Aetherlings

Descendants of the Aetherim

Aetherlings are descended from one of the progenitor species: the Aetherim. The most populous species of the Seventh Era, Aetherlings can be found in all corners of the globe.

 General Physical Traits

With some notable exceptions, all Aetherlings have the following general physical traits.
Skin: From dark ebony brown to pale porcelain white, Aetherlings have a wide variety of skin color, including hues of pink, brown, and yellow. Hair: From arctic blonde to jet black to fiery red, Aetherlings have varied hair colors with the main tones being black, brown, blonde, and red. Eyes: Brown is the most common eye color for Aetherlings, but blue, green and hazel are common as well. Height: Height varies largely between the different ancestries, but generally ranges from 3 feet to 7 feet. Weight: Of all the physical characteristics, weight is the most varied. Average weights range from 30 to 300 pounds. Life Cycle: Hitting puberty in their early teens and considered adult by 16, the oldest Aetherkin live to be just over 100 years old, but most live between 70 and 80 years.

Beast-kin

Beast-kin are a special case. Two Beast-kin pairing will result in the creation of Beast-kin offspring, but they can also be born from any pairing of different Aetherling ancestries. The occurrence of Beast-kin is low, but the result is usually so shocking to the family and community that they are reviled and ridiculed. Small communities of Beast-kin exist in the far reaches of the world, offering sanctuary and acceptance to their kin.
A Beast-kin is generally born with fur or scales, and can immediately be distinguished from other children of similar ancestry due to this unique look. Beast-kin can take after canines, felines, reptiles, and all other manner of beast. Their physical appearance does not follow the general physical traits for Aetherlings, instead it is heavily influenced by their particular ancestry.

Beast-kin Ancestries: Avian

Avians are the smallest of the Beast-kin, coming in just taller than Gnomes at 3.5-4 feet tall, but slightly heavier. Their skin is thicker than a normal Aetherling's, which gives it a hardened quality and allows for the feathers that cover their body to stick. These feathers end at their necks, and their heads have normal Aetherling features. Most of the feathers are small and thin, with just a single layer covering them, however, they have much larger and thicker feathers on their arms which makes them akin to wings. They are unable to fly, but they can glide for short distances so long as they are not wearing heavy or restrictive clothing. The coloring of the feathers is as varied as the color of feathers on birds, from deep black to a rainbow of bright colors. Their feet are like a bird's, with three toes in front and one in back, each with a large talon, and their hands are like a human's.

Beast-kin Ancestries: Bovine

Bovines are the largest of the Beast-kin, generally just slightly shorter than Orcs at 6-6.5 feet tall and just as heavy. They are completely covered in short, fine hair that is generally white, black, blue-black, dark red, or brown. Some Bovines are a single color, while others have spots of different hues. Outside of this hair, their defining features are hoofed feet, horned heads, snouts, and thin, short tails. The horns come in all shapes and sizes, some straight, some curved, some large, some small, but none of them grow in until a Bovine Beast-kin reaches puberty.

Beast-kin Ancestries: Canine

Canines are human in size,

Beast-kin Ancestries: Feline

Felines are slightly taller than Dwarves on average, standing 4.5-5 feet tall.

Beast-kin Ancestries: Reptilian

Reptilians are slightly taller than elves on average, standing 5-5.5 feet tall.

Beast-kin Ancestries: Ursine

Ursines are the tallest and heaviest of all Atherlings, generally hitting 6.5-7 feet tall.

Changelings

Changelings, in their natural form, are the most similar in appearance to the ancient Aetherim. Changelings generally resemble humans, but with translucent skin and large, sunken eyes. Changelings can look frightening to other Aetherlings, and are generally distrusted. They have a natural ability to shapeshift, and can change their facial features, skin tone, hair color, eye color, height, and weight at will, but only to within the general range of Aetherling traits. Most Changelings choose to remain in a shifted form when in mixed (non-Changeling) company.

Dwarves

Dwarves are a stout, medium sized folk, generally ranging from 4 to 5 feet tall and a bit heavier than other ancestries of similar size. During puberty, all Dwarves, regardless of sex, grow facial hair. Many non-males elect to keep it, as it is a proud sign of their Dwarven ancestry.

Elves

Elves are generally medium sized, standing from 4.5 to 5.5 feet tall, and are generally of slighter build than other ancestries. Elves generally do not grow facial hair, both from a cultural perspective and a physiological one. One notable exception

Gnomes

Gnomes are the shortest of the Aetherlings, generally coming in between 3 and 3.5 feet tall. Living in a world made for people taller than them, Gnomes have had to foster ingenuity in order to thrive. Because of this focus on ingenuity and inventiveness, Gnomes are the creators of many of the technological achievements of the world.

Humans

Humans are among the most diverse and widespread of the Aetherling species, making up a large percentage of any population across the globe. Because of this far-ranging nature, humans are the model for the general physical traits of Aetherlings.

Orcs

Orcs are the largest of the Aetherlings, generally between 6 and 7 feet tall. They are typically powerfully built, and thus are some of the most powerful warriors in the world. This comes in handy as their native home of Kruthkarn is full of powerful beasts.

Sylvan Aetherlings

After the fall of the Sylvan empire, the remaining Sylvanen fled south to the continent of Sileria. In an effort to preserve their species, they experimented on Aetherlings to try to find a way to interbreed with them. They were eventually successful, managing to create a new type of Aetherling called Sylvan Aetherlings.
Though rare, there are Sylvan varieties of each distinct Aetherling ancestry. They generally stand a foot taller than their non-Sylvan counterparts, and most of them live on the continent of Sileria or nearby Haldorn. Due to their unique ancestry, Sylvan Aetherlings generally find it easier to connect to the magical energy around them. Most of the greatest mages of the seventh era can claim Sylvan ancestry in some form.