View source for Chadius: TOA races

==Races==

This is a list of the many major races in the world. This list is by no way complete, and there are certainly races we don't know about.

Most Others tend to stand upright. Most have two arms, two legs, and one head. These types find it easy to blend in with Humans. Less "traditional" forms usually stay out of the city, bringing a G-Pod with them when they need to visit urban areas.

Anyhoo, hope you find this useful.

-Agent Zii

===Humans===

Humans are the majority race on this planet. Relatively short lifespans and an amazingly fast learning curve allow them to learn a flurry of techniques and practices.

Humans are also very capable at altering history. A single human's potential is stronger than almost all Others. Add their vast number and they have the single biggest impact on history. Many major events have involved mass human historic influence at some point.

Luckily, most humans are unaware of their powers, and don't know of their potential. Let's keep it that way until they are ready to accept Others, alright?

===Fate Weavers===

Fate Weavers are the only race to have more history-changing properties than humans. Many of them have decided not to, however.

No one is really sure how new Fate Weavers appear. Fate Weavers can't bear children, so the old fashioned way doesn't work. Most Fate Weavers seem human or humanoid in appearance; maybe they used to be humans?

Fate Weavers can locally alter an area's outcome. The stronger they are, the larger an area they can affect. We have ways of tracking alterations, mind you, but we'd rather not have things affected in the first place. If you ever feel that things are a bit different, please come to TOA HQ and we'll see what we can do.

Things get bad when paradoxes occur based on a Fate Weaver's focus. Trying to focus in two different directions at once is a bad idea, and causes a headache. Taken to extremes, this can cause massive internal injuries and cause death. This epidemic is called Paradox Strain.

Most Fate Weavers have agreed not to tamper with history; heck, some even work with us to hunt those who do alter history. Why do they do this? I don't know. Many have moral beliefs about altering someone's future. Some are religious, and it goes against their code. And some talk about an alternate history here or there that had disastrous results and yadda yadda yadda, I just smile and nod. The point is: they don't alter history, that's good.

===Drakk===

These fellas are strong, scaled, and have superiority complexes. For those who believe in dragons, this is it. 

Many Drakks feel they are the strongest and therefore best race. Even the kindest and most reserved of the Drakks can't help but feel ''they'' could have done something better. Geez, just put up with it OK?

Most of them aren't as big as a barn, though. But they do have a tail that most humans won't understand. Yeah yeah, they breath different elements. Fire's a classic, some spit thunder, others acid. Rumors say there are a few who can shoot alpha waves, fungal spores, napalm and petrification.

===Qi-zan===
[[Image:TOAQiZan.png|right|thumbnail|Example Qi-Zan]]
Qi-zan are acrobatic light-level psychics. Not too many Others have mental prowess, so they make good interrogators. It's quite a responsibility though, so most Qi-zan practice restraint.

They are thin humanoids with short fur, a tail (like a monkey's) and a stinger on their head. The tail is strong enough for them to hang off of pipes and controlled enough that they can use it like another hand. The stinger isn't terribly offensive, mainly used for *ahem* mating rituals and the like.

Their real strength comes from their mental powers. As young children they can innately read surface thoughts. Most adult Qi-zan can force people to perceive them differently, like a good friend, or a member of another race. A lot of this is subconsciously done, mind you, and often on accident.

Because so few races have resistance to this, Qi-zan tend to interrupt people by mind reading what they're going to say. Some force people to talk by looking like an old friend, a lost love, or a bitter enemy. Some feel terribly guilty about this type of invasion. Expect a lot of restraint and guilt from Qi-zan you talk to.

Qi-Zan talks become awkward if they can't "read" others. Phone and e-mail conversations don't go well with 'em. Companies are trying to get "new and improved" communication, but don't expect marketing to figure it out anytime soon. I prefer "in your face" encounters, anyway.

===Nu'mair===

Nu'mair are creatures of pure elements. It is said they are responsible for weather anomalies and the like. There are Nu'mair of the rain, mud, wind, thunder, even some of magma. There are even multielements and subraces abound.

Large urbanization and technology worries them. They tend to stay far far away from cities and detest intrusion. Some are prone to attack invaders. Just give 'em a wide berth. Then again, some of the younguns live in cities, a result of cultural exposure and all that.

There are multiple types of Nu'mair, since they are so many elements to choose from. Nu'mair also breed with humans relatively easily (don't ask for details, it'll hurt ya more than it did me) so there are many subbreeds about. Here's a (very) incomplete listing.

====Fiirey====
The Fiirey are a cross between wind-based Nu'mair and Fate Weaver of life. A Fiirey can bear a wide array of simplistic creatures, and effectively jump-start barren lands. Fiirey are best described as a collection of wind. They can shrink and expand, controlling their density and size.

===Mueza===

Ah, the Mueza. They're considered an endangered species, but are vital to our cultural evolution. At least that's what I tell myself when I think about Mera. Mmmm, Mera was really good at-

Ahem.

Anyhoo, the Mueza most likely resemble medusa (medusae? medusas? I'm terrible with grammar.) Lightly scaled, with odd colored patches on their skin resembling abstract tattoos. Their eyes are thin-slit like a snakes and the hair is actually controllable, like an extra hand. Their stare can force you to be happy, or sad, or stand frozen in fear.

Mueza are low population, less than a thousand across the world. Why? Strike one: low birth rates. Strike two: short lifespans. They mature in five years and live to forty. And Strike three: No parental instinct. We often have to rescue neglected eggs, it's terrible. Even the kindest Mueza have no idea what the word "Mother" means. I'm serious here, it's like a mental block.

So, what do Mueza do for us? They embrace the arts. Many of our era's great works have emerged from a Mueza's head. Playwrights, actors, musicians, artists, all Mueza. Without culture, we stagnate. If we stagnate, we can't think.

By the way, no mirrored surfaces nearby a Mueza. They take narcissism to a whole new level. Total obsession with how they look, you have to tear them away from the mirror to break the effect.

===Hylvan===

The Hylvans are arial creatures. They resemble smooth skinned bird-men. They have no pupils, their eyes glow.

Hylvans are driven by very strong beliefs. Most Hylvans declare a Statement that summarizes their beliefs and (to them) justifies their actions. They're a bit zealous in that aspect, so they are prone to going overboard or jumping to conclusions.

===Merm===

Hey, the world is two-thirds water. And most Humans can't breathe underwater. Yup, the seas belong to the Merm. Don't use Mermaid or Merman, they've been a bit...ah...well they don't like those names. And the race is mostly female. Just call them Merm.

They are Humanoid in appearance but they have scales, fins, and gills. Some have lungs as well as gills and are thus amphibious. Assuming they don't dry up (it's '''really''' bad when that happens, yikes) they can live on land as long as they want. There's a lot of discussion on whether Humans came before Merms and the arguments never cease.

Manifest Destiny: Own everything they can find. Merms are explorers, conquerors and diplomats all the same. The Great Houses love property and always want more. And when they unify, the Merm Empire is quite a force. TOA has managed to earn their respect. Sometimes as respected friends, other times as respected foes. But they acknowledge our existence at least.

Merms love gifts, stories, and Humans. Seems like their society values these things a lot. If they want a gift from you, they will become all chummy. You never know if they are sincere most of the time.

===The Breathless===

The Breathless are pretty much the inspiration for vampires, mummies, skeletons and the category most people call "undead."

Most Breathless resemble Humans, except they have pale skin and black eyes with yellow irises, yeah real inverted eye stuff. They also don't breathe, hence the name. But they are incredible partygoers. Real socialites.

They make more Breathless by devouring victim's souls while keeping the mind and body intact. This seems directly linked to wish potential, which would explain why most Breathless were Humans. The soul is easiest to pluck during moments of intense pleasure. For new Breathless, usually sex is required to expose the soul. The more powerful ones just need you to laugh (scary, huh?) It's rumored some Breathless just need you to smile.

There is a magically enforced sire/slave relationship that maintains a very tight-knit society of lords & ladies and dukes and...um... duchesses, yeah. They demand political recognition, since they are intelligent creatures. Draining people's souls though puts them on the "most races don't like you" list. My job isn't too easy, yeah.