Humans:
Humans can be found throughout the surface of Terok--from the smallest village to the largest city, they
are the most prolific of the Favored Races, though also the shortest-lived. What they lack in longevity, however, they make
up in ambition and drive--for good and ill, most of the generals, emperors, and other dominant leaders in Terok have been human.
Elves:
Blamed by some for the Age of Ruin, the elves have been a subjugated race since shortly after the beginning of
the Third Age, when their ancestral forests were conquered by a neighboring human kingdom.
Popular rumor has it that the long-lived elves are passed down like family heirlooms to generation
after generation of their oppressors, serving as retainers, courtesans, huntsmen, etc. Away from the former elven
territories there are elves who live free, but their numbers are few, and they avoid forming communities for fear of
meeting a similar fate. Making their lives more difficult is the fact that, even though magic is returning, only a
fraction of the elven race--those born within the last fifty years--seem to have any capacity to wield it. All other
elves are incapable of casting even the simplest of arcane spells, though those few who have joined the priesthood
appear able to channel divine magic. Ironically, this curse only seems to affect full elves--half-elves are able to
cast normally.
Half-elves:
Half-elves are increasingly common as the elven bloodlines are forced to mix, whether as slaves with the blood of their
human masters, or free elves who take companions from the other races in their lonely wanderings. These half-breeds are sometimes welcomed
as members of the family, and sometimes cast off as bastard children. The elves themselves are torn on how to treat this "race"--on the one hand,
they need support from any quarter if they ever wish to be a free people again; on the other, how can they trust these
descendents of the people who have enslaved them for centuries?
Dwarves:
The bulk of the dwarves live on or beneath the mountains of Terok, close to the mines where they
gather the materials needed to work their crafts. When the magic failed, the dwarves were perhaps the least
affected of the races. While they certainly used some enchantments in their craft, the core of their ability was good,
honest work, which they continued to do even after magic went away. As a result rumors of fantastic machines began to circulate--
wild stories of horseless carriages riding roads of iron, and weapons that kill with thunder and lightning.
Only time will tell if this "technology" is real, and how it will shape Terok.
Halflings:
The second most common race, the halflings as a general rule enjoy life and the land. They make excellent farmers
and craftsmen, and their seemingly endless patience for the most minute--or mundane--task has also made them excellent artisans.
Lately, however, this attention to detail has resulted in a new passion--now, many halflings are following the siren call of Science!