Humans

Yes. I'm including humans in our index. Ours is not a new species, but our place in the Circle of Life has been reset and this is not necessarily a bad thing. Let's face it boys and girls, while still the most numerous, ours is no longer the dominant life form on the planet and we need to keep that firmly in mind whenever we head out into the changing frontier. 

Now, don't go getting all scared or mad at me. I'm no expert on this phenomenon, (who is?), but I am a scientist and I find the changes happening around us to be quite fascinating. Humanity had its turn as the warden of Life of Earth and, if we're to be completely honest, we've done a fairly piss-poor job of it. The ecology of the entire planet is burnt out, bleeding, dying, and much of this is our fault. It seems Nature has tolerated enough pain from us and she's swatted us like a mosquito. 

And yet, we persist as a species. Is it through pure stubbornness on our part? Or does Nature see us as a necessary and important part of the Balance of Life? We have a choice before us now - we either learn to fit in and play nice, or find out what happens if Mother Nature really gets mad. 

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Mages

Mages are still mostly human. I think. Other races too. A mage goblin is still mostly goblin, but different. I have no way to verify this theory, but I will assume there is some genetic testing that can show the details if only we had access to it. 

There's one major difference between us: mages can manipulate magical and elemental energy while us regular people cannot. From what we understand, it's not a matter of learning or effort, it's simply a physical trait. 

Mages can be any race. Goblins are generally the strongest, although not many reach the highest levels of Talent. Most mages are human - more humans equal more human mages - and the humans of the future are by far the most organized and educated. They even run a Mage's College. 

It is believed most all Dwarves have some magic, but as individuals they tend not to be very powerful; they work in teams and consolidate their magic. Falcons and mer may also have Talent, however their biological needs make formal education difficult if not impossible.

Don't believe in magic? That's okay. We're still learning and we will learn together. From what our seers tell us, magic has always existed. We simply couldn't touch it before. However, as Life has struggled to live, it has directed and realigned the elemental and magical energies of our planet and brought them forward—bigger and brighter—until eventually they became more accessible to those beings and creatures who will need it to find new niches in our rapidly changing biosphere.

Keep watching. We'll see what happens next together.  

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Dwarves

Also known as "The People" or "The People of the Earth" our new dwarven mutants named themselves after the dwarves of classic fantasy tales. Their magic is stone and nature based and they are most at ease living in the calm, dark embrace of the Earth itself.

A short and sturdy physique lends itself to life in caverns and tunnels below ground. They are a private people and not a lot is known about them. Our seers were not able to learn as much about them as other races. The dwarves simply do not talk about their private lives. Rumor says that, although they are not fighters, they are as hard as the stone they live within and not easily defeated in battle. They can live for over two centuries. 

The People maintain trader villages where visitors sell their wares in exchange for the stone, metal, and herbal products the Dwarves are famous for.  Outsiders are not invited into private homes. 

It is believed all dwarves possess some magic, but they are often very weak as individual magic users. Legends say that working in teams allows them to accomplish great feats of engineering in an astonishingly short period of time, but it is more usual for smaller groups of these 'Stoneweavers' to work on projects at a slower pace. 

Mysterious, private, and powerful, they are a peaceful, pacifistic people and are more likely than not to fade away during a confrontation than fight, although they can and will defend themselves and those they call friends.

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Goblins

It is a mild insult to call a goblin a squirrel, but they're so easy-going you might as well. They’ll likely instigate teasing and mischief with you anyway. 

Like most of the new people, goblins are much stronger than humans and better adapted for life in the harsh wilderness. Their short finger claws help them climb trees, and they move through the branches almost faster than the eye can follow. They also have webbed wing-flaps, which allow for gliding and jumping in a magically enhanced parkour-like manner. 

Goblins are covered in short fur and have partially prehensile furry tails. You could call them cute, but only do so if you mean it. They take everything personally.  

They tend to dress in leather strips, garish colors, shiny things, a multitude of knives, and not much else. They are excellent hunters and are fond of using poisons. Think: adorable, but deadly. They are fuzzy assassins who live in trees.  

Goblin communities are set up much like any human town, with civilians, military, priests, craftsmen, etc., working together, but without the actual physical structure of a land-based town. They have a lot of strong magic users, but very little formal education. They are guardians of the forests and, in general, will reject most technology as religiously taboo. 

Goblins make good soldiers and hunters, although their high-strung and overly energetic nature generally presents as a lack of focus, making them better followers than leaders. Their enthusiasm makes them an asset in any endeavor if you can manage to keep them pointed in the right direction.

Goblins tend to form large family groups and live in villages high in the tree canopy. They are very religious people, treat the Great Oaks as gods, and their shamen and priests work together to lead and guide their tribes. 

Highly social and quick to love, these people do not do anything halfway. Once they choose a side, they will go all in. You could not hope for a more loving and loyal friend, and you may not have a choice in the matter. 

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