Gaiaterra: Elysea's Conflict/The Races of Gaiaterra

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Humans
The most numerous race dotting Gaiaterra. The Humans are said to have been the first race made by Elysea, with their design being the template for the other races (though the Elves would like to dispute that they were the first one and the Humans came second, if they're feeling generous that day).

Human (Lurensia/Elsword)
Possibly the most diverse set of Humans. The Lurensians originated from eastern Cantha, and are known for holding the largest territory, and therefore population, rivalling the Voshkod, having one of the strongest industrial base, and the inventor of gunpowder.

A unique thing about the Lurensians, like the Voshkod is that they don't have one proper dialect, as their large size causes their nation to split into different provinces, such as mandarin spoken in the mainland, Hainanese in the east, and Hokkien in the south and around Cantha.

Human (Encantadia)
Also known as Encantadas,

Human (Federation)
Although not from Elysea's Creation, at least by lack of evidence on the contrary, the humans of the Federation originated from Earth, a planet lightyears away from Gaiaterra and, most of all, lacked magic in any way.

The history of the Federation Humans is long enough that it would need its own page, and would be a tale for another time. But it is known that the Federation have invented many things that Gaiaterra itself had, from firearms to nuclear power, barring anything magical in nature and, if comparing records is to believe, the Federation had advanced a hundred times faster than Gaiaterra, having discovered gunpowder around the time Gaiaterra first discovered cooking and having only invented faster then light travel only a few decades ago. With the humans of today being a small space-faring commune. The theory being that without magic as a crutch the Federation had to rely on science instead.

Funnily enough, they have a mythology that almost follows closely to the races of Gaiaterra, from Dwarves to Elves, that both sides began to theorize that there must be some sort of subtle magic the Federation has that lets the world of Gaiaterra bleed into the subconscious of the Earth, or is it the other way around, which feeds the theory that Earth was invented by Elysea, though which came first is a hot debate. From JRR Tolkiens books scarily matching the description of the Commune Elves and Halflings, Teyvat and Skyrim existing in videogames, to many of Gaiaterra's vehicles matching point for point with Earth vehicles, down to the name. With some crackpot theorists even claiming that they are but simulations, made by either Elysea or some twisted god for sick kicks.

Dwarves
Short, stout, and unwavering. The Dwarven people are short and stunted in nature but possess an extreme degree of durability, endurance, strength, immovability, and stubbornness that many other races often mockingly compare to, or in the Dwarves' case, embody those of a stone or mountain. Most Dwarves stand only a mere 3 to 5 feet in height, however, they are noticeably very stout in build, with strong thick arms, long broad shoulders, and short but powerful legs. Female Dwarfs have a similar physique, though they are much more curvaceous, making them rather popular for people who prefer full-figured women.

These characteristics are advantageous in their underground homes, making their stunted yet stocky bodies well suited to the cramp environments of the tunnels. As you might expect, Dwarves are also natural diggers and miners, with many often lending their youths into the mines as miners or military warriors as a trial or passage to adulthood.

It is also customary, and for some mandatory, for all male Dwarves to have a beard of some kind. Most Dwarf youths begin to grow their beards at a relatively early age, around eight or ten, and will continue to grow for the rest of their lives. Rather than cultivating beards, female Dwarves braid their hair, which they never cut, in much the same way as a sign of status and age. It is also noted that only the Dwarves of the Commune, who were coincidentally the first Dwarves to interact with the other races, are the only one whose female also grows facial hair, with the other subraces getting frustrated when asked why their women don't have a beard, though some choose to humor them by wearing fake beards or tying their hair in a way to look like a beard.

Dwarf (Dawi)
Also known as Kin, as they call each other, or Squats by Necromunda. The Dwarfs of the Coalition are in many ways different from the other Dwarves. The first being that they prefer to be called Dwarfs, not Dwarves, in the plural, the last person who asked why they make such a fuss on something that small suffered a bloody nose and broken fingers.

Probably the shortest of the Dwarves, around 3 to 4 feet, the Dawi are noticeably tougher than their kindreds, with skin more akin to stone than flesh and near immunity to poisons. And, out of the Dwarves, value their beards/hair the most, with the shaving of such considered the greatest punishment when self-inflected or the greatest insult when done by another, enough to cause wars as shown by the War Of Vengeance (it's advised not to call it the War Of the Beard within earshot of them), and are noted to be mostly male, to the point that early scholars though they were only a race of men. This is because it's actually tied to their deepest secret, which they will kill to keep as such.

In truth, that scholar was right, just for the wrong reason. As unlike the other races the Dawi are not born but forged. The Dwarfs reproduced by carving a statue out of enchanted clay and, through the use of a secret ritual, infuses the statue with a soul. Thus all Dwarfs are actually "born" as genderless adults made from clay. Who will then spend their first few years learning the same thing a baby does, ending around "adulthood" where they choose their identity, and often finding out which gender they identify with. It is due to the way they reproduce being why they value their hair, as it was the only indicator of their age as they are both born as adults and are immortal. This also has the side-effect of making gender transition extremely easy for the Dwarfs, as they can easily remold their body as they are literally made of clay, to the point that most Dwarfs are genderfluid, and allowing them to recover from crippling injuries since they only need to go back into their clay form and make and reattach a clay limb to a stump to restore it back to use. Though since it takes a few days to form and reform back they can't do it in a war.

Another characteristic that differentiates them from their similar kin is that they also have an odd resistance to magic, with exception of the rare Grimnyr. Dwarfs are not able to feel or control magic like the other races within Gaiaterra, likely a side-effect of being made of clay instead of flesh. In fact, the Dwarfen race has grown such immunity to magic that they have become highly immune to all forms of common mutation, a severe and common side-effect that is often associated with those races that are affiliated with magic. Some have speculated that Elysea created the Dwarfs in an attempt to create a race that can resist the touch of Chaos and the uncontrollable magic it brings forth, though they can force their body to use magic, as evidenced by the Chaos Dwarfs, however it comes with adverse side-effects. As such, the only way a Dwarf will be able to use magic in any form is through the use of Runes and the proper teachings of a Runesmith. The exception of these are the Grimnyr, who were modified by the Votann to have psychic powers so that they can translate their speech, who are in turn trained in a specific psychic discipline.

Dwarf (Old Navea)
Also known as the Fyreslayers,

Dwarf (Enutrof)
Possibly the tallest of the Dwarven races

Dwarf (Uzkulak/Auring)
Also known as the Dawi Zharr in their native tongue or simply Chaos Dwarfs.

Elves
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Elf (Kaldorei)
Also known as the Night Elves, are a powerful and mystical race whose origins extend back to ancient times, being one of the longest-lived and most ancient cultures in existence today. These then-immortal beings were among the first to study magic and let it loose throughout the world nearly ten thousand years before the Age of Darkness.

Elf (Ulthuan)
The High Elves, or the Asur, as they call themselves, are one of the most ancient and powerful mortal civilizations within Gaiaterra. Hailing from a mighty mist-shrouded island continent located within the center of the Great Ocean, the High Elves of Ulthuan are a proud and mighty nation of masterful warriors, peerless mages,, high tech weaponry and lords of the sky and sea.

Elf (Naggaroth/Auring)
Also known as the Druchii are the followers of Malekith and later Yuri. When Malekith tried and failed to take the Phoenix Throne in 1937 V.C. he and his followers retreated to Naggaroth. Ever since the Dark Elves have been a cruel race when they joined the Collective of Auring with a strong feud against the Katsuragi Protectorate, but this has done little to diminish the desire to (re)take Ulthuan and later Gaiaterra when they joined the Collective.

Elf (Aden)
Also known as the Wild Walkers,

Elf (Old Navea)
Also known as Aeldari or Drukhari depending on the faction and Eldar in general.

Orcs
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Orc (Horde)
Also known as Orks by the Coalition or generally as greenskins.

Orc (Oni)
Native to Eastern Cantha, mainly in the smaller islands around Ulthuan,

Troll (Northern)
The Northern trolls are one of the oldest races in Gaiaterra who weren't created by the titans, or at least thats what they say. They have a very tribal culture that persists to this day, which usually results in scattered allegiances and tribes looking out only for themselves. There are some tribes who do know loyalty though, like the Darkspear Tribe and the Shatterspear Tribe, both of whom are part of the Great Horde.

Halfling
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Halfling (Ratling)
Natives of Aden, the Ratling (Homo sapiens minimus) are a member of a small, loud, hungry, and lecherous Abhuman species, a far cry from the humble, welcoming, and kindhearted Hobbits (save the hungry part), likely because of their homes hostility hardening them. Ratlings are considered outsiders within Aden, as they had refused to become part of the Legion, and have often served in the regiments of the Lineage Steel Legion as members of the Militarum Auxilla. However, they are still distrusted by the more puritanical members of the Legion.

Though less resilient than their baseline Human comrades, Ratlings are naturally excellent shots. It is said that Ratling marksmen can take the head off a Harvin from over a kilometer away. Coupled with their knack for staying out of harm's way, this makes Ratlings formidable snipers who can exact a withering toll upon superior enemy forces.

Inevitably, the Ratlings face prejudice from the Legion troops they serve alongside, yet their skill as thieves, fences, and black marketeers tends to win them acceptance. Indeed, Guardsmen who give the Ratlings too much grief will often find themselves mysteriously short of ammunition in the heat of battle, while their diminutive tormentors watch gleefully through telescopic sights.

Regardless of their small stature, and their questionable status as outsiders, Ratlings have proven invaluable to the Legion armies time and again. They make exceptional forward scouts and are able to move covertly into firing positions right under the nose of the enemy army. Only when the opening salvoes of battle have been loosed do they reveal themselves, announcing their presence with hails of precision shots that catch the enemy completely off-guard.

The effectiveness of Ratling fire can often mislead the enemy into believing they face an entire platoon of Imperial Guardsmen, which in turn can draw large-scale assaults towards the snipers. With no hope of holding their own in close-quarters combat, Ratlings have perfected the art of hastily vacating their redoubts immediately after firing, scurrying away before securing a new vantage point from which to assassinate more of their assailants.

Though devious, duplicitous, and morally dubious, Ratlings possess such unique talents that they will always find a place in the armies of the Imperium. Whether killing off enemy officers or procuring black-market amasec for their own, these adaptable Abhumans have certainly found their niche in the ranks of the Astra Militarum.

Giantkin
The biggest races of Gaiaterra, befitting their name, the Giantkin towers over the other races, with the length of the smallest giant's leg equalling an average man's height. And it's because of this size that makes the Giants incredibly strong and hardy, with their skins being thick and tough enough that most rifle rounds struggle to penetrate their flesh (which is necessary, seeing as how finding enough cloth to make clothes for them is already a struggle itself). But it's also their size that makes them big targets and struggles when going through most normal doors.

Ogre (Southern)
Mutated by the war in the south and the Maw. The Ogres of the south have completely changed from their sibling in the north, to the point that they are considered separate species.

Ogryn
The Ogryn (Homo sapiens gigantus) are a huge and physically powerful Giant subspecies native to Aden, often employed by the Lineage Steel Legion as shock troopers in the Legion Militarum Auxilla.

Ogryns possess many traits prized by the Legion; they are brutally strong and completely loyal, although extremely limited intellectually, which restricts their battlefield role to simple and direct assaults.

They hail from a series of cold and barren lands filled with strong beasts, which is why they appear larger, heavier, and bulkier compared to baseline Humans.

Ogryns compensate for their mental deficiencies with overwhelming physicality -- the brutish creatures stand around ten feet tall and can shrug off wounds that would kill a Guardsman several times over. These qualities mean that Ogryns make exceptional shock troops, and are often deployed on the front lines of battle by Legion commanders.

It is fair to say that Ogryns do have their limitations. Their equipment must be simple and exceptionally rugged, as anything within arm's reach is likely to see brief and violent service as an improvised club.

Their heavily built Ripper Guns must also be fitted with burst limiters to stop the Ogryns from firing ceaselessly -- thirty seconds of noisy enjoyment can easily leave these Giants short of ammunition before a battle has even begun.

Ogryns are easily confused, meaning they work best when given simple, straightforward missions, and their lack of personal hygiene borders on the criminal. However, once indoctrinated into the Imperial Creed they are doggedly loyal, and their strength and resilience make them a potent weapon.

Ogier
Ogier, pronounced OH-gehr but many choose to call them OH-gear, are a race of Giants who, unlike their other kins, have an intense love of knowledge and peace, much to the jeers and laughter of the more violent Ogres and Giants. Also known as Alantin, or Tree brothers, by the (insert human), they are great architects and stonemasons, responsible for many of the most impressive structures and cities of the world. Ogier stonework is known for its organic nature, often appearing to have been grown like plants. However, it is understood to be a skill they acquired during the Breaking, and is of lesser importance than their first love, forestry. They love the trees of their homes, which they call Stedding, and grew groves near the cities they built to remind them of their home. Even their written language resembles growing leaves and vines.

Varl
The Varl are a race of powerful, horned, and bearded giants, having twice the height and girth of Humans. They are warlike but also have a fondness for mead and brawling. Only genderless, though most of them look masculine and identify as male, Varls are produced in special "forge pits" hidden deep within their homeland, akin to the Lizardmen in Lustria.

The Varl are a cross-breed of man and animal, created by an impatient god who wove together a twisted version of the original Loom-mother’s creations, or at least thats what Cantha mythology says. Varls are horned giants who are strong and aggressive and have the reputation of being impeccable fighters. Respected as warriors, they can live to be a few thousand years old if their lives are not cut short by a fall in battle, such as Iver of the Wolf Clan who can still remember when Gaiaterra was under the rule of the Khal Dynasty and fighting the Dredge in the Age Of Bronze, especially since it was the year he lost his left arm, and the undead in the Age Of Darkness. Despite their warlike culture, they too cultivate families and are not without emotions, similar to their human counterparts, and tend to do a better job of sticking together than humans. Their attitude towards their human allies is somewhat condescending, believing that they are superior beings, particularly when it comes to strength and fighting.

Interestingly, the Varls have a race-wide fear/revulsion of fire, with the theory being that their creation requires them to be immolated.

Faunus
Also known by the slur of Demi-Humans, Beastfolk, Animal, or Furry. The Faunus are unique in that they have animal features and a rather large dimorphism, from the Erune who looks human save for their cat ears and tail to the Kajiit looking like humanoid cats, and is the most diverse, if heavily fragmented, race, due to their varying animal features.

Miqo'te
The Miqo'te are a race of feline humanoids. They have cat ears, a tail, different eyes and different skin colors. They also have very strong leg muscles, which are the results of evolution through a hunting and predatory lifestyle.

Harpy (Eastern)
Also known as Tengu by Canthans. The Eastern Harpies differ from their Western cousin by having normal arms and their wings on their back, in comparison to the Western Harpies' whose wings are their arms. Which gives them far better dexterity but at the cost of being slower and less maneuverable to their Western cousins.

Centaur
Also known as the Horseborn by Canthans

Lizardmen
The Lizardmen, sometimes known as the Cold Ones or the Children of the Gods, are an ancient, savage, intelligent race of cold-blooded, reptilian humanoids that were at one time the first and oldest civilization of Gaiaterra Long before the rise of Men, Elf or Dwarf, the empire of the Lizardmen ruled supreme, or so the myth goes.

Uniquely, The Lizardmen's core species such as the Slann, Saurus, Skinks and Kroxigors are not born from eggs, like their feral reptilian cousins, but are birth from special pools and ponds located within sacred regions of the jungle. This birthing of a new generation of Lizardmen are called Spawnings. Every Temple-City has its own sacred ponds and expanses of marsh where these spawning events occur. Skinks and Kroxigors tend to spawn in ponds and swamps open to the sky, whereas Saurus and certain other Kroxigors are usually spawned in dank subterranean caverns. Pyramid Temples are frequently built over the top of the entrances to such caverns and outlying swamps are sometimes made into rectangular ponds encircled by stone.

Due to their amphibious origins, some days after the spawning event begins, little tadpoles emerge out of the water, growing in numbers and size at an extremely accelerated rate, feeding on the enormous number of tropical insects that hover above such waters. When the Lizardmen are fully developed they emerge unto dry land in enormous numbers all at the same time.

The interval between spawnings can be very long and usually a spawning will not recur in the same pond within the lifetime of the last generation that was born there. Thus each city is surrounded with multiple spawning pools which spawn at different times of the year. Each spawning is linked to astrological cycles and will always begin at certain conjunction of stars and planets. Since each generation emerge from different ponds at different intervals in time, there are always several dozen Lizardmen of the same age and origins living within tightly-knit groups within their home city. Being of the same spawning, different age-groups will also have varying degrees of features which are unique to that particular spawning, such as different skin tones, unique markings, a calm and calculated attitude towards administrative duties or a more fierce and warlike attitude towards war.

These large groups of Lizardmen are given a single directive or purpose upon their birth, such as either being formed into cohorts of tribal warriors or become the artisan and workers for their respective Temple-Cities. Those spawning that only birth a single individual usually means that this particular Lizardmen is meant to be a leader amongst their kind. Due to the timing of spawnings, the Mage Priest have careful records which detail the time when a new spawning will occur, but not all are recorded and some spawnings will appear to happen at completely random intervals in time.

Idoneth
Also known as the Deepkin or, derogatorily, Sea Elves due to their fin-like ears

Minotaur (Southern)
Known as Taurens in their native tongue. The Southern Minotaurs are the original Minotaurs who still live in their homeland of Thunderbluff.

Settled roughly 570 years ago by the Taurens, Thunderbluff is now the home to almost the entire Southern Minotaur race. It has never suffered a successful invasion thanks to numerous tunnels and twisting mines by way of entry, and tensions between minotaurs and orcs remain high to this day.

Minotaur (Northern)
Also jokingly known as Cowgirls/Cowboys (much to their groaning). The Northern Minotaurs were exiled by their kin to the south a long time ago. Their body having gradually changed to look more human-like, similar to the Erune or Vieran, to the point that they are considered a separate species.

In the past, the Minotaurs were a singular race of beast-like men and women. However, over a long period of raiding, breeding, and eventual mutual intermingling, a schism appeared. Two tribes split apart, one formed from the Minotaurs who didn't participate in the raiding and stayed normal, and the other consisted of the Minotaurs who had taken human partners with their children having a mixture of both parents. This uneasy coexistence soon led to an honor duel to see whose to leave Thunderbluff, with those who would become the northern Minotaurs losing the duel. The underlying cause for some minotaur preferring interspecies partners has never truly been unearthed, though many theories have been put forth.

Over a long period of time, the Northern Minotaurs have gradually taken on some human-like traits such as their loss of body fur saved around their hooved legs, their face losing their muzzle and becoming more human-shaped, and their bodies gradually shrinking to a size between a Tauren and human, but they remain mostly Minotaur in appearance, with their hooved and furred legs, horns, ears, and tail. With the divergence being big enough to be called a separate species.

Ysoki
Known simply as Ratfolk. Jolly, curious, social, love of family and community, and kind to a fault, the Ysoki perfectly reflects the behavior of rats, and being a friend with a Ysoki is to have a friend for life. Communal by nature, the Ysoki tend to live in large warrens filled with up to 1000 adults, with a rather free-loving nature, with marriage being a foreign concept and child-rearing being done by the community rather than a family (though with how close-knit they are the community tended to be considered a large family). And knowing and being with a Ysoki is many things but boredom and hatred.

But with their discovery of Warp Stone, and half of their race running away to become the Skavens, they tend to have an unearned reputation of being greedy, dirty, and murderous monsters, especially since the Skavens are more numerous and all but happy to have their saner kin take the blame for their actions.

Skaven
Also known as Ratmen and Raki by the Coalition. The Skaven were an offshoot of the Ysoki when they had discovered Warp Stones which formed a great rift and eventually civil war when its toxic properties were revealed. As one side wanted to further the potential of the Warp Stone, corruption be damned, and slowly grew mad as they began to worship the stones, while the other half refused, knowing that such a power should be destroyed. The civil war ended with the Ysoki exiling their mad kin, whose bodies had now mutated to look gaunt and even more rat-like thanks to the toxic Warp Stones.

Man-Made
Compared to other races of Gaiaterra. Man-Made, as their name implies, are not a race created by Elysea, and in most cases can't even reproduce the natural way. Instead, they are created, whether by technology, magic, or transforming a regular person. Thus some people don't even consider them a race.

Cyborgs
Less of a race and more of a classification, Cyborgs are people who are augmented by machinery, from bulky robotic limbs to nanomachines, whether by choice, to save them from dying, or forced by another person. Cyborgs, at least those who chose to augment themselves or the combat variants, tend to be stronger and faster than a normal person, and sometimes have abilities like heat vision.

Clone
Less of a race and more of a classification,

AI
Also known as robots, drones, droids, etc.

Astarte
Created by implementing nineteen special organs, known collectively as a geneseed, into a human. The Astartes, or simply space marines, are made of young men and women, averaging around ten, to become the supersoldiers and defenders of the Coalition.

Standing around seven to eight feet tall and often androgynous looking, due to a side effect of their transformation making all of them intersex, the Astartes are stronger, faster, and tougher than an average human with extreme mental resilience, to the point that Collective psychics often struggles to mind control them as they will actively resist the attempt, and extremely long-lived, such as Dante of the Blood Angels who had fought alongside Sanguina in the past and leading the Blood Angels today. With their most notable ability being able to move in their bulky power armor as if it was a second skin thanks to the black carapace implant.

Undead
Also known as the Forsaken by Yuri, Tomb Kings by Elona, or simply zombies.

Ghoul
Ghouls are mutated humans or animals affected by the phenomenon of ghoulification, a strange process when intense nuclear radiation interacted with the magic of Gaiaterra. In the case of humans, ghouls are sometimes referred to as necrotic post-humans in the Capital Wasteland, but this term does not seem to have been adopted outside of it whatsoever. Despite their zombie-like appearance, the flesh of ghouls is not actually rotten. Intense and prolonged radiation has ravaged their skin, much of their flesh, and in some cases many of their ligaments. Despite their infertility and in some cases mental deterioration, they have greatly extended overall lifespans and are immune to (and sometimes even healed by) background radiation and/or nuclear fallout.

The history of ghouls is a mixture of suffering and plight. The bulk and first known case of ghouls emerged as a result of the Embry Civil War, although there are cases of some using controlled exposure to radiation to ghoulify themselves and ride out the upcoming war. There was also an experimental radiation drug being tested somewhere in the Commonwealth.

Super Mutant
Super Mutant is a general term referring to humanoid mutants created by exposing a regular and relatively unmutated human to a variant of the Forced Evolutionary Virus (FEV), a mutagen created by the Commonwealth when the Embry Civil War was at its darkest. The resulting hulking mutants typically possess exceptional strength, endurance, resistance or immunity to disease and radiation, as well as modified intelligence.

Vampire
A rather strange mixture of man-made and natural, as Vampires can give birth to other Vampires and Dhampirs (half Vampires), though their birthrate is extremely low, and can also transform other races to their kind with a special bite. The origin of the Vampires is a rather large mystery, not even the oldest Vampire remembers how they originated, with the closest theory being that the first Vampire was made when a man or woman was cursed (how on the other hand is a matter of debate), and thus why they are classified as a man-made race.

Therianthrope
Simply known as Werewolves (or Worgen by the people of Gilneas) for the wolf subtype, which is also the most common of the Therianthrope.

Big Daddy
Though formally called the Protector Programme. The Bigd Daddy are genetically enhanced human beings who have had their skin and organs grafted into an armored diving suit, with Alpha Series being an apparent exception to the grafting process, though still heavily spliced. Their primary purpose is to protect Little Sisters while they escort them around Rapture.

Originally created by Dr. Yi Suchong to serve as Rapture's maintenance workers, to help in later construction projects, and to do the menial work of Rapture that was not profitable: Rosies riveted panels and windows while Bouncers drilled deep-sea rocks and minerals for further city expansion.

Splicers
Humans who have mutated themselves to the point of becoming an entirely new species formed from the remnants of Rapture's human population. Splicers are the result of ADAM use, which skyrocketed during the violence of the Rapture Civil War. During the conflict, and the chaotic days that followed, most of the city's citizens fell victim to the Splicers or abused ADAM to the point of becoming Splicers themselves. Due to excessive ADAM consumption, their bodies and minds have been deformed beyond repair (though some of their physical deformities can be attributed to war scars or Dr. J.S. Steinman's plastic surgery). They have become dependent on ADAM, both mentally and physically. Many still wear Masquerade Ball masks, perhaps out of shame at how ADAM has deformed their bodies.

Although the term Splicer can be applied to anyone who has altered their genetic structure with ADAM, it has since become the term used only to describe those who have become addicted to the substance and had their minds and bodies ruined.

According to ADAM's discoverer Dr. Brigid Tenenbaum, the genetic wonder drug works by exchanging original cells within a subject with new and changing variations. The effects of small, controlled, or otherwise brief uses of Plasmids or Gene Tonics seem minimal, and recent Aquilan research shows that there is a safe level for ADAM usage. In either case, ADAM, like other dangerous drugs, is addictive and prone to cause adverse side effects with extended use. The very nature of the drug leads users into substance dependence, at least without proper healthcare.

ADAM operates at the genetic level. Due to the instability of its interaction with the subject, a whole host of deleterious reactions can manifest in the user. While some users broke out in horrible physical deformities, others like Sander Cohen suffered psychosis but few noticeable mutations. The key is that the side effects were different for each individual.

Miscellaneous
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Mora
Commonly known as the Beta,

Tau
Coming from the nation of Tau (yes, it gets confusing). The Tau are a race native to the Eastern Fringes of Eorzea. They used to fight to expand their interstellar empire and extend a philosophical concept they call the "Greater Good" to all the intelligent species of the galaxy. But with their devastating loss against the Coalition in the Damocles War the Lumeris Syndicate, always the opportunist had made a deal with the Tau to repair their empire in return for becoming trade parthers, purposely making the fine print being that they are essentially their slaves until they can pay off their (impossibly) massive debt, and by the time the Tau realized they were duped it was too late, as voiding the contract will lead to the vastly superior Syndicate Security wiping them out. And began their reforms by turning almost all of the Tau citites into Sprawls. Today, the Syndicate's dominance is even greater, and the Tau is an empire in name only.

Arboreal
Also known as Treekin, Ents, Dryads, Sylvari etc.