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Author: Jarucas
Date Added: 06/28/09
Last Modified: 8/16/09
In the ancient times, the times prior to the Days of Aratar and long before the appearance of men upon the face of the world, the gods looked upon their creation and were pleased. They populated the world with flora and fauna so that beauty and strife might coexist in harmony and balance. Again, the gods were pleased with what they had wrought.
A certain few of the animals, having pleased the gods more than any others, were blessed within the gods’ sight. These six animals (the Lion, the Goat, the Horse, the Wolf, the Bird, and the Fish) were gifted by the gods with wisdom, higher intelligence, and the most powerful gift of all, the ability to communicate one with the other. Over time, these Wise Beasts developed in ways that the gods had not expected; and the gods were pleased.
It came to pass that the Wise Beasts, favored by the gods, had advanced as far as they were able, limited by the very shapes of their bodies. The gods were not pleased by this, so they granted to their chosen beasts the ability to change their shapes. The new shapes, offered by the gods, stood upright upon two legs (the better to reach the formerly unreachable), and possessed hands and fingers (the better to make and utilize tools). The Wise Beasts did not have these new shapes forced upon them, for they were loved in the eyes of the gods, but were given a choice.
On the first day of each season, each Wise Beast was given the choice between their animal shape and the new shape offered by the gods. The choice made, the shape chosen would be worn until the first day of the next season, at which time the choice was made anew. In this way, the gods’ chosen beasts were able to advance further than ever before; and the gods were pleased.
The Wise Beasts, favored by the gods, were not infallible, however. Some of them grew proud and arrogant, placing their own kind above the others, defying the edicts of the gods. The gods were displeased. Of all their chosen beasts, only the Wolves, the Lions, and the Birds remained true. Only they remained loyal, faithful to the gods. Only they escaped punishment.
The offending beasts, the Fish, the Goats, and the Horses, did not escape the retribution of the gods. They had their true shapes taken from them, never again to be the beasts they once were. Two forms were they given, one the shape the gods had previously gifted them and the other a new shape, a curse that they should never forget that they had angered the gods. The new shape was a mockery of their original beast form, ugly in the eyes of the gods.
Thus were born the Turuvkin; the First, once favored by the gods.
The old gods are gone these many centuries, but the Turuvkin remain. Each of them has its own very specific culture and society. Each is a unique race with its own set of racial skills and abilities. Two abilities are shared by all Turuvkin. The first is the ability to communicate with others while wearing their animal forms. They do not speak, they chirp or bark or growl, but their words are heard and understood by anyone listening. The old gods willed it so, and it is so. The second is the ability to choose an alternate shape on the first day of each season (Spring Equinox, Summer Solstice, Autumnal Equinox, and Winter Solstice). As the seasons change, so too change the Turuvkin.
The Blessed TuruvkinLifespan: 0-20 (Child); 21-35 (Young Adult); 36-70 (Adult); 71-100 (Elder). Blessed Turuvkin rarely live beyond 100 years.
Giltarak The Wolf People (Reference Images)
Lands: Formenya/ Turúva /Bavkür/Nivak
Alignment Giltarak characters can be of any alignment, but the society in general is considered Neutral Good. The Giltarak are a noble and just race with strong nurturing and protection instincts.
Human Form: In their ‘human’ form, the Giltarak appear as humans with one or more physical characteristics of a wolf. Which characteristics and the extent of those characteristics will vary substantially from Giltarak to Giltarak, but they will always be obvious enough that the Giltarak cannot easily pass as truly human. Despite this, the Giltarak’s human form is always closer to human than to wolf (e.g. No “All-Fours”, No monstrous werewolf-like form).
- Culture: The Giltarak are a tribal people. Each tribe is lead by an alpha male and an alpha female, with a strict pecking order in place. They are rangers, trackers, hunters, and warriors. They strive to protect nature and each other. The various tribes of the human-form Giltarak operate independently, as well as cooperatively. They each control their own territory, which they guard possessively, but they are more than willing to work together for the greater good when necessary. Sadly, relations between the tribes are not always peaceful and tribal skirmishes do erupt from time to time. (For real world reference, one should look to the Native Americans as inspiration.)
Blessed Form: The Giltarak are blessed with the ability to choose their original animal form, that of the wolf. The type and color of wolf is directly related to the Giltarak’s region of origin; Timber wolves (Turúva Forest), White wolves (Formenya Tundra), Silver wolves (Bavkür Desert), Black wolves (Bavkür Mountains), Red wolves (Nivak Desert). *note* Not all wolves in Aedolyn are Giltarak. Many are simply wolves. The only visible difference is that Giltarak in wolf form tend to be approximately 20% larger than their true wolf cousins.
- Culture: In wolf form, the Giltarak live in packs averaging 7 members, but packs as large 18 members are known to exist. Each pack is lead by an alpha male and an alpha female, with a strict pecking order in place. The various packs of the wolf-form Giltarak operate independently, as well as cooperatively. They each control their own territory, which they guard possessively, but they are more than willing to work together for the greater good when necessary. Sadly, relations between the packs are not always peaceful and skirmishes do erupt from time to time. (For real world reference, one should look to actual wolves as inspiration.)
Molvarak The Bird People (Reference Images)
Lands: Keldorak/Moradin/Angard
Alignment: Individual Molvarak characters can be of any alignment, but as a society in general, the Molvarak are divided into two separate factions - Lawful Good and Lawful Evil.
The Lawful Good faction includes the noble raptors, such as eagles, hawks, owls, and gyrfalcons, as well as cranes, humming birds, songbirds, and the insect eaters.
The Lawful Evil faction includes the carrion eaters, such as vultures, condors, crows, and ravens, as well as the egg thieves such as jays, magpies, and shrikes.
If you are unsure which alignment a specific bird (not listed here) should fall under, we suggest you ask the site staff for a ruling.
Human Form: In their ‘human’ form, the Molvarak appear as humans with one or more physical characteristics of a bird. Which characteristics and the extent of those characteristics will vary substantially from Molvarak to Molvarak, but they will always be obvious enough that the Molvarak cannot easily pass as truly human. If a Molvarak has wings, they will normally be his actual arms (e.g. Not angel wings). Molvarak that can actually fly in human form are exceedingly rare, so rare as to be quite prized as warriors and messengers alike.
- Culture: Molvarak in ‘human’ form tend to live solitary lives, or in pairs or small family groups of 3 to 5. The choices of where to live, what career path to follow, and how to interact with other peoples, are directly influenced by which species of bird the Molvarak happens to be. Of all the Turuvkin, the Molvarak (both factions) are the most common within the towns and cities of men, though the majority of human form Molvarak live in the city of Keldorak.
Blessed Form: The Molvarak are blessed with the ability to choose their original animal form, that of the bird. The specific species of bird is directly dependent upon the flock to which the Molvarak was born. *note* Not all birds in Aedolyn are Molvarak. Many are simply birds. The only visible difference is that Molvarak in bird form tend to be approximately 20% larger than their true bird cousins.
- Culture: When living in bird form, the Molvarak live in flocks, murders, pairs, or alone, depending upon the species of bird they happen to be. (For real world reference, one should look to actual birds as inspiration.)
Divarak The Lion People (Reference Images)
Lands: Barös/Galstrom
Alignment: Individual Divarak characters can be of any alignment, but the Divarak culture in general is Chaotic Good. The Divarak are a proud, noble, and sometimes arrogant race with a tendency toward unpredictable behavior, bouts of irrational violence, and cold disinterest.
Human Form: In their ‘human’ form, the Divarak appear as humans with one or more physical characteristics of a lion. Which characteristics and the extent of those characteristics will vary substantially from Divarak to Divarak, but they will always be obvious enough that the Divarak cannot easily pass as truly human. The Divarak’s human form is always closer to human than to lion (e.g. No “all-fours”).
- Culture: Divarak in human form live mostly within the cities of man and do not seem to have a specific way of life. Some of them live as typical family units, while others simply band together or live alone, much like the humans amongst which they live. Human form Divarak are freedom loving and fiercely independent. They are renowned for their fiery spirits and their swift changes of mood. They can be fun loving and impulsive, they can be serious and introspective, or they can be vengeful and ferocious. Most of all, the Divarak are arrogant and self important in an inexplicably charming manner. The Divarak are intelligent and dexterous, allowing them to pursue nearly any career field.
Blessed Form: The Divarak are blessed with the ability to choose their original animal form, that of the lion. *note* Not all lions in Aedolyn are Divarak. Many are simply lions. The only visible difference is that Divarak in lion form tend to be approximately 20% larger than their true lion cousins.
- Culture: In lion form, the Divarak live in groups known as ‘prides’. A pride of lions consists of 2 to 18 females and their offspring, and 1 to 7 adult males respectively. Females in a pride are usually related. Mothers, daughters, aunts, and cousins often live in the same pride for their entire lives. Females are not dominant to males, but are in charge of finding water sources, moving the pride, and deciding where to sleep. Females also do most of the hunting. Males act as protectors of the young with the eldest male acting as patriarch of the pride. (For real world reference, one should look to actual lions as inspiration.)
The Cursed TuruvkinLifespan: 0-20 (Child); 21-35 (Young Adult); 36-60 (Adult); 60-70 (Elder). Cursed Turuvkin rarely live more than 70 years.
Inwarak The Horse People (Reference Images)
Lands: Turúva/Taldian/Navirfell/Mirodo/Sauvale
Alignment: An individual Inwarak character can be of any alignment, but the society as a whole is generally Chaotic Good. They are proud and arrogant, wild and free, and they consider themselves better than the other races.
Human Form: In their ‘human’ form, the Inwarak appear as humans with one or more physical characteristics of a horse. Which characteristics and the extent of those characteristics will vary substantially from Inwarak to Inwarak, but they will always be obvious enough that the Inwarak cannot easily pass as truly human. The Inwarak’s human form is always closer to human than to horse (e.g. No “all-fours”).
- Culture: The Inwarak are a tribal people, living in groups not unlike herds. The typical human-form Inwarak tribe consists of a patriarchal male, 1 to 3 younger adult males, and a harem of 3 to 20 females and their offspring. The eldest female serves as alpha female and rules over the rest of the harem, second only to the patriarchal male. Family ties are extremely important to the Inwarak, the more closely related someone is, the stronger the loyalty they are due. The various tribes of the Inwarak do not historically enjoy peaceful relations, often warring amongst themselves. The human-form Inwarak are fierce warriors and renowned as the fastest runners on the face of Aedolyn. (For real world reference, one should look to the nomadic desert tribes of the ancient Bedouins for inspiration.)
Cursed Form: Cursed by the old gods, never again to wear the shape of the horse, the Inwarak’s beast form is an unnatural blending of horse and man. Inwarak possess the entire body of a horse with four hoofed feet, but where the horse’s neck should be there is a human torso, albeit covered in hair. The human torso has two arms, covered in hair, and hands with only three fingers and a thumb, each ending in a thick hoof-like nail. The head is something not quite human, but not quite horse; it is a human shaped skull, but the features of the face are decidedly horse-like.
- Culture: The beast-form Inwarak live in herds. The typical Inwarak herd consists of a patriarchal male, 1 to 3 younger adult males, and a harem of 3 to 20 females and their offspring. The eldest female serves as alpha female and rules over the rest of the harem, second only to the patriarchal male. The various herds of the Inwarak do not historically enjoy peaceful relations, often warring amongst themselves. The human-form Inwarak are fierce warriors and renowned as the fastest runners on the face of Aedolyn. (For real world reference, one should look to actual wild horses for inspiration.)
Litharak The Goat People (Reference Images)
Lands: Turúva/Angard/Gaalvar/Sauvale
Alignment: Individual Litharak characters can be of any alignment, but the society in general is Chaotic Neutral. They are a race of tricksters and mischief-makers, rogues and thieves. The Litharak take very few things seriously.
Human Form: In their ‘human’ form, the Litharak appear as humans with one or more physical characteristics of a mountain goat. Which characteristics and the extent of those characteristics will vary substantially from Litharak to Litharak, but they will always be obvious enough that the Litharak cannot easily pass as truly human. The Litharak’s human form is always closer to human than to mountain goat (e.g. No “all-fours”).
- Culture: In human form, the Litharak are extremely social, seeming to prefer the company of humans and elves. They are known to be transients, wandering from village to town to city, but never settling down permanently. The human-form Litharak tend to work as travelling entertainers, thieves, and concubines. Their lives seem driven by nothing more than the pursuit of pleasure.
Cursed Form: Cursed by the old gods, never again to wear the shape of the mountain goat, the Litharak’s beast form is an unnatural blending of mountain goat and man. The Litharak body is shaped like that of a tall man with the legs and feet of a mountain goat, but the entire body is covered in hair. The Litharak’s posture is hunched, as they are often crouched upon the rocks. The hands have only three fingers and a thumb, each ending in a thick hoof-like nail. Above the hair covered human-like shoulders, the head is almost that of a mountain goat, but there are enough subtle human aspects to give the Litharak a disconcerting visage.
- Culture In beast form, the Litharak live entirely different lives than they do when in human form. They repress their desire to pursue pleasure, relegating such things to the time spent in human form, and spend their time in quiet contemplation and spiritual cleansing. They commune with nature, grieving the ancient mistakes that lost them their true forms. They are solemn and wise, shunning unnecessary violence in favor of compromise and sacrifice. They live in small herds consisting of extended families and lead by the eldest female. Their lives are peaceful, but they will fight fiercely if the fight is forced upon them.
Fynarak The Fish People (Reference Images)
Lands: Lenri/Moradin/Turúva
Alignment: Individual Fynarak characters can be of any alignment, but as a society in general, the Fynarak are divided into two separate factions - True Neutral and Chaotic Evil.
The True Neutral faction includes primarily the plant and plankton eaters and smaller predators, such as angelfish, clown fish, tetras, catfish, puffers, and rays.
The Chaotic Evil faction includes the major predator fish, such as sharks, barracudas, snakeheads, piranhas, lionfish, and eels.
*note* If you are unsure which alignment a specific fish (not listed here) should fall under, we suggest you ask the site staff for a ruling.
Human Form: In their ‘human’ form, the Fynarak appear as humans with one or more physical characteristics of a fish. Which characteristics and the extent of those characteristics will vary substantially from Fynarak to Fynarak, but they will always be obvious enough that the Fynarak cannot easily pass as truly human. The Fynarak’s human form is always closer to human than to fish. In human form, the Fynarak are primarily air breathers, though they may or not have gills, as well.
- Culture: Fynarak in human form live in coastal towns and cities. They are primarily loners, working on the docks or as sailors and pirates. Both factions are cold and detached, rarely showing any emotion whatsoever. The difference between them is in their deeds.
Cursed Form: Cursed by the old gods, never again to wear the shape of the fish, the Fynarak’s beast form is an unnatural blending of fish and man. The Fynarak is shaped like a man, but the entire body is covered in scales and fins, the appearance of which is directly related to which species of fish the Fynarak happens to be. The Fynarak’s head is human-like, but covered with scales and decidedly fish-like features. The beast-form Fynarak are frightening to behold, like something out of nightmare, and cannot breathe above water.
- Culture: In beast form, the Fynarak inhabit the coastal and inland waters. They live in schools, shoals, or alone, depending upon which species of fish the Fynarak happens to be. It is assumed that these are extended family groups led by a dominant male, but the Fynarak keep the overall structure of their underwater society a secret from the surface dwellers. Fynarak, depending upon the faction to which they belong, can be a blessing or a bane for sailors.
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