The world of Paern is at war. Species in the Northern hemisphere are finding their supply of food and water dwindling, and many are forced to migrate to the South, where they're hated and even feared. One species, the airdan, built a floating city and moved it to the South, where, because they were not on Southern soil, they couldn't be persecuted for immigrating. But the South has gotten tired of allowing Northerners to take of their natural resources, and launched an attack on the floating city, which quickly spread into an all out world war between the South and the North . . . .
Species:
Airdan: Originating from the North, the airdan species are well known for their odd colored eyes, fanged teeth, and long lanky bodies. Like most Northerners, they're carnivorous, preferring raw red meat over anything else, but they will eat greens and white meat when offered nothing else.
Kokili: A species from the South, Kokili are easily recognized by their pointed ears and silver hair. They're very social, with entire towns acting as one big family. All the cities but one, which is built into a cliff side, are located in heavily forested areas along the ocean.
Humans: The shortest living species in the South, humans also have the biggest population, taking up 45% of the Southern Hemisphere.
Soul Gatherers: According to religious tales, Soul Gatherers are ghostly creatures who remove the soul form the body upon death, and guide the soul to the afterlife.
Soul Eater: When a Gatherer develops a taste for the souls they guide, they change into a demonic being who will prematurely gather the dead, and feast on them. Its rumored that some Eaters even have the ability to possess the bodies of those whom souls they've removed, animating the living corpse and controlling it to do their every whim.
Other Southern Species:
Shika: Winged beings who inhabit the coastal mountains. They're considered the only 'pure' species left, because of their shy nature they have never mated beyond their own species, unlike others. They're neutral when it comes to the war.
Cera: Like kolili, they have large, pointed ears., but unlike their forest cousins, the cera are short and stocky, and live on the grassy plains.
Aceri: More cat then person, the aceri live in underground cities beneath the hot desert sun. They're very friendly and will take in any weary traveler lost in the sand, but refuse to leave their cities to join in the problems of the above world. They're considered neutral with the war, taking no side but they're own.
Aquadarians: Inhabitants of the ocean, aquadarians prefer to avoid all contact with land walkers, who have been known to catch the fishy people and keep them as pretty pets.
Other Northern Species:
Sithorians: Reptilian creatures who, despite their frightening appearance, would rather make friends then foes. They're the strongest ally to the airdan's the war.
Undead: Named for their inability to die, undead have no value over life, and will kill anything for entertainment. Only old age can kill them, but luckily for the rest of the world their life span is short, the oldest undead having only reached twenty five years old.
Trolls: Used for menial labor, trolls are usually docile, and as long as they are paid well and treated fairly, they will take any job offered to them.
Madrians: Assumed extinct, the madrians were a very spiritual species. They lived the longest of all the planets creatures, the average lifespan for a madrian was 700 years. They were easily recognizable by their large horns that resembled a rams. Religious genocide wiped them out.
