[CF-Devel] Race descriptions, like class descriptions

[Peter Mardahl]

Hello,

  The following is my cut at doing descriptions of the races,
similar to what I've already done for classes.  Andi Vogl has
said he wants to incorporate them into crossfire somehow so
that they come up when race choice is done.

Here it is:
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Wraith

A Wraith is a spirit which has made an evil bargain in order
to persist after natural death, or been forced involuntarily
into its new undead state.  This transformation frees them of 
the limits of a natural lifespan, and grants them immunity to 
diseases, poison, and loss of lifeforce.  Wraith's also need
feel little fear of cold, and they can see well in the dark.

A Wraith's corporeal form has terrible vunlerabilites:  Fire 
and most godpower are dangerous to Wraiths.  Their tenuous 
form makes them quick, and somewhat harder to hit, but also 
weaker and less hardy.

Wraith's have a strong affinity to magic, especially cold spells,
and are very strong spellcasters.  However, they cannot use
fire spells for fear of self-destruction.


Northman

Northmen are simply humans who have been shaped by their harsh
environment.  They are stronger, quicker, and hardier than
most humans, but also stupid and impious.  Most races also
consider them a bit unattractive.  They have some resistance
to cold, but the few of them who take up magic find it difficult 
to master fire spells.


Quetzalcoatl

Quetzalcoatls are a strange mix of dragon, bird, human, and a dash
of the divine.  They bear the most resemblance to dragonkind,
but are able to manipulate objects with their claws.  They are
amazingly strong, very quick, and amazingly hardy, but quite stupid 
and impious (despite the dash of divinity).  However, they are 
strongly magical in nature and usually have a vast reservoir of 
mana with which to cast any spell they're not too stupid to learn.
Often, they're only able to grasp one basic fire spell.

Their strongly draconic nature immures them to fire and helps them
with fire spells, but they are vulnerable to cold and paralyzation.

They can grasp weapons, but their bizarre body shape prevents them
from using armour, helmets, and other items of apparel usually
intended for bipedal creatures with two arms and two legs and a
head.  Their inability to use armour comes back to haunt them
when they compare themselves with other races:  highly enchanted
armour is usually more benefical than dragonhide!  The wings
come in handy:  they can use them to 'levitate', and their
hide gets thicker as they gain power, compensating them
somewhat for not being able to use armour.


Half-Orc

Half-Orc's are usually the product of rape or slavery or some
unpleasantness of some sort.  They look it too:  Half-Orcs
are rather ugly.  On average, they're stronger, a bit quicker,
and hardier than humans, but also dumb and impious, and unmagical.
They're resistant to poison and can see in the dark, and every
half-orc seems to know how to steal.


Human

Humans are the generalists of the races.  They are fit for any trade,
and usually pick up a skill from their parents in addition
to what they've learned as apprentices in their craft.


Halflings

Halflings are another sub-race of humankind, like the Northman.
They are much smaller and shorter than humans, so they are weaker,
but they are far quicker and hardier.  They're quite unreligious,
but many take up magic.  Their small sizes lets them hide more
effectively, and for some reason, chance seems to favor them
with good luck.  They are also surprisingly resistant to loss
of lifeforce.


Fireborn

Legends say that fireborn are sparks struck off the anvil of
creation which had life and spirit, and after time, mind.  
Those who research magic think that they are relatives of some 
kind to will 'o the wisps.  An observer seeing one for the
first time would see a strangely intelligent vortex of flame 
somehow carrying items without burning them.

Their insubstantial nature makes them both very weak and very
quick.  Their minds are agile, and they are able to commune
well with the gods.  However, their area of excellence is
magic.  They spellcast more powerfully than any other race,
and mana flows into them readily.  They can even cast
cold spells with devastating effectiveness.  They all know
a basic fire spell.

They have the ability to levitate at will, and they can touch
to burn.  As they gain more power, they are increasingly
difficult to hit with weapons.  However, they cannot use
weapons or armour, and thereby miss out on many benefits 
(including powerful magical enchantments) those items may
bring.

Fire does not harm them, nor poison.  Cold, spiritual drain,
and physical drain present great peril to them.


Elf

An Elf is a child of Faerie, a scion of Lythander.  Being of
Faerie, they heal more slowly than other races, but mana
flows into them more quickly.  They also need far less food
than other races.

Every elf is taught the use of a bow, but their long lives
allow them to take up any trade.  They are weaker and
less hardy than humans, but quicker of body and mind,
and generally make more powerful spellcasters.  However,
they have a notoriously offhanded attitude toward their
religious devotions and make poor priests.

As a race, Elves possess a preternatural beauty and eyes
that see into the dark.


Dwarf

The Dwarves are the hardy scions of Mostrai.  The traditional
profession of the dwarf is smithery, and you'll be hard-pressed
to find a dwarf who is not competent at it.  Whether their
great strength and hardiness leads them to become smiths
and miners, or whether their profession leads to their
strength and hardiness is unknown.  Their thick musculature
makes them slow of body, and seemingly, some of their
muscle has crept into their brain.  Perhaps their repetitive
tasks dull their minds, perhaps they're just plain born
dumb.

Dwarves can see in the dark, but they're slightly impious and tend
to be a bit poor at controlling magic.  Despite this, there
are indeed dwarven clerics and mages.  They're just not quite
as good as human clerics or mages.


Troll

A Troll is a nasty creature, usually: a scion of Gnarg.
They have amazing strength and amazing hardiness, but they're
a bit clumsy, very stupid, impious, and bad at handling
and obtaining magic.  They heal with amazing rapidity and can see in
the dark.  Because of the above attributes, they're great
in any fight.  Well, they're great until someone waves
torches at them:  fire presents great peril to trolls.

Most trolls are destroyed on sight by civilized people:
but a few have proved deserving of tolerance and are permitted
to enter cities.


Gnome

Gnomes and dwarves look so much alike that some speculate
that they are the same race, but with very different cultures.
No one has been able to talk a Dwarf and a Gnome into
attempting interbreeding, however, which would settle the
issue.  Dwarves and gnomes have a disgust for one another
and both find the thought of intimacy with the other 
repulsive.  Despite that, they coexist peacefully enough:
perhaps because their interests and needs never conflict.

Gnomes do not have nearly the strength or hardiness of
dwarves, and they are even more clumsy.  They are quite
spiritual, and make very good priests, and many are very strong
magicians.  They can see in the dark, and their familiarity
with the gods seems to bring a general blessing of good
luck on all Gnomekind.