Humanoid Races

Humanoids in Kyros
After the Creation War there were just two seperate races that lived on Kyros: Humans and Eladrin. However, as the Dominion Wars raged between them over the years, allies were given to each side by their patron god in an attempt to tip the scales in the favor of their followers. The Humans expanded quickly into unclaimed territory and forged the Angharad Empire. The Eladrin consolidated their power in the territory given to them by Kord and formed the Council States ruled by the High Council of Magi. Most other races o



n Kyros owe allegiance to one of the great powers or the other with a few notable exceptions.

Racial Alliances
The following is a general list of the alliances and a short description of each race that forms the core of the Angharad Empire and the Council States.
 * Deva: aligned with the Council States, Deva Magi were sent to teach the elves how to harness arcane mysteries that are now nuch an important part of Elven society. Deva were the first race to be sent to aid the Eladrin in the Dominion Wars and because of this often hold positions of power in the States and are considered some of the finest wizards in all of Kyros.
 * Dragonborn: aligned with the Angharad Empire, the Dragonborn brought knowledge of battle magic to the Empire in order to fight against the Council's Magi. Although Dragonborn can expect to reach higher positions in the Martial Caste, several Dragonborn sorcerers hold great power in the Imperial Hierarchy.
 * Dwarves: Serving the Empire, Dwarves are commonly found as miners in the mountainous regions of Elinhir, their place of origin. Dwarves who are lucky and rich enough to purchase an advancement in caste usually serve as artisans or adiministrators. However, all Dwarves train from a young age to be proficient in battle should the need arise. The Dwarven Liberation Front is an organization dedicated to split off from the Empire.
 * Eladrin: These high elves form the elite of Council society. Before learning the arcane ways of the Deva, Eladrin were masters of martial warfare. This is a trait they still possess, for underneath the flowing robes of all magi is a concealed blade enhanced by magic.
 * Elves: After thousands of years as a race the Eladrin began to stratify. Those of high social status and education developed into the Eladrin that currently exist with their close ties to the Feywild and magic. Those who were less fortunate never quite gained the same mastery over magic as their Eladrin cousins and retain many customs and combat techniques similar to those at the begining of the Dominion Wars.
 * Githzerai: After emerging from behind the Corrupted Wall, the Githzerai diplomatically sided with the Council with the hope that their magic could better protect them and the rest of Kyros from the mysterious threat from beyond the wall. Githzerai prefer to talk things over rather than resort to violence, though when provoked they prove equally dominant on the battlefield as they are at the negotiation table. They tend to live longer lives than Humans, but much shorter than Eladrin.
 * Gnomes: Serving the Council, Gnomes that travel to Kyros from the Feywild often serve as spies and saboteurs in the Council's army. Their small size, quick minds, and natural tendency to remain hidden aids them in this job and also makes a captured Gnome notoriously difficult to keep captured.
 * Goliaths: A highly mystic people, Goliath tribes live in the high mountains across Kyros and rarely associate with the 'lowlanders.' Occasionally you may find a Goliath in the lowlands on a pilgrimage to a sacred site, trading for essentials, or sometimes looking for work as a sellsword, or, in the Goliath's case, a sell-claymore. However, they stay in seclusion rather than give their entire race over to the service of either great power
 * Half-Elves: The bastard race of mixed parentage, many Half-Elves are abandoned at a very young age, if not at birth if they have mixed parentage. Wanted by neither the Empire nor the Council they have a general animosity towards strangers of any other race. Ironically, Half-Elves usually inherit the best traits of both races.
 * Half-Orcs: The gods Bane and Gruumsh, the One-Eyed God of the Orcs, collaborated to create what they viewed as the ultimate fighting race in the service of the Empire. Half-Orcs commonly live in their own compounds or in the wilderness as the Noble Caste doesn't trust having large numbers of this fearsome race in close proximity to the rest of the citizenry in case they choose to go rogue.
 * Halflings: Halfling communities are generally found on Council lands, but the average Halfling holds no ill will towards any other race. In most cases they are content to pay tribute to whoever rules the area and steer clear of the politics. Though if the situation demands, they will defend their homes with great determination to preserve their way of life.
 * Humans: The Humans of the Angharad Empire are ruthless and highly militaristic. They are adaptable to any caste they are born into, but usually prefer the thrill of leading others into battle or a zealous devotion to Bane. Humans fight for their country, their god, and for their own personal glory.
 * Minotaurs: The ancient Tauran civilization was eradicated early in the Dominion Wars, for they populated Luceana and refused to pledge their service to either side of the conflict. They left behind various ruins that were later populated by the Council. Minataurs worshipped the primal deitites of the Stygian Forest
 * Shardminds: The newest addition to Kyros, Shardminds serve their own agenda with very little regard to the problems of the world around them. Their powers are alien to what has been seen before in Kyros. Ever since strange sightings near the Corrupted Wall have increased, so has the number of Shardminds. Regardless, there have only been a handful of sightings of the mysterious Shardminds.
 * Shifters: Descendents of ancient Humans and Lycanthropes, Shifter tribes have strong ties to the Angharad Empire. Their mixture of stealth and ferocity make them excellent commandos and their shapeshifting ability, with the right amount of training, gives them a huge edge while operating in the wilderness of Kyros.
 * Tieflings: At the height of the Dominion Wars the beleaguered Human defenders of the Imperial Provonce Feratûm made infernal pacts with the devils of Asmodeus, one of Bane's enemies in the Astral Sea, to gain extraordinary power. This pact left Humans scarred and changed, but they fought off the Council's invasion and even gained teritorry in Luceana. However, because they forsook Bane as their protector, Tieflings are still treated as second-class citizens in the Empire and must strive to gain positions of any power.
 * Wilden: Though they are denizens of the Feywild, they have no love for either the arrogant Humans or their Elven cousins. They are guardians of nature, seeking only to rebuild all that was razed during the course of the Dominion Wars. Although they have been working hard, the Wilden still have a massive job ahead of them.