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Races
Friendly/Neutral Races:- Humans (Weras - ᚹᛖᚱᚪᚴ) - standard fantasy stock, various nationalities. Average height 5’8”–5’11” for males and 5’5”–5’7” for females, but this obviously varies.
- Elves (Ælfas - ᚫᛚᚠᚪᚴ) - not common, as only a few of them stuck around once the fighting started. None in high command, mostly just city folk or townsfolk. Generally genial, these elves are sort of half-elf, half-hobbit, both in terms of height (average 4’6”–5’ regardless of sex), and in lifestyle. Fond of food, parties, and going barefoot. Do not, however, burrow in holes if they can avoid it. Throw great parties. Greater affinity for magic than humans, but still cannot do anything large-scale by themselves, and generally prefer to keep their magic to themselves anyway. Live maybe 150 years if they’re lucky, but not immortal.
- Orcs (Orgas - ᚩᚱᚷᚪᚴ) - Various factions, some fighting with us (Lihtorgas - ᛚᛁᚻᛏᚩᚱᚷᚪᚴ, or Light-Orcs ), some (see Dread-Orcs) against us. Think Elder Scrolls lore, except different. Make great armor and weapons. Do not believe in boob armor. Average height 5’10”–6’ for males and 6’–6’3” for females.
- Lizard-folk (Krahtari - ᚳᚱᚪᚻᛏᚪᚱᚪᚴ) - wise, brave, ancient foes of our enemy. Came to our aid unexpectedly when the fighting started (find better name). Are reptilian/amphibian, not mammalian. No lusty Argonian maids allowed, unless I decide it’ll be funny. Have elongated torsos, with shorter legs than arms. Average height is 5’7”–5’9” for males and 5’5”-5-8” for females.
- Bird-folk (Rurukaw - ᚱᚢᚱᚢᚳᚪᚹᚪᚴ) - do not like having a shimmering roof over their heads now. Should beware enemy projectiles if venturing outside the Shield. Arms are wings, so they use feet as hands. Mistrustful of magic in general. Average height 5’10”–6’1” for males and 5’11-6’2” for females. Are avian, not mammalian.
- Sun-followers (Sunnanfolgeras - ᛋᚢᚾᚾᚪᚾᚠᚩᛚᚷᛖᚱᚪᚴ) - limited group, must gain permission to play one. Most started as humans, but maybe one or two orcs/elves? All have obsidian-black skin, golden eyes and hair. Wear golden bracers on their wrists to store/use solar energy. Can live for up to two or three centuries, but not immortal.
Enemy Races- Night-terrors (Nihtdraden - ᚾᛁᚻᛏᛞᚱᚪᛞᛖᚾ) - Ancient enemies, mysterious, shadowy, but can be killed by normal weapons, if enough force is used. Rumours that they feed on the blood of others to prolong their lives indefinitely. Weak to sunlight attacks and fire.
- Ash-beasts (Æscdeor - ᚫᛋᚳᛞᛖᚩᚱ) - Fearsome enemies. Normally of human form, they made a pact with the Night to be able to take the forms of terrible beasts, who destroy with tooth and claw, and fire from their bellies. Cannot transform in direct sunlight, are weakened by sunlight in beast form.
- Dread-Orcs (Dradorgas - ᛞᚱᚪᛞᚩᚱᚷᚪᚴ) - The factions of Orga who are fighting with the enemy
- Shadows (Sceadwa - ᛋᚳᛠᛞᚹᚪ)- Those who have met a sceadu rarely live to speak about it, so legends say. They command the forces of nihtdraden, æscdeor, and dradorga arrayed against us. We’re not sure if they are mortal or not.
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Religion
- Sun-followers (Sunnanfolgeras - ᛋᚢᚾᚾᚪᚾᚠᚩᛚᚷᛖᚱᚪᚴ) - temple in the protected part of the city. The sun-followers are guardians and healers. Use solar energy for both defense and offense. Must take in sunlight in order to recharge their proverbial batteries. Cannot expend more energy than they have. Have Anglo-Saxon-ish names, often just named after the runes (e.g. Dæg, Beorc, Æsc, Wynn, Stan, Heortefot, Treluf, etc.)
- Voice-callers (Stefencalleras - ᛋᛏᛖᚠᛖᚾᚳᚪᛚᛚᛖᚱᚪᚴ) - temple in the protected part of the city, next to the Sun-follower temple. Train mages and keep lore. Not above blasting a fool for trifling, though. Preach often about how to live in peace with others. Must speak spells to weave enchantment.
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Language
The native tongue of Shatterguard is close enough to English that it should be mutually intelligible, but please note:- Sun-followers and Voice-callers will often use the Old Tongue (Old English-ish), especially in incantations or among themselves.
- Place names are usually still in the Old Tongue.
- Writing is still done in Anglo-Saxon runes, though slightly modified for sounds that didn’t exist in Old English (like the “dzh” of J).
- Natives of Shatterguard will avoid “do+verb” constructions in questions. I.e, they would say “Went you to the market?” instead of “Did you go to the market?”
- Words of modern origin or for modern concepts will be met with confusion by locals. Or they may be understood in an older sense.
- Non-humans also have their own vocal quirks:
- Ælfen never use the future or past perfect tenses, only present and simple past.
- Orgas will tend to make some consonants harsher (“kh” instead of “h,” aspirating voiced consonants). They also like to interject expletives from their own tongue, such as “Kra!” (frustration), “Ghem kha!” (approval), “Lum!” (disapproval), “Tchkor Gum!”/”Tchkor Gum Pagh!” (victory celebration), or “Ok Bol!”/”Ok Bollekh!” (taunting/preparing to fight).
- Krahtari actually manage to do English consonants pretty well. They do have trouble with interdentals, (th, f, v), however.
- Rurukaw have rigid beaks and therefore are incapable of making a lot of English sounds. So they’ll usually just write it down. There are scholars among the Voice-callers who have learned the Rurukaw language, though (at least to understand hearing it).
