Some background

Alrighty, before I continue with the story, I figured I'd post this little tidbit. Just a bit of background information on the races that may crop up in Shifting Sands.


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A brief overview of the races that inhabit Seredel:

Humans -- Humans are by far the most populous of the races, inhabiting a vast majority of the world, from Palmira to Rednell, and everywhere in between. Next to the Aldryn, they are the youngest race to inhabit Seredel, yet the most vain, and their evolution has brought nothing but conflict to the world.

Dragons -- Dragons are intelligent, bipedal, and covered with a thick hide that once rendered them impervious to most weapons. But as skirmishes broke out between Dragons and Humans, the Humans began to develop new, sharper weapons that would pierce this hide. Obsidian is the most commonly-used material for these weapons, as it slices through Dragonskin like butter. Next to Avelords, Dragons are the eldest and wisest race on Seredel, and can live for hundreds of years. Standing at about double the height of an average Human, they are formidable creatures, and can support this image with their immense strength and the ability to breathe fire. Because of this ability, Dragons do not have vocal cords like other creatures, instead communicating through a form of telepathy in which they can "speak" their thoughts to those around them, or focus the thought and have a private conversation with an individual. Dragons also have the ability to morph into a Humanoid form, though they are easily distinguishable from real Humans, and do not use this skill often. It was developed during a time when Draco-Human relations were much better, but over the years, the Humans grew greedy, vain, and materialistic, and Dragons now see Humans as inferior beings. They are extremely proud creatures, and will not hesitate to exile one of their own for the slightest offenses to their race.

Aldryn -- An Aldryn is the commonly-used term to describe the strange creatures that are crosses between two races. They have no true form, instead somehow inhabiting two bodies at once, and changing between them at will. Slight imperfections make an Aldryn just barely discernible from the real thing, usually a pair of glistening, pupil-less eyes. The most common form of Aldryn is that of a Dragon/Human; there are, however, many different kinds of Aldryn, each a specific cross between two of Seredel's races, and therefore each with a different set of traits. The Aldryn arrived on the scene during the Great Draco-Human War, unwittingly ending the conflict by giving the two races common ground  in their mutual hatred of the new arrivals -- the strange cross between two very different races made the Humans envious and the Dragons disturbed. Aldryn are commonly seen as monstrosities, though they are highly intelligent and more in tune with the natural world than any other race.

Elves -- The Elves of Seredel are not the fair creatures of lore; these Elves are sinister, vile beings that live in the deep forests and dark caves of the land. Though roughly Human in appearance, they have dark, wrinkled skin and fangs like a vampire's. They are both proud and vicious, and will not hesitate to attack any non-Elf that strays into their midst. The Forest Elves and Cave Elves have been at war for as long as anyone can remember, each seeing the other as a gross misrepresentation of their race. They have also been known to tame wyverns: creatures similar to Dragons, though they walk on four legs, are unable to breathe fire, and are by no means as intelligent. In effect, wyverns are simply flying horses.

Makarai -- Dive deep below Seredel's oceans and you may stumble across a settlement of Makarai. They are almost shark-like in appearance, with a tubular body and rows of razor-sharp fangs, though with long fins that act as arms and a bulbous head almost resembling that of a Human. Their body is covered in a slimy film that lets them slide through the water at astounding speeds. They are a hideous yet peaceful race, though interaction between them and any other species is rare; a Makar has the ability to breathe above water for a short period of time (similar to any other creature holding their breath underwater), but for the most part, they prefer to remain safe in their villages at the bottom of the sea. The Makarai are the only race on Seredel that does not speak Serenese, instead communicating through a series of high-pitched whistles, almost similar to the noises of dolphins.

Avelords -- Birdlike and the size of a crow, Avelords have long wings that, when spread, nearly double the length of their bodies. From behind they can be mistaken for a common bird, but not from the front, for they have snouts instead of beaks. They come in a variety of mostly soft hues -- purples, blues, blacks -- the exact shade denoting how long the Avelord has been alive; they can live for thousands of years, and every century or so they molt, slightly changing the color of their plumage. They are the wisest and most knowledgeable creatures on the planet, with a love for storytelling. As such, they have become the historians of Seredel, though none of their stories have ever been written down, as Avelords have a tremendous memory (and wings aren't very conducive to writing). Very few Avelords are still alive; they have become almost mythological, though one does pop up every now and then.

Shadow People -- The dark and mysterious Shadow People live in the most perilous terrain in Seredel, places where no other beings dare to tread. It is not even known what they are actually called; "Shadow People" is simply the name given to them by the few explorers who have happened to stumble across them, so given because of the fact that they are, indeed, living shadows. They appear to have no solid form, looking literally like animated shadows. They prefer to remain secluded, and for this reason almost nothing is known about them.