A Quick Guide to the Races of Aanrah
Currently in the world of Aanrah, there are (Number) of recognized races - sentient, sapient species who make up the people of the world. The races of Aanrah are generally categorized into three groups - the interlopers, who came from another plane of existence or another facet of reality; the divinemade races, who were made originally by a god; and the worldborn races, who came into existence with the creation of Aanrah itself.
N'ghftu are particularly unique in that they operate on a very different reality and in significantly different ways then other races, even in comparison to the other interloper races. They are neither alive nor dead, but not in the same way one might classify undead - they exist in a sense that stands outside the understanding of all other mortal life and reality. As a result, even the most habituated n'ghftu can behave rather erratically or alien to others. Combined with their connection to the K'elhithen Cults and their propensity for 'magic' that simply defies the laws of physics and reality, the n'ghftu are highly stigmatized and distrusted across all of Aanrah. Already the rarest race by a noticeable margin, the n'ghftu are few and far between - but where they exist, even individually, they are forces to be reckoned with.
'N'ghftu' means 'beyond' in K'elhithen - what is considered the sole n'ghftu language.
One of the longest-lived races, nuríians are rarer to find on Aanrah - most commonly found on the continent of Chísioa, where the boundary to the Faerealms is thinnest. Their mastery over their own form of magic, aggressive nature, and habit of consuming other races has left them highly stigmatized to native Aanrahns - in the modern era, few locations offer nuríians the same protection or rights as other races. Most nuríians found on Aanrah are only visiting - few live outside of the Faerealm for any length of real time, and most seen are found after dusk and before dawn.
The term 'nuríian' or 'nurí' is used interchangeably to refer to the nuríian race, general culture, and Nuríian language. Whatever its meaning might have originally been was long lost before the nuríians even arrived to Aanrah.
As a result, like the other interloper races, the xeith face heavy persecution on Aanrah's surface. A majority of the xeith population lives deep beneath Aanrah's surface in the Underworld, though a fair number can be found outside the Underworld itself in the deeper stretches of the Underground where they are less likely to face the same stigma as they would on the surface. Though practice of summon xeith has become outlawed in many countries, their prowess as natural magic users and history of being used as weapons has kept them largely away from the surface, where they are still hunted as monsters.
The exact meaning of 'xeith' besides being a self-identifier is unknown.
Unlike almost every other race, the kīaezxīātl don't have a culture of their own. Rather, they consider themselves at best a part of the xeith cultures, and make no claim or attempt at their own. Rather violent and aggressive by nature, the kīaezxīātl seem at their best when intergraded in other cultures willing to deal with them - and when left to their own devices, can quickly become highly destructive. Like the xeith, they are mostly found in the Underworld, with some in the Underground and a scant few on the surface - where they are open targets for weary surfacefolk.
'Kīaezxīātl' means 'end bringer' in Nymauti - the core language of the Underworld.
Having come to the Faerealms and Aanrah second, the meshaghti and nuríians frequently consider themselves mortal enemies. While still not common, the meshaghti have made more of a home on Aanrah as a result of pressure in the Faerealm from its earlier settlers, but plane-hopping meshaghti are usually seen after dawn and before twilight.
Similarly to the nuríians, the meshaghti use the term to refer to their species, their culture, and the Meshaghti language - with similar uncertainty to when, where, or what the term even was.
The shéngǒnshān are most commonly found on the continent of Gürězānběgyārǒn, where many of their ancestors settled after the collapse of Gǒngbě. As a divinemade race, the shéngǒnshān are capable of using minor (element) magic. *This needs fleshing out* Though much of their original lunar culture has been lost, many shéngǒnshān cultures cling to traditions, which is only fueled by their incredibly long lifespan - averaging at a full millennia, making them the longest-lived non-interloper race on Aanrah. According to legend, the shéngǒnshān who live(d) on the moon(s) were truly immortal.
'Shéngǒnshān' means 'moon child' in Yānhǒian, the 'original' shéngǒnshān language.
As the divinemade race associated with water, the lalktay are inherently capable of water-related magic - often using these skills to aid in swimming, fishing, sailing, or just staying moist on land. They are widely considered somewhat crass by other races, but are quick to mingle with other cultures and races, and are common sights along any settlement that touches water. Even then, some landlocked lalktay settlements can be found where the tides once touched in the far past.
'Lalktay' means 'sea egg' in Kr'lin, the 'original' lalktay language.
The oemeo are known for being one of races who's culturally most likely to see themselves as superior to other races, or to otherwise distance themselves from others. As divinemade, the oemeo commonly have inherent magic related to light or restoration - though some instead have more necrotic or shadowy magic. Most oemeo-dominant cultures revolve around the Divine Order, and they are considered one of the most uptight and perhaps prudish races on Aanrah.
'Oemeo' means 'holy child' in Atuchioian, the 'original' oemeo language.
Most of the gànintbyànt cultures highly prize creativity and community, the core tenants of the Children of the Sun religion a backbone even in non-religious communities.
The Interlopers
All of the interloper races existed well before Aanrah itself it - and all but one of them (the meshaghti) had 'arrived' before Aanrah had even begun to be made. All of the interloper races come from other planes of existence and, as such, do not follow many of the same systems or 'clauses' that the races native to Aanrah do - their methods or causes for their creation is unknown, and their sources of magic and magic systems lie outside of Aanrah's. Because of this and their early leg up on the technological tree (having existed well before Aanrah), the interloper races are widely regarded as highly dangerous. Though no more inherently 'evil' then any other race, most surface dwellers treat interloper races with extreme prejudice and caution.The N'ghftu
The n'ghftu are interlopers originating from various pocket dimensions and layers of reality beyond Aanrah's own. Perhaps the most visually diverse race, the n'ghftu can be practically any shape or size, with most trending towards more abstract appearances (including shapes) or other more alien forms. The n'ghftu are the only race thought to be truly immortal, with no record of any n'ghftu ever dying or being slain. While not entirely true, they are, for all intent and purposes to the denizens of Aanrah, impossibly long-lived and indestructible.N'ghftu are particularly unique in that they operate on a very different reality and in significantly different ways then other races, even in comparison to the other interloper races. They are neither alive nor dead, but not in the same way one might classify undead - they exist in a sense that stands outside the understanding of all other mortal life and reality. As a result, even the most habituated n'ghftu can behave rather erratically or alien to others. Combined with their connection to the K'elhithen Cults and their propensity for 'magic' that simply defies the laws of physics and reality, the n'ghftu are highly stigmatized and distrusted across all of Aanrah. Already the rarest race by a noticeable margin, the n'ghftu are few and far between - but where they exist, even individually, they are forces to be reckoned with.
'N'ghftu' means 'beyond' in K'elhithen - what is considered the sole n'ghftu language.
The Nuríians
Denizens originating from a far-off realm of the Far Lands, the nuríians come from the intersecting plane of the Faerealms. They appear as tall, slender humanoids most well known for their twisting, leaf-like growths and glowing geometric skin patterns - though both are rarely seen, as most tradition-following nuríians don skin-covering clothing and iconic masks. Ethereal and elegant, nuríians are fierce warriors and hunters that commonly appear in Sórein tales as dangerous and wily antagonists.One of the longest-lived races, nuríians are rarer to find on Aanrah - most commonly found on the continent of Chísioa, where the boundary to the Faerealms is thinnest. Their mastery over their own form of magic, aggressive nature, and habit of consuming other races has left them highly stigmatized to native Aanrahns - in the modern era, few locations offer nuríians the same protection or rights as other races. Most nuríians found on Aanrah are only visiting - few live outside of the Faerealm for any length of real time, and most seen are found after dusk and before dawn.
The term 'nuríian' or 'nurí' is used interchangeably to refer to the nuríian race, general culture, and Nuríian language. Whatever its meaning might have originally been was long lost before the nuríians even arrived to Aanrah.
The Xeith
Originating from a distant world, the xeith are demon-like humanoids who wandered to Aanrah through the Underworld, along with the kīaezxīātl. They are well known for their stark black and white skin and frequently asymmetrical body features like horns and tails. While much of their cultures are rather peaceful and docile, they are best known on the surface as violent weapons of war, as each xeith is tied to a enigmatic form of magic that allows magic users to summon them and bind them to their will.As a result, like the other interloper races, the xeith face heavy persecution on Aanrah's surface. A majority of the xeith population lives deep beneath Aanrah's surface in the Underworld, though a fair number can be found outside the Underworld itself in the deeper stretches of the Underground where they are less likely to face the same stigma as they would on the surface. Though practice of summon xeith has become outlawed in many countries, their prowess as natural magic users and history of being used as weapons has kept them largely away from the surface, where they are still hunted as monsters.
The exact meaning of 'xeith' besides being a self-identifier is unknown.
The Kīaezxīātl
Originating on a different world from the xeith, the kīaezxīātl are said to have joined the xeith on their pilgrimage through the Underworld to find a new home. These large beings appear as monsters made of sinew, exposed muscle, and bone - some capable of standing bipedally, and some having up to three pairs of legs. Their skull-like faces and absolutely voracious appetite makes them a frightful being to encounter to most on the surface, and though they do not face the same issue with summon as the xeith do, kīaezxīātl have earned their own nasty reputation as brutal and effective mercenaries and sell-swords.Unlike almost every other race, the kīaezxīātl don't have a culture of their own. Rather, they consider themselves at best a part of the xeith cultures, and make no claim or attempt at their own. Rather violent and aggressive by nature, the kīaezxīātl seem at their best when intergraded in other cultures willing to deal with them - and when left to their own devices, can quickly become highly destructive. Like the xeith, they are mostly found in the Underworld, with some in the Underground and a scant few on the surface - where they are open targets for weary surfacefolk.
'Kīaezxīātl' means 'end bringer' in Nymauti - the core language of the Underworld.
The Meshaghti
Like the nuríians, the meshaghti originate from a different stretch of the Far Lands, though they arrived to the Faerealms several millennia later then the nuríians. They appear as large, bipedal monsters with foxlike faces, large horns, and goat-like legs. Though still highly distrusted, the meshaghti are the least outright hated of the interloper races - even being allowed in modern times in some regions of Chísioa to live outright. They are generally less outrightly hostile and aggressive to other races, and possess less of a inherent magic capability then the nuríians do.Having come to the Faerealms and Aanrah second, the meshaghti and nuríians frequently consider themselves mortal enemies. While still not common, the meshaghti have made more of a home on Aanrah as a result of pressure in the Faerealm from its earlier settlers, but plane-hopping meshaghti are usually seen after dawn and before twilight.
Similarly to the nuríians, the meshaghti use the term to refer to their species, their culture, and the Meshaghti language - with similar uncertainty to when, where, or what the term even was.
The Āpǎsians
(WIP)The Divinemade Races
The divinemade races were created specifically by gods - most of which were made before the world began, by one of the First Gods. These races usually consider themselves to have a patron god who is credited with their creation, and are often imbued with inherent magic capacity that worldborn races are not.The Shéngǒnshān
The shéngǒnshān were the first of the divinemade races, created by Mǒrdén Ǒérù†, Ǐnéyālé Bhǒr†, and Yālǐdǐ Rānā. Originally inhabitants of the three moons (Gǒngbě, Qǐnǒnsénhérǒn, and Qǒsāhün), the shéngǒnshān have become commonplace on Aanrah thanks to their moon-exiled ancestors. The appear as slender, often pale humanoids with rabbit-like ears and feet.The shéngǒnshān are most commonly found on the continent of Gürězānběgyārǒn, where many of their ancestors settled after the collapse of Gǒngbě. As a divinemade race, the shéngǒnshān are capable of using minor (element) magic. *This needs fleshing out* Though much of their original lunar culture has been lost, many shéngǒnshān cultures cling to traditions, which is only fueled by their incredibly long lifespan - averaging at a full millennia, making them the longest-lived non-interloper race on Aanrah. According to legend, the shéngǒnshān who live(d) on the moon(s) were truly immortal.
'Shéngǒnshān' means 'moon child' in Yānhǒian, the 'original' shéngǒnshān language.
The Lalktay
Created by Sen Sirgirlus, the lalktay are a race of predominantly aquatic people capable of switching between a half-fish and a legged form. They appear as humanoids with scaley, iridescent skin, webbed digits, fins, and gills - with a wide range of colors, fin shapes, and patterns that often compliment their aquatic surroundings. They are the only race to have a dominion over the sea - every major waterway is part of a lalktay-dominated country. Though fully capable of living on land (though not without steady access to moisture), a majority of Aanrah's lalktay live in majority-aquatic countries.As the divinemade race associated with water, the lalktay are inherently capable of water-related magic - often using these skills to aid in swimming, fishing, sailing, or just staying moist on land. They are widely considered somewhat crass by other races, but are quick to mingle with other cultures and races, and are common sights along any settlement that touches water. Even then, some landlocked lalktay settlements can be found where the tides once touched in the far past.
'Lalktay' means 'sea egg' in Kr'lin, the 'original' lalktay language.
The Oemeo
Created by Finseute, the oemeo are a race of commonly modest and sectarian people native to the continent Muibrocuma. They appear as taller, slender humanoids with pale to tanned skin, sheep or goat-like ears, and clawed hoof-like feet. Males are known for having short goat-like horns that grow from above their brows. Most of their race lives on Muibrocuma or the western reaches of Tölhe.The oemeo are known for being one of races who's culturally most likely to see themselves as superior to other races, or to otherwise distance themselves from others. As divinemade, the oemeo commonly have inherent magic related to light or restoration - though some instead have more necrotic or shadowy magic. Most oemeo-dominant cultures revolve around the Divine Order, and they are considered one of the most uptight and perhaps prudish races on Aanrah.
'Oemeo' means 'holy child' in Atuchioian, the 'original' oemeo language.
The Gànintbyànt
Created by Zwinwèlè, the gànintbyànt are a vibrant race of naturally artistic and innovative people native to the continent of Muntbyànt. They appear as very tall, sturdy humanoids with brown skin, dog-like ears and feet, and sharp nails and teeth. While a majority of their race resides in their homelands, they are not a uncommon sight in other (usually warm) stretches of Aanrah.Most of the gànintbyànt cultures highly prize creativity and community, the core tenants of the Children of the Sun religion a backbone even in non-religious communities.
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