The Nmidri

Arolatera's humanoid, avian friends. . Can retract or extend feathers anywhere on their bodies at will to blend in or stand out, or to fend off enemies. Some Nmidri can have iridescent feathers even when the birds that they represent don’t. They may look like ordinary humans, but they have absolutely no hair - just very thin, long, flexible feathers. High-Ranking Nmidri are often predatory birds who have anywhere between two and five pairs of wings. A Legendary Nmidri King and father of Zelakira, King Ivrikar had four pairs of wings.

Old World Nmidri are elusive and mostly unknown. Their fate is a mystery to the general population of Arolatera, though a small handful of the Old World Nmidri have resurfaced under...unique circumstances. The Old World Nmidri that have made themselves known are notably less humanoid, and some have anatomy that is considered odd even by animalistic standards.

The Ikillva

Humanoid, much like the Nmidri, but linked to mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and aquatic creatures. Some Ikillva are sworn enemies of the Nmidri, but some refuse to fight them. Ikillva that show hostility will often change appearance to show they are upset. The Ikillva and the Zekaana are among the most diverse Arolateran inhabitants. Royal Ikillvas are reptilian, due to their sheer rarity.

The rivalry with the Nmidri is especially prominent in the Old World Ikillva. The Ikillva of the Old World are far more feral, savage, and rabid than their modern counterparts. Like the Old World Nmidri, some of them have puzzling anatomical logic, and even more puzzling mentalities.

The Ashvari

Some say the Ashvari are descendants of ancient Virikais whose magic turned them into an entirely different species. The Ashvari are linked to plants and fungi, and are strongest in the sun (for the most part). They get along with the Zekaana and the Nmidri. Ashvari leaders are typically flowering plants. The Ashvari typically have petals, vines, or roots for hair and thorn-like figures for nails. It is not unheard of for an Ashvari to grow fruits on their bodies, most commonly the back of the neck or arms.

Old World Ashvari are not much different from the modern tribe. The biggest difference might be in skin texture, but even that is debatable and dynamic. Old World Ashvari have also been observed to have floral patterns in the irises of their eyes, but this trait has also been noticed in modern Ashvari.

The Gletrivan

The stone-faced, stone-hearted, stone-willed people of the world. Linked to minerals, metals and moneymaking gems, they prioritize certain things, and when they do, they’re as stubborn as a rock in getting there. They are notorious for their insanely high alcohol tolerance. Like the Ashvari, the Gletrivan are theorized to have descended from ancient Virikais. The Gletrivan are also known for treating even their darkest omens with respect. Glets hailing from darker gems are often treated the same way as royalty.

Old World Gletrivans also don't differ much from their modern counterparts. One difference that has been recorded is that Old World Gletrivans have a diamond-shaped patch of the mineral they are linked to, placed at the base of their necks. The origins of these mysterious birthmarks eludes even the most devoted historians, though it is theorized to derive from their link to the Virikai.

The Zekaana

Linked to arthropods like spiders, insects, centipedes, millipedes, crabs, lobsters, and the rest of them. Many underground-dwelling Zekaanas are considered royalty due to their sheer rarity. One well-known Zekaana royal is Dana, due to also being a Gletrivan mutant with a link to glass as well as a Zekaana millipede. Seeing her is said to bring good luck to both the Gletrivan and the Zekaana, and she serves as a diplomat between the two just by existing.

The Old World Zekaana are very similar to their modern counterparts, with the only real difference being in their facial features. Old World Zekaana have the facial features of their respective links and cannot hide them, making them resemble a partially corrupted Modern Zekaana.

The Virikai

Virikais are endowed humans who are very sensitive to auras, something which shows up in their hair coloration. However they are only sensitive to the auras of other Virikais or Virikai hybrids, relics and spell effects. The coloration can be subtle if the bearer focuses on keeping it at bay, or can go wild with input. Virikai siblings and blood relatives often have hair that tends to mimic whoever has the stronger aura. Many Virikai eye markings are known to glow with what is called the "True Aura" of the bearer.

The Old World Virikai don't differ much from the Modern Virikai - at all. Realistically, it would be impossible to tell if a Virikai was Old World or Modern without some specifics. The only measurable difference between Old World and Modern Virikais is that the Old World Kaitoseng energy has traces of Arolatera's 'Lost Tribes'. Other than that, there's little to no difference.

Caralovians

Neighbor to Covamira, Caralovia is known as The Underworld. The creatures that rise from this part of the underground realm are often a lot more monstrous than Covamirans, and are not very well accepted on the surface. Violet appearances and appendages. Some Caralovians will take on a far more humanoid appearance when traversing the surface. This is apparent when there are violet flame-like markings on a Caralovian's body, an indicator that they are focusing much of their natural energy in suppressing a monstrous trait.

Covamirans

Covamira is known as the Abyss, home to a well-documented society of far more humanoid creatures than Caralovia, but still not very well accepted on the surface. They have a spectral appearance and like the Caralovians, have a flame marking indicator when they are suppressing a monstrous appearance. While Caralovians have a deep purple-indigo hue on their flames, Covamirans use a spectral greenish mint.

Splitsouls

A created splitsoul is the result of a viable Arolateran host allowing two clashing souls to take over their body at an early age. These souls are considered lost, as they are not supposed to dwell outside of the splitsoul realm. Created Splitsouls’ entire history and memory are erased from Arolatera itself, as the two souls cause an isolated warp in time that rewrites any event linked to their host. Most Splitsouls have the appearance of some kind of Arolateran and can pass themselves off as one, so they tend to stay under the radar. Born Splitsouls are rare and there are not many wandering Arolatera.

Cybronakais

The Cybronakais are a relatively small group of refugees in time. A group originating in the distant future of Arolatera, the Cybronakais have two very starkly different alignments - some are sided with Millennium, the runaway Queen of the Cybronakais who sent herself back in time seeking eternal conquest, while others stand against her power-hungry ways and resist her attempts to change the past. Cybronakais, due to the nature of their very existence in the Current Era, are Future Timebound and Paradoxical.

Xysangens

Sometimes called 'The Linkless', the Xysangens are an omenic race in their entirety and show no link to anything in Arolatera. The term Xysangen is as versatile as they are, and can refer to humanoids, animals, plants, and just about any physical object or being that isn't linked to another and doesn't belong to another species. Xysangen humans still follow the same rules as Arolaterans in terms of bonds, eye markings, and the like, but they are completely immune to Aura Dissonance.

Old World Xysangens show no visible difference when compared to their modern counterparts - in fact, there is no actual difference aside from their geographical location. The Old World Xysangen Kingdoms are organized within Central Arolatera in a perfect circle of eight, but due to recent events related to the Corsevemas and Oblivion, the Old Kingdoms have joined at the center of their circle to create the Compass Kingdom.

Facets

Derived from Unity itself, the Facets are a group of beings that transcend the walls of Realities themselves. Able to hop in and out of Realities as they please, Facets wander the winding pathways that stretch between different worlds, spectating through the windows in Limbo and only ever interfering if absolutely needed for the general prolonged existence of that Reality.

Some Facets are assigned by the Guardian Star to a Reality, and become bound to protect its existence. Others swim against the current of the Guardian Star, working on their own agenda and diverging from their union. Facets almost never have more than one version of themselves. Those that do are called Fragmented Facets, and their eyes contain shards of Oblivion to fill the gap and prevent the two versions of themselves from overlapping. Some Facets can have their aspects changed by either creating a Demifacet or by other means, such as an encounter with Oblivion or by sacrificing their aspect for any reason. These Facets are Fractured, and they tend not to be common. Another rare type of Facet is a Fissured Facet, who has more than one aspect at once. Fissured Facets are often unstable in the mind, and are the most likely to diverge from the Guardian Star. Tabula Rasa Facets are Facets that don't have an aspect at all, but can gain one. Their extreme versatility makes them immune to Oblivion itself.

Facets can be artificially created in two different ways. As beings of Unity, Facets cannot technically die, but they can be targeted by Oblivion and prepare accordingly. When a Facet is targeted for erasure, they will pass their aspect to someone they trust - another Facet or an Arolateran. If an aspect is gifted to an Arolateran, they become a full Facet. However, if a Facet has intercourse with an Arolateran, the result is that the Facet loses a part of their aspect and it transfers to the Arolateran, making the Arolateran a Demifacet. Demifacets are considered taboo for a variety of reasons, but the most popular reason is that Facets are generally forbidden from acting on worldly desires that they as an independent species aren't supposed to have.

The Bloodbind

Created by two blood related Arolaterans who have sworn to care for each other. A Bloodbind is shared by blood relatives, no matter how distant or fractioned their shared blood may be. A Bloodbind is traceable for a staggering 818 generations, says science.

The Heartbind

Created by two friends who have sworn to protect each other, even from the nonphysical. Heartbinds, once created, are extremely difficult to remove, whether by the bound or outside parties. It's the world's way of telling you to choose your friends wisely. Neglecting a Heartbind will cause it to dissolve, and will leave both friends' hearts in a state of barely enough functionality to survive. Repairing the Heartbind can reverse this.

The Soulbind

Created by two Arolaterans who have sworn an oath of love to each other. Able to be severed either mutually or solo, a Soulbind is documented to reverse a full corruption if created soon enough. When severed, the corruption reversal will slowly undo itself. When severed mutually, the ex-soulbinds carry on normally. However, if severed solo, the severer will cause the other's memories to be completely locked away. These memories can be restored by certain Virikais like Empaths, Dream Manipulators and Hypnotists. Soulbound Arolaterans who have a child together will see one or a mix of their eye markings on the offspring. Siblings can have different markings that link to both parents. Parents who do not become soulbound prior to having the child will result in a child who has either their own independent marking or no marking at all.

The Tearbind

A bind created by Lana Racque LeSang, the first Paradox Mythical Prophet. This bind is forged by the tears of the receiver, and is the only bind that can survive one-sided. The tearbind is a promise from one Arolateran to another. It can only be promised when the actions of the binder have caused the receiver to cry with a negative emotion, be it fear, sadness, or hate. The binder can create a Tearbound promise to never allow themselves to repeat their actions that caused the tears in the presence of the receiver. Lana tearbound to Shaun Murphy after her meat-eating instincts instilled fear in his heart, promising she would never do it near him again.

The Oathbind

The Oathbind is a bind that often accompanies another Arolateran bond. It springs to life upon any mutual oath of any type - be it an vow of love, a promise of future conduct, a blood pact, a pledge to a friend, or a family oath. The Oathbind's effects pale in comparison to the bind it likely accompanies, but in situations can prove a game-changer. When near an Oathbound, an Arolateran gains part of their aura and with it, a fragment of their raw power. Also gained near an Oathbound is the ability to heal from injuries far faster than normal, nearly five times the speed in most situations. Oathbound healing results in the Oathbound crest lingering in a spectral glow surrounding the wound until it heals completely. Some Oathbounds get tattoos of the Oathbound crest with their friends to commemorate their bond.

The Fablebind

The Fablebind is a peculiar bind that pertains to the Fables, the Guardians of Limbo. Due to their connection to the wall between worlds, particularly the dual wall that had been broken between the known Arolatera and an alternate version, the Fablebind is a bind in which a Fable is bound to themselves from across the wall of Limbo. This bind causes both worlds' Fables to have duplicate memories of events that occur in the same fashion in both worlds, and occasionally results in 'Misplaced' memories when one world's Fables remember the events of the other world's Fables when their events occur differently. The Fablebind, much like the relics of Myths and Rogues, is generational, and is how the Fables locate each other in each generation - by sensing duplicate memories, an innate gift that all Fables share.

The Skybinds

A bond exclusive to a select group of people, the Skybind is a peculiar bind in that it has not been observed to be created or severed deliberately in the way most other binds can. The Skybind is a 'Born Bond' that some have, in which a distinct connection to Celestial Bodies is manifested in some form on an Arolateran, Caralovian, Covamiran, or Splitsouls. A Skybind is also referred to as a 'Sentient Bind' due to its nature of sometimes spontaneously appearing on someone. When one is Skybound, they are most powerful when in the presence of the Celestial Object which they are bound to. The Skybind is also subdivided in some situations for clarity into Starbind, Sunbind, Moonbind, Cometbind, Asteroidbind, Nebulabind, Planetbind, Pulsarbind, Quasarbind, Matterbind, and Singularitybind. The Skybound are currently being considered to be listed as a separate species, as their cosmic traits have resulted in them having a separate Aura Destruction variant and starkly different traits from some species, even their unbound forms.

Aura Destruction

Aura Destruction is a life-threatening equivalent of depression in Arolatera, Caralovia, Covamira, and Otherworld. It comes in various forms for each realm and varies for species.

Arolaterans face Aura Dissonance, a form of Aura Destruction that turns an Arolateran's trait against them and slowly destroys their mind and body from the inside out. There is no direct cure for Dissonance. However, Aura Dissonance is the only form of Aura Destruction that has been observed to be able to be artificially placed upon someone through the serum created by Luscinia Nightingale. Aura Dissonance is also being exploited by a group calling themselves the Corsevemas, who ignore the tragedy and horrors of corruption and instead use its destructive power for their own selfish benefit.

The Lost Tribes of Arolatera face Aura Pollution, a much slower form of Aura Destruction than Dissonance. Pollution does have a direct cure, but is harder to spot at times and has precise requisites for curing properly. Aura Pollution stems from a poisoned cell in a Lost Tribe Arolateran's body that can be pinpointed given time away from the cause of the pollution to recover and removed with herbs or spells.

Caralovians and Covamirans both have a form of Aura Destruction known as Aura Decay. Similar to Dissonance, Decay turns traits against Covamirans and Caralovians, and destroys their mind and body from the inside out. There is a direct cure, however, but Decay moves much faster than Dissonance, able to consume either species completely in a matter of mere weeks or even days.

The entire Skybound population has displayed its own variation of Aura Destruction, one which has been referred to as Aura Contamination. Unlike other forms of Aura Destruction, Aura Contamination is in fact contagious, even to non-Skybounds. Aura Contamination manifests in the form of a Skybound's skin beginning to crack with a brilliantly glowing glow or a dull, sandy filling, which eventually will overtake their entire body. Aura Contamination can be cured by exposing the infected to the essence of the Celestial Object which they are bound to, though this proves extremely difficult for many to produce. Ancient herbs and plants prove sufficient, such as the Sun Iris, which doubles as a cure for a Contaminated Starbound or Sunbound. When a Skybound becomes fully contaminated, their entire body dims and dissolves into the diseased dust of their bond. This dust must be properly disposed of after being perfectly contained, or else it will continue to spread disease. Contaminated non-Skybounds will show the traits of their own heritage when they contract Aura Contamination. The average time for Aura Contamination to overtake a Skybound differs based on the bond.

Otherworld, the realm of the splitsouls, faces Aura Distortion. Distortion is somewhat similar to Pollution in that it is hard to spot and is extremely slow. However, it has no cure and more often than not, cannot heal over time. Research for a cure for Aura Distortion peaked in the Fifth Corsevemas War due to the influx of temporary and permanent Splitsouls.