Introduction:

Many consider the world to be an impossibly large place, with any number of odd things populating it. For all anyone knows, there is a population of leaf-based sapients who make spears out toothpicks. I, having heard one too many of these wild tales, decided to travel the world myself and attempt to document the most common, most interesting, and most unique things and peoples I have discovered throughout my misadventures. -Velact Elact

The Peoples of Granulous:

Humans: Humans are the most common sapient species in the entirety of Granulous. According to ancient archeology, it is believed that only humans predated the system, with every other species coming into being as a direct result of its influence. As a result of only humans existing before the system, they are the most flexible sapient species in the world; almost every other species of creature came from humans, meaning that they can become almost any of those sapient species through specific Trait trees. Like all species transferees, however, they must give up one level's worth of Trait slots at the point of their transfer.

Culturally, humankind is split regionally even in fairly small areas like the Sugal Empire. The eastern parts of the empire are almost a martial culture in and of itself while the western parts have a strong manufacturing, production, and craftsmanship tradition. Obviously other species occupy the Sugal Empire, but humans are the dominant species, therefore having the most cultural impact.

Elves (And Other Assorted Fae): Elves and their Fae evolutions are known to have the longest lifespans as well as the shortest attention spans. While it may sound rude to say, it is unequivocally true. The specific Traits that must be taken by humans to become an elf revolve around life extension, mana-based connection with flora, and new thought generation. Some elves, however, forsake physical bodies and become Fae. Dryads, Sprites, Pixies, or whatever other name is given, they are all similar in how they function. They possess a physical core, similar to a mana gem, that reproduces whatever mana they have bound themselves to.

In terms of culture, elves spread themselves all around the world, going on some adventure or other in order to discover more and give themselves more food for thought. Fae, on the other hand, gather into small forest communities for both protection and company. While welcoming of outsiders, every Fae village has at least one among them that judges any outsiders. While it is unknown if they possess a Trait regarding moral character, their words are the law of how other Fae treat an outsider.

Dwarves: Dwarves are mysterious creatures. Some claim that they do not exist while others claim that they have spoken to one. Some even believe that they are offshoots of Fae, but the Fae themselves vehemently deny the notion, calling it a stupid theory.

While harsh, the Fae are absolutely correct in this case. Dwarves are mostly believed in by those inhabiting the Aerus Plains, more specifically those who live close to the Aerus Range, the string of mountains that blocks the Vast Dust from the Aerus Plains. Most claim to see squat, bearded, human-like figures stalking the range. While some say that they are passive to anyone who sees them, there have been reports of those who venture into the Range disappearing, never to be heard from again.

Orcs: While other species have muddled origins, with a specific ‘first of their kind’ being unknown, orcs are not without one. The first orc in history was Delgla Buvich Nevbert the Green Blood. She, unlike many others, loved war on a physiological level. She reveled in violence and could not get enough. One day, the legend says, she was trying her hand at being stealthy in an attempt to ambush a bandit camp and she believed that changing her skin color to green using [Skin Coloration (Green)] was the most optimal decision in her situation. While scholars argue her reasons, a recent theory claims that she was either mad or had [Chaotic Adept], leading her to choose green as a stealthy color despite being in the middle of a desert. Her choice led to her becoming an orc. Her violent spirit is said to be a part of any orc warriors’ skill set. Being compelled into battle is not for all orcs, however, and some instead choose more sedentary work like scholarly work, teaching, cooking, or any other profession.

Although the culture of the one orcish settlement in the entire world, Green Oasis, is just as power-driven and violence accepting as one would assume, it only exists in specially constructed places like Bash Lane. In spite of their warring nature, orcs are able to lead perfectly mundane, peaceful lives. As long as there is a good brawl once in a blue moon.

Chimerics: At some point, a human stops being a human and becomes something different. Perhaps not more or less, simply different. Humans, orcs, elves, or any other typical sapient may choose to gain a large number of beast-like body parts that may assist in either combat or daily life. Those who allow themselves to be completely covered in their beast-derived body parts become chimerics.

Chimerics come in all shapes, sizes, configurations, and types. While some, like the kobold or lizardman, are simply humanoids shaped from animals, there are also true chimeras, sapient beasts who forged their body and mind to tap into their animalistic instinct.

Chimerics are not cohesive, really. They are simply the label the system gives to those who go so far into their Traits that they simply stop being their original species. In spite of how they appear, most chimerics are entirely upstanding people. They are like everyone else, simply trying to live. Although many are simply born from one or more chimeric parents, others willingly choose to pursue a certain form in an attempt to reset their Traits. Doing so, they are able to choose Traits that build off of their new bodies and capitalize on its latent potential.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Insectoids: Somehow differentiated from chimerics, insectoids are the second fauna-adjacent species that inhabit Granulous. Similarly to chimerics, the forms of insectoids vary wildly between individuals; from butterfly humanoids to large flies and everything in between, they all are insectoids. Scholars have studied the difference between insectoids and chimerics and have discovered a very simple, but nonetheless important, difference; insectoids can only have children with other insectoids. Despite the exclusive reproductive capabilities insectoids possess, they have a very large population across the planet due to the large number of children each insectoid couple has.

Insectoids, by contrast with their chimeric counterparts, have a very cohesive species identity and consistent values across the planet. There is a list of things most insectoids consider their moral duty to perform at the cost of all else. Firstly, insectoids must learn how to communicate with those who do not use pheromone language. Secondly, insectoids must choose two specific Traits and upgrade them as much as possible: [Mana Dynamo] and [Thaumavore]. The reasoning behind this specific creed is a common storytelling motif across the world where an insectoid town starves due to their high population and is only saved by someone who chooses to forsake food in favor of consuming mana and producing their own mana. Of course, this quirk causes them to have an unnaturally high death rate when hit with spells. Finally, insectoids must make a choice when they come of age: should they stay in their home and defend it to the last, or should they travel the world to live life to their fullest.

These insect-like people are much more homogenous than other species, meaning that calling most insectoids honorable, oath-keeping, and understanding is entirely correct.

Oceanos: Similarly to the insectoids and the chimerics, the oceanos are aquatic humanoids that can take many shapes depending on what sea creature they emulate. Some are obviously fish-like humanoids while others are similar to jellyfish or crabs. No matter how they look, oceanos are a very mysterious species. They only come to trade with the surface world once in a few years, carrying weapons of water-attuned steel or clocksteel. They trade food, made from kelp or seaweed, for untarnished metal and mana gems.

Unsurprisingly, learning much about their culture is a difficult, almost tedious process. It is possible, however, to speak with one. The few oceanos that have spoken have painted their culture as very isolated and very isolationist; they do not like the people of the surface world very much, employing a diplomacy strategy of live-and-let-live to great effect.

Multi-legged Sapients: Unlike chimerics, there are some who pursue a relatively normal appearance in changing their forms. There are those who simply believe that having the legs of a horse, spider, or mantis is in their best interest. From such thinking, peoples like the centaurs, arachnids, mantids, kamilans, lycants, felious, or any other number of human/orc/elf-animal hybrids. Due to their unique physical situation, most of these creatures live in small communities that are built to their physical needs.

In terms of culture, it varies extremely between both the communities’ location and Variant. Centaurs and kamilans are generally found in plains or deserts respectively. Arachnids and mantids are usually found in caves or mountains. Lycants and felious are usually found in forests or jungles. Of course, it is possible to find an arachnid village in the desert and a lycant town in the mountains, but they are usually filled with Variants that are suited to inhabiting their specific area. Usually.

Dragons: Most have never seen a dragon. That is for a reason. Dragons are not as brash or greedy as legends make them out to be, but they are certainly just as isolated and just as lazy. As natural thaumavores, they have no need to hunt. As large creatures that can grow as large as a galleon, they have no need to train themselves. They do, however, have a fierce hatred of Clockworks. The only time most would see a dragon is when fighting Clockworks, as many live in caves in the eastern half of the Sugal Empire, frequently scorching the Clockworks that attack the front line of the Empire.

Dragons are some of the most magical people that live on Granulous. Their blood can turn a human into a draconic chimeric if drunk over the course of seven months. Their fallen scales can be ground into powder and turned into an excellent runic paint, with an increased mana-to-other-mana conversion rate. Their very words are unique. [Universal Soul Language] cannot entirely decipher their speech, meaning that it is likely actually magical in nature.

Transforming Peoples: While there are many creatures with yet a single form, some are, in fact, able to take an alternate form that represents some sort of magical effect or even shapeshift freely. Werewolves, vampires, chitinites, ravagers, etc. They all exist, somewhere out in the world. Some are rather open about their transforming status, but most are very secretive. The best way to avoid enraging a massive werewolf or a hundred-limbed alligator is to simply respect their wishes and to not share their secrets with the world.

Cyborgs: Almost any other sapient can become a cyborg. The path to becoming one, however, is long and arduous. A person must be at least level 100, have [Micro-mechanical Affinity X], and have some sort of experience with prosthetics. These all will lead to the Trait [Bio-mechanical Integration] becoming available.

There are very few cyborgs in the entire world, perhaps less than fifty. This means that cyborgs are, usually, part of whatever culture they were a part of before their transformation. Some, though, are indeed run out of their homes for becoming cyborgs, leaving them to wander the world.

Other: While the previously mentioned species are the most common, many, may others exist somewhere out there in the world. Peoples like the satyrs, rockmen, dreamweavers, and others exist in small pockets in the world, not very known by most but still surviving. The cultures of these peoples are highly determined by their environment and the cultures of those around them, making them as variable as their forms.