Races

Throughout the known world, there are four notable races that are considered sentient among scholars. While some monsters show advanced signs of intelligence, none that have ever been encountered are capable of speech, and as such are not recognised as such.

## **Humans**

Humans are the second-most technologically advanced race in the Monster Hunter world, and are rather self-explanatory. They come in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes, and are the most populous race in the MH world (well, more populous than wyverians, at any rate, it’s unknown how they compare to lynians.)  They tend to be considered roughly in the middle of the social ladder, with lynians on the bottom and wyverians on the top.  Most monster hunters, and all player characters in the games, are human.  Although quite capable of technological innovation in their own right, a lot of human technology is borrowed from wyverians.

## **Wyverians**

Wyverians have long pointed ears, four digits on their hands and feet, and have extremely long life-spans, possibly to the point of immortality, although that is not confirmed. All of this stems from the fact that they are evolved from wyverns, despite their rather human-ish appearance.  Some of them still have scales on their hands and feet, and have sharp, black, claw-like nails.  Although most have light skin, wyverians with darker skin do exist.

They are the most technologically advanced race, as most technology in the world was either invented or at least improved upon by them. Their style of blacksmithing is so complex it is usually assumed to be impossible for other races to master it, thus the majority of blacksmiths in the world are wyverian. They are usually at the top of the social ladder, often having high-ranking positions, especially in the Guild, but can also be found as merchants and occasionally even monster hunters.

Wyverians are extremely variable in their appearance, even having some rather extreme differences in their anatomy.  Young wyverians tend to be roughly human-sized, adults tend to be taller than the average human, while old wyverians tend to be very short.

## **Troverians**

Troverians are a short and stocky race of extremely industrious blacksmiths, miners, and builders.  Although quite adept in their own right, they revere wyverian blacksmiths for their skill, and claim to have learned blacksmithing from wyverians in the distant past. Little else is known about them, as they tend to be rare outside of their native home in Harth and do not often venture afar.

## **Lynians**

### **Felynes**

Felynes are the most well-known of the lynians.  They are small cat-like people, typically beige in color with brown markings, although a rainbow of colors and a variety of markings are possible.  In the wild, they live in small villages with their close cousins the melynx.  They do not appear to have written language, but they do pass down tales and stories orally, and they do paint pictograms and symbols onto rocks and other surfaces to mark and decorate their homes. They’ve also been known to construct crude statues in cat-like shapes by piling up rocks and boulders and painting them.  Sometimes altars can be found in their villages in front of one of these statues, with offerings of fish and other goods piled around them, but aside from this, little is known about their superstitions or religious practices.

Their villages can be found literally everywhere, from frozen tundras to volcanic caves, as the felynes themselves are extremely hardy and resourceful.  They tend to burrow into the sides of cliffs to make their dens, although they are capable of constructing buildings with wood, thatch, clay, and other found materials.

Of the lynians, they are the most integrated into human and wyverian society.  They are typically considered the lowest caste in society, and are sometimes denigrated for their mannerisms, like meowing when talking. They usually take on service or labor jobs such as cooking and cleaning, selling items, or working as farm hands or blacksmith’s assistants.  Of course, the most dangerous and most glorified profession for them is that of Palico, being hunting companions for human and wyverian monster hunters.

### **Melynx**

Melynx are the close cousins of felynes, and are noted for their black and white fur with black and pink markings, although other shades exist among melynx palicoes.  They wear handkerchiefs and pouches made of woven green grasses, and carry their cat paw staves.  Melynx are known for their thievery, as hunters are well aware of their tendency to attack and steal items without provocation while out in the field.  Because of this, they’re often labeled kleptomaniacs, and are far less tolerated in human and wyverian society than felynes are. While it is known that they are aggressive thieves out in the field, even to the point of stealing from other melynx, they do not attempt to steal or attack hunters if the hunter is visiting their villages, and they apparently do not attempt to steal from members of their own village (else the felynes would likely not tolerate them either).

Felynes and melynx both share of a love of a plant called 'felvine', a plant with strong catnip-like properties.  Hunters can exploit this, either by carrying felvine on them to entice melynx to steal it rather than more valuable items, or by using it to craft felvine bombs.  When used on a monster, or even another hunter, a felvine bomb draws all nearby felynes and melynx with it’s enticing scent, and they will attack the target in a frenzy.  If the bomb goes off on a felyne or melynx, they will become extremely intoxicated, to hilarious effect.

### **Shakalakas**

Shakalakas are the last group of lynians, and are more distantly related to felynes and melynx.  They are small, green-skinned, goblin-like creatures, known for always wearing masks and for their dancing.  They are extremely aggressive, attacking hunters who wander too close, often by popping out of holes in the ground to ambush them, and few have ever integrated with human society. They live in very primitive tribal societies, with little to no known architecture, or writing, (and no art aside from their masks.) Each tribe is headed by a larger King Shakalaka, who often wears a flaming barbecue spit for a crown and attacks by hurling fireballs and swinging wildly with his club (which is usually a haunch of meat).  Young shakalaka often change their masks, but upon entry to adulthood, go off on a quest to find the one mask that they will wear as an adult.

Shakalakas are never seen without their masks on, and are very adept at changing masks extremely quickly so as to not allow their faces to be seen.