Gaeleth hosts a surprising diversity of races, many of which are human-compatible species. Their genetic inheritance suggests that at one time, many of the 'humanoid' races may have come from the same stock. Other races, however, are completely incompatible with humans, and are probably of alien stock in form or another. Some species have been artificially created by powerful mages, or even the gods themselves.
Humans are the most populace and most diverse of all the races on Gaeleth. They live high in the Heavansbane Mountains, and deep within earth. They can be found far out upon the waters of the oceans, and travelling the rivers of the hearts of continents. From high desert to low floodlands, humans have carved out empires and homes for millennia. Though not native to Gaeleth, they have walked across the surface of the world for eons, and are the most capable and resourceful of all the races.
Human races include the Sholin, Destanae, Amaran, Alekdanian, Slate, and Chillean.
Elves are among the most passionate of all the races. Fast thinking and quick to act, they are usually highly mobile and nomadic, though a few of the them have created powerful city states and vast nations. Of all the races, theirs is the one with the most natural bent towards magic. A part of their history, and a part of their lives, the arcane arts have made them a target for the Inquisition. Despite being hunted and persecuted throughout much of Gaeleth, they have survived, and even flourished in secret and in hiding.
Elven races include the Desolate (sometimes known as the 'desert elves'), Drow, Merfolk, Sylvan, Eladrin (sometimes known as 'high elves'), Wilden, and Drowari.
Dwarves are one of the oldest and most intractable of all the races. Most of the mountain ranges on Gaeleth have felt their presence at some point, and many of their stone cities date back dozens of millennia. The keepers of history, they have always been less than enthusiastic about magic – and many became valuable allies to the Inquisition. Powerful warriors, many have also stood as a strong bulwark to the defenses of good against evil.
Dwarf (dwarven) subraces include Mountain Dwarf, Hill Dwarf, and Deep Dwarf, as well as the Duergar (sometimes known as Derro).
Gnomes were secretive long before they had a reason. Five centuries ago, however, they were nearly wiped off the face of the planet by the Dark God and his minions. Legends remain of the Masters of Illusion that were wiped out by the Drow'Ari, but that is all. Their numbers have never recovered from the Storm Wars, and their secrecy has grown.
Tomanths are the natives of Gaeleth. Primative by most standards, they are proud protectors of their environs, fierce warriors, and stoic rangers. Their short life spans of barely a decade, and their inability to wield fine instruments, have made them the slave stock of lesser nations. But their pride remains undiminished, and they are slowly clawing their way to recognition.
Tomanth races include the River, Oceanic, and Blood varieties.
Halflings are survivors. Labeled as 'extinct' over five millennia ago, they went into hiding. When the Storm Wars began, they hid – and survived. When the Inquisition began, they dug in even harder – and continue to survive. Their future remains in jeopardy, however. Only four communities remain, though powerful halfling wizards from Jazed are investigating their lost brethren.
Goblins have insinuated themselves into the flatlands of every part of the world, from the vast savannas of the Amarans, to the steppes and plains of the Shale. Their vast warrens can extend for thousands of miles underground, and their enslaved boring beetles can attack settlements and travellers with or without hordes of goblins and the more elite hobgoblins.
Orcs are sometimes considered the most prolific of the humanoids. Orc-tusked, flat-nosed, and somewhat porcine, they have thick sweat that is almost like a fish's ichor. They spread and adapted to many parts of Gaeleth, and have several sub-species.
Orc varieties include those of the Sand Orc, Frost Orc, Rock Orc, and Bog Orc, as well as the more commonly encountered orc.
The giants of Gaeleth range from 9 feet up to 29 feet and even taller. Massive brutes, most are nearly feral and barely more man than beast. They seem to thrive more often in mountainous regions. They alternate generations; the giants are neuters and the brownies they give off are the 'adults'.
The Giant races include Stone Giants, and Hill Giants, as well as Brownies.
Ogres are desert dwelling creatures close to ten feet tall. Some think they are giants or giant kin, but in reality they are more closely related to humans and elves. Some speculate that they were bred to be warriors in the distant past, but others believe they are arcane cast aways.
Ogres come in two varieties: the brutes, and the ogre'mai (ogre mages).
The dragonborn were created by the dragons of Wuron Sfa, as a melding of the dragon spirit and form, and the form of the humanoids that nearly wiped the dragons out. The dragonborn are free to pursue their own paths, after they have served their mandatory years to the dragons.
The dragonborn are diverse in their subraces, somewhat similar to the dragons but more mixed with a variety of colorations, adornments, and builds.
The Aeswar are nomads that travel the lands of Gaeleth astride aurochs. Comfortable in both grasslands and forests, they are a sun-kissed people with dark hair and eyes that tend towards amber or brown or even red. They superficially resemble the Toomarans, with their bowed legs from years of riding, and may come from the same ancestral stock. The Aeswar, however, have a very high tendency to birth tieflings, and there are many such demon-touched within their clans, serving in valuable positions.
Other races inhabit Gaeleth, though they rarely interact with the other races. Each has its own history, and its own rules. Whole nations of each exist, though the ties they make to others varies from race to race. Depending on their strength, or weakness, they can be powerful adversaries to the more civilized nations. In some cases, they can even be tied in with various deities.
Examples include kobolds, treants, trolls, goliath, and the ticata.
There are several types of 'created' races, such as half-elementals and dopplegangers.