Lineage

## Lore

### Jotan

Ancient Jotan were once massive seadwelling giants with dense bodies, coarse hair, and gilled necks. They would watch intently with orblike double-lidded dark eyes, and speak in gravelly tones through wide mouths and rows of flat teeth. Their keen senses could feel even the smallest shifts in sea currents by using the impressive barbels growing from their jaws or chins. Webbing on their three-fingered hands and toes allowed them to traverse the depths with ease. When injured, they bleed a bright, iridescent blue that can be seen even in complete darkness. Rocky growths and luminescent scales would cover their backs and outer extremities, and they enjoyed near-limitless endurance and strength.

As generations migrated to land, these extreme features have largely subsided. Physiologically, today's Jotan have more in common with the other surface-dwelling inhabitants of the lands. Their eyes are still dark and orblike, but their skins have smoothed, with only the accents of neon scales remaining on their backs and necks. Their face barbels had long since shrunk, taking on more of an ornamental role, but many sailors still swear that a Jotan can feel a storm coming from two days away.

The massive Jotan still stand tall, a full head and shoulders above other bipedal species. Even eons later, they still enjoy a hearty constitution and formidable strength - making them desirable laborers, sailors, and bodyguards. They are often seen as slow or unintelligent due to their deliberate speech patterns and disinterest in most areas of study. In actuality, they are largely a friendly, open-minded and patient people, possessing a great capacity for storytelling and exploration. Many Jotan can still trace their lineage back to the line of Jotor, the envoy of Silese - and are proud to do so.

Jotan settlements tend to be small travel hubs, port towns, or even nomadic roving camps, reflecting their desire to explore the greater world and learn from its many peoples. This wanderlust had a silver lining: Jotan civilization was the first to rebuild after the Great Schism, as they had the least infrastructure to lose in the first place.

### Sapian

The Sapian is a common sight on Theia. They are an upright bipedal species with keen vision, smooth skin with a range of earthy pigmentations, and wildly varying hairstyles. Sapians are most widely known for their adaptability to nearly any environment or occupation. Many modern-day Sapians share lineage with other elder bloodlines, but the Sapian traits are overwhelmingly dominant. Short gestation periods and a relatively quick maturation rate combined with their innate compatibility with the other denizens of the lands had caused Sapian society to rapidly expand prior to the Great Schism, and their survivability is undeniable.

Sapians have largely earned the reputation of having impatient and short-sighted temperaments, but possess an unusual amount of determination - even to the point of stubbornness. Even with this stigma (and perhaps because of the growing ire of many other species), Sapian attitudes can be as varied as their appearances.

Today, much of their society is still in disarray due to the territory wars that followed the Great Schism. This infighting carries on even today, as several of the disasters that occurred during this time of turmoil disproportionately affected Sapian lands. Many Sapians now find their livelihoods as farmers and craftsmen, eking out an existence from the cursed lands and huddling together in scared little hamlets. A near-equal amount regress from society completely, preferring to ply trade as raiders, mercenaries, or traveling priests. Still fewer risk their lives as scavengers, braving dangerous ruins for the relics of the past.

### Thalen

Thalen are known as the 'children of Otarun', and legends tell that they sprung from the volcanic caves surrounding Otarun's Chimney. Thalen started life as thralls, charged with the sacred duty of protecting their patron's home as well as preserving and interpreting the fractured, opaque knowledge of the First Words.

Thalen have large patches of thick, brightly colored hair on vast sections of their bodies, which serves to insulate them from the intense heat of the caves. They stand upright, but slightly hunched over, with thick limbs and tough, pale skin. Their squared heads and jawlines are accentuated with small upturned noses, wide mouths, and eyes that burn like hot coals in the dark. Their arms end in long digits with blackened claws. Even so, they are incredibly dexterous and intelligent, which aids them in pursuits both artisanal and arcane. Thalen craftsmanship is known to be the finest on all of Theia, a product of closely-guarded techniques and Otarun's divine favor.

Since ancient times, the Thalen have been a highly advanced and secretive society. They speak in hushed, hissing tones due to cultural stigmas surrounding the dangers of spoken language. Some say they can still hear the whispers of Otarun's madness when the air is calm - though this has never been confirmed.

The Thalen's great domed undercities suffered immeasurable damage when Otarun's Chimney exploded into ash and magma during the Great Schism. Many of the intricate passages and chambers are now collapsed, looted, or occupied by squatters. The great city of Nultis Mak, once the crown jewel of the Thalen kingdom, is now a buried tomb - lost with immeasurable secrets, and guarded by horrors unseen by the rest of the world.

### Huldran

The youngest of the elder bloodlines, Huldrans are an evolutionary offshoot of an ancient tribe of Sapians that took to dwelling in the thick forests near the base of Sol's Pillar. During the Great Schism, the pillar split in two, and many of the surrounding foothills flooded or turned into poisonous swamps. The strongest chieftain, Huldra, guided the tribes to the treetops on the far side of Sol's Pillar- thus escaping the rushing waters and ensuring their survival for generations to come. However, this did not come without cost, as their close proximity to the cosmic radiation permanently warped their forms.

Huldrans have smooth, narrow faces with expressive gemlike eyes. Rather than hair, their heads are adorned with ever-growing barklike coverings, vines, and thorns. Double nostrils, consisting of a lower and a smaller upper pair, allow them a heightened sense of smell. This unique feature also provides the ability to practice a style of circular breathing that grants them increased endurance during long periods of physical activity. They stand slight of build and thin of limb, but possess a mantis-like agility due to hollow bones and dense, compact musculature. This allows them to effortlessly bound from branch to branch in the grand forests of their homelands. Their shiny skin often ranges in tone from pale green or powder blue to rich, spotty, earthen colors.

Huldrans often decorate themselves with still-living vines, flowers, and seeds, and this tradition extends to much of their cultural dress and tools. To maintain function, Huldran craftsmanship often requires care in the same way a plant would - by providing sunlight and nutrients. Though time consuming, these inventive techniques have resulted in some incredibly strong, light tools and arms that can rival the finest metalsmiths.

### ~~Delvan~~

~~The Delvans are a rare cross between elves & dwarves. The elven elite look down upon them, but the dwarves are far more accepting. Much like humans, elves find dwarves crude, but since they generally keep to themselves in their caves, there is little conflict between the two.~~

### ~~Floran~~

~~Halflings are similar in stature to a human child. Their small size and keen senses make them sly and extremely hard to catch. While most races eventually settled in cities, halflings preferred life in small communities, driven by horticulture and a love of all things nature.~~

### ~~Rubean~~

~~Rubeans are half giant, half human, sometimes indistinguishable from either. They’re well accepted among their giant and human counterparts, as the two species have lived in relative harmony for many generations.~~

### ~~Sylvan~~

~~Sylvans are half-elf, half-human and may find themselves a pariah in the eyes of some. Eons of war between humans and elves have generated tension between the two peoples, elves have long held the belief that humans are reckless & uncouth, while many humans find the elves arrogant & elitist.~~

~~Dryad~~