Post by Nosuchthing on Sept 8, 2013 22:48:28 GMT
Non-humans
Kandra
In their natural form the Kandra resemble Mistwraiths, however, as a result of Hemalurgic spikes, or ‘blessings’ as they refer to them, the Kandra are sentient and possess the ability to manipulate their own form, apparently at will. Each blessing gives them a different benefit, either improved senses, strength, intelligence, or emotional stability. More interestingly, however, they are able to take the form of a dead body, human or animal, if given its bones freshly enough. They are flawless actors, often observing and, when possible, interrogating their target for weeks in order to impersonate them most effectively. The Kandra keep their origins a secret, and their very existence is hidden from the public by the elite and powerful of Scadrial. Still, some idea of them has crept into popular mythology as the "Faceless Immortals", servants of Harmony. It is true that most of the Kandra serve Harmony, but some of them have, for unknown reasons, chosen to leave Kandra society and mingle among humans, hiring out themselves and their shapeshifting abilities for use as spies and informants. These Kandra refuse to speak about their race, beliefs, or reasons for leaving.
Kandra are virtually immortal. They can survive sustained assault with most weapons; the only truly effective weapon against them is acid. Despite this Kandra do not seek conflict with humans, preferring to run and hide rather than fight, due to the fact they can be controlled by certain kinds of allomancers.
Though created through Hemalurgy, the Kandra are spiked when they are Mistwraiths, and so in fact gain some measure of humanity from the process. Also, instead of granting Feruchemical or Allomantic abilities they instead grant stable, consistent qualities. These spikes are referred to by the Kandra as blessings. There are four kinds used by the Kandra. They are:
1. Blessing of Awareness - Tin
The Kandra is granted increased senses in much the same manner as an Allomancer burning tin.
2. Blessing of Potency - Iron
Similar to Allomantically burning pewter, a Kandra with the Blessing of Potency is granted great strength, even greater than a pewterarm, though it does not grant the near tireless energy of burning pewter.
3. Blessing of Presence - Copper
This pair of spikes grants increased mental capability including the ability to focus through pain, discomfort or distraction, an exceptionally sharp memory, resistance to insanity and an inability to fall unconscious due to shock. This blessing thereby counteracts some of the mental weaknesses usually associated with Hemalurgy.
4. Blessing of Stability - Zinc
The most uncommon blessing, zinc spikes gift the receiver with emotional fortitude, granting them an increased resistance to emotional Allomancy.
Until recently Kandra spies demanded, for unknown reasons, payment in the metals of tin, iron, copper, and pewter (in fact, these were the materials their spikes were made from). Since the Day of Return, however, Kandra have begun demanding payment in Atium, dramatically increasing the expense of their services.
Mistwraiths – NPC only
Once the Feruchemists of the Terris Worldbringers, the Lord Ruler turned all those he feared may remember the prophecies of the Well of Ascension into the creatures known as Mistwraiths, losing their memories and sentience in the process. They appear as amorphous blobs, without shape, that are dependent on absorbing the bones of other creatures in order to develop a shape. Their lack of sentience however leads to these shapes often appearing to be many species horrifically warped and mixed into one. Mistwraith’s are entirely harmless, essentially scavengers that consume and digest the carcasses of dead creatures, using the bones to structure and develop their own bodies.
In modern Scadrial the origins of the Mistwraiths have been long forgotten, and they are looked upon mainly as mysterious creatures of the night.
Koloss - NPC Only
The koloss are an impressively large and physically powerful race of blue-skinned bestial creatures created by the Lord Ruler with the use of Hemalurgy. After the fall of the Lord Ruler and the rise of Harmony the koloss were transformed into a tribal race which could breed just like normal humans.
Koloss are capable of growing to as tall as twelve feet tall, with all the bulk and muscle that goes with that. Young koloss often appear fat as a result of their excess skin, a koloss’ skin does not grow with the rest of their body, so as they grow taller the skin appears to fit better, until they reach their greatest size, at which point the skin often appears too small and stretched, even ripped and bloody. Shortly after a koloss reaches this size they usually die, their heart unable to support their sheer size.
The only real abilities of a koloss are their great size and their superhuman strength, greater even than a pewterarm, however, these enhanced abilities came at a price. The koloss are particularly unintelligent, and while they are possessed of a certain basic intelligence, humans are far more intelligent. A side effect of this lesser intelligence is their notorious anger, koloss are prone to flying into bouts of furious rage with almost no provocation. It is said they have only two emotions: boredom and rage. Koloss are capable of breeding with humans, though this typically happens when a younger Koloss rapes a human woman.
Koloss live almost exclusively in the Roughs and the wild areas of the world, they live in tribal societies, their lack of intelligence preventing them from any advances in culture or technology. Their only real technology is the ability to forge iron, which they use to make massive swords for themselves too large for any human, save one burning pewter, to lift. Some of them exist in the ruined human cities from before the Origin, though they seem unable or unwilling to rebuild them. They have been known to attack those seeking the God metals, though what drives them to do so is unknown.
In modern Scadrial, the origins of the Koloss have been forgotten and they are looked upon as savage predators, a danger to those who would explore the uncivilized parts of the world.
Harmony - NPC Only
Harmony is the name given by the being who claimed to have originally saved humanity during the days of the Final Ascension. Harmony claimed to have remade the world following that unknown disaster, and claimed to have written the Words of Founding with their advice for humanity. Harmony is held to be a god by the religion of Pathism, though Pathists do not worship Harmony directly, claiming that doing good works is the proper worship Harmony demands. Pathists also claim to be able to hear Harmony's voice while wearing their holy earrings. Denying the existence of Harmony is known as atheism.
Secretly, some Pathists whisper to each other that Harmony has been strangely quiet since the Day of Return...
Ironeyes - NPC Only
In popular Scadrial mythology, Ironeyes is commonly held to be a sort of bogyman or an angel of death figure- "meeting old Ironeyes" is a common euphemism for death. Children are occasionally admonished to "Go to school or Ironeyes will take you!" The religion of Sliverism, however, reveres Ironeyes as a deity. Ironeyes is, unfortunately, all too real, though he claims his intentions are more benign than are usually attributed to him...
His name comes from the popular depiction of him as a hulking, human-shaped being with dozens of metal spikes protruding from his body, including one through each eye.
