Humans

The most common people in Valerna, humans are adaptable, inventive and organized, famous among other peoples for their contradictions. Humans are very individualistic but good at establishing institutions; they build the simplest settlements but write the most complex books; they have unlimited potential in all forms of magic but their connection to Vaala is the weakest; and while short-lived, they can build a legacy for millennia in the span of a few years.

Most humans lack inborn magical powers, instead developing their skills and abilities to adapt to their environment and needs. A few, however, manifest some kind of inherited power, based on one of the aspects of Vaala (Dream, Source or Will). These empowered individuals count as subspecies of humans, which trade some of their human versatility for innate supernatural powers. Most of these ‘empowered humans’ come from normal parents, so their existence is usually attributed to a random, stronger link to Vaala.

Common tongue: Common

Dream-touched
Humans with the power of Dream are known as Aufai. Their being was open to Vaala at birth, and they received the powers of the Fai through their dreams. This gives all Aufai supernatural senses, and at least some ability to detect and manipulate raw magic.

The nature of dream-touched is often misidentified as a mental condition or a curse, because of the Aufai’s penchant for talking about, or with, unseen things. But when an Aufai is acknowledged, they can reach positions of great respect in their communities thanks to the knowledge and advice they provide.

Some dream-touched can travel in dream form, which often requires them to enter a state of trance, although the most powerful individuals can transport their physical bodies and even their companions across the Fai, through dream paths that only they can perceive. Most Aufai pursue spellcasting, as their natural abilities augment their magical skills exponentially.

The specific powers an Aufai develops vary according to their link to Vaala, and often manifest during early puberty or through an encounter with Fai forces. Some Aufai are born with special powers, inherited from their dream-touched ancestors.

Inspired
The rarest breed of Aufai, the Inspired tend to develop spell-like abilities of illusion, inspiration and enchantment. These manifest as small, harmless effects at birth and can grow into vast magical talent later. There’s usually some physical clue to an inspired’s nature, such as glowing eyes, unusual size, or hair that behaves strangely. Most inspired are born by accident, but there are several communities of pure-bred Inspired, such as the Shaba Watu tribe of the Jeweled Desert.

Hearted
A rare but well-known breed of Aufai, the hearted develop no supernatural powers, but tend to have a much stronger personality, which often translates into increased attributes and longer lifespans, like those of a Will-chosen human. Instead of becoming great leaders or heroes, however, the hearted become artists, wanderers and doomed romantics. Most hearted develop as isolated incidents and leave home first chance they get, with exceptions such as the Huma sisters of the Primalian Mountains, a tribe altered by Altanesi magic millennia ago, causing all females to be born as hearted Aufai.

Spirited
The most common breed of Aufai, Spirited humans develop a gift to see beyond the veil and perceive the Dream World. They can interact with their own dreams, and often bring discoveries, or even physical objects, from their dream travels. Many spirited are created in the Fell Courts, when a dreamtouched human is taken away - hence their nickname - to serve the Dream Elves as a mortal anchor.

Common tongue: Common, Fai

Source-gifted
The Kaabal, or source-gifted, are humans with a strong connection to Kaab, the magic of life. They develop nature-related powers as they grow, from speaking with animals to healing others. Kaabal are seen as blessed children in most places they’re born, but some cultures shun them as witch-spawn and force them to hide their powers or flee their homeland. Other communities not only welcome source-gifted babies, but have developed rituals to encourage their birth.

Many source-gifted humans have the ability to adopt an animal shape. This animal shape is the same throughout the source-gifted’s life, representing an individual’s personal, specific guardian spirit. In some regions, particularly in the Nahuac Coalition, these source-gifted associate according to their animal spirit, spawning jaguarkin cities or deerkin towns.

Other, rarer source-gifted kinds are blessed with the ability to sense weather patterns or heal with a touch, but they only appear rarely, and seem to have dwindled after the last Null War.

Áraidd
The rarest source-gifted kin, Árainn people, or ‘prodigies’, are humans with the ability to heal others. There are very few in Valerna, but those that learn the healing skills are often called to serve their community as soon as their powers are discovered, and live long and prolific lives as respected teachers, guides and caregivers. Some of them, however, take to the road, seeking to find their own purpose or make their own destiny.

Kunar
Kunar source-gifted, also known as ‘Dwellers’, are humans that can sense and communicate with nature. They develop abilities like talking to animals or predicting the weather, although they possess a deeper understanding, far beyond human thoughts or words. Kunari often feel summoned to the woodlands, and leave their communities to pursue a life of isolation in the wilds, or else find others like them - a rare occurrence indeed - and form small, holistic communities.

Tánaidd
The most common source-gifted breed, Tánaidd, or Beastkin, are those kaabal that can take an animal shape. They have myriad characteristics and personalities depending on their culture and the particular animal that blesses their people, as most Tánaidd come from communities where all inhabitants have the same animal shape. The great majority of these societies are located in Nahuac.

To differentiate themselves from beastfolk or saurians, Tánaidd call themselves ‘people’, or ‘kin’, while beastfolk call themselves ‘folk’. Thus, shark-kin would be Tánainn humans with the ability to assume shark-like shapes, while sharkfolk are born, grow and die as humanoid sharks.

While there are Tánainn communities for almost every animal in Valerna, the best-known Tánainn societies include the Ocelinn jaguarkin, Cúhinn jackalkin, Itzcuinn dogkin, Maame Deerkin and Mun Kisuut batkin of Nahuac; the Langa wolfkin of the Fai woods; and the Ríma elkin of Ysval.

The Kalaha of the southern jungles, an unusual breed of Tánaidd, are known for betraying the early Coalition during the Age of Warlords, cutting themselves off from their kaab blessing, and adopting the permanent shape of humanoid tigers to help the conquests of the late Altanesi Empire. Kalaha tribes still exist today, and they have rejoined the Altanesi Ascendancy in their attempt to reconquer the old Empire.

Common tongue: Common

Will-chosen
Will-chosen, also known as Val’Id, are blessed with the magic of willpower, which gives them increased physical and mental attributes, plus extended lifespans. However, they need to awaken their superhuman traits through an outside agent, be it a magical event or contact with another will-chosen. As their powers come from the will - their own or someone else’s - it is rare for a human to be identified as Val’Id from birth, instead earning or being given their Will-chosen status later in life.

Most will-chosen can exert some degree of control over minds or emotions, and also have the power to feed off such emotions. They are justly feared for this reason, and many will-chosen are forced to hide their nature and abilities - except in Tyveria, where they are in fact the ruling elite. In turn, Tyverian val’id are expected to pledge their service to the Maghyr houses, on pain of banishment or execution.

Many will-chosen, like the Agori of the Primalian mountains, eschew special powers, being almost the equal of normal humans save for what seems to be excellent physical and mental health. But even these ‘contained’ val’id find it hard to keep themselves from commanding others, and often seek positions of political or military power. The Altanesi Empire, a nation of conquering Val’id peoples, is the most famous example of the drive and influence of will-chosen in history.

Agori
The Agori, or ‘High People’, were the first Val’id breed to appear in the world. Although they lacked special powers, they regarded themselves as superior for their improved minds and bodies, and conquered Valerna from one end to the other with their fabled Altanesi Empire. Agori were believed extinct, with a few isolated exceptions born here and there every few generations, but entire tribes of them have recently come out of the Primalian Mountains.

Alki
Alki Val’id, also called psions, are extremely rare in Valerna. They are Will-chosen but display no physical enhancements, instead manifesting strange spell-like abilities through the sheer power of their minds. A typical Alki can read another person’s thoughts, or move things with their mind. Most cultures regard Alki Val’id as dangerous or cursed, and when discovered they’re often taken to a local wizard or scholar for training - or purging.

Maghyri
The masters of Blood Sorcery, maghyri are Will-chosen with the bizarre ability to awaken the will through blood. They can do everything from drinking a living being’s blood to stopping it at the heart or making sculptures out of it.

All maghyri appear when their blood is awakened by magic, by inheritance or by the power of another maghyr. To maintain their power, maghyri need to absorb the blood energy of their ancestors, which causes every maghyr to be exponentially stronger than all maghyri before them. They are technically immortal, but they all end up dying at the hands of a Kadhah, a personal haunting spirit created from their own magic power.

Vampyri
A lesser, and far more common, breed of maghyr, vampyri are blood-attuned and born from the power of a maghyr, like their elder kin, but they cannot awaken the blood of other creatures. Instead, they depend on it to survive and to maintain their own enhanced abilities. Most vampyri attune themselves to a maghyr patron, which controls their thirst by providing them with blood and shared power in exchange for servitude.

Common tongue: Common (maghyri and vampyri may speak Magy)