Chimeras

The Bloodcursed

Perhaps the strangest grouping of sapients within the Hidden World are the patchwork of manticore-esque races known colloquially as Chimeras. Unlike the races of Men- Dwarves, Brethren, Goblins, Elves, and Orcs- Chimeras were not created by An the Primordial. Instead, they are the result of incredibly complex alteration curses laid upon a person's body. The first Chimeras were created by the first Dark Lord, Skaladyn, and are known today as the Centaurs. His goal was to create the ultimate fighting force so he could hold dominion over the sweeping plains Yndrana- and while he may have died, he succeeded. Since his discovery of the technique, it has been used several more times, creating the half-bird Harpies, the half-seal Selkies, and the half-snake Shadraani.
The lifespan of a Chimera does not differ greatly from the lifespan of their unaltered, uncursed predecessors- most live for anywhere from sixty to eighty years, though of course those with mixed blood might live longer.
While racial discimination is not usually a high priority among the more civilized races of men, the Chimeras often face it in its most severe forms. Their affliction is a curse, and they are viewed with great mistrust by most other races. For this reason, they tend to organize on their own and rule their own small communities autonomously.
It is possible to alter one's shape without binding the curse to the blood- in fact, many dark sorcerers over the past two millennia have altered their bodies to give themselves fearsome physical weapons and capabilities. These are known as Manticores, and due to the complexity and difficulty of the spell, are usually wizards of some renown prior to their modifications.


Shadraani can be found in the deserts and tropics in the southwestern Burning Sea, as well as in the southern Kingdom of the Claw. Harpies can be found in all mountain ranges, but are far more common in their eponymous Mountains of the Harpy. Centaurs can be found primarily in the Golden Plains in the far east, within their Kingdom of Saazan. Selkies roam the entirety of the Sea of Teeth, but also in small settlements on the shores of the island of Ysgrobel.

The Curse of Generations


A bloodcurse is so difficult and dangerous to perform that it has only been done four times; presumably, once for each of the Chimeric races. The affliction is insidious, and always spreads to the Chimera's offspring, regardless of admixture with other races. This is one of the primary reasons for discrimination against the Bloodcursed, and certainly prevents their kind from becoming prevalent in Caldomare.
In the case of the Harpies, the Bloodcurse is more tame- it only spreads to daughters, and their sons cannot pass it on. Nonetheless, their reputation as savages has been as effective in sowing mistrust and discrimination.