Folk of the World

The Waking World is home to many different mortal folk, some of which are listed below. Most of them, if not all, are playable.

## **Common Folk of Cleocadia**

### **Cadians**

Cadians, also known as Half-Elves or Half-Humans, are the common folk of Cleocadia. Their features are slightly Elven, but they have the same variety that Humans might. Their prevalence is owed to the old empire, since Cadians first arose between the unification of humanity and elvenkind.

### **Dwarves**

Dwarves are stout, long-lived folk who reflect the hues of the earth, found across the world. Their bodies are partially formed from rock, crystal, and soil, which they eventually become in their entirety as they age, petrifying over decades. Rock-like Mountain Dwarves are primarily found in Titanbath, while soil-like Hill Dwarves can be found elsewhere in smaller communities.

### **Elves**

**Elves** are long-eared, long-lived folk with old origins in the Feysea - once the Feywild. They are always changing, adapting to their surroundings over the course of their lives: there might be as many sub-categories of Elves as there are Elves in the world. The aribtrary categories of High Elves, Wood Elves and Grey Elves are considered the most common, however.

## **Uncommon Folk of Cleocadia**

### **Mer**

**Mer** are an aquatic humanoid ancestry found in several places in Cleocadia and beyond. They have a reputation as masters of their own, ancient arcane methodology, which is confirmed by the quality of their artificing. Most Mer in Cleocadia are found either in Camanaiada (as blue, plain-water Llanomer) or Deorsa (as pale, deep-water Bajomer).

### **Orcs**

**Orcs** are a humanoid ancestry found primarily in Cleocadia. Their most recognisable feature is their tusks, which they often adorn with marks, carvings or jewelry. Orcs' skin colour usually ranges from pale blue to grey, and is prone to irregular patches of white colour in a manner similar to vitiligo. Orcish blood is blue, which, coupled with their noble reputation, sometimes warrants them the name 'Bluebloods'.

Orcs are similar to the Oni of Hyn-Rest.

### **Vellin**

**Vellin** are a tall, golem-like humanoid ancestry. Their bodies are made entirely from steel, which they alter through a ritualistic smithing technique called Tempering. Vellin are most commonly found in their homeland, Vorsthalland.

## **Rare Folk of Cleocadia**

### **Djinn**

Djinn are a collection of humanoid ancestries who embody what the world is made of, and are attuned to the Elemental Wilds. Most Djinn resemble Water, Earth and Air - the three greatest Wilds - while a select few resemble the Wild of Fire, and others still resemble various elemental combinations and oddities. As opposed to Dwarves, Djinn are almost entirely composed of their native element, and are often far less stable.

While most ordinary folk cannot travel to the Elemental Wilds without injury, Djinn can.

### **Outlanders**

Outlanders are humanoid ancestries relating to the Underworld and Overworld respectively. They are mentally connected to a fiend or celestial who advises them on their actions, though how they respond is their own choice. Their bodies reflect the otherworldly forces they have been chosen to embody.

Individually, they are called Tieflings and Aasimar, or 'Devils' and 'Devas' respectively.

## **Very Rare Folk of Cleocadia**

### **Humans**

Humans are a humanoid ancestry found sparsely throughout the South, characterised by their diversity. They have been rendered almost extinct following the Cascade after their patron deity, Astra, was killed.

The unknowns of humanity's past and downfall have resulted in many assorted superstitions concerned humans throughout the world. Particularly, humans have a reputation as being spellcasters despite their comparatively short lifespans and small numbers. It is not uncommon that the mundane actions of a human are labelled magical by fearful folk.

## **Other Folk in Cleocadia**

There are many different kinds of other folk found in Cleocadia. The following are those folk who meet one or more of the following criteria:

a) There are a very small number of these folk in the world generally (e.g. Selkies, Sphinxes).

b) There are a very small number of those folk in Cleocadia, but there are a lot found elsewhere in the world (e.g. Naga, Tengu, Lizardfolk).

c) There are a notable number of these folk in Cleocadia, but they are usually found in a single location (e.g. Hollows).

d) There are a notable number of these folk in Cleocadia, but they are assumed to keep to their own domain (e.g. Underdeep Folk, Goblins).

### **Selkies**

Selkies are a humanoid ancestry native to the Great Dark Sea, scarce enough to be the subject of folklore. Most agree that they are shapeshifters who take on seal-like forms when in water. Historically, they have been hunted for their magical sealskins - garments carrying powerful magic that connects them to the sea - and are largely believed to have been driven into hiding.

### **Sphinxes**

Sphinxes are a cat-like humanoid ancestry found in Cleocadia. Most Sphinxes in Cleocadia can be found travelling with the Nakesvar for reasons lost to history. Most Sphinxes lack fur, though exceptions do exist to this rule.

### **Naga**

Naga are an ancestry of snake-like humanoids primarily found in Satyavarsha.

### **Tengu**

Tengu are an ancestry of bird-like humanoids primarily found in Hayama.

### **Lizardfolk**

Lizardfolk are an ancestry of lizard-like humanoids found throughout Salsaia.

### **Hollows**

**Hollows** are undead restored with humanoid minds. They gain their faculties but lose their memories, maintaining some of their undead nature through the methods used to heal them. Hollows are mostly found in the Shale, where they live out of sight of the rest of the world.

### **Underdeep Folk**

Underdeep Folk, colloquially known as 'Grey Folk', are denizens of Underdeep, the series of underground and undersea settlements that lie beneath Cleocadia. These include distinct ancestries of Elves  (Drow), Dwarves  (Duergar) and Mer  (Bajomer).Their existence is thought to be owed to the common faith in The Chimera, a nature god who changed their forms.

### **Goblins**

Goblins are a folkloric boogeyman in Cleocadia, found mostly in fairy tales and nursery rhymes. While various accounts do exist describing aspects of Goblin behaviour and society, most scholars believe that Goblins were largely killed in the Cascade. Some people don't believe they existed at all.