THE RACES OF HYRULE
Shown below are all of the races currently available to choose from within the world of Roots of the Wild!
▹ The colors depicted on these race cards are the most common ones seen in each race. To account for variances in individuals and monitor screens, colors don't have to follow these examples exactly, but must stay within their general range. Other color ranges not shown on the cards may be acceptable, but must first be approved by the mod team on a case by case basis.
▹ Race exclusive colors only apply to the four main 'human' races - Hylians, Sheikah, Gerudo & Kokiri.
NOTE: If you had any of the race exclusive colors for your active OCs prior to 4/1/2021, you don't have to change them! It'll just be considered a rare exception.
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Hylians once ruled over Hyrule in an era before the Blight. While they are said to have been created by the goddess Hylia herself as her chosen people, in this age that means very little to the denizens of Hyrule.
This resilient and adaptive people have been a major force in keeping society together in all three villages, even as each passing decade sees their sanctuaries shrink in size and population.
Hylians are comparable to real-world humans in terms of their physical abilities, appearances and lifespans, but applied to a more fantasy setting.
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Sheikah were originally protectors of Hylia's chosen people and defenders of the royal family who carried her bloodline. Though this knowledge is little more than legend now, it is still reflected in the bleeding eye crest many Sheikah proudly bear. Conversely, Sheikah in the past who resented some of the treatment of their race by Hylia's people formed the Yiga clan to attempt to eliminate the royal family of Hyrule. When the Calamity struck and the Blight covered Hyrule, the Yiga gradually disappeared, their work complete.
Most Sheikah live in Inariko within their close-knit Sheikah community, maintaining their cultural legacy. It is not very common for them to leave their community and settle in other villages. Sheikah have their own language which is not shared with outsiders to their culture, in order to maintain its use for coded messages.
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The Gerudo are a race composed entirely of AFAB individuals, save for one male Gerudo born every hundred years.
Though Gerudo need to meet men outside of their race in order to have children, they always have children who are unmistakeably of the Gerudo race - tall, well-muscled, darker skinned femmes who sport hair and eye colors typically more vivid than those found in the father's race.
Traditionally Gerudo culture has excluded men from participating and been strictly female-focused, but in modern times with the three village's melting pot populations, Gerudo culture has come to be more accepting of all genders. Nowadays transmasc and nonbinary Gerudo are free to live openly.
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Zora come in a large variety of body shapes and colors, their one unifying racial trait being their amphibious abilities. Zora have long lifespans and slower physical development than most of the other races of Hyrule. They need to swim in fresh water regularly to stay healthy, and can become physically ill if denied access for too long.
Most Zora live in the Lanayru region, which is where their native domain once existed long ago. Though none are old enough to remember Zora's Domain nor their royal family, the many skills that the Zora people developed to strengthen and uphold the domain are still practiced in Inariko to this day. Combat skills above and below water, underwater architecture, stonework, fishing and crafting arts are still strong among Inariko's Zora and have been crucial skills in keeping the village quite literally afloat over the centuries.
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The Rito are an avian race with plumage which comes in a great variety of different colors and patterns. They have prehensile wings that are capable of manipulating objects as if they were hands. Their feathery coats keep them insulated in cold weather and when flying at high altitudes, and when molted are usually repurposed for warm clothes and bedding.
Rito artisans have kept traditional patterns and designs alive by passing them down for textiles and decoration. Everything from clothing to weapons tends to be colorfully decorated when designed by a Rito.
While they don't need to wear clothes, being comfortably covered by feathers, Rito clothing is typically designed to accent their natural plumage and show off their patterns.
Rito culture is a proud and noble one which passes on stories of courageous warriors and skillful leaders. The Rito encourage their children to honor the skill of those spoken of in Rito legends.
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Gorons are readily recognized by their large mass, easily growing taller and broader than every other non-monster race. Even their stomachs are tough- a known truth backed by the fact that they gain all of their nutrients from eating rocks. Gorons all appear to be male, and they have rocky hides on their backs and the ability to curl up to protect themselves- once in this position, they can also roll along the ground at surprising speeds.
Gorons are expert tunnelers, capable of digging through rock without tools.
Despite their overwhelming strength, Gorons are typically a friendly and peaceful people. Their culture prides itself on their physical strength and commonly holds competitions such as climbing races and wrestling, and those who champion these exhibitions win the respect and admiration of their peers. As the Goron's native home was once in the heart of an active volcano, they craft the majority of their material goods out of volcanic stone and heat-tolerant metals. Many of these traditions still live on in the architecture of Rudania and its frequent festivals, kept strong by the large Goron population in the village.
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Just under a century ago, the Great Deku Tree of the Korok Forest died to the Blight- but not before granting his Korok children the ability to shift into Kokiri forms to better prepare them for living amongst the other races in order to survive.
Having sensed that his end was nigh, The Great Deku Tree also blessed a number of seeds with the last of his magic before passing to grant them sapience unseen in normal plants, helping to ensure the survival of his children. The Koroks who fled the dying Korok Forest took these seeds with them, and many have since sprouted into a new generation of Koroks. Many more are being nurtured even now in hopes that they too will sprout and join their kin one day.
The largest population of Koroks is found in and around the village of Vhintl in the Faron region, drawn to the lush forest which remains there. As forest spirits themselves Koroks are both dependent on and guardians of the natural landscape that they inhabit.
Many Koroks are playful and childlike in nature. Each has the ability to glide with a leaf propeller, and every Korok at sprouting is bequeathed a fairy companion as per the late Deku Tree's wishes. The connection between a Korok and their fairy companion is a unique and lifelong bond.
The Kokiri form is a physical body which never grows or ages, no matter how many years a Korok may stay in it. A Korok can assume this form at will, and any clothing or items they had on them when last in Kokiri form will reappear with the transformation. Kokiri, just like their Korok forms, are sexless and can only be produced by one of their surviving seeds sprouting. All Koroks are first sprouted as Koroks, and eventually learn the ability to transform into their Kokiri form.
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Notice: As of 6/15/2023 members cannot create twili characters until further notice.
Twili hail from another realm parallel to Hyrule which goes by two different names, depending on who you ask. Originally it was simply called the Shadow World, but over time the Twili who evolved to be its denizens began calling it the Realm of Twilight.
Knowledge of the existence of Hyrule has been passed down from generation to generation, and they commonly refer to it as the Realm/World of Light.
Visually, Twili are a rather complex and varied race. Their many millennia of living in the shadow realm has caused them to evolve with the shadows into what they are now. Though not everyone has evolved the same... for instance, members may create Twili OCs which are more humanoid, along with ones more like the unusual, disproportionately bodied and limbed Twili Citizens. They may also be a mixture of the two!
The most uniform thing about a Twili's appearance is the presence of two-toned skin varying in shades of greys, charcoal blacks, and whites to subtle blues ranging from muted darker tones to pale. Their hair is often variegated reds/oranges/yellows or blues/teals (though it can also be a solid color), and they are born with natural markings which show their magical lineage.
Less uniform are some of the details. Twili ears, noses and even teeth come in a wide variety. Ears may be simply pointed, similarly to Hylians, or have irregularities. Noses are commonly but not exclusively wide with a flat bridge, and teeth can be blunt or pointed, or a mixture of the two.
See page A Guide to Twili for more information on appearance, culture and ways of living in the Twilight Realm.
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These little foxes were rarely seen, if at all, until recently due to a surge of blight – the Blight Bloom. An enigmatic race of small, fox-like beings, Keatons had made their home in seclusion for centuries safe from monsters and Hyruleans alike. Little is known about Keatons, but they have shown themselves to be incredibly resourceful, and apt in mercantile and crafting skills.
Since joining life in the villages, Keatons have exhibited an uncanny use of their innate magical abilities to take on a 'human' form with the purpose of blending in more, no different from those who live in Hyrule... save for the fox-like ears and tail(s) they can’t seem to disguise.
Keatons are generally shrewd and mischievous by nature, not above playing tricks or games at the expense of others in good fun. Though proud of their race and culture, it isn’t odd to see a Keaton with a preference for another shape. Keatons have used these disguises since before the collapse, taking pride in their resourcefulness and perseverance.
A Keaton’s most noticeable feature is their tails. They indicate how old they could be, and how powerful their magic has become. Keatons are born with one tail that splits into a 2nd tail by the age of 50, and a 3rd tail if they make it to 100. It’s considered a momentous occasion when a Keaton’s tail splits; it means they survived, and were able to cultivate their magical power for many years, becoming closer to what Keatons consider a perfect version of themselves.
While they can have a variety of natural pelt variations, their fur is most often yellow with black tips. Keatons, in their natural form, have the musculature and proportions of a bipedal fox, though they are still able to become quadruped when required–such as for traveling quickly from one place to another.
** NOTE - For the sake of simplicity, all Keatons are considered mature adults at the same age any other Hylian would be.
A Guide for Keaton appearance can be found here.
Shae Katha 12th, 1000 AB (March 31st, 2021)
Keatons had been holed up in 'dens' - small communities for survival out in the wilds - for centuries, miles away from any of the three villages of Rudania, Inariko and Vhintl. They'd been separated for so long that they'd thought that the villages had fully succumbed to blight, and that they were the only sapient race left living in Hyrule....
This proved wrong when their elders sent out magical 'beacons' - enchanted bells which would go about Hyrule, finding and leading any of their kin who might still be out there back to the few still remaining 'safe' places post Blight Bloom. Gradually, the beacons went far enough to start attracting attention from the other races, and through this the Keatons discovered that Rudania was still standing - that there were allies that they could join with.
The day before the Blood Moon on Shae Katha 13th, Keatons began flocking to the nearest villages to them in eastern Hyrule - discovering Inariko and Vhintl while looking for Rudania, seeking refuge from the oncoming hardships and inevitable deaths that would await them otherwise. They all brought provisions, knowledge and skills, doing their parts to help fight off the monsters which came on the Blood Moon just after, thus establishing their good will toward the villages!
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It started in Rudania, in the center of town, a strange creature emerged from the earth. Introducing itself as a Mogma, it looked like a three-way cross between a bear, a dog, and a mole. The creature explained that they had a sprawling mega city beneath the Volcano. This sprawling labyrinth of tunnels had spread far and deep, but tragically, they had dug too deep and greedily, the ground became too compromised, and their city was no more, with it Death Mountain's tantrum was explained; The collapsing tunnels upset the volcano's many chambers. But now the issue at hand, with their mega-city no more, the Mogma needed a place to live, and asked if the Hylians, in their strange above ground homes, would mind some new neighbors? And so it went in Rudania, Inariko, and Vhintl that the Mogma were welcomed, the newest members of the community.
The Mogma are fur covered with massive forearms tipped with nails for digging through rock and dirt, a sensitive nose, and whiskers for sensing tremors in the earth. Mogma have weaker eyesight in the light, but great dark vision and fine hearing. Mogma are typically not confrontational and are very skittish and cowardly, though braver individuals still may distinguish themselves.
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