Bay 12 Games Forum

All (meta)human races are subspecies of humanity; however, there are no half-elves or dwarf/orks. The child of two elves is an elf, as is the child of an elf and a human; the child of an elf and an ork is usually an ork. You can leave that part out, though.

Humans are easy.

Dwarves are 1.2 meters tall and 54 kilograms (about 4 feet and 120 pounds) on average. They have thermographic vision and prefer underground areas like basements and caves (surprise, surprise). "Metabolic studies" suggest their lifespan is over a hundred years, but as of 2053 none had died of old age. They are tough, disease-resistant, and have a high muscle density.

Elves are 1.9 meters and 72 kilograms, or about 6'4" and 160 pounds, on average. Although in urban areas, elves live in houses, elves in the wilderness tend to prefer structures made out of natural materials or living plants. They are vegetarians with low-light vision, and the aforementioned "metabolic studies" are inconclusive but suggest a maximum lifespan of several hundred years. Elves are graceful and are described as nocturnal.

Orks are about as tall as elves but weigh an average of 95 kilos (210 pounds). They prefer roofed buildings and have low-light vision. They are active at night and during the day but prefer the former. Ork lifespans seem to be around 35 to 40 years. Orks are big, tough, ugly, mean, and dumb.

Trolls are a lot like big orks. They are 2.8 meters (9'4") and tip the scales at 225 kilograms (495 pounds)! Trolls have bony dermal armor, thermographic vision, and the speed and intelligence of a brick wall. They're as tough to knock down as one, and punch like a brick wall would punch--hard. They also regenerate far better than brick walls, or normal humans. Trolls tend not to live in normal human structures--they are more likely to live in sewers or abandoned warehouses (although this might be more due to how hard it is for a guy as fast as a tortoise, pretty as a warthog, and mean as an underfed mountain lion to get a job more than preference).

Dragons-Three main types--feathered serpents (Quetzelcoatl with little legs), Eastern Dragons, and Western Dragons. All vary greatly in abilities, but are large, scary, and have hide as tough as a small tank. Then there are great dragons--even bigger, tougher, and more magically powerful. Oh, yeah, they are rather smart, too.

Eyekillers-7 meters (23 feet) long and 2.5 meters (8 feet) high at the shoulder, 200 kilos (440 lbs), and capable of shooting electricity out of its eyes. Looks like a wingless owl with a long tail. More or less.

Ghouls-1.7 meters tall (5'8"), dual-natured, cannibalistic, and the charisma of a troll with a personality disorder. Technically metahuman, but they still have a bounty on their heads.

Shapeshifters-Animals that can assume human form. Allergic to silver.

Spirits-Astral beings that magicians summon up. Most have little power except on the astral, until they manifest. Nature spirits can't leave their domain and don't serve their "master" for longer than half a day (until the next sunrise/set); elementals mostly only serve in their master's line-of-sight, or else they take one order and follow it to the letter.

Thunderbids-Eagles with 10-meter (30-ft) wingspans and electrical projection.

Vampiric Creatures-(Meta)Humans infected with theHuman-Metahuman Vampiric Virus (HMVV). Humans-Vampires,. Dwarves-Goblins (unthinkable!), Elves-banshees, Orks-Wendigos, Trolls-Dzoo-no-qua. See?