THE RACES OF RAGNAROCK The nine main races that dwell and battle for their Gods of Metal, this is their background, style, and animosity that they possess with one another.
Humans-Background: The creation of the Warlord, Odyiir. Humanity is one of the largest races that were created on Ragnarock, spread across the world. Starting more like barbaric nomads, until their God, the God of Heavy Metal bestowed onto them many gifts from songs of rage, to great bravery and skill in battle, to creativity in forging armor, weapons, crafting, and unity. As time went on the created civilizations for their kind, carving out their own order and culture around heavy metal, surpassing their original nomadic state. Through unity they forged bonds with each other and build great cities on the various continents of the world, and provide hearth to their kin and fellow men. Humans are commonly lead by one of their most favored by Odyiir, great kings blessed by the Kingmaker. Masters of the guitar, and possessing voice of great force and rage, making them the perfect embodiment of Heavy Metal. Humans are quite capable fighters, and possess a wide arrange of songcraft, and numerous overwhelming their enemies with warriors, wargsongs, and bombarding them of catapults rocks. Style: They have a stereotypical style of metal heads, resembling 1960s rockers and warriors, baring medieval armor highly stylized in the ways of Heavy Metal. Mortal Enemies-Dökkálfar, Demons, and Wraiths.
Dökkálfar-Background: The race born from the cruel God of Drone Metal, Vaag. They are dökkálfar or as the other races know them as dark elves, are a race of longevity, pride, and sinnical nature. These humanoid beings of grayish skin and long ears, are the embodiment of cruelty, malice, and sadism incarnate. Barers of echoing voices that reverbs and cause great amount of misery to the weak and meek. The dark elves have a culture that involves strength matter the most, and the weak get crushed, enslaved, and slaughtered, this comes from their God the Deep One's own mentality. Dökkálfar are quite agile race, wielding spiked blades to cut down their victims in excruciating agony. Using the power of Sound, to enhance their dark emotions, abilities, and crumble their victims in powerful reverberating blasts of their warsongs and songcraft. They made their domain in the darkest forests of Ragnarock, were they combine dark steel and wood to make their dwelling, were they torment their victims that weren't killed during one of their raids. While they worship Vaag, and adore the sounds of his Drone Metal, the dökkálfar fear the wrath of the God above all, hence any failure or cowardness displayed by one of their kin is meet with vicious and cruel punishment, as a method to appease the anger of the Deep One and in turn prevent his wrath from befallen them all. Style: Light grey skinned, red-eyed, white haired elves, that while incredibly beautiful they are also twisted in style, wearing black leather and spiked dark armor, some even take image of their God's visage as mask and icons in their gear. Mortal Enemies-Humans, Haunts, Nightbourne.
Dwarves-Background: The children of the Ironfather, Ghargrimm the God of Folk Metal. Made in the image of their adored God, as their God used earth and ores of Ragnarock to make them. While stunt in height, they possess great physical strength, mighty resilience, high emotions, and masters of the forge. Capable fighters able to take and deal a nasty punch on their enemies, preferring the hammer or hand-cannon in battle, while singing great folk metal songs in praise of their Ironfather. The creators of artificial creatures of battel known as Golem, modeled after fallen heroes so their memories and legacy can live on, beside their kin forever. Able to smith and forge things of greater levels than humanity, using those same talent to make their home and grand kingdom underneath mountains, just like the Ironfather has done long ago. Grand kingdoms of stone and steel, carved and forge underneath the great mountains, even making massive set of drums, the sacred instrument of their Ironfather, playing them either of times of great merriment or war. For their offering to their dear God, Ghargrimm, he gifted them with the greatest golden nectar, that all dwarves love, mead. Great breweries were constructed in every dwarven undercity, across the great mountains of Ragnarock. While they have a truce with humans and djin, they have clashed sometimes, when they slitted is that situation then they fought against the humans or djin. But dwarves possessing great honor never betray their kin, or allies only if disrespect or disgraced than that dishonor must be answered for, commonly in blood, hence the reputation of the anger and stubborness of the dwarves is well known across the races. Style: Classic heavy armored dwarves, with a metal twist and a lot of viking/folk iconography on their culture and style. Mortal Enemies-Gnolls, Wraiths, Haunts.
Nightbourne-Background: A race created by the Maddening, the God of Doom Metal, Hietsh. Creatures of horror, some humanoid, some more fiendish. From behemoth with various cages over their heads, to other nightmares. They are the Akhir or as the other races know them as Nightbourne. Embracing the nightmarish visions of their God, Hietsh, playing the symphonies of doom and despair in joy and admonish to the Madness Maker. Welcoming all souls that hear and accept the Metal of Madness of their benevolent deity, thus humans that have taken to model themselves as Hietsh, and forsake sanity and their previous selves become Nighttouched. They wander across Ragnarock spreading the glory of insanity and converting those that hear their God's Doom Metal, while punishing those that oppose the majesty of madness. In matter of settlements, the Nightbourne don't possess their own mostly residing in ruins and fallen cities that have fallen to the thrall of Hietsh's Metal. In combat the Nightbourne rush in using claw, massive macabre weapons, and giant flails using intimidation and superior strength and power to crush their enemies, while the Nighttouched act as their Warsingers, and healers for their Nightbourne brethren. A unnatural gloom and doom follows wherever the Nightbourne go or reside, thus showing their territories and approach clearly to all. Surprisingly the Gnolls are very aggressive towards the Nightbourne, but for them the truest enemy is the Demons for they dared to corrupt the glorious art of their God. Style: Basically Silent Hill meets Doom Metal, their Nightbourne and touched possess the nightmarish vibe of SH, while embracing hardcore Metal. Mortal Enemies-Demons, Dökkálfar, Gnolls.
Gnolls-Background: The spawns of the Feral Beast, Yathyuah the God of Grindcore Metal. The maker of the Gnolls the most savage and warmongering race in all of Ragnarock. Gnoll are canine beastmen of yellowish-gray to brown fur, with various colored manes from red to brown. They are the embodiment of chaos and feral fury, bonding and tamming the wildest beasts like wargs, and more. Very strong and wild both in nature and battle, able to breed in fast pace and large number. Thriving in the jungles and savanna areas of the world, forming great temples of stone and bone in honor of their God. For them Yathyuah, the Fanged God is the giver of everything war, fighting, blood, strength, fury, and many other things that the gnolls love. Playing chaotic Metal that is Grindcore cause they love it, and also playing throughout the day, nonstop even in battle. They offer the meat they gain from hunts, and slain enemies are giving to their Fanged God on every full-moon in exchange of him playing a specific song, that will bless them with a Red Moon that makes them more ferocious and bloodthirsty. Gnolls are brutal fighters using various weapons, made from bone, collected scrap from armor and weapons from slain enemies, and known to mark everything with icons of Yathyuah, as a horned gnoll. Gnolls are known to scavage and loot from the other races, and having a extreme hatred towards the Dwarves, seeing their Metal as a affront to their God's Metal. Style: Hyena-gnolls, very barbaric and tribal wearing scrapped together armor from metal and bone, with great manes that they stylish anyway they want. Mortal Enemies-Dwarves, Humans, Nightbourne.
Wraiths-Background: The minions of the Soulkeeper, the God of Death Metal, Leddah. They are the resurrected dead from other races, mainly humans. These undead are a scourge to the living, and are called by the living as Wraiths. These undead beings emenate constant cold and frost, harnessing the power of icy death through their own body or through warsongs. Most of these skeletal and ghoulish beings are soulless, but those that manage to gain Leddah's notice are ascended to higher tier of undead, known as Liches. Liches are the sentient and intelligent, commanders of the legions of wraiths, as well as the warsingers of their race. Like their Ever Hungry God, they adhore the living, and only their Metal is the purest and the one that shall remain in a dead world. In combat they act as they are a scrounge, attacking in various ways acting as a horde, slowing encroaching and overwhelming their victims, all that fall join them in undeath replenishing their fallen. All their settlements are frozen catacombs underneath the earth, which has sparked many wars and hatred between the dwarves and their kind, but their truest mortal enemies are the Djin. For the djin disrupted the God, Leddah's, merciful act of ending all life through a never ending winter, but they use their vile Metal of Fire to destroy the gift that their, ever since the Wraiths and Djin have been mortal enemies. Style: Skeletons and zombies with a metal style, glowing frost blue "eyes", covered in frosty aura, and their higher kin wear dark frost armor. Mortal Enemies-Djin, Dwarves, Haunts.
Djin-Background: The mystical creations of the God of Symphonic Metal, Araghei. Born from the mystical properties of symphonic source of Fire, creating various Djin. From the fire itself the ifrit, from the air of the warm fires came the jinn, from the most devoted humans that earned Araghei's favor were transformed into jann, from ore and flesh of the beasts of the desert hinn, and lastly the greatest warsingers among them the marid. Originally the djin were created as companions to the desert nomads that were the first to worship the Fire God, embrace the symphonies he played but eventually most if not all those humans became djin and forever serve the Sorceror God King. Djin are mainly elemental beings, that have majestic humanoid form, apart from the hinn, very emotional and adorers of life in all it's aspects. They turned the once harsh desert, into a great empire with architecture mosques, madrassas, and palaces of marble, gold, and precious jewels. Now the desert are their empire paradise, welcoming nomads and travellers from human and dwarven kingdoms, making some connections between them. Sharing their God artistic values and joys, for this and their great abundance of wealth they formed a truce with the humans and dwarves. They build great pyre of fire, alway inlite in honor of their Fire God, and the symphonic nature of fire and hearth. In battle they wield unique weapons from chacklams, scimitars, and various instruments, for they are quite possibly the greatest magical race in Ragnarock, with many, many warsingers and warsongs. Their Fire God also known as the Eternal Flame, once saved the world from ever deadly winter, thus resulting in them and the minions of the Soulkeeper, responsible for the eternal winter, have intense animosity to one another. Becoming mortal enemies ever since. Style: Arabian style genies/djin of various type, wearing golden and exotic clothing and accessories, while having some inspiration from Metal covers of 1960s. Mortal Enemies-Wraiths, Demons, Dökkálfar.
Demons-Background: Made from the darkness, chaotic forces, and fears of the other races of Ragnarock. Demons are the spawns of the Abyssal Lords, the first demons made from the Corruptor, Karnak. These thirteen Abyssal Lords or simply known by humanity as the Demon Lords are the sons of the Dark God, and they in turn made the rest of demonkind in their desired image. This resulted in a dark race with many sub-races and types of demons, that worship and rever their respected Abyssal Lord and their God above them all. Demons are chaos and darkness incarnate, monsters of malice and wickedness who are the creators of darker varients of instruments and metal-blessed weapons. Their dark and horrific notes and songs, corrupt all that affected by the dark melodies, from souls and beast all can fall to the Metal of Corruptor. They exist to insure Karnak's will, slaughtering, destroying everything especially the places of worship, altars and consorts of the other Gods. Revenge for rejecting their Dark God, and driving him into the abyss, demons fight using many warsongs and rituals to conjure more of their kind, and tearing victims apart in brutal melee. The demons constructed great dark cathedral and castles across the darkest reached of Ragnarock, were one of the Abyssal Lord reign over legions of various demons, insuring Karnak's will be done, and their dark ambitions are achieved. Demons despise humanity for they are the main cause of their God's original pain, and they take twisted pleasure in corrupting, tormenting, killing, and enslaving humans. But apart from humanity, Karnak and the demons crave more, the entirety of Ragnarock corrupted and in the thrall of darkness. Style: Various monsters and demonic creatures, with the lesser of their kinds resembling the classic metal devil, and higher ranking demons having their own style and design based of dark metal. Mortal Enemies-Humans, Nightbourne, Djin.
Haunts-Background: The beloved children of Thajjin, God of Metalcore. From her tears and midnight waters were the Haunt born. Lost souls that once forgotten their names, form, and emotions, but by soulful singing of their Goddess. Thus from the pools of Thajjin's tears and water they were reborn with all that once lost recovered, with exception of sensation of pain. So these bluish skinned race, grateful for the kindness of the Crying Mother, started to suffer great injures and lost of limbs, but Thajjin wasn't able to let go and thus saved them, making the Haunts pseudo-immortal, akin to undead by still alive. They have taken to paint much of their faces, hair, nails, and clothing black in honor of their Goddess and Metalcore. For they are the most emotion driven race in Ragnarock, but hard place to express it in any form either than their warsongs and singing in honor of their Soulful Maiden. The Haunts make their home in a cold artic island, making their settlements across the friggid coasts, making fountain statues in the image of their Goddess, were her tears continue to fall and more of their kind can be born, singing in temples made of withered wood and wreckage of ships that fail to reach their island. But one time when the Wraiths, came to their shores and a great battle occurred many haunts perished to repel the undead scourge, and Thajjin mourn them and began crying in sorrow, causing the black tear pools and the tides to rise in a great pace. Fearing what could happen should their Crying Mother, continue to suffer in sorrow, the Haunts left their island and went to the mainlands raiding and capturing people of other races, dragging them back to their island to be sacrifice and managing to appease and cheer their Goddess from her sorrow. Since then after a while or during the cries of Thajjin the Haunts invade the mainlands to gather sacrifices to prevent what can be a world ending calamity. Haunts method of battle is to charge slowly ahead, no worried from enemy attack for they are able to willstand massive amount of damage before falling, using variety of haunts to attack in various forms, and perform such soul-renching warsongs that they can reach the enemy with little worries. Style: Very Goth and Emo styled rockers, with a undead/gothic horror anesthetic, with blue or bluish skin with a lot of black. Mortal Enemies-Nightbourne, Dökkálfar, Wraiths.
THE NINE SOURCES OF METAL The primary forces of power and magic, formed by the Eight Metals, bound to one source specifically through singing and playing instruments in the style of Metal, can the race call fort the power of one of these eights sources, and calling upon their God to smite their enemies in the melody of their Metal.
Rage-The source of power from Heavy Metal. Bestowed and wielded by mankind, singing in great force and fury. Granting the warsingers with great source of strength and bravery to face any of their enemies. Making those blessed by Metal Source of Rage, to have great charisma and force of will. The warsingers of Heavy Metal are able conjure fort great forces of nature from shaking of the earth, summoning a great storm, and more. Human say that Rage is the actual fury of the Warlord, smiting the enemy of humankind. The greatest instrument used to act as the catalyze to channel the power of Rage is the Guitar, as such the humans are the greatest guitarists warsingers of Ragnarock.
Sound-The source of power from Drone Metal. Gifted and mastered by the dökkálfar/dark elves of Vaag. A force that echoes sounds, shrieks, notes and riffs into a maddening forces meant to cripple and crush the weak. Marking those blessed by Metal Source of Sound, with great voices of power to command and destroy those standing with or against the blessed. The warsingers of Drone Metal are able to conjure great sonic waves, reverbs of maddening agony, detect the sounds of the souls of their victims and other forces of cruelty. The dark elves believe that Sound, all Sound came originally from their God, Vaag, and the other Metal corrupted his songs. The greatest instruments used to act as the catalyze to channel the power of Sound is the Echoing Scepter/Mic and Echoing Altar/Amp, as such the dökkálfar are the greatest vocalist warsingers of Ragnarock.
Steel-The source of power from Folk Metal. The gift that is the birthright and honor of the dwarves, children of Ghargrimm. The Source that commands the metals and ores of the world, Steel in its literal sense, from enhancing and blessing forges and works of steel, to strengthening the might of iron and silver striking or struck. Marking those blessed by Metal Source of Steel, are master smiths, forgers, and runemakers of underkingdoms of the dwarves. The warsingers of Folk Metal are capable of not only strengthing the armors, weapons, and golems of their kin but making their strikes strongers and mightier, from causing metal pillars to erupt out the ground, and even force the metallic equipment of their enemies to weaken or divert the direction of swinging. The dwarves believe that Steel is sacred, a gift bestowed to them by kin of their God, and in turn to them, hence it must be maintain and respected. The greatest instrument used to channel the power of Steel is the Drums especially played with well forged hammers, as such the dwarves are the greatest drummer warsingers of Ragnarock.
Madness-The source of power from Doom Metal. The dreadful and majestic gift from Hietsh to not only his cherish Nightbourne but all that listen to its melodies. The Source of Madness, transformed the broken and hopeless into nighttouched, and causes great mental anguish to those that "allow" the melody of despair into their minds, hearts, and beings. Marking those blessed by Metal Source of Madness, are the most demented, and twisted making them more alike their Madness Maker. The warsingers of Doom Metal are capable of making melodies that cause mental horrors and pain that drives the weak-willed mad, provoke illusionations, manifest nightmares that become more nightbourne. The nightbourne and nighttouched believe that Madness and Doom Metal is Hietsh's greatest gift to all, hence they play and share their Metal to all. The greatest instrument used to channel the power of Madness is the Electric Piano or Base, as such the nighttouched are the greatest pianists warsingers of Ragnarock.
Blood-The source of power from Grindcore Metal. The wild, chaotic and out of control gift the Fanged God gave the gnolls. The chaotic, sounds of Grindcore is meant to command and enhance the savagery of beasts. Marking those blessed by Metal Source of Blood, are the most chaotic and wild gnolls that play endlessly empowering and enraging the packs and beasts, but more importantly to honor their God, Yathyuah, to bless them with the Red Moon to further enhance their rage and bloodlust. The warsingers of Grindcore Metal are utter maniacs that are capable of conjuring great beasts constructs that attack and tear into their prey, trigger greater levels of bloodlust and savagery to their packs and beasts, and also heal wounds from the their bodies. The gnolls believe that Blood is the ultimate gift to all beasts and creatures, and through blood and Grindcore, can all be as pure in their primal form. The greatest instrument used to channel the power of Blood is the Echo Guitar, as such the gnolls are more like the most craziest guitarist warsingers of Ragnarock.
Death-The source of power from Death Metal. The cold and the force of death that originates from Soulkeeper, Leddah, and used by the Wraiths. Whispering grasp of freezing death and the undead bring fort untold symphonies that never end, and unstoppable cold. Marking those blessed by Metal Source of Death, are the higher tier of Wraith the Liches, capable of warsinging and commanding not only the undead by rise the dead for endless legions. The warsingers of Death Metal, are a kin to necromancers, resurrecting the dead and even bending souls of the fallen to steal them from the living and in turn empower their fellow wraiths, conjure great deadly blizzards, lances and shards of ice and frost, and much more ghoulish songcraft. The wraith or most specifically the Liches believe that Death is the purest form of Metal, that is ever lasting and harmonious. The greatest instruments used to channel the power of Death, are Guitars and Wisps, as such the wraiths are the greatest toners warsingers of Ragnarock.
Fire-The source of power from Symphonic Metal. The majestic and mystical force of fire that Djin mastered and honor that originate from Araghei. Through the art of Source of Fire, the djin can not only command these mystical flames but bend some element that can align with Fire. Marking those blessed by Metal Source of Fire, bestows the djin with their mystical powers and grand artistic ability to craft, design, compose, and enjoy. The warsingers of Symphonic Metal, can join and harmonize with other warsingers of various instruments and styles, these songs manifest the Source of Fire causing affect like sorcery, aside from casting great fire and flames that can both harm and create, bend the elements of air, earth, and flesh to produce various songcraft, and summoning great artifacts that are produce Fire. The djin believe that Fire is the hearth of unity and their society without it there will only be chaos, so Fire must be cherish and attended for it will bring balance and harmony. The djin use a great variety of instruments, to channel the power of Fire, as such the djin are the greatest harmonists warsingers of Ragnarock.
Darkness-The source of power from Gothic Metal. The dark and horrifying power that belongs to the demons, the gift from the Corruptor, Karnak. The power of this Source, that the demons use to corrupt everything, twisting their souls into the demonic force, and a beacon to perform summonings of demons. Marking those blessed by Metal Source of Darkness, are the most favored by the Dark God bestowing these high and powerful demons with great power, corruptive influence, and the ability to create new breed of demons. The warsingers of Gothic Metal are very powerful demons, capable of conjure great destructive powers that can devastate hundreds, invoke demons align to that demonic legion of that Abyssal Lord, and much more horrific forces. The demons believe that Darkness is the birthplace of everything, everything came from the void and the void shall they return, and as the masters of the void they will regain the world that is rightful there's and of their Metal. The greatest instruments used to channel the power of Darkness are the Electric Guitar and the Violin, as such the demons are the greatest musicians warsingers of Ragnarock.
Emotion-The source of power from Metalcore. The soulful and utterly emotional melodies that Thajjin gifted to the Haunts. The emotional power of these warsongs under the Source of Emotion is impactful and capable of literally touch the souls of beings, enchanted by these notes and chorus. Marking those blessed by Metal Source of Emotion, the greatest expressing their emotion through song and Metal, along with the one most capable of expressing emotion and skills aside from warsinging. The warsingers of Metalcore, have grand expression of emotion and feeling through songs, capable to conjure black tears and waters to gravely affect and attack their enemies, provoke influx of emotions from their enemies, and restore torn parts from their fellow haunts. The haunts believe that Emotion is the most important Source of them all, for emotion is equal to memory, expression, and life. The greatest instrument used to channel the power of Emotion is the Echoing Scepter/Mic, as such the haunts are the greatest singer warsingers of Ragnarock.