EXTRA 3 – ARA'AINN'S RACIST RACIAL SPECIES GUIDE
After begging for three volumes, I finally have my own little corner to explain to you the world I was summoned into. I could talk hours about the hero-system and how it probably works, yet I have to do with this heavily edited version of a species guide instead. Even the title was changed, what a spoilsport! And the change wasn’t even accurate, so I had to correct it. What a blunder.
Know that there aren't any monsters here. We're talking about alfroid species here. They may look similar to alfar, yet they can't reproduce with each other. All of these species are treated as people, for the most part. There are some borderliners included that are or will be relevant to the story at some point. Also, all of these species have heroes which is the real reason why I'm even making this guide.
Have fun learning about others.
ALFR (PLURAL: ALFAR)
We start with the standard stuff. Please bear with me, as I'm sure that you're familiar with alfar at this point, but as you're humans, you may have been lost in sexual fantasies about my people whenever the author tried to tell you something about us, you sex-maniacs.
Physical description: Alfar have an average height, are on the slimmer side, and have normal proportions. We do have pointy ears that can move freely for better hearing, we also have skin instead of fur. That skin can look a bit greenish at times, depending on the lighting. Our hair can have about any color, while the eyes of most alfr are green and yellow... ah, we do have two eye-colors, as we have a double iris. Both irises work with each other and can widen and narrow quickly, while we have a slit-like pupil. We have noses, fingers, and toes. Also, teeth. Seriously, what do you expect me to say here? We're absolutely normal. Other than most species, however, our bodies barely deteriorate with age. The deterioration process only makes our irises brighter, yet this brightening doesn't affect our eyesight at all.
Capabilities: Alfr can do a lot. As there is little contest, we're the most intelligent species that exists. Whenever humans think of alfar, they think of their shortcomings, yet objectively speaking, we have the best ears and some of the best eyes of all species. Other than farsight, we can better see details within medium and short distances, we can see motions very well, we can look even with bad lighting, and we can partly see around obstacles. True fact that doesn't get used in the series so far, but we're living in forests, so looking around trees is practical. Try to imagine it as a colored shadow that gives us a hint of what lies behind a tree.
Because of our good senses, we also have appropriate reflexes, yet what sets us apart from the rest is the use of [Spirit Magic]. We can manipulate the spirit of a lifeform, the summary of different parts of the mind of a creature. We use it to control plants for our convenience, to read the general mood of other alfar (as trying the same with other species is difficult at best), and we can literally connect minds, though it takes time and knowledge to do that.
Behavior: Alfar love having fun. We're called the “Young Folk”, as we have an eternal youth in us that gives us that certain amount of happiness. Yet we have our emotions under control and most of what we do is out of logic. As we're rational, we developed a fine a sense of humor that subverts conventions that much better. This is why we are masterfully able to see which buttons to push whenever we talk to others.
Outside our pranks and jokes, we are very efficient in our daily lives and work together with few conflicts, as we are very accepting of others and their particular personalities and cultures.
Culture: I will only delve into the culture of the Ljos-alfar of this world, as it's unbeknownst to me whether Dökk are even here. Also, if I explain you the culture I'm from, you may fall into deep despair due to your inferiority, as you—from what I've heard of Kenta-kun—are actually engaging in war, about to destroy your natural habitat due to non-reflective consumer behavior, and overpopulating your planet despite your short lifespan because you can't stop having sex for even a minute.
Therefore it'll be pleasing for you to learn that alfar of this world are rather primitive. They still haven't figured out how to make a spiritual network which is a shame, yet they're too busy surviving as hunters and gatherers with some cultural peaks. Their sense of humor is crude and dangerous as well. They can easily cause actual harm to people they prank, so be careful.
Pranks are important, that's how you make friends. You show your ingenuity and your care by planning out every step and having fun with every moment. Fun is another crucial aspect, a good joke and a playful attitude are what makes a good alfr and other people should take a page from their book.
For some reason, the term 'elf' has been put onto that poor, primitive alfar which is a cause for much grieve. My personal theory is that humans have butchered the pronunciation and let it spread like their brethren.
Alfar have a practical approach to families. In this world, after a child is born, the community decides who takes care of it. While it's usually the mother for the first month—as she produces mother's milk during that time and the child still can't walk—it falls to the person afterward who is interested, which are usually many. The relationship between child and parent ends after thirteen years, as the child is fully grown and able to take care of itself.
Fantasy world alfar live in trees and use their [Spirit Magic] to create secure habitats far away from human settlements. This solitude has two reasons. First, nonalfar lack a sense of humor and therefore can't take a joke. Second, there have been conflicts between humans and alfar in the past. They used to be allies until there was friction in interests. Humans have abandoned the pact and started persecuting those poor alfar who had to forfeit against the superior numbers. Nowadays, the humans have mostly forgotten about this and I have yet to see a human history book that includes this story. Yet some alfar are untypical resentful for our kind which means that the betrayal and its consequences were that severe.
[https://kentusauthor.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/alfr.jpg?w=676]
We’re great company and love to have fun. Though sometimes I wonder if the world hates us.
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DAR (PLURAL: DARI)
I can do you the favor and just skip them. I mean, there is nothing worth talking about. No, it's not that I have anything against these greedy, joyless dirtbags. Do you still want to hear it? Then make sure to keep track how much of your time you're going to waste.
Physical description: They're just hairy dwarves. Also dirty. Short, fat, stinky...
Capabilities: I would like to say that they have a sense of humor, but it would be a lie. To be honest, I'm not sure what they can other than stirring up trouble. Bread can mold, dari can't even do that. Maybe they're fit for cleaning? I mean, perhaps their dirt-crust is the result of innate magic that attracts dirt?
Well, some people say that the dari have their way with metal. It's pitiful whenever people need to burrow in the dirt to excavate clumps of minerals and go through a long process of refining it to create subpar weapons and armors... So we can say that the only thing that others admire in them is actually just an elaborated way to waste their time.
Behavior: They're not fun.
Culture: To be honest, I barely studied their culture. Yet their greed is legendary, as they're the reason why this continent has the Newgold-currency. You should know that there were gold, silver, and copper coins before. The dari started to hoard them and they always kept every supply of them for themselves. Throughout generations, the dari had most of the money, so the Merchant League started to negotiate with several countries to switch to a new form of currency that doesn't use any rare metals. Thus the Newgold was born. The dari had no interest in these metals, most likely because they don't shine as bright.
Now from history to actual culture... Dari seem to have something like a democratic monarchy which seems somewhat contradictory. Something about clans, elders, and being voted to be king for some decades.
As my knowledge is superficial, I'll tell you what I think their culture will be. First, dirt is wealth. We can see it at their skin, they like to have this crust of dirt of them, and as people want to showcase their wealth, it can only mean that the dirtier they are, the more wealth they possess. Why don't they don their gold then? Most likely because they exclusively collected gold, silver, and copper from other species because humans valued it, and when something has any worth, the dari want to have it, even if they don't know what to do with it.
Whenever there is an argument, dari engage in mud-fights. That's the primary method of how to solve conflicts or to make decisions for darikind and most likely how they crown their king while that strange democratic monarchy is just a farce they put up to make other people believe that they're so great.
I'm also positive that every child that's born is being brought to auction. This will teach them from the beginning, that greed is the only virtue they can rely on and I just realized that this has gotten dark…
[https://kentusauthor.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/dari2.jpg?w=676]
If your eyes are as good as mine, you can see how much they stink. They’re also even hairier than I drew them, but I lack the skill to make it not look like fur.
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DEMON (PLURAL: DEMONS)
Actually, there are many different types of demonkind, but I'm the hero sage, not some demonologist. So why are all of them summed up under the term 'demon'? Because there are several spells like [Exorcism] that target specifically demons and everything that's hit by a spell falls under it. Though in case of [Exorcism], it also targets undead, so you need to be extra sure that the person hit by the spell isn't an undead before you can categorize it as a demon.
Therefore I try to write about the most basic similarities demons have with each other.
Physical description: I know that there are bestial and alfroid ones, but all of them come with secondary traits of other species and the animal kingdom, like horns, claws, tails, or wings. Some tribes within the demons are the same race, like the lamia, the oni, the devils, or nukpakka, but most of the demons I know of are crossbreeds. Maybe they're like dogs and if you do enough breeding, you can create a race within the species?
Capabilities: All demons have destructive capabilities. Aside from their physical prowess, most of them can create or manipulate elements similar to [Elemental Magic]. Other than that, most of their traits are apparent by their features, like demons with scorpion tails have poison or demons with wings can fly. It seems that the pure-tribe demons have often hidden powers, like how oni can shapeshift.
They can also 'infect' monsters, which will change the monsters' bodies to resemble demons more. Maybe they're somewhat related?
Behavior: Demons love to destroy and kill. There is no doubt about that and every single one I met so far, including the whole half of a dozen that didn’t try to raid Aroahenn, were willing to murder and destroy everything and everyone they met. So it's safe to say that this applies to all demons, especially as the stories about demon-heroes are usually about spreading out, sowing chaos, and annihilate everything that arises to stop them. Or at least trying to do so, as demons seem to be bad at ascertain risks and take on countries that are easily able to deal with them. However, this destructive nature makes demons a menace to most nations, as the damage they cause when they go on a rampage can cripple a state long enough for it to become targeted by its neighbors.
Luckily, most demons are content to satisfy their desires by attacking and killing each other.
Culture: Demons live in tribes. The strongest rule and the other follow while trying to usurp the leader whenever possible. Therefore, they don't have much of a culture, as intelligence and civilization aren't virtues for them.
They usually raid their neighboring tribes, yet a strong leader can gather more and more demons and guide them for greater goals. Strong leaders are called 'demon lords' and they often possess intelligence and a tactical mind, able to dominate several tribes and force them under their rule. In very rare cases, there can be even a demon lord among demon lords, the 'devil king', and whenever one happens to appear, things become dangerous. First, a demon king has to be terrifyingly strong to be the undisputed leader of a species that defines itself via their might. Second, these powerful people can now be used for greater schemes. This certainly sounds worrying, that may be the reason why Feuerberg declared war on the only demon nation known to me. Though calling Daemonicus a nation may be a bit of an exaggeration.
The demons outside the so-called demon realm only exist in small tribes and while they can threaten some communities, they're too busy fighting among their own... ...do they do something else than fighting and killing? How can they even keep up with their numbers if all they do is killing each other!? Strange...
[https://kentusauthor.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/demons.jpg?w=676]
Thanks to the encounter with the oni, I have now a demon-race to draw. I did it well, no? Praise me!
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FOLKMAN (PLURAL: FOLKMEN)
The folkmen are sweet, little things, they're all cuddly and very pleasing to look at. Sadly, the law prevents us from keeping them as pets...
Physical description: Whenever you're close to one of the Folk, watch your knees! They're really short and you might accidentally hurt them! With faces as broad as theirs, they’re easy to hit, and you might even poke out one of their big eyes. Not only their faces and eyes are big, their mouths as well. They have many tiny teeth that give the best smiles, though their angular ears are a rather halfhearted attempt to be alfr ears.
Their fingers are short and whenever they walk, they waddle, as they're a bit stiff around the knees. I never understood why, but that way of walking makes them so adorable! When petting them, be beware: They have kinky hair. It's usually brown, dark grey, bronze, or brass, while their skin has the color of hazelnuts. The males can also grow beards.
Capabilities: Despite their small frame, folkmen are strong. If these tiny fingers were any longer, they could easily crush an arm under their grip. They can pick you up and hurl you several looafs, uproot young trees without breaking a sweat, and break open stone walls even before they actually start strength training. My hypothesis is that they can transform the power of cuteness into physical might. Other than that, they're known musicians and entertainers!
Despite their adorableness and power, folkmen have a common archnemesis they need to face in many cities... stairs! With their waddling stride, people of the Folk need space and time to climb up each step. That's why they build ramps.
Behavior: Folkmen are jolly people that live in the moment and create many bonds throughout their lives. They also like to explore, telling stories, and playing games. This makes them ardent investigators and puzzle-solvers. While they love sharing stories about the past, they're not bound by it and every folkman is ready to break with tradition whenever it becomes a hassle.
Culture: Folkmen have nomadic roots. That's why one of their most enduring rites of passage is a two-year-long journey in small groups. During that time, they pick up a lot of different life skills and learn how to socialize with other species. Sometimes they even went to Aroahenn. Sadly, they were too popular...
Yet while this is a still popular way to be seen as an adult, the present-focused world-view of the folkmen has many abandon even this tradition and come up with something new and unique. If you're ever in a settlement founded by the Folk, you will notice the assimilation of different cultures, ideas, and philosophies that can be abolished the moment a ruler feels like it.
I have yet to hear about a pure folkmen settlement as they let strangers join them without any prejudices. Therefore it's only a matter of time until a small village becomes a vast city with many different species living there. Examples of those cities are Armina, Zethtrin, and Oltrin.
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
In terms of families, after they're coming of age ceremony, folkmen usually return to their families. Whenever they marry, one of the spouses marries into another house, and even members of other species are adopted into one of the families. Maybe I'll get adopted as well at some point so that I can cuddle each of them to death!
[https://kentusauthor.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/folkman.jpg?w=676]
Just look at them! How can you not adore them!?
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HUMAN (PLURAL: HUMANS)
I believe that you know already a lot about the plague that befell this world, the overly emotional and sex-driven people that multiply so fast that makes it impossible to keep up, and now reigns the continent with superior numbers because they can't keep it in their pants.
Physical description: Humans are above average height, yet not as tall as many other races. It's almost as if someone took alfar, stretched them a bit and made them fat. They have round ears and strangely moving faces: There are no species with as many facial expressions as humans, though I doubt that it has any benefits.
In cases when humans build muscles, they really build muscles.The growth is abnormal, especially seeing how badly muscle size and power increase works. I guess this only shows that human bodies are just made to be bloated.
Female humans are generally visibly physically weaker than male humans and have utters of different sizes on their chest, which are called breasts. Its actual composition is still unknown to me, but they seem to be made of fat, as soft as they are. The general alfr hypothesis is that human women grew these for either attracting males to have sex with them or that they have a specific purpose during sexual intercourse.
Humans have hair everywhere, even in places that don't make sense, and males have thicker hair growing on their faces than females. Most humans have bright hair and only Southerners are the exception, and they have different iris colors, often blue, green, and brown. The skin ranges from bright to dark and the rule of the thumb is: The darker their skin, the darker their hair and eyes.
Capabilities: Stamina is the keyword when describing humans. They can keep going on and on forever, a vital trait to support their procreation, as they won't get tired. Sturdiness is another strong point of them. With bloated bodies like theirs, it's easier to endure attacks as they have plenty of meat to protect their vital organs. They also have a good sense of smell and taste in addition to being able to see into far distances.
Humans are generally fertile. They don't have mating seasons and their pregnancy and childhood periods are on the faster side, though alfar still beat them at least there. Yet with these traits, humans have started to overpopulate this world. Their sexual drive is so strong that they can feel attraction to the same sex, other species, animals, corpses, and even inanimate objects. ...this makes me feel sick.
Behavior: With a sex-drive like theirs, humans are incapable of engaging in any activity without thinking about how to bone it. They can learn to hide it—maybe even control it to a degree—but keep that always in mind and be careful when interacting with them. They're also moody, fickle, and whiny, which is most likely the result of them trying to suppress their sexual desires. This may also be the reason, why they act so dumb at times, I mean, when 90% of their thoughts are about not having sex with something, there is only little capacity left to be logical, especially as they treasure emotions so much as well. If you read their literature, you find a lot of love stories—even in stories that don't need any romantic relationships to work. I guess that 'love'-thing is the excuse they need to let loose of their sexual desires within a regulated context, therefore it works?
What happens if a human woman gets accidentally pregnant? This is why humans engage in marriage and family foundation! The man gets a woman to pork, the woman gets someone to support her through pregnancy and someone to pork her, the basically helpless children get someone to take care of them until they can pork as well. Everything is fine, right?
Culture: Human culture revolves around: 'We want to have it, so we take it. If we can't, we try it until it works.' The ones who are the best at it could inspire and lead other humans and found kingdoms. Then they told the rest that their offspring is superior as well and nobody doubted it, and now the world is covered in human feudal systems.
As human emotions are so strong, they're easily swayed and alter their culture around what they desire. If the humans crave for stability, they may ask the gods and build temples. If the humans crave for wealth, they will found conglomerates. If they want domination, they will put together militaristic orders.
As humans subconsciously know that their only real advantages lie in numbers and stamina, they band together like small fishes to create swarm-like institutions and organizations. Of course, this happens to every alfroid species, but humans do it more than anyone else and they will even alter their culture to fit the newly created madness they just came up with.
Still, their imaginary nobility is held up high and I struggle to understand their class-system. I mean, why are farmers low, if they provide the necessary food, while bureaucrats tend to be of higher standing, despite them only managing the resources? If I know how it works, I may negotiate a better wage when I return to Alfrheim. I'm an accountant, after all.
[https://kentusauthor.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/hooman.jpg?w=676]
One of the most hated words for humans is ‘diet’.
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HYNOAR (PLURAL: HYNOARS)
Imagine a dirty rug full of fleas. Now imagine, that said rug has a conscience and can talk. This is the hynoar-species.
Physical description: The hynoar are a tall species that didn't manage to be original and therefore took different traits from others. We have the general body-build of an alfr with the exception for their legs, that have another joint under their knees. Then we have the tail of a horse, a canine snout on a horse's head, paws for feet, claws and fangs, and the chest and arms of an ape. They may be relatives of kobolds, after all.
Capabilities: Just like their appearance, hynoar's are also halfhearted in other regards. They are good at climbing, balancing, fighting, and have a good sense of smell, but you easily find someone better in any of these disciplines. Alfar have a much better sense of balance, hynoars can't climb like monkeys and can't smell like dogs. Yet these rugs have a certain amount of resilience, as they can endure years of flea-bites without complaining even once. Sadly, they're beaten by humans in this regard.
Behavior: The typical behavior of a hynoar contains snarling, gnarling, grunting, and hunting. They're an unpleasant sort you can't bring to any social activity other than playing fetch.
Hynoars like being in a pack. Packs are groups of people that have the same clan of fleas. Therefore, hynoars share their fleas with their friends, so it's better not to befriend them at all. The only upside would be that hynoars gladly give their lives for the pack, but do you really consider that a friend, instead of a servant? Are you willing to put up with a flea infestation to have someone willing to sacrifice its life for you, even though it's at best adequate? I really can't understand the native alfar at times...
Culture: 'You're nothing. The pack is everything. The pack must survive.' These are the cores of their beliefs and are the reason why hynoar are among the species, that still harbor a hunter-gatherer lifestyle. While they can be part of a civilization, they'll usually end up as hunters, mercenary scouts, or bounty-hunters, as they aren't able to act civilized. Within a pack, however, they are very structured and every hynoar knows its task. A specialty of theirs is to change leaders depending on the situation, so that they have the right people to make the best decisions for the particular case. So they have a leader for attacking, one for retreat, one for gathering, one for hunting, one for taking a crap... yes, this certainly sounds overly complicated.
[https://kentusauthor.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/hyoanar.jpg?w=676]
I always forget how many claws they have. I would get close to one to burn it into my mind, but I like to avoid the fleas. A true dilemma.
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OAAK (PLURAL: OAAKS)
I've heard they're delicious but will cause food poisoning. Not that I would eat one. It's just too much for me alone. Fun aside, now we come to the best buddies an alfr can have outside other alfar.
Physical description: Oaaks are porcine people that are separated into many races. If we talk about the usual oaak, the ones that make up two-thirds of their people, they're about as tall as hynoar. They have the tusks of boars, pig-like noses and are a mixture of muscles and fat. They only have four fingers and two toes. Their bristly fur ranges from gray to brown, their eyes are yellow or red, and their hair is usually black or dark brown.
Other races are variants of this. Bigsmalls are huge and fat, smallbigs small with big heads, leanfasts lanky, sharptusks have overly big tusks and neck-muscles, fatsturds are the fattest of them all, quagstunks a tad smaller with darker fur, and goodbosses are brawny and bigger than usual oaaks but not as much as bigsmalls... it's a hassle to go into detail here.
Capabilities: While the typical oaak is barely able to replace a candle, the different races within this species specializes in certain traits. Bigsmalls exchange their intelligence for power, smallbigs vice versa, leanfasts are nimble, razortusk have dangerous tusks, fatsturds are resilient, quagstunks have a strong odor, and goodbosses are overall above average. The thing is, that neither of them can hold a candle to other species that are more specialized: Bigsmalls are weaker than the Folk, smallbigs and leanfasts are inferior to alfar, fatsturds are surely inferior to the potential fatness and sturdiness of humans, and quagstunks can't compete in stinkiness with the dari. So let's look at the oaaks with compassion and remember that there is more in life than being able to do something right. At least they have humor.
Behavior: Oaaks fight hard and party even harder. You can say that their whole life is based on violence, alcohol, and music. That makes them fine companions, though they're a bit rough at the corners: They yell instead of talk, they roughhouse instead of play, and they don't know personal space.
Culture: One of the main aspects of the oaaken culture has to be drinking because every oaak becomes drunk at least once per day. Their pecking order is determined by who yells the loudest and fights the hardest, that's why they hardly built up any form of civilization at all. Though the moment a goodboss is born, it takes over the tribe due to pure reverence.
Their settlements are primitive fortresses with watchtowers spread some pooaf away. When there is danger, I suppose that they communicate with each other and the fort via some kind of fart code. Ask an oaak about their profession, they most likely say 'warrior' without a second doubt, though there is a more fitting word for them: Bandits. Most oaaks raid villages, monster lairs, or other armies to get food. Yes, food. They don't particularly care about trade and while they wear some trappings, it's purely based on 'This looks good! Me find great!' They also can tell you a story for every trinket they have in possession. I mean it, one story only for all of them which is summed up in: 'We raided that place. I killed a bunch. I took that.'
There are some mysteries about oaaks, even for me. The first one would be whether they have male and females or only have one sex, as neither their voices nor other features differ from each other. I also have yet to see children, so this means that either the women and children live separate from the males or that they don't need another sex to reproduce and grow up fast. Alternatively, they may eat most of the children, as they eat at least their fallen comrades. They call it 'return to the tribe and give it strength', but I believe that even they know that they're delicious!
[https://kentusauthor.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/ooak.jpg?w=676]
On the left side is a normal oaak, on the right a bigsmall. I really don’t want to draw more of them, it takes forever and makes me hungry!
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SS'RAK (PLURAL: SS'RAK)
There are things that work despite logic telling you it shouldn't and ss'rak are a prime example of that. They should be beasts or monsters by all accounts, yet they somehow act like people.
Physical description: Ss'rak have scales, fangs, claws, and strong tails. You could say that they're born with their own armors and weapons. They're tall, have good muscle-composition, and long, forked tongues.
More than the other species, ss'rak can adapt to their environment. It takes years, but the length and form of their claws, the existence of webbing or not, the dryness of their scales, the number of layers on their eyes, the size of specific organs, all of it can change depending on where they live, be it a beach, a swamp, a forest, a desert, or a mountain.
Capabilities: No other species is capable of mutilating language as much as the ss'rak. They don't even need to try to make every word almost indistinguishable. Besides, they also are the fastest of all species in terms of memory loss. It's practically a miracle that they could form any kind of culture, so we can't dismiss supernatural luck as another of their traits. Ss'rak are also nimble climbers and swimmers and they know how to use their natural weapons. As I mentioned before, they possess adaptability to different terrains, and from my newest observations, they may have an innate talent for [Sound]-magic.
Behavior: Try to imagine someone really stupid. Multiply the stupidity by ten and you have one second of the idiocy you can expect from a ss'rak. They're easy to insult, as they have something they call 'honor'. I call it the mental construct that acts as a replacement for common sense. They always say 'honor this' and 'honor that', no wait, rather: 'honnnoar shish' and 'hoanar zhat' whenever something irritates them, they keep on prattling until it even gets into their own thick heads and they can remember whatever or whoever made them mad in the first place.
Culture: I learned some more about ss'rak in the Spirit Swamps. It seems that their settlements are ruled by two people, the patriarch and the matriarch. They are chosen among the people and have different roles in different subjects. In terms of gender roles, they act as representatives for their respective sex. For work, the patriarch is the one who represents agriculture and hunters, while the matriarch represents the traders and manufacturers. Both of them act as judge, but only for those of their own sex. In terms of war and security, the matriarch represents wisdom and the patriarch power.
Matriarch and patriarch are usually not related in any way and they vote once every decade or so. Other than that, ss'rak come just as colorful and different as humans, only not in so many numbers, so I guess they don't have the raw material to try every stupid idea, unlike humans.
[https://kentusauthor.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/ssrak.jpg?w=676]
What I like about ss’rak is how easy it is to find their heroes. Just pick the ones that can actually talk!
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TENGU (PLURAL: TENGU)
Great, we're with the bird-brains now... How about we do it like them and just instantly get distracted by something shiny and ignore everything else? No? Well, then let's discuss into the fowl.
Physical description: There are two major races of the tengu, I like to call them full-birds and half-monkeys. What both have in common is the general anatomy: They're average tall, have wings growing out of their backs, and the joints of their knees and elbows is tilted outside of their bodies. Both of them have also have chicken-legs.
Full-birds have bird-heads, their arms are also chicken-legs, and always have black feathers. Half-monkeys have a monkey-like alfr face, their ears are small, and some of them sport long noses. Their feathers can be white, black, gray, or brown.
Capabilities: Tengu are capable of forgetting everything that was supposed to be pressing the moment they're distracted by something shiny. They also sport a good muscle memory, most likely not to forget how to breathe, walk, or eat while being thoroughly entranced. In most cases, a tengu needs only to be taught a motion once to be able to mimic it almost perfectly. The bad thing about it is that they like to train in martial arts, so they can whip your behind with ease when you make fun of them.
Now you may get your hopes high and think that tengu can fly... yes, they can. Technically. The truth is that tengu are a bit too heavy for flight and therefore they need strong winds to take off and keep aloft. They can glide well, though. The problem is, however, that they aren't as mobile in the air like they want, so tengu usually associate the word 'aerial assault' with suicide, though they may try it nonetheless as long as you're barbaric and use glimmering arrowheads.
Behavior: As it becomes hard to invent every little detail of their behavior, I will just sum it up in one piece of advice: Keep a mirror around.
Culture: Thankfully, tengu are a rare sight and the only place that is theirs is Mount Blackbird, the sacred domain of the deity Datien. There, they practice martial arts and serve the evil god that actually said in public that we alfar are a menace and that other people should shun us—because of that, being an alfr is illegal in three countries! That's racist!
The chief virtue in tengu-culture is piety. Tengu choose a deity to serve for life. Of course, that spoilsport Datien took almost all of them and whenever you meet a tengu outside Blackbird, you can be sure that it's a servant to another deity. Maybe even Muaotef has a tengu or two.
With their devout spirit, tengu are basically the bitches of their commanding deities, have no life on their own, and their culture is only a hollow construct to mirror their god's wishes. I guess it was unavoidable, as it's most likely impossible to establish free will and a culture when all it takes to break your spirit and conscious is to have a shiny piece of metal.
[https://kentusauthor.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/tengu.jpg?w=676]
To make their arms slightly bend the wrong way is difficult, so I just made weird poses. Looks accurate enough.
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VRYLOKA (PLURAL: VRYLOKAS)
Finally, at the end... How about this, I leave this as open space? You know the drill, just fill it with whatever. No? ...pretty please? It's tiring and boring. *Sigh* Understood. We finish this guide with the sad, gloomy, necrophile bug-eaters.
Physical description: Members of these species look like very pale alfar with small pointy ears, a wide nose, fangs, and black tongues. They're hairless, have colorless pop eyes, a face sharp enough to cut yourself with, and their arms have two hinge joins. They have retractable nails on hands and feet and suction cups on their palms.
Capabilities: They can climb well and are adept wrestlers. They also are good at sucking your life out. Figuratively speaking, as the moment they enter a party, everything becomes just dull and awkward. Yet they have an innate talent for [Necromancy] and can, therefore, bring dead bodies back to a pseudo-life which is the only way for them to make friends, as vrylokas are so unbearable embarrassing, that they subconsciously even shun out others of their species.
Behavior: I think I already said everything you need to know. Whenever I think about them, I feel a sense of shame, regret, and guilt. Still, they act like they're super popular and everybody is supposed to know them. They celebrate every day in their sorry lives, which is just sad.
Culture: Vrylokas like to hang out in dark places and haunt down parties to spoil with their existence. Their cities tend to be underground, in dark forests, or damp caves. They hunt and gather bugs, spiders, and earthworms. They also like poetry, visual arts, and what they call music.
I believe they're currently trying to hype up their image, to be all mysterious and edgy. I mean, there is that 'Burning Fangs' book that shows a totally different kind of vryloka. Though it may be smut written by a folkman, it may also be the beginning of an extensive image-improvement campaign!
[https://kentusauthor.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/vryloka.jpg?w=524]
Males and females look the same, so why drawing two of them? If you see one of them, avoid eye-contact, otherwise it may think that you want to talk with it, as depraved of conversation as they are!
Did I earn my corner to explain the hero-system now?