Asura
These alchemagical inventors may be short in stature, but they're intellectual giants. Among the asura, it's not the strong who survive, but the clever. Other races believe they should rule by virtue of their power and strength, but they're deluding themselves. In due time, all will serve the asura.
Physiology
By human standards, asura are very short. Described as only coming up to the belt of a norn, an asura is usually about four feet tall. They typically have slender builds, with the head, hands, and feet in somewhat exaggerated proportions. The head in particular is a wide, flat ellipsoid whose width is extended further by large ears which usually drop from the sides of the head.
Asura eyes are large and come in a variety of colors; their size is the evolutionary result of being a subterranean race. Their mouths are wide and filled with pointed, shark-like teeth. Asura typically have grayish skin and dark hair. Male and female asura are very similar in appearance; they are mostly differentiated by voice and ear structure.
Culture
The asura value intelligence and intellectual superiority over all other attributes. Individual asura will dedicate an entire lifespan to building a portfolio of successful projects or becoming the foremost expert of some tiny aspect of the arcane. They constantly seek to prove their own intellectual superiority, and by extension the superiority of the asura race. This typically results in asura being arrogant to the point of rudeness towards others, especially towards non-asura races. The asura have quickly established their intellectual and magical superiority over the other races and view them as useful primarily for heavy lifting, taking risks, and asking stupid questions.
Asura magical technology is second to none. Their experiments with magic are evident through the impressive floating structures found around and within their cities. Many asura study the difficult art of golemancy, and golems are often used for defense and general work. The golems' complete absence of intelligence and huge size complements the asura perfectly.
The most important contribution of the asura to Tyrian society is the asura gate network which links many of the major cities of Tyria. To maintain this, they have retained a neutral attitude to all races.
The asura education holds three forms. First, children learn in small groups in labs within Metrica Province. When they're old enough, if they qualify, they join one of the three asuran colleges: The College of Statics, College of Dynamics, and College of Synergetics. Thirdly, asura will often study under mentors as an assistant; it's unclear when this takes place in the asuran education span, however. After graduation from college, asura typically join a krewe and a lab until they can become their own krewe leaders.
Asura have a strong sense of family and extended family, they affectionately refer to their children as “progeny” or “offspring". They also venerate their parents, and grandparents. Asura traditionally cremate their dead. Asura tend to practice serial monogamy, in that they have a serious romantic relationship with only one other asura at a time. Most of these relationships are equal partnerships which often (but not always) have a firm, pre-determined end date. Most often, such relationships come out of two asura who fall in love with the same beautiful concept. These marriages of the mind produce rapid development of ideas, increased conceptual paradigms, and/or children. Relationships that break up tend to feature more fights about who gets the inventions than who gets the kids.
Asura believe in the Eternal Alchemy - the idea that all beings and magic in the world are a part or function of a greater purpose or "machine". Asuran life is built around the research of the Eternal Alchemy - the asura join one of three massive colleges dedicated to this research, each covering different fields. It is believed once complete mastery is gained over the Eternal Alchemy, mastery will be gained over all of Tyria. There are various asura who proclaim that Eternal Alchemy is not a religion, but rather a science.
Names
An asura's name often consists of a short, sharp first name with one or two syllables. Feminine asura names typically end in -i or -a vowel sounds, but are not required to do so. Masculine names often end in a consonant sound. Both male and female Asuras often have two of the same letter in a row somewhere in their name, this being a cultural norm, but it is certainly not required. Asura do not have a last name, instead opting to use job titles, a krewe name, or honorifics to differentiate themselves. Those who choose to take a last name of a style similar to humans are rare and are considered eccentrics, and their surname is often ignored by other asura.
Traits and Talents:
+2 Inteligence
Tyria's Finest: Asuras are natural scholars and have vast knowledge about various subjects. They start with one graduation on Knowledge.