Factions and Tribes

The factions and species of Zerona are the inhabitants and builders of the civilizations across the plane. Your chosen faction serves as the basis behind your deck or "character". There are currently seven major species in the world of Shards, with each having one faction/tribe known to make Zerona its home.

The major species are:

Elves - Beings of both slender build, and near impeccable accuracy.

Dwarves - Sturdy forgemasters with no natural magic ability, but strength unlike any other. They are the best at exclusively melee builds due to their high base AP and HP.

Humans - Strong, but more agile than the Dwarves. Humans also lack natural magic endowment. Mankind is much less crafty with a forge, but is much more balanced in other trades.

Merfolk - Semi-aquatic beings that excel in deception magic. They have high base Mana as well as abilities to mesh well with a mage build.

Goblins - Particularly miserly creatures that are mildly good at magic and mediocre at combat. Goblins have better luck with procuring equipment due to abilities that conserve/increase gold.

Eclectics - Highly sensitive magic wielders with a frail physique. Not particularly good fighters, but excellent for mages of all types.

Nymphs - Beings with both sustain and magical endowment. This places them in a good spot for either being a tanky, low damage melee or a sturdy mage at range depending on faction and build.

Of these species, each have various tribes and factions present in the world of Shards. In the plane of Zerona alone there is at least one faction from each.

**Major Factions:**

Forest Elves (Elves)

The ancestors of the Humans knew there were some among them that were different. Witches, healers, sages, all of them drawn from the same stroke. Most people chalked them up to be frauds. That was until the high priest of the kingdom was usurped and a mystic became the focus of a new cult following. The king had all suspected mages and witches exiled. The Elves of Zerona descended from these exiles. Over the centuries, their nomadic hunting lifestyle evolved into instinctual differences and a leaner build. Pointed ears and sharper features soon followed. These changes lead to the modern bloodline of elves which inhabit the Great Forests with their skilled combat and enhanced powers.

Celtics (Humans)

Humans have inhabited Zerona as far back as records have been kept. The saying goes that all the great races descended from a common ancestor, but that is lost to time. What is known is that the Celtic tribe of humans has one of the longest and richest histories in all of Zerona. Their empire began in agriculture, and has grown to every kind of textile and manufacturing. Those lucky enough to avoid the Great Exile experienced a time of unparalleled growth. Relations with other factions bolstered trade, highlighting the production capabilities of the kingdom.

Signo (Goblins)

The Dwarves never were a lot that respected those lacking in physical prowess. Much of their very culture is founded on various activities to prove strength and ferocity. Courtship activities were no different. As it were, a small portion of Dwarves developed a mutation, plaguing them with a less fearsome build. This mutation was not entirely a curse, however, as those who were afflicted found themselves drawn much closer to nature. They were treated like lepers, ousted from their homes and communities. They fled to the north and south, leaving the mountains for deserts and forests. Their more approachable stature and abilities made them great traders, landing them positions as merchants to and in settlements of the Elves and Celtics.

Altar Dwarves (Dwarves)

The Dwarves built their strongholds on tenants of might and loyalty. Carving out the mountains they call home, the Altar Dwarves created trade and transport networks that were nearly untouchable. With their expansive mines, as well as unparalleled skills behind a forge, they are the envy of the other races. Their smith skills translated into ornate stonework and mechanical creations to rival all in the realm. Tensions were heightened by fears over the continued Dwarven advancements.

Coastal Merfolk (Merfolk)

Not much is known about the Merfolk. They were known only to inhabit the coast and the sea, until some began to move to areas further inland. Unlike the myths, these beings are actually bipedal on land, having legs and feet that that resemble halves of a giant fin underwater. Besides their surprising amphibious nature, the Merfolk are quite skilled mages and healers. Their biological ability to manipulate energy compensates for a fairly weak physique.

Dryads (Nymphs)

The Treefolk or Dryads are an interesting bunch. They call the Great Forest home alongside the elves, however, they do not live in such large groups like the elves typically do. They have a tribal nature that leads most to regard them as more primitive. This is not the case, though. This lifestyle is what allows them to concentrate on nature, heightening their healing and magic abilities. They share ancestry with the Merfolk, mostly splitting off as they migrated towards land, while Merfolk preferred the sea.

Eclectics of the North (Eclectics)

The Northern Eclectic faction is the result of animosity towards magically endowed species across Zerona, specifically towards the elvish ancestors. A small band of outcasts, namely ancestors to the elves, decided to form a faction born of only the most powerful mage bloodlines. They focused on study of the origins of magic and energy, choosing scholarly aspirations over warfare. Their scholarly work as well as the ‘pure’ bloodlines lead to a fairly pretentious nature that pervades the lot. Eclectics reside in the cold northern forest and mountains, keeping to themselves to avoid the petty conflicts to the south.