The Races of Eden

A variety off human-like races inhabit the world of the Spirits of Eden. Past the cataclysm, many species once dominant over the landscape have vanished entirely – and humans are dangerously close to doing so as well. Many new species of human-like beings have risen to claim the new world, each in their own way adapted to Eden. Though they all resemble humans, the mark of the new world is upon each of them in a unique way that sets them apart. Despite physical differences, strong national ties keep them together – it is more often one will see two Iomadi bickering over their homelands than over their features.

Humans: Humans hardly exist in Adel at all. There might be one for every 25,000 Iomadi or so. Humans in Adel are viewed as an endangered species, and often condescended upon and protected. Humans lead somewhat difficult lives in Adel. Adelian magic is difficult for them to do, being out of tune with the world’s energy. Many humans are sickly just from breathing the Adelian air. Humans hardly ever adventure in Adel, and are often cared for as “special guests” by wealthy Adelians and scholars curious of their origin.

Iomadi (Yoh-Mah-Dee): The successor race to the human being, and some of the most closely resembling this common ancestor, the Iomadi are like humans with some traits of the fox spirits that are also a common ancestor. They have flexible fox ears covered in fur the color of the long hair on their heads, and long fluffy tails that are much the same. This hair is hardly seen elsewhere – most Iomadi don’t have much facial or body hair. They are a very varied race, with a wide breadth of skin and eye colors, and degrees of masculinity and femininity, pertaining to environment and sometimes to the whims of fate and life. The Iomadi are the most popolous race in the world – when one says “human” or “mankind” among the Adelians, one is considered to be referring to the Iomadi.

Athirua (Ah-thee-roo-ah): Indigo-skinned, blonde-haired humanoids, the Athirua are graced with a natural proclivity to beautiful, slender features and well-formed bodies. They are graceful and biologically effeminate, with even the men tending to androgyny at the most masculine, most being quite difficult to distinguish from the females. Athirua value creativity, passion, fitness and individuality above all. Their body is their temple and canvas, and it should always be uniquely their own. Athirua are responsible for a lot of the high fashion of present-day Adel, as well as other trends, and wear provocative, revealing clothing in public wherever possible, being naturally disposed towards nudism.

Cuporo (Coo-poh-roh): The Cuporo are the children of the earth, with skin the colors of clays and soils, and hair the color of leaves and flowers. They are short in stature, with particularly tall ones topping out at little over five feet. Reeds, vines and flowers tend to grow naturally from their scalp in small amounts, complimenting their hair. Cuporo are gregarious by nature, and love to collect lore and tales, as well as to travel from their homelands to others for study. They are not averse to simple pleasures, however. Cuporo tend to dress modestly and have somewhat underdeveloped (by normal standard) bodies.

Damakran (Da-Maw-Kren): Damakran are blue or dark-skinned, sharp-teethed amphibious humanoids with slick skin and short hair, which they tend to dye. On their heads, a cartilaginous fin-like crest grows in a tight gradual curve. They are taller and often more muscular and athletic than Iomadi of similar stature, and tend to be temperamental and overly passionate in their manner, and coarse in speaking. They cannot live indefinitely at sea, but are able swimmers and can survive underwater for hours at a time.

Dromidae (Draw-meh-day): The masters of the alien space outside of the Eden planet, the Dromidae are humanoid alien beings. They are all remarkably alike, as though they were assembled together – they have, invariably, either brown or pink skin, pale or colorful hair, and the same effeminate features. They have pale, ribbon-like antennae growing from the top of their foreheads. The Dromidae worship femininity and the act of giving birth. They have a matriarchal society, ruled by a biologically-elevated queen. Having discovered the culture in Adel, they have sought to emulate it. Dromidae tend to awkwardness in emotional situations, and are curious of the habits of the Adelians.

Ainyu (Aee-new): Spirit-Humans who live among the societies of Adel, the Ainyu are good-natured and loving by heart. These radiant humanoids have a collection of glowing lights like will-o-wisps about them, and these lights, known as “motes” are a part of the collective being that is the Ainyu. Ainyu tend towards bronze, silver or gold-colored skin and hair much the same, with vibrant eyes. Though they have distinct biological sexes like humans do, the Ainyu multiply by joining together their motes, reducing the number they possess (and weakening themselves in the process) to create another being.

Setah (Seh-Tah): Setah are to wolves as Iomadi are to foxes. They are tall, slender humanoids with the ears and tails, and the cool, temperamental spirits of the animal to whom they are connected to. Setah try to cool their own tempers through oaths, meditation and binding themselves to codes of honor and conduct. They are strong, typically stronger than Iomadi, and have a keener connection to their natural senses.

Rhonnu (Row-noo): Devilish-looking humanoids, the Rhonnu are red or blue-skinned with dark hair and eyes, and striking countenances. They have horns, and the location and shape of the horns is varied, and believed to intimate something about the person bearing them – this physiognomy is sometimes correct. The Rhonnu are elegant and regal, and often very charismatic. They possess vestigial wings that often hang over their shoulders like shawls. Rhonnu tend to be cold and apathetic towards others, and their ambition (some would say greed or sociopathy) tends to make them a natural part of the elite in many places. Even the lowliest Rhonnu considers himself or herself a gentleman or lady.

Anpe (Awn-peh): Small, energetic green-skinned humanoids with the traits of insects. Anpe have natural wings, which emerge from elytra on their backs, and allow them flight, so long as they are relatively unemcumbered. Anpe have long hair and light features, and their sensitive antennae help them sense and navigate better than others in the dark and during flight. Their natural talents give them some unique job opportunities in Adel, particularly in mail and messenger services. Anpe tend toward Athirua fashion, due to their natural distaste for the emcumbrance of clothing.

Inaw (Ee-naw): Inaw are undead humanoids created from body parts of corpses. They exhibit obvious stitching and their skins are discolored, though they otherwise look like, and their bodies behave like those of, living humanoids (usually Iomadi). They are made by necromancers as servants – when the law inevitably catches up to the necromancer and brutally executes its mandates, the servant left behind is reintroduced to society in the hopes that it can gain agency and thrive. Most Inaw are emotionally and mentally crippled, viewing the world through the lens of master-slave relationships, and it takes a lot of kindness and experience for them to be rehabilitated.

Elves: Remnants of the past world, the long-eared, human-like elves have fared slightly better, maintaining populations enough to shun and hate the Adelians and break apart from them. Many elves chose to live among the new world, but most left Adelian society and established their own, founded on the principle of their own superiority. Elves are Machiavellian and callous, and dangerously seek after the past that the Cataclysm destroyed in the hopes of regaining their own power – often at the expense of Adelians.

Dwarves: The Dwarves fared far better than any other remnant of the past world. They are still a fairly common race, and they adopted a blend of Adelian culture and their own reverence of the power of a good hammer, quality ores, and a lot of hard work.

Sorian (Soh-Reean): Outsiders in common society, Sorians are brutish, somewhat deranged lizard humanoids. They commonly form their own secluded communities with their own bizarre culture, and often do so on resources pillaged from Adelian communities. Unlike most Adelians, they have greater resemblance to the animal whose traits they share – they have snouts and scales and sharp spines down their backs and tails. They stand tall, green, usually slouched with a bad posture, and speak in a mangled language they learn out of “da good book,” which they consider “s’perior to all dat there funny ‘igh society blabbin’ ’bout.” They are considered a menace to the peace, due to their love of war and violence and their hulking body’s natural tendency towards both of them. Sorians have a love of agriculture, hunting, machetes and kicking Muks.

Muk (Muk): Muks are very small Sorians. Nobody quite knows where Muks came from, whether they are their own species or just developmentally-stunted Sorians, but they tend to be slaves to the larger Sorians, doing menial labor and generally being kicked around.

Humanoid Spirits: Living among the Adelians, spirits can take on a variety of humanoid forms. The more civilized the Spirit is, the less it will look like an animal or object. Most Spirits living among the people look like the people do, except with varying touches of nature and whimsy – feathered arms, or fish fin ears, or natural skin stripes. All Spirits have a Purview: a theme, concept, element, object or idea that forms the core of their being. They act as a representation of that mortal idea, but they are their own creatures, with thoughts, feelings and determination. They vary from the beautiful, bird-like Muikara, to the drunken and annoying Einotbe with wheat growing in their hair, and innumerable other forms and purviews.