To The Death - Our little World
Lexen x thedookienut
Archive of Vinaith
Human
The most prominent species of the world due to their ability to reproduce quickly. While they have a max longevity of one hundred years, each generation is watchfully studied by other species within the realm for their actions can cause great distress among the other societies. Their short lifespan has caused them to lose much of their history and produce discrimination against other species from misinformation being passed through the generations. Average height is around six feet. They lack all magic ability but can be capable fighters. Traditionally, elves and dwarfs are regarded as lesser beings while rouks and geives are adored.
Dwarfs
Known for their smithing and mining skills, they usually stink of sweat and dirt. They care little for cleanliness past for shining their precious metals. They are found within large caves at the base of mountains. Their max lifespan is around five hundred years. Found to be horrid writers and entertainers with crude humour and consider throat gurgles as a full language in their native tongue. They do well with elves that usually buy their wares but have a dislike for humans and rouks. Geives are mostly disregarded as pests.
Elves
Known for their taming and archery, elves are found within deep forests and swamps. Most remain mostly the clan they were born into, making it rare to see them among other species. They live for around one thousand years which may be due to their innate ability with magic. Average height is around six feet, although seeing forest elves at eight feet is not uncommon. They mostly dislike wearing clothes, although have been known to make wear crude wears when visiting other species. Their longevity has also allowed them to train a number of different beasts which are prized. They dislike most others with the exceptions of the geives which they have a fond adoration for.
Rouks
Known for their fighting ability and tales, rouks come from the heart of volcanoes. Their bodies are made mostly of rock that has been said to have melted onto the skin of elves from pronged exposure to the volcano's ash. They are a strange society that takes pride in their ability to lie and spin tales. There appears to be a certain flinch that every Rouk knows for they can always tell when each other is lying; however, this little secret has yet to be known to any other species, thus, are very good at cards and stories. It has caused distress when making deals with the dwarfs which ware they need for their warfare. They live for a thousand years and are usually around seven feet tall. Their houses are completely unknown since they dwell within lava. Their diet consists of salt mostly and have a fear of water which puts a strain on their relationship with the gieves. They like the elves, usually treasuring their appearance and the humans who look most similar to the elves.
Gieves
Treasure hunters mostly, gieves are a water people that sport gills across their necks. Their native speech sounds like song as air is pushed through certain gills in consistent patterns. Some claim that it can set humans into a trance but that is untested at the moment. They can live for five hundred years and normally reach a height of five feet. Their affinity for gold has lead many to travel all the water ways of the world to find lost treasure, most of which is the product from the dwarfs. Gieves fear humans which have been known to skin them for their coats but adore dwarfs for their metals. They have a neutral view on elves and rouks. The are more nomadic, having only temporary beds they make by burying themselves in the mud. Since most swim in the deep water, their eyes allow them to see in the darkness; however, gieves cannot see colour. In colder waters they excrete a solvent that insulates their body. The same system works when stopping their skin from drying out on land. If their skin becomes too dry, it will flake off in the scales. Typically, these scales are too fine to be seen individually and appear as one solid layer of flesh.
Plagues
Mermaids
A sickness that infects the gieves by a bite. Their white skin becomes grey and have a lusting need to eat flesh. They lack self control, impulsively attacking without being provoked. However, their brain continues at a level capable of in depth speech but minimal planning. The infected blood becomes malformed and is harder for their hearts to beat, thus, their lifeline is maxed at one hundred years after infection. They typically go into hordes of around eight members and consume anything not infected. The illness is said to be a mutated version of the vampire virus. Yet, they are not immortal and can be slain by physical means.
Vampires
The human infection that causes an allergic reaction to sunlight and the growth of the canine teeth to the point of dominate fangs. Their increased telomere ability in their genes prolongs their life span and creates a sense of regeneration. Yet, they must consume human, elf or dwarf blood once every month to survive. If not, the body will shut down due to the metabolism breaking down. The only ways to kill a vampire is to destroy the heart so it cannot restore the body or get them into sunlight. They bite to transform humans into vampires. The creatures have a very high intelligence and planning ability, known to create their own societies within their home base.
Werewolves
Similar to mermaids and vampires, werewolves multiply by biting. They come from humans only, but will consume anything in their way. Once bitten, the werewolf will always be an enlarged wolf, even in the day. The only real way to kill a werewolf is with silver. Just grazing the skin with silver will cause a deadly reaction that causes the body to reject itself and produce lesions that will eventually consume the whole inside of the body, leaving only a tough pelt behind that sells for a high price. Alone, their life is essentially just as long as it would be; however, they lack any mental capability to plan past that of a rabid animal.
Villages
Wenwrist
A large city with its harbor nested against the western sea. It is the most multicultural city known on Vinaith, although it is mostly populated by humans, dwarves and rouks. The best trades can be found here, if not all legal.
Severam
The great city of the elves, hiding within the forest of Dwell. It is a place made of wood and ivory. Its buildings entwined with the trees. Few other than elves may pass through this city. It is well protected by the elven magic that will turn their intruders into stone. It is also where the best trained beasts come from.
Haimirck
The capital of the rouk. Outsiders know very little of this city as the tales from the rouks themselves can never be trusted. Some say there is nothing but rock and ash below the lava, others tell of large cities hundreds of feet below the fire. All that can be known for sure is that if a rouk must be spoken to that dwells within the city, a note must be nailed into a large dead oak tree siting fifty feet below the volcano's mouth. Here, a messanger rouk will pick it up at midnight and deliver the message. Little else is known.
Fereille
The only known home of the gieve. Here is where one of their great champions passed away from her wounds after defeating Ferrin, a dark leviathan. In the center of the city, the hero's bones lay holding the neck of the leviathan. Around it, towers of coral and seaweed spin towards the upper waters. There is such a large collection of gieve there that it is said the collective glow from their eyes below the sea can be seen by ship.
