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.

Surjafi

Also known as "Mountain-Folk", the Surjafi 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'. "Surjafi" is Old Tongue for "living stone people", which is a relatively straightforward name. Their ability to reproduce was granted to them directly by Rajafar, and this Gift has never been transferred to members of any other race.

Due to their unusual physiology, the Surjafi 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 Surjafi'a 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.

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.

Suro'ia

Also known as the beastmen, the Suro'ia 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 Suro'ia have their own native language and culture, 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 Suro'ia keep very good libraries and are generally well educated. The Suro'ia 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 Suro'ia become adventurers, seeking to learn of new lands, peoples, magics, or philosophies, which they then return to their communities.

Suro'ia 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.

Other Ideas

Plant/Fungal race

• Long-lived
• Forest, swamp dwelling

Crustacean Race

• Aquatic
• No obvious precedents—uniqueness

Insectoid Race(s)

• Hive mind
• Generational
• Specialization/Castes