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| | These guidelines explain how to create and document a '''Minor Race''' in Alathra. All players wishing to use a minor race must follow these standards to ensure balance, consistency, and fairness in the shared world. To view the current major and minor races of Alathra visit [[Alathra:Races| Alathra Races]]. |
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| Each race in Alathra brings a distinct culture, history, and biology to the realm. These are the officially recognized Major Races—foundational peoples supported by lore and integrated into the shared world.
| | '''These guidelines are subject to change!''' |
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| ==Major Races of Alathra== | | == What is a Minor Race? == |
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| | A Minor Race is a custom subrace based on an existing Major Race (e.g., Elves, Dwarves, Humans). It must have meaningful differences in traits, biology, culture, or history. Players creating a Minor Race are responsible for its lore and proper documentation on the Alathra Wiki. |
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| ===Human===
| | Creating a Minor Race allows for creative freedom, but comes with responsibility: |
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| | * Players must first open a [https://discord.com/channels/769211588988502047/884673728846376970| Special Request ticket] on the discord before creating a Minor Race. |
| '''Humans''', also referred to as simply Men, are a hardy, industrious race, typically taller than dwarves and shorter than elves. They’re typically found on the surface, and are best suited to temperate climates. Though, they’re a rather adaptable race, and with enough work can typically weather even the harshest of environments.
| | * The race must be fully documented on the Alathra Wiki. |
| | * The race must have a balance of strengths and weaknesses. |
| | * The race must not violate the lore or established limits of its parent race. |
| | * Once created and approved, the race’s core traits cannot be changed after posting on the wiki. |
| | ** Major traits (e.g., lifespan, elemental resistances, etc) |
| | ** Biological characteristics (e.g., height range, lifespan, etc) |
| | ** Cultural foundations or societal structure |
| | This ensures consistency and protects players who have built characters and narratives around the original race documentation. Minor edits or expansions (e.g., grammar fixes, added lore, cultural subgroups) may be made with discretion, but major revisions that would alter the race’s mechanics or player experience are not allowed once the race is approved and on the wiki. |
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| Humans are one of the less magically adept species, lacking any innate or biological affinity for magic. To make up for this, they rely on advanced tool-making and powered machinery powered by either manpower or carbon fuels to develop their societies, rather than magic.
| | If all members of a Minor Race go inactive, the wiki entry will remain, but staff will not maintain or continue its role in broader canonical events. |
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| Some humans, despite their lack of innate magical affinity, still seek to pursue magic in one way or another, though this usually requires the assistance of past knowledge or a non-human entity, and usually comes at great cost to a human’s mind or body.
| | == General Requirements == |
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| | * Minor Races must have a clear and meaningful divergence from their major race. |
| | * Cosmetic only changes (e.g., hair color, slight aesthetic differences) are not allowed. |
| | * Minor Races must be capable of diplomacy, even if withdrawn or reluctant. |
| | * A Minor Race cannot be used to bypass limitations of the major race. |
| | * Trait stacking (combining all positive traits of the major race + new ones) is not allowed. |
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| '''Biology'''
| | == Balance & Limitations == |
| * '''Average lifespan:''' 70 years
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| * '''Maturity age:''' 20 years
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| * '''Height range:''' 1.5 – 2.0 meters
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| | Minor Races must have a fair trade-off between abilities and drawbacks. |
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| ===Dwarves=== | | {| class="wikitable" |
| ---- | | ! Positive Trait !! Required Drawback (Example) |
| '''Dwarves''' are a short, stout and usually bearded race. They typically weigh the same or more than most humans. They are typically accustomed to underground environments.
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| | | Extended lifespan || Infertility, slow reproduction, inability to use magic |
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| | | Enhanced strength || Reduced dexterity, brittle bones |
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| | | Magical affinity || Chance to kill the host, mana exhaustion, madness, |
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| | | Amphibious biology || Higher susceptibility to dehydration, slow land movement |
| | |} |
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| Dwarves, more often than not, are both psychically deaf and lack any affinity for magic. Like humans, they’re more reliant on advanced tool-making and large contraptions powered by either manpower or carbon fuels to develop their societies, rather than magic.
| | '''Note:''' A powerful positive must be offset by an equally impactful drawback. Minor flaws like “drinks more water” are not acceptable trade offs for major benefits. |
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| | === Diplomacy Requirement === |
| | All races must be capable of interaction, negotiation, or reasoning. Races can be reclusive, antisocial, or hostile but they must still be able to engage in diplomacy if the situation calls for it. |
| | * '''Allowed''': A secretive race that distrusts outsiders but can be reasoned with under specific conditions. |
| | * '''Not allowed''': A race bent solely on extermination, with no capacity for communication, empathy, or negotiation. |
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| '''Biology'''
| | == Required Wiki Documentation == |
| * '''Average lifespan:''' 160 years
| | Before a character using a Minor Race can be approved: |
| * '''Maturity age:''' 40 years
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| * '''Height range:''' 1.2 – 1.53 meters
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| '''Subraces'''<br>
| | * The race must be fully documented on the Alathra Wiki using the template below. |
| =====Gnomes=====
| | * Staff will verify that the character matches the approved race’s traits and lore. |
| '''Gnomes''' are a subrace of dwarves, known for their more mischievous personalities, and their much closer affinity to overground nature, compared to their standard dwarven counterparts. Gnomes are typically much weaker than standard dwarves, and oftentimes weaker than most other races. As such, they’re known to make burrows and small settlements within thick, dense forests. This has led to a common stereotype amongst other races of gnomes making their homes almost exclusively within large forest mushrooms.
| | * If no page exists, create one and wait for another player to create one before submitting your character. |
| | * Players must open a [https://discord.com/channels/769211588988502047/884673728846376970| Special Request ticket] on Discord before submitting a Minor Race for approval. |
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| | == Duplicate or Conflicting Races == |
| | If two players have similar race ideas: |
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| ===Elves===
| | * Collaboration is encouraged. Players may work together or create cultural subgroups under one page. |
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| | * If no agreement is reached, only the first version submitted in the correct format is accepted. |
| '''Elves''' are a tall, proud, and often authoritative race. They’re notable for being the longest-living and most magically adept race. Like humans, they’re found on the surface and are most at home in dense, temperate forests. Elves are skilled architects, but are typically prone to sacrificing function for form and beauty.
| | * The second player must either adjust their concept or create a new and distinct race. |
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| Due to their significantly higher than average lifespan, many elves view themselves as the rightful “leaders” of the world, seeing other races as in need of guidance, often against their own desires. Though this authority is often not realised, as their longer lifespans typically lead to elves being more apathetic towards societal development. It’s common to see elvish construction projects take several times longer than those of humans or dwarves.
| | == Lore Locking After Approval == |
| | Once a Minor Race is approved and added to the wiki: |
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| | * Core traits, biology, and culture cannot be changed, even by the original creator. |
| | * This protects other players who have built characters around the original documentation. |
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| '''Biology''' | | '''Example''': A player creates a High Elf Minor Race with a 300-year lifespan. Other players build characters with this trait. The creator later wants to remove the long lifespan. This is not allowed, as it would retroactively affect other characters. |
| * '''Average lifespan:''' 400 years
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| * '''Maturity age:''' 80 years
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| * '''Height range:''' 1.67 – 2.10 meters
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| '''Subraces'''<br>
| | * Minor edits like grammar, added lore, or cultural expansions may be made with original creator's permission. |
| =====Wood Elves=====
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| '''Wood Elves''' are a shorter, typically darker-skinned designation of elves. They’re typically more aligned with human physiology than their High Elf counterparts. They much prefer living in and amongst forested areas than constructing grand cities like other elves. Due to this, their histories are often less well documented than other designations of elves.
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| Since their discovery by human societies, there’s been some debate as to whether or not the “wood” in “Wood Elves” refers to their complexion or their forested habitat.
| | == Mixed-Race Characters == |
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| | * May only take strengths from '''one''' major race. |
| | * Must inherit weaknesses from '''both''' major races. |
| | * Appearance is flexible, as long as it remains consistent with lore. |
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| ===Orcs=== | | === Wiki Page Template === |
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| | Here a template to help with creating minor race wiki page. You're not required to follow this template but you must include the same content. |
| '''Orcs''' are a sturdy, typically nomadic race, and are generally regarded to be the heaviest and physically strongest, but supposedly least mentally adept race. In truth, their intelligence lies in instinct and lived experience. They’re a typically nomadic race, preferring to live their lives migrating with the seasons. In recent years, more and more orcs have taken on sedentary lifestyles.
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| Orcs are highly intelligent beings, but lack the same innate understanding of abstract concepts (ie. currency, philosophy, chivalry) like other races, leading to them being seen as less intelligent overall. Due to this, it’s rare to see orcs in positions of power outside of their own societies, being most commonly found in non-orc societies as foot soldiers and manual labourers.
| | <pre> |
| | == Race Name == |
| | === Parent Race === |
| | (e.g., Elf, Dwarf, Human) |
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| Orcs are typically born with light stripes on the back of their bodies, akin to wild boar, stretching from the back of their heads to their lower backs, but lose these stripes upon maturity.
| | === Appearance === |
| | Describe distinctive physical features: height, body type, skin tone, markings, clothing styles, etc. |
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| | === Abilities & Behaviors === |
| | List strengths and weaknesses, both must be clearly explained and balanced. |
| | Include instincts, attitudes, social behavior, etc. |
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| '''Biology'''
| | === Biology === |
| * '''Average lifespan:''' 55 years | | * Average lifespan (Max Lifespan) |
| * '''Maturity age:''' 14 years | | * Maturity age |
| * '''Height range:''' 1.47 – 1.8 meters | | * Height and weight ranges |
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| | == Culture & Beliefs == |
| | Describe their society, religion, philosophy, language, or traditions. |
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| ===Merfolk=== | | == Origin & History == |
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| | Explain how this race diverged from its parent race. |
| Merfolk are a gentle, aquatic race of humanoids that resemble fish, amphibians, and other aquatic animals. Unlike Reptilians and Beastkin, their respiratory and reproductive biology can vary, with some merfolk laying eggs and breathing through gills like fish, while others breathe with lungs and give birth, like dolphins and whales.
| | Include major historical events, origin myths, or relevant societal shifts. |
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| Merfolk are the most adept race at swimming, and can typically stay underwater without surfacing for days at a time. Adversely, they’re significantly weakened on land, and exhaust their energy significantly quicker than in the water. This stark difference in living environment has led to contact between merfolk and non-merfolk races to be significantly hampered, leading to merfolk being less militaristic and more innately amicable than other races.
| | </pre> |
| | '''Note:''' Any section omitted is assumed to be identical to the parent race by default. |
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| '''Biology'''
| | == FAQ == |
| * '''Average lifespan:''' 60 years
| | '''Q: Can I create a magic-using Dwarf'''<br> |
| * '''Maturity age:''' 15 years
| | '''A:''' No. A Minor Race cannot bypass limitations of its major race. |
| * '''Height range:''' 1.1 – 1.75 meters
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| | '''Q: Can I later change my race’s biology or remove a core trait?'''<br> |
| | '''A:''' No. Once approved, those traits are locked. |
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| ===Reptilians===
| | '''Q: What if someone else has a similar race idea?'''<br> |
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| | '''A:''' You can collaborate, make a regional variant, or create a new race with different elements. |
| Reptilians are, as the name would suggest, a tough, territorial race of humanoids that resemble lizards, snakes and other reptiles. Unlike Beastkin, they always lack human-like skin and maintain reptilian respiratory and reproductive systems, laying eggs as opposed to giving birth.
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| They’re notably territorial and protective of their belongings, often being harder to negotiate with than other races. This has led to a stereotype amongst other races of reptilians being superficially obsessed with trinkets made of rare metals, referred to as “shinies”.
| | '''Q: What if my race goes inactive?'''<br> |
| | '''A:''' The wiki page remains, but staff will not maintain the race. |
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| Their humanoid physique often creates complications with laying eggs, more so than their mammalian counterparts. This has led to a higher rate of mortality in mothers compared to their mammalian counterparts. As such, reptilian populations are typically lower than other races.
| | '''Note:''' Creating a Minor Race is a creative and collaborative opportunity. Think of it as planting a branch on the tree of Alathra’s lore. If you nurture it well and build connections, your race may grow to become a lasting part of the world. |
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| ; '''Biology'''
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| * '''Average lifespan:''' 70–250 years
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| * '''Maturity age:''' 20–60 years
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| * '''Height range:''' 1.6 – 2.45 meters
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| '''Subraces'''<br>
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| =====Lizardfolk=====
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| '''Lizardfolk''' are generally regarded to be the most “humanoid” of the Reptilian race, maintaining a physique and build similar to a standard human. They typically resemble common terrestrial lizard species, though unlike Beastfolk, do not directly mirror such species.
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| They’re viewed as the most agreeable and negotiable of the Reptilian race by outsiders, and are typically the easiest to integrate into non-Reptilian societies.
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| '''Biology'''
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| * '''Average lifespan:''' 70 years
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| * '''Maturity age:''' 20 years
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| * '''Height range:''' 1.6 – 2.45 meters
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| =====Dragonfolk=====
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| '''Dragonfolk''' are, in most cases, the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks of a Reptilian. Tall, bulky, possessive, and all around not the most model of citizens in most societies. Dragonfolk, more often than not, have an innate desire to lead, rule, and generally have power and authority over things, no matter how adept they are at handling such positions. Additionally, once in such a position, they will fight tooth and nail to keep it.
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| As such, much like Orcs, they’re generally not trusted in positions of authority in non-Reptilian societies, not entirely without a little resentment.
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| '''Biology'''
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| * '''Average lifespan:''' 250 years
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| * '''Maturity age:''' 60 years
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| * '''Height range:''' 3 – 7 meters
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| =====Lamia=====
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| '''Lamia''' are an anomaly amongst the sapient races, as they’re the only subrace to lack legs, instead having a Snake-like tail that they can slither with. Unlike other reptilian subraces, Lamia more often than not have hair on their head, typically wild and unkempt.
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| Lamia have historically been seen as tricksters, liars, or generally just untrustworthy compared to other subraces, due to their less human appearance. In some cultures, they’re used as quasi-mythological “boogeymen” to frighten children into obedience.
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| '''Biology'''
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| * '''Average lifespan:''' 70 years
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| * '''Maturity age:''' 20 years
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| * '''Height range:''' 2 – 5 meters
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| ===Beastfolk===
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| '''Beastfolk''' also occasionally referred to as Beastkin, is a catch-all term to describe any humanoid race with notable physically animalistic attributes. Beastkin differentiate themselves from Merfolk and Reptilians by their overwhelming biological preference towards mammalian attributes, typically feline (cats), canine (dogs), lupine (wolves), leporid (rabbits), cervine (deer) and rodentine (rats) in nature.
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| Beastfolk typically vary in their resemblance to their resemblant species, varying from simply having resembling appendages such as ears and tails, to being tantamount to humanoid, sapient variants of their resemblant creature.
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| '''Biology'''
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| * '''Average lifespan:''' 50–100 years
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| * '''Maturity age:''' 15–25 years
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| * '''Height range:''' 1.4 – 1.9 meters
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| '''Subraces'''<br>
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| =====High Beastfolk=====
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| '''High Beastfolk''' are Beastkin whose faces lack fur. In most cases, they very closely resemble standard humans, though with slight variations on parts of their body. Due to the similarity, they’re generally regarded quite similarly to humans, though face some discrimination in more stringent societies.
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| '''Biology'''
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| * '''Average lifespan:''' 70 years
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| * '''Maturity age:''' 20 years
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| * '''Height range:''' 1.4 – 1.9 meters
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| =====Ferals=====
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| '''Ferals''' are Beastkin whose faces are covered in fur. Most ferals simply look like a humanoid counterpart to the creature they resemble. Due to this resemblance, they’re often regarded in a similar way to said animal. This leads to common stereotyping where they’re regarded as less sapient than their humanesque counterparts. This has led to resentment amongst certain feral societies, with many coming to consider themselves the “true” beastkin.
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| '''Biology'''
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| * '''Average lifespan:''' 50 years
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| * '''Maturity age:''' 25 years
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| * '''Height range:''' 1.4 – 1.9 meters
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| =====Lycanthropes=====
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| '''Lycanthropes''' or Werefolk, are those whose beastfolk status is temporary, and often conditional. They’re typically members of other races that have the capacity to transform into beings that resemble Ferals under specific circumstances. They’re one of many subraces that have, throughout history, been seen as quasi-mythological “boogeymen” to frighten children into obedience.
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| '''Biology'''
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| * '''Average lifespan:''' 50 years
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| * '''Maturity age:''' 20 years
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| * '''Height range:''' 1.8 – 3.8 meters
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| ===Florans===
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| also occasionally referred to as Plantfolk or Plantkin, is a catch-all term to describe any humanoid and/or sapient race that shares more biology with Plants or fungi than animals. The typical stereotype of a Floran is that of an androgynous humanoid made mostly of vine and flower matter, though Florans made of tree bark, mushroom matter, and other plant-based substances are also common in certain regions.
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| As one would expect, they’re thoroughly in tune with nature, being adept in natural magic more so than any other race, but their plant-based bodies are weaker than their meat-based counterparts. They’re especially weakened in cities, where plants are much less common.
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| In the contemporary era, use of the term “Plantfolk” as a catch-all is frowned upon by taxonomists, being seen as reductionist towards Myceloids
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| '''Biology'''
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| * '''Average lifespan:''' 80–200 years
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| * '''Maturity age:''' 20–50 years
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| * '''Height range:''' 1.2 – 2.2 meters
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| '''Subraces'''<br>
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| =====Phytoids=====
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| '''Phytoids''' or Plantfolk, are Florans that take on a genetic makeup resembling that of plants. They’re the most common kind of Floran, and are the most palatable to meat-based societies. The stereotypes surrounding their kind and their preference towards natural habitats has created a sort of “noble savage” stereotype within some meat-based societies, seeing them as innocent beings, free from the corruptive influence of contemporary society.
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| '''Biology'''
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| * '''Average lifespan:''' 120 years
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| * '''Maturity age:''' 40 years
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| * '''Height range:''' 1.3 – 2.2 meters
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| =====Myceloids=====
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| '''Myceloids''' or Shroomfolk, are Florans that take on a genetic makeup resembling that of fungi, typically mushrooms. While only a little less common than their Phytoid counterparts, they’re seen significantly less in cities, as their methods of reproduction require spores that are often fatal to meat-based races in high enough quantities.
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| '''Biology'''
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| * '''Average lifespan:''' 200 years
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| * '''Maturity age:''' 100 years
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| * '''Height range:''' 1.2 – 2 meters
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| =====Parasitians=====
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| '''Parasitians''' are a designation of Myceloids that are sapient, yet lack a humanoid form of their own. As such, a humanoid form is usually stolen from another race to use as a “shell” for the Parasitian to inhabit. They resemble their shell, but typically look more weathered, with fungal markings and appendages often visible. Parasitians are typically viewed with abhorrence by all other races except Myceloids, and are almost always killed on sight in cities. As such, many Parasitians go to great lengths to hide their origins, and masquerade as their shell’s race.
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| Once a host shell is picked, they’re unable to de-root themselves from the shell, and are bound to it until death.
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| '''Biology'''
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| * '''Average lifespan:''' Based on host race
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| * '''Maturity age:''' Based on host race
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| * '''Height range:''' Based on host race
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