Humans, “Children of the Gods”
Physical Details: Visually indistinctive from actual humans in terms of skin/hair/ and eye colour (excluding individuals with high magical affinity); Average height is generally between 160 - 175 cm, with men often being taller than women, and nobles/soldiers being taller than commoners; Average weight is between 58 - 75 kg. Humans may live into their sixties, if they’re lucky and healthy.
Description: A widespread people, comprising a variety of countries, cultures, and even physical appearances across the known world. Humans have a long history, spanning several thousand years, dividing recorded time into Ages. In this time, a variety of civilizations have come and gone across the world. Humans, having the widest range of any of the sentient species, have a massive variety of social structures and habits. Approximately 0.01% of humans are born with magical affinity. The magically gifted in human society are often invited to the magistrates, and are called Magisters.
The People of the Elarnna, “Elves”
Physical Details: Taller and more slender than humans; Torso and pelvis are noticeably thinner, but shoulders are broad and sloping, and limbs are long; Women have significantly wider pelvises to allow for childbirth to be possible. Head proportionally smaller, with pointed ears and catlike facial features; Do not have facial hair; Skin colour ranges from reddish-brown to tan brown; Hair colour is generally black or dark brown, but may be lighter-coloured; Eye colour ranges from dark brown to olive green; Average height is roughly 185 - 190 cm, but average weight is 76 - 79 kg, due to slender build. An elf may live to two hundred years of age.
Description: A species of peoples who are found almost exclusively in the Elarnna. "Elves" and by extension, "Elf" were actually derogatory terms used by humans to describe the people, ones that they themselves have grown to use to distinguish themselves among human society. The Elven peoples live in widespread tribes across the Elarnna, adopting a variety of habits, dialects, and even beliefs. Many tribes are nomadic, while others settle into permanent lodgings, establishing nations of their own. Contrary to common human belief, Elves are not a single harmonious body. Conflicts and prejudices between tribes are not unheard of, and many tribes tend to give their fellows significant space. Almost every Elven person has a slight attunement to magic, and as many as 0.05% Elven children are born with magical affinity that surpasses that of the average human Magister. The magically gifted in Elven society tend to act as guides, giving the tribes better knowledge of the world around them, or aides to the rest of the tribe, providing services such as imbuing materials with new properties that make them more efficient.
Traditionally, many Elves follow a belief system revolving around animism, believing all things to be connected spiritually. As such, it is customary among Elven society to give thanks to the spirits for each item taken from the world, such as the meat and hide of a slain animal, or the bark and wood of a felled tree. Elven peoples tend to work hard for their daily needs, putting significant effort into every hunt, every fishing, every gathering. Quite a few Elves see humans as soft-willed and ignorant in comparison to their own peoples (though they have respect for workers and hunters, as well as those who practice and study magic). Many humans see Elves as dirty, wild and lesser peoples, and do not award them many rights and liberties in human society, assuming they allow them any at all. Among human nobility, Elves may be seen as exotic and rare, treasures to be possessed and shown off among high society. That said, a portion of humans do acknowledge Elves as people, and friendships or even romances are not entirely unheard of, though they may be shunned. A magically-gifted Elf and a human partner of similar affinity may be able to conceive a child, though there are numerous complications, and the child and parents will likely be seen as pariahs.
Muiri, “The Children of Muiriel”
Physical Details: Slight in stature and build; Narrow frames, thin, but not bony; Skin is completely smooth, typically off-white with undertones of blue or violet; Fingers narrow to points, fingertips are obsidian black; Hair is black; Facial features are angular; Eyes are narrow, sclera is not visible; Eye colour can be pure black, violet, red or blue; Average height of 160 - 167 cm; Average weight is between 56 - 62 kg; Highly androgynous. Natural lifespan unknown.
Description: Within the region of Muire are found the otherworldly and enigmatic Muiri. Claimed to be the descendants of the spirit Muiriel, the Muiri are subjects of both wonder and fear. Muiri are immensely gifted in the ways of magic, with every Muiri-born child having at least some measure of affinity. A skilled Muiri is capable of such feats as distorting space and time. As a culture, Muiri are strange to outsiders. Distinctively, it is the upper classes who most interact with outsiders, even engaging in conflicts before the lower classes do. The lower classes will often stay within the boundaries of Muiri society, ensuring that everything needed to keep society functioning is done. Amongst nobility, a lifestyle of hedonism and impersonality is promoted, and orgies and drug usage are common things.
At least among noble society, the ideal physical form is androgynous, small, and smooth. Features such as extensive muscle mass, fat, facial hair, breasts, and even prominent bone structure are seen as ugly and ungainly. It is often said that the only way to tell if a Muiri is male or female is to strip them naked. Muiri also do not form committed relationships, at least not publicly, instead choosing partners based on attraction, staying with them only as long as the attraction remains. Children are often raised by whatever adults are willing, rather than their birth parents, as it may be difficult to tell who the child's parents even are. Muiri are masters of all things magic, and as a result have been highly successful in the manipulation of matter, eventually developing the foundations of the process of alchemy, a trade they taught to certain humans during humanity's infancy. They have even developed an explosive powder which they utilize in powerful cannons. The exact lifespan of a Muiri is unknown to humans, but it is certain that more Muiri die from assassination than old age. Muiri look upon humans as pathetic, sad, ugly creatures with short lives who cannot understand the workings of the world. They are allies of many human nations, however, and will lend their support if they must. It is unconfirmed if humans, Magisters or not, can breed with Muiri. Certainly, the Muiri wouldn't admit to it.
Arakashi, “The Exiled”
Physical Details: Tall, muscular; Long torsos and limbs; Reptilian, but tailless; Bodies covered in flexible grey scales, azure-tinted on males; Heads are crowned with several bony horns; Underlying skin is typically grey or sandy brown; Eyes are yellow, gold or brown; Eyes have nictitating membranes; Fingers and toes are clawed; Females lack breasts, and are similar in height and build to males; Both genders lack nipples and external genitalia; Average height is generally 200 - 208 cm; Average weight is between 107 - 117 kg; Oviparous; May live to their fifties.
Description: A pseudo-draconic species that populates the deserts and steppe beyond the Dragon's Back mountains. Arakashi are not native to the lands, having been driven from their territories by the Deoran empire several centuries ago. Arakashi breed by laying clutches of several dozen eggs, which they will often protect in insulated baskets. Newly-hatched Arakashi are usually no more than eleven centimeters tall, and as such must be guarded by the tribe's adults until they are a few weeks old, at which point they will have grown rapidly. Arakashi are nomadic by necessity, moving wherever they can find resources. Entire settlements can be packed up and tethered to herds of pack animals, and off to a completely different location, within a single day. Arakashi have harsh lives, but they are survivors by nature. Tribes may consist of dozens of individuals.
A few times within Arakashi history, the tribes have been bound together, under the rule of an Akana, an individual whose duty is to lead the Arakashi people as a single force. Often times, an Akana rises to power in the face of a crisis, such as resources becoming scarce. The Akana will call for the development of lasting settlements that can provide for greater numbers of people, and if need be, organize mass migrations to new territories. In the past, this has lead to the Arakashi waging battles against human forces to the west, including raids on the Deoran empire which helped to hasten its fall. Arakashi, historically, are famous for their mounted forces, taming steeds for use in fast and brutal combat. The Arakashi are fairly equal to humans in magical affinity.
The Old Ones, “Giants”
Physical Details: Massive in all aspects; Mountainous, bottom-heavy body with thick torso and thicker legs; Arms are long, thick; Body is not toned, muscle is natural, not built up; Have four nipples, with females having four small breasts; Skin is thick enough to withstand most weaponry; Skin is typically chalk-white or pale grey, with males developing silver mottling as they grow older; Hair ranges in colour from brown to red; Elongated skull with sagittal crest; Pronounced facial features, but small eyes; Average height of 500 cm and greater; Average weight of 6.8 tonnes and greater; Can live to be eighty.
Description: A little-understood species that inhabits the land of Riesengrund. They lack a verbal language in the traditional sense, communicating through a combination of seemingly animalistic, in some cases infrasonic noises, body language and scents. As such, names among the species are composed of combinations of various simple sounds (Aur, An, Ba, Mir, Ra, Sig, etc.). They have no standard written language, but they may use pictographs to record messages and stories. Giants live in highly scattered clans across Riesengrund, each lead by a chieftain, each so far from the others that individuals from one clan can immediately recognize one from another as an outsider . The chieftain of a Giant clan can be selected from amongst the group, and is typically the most respected individual, regardless of age or gender. Giants do not build their homes as other species do, choosing to build down, rather than up, digging into the terrain, rather than trying to built a structure tall enough to house them, and any added materials are wood(usually entire trees), and earth, used to form a roof to the den, which humans call “Giant’s Hills”. As a culture, Giant's see no point in wearing clothes beyond what is useful - materials that could cover their bodies are just too difficult to come by, their hands are too large to handle “thin” materials like fabrics, and they hardly require protection from the elements. As such, Giants will usually wear nothing more than a few hides around their waists and shoulders, loosely tied together. Giants do adorn themselves, however, painting markings on their bodies that convey details about themselves to their fellows, used to identify heritage and origin, and other such information. Giants do craft some tools (hoes, knives, etc.), but most are simple, designed for function, rather than form. Giants will use materials such as carved stone, bone and logs, sometimes bound together with strips of animal hide. The tools are rough, but will last many years before wearing down. Giants do, however put significant effort into the practice of weapon making. Giants do not require weapons in combat, due their own massive strength (giants are capable of punching through solid stone), so weapons are instead used for more significant purposes, such as ceremony, rites of passage, etc.. Weapons may be solid stone, metal, or other such strong materials, like dragon’s bone, valued for their weight and strength more than anything else. Giants have immensely high amounts of Mana in their bodies, though most of it is in the form of crystalline formations that reinforce their skeletons, giving them unmatched durability. This also makes them incredible vulnerable to magic, and makes individuals with magical affinity scarce.
Humans first encountered the species just over a thousand years ago, when an expedition beyond the northern mountains (now known as the Giant’s Wall) encountered a solitary Giant, wandering the lowlands. To the humans, whose numbers had been worn down by the terrain and wildlife, the Giant, investigating their campsite in the middle of the night, seemed yet another monstrous aspect of the land. They drove back the curious creature with the burning light projected by their mage. They returned to the empire with tales of the Giant, inspiring further expeditions, searching for a living specimen. Just over eight hundred years ago, a living Giant was caught by a company of soldiers, at the cost of all but a fourth of their men. It was brought to the empire, as a gift to the emperor, who would keep the Giant as a pet. For generations to come, Giant hunting expeditions would be conducted on a yearly basis, with Giants being captured, and brought back to civilization, either to be kept as pets, slaves, or siege animals, killed as trophies, or slaughtered for their hides and bones. Hunters, after finding Giants, would strip them of their clothing, and propagate the idea of them being no more than animals. The people who purchased the Giants, or their parts, were all too happy to believe the lie, ignoring any signs of sentience the Giants exhibited.. This process would continue for almost five centuries, until the pet Giant of a wealthy and powerful noble broke free of his confines, and spoke a sentence of definite, if rough, Deoran in front of the noble’s guests. The hunting practice soon then became swamped with controversy, and was officially banned by the Deoran nations four hundred years ago. Today, Giants do not have true rights within human society, but many recognize them as a people unto themselves. Roughly two to three hundred giants are estimated to have been captured during the hunts. Of them, over seventy percent were killed. The current population of Giants is estimated to be just over a thousand.
:mechagodzilla: 
