Manam's Custom Races

 The races of Manam are primarily defined by their relationship to the living world, Ana, and their origins through either Primal Birth or divine creation. The most significant group is Lumankind, which has largely replaced standard humanoid races in this setting.

Lumankind (The Primary Race)

Lumans are unique beings created by Ana, originating as "Bodies of Light" without inherent physical forms. To live in the physical world, they undergo a Primal Birth, where a Luman soul seeds its light essence into a plant, animal, or (rarely) a humanoid structure. This process involves a years-long "veiling" coma where the soul merges with its chosen form before "walking" as a sentient, humanoid being.

Lumankind is divided into several subraces:

• Andu: Lumans that manifest from animals or beasts. This includes the Liren, a graceful feline race.
• Endu (or Enku): Lumans born from plants or trees.
• In'ki: A subrace that takes form from fungus, mushrooms, or ooze.
• Muran: Aquatic humanoids that originate in oceans and rivers, building advanced underwater civilizations while remaining capable of walking on land.
• Siri: A peaceful, telepathic race associated with crystals and minerals. They have the highest potential for "Awakening" and can communicate directly with the planet.
• Dephini: Elemental variants that embody forces like fire, light, or air. They are skilled crafters often compared to Dwarves.
• Eturi: A rare, intelligent lineage that long ago chose to stop morphing into nature and instead maintain a consistent, human-like appearance.
• Draconikki: A luman-dragon race that lives among and bonds with dragons in the mountains.

Races of Stone

These races were invited to Manam by early creator gods and have a strong relationship with the earth:

• Dwarves: Includes Mountain, Hill, Glacial, and developing Desert and Jungle varieties.
• Gnomes: Includes Rock, Tinker, Whisper, and Forest subraces.
• Goliaths: Counted among the stone-related peoples.

Races of Wild Nature (Fey)

Unlike other realms, there is no separate Feywild in Manam; fey creatures live directly in the material world because the fey planes collapsed and "unfolded" into the primary plane. This group includes Fairies, Satyrs, Centaurs, Goblins, and Fey Dragons.

Draconic and Scaled Races

Dragons are central to Manam’s history and law.

• Dragons: Various types exist, including metallic, chromatic, gem, and fey dragons.
• Dragonborn: In this setting, they are creatures cursed by chromatic draconic forces.
• Races of Scales: Includes Kobolds, Lizardfolk, and Naga. Yuan-ti are also present, originating from fey creatures cursed in the early ages.

Monstrous and Rare Races

• Simuch: These are "failed" Luman variants that were deformed or corrupted during their Primal Birth, often resulting in evil-aligned, shadow-like beings.
• Miscellaneous: Minotaurs, Gnolls, Thri-Kreen, and Tortles also exist in Manam, though their origins are sometimes mysterious or tied to fey crossings.

Notable Exclusions

It is important to note that classic Elves and Orcs do not exist in the current age of Manam. The "Elves of Old" were hunted to extinction following magical crimes against the world, and Orcs, being related to them, are also excluded. Tieflings and Genasi are similarly absent, replaced by the Dephini and other Luman variants.