Races of Tharel
Drow
Drow elves are the dark skinned evil cousins of the sylvan and heishan elves. They rarely leave the underground unless they are under great duress. Occasionally a drow elf seeks something other than life in the underground and will wander into the above world seeking knowledge. The dark elves are highly dextrous and skilled in both thievery and wizardry. Due to their dexterity, drow elves have a natural ability to dual wield.
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Duergar
Duergars are the underground cousins of the dwarf. They dwell deep within the depths of the earth and most shun the above ground world. Gray dwarves or duergars excel in combat having mastered the art of battle frenzy and enjoy relieving their opponent of their breath. Duergar make talented warriors but occasionally choose to follow the path of the priest (usually of some dark and evil deity).
Duergars resist cold and poison but absolutely fear water and direct light. They also possess infravision due to their long lives underground. Gray dwarves receive beserk and bash for free.
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Dwarves
Dwarves are short, stocky demi-humans, known for foul temper and great stamina. Dwarves have high strength and constitution, but poor dexterity. They are not as smart as humans, but are usually wiser due to their long lifespans.
Dwarves make excellent fighters and priests, but are very poor mages or thieves. Dwarves are very resistant to poison and disease, but cannot swim, and so are very vulnerable to drowning. They receive the berserk skill for free, and can see in the dark with infravision.
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Sylvan Elves
Elves are slightly taller than humans, but have a much lighter build. They lack the strength and stamina of the other races, but are far more agile, both in body and mind. Elves are supurb mages and thieves, but have at best fair talent as warriors and priests. Elves resist charm spells most effectively, due to their magical nature.
However, they are burned by the touch of iron, and so are barred from the use of iron in their adventuring careers. Elves are notoriously hard to spot, and so receive the sneak and hide skills automatically. They may see in the dark with infravision.
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Giants
Giants are the largest of the races, ranging from 9-12 feet in height. They are stronger than any other race, and almost as durable as the dwarves. They aren't too bright, however, and their huge size makes them more clumsy than the other races. Giants make the best warriors of any race, but are ill-suited for any other profession.
Giants resist heat and cold with nary a mark, due to their huge mass. However, their slow minds make them extremely vulnerable to mental attacks. Giants, due to their size and stamina, receive the fast healing and bash skills for free.
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Gnomes
Gnomes are taciturn, somewhat quarrelsome, paranoid (especially out of doors), and absolutely unwilling to do anything for no profit. The greed of Gnomes outstrips even the legendary greed of the Dwarves. They are secretive, especially about their own kind, and are not given to saying much of anything, anytime, without a real good reason.
Gnomes possess infravision and detect hidden as natural abilities. They are resistant to disease and bash and vulnerable to holy attacks and slash. Gnomes get lore and fast healing for free. They make good clerics, thieves and warriors.
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Goblins
Goblins are small humanoids with flat faces, broad nose, pointed ears, wide mouths, and small, sharp fangs. Their dull, glazed eyes range in color from bright red to a gleaming yellow. Their speech is harsh and of high pitch. Cowardly in nature, goblins tend to avoid direct physical confrontation. They prefer the safety of an ambush and use simple crude (but effective) strategies and tactics.
Goblins are most effective as thieves but are generally good at most classes. They get the following skills for free; sneak, hide, steal and whip. Goblins have infrared vision and resistance to disease but are vulnerable to magic.
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Halflings
Halflings are a happy frivolous race that loves parties and eating. They prefer sweets of all kinds, but anything fresh and clean will do if there is lots of it. With their close resemblance to humans, save in height, they are refered to as Half-Men or Half-Highs, and can pass for human children in a pinch. Halflings are inordinately brave and capable of great acts of heroism, although often they prefer to live by their wits.
Halflings are resistant to magical attacks and because of their diminutive stature vulnerable to bashing. They receive farsight, steal, haggle, peek, and detect hidden for free thus making them accomplished thieves.
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Humans
Humans are the most common race in the world, and make up the majority of adventurers. Although they have no special talents like the other races, they are more versitile, being skilled in all classes. Humans may also train their primary stat higher than any other race, and are able to gain more benefit from magical devices.
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Heishan Elf
Heishan elves originate in the Forbidden Wastes. They are both taller and darker than their sylvan cousins. The harsh environment of the wastes has taught them to survive in all conditions. These elves are accomplished desert warriors. Certain sects of the Heishans choose to follow the goddess Maeve and become dream walkers. Others choose to serve her as holy warriors or priests. They also have a talent for magic and have been known to hire themselves out as mercenaries (myrmidons) on occasion.
Due to their skill in battle, heishan elves receive the parry skill upon creation. Similar to other elves they are resistant to charm, vulnerable to iron, and have infravision.
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Orcs
The run of the mill orc is neither brave nor bright. Leave him unsupervised and he will fall asleep. This nocturnal breed has a taste for rotten and spoiled meats thus their smell is less than appropriate for normal social circles. Orcs do not get along at all with other races (unless that race has beaten them down). Orcs do not trust anyone and are actively persecuted. Untimately their talents lie mostly in administering pain and torture upon their captives.
Orcs are most talented in the art of warrioring, however some follow the mythos of a Supreme Demon and become dark priests. Orcs receive kick and bash for free. They also possess infravision and a resistance to disease. Their noctural nature makes them vulnerable to light.
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Pixies
Pixies are among the most intelligent and mischievous of the faerie kind. They dwell in idyllic woodlands harassing travellers with their pranks and tricks. Fun, Fun, Fun is the pixie mindset. Pixies look like two and a half foot tall elves with silver moth wings. Their talents often lie in their propensity for magic and the need for fun.
Pixies make good mages, thieves or charlatans. Due to their wings, they possess the ability to fly. They also can detect invisible creatures, use faerie fire and fog, make themselves and others invisible, and force creatures to do their will (charm, although often times it is only for the fun of it). Pixies are resistant to magic and vulnerable to fire and lightning.
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Quicklings
Quicklings are short and thin elf like humanoids with incredibly high metabolisms. These beings are the quickest individuals in the Realm. Their disposition is such that other intelligent life are their playthings. The amusement of a quickling is often vicious and torturous behavior. Quicklings are vengeful and often hold grudges for their entire lifetime; complete humiliation is never enough for an enemy.
Quicklings are natural thieves. They get the skills dirt kick, steal, and dodge. They are permanently hasted, resistant to cold and slash, and vulnerable to bash and fire.
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Titans
Titans are the distant cousins of giants. They are often more civilized than giants and considerably more intelligent. The majority of titans originate in the City of Terrason. Titans often are skilled merchants and enjoy doing business outside their city in the other cities of Tharel. This trading often leads young titans to leave their home and pursue lives as mages, clerics, warriors, and myrmidons.
Titans have keen eyes and thus receive detect hidden and infravision without cost. Due to their high constitutions, they are resistant to fire and poison but vulnerable to lightning and mental attacks. Their extreme size grants them extra damage in combat (enhanced damage).
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Trolls
River trolls range in size from 8 to 12 feet tall. Their complexions are a dark murky brown, almost black. Their hair covers their heads and chests with thick coarse mats. These trolls generally reside near water or swampy bogs. Occassionally one of the brighter ones (not very common in the troll world) will leave its home to find its way in the world. These trolls will often follow the dark paths of the antipaladin or cleric. However most become warriors.
River trolls have the natural ability of regeneration and infravision. They are, however, extremely susceptible to fire and acid attacks. Additionally, due to the size of their claws, they receive the skill hand to hand at no cost.
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Frost Giants
Frost giants, cousin to the giants of the lowlands, are not quite a large and definitely not as stupid as their brethren. Their height ranges from 8-11 feet and they are slightly slimmer than a lowland giant. Usually frost giant eyes are sky blue and their hair is silvery white. Frost giants have a love of knowledge and tend to pursue the knowledge of the world and magic although some lack the capacity to do too much in that arena and settle for life as a defender of the Pyrainn Mountain range where many make their homes.
Due to their bulk, frost giants resist bash, and due to the harsh climate of the Pyrainn Mountains, they resist cold. However, they are susceptible to iron and fire. Their intelligence grants them the use of cold spells such as iceshield, frost breath, and chill touch. Infravision and bash are also received at no cost.
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