Races
Buhraies
Buhraies is, without a doubt, the most notoriously famous ancient species. Not because everyone is a sucker to read books about them, but rather because their impact on the landscape, beasts, fauna, and even humans themselves was world-changing. The Buhraies plains, lukewarm lake, wood people, and so much more were created or modified by them. Now it begs the question: How did such stupendously amazing creatures that can supposedly bend soul energy to their will end up being chased away from their own home by mere humans? The answer for that is simple: don’t fucking underestimate others, especially when you’re stepping on their head, making them blood cattle, and experimenting away things that today few people would willingly subject themselves to. If they are still alive, they are probably far out west of Sundeath or deep in the southern forests.
Cruros
Cruros is a split from Crocus, an alligator-like reptile, but with more humanoid features and varying rates of intelligence. They cannot speak but can make grunts to socialize. Smarter ones can learn to write and contribute to society as well. Nobody knows for sure how they suddenly started popping out from Cruroland, but the word in the street is that alcohol and a creepy scientist were involved.
Darfaries
Darfaries are giant humanoids that evolved from the interbreeding of ancient species. Often people assume they are all arses for their rigid attitude, but some are not as bad, especially if they left Gandew kingdom to explore the world at a younger age. Their lifespan and intelligence are above humans, contradicting some of the Gandew archaic-looking traditions—I guess it does depend on what you define as archaic. By the way, if you're the type who picks up fights when you get slouched, then you should avoid alcohol, as it's easier for a White Roundie to bring you a gold nugget than a Darfaries to say no to a fight. They also sport the largest Darfaries Veins compared to Wozefaries & Sorefaries, so the sheer volume allows them to sense Soul Energy disturbances around them, plus a rough sensation of humidity, wind, and barometric pressure—it’s like how they say, if a Darfaries tells you to buy an umbrella, you better buy one!
Darfaries Veins
Darfaries, Wozefaries, and Sorefaries show the markings of controlled flight through Soul Energy specialized nerves that appear as veins, at least to the untrained eye, throughout the upper body.
Due to their size, Darfaries cannot fly, but they can somewhat dampen their fall from approximately three-story buildings. Wozefaries can dampen their fall from up to ten-story buildings, while Sorefaries can control their attitude at will.
When attempting to control their flight or dampen their fall, a white flame appears on their Darfaries’ veins. This flame becomes black as its strength changes, constantly adapting to the user's desire to balance or propel themselves through the air. The sensation is close to a jetpack as they use their arms and upper back to control it while their feet dangle freely. It requires training and emphasis on building core and neck muscles to maintain control.
Given Darfaries sport the most prominent Darfaries veins, its sheer additional volume allows them to finely sense Soul Energy disturbances around them, plus a rough sensation of humidity, wind, and barometric pressure—it’s like how they say, if a Darfaries tells you to buy an umbrella, you better buy one!
Finaies
Finaies are known as the primordial race. All other intellectual beasts, except humans, came from them in one shape or another. They are weak in one-to-one combat, but they have strength in numbers as they can willingly share or suck soul energy from anyone and anything. Rumors are that there’s still some left north of Hifuna, but getting there is likely impossible, even if you go there through the desert or the ocean instead. Only truly crazy people would dare. Everything that is known about them came through stealing ancient species’ knowledge, so it is believed to be slanted in quite a negative light. Or not. One day people will figure it out.
Fuhraies
Fuhraies are the third off-branch from Finaies. They are considered extinct for all intents and purposes, but you might still find one living hidden away in the coldest regions around Fuhrair or old Fuhrair. They are peaceful, single-gendered creatures that appear to live thousands of years. Their only sustenance is the soul energy from their surroundings. Historians are always on the prowl to find one, but so do poachers. Luckily they speak Vraki like everyone else, and they have been an essential part of figuring out what happened before Buhraies summoned humans.
Humans (Naked Bruntos)
Humans, also known as Naked Bruntos, are de facto the biggest race out there. From what scientists have pieced together from what was left of the Buhraies civilization, humans were either created or somehow manipulated from within the soul as an evolution from Bruntos—a monkey specimen that is also foreign to the land. The genuine reasons for Bunhraies doing all of this are still debated today, from playthings to blood cattle or pure research to ground troops for attacking Lishies—or maybe them all since Buhraies didn't share a collective mindset. Either way, humans grew uncontrollable despite their harsh situation. Eventually, they threw off the balance of life of the ancient species and nearly wiped everything off the map, almost itself in the process as well, given all the humans killing each other after Ganyrami fell. Luckily, the Prosperity Treaty put a stop to all the bloodshed—at least the worst of it.
Lishies
Lishies answer a simple riddle “what if you removed the Darfaries interface from Darfaries and gave them a bunch of drugs instead?” That’s basically what this race is. They could not use their soul energy as they lacked an interface to pump it through or the knowledge to use it. Nobody knows exactly, but either way, they didn’t seem to care either, as their viciously tribalistic manners more than made up for it. You could cut off one of their arm and a leg, and they wouldn’t flinch as they tried to bash your head in, sodomize your corpse until you looked like swiss cheese, then skewer it to roast it nicely over a warm fire for extra crispiness—because you can’t let good meat go to waste! At least they really seem to have gone extinct after the fall of Ganyrami.
Sorefaries
Sorefaries are like humanoid pets, with intelligence closer to Bruntos or like a really smart Cruro. They can be helpful companions for adventurers as they can energetically fly about and sneakily scout ahead for dangers, or you can make use of their surplus of soul energy that can reach ancient species levels, but you need to be careful finding the right fit for you as they are finicky with their emotional behaviors—far, far worse than having a Sayna. Another fair comparison would be like having a five-year-old kid as your companion, except they will never grow up and become more finicky instead as they often grow senile in their thirties. Also, for some unknown reason, their sweat smells flowery, like roses and lilac. Maybe that has something to do with them being sterile.
Wozefaries
Wozefaries are basically a smaller version of Darfaries, with intelligence and lifespan closer to a human's, with most of them having a petite, weaker build. Their protruding bottom teeth are also not as protruding as Darfaries, and they tend to be much more willing to strike up a conversation with a stranger at a bar. They seem more flexible and independent overall—although this is likely led more due to environmental factors than genes as all Wozefaries (and Sorefaries) born in Gandew are thrown out of the Goodbye Cliff and have to grow up in Flatland orphanages.