Races of Adel

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. The last of the humans from the Lost World disappeared long before the establishment of Adelian civilization. The Dwarves are all gone, only ruins of their great monuments remaining behind to attest to their existence. Creatures such as orcs have either vanished or changed shape so as to be unrecognizeable – as an example, the goblins that do exist on Adel are much more lizard-like, akin to Kobolds, than they are akin to past goblinoids.

The Adelians are a diaspora of human-like beings that inhabit the World of Adel. They are four different species that are capable of inter-breeding and treat each other as a single race. All of them are bipedal, two-armed beings, with smooth skin texture of varying tones, and almost exact human facial and body features and behaviors. Though they all resemble humans, marks of the new world upon each of them set them apart in a unique way.

These changes attest to the divine power nestled within each. Though Adelians come in a variety of ethnicities and groups, like humans did before them, physical differences are hardly a problem for them. They are drawn together by much stronger nationalist ties – it is more often one will see two Iomadi bickering over their homelands than over their physical features, or arguing with a Damakran or Cuporo about their bodies.

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 in all but their animal-like ears and tails, the mark of the spirits that blessed them. There are three major “types” of Iomadi – Dragon, Phoenix and Tiger – that have different “markings.” Their markings are the shapes of their ears and tails. Beside these, they are very human-like and boast no other animal features such as snouts, fur, wings (vestigial or otherwise) or claws. Phoenix Iomadi have wing-shaped feathered ears and folding, fan-like feathered tails. Dragon Iomadi have sharp scaly ears and tails. Tiger Iomadi have furry, flexible ears and tails. Within each group, the markings may possess different ethnic variations – Tiger Iomadi may have dog-like or fox-like or cat-like ears, for example. Iomadi also boast a variety of skin, hair and eye colorations differing in the northern, temperate, tropical and southern regions.

Cuporo (Coo-poh-roh): The Cuporo are children of mother nature, with skin the colors of clays and soils, and hair the color of leaves and flowers. They are said to represent the element of Earth. They humans short in stature, with the 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 often long hair. Cuporo are gregarious and curious 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, and though cunning and bright they are often humble and energetic in their manner. It is uncommon to find a truly stuck-up Cuporo.

Damakran (Da-Maw-Kren): Damakran are blue or dark-skinned, sharp-teethed amphibious humans with slick skin, webbed hands and feet and short hair which they tend to dye. Damakran could grow to possess a variety of features traced back to fish – a hammerhead Damakran might have a thick, protruding brow ridge while an Eel Damakran would just be a slim, flexible human in appearance. They are said to represent the element of Water. One feature all Damakran share regardless of any others is on their heads: a cartilaginous fin-like crest grows from the center of their heads in a tight gradual curve. Their ears also tend to possess cartilaginous fin-like decorative projections sharing the color of their skin. They tend to be taller and better toned than Iomadi of similar stature. Due to their humanoid nature they can only remain underwater for a few hours at a time.

Droemedae (Droh-meh-day): A species of human that developed in large underground “hives,” the Droemedae are a relatively new addition to the Adelian civilization, having joined the wider world only 400 years ago. Before this, they kept to themselves in their hives. Droemedae are said to represent the element of Air. They are all remarkably alike, as though they derive from the same parent – they have, invariably, either brown or pink skin, pale or pink hair, and an effeminate appearance. All Droemedae tend toward effeminacy, such that while clothed, the males are quite easily mistaken for females. This is not a circumstance that the Adelians are new to – some Iomadi are born with such a blend of traits. In fact, for Iomadi it can go both ways: one could develop into a masculine female or a feminine male. But for the Droemedae, from first to last, all are quite effeminate: this is what is natural for them. The Droemedae worship their queen – femininity and the act of giving birth – and they are said to “worship life.” They are separated into matriarchal societies, each Hive ruled by a biologically-elevated queen. Unlike with insects all Droemedae are capable of reproduction along typical sex lines, including with Adelians.

They have thin chitinous or sometimes soft and ribbon-like antennae growing from the top of their foreheads, the movement of which is part of their emotional expression.  Having discovered the culture in Adel, they have sought to emulate it. Droemedae tend to exhibit awkwardness in emotional situations, and are curious of the habits of the Adelians, particularly their religion. They have a “cultural exchange” with the Adelians, and their naturally high intellect and mastery of magic allow them to exist comfortably in Adelian societies as mages. Much of Adel’s technology exists as a result of the Droemedae.

Half Races?: Each of the races of Adel is descended from humans, and all can reproduce with one another. However, this blend of traits doesn’t ever really produce a true “half-race.” Usually, the child will be born as distinctly one race or the other. Most Cuporo will only ever give birth to more Cuporo, while Droemedae are rare products in mixed couplings. Adelians don’t really think much about the race of the child – they are much more interested in just having it. The races are plentiful enough that for Adelians, cross-coupling isn’t any issue, unlike with say, Elves, who do have ugly ideas about miscegenation.