Races

There are a variety of races of people across all of Tempered Planes, from the plentiful humans to the secretive gnomes, or the mystical elves. Extending even across The Parallel into Elegy, the vestren and drow rule the lands of the alien planet. While the populations and races of the Outer Planes are impossible to judge and relatively unknown, the population and distribution of the races of Spokenword and Elegy are well-known due to divination magic. Below is the general lore and description of all of the races of the worlds, including any changes they may have to their racial features.

Races of Spokenword
The races of Spokenword are the beings created by Lillith, or the descendants of the Ancients. The total population is around 27 million, but this number does not account for all sentient beings of Spokenword, such as fey or dragons, of which there is likely 750,000 unaccounted for, which is generous. This also does not account for unexplored regions, like the islands of Irralon north of Jennutresk or the Ice Wastes north of World's End and south of Kol Cap. The races are sorted by the percentage of the total population they make up.

Human
Humans were created as the basis for all other races by Lillith, made in the image of her and Nillian, and are the purest of her kin, created to be the perfect inhabitants of a world striving for peace within the thralls of war. They are spread widely in Spokenword and they can be found in most regions easily. They are disagreeable and fierce and lead other races to view them with contempt, famous for their ambition and diversity. Humans may be simple creations, but they occupy the greatest achievers, innovators, and pioneers of the world. Their capacity to expand and endure makes them the dominant race: most of Spokenword's greatest kingdoms and oldest bloodlines belong to humans, who greatly value tradition.

Population : 20,520,000 (76%)

Age : Humans reach adulthood at age 16. Their average lifespan reaches 80.

Racial Trait Changes
[New] Skilled : For non-variant humans, you gain proficiency in one skill of your choice, or you gain Expertise (rogue feature) in one skill you are proficient in.

Halfling
Created by Lillith to be a cheerier and more communal version of humans, Halflings are adept at fitting into a community of humans, dwarves, or elves, making themselves valuable and welcome. The combination of their inherent stealth and their unassuming nature helps halflings to avoid unwanted attention. Halflings work readily with others, and they are loyal to their friends, whether halfling or otherwise. They can display remarkable ferocity when their friends, families, or communities are threatened. Save for a few exceptions, such as Carel in Freevale, halflings do not create their own cities and countries, instead choosing to take a sideline to the events of the world, following the nature of Yenner Worrynot.

Population : 1,620,000 (6%)

Age : Halflings reach adulthood around age 20. Their average lifespan reaches 125.

Dwarf
Dwarves, created by Lillith in the image of her son Klarthzalv, god of the forge and earth, are a honor-bound race of proud warriors and smiths. Native to the continent of Mekanön, dwarves live in grand mountainous kingdoms, carved out of the earth that they hold in reverence. Their purpose, as outlined by Lillith, was to create everlasting kingdoms out of earthly matter and hard labor, in stark contrast to the magical grace of the elves. They are an independent race of people, not often integrating into the societies of other races, save for the goblinoids of Dar Gerrow. Dwarves are rare outside of their concentrations, and the majority of their population is found in Mekanön and Ildregaard.

Population : 1,080,000 (4%)

Age : Dwarves reach adulthood around age 25. Their average lifespan reaches 175.

Half-Elf
The offspring of the mystical elves and the widespread humans, the resulting children of the two races has grown so large due to the "fleetness" of humanity that half-elves now outnumber full-blooded elves. A race stuck between two lives, they are often accepted quite easily into human civilization, but often find discrimination and hardship connecting with their elven side, their full-blooded ancestors not easily taking to the corruption of their "Quessir blood." Thankfully, the half-elves find respite in each other in the Trelstinian state of Keryth'Ora, which is mostly dominated by half-elves. They enjoy the best of both human and elven culture and religion.

Population : 607,000 (2.25%)

Age : Half-Elves reach adulthood around age 20. Their average lifespan reaches 100.

Elf
The elves, or as they call themselves, the "Tel-Quessir," are the most elegant, magical, and beautiful of Lillith's kin. The Divine Daughter designed the elves specifically in this way, modeled after the fey, which were magical creatures of beauty, also of her creation. Elves are the oldest-lived race of the Tempered Planes, their lives granted many years to see the beauty of the world and appreciate Lillith's gifts. Many elves believe that their race was the one chosen to be the true rulers and inheritors of Spokenword, but the humans were made in mistake, stealing their world from them. This resentment can be found in the elves that still believe this religious conspiracy, known as "The Brotherly Theft." Elves were the first to discover magic after it was gifted to them by Lillith. Today, they cultivate their mystic culture and deep connection with nature, led by their patron deity, Syelisir Cor'Vandor. Elves are rare outside of their concentrations, and the majority of their population is found in Trelstin.

Population : 540,000 (2%)

Age : Elves reach adulthood around age 40. Their average lifespan reaches 300.

Gnome
Gnomes are the busiest people in all the world. Constantly working on new magical theories, tinkering with artifice, or cracking jokes-- life is a gift for the gnomes of Spokenword. Given life by Lillith, the gnomes were meant to be close relatives to the elves, but much different in culture and temperament, in order to harbor a union between races on the basis of magical aptitude. While the gnomes certainly were magically adept, they didn't find themselves getting along well with the prestigious elves and mostly secluded themselves to small clans where they continue to enjoy life and create new inventions. Gnomes are mostly found in Anckerdemn, where they practice the Old Faith, but gnomes belonging to other continents (the second largest residence being Ildregaard, due to its leading role in artifice) often pray to the Merrick family of deities, headed by their patron deity, Faartor Merrick. Some gnomes also worship Klarthzalv due to his impeccable skills of forging.

Population : 540,000 (2%)

Age : Gnomes reach adulthood around age 40. Their average lifespan reaches 225.

Lizardfolk
The most plentiful of the three draconic races, the lizardfolk are those whose population makes up most of the lands of Jennutresk on the continent of Irralon. They are a spiritual and religious people, nomadic and meditative, who have learned these ways from their Ancient god and ancestor, Dala-Zauthra, a servant of Archimedes, more commonly referred to as "The Master." It was The Master's teachings of pacifism and spiritualism that the lizardfolk evolved from the tribal savages they used to be and flourished into the cultured people they are today, with the great city of Au Verthitcha standing as a monument to this culture. However, they are still lesser kin in relation to the dragonborn, who are the true inheritors of the old dragons and Archimedes. The lizardfolk are glad to accept this role as the servants and peasants to the dragonborn and live their lives in reverence to them.

Population : 405,000 (1.50%)

Age : Lizardfolk reach adulthood at age 14. Their average lifespan reaches 60.

Goblin
Fierce, hateful, and tribal to the core, the goblins of the swamplands of Spokenword claim not to be made by Lillith nor Nillian, instead they are the descendants of their Anicent gods, the greater goblinoid, Kineyag, and the lesser goblinoid, Talieyag. These two deities, though brothers, were clearly made as a superior and inferior. The goblins and bugbears are descendants of Talieyag, as their purpose is to serve the hobgoblins (the descendants of Kineyag) in their conquests and efforts of war, while conquering and taking what they can in the meantime. Goblins, bugbears, and hobgoblins are almost entirely native to Mekanön, but goblins specifically are known to breed like crazy, and they have long since found their way to Brocheran and Anckerdemn. Due to their tendencies to form small gangs and cause mischief in cities, they have come to gain the moniker of "swamp rats."

Population : 405,000 (1.50%)

Age : Goblins reach adulthood at age 8. Their average lifespan reaches 50.

Orc
Orcs are some of the creatures that most well represent the Warsong and the might of its wrath. They are kin of Lillith, created by her to represent the evil within war and greed, but the orcs only reveled in these vices. While they were originally created in a small quantity, designed to be defeated as an example of good prevailing over evil, the orcs proved to be a powerful threat and one that bred quite quickly. Today, the orcs are a unified threat in both Brocheran and Anckerdemn, though the Winter Horde of Anckerdemn is much more fierce than the country of Gudjag in Brocheran, which has mostly been pacified by the elves of Trelstin after years of fighting. The orcs of Brocheran are green-skinned and worship Gruuzog, the chaotic god of orcs, while the orcs of the Winter Horde are gray-skinned and worship Smork, who is a more docile and intelligent god as opposed to Gruuzog.

Population : 391,500 (1.45%)

Age : Orcs reach adulthood at age 12. Their average lifespan reaches 55.

Racial Trait Changes
[Change] Ability Score Increase : Your Strength score increases by 3, and your Constitution score increases by 2.

[New] Orcish Heritage : Select Brocherish Orc or Anckerdemnish Orc. You gain bonuses to your skills depending on your choice. Brocherish Orcs gain proficiency and Expertise in the Intimidation skill, and Anckerdemnish Orcs gain proficiency in two Wisdom or Intelligence skills of their choice.

Kobold
Kobolds are the least important and least respected of the draconic races, similar to how hobgoblins and bugbears would see goblins. They live in eternal servitude to the lizardfolk and especially the dragonborn, but many of them grew angry at this life of slavery, making some of the kobolds take up their grievances with the emperor of Ith Tao and demanded the right to leave. They were prepared for an honorable and long civil war, but the emperor simply let them leave. He said that they didn't really make a difference. A bit disheartened, some of the kobolds left to claim free areas in Sartdara Thaczil, where they now live independent of Ith Tao and pray to their patron deity, Mekmekmek. Kobolds are seldom found outside of Jennutresk, but in some parts of Brocheran where they can be found, they are seen as pests.

Population : 202,000 (0.75%)

Age : Kobolds reach adulthood at age 6, and their average lifespan can reach 200, but rarely does.

Tabaxi
The tabaxi are a deeply spiritual and druidic lot of tribal people, whose population makes up most of the Riverlands in Brocheran. Their faith lies in the three rivers, the Father, the Beauty, and the Frail, as they are the reasons that life flourishes in the Riverlands and allows its people to live peacefully. Even further than the rivers, however, is their worship to Miridias, the goddess of rivers, lakes, and sea life. The tabaxi live their simple lives in tribes that convene in Three Rivers, and their kind is very rare outside of the Riverlands, with the biggest exception being Ridian itself. They are kin of Lillith, designed to live simple and fulfilled lives without the fret of war.

Population : 162,000 (0.60%)

Age : Tabaxi reach adulthood at age 14. Their average lifespan reaches 80.

Triton
Half-amphibious humanoids who have since adapted to life underwater, the tritons are the guardians of the ocean floor, and whatever may rest at its bottom. They are kin of Lillith, specifically designed to be the servants of Lyscilla, a derivative daughter of Lillith, and the goddess of storms, the ocean, and the depths. With their goddess ever in mind, tritons live all around the shores of countries around the world, with the most prominent triton city being Lyscilla's Ward, a city that rests beneath an ancient lighthouse in Reunice.

Population : 148,000 (0.55%)

Age : Triton reach adulthood at age 15. Their average lifespan reaches 125.

Bugbear
The strongest but stupidest of the goblinoids, the bugbears, similar to their equals, the goblins, are descendants of the Ancient god Talieyag. In goblinoid society, they often take on the role of brutes, carrying out the dirty work for hobgoblins as they are very sneaky and able to quickly disperse of their prey. They are a very superstitious race, but that does not stop them from carrying out their duties to their superiors. In the modern day, they are more civilized, especially in integrated communities like Dar Gerrow, but they are brutes nonetheless. They are entirely native to southern Mekanön and only exiles and outcasts are found in the world otherwise.

Population : 81,000 (0.30%)

Age : Bugbears reach adulthood around age 16. Their average lifespan reaches 80.

Half-Orc
Half-Orcs are the offspring of humans and orcs and are almost always the product of rape, an unholy union of civilized men and mindless brutes. While the half-orcs can be intelligent, they are looked down upon in almost all societies and are always branded as outcasts. Many are driven to suicide to escape their seemingly cursed existence, and they find comfort in neither human nor orc culture, but they are sometimes slaves or sexual servants in the latter. They are truly stuck in between two extremes, belonging nowhere. This causes the few half-orcs that exist to not further breed with each other, to not bring on more of their miserable race. However, those who can forget their taboo nature and manage to overcome their inner demons enjoy the best of orcish strength and human intelligence, marvels of biology. Half-orcs are only truly found in Gudjag, the Heart Valley Republic, and southern Wintervale, where the Winter Horde resides.

Population : 81,000 (0.30%)

Age : Half-Orcs reach adulthood at age 14. Their average lifespan reaches 75.

Hobgoblin
Hobgoblins are the masters and leaders of the goblinoid world. They are the truest descendants of Kineyag, the greater god of the goblinoids, and therefore are meant to rule over the lesser goblinoids and command them in the name of war and conquest. Hobgoblin societies are strict and militaristic, mounting large armies in order to defend from attacking tribes and conquer weak tribes. However, ever since Greg the Uniting was able to find peace between the dwarves/humans and the goblinoids of Mekanön, the warfare of the tribes have decreased and some hobgoblins have even integrated into societies such as Dar Gerrow. Usually, they are egotisitcal and mean-spirited, but can become softer with age and wisdom. They are entirely native to southern Mekanön and only exiles and emigrants are found in the world otherwise.

Population : 54,000 (0.20%)

Age : Hobgoblins reach adulthood around age 16. Their average lifespan reaches 80.

Racial Trait Changes
[Change] Ability Score Increase : Your Strength, Constitution, and Intelligence scores each increase by 1.

Kenku
Kenku are a race of avian humanoids that were once completely native to northern Irralon, completely feral birdfolk, akin to the Aarakocra. However, a few of them were taken by Ildregaardian explorers back to the civilized world, where their great intelligence and cunning was discovered. Over the curse of the next hundred years, the kenku became civilized and grew a great culture out of mimicry. However, cursed by their god Trumpet, they were unable to fly, since they had forsaken their tribal roots. Nowadays, kenku are found throughout the world in very small clans, mimicking whatever culture they find themselves in-- eternal outcasts.

Population : 32,000 (0.20%)

Age : Kenku reach adulthood at age 14. Their average lifespan reaches 75.

Elegy Immigrants
This section of the population accounts for all of the immigrants from Elegy now living in Spokenword. This includes vestren, drow, eladrin, duergar, etc. See Elegy Races below for more information on them.

Population : 16,000 (0.10%)

Dragonborn
Population : 20,000 (0.075%)

Age : Dragonborn reach adulthood around age 16. Their average lifespan reaches 140.

Shifter
Population : 17,550 (0.065%)

Age : Shifters reach adulthood around age 10. Their average lifespan reaches 65.

Tortle
Population : 10,800 (0.040%)

Age : Tortles reach adulthood around age 30. Their average lifespan reaches 225.

Yuan-ti Pureblood
Population : 8,120 (0.030%)

Age : Yuan-ti reach adulthood around age 16. Their average lifespan reaches 120.

Racial Trait Changes
[Change] Ability Score Increase : Your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Intelligence score increases by 1, but your Constitution score decreases by 1.

Firbolg
Population : 5,440 (0.020%)

Age : Firbolgs reach adulthood around age 30. Their average lifespan reaches 250.

Goliath
Population : 4,180 (0.015%)

Age : Goliaths reach adulthood around age 20. Their average lifespan reaches 175.

Tiefling
Population : 2,830 (0.020%)

Age : Tieflings reaches adulthood at age 16. True tieflings are functionally immortal, but second generation and further descended tieflings have an average lifespan that reaches 80.

Genasi
Population : 2,740 (0.020%)

Age : Genasi reach adulthood around age 20. True genasi are functionally immortal, but second generation and further descended genasi have an average lifespan that reaches 125.

Aasimar
Population : 2,095 (0.0145%)

Age : Aasimar reach adulthood around age 20. True aasimar are functionally immortal, but second generation and further descended aasimar have an average lifespan that reaches 160.

Aarakocra
Population : 1,292 (0.00050%)

Age : Aarakocra reach adulthood at age 3. Their average lifespan reaches 30.

Vestren
Population : 120,000 (40%)

Age : A vestren settles into an adult role in society about 3 years after emerging from a pool. They are functionally immortal, but they fall into Dissociation at an average of after 60 years of life.

Drow
Population : 75,000 (25%)

Age : Drow reach adulthood around age 20. Their average lifespan reaches 200.

Racial Trait Changes
[New] Extra Language : You can speak Deep Speech.

Other Inhabitants
llithids, Orog, Kua Toa, Pixies, etc. Not playable races.

Population : 60,000 (20%)

Duergar
Population : 15,250 (5%)

Age : Duergar reach adulthood around age 20. Their average lifespan reaches 125.

Racial Trait Changes
[Changed] Languages : You can speak Deep Speech (replaces Undercommon).

Svirfneblin
Population : 15,250 (5%)

Age : Svirfneblin reach adulthood around age 25. Their average lifespan reaches 150.

Racial Trait Changes
[Changed] Languages : You can speak Deep Speech (replaces Undercommon).

Satyr
Population : 7,520 (2.5%)

Age : Satyr reaches adulthood around age 20. Their average lifespan reaches 80.

Racial Trait Changes
[Change] Ability Score Increase : Your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1, but your Constitution score decreases by 1.

Eladrin
Population : 7,460 (2.5%)

Age : Eladrin reach adulthood at age 100 and are functionally immortal.

Racial Trait Changes
[New] Extra Language : You can speak, read, and write Sylvan.