The World of Atercia
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Humans Elves Haldrinn Beastmasters Dwarves Orcs

Human

Humans are the shortest lived of all the races on Atercia with an average lifespan of around seventy years, however they are also the most widespread and versatile of all as well. They have cities upon almost very continent and are constantly exploring, building and expanding upon what they own. Human culture varies vastly from place to place; fashion, fighting techniques and religious beliefs all change and it is a very human thing to question these things. Humans are an all-round race who can use a sword just as easily as magic. Whilst they may not be the strongest race, they are one of the smartest and use their large armies to make up for it.

Elves

Elves have the longest lifespan of all; an indefinite amount, even most elves are unsure how long they can live for. The oldest known elf lived over four centuries, however many do not reach this number because of battles, sickness or accidents. Elves are slightly taller than humans but have a translucent quality to their skin. Commonly, they grow their hair long and most have blue or green eyes. Elves, on Atercia, are best known for their cynicism. Their long lives make them grow tired of the world and many elves have fallen into madness after centuries of watching the world change around them. This is especially common among elves that have lived among humans and have watched their friends, and even their children, die before them. Some elves have secluded themselves from the entire world and choose to live beyond human boundaries.

Elves are naturally adept to magic; most have some skill although just as their are strong mages, there are also those with very weak or even no magical abilities. Because of this the elves have learnt to fight from a distance and when not using magic they often fight with bows or spears. Their weakness comes when the enemy manages to get in close as they can attack them quickly before spells can be cast or weapons fired.

Haldrinn

Haldrinn grow to around seven feet, the females slightly shorter than this. A crest of skin stretches across their forehead. The males of the race often grow their beards long and it is seen as a lack of respect to cut another haldrinn's beard.

Since a great war between the haldrinn and the humans, their numbers have been reduced to a couple of hundred and they have retreated to the mountains where they live in small tribal communities. Despite this battle occurring centuries ago, they have never recovered. The females can usually only conceive once or twice during their lifetimes and so are considered extremely important and rarely venture beyond their home town. When they do have to venture into the outside world they usually will travel in twos or threes for protection. Some haldrinn have chosen to live within the cities of other races and have made their trade as great blacksmiths. They design intricate amours, pieces of metal twisted together which give much greater protection than any other. On many occasions, people will even bring the materials to the haldrinn so some can be made at a cheaper price.

Because of their size, they are extremely powerful warriors, even the females. Most have no magic abilities, but those who do usually have only basic abilities. Their greatest strength, therefore, comes in melee, getting close to the enemy and attacking as many people as possible. Haldrinns generally use weapons such as axes and large swords that can be used against numerous opponents at a time.

Beastmasters

Beastmasters are a race consumed by mystery. The legends say they are half-human and half-dragon and can live for centuries. They have two short horns on top of their head, leathery wings, fangs, and a tail; those that venture into the cities however attempt to hide these features beneath clothes. Beastmasters have a special connection with the earth, their horns allow them to commune with plants and animals; this connection has given them a 'natural magic' and has made them protective of the world and they attempt to protect it from harm.

There are few beastmasters left now, the main tribe live on an island far from the cities of man. Those that live within the cities attempt to hide their true nature as their rare skills are sought after, especially in times of war. A beastmaster's connection with nature can cause as much damage as good if they allowed it.

Beastmasters will rarely get involved in the politics of the world, instead deciding to watch the outcome from afar. They will only choose to fight with a side if Atercia becomes in danger. Very few people have ever seen beastmasters fighting but it is said that they can summon upon animals, earth-bound spirits and even their ancient kin, dragons. With their build similar to humans, they hold much the same strengths and weaknesses.

Dwarves

Short and stocky, this race rarely grows higher than 5 feet. Their lifespan can extend on average to about 150 years.

Dwarven society is unique amongst the races, mainly because it is led by two specific casts that respectively handle the political and military aspects of dwarven society. In dwarven lore they are supposedly the mortal Avatars of Lorgar the Wise and Othor the Hammer, the two dwarven deities.

Whitebeards are extremely weak and fragile. Born prematurely, they barely grow at all and need constant attention of carers to help them survive, even once they have reached adulthood. Whitebeards are easily identifiable and are named so because they are born with stark white hair. Their intellect, however, is unsurpassed and all Whitebeards of a clan are gathered together to form the ruling council. As well as handling dwarven politics, Whitebeards are extremely fastidious in keeping the history of the clan intact and between them they can recall the clan's history right to its point of foundation. They make sure the annals of their clan's history are correct and well ordered.

Warsmiths are harder to identify at first, and are the polar opposites of Whitebeards. Despite being born physically healthy, they develop autistic qualities. In comparison though, they are extremely strong, surpassing the abilities of a normal dwarf and have a savant like ability of command on the battlefield. For this reason, once identified Warsmiths are collected from their parents and cared for until they become of age, then they are placed as the ranking officers of the clan's army where their tactical brilliance and ingenuity reveals itself. Although they are not infallible, their strength and natural aptitude for battle leaves little doubt among dwarves as to who should lead them to war.

Dwarves live above and below ground, some of their older towns actually combining both together. Many of their stronger fortresses are underground however, meaning they can take advantage of the darkness and the twisting landscape. Specialised tunnel fighters can then use pikes and spears to great effect on an invading enemy. Their weakness comes when they are drawn into the open and lose this advantage.

Orcs

At birth, orcs are approximately 4 feet tall. They however mature rapidly reaching their full stature of 6-7 feet within five years. Their large stature and active lifestyles lead them to be bulkier creatures than the average human and are naturally stronger. At birth they are covered in a mud brown skin, this however develops over time into a tough but flexible bark like substance over areas such as the stomach, forearms and shins. Although its no where near as strong as conventional armour it does however provide an orc with a decent degree of protection against small arms.

From the very beginning, the orcs were one of the most aggressive races and were often at war either amongst themselves or with other races. Most of this aggression stemmed from their faith in the after life, believing those who died in combat were rewarded above all others, this in turn however ultimately stems from the unique form of reproduction orcs possess. Orcs are partially plants, within their torsos lies a dormant seed. Upon their death there is a chance it will germinate and grow into a tree which produces pods from which more orcs will hatch. Normally these trees (AkaBo trees as the orcs call them) are a fairly rare occurrence. A violent death however will greatly increase the chance of germination as hormones released are likely to stimulate the seed. Amalgamated into their religion, orcs believe those who have achieved perfection in battle are honoured by their god, Enki, by turning them into AkaBo trees and allowing their legacy to continue.

However, as a by product of their religion orcs have shunned the use of almost all ranged weapons in warfare believing it impossible to perfect themselves in bloody warfare otherwise. This in turn has offset their otherwise enhanced reproduction rate.

When ShoGog entered the realm of Atercia to drive out the demons, he found the orcs a perfect tool. Walking amongst them, he promised them the death they craved and was answered with their loyalty. They hailed him as the material avatar of Enki their patron god of war and rebirth. Although he rarely displayed it, ShoGog enjoyed the company of the orcs and cared for them, teaching them what he knew although unlike his brothers he respected the beliefs of his chosen race rather than guiding them with an iron fist. Although the orcs did not benefit on the scale the Dwarves did from the teachings of Orthor and Lorgar, their way of life was preserved without alterations.