There are a multitude of different species who have come to inhabit Altia, and these people are known as mortals. Global diversity has rapidly increased within the last two centuries following the discovery of the New World, with hundreds of thousands packing up their lives and moving to the newly created colonies.
Mortals all share the
same level of sentience, intelligence, and level of communication; they are commonly categorised into two main types based on physical appearance:
Virfolk and
Beastfolk
Virfolk
Virfolk are a collection of bipedal sentient species native to Altia. Virfolk have a varying range of sparse to dense coverage of hair follicles over their bodies. Their hair qualities, patterns, and colours are different between each species and many individuals enjoy numerous methods of self-expression in the form of cutting, shaving, tying, braiding, styling, or dyeing their hair.
The qualities of hair typically change during the lifetime of Virfolk: newborns and children often have finer hair in different colours or markings, adults typically have longer and coarser hair, and some kinds of elderly folk lose the colour or patterns from their hair or may experience loss of hair
Dwarf
Dwarves are a short and stocky species of mortals native to Altia. They are a plantigrade species that have an abundant covering of fine hairs covering their body and denser growths on their head, underarms, chests, legs, and pubic region.
They enjoy a mixed variety of self-expression by styling, dyeing, and cutting their long hair or flaunting tattoos on their barer skin.
They wear layers of practical and aesthetically pleasing garments for warmth, protection, and utility (especially footwear).
Elf
Elves have a covering of sparse fine hairs all over their body and denser growths on their head, underarms, and pubic region. They enjoy a mixed variety of self-expression by styling, dyeing, and cutting their long hair or flaunting tattoos on their barer skin.
They wear layers of practical and aesthetically pleasing garments for warmth, protection, and utility (especially footwear). Elves are a bipedal and plantigrade species native to Melior.
Halfling
As the name suggests, Halflings are much shorter than most other folk native to Altia. They are a plantigrade species that have a sparse covering of fine hairs all over their body and denser growths on their head, underarms, foot bridges, and pubic region.
They wear layers of practical and aesthetically pleasing garments for warmth, protection, and utility (but not footwear). They typically also have smaller living spaces than other folk and are grateful for communal spaces that have inclusive architecture and furnishings that cater for folks of all sizes.
Human
Humans have a covering of sparse fine hairs all over their body and denser growths on their head, underarms, and pubic region. They enjoy a mixed variety of self-expression by styling, dyeing, and cutting their long hair or flaunting tattoos on their barer skin.
They wear layers of practical and aesthetically pleasing garments for warmth, protection, and utility (especially footwear). Humans are a bipedal and plantigrade species native to Melior.
Tiefling
Tieflings are a bipedal mixed species of mortals. Not being a naturally occurring species, they are instead created through the interbreeding of one of the many fiendish species and a mortal.
Despite looking similar to whatever species birthed them, all tieflings have a pair of horns and a tail, and some having cloven hooves with a hard outer shell and softer inner pads instead of feet, giving them excellent dexterity and traction in challenging terrain.
Beastfolk
Beastfolk are a collection of sentient species sharing varying features with animals, from fur coats to scales, tails, and horns. They often resemble a larger, bipedal version of more common animals like birds, lizards, or cats, and share many abilities with their less intelligent brethren. Many beastfolk species have wildly different anatomies than virfolk, making breeding with other species an impossibility.
Dragonborn
Dragonborn are an egglaying digitigrade species of mortals native to Altia. Dragonborn have large, overlapping scales that run the length of their body and have a thick, sturdy tail.
With internal organs mimicking that of a dragon, they can regurgitate a variety of different chemical substances that they can use to defend themselves in case of an attack.
Kenku
Kenku are flightless mortals native to Altia. They are too heavy to fly and don't have a broad enough wingspan to support it but some smaller folks (especially children) are light enough to enjoy gliding for short distances.
They have long plumage found along their arms and legs and also have a long tail ending in a fan of wide feathers. It is believed that this helped their ancestors balance better in flight and also in running as they became less dependant on their wings and more agile on the ground as runners.
Kekwala
Kekwala are an egg-laying species native to Altia and have thick scales covering their entire body and have a sturdy tail. Some Kekwala have crests of feathers on their head or around their neck and chest area.
Kekwala with a plantigrade gait have ancestral genetics that make climbing and swimming easier for them, whereas digitigrade Kekwala often excel at running.
Tabaxi
Tabaxi are a species of bipedal feline folk that have short fur covering their bodies and denser areas of thick fur on their head, shoulders, and chest. Their hair colour ranges from tawny to black and features small dark spots that sometimes blend into flowing broad stripes down their back.
They have a digitigrade gait and strong stocky legs. Their long tail with thick fur helps them to balance while climbing.
