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The Races of the Known Realms

Playable Races

Anyeli si. Anyelos1, fem. Anyela	The Anyeli are a militaristic race of avians torn apart by a civil war that has lasted more than 8,000 years. Their Empire encompasses a forked mountain range riddled with fortresses and garrison towns, and their every skill comes from a desire for victory. Military service throughout much of their adult lives is mandatory. Anyeli have grey wings until they join a faction, whereupon they permanently dye their feathers white or black. This once religious choice is now purely political.
	Appearance	Culture	Proficiencies
	Lifespan: 900 years Height: 5'6" – 5'11" Build: Lean and light Colouring: Fair to dark Skin: Pale to medium	Government: Stratocracy Population: ~1,585,820 Language: Anyeli Currency: Xanthai2 Calendar: XA3	Light or Shadow Manipulation Flight Combat Healing Light Shield or Shadow Cloak

Nymphs si. Nymph, masc. Sidhe	Nymphs are an alluring humanoid species living in the Fae Forest. Theirs is a spiritual and matriarchal society deeply entrenched in the Natural World and segregated by gender. They live in communes, primarily in the Sylvan Territories, and sometimes share a symbiotic relationship with local Therians. Nymphs loathe and forbid physical violence but use the elements and their bonds with animals to defend themselves, their communes, and Nature in general. They see it as their duty to keep the world clean and pure, and they sicken if they stay away from their element too long.
	Appearance	Culture	Proficiencies
	Lifespan: 100 years Height: 5'0" – 5'7" Build: Willowy, petite Colouring: Fair to dark Skin: Pale to olive	Government: Matriarchal Population: ~239,804 Language: Sylvan Currency: Bartering; Xanthai4 Calendar: XA5	Elemental Manipulation Transmutation Beast Taming Summon Animals Demesne Bond

Zanaryans si. Rajin al-Zanarya6; fem. Emrah al-Zanarya	Zanaryans are an embittered species marginalised because of their stench. Tall and horned, with broad bat-like wings, they were demonised by humans and forced to flee to a planet created just for them. They sealed their portal and only reopened it when they had advanced, technologically and culturally, much further than their Elysian cousins. Zanaryan society is strictly patriarchal and politically complex, with interconnected hierarchies both religious and secular. Men are favoured, eldest first, but power and connections mean more than birthright and bloodlines. They serve a Shrine Lord in exchange for elemental and political power.
	Appearance	Culture	Proficiencies
	Lifespan: 900 years Height: 5'8"–6'4" Build: Lean to portly Colouring: Fair to dark Skin: Fair to dark	Government: Patriarchal Population: ~5,695,323 Language: Zanaryan Currency: Masaari7 Calendar: ZT8	Elemental Manipulation Elemental Shield Flight Combat Transmutation

	Therians are the youngest of the races, having been created accidentally by Vampires just over 1,500 years ago. Their ability to shapeshift segregated them from other species but they share an almost symbiotic relationship with the Nymphs who offered them sanctuary. Therians look completely human while in that form, but often have a "wet dog" smell. They range in height from about 5'5"–6'2" and can live up to 80 years. Divided into clans and tribes and living almost like animals, they are usually led by a chief but ultimately answer to their Sentinel who governs the race as a whole. They commonly speak Sylvan or Elysian.
	Vampires are not the undead. They were a monstrous mistake on Xanth's part, created just over 1,500 years ago, and Elysia has never let them forget it. Caused by an infection, their desperate need for blood ironically makes them stronger and faster than humans, but they are still seen as low-class citizens if not the Scourge themselves. Vampires have no commonality in appearance because they come from all walks of life. Facing a lifelong struggle against their bloodlust, they have only recently begun to come together as a species and are divided into clans and cabals each led by its own queen or equivalent. They have no idea how long they can survive: as they never age, it has been suggested they are immortal.
	The Dracovari are descended from dragons but are trapped in humanoid form, having only retained the slitted pupils, Sept structure and some of the skills of their reptilian kin. They usually prefer to live in large towns and cities, but can be found almost anywhere in Elysia — though their only official territorial claim is on the recently built White City in Nirim. Dracovari range in height from about 5'10"–6'6". Their lifespan is 3,000 years but can extend to 4,000 for lifemates. Often arrogant and elitist even as the dragons look down on them for their humanity, they are led first by their Sept's Viperos and as a race by the Oroboros. They have several languages: Latin for rituals; Elysian; and most often either French of English if born and raised on Earth.

Restricted Races

Humans are the poor cousins of the Elysian races, a weakling species tolerated only for their place of honour in the history books as the Ancestors, yet rejected and even feared for the prejudices they showed against the non-human races throughout Elysia's history. Despite their physical weaknesses, humans have found a niche in Elysia, and those born here can thrive almost as easily as any of Xanth's Children. A few do find their way through a portal from Earth from time to time, but these have a much more difficult transition.

Xanth's Aides are, for all intents and purposes, demigods — but it's more a job than a species. Fed a drop of Xanth's blood upon swearing to serve her, they gain several godly powers without losing any of their own, but they never fully leave Xanth's service even after retirement. Aides must at all times put the realms first and act as a role model. Xanth allows them their fun, but woe betide them if they put anyone in harm's way or jeopardise the careful balance she has established. Xanth is not considering any new Aides currently.

Non-Playable Races

Dragons were the dominant life form on Earth for thousands of years but were eventually overtaken by humans. They begged Xanth for a new home and moved to Nirim, where they lived in peace for millennia, only leaving their realm when Summoned by their Dracovari descendents. Dragons are split into three different hierarchies according to subspecies, Sept, and/or element. Their leader is known in Elysian as the Lindwyrm, a role that only the Greater Drach can assume. Dragons can only be played as NPCs, and usually as the Companion of a Dracovarian.

Xanth created Elysia, Nirim and Zanarya, having discovered Earth some centuries before. One of many such "gods" in the universe, she is the only one whose presence has been recognised throughout Elysia's history, and is the keystone of many religions. Xanth is but a child to her own people, yet she created not only Elysia and its many races, but continues to meddle in mortal affairs to this day — with sometimes disastrous results. Applications open for deities from time to time when plots require them, but — barring Xanth herself — they are official NPCs.

Related Pages

• How Do the Races Interact?
• Can I Create My Own Race?
• Hybrid Characters
• What Race Has the Most Roleplay Potential?
• Character FAQ
• Setting FAQ

¹ Formally speaking, Anyeli are "Citizens of the Anyeli Empire", but the full term is now only used in official ceremonies. ⇑

² In smaller towns and more remote regions, Anyeli will often barter for goods and services instead of using minted coins. In fact, Anyeli coins are actually worth less than xanthai found in eastern Elysia because they reserve their best metals for weapons and use the poorer quality ores for minting. This can become an issue when currency is judged on its material value rather than what the number on its face says it is worth, but coins have a standard value across the Empire itself. ⇑

³ The Elysian calendar (XA) is based on the Anyeli calendar. There are some linguistic differences but they are easily translatable and the numbers are the same. ⇑

⁴ Within their communes, Nymphs trade and barter goods and skills for what they cannot forage or forge themselves. However, they must use xanthai in the outside world so part of their Rite of Passage is dedicated to teaching novices how to use money. ⇑

⁵ Nymphs are able to follow the Elysian calendar (XA) but they are more familiar with the cycle of Neme, Elysia's visible moon, for short-term time-keeping. ⇑

⁶ Rajin al-Zanarya literally means "Man of Zanarya". Only Zanaryans use this full title, and generally only among their own kind. Elysians just refer to them as "Zanaryans". ⇑

⁷ Zanaryans use xanthai while in Elysia. ⇑

⁸ The Zanaryan calendar (ZT) is estimated to begin sixty years after the first Zanaryan appeared (around 7,000 BC). In written documents, and when speaking formally, Zanaryans give the full date at length ("the first day of Shawahed of the eight thousand, nine hundred and forty fourth year since Creation") but may shorten it otherwise. The year is always given in full even if the date is abbreviated. ⇑

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