and have little patience for dithering.
Halflings are an affable and cheerful people. They cherish the bonds of family and friendship as well as the comforts of hearth and home, harboring few dreams of gold or glory. Even adventurers among them usually venture into the world for reasons of community, friendship, wanderlust, or curiosity. They love discovering new things, even simple things, such as an exotic food or an unfamiliar style of clothing. Halflings are easily moved to pity and hate to see any living thing suffer. They are generous, happily sharing what they have even in lean times.
Halflings are adept at fitting into a community of humans, dwarves, or elves, making themselves valuable and welcome. The combination of their inherent stealth and their unassuming nature helps halflings to avoid unwanted attention. Halflings work readily with others, and they are loyal to their friends, whether halfling or otherwise. They can display remarkable ferocity when their friends, families, or communities are threatened.
gnome
A gnome’s energy and enthusiasm for living shines through every inch of his or her tiny body. Gnomes average slightly over 3 feet tall and weigh 40 to 45 pounds. Their tan or brown faces are usually adorned with broad smiles (beneath their prodigious noses), and their bright eyes shine with excitement. Their fair hair has a tendency to stick out in every direction, as if expressing the gnome’s insatiable interest in everything around.
A gnome’s personality is writ large in his or her appearance. A male gnome’s beard, in contrast to his wild hair, is kept carefully trimmed but often styled into curious forks or neat points. A gnome’s clothing, though usually made in modest earth tones, is elaborately decorated with embroidery, embossing, or gleaming jewels.
A constant hum of busy activity pervades the warrens and neighborhoods where gnomes form their close-knit communities. Louder sounds punctuate the hum: a crunch of grinding gears here, a minor explosion there, a yelp of surprise or triumph, and especially bursts of laughter. Gnomes take delight in life, enjoying every moment of invention, exploration, investigation, creation, and play.
Gnomes make their homes in hilly, wooded lands. They live underground but get more fresh air than dwarves do, enjoying the natural, living world on the surface whenever they can. Their homes are well hidden by both clever construction and simple illusions. Welcome visitors are quickly ushered into the bright, warm burrows. Those who are not welcome are unlikely to find the burrows in the first place.
aasimar
Aasimars are humans with a significant amount of celestial or other good outsider blood in their ancestry. While not always benevolent, aasimars are more inclined toward acts of kindness rather than evil, and they gravitate toward faiths or organizations associated with celestials. Aasimar heritage can lie dormant for generations, only to appear suddenly in the child of two apparently human parents. Most societies interpret aasimar births as good omens, though it must be acknowledged that some aasimars take advantage of the reputation of their kind, brutally subverting the expectations of others with acts of terrifying cruelty or abject venality.
Aasimars cannot truly be said to have an independent society of their own. As an offshoot of humanity, they adopt the societal norms around them, though most find themselves drawn to those elements of society that work for the redress of injustice and the assuagement of suffering. This sometimes puts them on the wrong side of the law in more tyrannical societies, but aasimars can be careful and cunning when necessary, able to put on a dissembling guise to divert the attention of oppressors elsewhere.
While corrupt aasimars may be loners or may establish secret societies to conceal their involvement in crime, righteous aasimars are often found congregating in numbers as part of good-aligned organizations, especially (though not always) churches and religious orders. Aasimars frequently become adventurers, as they often do not quite feel at home in human society and feel the pull of some greater destiny.
gnoll
Gnolls are hyena-based beast-men, so they resemble humanoid creatures with clawed fingers and the tails, pelts and heads of hyenas. Gnolls tend to be described as lazy and feral creatures, relying mostly on slavery, banditry and bloody raids to fashion themselves with labor, food and weapons.
They're more likely to be described as nocturnal, in recent days, and often their barbarity is tied into their worship of malevolent deities. Cannibalism and scavenging are also huge in their culture, if only because they're both obligate carnivores and shamelessly lazy.
In general, though, they're fairly one-dimensional bad guys, with little characterization beyond basically being bigger, tougher, fuzzier humanoids. About the only exception to their general cookie-cutter evil humanoid fluff is this: despite their propensity towards evil, gnolls are strongly pack-orientated. Whilst they may struggle for position in the pack, they always unite together to defend themselves against anyone not in the pack. Which doesn't mean all other gnolls are treated as allies; if you're not directly part of the pack, you're meat, and race has nothing to do with it. Packs sometimes unite to form larger tribes, or rampaging hordes.
tiefling
Tieflings are derived from human bloodlines, and in the broadest possible sense, they still look human. However, their infernal heritage has left a clear imprint on their appearance. Tieflings have large horns that take any of a variety of shapes: some have curling horns like a ram, others have straight and tall horns like a gazelle’s, and some spiral upward like an antelopes’ horns. They have thick tails, four to five feet long, which lash or coil around their legs when they get upset or nervous. Their canine teeth are sharply pointed, and their eyes are solid colors—black, red, white, silver, or gold—with no visible sclera or pupil. Their skin tones cover the full range of human coloration, but also include various shades of red. Their hair, cascading down from behind their horns, is usually dark, from black or brown to dark red, blue, or purple.
Tieflings subsist in small minorities found mostly in human cities or towns, often in the roughest quarters of those places, where they grow up to be swindlers, thieves, or crime lords. Sometimes they live among other minority populations in enclaves where they are treated with more respect.
Lacking a homeland, tieflings know that they have to make their own way in the world and that they have to be strong to survive. They are not quick to trust anyone who claims to be a friend, but when a tiefling’s companions demonstrate that they trust him or her, the tiefling learns to extend the same trust to them. And once a tiefling gives someone loyalty, the tiefling is a firm friend or ally for life.
illithid
Illithid resembles a human in basic body structure, but taller and much more slender. Its skin is some cool color, such as pale green, mauve, or sky blue, and when it is well-fed, its body is coated in a thin film of mucus. Its skin is smooth and completely hairless, with a tall, sloping cranium, two roughly-humanoid eyes, and four long, coiling tendrils concealing an alien mouth evolved to open the skulls of other creatures and feed on their contents.
Nightmarish, alien invaders from another time and place, illithid typically live in societies of their own kind, hidden away from the light of the sun. They feed on the brain matter of living creatures, preferably the grey cells of other sapient beings, to sustain themselves and fuel their strange and unnatural powers. Notorious as the "mind flayers" on dozens of worlds, the illithid are possessed of a desire to dominate and master all things around themselves, and they famously use their advanced mental powers to force other beings into thralldom.
Still, members of illithid-kind can and do take up the adventuring life, from time to time, though almost always under rare and extraordinary circumstances. Leaving the collective networked intelligence of their own kind diminishes any illithids that brave the outside world, severely reducing the potency of most of their natural psychic powers. Most illithids encountered outside their citadels and outposts are either spies, renegades unwelcome in their communities, or have been banished for crimes even their alien moralities find unspeakable.
troll
Fearsome green-skinned giants, trolls are ravenous, predatory species of giant-kin found throughout almost all the regions and types of climates in Íberia, from arctic wastes to tropical jungles, and come in several sub-species. They are uncivilized, monstrous creatures with voracious appetites that roamed from one area to the next feeding upon whatever they could. Most trolls were not overly territorial, except with their own kind, and had no natural predators in the wild.
A typical adult troll stood around 9-feet tall on long, ungainly legs. Their deceptively thin bodies had thick, rubbery hides colored in shades of mossy green or putrid greys, and possessed long hanging arms that ended in massive claws. The skull of a troll had a messy, hair-like growth colored black or steel grey. Females were typically larger, and more powerful, than males.
Troll senses were unbalanced. They possessed poor hearing and a sensitivity to light, but superior olfactory senses. Perhaps the most well-known factoid of trolls was their infamous regeneration. Whether a slash in its rubbery hide, or a dismembered limb, trolls could rapidly heal through most wounds. Only acid or fire could arrest the regeneration properties within a troll's flesh. Dismembered limbs would continue to attack at opponents even after being severed.
Although they could be encountered nearly anywhere, trolls were most often found in dense forests and subterranean locales, and fed on whatever they get could rend with their claws.
vampire
A vampire is an undead creature. A humanoid or monstrous humanoid can become a vampire, and looks as it did in life, but with paler skin, haunting red eyes, and a feral cast to its features. A new vampire is created when another vampire drains the life out of a living creature, or when a living creature is killed by its Energy Drain. Vampires are drawn to feed on the blood of the living, and can only survive on blood (normal food and drink do nothing for it and cause it to forcefully vomit it up within moments), obtaining it in any way they possibly can. They do not cast shadows, nor do they possess a reflection.
Out of all the undead, vampires are the most "human" to a point. A fledgling vampire may retain enough memory of its former life to still form a parody of emotion within itself. In some cases, this may cause the vampire to seek out its friends or loved ones and turn them into one of the unliving, thinking they are preserving this attachment, not realizing that when they are turned, that they are forced into an artificial attachment to their creator.
In general, many vampires are sociopaths and possess a superiority complex. Sadistic predators in a human form, Vampires see no problem in using anyone they view as weak or inferior (which is just about anything they can overpower) for their own personal gains. They do not trust others easily, and only the most careless vampire would let anyone know where they rest. Vampires are extremely paranoid as well, some more than others, and are cowards at heart. Always putting their own existence first, they will happily throw someone else in the way if it meant they could survive, even other vampires or their own spawn. Generally, when a vampire is beaten, it will flee the area, not wishing to put its own "life" at risk. As well, they tend to avoid anyone that could potentially overpower them.
Vampires as a whole, do not have an organized society or rules they must live by, nor do they have clans that dictate their abilities or attitudes. Many are solitary, preferring to hunt in solitude and "live" out their existence as they see fit. They do not have a rule about exposing themselves to mortals, but many generally keep their condition a secret if they are living amongst mortals or do not wish to compromise a position.
It isn't uncommon for a vampire and a group of spawn to travel around together, or create their own "society" and laws they live by. Generally however, vampires care little for their own spawn, using them as a mortal uses a tool. Despite their belief that they are superior to all other forms of life, they can work with, or even for other evil beings if it benefits them in some way. These can range from other intelligent undead, evil dragons, demons, devils, and evil humanoids.
