Races
Humans
Humans are the most populous race of Krystallos. They are the primary populations of the Amethystian empire, the Free City of Peridot, the Chalcedony Protectorate, the Jade Kingdom, the Pearl Territories, the Quartz Territories and the Amazonite Tribe. They are an incredible diverse and adaptable people.
Physical Appearance
Humans vary widely, physically, depending on subtype.
- Northern Amethystian subtype: Light skinned with hair colors including blonde, brown, black and red though hair tends towards grey or white in old age. Dark hair is more common in the Kingdom of Amethyst, blonde hair is more common in the Kingdom of Alexandrite and red hair and freckles are more common in the Peridot Grassland.
- Southern Amethystian subtype: Darker skinned, looking light to heavily tanned. Hair colors range from dark brown to black with occasional red or blue highlights. The hair often has waves or curls.
- Thulite tribesmen subtype: Taller on average than most humans with reddish bronze skin. Hair color is almost always black.
- Onyx subtype: Chalk white skin and blue-black hair.
- Pearl Island subtype: Olive-brown skin with dark hair. A slight almond shape to the eyes.
- Chalcedonik subtype: Olive skin and dark hair with tight curls.
- Quartzish subtype: Light skinned. Hair comes in white, green, blue, purple or pink depending on city of origin.
- Obsidianu subtype: Light to dark brown skin. Black hair with natural curl and kink to it.
- Jadanese subtype: Golden skin with dark, straight hair. A pronounced almond shape to the eyes.
Naming Conventions
Human naming conventions depend mostly upon the culture of their nation of origin.
- Amethystian Empire: Most humans in the Amethystian Empire have two names: a given name and a family name. Onyxish humans also have a secret name that they decide upon for themselves upon reaching the age of sixteen. An Onyxish secret name is only shared with very close friends and lovers.
- Thulite Tribesmen: Thulite tribesmen are known first by their given name, then their profession and finally by their tribe. An example might be "Redstone the Hunter of the Nightrunner Tribe". Thulite tribesman living outside of the Thulite Steppes sometimes replace their tribal name with the name of their town or city. For example, "Redstone the Guardsman of Temperance".
- Pearl Islands: Pearl Island natives consider names to be charms and, so, name their children accordingly. Being named after a type of flower represents a parent's wish for a child to be beautiful while being named for a famous hero represents a parent's wish for a child to have great courage. Names with negative meanings are also common and not a stigma. A child's name might mean filth, for example, as a way of warding away an evil spirit who might desire clean and beautiful children. Pearl Island natives only have one name.
- Chalcedony Protectorate: Citizens of the Protectorate are known by rank, name and bloodline. For example, Captain Milosh of the Pagonis bloodline.
- Quartz Territories: Humans in the Quartz territories tend towards given names and family names, though it isn't unusual for the given name to be changed several times over a lifetime at the whim of the individual.
- Obsidian Refugees: Obsidanu humans begin with a given name and a family name. The given name holds great symbolic importance and, in introductions, an Obsidanu will often not only say his or her name but explain the surname's meaning. By tradition, Obsidanu acquire additional names as they age to commemorate important events in their lives. These additional names go between the given and family name and tell the story of that person's life. An example: "Gijima (Runner) Haravidole (Fast Fingers) Karibafu (Near Death) Mkuu (Cleric) Babu (grandfather) Mfanyabiashara.
- Jade Kingdom: Jadenese have a given name and family name but, when introducing themselves, the order is reversed compared to those in the Amethystian Empire. An individual with a given name of Kenta and a family name of Meiji would introduce himself as Meiji Kenta.
Dwarves
The dwarves of Krystallos live primarily underground, in vast halls beneath the Ruby and Garnet Mountains. There are two kingdoms who share a bitter rivalry – they were once one nation but argue bitterly over which one came first and which split off from the other. Outsiders who have visited both kingdoms say they are almost exactly alike. Dwarven society is divided by a strict caste system. While friendships are possible between castes they are rare. Dwarves are raised to believe that each caste is vital to society and that trying to step outside of one’s caste can cause society to break apart. Dwarves take pride in their castes and the tasks they perform, even if they (privately) grumble about how the higher castes treat them or the laziness of the lower castes. Dwarves who live outside the mountains usually belong to one of two groups – either they are traders or diplomats representing their kingdoms or they are outcast, exiled for breaking the laws of the caste system.
Physical Appearance
Physically, dwarves are shorter than humans but taller than halflings and gnomes. Their skin colors range from white to ash grey, though many dwarves look permanently sunburned from exposure to lava flows and fire. Dwarven skin turns leathery and rough as they get older. Dwarven hair tends to be brown or black with the occasional redhead and turns grey with age. It is a point of pride for male dwarves to wear beards that are often elaborately braided.
Naming Conventions
Dwarves use a three name system: given name followed by middle name followed by family name. Given names vary widely while middle names are always the name of the dwarf's father. Family names usually have some meaning specific to the caste the family traditionally belongs to.
Elves
The elves of the Sapphire Forest are the longest lived of the races and bound by strict traditions. They have rules, rituals and ceremonies to govern every occasion. These traditions are kept by Loresages who answer questions, guide elves, and teach the rules of society. On the occasion that a situation arises that isn’t covered by the traditions the Loresages consult their texts and devise new rulings based on lengthy debate and history. The elves believe in living in harmony with the forest. They do not mine or farm in traditional ways but instead harvest from the forest. They are expert shapers, growing plants and trees into tools, clothing and even architecture.
Elven family units take the form of bond circles. A bond circle consists of between three to nine elven adults and their children. The adults in a bond circle have a cooperative, polyamorous relationship. As with all things in elven culture, there are traditions and rituals for joining and leaving a bond circle. The name of the bond circle is decided when it is first formed.
Physical Appearance
Elven skin coloring depends upon which season the elf was born in. Elves born in spring have light to moderate green skin. Those born in summer have moderate to dark green skin. Those born in autumn have red, yellow or orange skin and elves born in winter have white, light blue or brown skin. Elven hair varies wildly but tend towards browns, oranges, reds, whites, greens, purples and pinks - all colors found on trees or flowers. Elves are taller, on average, than most humans (with the exception of the Thulite subtype) but shorter than Darfellan.
Naming Conventions
Elves have three names: a surname, a bond circle name and a clan name. An elven bond circle name reflects the bond circle into which an elf was born and changes should the elf join a new bond circle. The clan name is passed down from mother to child.
Halflings
The Halflings are a joyful people who enjoy adventure but love comfort. They love stories and have an innate curiosity that often drives them to master new tasks or make new discoveries. Halflings are very fond of food and it is common for them to have as many as nine meals per day. Halflings can be clannish, with large extended families often making up entire villages. There are two major halfling communities: the Emerald Shire and the Turquoise Shire. Neither is a nation in the traditional sense but, instead, an alliance of villages brought together by culture and race. The Emerald Shire halflings are famous as culinary experts and it is considered a point of pride in other lands to have a Emerald Shire halfling on staff as a chef. The Turquoise Shire halflings famously breed large, ugly dogs that are incredibly loyal and amazingly fierce in combat. Halflings use them as mounts while others use them as guard dogs.
Physical Appearance
- Emerald subtype: Skin colors tend towards pale or tanned with light to dark brown hair. Emerald halflings are stockier and shorter on average than their Turquoise counterparts and are well known for the hair they grow on their feet. They're usually no more than three feet tall.
- Turquoise subtype: Skin colors tend towards pale or tanned with light to dark brown hair. Turquoise halflings are taller and thinner on average than their Emerald counterparts and have mostly hairless feet. They occasionally are of height with gnomes.
Naming Conventions
The Emerald and Turquoise Shires share a common naming convention. A halfling is given three names upon birth. The first, the surname, is given to the baby by the parents and usually comes from an ancestor. The second name, the luck name, is given to the babe by the oldest woman in the village. The luck name represents the community's hope for the child. The final name is the family name.
Kobolds
Short, reptilian humanoids who are native to the Citrine Wastes, kobolds are known the world over as craftsmen and innovators. They adapted sailing ships to create sailing skiffs that work on the shifting sands of the desert (and were later adapted for the grasslands around the Free City if Peridot). They regularly innovate in the fields of pottery and glassware and optics. Their invention of choava, a bitter drink that causes wakefulness in a manner similar to some teas, is currently a rage across the land. Kobolds have several cities set up for the purposes of trade across the Wastes but roughly half their population lives in nomadic tribes that travel from oasis to oasis and city to city. They are unfailingly polite and friendly people, willing to entertain and share with strangers but can turn warlike quickly if they believe their hospitality and good nature is being taken advantage of.
Physical Appearance
Kobold scale colors include sandy or dark brown, light grey, black, forest green and dark red. It is common kobolds with one scale color to have highlight scales of another color, creating patterns that shimmer in the sun. Kobolds stand close to four feet tall.
Naming Conventions
Most kobolds of the Citrine Wastes use a four part naming system. The first name is a given name and often reflects the hopes of the parents for the child. The second is a description of the person and changes occasionally as he or she ages. It is meant to reflect more personal traits than traits of occupation. The third name reflects parentage and the final name is the family name. For example, a Kkoold known for being cautious might be known as: Hafishodet (Mighty Craftsman) Wellhathdehelderon (the Cautious One) ibn Saeed (child of Saeed) Al-Azash (of the glassblowers). A kobold never uses his or her second name when referring to him or herself and will only use the first, third and fourth in introductions. Another kobold might use the first name, second name or combination of the two to refer to another kobold depending on the social situation. If introducing another, a kobold will include the introduced kobold's second name (and often translate it into the third party's native language).
Gnomes
The Gnomes of Krystallos like to live life to the fullest. That doesn’t mean life is a constant party. Instead, they put their all into whatever it is they do: work, play, love, and life. Gnomes are small people, only a little taller than halflings or dwarves. They have natural magics, capable of creating illusions. Gnomes have a reputation as master alchemists. Much of what they create is legal and helpful but there’s a dark side to this as well. Using various lichens that grow in their caves, some gnomes create different mind altering and addictive substances that flow out through the Free City of Peridot and into the world at large. Gnomes do not form family units. Instead, romantic and sexual unions are usually spur of the moment and temporary with children being raised by the community.
Physical Appearance Gnome skin and hair is colorful, mimicking the colors of gemstones. Hair and skin usually somehow both clash and compliment each other. They often have overly large mouths and eyes which can be either unnerving or cute depending on the individual. They stand at three and a half feet tall.
Naming Conventions
Gnomes have a single name and see no need for any others.
Illithid
Until recently, the Illithids were the most unusual race of Krystallos. While they resemble the other races, generally, they have a damp, smooth skin and almost aquatic heads with four, long tentacles that surround a rather lamprey like mouth. Illithids live in caverns on Mount Opal. They do not speak vocally but communicate through telepathy. This is not mind reading but, instead, an ability to project their words into the minds of others. Other races tend to be wary of Illithids, not understanding their grim and somber ways, but they also respect them as guardians of death rituals (even the elves will consult with an Illithid cleric of Opal about death rites) and natural diplomats.
Physical Appearance
Illithid are roughly of height with humans. The most common skin tones are pale white and fleshy pink.
Naming Conventions
Illithid children do not have names. Instead, they are referred to by the name of their parent and, if needed, birth order. For example: "First Child of Contemplates in Shadows". When they grow older, the illithid children chose their own name after intensive meditation. These names are usually descriptive of how the child sees him or herself.
Darfellan
Physical Appearance
The average Darfellan stands at eight feet tall and weighs around 300 pounds of pure muscle. Their slick, glossy skin is jet black broken up by white markings. The shape, size and location of those markings distinguish family groups. The rare individual who is born entirely black or entirely white are considered children of destiny, with important futures ahead of them.
Naming Conventions
Darfellan have two names: a surname and then a last name based on parentage. The last name always refers to the darfellan's father while the first is usually based on the creatures or features of the ocean. For example, Crab Wavechild is Crab, child of Wave.
Modron
The Modron are seemingly mechanical lifeforms who served the invaders during the Great Invasion. When the invaders left this realm, many Modron, for unknown reason, stayed behind in the Opal Badlands. However, instead of continuing the war, the Modron focused entirely on building a strange, mechanical, clockwork city. Exhausted by war, the people of Krystallos decided to leave the Modron alone so long as they proved to not be aggressive. Since then, some modrons have wandered out into the world to engage in trade, acquire goods and materials and even, occasionally, join society at large. They are extremely logical, analytical, and literal with little understanding of metaphor.
Physical Appearance
Those modron who join society at large seem to be outcasts from their people and are all cube shaped, with two arms and two legs (modrons come in a variety of geometrical shapes with different numbers of limbs, normally).
Naming Conventions
Modron names take the form of mathematical equations and number strings. Modron seem to simply be born (or made?) knowing their name.
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