Races of Erebu

As chronicled in A Short History of Erebu, many different intelligent races live in Erebu, some more common than others.

Dvergar

Dvergar are dwarves: short, stocky demihumans about four to five feet tall and heavy of build. Legend states they were worms on the flesh of Ymir, but the gods gave them minds and a humanoid shape. They dwell in the earth and rocks; as such, they are often confused with the svartalvar (dark elves or drow).

They are known for their foul tempers and great stamina. Dvergar have high strength and constitution, but poor dexterity. They are not as smart as humans but are usually wiser due to their longer lifespans. Dvergar make excellent fighters and priests, decent thieves, and poor mages.

Dvergar are very resistant to poison and disease, but they cannot swim and are thus very vulnerable to drowning. They receive the berserk skill for free (if warriors) and can see in the dark with infravision. Their history of living underground also allows them to detect hidden beings.

Humans

Humans are one of the younger races. According to legend, the aesir fashioned them from an ash and an elder tree upon the seashore.

Humans are the most common race in the world and make up the majority of adventurers. Although they have no special talents like the other races, they are more versatile, being skilled in all classes. Humans may also train their primary attribute higher than any other race and are able to gain more benefit from magical devices.

Jötnar

Jötnar or thursar are the descendants of Ymir and opponents of the aesir. These ancient beings come in various types. Hrimthursar are creatures of frost; Ymir himself was a hrimthurs, but only some of his descendants are. Muspelsmegir or eldjötnar are the fire giants. They live in Muspel, and their leader is Surtur. Bergrisar are the giants of the mountains. Trolls are related to giants; they are more prominent in folklore than in fact. Fomorians are giants of Ivernia [Ireland], often deformed and terrifying, as are the ettins of the Cruthnir Waste [Scotland].

Jötnar are larger than most races, ranging from seven to ten feet in height. They are stronger than most races and almost as durable as the dvergar (dwarves). They aren’t too bright, however, and their huge size makes them clumsier than the other races. A jötun makes the best warrior of any race but is ill-suited for any other profession.

Jötnar resist heat and cold with nary a mark due to their huge mass. However, their slow minds make them extremely vulnerable to mental attacks. Jötnar, due to their size and stamina, receive the fast healing and bash skills for free (only jötun warriors receive the bash skill though).

Ljosalvar

The ljosalvar are “light elves,” also known as high elves. People usually think of them as bright, beautiful and noble. They don’t, however, always live up to this profile. Most ljosalvar prefer to live in forests, but as humans are cutting down the trees, the light elves are slowly moving into the rocks. These are known as huldufolk (hidden people).

Ljosalvar are slightly taller than humans but have a much lighter build. They lack the strength and stamina of the other races but are far more agile, both in body and mind. A ljosalf makes a superb mage or thief but has at best only fair talent as a warrior or priest.

Ljosalvar resist charm spells most effectively due to their magical nature. However, the touch of iron burns them, so they cannot use iron or steel in their adventuring careers. Elves are notoriously hard to spot, so elven warriors and thieves receive the sneak and hiding skills automatically. They may see in the dark with infravision.

Svartalvar

In ancient times, the svartalvar and ljosalvar were of one kindred. Over the ages though, some of the alvar tended toward high deeds, art and music, whereas others tended toward arcane arts and subterfuge. Eventually, a war ensued between the two, and the light elves prevailed, driving the dark elves underground.

Since then, the svartalvar have become crafty enough to defeat their former brethren in battle, but they no longer desire to walk under the sun, at least not for very long. They have carved their own world in cities below the earth.

Svartalvar are matriarchal, revering women as the most powerful of leaders. Normally, they have pale black, violet or blueish skin and white or silver hair. Their finely chiseled features contrast sharply with their bright eyes of orange or violet.

Svartalvar make excellent thieves, mages, assassins and necromancers. Highly intelligent, the drow are able to resist magic and mental attacks. However, they are vulnerable to weapons and light. They can see in the dark with infravision. Svartalvar receive the sneak and meditate skills for free.

Reincarnation

After achieving a certain heroic status, a character can reincarnate, essentially taking on a stronger form. Reincarnating offers a wider variety of classes and races to such heroes. Races available for people reincarnating usually have a wider variety of spells and skills, and they receive more beneficial level bonuses. The races below are those available when reincarnating.

Vaettir

A vaette is a supernatural being known commonly as a wight. Even in heathen days before the rise of men, vaettir were known to haunt Erebu, possibly survivors of the lost continent of Murata. They are ancient beings and manifest themselves in various ways.

Most consider vaettir to be creatures back from the dead or perhaps “the living dead.” They are involved heavily in magic relating to undead, and because of this, they are adept at being necromancers. They are good as mages and elementalists but fail terribly at any other classes. As undead spirits, the vaettir are resistant to magic, energy and negative spells. However, they are vulnerable to disease, piercing and holy spells. Their bonus skills are hiding and meditation.

Draugar

A draugur is a pale, undead corpse, macabre in appearance, blue-white in color and lingering near the earth of its vacated grave. Draugar malignly haunt some specific place, either mechanically repeating a grotesque parody of their living actions or actively wreaking vengeance. Inhumanly strong, they typically wrestle and crush foes, though sometimes they use weapons. Most mortal races see them as charming, if a bit eerie and frightening. Some of this has to do with the draugur’s ability for hypnosis and coercion.

It is hard to kill what is already dead. One must instead hack them to pieces or burn them to cinders. Being undead, draugar will return themselves to the land of the dead when their reason for haunting ceases. Some cults have special magic for battling undead such as the draugar.

Draugar make good necromancers, elementalists, assassins and warriors. They resist charm and negative spells, can see in the dark, bite and feed off of their victims, and can heal quickly. They are vulnerable to holy and light spells.

Aes-sidhe

Little is known of the elusive sidhe. They are knows as the “hosts of the air” on one hand and the inhabitants of the underworld on the other. In older ages, people believed they roamed the earth four times per year on the eve of each change of season.

Lately, the term has come to mean “the people of the hills.” A similar trend can be found among their cousins the ljosalvar, where humanity is driving them underground. Aes-sidhe are good at most classes, especially as paladins or thieves.

The aes-sidhe reputedly have great strength and mystical powers. Their supernatural heritage gives them resistance to fire, cold and normal weapons. Like elves, they can see in the dark with infravision. Their long lifespans and cultural traditions give them the meditation, frenzy and fast healing skills. Typically, their hair tends to be long and their eyes light green, but there is much variation among the sidhe.

Cath-sidhe

Ancient highlanders believed the cath-sidhe were originally a race born of elven witches with mysterious connections to a cult involving cats. Cath-sidhe are, however, a leonid species from a distant world. They appear as catlike humanoids of great dexterity and have ties to their brethren the aes-sidhe.

“Big Ears.” was a legendary king of this otherworldly company of cat-people. He reportedly answered questions when set by a diner engaged in taghairm, the roasting of a cat over a fire—a rather ironic legend when you think about it.

Cath-sidhe make excellent thieves, mages and necromancers. Due to their elvish and feline natures, cath-sidhe can see in the dark and resist charm and cold spells. Although their fur makes them vulnerable to fire, the cath-sidhe also receive the hide, sneak, and fast healing skills.

Einherjar

An einheri is a fallen soldier; valkyries choose them on battlefields to feast in Valhalla. The einherjar will fight with the aesir against the jötnar and other evil beings at Ragnarok, the last battle. Valkyries are the female counterpart to einherjar.

Einherjar have great strength and constitution. Thus, they make good warriors, paladins and barbarians. Since they are typically native to cold climates, they resist cold yet are vulnerable to fire. Einherjar are known to fly about in battle frenzies, divebombing their helpless victims.

Risar

The risar are a race of supergiants related to the jötnar. In effect, they are survivors of the early wars against the gods, bred to higher stamina. Most of them live in the high mountains surrounding the realm of man, where they are known as bergrisar.

They are extremely powerful but not terribly bright. The only thing they are really good at is fighting. This makes a risi an ideal candidate for being a barbarian. Risar also make decent warriors. Their immense size makes them resistant to bashing and weapons, but it also makes them vulnerable to magic. Risi fighters receive the bash, powerslam and berserk skills for free.

Vanir

Vanir are enlightened humanoids, strong of body and mind. Sometimes they don’t understand this realm, but their honor transcends planes. They look like humans or elves, only a bit taller. They have green eyes and generally chiseled features. All have natural tattoo-like marks denoting their heritage. Vanir are descended from the ancient albar and are thus related to humans and elves.

Vanir have well-balanced attributes. This makes them good at most classes, particularly warriors and paladins. Their culture dissuades them from being barbarians and antipaladins. The vanar physique is resistant to slashing but vulnerable to bashing. Their conditioning gives them the meditation, fast healing and detect magic skills for free.