Races on Darkwind

Last update:  14 June 2005

There are many civilized and not so civilized races available on DarkWind.  Players can learn about and become many of these races at the Hall of Races in Darkwind City.  Race may be changed without penalty until level 5.  After level 5, changing race will cost the same as one death.  As you explore the lands, you may come across other Halls of Races where you may learn about and become other races.

You can tell a player's race from the WHO display.  In the left-most column, you'll see the player's level in [ ] and it will be of a certain color and background.  Below are the ones that I've observed so far:

Darkwinder

Glavian

Barbarian
High Elf
Shel-zaranite

Rift Duergar

Stone Dwarf

Uruk

Gypsy

Northman

Arctic Elf

Hyperborean Gnome

Ice Ogre

Ice Gnoll

Souvraeli

Desert Nomad

Desert Dwarf

Wayfarian

Scro

Wolf or Crinos (Garou)

However, some titles supercede the "race" colors:

Hero

Legend

Wizard

The following races are available at the Darkwind Hall of Races:

Darkwinder

Glavian

Barbarian

High elf

Shel-zaranite

Rift duergar

Stone dwarf

Uruk

DARKWINDER

The humans that live around Darkwind City are collectively known as Darkwinders.  Darkwinders are about average among the civilized races in terms of physical and mental powers, but are well accepted by most other cultures due to the importance of the city in world affairs.  Darkwinders are outgoing and adventurous, always seeking out new experiences.  They are also expert traders and negotiators.  Being adventurous in nature, Darkwinder souls are more inclined to take on other forms.  Thus they do not suffer from reincarnating into other races.

This race can join any guild.

GLAVIAN

Glavians are humans that hail from the mountain kingdom of Glavia.  Glavians are a generally good-aligned people used to opposing demonic forces.  Their society is otherwise peaceful and pastoral.  Glavians are an inoffensive, likeable lot, with an open mind to new experiences.

This race can join any guild.

BARBARIAN

The Barbarians are an offshoot of modern human society that settled south of Darkwind City in a settlement known as Canith.  Their rugged lifestyle tends towards the development of stronger, healthier bodies than most humans.  Canith society values order, and pursuit of the common good.  Barbarians are generally friendly to strangers and always eager to learn about exotic people and places.

This race cannot join the following guilds: Thief, Mage, Charlatan.

HIGH ELF

The elven kindom south of Darkwind City is the home of the High Elves.  High Elf culture as a whole tends towards goodness and lawfulness in the context of harmony with nature.  High Elves have keen senses and are generally superior mentally to most civilized races.  Physically however, they can be somewhat fragile and lack the robustness of other races.

This race cannot join the following guilds: Charlatan.

SHEL-ZARANITE

The Shel-zaranites are an ancient offshoot of the elves that live deep underground. In their secluded city, they worship forgotten gods of evil and chaos. Dark Elves are quite agile and mentally superior to most races, but lack are often sickly and lack constitution. Being an underground race, however, they are well adapted to lightless conditions.

This race cannot join the following guilds: Cleric_Mitra, Garou, Druid, Paladin.

RIFT DUERGAR

The Rift Duergar are a race of evil subterranean dwarves who have been twisted by dark forces into hateful caricatures of surface dwarves. They are short, stout and have hardy constitutions, enabling them to hold their liquor and resist small amounts of magic and mental influence. Despite being quite strong, Rift Duergar have problems balancing larger weapons due to their stature.

This race cannot join the following guilds: Ninja, Cleric_Mitra, Garou, Druid, Rogue, Paladin.

STONE DWARF

Stone Dwarves are a society of surface dwarves who long ago dedicated their lives to working in the underworld in the service of Mitra.  Like most dwarves, they are short and stout and can hold their liquor, but Stone Dwarves also have a high degree of goodness and lawfulness ingrained into them at an early age.  Their small size makes it difficult for them to wield larger weapons, and years of working in cramped mines have a detrimental effect on their joints, limiting their agility.

This race cannot join the following guilds: Ninja, Necro, Thief, Mage, Charlatan, Druid, Garou.

URUK

The Uruk are a loose tribe of marauding orcs which live in the Darkwind area, looting and pillaging small settlements.  The Uruk value strength and stamina over useless thought or a pretty face.  They are a warlike race that trains for battle from birth to death, acquiring a degree of proficiency in the use of all weapons.  They are particularly adapted to living in marginal areas like shallow caves, or fetid swamps.

This race cannot join the following guilds: Mage, Swashbuckler, Druid.

The following races are available at the Hyperborea Hall of Races:

Northman

Arctic elf

Hyperborean gnome

Ice ogre

Ice gnoll

NORTHMAN

Northmen are humans who settled in the frigid north.  Northmen are widespread throughout Hyperborea, although most live in the city of Grimsfjord.  Northmen are expert traders and hagglers, due to the need to trade with the southern cities for various goods not produced in Hyperborea.

This race can join any guild.

ARCTIC ELF

The Arctic Elves are a subrace of the elves that have adapted to living in the far north of Hyperborea.  Like all elves, they are bright and agile, but suffer from somewhat fragile bodies.  Arctic elves are often at odds with the humans of northern Hyperborea, constantly fighting over territory and ancient artifacts of power in order to expand their evil society.

This race cannot join the following guilds: Cleric_Mitra, Paladin.

HYPERBOREAN GNOME

Hyperborean gnomes are a race of small humanoids that inhabit the more habitable rural areas of Hyperborea.  They are bright and nimble, with a natural resistance to variations in the environment.  They have a slight tendency to work towards the causes of good, if only because they are subject to attack by the forces of evil.  Like all gnomes, they are quite small compared to other races, and have difficulty managing larger weapons.

This race cannot join the following guilds: Necro, Fighter.

ICE OGRE

Ice Ogres are large brutish humanoids that live in the cold wastes of Hyperborea.  Large numbers of them are regularly hired as mercenaries by the giants to wage war against more civilized races.  They are immensely strong and rugged, but dimwitted and clumsy as well.  They have no real culture to speak of except a penchant for violence. While not quite giant sized, ice ogres are large enough that they can wield large weapons much more easily than most other races.

This race cannot join the following guilds: Swashbuckler, Cleric_Mitra, Bard, Psionicist, Paladin, Ninja.

ICE GNOLL

Ice Gnolls are an evil warrior race that appears to be a cross of some humanoid and a hyena.  They are physically powerful but are lacking somewhat in intellect. Ice gnolls live to kill and eat; who their victims are is largely irrelevant.

This race cannot join the following guilds: Swashbuckler, Mage, Cleric_Mitra, Psionicist, Paladin, Druid.

The following races are available at the Souvrael Hall of Races:

Souvraeli

Desert nomad

Desert dwarf

SOUVRAELI

Souvraelis are the native humans of Souvrael who choose to live in cities instead of leading a nomadic existence.  Their culture has evolved over time towards a more cosmopolitan lifestyle based on trade and education.  As such, they are cunning negotiators, and have a thirst for knowledge.

This race can join any guild.

DESERT NOMAD

The Desert Nomads are the wanderers of Souvrael.  They are a deeply religious people who follow the teachings of their prophet.  They are quick learners who have adapted to living in the open desert.  Desert Nomads are known for their great hospitality, despite the harshness of their habitat.

This race can join any guild.

DESERT DWARF

The Desert Dwarves live in a small settlement in the deserts of Souvrael.  The Dwarves live in a peaceful, just society, generally unaffected by outside influences.  Physically, they are a short, hardy race.  In addition to an innate resistance to magic and psionics, they tend to be quite healthy and strong, but suffer somewhat from stubbiness in their limbs.  Despite their strength, their small size often also creates difficulties in wielding larger weapons.

This race cannot join the following guilds: Necro, Garou, Thief, Ninja.

The following races are available at the Talamh Darag Hall of Races:

Wayfarian

WAYFARIAN

The wayfarians are an elven race that has been oppressed by forces of evil for as long as their culture has been around. A powerful Paladin heroine 'Enelya Ar-Feiniel' who is now revered as their patron of adventurers sought out Mitra's blessing to empower and protect her proud folk. This blessing resulted in a holy and virtuous aura surrounding each member of the Wayfarian race. This aura formed a defense against the evil acts of their foes and enabled them to strike out with a holy fury. Finally the Wayfarians were able to beat off their oppressors and build a new city. Their combined auras helped form a powerful holy dome to protect this city against those who would seek to destroy it.

Each race has a unique set of abilities and penalties due to their physical and mental characteristics, as well as cultural aspects of their societies, some of which will be explained in more detail:

STATS

Racial modifications to stats are made to the base stat, before other modifications such as from magical equipment.  Racial modifications are also based on a percentage of the base stat.  Thus even with an extremely strong race, if you never raise your strength, your strength will be only one.  Because stats are always whole numbers, sometimes when you advance a stat you have a penalty in, you may not see the effect of that stat raise.  Conversely, if you raise a stat you have a bonus in, you may see a rise of two points instead of one.

ALIGNMENT

Adventurers are made, not born.  By the time they choose the adventuring life, adventurers have a lot of silly notions ingrained into their minds, especially opinions about the role of alignment in society.   Having been indoctrinated from an early age, they will always have a tendency towards the predominant attitudes of their culture.   If you have a tendency towards one alignment, you will be less affected by changes away from that alignment.  You will also be more affected by changes towards it.

LANGUAGE

For help on languages, see "help language".

GENERAL

For help on each race, try help <darkwinder>, <glavian>, <barbarian>, <high_elf>, <dark_elf>, <duergar>, <stone_dwarf>, <uruk>, <northman>, <arctic_elf>, <hyperborean_gnome>, <ice_ogre>, <ice_gnoll>, <souvraeli>, <desert_nomad>, or <desert_dwarf>