Technological Societies

Origins

The Grid is a place full of inconsistent logic and where things can originate and develop in any number of ways. Here is but a few of the ways people develop throughout the multiverse. METANARRATIVE: This article is primarily intended to help players and readers get a sense of The Grid's multiple dimensions and how common races might develop counter to common fantasy elements.  

Common Races

The common races, such as humans, elves, and dwarves, are some of the most plentiful races in the multiverse. Having evolved a seemingly countless number of times or spread far beyond any of their histories have told. These are some of the shared origins of common races, and does not reflect either each race nor the limit of origins.   Dwarves: These people are known for their extensive knowledge of the elemental earth, rough and tumble attitude, and social bluntness. It is no surprise for this reason that you can often find clans of dwarves who live in technological societies building their own settlements to get away from many of the most modern conveniences. Instead opting for a life where they get to be more in charge and put more focus on the clan and the land. These country clans often see themselves as a distinct legal entity, even though they might not be in reality.
Other, smaller, subcultures are known for their intense focuses on mining, warmongering, and wisdom respectively. Some have even made lucrative businesses off of this.
Physically, dwarves are stout. Usually they grow out glamorous facial hair in reds, browns, and other dark colors.   Elves: The elvish peoples are an incredibly intelligent people who's work in the magical arcane has been widely recognized. Meanwhile many of them reject technological advancements. Only being willing to do so when that technology takes the form of artifice. This movement is especially popular within the high elf and wood elf subraces. Viewing themselves as too magically gifted for science and intertwined with nature, respectively. The elves who do practice science, often Drow and deep dwelling sea elves, tend to use it to make up for their lack of natural resources. Such as creating lights to grow crops with manufactured UV lamps. This, as expected, creates a pushback from more intensely anti-technology elves.
Despite the many subraces you can always expect elves to be tall and thin, with pointed ears. Most elves have pale skins except for the drow and sea elves, who's penchant for dark living conditions has affected their skin tone accordingly.   Humans: Humans have long asserted dominance over the sciences. Their focus on technology over magic has been rooted in their evolutionary origins, since it made more logical sense and allowed them to make specific assumptions. This still carries over when choosing homes and practicing magic. Preferring worlds with reliable internal logic over those with more randomized results. As such, it is rare to find humans among realms than in universes.
With this focus on science, humans have assumed a dominant spot. Rivaling the best gnomish tinkerers and dwarven smiths. And often their technology can even rival the power of elvish magic.
Skin and hair for humans comes in a wide variety of colors. Generally looking like some cross between elves and dwarves, due to their middling proportions and shared skin and hair tones. Their tendency to modify themselves is one of the few things that can help unfamiliar extraplanars identify humans. Dyed hair has become such a common way to identify a human, that it has been used in attempts to disguise as one. All we can say for the results is that they have had minimal success.

Uncommon Races

These races are harder to find in general, due to small numbers or severe isolation. What generic origins we know for these races will be found below. If you cannot find the race you are looking for, we may not have enough documented information, or there may be a page dedicated to the entire race, elsewhere.   Dragonborn: Elemental breath defines the dragonborn. Fitting for a race birthed from elemental radiation. That's what their few written records imply. As for how, the story varies. Some scholars believe the elemental bath to be the work of some long-forgotten mage who was seeking after strong and driven servants to aid them. Others believe their desire to improve and devotion of the clan comes from dragons themselves. But the most likely story, with The Grid being as unstable as it is, is that they spontaneously emerged from an elemental rift. All that is certain is that the dragonborn are a driven, elementally aligned, and sturdy people.
Dragonborn are known for their dangerous breaths. But that is not the only way to identify a dragonborn. However, those who are unfamiliar often mistake other reptilian humanoids, such as lizardfolk, saurials, and kobolds. And vice versa. Dragonborn can be identified by their closer appearance to that of dragons, which includes horns, frills, and spines. Their size can distinguish them from kobolds and smaller saurials. While their scales, which are bright and often mono-chromatic or share the appearance of gemstones and metals, are often the most telling trait.   Gnomes: Gnomish Tinkerers are the epitome of mad scientists. These short peoples are notorious for their driven, passionate fixations. A gnome who finds their obsession can often become the most capable individuals in that field. Thankfully, very few gnomes ever focus on one thing. Often preferring to have multiple projects at once so that they can swap between things they enjoy on the fly.
Gnomes were some of the first people to join humans on the grid. Their exuberant nature having brought them the courage to explore what lay beyond their home dimension. In order to survive the harsher environments, they made roaming clockwork cities. Powered by clockwork and inspired after the many creatures they learned to appreciate from home. Including squirrels, eagles, and even elephants. Similarly, these giant mechs support ecosystems for some of the smaller critters. Leading to an omni-presence of rodents and other small animals across the grid, and permanently effecting the ecosystems they take root in.
The machinations and works of gnomish artisans may be what they are most known for. But interacting with gnomes is almost always important. Many saurials and humans are probably already familiar with gnomes, being close trade allies. But for the purposes of documentation, we'll explain.
Gnomes are a very short race. Shorter than dwarves. And they share the same penchant for facial hair. But while dwarves skin and hair are often tanned and dark, gnomes are very bright. With silver hair being common for older gnomes.   Tieflings: Associated with devils, tieflings are not always the result of a powerful or infernal heritage. On many planes tieflings are the mutated forms of other races. Having been changed by extreme radiation, the energies of the multiverse, or deliberate modification. Because of this, Tieflings often grow horns or gain similarly unnatural features for their race.
Just as infernal influence allows demons and devils to target downtrodden families, so too will they target individuals only cursed by the luck of life. Thankfully some fiends are less concerned with capturing souls in wickedness than challenging the norms. If such a demon backs a tiefling, it can lead to a promising ally.
As stated earlier, tieflings will look like other races, but with some unnatural features. An undisguised tiefling could boast horns, a tail, plant-like growths, or any other number of odd attributes. Their connection to the infernal planes, whether through a fiend's curse or through past suffering, may also lead them to have an elemental or magical infusion. Subtle enchantments such as frosty breath or flames which dance in their eyes might give away an otherwise disguised tiefling.

"Monstrous" Races

Many humanoid races on The Grid are especially strange. Most of them bear features of other creatures which do not have enough base sentience to engage in politics or invent. The term monstrous is taken from many less-developed realities where their resemblance to strange native beasts, monsters, led to the classification. Some take this with pride, others not. Those who don't may prefer Fauna-folk or other terms. In any case, monstrous races are some of the least encountered peoples on the grid. Even less-so than the uncommon races.   Lizardfolk: