Vischer: of Might and Magic

Vischers (pronounced Vi-Sirs, male and female) is a mutated race of humans, that only exists in the Fabled Lands. Created by the first mages that created the Fabled Lands as an entity, they are split into two castes: the dominant mage cast and the subservient warrior cast.
Through years of experimentation, self mutilation and magic, these two specific individual castes have been created. The mage/wizard caste that has only one working eye (but three eye sockets in their skulls) and the warrior/fighter caste, that acts as personal bodyguards and army for the mages, have three eyes and are far less intelligent.
There is however a third "sub-species" that co-exist with the rest of the vischers, and usually are born from low families. This kind of vischer has all the characteristics of a warrior or a wizard-born, but none of their advantages or disadvantages: They do have three eye sockets, but they are all working. They can be either muscular or with no physical prowess, and their third eye (the one located on their forehead) although is closed, can open under specific circumstances, allowing them to explore different paths from their brethren.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Mage caste: frail, usually short, bald, with three eye sockets but only one eye working

Warrior caste: tall and muscular, bald, with three eyes.

Biological Traits

Each caste has its own traits. The mage caste has only one working eye socket (the other two being empty and useless), they are shorter, more frail and prone to illnesses and can cast magic. Warriors on the other hand are the epitome of physical prowess: tall, muscular, with great stamina and constitution to withstand the harshest of environments.

Genetics and Reproduction

Each caste reproduces only with their likes, mages with mages and warriors with warriors. Normal human reproduction.

Ecology and Habitats

Vischers are encountered only in Fabled Lands, except when on missions or traveling.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Normal.

Additional Information

Facial characteristics

Bald and hairless. Three eye socket for both castes/subspecies.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Western Territories and the North

Average Intelligence

Mages exceptional, warriors below average to average

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Infravision (60 feet) for both castes.

Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms

Not a symbiotic or parasitic species, but a co-species that is born neither a warrior nor a mage, but they are born with three eyes, none of the warrior's strengths or weaknesses, and they get the option at some point in their lives to OPEN their third eye.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Usually Northern names, like Wolffe, Erik, Olaf and the likes. Warriors though, do tend to take the family name and add their own part into it. E.g. if someone is named Wolffe after their father or grandfather, they would change is to Wolffesson (if male) or Wolffedottr (if female).

Major Organizations

Fabled Lands Houses:

1. The Grand House of Vision (Council of 5) Ruling Council
2. The Great House of Order (Council of 3) Judge and Policing Council
3. The House of Bureaucracy (3 Masters) Bureaucratic Office
4. The House of Evidence (1 Master) Intelligence and counter Intelligence Subhouses: 4a. The Scribes 4b. The Book Keepers 4c. The Herbalists 4d. The House of Training
5. The House of Might (3 Masters) Warrior Academy and Training

Beauty Ideals

Beauty ideals are quite different from what other races or even humans would think. Although, not completely alien or mutated in nature, they are not what one would call straightforward beautiful.
Mages tend to fill in their empty eye sockets with jewels and precious metals, pierce their eyebrows, cheeks, edge of lips, etc.
Warriors tend to get a lot of tattoos, starting with their weapon's arm and expanding this tattoo as the time passes and as their experience grows.

Gender Ideals

Mages don't have gender ideals per se. They don't care about body weight or malformations, as long as one has a great deal of jewels and piercings to show in their face. The more the merrier.
Warriors usually get "romantically" involved with opposite sex individuals in fixed marriages. Their families however, have standards and these are great tattoos in their arms, physical prowess, height, muscles, etc.

Courtship Ideals

Mages tend to be somewhat more depraved than warriors, trying to show off of how much pain their body can take, how much they can drink, eat or get fat, as long as their faces remain unscathed.
Warriors tend to show off their strength by going on hunting trips and killing game with their bare hands. Their tattoos play a great deal of course.

Relationship Ideals

The two castes mate and come together only between themselves. At some point of their lives a warrior will be assigned to a wizard to act as its bodyguard in their travels or in case another wizard would decide to assassinate them.
Intermarriages and sexual relationships between warriors and wizards are forbidden by law, under punishment of death for both the perpetrators.
Although the Fabled Lands expunge any kind of information regarding these, there are more than one stories about warriors that fell in love with their wizard and vice versa. There are more than one rumors of couples, falling in love and escaping the Fabled Lands in order to survive.

Average Technological Level

Middle ages. Most of the work in the Fabled Lands is being done either by the "commoner" caste or by magic.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Northerner/Western common languages. There might exist a secret wizard language or a warrior slang, but these are just speculations.

Common Etiquette Rules

Common etiquette between the three castes is that, all must be subservient to the wizards. Commoners and warriors get along just fine, but commoners tend to be quite scared when in the presence of a warrior and warriors usually tolerate them.

Common Dress Code

Although the North always dictated warm clothes and winter boots, this is not the case for vischers. They utilise magic (even for the warrior caste, as this makes them more efficient) to keep themselves warm and out of harms way, when it comes to cold. When interacting with other races, vischers tend to wear anything that alleviates their physical traits, warriors wear bulky and ornamented armour, wizards are wearing more jewels and expensive fabrics to show their wealth.

Common Taboos

Interspecies marriage.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Between vischers and different strains of humans or other races, depends on who's paying them to do what. Vischers are motivated by wealth, arcane knowledge or power, so whoever offers any of those, and people do offer them, has the best relationship with them.

RPG Datasheet

Warrior attribute changes: +2 to Strength (max 19) -2 to Intelligence (max 16) -2 to Wisdom (max 16) 60' infravision and 90% magical resistance to hold/sleep/charm spells or abilities (like elves).
Wizard attribute changes: -3 to Strength (max 15) +1 to Intelligence (max 19) +1 to Wisdom (max 18) 60' infravision and +1 save vs. Spells.
Wizards can use their two empty eye sockets as "fingers" (for game terms purposes) and use them to add extra magical items that wouldn't be able to use due to restrictions (for example to use a magical orb of read magic or an ioun stone)

Origin/Ancestry

Northerner humans

Lifespan

140 years

Average Height

Mages: 5'0" Warriors: 6'11"

Average Weight

Mages: 120lbs Warriors 280lbs

Average Physique

Varies.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Very pale colours and complexions. Mages have especially thin skin as well, to the point that one can see their veins underneath their skin.