Ancestries of Nexus

Nexus is a realm where the mundane, magical, and technological are one and the same. As such, it bears a great many types of creatures, ranging from bland to exotic and unique.

## An Important Note

The Humanoid creatures and creature categories, as presented, are the standard range of features normally exhibited by such an ancestry. However, specific families, creatures in specific regions, or even strange, specific mixtures of these ancestries can produce any number of unique or strange ancestral effects. Some examples of these oddities are;

Shadar-Kai, Elves of the Shadowfell, which bear many traits of both Fey and Undead.

The Mouls of Araminta, who bear many minor traits from both Dragons and Giants.

Particularly rare cases of Elves on Aldrow being earless, mostly-hairless creatures with some traits of Drakyr, but others unique.

The Forging Families of Anntarrem, such as the Pyrah, many of whom are a thick mix of Dwarren, Elemental, and Giant ancestry so tight it cannot be pulled apart.

## Giantspawn: Humans, Halflings, and Goliaths

Humans, Halflings, and Goliaths are all descended from Giants; Most directly with Goliaths, however Humans and Halflings also trace their lineage back to them. Like the Giants themselves, these races are almost completely on Arclent, with rare pockets of humans and halflings found in other places. These races are most known for their incredibly low innate reserves of magic. Some believe that the first humans were actually cursed giants themselves, too hubristic and struck down by a Giant deity. This idea primarily comes from the very tenuous documents of old, some of which accuse certain people of being both human and giant in different circumstances. That is to say, it's a stretch. It is generally accepted by most that humans and halflings are descended from giants, however.

Other creatures qualify as Giantspawn aside from these; Firbolgs and Feybolgs are the most well known, but still unknown to most, Tritons are also Giantspawn, descended from Storm Giants and magically adapted to the Elemental Plane of Water, rather than the material plane.

## Dwarren: Dwarves and Gnomes

Dwarves and Gnomes are two related humanoid races, also related to such things as Derro. While related, there is no consensus on the exact nature of the relationship. It is believed that the first Dwarren, the name which refers to all Dwarves, Gnomes, and related creatures, were created by a God of the Forge granting life to stone. Dwarren bear a unique connection to the Forge of Creation, and all items crafted by Dwarren becomes empowered by this divine magic.

## The Planestouched

The Planestouched are a group of humanoids which are not directly related, but are instead descended from extraplanar creatures, with their inherent magics becoming diluted due to the presence of other ancestries. Planestouched creatures also come about when creatures are conceived within a region of great planar energies. This group includes the Elves and Tieflings, just to name a few.

## Beastkin

The beastkin are a series of humanoid races with bestial traits, due to being descended from an exotic type of creature, such as a Fiend, Fey, or Lycanthrope. These are one of the few series of races which live on nearly all continents, the others being the Planestouched and the Melpominee. They are not, unlike other creature categories, actually related to eachother in most instances. They are grouped by convention and shared traits, such as their feral features and access to certain "Beastkin" Perks(Though these often specify specific types of Beastkin).

They are sometimes compared to the Planestouched(At least those descended from Fey and Fiends), however the Beastkin do not arise in the same way as the Planestouched(Being that their descent was less direct over an incredibly long time period, where Planestouch are quire spontaneous), and the magical connection is significantly weaker for most of them.

## Dragonkin

The Dragonkin are descended from Dragons in much the way Giantspawn came from Giants. They are characterized by their Draconic appearances, and many of them bear a Dragon's Heart, which is what allows Dragons to utilize their breath weapons. They are more or less exclusive to Aldrow, though some make their way to other continents. The Underdark has entire cities populated by Purple Dragonkin, though such things are entirely unheard of on the surface.

## Melpominee

The Melpominee are a creature category which describe creatures whose past and origins are occluded from magical means. Many conflicting tales tell of Changelings and Sirens created by archmages, gods, monsters, or descended from succubi and doppelgangers. Other tales, such as being from an alternate plane of existence, are even less likely, but their history is completely unreachable through known magic, so they are just as valid as otherwise.

Most Melpominee are naturally gifted shapeshifters or charmcasters, or both, though this is not strictly part of their existence, just a trend with them.

## Gollas

Gollas, from Golem, are crafted humanoids, most often made from metal, though some are made from wood or even stone. Now, not all are technically "Crafted," as many are created by random chance. Animation happens in many ways- Bound spirits, enchanted crystals, animation magics- but the Gollas are specifically animated through the infusion of Positive Energy, which creates an artificial soul within the body. This is what makes them Gollas as opposed to the Golems or some other moving construct. Their internal crystals are often strangely shaped, but function otherwise normally.

Gollas are found in many places, though they don't often last long. Their creation often leaves them wholly ignorant to the world, and there are more things to kill them than save them in most places. They are occasionally created by mages or even gods, often as servants or warriors.

## The Galvan

The Galvan are sometimes called the Soulless, though they take offense to that. These are beings created with life but an improper soul, which in essence is much more similar to a Primal Spirit, rather than a Divine Soul. In some ways this makes them similar to Golems and Gollas, however the Galvans also share in the fact that they are virtually unseen on Halordain, preferring the stars much more than the ground. It helps that Galvan weren't made on Halordain at all, but a separate Sphere System entirely, only seen on Halordain once a century, if as much.

## Slimekin

Slimekin are honestly a massive mystery. They're a naturally-occurring phenomenon on pretty much every level of existence, and have been studied extensively as a result. Slimekin, or just "Slimes" or "Oozes" are the result of inefficient magic leaking energies into the environment. These energies mingle with eachother and the landscape, ultimately forming a fluid pseudo-solid that... Honestly, it's a great material in alchemic creation, and that's about it. This slime, however, sometimes finds it's way around a Crystal, usually from a dead creature, and usually from pure happenstance. The material is attracted to raw magic, so it does get pulled short distances to find said Crystals.

When the slime meets a Crystal, new life is born, something(Nobody quite knows who or what) grants them a proper Soul, and the slime becomes a living Slimekin. Only a fraction of Slimekin are made this way, however; After becoming slime-kin, these slimes are able to gain experience(Both in the gameplay sense and mundane sense, but the mundane is the important part) and nutrients, sometimes merging with other slime-kin to do so. When a slimekin is content with their progress, they can split into a horde of lesser Slimekin(Or simply shave off parts of themselves to do so, but it is said the experience is worse for everybody involved.) This is how most Slimekin are born. The whole concept is strange, but these are... A part of the strange, strange world of Nexus.

## Legacy Races

So, this isn't a race or a category, just a specific rule regarding the races. Obviously, there are some that aren't exactly balanced. Most of these are, relative to eachother, but there are many which just aren't. Things like Firbolgs are overpowered as fuck, but also things like Dragons and Giants, Vampires and Fey, or Mind Flayers aplenty. They're in Nexus, and there's nothing which would stop them from going on adventures and quests as any other race. But they're stupid broken. How do we reconcile?

Well it's easy actually. Some races will cost Legacy to play as, just like it's a normal Legacy Feature. Uh. Yeah, that's actually it. I'm not gonna make a huge ass list, find the ones you want and they'll be listed with their legacy cost. Uh, yeah.