MGR Infodump Salvage

[size=200][b][u]PATHFINDER MECHANICS (RULES SUBJECT TO CHANGE)[/u][/b][/size]
Just a quick placeholder note, but the setting assumes the use of a modified version of 1st Edition Pathfinder and 3.5 Dungeons and Dragons when mechanical rules are needed or desired. This is due to a number of factors, most prominently being the large amount of available materials (both official and 3rd party), accessibility to said content, genre appropriateness, and the large number of subsystems and statted Monsters. These latter two factors render it relatively easy to reflect the original setting. It results in an unfortunately complicated mess of a game, but it [i]is[/i] workable.
Other models may suit your preferences and playstyles in your own Roleplays. Mutants and Masterminds comes to mind, for example, or Fate and Fudge. However, that's not what I'll be dealing with here.
Actually, you know what... the more I consider it, the more Mutants and Masterminds fits with my concept of the setting. So I guess the [i]real[/i] placeholder is Pathfinder. So for now, we'll go with that placeholder and provide a bit of the concept for it. At least until I work out some modifications to M&M to produce what I want.
To begin with, TWG uses the core [url=https://www.d20pfsrd.com/]Pathfinder 1st Edition[/url] rule system, potentially with some elements borrowed from the [url=https://www.finalfantasyd20.com/]Final Fantasy D20[/url]. It also incorporates elements of Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 Edition, particularly when it comes to classes; some things just never got updated to Pathfinder, like Magic of Incarnum, Tome of Magic, Tome of Battle, Weapons of Legacy, Heroes of Horror, some of the Psionics content, and a host of Monsters. As a general rule, if it existed somewhere in Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 or 3.0, it likely has some capacity to be adapted into this setting. The setting incorporates content from Horror Adventures (particularly using the Paths of Corruption as models for Monsterization processes), Occult Adventures, and Mythic Adventures. It also uses modified Taint rules from 3.5 D&D, a Spell Point Variant that's been further modified, and also uses a magic recharge variant rule (for female characters). It [i]also[/i] uses 3.5 D&D Gestalt rules for certain types of characters.
In other words, it's a stupidly complicated setting.
You're going to want to keep notes  :ugeek:
[size=175][b]Mechanics[/b][/size]
Here are some alternate or modified rules to keep in mind:
[size=150][u]Forum RP: Diceless Variants[/u][/size]
The classic option for this is going to be the Dice Pool. There are also other choices, such as using a variant of Rock-Paper-Scissors. I feel that one of the latter fits this setting better, but I'll go over both and the principles behind them for those interested.
[size=125][u]Dice Pool[/u][/size]
Dice Pool is a fairly simple system that involves a bit of extra book-keeping, and is somewhat restrictive, as it makes fudging rolls difficult for the GM. The Gamemaster and each Player have a "Pool" of possible D20 results; 1-20. Whenever a D20 roll is called for from that participant, they may spend one of these results from their Pool, thus removing it from the Pool. When all results are expended from the Pool it refreshes, making all the potential results available again. Players need to [i]at least[/i] track their own Pool, while GMs have to track their own Pools as well as those of all the Players.
Any rolls for other dice are automatically averaged, except when affected by things like Maximize.
This option was devised by play groups that lacked resources and is particularly associated with inmates playing D&D. It forces participants to pick and choose when they want to try their hardest, or are willing to fail. This encourages a certain unpleasant playstyle on the part of the Players themselves; try to create throwaway Rolls to dump their poor results so that their pool is more likely to refresh during a critical juncture. As such, GMs should watch out for this type of Pool management. Making sure that only the GM decides when Dice Rolls happen and not letting the Players pick and choose when they get to roll goes a long way towards reducing this. Another way to control this is by giving the GM the option to spontaneously Refresh the Pools of the Players (and their own) based on good Roleplaying or other good Table and Gaming practices.
As for other Dice rolls besides D20, and even on D20 rolls themselves, you may want to allow for Feats that boost the natural results somewhat... or even Traits. 5e's Bonds, Ideals, and Flaws make good options in this regard; allow these to provide small bonuses on all Dice results, up to the maximum result of the Die, for any related Roll that leans into the characteristic and a similar penalty on those rolls that work against the trait.
[size=125][u]Rock-Paper-Scissors[/u][/size]
This option carries some baggage; a great many people aren't fond of turning D&D into a guessing game. It also requires a slightly more complicated version of the basic RPS rules to actually work, since you need to emulate the probability range of a D20. In other words, 20 possible results with equal likelihood. Two possible options are listed below.
In either case, dice rolls other than D20s are averaged just like with Dice Pool. Likewise, you can also use the optional rules for modifying Die Rolls listed above in Dice Pool.
In this mechanic, DCs and D20 rolls are similar to a combination lock. Each one is comprised of options chosen from one or more lists. They're then matched against each other, usually looking for the same result or one that "beats," the other. The numerical result of any "roll" is defined by how close to the desired match it is without going over, as these models are cyclic.
[size=115][u]Elements of Tarokka(Four-by-Five)[/u][/size]
This version is based loosely on the Tarokka deck from Ravenloft and classical Greek elements, particularly as presented in Alchemy. Each D20 and DC has two fields; one is a Suit and the other an Element. Each of these two fields have a cycle, with each option in the cycle having characteristics intended to reflect the properties or attitudes behind the Roll or DC.
[list]
[*][b][u]Swords:[/u][/b] Represents violence and aggression, physical power, strength, bravery, forthrightness, bloodthirst, and anger. Swords is overcome by Glyphs and overcomes Stars.
[*][b][u]Stars:[/u][/b] Represents intellect, knowledge, logic, reason, rationality, planning, and complexity, insanity, depravity and secrets. Stars is overcome by Swords and overcomes Coins.
[*][b][u]Coins:[/u][/b] Represents cunning, guile, deception, speed, technical ability and training, subtlety, ambition and greed, and wealth. Coins is overcome by Stars and overcomes Glyphs.
[*][b][u]Glyphs:[/u][/b] Represents determination, faith, community, belief, morals, ethics, philosophies, and love. Glyphs is overcome by Coins and overcomes Swords.
[*][b][u]Swords > Stars > Coins > Glyphs > Swords[/u][/b]
[/list]
[list]
[*][b][u]Earth:[/u][/b] Symbolizes determination, stubbornness, vitality, resilience, and immovability, as well as strong foundations and principles. Earth is overcome by Aether and overcomes Water.
[*][b][u]Water:[/u][/b] Symbolizes flexibility, adaptability, nurturing, change, gentle power, and recovery and restoration. Water is overcome by Earth and overcomes Air.
[*][b][u]Air:[/u][/b] Symbolizes ingenuity, creativity, and inspiration, cunning, deception, guile, manipulation, subtlety, and speed. Air is overcome by Fire and overcomes Water.
[*][b][u]Fire:[/u][/b] Symbolizes passion, anger, desire, fear, drive, lust, strength, force, domination, and obsession. Fire is overcome by Aether and overcomes Air.
[*][b][u]Aether:[/u][/b] Symbolizes inner peace, contentment, piety, love, faith, acceptance, purity, sanctity, apathy, and aloofness. Aether is overcome by Earth and overcomes Fire.
[*][b][u]Earth > Water > Air > Fire > Aether > Earth[/u][/b]
[/list]
[size=115][u]Wu-Xing (Two-by-Two-by-Five)[/u][/size]
[size=150][u]Mana: Magic Dice, Magic Points, and How to Use Them[/u][/size]
The Wayfarer's Guide does away with the usual Spell Slots and Spells per Day, Power Points, and the like. Instead, it replaces it all with a pool of energy known as Magic Points, or simple Mana to the residents of Gaea. As far as Earthlings are concerned, none of it actually exists. Despite there being numerous magical traditions there, [i]none of it actually works.[/i] Even so, Earthlings have Mana, as do Gaeans. Truthfully, [i]everything[/i] has Mana, stored away in its spiritual body in what is known as its Mana Vessel, or Aura. Living or otherwise.
Anyway, every creature gains Magic Dice as well as Hit Dice. These two are connected; the larger your Hit Dice, the smaller your Magic Dice. If you're a Barbarian with D12 Hit Dice, your Magic Dice are measly D4s. If you're a Fighter, Paladin, or Ranger with robust D10 HDs, you have D6 MDs, while Rogues, Bards, Clerics, Druids, Monks, and the like enjoy a D8s all around. If you're a fragile Wizard, please enjoy your D10 MDs. This rule applies to Monsters as well; the more robust the body, the weaker the spirit. Or Mana, at least. As with Hit Dice, these provide you with Magic Points; the maximum amount at 1st Level, and then either an average or a rolled amount... unless you have a generous GM, who lets you get max points automatically. Also like Hit Dice, you gain bonus Magic Points for having a high stat. However, unlike Hit Points, these bonus points are determined by your highest Mental Ability Score, not a set one. [u]They also don't replace the bonus Magic Points you'd get from your Class for having high Ability Scores.[/u] Yes, this is imbalanced, albeit mitigated somewhat due to additional rules. It also means that if you multiclass, you can reap bonus MP from multiple Ability Scores.
When it comes to determining how many Magic Points you should be getting from Class Features, there are a few ways to reach the end result. The simplest explanation I can offer you is this: for every Spell Slot or per Day you have, you gain some MP. The amount you get for each spell is ((2×Slot Level)-1). Another way to look at it is that a 1st Level Slot is worth 1 MP, a 2nd is worth 3, a 3rd is worth 5, on up to a 9th, which is worth 17. It's a simple enough pattern. Apply the same principle to your Bonus Slots. It's [i]also[/i] the same progression as Power Points for Psionic-using Classes, so if you want a quick reference, just compare your casting class to its Psionic counterpart. It should also inform you on just how much most things will cost in MP. This means that casters have boatloads more MP than other characters... which kind of makes sense, since they use it a lot more. This is something of a double-edged sword at times, though. I'll explain further down.
Magic Points are used to power most of the magic available to Player Characters; Spells, Psionic Powers, Infusions, Extracts, Shadowcasting, and can even be used to recover expended Maneuvers outside of their normal recovery rules. They can also be used to activate certain Class Features beyond their normal number of uses, like Smite, Rage, Resolve, Challenge, Bombs, and the like (usually by expending a number of points equal to the Class Level at which the [i]specific version[/i] of the replicated feature becomes available. They can also be expended to fuel certain Feats, like Power Attack, without costing the normal penalty for it (at a rate of 1MP for one point of Attack Penalty, to continue the example). They can also be used to bolster one's physical and mental performance, determined largely by their martial prowess.
As usual, expending MP isn't normally considered an action; it's part of a character taking an action.
As individuals grow in body and spirit, the amount of Mana they possess naturally increases. Their Mana Vessel swells and the rate at which they recover this energy also increases. This can be used by skilled practitioners to roughly determine the overall power of an individual, though results can be skewed if the person in question is themselves an adept in the magical arts.
[size=125][u]Recovering Magic Points[/u][/size]
Magic Points are expended for a wide variety of uses. Everything from casting spells and using Spell-Like Abilities to boosting physical performance, to recovering HP. Eventually, however, the Mana Vessel will empty. This would be catastrophic; that is the vital essence of life, after all. Losing everything in this way brings one close to death. Close enough to lose consciousness and enter a catatonia-like state of recovery. However, recovery [i]does[/i] happen. How exactly it happens depends on the physical and spiritual makeup of the individual, however. For reasons that aren't entirely clear, an individual's gender determines how they recover Mana. The most common examples are listed below.
[size=115][b]Genderless[/b][/size]
This category mostly reflects true objects and elementals.
Genderless beings don't actually recover Mana so much as they simply share it with the surrounding environment. It's only when they become discrete entities that they form a Mana pool of their own, which in turn is drawn directly from the world around them. Most such things can't naturally recover their energies once expended, instead requiring someone to invest power in them. Elementals, however, may rest and recover energy from a suitable environment or from someone who willingly gives it to them, usually through a Covenant or Ritual. When in an environment where they can naturally recover their Mana, such beings operate as if they were Bigendered.
[size=115][b]Male[/b][/size]
This category covers most living things that are both physically and spiritually male.
Male beings don't recover Mana. [i]They produce it.[/i] The physical and spiritual structure of a Male being generates Mana as a part of its natural life processes; so long as a Male is properly fed and rested, he'll naturally fill his Mana Vessel. In order to do so, a Male must consume enough food to not begin starving and rest for at least eight hours. During this period of rest, his body will naturally produce enough Mana to fill his entire Mana Vessel. In essence, this is how the standard rules for recovering Spell Slots and the like work.
[size=115][b]Female[/b][/size]
This category applies to all living things that are both physically and spiritually female.
Female beings recover Mana by absorbing it from the environment rather than through creating it. This process occurs passively over time, regardless of how well fed or rested they are. This process causes a Female to regain 1/8th of their maximum MP every hour, meaning that they recover MP more quickly then Males. However, this Mana is drawn from their environment, which can lead to problems if the energy simply isn't present. Dead Magic and Anti-Magic Zones cripple this ability, and there are hazards that can make this passive Mana recovery a liability rather than an asset. Unfortunately for them, it can't be turned off, so if there's something wrong with the local Mana, you're going to run into issues.
[size=115][b]Multigendered[/b][/size]
This category applies to beings that function as two or more genders. Some unusual lifeforms, like slime molds, are colonial organisms with more than one gender... sometimes more than two. However, for the most part, these aren't going to be especially relevant to most stories in Wayfarer's Guide. Except that this category applies to Divinities; from the Titans to the Gods to the lowliest of Angels and even a most Kaiju.
Multigendered beings have the characteristics of both Male and Female entities; they produce their own Mana as Males through the same process, while also absorbing Mana from the environment at the same rates as Females. Most Divinities identify as one gender or another and have the physical form to back it, but in practice they function as both when it comes to Mana. This is a distinct spiritual property of theirs that often reflects in their bodies; most Divinities are capable of some degree of shapeshifting and [i]can[/i] change gender... if they can get over the psychological block to do so. A great many deities can't. Even those of tremendous power. Zeus and Hera, for example, have extreme difficulty doing this, leading to a famous episode involving an argument over who enjoys sex more. Others, like most Kaiju, have little association with one gender or another, and may not even present sexual characteristics in their natural state, instead appearing genderless even as they spiritually function as both.
[size=115][b]Transgendered[/b][/size]
This category applies to beings who either have a mutable gender or whose spiritual and physical gender do not align. Some amphibians and fish, for example, are able to change gender in order to adjust the absence of one in the population, while most living things will sometimes have a misalignment due to difficulties in reincarnation or development.
Transgendered beings generally operate as whatever their [i]physiology[/i] is structured to be, as the biological processes of the individual determine the first steps of the recovery process. However, extreme circumstances can cause the individual to operate as their spiritual gender instead. These usually involve magic of some kind, especially of a transformative or corruptive nature, or when operating purely as a spirit, such as while traveling on certain Planes or within a Mindscape. This is especially true of those individuals who possess extremely strong convictions about their spiritual gender, as this can impact the results of certain magical processes, and even alter their appearance when viewed as just a spiritual body. Such individuals may be affected strangely by the Monsterization process, as well.
[size=125][u]Magic Points for Martials[/u][/size]
The normal expectation is that Magic Points have relatively little value to someone who can't use formal magic. Without powers to manifest and spells to cast, martial characters would seem to have little use for them. However, this isn't the case. Part of the normal training of every Class besides the NPC ones involves learning to channel MP into enhanced performance. In fact, this is often one of the key elements in determining what career paths are open to an individual; those who possess a great finesse with their Mana tend to pursue casting paths, while those who excel at bolstering their bodies tend to become martial practitioners, and those who are capable at both often mix these paths, while those who lack both tend to take up more skill-oriented occupations. Everyone can, to some extent, focus their Mana into their bodies and minds in order to exceed the basic limits of the flesh.
As a Free Action, a character may invest MP into an Attack or Damage Roll, up to their Base Attack Bonus, adding the amount of MP directly to the result as a Magic Bonus on a 1:1 basis. They may also add it as a bonus to their AC for a single Round as a Magic Bonus, again at a 1:1 rate and not exceeding their Base Attack Bonus. They may substitute MP in the same manner to fuel Feats that would reduce AC or Attack or Damage rolls as part of the action of using these Feats. They may also spend points in the same manner and under the same restrictions to improve Ability Checks with STR, CON, and DEX, as well as on any Skills that use those Ability Scores, Perception, on Initiative Checks, and to recover HP (but not Ability Damage). Nonlethal damage may be recovered at a rate of 2 HP for every 1 MP spent. They may also spend MP to bolster Fortitude and Reflex Saves and to increase the DCs of Saves on effects generated directly by their physical actions, though this only improves their performance by 1 for every 2 MP spent and the individual can still spend no more MP at a time than their Base Attack Bonus. If a character gains multiple attacks iterative attacks from their Base Attack Bonus, they can spend points on as many different applications in a Turn as they have additional attacks. This includes from Class Features like Flurry of Blows, but characters who only gain multiple attacks by wielding multiple weapons can only apply the additional uses this would seem to grant when using it to boost either the Attack or Damage rolls of both weapons. This ability can be used even on another character's Turn.
Initiators, that is to say individuals who use Maneuvers, can spend MP as a Free Action to instantly recover an expended Maneuver. They can do this even on another character's Turn, potentially allowing them to recover and instantly use a Counter. And also skirting the normal limit on number of uses during a Turn. Remember, if you're using it on someone else's Turn, it's not [i]your[/i] Turn. Just keep in mind that these effects generally don't last beyond their individual 
Characters can burn MP to gain additional uses of certain Class Features and innate abilities. This requires the expenditure of MP equal to the Class Level at which the ability was gained or as if casting the Spell or Power that the ability is based off of, whichever is cheaper. Advanced versions of such abilities, such as Greater Rage for example, require MP equal to the Level at which the advanced version became available.
[size=125][u]Everyday Magic[/u][/size]
Gaea is an unusually high-magic setting. Most people with any kind of aptitude for it learn a handful of Spells, Powers, or Maneuvers. These are usually chosen from culturally acceptable traditions, but people sometimes pick up something from outside their norms.
Any character with a Mental Ability Score of 11 or higher can dabble in magic and other supernatural powers. They may gain a number of Spells, Powers, and Maneuvers known equal to the Modifier of their highest Mental Ability Score plus one. These Spells need not be prepared on advance and are not expended when cast, as if they were a Sorcerer. They use their highest Mental Ability Score as their casting score and have a Caster Level equal to half their Character Level or their actual Caster Level, whichever is higher.
These Spells Known may be drawn from any Full of Half Caster Spell List and require the appropriate Components to cast. They may be Orisons, Cantrips, Knacks, Talents, Runes (Spell Words), Vestige Seals (for those who can Bind Vestiges), Soulmelds and Veils (for those who know how), Maneuvers, or Fundaments of Shadow and Mysteries. The character must have a high enough Mental Ability Score to understand these abilities in order to learn them. A character with 11 as their highest Mental Ability, for example, can only learn a single 0-Level Spell, but not a 1st Level Spell, Power, Maneuver, or Stance. [url=https://www.drivethrurpg.com/m/product/107528]Lee's List of 100 Cantrips[/url] and Zenith Games' [url=https://www.drivethrurpg.com/m/product/208481]101 Spells for the Common Man[/url] are acceptable sources of Spells. In fact, most common folk draw their Spell selections from the latter and either the Cleric, Druid, or Wizard/Sorcerer lists. Honestly, though, you can draw on virtually any source material that's acceptable for play.
Characters use their native Mana to activate or recover these capabilities even if they lack Mana from a Class.
[size=125][u]Sex and Magic[/u][/size]
There is an inherent connection between sex, gender, and magic. This is clearly manifested in how different genders recover Mana. However, sexuality and Mana are also connected; the act of creating new life, or attempting to do so, consumes Mana from the potential parents. This energy would normally be expelled from the parents, mingled in the womb or on the egg, and become the foundation of the conceived child's own Spirit and Mana. However, even in cases where a child [i]isn't[/i] conceived, this Mana is still expelled. For men, it's stored in their ejaculate. For women, it is bound up in their own secretions, flowing from them throughout coitus and especially forcefully during orgasm. Should an egg become fertilized, it will instead absorb most of this energy.
In practice, whenever a character engages in sex they lose Mana. Particularly when they Orgasm. This applies to both genders; even though women technically lose it throughout the act, they are also assumed to regain an equal amount from the environment. However, when orgasm occurs, Mana is lost in a higher volume than can readily be replaced immediately, even by a woman's passive recovery. This also applies to masturbation, or any other time a character orgasms. If you climax, you lose Mana, end of story. The amount lost is determined by the overall sexual performance that triggered said orgasm; things work a bit differently in this hentai-inspired world. If your partner is really good, the load you blow or amount you squirt is bigger. Mana is actually the main cause of this; the stuff amplifies physical performance, including sexual performance. The actual amount lost is covered under the Libido section, below.
This process is particularly significant for certain individuals who either naturally, or through training, absorb the Mana of their sexual partners. Monsters under the influence of the Overlord can feed off of the Mana released from their partners in this way, so long as it isn't also Demonic Energy. In effect, they treat a partner's Orgasm as a meal. Mages and martial artists who have the proper training can take the Mana of others through sex and use it to fuel their own capabilities, pushing themselves beyond their own limits by gaining Temporary MP. There are even magical rituals that exist that allow individuals to form a spiritual bond through sex that allows them to share one another's Mana as if it were their own.
[size=125][u]Running Out of MP[/u][/size]
There are a lot of ways to use or lose Mana, and burning it [i]usually[/i] feels pretty good (or at least not bad), so it's inevitable that people sometimes run out. However, when you think about it, this is pretty horrifying. Mana is the energy of life itself, after all. You'd theoretically die from losing it all. The only reason this doesn't happen is because the body naturally recovers or generates minute amounts of Mana all the time through the digestive process (even if it's breaking down the body's own fat and muscle) and the natural absorption of Mana. However, higher functions don't handle the experience well; a total loss of usable MP results in a loss of consciousness until the body has recovered from the shock and the Spirit has regained enough Mana to regain one MP. This can take a while, especially if the individual is being constantly drained from one source or another, but it's almost always at least an hour. Functionally, such an individual is suffering the Sleep condition, but can't be awoken without forcing Mana into them somehow... usually through a Mana Potion or simple natural recovery, though sex is a viable option (if potentially [i]extremely[/i] inappropriate and/or unethical, amoral, and illegal) in the case of an individual who isn't already their sex partner.
Individuals who recover from total Mana loss generally feel weary, lethargic, and are prone to headaches until their reserves are restored properly with a solid rest, as per normal. Men are usually ravenous, women left aching all over as their body desperately tries to draw in more Mana.
[size=125][u]Auras and Chakras: The Shape of Mana[/u][/size]
Magic is a complicated thing. It takes myriad forms and can be accessed in countless ways; likely far more than are even known within the setting. It behaves curiously, responding to emotions and impulses at times, while clearly obeying patterns and rules at others. Though it has existed on Gaea since before even the gods themselves, even those who embody it do not fully [i]understand[/i] it. However, for those who have [i]a measure[/i] of that understanding, Magic and Mana can reveal a few secrets. One of these is that of Auras.
Everything that exists has Mana, but Mana is not a wholly physical thing. It is less contained within the body as it is bound to it, trapped in an elastic envelope that surrounds and is anchored to the physical form of any given thing. This is called an Aura. To most, Auras are imperceptible. Even those who wield Spells cannot perceive Auras without training or effort. Those who have taken the pains to learn how, can, though. Doing so can reveal a great deal about the subject of their observations, for the Aura is the magical signature of the thing. It is the representation of their Spirit. [i]It is who and what they are.[/i]
More complicated things have more complicated Auras. A stone's Aura reveals much of its internal properties and history, but it is still simple despite its age when compared with that of an animal, let alone a person. Auras are layered things for the living and the undead; they reveal Alignments, Emotions, the physical health of the individual, and their magical properties, energies, and effects, all of which mingle and flow together in a confusing morass of color and sensation. Those who can sense auras often perceive them in different ways, but for most of the Races of Man, Auras appear as masses of colored light that gives the impression of emotions and feelings to those who observe it.
While any part of a person's Aura may be visually impressive, the most intense, concentrated points are the Chakras. If the Aura, the Mana Vessel, is an envelope nailed to the body, then the Chakras are the nails themselves. These are the generators of Mana, whether through production or through absorption.
[size=115][u]The Chakras[/u][/size]
[list=]
[*][b][u]Crown:[/u][/b] This Chakra is the seat of consciousness, the self, and pure spirituality and completion. Most hats, helms, headbands, and phylacteries key to it, and it is associated with powers pertaining to maintaining one's sense of self and mental protection, as well as forces regarding the soul and the reception of Divine energy. It is situated at the top of the head.
[*][b][u]Brow:[/u][/b] Situated between the eyes and slightly above, near the center of the forehead, the Brow Chakra influences perception and awareness of the world and others, as well as the influence of one's perception on the same. Lenses, goggles, glasses, earrings, nose rings, tongue rings, and many types of makeup key to this Chakra, which often grants powers pertaining to the senses, illusions, and the like.
[*][b][u]Throat:[/u][/b] In the center of the throat where the Adam's Apple is on a man, the Throat Chakra pertains to communication skills and expression. Amulets, brooches, medallions, necklaces, periapts, chokers, scarabs, and tongue rings usually key to it.
[*][b][u]Shoulder:[/u][/b] Situated roughly at the center of the clavicle and manifesting across both shoulders and the upper back, the Shoulder Chakra pertains to one's presence, authority, and physical health and well-being. Cloaks, capes, and mantles normally key to it.
[*][b][u]Heart:[/u][/b] Situated near the center of the chest, the Heart Chakra governs the essential nature of the body and self. Vests, vestments, and shirts normally key to it, with its properties often changing the basic nature of the user or protecting them from harm.
[*][b][u]Soul:[/u][/b] Pertaining to the Spirit, the Soul Chakra surrounds the body and resides in the Aura itself. It tends to affect the magical nature of the individual, with items like Ioun Stones, gleams, nimbi, perfumes and colognes, and sigils keying to it.
[*][b][u]Body:[/u][/b] Pertaining to the wholeness of the individual and their body as it interacts with the world, the Body Chakra is diffused across the whole of the skin. It tends to reflect defensive abilities that emphasize physical protection from harm and the elements. Armor, robes, and clothing tend to key to it.
[*][b][u]Arms:[/u][/b] Pertaining to the projection of strength and the ability to protect oneself and others, the Arms Chakra is split between all such limbs. It tends to increase one's combat prowess or bolster their allies. Bracers, bracelets, and armbands tend to key to this Chakra.
[*][b][u]Hands:[/u][/b] Pertaining to one's technical skills, combat prowess and destructive power, and quickness, the Hand Chakra is divided between all such extremities. Gloves, Gauntlets, and Handwraps tend to key to them.
[*][b][u]Waist:[/u][/b] Pertaining to one's well-being, improvement, and purification, the Waist Chakra resides around the navel and serves as the main storage center of Mana within the body. It tends to produces statistical improvements or recovery abilities, as well as those that bolster magical reserves. Belts and girdles usually key to it.
[*][b][u]Root:[/u][/b] Pertaining to the Flesh, the Root Chakra is the primary generator of spiritual energy and the key source for the Aura and one's magical energy. It tends to be closely tied to one's basic needs, motivations, and sexuality; it's the source of one's impetus and appetites, and as such is seen as a powerful force that can drive one to great heights or lead them astray. The Root Chakra resides in the lower body, particularly around the groin and tailbone. Many sexual items key to it, including piercings, wearables, certain types of toys and adornments, and, more mundanely, undergarments. It tends to provide abilities that impact sexual performance and motivation in general.
[*][b][u]Feet:[/u][/b] Pertaining to movement, travel, journeys, quests, and personal goals, the Foot Chakra is divided across all feet. It tends to produce abilities that improve movement speed or grant new methods of movement. Boots, shoes, and anklets often key to it.
[*][b][u]Finger:[/u][/b] Pertaining to one's magical ability and defense, the Finger Chakra is spread across all of those digits. It tends to produce protective effects or the specific properties of magical spells. Rings key to it, as do artificial fingernails, lacquers, and other such items.
[*][b][u]Toe:[/u][/b] Pertaining to stability, both physical and emotional, the Toe Chakra is spread across all of the digits. It tends to produce effects that protect against emotional effects and forced movement. Toe Rings and artificial toenails and lacquers often key to it.
[*][b][u]Blood:[/u][/b] Pertaining to one's history, experience, and ancestry, the Blood Chakra is affixed to the circulatory system at large and the blood in particular. Though relatively few lasting items key to it, there are some... usually in the form of Injections. It often provides abilities that impact overall health, but particularly personal development, growth, and even mutation.
[*][b][u]Totem:[/u][/b] Pertaining to one's aspirations and connection to the world, the Totem Chakra doesn't reside within the Aura so much as it is [i]attached[/i] to it. The Totem is a fragment of another being's Aura, or a construct made to resemble it, affixed to the a person's Aura that influences them. This Totem serves as a guide, aid, and protector of sorts, empowering the bearer while imprinting some of its traits on them. It is normally used as a method of personal growth. Items keyed to the Totem Chakra are usually held tools such as wands, rods, fetishes, and holy symbols.
[/list]
[size=115][u]Ley Lines, Meridians, Circulation, and Cultivation[/u][/size]
While not especially relevant to magical dabblers, more devoted practitioners do well to study the behavior of Mana itself. This knowledge aids them in producing complicated spells and in storing and refining their own energies in order to cast more and [i]more potent[/i] magic. Magic begins and ends in the realm, and so too does its power source; Mana. It enters the physical world from the spiritual one through the emanations of heavenly bodies like the sun, moons, and stars, as well as the Planes and the Primordials who are the divine incarnations of the material world.
This Mana flows from these sources through intricate pathways into progressively smaller and smaller receptacles; from the void of space to the atmosphere, to the cloud, to each drop of rain and beyond. This is true of everything which exists, not merely the atmosphere. Everything from the stones of Gaea to the creatures that walk upon them. The paths that Mana travels through the world and the cosmos at large are known as Ley Lines. The channels that it flows through within the body and the Aura are known as Meridians. Mana cycles through these channels before being released back into the world through the natural processes of life and death and by flowing from the Aura, thus making its way back into the realm of the spirit. This pattern of flow is known as Circulation, and the process of improving it within a body and the body and Aura's ability to refine and store this energy is known as Cultivation. While the terms and techniques vary from one culture to the next, the basic principles remain uniform across Gaea.
Women absorb Mana from the world through their bodies in a process similar to osmosis. Men, instead, consume food and break it down to produce energy within their bodies instead.
[size=115][u]Aura Colors, Patterns, and Shapes[/u][/size]
Everything has an Aura, from simple objects to creatures to planets. The simpler the object, the simpler the Aura. The Aura of a stone is unremarkable; nearly identical to that of every other stone of the same mineral. For living things, however, the Aura can be extraordinarily complex,  reflecting their morality, ethics, their personality, magical properties, and even their emotions. Even things like external influences
[list=]
[*][b][u]Bright Red:[/u][/b] Associated with passions, particularly with zest for life or focus, but it can also represent bursts of anger, especially if it appears as flashes. A bright red Aura usually reflects a person who is energetic and vivacious. Such people are often quite physical and sensual, and are usually better suited to pursuits outside the realms of structured magic.
[*][b][u]Dark Red:[/u][/b] Realism, pragmatism, and warrior spirit. A dark red Aura represents someone who is very practical and level-headed; it reflects great inner strength and resilience, as well as the force of will needed to enter battle. A sign of someone with the emotional potential, if not necessarily the physical prowess, needed to be a great warrior. Dark reds sometimes originate from other shades of red that have been tempered through hardship and experience. Individuals with this Aura often find the use of structured magic difficult due to its abstract nature, but they tend to excel in more physical fields.
[*][b][u]Dull Red:[/u][/b] Dull red represents lasting anger and rage. It's normally a very physical color and denotes a person with long-standing trauma and anger, especially manifesting as a short temper... or an incredibly fierce one. Individuals with this Aura color are often more skilled at focusing their Mana into their bodies or inherited magical talents than constructing complex spells.
[*][b][u]Oily Green:[/u][/b] Cunning and deceitfulness, obfuscation, secrecy. An oily green Aura marks a person who's untrustworthy or devious; they're often intelligent, but are willing to apply that intelligence towards manipulating others. Oily green is a marker of tricksters and troublemakers, usually of the less-than-moral sort. Many who pursue the Schools of Enchantment and Illusion have this Aura.
[*][b][u]Blue:[/u][/b] Faith and devotion. A blue Aura denotes a pious person who serves what they believe to be a higher cause, be it a religion, a philosophy, a nation, or a community. Such a person is usually self-sacrificing, and is often marked by magical talent. Individuals with this Aura are liable to put others before themselves... and their cause before others. They have a strong sense of purpose, a calling, that tends to take precedence in their lives and frames how they view and interact with the world.
[*][b][u]Indigo:[/u][/b] Perceptiveness, curiosity, and adventurousness. An indigo Aura represents insight and awareness, particularly when it comes to truth and discovery, as well as an inquisitive nature. As a shade of blue, it's also a marker of supernatural power. People with this Aura color are prone to experimenting in life; travel and the quest for new horizons, the search for new knowledge, and the path of self-discovery. They are also usually quite good at getting a read on others and seeing through lies.
[*][b][u]Livid Gray:[/u][/b] Fear, dread, terror, and the desire to spread the same. Livid gray Auras represent someone who has either lived in a state of fear and anxiety for so long it's become a part of them, or who revels in the fear of others. Lighter shades denote the former, darker shades the later. As the latter often began life as the former, there's quite a range in this color. Paranoiacs often have some form of this.
[*][b][u]Emerald Green:[/u][/b] Flexibility and adaptability. Emerald green Auras represent people willing to bend rather than stand on their positions, they adapt and grow easily. Often a sign of a strong intellect and a degree of deceitfulness, this tends more towards helping the greater good than for the selfish desires associated with oily green Auras. Often a sign of healing ability, or even a connection with the natural world.
[*][b][u]Dark Green:[/u][/b] Jealousy and envy. Dark green Auras represent deceitfulness and a manipulative nature, even to the point of deceiving oneself. People with this Aura are often petty and avaricious, begrudging even imagined slight. Such people are prone to trying to tear others down, being never satisfied perfectionists and obsessed with wealth, power, and social status. They are unlikely to ever admit fault, and are ambitious. Sometimes to the point of folly.
[*][b][u]Brown-Red:[/u][/b] Selfishness and greed, often mixed with anger. A rusty Aura is a sign of a person consumed with their own material desires and willing to fight for them. Individuals with this Aura color are often confrontational and possessive, difficult to be around for extended periods and prone to abuse of others and their own health.
[*][b][u]Black:[/u][/b] Hatred, malice, vindictiveness, spite, and cruelty. A black Aura denotes a person consumed by their resentments and grudges to the point that they define their identity. They are almost like an affliction themselves. Black Auras are a sign of obsession and the will to violence against the target of the same. As such, they're most often associated with Evil and not the sort of person people would normally want to associate with for any length of time. Or at all.
[*][b][u]Golden:[/u][/b] Intellect and magical prowess. Golden Auras represent individuals of tremendous logical power and knowledge, as well as a connection to the spiritual realm. Such people are often drawn to the paths of the Arcane magic or mechanical engineering, where their natural gifts can flourish. Golden Auras are relatively rare; those that have them are often great thinkers, both in the realms of the theoretical and the practical, and as such are frequently treated as prodigies when found.
[*][b][u]Scarlet:[/u][/b] Love. Scarlet Auras represent the various forms of love, manifesting in a wide range of hues and shades. Darker, duller, colors tend to represent more selfish forms of the emotion, while lighter and more vivid ones represent more selfless ones. Those tinged with shades of purple especially represent powerful spiritual love.
[*][b][u]Gray:[/u][/b] Anxiety, depression, and repression. Not as pronounced as the bruised-looking livid gray Auras, the clearer gray Auras represent emotional and spiritual pain rather than simple fear. Someone with such an Aura is suffering inwardly, even if they outwardly appear fine.
[*][b][u]Blood Red:[/u][/b] Instinctiveness and passion. Blood red Auras represent animalistic passions and desires. Especially hunger and lust. Primitive and powerful, this color dominates while the conscious mind slumbers or wanders... and manifests in people who care little for the complexities of society and civilization and instead wish to live in an animalistic state.
[*][b][u]Orange:[/u][/b] Self-confidence and pride. Orange Auras also represent a strong connection with one's immediate companions and the confidence that this brings. Orange Auras are subject to a range of shade variations, with other colors bleeding into them to reflect different forms of pride, confidence, self-love, and egotism. People with orange Auras are often happy and outgoing, quick to make friends, and skilled at keeping them... but they are also often full of themselves.
[*][b][u]Light Blue:[/u][/b] Communication, stability, and intuition. A light blue Aura denotes a calm and supportive person. As a shade of blue, this often denotes a measure of magical aptitude. People with this Aura are prone to roles as mediators, advisors, teachers, and messengers, as well as community leaders or organizers.
[*][b][u]White:[/u][/b] Purity, transcendence, divinity, spirituality. An extremely rare Aura color, White represents disinterest in the material world in favor of spiritual endeavors. Individuals with this Aura are often called to help others, and frequently possess remarkable abilities that aid them in doing so. This is a symbol of holiness and sanctity.
[*][b][u]Violet:[/u][/b] Authority, intuition, spiritual power. Violet and purple Auras are closely related and sometimes difficult to differentiate; the former is darker, bluer, than the latter. Similarly uncommon, Violet also represents spiritual power and intuition. However, whereas purple is associated with more worldly endeavors, violet is focused more inward, towards the mind, spirit, and emotions. People with violet Auras often become hermits and sages... or rulers of men who isolate themselves from their subjects. Those who possess violet Auras are likely to have potent supernatural abilities that can make it relatively easy for them to seize power if they are so inclined.
[*][b][u]Purple:[/u][/b] Spiritual power, guidance, intuition, and artistic interest. Purple Auras are fairly uncommon, representing mystical awareness and power. Individuals with them are often potent spellcasters and manifesters, as this color normally only manifests in those with the talent for such endeavors. It is also a sign of those who feel a calling to teach or create; many become educators, craftsmen, and artists. Others, touched by the more pronounced reds in this Aura, take up more martial callings.
[*][b][u]Yellow:[/u][/b] Happiness, intellect, and ambition. Related to the golden Aura, yellow Auras are more subdued. They're less about the spiritual realm and more about the material one. People with this Aura are prone to becoming intellectuals and scholars, as they are naturally inquisitive and driven to know more... and they usually enjoy the learning process. They're also normally quite content with themselves, even if they aren't always with their lot in life. These individuals are often somewhat playful in personality.
[*][b][u]Tan:[/u][/b] Disinterest and disgust. Tan Auras represent people who are dissatisfied with themselves or the world, particularly when it comes to difficulties and poor performance. People with this Aura have difficulty maintaining their interest in anything and may fall into a state of apathy or frustration. Such people may be perfectionists to a degree, or they may have instead followed a life path that was unfulfilling for them.
[*][b][u]Green:[/u][/b] Balance, acceptance, nurturing. Green Auras represent a person with emotional balance, usually marked by openness and a loving, nurturing attitude towards others. People with this Aura are usually accepting of themselves and others, and frequently have a strong connection to the natural world and animals. Many are drawn to the Druidic traditions and their kindred practices.
[*][b][u]Pink:[/u][/b] Love of others, gentleness, harmony. Similar to green Auras, pink Auras reflect an emotional balance. However, for the pink Aura, this is reflected outwards; the individual is in harmony with other people as much or more as themselves. They feel a strong connection to their community and bring it together. People with this Aura are often healers or organizers, and frequently fill a supportive role in society.
[*][b][u]Magenta:[/u][/b] Rebelliousness, Innovation, Transformation. Magenta Auras represent individuals who are prone to sudden changes in their lives; they dislike the status quo and reject it through their own actions and appearances. Nonconformists, such individuals are free-thinkers prone to devising new ways to achieve desired results.
[*][b][u]Light Gray:[/u][/b] Sadness, depression. Less pronounced than other shades of gray Auras, light gray represents powerful sadness that isn't overwhelming. It reflects a strong individual, but one burdened by hardship and dissatisfaction. People with this Aura are often morose and lethargic; the weight of their emotions bleeds through into their daily lives.
[*][b][u]Brown:[/u][/b] Greed and egotism. Brown Auras are often seen as a sign of spiritual sickness, as they represent someone consumed by selfish material desires and hubris. People with brown Auras may seem confident, but this is often a lie they tell even to themselves in order to avoid changing bad habits and behaviors. Such individuals are covetous, but often lack the violent nature required to actively harm others. Instead, they're prone to hoarding the objects of their desires when possible, leading to unhealthy lifestyles.
[*][b][u]Lavender:[/u][/b] Vision, dreams, imagination. Lavender Auras represent an awareness of and connection to otherworlds. These can include the realms of the mind, the Planes, and distant parts of the world. Individuals with this Aura often have vivid dreams and powerful imaginations, and are drawn strongly to works of fiction, historical records, and mythic and religious lore. They are both consumers and creators of stories, and are often gifted with great spiritual power.
[*][b][u]Silver:[/u][/b] Abundance, purification, spiritual power. Silver Auras represent a significant spiritual power and energy, as well as ability, and a purifying nature. Individuals with this Aura are often mystics of one sort or another, having deep reserves of magical energy. Most feel called to a cause.
[*][b][u]Rainbow:[/u][/b] Positivity, adaptability. Rainbow Auras have the strengths of many different colors, resulting in a powerful, resilient individual. Such people are often highly mutable; they can adopt the properties of their constituent colors naturally, allowing them to easily change their behavior to match the circumstances.
[*][b][u]Orbs:[/u][/b] Outside influences clinging to the Aura.
[*][b][u]Striations:[/u][/b] Restriction, repression.
[*][b][u]Flickering:[/u][/b] Agitation, a heightened emotional state.
[*][b][u]Pulsating:[/u][/b] A steady, calm emotional state.
[*][b][u]Rippling:[/u][/b]
[*][b][u]Swirling:[/u][/b] 
[*][b][u]Roiling:[/u][/b] Internal chaos and disordered emotions.
[*][b][u]Oscillating:[/u][/b] Uncertainty.
[*][b][u]Repetition:[/u][/b] Obsession.
[*][b][u]Reflective:[/u][/b] A lack of identity concealed with imitation.
[*][b][u]Cloying:[/u][/b] A Neutral ethical alignment. Cloying Auras are unobtrusive, sticking close to the body of the possessor.
[*][b][u]Stable:[/u][/b] A Lawful ethical alignment. Stable Auras extend a short distance from the possessor and maintain their overall shape.
[*][b][u]Erratic:[/u][/b] A Chaotic ethical alignment. Erratic Auras constantly move and shift
[*][b][u]Streaks:[/u][/b] Injuries or disruptions.
[*][b][u]Nebular:[/u][/b] Weak sense of self.
[*][b][u]Thorny:[/u][/b] Aggression and fear. Thorny Auras represent an individual in the act of violence, or near to it.
[*][b][u]Angular:[/u][/b] Protection. Angular Auras manifest when an individual seeks to protect themselves from outside influences.
[*][b][u]Inclusions:[/u][/b] Blessings and Curses. Inclusions are small pieces of another's Aura injected into the spiritual body of the individual for good or ill. The Divine Blessings that Heroes receive look like this... but so do powerful curses and festering Taint.
[*][b][u]Motes:[/u][/b] Lingering influence of another's Aura.
[*][b][u]Muted Colors:[/u][/b] Poor health.
[*][b][u]Smoky or Darkened Colors:[/u][/b]
[*][b][u]Mingled or Unclear Colors:[/u][/b]
[*][b][u]Bright Colors:[/u][/b] Good health.
[*][b][u]Diffuse:[/u][/b] Extroverted.
[*][b][u]Focused:[/u][/b] Balanced.
[*][b][u]Condensed:[/u][/b] Introverted.
[/list]
[size=115][u]Health Aura[/u][/size]
[size=115][u]Alignment Aura[/u][/size]
[size=115][u]Magic Aura[/u][/size]
[size=115][u]Emotion Aura[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Magic Points and Prepared Casters[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Magic Points and Metamagic[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Things That [i]Don't[/i] Use Mana[/u][/size]
Or at least not [i]your[/i] Mana. Many abilities are inherently supernatural, but they derive their power from the ambient energy of the world, special reserves within the body that can't be readily accessed for other uses, or even from outside sources like powerful spiritual entities loaning some of their own energy. Such powers don't draw on the Mana of the wielder directly, but can sometimes be bolstered with it... or replenished by it, should their own reserves be expended.
[size=115][b]Cantrips, Orisons, Knacks, and Talents[/b][/size]
The most minor of magics consume so little Mana as to be negligible. The power for them is usually drawn from simply breathing without having to worry about other factors. No MP burned on these.
[size=115][b]Spell-Like Abilities and Psi-Like Abilities[/b][/size]
These generally have their own supply of Mana, normally contained either within the physical body or as a sort of inclusion within the Mana Vessel. If they have a limited number of uses per day, it's generally possible to use them more by expending Mana as if activating the equivalent Spell or Power.
[size=115][b]Supernatural Abilities[/b][/size]
These powers tend to rely on ambient Mana to function rather than internal reserves within the user. As such, they don't consume any kind of power from the user. They can be bolstered with Mana, though, much as if someone were trying to enhance a physical action. However, relatively few beings know how, as it requires special training in the form of a Feat.
[size=115][b]Meldshaping and Veilweaving[/b][/size]
Meldshaping and Veilweaving are two related traditions that stem from the same basic principles; congealing and shaping raw Souls into a tangible form, thus granting powers derived from their nature. Performing either action is a Spell-Like Ability usable at-will, but the actual products of this activity are essentially limitless. Their powers are more a result of their inherent [i]nature[/i] than anything else, and as such don't consume Mana to either create or employ.
[size=115][b]Runes[/b][/size]
Runes are a complicated system of magic that relies on the ambient magic of the world to generate effects, essentially manipulating the fabric of reality directly. These abilities are neither truly Spell-Like nor Supernatural, and they aren't true casting, either. Rather, they're something different. They're the product of a Skill, and so don't consume Mana as normal casting does.
[size=150][u]Lust: Libido and Will[/u][/size]
As one might expect of a setting based on the MGE, The Wayfarer's Guide includes rules for horniness, sex, sexual restraint, and the like. It's a lewd world, if less so than the original. And a bit more violent. Anyway, within the WFG, everyone has a sex drive, to some degree. How much of one varies from person to person by quite a bit, sure, but no one's completely immune to it. Everyone [i]also[/i] has some self-restraint that helps keep them from taking stupid actions because of said drive. Over time and with more and more erotic situations, sexual frustration builds, applying penalties to certain activities and bonuses to others. If allowed to accumulate for too long, this pent-up lust can become debilitating; it can interfere with a character's perceptions of events around them, hinder their ability to resist certain types of attacks on the mind and body, penalize Skill Checks and the use supernatural powers, and even cause a decline in overall health and, conceivably, death due to the stress.
In order to relieve this stress, characters need an outlet; for most people, this is sex or masturbation. Some learn other techniques, such as using supernatural powers as an outlet, meditation, calming hobbies, and even certain substances that can be consumed to reduce their sexual frustrations or appetite. However, everyone still needs some kind of outlet. Even people with next to no sex drive can become aroused by daily circumstances.
Each character has a new, additional Ability Score called Libido. This may be generated in one of two ways; for Point-Buy character generation, average Strength, Constitution, Charisma, and Intelligence to get Libido, rounding [i]up[/i]. If you're rolling dice for your Ability Scores, just roll another one according to your group's rules and assign it appropriately. This Ability and Wisdom determine how quickly you generate Lust, a steadily accumulating status penalty that influences your character's behavior and capacity to resist sexual advances and the effects of a number of different supernatural powers. If allowed to build for too long, excessive Lust can negatively impact a great many things, including magic-use and the ability to recover from injuries due to a lack of proper rest. This can be debilitating over time and severity, causing a decline in health until something is done if allowed to become too severe.
Every twenty-four hours, after they normally would have rested, a character gains a number of points of Lust equal to their Libido's Modifier. If it's a negative, then they can instead lose points. This is reduced by their Wisdom Modifier, so a character who has Libido 14 and Wisdom 12 would gain 1 Lust every day, and one with the opposite scores would lose 1 Lust instead. As their Lust rises, it begins to cross through a number of thresholds that have their own effects, and are determined by the character's Abilities and Saves.
[list]
[*][u]Clarion:[/u] You have negative Lust. You gain a circumstance bonus on Intelligence-based Skill Checks and Will Saves equal to your Libido Modifier. You cannot become Aroused without having your Lust raised to the Healthy stage first.
[*][u]Healthy:[/u] You have a Lust score of at least 1, but no more than your Libido Ability Score. You can become Aroused, but do not suffer any penalties or gain any benefits.
[*][u]Horny:[/u] You have a Lust Score greater than your Libido Score, but not greater than your Libido plus your Wisdom Score. You suffer your Libido Modifier as a penalty on all Concentration Checks and Skill Checks made with Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma that are not directly part of an attempt to gain sexual release. You also take this penalty on Saves against Compulsion, Illusion, and Transmutation effects that carry a promise or impression of sexual gratification from an individual that falls within your Orientation. Likewise on attempts to resist Seduction.
[*][u]Frustrated:[/u] You have a Lust Score greater than your combined Libido and Wisdom Scores, but not greater than those plus your Constitution Score. Increase the penalties from the Horny stage by 5. In addition, you have difficulty gaining proper rest. Make a D% Check against your current Lust Score every time you attempt to sleep. If you do not roll higher than your current Lust Score, your dreams are lewd and restless, and you do not gain normal benefits from sleep. This means that you do not recover Spells or Hit Points, for example. If you roll within your current Lust Score, roll again to see if you have a Wet Dream. Should you land within your Lust Score again, you have a Wet Dream equivalent to Taking 20 on a Perform (Sex Act) Check against yourself, reducing your Lust and Mana and potentially bringing you out of this stage. You may make Critical Misses on Perception and Sense Motive Checks, causing you to misconstrue information as being sexual in nature.
[*][u]Desperate:[/u] You have a Lust Score greater than your combined Libido, Wisdom, and Constitution Scores. Increase the penalties from the Frustrated stage by an additional 5. You must now make a Concentration Check against your Libido Score plus 10 in order to cast a Spell or use a similar ability. Otherwise, the attempt fails (though no resources are expended). Every time you encounter a situation that would add Lust, you must make a Save against your Libido+10+the amount of Lust you would gain from the situation or be afflicted with the Rut condition. When sleeping, remember to check for Wet Dream, as with Frustrated. Likewise your chance of Critical Misses on Perception and Sense Motive.
[/list]
In order to reduce Lust buildup, a character needs to achieve some form of sexual release. This is usually done through masturbation; the character uses the Perform (Sex Act) Skill on themselves in a ten-minute Check, comparing the result to their Libido Score. If it succeeds, they reduce their Lust by the amount they succeeded at the Check and also reduce their Mana by the same amount. A character can voluntarily reduce their success in this manner if they wish, in order to prevent excessive Mana or Lust loss. Perform (Sex Act) can be used untrained.
Besides the natural accrual of Lust over time, there are many circumstances that can be sexually exciting. These can include witnessing others performing sex acts, closely interacting with an individual that meets their sexual preferences, being exposed to sexually attractive nudity (partial or otherwise) or attractive individuals in erotic outfits, using consumables with aphrodisiacal properties, encountering sexually suggestive sights, smells, or sounds, being subjected to Seduction attempts, encountering something aligned with their Kinks and Fetishes, and being subjected to Taint and certain magical effects that stoke Lust. Whenever a character encounters such things, they may make a Will Save to try to resist the effect, gaining Lust on a failure. The way this DC is determined depends on the source:
[list][*][u]Spell, Power, Item, or Similar Effect:[/u] Same as the usual Save DC for the effect, or if none, 10+the source's Level+ the caster's relevant Ability Modifier. The ability in question will usually induce an amount of Lust equal to its Level.
[*][u]Erotic Experience:[/u] These are things like witnessing someone else have sex, hearing them do so, seeing an attractive person naked or disrobing, or other arousing events and are treated in a manner similar to disarming traps. Each has a set DC chosen by the GM based on the overall "difficulty" of the encounter. The more personal, intense, and arousing the event, the higher the DC, using the regular difficulty guides to determine it. Your character's individual Kinks, Fetishes, and Turn-offs may impact this DC. Failing this Check causes the character to gain Lust equal to their Libido Modifier.
[*][u]Erotic Location:[/u] Some places are just [i]lewd.[/i] The toy-strewn room of a nymphomaniac, a brothel filled with the scents and sounds of sex, a hotel room soaked with the smells of the couple who spent the night fucking and only just stopped, the erotic architecture of a temple to the Fallen God, or the strangely warped, perverse-looking, fluid-dripping plant life of a Demon Realm's forest. Places like this constantly assail the senses with sexual stimulation, making it difficult to think about anything else. The full rules for Erotic Locations will be covered later, but for the most part, each operates similar to a Magical Trap that also increases Lust. This makes them similar to a Spell, and have their DCs determined in the same manner. However, just witnessing such things also counts as an Erotic Experience.
[*][u]Seduction Attempt:[/u] These can include innuendo, teasing, flirting, romantic overtures or gestures, sensual touching, fondling, sexual petting, erotic displays such as stripping or pantomiming fellatio, thrusting, or cunnilingus, and attempts to invite, solicit, or initiate sex. They are similar to an Erotic Experience, but are generated through one or more Skills rather than as an inherent property of what they are. When a character is faced with a Seduction Attempt, they may make a Will Save and add their Character Level to the result. The DC of the Save is equal to the result of the Seducer's Skill Check plus [i]the target's[/i] Libido Modifier. On a success, they gain no Lust. On a failure, they gain Lust equal to their Libido Modifier [i]plus[/i] one for every five points by which they failed the attempt, rounding down, to a minimum of 1.
[*][u]Taint:[/u] Also known as Demonic Energy, the Mana of Monsters was originally a mostly harmless thing. However, since the current Overlord's ascension, it has been infused with the erotic nature of a Succubus. Exposure to this energy stokes Lust and clouds the minds of those who haven't adapted to it, slowly eating away at their own Mana and Corrupting them. Taint is gained a great number of ways, but always adds a basic value to Lust... and worse, [i]doesn't stop[/i] adding this amount to Lust until it's removed in some way. This means that it creates minimum level of Lust for a character that can't be expunged except by giving in to the Taint fully or purifying it first. Taint usually doesn't allow for a Save; you gain it from some other source and then are stuck with it.
[/list]
[size=125][b][u]New Feats[/u][/b][/size]
[b][u]Ascetic Meditation[/u][/b]
[spoiler]You have learned a technique that allows you to alleviate your sexual desires without indulging them. This may be through meditation, prayer, or some sort of ritual activity.
[u]Prerequisites:[/u] Wisdom 12+
[u]Benefits:[/u] By spending ten minutes doing nothing and performing your chosen ritual, you may make a Will Save to try to reduce your Lust. If the result is greater than your Libido, you may reduce your Lust score by the amount you succeeded by, minimum 1. You do not expend Mana when reducing Lust in this manner.[/spoiler]
[b][u]Relaxing Hobby[/u][/b]
[spoiler]You've learned how to channel your sexual frustrations into other activities. Maybe they help fuel your creativity in art and writing, or push you to hike, swim, or climb. Maybe you can just let go when you sing or dance, or maybe spending time with your pets just somehow quiets your horniness. Regardless, you know that when you feel frustrated, there's something you can do.
[u]Prerequisites:[/u] None.
[u]Benefits:[/u] Select a single Skill other than Perform (Sex Act). You may use this Skill as an alternative to masturbating with Perform (Sex Act). Whenever you use this chosen Skill, you may also compare the result to your Libido. If it is higher, you may reduce your Lust by the number you succeeded by divided by two, minimum 1. You do not expend Mana when reducing Lust in this manner.[/spoiler]
[b][u]Masterbator[/u][/b]
[spoiler]
You masturbate. A lot. Enough to get really efficient at satisfying your lust. It might be a bit messy to do, but you can really put yourself at ease.
[u]Prerequisites:[/u] Dexterity 12+
[u]Benefits:[/u] When you use the Perform (Sex Act) Skill to reduce your Lust through masturbation, you may add your Reflex Bonus to the result for the purposes of reducing Lust. This increases the amount of Mana you expel accordingly.[/spoiler]
[b][u]Extraordinary Restraint[/u][/b]
[spoiler]
Your ability to keep your own lust in check is far beyond the norm.
[u]Prerequisites:[/u] Wisdom 12+
[u]Benefits:[/u] You may add your Character Level to Will Saves to resist Seduction Attempts.
[/spoiler]
[size=125][u]Sex Traits[/u][/size]
[size=115][u]Sample Sex Trait List[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Seduction[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Mana and Sex[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Sex: As an Event and as an Encounter[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Pregnancy and Childbirth[/u][/size]
[size=150][u]Taint, Corruption, and Transformation[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Mana and Taint[/u][/size]
[size=115][b]Genderless[/b][/size]
[size=115][b]Male[/b][/size]
[size=115][b]Female[/b][/size]
[size=115][b]Multigendered[/b][/size]
[size=115][b]Transgender[/b][/size]
[size=125][u]Paths of Corruption[/u][/size]
[size=115][b]Monsterization[/b][/size]
[size=115][b]Incubization[/b][/size]
[size=125][u]Strange Fruit and Other Hazards[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Purification[/u][/size]
[size=150][u]Beastcrafting[/u][/size]
[size=150][u]Runes: Words of Power[/u][/size]
[size=150][b]Character Creation[/b][/size]
Here are some general things to remember:
[list]
[*][b][u]Resources:[/u][/b] You can use most anything from the Pathfinder 1st Edition game, so long as it's not setting specific. You may use Dreamscarred Press content, but generally avoid Bloodforge; most characters aren't going to have Monstrous ancestry unless it's very far removed, though mixing of the Races of Man is actually fairly common. Racial Classes are acceptable when playing Monsters, but keep in mind that all Monsters gain a special, modified template from [i]Masque of the Red Death[/i], a Campaign Setting from Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 (or is it 3, I can't remember) and an offshoot of the Ravenloft setting. You may use the Spheres series of works from Drop Dead Studios. You may also use the Class options on the Final Fantasy D20 website, with the caveat that Limit Breaks do not function in this game. You may also want to use the resources listed in the section regarding Everyday Magic, and also like to employ the [i]Loot 4 Less[/i] series. Finally, you may use most of the content from Dungeons and Dragons 3.5, with the note that if Pathfinder has an updated version of the content, you should use that instead. Actually, Kobold Press content is generally alright too. You can use these materials for choosing Classes, Feats, Spells, and the like. If you're playing a Wayfarer, you're also going to want to use some of D20 Modern's Skills and Jobs.
[*][b][u]Choose Your Ethnicity:[/u][/b] This isn't all that relevant to Wayfarer's, but for pretty much every other character (yes, even Monsters), you're going to need to choose an ethnicity. The Races of Man all have status variations derived from their ethnic group, and Monsters have their humanoid characteristics determined by it. For example, a Human native to Alba in Western Thule is likely going to have Highlander stats, while a Werewolf from the same region is going to *look* like a Highlander even if she doesn't get the Subrace's statistics.
[*][u][b]Mana:[/b][/u] Remember to calculate your Mana, even if you're a purely physical brute. Everyone has it, everyone uses it, and it can be targeted by certain effects as if it were Hit Points. Track it. And figure out what your Aura looks like while you're at it.
[*][u][b]Everyday Magic:[/b][/u] Don't forget to pick your Spells, or whatever it is you want, either. You're only hurting yourself by not doing this.
[*][u][b]Traits and Drawbacks:[/b][/u] Every PC gets to enjoy two Traits, as per usual. These are drawn from the normal lists, plus any your GM happens to allow. Drawbacks are also available, granting an additional Trait as normal. You can find the usual list [url=https://www.d20pfsrd.com/traits/]here[/url]. Each character [i]also[/i] gains a Body Trait and a Spirit Trait, plus [u]three[/u] Sexual Traits, or four Sexual Traits and one Sexual Drawback. These are generally designed on a case-by-case basis and reflect the individual's sexual characteristics and preferences. They are separated into a range of categories, but unlike with conventional Traits and Drawbacks, you can take more than one in the same category, so long as they are not logically contradictory (like a character with a Trait that grants an unusually large phallus and a Drawback that claims they have a micropenis). Sexual Traits and Drawbacks usually fall into the following categories; Physical, Mental, Magical, Technical, Social, Kink, and Fetish. Physical has to do with the individual's basic physical proportions, shape, and performance when it comes to body and sexual organs, as well as oddities like potent pheromones. Mental reflects knowledge about sexual topics and practices. Magical reflects the character's passive magical properties, spells, and the like. Body Traits reflect the character's body type. Spirit Traits reflect their Mana and Aura.
Technical reflects skill in specific sexual practices, techniques, and the use of various toys. Social reflects one's ability to form, maintain, manage, and end sexual relationships. Kinks refer to notable preferences beyond the character's sexual orientation that are particularly good at arousing them or that they satisfy. Fetishes, meanwhile, are almost always drawbacks that reflect difficulty performing sexually without a specific type of sexual stimulation being involved.
[*][u][b]For Wayfarers:[/b][/u] If you're running a Wayfarer, don't forget to bone up on their unusual characteristics. They get a lot of things that other characters don't and also don't have a Gaean ethnicity or any corresponding benefits. They get something else instead.
[*][b][u]Characteristics:[/u][/b] In a page taken from Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition, each character should have a list of Characteristics that reflect who they are, what they like, what they dislike, and what's important to them. These will help to define the character and also provide a way to determine if the Player is running them In-Character or Out-of-Character... which is critical when it comes to determining Tension Bonuses on Rolls. You're going to want the following:
[list][*][u]Orientation:[/u] What are they attracted to?
[*][u]Identity:[/u] Your character's sexual identity. Yes, even if it's the same as their listed gender.
[*][u]Bonds:[/u] Who is important to them?
[*][u]Ideals:[/u] What do they strive for and wish to be?
[*][u]Flaws:[/u] What's a weakness of theirs?
[*][u]Pride:[/u] What do they think is their greatest achievement?
[*][u]Shame:[/u] What do they feel was their lowest moment as a person?
[*][u]Motivation:[/u] Why do they do what they do?
[*][u]Values:[/u]
[*][u]Kinks:[/u]
[*][u]Fetishes:[/u]
[/list]
[/list]
Characters are divided into several categories, based on certain factors. A general list would be as follows:
[list][*][b][u]Earthlings on Earth:[/u][/b] Humans native to Earth, Earthlings are only called such for convenience here, and by a few scholars who study them in-canon. Earthlings are unremarkable, for the most part; they have normal Ability Scores (use an Array or Roll as you feel appropriate for your game) and use the Core Pathfinder version of Human. They use the Freelancer Class from Final Fantasy D20, meaning that the player essentially builds the class from the ground up with a point-buy system. They may access Class Features from the accepted Resources listed above for this process, [i]but[/i] must deal with the fact that supernatural powers do not function on Earth, making choices like Psionics or Spellcasting unusable while on that planet.
[*][b][u]Gaean Natives:[/u][/b] Ordinary people, they can be Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Elflings (Gnome), Halflings, Half-Elves, Half-Orcs, Hexborn (Changeling), Beastkin (Skinwalkers), Genasi (Ifrit, Sylph, Undine, and Oread), Aasimar, Tiefling, and Kindred (Dhampir). They generally have an NPC Class, including Eberron's Magewright in the list of options. Otherwise, they're normal characters. These are your average citizens.
[*][b][u]Gaean Notables:[/u][/b] Same as the normal Natives, except that they have Character Classes. These tend to be exceptional people in so far as they're well trained. Adventurers are often this. So are prominent people in society.
[*][b]Gaean Proto-Heroes:[u][/u][/b] Elites, these are people who are basically self-made Heroes. They're the elites. They're also Gestalt, meaning they have the best features of two Classes. You'll find the rules for it in Dungeons and Dragons' 3.5 era [i]Unearthed Arcana[/i]. Best Hit Dice (and Magic Dice, in this case), Saves, Attack Bonuses, and all of the Class Features. They're basically two characters in one.
[*][b][u]Gaean Heroes:[/u][/b] As with Proto-Heroes, except not only are they Gestalt, they've been blessed by a Deity and have thus gained a Mythic Rank, and all that comes with it.
[*][b][u]Wayfarers:[/u][/b] Even meatier than a Hero, a Wayfarer keeps their Freelancer capabilities and statistics as a sort of Level 0, and effectively restarts the character progression, gaining Gestalt Levels and a Mythic Rank. This means that they effectively have extra HD and MD, additional features and Skills, and flat bonuses to Saves, Attacks, and the like. They also gain a number of other benefits, such as the Tongues ability (for spoken languages only), Agelessness without magical effects altering it, and resistance to Taint equal to their Gestalt HD. They're overpowered as all hell. Which is also why they're a big deal for the natives and tend to draw a massive amount of attention from every organization that becomes aware of them. These are absolutely your Isekai Power-Trip Fantasy. That's literally the point of them. Just understand that they're still not almighty, just abnormally strong.
[*][b][u]Monsters:[/u][/b] On a basic level, Monsters just use the core Monster statblocks. However, for those with really notable physical differences, you may need to use either the Bipedal Creature Template (pg. 43) from Green Ronin's [i]Advanced Bestiary[/i], or for those wanting the shapeshifting element (or not and just want to have the creature fit in the appropriate space without altering things) the Masque of the Form Template (pg. 238) from [i]Masque of the Red Death[/i]. These characters generally don't have Class Levels unless they're from the NPC Classes. Some may have Racial Class Levels.
[*][b][u]Notable Monsters:[/u][/b] As with regular Monsters, except they have Class Levels like normal characters. These are exceptional individuals.
[*][b][u]Elite Monsters:[/u][/b] Gestalt like Proto-Heroes, Elite Monsters are exceptionally powerful. Some Gestalt Racial Levels with standard Class Levels, but many have their full Racial features and then start adding Gestalt Classes on top.
[*][b][u]Monster Lovers of Heroes and Wayfarers:[/u][/b] These enjoy an interesting side-effect of Mythic Power in this setting. Namely, it's somewhat contagious. Individuals who repeatedly have sex with a character who has Mythic power will also develop Mythic Power. This also works in reverse; some Monsters are Mythic and can grant the status to their lovers.
[*][b][u]Mythic Monsters:[/u][/b] Certain Monsters are Mythic, usually as a side-effect of their personal achievements, the blessings of gods, or their inherent nature. Such Monsters are almost always [i]also[/i] Elites. Echidnas, Lilims, Aspects of Baphomet, and Monsters with the Queen title in their name are the most common examples of this.
[/list]
Going to take a break from this for now, but I'll be back to it later.
[size=200][b][u]THE CURRENT STATE OF THE WORLD[/u][/b][/size]
The world of the Wayfarer's Guide is known as Gaea to its inhabitants. Or, well, a great many of them anyway. A fantastical reflection of Earth, it is a world where magic exists, the pagan gods of old reign over the heavens and grant blessings and miracles, and monsters stalk land, sea, and sky. It has a long and storied past; filled with countless conflicts and fates and figures comedic, heroic, romantic, and tragic alike. It has known many changes. Nations have risen and fallen through times of great upheaval.
Now is one such time.
A bit over five centuries prior to the current date, the world faced a terrible war. On the one side; a horde of monsters and their demonic generals, lead by a terrible fiend known as the Overlord. On the other, the Races of Man; Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Half-Elves and Half-Orcs, Genasi and Aasimar, Tieflings, Hexborn, Beastkin, and Kindred. The war was weighted heavily in favor of the former. Monsters were by their very nature creatures that preyed upon the Races of Man, predators to prey. The Overlord and his generals were cunning, shrewd, terrible in battle and overwhelming in sorcery. The only hope of Man came in the form of those who had reached the peak of mortal limitations and received the blessings of the gods themselves. A small band of these Heroes managed to break through the frontlines and face the Overlord in battle.
They perished to a one, every man and woman alike.
And so, too, did the Overlord.
The Overlord's power over his monstrous legions broken, the hordes fled before the battered armies of Man. An age of peace descended across the land... or it [i]should[/i] have, at least. Such [i]was[/i] the natural order of things, as had happened in a ceaseless pattern since the dawn of history. And yet it did not happen. The peace that should have lasted for a decades, even centuries, lasted but a few short years. A new Overlord had been crowned, far too soon for the world to recover.
And the chaos that followed it was unlike any that had been seen before.
The monsters that had preyed upon the flesh and blood of man in hunger now did so it lust, their forms alluring where once they had been horrifying. Ravishing and rapacious, these new monsters quickly became the most common of their kind, and while this strange perversion was hardly uniform in manifestation, its impact on the world was undeniable. Men addicted to the carnal pleasures of monstrous bodies. Women transformed into the very things that assaulted them. It was a danger no less real than that of the previous era. No, perhaps even [i]more[/i] dangerous for the simple fact that it seemed less so.
New Heroes were called forth, led by one so powerfully blessed by the Holy Virgin who was the symbol of the Church, so pure of heart and virtue that he was thought a Demigod as of old. Armed with sacred relics, powerful magic, and iron wills they battled their way through the groping, grasping creatures the monsters had become and into the very heart of the Abyss itself.
One by one they fell, torn away from their companions. Corrupted. Transformed. That dark realm claimed all. All but one. The leader. The champion of the gods. He fought on, alone, unassailable in his power. Able to overwhelm all who challenged him, yet unable to kill the creatures he defeated. For in the end, as terrible as they seemed, all they wished for was a form of love. A virtue of his faith, if perhaps not in so perverse a manner. Finally, the Champion cut his way through to the Throne of the Abyss itself. There, he faced the new Overlord.
She drew no weapon.
He lowered his.
And they spoke.
And when all was said, an understanding was found. And with it, an agreement. And, more profoundly, more dangerously, the first spark of love beyond simple lust. A love that would shake the heavens and change the world. A world that redefine what it means to be Man and Monster.
It has been five hundred years since that day. Five hundred years since monsters changed once more, becoming more like people than perhaps even some of Mankind itself. Five hundred years since most monsters became female and had the ideal of true love and a happy marriage ingrained into them as if it were instinct by the Overlord's own joy.
The world still hasn't recovered.
[size=150][b]Where things stand with Monsters.[/b][/size]
Early in the world's history, the gods created a cyclic pattern of conflict between the Races of Man and Monsters. First, Man and Monster would exist in a neutral state. So long as Mankind did not become too prosperous and begin to turn from the gods or either Man or Monster cull the other too terribly, there was relative peace. When Mankind inevitably did one of those two things due to their high intellect and creative and cooperative performance, the gods would reveal a path to the rise of an Overlord through subtle manipulation. Something that they would normally prevent through the same. The Overlord, by its nature, would hold the power to influence and unify the disparate monsters under a single banner and lead them on a crusade against the Races of Man. This would ultimately shatter the pride and progress of Man and force them back into the waiting arms of the gods. Finally, when enough damage had been done to make Mankind manageable again, the gods would grant enough blessings to mortal Heroes that they could slay the Overlord and once again fracture the forces of Monsterkind.
This cycle was derailed when the current Overlord rose too soon, something that could only occur because of a series of errors on the part of the gods and the sudden and unexpected abdication, and disappearance, of their leader. That, and the fact that the previous Overlord was an overly proud one who also greatly valued combat prowess and strategic and tactical capability in his subordinates. His generals, most of whom successfully avoided direct conflict with the party of Heroes who slew the Overlord, saw no real future in pursuing the title or clashing with one another. Or, for that matter, with continuing the struggle against mankind. They instead wished to end the Cycle and bring a lasting peace to the world for their own reasons. Including their survival. To that end, they sought out a Monster that they could back who might be able to do so. Specifically, one that loved Mankind. Truly [i]loved.[/i]
What they eventually found was a Succubus who had once been a human woman; an albinistic beauty named Lilith that had been captured, transformed, and kept half-starved as a pet and personal plaything by the sadistic Succubus Queen Agrat bat Mahlat. The generals, armed with their knowledge of the realm, grasp of magic, and great personal power, aided her in the trials needed to ascend the Abyssal Throne and become Overlord. Such a turn of events would not have been possible had the heavens been in their proper order, but the Holy Virgin, that is to say the goddess Athena, had rather unexpectedly found herself in charge of the world's many pantheons due to her father's sudden abandonment of his role. As she attempted to bring the various gods and their faiths into something resembling order, dealt with the irregular transition of power and subsequent contests and complaints, and tried to organize the rebuilding of a war-ravaged world, the former leaders of the Overlord's forces managed to successfully raise up an Overlord who had never so much as held a Noble title.
With her Mana coloring that of the Abyss, and through it that of all Monsterkind, some kind of change inevitable. However, the inherent nature of a Succubus had a profound effect on Monsters. Succubi are, after all, a race of all-female, human-like, shapeshifting Monsters that feed on the energy of mortals and corrupt or transform them in the process. Applying the properties of Succubi to Monsters more broadly resulted in those with the weakest sense of self and individual identities transforming into beings [i]like[/i] Succubi. They became feminine, then female, and then attractive. They grew more licentious. They gained the ability to draw sustenance from sex, so long as they could consume the Mana of others. They gained a human-like level of intelligence, in some cases far outstripping the norms of the Race. Their desire to kill and feed on humans became a desire to feed on them through sex and rape, and with their transformation and the corruptive influence of the Overlord's Mana, these sexual acts became addictive and transformative for the Races of Man. The Overlord's innate properties meant that those infused with it would begin to see the world as she did, to share her priorities if they lacked the will to retain their own. For most Monsters, who were by their very nature connected to the Mana of the Abyss from birth and lacked strong mental faculties, this transition was inevitable and notable only in how much it improved their lives.
In other words, the Generals' plan was a success. To put it mildly.
This is, however, not to say that [i]all[/i] of Monsterkind agreed with or accepted the transformations that the new Overlord brought. The gods had, through process of accretion over the eons, created an unpleasantly complicated power structure within Monsterkind. They had decentralized control of Monsters from the Overlord to a degree, establishing a number of other titles and authorities that could resist the influence of the erstwhile ruler of all Monsters to varying degrees and exert their own influence over the territories they controlled. Just as there were many gods displeased with the manner in which Athena became the current Ruler of Heaven (not the least of which being Athena herself), there were many Monsters of Lordly authority who disapproved of Lilith's Ascension, the plans and support of the previous Overlord's Generals, the effects of Lilith's Mana on Monsters and their behavior, and the simple fact that it was a weak Succubus that now sat the throne and held the title of the strongest of all mortal Monsters.
As such, the transformations that have come to pass because of Lilith's ascension are a patchwork rather than uniform; in some places, Monsters are almost exclusively female like her. They possess a human-like intelligence and a love of humanity as kindred, as well as a lust for men and the bodies to satisfy it. They crave romantic love as a perfect ideal, wishing for a husband to love them.
In other places, however, Monsters are more akin to what they once were in one way or another. In some places, the mental changes have taken hold, but not those pertaining to gender, resulting in Monsters of both genders existing. In others, Monsters, the physical transformations are in place, but not the mental, resulting in beautiful creatures that still wish to eat man-flesh in the literal sense. In yet others, Monsters haven't changed at all; they still look and act exactly as they always have, while in still others they've gained intellectual power while retaining their original forms and functions, giving rise to threats that can devastate the tribes of Man.
Fixing this patchwork means bringing the various conflicting factions of Monsters into the Overlord's camp, but this has proven more difficult than would seem initially apparent. With the rise of intelligence among Monsters, so too has arisen [i]politics[/i], impasse, and stagnation. The past five centuries have been relatively peaceful for Monsters, due in no small part to the nature of the Overlord and the fact that most Monsters support her, but they've also been crippled by an inability to take coordinated actions on a large scale and the fear that some of the various Demon Lords, Kings, Queens, Princes, and Nobles might decide to ally against her in a rebellion. As was common during the old days. Much of the Overlord's time is now split between trying to maintain her own Mana in order to fuel the expansion of her realm, and trying to manage both her allies and her rivals within the Abyss. This has left the Demon Realms beyond the Abyss largely to their own devices and the wills of their respective rulers. Most of the growth in her power has come from these areas, from the actions of her daughters, and the influence of Demonic Energy on the world. Her own armies have been largely caught up in defensive actions against the Races of Man. That, and their own tendency to shirk in favor of sating their lust.
[size=150][b]The gods and their representatives.[/b][/size]
This whole scenario is essentially the culmination of a series of divine errors, starting all the way back in the days when Gaea was ruled by the Titans rather than the gods and there was only one Race of Man and concluding in the disappearance of Zeus, the rise of Athena, the subsequent Ascension of Lilith, and Athena's own botched attempts to resolve the situation. This would have been a total defeat for her and her allies, were it not for the disorderly nature of Lilith's influence, both in its effect on Monsters and in its inconsistent manifestation. This gave Athena enough time to help consolidate power among the many pantheons of gods that inhabit the world, and to provide something akin to an organized front on the ground. In many ways, the situation in Heaven reflects that of the Abyss; while many of the gods align with Athena at least to some degree, most are just doing as they please, and some view the practices of the "other side" as a good thing. As such, the response to the new state of Monsters has been inconsistent across the world's regions and Races.
Despite this, the forces of the gods have been fairly well-situated to deal with this erratic and erotic new norm.
The gods have always been, by and large, a more organized group than the Monsters ever were. Their followers even more so. The Races of Man were always adept at working together to some degree, and their natural inventiveness, their instincts and traits, encouraged a more rigid and hierarchical society than even the gods themselves maintained. That the gods further encouraged this behavior through organized religions, the establishment of Heroes and Blessings, and the Divine Right of certain rulers and lineages only reinforced this tendency. This meant that the more traditional societies overseen by gods in Athena's camp or otherwise antagonistic to the Overlord's positions already had powerful organizations and institutions in place that could react to the new situation.
Most of the Races of Man have seen a hardening of military and defensive forces akin to what would normally be seen during a full war with a previous Overlord. The presence of an Overlord is enough to fill the hearts of Mankind with a sense of existential dread, regardless of how it seems. Religious institutions churn out propaganda, misinformation, and disinformation when needed, but often this [i]isn't[/i]. The vast majority of the population in more conservative regions doubt the new appearance and behavior of Monsters is anything but a ruse meant to steal their souls or weaken their defenses and resolve in the face of some terrible onslaught to come. They see the transformation of their mothers, sisters, and daughters into perverse creatures that most religions claim are doomed to eternal suffering as a horror beyond tolerance. Likewise the corruption of their fathers, brothers, and sons into creatures that seem torn between Man and Monster, driven by lust to forsake the traditions of their own cultures and societies, their own peoples, for the sake of carnal pleasures. They see the current circumstances as an existential threat, perhaps not to their lives, but to their souls and everything that they hold dear; friends, family, livelihoods, values, morals, ethics, traditions, and identity. At least, those that are aware of the current state of the world as it is. Many aren't aware of the change, even centuries after it happened, simply because of the irregular way in which it has occurred and the words of their leaders, both secular and religious.
There has subsequently been a rise in militaristic states, crusader movements, monster hunters, adventurers' guilds, exorcists, and religious and knightly orders devoted to defending Mankind and its works or purging Monsters from their lands. And from their own ranks. Tactics grow more extreme by the day. Zeal has increasingly become common, to the point of fanaticism in some cases, even as the traditional values of these cultures are held up in ever higher esteem and their social hierarchies and structures become more entrenched and absolute. And, perversely, corrupt. But for many, what is political, social, and economic corruption in the face of such that twists mind, body, and soul?
[size=150][b]Those caught betwixt.[/b][/size]
Just as Monsters and gods are not monolithic in their positions, neither are the Races of Man. While more traditional communities have hardened themselves and prepared for battle against these new Monsters, others have been more open and accepting of them. Even welcoming in some cases. The exact manner in which they approach the situation varies tremendously. Some communities openly accept Monsters that obey their laws. Others only trade with them. Some allow them entry, but isolate them within certain areas to prevent the spread of their Mana, while others allow them free reign so long as they carry charms that contain the flow of their Mana. There are many approaches to the problem of corruption, to the abduction of people, the sexual assault and transformation. Some have found a place where they can coexist. Others are seeking it. Still others are failing to find it.
Regardless, these communities and nations find themselves at odds with both of the main factions; be it as potential converts holding out or as heretics in need of purification or purging. All in all, it has lead many of these states into a tenuous existence. One that may not last.
----[size=200][b][u]NOTABLE PUBLICATIONS[/u][/b][/size]
Gaea is a world that has seen significant technological achievements come to prominence, only to be lost with the fall of civilizations. However, one that exists in the current era is the block-type printing press. A relatively recent re-invention, the press has become ubiquitous in most of major communities. Especially among Humans, Halflings, and Dwarves, where the innovation is most favored. Elves tend to find it somewhat less appealing, preferring to use traditional script and magic to publish their writings. Regardless, literacy among the common folk is on the rise as books, which had once been a luxury available only to the wealthy, have now become more accessible to the masses. Books, pamphlets, fliers, posters, and the like are increasingly common in modern society, and the first periodical publications have begun to appear. Newspapers and art prints are fashionable, and reference books on a wide range of topics have begun to be published, as have the first novels. It goes without saying that religious texts and tracts are among the most widely produced and distributed.
There are too many texts in existence to attempt a comprehensive catalogue here. However, these are some that are particularly relevant to the current crisis, and to people interested in writing or playing in the setting:
[list][*][b][u]The Encyclopedia of Monsters:[/u][/b] Written by an anonymous religious scholar using the pseudonym "The Wondering Scholar," he is known to have formerly been attached to the Holy Church of the Dodecatheon, commonly referred to as the Order. At some point, said scholar became disillusioned with the workings of his own organization and sympathetic to the cause of the Overlord and her followers. His writings, and those associated with him, are widely (and accurately) viewed as highly biased interpretations of the Monsters that have transformed under the Overlord's influence. The content paints a rosy, and lewd, picture of life under the Overlord and is mostly derived from interviews with one or more members of each entry's respective members. There is little in the way of referencing or verification in the work, resulting in conflicting accounts and unreliable information, even when it [i]isn't[/i] actively propagandist in nature. That said, the author does not seem to be [i]aware[/i] of this, indicating that he's likely heavily corrupted without being aware of it. These texts are generally banned books in more conservative communities, especially following an incident where certain entries in the series were found to have been ensorcelled with a charm that corrupted those who read it. They can sometimes be found in more moderate communities, but see relatively little circulation in the Abyss or Demon Realms simply due to the lack of a target audience there. However, most are printed in such places.
[*][u][b]The Monstergirl's Manual:[/b][/u] A banned book in all but the most Monster-friendly of communities, the Monstergirl's Manual is a series of texts written by a Lich, a formerly Human sorceress named Claire du Roquefort who embraced undeath as a means to perpetuate her beauty and the hedonistic lifestyle she enjoyed while still alive. Equal parts guide to newly transformed women on how to be a Monster from the perspective of one who has already made that transition, a catalogue of various tactics and techniques for acquiring a partner and having a robust sex life, and a catalogue of many types of men, their merits, demerits, overall attractiveness, how best to capture or seduce them, and what kind of threats they may pose in the attempt. The latter sections of the texts are the most popular, by far, and are also one of the main reason the texts are banned; through some method that's not entirely clear, Claire has managed to acquire information that qualifies as military grade national secrets from a large number of different locations across Gaea, revealing the tactics, techniques, training regimen, equipment, and even locations of a wide range of adventurers, militaries, political and religious figures, and Heroes. Her work is seen as a sort of "Monster Manual" for Monsters. While it's widely circulated throughout the Abyss and the Demon Realms under Lilith's influence, its biggest readership is actually in moderate communities, where transformations are most common and man-hunting easiest. However, the books can sometimes be found in certain circles even in traditional communities, where it's sometimes used as a relationship guide by human women in how to please their husbands or find one in the first place. 
[*][u][b]Contemporary Notes on Monsterkind:[/b][/u] A series of books written by an anonymous archivist working for the Church, this series is widely distributed to militaries and organizations allied with the Church. Short of the Church's sacred texts and its periodicals, these books are the most widely published of their catalogue. This text serves as something of a modern Monster Manual, itself an ancient series of scribed texts now in printed circulation. Contemporary Notes details the habitats, behaviors, strengths, and weaknesses of Monsters in a post-transformation context. Written mostly from accounts of Church members in their struggle against Monster, the text is seen as largely accurate due to its real-world sourcing. Because of the sensitive nature of the content, it's generally controlled, issued on a need-to-know basis to military organizations rather than publicly available. However, copies of it sometimes filter down to the public... especially when its holders end up falling to, or [i]for[/i], Monsters.
[*][b][u]Bestiary:[/u][/b] A numbered series pulled together by the editor-in-chief of a publishing house in the southern Eisenschild mountains, the Bestiaries pertain to a threat that has appeared on Gaea within the past fifty years or so. Known as Beasts, these are creatures that resemble and behave as Monsters once did, preying on Man and destroying his works. Curiously, they also target Monsters, and seem totally immune to the corrupting influence of the Overlord's Mana. Otherwise behaving akin to animals, these terrors are clearly not natural life, and have appeared in a wide range of recurring forms. The Bestiaries attempt to catalogue these using accounts of survivors and witnesses, successful slayers of the creatures, and magical scrying. Seen as a critical survival guide for anyone hoping to brave the wilds of the world, or those brave or foolish enough to try to slay the things for the valuable resources their bodies yield, the Bestiaries remain widely published in nearly every community that can afford the cost. One would be hard pressed to find a Demon Realm or Adventurer's Guild that hasn't had cause to order a copy or ten.
[*][b][u]The Wayfarer's Guide to Gaea:[/u][/b] Usually shortened to "The Wayfarer's Guide," this text was originally penned by a pseudonymous person known as the Runethane. Little is known about this figure, but it is presumed that they're a Wayfarer due to the nature of the text itself; it appears spontaneously as if by magic, seems to gravitate to Wayfarers, and is written in a language that only the most learned of scholars can translate with any degree of accuracy. It has also never been known to have been printed officially, indicating that it's probably produced entirely through magic in some fashion. The content of the book is described as a rambling account of a large number of Wayfarer's being deposited in Gaea at once as some sort of ritual by Monsters gone horribly wrong, followed by general information about the world itself, the properties of Wayfarers, their status as persons of interest to the majority of the population, brief accountings of the Races of Man, notes on Monsters, their behaviors, motivations, strengths, and weaknesses, and likewise on Beasts. Strangely, the book seems to write itself; copies seem to update in real-time, growing in size through some function that is not entirely understood, but is believed to be tied to the author's name. They are likely produced through the use of some unknown Bindrune.
[*][b][u]The Black Book:[/u][/b] A misnomer, the Black Book is actually a weekly publication close to a newspaper produced by the Coven, containing a wide variety of articles pertaining to life in the Abyss and Demon Realms and a range of advertisements for merchandise, services, and work and marriage opportunities throughout the Demon Realms and Abyss. Largely compiled by Monster journalists and informants loyal to the group, its mix of serious news and gossip gives it a wide audience among Monsters and their husbands. It's refreshingly free of proselytization for the Coven itself, though there are occasional advertisements for the organization alongside those for the Church of the Fallen One and other religious groups. The publication of this thing is so regular that some Monsters use it to determine what day of the week it actually is. Especially those prone to long love-ins.
[*][b][u]Talaria Times:[/u][/b] A publication produced by the Church, and specifically the branch dealing with the worship of Th Messenger, Hermes, the Talaria Times is a newspaper that details the goings-on throughout the lands of Man, though it's largely restricted to those under the influence of the Church itself. A weekly publication, it's a common sight in temples and taverns, inns and homes alike. Covering everything from the war-effort to politics to uplifting stories and obituaries of prominent people, the Times is often the best lifeline to the world beyond the boundaries of a town's walls and is frequently the subject of endless debate.
[/list]
----[size=200][b][u]NOTABLE PUBLICATIONS[/u][/b][/size]
Gaea is a world that has seen significant technological achievements come to prominence, only to be lost with the fall of civilizations. However, one that exists in the current era is the block-type printing press. A relatively recent re-invention, the press has become ubiquitous in most of major communities. Especially among Humans, Halflings, and Dwarves, where the innovation is most favored. Elves tend to find it somewhat less appealing, preferring to use traditional script and magic to publish their writings. Regardless, literacy among the common folk is on the rise as books, which had once been a luxury available only to the wealthy, have now become more accessible to the masses. Books, pamphlets, fliers, posters, and the like are increasingly common in modern society, and the first periodical publications have begun to appear. Newspapers and art prints are fashionable, and reference books on a wide range of topics have begun to be published, as have the first novels. It goes without saying that religious texts and tracts are among the most widely produced and distributed.
There are too many texts in existence to attempt a comprehensive catalogue here. However, these are some that are particularly relevant to the current crisis, and to people interested in writing or playing in the setting:
[list][*][b][u]The Encyclopedia of Monsters:[/u][/b] Written by an anonymous religious scholar using the pseudonym "The Wondering Scholar," he is known to have formerly been attached to the Holy Church of the Dodecatheon, commonly referred to as the Order. At some point, said scholar became disillusioned with the workings of his own organization and sympathetic to the cause of the Overlord and her followers. His writings, and those associated with him, are widely (and accurately) viewed as highly biased interpretations of the Monsters that have transformed under the Overlord's influence. The content paints a rosy, and lewd, picture of life under the Overlord and is mostly derived from interviews with one or more members of each entry's respective members. There is little in the way of referencing or verification in the work, resulting in conflicting accounts and unreliable information, even when it [i]isn't[/i] actively propagandist in nature. That said, the author does not seem to be [i]aware[/i] of this, indicating that he's likely heavily corrupted without being aware of it. These texts are generally banned books in more conservative communities, especially following an incident where certain entries in the series were found to have been ensorcelled with a charm that corrupted those who read it. They can sometimes be found in more moderate communities, but see relatively little circulation in the Abyss or Demon Realms simply due to the lack of a target audience there. However, most are printed in such places.
[*][u][b]The Monstergirl's Manual:[/b][/u] A banned book in all but the most Monster-friendly of communities, the Monstergirl's Manual is a series of texts written by a Lich, a formerly Human sorceress named Claire du Roquefort who embraced undeath as a means to perpetuate her beauty and the hedonistic lifestyle she enjoyed while still alive. Equal parts guide to newly transformed women on how to be a Monster from the perspective of one who has already made that transition, a catalogue of various tactics and techniques for acquiring a partner and having a robust sex life, and a catalogue of many types of men, their merits, demerits, overall attractiveness, how best to capture or seduce them, and what kind of threats they may pose in the attempt. The latter sections of the texts are the most popular, by far, and are also one of the main reason the texts are banned; through some method that's not entirely clear, Claire has managed to acquire information that qualifies as military grade national secrets from a large number of different locations across Gaea, revealing the tactics, techniques, training regimen, equipment, and even locations of a wide range of adventurers, militaries, political and religious figures, and Heroes. Her work is seen as a sort of "Monster Manual" for Monsters. While it's widely circulated throughout the Abyss and the Demon Realms under Lilith's influence, its biggest readership is actually in moderate communities, where transformations are most common and man-hunting easiest. However, the books can sometimes be found in certain circles even in traditional communities, where it's sometimes used as a relationship guide by human women in how to please their husbands or find one in the first place. 
[*][u][b]Contemporary Notes on Monsterkind:[/b][/u] A series of books written by an anonymous archivist working for the Church, this series is widely distributed to militaries and organizations allied with the Church. Short of the Church's sacred texts and its periodicals, these books are the most widely published of their catalogue. This text serves as something of a modern Monster Manual, itself an ancient series of scribed texts now in printed circulation. Contemporary Notes details the habitats, behaviors, strengths, and weaknesses of Monsters in a post-transformation context. Written mostly from accounts of Church members in their struggle against Monster, the text is seen as largely accurate due to its real-world sourcing. Because of the sensitive nature of the content, it's generally controlled, issued on a need-to-know basis to military organizations rather than publicly available. However, copies of it sometimes filter down to the public... especially when its holders end up falling to, or [i]for[/i], Monsters.
[*][b][u]Bestiary:[/u][/b] A numbered series pulled together by the editor-in-chief of a publishing house in the southern Eisenschild mountains, the Bestiaries pertain to a threat that has appeared on Gaea within the past fifty years or so. Known as Beasts, these are creatures that resemble and behave as Monsters once did, preying on Man and destroying his works. Curiously, they also target Monsters, and seem totally immune to the corrupting influence of the Overlord's Mana. Otherwise behaving akin to animals, these terrors are clearly not natural life, and have appeared in a wide range of recurring forms. The Bestiaries attempt to catalogue these using accounts of survivors and witnesses, successful slayers of the creatures, and magical scrying. Seen as a critical survival guide for anyone hoping to brave the wilds of the world, or those brave or foolish enough to try to slay the things for the valuable resources their bodies yield, the Bestiaries remain widely published in nearly every community that can afford the cost. One would be hard pressed to find a Demon Realm or Adventurer's Guild that hasn't had cause to order a copy or ten.
[*][b][u]The Wayfarer's Guide to Gaea:[/u][/b] Usually shortened to "The Wayfarer's Guide," this text was originally penned by a pseudonymous person known as the Runethane. Little is known about this figure, but it is presumed that they're a Wayfarer due to the nature of the text itself; it appears spontaneously as if by magic, seems to gravitate to Wayfarers, and is written in a language that only the most learned of scholars can translate with any degree of accuracy. It has also never been known to have been printed officially, indicating that it's probably produced entirely through magic in some fashion. The content of the book is described as a rambling account of a large number of Wayfarer's being deposited in Gaea at once as some sort of ritual by Monsters gone horribly wrong, followed by general information about the world itself, the properties of Wayfarers, their status as persons of interest to the majority of the population, brief accountings of the Races of Man, notes on Monsters, their behaviors, motivations, strengths, and weaknesses, and likewise on Beasts. Strangely, the book seems to write itself; copies seem to update in real-time, growing in size through some function that is not entirely understood, but is believed to be tied to the author's name. They are likely produced through the use of some unknown Bindrune.
[*][b][u]The Black Book:[/u][/b] A misnomer, the Black Book is actually a weekly publication close to a newspaper produced by the Coven, containing a wide variety of articles pertaining to life in the Abyss and Demon Realms and a range of advertisements for merchandise, services, and work and marriage opportunities throughout the Demon Realms and Abyss. Largely compiled by Monster journalists and informants loyal to the group, its mix of serious news and gossip gives it a wide audience among Monsters and their husbands. It's refreshingly free of proselytization for the Coven itself, though there are occasional advertisements for the organization alongside those for the Church of the Fallen One and other religious groups. The publication of this thing is so regular that some Monsters use it to determine what day of the week it actually is. Especially those prone to long love-ins.
[*][b][u]Talaria Times:[/u][/b] A publication produced by the Church, and specifically the branch dealing with the worship of Th Messenger, Hermes, the Talaria Times is a newspaper that details the goings-on throughout the lands of Man, though it's largely restricted to those under the influence of the Church itself. A weekly publication, it's a common sight in temples and taverns, inns and homes alike. Covering everything from the war-effort to politics to uplifting stories and obituaries of prominent people, the Times is often the best lifeline to the world beyond the boundaries of a town's walls and is frequently the subject of endless debate.
[/list]
----[size=200][b][u]THE GODS AND THEIR NATURE[/u][/b][/size]
The gods are a complicated lot. More properly called Divinities, they can be divided into a small number of categories. The oldest of the lot are the Primordials; Erebus, Nyx, Ophion, Eurynome, Phanes, Gaia, and Ouranos. After them came the Titans, their children, and from them the gods. Those familiar with Greek Mythology probably have an idea of where this is headed. The TL;DR overview is that the gods currently rule the world, having successfully ousted the Titans, while the Primordials more-or-less keep to themselves. The Greek gods just happen to have company in that the Titans and Primordials also gave rise to a number of other pantheons, who oversee the Gaean counterparts to their current or former Earthly spheres of worship. And then there's the Norse Gods, who are former mortals... and the Great Old Ones, who aren't native to the world in the first place. Of note, however, is that the Abrahamic religions didn't form here in anything like the manner they did on Earth. Most of the events of the faith didn't occur on Gaea, and the multiverse was created by the Demiurge besides. As such, these religions as they exist on Earth are imports. They're also, mostly, not very accurate imports. And the Roman Pantheon wound up co-opting some of the imagery and a lot of the social structure of the Medieval Catholic Church, for some complicated reasons having to do with manipulating Wayfarers, that eventually resulted in the Greek gods eventually controlling the Church hierarchy. Some forms of Buddhism are similarly imports, primarily in practice and theological views.
More to come later…
----[size=200][b][u]THE RACES OF MAN[/u][/b][/size]
The Races of Man are mortal beings of Divine make, the product of the Titanic tyrant Cronus's vision and Prometheus's ingenuity... and more than a few attempts to go back to the drawing board. By and large, when people think of the Races of Man, four main groups come to mind; Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and Halflings. These aren't the [i]only[/i] Races of Man, besides just the results of their interbreeding. However, they're the most common. Each of these four were originally created by the Titans or the gods at one point or another as tools to empower the Divines and perpetuate their lives through faith. They were, in essence, an Elixir of Life for the Divines, fueling their own Spirits with energy of worship and sacrifice, and performing tasks for their masters.
These Big Four are understood as being the souls of those who initially populated the Four Ages of Man; first, those who would become the Elves, who enjoyed the Golden Age of Man and were created by Cronus and Prometheus. They were androgynous in appearance, exclusively male, born directly from the soil in an adult form, enjoyed extreme longevity and perpetual youth, and died peacefully by returning to the earth. They were close to nature, consorts of the nymphs and dryads and almost like Fae themselves, and existed to be power generators for the Titans. Their life was idyllic, save for the Wrath of Gaia. The first Monsters were set upon them as a punishment on Cronus... but the wily Titan managed to protect these first Men from such things. However, after he was deposed and Zeus changed the climate of Gaea to suit his own powers, they knew hardship. Prometheus twice sought to help them against the machinations of Zeus, and for his actions brought down their ultimate destruction in Zeus's anger. They ultimately perished through the creation of the first Demon Lord and the unleashing of Monsters on the world.
Then came the Men who would become Halflings, who lived during the Silver Age of Man and were made by Zeus using Prometheus's designs. Zeus, his anger abated, realized he had use for mortals as his father had. However, his attempts were lacking without the aid of the now imprisoned Prometheus and the "unfortunate" demise of his first wife, Metis. Ultimately, he wound up creating a race whose women were attractive to him, but whose men were wretched, helpless things; children for much of their lives before rapidly becoming helpless old men. And angry and violent besides. They're tendency to bicker made it impossible for them to effectively defend against the Monsters that still roamed the world, and they were ultimately destroyed by the very same Demon Lord that had slain their predecessors.
After the second Race of Man failed, Zeus tried again, this time with significant input from Hephaestus and Ares, following the rather awkward way in which his first attempt had gone extinct. These would eventually become the Dwarves; stout and sturdy, skilled craftsmen born with weapons and armor as the Gigantes were. They were a race of proud warriors, cunning, shrewd, inventive, and well-organized... [i]too[/i] well organized, in fact. They were too capable. Not only did they slay the armies of the Demon Lord and drive her from the face of Gaea, their ingenuity began to reach into the very realms of the gods themselves. So great were their achievements that they turned from the worship of the gods, and dared to even threaten them with their growing might. Zeus was having none of it and drowned the whole planet in order to stop them in an event known as the Deluge. The other gods were not pleased. [i]Especially[/i] the pantheons besides the Olympians, who had up to this point been shut out of control of the world. Negotiations were had. Tense ones.
After this, with Zeus managing to convince Athena and even the bound Prometheus to help him, the final Race of Man was created; Humans. The first Humans were produced before the Deluge had receded, and as it withdrew, they were tasked with reforming the souls of the other Races that had preceded them. This process left a mark on each of these races, applying some of the features of Humans on them and marking a kinship between all.
Since that time, the Races of Man have spread out throughout Gaea and dramatically diversified. New Races have been born from the mingling of the original four and the influence of the ambient Mana of the world, from the direct intervention of the gods, and even through congress with darker forces that have entered the world. They have further diversified into a wide range of ethnicities, leading to a truly varied population. They have loved and warred, come together and separated, and created a complex web of cultures, nations, philosophies, and faiths that have created no end of joy... and conflict.
[size=175][b][u]The Races of Man and Ethnicity[/u][/b][/size]
There are, in the grand scheme of things, relatively few Races of Man. Especially when viewed against the tremendous variety of Monsters, Divinities, Beasts, and more common organisms that exist on Gaea. However, they have the distinction of being divided into a wide range of ethnicities. Also known as subraces, these reflect both common physical traits, cultural identities, linguistics, and social structures and practices that connect a population. Usually, these are connected to specific regions. While every race has some degree of ethnicity, Humans are by far the most diverse, and the most likely to lend their ethnic identities to others.
Mechanically, most ethnicities are different from one another. Even Humans have distinct traits that define them and separate them from other Humans. This, ultimately, is the influence of the Mana of Gaea and the ambient energies of the creatures that share the world. Wayfarers hailing from Earth don't experience this distinction; regardless of what their ethnicity is, they possess the same Racial Traits. Even among the Humans of Gaea, however, the distinction between ethnicities is often far less than that among other Races' ethnicities. The magic inherent to Humans fluctuates easily. That of other Races does not, and when it does change, it is more profound and lasting.
By and large, there is little direct conflict between the ethnicities of a given Race, or between the Races themselves. The historical conflict between Man and Monster, and now between Man, Monster, and Beast has helped to create a higher degree of solidarity between these disparate peoples. However, while there's little conflict between ethnicities, individual communities and nations often do clash, which can sometimes give rise to a measure of dispute and rivalry between these groupings. Particularly when one or more participants in these struggles are homogenous demographically.
[size=175][b][u]Races and Race Points[/u][/b][/size]
The Races of Man in Gaea are a bit more powerful than those found in other settings. However, they are largely equal to one another. How, exactly, when Races like Aasimar, Humans, and what are essentially Pathfinder's Sylphs and Ifrits are all considered part of this category? Simple.
By buffing the weaker Races.
Using the Race Point system included in the Advanced Race Guide, and found [url=https://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/other-rules/creating-new-races/]here[/url] on the SRD, every Race and Ethnicity has been given enough benefits to raise their total Race Point value to 15. For those interested in building new ethnicities for their own versions of the setting, keep this rule in mind; if it's a Race of Man, it has 15 RP.
The only exception to this rule is Wayfarers. Wayfarers use the core stats of a Human from the base game without modification. Instead, they gain a bunch of other interesting things that put them over the 15 Race Point limit. This setting was made to run isekai Power Fantasies, after all, but just because your character is an Earthling Human doesn't mean you're the [i]same kind[/i] of Human that inhabits Gaea.
[size=175][b][u]A Listing of the Common Races of Man[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Humans[/u][/b][/size]
Overwhelmingly the most diverse of the Races of Man, Humans were the fourth and final attempt by the Olympians, across two regimes no less, to create a Race suitable to their needs. Humans are more-or-less as one would expect; an Earthling probably wouldn't be [i]immediately[/i] shocked by a Gaean Human. However, while their many ethnicities resemble those of Earth, they aren't quite the same. And the existence of Magic and the impact of Divine Blessings makes this distinction even more noticeable.
The Humans of Gaea are suprisingly malleable, magically. They are readily shaped by, and adapt to, strong magic applied to them. Some develop Spellscars, while others change fundamentally over time to better align with their environment.
And still more are forcibly changed for the purposes of others.
Humans currently dominate most of Gaea. They can be found everywhere. But exactly what kind of Human is another question entirely. 
[size=125][u]Highlander[/u][/size]
An ethnicity of Humans originating in the highlands surrounding the Western Shield Mountains in northern and Western Thule, the hills and valleys in southern Hyperborea, and the island of Alba in Greater Albion, Highlanders are known for their great height, muscular physiques, pale complexions, and tendency towards fair-to-auburn hair. They have an unusually high rate of red hair and blue or hazel eyes. Hair is often wavy or curly.
Culturally, Highlanders tend to place great importance on family and on bravery and honor, both personal and familial. They are quick to take offence at minor slights, particularly those directed at their families. They are also quick to resort to violence to resolve their disputes, and to forgive those who earnestly apologize. Especially should they acquit themselves well in an altercation. They tend to congregate in large extended families called Clans that dress in colors and patterns identifying their familial connection; the heraldry associated with this practice is quite complicated and wearing another Clan’s colors without the Chieftain’s approval is seen as a grave insult.
Highlanders are a people prone to violence and war, particularly over territorial disputes and crimes. They have long held herding and ranching in high regard, making livestock rustling a common practice that leads to many a long-standing feud. Similarly, breaching another Clan’s grazing rights or poaching from their woods frequently bring neighboring Clans into escalating conflicts. The act of punishing transgressors tends to become a transgression in its own right, worsening the conflict until a third-party mediates. Often, this is the local Druidic Sect or Church… who are themselves often in conflict and may come to contradictory resolutions that themselves become a problem.
When not involved in this sort of complication, Highlanders tend to be a jovial sort, if one ignores the tendency to slightly morbid humor that runs through the culture. They enjoy their agrarian lifestyles for the most part and tend to feel closely tied to their lands; property is very important to them, as it’s usually communal within the whole Clan and supports everyone within.
Highlanders tend to look down on the formation of large cities; they associate this practice with Midlanders, who they tend to view as “soft” by comparison. Instead, they usually form brief trading posts at set times during the year to exchange goods and gossip. These are usually accompanied by festivals and ceremonial practices where old feuds are set aside as part of certain games or events.
Highlanders enjoy a high level of gender equality; women are seen as nearly the equal of men in most regards. Even in terms of combat prowess. Women may hold all of the titles and positions that men can. However, they still tend to shunt domestic chores to their women while leaving hunting and fighting to the men. They just won’t bat an eye at women doing the same if they want.
Highlanders are known for being quite open about their sexual practices. It’s something that the Church has never quite been able to weed out of them. The people as a whole are unconcerned about modesty, only comfort and practicality. Underclothes are often ignored in good weather, and both men and women alike are prone to wearing kilts or skirts. Clothing is often nearly unisex. Public nudity isn’t seen as especially shocking, if somewhat crude, but sexual acts in public are seen as indecent… if one is caught, anyway. Modesty around children, however, is expected.
Highlanders tend to place a great deal of respect in one’s age; the elderly are treated well in their communities as they’re seen as a great source of wisdom and knowledge. Oral traditions are important as literacy is relatively uncommon.
Highlanders tend to look askance at magical practices that aren’t Divine in nature; Wizards and the like are looked at with mistrust, and practitioners of more obscure arts are seen as even more frightening. They acknowledge the power and value of Runes… but also associate them with ancestral enemies. Particularly the Svartalfar, Icereavers, and Rimeseekers. The Martial Arts are highly prized among Highlanders, especially those that excel at powerful strikes. Psionics are not well understood, though, and there’s no native tradition to teach those born with the talent, leaving them as Wilders.
Highlanders outside of their borders are often mercenaries, exiles, or adventurers; criminals are sometimes driven from the lands as Clanless folk, and many seek to make their fortunes selling their swords or plundering ruins. Those who fall in with companions tend to view them as a Clan of sorts. One to which they tend to be profoundly loyal.
[size=125][u]Midlander[/u][/size]
A human ethnicity found in both Western and Eastern Thule, throughout Greater Albion, and found much further abroad in places like Hispania, and Arcadia, Meropis, and even Vinland and Antillia, Midlanders are thought to have been the result of a mingling of several other ethnicities. Particularly Highlanders, Lowlanders, Rimeseekers, Saltbloods, and Woodwardens. They are known for their tendency towards moderate builds and variety in hair and eye color. They tend towards paler skin tones, but can tan more readily than Highlanders, resulting in greater variation.
Midlanders are known to favor a rather complex social structure centered around hierarchies of nobility beholden to a king. That king is in turn usually at least partially beholden to the Church’s own leadership, as their blessings hold great importance over the relatively devout masses. The king nominally owns their lands, which are in turn administered by the nobles, who collect taxes for the Crown. These taxes help to support the nobles and royals, and also to keep a steady flow of materials into the cities and castle towns that tend to rise up at trading points in Midlander-dominated nations. These cities are in turn usually dominated by guilds that control the various trades within their borders… and sometimes even in the more rural portions of their countries.
Midlanders are a surprisingly devout people; Church attendance is high, with those not attending often facing ostracization and prejudice. The Church’s values are paramount to Midlander life; Piety, Chastity, Charity, Industriousness, Temperance, Compassion, Love, Gratitude, Mercy, Humility, Integrity, and Creativity. They are builders, creators, mild in temperament by and large… but fierce when roused and staunch defenders of what they view as right and just. Crusaders, even, for they’re known to volunteer themselves into any number of adventures. For good or ill. Especially should the Church support it.
Midlanders are otherwise prone to living simple lives of hard work practicing their trades or toiling away at a range of agrarian practices; from farming to ranching to fishing, Midlanders tend towards diverse economic endeavors. They have no strong cultural predilections for any particular trade or craft and tend to put honest effort into their chosen professions. Most follow in the footsteps of the forebears, however, carrying on family trades or working the same land for the same noble family that their parents and grandparents did. Military service is seen as a personal duty, especially for the nobility, who often have binding agreements to serve the Crown.
Midlanders tend towards a patriarchal society; men usually have a higher station than women, but not always. In particular, the Church tends to shape their society, and in recent centuries the institution’s greater openness to female clergy has opened pathways to women in Midlander society. That said, husbands and fathers are almost always the head of a given household, and positions of power are dominated by men in secular society. This has, ironically, pushed more women into religious service, leading to a surprisingly large number of priestesses in Midlander territories.
Modesty is a virtue to Midlanders, as is restraint. They tend towards simple, subdued attire chosen for practicality when their station doesn’t demand, and strive to keep private matters private. This can lead to pent up frustrations that sometimes boil over in riotous ways, and to a two-faced quality to their lives; Midlanders often present in public very differently from how they behave or feel in private. And sexual matters? Those stay strictly behind closed doors and are not to be spoken of except in close company. Of course, there’s also something of a culture of gossip at work. The men and women are equally prone to it.
Midlanders tend to towards austerity and restraint in most things, favoring an intellectual, moral persona that gives them an unpleasant stereotype; they are often seen as having a cultural superiority complex. While this is normally directed at outsiders, who are often viewed as debased, degenerate, or unsophisticated, it can also be directed internally between Midlander communities… and it has been known to lead to conflicts. Especially over the use, or perceived misuse, or resources by their peers. Midlanders are not as prone to violence as the neighboring Highlanders, but when they engage in it, it is an altogether bloodier affair. Midlanders tend to bring technology to bear and couple it with a ruthless efficiency driven by the sense that their violence is justified and a necessary evil that will ultimately benefit their victims.
Midlanders tend to view magic in general as a valuable skill, though certain traditions are seen as heretical. The practices of Witches (the Class, not the Monster) and Warlocks are usually forbidden, though there are secret covens to be sure. Occult magic is often looked at with a combination of distrust and awe, whereas Meldshaping and Veilweaving are not well understood or often seen. Shadowcasting is generally seen as a malevolent practice, even though it isn’t, but the Martial Arts are viewed with respect. Psionics are somewhat less understood, but there’s a growing interest in it. Particularly through its connection to Occult magic. Midlanders have a high respect for Divine magic… except for that of a more Primal bent. Druidic traditions were once common in the region, but have fallen out of favor in Midlander society proper over the centuries, and are now seen as pagan practices.
Midlanders encountered outside their territory tend to be people serving it in some manner; they may be merchants, diplomats, sailors, surveyors, or even soldiers and crusaders, depending on the circumstances. They tend to frown on frivolous exercises like adventuring… but there’s always restless spirits, and with the rigid behavioral expectations and class system, more than a few Midlanders over the years have turned their backs on their homes for the open road and adventure.
[size=125][u]Lowlander[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity found in Western and Eastern Thule and Greater Albion, and thought to be related to both the Highlander and Midlander populations in those regions. They are of a slightly smaller stature than Highlanders, similar to Midlanders, but are more prone to the lighter complexions and fairer hair, skin, and eye colors of the former. Culturally, they seem to be a mixture of both of these groups; less restrained than the Midlanders, but more than the Highlanders, and prone to forming regional city-states centered around military fortifications. They tend to inhabit the floodplains surrounding major rivers, lending them their name. Most enjoy a simple, pastoral life on large farms or in small villages centered around a mixture of Church and trade. These communities are in turn usually defended and policed by travelling warbands funded by the capital and beholden to a King, who in turn answers to a High King over the greater area.
Lowlanders are known for their fiery tempers, fondness for hard drink and hearty meals, and propensity for causing and getting into (and out of) trouble through their words and actions. They're not as open about their sexuality as Highlanders, but less prudish than Midlanders, and have a large body of romantic traditions, bawdy tales, and ribald jokes. Most wouldn't be caught dead having sex anywhere near a public space... but they'd be happy to experiment behind closed doors. And talk about it over a pint later.
Lowlanders tend to prefer simple, practical dress accentuated with elaborate jewelry on both men and women. They're particularly fond of religious iconography and swirling, twisting patterns and labyrinths. These are often combined into complex works that can seem almost hypnotic to look at. They also have a strong tradition of tattooing similar patterns on their bodies that is occasionally adopted by Highlanders and other outsiders.
Unlike their Midlander kin, they tend to be quite respectful of the Primal Magics and the Fae, but remain distrustful of the Arcane and the Occult. Psionics are a bit more accepted, but there's little training for it in their communities, so most of their practitioners are Wilders. Sorcerers are often seen as being tainted... as are Witches, Warlocks, and others who dabble in such practices.
[size=125][u]Saltblood[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in and around Arcadia, Atlantis, and southern Meropis, Saltbloods are an olive-skinned people of middling build. They normally have darker hair colors, though blondes and reds are not unheard of, and often have wavy or loosely curly hair, and frequently have brown eyes. They are often a hirsute people, particularly the men, with robust chest hair common. They form the backbone of the Deudekatheon's worship and are largely responsible for spreading the Holy Church abroad through their seafaring traditions. Saltbloods have always been drawn to the sea; their communities settled along coasts and on islands as small city-states with a variety of different governing models. They have always been a seafaring folk; great fishermen, merchants, traders, and mariners that were the product of seeking the bounty of the ocean and distant shores.
Saltbloods are among the most widely dispersed of all Human ethnicities; they can be found almost anywhere. In part for this reason, they are also one of the most aesthetically diverse peoples on Gaea. They've interacted with countless cultures over the centuries, bringing artifacts, treasures, and traditions back home from their voyages. Saltbloods tend towards an eclectic appearance that's tempered only by their devotion to the Holy Church. They love adornments of all kinds, from tattoos to jewelry to exotic hair styles, even as the attire they prefer to work and live in is usually practical. They're a people likely to compartmentalize their lives and adjust their appearance to suit the task at hand.
Like Midlanders and Lowlanders, they tend towards a patriarchal social system. Women are expected to do most of the work around the house while the men act as bread-winners and household decision-makers. This is especially prominent in rural communities, which often favor the herding of sheep and goats alongside growing crops. Young men of the household tend to the livestock while their fathers handle repairs around the household and tend to the more troublesome crops. Girls and wives are expected to cook, clean, launder, and other domestic chores.
Saltbloods have a reputation for their food culture, something that's derived in part from their culture's many foreign contacts, but the staples of their diet are found in domestic grains hammered into flat breads and pastas, olives and their oil, fish and shellfish, poultry, a number of local peppers and root vegetables, various fruits, and the meat and dairy of goats and sheep. They season these with a range of spices drawn from distant locales or grown locally. They are also well-known for their wines.
Saltbloods are known for a relatively jovial approach to life, likely due to the sudden and extreme changes that come with life on or near the sea. They take great joy in the moment and indulge when they can... while also trying to keep in line with the tenants of their faith. However, their ability to respond to sudden changes is legendary, especially changes in their environment. They are an adaptable people, and should the moment call for seriousness rather than levity, they'll provide it. They are also known for holding grudges, but these are more likely to play out in the form of snubs and insults than direct violence.
On their involvement with the Church; the Saltbloods were the original followers of the Olympian Pantheon, long before the current structure was established. They harken back to an older set of traditions and a looser interpretation of the scriptures than is preferred by the current Order. However, their role within the Church's history and their continued support of it has kept them in good graces despite cultural differences between them and the current mainstream. They continue to support the Order as a whole, providing it with invaluable trade and military opportunities, even as the teachings of the faith have diverged from those ingrained in their culture. This sometimes leads to friction between the two... but little comes of it.
[size=125][u]Broodkeeper[/u][/size]
An artificially created Human ethnicity produced by the Svartalfar, an offshoot of Dark Elves. Produced as part of that tribe's long military buildup, Broodkeepers were engineered through the use of eugenics, Runes, and Fleshwarping to serve as breeding stock for their slave armies. Physically attractive, quick to mature, with exceptional libido and fertility, weak minds, and possessed of intoxicating pheromones capable of inciting intense lust in others, Broodkeepers were made to mate and birth legions. They served as the mothers and fathers of the Svartalfar's other slaves, their entire lives devoted to breeding and raising children. Their unique traits made it relatively rare for them to conceive their own kind when paired with another ethnicity or Race, and so they acted as seed beds for Svartalfar slaves and armies. However, it was also they who helped to incite the rebellion which helped bring down the Svartalfar's secret kingdom in the face of the gods' wrath. Their actions, and those of the other rebels, earned them all a place in the larger world.
Broodkeepers are marked by their pale skin and, striking hair, and unusual eye colors. Most have eyes that are pink, red, blue, or purple, or near-white and their hair is usually a similar color, though albinism is bizarrely common among them. They tend to have very healthy-looking physiques oriented more towards stamina and flexibility than raw power. They are almost painfully attractive in appearance, their bodies perfectly formed to incite lust in the opposite sex. This is only augmented by the pheromones that they exude. They are usually of middling height, though this can vary quite a bit, with females universally having wide hips. Their breast size varies, but rapidly swells when pregnant; they were designed to feed multiple children per birth and adapt quickly and effectively. Male Broodkeepers are known for their unusually large genitals and the copious amounts of semen they produce, often rivalling Incubi even without being corrupted. Both genders have a strong parental instinct that lends them to be excellent caretakers of children; Broodkeeper communities generally raise their children communally and share the responsibilities.
Broodkeepers were engineered and modified to face few difficulties from incest; magic scribed into their genetics prevents the manifestation of most severe deformities that would result from such, instead causing it to manifest as albinism. This was not deemed a problem to the subterranean Svartalfar, who tended to house the Broodkeepers in large, underground breeding pens. However, now that they live on the surface, it has proven to be a more severe issue.
Broodkeepers reach sexual maturity at an abnormally young age for Humans, essentially skipping the period of childhood between growth spurts in favor of one long maturation. Most Broodkeepers at age ten appear a decade older than they are and are similarly developed mentally. However, this robs them of a great deal of learning time, tending to result in a lower overall intellect and greater naivete. In many regards, they are an ethnicity of Humans that resemble Monsters.
Broodkeepers have a naturally bonobo-like society based on a strong communalistic outlook. Free-love is the norm in their society, something of an inevitability with the degree to which they arouse one another. Public intercourse is common, nor is exposing it to children seen as a problem due to the way in which the culture handles childbirth and rearing and their own precocious sexual development. Since gaining their freedom, they have come to truly relish it, and so have taken to adapting whatever practices and traditions from other cultures they find interesting. However, they tend to make sure that their clothing allows for easy sexual intercourse; restraint is not something they are known for.
Broodkeepers have little faculty for most forms of magic, and often little interest in most forms of combat. They would rather solve their problems with pleasure than pain. However, Sorcery comes readily to most; the magic used to create them and the breeding that went into their ancestry has mixed a number of different power sources within them. Further, Psionics is actually common in this ethnicity, leading many to pursue it as Wilders, or through Occult Magic. Given time and interactions, they may yet bring back more structured traditions. They also have a great fondness for music and the arts, making 
Broodkeeper society tends to be based on subsistence and collective decision-making; their communes often live in the lands of other Races, separated and protected by simple walls and borders, and what magical protections the population establishes. They farm, forage, and raise livestock, and usually don't seek to create large towns or cities or corner trade routes. They rarely pursue significant trade with outsiders, though their crafts are increasingly known for their great beauty. They are especially popular with Monsters, who tend to find the often lewd subject matter of Broodkeeper works endearing. Most of their communes can be found in Eastern and Western Thule, and Meropis, though they can be found further south, and there are even some in the Vinland to the far west.
Broodkeepers are a naturally peaceful lot. They can only be roused to fight normally in self-defense or that of those they care for. Particularly children. However, some occasionally experience a more violent streak that makes them prone to pursuing careers outside of their communities. Others simply want to see the world and enjoy the freedom their ancestors fought hard to achieve for the sake of their descendants.
[size=125][u]Snowreaver[/u][/size]
An artificial Human ethnicity created by the Svartalfar, Snowreavers were intended to be the mighty shock-troopers of their growing army. First bred from the wombs of Broodkeeper mothers in pits beneath the earth, the Snowreavers were instilled with an intense desire to fight and destroy, a resistance to the wintry climes that surrounded the Svartalfar's hidden otherworld, and a robust physique capable of granting them dominance in battle. Bloodthirsty and aggressive, the Snowreavers could not be fully contained, and those who escaped from the Svartalfar's pens are what ultimately drew the attention of the Aesir and Vanir, and through them, the other pantheons.
Snowreavers appear to be muscular, stout-bodied Humans with a faint grayish-blue hue to their otherwise pale skin, pale eyes that are usually a shade of blue or green, and pale hair that is often white, gray, or has a pale bluish color. Their robust physiques make them stand out among other Humans; even without significant exercise, they tend to thick with muscle and brutish-looking. Those who do condition themselves, which is many, sometimes border on the grotesque in terms of muscle mass.
Snowreavers were instilled with a sort of instinctive will to fight that is hard to express; the call to battle is almost like a rage that overtakes them. They feel it in a manner not unlike others feel lust. This they seek to temper with military discipline, but it often falters. Snowreavers are violent. To their enemies. To bystanders. To their allies. To each other. Even to themselves. The culture has a tradition of ritual scarification, counting kills and counting defeats in lines across the arms, legs, and chest. Even their mating tends towards violence; rough and rowdy, loud and competitive. This tends to make any kind of normal life a challenge, and so most Snowreavers survive through raiding and banditry. This is where their name arises from. Snowreavers that can tame their inner bloodlust tend to live remotely and actively seek out Beasts and the like to sate their need for conflict. Such individuals rarely form communities larger than a few families... However, their tendency to be territorial about their living space, viewing it as their property, means that they often know of other settlements in the area. Including those of other Snowreavers. Many make livings selling lumber and furs in more peaceful settlements, while others give in to their impulses and seek work as soldiers and mercenaries.
Snowreavers played a major role in the rebellion that helped topple the Svartalfar; their violent nature turned readily upon their creators at the urging of the Broodkeepers, leading to tremendous bloodshed within the ranks of the Black Elves' armies. In the days since the fall, most have settled in Hyperborea and the northern portions of Eastern and Western Thule, where the cold temperatures keep away interlopers without bringing them significant discomfort.
[size=125][u]Farstrider[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity native to Kash in Greater Eden, Farstriders are known for their athletic builds, height, dark skin, and densely curled, dark hair. An ancient people who have widely dispersed through the continent, Farstriders have a multitude of tribes that adhere to dramatically different lifestyles, beliefs, and practices. From pastoral herdsmen to hunter-gatherers to city-dwelling traders and merchants to farmers and fishers, they have practiced, and in many cases [i]originated[/i] a multitude of crafts and trades in the current Age. They have raised up many prosperous nations, which have usually fallen in turn and been lost to the wilds. Theirs is a people divided by their differences and the often harsh demands of their homeland, for though they have many different tribes, many of those tribes are hostile to one another.
It is nearly impossible to tie-down what can be considered "normal" for Farstriders as a whole; there are too many different tribes and traditions to make any generalization about them. Some, for example, are extremely martial. Others are scholarly. Still others are religious communities, and others pursue agrarian lifestyles. Some are primitive in the extreme while others are even more sophisticated than is commonly seen in Order territories. What can be said is that you can find virtually any and every practice among them [i]somewhere[/i]. You just have to know where to look. Unfortunately, these differences in identity and behavior have lead to a tremendous amount of infighting over the centuries, so that most of the greatest of Farstrider achievements have been buried by other tribes of Farstriders rather than the depredations of Monsters. The gods have rarely had cause to launch a Cycle against their nations, as they tend to self-destruct over internal conflicts first. Their lands are littered with the ruins of countless kingdoms that have risen up only to topple down.
Farstriders are a common sight abroad. Many take up careers as merchants and traders, taking them far afield of their homelands. Others prefer to soldier their way into wealth. However, most remain embroiled in their daily lives at home, supporting and protecting their communities from Monsters and rival tribes. There are a great many towns, villages, and cities within their lands, but these are often subject to raids by jealous or zealous rivals, making life more difficult for everyone there.
[size=125][u]Farcrier[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity native to Greater Eden, especially in the dense jungles of Lesser Eden, Farcriers are known for their powerful voices and driving, forceful music. Tribal but relatively peaceful in their dealings with their peers, Farcriers tend to favor simple lifestyles centered around hunting, river fishing, and foraging, with primitive architecture. However, ruins that often dot their lands and hold religious and cultural significance to their communities suggest that the current state of this people is degraded from their peak... perhaps even [i]willingly[/i], considering the often ominous role these structures tend to play in folklore.
[size=125][u]Wayfinder[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity known for its nomadic lifestyle, Wayfinders traverse much of the Old World without any real homeland of their own. Instead, they bring goods, services, and news from distant lands with them as they go, stopping briefly or wintering when they must before moving on once more. Wayfinders are looked at askance in most communities; they have an only half-earned reputation for misdeeds. More often than not, they're blamed for the actions of locals, causing tension between them and their hosts. However, sometimes they really are the ones at fault. They are known to be a proud people and don't take kindly to insults and insinuations.
Wayfinders tend to have a dusky appearance, with dark hair but more varied eye color. Their hair is often straight, but can be wavy. They tend towards a lean build naturally, but can be quite robust if they're living well; as a people they tend to prefer indulgence in good times rather than strict austerity. Though never so much that it might jeopardize their lives in hardship. Wayfinders are a loyal folk who remember those that treat them well and those who treat them poorly, and respond in kind. They tend to be cautious in their dealings with those outside of their communities, but as said before, they can be quite hot-blooded. Wayfinders tend to be short-tempered and prone to resolving their issues with challenges, duels, or more subtle violence.
The exact origins of this ethnicity are unknown. Their records are mostly through oral tradition, some of which has been lost through the ages due to violence from both other Men and Monsters. What is known is that the wagon caravans of this group have long been recognized throughout the eastern parts of the world.
[size=125][u]Cursebranded[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity that is relatively isolated, having arisen in the wake of Central Thule's devastation and the sinking of half of Atlantis and inhabiting the islands that remain in the Wandering Sea. They are marked, quite literally, with fragments of the sorceries used by The Unnamed One to destroy those lands and sunder Ultima Thule into its current state some three-thousand years ago. This grants them supernatural powers... and also weakens them to certain Fel powers.
[size=125][u]Floerider[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in Hyperborea, particularly on the coasts, Floeriders are known for living near and [i]on[/i] the ice of that land's glaciers and ice shelves. A hardy folk, short, stout, and resilient, they live close to nature.
[size=125][u]Stormwalker[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity hailing from Altjira, Stormwalkers are a much paler people than others from the region, suggesting a curious origin. Living mostly on the continent's northern coast, they are marked by an unusual resilience to storms and a curious ability to generate and manipulate electricity. Strangely, they have been found quite far afield; Vinland and Mu both have populations.
[size=125][u]Cliffrunner[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in southwestern Zarahemla and northern Aztlan, they are perhaps best known for their exceptional climbing skills and extraordinary cliff-villages.
[size=125][u]Clouddancer[/u][/size]
A human ethnicity native to Shambhala, Clouddancers are known for an ascetic lifestyle devoted to a mix of introspection and basic survival. Their home is the mountain, be it earthbound or airborn.
[size=125][u]Mistwalker[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in Fusang, it is the dominant ethnicity of that continent in terms of distribution and influence. A complex people with a multitude of different subcultures based largely on region, Mistwalkers have a tendency to be their own worst enemies. War and strife are common among this people, as is a powerful drive to leave behind legacies. Mistwalkers are builders, innovators, researchers, and conquerors... but clash with one another as often as with outsiders.
[size=125][u]Sandsinger[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in Manu, Irkalla, and the Zerzura Desert of Greater Eden, Sandsingers are a brown-skinned people adapted to the arid lands of their home territories. Sandsingers are known for being a primarily nomadic people. However, those who have settled have produced some of the most advanced civilizations of antiquity, including the Empire of the Sun God.
[size=125][u]Mirelurker[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity with a wide distribution, they originated in lowland swamps of Central Thule. However, they spread out in antiquity and can now be found as far away as the New World. Drawn to marshes, bogs, and swamps, they're known for their exceptional resilience to diseases and the ability to disappear into the murky lands they inhabit.
Mirelurkers vary considerably from one region to the next in terms of appearance; those found in Vinland, for example, commonly have straight, dark hair and pale, sallow complexions, with dark eyes. Those found on the coastal remnants of Central Thule tend to have paler hair colors and greater height. Those found in Lesser Eden's dense jungles are often quite short and very dark in skin and hair color, while those dwelling in Paititi's jungles are often brown-skinned. These variations come from interbreeding with local populations, though Mirelurker culture remains largely the same regardless of their ancestry. They build on and around the water, raising simple dwellings on hummocks, stilts, wooden causeways, and even barges and canoes. They live in and off of the swamps, isolated from outsiders and surviving through subsistence. They have little interest in the busier and more complex lifestyles of outsiders, and while they're open enough with such individuals and small trade, they have little concern for seeking out more advanced technologies. Mirelurkers are a simple people who live close to nature and respect tradition and superstition.
[size=125][u]Snakecharmer[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in Agartha, they were first created by the Serpentfolk of that land upon their reawakening at the arrival of their god, Yig. Produced to carry the blood and influence of that Race abroad, Snakecharmers have some oddly reptilian characteristics despite their technical Humanity. Like their ancestors, they are known for their tendency towards Psionics and Occult Magic.
Snakecharmers are often tall and long-limbed, with an eerie grace and a sharp wit. Most have an unusual pallor to them (though this often gives way to local skin tones when mingling with other ethnicities), with straight hair that bears oddly serpentine colors and patterns. Their skin sometimes also has such patterns, albeit very faintly. Their canine teeth are unusually long and sharp, but not to the same degree as a Vampire or Dhampir, and often have a slight curve to them. Their tongues are unusually long, and often thin, with extraordinary flexibility and control. Many have a slight bifurcation at the tip, though this is purely cosmetic.
Snakecharmers are inquisitive, adventurous, and innovative, but also introspective as a people. Despite their association with, and affinity for, snakes, they're actually quite affable among other Races and ethnicities and are generally well-liked. They have inherited much of their culture from the Serpentfolk, but have also adopted quite a few aspects of Alaveela society. They are directly related to the Yuan-Ti, and as such tend to get along well with their more serpentine kin.
[size=125][u]Lorefinder[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in Irkalla, Manu, and Greater Eden, and formally settled in the theocratic ethnostate of Yakub, the Lorefinders are a dusky-skinned people with a tendency towards curly hair and relatively short stature. Generally open and friendly, they can nonetheless be violent to those they perceive as a threat or who lay claim to what they believe is theirs. Lorefinders are a widely distributed lot, having expanded far beyond their homeland due to cultural expectations surrounding status, wealth, and power in their homeland. They were originally a nomadic people, but became more sedentary after their tribes seized territory in Irkalla. However, this was not well-received by the surrounding peoples, and they were eventually driven out after several centuries and dispersed throughout the Old World save within a now much-diminished homeland.
Lorefinders are an intellectual lot, known for their number games and thirst for knowledge. They are eager learners, and are often taken with a wanderlust that brings them far afield of their birthplaces in search of new sights and experiences. As a people, they tend towards a tightly-knit community bound together by religious and oral traditions and a network of communication; most learn magic and how to contact one another over long distances. This has served them well, as they have been subject to persecution on many occasions throughout history. Their tendency towards nosiness and nepotism, as well as using their communication networks to gain advantages in emergencies, finances, and military situations has drawn the ire of more than a few host civilizations over the millennia. Especially when they seem to succeed as others fail.
[size=125][u]Spelleater[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in Atlantis nearly three-thousand years ago, the Spelleaters are descendants of that defunct nation's royal family. Easily identifiable by a shock of white hair mingled with their more natural color and fully heterochromatic eyes, Spelleaters were afflicted with part of a divine punishment that renders them incapable of learning spells. While they may pursue Psionics and other mystical practices, they are utterly incapable of casting Spells on their own. A rare few have learned ways to borrow the powers of others to this end, but for most, traditional magic is forever denied.
Sometimes known as Karsites, after the king which brought this curse down upon their heads, Spelleaters are disruptive to magical forces and highly resistant to spells. They tend to aspire to the former glories of Atlantean civilization, but most live as exiles from their ancestral homeland. The survivors there have not forgotten the disasters that befell that nation and tend to firmly lay the blame for [i]all[/i] of it on the shoulders of Karsus, his hubris, and the large family that enabled his follies.
[size=125][u]Darkstalker[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity native to the Underdark and the Plane of Shadow, they are known for their ability to see in darkness and a high level of athleticism and cunning. As well as a cold-blooded ruthlessness when dealing with their foes and a tendency towards cannibalism as both necessity and funereal practice. It is thought that traits of the Darkstalkers may have helped inspire the rumors that shaped the current form of the Orcs.
Darkstalkers have a varied skin tone; most are an unnaturally pale color, but some have adopted a more conventional shade of olive or brown due to exposure to Earth Mana deep within Gaea. Most are wiry and have pale hair colors, while those shaped by the Mana there often have darker hair colors.
Darkstalkers were originally a surface-dwelling people who were driven under in antiquity for reasons that have not been forgotten to time and have long sought to reclaim their lost homeland... wherever that happens to be. As such, most are nomadic tribes that wander the tunnels and halls of the Underdark, only to periodically surface in search of this legendary land.
[size=125][u]Rimeseeker[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity found throughout Thule and in parts of Hyperborea, Vinland, and even Zarahemla, Rimeseekers are a tall, pale people particularly associated with the Aesir. Known for their exploration, agrarian tendencies, and especially their seasonal raiding, Rimeseekers are an influential folk seen as antagonistic in many cultures. Stories of their actions spread far and wide, though much of they are hardly as terrible or violent as their reputation would suggest.
[size=125][u]Ashbringer[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity native to the volcanic islands enclosed in Meropis's Inner Sea, Ashbringers are a dusky-skinned people with an affinity for heat and fire. A sea-faring people, they are known to have made many civilizations on the slopes of volcanoes in the region, drawing on the fires of the world for power and the noxious fumes for visions. However, just as these volcanoes bring them life, so too do they bring death and ruin, and so the Ashbringers are forever forced to leave and start over.
[size=125][u]Waverider[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in Hawaiki, Waveriders are a brown-skinned people with dark hair and robust physiques. Known for their love of the sea and sailing, their navigation skills, complicated and exotic tattoos, and their extraordinary ability to traverse the seas in small craft, Waveriders are one of the most broadly distributed peoples in the world. A hardy, jovial folk by nature, they can nonetheless be highly aggressive when they feel threatened, and are fearsome warriors when roused.
[size=125][u]Riverdancer[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity found primarily in southeastern Fusang, Riverdancers have a pale, vaguely cream-like, grey, or even yellow skin tone, a moderate stature, and straight, dark hair with dark eyes. Riverdancers derive their name from their boat culture; they inhabit waterways, deltas, and the coasts and live primarily on boats in a nearly-minimalistic lifestyle. Their communities are often built around permanent docks, storehouses, and markets built out onto the open water or otherwise near it, often on stilts tand pylons o protect against flooding and inclement weather. They live and die by their ability to fish and harvest kelp, and to maintain rice paddies along the rivers on which they dwell.
A peaceful people by nature, the Riverdancers developed their lifestyle in response to the more aggressive actions of Mistwalkers in antiquity; they found it easier to simply flee violence than do battle with the often better-armed and armored invaders.
[size=125][u]Creekspeakers[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity native to Vinland, Creekspeakers are notable for their great height, straight, dark hair, strong cheekbones, and reddish-brown skin tone. A tribal people who live close to nature and have developed a number of highly-sophisticated techniques to do so, they superficially appear simplistic while being far from it. Communalists on the whole, they prioritize the survival of their tribe over most other concerns while still being open to outsiders who deal with them peacefully. However, blood feuds and tribal warfare are common, especially over the use of territory by rival groups.
Creekspeakers are known for their close association with the spirits of the land; Shamans generally hold high status within their communities even when they aren't the official leaders. Likewise, animal spirits are important to them, which has lead to many tribes that mix with Beastkin.
[size=125][u]Steppehunter[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity hailing from the northern steppes of Shambhala, this stout, hardy tribe are known for their skill at archery and their bond with both horses and trained eagles. Made up of myriad nomadic tribes of hunters and herdsmen, Steppehunters survive in a harsh and unforgiving land through iron will and traditions honed through thousands of years of experience.
[size=125][u]Wildblood[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in the southern jungles of Zarahemla, Aztlan, and Paititi, Wildbloods are known for their remoteness from much of the rest of the world, their short stature, closeness with nature, and capacity to fade into the wilds they call their home. A reclusive people, they rarely interact with outsiders and are often hostile to other tribes of Wildbloods, let alone foreigners.
[size=125][u]Plaguebearer[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity produced by the Svartalfar in small numbers as a tool to ravage nations they sought to conquer, Plaguebearers are higly resistant to diseases... and natural carriers for them.
[size=125][u]Vileblood[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating from the practices of the Svartalfar, they were created to be toxic infantry and shock troopers.
[size=125][u]Woodwarden[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in Annwn and Cymry in Western Thule and found throughout the continent, as well as Antillia and Meropis, Woodwardens derive their name from the heavily wooded homeland. A people with a strong cultural identity, they are known for their songs and stories, their Druidic traditional faith, a strong connection to dragons, and a tendency to rebel against invaders after initial defeats.
[size=125][u]Woodwhisperers[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in Vinland, particularly in its southern forests, but found more broadly in that continent and neighboring Zarahemla.
[size=125][u]Valestrider[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in Hispania, this dusky-skinned people is known for a strong allegiance to the Holy Church, a fierce and passionate spirit, a love of art, music, and dance, heavily spiced cuisine, and a tendency towards fights and duels. Especially over honor or love.
[size=125][u]Beastfriend[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in the northern reaches of Zipangu and the southeastern edges of Hyperborea, Beastfriends are an oft-oppressed people. They have a strong connection to the natural world and eschew modern conveniences, instead embracing the spirits of nature. Especially those of animals. 
[size=125][u]Abysswalker[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in Mu that developed a natural resistance to Demonic influences due to that continent's many Demon Realms and Abyssal Gates. A violent, warlike people known for their skill and ruthlessness in battle, Abysswalkers are prized soldiers in the Orders forces... but are often more interested in their own personal affairs and the tribal conflicts that wrack their fractured home continent.
[size=125][u]Icebreaker[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in eastern and central Hyperborea and Eastern Thule, Icebreakers are a hardy, stern people, diligent and hardworking, juxtaposed with a fondness for celebration and introspection.
[size=125][u]Shardbound[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in Lemuria and Jambudvipa, Shardbounds are known for their oddly blue or grey skin tone and the cultural practice of imbedding magical and psionic gems into their bodies.
[size=125][u]Dreamweaver[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in Altjira, the dark-skinned Dreamweavers are known for their simple, tribal way of life, shamanistic religion, and strong Psionic traditions. They are a people of stories, of oral traditions, and humble practices. 
[size=125][u]Firedancer[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity created by the Svartalfar from Waverider stock, they were produced to be strong warriors and better craftsmen, especially smiths. With robust frames and a natural diligence, their works rival the Dwarves in mastery.
[size=125][u]Plainswalker[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in eastern Zarahemla and western Vinland, the Plainswalkers are a people marked by reddish brown skin and dark hair. Nomadic hunter-gatherers who live and die by the herds they follow, they share some superficial similarities to Steppehunters culturally.
[size=125][u]Wandersail[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in Wandering Sea, Wandersails originated from the survivors of a range of nations that were drowned in the sinking of Central Thule by the Unnamed One. Master mariners who literally live at sea, Wandersails built their first ships from the wreckage that survived the Sundering; they were already adrift as fisherfolk and river travelers or were able to get to their boats before the end came and weathered the chaos that followed. The descendants of these folk now traverse the Wandering Sea, living off of it on great flotillas and manufactured atolls anchored to the bottom and the remnants of ancient civilizations. A people who have mastered scavenging the wreckage of lost civilizations beneath the waves, the Wandersails are an eccentric people of mixed blood and chaotic culture.
[size=125][u]Deepsoul[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in Atlantis, they are the descendants of Poseidon's cult who managed to survive the destruction of their homeland through a Divine Blessing that has permanently altered their physiology.
[size=125][u]Suncaller[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in Zipangu, and the dominant culture of the continent, Suncallers have a complex and largely unified culture; their nations share a degree of obligation to an Emperor who serves the head of a caste system and as a neutral party and officiant for their own conflicts and interactions.
[size=125][u]Crownsworn[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity and offshoot of Hispania's Valestriders, Crownsworn arose from a mingling of early colonist and conquerors with the native populations of Aztlan and Antillia. Darker-skinned than their Hispanic forebears, they are defined largely by their culture of exploration, conquest, and exploitation for the sake of Crown and Church and their use of technologies developed in the Old World.
[size=125][u]Sunderborn[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in Central Thule, the developed independently among the many islands of the Wandering Sea following the Sundering caused by the Unnamed One. Touched by strange magic, this is not so much a single ethnicity as it is a catchall term for the myriad groups who arose there. All possess a strange magical trait of some kind or another that is usually inherited except in instances of mixed ancestry.
[size=125][u]Blackrock[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in the mountainous regions of northern Fusang, this dark-skinned people are known for their skill at arms and metallurgy, and a curious tendency towards straight red hair.
[size=125][u]Bluetide[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in eastern Fusang, particularly around the coasts and in Joseon, Bluetides are known for a strong connection with the region's dragons and the sea. They tend towards a slightly darker skin tone and greater height than Mistwalkers.
[size=125][u]Whitegale[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in western Fusang, both in the forests and deserts, Whitegales are known for their robust physiques and aggressive, warlike nature. They are also known for their regular conflicts with the Umberhide tribes.
[size=125][u]Redflame[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in southern Fusang, they are thought to be kin to the Umberhide and Castebound peoples of neighboring regions. They hold a strong connection to the many birds and Bird-Monsters that inhabit the dense forests and jungles of the southern coast.
[size=125][u]Goldlight[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in central Fusang, particularly near Mount Kunlun and its associated lakes, Goldlights are seen as blessed beings protected by the Qirin and favored by the Jade Emperor.
[size=125][u]Sableshade[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating off the coast of Fusang, in Penglai, Sableshades are a much-maligned tribe who are viewed as being failures of the Immortals; the unblessed children of the Immortals themselves, or those who sought the path to eternal life and failed. Sableshades are often said to be those cursed with the malevolence of Monsters for having tried to defy the gods and failed, and so are strongly associated with such creatures. They tend to have straight black hair and a greyish skin tone... and sometimes have black sclera with pale grey irises.
[size=125][u]Greenleaf[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in the dense forests of Fusang, Greenleaves are a reclusive sort who tend to dwell in the trees for which they are named. A quiet, introspective people often thought of as being akin to Elves, they rarely seek conflict with others and prefer to stay well-away from threats... except when they must defend their secret communities. At that point, they are often called Forest Demons.
[size=125][u]Umberhide[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in southwestern Fusang but found through much of the continent's western lands, Umberhides are a semi-nomadic tribe who prefer to live as hunter-gatherers and bandits. Divided into countless tribes that often raid one another for resources or chase each other away from strongholds in cliffs and canyons, Umberhides are an aggressive people who harry those trying to make it through Fusang's more arid western territories. They have a strong association with animals and are particularly well-known for wearing hides that aren't fully cured and behaving, [i]and fighting[/i], like wild animals.
[size=125][u]Silversteel[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in eastern Fusang and famed for their skill at arms, Silversteels are among the most martial of Fusang's peoples... but ironically, one of the least ambitious in terms of taking and holding territory. Instead, theirs is a culture devoted to self-perfection through mastery of the martial arts using techniques passed down through families and schools, honing them and their bodies in pursuit of an ideal self that serves as a temple and offering to the gods.
[size=125][u]Castebound[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in Jambudvipa and the dominant culture of the continent, the Castebound are rather a collection of closely related ethnic minorities that have self-sorted into a complex social hierarchy based around ancestry. This structure dictates what careers are available to individuals and families, who can and cannot marry and to whom, where they may live, who and where they may worship, what they can eat and drink, and more. Rigid and oppressive, and enforced by tradition, faith, and law, the structure of this system is deeply ingrained in the psyche of nearly every individual from the region, and is often at least partially enforced on outsiders visiting the region or dealing with its natives.
[size=125][u]Moonchaser[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in Irkalla and the surrounding territories, Moonchasers are a brown-skinned, dark-haired people who live a semi-nomadic lifestyle and hold extreme reverence for the triple moons of Cynthia,  Oliblish, and Nibiru. They wander the sands, following the courses of the moons and using their paths through the stars and heavens as a guide for their journeys.
[size=125][u]Boneharrow[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in Mu, Boneharrows are a tan-skinned people that tend towards short, dark, brown or russet hair, and are best known for their violent tendencies and strange mutations. The tribe were part of the Overlord Circe's many experiments in creating Human "Monsters," in this case by modifying their bones and marrow. Boneharrows can grow a range of natural weapons and armor from and within their bodies that have metallic properties and a warlike disposition to use them. Tribal and cannibalistic by nature and culture, Boneharrows are not true Monsters, but often behave like the Monsters of old in their dealings with other tribes... and their own.
[size=125][u]Stonecutter[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in Mu and marked by their pale hair and reddish-orange skin color, Stonecutters are famed for their wondrous constructions and fortifications. Stonecutters have built their society around the construction of formidable bastions and edifices, from fortresses and castles to sprawling palaces to massive walls, always building up and out. They are a proud and industrious folk, often thought in common circles to somehow be kin of the Dwarves for their skill with stone, masonry, and glass.
[size=125][u]Barrowborn[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in Mu, Barrowborn are a pale-skinned, dark-haired people native to Mu and known for a long-standing, violent rivalry with the Stonecutter civilization in the area. Barrowborn civilization adapted to the continent's harsh, unnatural climate by clearing and expanding existing networks of caves and tunnels found in the rocky terrain and living a semi-nomadic lifestyle by rotating between these so-called Holes when their current one draws too much attention from hostile natives. Barrowborn and Stonecutter civilizations often come into conflict over the use of stone; the former live down under and within it naturally and the latter carve and quarry it to build up and out, making the middle ground between the two hostile territory. The crushing weight of Stonecutter cities can collapse the tunnels of the Barrowborn into deadly sinkholes that each culture blames on the other.
[size=125][u]Earthguise[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity native to Mu with a mystical connection to earth, soil, and rock, they are renowned for their stalwart martial prowess and great physical strength and durability. They primarily inhabit the central portions of the continent, especially near low-lying hills and mountains, and are thought to have some sort of spiritual or ancestral connection to the Blackrock civilization of Fusang despite being much paler and darker of hair than that tribe.
[size=125][u]Windwaker[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity native to Mu and known for their monastic culture, Windwakers have a strong mystical connection to wind, air, and weather, as well as a martial art that embodies these concepts and is intrinsic to their cultural identity. Windwakers are thought to have some connection to the Clouddancers of Shambhala and the Whitegale people of Fusang, though they often have a slightly darker skin tone. Though they naturally have dark hair, they have a cultural tradition of shaving their heads as a right of passage into adulthood among both sexes. However, recent cultural shifts have made this [i]somewhat[/i] less common. They primarily live on the peaks and sides of Mu's higher mountains.
[size=125][u]Wordweaver[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity native to Mu known for having somehow been warped by the magic of the continent, they possess unusual hair colors and strange birthmarks that resemble written text that appear on their bodies. Wordweavers possess a natural talent for language and communication, and are one of the few peoples of the continent who are openly accepted by all tribes due to their role as intermediaries, record-keepers, judges, and couriers. They enjoy protection throughout the continent thanks to ancient pacts and oaths from virtually every tribe present save the Helltakers, who are so recent an addition to the place that they have yet to fully grasp the significance of Wordweavers in Muan society.
[size=125][u]Spellseer[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity native to Mu that has been warped by that continent's magic, Spellseers have a gift for perceiving and understanding these supernatural forces and avoiding or exploiting them. Spellseers tend to keep to themselves and avoid conflict with the other cultures present in Mu. Instead, they prefer to linger in the ruins and edifices of ancient nations and would-be conquerors. Especially those of Circe, a powerful Overlord who used Mu as the staging ground for an attempted conquest of Gaea and those ruins vacated by Chaoskin cults. Spellseers are a secretive lot who normally cover themselves completely in robes and masks, revealing themselves only when in trusted company.
[size=125][u]Waterdancer[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity native to Mu that has a powerful mystical connection to water, they are best known for inhabiting the swampier regions of the place, as well as those portions of the continent wracked by Elemental Cold and the Flying Sea. They are thought to have an ancestral connection to the Riverdancers (from which their name partially derives), as well as the Bluetide and Floerider peoples. Waterdancers are largely a peaceful lot, content to merely survive in the harsh land, but are well-known for their healing practices and thus are often sought-out by those in need.
[size=125][u]Nighthaunt[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity native to Mu and warped by its wild magical energies, Nighthaunts are gifted with the power to manipulate the spectral remnants of Auras in an environment, allowing them to emulate a few minor spells natively. Particularly those having to do with illusion and the unseen. Nighthaunts are famous for their nocturnal habits and movements, their eerie presence, and otherworldly appearance; they tend to have a faintly blue or purple tinge to their otherwise pale skin, and pale or outright white hair. Nighthaunts tend to sleep during the day and act after the sun sets, putting their faith in magical and mundane defenses, trained animals, and a rare few actual guards and watchmen. Unlike many Muan cultures, they do not relocate with any kind of frequency, instead favoring the fortification of their chosen domains over mobility.
[size=125][u]Soulcatcher[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity native to Mu and renowned for their natural necromantic prowess, Soulcatchers are an ominous presence in the traditions of the cultures they share the continent with. Like many in that land, they are warped by its magics. However, this has lead to them having biological imbalances rather than a uniform appearance (though a great many suffer from albinism). Soulcatchers are born with a natural tendency towards necromancy and culturally have a neutral view of death and mortality, seeing the end of life as just another stage of existence. They do, however, place great value in the study of the necromantic arts and the ability to control the souls of others; there is often little distinction between people and property in their culture. Especially when those people are [i]dead.[/i]
[size=125][u]Firestarter[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity native to Mu and thought to have ancestral ties to Mistwalkers, Redflames, and Suncallers, Firestarters are a militaristic people with a mystical connection to fire. Known for repeated attempts to conquer the other tribes of Mu through the ages, Firestarters are a powerful and dangerous force prone to feats of design and engineering powered with fossil fuels, steam, and elemental magic. One of the most advanced peoples in all of Gaea in many ways, but prone to infighting and ethnocentric policies that make it difficult to form alliances or hold territory, Firestarters are nonetheless an ambitious people.
[size=125][u]Ghostwalker[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity native to Mu, Ghostwalkers are thought to trace their origins to the Creekspeakers, Plainswalkers, and other New World tribes. This makes them distinctive in that they are one of the few peoples of Mu that [i]actually seem to have not been intentionally put there by an external force[/i] at some point or other. Ghostwalkers are known for dwelling primarily around a hidden city somewhere in Mu and branching outward into smaller settlements... and for their bizarre, ghost-like abilities. They are divided into several tribes connected by their similar powers. However, these tribes appear to be determined not by birth, but by natural talent. It seems one is sorted into their tribe upon the manifestation of their powers, with each tribe filling a specific role in the whole community.
[size=125][u]Helltaker[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity native to Mu, but tracing its origins back to Meropis and Thule through a series of Orderite crusades launched at the Abyss from Mu's multitude of Gates and portals. Helltakers are known for a militant culture where there is no distinction between Church hierarchy and government; secular society does not exist among the Helltakers, nor does the more passive and peaceful aspects of Orderite culture. Helltakers are a military force that has become distinct, and in many ways independent of, the core Church itself. It is essentially now a fanatical, extremist sect that views most of the other populations of Mu as in need of extermination with extreme prejudice. Likewise, to them Monsters are things to be killed, with only a few such creatures worthy of enslavement. Violently puritanical, Helltakers are determined to conquer Mu, and from there, the Abyss itself.
[size=125][u]Bloodsinger[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity native to Mu and a product of the research of the Overlord Circe, Bloodsingers were long ago fused with a slime-like symbiont that serves as their blood and feeds on the actual proteins their marrow produces. Bloodsingers are living weapons, much like Boneharrows, though they are known more for their incredible natural resilience to injury and a racial bloodthirst. They are also known for a warped perception of themselves; the symbiote in their veins thrums with life and drives them to violence and sensual indulgence. A wild, savage people that descend on unprotected settlements like a plague of blood-soaked locusts, Bloodsingers are a terror to most other tribes in the land.
[size=125][u]Gravewarden[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity originating in Mu and known for their constant struggle to keep the Gates to the Realms of the Dead extant in that continent sealed. They spend their days putting the restless dead back in their tombs... Or at least they're [i]supposed to.[/i] The past five centuries have been a trying time for a people who built their culture around keeping the dead restful. Some have chosen to continue on with their traditions. Others have sought a slightly different way of life.
[size=125][u]Chaoskin[/u][/size]
A Human ethnicity hailing from Mu but found elsewhere, they are not [i]fully[/i] Human, but are rather beings warped by the presence of the Great Old Ones. Aberrant in nature, mindset, and behavior, they are a wild tribe prone to forming nightmarish cults to their horrific, alien gods.
[size=125][u]Frostborn[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Adderkin[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Pyredancer[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Breathtaker[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Stargazer[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Spiritseer[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Blueblood[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Ashborn[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Songsoul[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Shieldmaiden[/u][/size]
A human ethnicity native to Hyperborea that traces its lineage and culture to that of the Amazons.
[size=125][u]Spearmother[/u][/size]
A human ethnicity native to Meropis that traces its lineage and culture to that of the Amazons.
[size=125][u]Bowmother[/u][/size]
A human ethnicity native to Western Thule that traces its lineage and culture to that of the Amazons.
[size=125][u]Bloodthorn[/u][/size]
A human ethnicity native to Scholomance, and before that to old Kogaionon, Bloodthorns are known for their unusually high rates of albinism, necromatic potential, and the curious ability to transform their spilled blood into thorn-like barbs. They have a reputation for hunting the undead stemming from their ancient practices, though they're better known for slaying Beasts now.
[size=125][u]Bloodbound[/u][/size]
A human ethnicity originating in Eastern Thule and Scholomance, Bloodbound Humans tend to have dark hair and eyes (with the occasional blue, grey, and even amber or red eye color), pale skin, and a hardy and frequently hirsute appearance that serves them well in the cold and often cloud-veiled mountains and valleys of the region. This race is an artificial one, at least in part; much of the region was dominated by a number of rival vampire lineages who attempted to spread beyond the area. These nobles selectively bred their human chattel and modified them with blood magic to create a sturdy breed capable of providing them with more sustenance, yet were by-and-large docile enough to not challenge their masters.
Bloodbound Humans are a sedate, insular lot; distrustful of outsiders and dour in attitude. They tend to favor simple pleasures and lives, and are not ones for significant innovations. A lack of curiosity and a susceptibility to mental manipulation are things the vampires found desirable in their food, as was their robust ability to recover from injury and blood-draining. It was not until the Holy Church began to arise in the Southwest and spread its Order beyond Meropis that the squabbling vampire lords of these lands were purged and the locals freed. Since then, they've been quite devout on the whole... their vulnerability to mental domination also makes them somewhat weak to the Order's teachings and propaganda.
Bloodbound are a sturdy, hardy folk that tend towards a somber demeanor that well reflects their homeland. Cold, damp, dark, densely forested, and hiding mysteries just beneath the surface. Over the centuries since their emancipation, they've become a more free-willed people, but remain distrustful of magic, outsiders, and anything that remotely seems like a threat. However, they don't show this distrust through panic. Instead, it takes the form of a stern resistance and stubbornness. The Bloodbound are as unforgiving and immovable as the mountains of their homeland, and they act with a brutal efficiency born of countless generations living with the whims of callous monsters and the terrors of the night. The can be utterly ruthless; their ancient creators were as prone to using them as soldiers as they were for food, and passed more than a few martial traditions down through the lines.
Those who do pursue magic other than that found in the priesthood tend to be outsiders in their communities and thus must gain their knowledge from forbidden places; many take up the Witch and Warlock Class, but they are usually self-taught loners or belong only to small covens who scouted them. Others stumble upon innate magical abilities like those of Sorcerers. Such individuals usually hide what they are unless selling their services, and even then they live on the edges of a community and tend to be ready to flee at a moment's notice. Psionics are rare, but not unheard of among the Bloodbound. However, there's virtually no tradition of the practice in the culture, leading most down the path of the Wilder. Occult magic is usually an import brought to the area by Wayfinders or merchant caravans and is usually seen as fascinating but frightening and thoroughly taboo.
Bloodbound tend to be close-knit socially, their communities are usually relatively small and nearly everyone knows everyone else outside of a few large cities arisen at important points of trade and travel. They look out for their own, but often there are quibbles and complaints lying under the surface that can tear at these communities in secret. Backstabbing is common, both on a small scale and of a more serious nature. Threats from the outside suppress this tendency, thankfully, but it resurfaces in times of relatively peace and can boil over in periods of fear. This is likely an unintentional case of the ethnicity mimicking their former rulers.
Bloodbound present an austere figure in daily life, but can be prone to excesses and indulgence when available. In particular, they're known for their love of liquor, meat, and the pleasures of the flesh. The vampires instilled in them a love of sexual indulgence and altered them to have little repercussions from incestuous liaisons through blood sorceries, while also giving them an abnormally high libido for Humans. While this was intended to help keep the vampires' larders full, it has proven difficult for the Order's teachings to control. Bloodbound will contain themselves in public, but are prone to slipping away into the woods and behind homes to fuck, affairs are common (and also a source of great consternation and many unhappy homes), and early sexual activity and incest are commonplace. As such, Bloodbound are also infamous for disappearing into the woods and never coming back; the lure of Monsters and Transformation calls to many of them, making the regions they inhabit particularly dangerous for those seeking to preserve their chastity.
Culturally, the Bloodbound tend to prioritize survival over most other things; familial, personal, and community are the most common order of priorities. Pride is only important to them in the sense of what they have withstood. Honor has little meaning to them. As such, their culture can be seen as highly pragmatic. Members of the ethnicity found outside of their traditional lands are often mercenaries or people looking for an easier life abroad than they found at home. However, some have left for other reasons. Particularly those who've been driven out or who've lost everything; criminals among the Bloodbound are treated harshly, and the region has now become infamous for the prevalence of Beasts.
[size=125][u]Mudblood[/u][/size]
Not a true ethnicity at all, and yet arguably the most common, Mudblood Humans are those who are of mixed ancestry between different ethnicities. Rather than being defined by their ancestors' cultures, they are more often defined by the place they were born and raised, becoming something wholly other than either of their forebears. While not all born of such unions are Mudbloods, Mudbloods themselves are a highly adaptable people that some claim breed true in their own fashion, adapting to the locales in which they settle more readily than others, as if mutability itself has been ingrained in them.
[size=150][b][u]Elves[/u][/b][/size]
An androgynous people, the Elves are the reincarnations of the first Race of Man and their descendants. Originally created by Prometheus at the behest of Cronus during what is commonly known as the Golden Age, thus beginning the First Age of Man. These original Proto-Elves were an exclusively male Race with androgynous features who were born fully-formed through a sort of spontaneous generation from the environment of Gaea itself, lived for extremely long lives, and enjoyed their peak physical form throughout that lifespan. They did not sexually reproduce, though they possessed the organs and drive, instead simply mating with the various Fae that inhabited the Golden Age landscape as a matter of recreation instead of biological function. Produced to serve a dual function of entertaining the Titans and Gods and in providing them with a steady supply of Mana through worship and sacrifices, their basic needs were provided for directly by the land, sea, and sky with the blessings of the Titans. They needed nothing and wanted for nothing, living lives of leisure. They were as one with nature, living in an eternal, bountiful spring. And while their lives were not without danger in the form of ancient and primeval animals, they were also not defenseless. Theirs was a simple and straightforward life.
At least, until Gaia chose to punish Cronus for his mistreatment of her younger children by creating Monsters and setting them loose on his carefully cultivated "garden." However, the brief years before Cronus tricked and trapped the Monsters in the Abyss were as nothing compared to the chaos brought about by the Titanomachy and the subsequent creation of the Behemoths. A century of conflict, what seemed a decade to the Men of the age, played out across the Gaea. Forced to choose sides, the Proto-Elves turned divided against one another. Some sided with the gods, others with the Titans, and still others fled and went into hiding as the Divinities warred with one another. Conscripted as soldiers whose worship was used to empower the Behemoths and the warring factions, these Men became bitter, traumatized, and disillusioned. Eventually, Zeus and his allies won, and in so doing set about changing the nature of the world, its climate, and the seasons. Those who had dared to anger him by siding with the Titans or refusing to aid his cause found themselves punished and changed, cut off from their original nature.
Prometheus, appalled at what had become of his creations, tried repeatedly to save them from Zeus's unrealistic demands. First from the extreme sacrifices and offerings he demanded, and then from his domination of the Secret of Fire. However, this angered Zeus and ultimately brought both Prometheus to a terrible fate and Men to unmeasured suffering. For Zeus remembered the Monsters of old that had plagued Cronus, now grown more twisted and horrific for their generations of isolation and deprivation, and how naïve Prometheus's brother Epimetheus was. Zeus tricked Epimetheus into accepting a bride of his own creation, a beautiful creature and the first mortal woman who had been bestowed with all the gifts of Olympus; Anesidora. She had [i]also[/i] been given a cursed jar that contained a portal to the Abyss, a boundless curiosity, and a command not to open the former.
That she eventually opened the jar was inevitable. That the jar fused with her was less predictable. That event gave birth to the progenitor of the Mimics and their kin. And also to the first Demon Lord, now called Pandora. Driven to madness and spewing forth an army of Monsters, Pandora triggered the first iteration of the Great Cycle... and also utterly destroyed the original Men, ending the Golden Age. Pandora and the souls of Epimetheus's children were preserved in their own ways; the latter in a divine slumber removed from their bodies, the other by trapping her in a pocket of the Abyss where she endlessly spawned more Monsters. The souls of the First Men would eventually be restored to flesh and blood through Pandora's reincarnated daughter Pyrrha, where they would become the Elves. However, the divisions that Zeus had placed upon their souls remained, marking them as separate peoples.
[size=125][u]Vernal[/u][/size]
An Elvish ethnicity that lives a semi-nomadic lifestyle close to nature, preferring equatorial climes. They are known for inhabiting dense jungles and tropical rainforests throughout the world, and also for their skill at navigating small craft using the sun and stars. Vernal Elves are relatively small in stature; they tend to be short and slender, with the long, pointed, expressive ears of common to Elves in general. They tend towards light brown skin colors, though their hair color can run the gamut from fair to dark, as can their eyes. They tend to remain near sources of fresh water or the sea, and many dwell in permanent or semi-permanent coastal communities, rotating between them and inland settlements during the Wet and Dry seasons.
Tribal by nature, these Elves hold vague recollections of the way they originally lived in the Golden Age and seek to emulate it. The magic of the land, sea, and sky is strong in them, inviting them to live as one with the world. Many pursue the Primal magics of Shamanism, Druidism, and the arts of Hunter, Ranger, and Shifter. They tend towards gerontocratic societies ruled by elders, but lead by a chieftain that is usually a prominent hunter or warrior.
Vernal Elves are more fecund than their other kin, and are prone to travelling when their numbers grow too large to be supported by the local environment; some will remain, while a splinter tribe will leave for new territory. This means that they are among the most widespread of Elves. Yet they tend to be reclusive and unwilling to interact with outsiders for anything other than trade. That said, they are not likely to attack outsiders, either. At least so long as no hostile intent is shown. They are also somewhat more libidinous than their kin, and less likely to form lasting relationships beyond physical dalliances; their communities raise children collectively rather than as a nuclear family. As such, it's not uncommon for outsiders who interact with a community of Vernal Elves may find themselves welcome in a hammock or two.
Vernal Elves eschew most metal weapons and armor; they don't normally bother with the skill to craft them. That said, they're not above using them so long as there's not religious taboo against it in their personal creed.
[size=125][u]Autumnal[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Hibernal[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Estival[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Dawn[/u][/size]
An Elvish ethnicity that can be seen as atavistic, they hearken back to the origins of the Race during the Golden Age. Tall, regal, androgynous in both genders, with lithe, slender builds, Dawn Elves are fair-skinned, fair-haired, and pale of eye, with long, tapering ears ending in points that are able to shift, flex, and move to better hear their surroundings. Or express their emotions.
Deeply in tune with the Mana of the world around them, they have a natural affinity for magic of all kinds, but are most drawn to the Arcane. Some still bear the scars of the Titanomachy on their souls in the form of illusory sensations and phantom recollections that bring provide insights into the battle techniques of that ancient conflict. Dawn Elves are most strongly associated with Zeus, and so they often have an affinity for the sky and storm magic; in their first lives they sided with the gods, and bear a fragment of the power wielded in that ancient conflict still.
Dawn Elves are a severe, restrained people. Their society mixes one of great scholarly interest with an almost militaristic attitude that would make them great expansionists were they not so isolationist in their view of outsiders. Dawn Elves tend to look down on the other Races, including other Elves, as inferior, short-lived beings unworthy of their time or effort. To them, there's no merit in ruling over such beings. Or associating with them. Dawn Elves tend to dwell in and around Meropis, particularly in places of high altitude that brings them close to the sky and stars. They have a strong connection to the Holy Church of the Deudekatheon and the Order through their ancient service to the gods, and often find themselves in the upper echelons of the organization despite their common attitudes towards the other Races. This usually has more to do with a sense of obligation to the gods that allowed them to live again than a desire to tend to the masses.
Dawn Elves are an austere and restrained people who value the pursuit of perfection and view most endeavors as an artform that [i]can[/i] be. Their attire and architecture tends towards the classical, with fashions rarely changing over the centuries. They can often be seen as antiquated by modern standards and aesthetics, but are highly functional nonetheless.
Dawn Elf society is usually aloof and compartmentalized; large, multigenerational Houses exist in palatial complexes that are built up and added to over time, with each family keeping to its own and only interacting with others through intra-House organizations. These are usually oriented towards governance of the community, security, record-keeping, research, study, and discourse. Their culture is, in many ways, aimless. They are less oriented as a people towards innovation as they are towards simple understanding, and are generally hostile to change. Slow to breed and usually via arranged marriages, Dawn Elves always seem to give the impression of a Race near extinction... and yet they always hang on, unmoved and unmovable.
[size=125][u]Dusk[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Sea[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Dark[/u][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Dwarves[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][u]Hill Dwarves[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Mountain Dwarves[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Shield Dwarves[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Cliff Dwarves[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Deep Dwarves[/u][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Halflings[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Half-Elves[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Half-Dwarves[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Elflings[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Halfmen[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Half-Orcs[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Genasi[/u][/b][/size]
A race descended from Men of antiquity who practiced a type of now-forbidden Elemental Covenant commonly called the Blood Sin, Genasi are beings of flesh and blood. However, the raw power of the Elements courses through their veins. Manifesting as faintly luminous patterns on their skin, in their eyes and hair, and in odd pigmentation and structure in all of these, Genasi show their heritage in their bodies. Their Auras, too, often influence their forms in strange ways, so that parts of their forms seem to be made of the element at times, or to manifest around them in unnatural ways.
Though the Blood Sin is widely believed to have passed into the pages of history, its products continue to influence its current narrative. 
[size=125][u]Flameheart[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Stoneheart[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Breezeheart[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Ichorheart[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Graveheart[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Pyreheart[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Mistheart[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Waveheart[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Smokeheart[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Mireheart[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Iceheart[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Stormheart[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Magmaheart[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Steamheart[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Dustheart[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]AshenHeart[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Saltheart[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Ironheart[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Flareheart[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Nullheart[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Sinheart[/u][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Aasimar[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][u]Godborn[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Idyllkin[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Angelkin[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Lawbringers[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Musetouched[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Plumekith[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Emberkin[/u][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Tieflings[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][u]Sealbound[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Faultspawn[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Grimspawn[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Foulspawn[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Pitborn[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Hellspawn[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Spitespawn[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Shackleborn[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Hungerseed[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Motherless[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Beastbrood[/u][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Kindred[/u][/b][/size]
A Race of Man that originated in antiquity but rose to actual prominence during the Blood Reign, a period of time when vampires dominated much of the mountains and valleys that comprise Eastern Thule's eastern territories. Most trace their ancestry to the Nobles and Spawn that served as the ruling class of the territory mingling with the chattel that was the Bloodbound, but other ethnicities were found throughout the territory and are represented.
Kindred originally filled a role akin to an elevated slave caste in their original society; the bastard children of nobility, begotten on the bodies of slaves, who were in turn expected to help rule over their Human parents. They found themselves performing a number of tasks based on their merits, but never had any real capacity to rise in the ranks. Trapped in a cycle of hating abusing one parent Race and slaving away to another, devoid of hope for anything better, the Dhampir of the Blood Reign were bitter, spiteful, and wallowed in anguish or gave in to madness and depravity.
At least, until the Order reached out to those lands with iron and flame. Seeing an opportunity, the Kindred turned on the masters and helped the coming forces, earning a reputation as Vampire hunters and soldiers of great skill. Since those days, the Kindred have taken on a more benevolent vision of their Vampire predecessors' dominion. One that goes hand-in-hand with the Holy Church and has adopted many of its trappings and practices with their own local cultures and beliefs. The Kindred now live in harmony with the other Races of Man that inhabit the region.
Of some note, however, is the understanding that not all Kindred hail from Eastern Thule, nor were all of the lords of the Blood Reign Vampires. Many were other undead, or were served by other undead. As such, there are Kindred from other parts of the world... and also Kindred descended from things other than Vampires.
[size=125][u]Nightborn[/u][/size]
Kindred descended from Dhampir, they are the most common of their kind and are largely as one would expect of the Race. They have largely integrated into Bloodbound society, though they tend to be more austere and religious in their behavior.
[size=125][u]Daywalker[/u][/size]
Born with a natural affinity for the light of the Sun, Daywalkers suffer no great harm from it... but are perhaps not quite as powerful as others of their kind in other fields. As such, Daywalkers are among the most likely of all Kindred to pursue more conventional lifestyles and careers. Many can pass for Humans quite easily.
[size=125][u]Heartseeker[/u][/size]
Gifted with a natural talent for manipulating others, Heartseekers were often liaisons and interlocutors for their Vampiric rulers during the Blood Reign. However, they've since become common spokespersons, entertainers, and politicians. They have a natural gift for manipulating the minds of others.
[size=125][u]Bloodthirster[/u][/size]
Born with the full fangs of their undead forebears and a thirst for blood, but lacking the ability to draw sustenance from it, Bloodthirsters are a violent lot that tend to enjoy preying on others. They have developed something of a pseudo-culture; Bloodthirsters tend to pursue careers in the military or mercenary work.
[size=125][u]Bloodsin[/u][/size]
Those bearing the weight of their ancestors' sins, Bloodsin Kindred devoted themselves to expunging Vampires from the world for the sake of all others. A culture of religious zealots in many ways, they specialized in destroying the undead. Especially Vampires. However, the current state of the world has left them adrift as a people.
[size=125][u]Beastcaller[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Svetocher[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Ghoulkin[/u][/size]
Not descended from Vampires at all, but born of their Ghoul servitors, Ghoulkin Dhampir have razor-sharp teeth, long tongues, a bestial demeanor, and a hunger for meat that is uncharacteristic of other Kindred. They tend to be rather crass and vulgar. However, this can also make them surprisingly popular; they're no less intelligent for their rude behavior. Most prefer physical labor despite this; they tend to favor simple, easy lives rather than complex ones. Even if those might bring them greater power.
[size=125][u]Lichborn[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Wightson[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Ru-Shi[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Ajibachana[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Altblood[/u][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Hexborn[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][u]Annis[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Green[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Dune[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Ash[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Sea[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Blood[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Dusk[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Mute[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Storm[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Winter[/u][/size]
[size=125][u]Night[/u][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Beastkin[/u][/b][/size]
Not one of the original Races of Man at all, the origins of the Beastkin are shrouded in mystery. Some assert that this race began its existence when individuals who had been infected with Therianthropy and Entothropy were cured and then had children of their own, or whose peculiar constitutions somehow resisted these diseases or rendered them carriers of it. Others claim that transmutation magic like Beast Shape and Polymorph are to blame, citing randy Druids and Wizards, and the things such depraved individuals might do with Animal Companions and Familiars out of sight of their more right-minded kin. Still others claim that the Race first arose due to individuals regularly incorporating a transformative vegetable called Toe Beans into their diet. Regardless of whether they arose as a mutation, an ill-advised life choice, an act of degeneracy, or some combination of the three, Beastkin originated as Humans who have taken on physical characteristics not unlike those of Beastmen-Type Monsters. Unlike such Monsters, they lack the capacity to infect others with their condition, nor can the fully transform between an animal, a Common Race, and something in-between as many Beastmen with such abilities can. Instead, they are locked permanently into a Humanoid form with the capacity to partially transform into something more savage and primitive, gaining special powers at the cost of becoming less Human-like and more animalistic in thought and behavior while thus changed.
Beastkin originated with Humanity and the malleable Mana of that race, regardless of how they came to be. As such, they have overall Human proportions and carry the appearance of Human ethnicities, if not their particular capabilities. Their appearances are further modified by their animalistic characteristics; many could nearly pass for Beastmen. They often have animal-like ears and tails, short claws, animalistic teeth, are partially scaled, furred, feathered, or chitinous, and have animalistic eyes. Even their eye and hair color is sometimes akin to that of the animals they are associated with. And there are a truly wide range of animals that the race is connected to; Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, Fish, Arthropods like Insects and Arachnids, and even Dinosaurs. Further, these traits aren't always certain when it comes to lineages. It's common for Beastkin of a single family to share the same "ethnicity," but not absolute. Sometimes, an individual will be born with a different set of animal characteristics and no clear source for the change. This is especially common in lineages of Beastkin who've mixed with Beastkin with different animal traits. However, even then, this does not always explain why a certain animal's traits appear in a lineage; a Witchwolf and Nightskulk pair may birth a Dreamsight Beastkin despite neither parent having such in their ancestry. It can make tracking genealogies difficult at times.
Unlike most Races of Man, where the ethnicity reflects a distinctive culture, for Beastkin their ethnicity is instead a collection of abilities associated with particular animals. These aren't always the same animal, either. A Witchwolf could have the traits of a wolf, while another that of a dog, and another that of a jackal or hyena. One Razorclaw might resemble a tiger, while another resembles a baryonyx, and another might have the traits of a praying mantis or a crab.
Culturally, Beastkin tend to be a bit wilder and more simplistic than most Humans; they enjoy physical activities and tend to have relatively little interest in innovation on the whole. Most prefer agrarian lives or those of hunter-gatherers and reject the more rigid structures and sedentary lives common in more advanced societies. This tends to lead them to living on the fringes of other communities; Beastkin generally don't establish true nations of their own, instead grouping together with other Beastkin in tribes or living in near-harmony as part of other Races' communities. They have a reputation for being gruff and quick to anger, but this is more a stereotype than anything else. However, they do tend to feel somewhat out of place with other communities, and are often relegated to being second-class citizens. This further pushes them away. It doesn't help that there are often unsavory rumors and a wide range of myths about them that make the superstitious and uneducated of communities fearful of them.
Beastkin tend to shun magic that isn't tied to the natural world or married to physical action; they place a great deal of importance on the strength and health of the body and are often fearful of magic due to its historical use against them by cultures that mistook them for lycanthropes. As such, few pursue careers that involve more magical study than a Magus unless that magic is something like a Shaman or Druid's. They do, however, tend to have a love of song and dance; more than a few take up the path of the Skald and Bard.
Beastkin are surprisingly restrained in their sexuality, though they sometimes enter a state of Rut that's linked with their animal aspect and can disrupt this normal behavior. Beastkin usually reserve their intimacies for private places, though they aren't always as concerned about being heard or seen. The Race is known for its acute senses. Rather, this is an instinctive matter of protection and defense. Beastkin are sometimes quite loud in their lovemaking, but you'll likely never find one doing so out in the open. Unless, that is, they happen to be Rutting. In which case most will try to lock themselves behind closed doors with their partner, as the condition can cloud their judgment.
[size=125][u]Bloodmarked[/u][/size]
Associated with bats, mosquitoes, and other biting flies, Bloodmarked Beastkin have a natural talent for flying should they find the means, and exceptional senses. They can cloud the senses of others through an obscuring mist.
[size=125][u]Coldborn[/u][/size]
Associated with bears in particular, but also with certain other large-bodied animals, heavier beetles, and especially megafauna, Coldborn Beastkin are adept at relating to animals and allaying their emotions. They are also usually either excellent climbers, swimmers, leapers, or a bit faster in icy terrain than others.
[size=125][u]Ragebred[/u][/size]
Associated with boars, swine, and other territorial animals like ratels, badgers, and wolverines and certain particularly aggressive insects and dinosaurs
[size=125][u]Scaleheart[/u][/size]
Associated with large predatory reptiles, particularly crocodilians and monitor lizards, as well as many dinosaurs 
[size=125][u]Nightskulk[/u][/size]
Primarily associated with rats and other rodents, scavengers, as well as many insects like cockroaches
[size=125][u]Seascarred[/u][/size]
Associated with sharks and cetaceans, including dolphins, but also covering aquatic dinosaurs like the Mosasaur and Plesiosaurus, or the Ichthyosaur, 
[size=125][u]Fanglord[/u][/size]
Associated primarily with big cats like tigers and lions, but also with megafauna like smilodons, and with certain types of dinosaurs known for their acrobatics,
[size=125][u]Witchwolf[/u][/size]
Beastkin associated with wolves, canines, and pack hunting animals, including certain dinosaurs
[size=125][u]Aerieborn[/u][/size]
Associated with birds, especially predatory ones like hawks and eagles, as well as certain flying reptiles
[size=125][u]Beasthide[/u][/size]
Associated with animals, dinosaurs, and arthropods with thick hides, scales, or shells
[size=125][u]Broadwing[/u][/size]
Associated with larger birds and many flying reptiles like pterodactyls,  
[size=125][u]Dreamsight[/u][/size]
Associated with social animals like monkeys, apes, ants, bees, meerkats, and the like
[size=125][u]Junglerunner[/u][/size]
Associated with certain swift-footed animals, dinosaurs, and birds
[size=125][u]Longtooth[/u][/size]
Associated with animals, insects, and dinosaurs with powerful bites
[size=125][u]Raptorleap[/u][/size]
Associated primarily with theropod dinosaurs, but also some other jumping and pouncing animals, like rabbits for example,
[size=125][u]Razorclaw[/u][/size]
Associated with animals and other organisms with powerful claws
[size=125][u]Widetail[/u][/size]
Associated with many herbivorous dinosaurs and certain animals and insects that rely on a powerful tail for defense
[size=125][u]Gorebrute[/u][/size]
Associated with animals, invertebrates, and dinosaurs that rely on powerful horns for defense
[size=125][u]Longstride[/u][/size]
Associated with nimble, fast, agile creatures
[size=125][u]Cliffwalk[/u][/size]
Associated with animals that climb
[size=125][u]Swiftwing[/u][/size]
Associated with many flying organisms, but particularly birds, bats, and flying reptiles
[size=125][u]Truedive[/u][/size]
Associated with aquatic animals and invertebrates, 
[size=125][u]Wildhunt[/u][/size]
Associated with animals that have a keen sense of smell
[size=125][u]Winterhide[/u][/size]
Associated mostly with arctic animals and megafauna, particularly things like Bears, Mammoths, and the like
[size=125][u]Deathsting[/u][/size]
Associated with scorpions, vipers, various arthropods, and other creatures that use venomous bites, stings, and tendrils
[size=125][u]Grimhold[/u][/size]
Associated with animals and creatures that use crushing or strangling techniques to hunt, such as constrictor snakes
[size=125][u]Razorhide[/u][/size]
Associated with animals and other organisms that use spines, quills, spikes, and other pointed defensive measures
[size=125][u]Moltskin[/u][/size]
Associated with reptiles and arthropods primarily, Moltskin Beastkin are able to recover from injuries rapidly by shedding their skin.
[size=150][b][u]Kalashtar[/u][/b][/size]
Hailing from an alien world they call Kolob, the Kalashtar were not originally part of the Races of Man. They were the last remnants of a civilization that had been advanced through the development of Psionics and technology rather than magic, but in the process had drawn the attention of a pantheon of horrific, off-world deities now known as the Great Old Ones. These entities had clashed with the titanic, animalistic and saurian indigenous gods of Kolob, devastating the world and driving vast portions of the population to madness, transformation, and death. Those who could had fled to the stars, only to ultimately crash on Gaea during the latter half of the Third Age of Man. This was a time when the current Humanity, who would eventually be reincarnated as the Dwarves, had advanced dramatically and was beginning to stray from the worship of the gods. They were also beginning to face the first stages of a Great Cycle; the Demon Lord had appeared, and Monsters were beginning to organize for the first time in their history.
The Kalashtar made peaceful contact with these Proto-Dwarves and began to share their knowledge, teachings, and technologies with the natives. The Kalashtar also urged them to not forsake their deities, remembering well how their own gods had defended them against the Great Old Ones. However, the hubris of the Proto-Dwarves could not be shaken, and while the Kalashtar helped them to defeat the Demon Lord and her forces, they could not prevent the coming of two disasters. The first was the fact that their own enemies, the Great Old Ones, had followed them to Gaea. The second was that the gods of Gaea had seen fit to solve both the problem of those alien deities and their impudent creations with a catastrophic flood known as the Deluge. The Great Old Ones were sealed by the event deep beneath the sea and under the churned earth, but the Proto-Dwarves and the Kalashtar alike were destroyed as well. However, the gods were not unmoved by the Kalashtar's entreaties to their hosts to return to the gods. When the Deluge had ended and Deucalion and Pyrrha reincarnated the Races of Man to repopulate the world, the souls of the Kalashtar were among those reborn in this fashion, thus reshaping them into a Race of Man.
Kalashtar are a race possessed of natural Psionic talent and the ability to communicate with others through their minds alone. They resemble Humans in form and stature, and tend to have the physical traits of Human ethnicities. However, they often have faintly pointed ears, similar to an Elf, and their hair and eye colors are often more like those of gemstones and jewels than the common colors of other Races of Man. They are a widely distributed Race, but are most commonly found in Jambudvipa, Fusang, Zipangu, Shambala, Hawaiki, and Vinland, where they have tended to make communities around major deposits of crystals and what little ruins remain of the vessels they used to travel from Kolob to Gaea; the psychic impressions of these places resonate with their own mental powers.
----[size=200][b][u]MONSTERS, NOW AND THEN[/u][/b][/size]
[size=175][b][u]Monsters in Antiquity[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]The Origins of Monsters[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Monsters[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]The History of Monsters[/u][/b][/size]
[size=175][b][u]Monsters in the Modern Era[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Monsters and Ethnicity[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Monsters and Morphology[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Monsters and Mutations[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]By Birth[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Mana Mutations[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Evolutions[/u][/b][/size]
[size=175][b][u]Speculation on the Future of Monsters[/u][/b][/size]
----[size=200][b][u]BEASTS[/u][/b][/size]
Beasts are an unusual characteristic of the Wayfarer's Guide. They're one of it's biggest divergences from similar works, as well. They represent a very real threat to life and limb, both to the Races of Man and Monsters alike. Even the lesser Divinities, like Angels and their kin, have cause for concern with these creatures. They instinctively loathe civilization and the beings that produce it, going out of their way to ravage constructions and especially to slaughter sentient creatures. Only when all within their territory is turned to ruins and the people dead or fled do they calm themselves.
Beasts are, superficially, a sort of mutant organism. Animals of all varieties, including mammals, reptiles, arthropods, fish, birds, even things as simple as bacteria, can become Beasts. They usually grow to unnaturally large proportions, develop unusual colorations, grow aberrant natural armaments and defenses, assimilate the Mana of the environment and gain supernatural effects, and more. All are resistant to the effects of Taint, to the point that the Church prizes their corpses as resources for making weapons, armor, and tools that won't become corrupted and can still hold enchantment. The fact that the uncured hide of a Beast can often be just as protective (or more) as Full Plate should give you an idea. Beasts are savage, brutal, perceptive, resilient, and extremely aggressive. In many ways, they behave much like the more primitive Monsters of old, and somewhat curiously, those Monsters who have not changed their nature and behavior after Lilith's Ascension seem to be largely ignored by them.
Beasts are a relatively recent occurrence. They only appeared around fifty years ago, and remain, for the most part, on the fringes of civilization. Thankfully, they're also [i]relatively[/i] rare. They're almost never seen in cities or large towns. And when they do, they're usually small and comparatively weak. However, where civilization and the wild come into conflict, they arise in greater numbers. They grow in numbers, harrying the surrounding peoples, until eventually they are either destroyed or grow in such numbers or individual power that they begin attacking communities. Travelers lost on the roads. Children who strayed too close to the woods or the water. Merchant caravans torn to shreds. Homesteads vanished in the night, the buildings flattened. Patrolling soldiers butchered by tooth, claw, horn, and hoof. Eventually, entire villages and towns can be swallowed up by the threat of Beasts, to the point that they are sometimes referred to as a Plague in the frontiers. Most people live their lives without ever seeing one, safe behind sheltering walls and stalwart watchmen If you happen to be one of the unfortunates who do, odds are good you'll see more before too long.
No one is quite sure what's caused these creatures to appear in the world, though there are many theories. Among the Monsters, it's commonly thought to be the work of one or more gods that are displeased with the way Monsters now look and behave. Among the Church, it's officially a form of divine punishment for the sinful way the Races of Man have begun to turn from the gods in favor of Monsters, thus forsaking their souls and their sacred duties for earthly pleasures. Other theories, whispered by those not inclined to believe the official statements, suggest that it might be due to disruptions in Gaea's Mana, or the work of some mad Wayfarer, a vile Demon God, or something worse...
----[size=200][b][u]Common Flora and Fauna[/u][/b][/size]
[size=175][b][u]Mundane Flora[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Breast Nuts[/u][/b][/size]
[spoiler]Produced by a tree in the Oak family, these are also sometimes referred to as bollocks nuts. The names are derived from their tendency to grow twin-lobed shells with a nut in each which express a thin, white oil when pressed. The shells are especially fragile and easily crack when falling, helping to facilitate parasitic growth on the larger root network of a given forest, forming a sort of pseudo-rhizome.
The oil and meat of these nuts are faintly sweet and nutritious, and can be used to produce a milk-substitute that doesn't spoil for months even in extreme heat, making it ideal for travelers. The plant is widespread and features in many regional cuisines. It is also popular with animals; the nuts are a favorite of various rodents and are often fed to livestock like pigs, goats, and sheep.
[/spoiler]
[size=150][b][u]Devil's Member[/u][/b][/size]
[spoiler]An ominous-looking relative of the common cucumber, this plant has developed a curious and exploitable defense mechanism; it leaches salt and iron from the soil in order to render its rinds highly resilient and its fruit unpalatable. The plant grows in strange, irregular, knotty, phallic shapes with a color that ranges from rust red to purple in the same fruit.
Devil's Member can be used to make salty soil less so, can be sliced (with some difficulty) to serve as a source of salt in brining and pickling, and the pulp can be processed to create a usable salt. Goiters are blissfully rare thanks to this plant.
[/spoiler]
[size=175][b][u]Magical Flora[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Toe Beans[/u][/b][/size]
[spoiler]Any of a variety of related plants that may actually be the same species, virtually everything about this plant's name is a misnomer. This hardy relative of the capsicum family grows an uncharacteristically woody, thorny stalk of up to three feet in height, making it something of a giant in the family. Susceptible to frost, the plant thrives in warm, moist climates, but once established can survive as a perennial herb. The plant is edible, producing seed-filled berries that ripen from a near-black to a pale pink color and have distinctive formations that resemble the paw pads or other locomotive structures of various animals. It is from this similarity that the plant derives its common name.
It fruits throughout the growing season, but produces its largest yields during the early spring and late fall, immediately after and preceding its dormant state. It spreads primarily through the droppings of animals that consume these berries, though it can be cultivated. However, enzymes and Mana within the digestive tract of an animal are needed to allow the seeds to germinate. In order to facilitate this, its fruit produces an enticing scent that lures animals with a similar Mana signature to the plant itself. This signature is seemingly determined by what animal consumed the seeds, though rare cases of the plant yielding more than one scent and fruit-shape are not unheard of.
Toe Beans are known for their mild spiciness and subtle flavor; they have almost no capsaicin and the flesh has a mild sweetness and slightly savory flavor. When ripe, the flesh is soft and the outer rind easily consumed. The berry itself is nutritious and popular with a wide range of animals, including many that do not normally consume plants. However, they are frowned on as a foodstuff by most of the Races of Man due to their side-effects. The plant's oils, which are present both in its stalk's protective thorns (which themselves tend to vaguely resemble the claws and teeth of the animal whose Mana it aligns with) and in the fruit itself, have mutational properties. Animals of the aligned species experience temporary improvements in their overall health as the plant is digested. Theoretically, this aids in encouraging the animal to travel further afield from the parent plant. However, when consumed by another species, it can temporarily impart some of the characteristics of the aligned species to it. This normally results in temporary enhancement, much as if one had experience a Spell like [i]Bull's Strength[/i] or [i]Eagle's Splendor.[/i] They are, in fact, often used as ingredients in Potions with these effects. Excessive exposure, however, can cause physical transformations of the body. The sudden growth of fur, alteration in senses and perceptions, realignment and shape change of the ears, the growth of a tail, wings, or other appendages, and changes to the genitals are all known side-effects that may occur, though they are far from the only ones that have been reported or may occur. These effects are normally temporary and painless, if disconcerting. However, some individuals may experience an allergic reaction that causes these alterations to last from prolonged periods or become permanent. Worse, if the plant was grown in a Demon Realm or passed through the bowels of a Monster as its host, or otherwise contaminated with Demonic Energy, it may carry Taint and Monsterize individuals who consume it instead of merely altering their appearance and capabilities.
That said, some cultures do use the plant as more than a Potion-making component. In these cases, it's sometimes eaten recreationally for its transformative effects, used to create a topical paste or paint used to achieve localized transformations, or fermented into a liquor with more potent effects than the raw plant, and processed into a concentrated form whose effects are permanent. It is [i]also[/i] a favorite tool of pranksters and "Monster Hunting" charlatans. It has also been used in attempts to create hybridized animals, to varying degrees of success.
When encountering it in the wild, handle with extreme caution. The thorny "bark" of the stem carries the same properties as the fruit, potentially affecting those careless or unfortunate enough to stumble into patches of it.
[/spoiler]
[size=175][b][u]Mundane Fauna[/u][/b][/size]
[size=175][b][u]Magical Fauna[/u][/b][/size]
----[size=200][b][u]Geography of Gaea[/u][/b][/size]
[size=175][b][u]Continents[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Ultima Thule[/u][/b][/size]
A defunct continent, of a sort, it was shattered nearly three thousand years ago by the mystical power of a terrible Overlord whose sorcery flooded much of Atlantis (following a disaster of more Divine origin), and split the continent of now called Ultima Thule into three pieces. One of which was forced beneath the waves and now exists only as a scattering of mountaintops breaching the surface and islands that move unnaturally through the water and sky.
Ultima Thule is treated as something of a lost glory to much of modern Man, especially among Western Civilization where its influence was most strongly felt. The stories of its glory are more than a little exaggerated.
[size=125][b][u]Western Thule[/u][/b][/size]
A smaller continent that was once part of Ultima Thule, Western Thule is comprised of densely clustered islands of impressive size. Most are divided into smaller nations, though some are unified under a single banner. The land is generally cool to temperate and quite wet; rain and snow are common according to the season.
[size=125][b][u]Annwn[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Albion[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Alba[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Brittia[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Brasil[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Cymry[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Eire[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Midgard[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Vanaheim[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Central Thule[/u][/b][/size]
Little remains of what was once a land of hills, plains, and mountains; this land was ruined through the actions of a previous Overlord who unleashed terrible magic and volcanic forces, ravaging the land and driving most of it under the sea or afflicting it with strange curses and properties. What land does exist is often twisted in strange ways by magic; islands float through the air like clouds or drift on the waves in places, while ancient mountaintops erupt from the waters, spewing strange lava or standing as mute testimony to the horrors that Monsters can unleash.
Few tribes dare live in this place, and little of civilization can be found here, save ruins. However, there are some who would brave this place for the treasures of the past or the power of those who destroyed it.
[size=125][b][u]Gallia[/u][/b][/size]
The largest, and perhaps only [i]stable[/i] island in the Wandering Sea, Gallia is a small subcontinent in its own right. Geographically and meterologically diverse, this territory's southern tip is close to northwestern Meropis and became a bastion of the Holy Church relatively early in the religion's current formulation.
[size=125][b][u]Eastern Thule[/u][/b][/size]
A land that's naturally cool thanks to its dense forests and high elevation, Eastern Thule is an ominously beautiful place. Tall mountains and plunging valleys conceal calm rivers and ancient, still lakes. The shadows are long here, and the days short; the trees grow tall to catch the light and gloom clings to their feet as readily as lichen and moss. It is a land of dark things, of mystery, and strange shadows in the night.
[size=125][b][u]Scholomance[/u][/b][/size]
More properly known as Kogaionon, this subcontinent has come to be recognized more by the name of the nation that dominates most of its landmass. Scholomance's topography is dominated by towering mountains and plunging valleys carved by myriad fresh waterways, including the massive, slughish Kogaionon River. These fresh waters feed rich lowland peat swamps and flooded forests at their lowest and slowest surface points, and dense deciduous and evergreen forests at higher altitudes. These same waters have hollowed out a surprising amount of the territory, cutting vast, wet caverns and cave systems throughout Scholomance's central and northern territories, resulting in some surprising travel opportunities for those willing to brave territories rife with Beasts and Monsters. Scholomance's southern reaches decline in altitude, becoming forested hills and eventually giving way to sparser plains. The further south one travels, the more arid the land becomes, and the less suitable for farmland it becomes as the soil quality declines before giving way to mixed rocky and sandy beaches.
Scholomance's climate is surprisingly gloomy; the mountains in the north breed their own weather and happily dump it on the rest of the subcontinent when the larger weather patterns of the hemisphere are complicit. The northern territories are quite rainy, but this precipitation reaches the south less often due to the curves of the mountain ranges.
[size=125][b][u]Alemannia[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Baltia[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Biarmaland[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Kvenland[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Hyperborea[/u][/b][/size]
The second-largest landmass on Gaea, smaller only than Agartha, Hyperborea crowns the world as its northern pole. This vast, frigid land experienced a similar fate to its counterpart; where once it was a vibrant land, the end of the Golden Age saw it swallowed in ruinous ice. However, where the population of the southern pole was driven under, the natives of Hyperborea adapted to the cold and continue to live atop the tundra.
Geographically closer to other lands than Agartha, Hyperborea sometimes serves as a stopping point on voyages through the northern seas. Civilization there is relatively simple and quite difficult, but people manage. It's a hard place to live, but it makes for hard people.
[size=125][b][u]Akilineq[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Meropis[/u][/b][/size]
A large landmass resembling a crescent-shaped lagoon surrounding a massive inland sea, Meropis's climate varies quite extensively. Parts of it are arid and rocky, while others see heavy rainfall and cooler temperatures. Countless small, volcanic islands dot its inner sea and outer coasts. The land suffers frequent tremors and minor eruptions as Atlantis's tectonic plate continues to subduct beneath it.
Meropis is the heartland of the Church; the institution was founded in these lands and its preceding religions arose here as well. It is the center of worship for the Twelve Olympians, especially in the northern arch of the continent.
[size=150][b][u]Atlantis[/u][/b][/size]
Once a large island continent, much of Atlantis has fallen into ruin through a series of catastrophic disasters over the course of twenty years nearly three millennia ago. The first disasters were wrought by the folly of the land's own inhabitants; they had attempted to recreate a powerful weapon from the Bronze Age that they had uncovered, only for their attempts to trigger a terrible earthquake. When the gods sent oracles to warn those who dared to continue this pursuit, they were ignored, leading to divine punishment in the form of a volcano. However, the power and hubris of the Atlantean civilization was such that they withstood this onslaught... only to be destroyed by the catastrophic rise of an Overlord whose deeds were so terrible that all record of his name has been stricken from history.
What remains of Atlantis today is a much smaller island. Only about half of the original landmass remains. The floodplains and lowlands of the continent have been totally submerged, its highlands jutting from the waves as islands that even to this day are slowly sinking as the continent's tectonic plate is drive deeper and deeper beneath Meropis.
[size=125][b][u]Arcadia[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Antillia[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Hispania[/u][/b][/size]
A small, volcanic continent to the southwest of northern Meropis and south of Western Thule, Hispania is a rocky, mountainous place for much of its landmass, with fertile floodplains to the south and west that eventually give way to the sea. Atlantis lies far to the west and somewhat south of the continent.
While Hispania has fertile lands in its southern and western Trajan territory, many of its population centers are in the rockier northeast of Hadria, geographically closer to other continents. These are often situated in beautiful valleys that are protected from the worst the generally warm climate can bring to bear while still providing sufficient food.
While technically a volcanic island, one formed around a supervolcano no less, Hispania Mount Hadrian has been dormant for virtually the entirety of Human habitation. 
[size=150][b][u]Panchaia[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Irkalla[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Kafkuh[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Manu[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Greater Eden[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Lesser Eden[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Zerzura[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Nod[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Fusang[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Wu[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Shu[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Wei[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][u][b]Joseon[/b][/u][/size]
[size=125][u][b]Middag[/b][/u][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Shambhala[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Jambudvipa[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][u][b]Lanka[/b][/u][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Zipangu[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][u][b]Ezo[/b][/u][/size]
[size=125][u][b]Ryukyu[/b][/u][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Vinland[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Miskatonic[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Dixie[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Zarahemla[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Aztlan[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Beimini[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Paititi[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Elelin[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Lemuria[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Mu[/u][/b][/size]
A blasted continent suffused with magic from a series of successive supernatural events, much of Mu's landmass now floats above the surface of Gaea, while the rest remains scattered across the Atlantean Ocean. It is a place of strange magic, unnatural phenomena, deviant lifeforms, warped populations, countless gates to and manifestations of otherworldly realms, and alien gods and their cults. It is [i]also[/i] a land locked in nearly endless tribal warfare; the result of numerous conflicts triggered by outside forces and their resulting blood feuds.
[size=150][b][u]Hawaiki[/u][/b][/size]
Hawaiki is a long and widely-distributed chain of islands, mostly volcanic and equatorial, situated atop a massive tectonic plate.
[size=150][b][u]Altjira[/u][/b][/size]
One of the largest, densest landmasses on Gaea outsideof the poles, Altjira has a largely arid climate and terrain. Its seasons fluctuate between dry and rainy, with most of the latter falling on the coasts without reaching the desert center of the continent.
[size=150][b][u]Agartha[/u][/b][/size]
The largest single landmass on Gaea, Agartha's frozen mass covers the planet's southern pole. During the Golden Age, the mountains, plains, plateaus, and valleys of this land were a verdant, volcanic paradise. However, with the end of the Titans' rule, the land slowly froze over. What civilizations that once existed here have long-since been buried beneath thick sheets of ice and snow or forced into much smaller areas kept livable by geothermal activity. Most of its lakes and inland seas are solid as stone now, and only certain caves deep beneath the permafrost remain habitable throughout the outer mainland, the heat and light of vulcanism and the natural temperature control of the underground keeping the place livable. Places nearer the heart of the continent are more likely to be habitable, but only if one remains in around the continent's geothermal hotspots, vents, an volcanoes. Such areas are teeming with primeval life, from prehistoric mammals, birds, and reptiles, to long extinct plant life, all with virtually no human exposure, save a few primitive tribes imported by external forces. However, these areas are also home to some of the densest populations of Aberrations in the world; the Great Old Ones are influential here.
The degenerate or fading remnants of several alien races dwell here; most prominently the Serpentfolk and Elder Things, as do certain Great Old Ones slumbering beneath the ice or wandering the dense jungles of Muspelheim. Few Men visit this place, and fewer still call it home, but some among the Kalashtar, Beastkin, and even a rare few more cold-tolerant ethnicities of the more common Races have settled along the coasts. Various small, primitive tribes locked away from the world by miles upon miles of ice between them and the sea inhabit the hotter parts of the mainland's core. The most advanced civilizations of this land now lie underground, hiding in vast, labyrinthine networks of tunnels and chambers. Though perhaps only the Human descendants of the Serpentfolk can navigate these earthen mazes.
Agartha has come to be viewed as having four distinct "subcontinents," though each are largely connected to the others.
[size=125][b][u]Niflheim[/u][/b][/size]
The majority of Agartha's mainland surface, Niflheim is a seemingly endless expanse of ice and snow stretching from the coast inland for miles on end. Massive glaciers riddled with crevasses, ice caves, and canyons cover virtually all of Niflheim. Ancient ruins entombed in ice and snow lie deep beneath this surface layer, and deeper still, the vast network of caves that is Deep Agartha.
[size=125][b][u]Muspelheim[/u][/b][/size]
Heated by an extensive network of geothermal vents, volcanic hotspots, mounts, lava tubes, and fault lines, Muspelheim is freakishly warm for its extremity. Rich soil and fresh water from its own cyclic climate feed a complex and self-contained ecosystem that has changed little over millions of years. Prehistoric megafauna prowls this landscape, sharing it with primitive tribes of Man and Monster who have long-since degenerated from their ancient civilizations into their current state.
Whereas Niflheim represents the outer reaches of Agartha, Muspelheim is its jagged, molten heart. This irregularly-shaped network of valleys, mountains, rivers, lakes, streams, and caves is hemmed in on all sides by towering glaciers. The further one travels from the centers of volcanic activity, the colder the territory becomes. The whole area is quite moist due to the extreme temperature differences and their impact on the water cycle, creating rainforests ranging from hot to temperate to cold, including several cloud forests.
[size=125][b][u]Deep Agartha[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u][/u][/b][/size]
[size=175][b][u]Bodies of Water[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Oceans[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Cimmerian Ocean[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Vaalbaran Ocean[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Uran Ocean[/u][/b][/size]
[size=115][b][u]The Dark of Ur[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Superian Ocean[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Sclavian Ocean[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Arctican Ocean[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Columbian Ocean[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Rodinian Ocean[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Pannotian Ocean[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Gondwanan Ocean[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Seas[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Lakes[/u][/b][/size]
[size=175][b][u]Heavenly Bodies[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Satellites of Gaea[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Cynthia[/u][/b][/size]
Gaea's version of Luna, Cynthia is near-identical counterpart of Earth's own moon... if one overlooks the presence of various Divinities there, the slowly expanding labyrinth of the Cronusian Behemoth Zameydha, and a range of aliens who've come to settle it.
[size=125][b][u]Nibiru[/u][/b][/size]
The Bloody Eye, Nibiru is, or maybe [i]was[/i] a small rogue planet that was plucked by unnatural force from its origin and dragged across the gulfs of space to its current location. Nibiru was once known as Kolob, the birthplace of the people who would eventually become the Kalashtar. However, it was found by the horrors that are the Great Old Ones and ultimately remade in their own image. Nibiru was used as a great vessel by its new masters in pursuit of those who escaped them, chasing the proto-Kalashtar to Gaea before being forestalled by the gods. Nibiru is a horrifying expanse of tumescent flesh and growth, with much of its surface and substance integrated into some unknown lifeform or otherwise purged of life as rocky expanses. The natural flora and fauna that once inhabited Kolob have all been mutated and transformed, evolved to live in this amalgamated expanse by the horrible gods that now rule it.
With an atmosphere dense in clouds of spores and organic vapors, and vast "waterways" rich, black ichor, lymph, blood, bile, and other fluids, this moon-sized planet often resembles a vast red eye in the sky above Gaea. Looking at it overlong is said to stir creativity, psionic power, and especially madness... and also that it's the source of most Aberrations.
[size=125][b][u]Oliblish[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]Marcab[/u][/b][/size]
A glittering ring of debris that encircles Gaea, these mysterious stones sometimes fall to the planet's surface as shooting stars, bringing with them strange materials and artifacts. Marcab is home to a vast range of eerie and dangerous off-world creatures, including more than a few would-be conquerors from other planets kept at bay by the gods.
[size=150][b][u]Other Spheres[/u][/b][/size]
[size=175][b][u]Planes of Existence[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]The Material Plane[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]The Shadow Plane[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]The Ethereal Plane[/u][/b][/size]
[size=125][b][u]The Astral Plane[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]The Inner Planes[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]The Outer Planes[/u][/b][/size]
[size=175][b][u]Otherworlds, Demonrealms, and Demiplanes[/u][/b][/size]
[size=150][b][u]Wonderland[/u][/b][/size]
----[b][u][size=200]THE CLASSES AND THEIR ROLES IN GAEA[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=175]Final Fantasy D20 Classes[/size][/u][/b]
While there are certain distinctions between the various Third-Party elements employed in the Wayfarer's Guide, the content from Final Fantasy D20 is among the most integral. The Isekai aspect of the setting, the [i]most[/i] wish-fulfillment-oriented element of it in many respects, demand the use of the Freelancer Class and its ability to customize basic statistics and Class Features to reflect modern Humans on Earth. That many of the more conventional Classes [i]also[/i] fit well in the setting without being completely redundant is a nice bonus. However, the system they come from employs a few things that don't quite line up with the Wayfarer's Guide and thus have to be changed. So, let's get right to it.
[b][u][size=150]Limit Breaks and Job Points[/size][/u][/b]
Limit Breaks are the first real problem with the Final Fantasy content. Those don't exist in the Wayfarer's Guide. I might change my mind at some point, but that would mean adding Limit Breaks to every Class or letting everyone pick one. Something. I'm not sure what, at this point but the simplest choice is to just say that they don't function at all. However, these Classes were built and balanced with the assumption that such things are functional.
The answer I came up with was to just let everyone customize their FFD20 Class choices with JP in the same fashion as the Freelancer; all FFD20 Classes gain an extra 10 Job Points per Limit Break they have that they can spend on Class Features at 1st Level as if they were a Freelancer. They're still restricted by the same limits as a Freelancer; they can't spend JP on abilities that come from Levels higher than 1st and they pay for these Features at the same rate as a Freelancer. For most characters, this is 20 JP worth of Features, but if they're a Wayfarer, Hero, or Proto-Hero with nothing but Final Fantasy Classes in Gaea, it can be more.
Yes, this means that Freelancers, who would normally get 10 extra JP at 1st Level, even if they're pre-Isekai Wayfarers on Earth. But there's more to that ahead...
[b][u][size=150]Job Points, Earthling Freelancers, and Rounding Up[/size][/u][/b]
Freelancers normally gain +1JP as a Favored Class bonus regardless of a character's Race. However, this only takes effect at 10th Level... not so much here. Freelancer essentially doesn't exist as a Class in Gaea; most everyone follows a more conventional path in their advancement, but Earthlings all have it as their Class. When they get Isekai'd to Gaea, what normally doesn't manifest until 10th Level triggers... and is rounded up to the nearest 10. Therefore, even someone with only one Freelancer Level automatically gains 10 JP upon Isekai, and someone with a Level between 11 and 20 gets 20 JP. This is on top of the extra JP from not having a Limit Break.
[b][u][size=150]Magic Point Conversion[/size][/u][/b]
Both Final Fantasy D20 and the Wayfarer's Guide use Magic Points. However, the point values aren't the same. Final Fantasy Classes have roughly half of the MP of standard Pathfinder and D&D Classes. The way that system counts the costs of spells is different as well. For characters, the simplest way to MP is to look at a corresponding Class with a similar casting progression and use their MP per day. Actual conversions are more complicated mathematically and not really worth digging into.
[b][u][size=150]Final Fantasy D20's Spell Costs in Wayfarer's Guide[/size][/u][/b]
Due to how Final Fantasy D20 handles MP, the costs for its spells aren't right. Instead of using the costs presented in the system, each costs an amount of MP equal to (2xLevel)-1. This is the same formula used to determine how many Magic Points a Spell Slot breaks down into, so you should be familiar with it by now.
[b][u][size=175]Magic Points and the Spheres of Power[/size][/u][/b]
The Spheres series of books present a comprehensive magic system meant to supplement that of Pathfinder's core game with something more flexible. More versatile. However, the way it manages its Magic Points is fundamentally different; one per Character Level, plus one per point of Casting Modifier. These Classes have almost no MP... and have virtually no use for it, either. Most of their magic is treated as a sort of Skill rather than a Spell and doesn't consume MP in the first place. Only exceptional uses do so.
In the context of this setting, that doesn't work so well. But I don't feel I have the expertise to come up with a good answer for it without rejecting these Classes altogether... which I don't want to do. So here is my horrible, terrible explanation and its subsequent mechanics; the magical energy used by Spheres Classes is a more refined form of Mana than is employed by other Classes. Sphere users have developed a system of magic that relies on the ambient energies of the world to achieve their results, but this means that they must refine their own energies in a way that emulates that of the world itself, called Sphere Points. This takes time and focus. Their normal supplies of this energy can be supplemented somewhat by refining their natural MP derived from other Classes or their Magic Dice, but they must take the time to do so. A character can condense one Sphere Point from ten MP over the course of ten minutes of uninterrupted concentration... or as a Full-Round Action by attempting a Concentration Check against a DC of 10+the number of points to create, modified for beneficial or detrimental circumstances. However, failing on this Check causes the MP to be expended with no benefit.
[b][u][size=175]Class List[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Adept[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Aegis[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Agent (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
Primarily associated with the noble Houses and various Clans throughout Church territories, as well as merchant and thieves guilds, Agents are something akin to the Western version of a Ninja. Unconcerned with mystical powers, but able to employ martial arts to a reasonable degree, Agents a spies, thieves, saboteurs, and assassins that normally serve the interests of others.
[b][u][size=150]Alchemist[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Antipaladin[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Arcanist[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Archer (Final Fantasy D20)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Archivist[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Ardent[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Aristocrat[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Armiger[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Armorist[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Armsman (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
Most who pursue the martial arts find their own favored weapons and techniques, focusing on common, simple choices that are brutal in their efficiency. Armsmen, however, are consumed with the study of weapons and their applications in their own right, never settling and instead seeking a mastery of all. Formidable and unpredictable, virtually anything can become lethal in their hands, no matter how impractical they may appear.
[b][u][size=150]Artificer[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Ascetic (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
Some pursue monastic traditions that hone the body and mind into a state of near-perfection for its own sake. Others, however, seek these practices as a matter of faith. Such individuals find themselves mixing the martial arts commonly associated with the Monks of the East and the Divine Magic of Priests and Clerics from the West. Such individuals are known as Ascetics.
[b][u][size=150]Astrologian (Final Fantasy D20)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Avenger (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
Some martial artists pursue their craft as a method of self-perfection or a weapon of war. However, some take it up as a tool for their faith, becoming enforcers of their scriptures and laws. Especially when those happen to be deviant in nature.
[b][u][size=150]Barbarian[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Bard[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Battle Scion[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Battledancer[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Beastmaster (Final Fantasy D20)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Beguiler[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Blacksmith[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Bloodrager[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Brave (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
There are many cultures in the world. Their champions take just as many shapes. Braves hail from cultures with a strong tie to the natural world, mingling martial prowess and primal forces into one deadly combination.
[b][u][size=150]Brawler[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Brigand (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
Falling somewhere between a Rogue and a Fighter, and yet more technical in their approach to combat than either, Brigands are often self-taught martial artists who specialize in intimidating their foes into submission and fighting hard, dirty, and skillfully when that fails.
[b][u][size=150]Cavalier[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Champion (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
Some people seek out fame and glory for their own sake. Others have it thrust upon them. Champions belong in the latter; people who find themselves having to adapt to the needs of others because of their own exceptional potential. Champions aren't usually fully trained, instead relying on a combination of untapped talent, natural ingenuity, instinct, and dumb luck.
[b][u][size=150]Chronomancer (Final Fantasy D20 Time Mage)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Chronodiver[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Cleric[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Commander (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Commoner[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Conscript (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Constable (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Contender (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Courtier (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Crusader[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Cryptic[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Daevic[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Dancer (Final Fantasy D20)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Dilettante (Final Fantasy D20 Red Mage)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Divine Mind[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Dread Necromancer[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Dread[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Druid[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Eclipse[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Elementalist[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Eliciter[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Empiricist[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Engineer (Final Fantasy D20)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Erudite[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Euphoric[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Evolutionist (Final Fantasy D20 Blue Mage)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Executioner (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Expert[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Factotum[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Favored Soul[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Fey Adept[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Fighter[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Freelancer (Final Fantasy D20)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Gambler (Final Fantasy D20)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Geomancer (Final Fantasy D20)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Gladiator (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Graverobber (Final Fantasy D20 Necromancer)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Guardian (Final Fantasy D20 Knight)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Gunslinger[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Guru[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Harbinger[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Healer[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Hedgewitch[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Hunter[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Illusionist (Final Fantasy D20)[/size] [/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Incanter[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Incarnate[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Inquisitor[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Investigator[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Jester[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Jockey[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Kineticist[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Knight-Errant (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Lancer (Final Fantasy D20 Dragoon)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Lurk[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Mageknight[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Magewright[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Magus[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Malafex[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Marauder (Final Fantasy D20 Gunbreaker)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Mariner (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Marksman[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Marshal[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Medic[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Medium[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Mentalist (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Mesmerist[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Miko (Final Fantasy D20 White Mage)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Minstrel (Final Fantasy D20 Bard)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Monk[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Mystic Archer[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Mystic[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Necrocarnate (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Necroscope (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Nexus[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Nihilist[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Ninja[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Noble  (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Occultist[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Oracle[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Outdoorsman (Spell-Less Ranger)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Oversoul[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Paladin[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Paramour[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Pathoturge (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Priest[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Prodigy[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Psion[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Psychic Warrior[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Psychic[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Psychonaut (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Psyphon (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Radiant[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Rageblade (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Rajah[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Ranger[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Ravager (Final Fantasy D20 Black Mage)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Reaver (Final Fantasy D20 Dark Knight)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Rogue[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Runesage (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Sage[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Samurai[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Savage  (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Savant[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Scholar[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Scout[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Seeker (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Sentinel[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Shadowcaster[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Shaman[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Sharpshooter (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Shifter[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Shinobi (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Skald[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Skin-Changer[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Slayer[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Soldier (Final Fantasy D20 Fighter)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Sorcerer[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Soul Weaver[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Soulborn[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Soulknife[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Spellbinder[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Spellthief[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Spirit Shaman[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Spiritualist[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Stalker[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Striker[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Strategist (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Successor[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Summoner[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Surgeon (Final Fantasy D20 Medic)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Swashbuckler[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Swordsage[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Symbiat[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Tactician[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Technician[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Tempter (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Thane (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Thaumaturge[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Theurge[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Thief (Final Fantasy D20)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Tinkerer[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Totemist[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Trickster[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Troubadour[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Vigilante[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Vitalist[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Vizier[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Voyager[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Warblade[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Warden[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Warder[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Warlock[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Warlord[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Warmage[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Warmind[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Warpriest[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Warrior[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]White Necromancer[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Wilder[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Witch[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Wizard[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Yojimbo (New Class)[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Zealot[/size][/u][/b]
[b][u][size=150]Zodiac[/size][/u][/b]
----See, there's a bit of reasoning for that in setting, but it's not really addressed in this work. Probably won't be later on in it, either. I might write one that does, however, but if that's the case, the main character would likely be an actual Wayfarer from Earth and not just someone native to Gaea. The latter are already immersed in it as normal, so only someone who's led an extremely sheltered, or just very impoverished, life would be unaware of it.
The grade system reflects both the setting's internal logic in how magical energy is handled and the relative difficulty associated with binding it to objects, [i]and[/i] the game mechanics that underpin much of Gaea's "Common Sense." Mana, the vital force that fuels supernatural abilities, is abundant, but making it actually do what you want or stay where you put it takes a degree of skill; the more energy you're manipulating, the more you can accomplish, but the harder it is to actually do so and the longer it takes. Speed and efficiency can be improved with training and preparation, but the actual amount of energy needed to accomplish major feats doesn't change. Everyone and everything has some measure of this energy, but most creatures never learn how to do more than one or two tricks with it. 
Of note, that's not just limited to [i]people.[/i] This is a world where the average squirrel in a tree, if pissed off enough, can magically fire a walnut or a rock at you with greater destructive force than a slingshot. Mana suffuses everything, even inanimate objects. This energy constantly leaks and flows and mingles, is absorbed, produced, and released. If it's in a high enough ambient volume in an area, it can condense into a crystal lattice, forming Mana Crystals that are called different things based on the properties of the energies that make them up. The Elementite mentioned in recent chapters is an example of this.
Wrangling this constantly moving energy takes keen awareness, knowledge, and technical skill. With the rise of the interconnected, international network of Adventurer's Guilds in the current Iron Age of Man, a sort of unofficial system for ranking magically enhanced objects came into use that reflected the difficulty, and by extension rarity, of producing such works. As this spread from Adventurers to the common folk, it became truly widespread, and is generally understood by anyone who has a reason to deal in magically enhanced products. Certain tricks and techniques have also become widespread and commonplace when it comes to crafting magical items; specific Enchantments, common Modifications that are mundane in nature but are distinct enough to be named. These things are easier to produce than new effects created whole-cloth; they're a product of rote learning, akin to recipes that, if followed, will always yield the same results. Those end up named, and the names generally become common knowledge. With magic as widespread and commonly employed as it is, a world where literally everyone of average mental capability knows [i]at least[/i] one minor magical trick (usually [i]Prestidigitation,[/i] because [i]not[/i] knowing it is a tragic inconvenience when it comes to hygiene, cleaning, and food preparation), people aren't normally wowed by a magical, flaming sword. It's [i]almost[/i] ordinary. Your average peasants don't see it, cross themselves, and hide behind locked doors. They see it and note that it's stupidly expensive, while also wondering why the hell someone has it out of its sheath. They're not going to be afraid because it's magic, they're going to worry because someone with enough money to buy it has it out in the open.
Spellcasting is similar in this regard. Mages aren't really an extraordinary thing in Gaea. As mentioned, most everyone knows a magic trick or two. These are often handed down in families, taught from parent to child and pertaining to important life skills, career needs, or just practicality; most people who have enough mental acuity to pick up more than one spell take an offensive Cantrip for self-defense. After all, the world is dangerous. Most magic is rote learning; perfected recipes and structures taught in academies, colleges, apprenticeships, and clerical studies, handed down from parent to child, or even just shared among particularly clever groups of childhood friends, among a host of other sources of the knowledge. There are traditions that eschew this; those that deal with the raw fabric of reality, the core building blocks that conventional spells were built from, with self-reflection and realization, with pacts and contracts, musical tones, strange artifacts, the secret names of things, the underpinning structures of the material world and the planes, and even the raw substance of souls themselves. However, these traditions are less common and more closely guarded or more unique to the individual, as Col's Pyrokinesis is. For most everyone else, magic is all about spells, and spells are almost always things with specific names that many people will have heard of even if they don't know how they work or how to do them.
This ends up creating a situation where people like Col and Rhian treat magic as a relatively unremarkable facet of their lives. After all, it is. It's their normal. As a current and former Guild member, describing items based on the amount of Mana put into them and the ways it's been used to improve them is actually normal. It seems jarring, but really it's no different from someone in the real world looking at a power tool and analyzing the craftsmanship, the grade of the materials used to make it, taking note of its battery life and charging system, noting its structure and design... to natives of Gaea, magical qualities and traits are normal and understood in their own common terminology.
From the game side of things, it's simpler; the grades are used to represent the level of magical enhancement an item has, or its overall quality. This should help give you a general idea on how these things are viewed in the setting. The natives of Gaea don't have concepts like +1 or +2 when it comes to equipment, but they [i]do[/i] understand that there's a real difference in quality and performance between grades of items.
[list]
[*][b][u]Poor:[/u][/b] Poor quality items are exactly what you'd expect; substandard pieces of junk that barely do what they're supposed to. Obviously, people only intentionally make these when they don't have the right materials, are bad at making them, or screwed up somewhere in the process.
[*][b][u]Mundane:[/u][/b] Ordinary goods with not special magical properties. They have magical energy in them, sure. Everything does. But it's not actually [i]doing[/i] anything. Mundane items can't handle an enchantment of any sort; they're just not structured to have extra energy poured into them. Attempting it would destroy the object.
[*][b][u]Masterwork:[/u][/b] Masterwork items are exceptionally well made, but aren't inherently magical. Due to how common Artificers and other skilled craftsmen are in this setting, it's actually pretty easy to get Masterwork items. As they are, they can hold magical energy and be made into more powerful items, unlike lesser grades.
[*][b][u]Masterpiece:[/u][/b] Technically, Masterpiece is just a form of Masterwork, but it's a distinction made for a reason. Masterpiece items have one or more Modifications put on them. These are mundane alterations in their design that improves their performance in various ways, from putting an edge on a weapon that's normally only good for thrusts to creating armor that's easier to cast spells in. These Modifications cost money, and not everyone knows all of these tricks... but most craftsmen know at least a few. Especially in their field of expertiese. As with Masterwork items, these can be magically enhanced.
[*][b][u]Minor:[/u][/b] Minor items are a bit unusual; they're [i]also[/i] technically a form of Masterwork item. However, unlike ordinary Masterwork and Masterpiece items, Minor items have had some kind of magical effect placed on them. Minor Enhancements, as they're called, often draw on and emulate the properties of Cantrips, Orisions, Knacks, Psionic Talents, and even Basics (a sort of Zero-Level "Spell" for the martial artists known as Initiators, which happens to include most everyone except truly dedicated spellcasters and utterly unremarkable "NPC" types in this setting). There are a number of others as well, like Rhian's [i]Leavened[/i] Armor (which is an Enchantment that reduces the weight of the armor). A Masterwork can hold one Minor Enchantment without having to be reforged to a better grade. More than that will need a better made item.
[*][b][u]Common:[/u][/b] Common items are, as the name suggests, pretty common. They've been infused with Mana beyond their norm due to the way they were manufactured, increasing their performance and allowing them to hold more Enchantments. These are equivalent to a +1 item in Dungeons & Dragons parlance. They can take up to two Minor Enchantments, and one Common Enchantment. The item must go up a grade to take an additional Minor Enchantment (one grade for each additional of these) or Common enhancement. This trend continues going forward.
[*][b][u]Uncommon:[/u][/b] Uncommon items are roughly equivalent to a +2 item. This is about the most you're going to see come out of your average craftsman in this setting. More than this generally reflects exceptional skill or materials. These can have up to three Minor Enchantments and up to a total of +2 other Enchantments. That trend will continue, as suggested before.
[*][b][u]Rare:[/u][/b] These are hard to find, but [i]can[/i] be bought or commissioned. They're the kind of item that a shop displays with pride and that no one ever seems to actually buy. They're equivalent to a +3 item.
[*][b][u]Extraordinary:[/u][/b] Equivalent to a +4 item, Extraordinary items are really hard to come by. They're normally hoarded by people with a lot of wealth and power and aren't likely to see the light of day very often. Odds are good if someone's using one, they're pretty important.
[*][b][u]Legendary:[/u][/b] Equivalent to a +5 item, Legendary is a tier reserved for the works of smiths who'd be described with the word. More seriously, it takes a huge amount of skill to shape an item of this quality, to bind the Mana into it and keep it there... especially without using exceptional materials like Adamantine, Mythril, or Orihalcum that are naturally adept at storing Mana. Legendary items are fabulously expensive and can normally only be obtained from master artisans for literal fortunes. Some can be found in ruins of bygone eras, especially the Bronze Age, when the Men of that Age accomplished feats of magic and technology that frightened even the gods and whose ultimate rebellion against the latter resulted in the Deluge that destroyed their civilization and paved the way for the current Age.
[*][b][u]Exalted:[/u][/b] Equivalent to a +6 item, Exalted items are the stuff of legend and folklore. Virtually no one alive today outside of a rare few Heroes, people literally blessed by the gods, can produce something like this. Artifacts, as Dungeons & Dragons uses the term, are more or less in this category as well, with the exception of relatively minor ones. You can't really [i]buy[/i] these; they're like a national treasure and in cases where the bearer doesn't have the power to actually protect it, are often quite secret. Weapons of Legacy sometimes fall into this category.
[*][b][u]Mythic:[/u][/b] Unlike the other categories, most people aren't really fully aware this one is a thing. Basically, only Heroes, Wayfarers, royalty, dedicated scholars, and powerful entities like Divinities, Demon Lords and Kings, and other prominent non-humans are privy to this knowledge. Mythic items can only be made by Mythic beings, creatures with a literal spark of the Divine in them. This includes Heroes, Wayfarers, Divinities, and other extremely powerful beings. However, compared to the total size of the world's population, these are stupidly uncommon categories, and relatively few among them has the requisite skill and interest to make Mythic items. The powers of Mythic Items are often insane; they're literally god-like at times. The armaments of the gods themselves are Mythic items of varying levels of power, which should give you an idea of the potency of these things. It should go without saying that buying one is a ridiculous notion.
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Adventurers and Heroes took to using this terminology over the centuries in one form or another and it's more or less stuck as a norm. There's a theory in-continuity that holds it was originally a Wayfarer that started describing things this way many centuries ago, though supposedly the terms they used weren't 1:1 with the current ones. Others just say it's the result of idiots being unaware of the actual nuances of the work and coming up with crappy rating systems that actually piss off the craftsmen... especially when those others happen to be a few pints deep and in a mood to bitch about what their hard work was called by some loon with deep pockets and a need to overcompensate.
----Good to know. Unfortunately, you'll find more of that later. This isn't the only time new gear is acquired or upgraded... but at least characters aren't conscious of when they gain Levels. That is itself something reflected in the setting, used as an explanation for an in-continuity mystery in the original Monstergirl Encyclopedia setting. Perhaps surprisingly, Humans on Earth are treated as having game mechanics behind them as well. It's just that supernatural powers don't function there due to an unusual characteristic of the reality.
Anyway, in a sense this [i]is[/i] an RPG-based novel, sans editorial mandates. The world is underpinned by game mechanics, though not for the reason that something like, say, Goblin Slayer is. As such, things from the game system sometimes show up in the lives and awareness of the characters. They don't for example, know that D20 rolls are sometimes made to determine their fortunes, but things that [i]are[/i] observable and measurable in-continuity can be researched, studied, defined, and understood. No one is going to understand that characters have Hit Dice and Magic Dice, that Character Levels and Spell Levels exist, but they [i]can[/i] notice that prominent individuals are often resistant to certain things, like having their True Name pronounced, the effects of poisons and diseases, and Spells. They can tell that some magic is dramatically more powerful than others, and that this power comes at the cost of greater, more refined magical energy and complexity that renders it impossible to achieve by inexperienced practitioners. Or that there are techniques that can only be produced by practitioners of certain traditions and not simply learned by anyone who studies the particular technique; that certain foundational teachings are required first before more advanced ones can be learned. So you'll see some of this in the way characters think, speak, and act. As I said, it's the common sense of the world.