Where to run a KUP game #6 - The races
The Lands of Appset are primarily inhabited by one dominant race: humans. While other sentient humanoid races exist, they are an infinitesimal fraction compared to humans. The presence of non-human races is justified by the presence of other planes of existence, accessible through dimensional rifts, allowing limited travel between planes. Sentient races may have crossed a planar portal and arrived on Appset in small numbers. From this perspective, the setting is designed to give the GM complete freedom in choosing which races to include in the game.
Note: Personally, I have decided not to include any semi-human races in the game I am running. However, I made an exception for a player who explicitly requested a dwarf character. To accommodate this, I allowed a character from an extraplanar race that closely resembles dwarves, with a unique clan history that will be revealed when the story of Electus Sanapo is described.
For the sake of completeness, there is one non-human race: the Eidolon. These beings are identical to humans—in fact, Eidolon exist for every type of living creature. Among them, the ones known to humans have human-like appearances (ancient texts also report rare cases of animal Eidolon). Eidolon possess two extraordinary abilities: precognition and omniscience. They can foresee the future and know details or information without having been present at an event. However, both powers have strict limitations.
Precognition activates only in situations where the Eidolon is directly involved in an imminent event (usually within minutes, or just enough time for the Eidolon to alter an unfavorable outcome). Omniscience is the ability to perceive thoughts and memories within others' minds. Eidolon are not all-knowing, but they can extract details from the minds of those they come into contact with (some claim this works on animals as well).
No one knows how many Eidolon exist on Appset. They usually have no interest in revealing themselves, and little is known about their habits, lifespan, or ultimate purpose. Scholars believe that Eidolon do not act based on personal motivation but rather follow a greater purpose—perhaps one tied to existential matters beyond human understanding. Some theorize that Eidolon lack independent cognition, acting solely according to their unknown purpose. The few recognized Eidolon appear devoid of emotions and act with unwavering rationality (they will always make the same choice in identical circumstances). Others believe that Eidolon are mere legends due to the complete lack of tangible evidence.
Every Eidolon has a Path, just like any other living creature in the game, and will always act in the most direct and consistent way dictated by their Path. As of today, only one confirmed Eidolon is known in Appset: Xylos, the High Magistrate of Belbois, the capital of Brumeclair, a province of Gremandie. However, many believe Xylos is just a normal person.
Lastly, there exists a subrace known as Mindwalkers. These beings are the offspring of human women and Eidolon (it is unknown whether female Eidolon exist or if there have been cases of male human and Eidolon offspring). Mindwalkers inherit some of the Eidolon’s powers, making them extremely fragile—their human side struggles to accept and use these abilities.
Mindwalkers are always female and are protected by a group called the Order of the Wheel. This organization trains them to control their powers and provides them with protection, as they would not survive otherwise. At the same time, the Order uses them for its own purposes: every major chapter of the Order has a Mindwalker capable of telepathically communicating with her ‘siblings.’ This grants the Order an unrivaled information network (more details on the Order will be provided later). Through rigorous training, Mindwalkers suppress most of their inherited powers while maximizing their telepathic link with others of their kind.
Due to their unique characteristics, Eidolon and Mindwalkers can only be NPCs, never PCs. The GM is free to use them in various ways but should always do so responsibly, without overusing them.