Friday, June 3, 2011

The NPC Races of Phoenicia

The following races are typically reserved only for NPCs in Phoenicia. Players who want to play one of these races should ask their DM for special permission.  For full details on these races, one should consult the Pathfinder Bestiary.

Aasimars

Aasimars are the result of a Celestial bloodline mixed with a human one.  Although following this logic, all humans are aasimars, the Celestial bloodline is often made stronger by a Celestial becoming mortal enough.  Aasimars who are recognized as Aasimars command respect and awe.  Most aasimars often reinforce their reputations by committing acts of Benevolence and Heroism.  And it is said that some of Humanity's greatest heroes are Aasimars.   Virtually all aasimars are good aligned.  They typically are spread out among the population and may be as much a beggar as they are a noble.

Drow (Dark Elves)

By myself, of course

The Fifth elvish race are known as the Drow (pronounced Drau as in "cow") most everywhere except in the Hordelands and parts of the Northlands where they are known as the svartálfar (or black elves).   They have a reputation for being evil, wicked, and fiendish.  Their culture, although extremely individualistic and clannish, is in opposition to human and elven culture.  They have a reputation of being crafty, duplicitous, and nasty.  It is said that they value deception and guile and scoff at honesty. There were times in the past when these fears were confirmed when two drow armies tried to invade Phoenicia before the Hellenes conquered the city.

They succeeded once, but were driven back and destroyed and they never succeeded again.  Phoenicia under the rule of the dark elves was a place of near anarchy; except when the dark elves at the time laid a heavy hand.  Whether or not dark elves now are virtuous or kind its not up to debate.   There is a law that has been in place before the Hellenic Occupation that if any dark elf is discovered then they are to be arrested and imprisoned or executed without trial.

Deep in Phoenicia I, the Dark Elf Madame Ssapinitra Kennett maintains a haven for her kind.  So far, it's secret and no one knows how deep it is.


Half-Dragons

Half dragons are the result of unions or magical experimentation between a humanoid and a dragon.  Dragons typically live a long time, and young dragons have been known to dally with "mortals" (humanoids) or most anything.  Or, crazy wizards may do breeding experiments to produce a particular monstrous result.  What ever the case, half-dragons have been known to be the result.

Half-dragons of a humanoid nature in Phoenicia usually come from Silver Dragon, Red Dragon, or Gold Dragon stock.  While silver dragons are the friendliest and gold dragons are often caught up with humanoids, Red Dragons have been known to play with their food if it's intelligent (or sometimes even fall in love with them).

Half dragons are both respected and feared.  They are rare and tend to be more humanoid than not.  The humanoid types, though, form small communities in the poor sector and call themselves the "Dragonborn" in response to racism.  Generally though, the population is law abiding despite any tendencies individuals have towards committing evil.


Orcs

Orcs are beyond the Dragonwall and come from the Hordelands.  Although exceptions such as the Desert Viper Clan exists, most orcs live in the Hordelands and typically do not bother anyone in Phoenicia.  Orc Myth say that they were born of a forgotten orc god -- which they call the Creator or Nwali.  Nwali, however, is not worshipped and the orcs revere their ancestors or practice animal reverence (through Heathen Shamanism).

Although there is no question that the Orcs brought a codified demon magic through Warlocks into the world; the orcs are generally honorable if slightly antagonistic towards humans.  Although a full scale war between humans and orcs was committed years ago, racial tension is there and every once in a while war erupts between the two races somewhere on the planet.

Generally, the relationship between Phoenicia and the Desert Viper clan is cool.   Every once in a while the orcs raid the city.  The city has never been conquered and it has never been destroyed by orcs.  But no quarter of the city has not felt the orc torch.


Tieflings

If aasimar exists, so do tieflings.  Tieflings are the result of infernal blood being mixed in to human(oid) bloodlines.   A tiefling is typically the descendant of a human-infernal union -- either through a succubus/human mating or a horned demon/human mating.  Tieflings of elven and orc stock are typically called something else.  Tieflings are either warriors, spellcasters (of these, they are typically Warlocks), rogues, or clerics of evil gods.  Most tieflings are evil, and some are chaotic.  It is rumored that one noble family is all tieflings.

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