Editing Shardworld/Races (section)

==Aetherborn==

Aetherborn is the general term given for any shardborn with an elemental nature. They were the first kind of shardborn to originate, when the Wyrm fused the energies of the four elemental shards with four of the first human tribes during the 1st Age. According to cosmic theory, the elemental shards are all fed by one origin shard, called the Aether, giving the aetherborn their name. The term is generally used only by scholars and census-takers, with most people simply using the individual word for each kind of aetherborn. Vulcans are touched by fire, Sylphs air, Petrites earth, and Undines air. All aetherborn conform to a generally humanoid shape, with their own particular elemental origins distinguishing them from other shardborn. 


===Vulcans===

+2 to Strength or Charisma

Resist fire 16+

'''Racial Power''': Fiery Outburst

Once per battle, double your bonus to attack granted by the escalation die for one attack, and add the same value to the damage of that attack, hit or miss. You can change the damage type of the attack to fire if you want.

''Champion Feat'': You also deal ongoing fire damage to one enemy hit by a ''fiery outburst'' attack. This damage begins at 15 and increases to 25 at epic tier.

Vulcans, sometimes called flame-kissed, are the aetherborn influenced by fire. . Physically, their skin varies between hues of rich brown, auburn, and red, and occasionally more dramatic colors of orange, yellow, and charcoal black. Their hair is generally a mix of several colors within one spectrum, most frequently gray or red. Their eyes can be any color associated with fire and heat, from the red-orange of a wildfire to the polished black of volcanic glass. The iris of every vulcan seems to flicker and dance when observed closely, the only universal trait they all possess.  Vulcans don't tend towards any one build, but most build muscle easier than humans. Beyond that, they can exhibit a wide variety of signs of their elemental heritage, such as:

-Wavy hair that points upward like a torch flame, and becomes brighter as the Vulcan becomes angry or passionate

-Teeth or nails of gleaming brass

-Eyes that change color in the light

-Constantly exhaling faint clouds of smoke

-Having a tendency to strengthen or diminish fires around them, corresponding to their emotional state

-Translucent, combustible blood

-Pupils that glow blue like the center of a flame

Behaviorally, vulcans have a tendency to disregard order and tradition, acting as their whims guide them. They are prone to rapid and extreme swings of emotion, changing from jubilant to somber at a moment's notice, but usually don't take long to switch back to their usual high spirits. Vulcans have a reputation for being capricious or disloyal, but a vulcan accused of such things will probably tell you they were just doing what seemed to be most interesting. Crossing a vulcan, particularly in love or war, is regarded as unwise: when angered, they seethe with the rage of the inferno that birthed them, and won't stop until the target of their ire is completely annihilated, or their rage causes them to burn themselves out. Vulcans are seen more the closer one gets to centers of population, generally preferring the fast pace of city life. Despite this, many are stricken by wanderlust, and vulcans are commonly found among the ranks of adventuring parties, where they frequently fill roles that demand action or improvisation, bearing little patience for the studiousness required to become a monk or wizard.


===Sylphs===

+2 to Dexterity or Intelligence

Resist lightning 16+

'''Racial Power''': Swift as the Wind

Once per battle, you can pop free from a number of enemies equal to the escalation die, then move as a quick action.

''Champion Feat'': When you use ''swift as the wind,'' you gain flight until the end of your turn.

Sylphs are touched by the element of air, and move and fight with the grace of wind and the fury of the storm. Of all the aetherborn, sylphs resemble humans the most, albeit ones that are generally taller and thinner than the norm. They are almost always pale and fair-skinned, sometimes with faint tinges of blue or grey in their lips and extremities. Their hair is wispy and grows quickly, most often light blonde, grey, or blue.  Their irises come in washed-out tints of any human color, occasionally lacking any color at all and distinguishable only by a faint outline of grey. All sylphs are followed by a slight breeze which they must focus to suppress, and that grows stronger during extremes of emotion. Other quirks observed in sylphs are:

-Birthmarks that mimic the scars inflicted by lightning strikes

-The ability to perfectly predict the weather

-A constant static charge that shocks anyone they touch

-Hair the color of a storm cloud, with streaks of white and blue that suggest lightning

-Walking on a centimeters thick cushion of air, never actually touching the ground

-Whorls of color that pass across their eyes like clouds

-A faint, but noticeably deeper echo to their voice

While the outward personality of individual sylphs varies between the stately calm of a gentle breeze or the tempestuous passion of a hurricane, most sylphs share an inborn curiosity. In some, it manifests as an inclination to wander and discover, resulting in travelers and explorers unable to stay in one place for long. In others, it shows as a more cerebral streak, these sylphs being drawn to careers in scholarship and the arts. Their curiosity is such that sylphs have been known to willingly place themselves in danger just to figure out a piece of information or acquire a certain item that they’ve become fixated on. Many sylphs have a habit of eavesdropping, using their human-like appearance to go unnoticed. Socially, sylphs are regarded as the most aloof of the aetherborn, perhaps undeservedly. While it is true that many sylphs have trouble forming close bonds with people, this is more a symptom of their tendency to wander or be caught up in their own thoughts than a closed-off personality. Adventuring sylphs often fill intellectual roles such as wizards and commanders, while those more inclined towards physical grace than mental exercise become talented swordsmen and archers.


===Petrite===

+2 to Constitution or Wisdom

Resist poison 16+

'''Racial Power''': Immovable Object

Once per battle as a quick action, gain resist damage 16+ until the beginning of your next turn.

''Champion Feat'': When you use ''immovable object'' you can also spend a recovery.

In the creation myths of most cultures, petrites are regarded as the first aetherborn to be created, being cast into the earth by the Wyrm and dragging themselves free in their new forms after a full cycle of the moon had gone by. Physically, they are sturdily built, and have skin tones mimicking rocky shades of grey, brown, and infrequently tan or red. Their eyes mirror the colors of gems and metals, gleaming brightly amidst the more muted colors of their skin. Their hair, if they have it, is thick, dark and slow-growing. Many petrites never grow hair at all.  The one physical trait uniting all petrites is a gemstone jutting from their skin over their heart. There is no familial influence to the color or type of this stone, and over the course of their life it will grow brighter and spread upwards across their shoulders and arms. This “heartstone” is the source of many cultural traditions and superstitions across the Continent. Many also reflect other elements of the earth that birthed them, such as:

-Faceted, jewel-like eyes of one color

-Crystal outcroppings that mimic hair

-Mottled, thick skin the color of granite

-Teeth and nails of obsidian

-Ridges and indents in their skin that create geometric patterns 

-Keen sensitivity to the vibrations of the ground 

Petrites are renowned as loyal, dependable, and possessing a strong sense of community. They are the least outwardly expressive of the aetherborn, which is not to say that they don't feel- they just don't show their emotional state as strongly as a vulcan or undine, races that many petrites consider flighty and unreliable. While petrites are most often found living among humans, a substantial minority flock to small villages and enclaves mostly composed of petrites. These tight-knit communities are often founded around some form of common ideology or belief system. Throughout the rest of civilization, petrites are most commonly found working as laborers or as part of a church.


===Undines===

+2 to Dexterity or Charisma

'''Aquatic''': Undines gain a +5 bonus to any background check involving swimming, and can breathe underwater.

'''Racial Power''': Flowing Tide

Once per battle, you can use a standard action to make a basic attack or attack power at any point during your move action. A number of enemies equal to the escalation die, selected by you, can't intercept or make opportunity attacks against you during this combined attack-move.

''Champion Feat'': One target you attack during the ''flowing tide'' movement must roll a normal save or be dazed.

Undines are the aquatic lineage of aetherborn, said to have fallen to the Continent during a great rainstorm brought on by the Wyrm. Their skin ranges between the many shades of water, from the sea green of the coast to the murky brown of a swamp. Their eyes are clear and brightly colored, and their hair is generally wavy or curly, and a similar shade to their skin. Perhaps the most otherworldly aspect of the undines is their finned ears and webbed hands and feet. Undine generally possess the lithe build of one who spends much time in the water. Beyond that, their physical characteristics vary depending on the body of water they were born closest to, and they can exhibit diverse traits such as:

-Rows of pointed shark teeth

-Voices layered with the faint noise of a babbling brook or the waves of the ocean

-Seaweed or coral outcroppings where hair would grow

-Blood mixed with saltwater

-A second set of translucent eyelids that shuts horizontally

-Swirling, wave-like markings that gently flow across their bodies

Undines are the most variable of the aetherborn. Aside from their shared physical characteristics, the only common factor shared by undines is their innate ability to swim. Undines are divided into a plethora of sub-types too numerous to codify, generally reflecting the characteristics of one body of water and its natural flora and fauna. Undines of the Diamond Sea, for example, are stately and collected natural diplomats, while the Undines of the glacial north are nomadic and superstitious. Like petrites, undines can be found both interspersed among greater civilization or in smaller settlements comprised almost entirely of undines.