Beastkith

Born of strife and evil intent, the Beastkith were a slave race created by the tampering of evil magics and the shattered will of dark gods. The races of Al'Uvium were mated with magically altered humanoid versions of beasts to create a slave race. Most died but those born had traits of the beasts they were of a lineage with, not werebeings but only subtly showing signs of the animal inside. The Beastkith were used as slaves for hundreds of years. Although known to their creators to be capable of learning the people of Al'Uvium believed the lie that Beastkith were inferior creatures with the intelligence of a beast of burden and as created beasts were property from birth unlike other slaves of Al'Uvium who had to be enslaved as rational adults based on the specific criteria of war, crime, or indebtedness. Beastkith by contrast were never offered the opportunity to earn their freedom and neither were they conscripted to slavery by any other means then their birth in captivity. Until a young arcanist, named Fizjoy, discovered the beastkith had developed a common language he named beastial. Many people in the population of Al'Uvium were appalled that these, now discovered to be intelligent, creatures had been used so poorly for so long. But economies were built on the Beastkiths' backs and were not likely to be changed easily. That is until a Elephantine Beastkith, Tronkel, discovered that the magics that created them had never fully left their race, it continued to flow through their blood and with the proper concentration could be activated. Tronkel discovered that the magic inside them could be focused to transform their humanoid and frail body into the beast from which their ancestors were bred. Tronkel Changed himself into a full sized Elephant, breaking his bonds and setting his paddock free. Word of this ability spread far and wide and all Beastkith discovered their "true form" as they began to refer to it. Beastkith with claws and fangs began to attack their masters in bloody escape attempts. The escape attacks became the impulse for the slave owners to fear and mistreat their Beastkith slaves further, which led to more escape attempts and more carnage until... In response and fear, slavers began destroying the more dangerous of the Beastkith sub races, all predator races were thought culled from the population. Already squeamish about the practice of beastkith enslavment and Thinking this culling a genocidaly monstrous act many people of Al'Uvium rose up to fight for the freedom of the Beastkith, forming the Beastkith Freedom Front. As more and more people joined the fight on both sides it became a world wide civil war. The Paw Wars lasted 4 years and claimed many Beastkith and non-Beastkith lives. But ultimately the Beastkith were granted emancipation. Many laws throughout Al'Uvium were changed or enacted which benefited the Beastkith greatly. However, the downside of these laws was that in saying how Beastkith could not be slaves from birth they had to codify into law circumstances in which any citizen can be enslaved, even kingdoms and nations who had never had slavery apart from the Beastkith trade prior to the Paw Wars opened the door for an even wider slave trade as a side effect. Laws were changed on all major continents which prevented Beastkith from being born into slavery, allowed for them to engage in commerce, marry, and be schooled. Additionally, laws spelled out how slavers could acquire debtors and criminals to be sold as slaves including Beastkith if they fell into those groups. Nations retained the ability to make slaves out of Prisoners of War exclusively at the will of the nations leaders. Slavery remained legal in nearly every kingdom of Al'Uvium, the most popular type being indentured slavery. Many believe the Paw Wars had a deleterious effect on society for Al'Uvium, in freeing one race they opened the threat of slavery up to everyone. Despite the philosophical misgivings most beastkith were emancipated following the Paw Wars, but as time has progressed many have fallen back into the hands of slavers. Socially Beastkith keep to themselves preferring the company of their own, particularly grouping in tribes of similar lineage. The Breeds of Beastkith are: Amalthian Babarian Castoroides or FlatTails Kitsune Pooka Razir Scalish Skydancer Ursan Wolvin Feeleen Kanese hindhart Taurin Sowish