Races

There are several races which inhabit Kamigawa, with humans being the most populous and dominant, buliding and populating most of the major cities in the world. The other races have their own cultures and homes, and many members of the other races find themselves living in human cities, sometimes as honored advisers and guests and some times as criminals lurking in the outskirts.

Humans
Humans are the dominant race in Kamigawa and arguably the most populous. Human cities and settlements can be found all over the world, and often serves as hubs for other races to trades and interact. The widespread nature of human settlements means that their culture is far less defined that the other races, with the surroundings often shaping the people living there.

This also means that humans find many different paths in life. Whereever you go you are likely to find humans, whether it is serving as samurai in Eiganjo Castle, studying magic at the Minamo Academy or robbing merchants as a bandit in the Sokenzan Mountains.

Kitsune
For more details on this topic, see Kitsune

Kitsune are a fox like race and among the non-human races are the most well integrated in human society. They are often found in human cities or in villages on the plains or bordering forests. Raised to be highly honorable and with strict codes of conduct, the other races often view them as benevolent and wise. Kitsune are also more in tune with the spirits of the world that humans and thus revere the kami a great deal. Many human nobles hire kitsune warriors as yojimbo, valuing their skill and unshakable loyalty. Many pilgrims often travel great distances to seek the wisdom of kitsune sages. Those who befriend kitsune can expect a staunch and unwavering ally.

Kitsune tend to take honest professions where they may practice honorable codes of conduct. Kitsune characters will likely be samurai or clerics. More ordinary kitsune act as farmers, priests or craftsmen in their villages. Kitsune rogues and criminals are rare, though exiled kitsune do sometimes find themselves in such situations.

Soratami
For more details on this topic, see Soratami

Soratami or moonfolk are elegant, haughty beings who live in cities built in the clouds, appearing as tall pale humans with long draping ears. They occasionally descend to give council to humans or others of the earthly races. Their knowledge of magic is impressive compared to the other races and their council almost invariably correct. This, along with information spread by the soratami themselves, has lead many to believe them to be immortal demigods. This is not quite true however, while very long lived, the soratami do die, though they don't visibly age like many earth bound races. The accuracy of their predictions is due in part to the soratami's meddling. Most soratami consider themselves above the other races, literally looking down upon them from their cities in the sky, and see this manipulation of the other races as their natural right.

Soratami study magic of all kinds in their floating cities and thus make excellent mages. Some soratami are also trained in diplomacy and deception to better manipulate what they view as lesser races. Soratami living for long periods of time outside of their cities are rare and their presence attracts great attention.

Nezumi
For more details on this topic, see Nezumi

Nezumi are the rat like people of Kamigawa. Nezumi are generally distrusted by everyone, including other nezumi, and with good reason. For nezumi, life is always a struggle to survive, and scavenging, stealing and killing are all seen as a part of life. Nesumi live on the outskirts of cities or in dangerous environments such as bogs, where they can easily scavenge the bodies of unfortunate travelers. Nezumi tend to be are organised into gangs, though this does not mean that they are any more loyal. The politics and intrigue of these gangs are cutthroat, often literally, with assassinations and betray being common. Not all nezumi are lying criminals however, instead they are a race which is shaped strongly by their hazardous environments. Those nezumi who have been isolated from their naturally dangerous habitats can have their keen sense of danger and survival instinct honed into good pursuits, though not many take the time to see this side of the nezumi.

The nezumi are naturally sneaky, with their environments reinforcing their survival instinct. Nezumi are often thieves and criminals, and those that show exceptional discipline can often be trained into deadly assassins and ninja. Nezumi spell casters tend to gravitate towards darker arts which utilise insects, spiders or the bodies of the dead, all resources common in their swampy homes. The presence of a nezumi in a town invokes mistrust and suspicion in the townsfolk.

Akki
For more details on this topic, see Akki

Akki are small hunched monstrous looking creatures who have hard shells covering their backs. They live in harsh mountainous environments, usually in cave networks running deep into the mountains. Akki are mischievous by nature, though by the standards of other races akki pranks are viscous, usually resulting in death or injury, whether by accident or on purpose. For akki fire, explosions and falling rocks are the cornerstone of life. While many consider akki stupid and barbaric, in truth they can actually have a surprising natural affinity when it come to magic and technologies. Some akki find themselves part of the bandit and ronin bands living in the mountains where they are trained, though this is more similar to animal training that training for warriors.

Akki have many warriors, usually berserk raiders as part of akki tribes or 'trained' raiders as part of bandit gangs. Akki shaman favour volatile elemental spells, with some seemingly able to create storms and other natural disasters. Some akki take their mischievous trickery further through practicing illusion magic.

Orochi
For more details on this topic, see Orochi

Orochi are four-armed snake people who reside deep within the Jukai Forest. For other races the orochi are a mystery even more so than the haughty soratami. For as long as anyone can remember the orochi have avoided contact with the other races, including the Budoka monks who also reside within the Jukai. What outsiders do know is that they are great hunters who defend their areas fiercely and will kill trespassers without mercy if they do not heed their warnings. The orochi live traditional tribal lives, being divided into three tribes, the Matsu, Kashi and Sakura. These tribes are unified under a single leader, but remain as separate colonies to preserve their unique cultures and skills. All orochi are taught to revere the kami from a young age and they have a deep connection to the kami of the forest.

The Matsu tribe orochi are excellent archers and hunters. The Kashi tribe are mainly comprised of the warriors of the orochi, usually using multiple weapons. The shaman make up the Sakura tribe. No matter which tribe they are from all orochi are excellent self sufficient survivalists in the wild. Outside of the Jukai Forest orochi can both cause fear and curiosity, the reptilian features showing little emotion in the eyes of the other races.