Northern Alfstadr Races
- Humans: Self-explanatory. Non-supernatural human beings.
- Anthrens: Animals that appear human-like, dress up in clothes, and speak. They are just as common as humans but much more varied.
- Vampires: Either born or bitten. Elder vampires are only those born a vampire that live to incredible ages and gain immense power.
- Fairies/Fae: The only thing these creatures have in common is that iron and steel pains them to touch it. Otherwise, they come in all varieties, from bog goblins to treants, from tiny sprites to humanoid-sized dark fae. They live in fear of humans and anthrens, for the most part, though some do go into Ulfstead to trade and converse with the mundane folk. Dark fae were originally considered demons for their horns and wings.
- Dracokin: Said to be descended from actual full-blooded dragons (which are now all but mythical to today's folk), they came from across the Emerald Sea two centuries ago and now spread their religion of the Holy Light via their priests, paladins, and churches that they've built. Their proper nouns/names are usually reminiscent of Earth's German culture, such as the powerful Morganstern and Nachtuage families. Story holds that long ago, a massive sapphire called the Star of the Dracokin was discovered in the mountains to the west. Those mountains were named the Dragon's Spine for the great dragon skeleton that two dracokin brothers found the star embedded in.
They returned with the Star to Faircreek, and found that some dragon slayers and bounty hunters were literally consumed by their greed and turned into demonic wraiths. The wraiths certainly targeted the dracokin and their Star, but then they began to attack others in Faircreek at random. The brothers somehow used the Star to summon a bright light that disintegrated the wraiths and freed the people of Faircreek from fear. However, the blast had caused the sapphire to fracture in half, and while one brother decided to take his half, staying and living in Faircreek, the other decided to take his half and return to his homeland across the sea, never to be seen again. Years passed, and the Sapphire was further split into smaller gems, which were embedded in trinkets and weapons before being handed down to the first brother's children. Many have been lost, but all the most prominent dracokin families still manage to hold on to theirs.
- Demons: Possibly mythical or very, very real, these creatures are as varied as fairies but the most powerful come in humanoid/anthren shapes. They sport horns and/or bat-like wings, causing dark fae to originally be considered demons and not fairies.
- Fjandi: Born resembling demons, with horns and hooves, these humanoids choose a small mammalian creature upon their rite of adulthood, and their bottom halves (as well as ears, in some cases) take on the shape of that animal. Similar to hoof-folk (seen below) in that regard! They claim to be from another planet entirely, called Midgard, and revere the goddesses Freyja or Hela as their creators. Climbing, ice magic, and portals are important in their culture, as well as fertility. They are viewed as mischievous (and sometimes promiscuous) forest imps by most denizens of Northern Alfstadr. More information and art references of them can be found here.
Southern Alfstadr Races
- Fae: Their language resembles a mixture of Latin and Gaelic. They are usually smaller and daintier than humans, but can come in all shapes and sizes. There are argi-fae/silver fae, igni-fae/flame fae, pluvi-fae/water fae, and sylvi-fae/forest fae. Almost all races of fae share their dragonfly-like wings, large, softly glowing eyes, and antennae with glowing tips. Feet range from humanoid, to paws, to hooves. Primo-fae/Arch Fae are very likely extinct. They were said to resemble insects much more than modern fairies.
- Orcs/Orkkesh: Intelligent, but brutish and warlike, these humanoids are by and large more muscular and thicker-built than humans and elves. Their skin comes in any color a human's would, plus olive and dark or pale green. Bright green is mostly unheard of. They have tusks growing from their bottom jaw, though the clan of Daemunkesh orcs - with their reddish or blackish flesh - have sabretooth tusks growing from their top jaw instead. Their home is the underground land of Izh-katu.
- Elves/Alfar: There are three main types of Southern Alfstadr elves: Bronze-skinned, fair-haired Solalfar (sun elves), pale-skinned, dark-haired Lunalfar (moon elves), and teal, blue, or green-skinned Pinnalfar (fin elves). Their language resembles a mish-mash of Old Norse and Latin. Sun elves mainly live in the massive city of Solemrise, "City of the Rising Sun." Moon elves live in secluded, smaller towns and villages, with their famed colleges of magic, math, and history dotting the landscape of Southern Alfstadr. The largest college is known as Lunipeak, which sits atop a mountain. Pinnalfar live in coastal and lake-side villages, avoiding other races to the best of their ability.
- Hoof-folk: Like satyrs, but instead of simply having goat bottoms, there are three types: bison-folk (which are the largest and sturdiest of the race, sporting coarse, curly hair, horns, bison-like ears, top halves that resemble darker-skinned humans and bottom halves that resemble that of a bison), deer-folk (the tallest and daintiest of the race, sporting antlers on both genders), and goat-folk (the mid-way between the two other builds - hardy but sprightly and capable of living in many different climates).
- Wargkesh: Created by the Daemunkesh clan of orcs, these humanoid beasts were made by combining fel magic with wargs. They come in three varieties: Rekwarg (“Battle Warg” these wargkesh have bear-like builds with wolf-like features, complete with muscular hunches and massive upper bodies), Kolwarg (“Hunter Warg” these wargkesh are longer in the limb and much more nimble and fleet of foot than their Rek brethren, thus often serving as mounts and scouts alongside regular wargs), and Zhuwarg (“Spirit Warg” the most magically gifted wargkesh, usually taking on the highest positions of religious and cultural leadership - though not always - and are the physical middle-ground between their hulking rekwarg and tall, nimble kolwarg brethren). They live with orkkesh in Izh-katu as well as above ground in small tribal colonies with the Daemunkesh clan. They are capable of shape-shifting into Daemunkesh orcs. Here are some references and more about their culture, set in an alternate universe for the game of Furcadia.
- True Goblins: Unlike the bog goblins of Northern Alfstadr, these diminutive people are not allergic to iron, and are far more intelligent. They are blamed for nearly wiping Alfstadr off the face of Faeheimr, and are in short supply. . . no pun intended.
- Troblins: The product of goblins meddling with evolution, these troll-goblin hybrids are far more populous and capable of existing above ground (away from Izh-katu) for their entire lives. They are usually scrawnier than orcs, and are often hunched over. Their bottom-jaw tusk length, pointiness, and decorations are signs of wealth and virility.
- Trolls: Largely extinct, these lumbering giants appear to be covered in moss, lichen, and/or fungus all along their backs. They are not intelligent and are often kept as very large and very dangerous pets by wealthy or powerful orkkesh and elves alike.
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Dwarves: A stout, short-statured people that are said to have arisen from the earth and rock itself. Mountain dwarves are an above-ground race of war-like people, constantly fighting the mabini/goat-folk and moon elves. Cave dwarves are a reclusive underground race. Swamp Dwarves are rare on the Alfstadr continent, but said to flourish on far-off DokkAlfstadr, another continent on Faeheimr.
