Races of Arcanis
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There are seven playable races in the world of Arcanis
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[edit] Dark-Kin
Dark-kin are those born with demonic traits. They are usually born from human parents, and rarely sire Dark-kin children. Dark-kin are the results of a period of Onara's history called the Time of Terror, when Demons, Devils, and other Infernals controlled much of the known world.
[edit] Dwarves
Giants were assigned the task of protecting mankind. When they begun to lord over man, the king of the gods, Illiir cursed the giants, diminishing them into dwarves. The key to lifting the curse of the Dwarves is to craft the perfect item. The Dwarves are divided into different groups, called Enclaves. Unlike other humanoids on Onara dwarves do not face the judgment of Nier, nor do their souls return to Beltine's cauldron. Each Dwarf carries with him a gem, known as Soul Stone. Upon death a Dwarf's soul enters his soul stone.
[edit] Elorii
Elves in Arcanis are called Elorii. Made of the traditional Greek elements: Fire, Water, Air, and Earth, the Elorii are immortal. Elorii are divided into different subraces based on their elemental ancestry, adding another subrace, Life Elorii or Ardekenes.
The Elorii were created by four very powerful elementals in conjunction with a "life spirit" called Belisarda. They originally imbued a dead orc with this power, giving Elorii fangs. These elemental spirits were worshipped by the Elorii as gods; they despise humanity because four of the human gods "absorbed" the four Elemental Lords, leaving only Belisarda. They eventually rebelled against their creators.
[edit] Gnomes
Gnomes in Arcanis are ugly, short half-breeds. These Gnomes are not an independent race, but are considered an 'aberration' race, resulting from a cross between Dwarves and Humans. Gnomes in Arcanis are disgustingly deformed, as the curse applied to dwarves applies equally to the stature of their offspring.
[edit] Humans
Humans mirror the traditional Dungeons & Dragons human. Most of humanity are latecomers to the continent of Onara (where most of the current story takes place), but at least one group, the Pengik, predate the Ss'regorean Empire, who have the oldest recorded history.
[edit] Ss'ressen
Ss'ressen are lizard-men and a major component of the Ss'regorean Empire. This empire consists of many races, many of them serpentine such as Naga and Yuan'ti. They are the oldest civilized group on the continent of Onara, and at one point had conquered most of it. They are well known for their strange magics and were responsible for the creation of the Elorii. Originally, they worshipped the gods Kassegore and Ygg, but with the rise of the Naga to a ruling position, they now worship gods known as the Varn. (Originally, they worshipped slaadi, but with the removal of these beings from the Open Gaming License content, Paradigm Concepts was forced to change this.)
The Black Talon ss'ressen rebelled against the Ss'regorean Empire and fled. They had come to worship a god known as Fire Drake. They live in a swampy area of the nation of Milandir. The Ashen Hide ss'ressan broke off from the Black Talons, deciding that Fire Drake was actually the human god of fire and war, Nier. The Ashen Hide Clutch now resides in the nation of Canceri.
[edit] Val
Val were created during the God War as the elite warriors of the Gods and thereafter, as the caretakers of Mankind. In their stead, every god sent his servants, the Valinor, to mingle with the populace, and create a semi-divine family capable of aiding mankind. Every Val has a bloodline, which is tied to a specific god; they are gifted with divine powers which they may improve; these are related to their bloodline. For example, val'Ossan are tied to Yarris, god of the sea, and can gain Bloodline Powers such as walking on water and controlling sea creatures.
Val are also the only psionic race in Arcanis. Val always have steel grey eyes, unless they are psioncally active; in psions, the iris turns clear, leaving the eye almost entirely white.
