Peoples of Mystfall

The world of Mystfall is populated by a variety of peoples. These include several cultural groups of Humans, The Fey (Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Kaern, Orcs, Fauns, and Arluru), The Elemental Kin, and a newfound variety of all kinds of humanoids. These groups have many differences in what they believe and how they conduct their day-to-day business. While individual members of theses groups may get along, it is these differences which, generally, separate the peoples. This section contains common conventions about each of these species/cultural groups. These conventions have been developed by players who have experience in portraying members from these groups, however, these conventions are presented to spark character ideas and not to limit them. The world of Mystfall is large and varied. There is plenty of room for local variations and quaint customs.

Elemental Kin
An Elemental kin is a being made from one of the four prime elements: Earth, Fire, Air, and Water. Each species is as different as their elements to one-another and each have traveled to the Prime Material plane, in which Carreg Wynn resides, for their own reasons. Elemental Kin greatly revere their respective Elemental Lords as their creator and gods. There is no natural animosity between each element, as they are taught by their Lords that all elements are needed together to continue the circle of life. Few are commonly seen on the Prime Material plane. Each elemental has a natural affinity for magic of their element, their magic power being as much a part of their essence as it is a learned ability. Because of this they have extreme difficulty teach magic to others, as it would be like teaching a fish to swim, or bird to chirp.

Air Kin
The Air Kin are a free and chaotic people, changing moods or desires rapidly and unpredictably. They do not tend to remain in one place for very long. The Air kin value freedom above all else, and this makes the life of an adventurer perfect for them. Not much is known about why the Air Kin came to the Prime Material plane, it could have just been a whim one day.

Earth Kin
The Earth Kin are stoic and patient people, rigid and slow to change. A people of formality, hard work, and dedication, They are deeply connected with nature and consider themselves guardians of the natural world. The earth Kin travel to the material plane to tend to nature and learn all there is to know.

Fire Kin
The Fire Kin are passionate people, shining beacons of culture and skill. Their passionate hearts lead many to the artistic ways. Poetry, painting, music and dance, all forms of expression have helped cultivate a unique culture for the Fire Kin. Many Fire Kin ventured to the Prime Material to enrich their lives, and follow their hearts.

Water Kin
The Water Kin The Water kin are an ingenious group of people. They're minds are like the ocean, vast and deep. The water Kin keep their minds sharp by playing games and challenging themselves. Success and failure are celebrated, stagnation is abhorred. The Water Kin have been coming to the prime material plane occasionally for adventure since the creation of the first Water Circle.

Fey
"Fey" (or "Fae") is the encompassing term for all the species that originally come from The Mysts. There are seven primary Fey species, however, the True Fey can take on many other forms. Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Kaern, Fauns, Orcs, and Arluru are the main species seen, but there are outliers and newfound forms that spring up from The Mysts every now and then. While relatively new to the Prime Material plane, the Fey have been around for three or so human generations, and are starting to become more common within Human civilizations. On the Frontier and especially with the Conthestani, the Fey people are an oft seen sight. Mystborn Fey are required to form an allegiance to one of the four Fey Courts.

Arluru
The Arluru are a wolf-like species that collects in groups called packs. The Arluru are an emotional species, and are often swayed by their instincts and feelings in the heat of a moment. They are the explorers of the Fey, sent out to scout the furthest planes in the name of Faerie. Many of the Arluru were trapped in the Black Oblivion until a few years ago, and as such, some Arluru harbour some animosity towards Faerie for leaving much of their species there. As such, Arluru are one of the few Fey who have branched out towards other deities. Due to their connection with nature, some Material Plane Arluru worship the Conthestani spirits instead.

Arluru are recognized in game by their wolf or dog-like makeup. Fangs, tails, ears, and claws are optional.

Dwarves
Dwarves are the most traditional of the Fey, set in their ways with ancient customs and traditions. They come from the underground areas of The Mysts, and are known as miners and craftspeople. They are tenacious people, putting their all into work as well as play. Straightforward and insular, the Dwarves tend to trust other dwarves first, but will give people the benefit of a doubt until they are proven wrong. When wronged, dwarves can hold grudges for generations.

Dwarves are recognized in game by their fantastical facial hair, including beards, sideburns, and eyebrows. These must be repped with a prosthetic, real facial hair does not count (as you're indistinguishable from a human with a beard). Facial hair is required for all genders.

Elves
Elves are the oldest of the Fey, and known as Faerie's favourites. They are bound by a code known as the Elven Code, which prioritizes other elves, makes them unable to lie to each other, and requires them to be a role model for other Fey. Humans believe that this Code is a substitute for a sense of morals, and are distrustful of them as Elves led the armies of the First Contact Wars. Elves live a very long time, and are inherently magical, able to see it from birth. They usually have two names - a very formal one, given in introductions, with lots of meaning, and a shorter, informal that those close to them refer to them by.

Elves are recognized in game by their elongated ears. These must be repped with a prosthetic, not jewellery.

Fauns
Fauns are playful, flighty forest dwellers who are passionate and creative. They don't take life too seriously, and tend to burn out at a young age due to accidents of their own creation. Freedom loving wanderers, fauns prefer jobs that allow them freedom to travel without monotony. Fauns are known for their pranks, which can be anywhere between putting glue on the handle of a door to dangerous, limb-severing traps. Fauns tend to be hardier folk, with the species having tendencies towards alchemy and trapping.

Fauns are recognized in game by their two horns and deer-like noses. Sometimes they will have furry legs, hooves and short tails.

Halflings
The most good natured of the Fey, a Halfling is never one to turn away company. They are a gregarious, cheerful, and curious people, who enjoy travel and celebration. They're more likely to charm their way out of a bad situation rather than fight their way out, but that doesn't mean they can't - halflings are skilled at using ranged weapons. Halflings are never far from civilization, being social and community oriented.

Halflings are recognized in game by hair on the back of their hands.

Kaern
The Kaern are a species of cat-like Fey, known as the hunters of the Fey. Kaern collect in Prydes, and they put great focus on birth hierarchy. A Pryde is usually run by a female Kaern. Kaern are drawn to psychic energy, and have the uncanny ability to avoid unseen dangers. Like their names, Kaern are prideful, and hold rigid ideas of what one is born to do. They also tend not to act unless something is worth their time. Kaern have long names with special meaning in their language, and not using a high-ranking Kaern's full name is an insult met by claws. Kaern are also very territorial, claiming land as their own and protecting it fiercely. Lone Kaern who find themselves in the territory of a Pryde are usually absorbed into it, and if two Prydes are nearby, they may fight over the new member.

Kaern are recognized in game by their cat-like features, ears, and tails.

Orcs
Orcs are the warriors of the Fey. Fiercely loyal and team-oriented, Orcs are sometimes misunderstood by humans or Fey who do not interact much with their clans. Though Orcs can pull out ferocious fury, they uphold their own code of honour, especially in battle. Orcs who take prisoners in battles will accept them into their clan as an equal, and they will do their best not to leave another one of their clan behind. They believe in the importance of growth through trial, letting their children learn through experience rather than formalized teaching.

Orcs are recognized in game by their green or grey-tinged skin, and their tusks.

The Tawdonian Empire
The Empire, or Imperials, are humans who believe in progress, commerce, and success. A completely money-oriented culture, there is great divide between those with and those without. Many Tawdonian humans spend a few years in indentured servitude to save up money for citizenship. It is ruled by an emperor, a title which is passed down through the family. Tawdonians boast a strong military power, and Imperials attempted to colonize most of the world, but were unable to take the Eastern Woods from the Conthestani, a long war which ended in stalemate. Imperials worship only one god, known as NOS. The Tawdonian Empire takes influence from the Holy Roman Empire of our world.

The Conthestani
The Conthestani people of the Eastern Woods are a collection of three human communities with shared histories. Unlike the Imperials, the Conthestani are believers of tradition and preservation, and fought with the Empire to keep their forests. The Conthestani worship Spirits, which they believe to be in everything. Nature and the natural order is very important to the Conthestani, who believe that the world itself is a great spirit. They tend to be distrustful of outsiders, though Fey have a better time getting along with them, as the Conthestani see the spirits of the world in the faces of these fantastical creatures.

The Crescent Islanders
To the north, in the Northam Sea, live the Crescent Islanders. Mostly human, these people are a collection of the original ice hunting inhabitants, some particularly adventurous Conthestani, and the small amount of Fey that have found themselves in the frozen north. These people separate themselves into many different clans, and live across the Crescent Islands, each having their own customs and culture, though they all share their affinity with animals and hunting. Many Deities are worshipped in the Crescent Islands, including the Conthestani Spirits, the Old Gods, and Faerie among the Fey.

Outliers
Every so often, a new species emerges, different from those previously known. The following is a list of Custom Species that have been created by players.

Cambions
Cambions are the result of a Devil or Void corruption on humans, as the result of devilish interaction earlier in their family line. They live and grow as human until puberty, then go through a fiendish transformation, giving them horns, a pointed tail, and sometimes even more monstrous changes like exotic skin colours, fangs, or hooves. Many Cambions find themselves ousted from the life they once knew, and their rarity makes communities of Cambions nearly nonexistent.

The Blessed and the Cursed
Throughout the planes, many things in the world can alter a person fundamentally. Some are born with gifts, some seek out powerful beings and make deals for greater power, some find themselves at the mercy of a malevolent or benevolent creature, or some are simply in the wrong place at the wrong time and found themselves cursed. These changes run deep and change the aspects of a person's soul. Many refer to these great boons as a Blessing or Curse.

Bound For Greatness
This boon is the most common over any other Blessing or Curse. We strongly recommend new players use this.

Bound for Greatness is a spiritual mark upon one’s soul that recognizes great things in their future. This mark is not always recognized at birth, but can manifest itself later in life, One with strong psychic connections can often see this mark upon another.

Many celebrate the markings of this boon as it is fairly universally seen as a good omen.

However, some dread the mark. Parents and Lovers all know that those who find the symbol upon them are picked by fate or folly. All chances to live quietly and peacefully are stolen away, the mark calling those to action in many different ways.

Construct: Augmented
The Construct: Augmented are those who have altered their bodies to include mechanical construct components. The process of construct augmentation was discovered as a joint venture between the precursors of the Healers, Scholars, and Merchants guilds. No one is quite certain where the first successful augmentation happened, but it is known among historians that the first blueprints were found on the outskirts of The Great Wastes during the Empire's expansion.

The Healers wished to use the blueprints as a method of helping those who had lost limbs in the course of adventuring. The Scholars wished to test integrated magic items and soulbinding of objects. Finally, The Merchants saw an opportunity to monopolize the skilled trade and profit greatly.

As the practice of construct augmentation became more commonplace, people began to realize the other applications of the practice. The construct limbs were stronger, and provided more protection than normal flesh. As such many began to undergo construct augmentation willingly to increase their own strength. Anyone from the Knights of Talon to laborers were augmented.

This practice is more than just adding armor, it is merging these new metallic limbs with the very soul, so that when a construct augmented is reborn they are reborn whole with their new forms. Conthestani despised the practice, They saw this act of soul manipulation as unnatural. Within the Empire these procedures often cost several hundred gold.

Additionally the Merchants and Scholars became increasingly covetous of the methods of the procedure. Many opt to memorize the blueprints and destroy the originals. Then the Plague happened. Sharing their knowledge only among their most trusted meant nearly all physical copies of the procedure were lost as was the oral and organizational memory. Now augmentation is incredibly rare. It is often risky to undergo this procedure, but when done correctly the benefits are worth the risks… or are they?

Dhampir
The Curse of Vampirism is a terrible one indeed. It takes away one's ability to live in the light of the sun, and forces folk to feed upon the living. Blood is the only thing that can quench a Vampire's never ending hunger.

A Dhampir is one who has been tainted only partly by vampiric blood. The Dhampir live a horrible half existence, they maintain many of their mortal traits and only receive a modicum of a True Vampire's power. The need to sleep, the need to eat, and even the ability to stand in the sun remains. Yet they have still been cursed with many Vampiric traits. They must feed upon the blood of the living, consuming their very life essence. Their souls, now forever linked to the Land of the Dead.

Dhampir are often despised in mortal society, cast out, and forced to live apart. Devout NOSians see this curse as a corruption of Sim's Plan. Conthestani see undead in general as a departure from the natural cycle of death. The Fae also share this disdain both from history with True Vampires and perception that undeath is not a gift of the Mysts and Faerie but a Material Plane curse. However, this terrible affliction is not without its benefits. A Dhampir is capable of draining the blood of another in order to refresh their own strength. In addition, Dhampir are capable of hearing the beating of a living person's heart, as the sound calls to them like a siren's song.

Dhampir need be careful, for while they maintain much of their humanity, they are on a dark path. Each time a Dhampir feeds, the tainted Vampiric blood within them grows stronger, and one day if not carefully managed, they will be consumed by it. Dhampir feel an intrinsic pull to become full Vampires, though how well they fight it depends on the will of the Dhampir.

Failed Reborn
The Cycle of Death and Resurrection is a new one in The Material Plane. This new discovery has fundamentally changed the way people look at life, and what exists beyond it. While dying and being resurrected is never a pleasant process, it is one that has become more commonplace in a Post-Mystfall world. However, the process of resurrection doesn't always go smoothly as with any magic. Sometimes a random burst of magic interferes or a resurrection is directly sabotaged. When this occurs it is possible for the soul to reattach itself incorrectly to the body. When this happens the person becomes what is known as a Failed Reborn or Reborn for short.

Failed Reborn are undead, but they are not mindless. In a way, their own soul is possessing their own body. This separation of the soul from the body has a terrible side effect. The body slowly begins to decay. The youngest of the Failed Reborn can often mask this decay with heavy scents and makeup, but those who have existed for long will be reduced ultimately to nothing but bones.

The Failed Reborn live a cursed existence, as although they are still the person they once were they are often ostracized from their communities as many fear the living dead. Even though they are undead and they will never die of old age, failed reborn undergo a slow degradation of the mind. The longer they live the more they forget, and in time a Failed Reborn will become little more than a mindless skeleton. Many afflicted with this curse spend their undeath attempting to reverse it.

Lesser Mutan
The Mutans are a secretive people. Mutans have the special ability to change their forms at will and are capable of taking on the form of any creature, or person. The only way one can identify a Mutan is by the rainbow stripes on their arms. Because of their powers, Mutans are distrusted and feared because of a few bad actors within history.

Many think the Mutans sneak into houses and replace people in the night, or slowly replace entire towns with fellow Mutans. The old folklore states that anyone could be replaced by a Mutan,. This was and still is a popular campfire tale spread by both gossip and bard. This is especially so in the NOSian capital, where in the past there have been cases of Mutans replacing senators of import. There is also a popular (but mostly suppressed and debunked) conspiracy theory that the Emperor is a Mutan, and he was replaced during his first resurrection. Because of these stories, when a Mutan is discovered they are usually immediately run out of town… if they are lucky. Because of this, many Mutan’s live discreetly and thankfully their adaptation allows them to mask their marking simply with long sleeves.

Lesser Mutans are those who have been gifted a small piece of the true Mutan's gift. They arise in two ways: the first is the offspring of a Mutan and a non-Mutan. The second is by receiving the Mutan's gift, from another Mutan or a Lesser Mutan. These Lesser Mutan’s do not have the full capabilities of their full counterparts, Instead of full transformations at will, the Lesser Mutan can only assume a single form. This transformation has a cost - the longer a Mutan wears their altered form, the more they think they are that form. Who is to say that the crows and ravens nearby Carreg Wynn are not just long forgotten Mutan's of adventurer's long ago?

Demonic Power
Demons come into being in multiple ways: some are created, some are mortals granted permanent demonhood. But nobody truly knows where the First Demon came from. Demons inhabit the Land of the Dead and feed off the souls of mortals. The power of the mortal souls, their ability to grow and overcome their shortcomings, can be harvested by Demons. Demon's are static creatures. If they do not feed, they cannot change or grow. Thus demons are not explicitly evil in their acquisition of mortal potential, but will do anything to survive.

Demons are explicitly different from Devils.

Demons carve out space in the Land of the Dead and congregate to form Organizations. These Organizations are built around the acquisition of souls, and wealth. These Organizations have strong hierarchies and are usually led by an Arch-Demon who focuses on delegating jobs, and distributing collected souls.

Those blessed with Demonic Power have received a special contract with a Demon. These people are considered partially demonic. Mortals blessed with a fraction of demonic abilities and on quickly on the path to becoming a Full Demon. Those blessed with demonic power pay no potential for their gifts, instead they will be changed into full demons upon their final death, forced to serve the demons to whom they owe their contracts, forever. In order to speed up this process, those with demonic power have a mark placed upon their soul to make returning to life significantly more difficult.

Soul Sender
The Soul Senders are a group of individuals tasked with leading the souls from the Land of the Dead back to life. The Land of the Dead is dangerous and extremely difficult to navigate. While powerful souls often have little trouble returning to the land of the living, the more common folk often find great peril in attempting to do so.

Seeing the plight of the common person a group of incredibly powerful psychics banded together to create the first Soul Sender coven. Using their knowledge of psychic and the soul, they were able to link their spirit to the Land of the Dead, and can now easily enter without harm. Nearly all Soul Senders can be identified by very large brimmed hats, a ritualistic superstition perpetuated within the covens. Often you'll hear folks say, "Don't look up!" Referencing the old unconfirmed folklore that if you look up in the Land of the Dead you move to The Land Beyond.

While on their pilgrimages, Soul Sender's seek out powerful folks to train in their Path. The Paths are as follows.

Path of All
Our duty is to all, regardless of past. The senders of this path believe that permanent Death is to always be circumvented. Most Soul Sends belong to this path, though others balk at the idea of allowing cruel and corrupted souls return to life.

Path of Finding
Make your way to the furthest reaches of the land to shepherd the lost. Soul senders of this path are travelers who seek out lost souls on all planes. Whether the souls return to their bodies or not is their own path.

Path of Community
Togetherness brings peace and finality. These senders escort groups of souls with similar goals/upbringings to the Land of the Dead. They believe souls reach peace and move on when they feel safe with others, and that all souls will eventually move on.

Path of Protection
Protect those on the path from those who we could not save. Stricter and with a stronger code, these soul senders task themselves with dealing with violent souls that have turned into monsters, protecting the living and the uncorrupted. They believe that souls will go back and forth many times, it is important to protect them on these journeys until they decide to move on.

Path of the Fool
Embrace this land and all of its secrets. Explorers who have embraced the name of fools, these soul senders explore the land of the dead and attempt to learn as much as they can about it. They do not fear or follow the superstitions of the other soul senders, and it is said that they become Shades when their time is up.

Only 120 years have passed since the First of the Soul Senders, while many still remain who follow the old teachings, many have broken from the group. Some use the power for their own gain, some use it to bring back only those they care about. Regardless of those who abuse their power, the large hat of a soul sender is still a welcome sight to most people. Those who embark upon the path of the Soul Sender know the risks, and each time they venture to the Land of the Dead, they know one day they will not return.

Angelic Corruption
Angels are the denizens of the plane of Essence. They are beings of pure creation, unlimited potential and see themselves as the defenders of all things below. Angels, however, truly only defend against a single thing: the onset and creeping power of Void. Angels scour The Planes looking for any shred of void, and using their incredible strength will burn it away. Angels do not discriminate when it comes to the cleansing of void, for to them, even the smallest taint can grow into unspeakable corruptions. The Angels crusade extends beyond that of merely fighting Devils. Any who harbour Void inside them will be erased. Many mages have learned to harness Void, only to find in their sleep all their progress has been burned away by an overzealous Angel. There are three main paths by which one may undergo the process of Angelic Corruption. The first path is an Angelic Cleansing. If one is infected by the taint of Void, an Angel may try to burn the corruption away. When they do this, they fill the infected body with the purest form of essence. Rarely, the infected survives this, and all Void will be purged from their soul, leaving behind a resonance of Essence. The second path is the aftermath of angelic possession. If one allows their body to be a host for an angel, after the angel leaves they will often still bear the mark of the angel's power. Lastly, the third path is to be granted a drop of angelic blood, the magical essence that makes up the being of an angel. This blood can come from another Angelic Corrupted and often is done in a ritualistic fashion. On extremely rare occasions an angel may grant their blood to one who wishes to fight against the spread of void. But convincing an angel is a strange thing, as they are beings of complete immovable essence. They do not think like folks upon the material plane.

Angelic Corruption is not something to be taken lightly, for no mortal form can contain the power of pure essence long. Over a few years, the corruption spreads over time, the 'blessed' will be converted into essence. In the final stage of corruption the person's entire being will be converted, and in a flash of white light they will simply vanish, Soul Sender's have scoured the Land of the Dead for survivors of this affliction and none have been recorded in history.

Devil Corruption
Devils are the denizens of the Void plane. They exist for a single purpose, to cause pain and suffering. Nobody is entirely sure why devils are like this, some claim that they exist in a state of constant pain and want the world to suffer as they do. Some say that they wish to spread the Void to bring about the end of all things so that they may finally cease any form of consciousness. What is known is wherever Devils go, pain and suffering follow.

Devils are explicitly distinct from Demons.

The Devil Corrupted are those who have been infected by a Devil's cursed blood. This black ichor corrupts and warps anything it comes in contact with, and those who bear its curse will be warped and twisted by its influence.

There are three main paths to becoming a devil corrupted. The first path is to be cursed by a devil. Devils inflict suffering upon many people. In most cases they simply kill folks outright, but, on occasion, they will infect a person and let them live, just to watch the corruption of the void twist them. The second path is the aftermath of a devil possession. Devils cannot exist in the material plane by themselves. As such, they possess others. If the devil leaves, the body will maintain their mark. Many seek out solutions to cure themselves before they fall to the void plane. Lastly, is to be granted this curse, either from another devil cursed… or by convincing a devil to grant it to you. Perhaps you convince them of the evils you could commit with the power, or perhaps you ask to take it to spare another. Whatever the purpose, they will give you a drop of their twisted blood and you will be cursed evermore.

The Devils corruption is insidious, for those who live under the mark will inevitably become like the creatures that corrupted them no matter one's willpower. While it may be a year or more, inevitably the host's body will begin to be converted to void, and when the corruption takes full hold they may completely cease to exist or become a devil themselves.

Dragons “Blessed”
Of all the beings of supreme power in the multiverse, there is none as powerful, callous and cruel as Dragon. Dragon is the ancient enemy of Faerie. He was her first creation and companion within the Mysts. She granted him every power she had but did not give him the power to create. Dragon, enraged by this, sought ways to amass power for himself. He eventually discovered he could change things, he could mold and corrupt that which was already created. As such Dragon spent immeasurable time mastering this skill, he found keen allies in both Lizard and Bird people. To his followers he had granted great strength and the power of destruction. However these were not his creations, merely corruptions of someone else's vision.

Dragon wanted a servants that required less time and magic to warp. Thus he devised his scheme, the Dragon's “Blessed”. The Dragon's Blessed are considered dragons half formed children. Granted only a small fraction of power in return for unquestioning loyalty. However this “Blessing” is not always willingly received. Those who bear the Mark of Dragon are ostracized from all communities, they are often hunted and imprisoned. All beings know the treachery of Dragon and know that all who bear his mark are either his servants or his spies. Thus those who displease Dragon enough may be inflicted with this “Blessing”.