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HEAD COUNCIL (

headcouncil) wrote,
@ 2008-01-03 16:07:00

Playable Species.

Notes on Species:

#1: All species in game are of a biological origin. Please read The FAQs for more information. They all need to eat, sleep, etc. No one is immortal. Keeping with this idea of biology, please remember that humans cannot give birth to ANY of the species listed above, the only exception being Therianthropes. Two humans may only give birth to another human, a metahuman, or a therianthrope.

#2: Mixing species is allowed, but be reasonable with lifespans, strengths, weaknesses, and magical abilities. Lifespans and strengths will be diminished by half or more. Weaknesses will be inherited. When it comes to magical abilities, a person can only inherit the powers from one side of his or her parentage if the parentage is mixed.

#3: If any species or ability gets too high, we'll cap it as we see necessary.

Centaurs (2)

Rare Species. No more than 8 are allowed total.

Centaurs are hybrids of human and horse nature: head, torso, and arms of a human being joined with a horse’s lower body.
Centaurs live in herds from as small as 10 to as large as 70.
Centaurs can only reproduce with other centaurs. Due to human expansion and industrialization, their numbers are exceedingly small in general these days, but centaurs are common in Elysium and large forest areas.
They are natural forest-dwellers.
Average life span is around 100 to 125 years.
Commonly trained in the knowledge of hunting, archery, astronomy, divination, and healing with magical herbs.
Due to their half-horse form, centaurs have increased speed, strength, and stamina.
Most centaurs do not have a magical ability. However, occasionally there is one centaur in a herd born with a magical ability. They may be greatly respected or even shunned by the others. This ability is of your choosing, just make sure it makes sense for a centaur.

Dhamphirs (1)

Rare Species. No more than 4 are allowed total.

Dhamphirs are hybrids of a human and vampire nature.
They can only born of a pregnant human mother whose blood has had direct contact with the vampiric virus. The fetus will be infected with the virus, causing a genetic mutation in the child.

Please visit the Vampires section to understand how the vampiric virus works and how it can be contracted.

Dhamphirs cannot “turn” others into dhamphirs or transfer their retrovirus, not even through blood contact. The dhamphiric retrovirus can only be inherited genetically, but dhamphirs are infertile and cannot produce children. Thus, they cannot transfer the retrovirus.
Dhamphirs are incapable of sexual reproduction as they are infertile.
They require solid foods and water for sustenance.

Do NOT require blood for sustenance, but do develop a mild form of bloodlust in which a dhamphir craves raw meat or bloody meat.
They may mildly enjoy the taste of blood, and they can drink it.
They cannot live off of blood. Dhamphirs have to eat solid food and drink water.

Dhamphirs have two distinctive physical features. They are born with elongated and sharp canine teeth, also known as fangs. These fangs are not retractable and are visible at all times. Their eyes also lack any pigmentation. All dhamphirs have natural pale blue eyes. (Many dhamphirs wear contacts to hide this feature).
Limited magic capability.

May only possess magic inherited from their non-vampiric side, if there is any.

The average life span is from 75 to 100 years.
Dhamphirs have increased strength, stamina, and agility, which is double that of a human. Their hearing, sight, taste, smell, and sense of touch are also double that of humans. Possess immunity from most human diseases. They also naturally heal twice as fast as humans.
Dhamphirs have minor skin sensitivity to UV rays, leaving them easily sunburned and capable of developing skin malignancies. A dhamphir’s eyes are extremely sensitive to all forms of bright light. They must shield their eyes with sunglasses during the daylight hours if they are outside.

Djinn (2)

Djinn are one of the oldest praeternaturals to begin using magic. Djinn have commonly lived in hiding with other djinn, separate from humanity and other kinds. They typically do not unify with other djinn tribes. They are often, but not always, prejudice towards humans, especially witches and sorcerers.
Their average life span is from 1,000 to 1,300 years. Djinn have a normal aging process from birth to 18 years old. Aging slows down after that.
Djinn are capable of reproduction outside of their kind.
Possess extensive magical ability. They have three basic powers that are very strong. They can also be born with inherent lesser/minor magic abilities, which are small powers of your choosing. Their 3 basic powers are as follows:

Concealment and invisibility magic.
The ability to grant wishes. Wish-Granting Limits: Djinn can grant wishes only by twisting interpretations and bringing about disastrous, and vastly imperfect, results that the wisher did not intend or expect. Djinn also cannot perform any of the following: reviving the dead, time-travel, violating free will, and taking life.
Control over their specific element in terms of its shape and location.

Marids have control over water. They can summon and control existing water around them, in the air or on land, in very small to very large amounts. They cannot create it or make it disappear.
Ifrits have control over fire. They can make small or large amounts of fire. They can make magically-created fire disappear by absorbing it, but absorbing too much drains them. They can control fire made by other sources other than themselves, but they can’t make it disappear if they didn’t magically create it. All fire burns, too. Please keep this in mind.

Djinn have increased strength, stamina, and agility, which is four times that of humans. Their five senses are also four times that of humans. They heal four times as fast as humans.
Djinn have extreme sensitivity to their opposing element in large amounts.
- Marids: Being surrounded by large amounts of fire is magically and physically draining for Marids. It prevents them from performing their water magic successfully and physically drains them.
- Ifrits: Being submerged or covered with large amounts of water is magically and physically draining for Ifrits. It prevents them from performing their fire magic successfully and physically drains them.
All djinn have free will but are susceptible to falling under the power of a witch or sorcerer that summons them by magic and binds them to do their bidding. They can be compelled to perform for the master that succeeds in summoning them.

Dwarves (0)

Dwarves commonly dwell in caves and mountains.
Dwarven physical traits include a short, stocky frame for both sexes. Average height is between 4’0 feet to 4’9 feet tall. Males have lots of facial and body hair. Females do not.
Average life span is between 200 and 250 years.
Dwarves are capable of coupling outside of their kind.
Commonly trained and skilled in the knowledge of metal-working, stonemasonry, weaponry, construction, architecture, and creating potions and brews with magical herbs.
Dwarves have very limited magical ability.

One power is allowed, if they have any.
Power must be related to spells and wards based in protection, concealment, or secrecy.

Dwarves have increased strength and stamina.

Elementals (2)

Rare Species. No more than 4 are allowed total.

Elementals are non-human nature spirits summoned into a man-made human form by alchemists. They can only be created, or summoned, by an alchemist. This alchemical ritual is complex, requiring years of studying and practicing to perfect. Alchemists must acquire all of the elements present in the human body, in sufficient amounts, to produce the human form of the elemental.
As a nature spirit before summoned, they do not compose human-like thoughts during that time or perceive the world as a human. Generally, they have trouble recalling memories of life before their human forms. They don’t understand the living world when they are first summoned into human form, and usually take around a year or two to adjust to it.
Elementals take on whatever human form their alchemist gives them, which can range from a small child to an old person. Do not possess magical ability to alter this human form. They are, however, capable of taking on the physical form of their specific element. For example, a water elemental can turn into a walking body of water.
Elementals do not age.
Capable of reproduction, even outside of their kind.

An elemental/human child would inherit some of the elemental parent’s ability to control an element at half of the strength, but absolutely cannot inherit their ability to physically shift into an element.

Elementals are bound to their alchemist’s will and are compelled to do their bidding. However, they can rebel against it and disobey orders.

Anyone born with elemental blood may be bound to any alchemist by a spell. This spell can also be reversed to end it.

Average life span is the length of their alchemist’s remaining human life since elementals “die,” returning to the natural world in their original spirit form, whenever their alchemist dies. Elementals tend to live short human lives, as alchemists cannot make an elemental until they are at least in their thirties.
They can be separated from their alchemist via a complex alchemical ritual if their alchemist wishes to free them, but they are no longer elementals when freed from their alchemist. This ritual grants them morality as a metahuman. If the ritual is performed to separate the two, an elemental gains a human body with mage capabilities and lose their elemental form.

The origin of mages is thus explained by “freed” elementals. To see more information on mages, visit Metahumans and scroll down for mages.

An elemental has four times the strength, sensory perception, and healing of a human. Immunity to all human diseases.
In human form they are susceptible to wounds and injuries like any other human.
Extensive magical ability over their element. There are four types of elementals:

Earth Elemental: Exceptional strength. They can mold themselves to walk through solids. They can take on many partial or full body earth-related forms as desired, such as soil, plant life, and minerals with complete control over their movement and the shape of their form. They can summon metal weapons out of metals, stone weapons out of stone, etc. They can control the movement and growth of plant life, even use it as a weapon. They communicate with plant life.
Air Elemental: Exceptional agility. They can fly without wings. They can take on a completely gaseous form to vanish or conceal themselves while still having a defined shape of their choosing and free movement. They have the ability to steal the air out of a creature’s lungs as a form of attack. They can control the air around themselves, making whirlwind like conditions inside of an area the size of a large room or even calming the air around them within a storm.
Water Elemental: Exceptional flexibility. They can “breathe” underwater. They can take on a completely controlled water-based form with free movement and a defined shape of their choosing. They can summon and control water, making whirlpools or causing it to rain within an area the size of a large room. They can control water and liquids to the extent of moving them through the air without touching them, having full control over the shape, and controlling them to act as a weapon. They have control over all forms of water, such as ice as well. They communicate with underwater life.
Fire Elemental: Exceptional stamina. They can walk through all types of fire without harm. They can take on many full body forms of fire with a distinctive shape and free movement. They can emit fire from their bodies, such as covering their arm in fire. They can summon and control fire, using it as a weapon. They also have control over emitting or creating light, which is not harmful but beneficial.

Elves (2)

Elves are the oldest race of praeternaturals that have learned to use magic.
They are considered to be very graceful and beautiful creatures with strong, toned musculature and heights that range from above average human height (5’8”) to 6’0” for females, and 5’8” to 6’5” for males.
Elves have an average life span of 1,300 to 1,500 years. Elves have a normal aging process from birth to 18 years old. Aging slows down after that.
Complexion is often clear and possesses a slight glow to it.
All elves have illusion and glamour magic that they can cast on themselves or others though the strength of this magic is dependent on age.

For example, a younger elf may be able to change their appearance but not the appearance of those around them. Whereas an older, more experienced elf would be able to glamour themselves along with one or two others.
Elven illusion magic is stronger when used in combination with other elves. The combined magic of many elves allow these praeternatural creatures to hide and disguise large areas of land.

All elves possess some nature magic that allow them to nurture the growth of flora, fauna, as well as control the flow of the earth’s water and wind currents.
All elves possess an innate ability to communicate with animals.
All elves have basic knowledge of herbs, but not all know of herbal remedies or potions that may be used to cure or enhance abilities.
Not all elves possess healing and defense magics. Those that do are designated priests/priestesses.

Not all priests/priestesses possess the same amount of healing magics or skills.
The number of priests/priestesses allowed in game is limited due to the rarity of those being born with healing powers. If you are interested in playing a priest/priestess, please contact the moderators first.
The high priest/priestess possesses the most healing abilities and defense magics. There can only be one or two high priestesses in game at one time. Please contact a moderator if you’re interested in playing one.

While all elves do possess magic, the amount of magic varies from one elf to another. Elves may have a number of magical abilities. You may choose for them what you like as long as you do not give them too many or make them too powerful.
Though they appear frail because of their graceful movements, elven strength, stamina, dexterity, agility, sight, and hearing is five times that of a human. They are also very intelligent beings that possess the talent to learn new skills quickly.

Fae & Imps

Fae (2)

Faes have a small, easily breakable form. They are naturally frail and small. Average height can be between 4’0 feet to 5’5 feet. They have iridescent, translucent wings on their backs. They also have pointy ears.
Fae communities are located in wild nature. Faes raised in a natural fae community are often considered eccentric or bizarre and very liberal with their behavior.
Average life span is from 500 to 600 years. Faes have a normal aging process from birth to 18 years old. Aging slows down after that.
All are capable of flight and glamour, which is the ability to cast an illusion over their own physical appearance to change features, hide features, or add non-existent features. They can completely hide their wings or ears with this magic. They may have one or two extra magical abilities beyond these of your choosing.
Faes have sensitive hearing and excellent eyesight.
All faes possess fae dust, which is a natural, shimmering dust found on their bodies and can be exuded into the air around them. Fae dust has similar properties to that of psychedelic drugs often used by faes to render someone helpless by casting a “cloud” of happiness over their minds. Faes generally have been known to use their dust to fend off an attacker or to ensnare a mate.

Imps (0)

Imps have a small, easily breakable form. They are naturally frail and small. Average height is anywhere between 4’0 feet to 5’5 feet. They have non-iridescent, opaque wings on their backs that tend to be of dark colors. They also have pointy ears.
Imp communities are naturally deep in the forests, preferably in darkly lit places. Imps raised in a natural imp community are usually mischievous and devious with a bit of a cruel streak, often using tactics that result in some form of harm to another being or creature.
Their average life span is from 500 to 600 years. Imps have a normal aging process from birth to 18 years old. Aging slows down after that.
All are capable of flight. They may have one or two extra magical abilities beyond this of your choosing. Most imps do not have glamour (which is the ability to cast an illusion over their own physical appearance to change features, hide features, or add non-existent features), explaining their reclusive nature. Some may be born with this ability, though.
Imps have sensitive hearing and excellent eyesight.
Unlike their fae cousins, imps do not possess a dust of any sort. Instead, imps have a liquid secretion on their skin, which has properties similar to that of narcotic drugs. When the liquid secretion is touched, it is absorbed beneath the skin and causes a loss of feeling or paralysis. Imps generally have been known to use their secretion to paralyze an attacker.

Fauns (0)

Rare Species. No more than 8 are allowed total.

Fauns are hybrids of a human and goat nature. They have the head, torso, and arms of a human being joined with a goat’s lower body.
Fauns can only reproduce with other fauns.
They are natural forest-dwellers. Due to human expansion and industrialization, their numbers are exceedingly small in general these days, but fauns are common in Elysium and large forest areas.
A faun’s average life span is around 100 to 125 years.
Commonly skilled and proficient with musical instruments.

Humans & Metahumans

Humans (3)

Humans are normal humans with no special abilities beyond the norm.
They are all susceptible to human lifespans, weaknesses, strengths, etc.
98% of humans are not immune to the Pandora Virus. About 2% of the human population carries immunity to the Pandora Virus. A human without immunity may have survived if they got to Elysium at the beginning of April 2007. Later than that, it is not feasible for survival unless they carry immunity to Pandora.

Metahumans

Metahumans are humans born with innate magical abilities.
Metahumans are also susceptible to human life spans, weaknesses, strengths, etc.
Metahumans are susceptible to all human diseases, except for the Pandora virus.
Unless otherwise stated, metahumans may have a parent or a distant but direct relative with the same ability as them, but the whole family will not have powers. It is possible, but extremely rare, that more than one child would have the power.

The list of metahumans and their magical abilities are as follows:

Alchemists (1): Alchemy is the ability to turn objects of lesser value into a type that is of higher value by touch (the hands). Limited to minerals, such as rocks and metals, and dead plant-life like woods and non-synthetic cloths. They also can loosely bind anyone with elemental blood via a spell to do their bidding. Potential that takes time includes summoning elementals, which alchemists cannot achieve until they are at least in their thirties due to the complexity of it; the alchemical ritual requires years of studying and practicing to perfect. Another power that is usually never achieved before death for alchemists is creating the element carmot, a dark red mineral known commonly as a key element in the “philosopher’s stone.” It cannot be naturally found in the earth, so must be made by an alchemist. Consuming the carmot mineral protects the body from disease and halts aging, prolonging life for only as long as it is daily consumed by the body. When one stops imbibing the mineral, the body begins to age naturally once more from where it left off.

Alchemy is a rare ability. No more than 4 are allowed total. It always skips one or more generations, and it is extremely rare that two alchemists in a family will meet each other.
No one in game may create carmot without having received permission from the mods.

Clairvoyants (0): Possess an innate ability to have in-depth general knowledge about ideas and things related to intelligence or trivial knowledge (but not personal information of people that cannot be naturally learned or is not public knowledge, such as secrets; however, a world-record would be accessible knowledge of a person) without having witnessed it or learned it themselves.
Dreamwalkers (2): Possess various natural abilities related to dreams. They can project themselves into the dreams of others, rendering their own physical body into a unresponsive or sleeping state. They are capable of the phenomenon known as astral projection, in which they can leave their body and travel shortly within a spirit form. Also, they possess an ability to influence or alter the dreams of others while projecting themselves into the dreamers’ dreams. Dreamwalkers experience dreams as if they are real, and their physical body can be harmed in another’s dream. Through careful concentration, they may view another’s dream or experience the emotions and feelings of the dreamer without actually being in the dream and still conscious.
Empaths (1): Possess an innate ability to read, sense, and to a greater extent even feel the emotions of others.
Healers (0): Possess a natural ability to heal minor and medium-level injuries in humans, metahumans, and animals by focusing healing energy onto the wounds through their hands.
Mages (1): Only have control over their specific element and the control is limited. Magically weakened by opposing element.

Earth mage: Manipulates the growth, birth, and death of plant life.
Air mage: Manipulates the air to make wind, small whirlwinds, and can significantly raise or drop the surrounding air temperature.
Water mage: Manipulates existing water to make waves, small whirlpools, and can lift and propel water through the air.
Fire mage: Manipulates fire by summoning it through the hands, can propel it through the air, and heat up objects with their touch.

Mediums (2): Possess an innate ability to see spirits and communicate with them.
Necromancers (2): A necromancer is born with innate magic for communication with spirits and sway over death, though it requires rituals to access any of this magic and to use it. Necromancers cannot access/control their magic without the use of complex spells and rituals. Without spells and rituals, they are powerless. Necromancers have uncontrollable, tiny spouts of magic when they are young. They may accidentally see a spirit, be possessed by a harmless spirit, or communicate with a spirit out of their control. They won’t know they are a necromancer until they dig further to find out what they are capable of performing with the aid of spells and rituals.
- Magic: Necromancers can help those who are dying to cross over peacefully, communicate with spirits, give voices to spirits to let them speak to others, temporarily summon the dead into a normal living form that lasts no longer than twenty-four hours, force those who have risen from death to return to death, and bring back a body from the dead with the constant effect of receiving a corrupted spirit in the body that is not the person meant to be brought back but a substitute malicious spirit.
- Necromancy is an extremely rare ability. No more than 2 are allowed total. No two in a family will ever meet because it skips too many generations.
Psychics (0): Possess an innate ability to know something or to have knowledge of things from the future before such things have even occurred via extrasensory perception.
Psychokinetics (1): Psychokineticism is a very rare ability. A psychokinetic will never have psychokinetic parents, and normally never knows anyone in their family with the ability. Also known as telekinetics, those who possess PK have an innate ability to influence movement with only their mind. This ability influences matter and energy outside the laws of physics. A person with PK has the ability to move micro and macro matter, to bend, spin, impact, or break matter, as well as cause vibrations of individual atoms within matter. PK ability varies from one person to another and depends on age and amount of training done with powers.

Psychokineticism is a rare ability. No more than 4 are allowed total. It always skips one or more generations, and it is extremely rare that two psychokinetics in a family will ever meet each other.

Psychometrics (0): Possess an innate ability to know something personal about someone or to have past knowledge of that person by touching an object that belongs to them or an object that the person in question touched or had contact with.
Telepaths (1): It is the ability to transfer one’s thoughts into another’s head for the other person to hear, to hear other people’s thoughts, or to communicate equally with others via thoughts. In regards to mental images, telepaths can only pick them up if the person they are reading is experiencing an intense emotion. They cannot send out mental images to other people.

Telepathy is a rare ability. No more than 4 are allowed total. It always skips more than one generation, so it is extremely rare that two telepaths in a family will ever meet each other.

Witches/Sorcerers (0): A person who has the innate ability to influence the natural world, but they can only channel their magic through secondary means, such as potions, complicated spells, rituals, and occasional chants. Witches and sorcerers employ many magical devices such as runes and/or sigils, herbs, amulets, mirrors, crystals, even thread. A witch/sorcerer may focus their powers into one or two specialties to increase the effectiveness of their magic in those areas. A witch or a sorcerer CANNOT control their magic without at least a "talisman," or an enchanted object, to guide their magic.

If you are interested in making a witch/sorcerer, please contact the mods first for more explanation on their capabilities.

Kitsune (3)

Rare Species. No more than 8 are allowed total.

Kitsune are foxes who have achieved human-level enlightenment and have the magical ability to shift into human form.

They are only capable of taking on a human form by the age of 13.

Their natural form is their fox form, not their human form.
Kitsune can switch between fox form and human form at will.

Most cannot achieve a perfect human form unless they have trained extensively for it. Kitsune usually have animal traits that linger, even when they shift into a human. Common traits that stay are fox ears, a tail, or both.

They cannot speak human language in animal form, but they can understand it.
They are only capable of reproduction outside their kind while in human form.

A kitsune/human child will have only a human form. Their human form will have fox characteristics on it, such as fox ears or a fox tail.
Female kitsune cannot shift back into their fox form while they are pregnant with the child of a non-kitsune. While pregnant with another kitsune’s child, they are stuck in their fox form until the baby is born.

A kitsune’s average life span from 225 to 250 years.
If they are a pure kitsune, they have the ability to shift into human form. All of them have illusionary magic, which they can use to alter their physical appearance or affect objects around them. With age, illusionary magic increases in power.
Kitsune retain all of their fox abilities while in human form. They still have the same level of stamina and agility, as well as better sensory perception.

Lycanthropes (4)

Lycanthropy is a virus transmitted through another werewolf’s saliva and/or blood. It must come into contact with the victim’s blood through a bite or an open wound on the victim. A scratch from a werewolf will NOT transmit lycanthropy since the virus is not present in the claws. Lycanthropea also cannot transmit the virus unless they are in werewolf form.

The virus that changes a person into a lycanthrope is a retrovirus meaning that it integrates itself into the genome of the host.

Only a living being with human DNA, who is part-human or all human, can contract the lycanthrope virus and become a lycan.
If a person is attacked by a werewolf they must wait until the first full moon after the attack in order to verify whether or not they have become infected with lycanthropy.
Average life span of a lycan is 150 to 200 years. Aging slows down after a person’s first shift unless they are a child, in which it will slow down after 18 years old.
Shifting IS painful and consists of the breaking and realigning of bones, restructuring of musculature, growth of claws, emergence of a muzzle, and the growth of fur that covers the entire body.

Lycanthropes do not turn into full wolves. They are two-legged creatures that retain the same height as when they are humans. For example, a person who is 5’5” normally will not shift into a 6 foot-tall lycan. There will however be a slight increase in mass and weight due to increased muscle-mass.
Feral mind takes over while shifted, but with time the conscious mind can exert influence over that of the inner wolf. This practice takes extreme dedication and years to perfect.

Lycanthropes have the ability to learn to shift before the full moon, but they cannot deny shifting on the full moon.

Shifting before the full moon requires a great deal of concentration and energy. A person must have been a lycanthrope for at least five years before they can start training to shift pre-full moon. This training takes time to master.

Lycanthropes, while in human form, have increased stamina, strength, and senses – taste, sight, smell, hearing, and touch – that are double that of a normal human. Possess immunity to many human diseases.

When shifted, their enhancements increase to four-times the amount of a normal human.

Silver DOES injure lycanthropes. Scarring can occur with prolonged contact with silver (greater than 10 seconds). Death can occur if silver is embedded in the body and not removed immediately. If traces of silver remain in a wound, the lycanthrope may eventually succumb to silver poisoning.
Limited magical ability. Only capable of shifting into werewolf form, not including anything else they may have gained from family lineage.
Lycanthropes do have the ability to have children.

Female lycanthropes that become pregnant will NOT shift during the term of the pregnancy.
The chances of giving birth to a child that will have the lycanthropy virus will depend on the status of both parents.

Lycanthrope x Lycanthrope = 75% chance
Lycanthrope x non-Lycanthrope = 50% chance

Born lycanthropes will not shift while they are infants.

Shifting manifests at puberty if the child has contracted the virus at birth. The retrovirus will have remained dormant until that time.

A child that is attacked by a lycanthrope and is less than 4 years of age will NOT survive the attack.
Children 5 years-old and older have a higher chance of surviving a lycanthrope attack but it is not guaranteed.

Children 5 and older can shift into lycans but they are like puppies and easier to control.
Chances of a young lycanthrope surviving on their own without an older lycan to guide them is very low.

Merpeople (2)

Merpeople are hybrids of a human and fish nature. They are natural water-dwellers.
Merpeople only have aquatic physical qualities when they are adequately submerged in water. Both saltwater and freshwater will change a merperson, regardless of whether they are freshwater or saltwater born. Sprinkling or raining water on them will not change their physical body. They must be submerged.

When they are submerged in water, their lower body from the waist to the feet develops into a long tail with fins. They also develop gills on their necks and webbed fingers.
When they are outside of the water, they have legs just like a human being. Their gills and webbed fingers disappear as well.

There are dangers to freshwater and saltwater merpeople swimming or breathing in the wrong type of water.

Freshwater Born: Freshwater merpeople cannot tolerate swimming in saltwater. It dries them out. Breathing in saltwater through their gills for an extended period of time is dangerous enough to kill them.
Saltwater Born: They can tolerate swimming in freshwater just fine, but breathing in freshwater through their gills for an extended period of time is also deadly for saltwater merpeople.

Merpeople are capable of reproduction outside of their kind.

A mer/human child will be born with a human form that is only capable of partial shifting in water. They can have one or more of these characteristics: webbed fingers, webbed feet, and gills. They cannot have fins.

A merperson’s average life span is between 100 to 125 years.
Pure merpeople have the ability to shift in water and the ability to talk to aquatic lifeforms. Only one other power is allowed of your choosing, if you want them to have anything else.
Merpeople have increased speed, strength, and stamina while in merperson form within the water. Also have 20/20 eyesight and excellent hearing, although both will fade with age.
Merpeople have a weakness to dry, arid climates. Lack of moisture is dangerous for a merperson’s health.
They are inherently drawn to water. Even if they choose to live on land, they must periodically return to the water as they feel a “calling” for the sea.

Muses (1)

Muses are a species of long life and vitality, who inspire creative ideas as well as emotions and sensations in others. They are often extremely talented in the types of things they can inspire in others.
A muse’s average life span is between 225 to 250 years.

They age at the same rate as humans from birth to puberty. After puberty, their age rate slows down. Usually, this begins around 21 years of age.

They can mate outside of their kind.

Muses are a separate species from humans, and muses give birth to other muses. If muses mate with humans or any other species, the children born of this coupling will have dwindled muse heritage and powers.

They have the ability to inspire emotions, creative ideas, or sensations in others that are usually centered around a certain unifying subject. They are not capable of any other magic.
Muses heal three times faster than humans. Possess increased stamina, agility, and dexterity that is twice as strong as the average human’s capabilities.

Nagas (0)

Rare Species. No more than 8 are allowed total.

Nagas are very large snakes who have achieved human-level enlightenment and have the magical ability to shift into human form.

They are only capable of shifting into human form around the age of 13.

Their natural form is their snake form, not their human form.
Naga are capable of switching between snake form and human form at will.

They cannot achieve a perfect human form. Naga have reptilian traits that linger, even when they shift into a human. Common traits that stay are shimmering scales on patches of their skin or on most of their skin and/or snake-like eyes.

They cannot speak human language in animal form, but they can understand it.
Naga are only capable of reproduction outside their kind while in human form.

A naga/human child will be born with a human form that has snake characteristics on it, such as snake eyes or scales on their skin.
Female naga cannot shift back into their snake form while pregnant with the child of a non-naga. While pregnant with another naga’s child, they are stuck in their snake form until the birthed egg hatches.

Their average life span is 225 to 250 years.
Pure nagas have the ability to shift into human form. Only one other power is allowed, if they have any more.
Naga retain the same level of stamina, strength, and agility in their human forms as their snake forms, as well as better sensory perception in some areas.

Nymphs (1)

Nymphs are various nature beings that are connected to either a land formation, tree, or water formation. They aren’t bound to a specific area. They are bound to a type of area. If they are river nymphs, for instance, any river will do.
Nymphs are capable of reproducing outside of their kind.
Their average life span is between 300 to 400 years. Nymphs have a normal aging process from birth to 18 years old. Aging slows down after that.
Nymphs can have one or two magical powers of your choosing. It can be nature-based, involved with healing, illusions, trickery magic, or something else of your choosing. Nymphs also have some control over their element and communication with their element.
Nymphs have excellent hearing and sight, which will fade with age.
Nymphs are inherently drawn to whatever they are connected to and need it for better health and energy. Even if they choose to live away from it, they must periodically return to it. If they do not, they will be weakened and often become depressed.
There are three types of nymphs:

Oreads: Land-bound. Mountains, pastures, valleys, ravines, meadows, etc.
Dryads: Wood-bound. Bound to a specific type of tree, but not to a single tree. Dryads can also illusion themselves to look like they are a part of a tree.
Naiads: Water-bound. Oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, lagoons, springs, streams, and brooks.

Orcs (0)

Orcs are very distantly related to elves and trolls.
Orcs have similar heights and builds to that of humans, though orcs are stockier and have dense muscle units that lend to their slightly increased strength. Orcs have greenish-grey skin.
Orcs have an innate talent for hand-to-hand combat. They are also quite talented with weapons, especially axes and two-handed swords.
Orcs naturally possess some nature, healing, and illusion magic.

Magical power is less than that of elves and is amplified through the use of totems.
Illusion magic is used to disguise their skin-tone.
Orcs can communicate with nature and animals.

Orcs are able to mate outside of their kind.
Average life span of orcs is 400 to 500 years. Orcs have a normal aging process from birth to 18 years old. Aging slows down after that.

Selkies (0)

Rare Species. No more than 8 are allowed total.

Selkies are seals that have achieved human-level enlightenment and have the magical ability to shift into human form.
Their natural form is their seal form, not their human form.
Selkies are capable of switching between seal form and human form by shedding their seal skin to become human and putting their selkie skin back on to return to seal form.

They can achieve a perfect human form.

They cannot speak human language in animal form, but they can understand it.
They are only capable of reproducing outside their kind while in human form.

Female selkies cannot shift back into their seal form while they are pregnant with the child of a non-selkie. While pregnant with another selkie’s child, they are stuck in their seal form until the baby is born.

A selkie’s average life span is between 100 to 125 years.
Limited magical ability. All can shift into human form and can talk to aquatic lifeforms. They may have one or two other magical abilities of your choosing.
Selkies retain all of their seal abilities while in human form. They still have the same level of stamina and agility, as well as better sensory perception.
Selkies are dependant on the sea and are drawn to it. A selkie must always occasionally return to the water.
Nearly all selkies are saltwater born, but they are capable of swimming in both saltwater and freshwater without being harmed by the difference.

Sirens (2)

Sirens are natural dwellers beside the water with a love for the open sea. They tend to live by bodies of water, usually on the beach side or in a cave beside the sea or ocean.
They can reproduce outside of their kind.

Sirens are a separate species from humans, and sirens give birth to other sirens. If sirens mate with humans or any other species, the children born of this coupling will have dwindled siren heritage, weaknesses, and powers.

A siren’s average life span is between 100 to 125 years.
Limited magical ability. Sirens only have the magical ability of entrancing song and voice. Their voice holds the power to command people to listen to them, even when they speak softly. Their singing can lure a person into a happy daze to as far as making them think they are in love. Humans are highly susceptible to their charms. Metahumans are also very susceptible. Other praeternaturals are only somewhat susceptible.
Sirens have increased speed, strength, and stamina when in water. Possess 20/20 eyesight and excellent hearing, although both will fade with age.
They are inherently drawn to water. Even if they choose to live far from water, they must periodically return to the sea as they feel a “calling” for it.

Sprites/Pixies

Sprites (1)

Sprites are legendary creatures that are often associated with faes when in actuality they are a completely separate species.
Sprites are lively creatures with magical powers associated with the natural world.
Sprites may or may not have wings.
Average height ranges from 4’0” to 5’5”
Full-blooded sprites have the ability to physically alter themselves in order to interact with humans.
While sprites are associated with nature, each sprite only has one true power over their given element.

For example, a water sprite may have the power to influence the rain or mist but nothing else.
Their power does NOT have to be based in the four elements. You may create whatever type of sprite you wish, such as a Sun sprite or a Moon sprite, etc.

Sprites can mate outside of their kind.
Sprites have an average life span of 125 to 150 years.

Pixies (0)

Pixies are the cousins to sprites. They usually have a slightly more mischievous streak when it comes to using their powers, especially when raised in a natural pixie community.

Their powers are also associated with the natural world, but to a lesser extent than sprites.

Average height is between 4’0” to 5’5”.
They have slightly pointed ears.
Pixies exude pixie dust which is used to confuse people and lead them astray.
Many pixies are kleptomaniacs if raised in a pixie environment. Pixies values include hoarding things and collecting as much as possible, and this is taught to their children, making kleptomania common.
They are allergic to silver but not to the extent of lycanthropes. Silver will cause a slight irritation of their skin if they come into contact with it, and if they are near it they may sneeze uncontrollably.
Pixies can mate outside of their kind.
Pixies have an average life span of 125 to 150 years.

Therianthropes (2)

Therianthropes are commonly known as “animal shapeshifters.” They are born in human form, which is their natural form.
Therianthropes are first and foremost human.
They are capable of shifting quite young once they get the hang of it. Shifting is not painful for therianthropes.

They only shift at will. They cannot shift on the full moon by force like lycanthropes.

Therinathropes cannot “turn” others into shapeshifters. A bite from a therianthrope will not transfer a virus as it will with lycanthropes. Therianthropes have inherited genes, not a viral condition.

Therianthrope genes are not always inherited. Normal humans can be born of a therianthrope parent or parents.

They can only take the shape of one animal.
While in their animal form, they retain all of their human thoughts and reasoning abilities. They do not “become” the animal in a mental sense. They merely look just like the animal in physical form.
They cannot speak human language in animal form.
A therianthrope’s average life span is between 75 to 100 years.
Limited magical ability. Their only ability is shapeshifting into their animal form.
Therianthropes gain all of the animal’s better abilities while in animal form. They have no special strengths in human form.

Trolls (0)

Trolls are related to elves having branched off long ago.
Trolls have elven-like ears. Their skin also possesses a slightly green tint to it.
Trolls are just as strong as elves, making their strength five times that of a human. Trolls are natural warriors and are skilled in the use of one-handed and two-handed swords.
The average life span for a troll is 400 to 500 years. Trolls have a normal aging process from birth to 18 years old. Aging slows down after that.
Trolls have excellent hearing and night vision.
Trolls are sensitive to daylight but not to the same extent as vampires.
Trolls have the ability to communicate with animals and have some nature magic which is amplified through the use of totems. They also have minor illusion magic that allows them to disguise their ears and skin tone.
Trolls can have children with a human.

Human/troll hybrids have increased strength and stamina and may possess some small traces of illusion and nature magic.

Vampires (2)

Vampires are living beings infected with a virus. They require blood for sustenance because their bodies cannot produce hemoglobin, and they need to constantly replenish their own blood. They can drink any kind of blood for survival, including humans, animals, and other praeternaturals. Blood should be consumed daily for vampires. It is their food source, and they must consume it as much as any other living thing consumes food. Vampires can starve to death if they are deprived of blood for any time longer than two to four weeks.
Vampires possess fangs. Their canine teeth are elongated and sharp. These fangs are not retractable and are visible at all times.
Their skin is cool or cold to the touch due to a lowered body temperature. The only exception to this rule is after they have consumed fresh or warm blood, which makes their skin very warm for an hour or so.
A vampire’s average life span is between 900 to 1,200 years. Vampires age slower than humans unless they are children, in which they age normally until puberty ends (roughly around 18 years old).
Limited magic abilities. They would keep any magical abilities they had before they were turned. Vampires also inherit an ability to distract or distort the minds of victims from feeling their bite or realizing they have been bitten, which is manipulated through their voice when in close proximity to a person's ear, but it takes anywhere between a year or three to master.
Incapable of sexual reproduction as they are infertile.
The vampiric virus is transmitted when vampiric blood enters an uninfected bloodstream, bodily orifice, or open wound of an uninfected person. Small doses do not guarantee an infection. Commonly, vampires feed their blood to those they wish to “turn” into a vampire. This is usually a fool-proof method, for it gives enough blood to ensure transmission of the virus. However, any heavy exposure to a vampiric blood outside of directly drinking it is also dangerous and risks infection.

Only a living being with human DNA, who is part-human or all human, can contract the vampiric virus and become a vampire.
“Turning” is a very painful process that lasts between 48 to 72 hours. The body grows much weaker as the virus attacks the system, causing immense physical pain. The person will be tremendously sick as the virus spreads throughout the body. Eventually, the virus bonds with the host and works for it instead of against it, transforming the host on cellular structure.
Children below the age of twelve and elderly people may be infected, but they only have a 10% chance of survival during the turning process.

Vampires have increased strength, agility, and stamina that is triple that of a human. Immunity from all human diseases. Increased sensory perception that is triple that of humans.

With increased age, their ability to taste normal foods and beverages decreases because their natural food source is blood. This is why younger vampires indulge in human foods and beverages and older vampires tend to avoid them.

Vampires possess a hypersensitivity to UV light. Exposure to sunlight is very deadly as it can damage the skin with sunburns and skin malignances that vampires have no means of naturally repairing. Vampires are severely allergic to all blood thinners, including garlic. Vampires can also experience “bloodlust,” which impairs their judgment and turns them more into predators, if they do not drink blood for a few days. It is somewhat controllable with practice and age.
Sire/Childe Bonds: When changing someone, the sire would have to drain the victim to near death. The sire must then feed a large portion of their blood to the new childe, leaving the sire near death. On the second day of changing, this process must be repeated. It must also be repeated a third time on the third day. This deliberate process creates a mental and emotion link between sire and childe, where they may on occasion feel each other’s emotions or hear each other’s thoughts. They cannot, however, communicate through telepathy or hold a conversation this way. It is sporadic, initiated only by intense situations. The occurrence of sire/childe bonds are rare.

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