Humans
Average Height:
* Males: 175 cm to 180 cm (5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 10 inches)
* Females: 164 cm to 168 cm (5 feet 4 inches to 5 feet 5 inches)
Average Weight:
* Males: 70 kg to 75 kg (154 pounds to 165 pounds)
* Females: 60 kg to 65 kg (132 pounds to 143 pounds)
Physical capabilities: Medium
Magical capabilities: Medium
In times long forgotten, humans ruled the planet through the power of their souls, known as Sparks. This unique ability allowed them not only to sense their own souls but also to draw power from them directly, granting humans extraordinary capabilities. With this power, humans built empires and civilizations without relying on gods, much to the dismay of other races, many of whom were enslaved due to their inability to match human power.
This all changed with the emergence of the first demons. The reckless use of soul power fed these demons, and the despair and hatred born from humanity's behavior transformed them into the worst beings to walk the planet. Unprepared for this new threat, humans began to fall, their souls further fueling the demons' power as they were unprepared to combat corruption. Many oppressed races were deceived by false promises of freedom and revenge, only to be used and absorbed by the demons.
When all seemed lost, Anshar, King of Stars and God of Light, approached a group of recluses who were disgusted by the growing amorality among their brethren. He offered them his divine light and power to repel the demonic tide threatening to engulf the world.
Despite the Stars' help, humanity failed to contain the threat. With no other option, Anshar offered humans a choice: to seal their Sparks, losing most of their power to prevent demons from growing stronger. While some clung to their supremacy, the majority, scarred by the destruction, accepted Anshar’s offer. With their power source sealed, the Stars managed to push the demons into a different dimension where they couldn’t easily reach mortals.
With their Sparks sealed and their power gone, humans had to adapt to a new reality. Their previous dominance made them targets of resentment from other races who had suffered under their rule. Deprived of their previous strength and knowledge that relied on Sparks, humans endured an era of hardship and significant loss. However, they eventually created a new magic system and martial arts, turning to their versatility and adaptability instead of raw power. Guided by the Stars, humans managed to regain some semblance of their former selves.
BEASTKIN
Average Height:
* Males: 182 cm to 188 cm (6 feet to 6 feet 2 inches)
* Females: 170 cm to 176 cm (5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 9 inches)
Average Weight:
* Males: 85 kg to 90 kg (187 pounds to 198 pounds)
* Females: 70 kg to 75 kg (154 pounds to 165 pounds)
Physical capabilities: High
Magical capabilities: Low
Children of Ancestor Spirits, the Beastkin have a long and intertwined history with humans. Through their Primal Evocation and ancestral guidance, Beastkin were among the few races that could stand on equal footing with ancient humanity. Their superior physical attributes—balance, flexibility, strength, speed, and senses—combined with human-level intelligence, allowed Beastkin to become the second most numerous race, just behind humans.
Despite common perceptions among humans, who often see Beastkin as lesser beings or akin to monsters due to past wars and altercations, Beastkin are surprisingly similar to humans in many respects. Physically, they are distinguished by animal ears, unusual eyes, tails, sharper canines, and a generally more robust physique. Beastkin also have faster metabolisms compared to humans, requiring more food, having a faster heartbeat, and higher body temperature.
Mentally, Beastkin are nearly identical to humans. While supremacists on both sides might disagree, a human child raised in a Beastkin community, or a Beastkin child raised in a human community, would have no trouble adapting, aside from the prejudice they might face. Unlike other sapient races such as dragons and elves, where cooperation and friendship is possible but full understanding is hindered by spiritual and biological differences, humans and Beastkin can fully comprehend and understand each other.
To balance their physical prowess, Beastkin typically have lower mana pools and mana control. This hasn't stopped them from creating their own magic system and practicing mana manipulation. By focusing on their strengths and learning from their human rivals, Beastkin have also mastered the art of manipulating their mana.
Despite their similarities to humans, Beastkin have several notable mental differences. They are said to experience emotions more intensely, often vocalizing them through howls and roars. They are also more likely to act on their desires, making consensual duels a common practice in Beastkin communities. This behavior has led some humans to view Beastkin as "brutes who cannot control their urges."
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The origins of Beastkin are heavily debated among human scholars, with some believing they are mutated humans who branched off from the main humanity. This theory is despised by Beastkin, who see it as a product of human self-importance. All Beastkin believe they are descended from Ancestors, though different groups have varying beliefs about how their race came to be. The true origins are known only to the Ancestors themselves.
ELVES
Average Height: 170 cm to 178 cm (5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 10 inches) - No discernible height difference between males and females.
Average Weight: 45 kg to 50 kg (100 pounds to 110 pounds) - No discernible weight difference between males and females.
Physical Capabilities: Low, except for pulling strength.
Magical Capabilities: High.
Elves are unique beings with a half-spiritual existence, relying heavily on Mother Trees for survival. Their low fertility and diminished carnal desires, combined with the necessity for younger elves to absorb the vitalizing aura of a Mother Tree, often prevent them from leaving the forests of their birth. Each elf forms a profound connection with the Mother Tree nearby, seeing it as their true mother.
According to elven sages, the origin of elves is a tale of tragic love. Long ago, two elemental clans—one of Wind and one of Earth—were locked in an endless conflict over a cause long forgotten. Amidst the strife, love bloomed between a Wind Elemental and an Earth Elemental. Their desire to be together transcended the war, and they sought refuge in the mortal realm to escape their clans’ hatred.
When the clans discovered the lovers’ betrayal, they cursed them to ensure they could never be together. The Earth Elemental was bound to the ground, and the Wind Elemental to the sky, forever separated. However, their love proved stronger than the curse. The sky wept endlessly, and the earth soaked in the tears until a miraculous sapling sprouted, growing into a massive tree that bridged the earth and sky. This tree, born of love and sorrow, became the first Mother Tree. From its fruits, the first elves emerged, carrying the legacy of the elemental lovers in their veins.
Due to their unique heritage, elves have weak bodies except when it comes to pulling strength, which they use to draw their bows and climb trees. However, their senses are excellent, and their mana control and pool are massive. Most elves channel their magical affinity by contracting with elemental spirits, a skill that comes naturally due to their origins.
Elves often have difficulty relating to other sapient races, a challenge attributed to their long lives, unique and hard-to-learn language, and their deep connection to the elemental plane.
HYBRIDS
It is believed that all three races can interbreed and produce viable offspring, but only human and beastkin hybrids have been recorded. This is attributed to the low libido and fertility of elves, coupled with their isolated lifestyle.
Human-Beastkin Hybrids:
Human-beastkin hybrids are relatively common. Their origins are often steeped in violence, but some hybrids are born to loving families. Most characteristics of the child come from the mother. A hybrid with a beastkin mother may be indistinguishable from a full-blooded beastkin, except for the inability to use Primal Evocation. Conversely, a hybrid with a human mother may look fully human except for their eyes. These hybrids often hide their heritage and live among the race they resemble most.
Most hybrids have either animal ears or tails. Those with only ears sometimes claim their tails were cut, while those with only tails sometimes hideor cut them to live without prejudice among a single race.
Hybrids typically possess innate physical and magical capabilities that fall between their parent races, making them slightly stronger physically than humans and better mana controllers than beastkin. They also have better senses than humans but less acute than full beastkin, which helps them avoid sensory overload.
Unique Traits:
* Primal Evocation: Hybrids cannot use Primal Evocation, but they may possess Sparks. However, due to the sealed nature of Sparks, how this works is unknown.
* Hybrid Vigor: One in ten hybrids exhibit what is dubbed "Hybrid Vigor." This trait allows them to grow taller and bigger than both parents while gaining physical capabilities matching a beastkin using Primal Evocation without any external aid.
Mental Characteristics: It is difficult to accurately assess the mental quirks of hybrids. Due to the circumstances of their birth and lack of acceptance from both parent races, many hybrids grow up to be spiteful and cynical loners. This is more a result of their upbringing rather than their nature. Those raised in healthy families usually embrace the culture of one of their parents, depending on their personality, after initial struggles fitting in during their teenage years.
Afterlife Beliefs: Where a hybrid goes after death is a question often asked. Supremacists from both sides claim that a hybrid’s soul will never be accepted by Ancestors or the Stars, and they are bound to be consumed by demons. However, more tolerant shamans and priests argue that this is not true. It is said that neither Ancestors nor Stars would let a mortal who lived a good life be devoured by demons. It is possible that a hybrid’s afterlife is determined by the culture they chose to embrace or an agreement between Ancestors and Stars.
Intra-Beastkin Hybrids: A child born from the union of different types of beastkin, such as a fox and a lion, is not considered a hybrid by nearly all beastkin groups, save for extreme purists. As with other hybrids, the child will most often take after the mother, being her type three out of four times.