World of Æor

The Alatari are, with some argument, the most beautiful race in Æor. Because they share so many physical and mental traits, there is some debate about the relationship between the Alatari and the Sylvari (elves.) The Alatari are taller and thinner than humans. Their skin is pale, but carries tones of gray, brown, and/or green that acts as a kind of camouflage in their natural wooded environment. Thousands of years living in specific sections of forest or mountains change the long-term coloration of the tribes that live there. Besides the skin colors, their most distinctive feature is a pair of enormous feathered wings that grow from their back. The build of the Alatari and their strong, but hollow, bones make them very light. Evolution has given them a fast healing system, but their diets are strict and must be maintained to stay healthy. The wings can be patterned or solidly colored, but tend to compliment their skin and vary greatly from clan to clan–though clan coloration seems to be inherited for most. General height of an adult male ranges from 180-215cm.

Living in the highest places they can find, the Alatari prefer company of their own kind. They are very tolerant of other races, save the Drow, but will not actively seek to interact without reason. Alatari have excellent vision in the standard range for far-away objects and average vision at close range. They have night vision in a limited range. Adult Alatari are longer-lived than humans, some known to have lived a thousand years.

Drow are the race of elves that live out of the sunlight, rarely seen in the company of any other race, except occasionally dwarves. Drow are descended from the same ancestors as the Sylvari (elves) though they evolved along a different path. They are despised by the Alatari and the Sylvari. Drow have poor standard vision during daylight, but excellent deep vision and excellent vision at night in any environment. Their skin tends to be dark with very light hair, generally white. They vary in size similar to humans and have been known to live up to 800 years.

Dwarves thrive in the mountains and hills of Æor. They are a stout and hearty race, bearded (males) and grounded in the rock and dirt. Dwarves live in natural and constructed underground homes. The tend to congregate in great mining communities where they can share tools, tunnels, and other important implements. They love mining for metals, gems, and other rare materials. They range in height from 100cm to 150cm as an adult and have average standard vision in addition to excellent deep vision. Males tend to grow their beards through their entire lifetime as a symbol of seniority and age. Cutting of a beard is never done as a jest, but a trimming is done as one means of punishment. The dwarves tolerate most other races and will coexist with drow without conflict so long as the drow stay out of their mines. They are distrustful of the Sylvari and the Alatari and will avoid contact with them when possible. Dwarves have been known to live 400 years.