Populi
The land and skies are rife with predators natural and otherwise that, in addition to the hazardous weather, dictates that the Populi live in sturdy, defensible, and sometimes mobile Artifacts of unknown design.
The distinction between Barbaria and Populi is often a matter of debate between scholars of the Magisterium, but the following are the most commonly accepted members.
Populi and Habitat
The Populi of Mundus are commonly associated with one of three primary habitat types:
- Castelas — elevated, floating, or artifact-borne strongholds
- Urbs — cities, mobile cities, and surface settlements
- Mines — subterranean, anchored, and extractive settlements
Primary Habitats by Populi
| Populi | Castelas | Urbs | Mines | Primary Habitat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aasimar | ✔︎ | △ | ✖︎ | Castelas |
| Dragonborn | △ | ✔︎ | △ | Urbs |
| Dwarves | ✖︎ | △ | ✔︎ | Mines |
| Elves | ✔︎ | ✖︎ | ✖︎ | Castelas |
| Gnomes | △ | ✔︎ | △ | Urbs |
| Goliaths | ✔︎ | ✖︎ | ✖︎ | Castelas |
| Halflings | △ | ✔︎ | ✖︎ | Urbs |
| Humans | △ | ✔︎ | △ | Urbs |
| Orcs | ✖︎ | △ | ✔︎ | Mines |
| Tieflings | △ | ✔︎ | △ | Urbs |
Legend:
✔︎ = Common / Preferred △ = Present but uncommon ✖︎ = Rare or actively avoided
Habitat Avoidance
- Castelas are generally avoided by Dwarves and Orcs, who favor anchored or defensible terrain, and by Halflings, who prioritize mobility over elevation.
- Urbs are avoided by Elves and Goliaths, who view dense surface cities as ecologically unstable or culturally restrictive. Dwarves maintain only limited trade presence.
- Mines are avoided by Elves, Aasimar, Halflings, and Goliaths, who associate deep excavation with ecological harm, confinement, or Mana opacity.