/1 Humans

Humans are the most common race on any shard. They are known for their ability to adapt to any living conditions. They can survive in virtually any landscape and, as a rule, will loyally serve a cruel tyrant and a benevolent lord alike. It is for that reason most Masters choose humans as their servants. Of all the sentient races, only humans can blindly believe the fairness of their Master's decisions and obey all his orders without question.

/2 Elves

A proud ancient race still inhabiting the forests on some Shards. They are slightly arrogant, exquisitely careless, live in harmony with nature and try not to interfere in other people's affairs. They are wary of letting strangers into their sacred groves, where they live far removed from the prying eyes of others. Elves are freedom-loving creatures who will only serve a Master whose deeds and thoughts are in line with their understanding of justice and goodness. Nevertheless, the elven rulers themselves rarely have difficulty getting their subjects to obey: one of the elven traits that makes human kings and princes envious - elves tend to trust in the wisdom and justice of their leaders.
Elves are very respectful of tradition, they have a long memory. They tend to live in the past rather than the future, and their existence is often marred by the constant yearning for "the good old days". Most elves like to improve themselves in the various arts. It is well known that they love music, singing and dancing, and their enemies have encountered the elves' martial arts. They are skilled archers, and other races consider elves to have real magical qualities - they demonstrate a marksmanship that is inaccessible to mere mortals. But the main weapons of the elves are cunning, agility and resourcefulness. Elves know a lot and they learn about everything that is happening around them.
The elven culture considers the life of every elf precious. Some warlike elven races have a disdain for it, considering it a sign of cowardice and even special cunning, but the elf's greatest disgrace is the death that could have been avoided. This is because the number of elves is dwindling, as they are born very rarely, although they live very long and some people would consider them immortal. Many sages agree that the elves - without a desire to expand, to develop themselves, and without sense of vocation or trade or agriculture, nor even the exploitation of other races - are eventually doomed to extinction.
The elves are versed in the many mysteries of nature. And the secrets of magic are well known to them. They are able to grow magic crystals in their forests and place their magical power in literally everything they touch.

/3 Dwarves

An ancient race of miners that dwells in the hills and underground chambers of Eador. Dwarves are extremely ill-tempered and stubborn. They detest outsiders, so they are difficult to govern. They will only serve someone who's proven himself worthy of ruling over them. The dwarven population grows very slowly, but they live much longer than humans. Every dwarf considers it his sacred duty to multiply his wealth. No other race is as skilled as dwarves in procuring gold and gems from the caverns and mines deep underground.
Dwarves are actually not as simple as they seem at first glance. They don't possess the beauty of an elf or the agility of a halfling, but dwarves are strong and hardy, and have a robust health. Their bodies as well as their spirits seem to be tempered in the fires of deep dungeons: the underground people never give up, not even in the most hopeless of circumstances. Dwarves are proud of their rich history, remembered in sagas and legends that are virtually unknown to surface dwellers, and its ancient artisan traditions are carefully passed on from generation to generation.
It is believed that once they built cities on the surface and were living in friendship with humans. But now the dwarves live underground: they praise the Soul Forger, the God and Father of all dwarves. They do not recognize magic in its purest form - that does not prevent them from using magical runes and designs. Among the peoples of the land there are legends of an ancient dwarven city, deep underground, where the dwarves have been gathering their treasures for centuries. Many attempt to seize the riches of the dwarves, but few manage it: the underground people are strong and hardy, and they hold the secrets of creating strong armor and powerful combat vehicles.

/4 Goblins

Goblins are down to earth, practical and pragmatic. For goblins moral values are a hollow phrase, they are not burdened by a particular moral code or religion. They shamelessly rob and kill those that are weaker than them. Especially when they have a superior force. But with those that are stronger than them, they prefer to make friends, although goblins continually try to do mischief on the sly at the first opportunity. By contrast, the same goblin on its own is unpretentious, friendly and peace-loving, trying to quarrel with no one. This small green creature with its characteristically mean looks has a reputation for deceit and a love for black humor. Not blessed with great physical strength, goblins are used to getting their way through cunning and guile. One can hold power over them only by being a cruel tyrant, and the benefits of this power are usually small. Goblins are unscrupulous and quickly foul any territory, their usual settlement is an obnoxious pigsty. Even if they do work, they try to steal and hide as much as they can, so income from goblin settlements is quite low. But there are countless dens of thieves and fences, counterfeiting workshops and alchemist laboratories that produce narcotic potions. From there terrible creatures often spread into the surrounding area - sinister goblins monsters - the result of experiments.
Goblins have a relatively short life span - fifty years for them is considered a ripe old age - but they are compensated by their enormous fecundity and tremendous ability to adapt to any conditions and any meal.

/5 Orcs

The appearance of orcs makes most people feel sympathy for them: a fanged mouth, a penny pig nose, small reddish eyes and a bald head. By their nature, orcs are wild, cruel and rude, and are one of the most primitive and aggressive people in Eador. After all, from his very birth every orc is convinced that the whole world in fact belongs to his tribe, and all others are mere insolent invaders. Their weak intelligence is compensated for by their large numbers, and their lack of good weapons by their muscular strength. They are ardent fighters, and in battle orcs don't spare anyone, not even themselves. Their attack is a relentless onslaught, behind which death and chaos follows.
Orcs are not only warlike, but they also enjoy their freedom. The only law they recognize is the law of force and the Orcs' obedience can only be kept by fear. So an aspiring leader need not only be a competent planner and a shrewd politician, but above all, a mighty warrior with a fearsome reputation, one who inspires terror greater than any enemy. Only such a leader has the authority required to impose discipline, knowledge of weapon types, and a semblance of order on the battlefield.
The only member of the tribe that is respected - and is not a warrior - is a shaman. Warriors always need a good bonesetter, and on the battlefield it never hurts to be supported by combat magic. And there are signs of course, that someone needs to interpret!
Orcs are poor workers - a warrior is the only profession they hold in esteem - gladiatorial games and plundering neighbors are their main sources of income. Only the weak and backward members of the tribe, the old men and the cripples, will make something with their own hands. Their production is extremely small, and one cannot discuss the quality of Orc craft with a straight face.

/6 Halflings

Halflings are a peaceful race that appreciates hearty meals and honest labor. Troublemakers among them are very few. Halflings have a reputation for being excellent farmers. They have an ancient friendship with the dwarves - halflings supply them with food and get excellent dwarven-made tools and jewelry in return.

/7 Centaurs

A semi-savage tribe that values freedom and independence above all else. Centaurs are virtually impossible to conquer, and it's extremely hard to earn their trust. They make a living by hunting and see no value in gold, trading by bartering alone. If one were to become friends with any tribe member, all others would accept them as an esteemed guest. But if someone comes to their house uninvited, the entire tribe will shower them in deadly arrows.

/8 Lizardmen

These sentient reptiles have long inhabited the swamps and lowlands of Eador. Lizardmen are hardworking, but ranching or farming is not earned any respect - the common lizardmen in their settlements are mainly engaged in hunting, fishing, gathering and crafts. Some make weapons and armor of strong bones, some build huts - all lizardmen help to develop the settlement. They do not normally capture other people's territory, but will fight very hard protecting their own. The level of their technical development is inferior to that of most human races, not to mention the dwarves, so lizardmen warriors are not very well equipped. They are highly disciplined however, so lizardmen often win a battle against the forces of a more "civilized" people by skillful tactics and excellent coherence.
Lizardmen worship their ancient gods, for them religion plays an important role in life. In each village there are priests who make up the Council. They make the important decisions in the settlement and maintain public order. Often lizardmen priests support their warriors on the battlefield: they use natural magic and literally drown their enemies in their swamps. That's why it's very hard for outsiders to settle in lizardman lands - the reptiles are very reluctant to submit themselves to the rules and regulations of foreigners. Even if one of the Masters does manage to form an alliance with lizardman chieftains, the common population will never support the power of a stranger.
Not surprisingly, the true ruler of an inhabited lizardman province is the High Priest. There is still the king, of course - typically trying to conduct diplomatic negotiations with leaders of other races - but this is merely the lizardman with the greatest strength. The king is respected. He makes operational decisions about relocation, commands the army in battle and is the leader of the soldier caste in peacetime. But the supreme power, of course, belongs to the High Priest. He declares all laws and is the highest court. There is a council of elders to assist and advise him, but they have no authority to challenge his decisions. The High Priest usually lives in a large temple, made of stone, redwood and arcanite. His guard consists of the best warriors, and any lizard is ready to die for him, because He who carries the truth of the ancient gods, is their representative on earth.

/9 Drow

The Drow are also called dark elves, but you are cruelly mistaken if you think they have any semblance to the forest people. Underground there is no room for the subtle beauty of the elves: the Drow image - a whirlwind of shadows and unblinking eyes, blood-red eyes, at home in the darkness of underground caves.
Little is known about the Drow history before the Cataclysm. The Cataclysm itself barely touched the dark elves - accustomed to the darkness of the dungeons, they are not affected by the absence of light; the monstrous storms, floods and firestorms that ravaged the surface did not touch their cave cities, and the demon armies didn't find their way there. It was in these dark days that the Drow came out into the open, to the surface, exerting their dominance over many Shards and enslaving the representatives of other nations. The powerful hand of the Drow was heavy, and this was not only due to their ambitions or the universal struggle for survival after the Cataclysm. The fact is that Drow battlemages practice Shadow magic, and use all kinds of other magical techniques and technology - druid traditions, rituals or spells of ancient demonologists - destroying order. According to the Drow the use of powers bestowed by the Shadow helps protect the world from Chaos. Other nations don't necessarily agree with them. Most mages find Shadow Magic appalling - the most powerful rituals often require either the blood or the sacrifice of sentient creatures, yet this is completely acceptable to the Drow. Some reckless adepts lose their mind, spending too much time in unity with the Shadows. Their more cautious peers become cold, thrifty, and ruthless over time. The unwavering conviction that only their ways can save the world justifies all crimes against other schools of Magic.
In the dark times their numbers grew and their power multiplied, but hatred towards them grew in step. The sudden reappearance of the sun forced them into retreat, back to their gloomy subterranean stronghold. Several times, the other races united, hoping to crush the Drow, but these Elven-lead alliances always crumbled in a few months. Rumors had started circulating that Elves and Drow shared common ancestors, leading to widespread distrust of the Elves.
Now the dark elves are known as a people of battlemages, explorers and slaveholders. The Shadow flows in their veins, dulling their feelings and emotions: Dark Elves are cruel, but unlike the Orcs and other barbarous nations, they don't perform sacrifices and exploit others for their pleasure, but only for practical benefit. As a general rule, slaves, criminals and prisoners fall under their knives; countless demonologists meet their end in this way. Interestingly, the percentage of girls born to the Drow is extremely high. It's due to this particular fact that dark elven girls are also taught the art of war, just as boys are.
Many believe that the Drow practice their sacred Shadow magic as a religious rite of purification of the world, but there are in fact many who pursue it for personal glory and power. Finally, most Drow who do not possess this magical gift, are just living their lives and don't pursue the global goal for the reconstruction of the world.

/10 Gnolls

Since ancient times, Wizards of Eador have known about the magic energy which is released when the blood of sentients is shed. That energy is harnessed by Necromancers to summon Vampires, and by Demonologists to open the gates of the Underworld. Demons know the secret as well. However, sacrificing a single sentient does not yield as much energy as neophytes would believe. Yet, slaughtering myriads by hand for the sake of a few crumbs is boring and tedious work, even for someone with infinite patience. But shortly before the Cataclysm, one of the Lords of the Underworld had an idea: Have someone else kill mortals and collect their energy, then claim it later at a single stroke. Demons are unsuitable for this task: By their very nature, they are untrustworthy, and sending them outside the realm of Chaos requires considerable energy, which is rarely recouped. Human demonologists are also unsuitable for the task: Humans, even those devoted to Chaos, cannot collect much. No! A proper servant should be industrious, indigenous, and strong. Since such creatures did not exist within Eador, despite its diversity, they had to be created. So, in addition to the reasonable races created by the gods, there was one generated by demons - Gnolls, brutish creatures about two meters tall, whose bodies are covered with short tawny or spotted fur. How the original Gnoll was created is unknown, but above all they resemble humanoid hyenas.
At first, the secret plan of the Gnoll "Master" seemed perfect. By slaughtering mortals, the beasts accumulated considerable energy, which they could not spend, as opposed to Vampires, for example. The collected energy was channeled back to the Underworld by the Gnoll pack leaders in a ritual carried out in special structures called ziggurats. However, early on, that was still not enough. And then the Cataclysm struck...
Nowadays this bellicose, savage, tribal race has thrived among the other races of Eador. The mysterious ziggurats still loom high, the sacred rituals are still carried out, but the "Master" (respectfully called the Unspeakable by the Gnolls) no longer runs the pack. Some believe that, shortly after the Cataclysm, he was killed by other Lords of the Underworld, who feared he would grow too powerful. However, this is of little concern to Gnolls themselves. These beasts live as they have for centuries - preying on the weak, and perpetually at war with the world at large, rarely forming alliances with anyone whatsoever. They are fierce, much stronger physically than Humans, in fact strength is the only thing they respect. And woe to those who stand in the way of a huge pack of Gnolls, flowing relentlessly through the lands of the various nations, making no distinction between men, dwarves and elves, plundering and killing. These creatures show no mercy and it is useless for a defeated enemy to beg for it. In battle, they disregard strategic placement by weapon type, a Gnoll only takes orders from a stronger warrior. Everyone is armed to the teeth, from clubs to elven-made swords, captured as trophies. Not surprisingly, the strategy and tactics of their military doctrine - as the vast majority of Tyrants realize - is to increase the number of soldiers and their fighting skills. For the same reason, Gnolls rarely follow any kind of battle plan, like Humans and Orcs do, they just charge into battle haphazardly.

/11 Alkaryl

On the plains of many shards places can be found where huge trees seem to be reaching up into the bright skies forever. These are the homes of the Alkari people, skilled warriors and champions of the world. Alkari are winged humanoids. They have an eagle's head, but they only eat plants for food, especially fruit grown in their amazing settlements, located on trees of incredible size that are sacred to these Children of Heaven. All Alkari have strong mental abilities and can share memories or thoughts across the distance. Their memory and the history of their people is kept by the Lord of Heaven, and they were created to protect the creatures of Eador against Chaos. The society of the Children of Heaven is devoid of all sorts of strife and discord, and each Alkari has its place in it. Wizards are engaged in handicrafts and food is grown. The Warriors are in eternal battle against the agents of Chaos to protect the Tree, and keep alive the memory kept by the Children of Heaven and their creator, once fallen in the great battle with Chaos, and instruct others in the service of the cause of the Lord of Heaven.
True to their mission, the Alkari oppose any manifestation of chaos they can find, as they don't tolerate the slightest trace of it. After the demons, the Children of Heaven consider gnolls their strongest enemies - the nation that does not conceal its close ties with Chaos. As for the other races, the Alkari initially considered all races potential allies in the struggle against the forces of the underworld, although to them many traits of these non-telepathic creatures are simply incomprehensible. For example, the concept of "temple" or "house of prayer" is unknown to them - for them all land free from demonic filth is equally sacred and suitable for communication with the divine. Nevertheless, they recognize that, in addition to their own creator, there are many other good gods, and they do not attempt to convert people or elves, to which they are generally supportive in their faith. The Alkari have nothing against the Church of Light, even revived, whose adherents reject polytheism and declare the Bright Lord to be the Creator of the universe. On the contrary, they believe that this is largely a cult based on distorted legends of the Lord of Heaven, confirming his title of "God-Eagle." However, communication with demons is regarded by them as a grave sin on the part of any representative of the people, and only when they are convinced of the conscience of a ruler, will they offer him a military alliance and mutually beneficial trade. And they do have something to trade: although creativity and imagination is not that developed in Alkari, they are well aware that a beautiful product is valued more. Therefore, the Children of Heaven make silk of excellent quality, using worms that live on the Tree, and paint it with numerous ancient canons. It is highly prized even among the elves.
In combat they rely on lightning strikes, the support of their Mentor and the help of the Departed. The Alkari can make their allies into a force any enemy is forced to reckon with.

/12 Ratmen

After the Sundering of Eador, the surviving surface-dwelling races were astonished to encounter creatures never seen before. Their surprise was quite understandable because the Ratmen, or Skreets, are a rather unusual race. None of the ancient legends mentions them, and it seems no god had a hand in their creation. It is assumed that these underground dwellers share a common ancestors with Kobolds, and the reason they evolved differently, acquiring their current appearance and considerable strength, was the influence of Death Crystals.
In fact, when the Skreets started to settle on the surface after the Cataclysm, they had neither powerful armies nor unique magic. However, they had an amazing resistance to all kinds of diseases, which, in these dark times, left large swathes of land devastated, so the Ratmen simply moved into these vacant areas.
It is this characteristic that protects Ratmen lands better than any border guard. There are many documented cases where another race conquered the Skreets and began to rule over them, only to be wiped out by an outbreak of some deadly disease. One might get the impression that Ratmen have a special control over epidemics, so generally, even when they're conquered, new rulers only demand recognition of their authority, and do not even attempt to kill or expel the Skreets from their territory.
Modern Ratmen try to avoid conflict with both surface and underground dwellers. They do, however, often engage in covert plundering raids, which their leaders deny involvement in. There is a completely natural explanation for this: Ratmen breed very fast, and while life expectancy is short, they do very little agriculture and trade, so providing adequate food supply for their offspring always remains an acute problem. This is why many of them opt to move to other lands, and it's not rare for Human or Dwarven scouts to run into entire cities in the caves beneath their homes. Despite this migratory behavior, Skreets have always considered themselves members of a larger community, united by a common faith throughout the ages: All the Ratmen on all the Shards worship the Grand Ratt. Sages of other races question the existence of this deity, but for Ratmen, his name and commandments are eternally sacred.