Finally, my last nation! It is very similar to my last posted nation since they came from the same place. It basically switches style from a steam punk theme to a magic punk theme.

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Aaeire (Irians) – Formally Naareamians, the people of this nation spend their time studying the forbidden, at least by the Nareamians, arts of the Arcane. Though, they generally take more precautions than their ancestors did due to the destruction of the past.

Within Aaeire, you find two distinct classes of people. First, you have the lore keepers, the learners and teachers. They are old and young, locked in rooms with musty tomes and scrolls trying to learn the weaves and flows of the Arcane. Then, you have the inventors, the entrepreneurs, using the arcane to create their own technology or weapons for the military.

It was during the Shadow Wars that they finally set aside their differences with the Naareamians to send both magical constructs to war right besides steam powered colossal. Though, now at a tense peace, the two nations are still highly competitive as well suspicious of each other. Most of the worlds technology; though, comes from these two nations. Some people prefer magic while others perform machines.

Unlike Naaream, the economy of Aaeire was not significantly damaged by the wars nor was there a new lower class created. The Irians are probably the least affected by the war when it comes to damage and the economy, in fact. Recently, it is believed that Aeire has edged above Naaream in the most power nation of Triunia Major if you ignore the newly arrived Kiwiki.

Style: The cities of Aaeire are built in a very traditional sense with reliable stone in shapes of symbols of power for Arcane. Purple and shades of purple from light to dark are a popular color throughout the city due to its relation to the Arcane powers.

Clothes tend toward robes and robes converted to more standard styles for the non-lore keeper types. Many youths take robes, cut them in to two pieces, and sew the bottom portion into baggy style pants.

Hats of all variety are very popular throughout the cities.

Like Xuru, Knowledge and Art is a big part of Irians’ life. Huge statues are commonplace in the cities, and fountains are found on almost every street corner.

And like their sister nation of Naaream, production and industry are a key point in their life. You’ll find machines and constructs powered by Arcane magic walking up and down cities streets.

Again, like Naaream, Aaeire has become a melting pot of people and cultures.

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Not sure what my next project will be. Possibly a short excerpt from Kiwiki or more Castor Skies.

Yokai Runeweavers

Runeweaver doodles. I can't wait till I'm through all these sketches and can take them to color :)

Art Dump!

Shadowborne Aristocrat

Quick color sketch of a female Shadowborn aristocrat. Well...as colorful as it can be. Those guys sure love their angsty black wardrobes. :P

Here's the male and female side by side.

Yokai: Take Two!

Received some feedback on the first designs and made changes accordingly. I think they're looking more dragon-y now.

Yokai

Just some doodles for the Yokai race. I took the tails off; they were too reminiscent of Draenei.

Race/Class Braindump

I'm gonna go ahead and just leave this right here. Feel free to comment or play off these ideas, or offer suggestions - these are just some of the things that have been knocking about in my head and I wanted to get them down on pixels.


More race possibilities:

Human (working title) - the default race in Triunia. Look like humans but need a different name and backstory.

Shadowborne - Dark, scaly, shadowy, corrupted race. Backstory already established.

Solari - Spritely elves with copper skin and golden hair. They love the outdoors and the daytime. Their home "city" is a giant tree that straddles the banks of a mountain waterfall. It is surrounded by a lush forest and acres upon acres of sunflower fields.

Technosapien - Modified "human race", derogatorily called "tech-heads". These beings have modified themselves using magitech. They travel in huge, creaking vessels that move over the land in colonies, kind of like how the jawas have their sand-crawlers.

Yokai - Japanese/Eastern-influenced race of people with dragon blood in their line, a kind of dragonfey but badass looking. Horns, tails, slit noses, reptilian eyes. Dragon samurai.

Phaunos - Humanoids that have goat legs and horns like satyrs. They live among nature as protectors of the forests and wild places of Triunia. An extremely fierce, tenacious people, they tend to run in small pocket tribes. They have wild hair and wear earth toned leathers and hides.


More class concepts:

Runemaster - Spell DPS class - Combines powerful runes to invoke magic spells. Tattoos all over body of various runes, wards, and symbols. Earns runes as rites of passage. Makes own clothing, sews on runes using magic thread. Very guarded way of magic. Master/student structure of learning. Their temple is found high in the mountains.

Wildheart- Summoner class - A wild person who has chosen to shed society, magic and tech to walk with the earth spirits. Powers come from the blessings of nature and the beasts only. Very connected to the land. Summons animal totems to aid in battle. Deals with animal medicine and nature spirits.

Soulmender - Healer class - Healers who use mudras (sacred hand signs) and astral sigils to bless and cure ailments. Acolytes of this religion travel far and wide looking for children that show inclination towards the healing arts. When one is found, he or she is taken to the House of Oma (their celestial goddess) and trained in the ways of the Mysteries.

Hexxer - DoT DPS & Status ailment class - Dealers in darker magic such as mind control, poisons, hexes and status ailments. Passed down as tradition usually in gypsy families. Those outside of the tradition learn by way of bartering, sometimes with their own power or soul.

Shadowdancer - DPS class - Needs description.

Oracle - Healer class - Upon entering the Order, initiates ritualistically blind themselves so they may use Second Sight magitechnology. Their headquarters is hidden in a secret location within the Baj'ravi Desert. They heal by taking away from their own life pool and giving it to others. They have an ability to build themselves back up so that they don't die from tapping someone else's health who isn't taking damage. Their philosophy towards life is very different from Soulmenders. While Soulmenders look outside to their goddess for strength, Oracles look within for discipline and to find perfect balance.

Warborn - Heavy Melee DPS/Tank class - The children and grandchildren of the 300 year Shadow Wars. From an extremely young age, they learned to fight the oncoming hordes of the Gloom. It is a legacy they continue to proudly and fiercely uphold.

Reaver - Fast Berserking DPS class - This dual-wielding class exists to inflict massive, insane burst damage against targets while needing a certain amount of downtime to recover afterwards. No backstory yet, but feel free to take a look at the history of real Berserkers for any ideas.

Siren - Utility class - Needs description. Bardic class.

The Shadowborne

I thought I would jot down a more comprehensive history for the Shadowborne, one more solid than the one I originally had. Hope you enjoy!
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At the very beginning of the Shadow Wars, the people of Triunia united in full force against their common foe. After the devastating fall of the Xuruian capital, Ayrunu, each ruling nation dispatched an army made up of its country's finest warriors. Confident that their sheer numbers and vast array of magitechnological constructs would prove victorious, they faced off against the Gloom on the immense plains Triunia Major, what is now known today as the Western Wastes.

But during the battle of the First Fall, the enemy unleashed a powerful weapon. A dark, inky concussive wave rolled over the bulk of Triunia’s armies. Hundreds of thousands of Triunia’s finest dematerialized from the physical plane and were reborn into shadow as creatures of the Gloom. Though they vaguely resembled their former selves, their skin had gone scaly and had turned the color of pitch. Dead, tendril-like hair hung limp from their skulls and their eyes glowed ghostly white.

The uncorrupted Triunian soldiers fled in terror. Outmatched and outnumbered, they were slaughtered by their own former brothers and sisters. Only a paltry few survived that day, and those who did ensured that their stories were heard by the nation’s leaders. Word spread across Triunia. The world mourned its gaping loss and hope began to dwindle.

However, due to a genetic defect in the Triunian biological make-up, the newly created shadowspawn began to regain their old memories and allegiances of their former lives. Many could no longer be controlled by their masters and were put down. A former general-turned-shadow by the name of Dayne Corbas led a bold rebellion out of the Gloom and freed his people. All allied under him, calling their new race the Shadowborne.

Corbas' people made valiant attempts to return to their old ways of life and to reintegrate themselves among the rest of Triunia. But these efforts were met for many years with distrust and loathing, even from their friends. Even from their family.

With no home to return to, Corbas led his heartsick people back to the beginning, back to the place where they'd been born. Together, they founded the cavernous city of Evernight within the dark canyons of the Western Wastes and began to flourish. Through numerous treaties and the tireless effort of countless ambassadors, the Shadowborne formed tentative alliances with reluctant nations, who needed both the manpower and the insider information regarding the Gloom's inner workings.

Now, reviled by their former race and rejected by their creators, the Shadowborne tread the path of the outcast as they strive for peace and survival in a world where their place is no longer certain.

Due to their agility, incredible speed and tough, scaly flesh, the Shadowborne are very difficult to kill. Although they are not subject to disease or illness, steel and magic do work against them. Life span can exceed hundreds of years; no one has seen a member of the Shadowborne race die from old age. Indeed, it seems the aging process ceased to become a factor when they were turned. They prefer dark places as they can merge with shadow and travel through it. Their diet consists of flesh and blood. They have an insatiable, overwhelming urge to feed - one that the civilized Shadowborne have learned to keep in check. Though they can mate, it seems that they cannot produce offspring on their own. It is said that only by returning to the Gloom can they spawn and reproduce.