#tshander

Verrim was born missing one arm and about 30% of either lung in a deal his mother made with their patron god to make sure he inherited a specific magic that only presents in Amalathae women, without which he would have been taken from her at birth and raised up elsewhere.

Myn and Riv are members of a species born from the energetic aftershocks of the creation of the planet. They have a static population—when one dies, another is born to take their place and carry the energy that creates their equivalent of a soul. This is referred to as a "changeover," not reincarnation.

Asforahl and Marashac are the last survivors of the first generation born after the First made the planet and a manufactured species to populate it.

Tyalaskr is the result of a complex breeding experiment involving the murder of one of Riv and Myn's people, the changeover of which led to the birth of Riv. Tyal and Riv are best friends and share a birthday.

The Meli was accidentally created in a magical splicing accident that resulted in a couple people and at least one large feline getting fused together into a single living thing. It has two hearts, several extra ribs, too many vertebrae, and telescoping legs.

Deidric comes from a culture where hair color defines a person's role in society. She is, unfortunately, a genetic aberration who was born to parents with white hair (commoners, ~90% of the population) while she has black hair (nonperson labor, ~9.9% of the population); her teacher is a white-haired man who was born to black-haired parents ~50 year prior. Their culture is in shambles.