Races of Arius

Arius is a traditional fantasy setting with a multitude of races available to players. The following lists of races are broken up by the prominence of each race in the setting.
== Common Races ==
The following are the most common races of Arius, and can be found nearly anywhere.
=== Humans ===
By far the most common race in the world, humans dominate almost all regions of Arius. Possessing a relatively short lifespan and procreating rapidly compared to the older races like elves and dwarves, humans have spread across the whole of the world, and few places can claim to have no human inhabitants.
=== Dwarves ===
Typically dour and insular, the dwarves are known to keep to themselves, safely ensconced in their underground redoubts. However, surface-dweller demand for fine dwarven metalwork has coaxed many mercantile-oriented dwarves to the surface, and more seek fame and fortune as mercenaries and adventurers.
The traditional home of the dwarves is a series of fortified underground cities, called Dwarfholds, located in and beneath the Wyrmspine Mountains that separate the human kingdoms of Avalon and Kaarn.
=== Elves ===
The fair folk are the most rare of the common races, but their near-immortality and cautious attitudes mean that the elves are in little danger of extinction. There is no overarching leadership among the elves, meaning each elven community is a kingdom of its own, and diplomacy between the cities of the elves is a careful dance that can last decades.
Most elven communities are located in the forests of Arius, though elven subraces exist in a variety of environments, with the elven nomads of Mala Na'Un being of particular note.
=== Gnomes ===
Short of stature and light of build, gnomes are among the smallest of the common races, second only to halflings. Their whimsical nature and ties to the natural world lead many to consider gnomes to not be common humanoids at all, but the weakest of the mysterious fey races.
Most gnomish communities are located on the frontiers of human kingdoms or the edges of elven forests, where civilization abuts the wilderness. These communities are rarely large, and often feature impermanent structures, such as tents and simple yurts, allowing the residents to cater to their whims and wanderlust.
=== Halflings ===
Uncomplicated and peaceful people, the small folk are a common sight across Arius. Though many halflings settle in farming communities of their own kind, others are fascinated by foreign cultures and assimilate into their communities instead. 
Another common sight is the halfling caravan. Comprised of halfling merchants selling the surplus of their home communities, acrobats and other entertainers taking advantage of their natural agility, and professional caravaneers who have turned their restless natures into a career.
Halfling communities, often called "shires", are typically simple farming towns, with the community's homes spread widely across the landscape, with large public pavilions and meeting halls located roughly at the center of it all.
=== Orcs ===
Large and brutish with a reputation for violence, orcs are nearly as common as humans. They mature faster and breed faster than their human counterparts, and are only kept in check by their own resistance to organization. Though not as cruel or vicious as the orcs of other worlds, the orcs of Arius are no less chaotic, and any meaningful alliance of orc tribes cannot be expected to last.
Tribal settlements are the most common form of orc community, centered around a chieftain. Usually the physically strongest member of the tribe, the chief is the only male in the tribe allowed to take a bride, which leads many young orcish men to leave their communities to seek their fortunes abroad.Category:Arius