• Humans: Straightforward and coming in many varieties. Humans in Velt are ruled by the King and Queen of Velt, residing in the capital city of Meridan.
• Elves: Elves, too, come in several varieties.
  
  • High Elves: There are a handful of High Elven settlements beyond Lethienvel, but they are few and far between. Rarely, a High Elf from beyond the veil will venture into the rest of the world. High Elves boast perhaps the greatest proficiency with magic among their kind. An extremely rare sight.
  • Dark Elves: From the Far North, Dark Elves are mysterious folk who dwell so far to the North that the sun rarely pierces the snowstorms. Another rare sight in Velt. Dark Elves are highly proficient assassins and are skilled in the art of stealth and infiltration. Notable for their purple-grey skintone.
  • Wood Elves: The most common variant of Elven kind in Velt, and the youngest, Wood Elves dwell in forest cities and towns. They are fond of solitude, but gracious hosts to visitors who arrive with their permission. Few intruders, however, return alive. Wood elves are known for their skill in archery and hunting. There is some number of Wood Elven settlements in Velt and Ithillin, but finding them is a difficult task.
  • Desert Elves: The elves of the eastern continent, specifically the Near East. Unfamiliar to most of the people native to Velt, they are nearly as rare a sight as High Elves from beyond Lethienvel. They are notable physically for their dark, tan skin.
• Dwarves: Short, bearded folk dwelling in their deep mines and working metal, dwarves have a reputation for honesty, loyalty, and being the most stubborn people you could possibly meet. Dwarves often build vast kingdoms within mountains across the land. The dwarven capital is to the north of Velt and Ithillin, in the great Grey Mountains, home to their most vast halls and the Deep King. Dwarven metalworking is the best by far in the land, but they lack magical capabilities entirely. They are one of the more common nonhuman races in Velt due to the settlement of Draz'khzidra in Mount Cahladren to the North.
• Nem: A diminutive race from the deserts of the southern continent, the Nem resemble small humans, commonly reaching heights of around 3'4-3'5. They are universally pale in skintone, with red or yellow eyes and black hair. Nem males cannot grow facial hair, and as a whole they are small and agile but lacking in physical strength. They are also known for being skilled archers over short range, and wielding a variety of curved swords. Their language lacks an equivalent to the letter "B", and some Nem have trouble pronouncing it as a result. They are nocturnal and possess excellent night vision, but during the day their vision is slightly worse than a human's. They also easily burn in the sun and must wear covering clothing to move during the day. Most Nem live in their desert homes, but there are a few found in Velt as well. They have an extremely low alcohol tolerance. Nem worship a night goddess known as Ila-Nem.
• The Hundi: The Hundi are a near-human race. On average they are around the average human height, or slightly shorter. What physically sets them apart from humanity is their soft, furred, dog-like ears and tails. Loyal, proud, and honorable, the Hundi are said to be incapable of lying. On every Hundi's sixteenth birthday, they are sent on a journey to practice their highly-valued combat skills and learn about the world first-hand. An unusual custom of the race is their unique marriage rights. An opponent who defeats a Hundi on their coming of age journey in an honorable duel immediately gains the position of that Hundi's fiancee, to be married as soon as possible. Confusion over this practice has resulted in many difficult situations for non-hundi. Hundi are most common in Ithillin, but many enter Velt as part of their mandatory quests, or as wanderers or the occasional sellsword.
• Ingvarr: A hardy race from the north, living in Barukstaed and even further. Bearing horns upon their heads and physical strength far beyond what their stature would suggest, Ingvarr are known as fierce warriors and share much in common culturally with the humans of the north. They pay some respects to other deities, but primarily worship their own set of gods, once again shared by many of the humans dwelling in the north as well. Fierce combatants with an honor code and a passion for battle, their culture passes down many elaborate sagas of battle.
• Fairy: The most commonly-seen variety of fae, also known as Aessyr, Fairies resemble female, human-like children. With the exception of the fact that human children tend not to be six inches tall at most, winged, and wearing clothing made from flowers. Fairies possess translucent insect-like wings, and all fairies are female. They tend to possess a childish immaturity, but they are in fact adults. Fairies tend to be inquisitive and curious, as it benefits such a small race of beings to investigate their surroundings thoroughly. Their curiosity extends to when they meet new people, as well. Fairies are mostly harmless, the worst they seem to be able to bring themselves to do being mischevious pranks upon other, larger races. However, harming or killing a fairy will bring the anger of other fairies upon the perpetrator, and they carry a large amount of sharp objects and know how to aim for the eyes and throat far too well. Fairies cannot die of old age, and only violence or disease can kill a fairy. A common sight in any forests. While Aessyr are the most commonly-seen type of fae, there are many other types of fae both dangerous and otherwise.
• Lamia: One of the monstrous races, and an extremely uncommon sight outside of the wilds, lamias are human until you reach their thighs. For, from the thighs down, a lamia possesses a strong, thick snake tail instead of legs. Lamia are carnivorous and possess sharpened teeth, though no lamia dwelling in Velt is venomous. There are various races of lamia across the lands, though only one dwells in Velt. A lamia's tail is incredibly strong and remarkably dangerous.
• Harpies: A mountain-dwelling monstrous race, harpies are an unusual race of beings in that they are entirely female, relying on the males of other races for reproduction. In place of arms they have a pair of wings, and therefore lack hands and cannot create clothing or tools easily. Harpies dwelling in towns or cities often live with a roommate of another race in order to be dressed properly. A harpy's bird-like feet are highly dexterous and possess sharp claws, and their wings are strong enough to easily break a man's arm. They are light due to their hollow bones and highly cold-resistant. On average they are somewhat shorter than human females. Some harpies are employed as couriers.
• Demon Ancestry: The blood of demons is potent. While children are rarely born from the union of a demon and a mortal, when they are they are possessed of great magical potential. Due to their nature as the children of demons, they are frequently viewed with mistrust and suspicion, and many will attempt to hide their demonic features in order to escape persecution. Most demonic children are born with one or more horns of varying length. I will only accept one character with Demon Ancestry.
• Orcs and Goblins: A pair of closely-related races, Orcs are on average a head taller than a human man, and are very burly and powerful. Goblins are far smaller and are wiry and thin. They usually possess sickly green or grey skin, and are violent barbarians who pillage and steal from others. Orcs are generally found roving in warbands, while Goblins often hide in deep, dank caves. Both Orcs and Goblins are known to eat the flesh of other races. Orcs often ride boars, often given aggression-boosting herbs.Not playable, even if you ask.
• Trolls: A presumed relation to Orcs and Goblins, Trolls are tall, muscular, and dim-witted beasts. Eating anything they can get their hands on, trolls are more monsters than they are sapient beings. Orcs often use them as attack dogs of a sort, filling them with aggression-boosting herbs. Not playable, even if you ask.
• Mindless Undead: Undead reanimated by a source that does not retain their mind. These undead can be revived at any point after death, and unlike sapient undead their bodies are not preserved. Rotting corpses or skeletal warriors, mindless undead crave flesh and will attempt to consume it even though they are incapable of digesting it. With the aid of guiding intelligence, such as a necromancer, mindless undead can wield weaponry. Necromancy can also raise mindless undead. They may also occur in places of great violence or magical disturbance. While a bite from a mindless undead can cause unpleasant infection, they are usually no great threat to a prepared warrior. Mindless Undead are considered an abomination by the Dual Church of Reon and Mayon, and are exterminated whenever possible. Not playable, even if you ask.
• Giants: A race of huge humanoids, often ranging from seventeen to twenty-five feet tall in height. They resemble, quite simply, enormous humans of either gender. They are extremely strong and physically capable, but few giants ever posses the capability of performing magic. Velt's Giants live in small settlements resembling human villages, but there are giants with a more tribal civilization further south. In spite of the size difference, half-giants are possible. They tend to be around ten feet tall and have immense strength.

• Velt: The country of Velt, northwest of Thaln, is a vast land composed largely of plains and forests, with a few notable mountain ranges(such as the Northern mountain of Cahladren, home to the dwarven city of Draz'khzidra). The River Nirinel runs through the heart of Velt, and the Veltan capital of Meridan is situated on its Southwestern bank. While in the past it has been Ithillin's ally, both nations have spent just as much time as rivals, though it has rarely escalated beyond border conflicts. At least, until now. Much of Velt's lands are forested, with rockier and more harsh terrain further to the north.
• Ithillin: The land to the east of Velt on its border, ruled by newly-ascended king Rathellion le Morvenaux of Calthir. Similar to Velt in climate and geography, though lacking in the mountainous regions to the North, Ithillin has at times been a friend but just as often a rival to its neighbor. A rivalry that now threatens to boil over and spread far beyond border skirmishes. The country's capital is Calthir, situated to the northwest. Deep in the southeast their lies the Black Pit, all that remains of Talderia.
• Talderia: Once the capital of the great Empire that ruled the continent, Talderia is now a black ruin filled with abominations, deep within a pit in the Southeast of Ithillin. In spite of its ruin, much of Talderia's legacy lives on in the fortresses and cities they left behind, and their influence on the cultures and languages of the human nations. The black pit, however, is home only to monsters and undead. The last Prince of Talderia, Erion, founded the fortresses of Caron Lyn and Erhan Lyn to form the Pitwatch and prevent the abominations within from surging out and threatening the lands. Recently, however, Erhan Lyn was sieged by a particularly powerful and coordinated force from within the pit, forcing it to be abandoned and collapsed to avoid its capture. King Rathellion has asserted there may have been outside interference that lead to its fall, though it is currently unclear.
  Thaln: A small nation to the south of Velt and Ithillin. Currently, it is engaged in a bloody conflict of its own, strife between its nobility erupting into multiple clashes between their forces. Even the crown struggles to contain the violence.
  Chauntressy: A nation to Ithillin's south. Known for a warm climate and a bustling trade industry. Nominally, they are Ithillin's ally, but it's no secret they would prefer a strong economy to violence.
  Estival: A large country to the north. Cooler then its southern neighbors, but not nearly as frigid as the furthest north. Largely uninvolved in any conflicts for the time being, it popularized the old Talderian concept of the Adventurer's Guild, where skilled individuals are paid to clear old ruins or pursue threats out of the scope of the soldiery, among other tasks.
• The Veil of Tears/Lethienvel: The famed, or perhaps infamous, rushing wall of water dividing the western land of the High Elves and the lands east of them. There are gate-ways between them, though the water. There is no visible source, and yet somehow it appears to flow. Though somehow, it is difficult to tell if the water flows up or down. Its infamy stems from a tragic event in the history of the High Elves, one that caused great damage to the world itself. The tragedy and regret from this incident gave the location its name, and to this day many High Elves still have reluctance to cross the Veil.
• Orodagor: In the land Northeast of Ithillin lies the shattered remains of a relic of a long-passed age. Orodagor, the Black Fortress, was a stronghold for the armies of Hidroroth of the Dark. Hidroroth, the poison existence born from the utter fall to evil of one of the world's deities, sought to paint the world in shadows an consume all life in a shroud of darkness. He was slain, ultimately, in the Battle of Inmoorn, thousands of years ago, his spirit left to the judgement of the Gods. Orodagor was one of the remnants of this long-passed age, abandoned for centuries. However, around two-hundred years ago, a new figure appeared and made her stronghold here. The Witch-Queen of Orodagor, as she came to be known, all the lands around it by raising a coven of powerful witches. Though she was defeated, and seemingly slain, many of those taught by her escaped. Those versed in magic who were educated outside of official schooling or tutors are thus mistrusted as witches, and in some places such a sentence leads to death.

• The Church of Reon/The Church of Mayon: The largest religion among humans in Thaln, this dualistic religion worships both the Sun Goddess Reon and the Moon Goddess Mayon. Both Goddesses, it is said, cannot be separated from one another. Reon's symbol is a highly-stylized lily, and Mayon's is a similarly-stylized rose. Chapels to the goddesses are paired, and adherents focus on either one or the other. Paladins of both goddesses are a common sight, with Reonite paladins often being highly aggressive combatants while Mayonite paladins are sometimes viewed as more defensive. The religion is deeply anti-slavery, and Reonite paladins are often deployed to break slavery rings and free those being sold through them. Worship for either sect features the sacrifice of lilies for Reon and roses for Mayon.
  
  • Reon: The sun goddess Reon is believed to have the form of a beautiful maiden. While unimpressive in stature in spite of her nature as a deity, it is said that the goddess possesses a fiery nature. She is described as having fair skin, flowing, long blonde hair, and alert blue eyes. She is clad in red and gold robes. Reon is said to have a palace on the surface of the Sun, a paradise that all her worshippers go to after death. Naturally, the aspect most strongly symbolizing her is fire. Lilies are even burned to be sacrificed to her. The weaponry of Reonite Paladins is often enchanted so that it is capable of in some way channeling this divine fire. Reonite Paladins are highly aggressive fighters, their purpose being to destroy evil.
  • Mayon: The moon goddess Mayon also takes the form of a beautiful maiden. She is taller than Reon, with shorter, black hair and somewhat darker skin. Her eyes are a soft shade of amber. She wears robes of blue and white, and like her counterpart possesses a palace, though naturally hers is situated on the moon. The aspect that most strongly symbolizes her is water, for water is directly effected by the phases of the moon. Paladins of Mayon often, but not always, seen as more defensive then those of Reon. Roses a cast into the water as a sacrifice to the Moon Goddess.
• Magic: Many races possess a natural internal source of mana. However, not everyone has enough to achieve the status of a mage. Magi are practioners of magic educated by a tutor or by a Mage's College, honing their skills in order to cast a variety of spells. Spells require some concentration and the ability to cast, using chants ranging of at least one word. Stronger spells require more words and therefore take more time to cast. Running low on mana is dangerous as it may strain the caster's body, causing them to lose consciousness or worse. Magic users educated outside of the accepted systems are known as witches, and are viewed as extremely suspicious at best and imprisoned or even executed at worst.

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@VKAllen: Feel free to ask me any questions you need.