Races

Like many fantastic worlds, Corasur is home to several sentient races.

Humanity

The most populous race, humans can be found in (almost) all environments. In the region of the Five Nations, the humans are dark-skinned, but in the satrapies, all tones can be found. Known to be the most magically-apt race in general.

Sůṙjafia

Also known as "Mountain-Folk", the Sůṙjafia can be found in insular underground colonies wherever there is ore. They have no need for light or food, instead they are sustained by a magical flame which must be kept burning. To this end, they mine for coal and air, and some colonies trade with other races for wood, which they find to be a more pleasant 'meal'. "Sůṙjafi" is Old Tongue for "living stone people", which is a relatively straightforward name. Their ability to reproduce was granted to them directly by Rajafaṙ, and this Gift has never been transferred to members of any other race.

Due to their unusual physiology, the Sůṙjafia are capable of enduring very high temperatures with no ill effects, but are moderately sensitive to cold. They also have a racial bonus to toughness, and a racial penalty to agility. All Sůṙjafia are ambidextrous.

A sůṙjafi's fire-chamber is connected to a series of tubes and valves, animated by their magic. By opening or closing these valves, a variety of tones can be produced, and they can even reproduce human voices, though it sounds disconcertingly artificial-sounding to humans, and only those who specialize in diplomacy have the vocal control required for human languages. Such control is not needed for their own language, which is composed of tones and chords, rather than consonants and vowels.

Rosuia

Also known as the beastmen, the Rosuia have a form that is reminiscent of werewolves, but more bearlike. They generally live in small agrarian communes, but rather than eating their cereal grains, they feed them to their livestock and themselves eat mostly fruit and meat. They, along with their livestock, hibernate from (In most locations) mid-Korilao until Listao. The Rosuia have their own native languages and cultures, and, though deep-voiced to the point of growling, are quite capable of learning other languages. They have no formal religion, however, and instead they worship privately and only in thanks. It is considered bad form to ask the divine of anything unless you are likely to die without their aid. Entitlement is considered the greatest sin in their society, which is completely egalitarian. Contrary to stereotypes, the Rosuia keep very good libraries and are generally well educated. The Rosuia always know their neighbors and their lands, and generally know the fastest and safest routes to almost anywhere, or at least where to find someone who does. Some Rosuia become adventurers, seeking to learn of new lands, peoples, magics, or philosophies, which they then return to their communities.

Rosuia value hospitality, and will gladly house strangers as long as they follow the proper rules of etiquette, which vary sometimes from what others may expect. However, if one expects to stay for more than a week, then one must pay for their food and room in favors or gifts. Because their settlements are small, generally everyone knows everyone else, or knows someone else who does, so favors can be tracked well enough. Favors come in four grades, small favors, which are the work of a day or less, medium favors, involving effort over several days, large favors, the work of weeks or months, and grand favors, the work of several cycles. Saving a life is always repaid by a grand favor. Debts of small favors are generally forgiven each winter, medium favors after five cycles, large favors' debt is forgiven only when payment is impossible, and grand favors are never forgotten, and, if the debtor fails to pay before their death, the favor is inherited by the village as a whole. Grand favors are recorded by the elders in the village's library, generally in a separate room, because they may be owed for generations.

Doṙjaosoa

The Doṙjaosoa are a species of giant, very intelligent, magically-adept (particularly in the Blue aspect, but also in Spirit and several others) squid-like creatures. A juvenile is 15ft long, and the largest credibly reported was 150ft long, much longer even than whales. Very little is known of their lifestyles, as they live in the deep oceans and rarely interact with mortals. When they do interact with mortals, they do so telepathically. Most of the time, this is through inducing audiovisual hallucinations, but some among them are able to glean bits of language from the minds of those with whom they communicate, leading to a more conversational communication.

They claim to be able to live for hundreds of cycles, and to have societies of their own. However, the largest populations of them in a given area are around one or two hundred, so these societies are not so large and complex as those of humans or Sůṙjafia. They are rarely interested in the affairs of land-dwellers, however, and are encountered so rarely by sailors that many believe they do not exist at all.

Doṙjaosoa are known to be carnivorous, but they almost never attack humans, because they usually travel inside wooden ships which are too much trouble to tear through. However, they do sometimes eat whales, sometimes within the sight of sailors, leading to myths of krakens.

Other Ideas

Things I haven't developed much go here.

Sprites

Elemental creatures, small in stature but not in power. They are very playful, but distrustful by nature. The Sprites are the favored creation of Rasutar, the Blue Aspect, and are the uncontested masters of ritual magick, able to permanently alter environments to suit their needs. They are usually divided into Water, Wind, Wood, Stone, and Fire Sprites, although finer divisions can be made. These divisions do not seem to be an intrinsic part of the rest of the world, however, and are peculiar to the Sprites.

Plant/Fungal race

• Long-lived
• Forest, swamp dwelling

Crustacean Race

• Aquatic
• No obvious precedents—uniqueness

Insectoid Race(s)

• Hive mind
• Generational
• Specialization/Castes