In the first era, the lands were ripe with turmoil, havoc sewed into the very fabric of ancient civilization, disorderly chaos had kept the masses unchecked. The humans were abundantly everywhere, inhabiting the southern deserts, the glacial north, and the grassy mainlands in between. The Orcneas, a savage race of green-skinned, tusk-bearing ritualistic tribals, kept to the southern marches while at times raiding into the jungles of the east and committing exoduses into the mainlands. And than you had the Dvergr, a stout and proud people of noble heritages whom made their homes in the glacial undergrounds of the northernmost reaches. Finally, there were the various races of Mer, a much taller, thinner subset of humanity distinguished by their radiant skin tones, pointy ears and a general affinity towards mythic arts. A variety of other races had additionally made their homes on the mortal plane, the surprisingly intelligent and cultured beastfolk of a differentiating nature like the wise Canisfolk, the majestic Pantherae, and the voracious scavengers the Gnolls. Even Centaurs and Minotaurs were in the fray. Mythical beasts with but a pittance of sentience inhabited the many different lands, such as the giants, trolls, ogres, goblins, faeries, spirits, draugr, daemons, serpentfolk and so forth.
Yet these races could not cope with each other. The humans warred with everything, the orcneas constantly plundered and pillaged, the races of Mer thought themselves to powerful and majestic to squander with the lesser beings, warring with both themselves and most all other races. The beastfolk scoured against one another for many alpha-positions in their tribal packs, while the dvergr stood idly by, tucked away from other societies in the far north. It was all until one upright, climactic moment to this maelstrom of events did the Dovah descend from the skies. Like screeching, roaring winged angels and daemons did they set fire and ice upon the lands, and they did so for nearly four decades. The overpopulated masses were dwindled down to a reasonable count, and just like that, it stopped. For the next sixty years, ashen soil was grown over by a wave of immense flora, glassed deserts were filled with sands and dunes once again, animals populated to large herds, bigger packs and significant flocks, and the sentient races began rebuilding their lost civilizations. It was a short lived celebration of peace and freedom, however.
One dragon dove headfirst into the northern summits, and was massive enough that even the orneasian tribes to the farthest southern marches could witness him. The beastly thing broke through the mountain ranges, roared fire and gaseous elements into the air, and had impacted heavily unto the mainlands. As it clenched it's claws into the earth, its wings expanded to their fullest, and he raised his snout high unto the clouds. When it spoke, it was heard and understood by all, regardless of their exotic languages.
"We are the Dovahkiin, the firstborn of Golrah, the Divine God of the earth. Sent by powers of which you cannot comprehend, we've ascended from the skies beyond as your saviors. Left unchecked, you all shall surely parish. Accept our rule, for we shall guide you unto a new era of mythical enlightenment, culture, and society. So say I, Mu'uliik do Jun!" Upon speaking these words, the awesome beast with a wingspan nearly a mile wide had ascended beyond the clouds and was never seen or heard from again.
It is now the mark of the Second Era. The Dovah rule in a feudalistic state of control, vying for nobility, wealth, respect and ultimate rule. It is not always like this, however, as many Dovah wish to truly guide these sentient beings to independent, awe-spiring civilizations. In this time, there are slaves and civilians, armies and priests, warriors and magi, loyalty or servitude. Here you are, as one of the Dovah, either to lead your people solemnly and wisely or to continue upholding their misfortune and demise for your own personal gain.
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- The Kruziik; These ancient beings are said to have watched the progress of sentient-kind since before the dawn of the first era. Their scales are gilded, gleaming auras of a variety of bright colors. They've a wingspan of nearly fifty feet, behold a wide array of mythical powers and are known to primarily breath fires hotter than magma. (Only allowing 1-2 of these.) (Have unlocked the Element of Spirit) (Are never "proficient" in one mythical element, but nonetheless are capable of all of them.)
- The Yol; Brutish, warmongering beasts, the Dovah of Yol are. Their orange, red or yellow, at times dark green scales are warm to the touch, flammable gasses brew in their bellies, and can breath fire just as hot, if not hotter than the elder Kruziik. With claws sharp enough to cut diamonds, and an impressive wingspan of thirty feet, they are truly a force to be reckoned with. (Physically the strongest of dovah, excellent fighters.)
- The Iiz; An odd breed, the Iiz are. While most dragons are sluggish and fatigued in extremely cold conditions, these dovah thrive. They're unable to unleash fire from their breath, instead releasing a freezing wind of frost and ice, said to be so cold that it burns like dry ice. Their wingspan is roughly a little over a Yol's, and are generally fatter and thicker than most other dovah. (Physically are the dovahs with the most endurance, are capable of longer flights and generally have the advantage in colder climates.)
- The Gol; The dovah of all that is nature around us. The color of their scales are generally green, orange, yellow, brown and gray, with tufts of fur all around which makes them unique in appearance. While many dovah are known to have thick, hollow-boned horns, the Gol have at least twice as many more horns upon their crests. They've not as much power to breath fires as hot as the Yol, as they've not a wish to set entire forests ablaze. What makes their powers unique, is the uncanny ability to control and influence the forces of nature at will. Whether by growing forests of trees in a matter of weeks, shrouding them and their civilizations in shrubs and vines and other greenery in a single day, or destroying villages with mighty earthquakes and mudslides. They can additionally call upon trolls, giants, mammoths, ogres, goblins and many other creatures to accomplish their bidding, whether for good or evil. (Arguably the most influential dovah, they are the middle-ground between strength and endurance.)
- The Lahzey; A rare breed, the Lahzey have the powers of mythical arts right on their claw-tips. They are an old breed, nearly as old as the ancients, however they cannot share the same powers and breaths of frost or fire as the other dovah. They are skilled in all types of magics, however are only proficient in one element. They don scales of all colors, and are known to be almost as uncommon as the ancients, or the Kruziik. (Again, only allowing 1-2 of these.) (The wisest of dovah, who are capable of all magics, however choose one you are actually proficiently skilled at.)
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- Mankind; The most abundant, middle-ground race whose only advantage is their adaptability to all environments. The northmen are generally hairier, pale-skinned and more brutish. The sandmen, as they are called, are tan-skinned with an affinity for swordplay and mythic arts. The wildmen of the jungles and forests are not as charismatic or intelligent as the mainland kin, but are hardened survivors, hunters, gatherers and so forth. Mainland humans are the most well-rounded and charismatic of the bunch.
- Orcneas; A brutish, savage and warlike people. They stick to the deserts mostly, but are often seen setting up tribes with wildmen in the forests and jungles, or on the borders of the mainland. They are most green-gray skinned, tusks protruding from the mouth, while few breeds display boar snouts and others more human-based noses. They are the most muscular of the bunch, and stand generally taller than humans, just a few inches underneath the Mer.
- Dvergr; Stout, small, and proud. They are not accustomed to most climates, usually sticking to the freezing regions of the north. They've written volumes on their heritages and seem to pass on nobility in a monarchist state. They are arguably the most cultured, societally developed race next to the Mer. Beards are a deep-rooted tradition among the men, and therefore clean shaven dwarves are either outcasts, were shunned or had faced some severe punishment.
- Mer; The tallest, fairest and most charismatic of all the races. All of the mer are born with an affinity for magic, whereas other races must study and practice for dozens of years to perfect such a practice. While they are generally more fragile and thin-boned than all the other races, they still pout and hoard their arrogance and self-proclaimed superiority over others, including their own sub-races. Not all elves are known for this type of attitude, but the majority has bestowed the stereotype.
-- Lohrmer; Golden-skinned, radiant elves towering over at an average of 9 feet tall. Proficient in illusionary, reality-bending and mind-based mythical arts. (Cannot be Slaves, Melee/Ranged Units. Everything else is permitted. Battlemages are an exception to melee units.)
-- Mysmer; Dark-blue and gray skinned elves just a foot shy of the Lohrmer. Proficient in destructive magics.
-- Laevmer; Roughly as tall as humans, these fair-skinned elves have an affinity with nature and restorative magics, and are also extremely keen with their eyesight which makes them proficient archers.
- Beastfolk; An honor-bound, pack-based race of nomadic tribals and farmers. They are quite differentiating, therefore they are usually named by their given race.
-- Canisfolk; Spotted on savannas, snowy forests bordering the northlands, and all around the mainlands. They are a wolf-dog like people, honoring tradition and rituals above all else. Of notable traits, they are great farmers and shepherds and faster than most races save the Pantherae.
-- Pantherae; Tiger, lion and panther like species who favor and hone their skills daily, ignoring the drudges of society and focusing on keeping their skill fresh and their offspring well-tought. They are the fastest race alive, and have traits in hunting, scouting and stealth.
-- Gnolls; The most savage of the bunch, they are often teamed up with the orcneas as they scavenge food and hunt weak targets for them across the deserts and plains. They closely resemble hyenas.
-- Centaur/Minotaurs; Forest and jungle-dwellers, these people are a combination of barbaric warriors and hunter-gatherers.
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- Trolls;
- Sabretooth Cats;
- Giants;
- Mammoths;
- Goblins;
- Wargs;
- Direwolves;
- Treespirits;
- Draugr;
- TBA;
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**Keep in mind, magics explained are not definite. Feel free to be creative within a degree of power to create your own unique spells pertaining to any one element. I am merely giving examples and descriptions to give off a better idea. I have trust in all of you that you will not unleash some ultra-powerful spell and start uber-gaming all over everyone.
- Element of Destruction; To control the elements of destruction is a powerful art indeed. Dovah may cause fires or shards of ice to erupt from their scales, incinerating or cutting up anyone and anything around them. They might also control the weather patterns, forming maelstroms, hurricanes or powerful lightning storms for a short period of time. Mortals might control the powers to shoot flames or concentrated balls of energy from the power of their hands, perhaps conjuring smaller storms or spraying lightning from both hands. The possibilities are endless.
- Element of Restoration; Restorative magics generally include healing powers within a shocking multitude of life saving aspects. While the ability to regrow limbs or heal scars are unheard of, one might use such magics to graft skin of a recently amputated limb to prevent bleeding, whisk away fires to save a burning home or forest, or perhaps ease the pain and suffering of a dying mortal. Dovah who possess such magics are said to have brought recently deceased individuals back to life, cure incredibly lethal diseases or banish plagues entirely, increase longevity and even turn an ashen, dead tree into a fruit-bearing miracle. Such practices are incredibly taxing on the mind, and therefore aren't heard of commonly.
- Element of Illusion; Cloaking within the shadows, blending in with the environment, making your foes see what isn't really there, controlling their minds and forcing them to do your bidding. Just a few of the many examples of illusionary arts. Dovah have been seen masking entire armies from sight just before the initial assault, or perhaps raising a multitude of illusions for their own entertainment such as ghostly dancers, fake battles and the like. One instance was recorded of a dovah infiltrating the minds of an entire city, allowing them to accept their captors with open arms. However, the captors did not actually exist, and were merely an illusion to the townsfolk for the dovah's own twisted amusement.
- Element of Alteration; The power to morph and change the world around you. To turn iron into gold, quartz into diamonds, an unfit band of warriors into a full fledged force trained soldiers. This is an influential element indeed, and one must devote their full attention and take cautious steps whilst practicing such an art.
- Element of Conjuration; Wizards and dovah alike hoard the knowledge of such magics, passing them down from generations in secrecy. Whether to raise armies of the undead through necromancy, summon spirits and otherworldly beings from other realms, or conjure weapons out of thin air. It is one of the lesser known elements, and it is for that reason the few who possess it try to keep it that way.
- Element of Spirit;
druple