Races

## Playable Races

There are five playable races: Dwarves, Elves, Gnomes, Humans, and Lizardfolk. They are not equal in ability (some will have detriments that are not re-balanced mechanically), although the primary differences between playing them will relate to their personalities, cultures, character backgrounds, and types of proficiencies they start with.

* **Dwarves** - Athletics is capped at 3.
* **Elves** - Charm must be 0 or higher.
* **Gnomes** - Granted two additional profession-level proficiencies. Athletics is capped at 0. Combat is capped at 3. Studies must be 1 or higher.
* **Humans**
* **Lizardfolk** - Must have a proficiency that encompasses spear use (e.g. Spear Use, Martial Arts, Close-Quarter Combat, Thrown Weapons, etc).

## Dryads

* Leafy, scaly, earth-toned and green-toned skin; often accented with flowers, vines, and buds.
* Often considered beautiful by human standards.
* Born from a mother tree. They manifest a physical body capable of moving independently up to a few kilometers from it.
* Very powerful intuitive and empathic connection to all other Dryads in their colony. Can exchange intentions across long distances.
* There is no government or leader. Dryads of age have almost entirely unanimous agreement in their decisions.
* Though individually unskilled in combat, Dryads fight communally; they can practically synchronize their movements and objectives.
* Love to seek knowledge and news from outsiders once they're comfortable with exposing themselves.
* Can only be killed if their mother tree dies. Otherwise, they just regenerate at it's source.
* Have excellent memories. Older colonies have an abundance of knowledge and can usually speak the languages of many races.

## Dwarves

* Extremely loyal to their kind.
* If it comes to combat, Dwarves will die to defend each other or their homelands.
* Their cities are extremely fortified and defended. Nearly impossible for an army to penetrate.
* Culture emphasizes the quality and dedication of work as one's reputation. Status is usually directly correlated to skill.
* Society is centered around mega-corporations. Instead of government, Dwarves follow the laws of the corporation they work for.
* Mega-corporations may have specializations, but generalize enough to encompass a large variety of employment.
* Dwarven cities may have only a small number of mega-corporations that run them.
* Since Dwarves internally compete to produce the best products possible, their corporations run extremely efficiently.
* Dwarves that do the best job often get put into the top positions in mega-corps, forming a sort of hybrid between a meritocracy and efficient capitalism.
* If you're in a top position at a mega-corp, you're essentially the equivalent of nobility.
* Respect is never given to Dwarves that did not earn their positions. Nepotism is rare, and difficult to accomplish anyway.

## Elf

* Similar height to humans, light skin, generally thin builds. Considered a beautiful race.
* Have detailed star-like patterns that cover much of their body. 'Celestial Veins,' form connections between the stars in constellation-like patterns that glow based on mood or activities.
* Celestial Veins can be used to learn about one's personality, though are difficult to interpret and generally only known within Elf culture.
* Fashion often centers around Celestial Veins. They often wear tailored, revealing clothing to display their favored constellation patterns.
* Males often look androgynous, and can be hard for other races to distinguish them since their fashion is similar.
* Elves in Elven colonies (usually established in lush, forested areas) tend to be calm and wise.
* Elves integrated with human / other civilized colonies (or similar colonies) tend to be rebellious, intense, and more human-like in personality.
	+ Hipster subculture is known for light drug use and experimentation, fashion trendsetting, free-spirited nature.
	+ Goth subculture is known for harder drug use, niche circles, very emotional and reactive, strong deviation from traditional elf culture for clothing.
	+ Posh subculture is ritzy. They use fashion to extenuate beauty and the appearance of wealth and influence.
	+ Other common subcultures include the academic and religious.

## Goblins

* Green skinned, short (average of 1.3 meters), thin, light builds.
* Inferior intelligence and physical traits.
* Can naturally live to be 40-45 years old.
* Primitive tribes, but few feuds among each other.
* Most tribes have a class of Hobgoblins that lead and coordinate them. Hobgoblins are essentially viewed as royalty by Goblins, forming a natural caste system.
* Often used by humans for slave labor.
* Essentially always train as hunters, with much of their time dedicated to survival against monsters.
* Most goblins can kill an untrained human in combat, but would easily lose to a trained one.
* Goblin language is fairly simple (1 EXP to learn). Enslaved goblins often speak Common with a limited vocabulary.

## Gnomes

* Short (1 to 1.2 meters), light green or yellow skin tones.
* Live an average of 65 to 80 years, depending on habits.
* Intellectually superior to humans (on average), and the frequency of geniuses is significantly higher.
* Driven by a degree of obsessive-compulsive creativity and ambition that humans would consider a mental disorder.
* Work with near singular focus, often to the detriment of other aspects in their life.
* Well-known for their incredible technology and alchemy; often regarded as mad scientists, although some favor bureaucratic or social opportunities.
* Unimaginably protective of their secrets, except within their lineage, even enduring torture or death to conceal it.
* Some technologies, particularly in the fields of alchemy, are only known to a single Goblin or Goblin lineage.
* Typically speak Gnomish, Common, and a custom cipher unique to their lineage (used to exchange information).
* Often live in other races' societies (Humans, Dwarves, Dryads, Elves, or Lizardfolk), partially out of convenience to focus on their trades.
* Gnome societies tend to be isolated in areas that can be easily fortified. Traps and heavy fortifications are their primary defense.
* Gnomish governments are usually ruled by a single lineage. Laws vary, but most require Gnomes to fulfill secondary obligations that keep society functioning.

## Hobgoblins

* Appear similar to goblins, but are roughly as tall as humans and with similar builds.
* Physically equivalent to humans, making them a much greater threat than Goblins.
* Integrate into Goblin societies as leaders, rather than forming their own.
* Are more or less the 'royalty' of Goblin society, forming a sort of natural caste system among their tribes.

## Kobolds

* Short (1 to 1.5 meters), thin, light builds.
* Often born as twins. 3 month birth cycle. Moderate population due to speed of maturity.
* Can naturally live to be 25-30 years old.
* Inferior intelligence and physical traits. Often don't have time to develop significant knowledge during their short lives.
* Very primitive societies, often formed into large tribes for communal protection.
* Tribes have some internal conflicts and are generally disorganized. There is usually no tribal leadership; all families have a head that acts as their leader.
* Often used by humans for simple forms of slave labor.
* Can speak the Goblin language (1 EXP to learn). Have difficulty speaking Common due to the way their vocal cords work, but can learn to understand it.

## Lizardfolk

* A variety of skin tones, often dependent on lineage or tribe. Includes shades of green, red, brown, etc.
* Slightly taller than humans. Similar builds. Look much more 'lizard-like' than humans.
* Intellectually similar to humans. Most speak Lizard Tongue and Common.
* Many tribes have established diplomatic relationships with human societies.
* Most of their homelands are in wetlands, swamps, marshes, etc near a lake. Often port cities with large fishing colonies due to their skill with it.
* Extremely talented with seafaring and naval combat. Lots of trade by sea. Their pirate faction is feared.
* Their ships are not as good as humans, but their combat at sea is much better. They travel in small fleets rather than single large ships, and have roles that define off-board vs. on-board roles.
* Spears are a large part of their culture. They attach flags and symbols on their spears to represent their house, titles, achievements, faction, etc.
* Experts with spears, for both ranged and melee.
* Very loyal to their tribe, house, faction, etc. Very close-knit.
* Often "own" Kobolds. Humans often see this as slavery. Lizardfolk see it as protection in exchange for labor.
* Considered honorable to kill monsters.
* May set up river tolls and collect taxes to cross important areas or through their territories.
* Breed large turtle mounts that can cross water. The sea equivalent of mules.
* Some very rare Lizardfolk may own a Skyrider, and are likely seen as nobility within their kind.
* Have distributed tribal governments that form into a larger society. Most are loyal to a house, and tribe leaders meet as a council for larger decisions.

## Ogres

* Green-skinned, 3-4 meters tall, and very bulky builds.
* Extremely superior physical traits, but are intellectually inferior.
* Speak 'Orcish' language. Can learn common with great effort, but speak it with poor grammar and a limited vocabulary.
* Live in very small tribes, usually with only a few other Ogres.
* They generally regard civilized races as food, and will hunt them like other creatures and monsters.

## Orcs

* Dark skinned (often grayish in color), average 2.2 meters tall, and bulky.
* Have physical traits that are very superior to humans, but are intellectually inferior.
* Speak 'Orcish,' a rather brutish language (2 EXP to learn). Can learn common with great effort, but those who do speak it gruffly.
* Aggressive, warlike race. Lots of internal fighting, but never to the death. Strength is respected above most else. Most are trained in combat.
* Some create useful supplies, although this is ironically less respected despite its value to their society.
* Leader is based on whoever is strongest, and others will rally around them. They make all the rules for the tribe, which leads to very different tribes.
* Often enslave other races (goblins, gnomes, elves, humans, etc), and prefer those that can create useful things.
* Live in somewhat primitive tribes, although some tribes enjoy fine resources that created by slaves or stolen through warfare.
* Though diplomacy is not entirely common or well-coordinated, some leaders engage in diplomatic arrangements (often temporary ones).

## Pixies

* A rare species of Dryads. They are born from mother trees and manifest as flying fairies.
* Known for being playful, exuberant, and sometimes manipulative. They have strong personalities, and widely differ from each other.
* Glowing indicates a strong emotional state.
* Spend most of their time exploring the world for new and novel things.
* Cannot die unless their mother tree is killed. They will regenerate their bodies at the source of their mother tree.

## Satyr

* Live in the mountains. Cannot breathe well in lower elevations.
* Extremely adept at maneuvering the terrain, averaging roughly three times faster than other races.
* They possess many physical advantages: excellent balance, very high cold tolerance, high stamina, and high strength and athleticism.
* Lifestyle is largely roving bands and close-knit tribes. They hunt, forage, and travel through the mountains.
* Have primary routes that they establish along the mountains, along with villages carved into the sides of cliffs.
* Are friendly with the Dwarven nations, and often visit their cities.
* Excellent herbalists, wildlife experts, survivalists, and astrologists.
* They may sell their services to outsiders; often as mountain guides and performers (musicians, story tellers, dancers, etc).
* Warriors carry bows as their primary weapon, but may have melee weapons available to enact certain tactics.
* Very dangerous in packs, even in small numbers. They acquire high ground with ease and can easily out-maneuver most opposition.
* Are one of the world's most effective monster hunters if survival is considered the key metric.