Population by races
Humans
Humans are one of the two most common races in Taranis. They can be found mostly everywhere apart from the Lorcàn Isles. The first humans appeared in Taranis following a extradimensional rift created by a particularly bold experiment by the great elven wizard Ilsam Dullach in the 5399 ac. After a first moment of extremely prejudiced slaughter against them, ended in the 5122 ac, humans managed to gain a place in Taranis, and they have been there since then, specializing in not having a specialization, and instead further diversifying upon necessity. Mixed children between humans and other races are traditionally considered of the nonhuman race, and is considered subversive and a statement doing otherwise. Their life expectancy is varied, with a base of around 100 years, but there have been multiple accounts of humans living more thanks to a deep study of the arcane sciences or spiritual cultivation.
Elves
Elves are, by their own account, the first race to have appeared on Taranis, and all other races are descended from them. The other race that could speak against this claim would be dragons, but they're long gone, and so this version is considered official. Elves are an extremely varied race, with multiple subraces- many only recognised by the elves themselves. Their stronghold is in the Lorcàn Isles, but they're commonly found in most countries. Their life expectancy varies by subrace: pure high elves don't actually die by old age, not that there are many left nowadays, but most wood elves are considered old by their 200s.
Dwarves
Dwarves are traditionally the crafter race. Biologic or metallic, magical or mechanical, if something is certified by a dwarf craftrman or even of dwarven craft, it's almost certainly of excellent quality and meant to last. Thanks to their long lives -500 to 600 years- they hone their abilities, creating masterpiece after masterpiece. Their jewellery especially is peerless. Another favoured occupation is of the archaeologist, as fossils are the most precious kind of stone in dwarven culture. Their presence is not too common, even if they're a fairly common race by numbers, because they tend to keep to their cities in the mountains of Moraghna, but they can be found in cities with metallurgic industries or high fashion centres.
Gnomes
Gnomes are a younger race that appeared commonly in Taranis around the 4941 ac. They're famous for their intelligence and shrewdness. If dwarves are a crafter race that hones their skills repeating and perfecting what's known, gnomes are the inventors that explore the unknown. The concept of failure is different for them- if you could at least gather data from an experiment, it is good. The genius of their scientists fused with the skill of the dwarves can create miracles, but this kind of partnership is very rare, as the two races are innately competitive with the other. It is also heavily regulated, as the results can very well be threatening enough to cause wars. Gnomes are also usually magic users, and many illustrious scholars are gnomes. Because of their innate curiosity, they can be found anywhere. Their life expectancy is much lower than their actual natural life due to common laboratory accidents.
Tieflings
Tieflings are a fairly common race nowadays in Taranis. They used to be rare, but with the gradual acceptance of (most) warlock paths as a legitimate way to be a spellcaster in some countries (like Ymna, that has the highest tiefling population density), their numbers became more and more. So, there are natal tieflings, where someone is a tiefling from birth, and pact tieflings, that became tieflings after making a pact, usually but not always of warlock nature. Tieflings are only the most common example of this kind of race, and there are several more races that can be natal or pact, but they are much, much rarer than tieflings. Tieflings are the second most race that is more likely to have mixed children, only beaten by humans on this statistic. They also have a lifespan similar to humans, with natal tieflings enjoying a life a bit longer.
Aasimar
Aasimar are relatively on the rarer side, but they are still a sizeable percentage of the population. To this contribute the aasimar family lineages, where all children are born aasimar, usually due to a gift from a deity. There still are isolated aasimar children however. Being a celestial is quite the status symbol in Taranis, and so a lot of aasimar children are adopted or even sold to families that want to gain prestige. This poses for a very stressful life, and so most usually hide their lineage to have a quieter life, as long as their god allows it. Not all aasimar are assigned a guardian spirit. Those without are called 'lesser aasimar', but the distinction is only by the race itself, and not from others. Their lives aren't naturally that long, but most practice a way of spiritual cultivation that extends them dramatically.
Firbolgs
Firbolgs are a very rare race. Many people in Taranis don't ever see a firbolg in their lives, as they primarily live outside the big populated centres, or in small villages. They are still the most common giantkin race, and one specially blessed by Nuwa. This blessing however means little nowadays- while there are indeed a lot of druids and clerics of Nuwa among them, the chaoticness inherent in the god means that many firbolg feel the urge to distance themselves from their roots and either abandon the veneration of the gods at all or to choose another patron. The most 'rebellious' of their kin even become warlocks. They are very community oriented, and live together in communities of likeminded folk, but some prefer solitude and a different life, and so detach them from their community, even if rarely they completely abandon them and they still keep in touch. Their lifespan is an average of 150 years, with druids living longer.
Genasi
Genasi are relatively on the common side as far as races go. Most are human or tiefling mixed children, but there are quite a few elven genasi as well. Rarely genasi children get to live with both parents, as they are born
exclusively from an union with an elemental and another race, and sometimes they're brought with their elemental parent in the elemental plane. Those that stay in the material plane are very commonly familiar with at least the most basic of magics to properly control their heritage, but depending on their elemental alignment they might choose a different occupation other than just scholar. Another common trait in genasi is their propensity to mutation- adult genasi, depending on where they lived their formative years, might 'specialize' their elemental alignment, For example, a water genasi might become a genasi subrace colloquially known as river genasi, or a fire genasi can become a lightning genasi. They are one of the most ancient races, but their lifespan is mediocre, on par with the human's. Those that live in the elemental plane, provided they survive, enjoy a much longer lifespan, as well as a purification of their elemental power, with some that even get to ascend as elementals themselves.
Goblins
The situation of goblins (and other goblinoid races) is quite unique. They are, in fact, a multitude, but the census only recognises a few of them- because only a few live within civilized regions and adopt more or less legal avenues of survival. However this means that goblins, as long as there aren't savage goblin forces that are sieging or harassing a town, are relatively accepted as citizens. At least, they aren't shot on sight- their tiny stature and natural nimbleness means they are often hired by criminal organization to work for them. There are still perfectly lawful goblins though! This said, one can see them more commonly in the biggest and most populated cities. Their life expectancy is short, around 75 years is considered a very venerable age to reach.
Halflings
Halfings are a very uncommon race, almost uniquely present in the West Coast of the main continent. They have a very unique culture and customs, and they are a very superstitious race- most of their habits are to ward off bad luck. And it seems it works- they are blessed merchants and prosperous businesspeople, and they keep a lavish lifestyle where the local halfling families live together in communities, raising children and caring for the elderly and sick together. They're also a very religious races, and they have an habit of naming their children after the gods, their spirits, or old heroes, as well as deceased family members. Their lives aren't that long, with an average of 120 years, but they have many children.
Other races
- Dragonborn: extremely rare and basically extinct. The few remaining live in the Northern Empire.
- Dragons: VERY extinct. No one has seen a true dragon in around 6000 years, and people would consider them a myth if there weren't still some artifact made with dragon materials.
- Kobolds: similar to goblins, but more feral. Kobolds tend to do their own thing, and only sometimes their schemes mean they want to be a member of the society at large. They are the main inhabitants of the old Dragon Island in the north, where no real civilization is present.
- Kenku: Almost unheard of in society, they live in small families in the woods of Valmia, Arumin, and Tenea.
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