Humans - What it says on the tin. By the Starquake generation, humans are looked at as overly enthusiastic, reckless, fast-paced bruisers. Some see them as a second coming of the Diabolin, self-centered and expansionist, with their nuclear-powered rockets and unstable warp drives. Still, their ingenuity and quick reaction time make them valued as the new kid in class, the willing lab rat testing the frontier.
Elves - Elves come from a low-tech world of vast, sweeping forests and intense natural beauty and wildness. Given to music, woodcraft, art, & philosophy, elves are nimble and keen-eyed, but fragile & weak-willed, and have none of the benefits of technology, living rustic, simple lives. These are NOT the same elves as those from January/the Federation of Hel.
Gorgons - Gorgons have brightly tinted skin; prehensile tentacles for hair with sensitive eyespots (average 3 cm, anything from 5 mm to 5 cm is possible) that pick up on electromagnetic pulses, fine tactile sensations and air pressure changes; the ability to slowly calcify what they touch or breathe on, based on mineral emissions from glands (females have more of these glands than males, and all Gorgons can take a suppressant to stop the calcification effect). They have chromatophores and structural iridescence in their skin, but only enough to lighten, darken, or shimmer, not enough to entirely change color. An individualistic people who prefer to dwell underground, Gorgons are very practical, often cranky and withdrawn, with poor long-range vision & light sensitivity. Gorgons are accomplished biochemists, architects, and engineers, making organic ceramics and mineral compounds. Gorgons tend to live to about 200 years old.
Hecatites - Humanoids who can grow crystalline structures from within their bodies. Hectatites have a great deal of scientific advancement, but they tend not to use tools except what they grow, instead focusing on the disciplined acquisition of knowledge & yogi-like control of themselves . Hecatites tire easily and are vulnerable to loud noises and bludgeoning, but have much keener intellects than other species. Hecatites typically live two to three centuries, and determine adulthood not by age but by exam results, with most ‘teens’ passing these critical tests somewhere between 20 and 50 years old.
Spartoi - Warlike, with bone spurs, a scattering of scales, and a wide range of mutations (they do not fly or glide, but can be amphibious or arboreal: think half-dragons or new-Trek Klingons more than orcs), Spartoi are an authoritarian, impatient, and militaristic people. Passionate and loyal, they are not intellectual by nature and scavenge most of their tools and technology. Spartoi Champions have a shorter life expectancy and a greater chance of going Adversary or Pillar than they do Oracle, but Spartoi Oracles are remarkable for their psychological knowledge of how to bring peace and calm to any situation.
Vodyanoi - Aquatic, with finned ears, shining, smooth scales, & mild hydrokinetic abilities, the Vodyanoi are a naturally timid race of observers, slight in stature, with quick maturation and shorter lifespans. As such, Vodyanoi advance from Champion to Oracle very quickly, so Vodyanoi Champions tend to be overworked, yet inexperienced, burdened with far too much advice and inclined to indecision & paralysis.
Diabolin - A horned, grey and black-skinned psionic species who do not sleep or dream, but process their mental energies in an unstable mood and perception cycle while awake. Considered volatile, untrustworthy, and dangerous. The oldest and most scattered civilization, the Diabolin ruled an interstellar empire with many colonies during the Adversary generation, and were the first species to visit Earth, Faerie, & Hecate in their respective dark ages, starting legends of demons and goblins. By the Starquake generation, a few Diabolin still keep genetically altered Elven slaves - but their golden age is passed, and they now suffer from many congenital psychic diseases and instabilities. With their homeworld lost and forgotten between the Adversary and Double Valence generations, Diabolin live on many colony worlds or on massive ships, and have little organized central authority. Much of their ancient technology is now beyond their power to use. Since they do not sleep, Diabolin are not directly present in Questing Country the same way members of other species are, but their imperialistic, volatile nature can make them a common feature in many species’ nightmares.
Synthetics - Artificial intelligences taking on humanoid form to experience the world, most synthetics achieve consciousness by the melding of two or more intelligent programs uploaded onto a utilitarian platform that bears at least a passing resemblance to a sentient species. Common among humans (Starquake generation only) and Hecatites, less respected and with shorter lifespans among the latter-day Diabolin, and entirely illegal (but not unheard of) among the Gorgons, synthetics are universally second-class citizens, as they can download their consciousness into other bodies and are often considered a disposable labor caste. Only among humans is there a recognized, organized robotic rights movement. Some synthetics have platforms which are indistinguishable on initial examination from their species of choice, except by the psionic senses of the Diabolin. In the Adversary generation, Synthetics had yet to be invented. They are very new to Questing Country as of the Starquake generation, and still extremely rare - generally, it takes the power of a Valence to open the pathway into Questing Country for one.
Other - Players may feel free to devise other species that play with fantasy and magical tropes and have about this mixture of strengths and weaknesses. Non-human Investigators are welcome to use their base form, so long as that form is capable of dreaming.
Cyborgs - Many people who interface with high technology have cybernetic implants in their bodies or brains, giving them additional knowledge or abilities. Cybernetics are not merely prosthetics, but built-in tools adding new hardware to the human condition. Cybernetics are common in all spacefaring species, but there is still some stigma to becoming implanted with machines that change what you're capable of or how you think. In Questing Country, your body is dependent solely upon your self-image, so some people with cybernetics will see themselves with functional cybernetics, and some people will see themselves with only their original body parts; that’s entirely a player decision.
The Conditioned - The Conditioned are people who have embraced a discipline of hypnosis, meditation, and heightened physical sensitivity to unlock the true potential of their bodies and minds. While some Conditioned are Dreamers, the ‘physics’ of Questing Country are too subjective to group consensus to allow their Conditioning to function, with one exception: Oracles and Adversaries who know how to use Conditioned Hypnosis may still do so. Oracles should be cautious about this; it is not their role to exert coercive power over others, and they risk a Fall.
SPECIES (EXPANDED INFO)
Elves - Elves come from a low-tech world of vast, sweeping forests and intense natural beauty and wildness. Given to music, woodcraft, art, & philosophy, elves are nimble and keen-eyed, but fragile & weak-willed, and have none of the benefits of technology, living rustic, simple lives. These are NOT the same elves as those from January/the Federation of Hel.
Gorgons - Gorgons have brightly tinted skin; prehensile tentacles for hair with sensitive eyespots (average 3 cm, anything from 5 mm to 5 cm is possible) that pick up on electromagnetic pulses, fine tactile sensations and air pressure changes; the ability to slowly calcify what they touch or breathe on, based on mineral emissions from glands (females have more of these glands than males, and all Gorgons can take a suppressant to stop the calcification effect). They have chromatophores and structural iridescence in their skin, but only enough to lighten, darken, or shimmer, not enough to entirely change color. An individualistic people who prefer to dwell underground, Gorgons are very practical, often cranky and withdrawn, with poor long-range vision & light sensitivity. Gorgons are accomplished biochemists, architects, and engineers, making organic ceramics and mineral compounds. Gorgons tend to live to about 200 years old.
Hecatites - Humanoids who can grow crystalline structures from within their bodies. Hectatites have a great deal of scientific advancement, but they tend not to use tools except what they grow, instead focusing on the disciplined acquisition of knowledge & yogi-like control of themselves . Hecatites tire easily and are vulnerable to loud noises and bludgeoning, but have much keener intellects than other species. Hecatites typically live two to three centuries, and determine adulthood not by age but by exam results, with most ‘teens’ passing these critical tests somewhere between 20 and 50 years old.
Spartoi - Warlike, with bone spurs, a scattering of scales, and a wide range of mutations (they do not fly or glide, but can be amphibious or arboreal: think half-dragons or new-Trek Klingons more than orcs), Spartoi are an authoritarian, impatient, and militaristic people. Passionate and loyal, they are not intellectual by nature and scavenge most of their tools and technology. Spartoi Champions have a shorter life expectancy and a greater chance of going Adversary or Pillar than they do Oracle, but Spartoi Oracles are remarkable for their psychological knowledge of how to bring peace and calm to any situation.
Vodyanoi - Aquatic, with finned ears, shining, smooth scales, & mild hydrokinetic abilities, the Vodyanoi are a naturally timid race of observers, slight in stature, with quick maturation and shorter lifespans. As such, Vodyanoi advance from Champion to Oracle very quickly, so Vodyanoi Champions tend to be overworked, yet inexperienced, burdened with far too much advice and inclined to indecision & paralysis.
Diabolin - A horned, grey and black-skinned psionic species who do not sleep or dream, but process their mental energies in an unstable mood and perception cycle while awake. Considered volatile, untrustworthy, and dangerous. The oldest and most scattered civilization, the Diabolin ruled an interstellar empire with many colonies during the Adversary generation, and were the first species to visit Earth, Faerie, & Hecate in their respective dark ages, starting legends of demons and goblins. By the Starquake generation, a few Diabolin still keep genetically altered Elven slaves - but their golden age is passed, and they now suffer from many congenital psychic diseases and instabilities. With their homeworld lost and forgotten between the Adversary and Double Valence generations, Diabolin live on many colony worlds or on massive ships, and have little organized central authority. Much of their ancient technology is now beyond their power to use. Since they do not sleep, Diabolin are not directly present in Questing Country the same way members of other species are, but their imperialistic, volatile nature can make them a common feature in many species’ nightmares.
Synthetics - Artificial intelligences taking on humanoid form to experience the world, most synthetics achieve consciousness by the melding of two or more intelligent programs uploaded onto a utilitarian platform that bears at least a passing resemblance to a sentient species. Common among humans (Starquake generation only) and Hecatites, less respected and with shorter lifespans among the latter-day Diabolin, and entirely illegal (but not unheard of) among the Gorgons, synthetics are universally second-class citizens, as they can download their consciousness into other bodies and are often considered a disposable labor caste. Only among humans is there a recognized, organized robotic rights movement. Some synthetics have platforms which are indistinguishable on initial examination from their species of choice, except by the psionic senses of the Diabolin. In the Adversary generation, Synthetics had yet to be invented. They are very new to Questing Country as of the Starquake generation, and still extremely rare - generally, it takes the power of a Valence to open the pathway into Questing Country for one.
Other - Players may feel free to devise other species that play with fantasy and magical tropes and have about this mixture of strengths and weaknesses. Non-human Investigators are welcome to use their base form, so long as that form is capable of dreaming.
Cyborgs - Many people who interface with high technology have cybernetic implants in their bodies or brains, giving them additional knowledge or abilities. Cybernetics are not merely prosthetics, but built-in tools adding new hardware to the human condition. Cybernetics are common in all spacefaring species, but there is still some stigma to becoming implanted with machines that change what you're capable of or how you think. In Questing Country, your body is dependent solely upon your self-image, so some people with cybernetics will see themselves with functional cybernetics, and some people will see themselves with only their original body parts; that’s entirely a player decision.
The Conditioned - The Conditioned are people who have embraced a discipline of hypnosis, meditation, and heightened physical sensitivity to unlock the true potential of their bodies and minds. While some Conditioned are Dreamers, the ‘physics’ of Questing Country are too subjective to group consensus to allow their Conditioning to function, with one exception: Oracles and Adversaries who know how to use Conditioned Hypnosis may still do so. Oracles should be cautious about this; it is not their role to exert coercive power over others, and they risk a Fall.