The Humanoid Races

The humanoid races of Alcrest vary in size, skin color and minor physical appearances. There are differences in life span, and temperament, but these are unrelated to the truth. Each race is essentially part of the same species. And so, they are able to intermingle and reproduce amongst each other, and they have for quite some time. However, with some races, it is quite rare. The Méru, for example are one of the only beings on Alcrest that are biologically immortal, and so they tend to not take on mortal partners. 

On the other hand, the Sekh are a largely matriarchal society and will take on any number of strong male partners from any race. Depending on the culture, Asékén will also take any other race as partners, but there are some kingdoms that have a supremacy statute in their law. 

The Méru and Aíludé both live extended lifespans. They will age the same as Asékén, until they reach maturity, at around 25. At which point, aging will stop in the case of the Méru or move incredibly slowly in the case of Aíludé. An Aíludé’s middle age (around 40 years for Asékén) is nearly 100 years.

– On Asékén –

At the time of the events of the Blades of Alcrest, Asékén are the most populous race. They are comparatively short lived, at 70-80 years. From time immemorial, their history has been marked by constant wars. Due to them living such short lives in comparison to the other races, they strive to procreate and form genealogies. This drive has led them to create the largest and most powerful kingdoms and empires on Alcrest. 

The average male stands at around 6 ft, and female is around 5’4 ft. Depending on the latitude they are descended from, skin color ranges from a light tan to a dark brown. Hair and eye color also differ between each, eyes coming in shades of brown, blue and green, and hair ranges from black to brown to blond and red.

They mostly follow the Shi’irifa religion, the worship of the great wyrm Amitokka and the Amísén, who are said to be the embodiments of the forces of nature.

Upon awakening during the tail end of the Reign of the Wyrmlords, they were quickly discovered by the Amísén and were subjugated. They worshipped the Amísén and still harbor ill will toward the Aíludé for killing their gods. Shi’irifa worship remains strong as it ever has. 

– On Méru  –

Méru are a tall and fair race and are the third most populous. They are the longest lived of all Alcrest’s many races and are biologically immortal. This is not to say that they possess invulnerability; in fact, their race is in serious decline. They prefer to keep secluded in nature, within their old growth forests. They are said to be nimble and excellent fighters, when young, and are extremely proud. They can still be killed through conventional means. 

The average Méru stands at around 7 ft tall. Skin color varies from lighter shades of milky white to almond colors. Hair colors are a mix of platinum blond to an almost clear looking vellus type hair. Their irises are devoid of color, but still distinguishable from the sclera. As a whole, they have a lack of pigmentation across their bodies, and do not do well in hot and sunny climates. 

An indefinite lifespan has its consequences, and the Méru suffer for it terribly. After thousands of years the oldest Méru, tend to suffer from an extreme apathy and dissociative disorders, most giving into existential nihilism. The oldest Méru alive have today become the Storytellers of Torissa, keepers of history and ceremony. Méru cannot die naturally, but fade as they age, unable to find comfort in life. This apathy leads to a decline in population, decline in standing in world events, and indeed a declining presence in the in world itself. 

The Méru reject the Shi’irifa religion and instead follow a folk religion. Instead of worshipping a singular deity, they believe all beings as part of a single life source, returning to it upon death. Coincidentally, as they cannot experience natural death, they’ve come to see themselves as outside this cycle of life and feel upon themselves as caretakers and nurturers of it. Thus, they have a strong connection with nature. The more embittered of the Méru believe that they’ve been cast aside by creation and are ill-disposed toward other races as a result. 

There hasn’t been a Méru born in a hundred years. However, they can do well for thousands of years by devoting themselves to a craft or a dogma. 

– On Aíludé –

Perhaps the most misunderstood of all races of Alcrest, the Aíludé are the second most populous race. Their lifespans are shorter than that of the Méru and are roughly double that of the Asékén, at around 200 years.

They are essentially Asékén, and are capable of having children with them, with males at average of 6ft, and females at 5”5. There are quite a few half-Aíludé. All are all fair skinned, with white to silver colored hair. Their distinguishing feature is the color of their irises, which are always a kaleidoscope of colors and patterns. The eye trait is only passed down from two fully Aíludé parents. Aíludé can easily dye or cut their hair and try to pass as Asékén, but their eyes always give them away.

They live in groups among the cities and kingdoms of the peoples of Alcrest and are a stateless people. Aíludé have faced significant persecution, as they have been depicted as the ones who wrongfully killed the Amísén in the Shi’irifa religion. Asékén kingdoms historically have engaged in pogroms, seeking to purge them where they can.

Traditionally, they worship the great wyrm Amitokka, and regard the Amísén as tyrants, and a shameful burden of their distant past. They regard themselves as direct descendants of the blood of Amitokka, and it is a source of pride among their people. But this is not fact either. This can lead some to feel above the other races of Alcrest, and with the historical and continuing persecution leads to many conflicts. Aíludé to this day are still regarded as untrustworthy and having ulterior motives in all their business.

They initiated the rebellion against the Wyrmlords, and it was ultimately their alliance with the Méru that secured their victory. They co-created alchemy, and a team of six Aíludé women created magicka. The Breath and Music alchemical concepts developed between the Aíludé and Méru are still passed down through oral tradition, though it is mostly incorrect in the modern day, with many concepts lost to time. They developed the skill of oration, which is still practiced today.

– On Sekh –

Sekh are the third most populous race on Alcrest. Their lifespans are among the shortest of the races, with the average lifespan of 45 years, for both males and females. Part of reason for their shorter lifespans is their propensity for violence. 

Both male and female stand roughly 5ft 8in in height. On the exterior, they resemble Asékén, but have shorter noses, long hair-like whiskers, long canine teeth, and almond shaped eyes. 

Sekh tend to be nomadic in nature but have clans and territories in the southern deserts. Their social structure is determined by strength, and the appearance of strength. They are fiercely loyal to the strongest in their group and are some of the best fighters. Their society is matriarchal in nature, with each clan’s head being female. Wealth is inherited through the female line, and they are seen as the family heads. The women hold the positions of power, but fighting and hunting is still a duty for both men and women. 

They’ve integrated in most of the kingdoms and territories of Alcrest, often in military or guard positions. Their quick-tempered nature often precludes them from having command positions, however.

Sekh developed their society in the harsh deserts of Alcrest, away from the influences of Shi’irifa. Many instead follow The Bastet, a system of thought and behaviors that hold Ishara and Selene sacred, as the sister goddesses Istanu and Ninkigal. The Bastet is a system of a way of life, followed by the desert Sekh tribes and territories. 

Their use of their Runic-script is a closely guarded secret that has yet to be deciphered by the other races. It is a completely unique creation that lends innate power to the items they craft and the structures they erect. It’s said that different Sekh tribes developed their own Runes branching from an extinct proto logo-syllabic script.

Waking after the Reign of the Wyrmlords has ended and only being discovered during the Asékén kingdoms’ campaigns seeking out Aíludé a few hundred years ago, Sekh are relatively new players to Alcrest. However, their race awoke much earlier than is commonly believed, as much of their history has been lost in the desert. Shi’irifa leaders have attempted to convert the Sekh, with little success. Instead, the Sekh reverence for Ishara made them develop a much more accurate solar calendar, which when discovered was quickly adopted by all the peoples of Alcrest.