Races of Ashriya

Scholars believe the humans were once the most common race in all of Ashriya. The basis for this belief is that huge numbers of them died during the Great Drought. Without the physical stamina to survive, the humans became reliant on the other races of Ashriya. A propensity towards farming stayed with them through the hard years and they were prized for their skill at raising food in extremely difficult conditions. By breeding more quickly than other races, the humans have become the most populace of all races.

Most humans have returned to farming as the water has come back to the land. They are respected for their abilities with the land and various crafts, but they themselves will admit that the other races are far superior in combat, wizardry and psionic ability.

The elven people of Ashriya are similar to their human neighbors in many ways. Physically, they are as frail as the humans and appear much the same, but their ears come to points at their upper edges. Much of the elven population passed on during the Dry Years, but the elves did not have the human knack for farming and needed to find their own way to cease to be a burden upon the other races and become accepted.

The elven intellect raced to find an answer and found that they could not only make themselves valuable to the rest of the world, but also find considerable wealth for themselves. They set up caravans for travel, storing up water and traveling long distances to trade valuable commodities from one town to another. With a strong foundation of wealth, the elves have managed to continue the tradition of mercantilism into the new age.

Oops, humans are so soft
— Arkron Trakal, veteran Haroc fighter

To all outward appearances, one of the most threatening races of Ashriya is the Haroc, who have the aspect of stone about them. However, those who live with a Haroc find them to be some of the kindest of souls in all the lands. They are hardy and strong with a trusting nature, but beware a Haroc betrayed!

The Haroc have the ability to call earth and stone to them to create a protective armor. When this "stone armor" is weakened, they will sit and meditate to repair the damage which has been done. They also use a similar skill to harden their bodies and make them very close to immovable. In this statue form, it takes at least 8 normal men to move a Haroc, which can make dealing with a stubborn Haroc very difficult. Most people just give them what they want.

It is unknown how the Undead established themselves as a race upon Ashriya. At some point during the Dry Days, the race stepped away from their purely evil, twisted brethren and became a sociable people. But even then, the Undead were not particularly accepted by the other races. Many complained about the "evil" nature of any undead, while others were just offended by the stench of rotting corpses walking through their streets.

During the Great Drought, with no need for water, sleep or protection from heat, the Undead became one of the most powerful forces for helping to restore civilization to Ashriya. However, recently, the Undead City of the Necropolis fell, and since then most undead are considered evil, and shunned, or even killed on sight, by most of society.

The Krosan are a highly excitable race. They live on the edge and throw themselves voraciously into whatever activity they become involved in. Many have particularly strange personality quirks, such as speaking in the third person, or referring to themselves in the plural. Although, they look similar to the other races of Ashriya in body shape, they have distinctive black tendrils of flesh which grow out of various places on their body and re-entering in other places. The Krosan were well adapted for the time of the Drought. It is unknown whether they evolved this way or they had always existed as such, but they were able to survive much longer periods with less or no water than the majority of the population. They are well respected for their abilities in combat, though most are wary of their unstable behavior.

Until recently, the Wyldlings were thought to be creatures of myth and children's tales. When the Drought began, the Wyldlings were forced out of their forest homes to seek what small sources of water they could find. Feral in nature, they were mistrusting of the rest of the population, but some of the kinder folk took them in and made them feel more comfortable amongst the rest. Wyldlings are vicious when roused to combat and will seldom back down once they have set their eyes on a particular combatant.

Though their body shape vaguely resembles that of the other races, the Wyldlings are also close in form to the wild animals of Ashriya. Their hands have evolved into a cross between claws and hands, which makes it difficult for them to use "civilized tools" like utensils and musical instruments and almost impossible to use weapons. However, the claws can inflict sufficient damage on their own, and the speed of the Wyldlings suit them as the ideal predator.

Although they have integrated themselves amongst the other races, they still have a pack mentality and are fiercely loyal to those with whom they travel. They are often known to howl or grunt at other Wyldlings in a meaningful way, but the reasons for this are unknown to any but their own kind.

Anything you can make, I can make better, or if I can't make it better, I bet I can break it.
— Familiar taunt among Ritika children (and some adults)

The Ritika are a race of unbridled curiosity. They need to know, they need to improve, and they need to test. Physically, they appear to be made of metals of various types, though it is highly unlikely their flesh is actually metal. Ritika have an insatiable curiosity about all things mechanical or complex. Traps, locks, alchemical recipes and weapons with complicated machinations are their specialties. Rarely will a Ritika involve itself with magic, claiming that anything done with magic can be done better with science. On rare occasions, a Ritika will incorporate ritual magic into one of its creations, but at great risk to its reputation.

Most Ritika seem to fall into one of three personality types, those who like to build, those who like to break, and those who want to be good at everything. Most focus on a certain type of functionality. They will focus on improving defensive abilities or offensive abilities of items that they are working on. They all take very different approaches to try to be the best at what they do and are competitive with each other in a very friendly way. Many Ritika like to travel with a puzzle, trapped box, or some other challenge, and when they encounter another Ritika, there is often a race to see who can solve the other's puzzle first. The sooner you complete another's puzzle, the more esteemed you are in their eyes.

The power is in you.
— Dagon training mantra

The Dagon are a very lawful people whose skin develops artistic renderings which focus their power. The Dagon manifest their power through their mastery of both mind and weapon. By bringing both the physical and mental together, they have managed to become the most skillful warriors in all of Ashriya.

The Dagon believe firmly in the supremacy of law and order. During the chaos of the Dry Years, the Dagon fought fiercely to return order to lands which had turned chaotic with fear and loss of hope. Many Dagon died in riots, while they fought to control the populace. Others left civilization in small, groups with which they could find peace. In the post-drought years, many of these small groups returned to the cities and towns and became the basis for militia and town guards. Though some Dagon are found with mercenary groups or wandering tribes, they generally will be with others of their own kind as they make a most effective fighting force this way.

What is magic, you ask me? What isn't?
— Mystic retort to Ritika quip

Clearly the most skilled mages in all of Ashriya are the Mystics. These people have similar physical characteristics to the elves, though they are paler and many have a glittery, magical quality to them. Though physically not well adapted to live out the Great Drought, the Mystics were able to use their skill with magic to make themselves extremely useful to those other races who could provide for them. It is rumored that some Mystic ritualists were even able to create food and water for their friends though that may only be a myth.

Many consider the Mystics to be aloof, while others find them to be extremely outgoing and friendly. They are clearly individuals without a single mentality. Even amongst their own race, they are recognized by their choice of magical specialization. The Romalla study Defensive magics, the Devar study Battle magic, the Ekcart study Mental magic, the Hara study Healing magic, the Fwip study Discord magic, the Namore study Necromancy, and the Tarik are students of all forms of magic.

The Arid Days destroyed whatever social structure the Mystics may have had as they were spread out amongst the struggling civilizations. Still, the Mystics recognize one another as kindred spirits and will often go out of their way to be sociable to other Mystics who specialize in the same school of magic as themselves.