• Both the most populous and the youngest lineage of Mnemos, it is believed by many that Humans were crafted by the Arcanum in an experiment on some arboreal tree dwelling ape. Whatever their origins truly are, these clever, industrious, innovative, and adaptable people have long since established their foothold in this world despite - or perhaps because of - their detractors throughout known history. When the Arcanum brought the world to near ruin, it was Micha, a human, who sacrificed herself to save it. Then, after the Sundering had driven many of the other peoples back into their own lands, the Humans remained behind and began to rebuild the broken land.

  • Bred as miners, soldiers, and tacticians and organized into disciplined groups who respect their own corresponding chain of command, the Darklings lived underground for so long that they can no longer stand the sight of the sun. Renowned masters of the Path of Steel, Darklings are often employed as mercenaries, soldiers, and bodyguards.

  • Returned to Mnemos by the actions of the Saliche only a few hundred years ago, the Wolven are a group of tribes who venerate the land and lament the damage done to Mnemos by the Wars for Dominance. Eschewing modern convenience and living on the outskirts of society, the Wolven have mastered the Path of Bone and, by doing so, have honed their bodies into nothing short of living weapons.

  • An arboreal lineage of horned humanoids who prefer to live in forested areas. Sylvan tend to be natural explorers, guides, and healers whose knowledge of traveling the Tempest is unparalleled amongst the other peoples. Sylvan are common to cities primarily as visitors, and are often called upon as neutral mediators in conflicts.

  • Rukhan are bipedal felines known for their grace, acuity, and guile. Slinking in and out of the shadows, the Rukhan have lived among the other lineages of Mnemos since the fall of the Arcanum. Their enclaves are usually a maze of shops and tents filled with quiet music, the sweet smells of spice and perfume, and merchants peddling fine wares, cheap knockoffs, and lies. Rukhan love pleasure and leisure, good food and drink, stories and music, and secrets.

  • Quite possibly the oldest lineage of Mnemos, the Highborne served the Arcanum faithfully, even beyond the Sundering and the fall of their ancient masters. Erudite, secretive, and aloof, the Highborne are often viewed as the inheritors and keepers of power of the Arcanum but, like their predecessors, the Highborne have fallen far from what they once were. A low population and birth rate, combined with generations of seclusion from other lineages has left the Highborne, at times, out of place in the modern world. Although they are often seen as relics of a bygone era, the Highborne proudly adhere to ancient traditions, obey the most stringent social mores, and continue to venerate the Arcanum.

  • Saliche are reptilian humanoids who, hundreds of years ago, traversed the lands of the dead to reach the Primord of Mnemos, seeking the spiritual knowledge of the Wolven. Their connection to and understanding of the dead and their ancestral ties has helped the Saliche integrate well into society. The calm demeanor that develops from years of exposure to the Calmlands combined with their natural hardiness makes Saliche sought after as bodyguards and soldiers, and their strong sense of community and affinity with the spiritual nature of the world also make them excellent politicians, activists, and advisors.

  • The Grem are a strange lineage of savants who came through a portal in the Tempest just under one hundred years ago. After an initial period of distrust and misunderstanding, possibly due to the Grem’s social idiosyncrasies, the Grem have become an integral part of Mnemos society. Scientists, scholars, engineers, and historians, the Grem have, arguably, done more to advance learning and understanding in the last century than the rest of Mnemos has in the last millennia.

Credit: All Lineage concept art created by Rowan Amber Brantley