Unaligned Akhoata

All-female-assigned species, like nymphs or muses, with inherent unaligned energies.

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Cocidian

Daughters of the hunt.

• Lifespan: 200 years
• Diet: Meat-heavy mortal fare
• Habitat: Temperate forest
• Socioeconomic Status: Privileged oppressed / Assimilaed native

Cocidians appear to be female-assigned human-like beings that stand about 5' tall. They have short, badger-like tails; sharp claws; and antlers. Their skin has a slight golden undertone, and they tend to have dark brown hair. They have three eyes.

All cocidians can sense their prey with their third eye, seeing movement, heat, and weakness. They also have a heightened sense of smell, and while they are hunting (for at least an hour), they have a major bonus to endurance. If they stand still for half an hour, they will fade mostly from vision.

Some cocidians are from imperial lands, having migrated there. Some have come as slaves or indentured servants, others as refugees from other parts of the world, but many came as free people seeking opportunities, falsely believing the colonies to be a place where women(-assigned) people were more respected. While they are still oppressed, the assumption that cocidians are strong, powerful hunters has led to them being a "model minority" in the eyes of the ruling classes.

While they are mostly assimilated into local culture, many still have remnants of their old cultures, keeping the animal symbols of predator and prey from the old world. Their families will often bear names from their old tribal predator symbols (consult with GM), and some families still have coming-of-age rituals where the cocidian takes on a prey animal as their personal symbol. This latter is localized and found on an actual hunting trip. If the cocidians are enslaved, none of these cultural remnants are possible.

PRO 11 ATH 12 STR 11 AWA 10 WIL 11 PRS 10 STH 11

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Sheferean

Daughters of Shefere.

• Lifespan: 1,000 years
• Diet: Meat-heavy mortal fare
• Habitat: Mountains
• Socioeconomic Status: Privileged oppressed

Shefereans appear to be 9’ tall, red- and black-skinned female-assigned beings with spiky crests on their foreheads. They have three arms. Their hair is always jet black or dark grey, and their eyes are pitch black as well.

Every sheferean is able to resist aligned energies.

Shefereans all are attuned to one of the four kinds of unaligned magic: ambrosial, paradoxical, nommic, or shebvic. Those attuned to ambrosial draw strength from faith and belief. Those who are attuned to paradoxical draw strength from contradiction and impossibilities. Those who are attuned to nommic draw strength from their identities. And those who are attuned to shebvic draw strength from conflict and their unaligned nature.

Ambrosial shefereans can sense servitors (invisible energy beings that serve the Divine), have an innate sense of Divinity and mortality, and can read Divine languages. If they have a sincere faith, they are more powerful in it than others might be.

Paradoxical shefereans can sense decay and in-between spaces, can sense systems, and can alter their own appearance. If they are a scientist or engineer, they are better at it than others might be.

Nommc shefereans can alter their own bodies with simple exercises, have empathic and psionic senses, and can see souls. If they know a True Name, they can wield it with ease.

And shebvic shefereans can speak to dragons, know and understand mortal laws, and can sense nearby resources. If they are warriors, they are either more skilled, more powerful, or better fighters than average.

Many other powers are possible. Consult the GM.

Shefereans live in a hierarchical culture in an ancient city in the mountains far to the south. They have four castes: the priests, the warriors, the commoners, and the scientists. Each caste is equal to the others, but they all have their own internal hierarchies, which choose leaders based on merit, conflict, Divine designation, or election. Their art, music, and culture reflects their four different attunements, focusing on faith, science, identity, or conflict.

In imperial societies, they often recruited for military or academic occupations, exploited but privileged.

PRO 10 ATH 10 STR 13 AWA 10 WIL 10 PRS 9 STH 9

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Valkyrie

Daughters of war.

• Lifespan : 300 years

• Diet: Common mortal fare

• Habitat: Subarctic forests

• Socioeconomic Status: Privileged oppressed

The stereotypical valkyrie has pale skin and blonde hair, but in truth, they have the full range of mortal skin tones and hair colors. They appear human and are all assigned female at birth, but their range of appearance is not limited to human skin tones. If their parents are non-humans, they might have skin or hair colors that are outside that range even if they do not have other features of the parental species.

Culturally, they usually wear long gowns with no sleeves. They cover it with a mailed vest, and that is covered by an apron. They knot their hair in ponytails. They are known to bear swords, spears, shields, and drinking horns.

Valkyries can fly without need for wings or propulsion. They know the languages of the birds local to where they grow up.

Valkyries can wrap their weapons in noise, electricity, or fire after their first strike (whether they successfully hit or not - but it must be an earnest attempt to hit) in combat.

All valkyries can see the souls of dead warriors, though “warrior” is a complicated thing to define. If the valkyrie perceives someone to be a warrior, they are likely to be able to see the soul of that person after they die.

Valkyries can gather the souls of dead warriors. They can send them along to the afterlife by giving them mead, ale, or beer from their drinking horns.

For every seven souls they send along, they gain a little power, temporarily. The power they gain is not based on the species of the warrior, but the kind of warrior they were:

• Elemental: warriors who fight in service to the natural world or who primarily wield aetherial powers give valkyries stronger electrical or fire-sheathing for their weapons, resistances to natural conditions (heat, cold, natural poisons, etc.), and/or skin infused with aetherial energies that toughen them (metalskin, barkskin, stoneskin, etc.).

• Ambrosial: warriors who wield ambrosial powers or serve a Divine grant powers to valkyries based on their faith, which often mimic non-ambrosial powers. Oftentimes, they imbue the valkyrie with stronger faith, protections from faith (mortalism), or deeper connections to the afterlife (karma or spirit energy).

• Celestial: warriors who fight in service to the people, to aid or protect others, against oppression, or for the greater good, or warriors who primarily wield celestial energies bring powers of protection, empowerment, healing, inner strength, and resistance to valkyries.

• Infernal: warriors who fight for oppressive powers, selfish gain, cruel tyrants, causes or powers that harm life, or who primarily wield infernal energies grant valkyries powers of dominance, control, manipulation, terror, brutality, and pain.

• Mundane: warriors who do not use any esoteric energy or fit into any role that relates to esoteric energies grant basic improvements to combat skills or abilities.

• Nommic: warriors who fight for their own identity, for their own survival, or who primarily wield nommic energies give valkyries direct improvements to their selves - bodily, mentally, emotionally, metaphysically, or wholly.

• Paradoxical: warriors who primarily wield paradoxical energies or who otherwise fit a paradoxical paradigm give valkyries powers over machines, digital powers, powers that make no sense, powers that cause change, or inexplicable powers.

• Fey: warriors who fight based on stories, legends, or myths or warriors who primarily wield poioumenonic powers grant valkyries powers drawn from stories, legends, or myths.

• Polyesoteric: warriors whose role or powers meet multiple categories grant powers from multiple categories.

• Shebvic: warriors whose role is for the sake of combat itself or who primarily wield shebvic powers grant improvements to prowess, strength, skill, or other relevant warriors’ skills.

Powers gain from gathered souls last for seven hours. One point per seven souls for seven hours. If they gather 49 souls in quick succession, they gain seven points for seven hours. This is why valkyries often become nigh invincible in the aftermath of a major battle.

Valkyries come from a warrior nation in the western part of Ansulym. They have a special status among them, considered protectors, heroines, and keepers of wisdom. While most of them are not members of the ruling nobility of the area, they are privileged elites all the same. Those few who are part of the nobility are still warriors.

Valkyries keep ravens, swans, and horses in their communities. Ravens are kept as pets and for reconnaissance work. Swans are kept as livestock, for meat and down (including for making swan-down capes). Horses are ridden as steeds. They keep pigs, cattle, and sheep for meat and skins or wool as well. They keep cats as pets and pest control.

As children, valkyries are given a simple, descriptive name, usually war-related. As adults, they are given kennings, descriptive, poetic names that are more metaphorical. For example, they will be referred to as “Thunderous Clamour” to refer to their war cries.

For recreation, valkyries enjoy riding sports, flytes (insult contests in verse), poetry, and feasting. They are fond of gift giving and do it often, even without any special occasion.

In the city-states, some have come for opportunities, some are there as immigrants, some are there as settlers or colonizers, and some are there as slaves, indentured servants, mercenaries, or visitors.

PRO 14 ATH 11 STR 12 AWA 9 WIL 9 PRS 9 STH 9