Broken Verge: Mortals and Immortals

[LD]

Xeviat- I am fairly certain those were the Elcor.

[Superfluous Crow]

Oh yeah, the Elcor were one of the few things I actually liked from Mass Effect :D (well, actually, they had some decent sapient species design) Although the Urluq are more like giant tardigrades really.
But I think you are misunderstanding my question however much I appreciate your input. Although I did question the Urluq as a player race in my post before, this one was more about the actual use of races in my setting in general. To me they seem like they were just thrown in at random just to be there. They don't have any significant nations, any significant influence on the gameworld other than some art and seamless masonry. And I'm wondering how to change that. Urluqs could perhaps fit in by virtue of being so isolated in the first place. But the others are more active without really having any scenes other than adventuring to be active in.
How, for example, would I make the underground Moshrayah stand out on their own?

[LD]

They are underground. Do they really need to have significant affect on the surface?

Perhaps they were once an above-ground race that moved underground when humans migrated into their area?

Or they have always been underground, and that's simply where their society is and has been and always will be. Consider them similar to an isolated culture like the Yanomamo in South America.
--
The simulacra could be a magical race that was created and crafted and now wanders after gaining sentience; similar to the Warforged in Eberron.

[Xeviat]

Some aspects of a setting really are window dressing, but they still serve as a great way to color your setting and make it stand out. Do you think the Ents of Middle Earth did a whole lot to affect the daily lives of the residents of the Shire? Sure, they showed up in a few stories, but otherwise they were meaningless.

But for your Urluqs, since they are effectively immortal, maybe they were around long before the other sapient species? Maybe the Urluqs covered most of the world in temples to their gods, and then they left them, and these temples serve as the center of many of the human cities today.

Your Moshrayah could serve as boogiemen, excuses for why everything bad happens. People are prejudiced against them, and occasionally send raiding parties underground to hunt them. They could use this opinion to their advantage, leveraging people's fear of them in trade.

[Superfluous Crow]

ooh, I like the boogeyman approach! They are pretty terrifying to behold as a matter of fact. That could work.
I'm not sure I want to spread the Urluq beyond the poles, but they are isolationist enough to be confined to one place without seeming odd.
Hmm, that leaves the Simulacra. But they can always be fitted in after all this is done.  

[Superfluous Crow]

Races galore. I made/finished three today. Okay, I still need your help to polish them a bit, but otherwise I'm pretty content with them. So enjoy ...
[spoiler=Sentence ending 1: Open this for real descriptions]
the humans cursed with too much life, the survivors on the fringes of society, and the underground artists.
[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Sentence ending 2. Open this for slightly less serious decriptions]
the spontaneous combustion candidates, the monster dentists, and the blind boogeymen.  
[/spoiler]

(Now, there is an awful lot of spoilers in this post,but three races in a row might be a bit wall-of-texty so you get them separately.)
[spoiler=Maruts - the Electric Men]
Born to human parents, the Marut are human aberrations and vessels to the Fleshfire. A mysterious force of unknown origin, the fleshfire is both life and death incarnate and those who can't contain it are quickly consumed by it.

The Marut live ordinary lives up until the day the Fire first manifests. The Fire will burst into being inside them, and if the Marut doesn't enforce his will on it, his flesh will quickly melt and his bones will char until he is reduced to nothing but a pile of ash, soon to be blown away by the wind. If he does manage to contain it he gets to keep his life, but from then on there will never be a moment where he can't feel the vibrant pressure of the force of life inside of him. Bursting to get out, his every limb and cell will be afire with this unbridled energy.    

Keeping the power inside will eventually kill any mortal man or at least drive him to the edge of sanity and beyond, but Maruts eventually come to know of ways to direct the force out of their body. They have no control over the energy they release; the only choice they have is whether to keep the proverbial valves open or shut.  

A fully "open" Marut is inhuman to behold, and reminds one of nothing so much as a walking thundercloud. They course with unbridled energy and arcs of silver-blue lightning jump from their limbs, sometimes even seemingly aflame with silver light. In this state the Maruts are highly dangerous to anyone and anything in the vicinity including themselves.  

As many states hunt down the Maruts (none with greater zeal than the Keepers from Kolyaev), they are all desperate to avoid attention. But living with the Fleshfire means that sooner or later it will overwhelm or surprise them.
During thunderstorms Maruts are known to behave oddly, sometimes seeking out high places as if in trance just to gaze at the storm. For this reason alone, Kolyaev goes dark during storms as the Repository echoes with desperate inhuman screams, unbeknown to the commoners.
[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Melek - The Imitators of Mankind]
On the fringes of society live the Melek. Strange and not quite human, Melek are feared and shunned by most and are welcome in few places, and thus they take great pains to stay hidden. They emulate humanity, blend in with the crowds, and become invisible to those who aren't looking out for what they really are.  
They are purebred survivors; scavengers and omnivores capable of eating almost anything and adapting to persevere in the most hostile of nature's environments. Only with the spread of cities they are faced with an environment that no longer follows the rules they know.

Their shape is generally human, but there are differences. They combine their humanity with features from beasts and plants and some things not known to man, and come off as motley creatures quickly stiched together by some capricious god. The creatures live in a constant cycle of decay and rebirth as organs and limbs rot away or are regurgitated from inside the body, only to be replaced by something new and improved that has been growing alongside its predecessor for months. But no matter how much they evolve, their form is far from human.

But as survivors they loathe to let resources go to waste, and this has led to a disturbing ability to adopt the biology of other creatures. Having lost any limb or organ, they are capable of reconfiguring themselves with any reasonably fresh replacement they can find. Commonly this was used to heal after battles, as their fallen comrades could help out their tribe a final time. But nothing keeps the Melek from taking the liver of a bear or the arm of a human.

This ability has led them to get a not entirely undeserved reputation as graverobbers as they try to steal the humanity of the deceased and claim it for themselves. As such the Melek continually remake themselves as more human or, to the keen eye, as uncanny mockeries of the human form.
In a bad turn of events, this has also led to the Meleks becoming skilled travelling dentists in the search for good teeth (don't worry, they'll only take the ones you don't want unless they are really pretty).

While some attempt to settle in the cities, most travel in caravans; sometimes with humans and sometimes with their own kin alone. These extended families protect each other, and Melek have undying loyalty to their clan. When near human settlements they act as peddlers or entertainers and try to pass off as humans.
[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Moshrayah - the Blind and Shunned]
Beneath the earth and the streets of every city lies a cobweb of a myriad caves and twisting tunnels. Dark and dank, few humans journey into this gloomy netherworld and it has thus become an abhorred place; a place belonging to spiders and scavengers and other mistrusted creatures.

The sentient creatures known as Moshrayah live in these untravelled depths. Frightening creatures described in many an old and eerie nursery tales and songs as demoniac child eaters, Moshrayah were met with mobs and fire whenever they dared move above ground and were discovered.

Only recently has the fear abated noticably, and the strange denizens of the underground now mingle with a wary humanity.

A Monster's Visage
The creatures look the part of a creature from out of child's nightmare or a late night campfire tale. They are tall and imposing, but their true height is hidden by their hunched-over posture. They are disturbingly pale and gaunt with their hairless, light-brown, mottled skin stretched taut across their bony frame.

Their arms, legs, and fingers are long and slender, the latter ending in sharp ebony claws.
The long skeletal neck extends slightly forwards, putting the bald elongated head on level with the shoulders.

Their unsettling face is flat, the nose but two slender slits, and above it there is nothing but taut skin where eyes should be. And yet you can't shake the feeling that the creature is watching you.
Their mouth is lipless, leaving a set of thin sharp fangs that are perpetually bared in a mocking smile.

In the Eye of the Beholder
Occasionally the alien yet hauntingly beautiful music of the Moshrayah escapes through the strange cavernous acoustics to the surface. For centuries this music has enthralled and mystified humanity, and still to this day the artworks of Moshrayah are highly prized for their alien and complex beauty.

The Moshrayah are creatures of sensations, even if they lack eyes. They value aesthetic and sensory exquisity; things that somehow transcend their nature.

They are masters of the arts of sculpture and music, and even show talent in such diverse skills as cooking, poetry and mathematics. Each Moshrayah take upon himself a single art at a young age, and then pursue that and his Life's Work; the single artwork that he will forever be remembered for.

History of the Shunned
The Moshrayah long lived relatively secluded lives below the earth. Moshrayah were creatures of myth, meant to scare children into good manners and to entertain drunken men.

There were of course sightings, but few believed them or could find any proof. But when mankind ventured below ground, it became apparent they were more than just fiction.

 A small war ensued as humans sent zealots and hunters into the tunnels to fight the dangerous monsters. The Moshrayah, of course, resisted, bathing their tunnels in blood as they used their knowledge of craftsmanship to forge eyeless plated armor and heavy war-picks. Gradually, the humans retreated, but the fear didn't abate.
   
In the 5th century the Moshrayah were still considered disturbing monsters, but had become frequent attractions in the freak shows of that time. Kept in small cages and fed rotten meat, they lived a meager existence and would have continued to do so if not for Grandfather Eyes.

Himself a prisoner, Grandfather Eyes spend his time watching his capturers from between the bars of his cage. He came to know them, and gradually over many, many years he taught himself their language. And then he started speaking to them and those who came by.

He was kind to everybody, didn't once complain of his cage, and told stories of himself and his people to everybody who cared to listen. Eventually they released him since he was no longer fearsome and people only felt sympathy for him, but he chose to stay and continued to tell his stories until he died.

His stories spread far and wide, and were highly contributive to the wary acceptance the creatures are now met with in major settlements. But the fear is far from gone yet.  
[/spoiler]

For those who remember them, the Melek are gargoyles v. 3.

EDIT: Damnit, just noticed three of my races now begin with an M...

[Superfluous Crow]

Also, here is a sketch of a Moshrayah from an anonymous spelunker's notebook from back when their presence was still largely unnoticed. Mind you, spelunkers are not known for their artistic skill!
[spoiler=Sketchbook #33 (page 17)]



[/spoiler]

[Ghostman]

Maruts: Linking their electricity with life force is as interesting idea. Where does all this energy come from? Are they like living batteries/generators, containing or generating it all within, or are they more like conduits to some unseen source of power?

Melek: Why do they want to look like humans? Is there some backstory like there was (IIRC) for the gargoyles or is it purely pragmatic? You state that they live in a "constant cycle of decay and rebirth"; does it mean they don't die of old age? How do they come to be in the first place? If every part of their bodies can be changed/replaced, that raises some interesting questions about reproduction.

Moshrayah: How do they find food in the underworld? Their sharp teeth would suggest that they are pure carnivores...

But as survivors they are wont to let resources go to waste

You might want to double-check your use of the word 'wont' here. Perhaps 'loath' would make better sense in that sentence?

EDIT: Damnit, just noticed three of my races now begin with an M...

I wouldn't worry about that. They're all fine names :)

[Superfluous Crow]

Thank you for the correction :)
Let's see if I can't adress your questions in proper order:

Maruts: Depending on what philosophy you adhere to, life can come from a million sources. The Keepers believe they are conduits of the Electrical Spirits, while physically they are probably more akin to "generators" or capacitors.

Melek: The Melek believe that the world is changing. Civilization is on the rise, and eventually it will consume all nature. Then the rules of nature will no longer apply and survival will depend on things they do not understand. Only one form will allow them to coexist in the city, and that is the human form.
This was more or less the same reason as the one I gave for the Gargoyles, only with a touch less pride.
And as of yet they'll die eventually. A body can only be remade so many times. It's like when you keep repairing something; at some point no matter what you do it won't work.
Also, they adopt biology they don't just replace it. They are still a creature in and off themselves and can reproduce as such. But over time they'll pass some of their adopted biology along as well.

Moshrayah: I'm glad you noticed that! They are indeed pure carnivores. I wanted to put in a few lines about it, but couldn't find out where it'd fit.
This being a fantasy setting, the underworld has more underground animal life than our world so there is plenty to sustain their small population. In times of need, they sometimes scour the surroundings of isolated cave openings if they can stay out of sight. Of course, now they also have some trade going. I'm also thinking they might not need to eat too often, but not sure of that...  

[Ghostman]

Perhaps the Melek could change their gender by adopting appropriate 'parts'? Not that this should necessarily be common, but there's always the odd individual that might be into it.

The Moshrayah could be similar to some animal species with slow metabolisms and ability to consume large doses of food in one go, surviving fairly long periods of time between meals. This might conflict with their lean appearance though.

[Superfluous Crow]

Reptiles are pretty lean and can live for months without food. But I don't think I'll do it.

And gender-changing... It's not just parts after all. Changing your gender would require a pretty extensive change to your entire biology; you need the right external organs and the corresponding internal ones, along with hormonal changes. But transgenderism might be popular with the Melek nonetheless.

[Superfluous Crow]

[ic=A small walk in an unnamed city]You pass by hundreds of humans of different creeds and colors as you walk down the street. A Swarmkin beggar sits in the blackened snow outside an inn, begging coin as his scuttling form infests the tattered gray robes it wears. Sweet-smelling incense smoke drifts up from a grate set in the cobbled street besides a house with walled-in windows. Below you know there is a Moshrayah bazaar, a colorful and smoke-heavy maze of tunnels inhabited by the tall, gaunt, eyeless creatures. Them you can't help but notice, unlike the Melek who look more human than they really are. A massive Urluq shambles down the center of the street as you near your destination, its massive plated form dressed in colors denoting it as a bodyguard of a smug-looking merchant in front of it. The irony wasn't lost on you that the bodyguard would by far outlive his patron.[/ic]

Now, I've made a few changes to my race line-up: some cuts and some alterations and a single addition.
The races are now as follows:

1. The humans: Indstrious and numerous, they are the dominant sentient species above ground.
2. Melek: Survivors who are faced with the rise and spread of uncomprehensible cities. They hide in the crowds.
3. Moshrayah: Artists and addicts, the blind Moshrayah live in tunnel-ghettos below the cities of humans.
4. Swarm Gods: Odd swarm beings where many creatures act as one, the Swarm Gods deal in secrets and unquestionable faith.
5. Urluq: Massive immortal wanderers haunted by an unforgiving weariness.  

Some of these share elements. the Urluq and the Swarm Gods are both immortal (in a way), while the Urluq and Melek are creatures with a focus on survival. But it came to me that all of these races represent different ways to face the End. They each in turn use Industry, Adaptation, Escapism, Reconstruction, and Perseverance while they take solace in Ignorance, Denial, Abandon, Oblivion, and Nihilism.

I probably won't add any more races for now.

[spoiler=Melek]On the fringes of society live the Melek. Strange and not quite human, Melek are feared and shunned by most and are welcome in few places, and thus they take great pains to stay hidden. They emulate humanity, blend in with the crowds, and become invisible to those who aren't looking out for what they really are. They are purebred survivors; scavengers and omnivores capable of eating almost anything and adapting to survive in the most hostile of nature's environments. Only with the spread of cities they are faced with an environment that no longer follows the rules they know.

Their shape is generally human, but there are discrepancies. They combine their humanity with features from beasts and plants and some things not known to man, and come off as motley creatures quickly stiched together by some capricious god. Of course, most take pains to look as human as possible. The creatures live in a constant cycle of decay and rebirth as organs and limbs rot away or are regurgitated from inside the body, only to be replaced by something new and improved that has been growing alongside its predecessor for months. On occasion they shed their skin like snakes.

As survivors they are wont to let resources go to waste, and this has led to a disturbing ability to adopt the biology of other creatures. Having lost any limb or organ, they are capable of reconfiguring themselves with any reasonably fresh replacement they can find. Commonly this was used to heal after battles, as their fallen comrades could help out their tribe a final time. But nothing keeps the Melek from taking the liver of a bear or the arm of a human.

This ability has led them to get a not entirely undeserved reputation as graverobbers as they try to steal the humanity of the deceased and claim it for themselves. Human parts are in high demand as the Melek continually attempt to remake themselves as humans or, to the keen eye, uncanny mockeries of the human form.
Besides graverobbing, Melek are also known to act as traveling dentists. A profession many have taken as a disturbing turn of events, the Melek dentists do actually possess considerable skill and are valued by many, even if their customers secretly fear that they will steal the teeth right out of their moths.

While some attempt to settle in the cities, most travel in caravans; sometimes with humans and sometimes with their own kin alone. These extended families protect each other, and Melek have undying loyalty to their clan. When near human settlements they act as peddlers or entertainers and try to pass off as humans to the best of their ability.
[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Moshrayah]For a long time the Moshrayah were assumed to be nothing but fanciful creatures from the mind of a twisted storyteller. They were the monsters of sinister nursery rhymes and late-night tales at the inn; demonic child eaters used to scare and unnerve the young or naïve.

But they were all too real. When the miners dug too deep, they found the Moshrayah. Soon feared and accused of diseases, stillborn children, bad harvests and everything in between, mobs hunted them down with torches and pitchforks wherever they were seen and a brave few chased them all the way down into the bowels of the earth. Few came back.

Captured and imprisoned Moshrayah became a frequent fixture of traveling freak shows of the 7th century and it was only due to a single Moshrayah known as Grandfather Eyes, who taught himself the language of the people who came to watch him in his cage, that the story of the Moshrayah themselves came to be known. Misconceptions were corrected and the myths slowly became just that. Slowly it dawned on the wiser of the humans that they were not in fact dealing with man-eaters and blood-thirsty monsters.  A wary acceptance now exists between the two species, and Moshrayah mingle with humans and live below their cities.

The creatures do look the part of a creature from out of child's nightmare or a late night campfire tale. They are tall and imposing, but their true height is hidden by their hunched-over posture. Their hairless, brown-hued skin is stretched taut across their bony frames and their arms, legs, and fingers are long and slender, with the latter ending in sharp ebony claws.

The long skeletal neck extends slightly forwards, putting the bald elongated head on level with the shoulders. Their face is easily the most unsettling part of their visage: it is almost featureless, the nose but two slender slits, and above it there is nothing but taut skin where eyes should be. And yet you can't shake the feeling that the creature is watching you.
Their mouth is lipless, leaving a set of thin sharp fangs that are perpetually bared in a mocking smile.

Far from the monsters they once were supposed to be, the Moshrayah are peaceful if capricious. Their culture is cultivated and prospers far below the ground in their small sheltered enclaves. They are far from as numerous as the humans, but neither are they few. Now, many live in tunnel-ghettos beneath the streets of the human cities.

Known for their hauntingly beautiful music and their strange, colorless sculptures, the Moshrayah  master many arts. They are hedonists, thriving on new sensations whether they come from experiences, tastes, textures, sex, beauty, drug-fuelled dreams, or music. Their ghettos are meccas for both artists and addicts and their craftsmanship is valued by even the highest echelons of society.
[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Swarm Gods]
One of the strangest creatures inhabiting the World, the beings scholars have taken to calling Swarm Gods defy the laws of life and nature in more than one way. Although they act as one, they are many; a collective of bugs and vermin. And in the midst of the swarm resides the Swarm God itself; a strange immortal insect-being. Although they are hives of near-mindless chitinous creatures, together they are gestalt: their rasping multifarious voice  reveals a deep, disturbing intelligence and their crawling, slithering forms emulate the human in shape if not in function.

Their origin is a mystery. Some whisper that the Swarm Gods are born from the black hearts of hanged criminals, while others say the swarms are created from the vermin who have fed on the rotten remains of angels. Even the most rational of sages have trouble explaining their creation; the Swarm Gods seem to have no way of procreation and there is no explanation for their existence. And yet more appear. This has led many to believe that the swarm-beings are an entirely new type of life, born directly from the earth and the waste rather than from a living womb or a fertile egg; abiogenesis rather than birth.

They emerge into the world as fragile larvae; only a single one has ever been found. They wrap themselves in a cocoon and months later they emerge as true Swarm Gods. Then they gather their swarm. Sages postulate that they lurk around in cities as mere vermin for a while, watching and learning, until they have the strength and knowledge to emerge in a coherent form. They are quick learners and will acquire language and basic skills at disturbing speeds.

They are immortal in a way, remaking themselves again and again as long as the god-bug is unharmed. Moths, centipedes, flies and worms are drawn to them and when one part of their flesh dies another takes its place. These consumed pests  are not merely used; they are assimilated and twisted until they are but another meaningless member of the swarm. If they were abandoned by the swarm they would be nothing but a husk; a container carrying a now lost portion of the God's being. But even if they can rebuild their bodies their thoughts and memories remain at risk.

The swarm-beings are faced with a crawling amnesia as each vermin-constituent is not just part of the body but also a part of the mind. Whenever an insect in the swarm withers and dies, memories die with it. Precautions can be taken, but inevitably the god must face that its past will be forgotten; even the sweetest of memories will ultimately die out. If all the vermins' lives were extinguished at once the god would still exist, but its history, the memories of accomplishment and emotion, would be forfeit and a new and ignorant being would instead take shape from the ashes of the old.    

One memory always remains though. The memory of the Unforgotten God and his name Tchekhryszebh. Faith is the only constant in their existence and their devotion is often complete. If swarmkin is ever found to worship another god it will be by virtue of identification, not conversion. Few abandon the Unforgotten. Humans have trouble explaining this pervasive memory. Is it proof of a god? Is it proof that all other beliefs are lies? Or is it simply a coincidence; a freakish vestige of their common creation?

They know little of their true god except his name, but he instills them with a deeply ingrained conscience; even if their concepts of right and wrong are oddly different from those of humans. Life and possession have little meaning to them and thus they are oddly uncaring about murder and theft even if they don't actively pursue it. Other things which humans often consider lesser sins are on the other hand taboo to them. Truth is one of the virtues they uphold most fervently, and lies are abominable and unthinkable sins to the Swarm Gods, bordering on the compulsively impossible.

It does on occasion happen that a Swarm God recognizes a place from his Unforgotten Memories. This often causes them to set up small shrines dedicated toTchekhryszebh and over the centuries these have come to dot the World. The shrines are frequent destinations for small and humble swarmkin pilgrimages.

 Their thousand mouths can feed much like humans, or they can simply take the nourishment they need from their surroundings as they walk. Their bodies are naturally amorpheous and they can move through cracks and holes big enough for a single centipede or moth to pass through. This mild ability to shapeshift also lends them the ability to strengthen limbs, disperse their body, and flow around blades.
They have a natural desire for a solid form, infesting thick robes and clothes to lend their assumed shape a certain verisimilitude. Sometimes, they have been known to wear corpses over their natural form, controlling them like a puppet master controls his puppet.

Swarm Gods take many different roles in society upon themselves, but their abominable nature ensures that they are rarely completely acepted. Many succumb to their amnesia and live meaningless lives as street beggars or thugs. Others find purpose in the memories of Tchekhryszebh and preach his dogma or pursue the shrines. But a number of them have carved out almost ordinary existences, and a rare few still deal in the powerful secrets and forbidden knowledge all Swarmkin were once rumored to possess. They have a natural fondness for books, the written word, and aforementioned secrets; they define themselves by the acquisation and loss of knowledge.      
[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Urluq]Standing three meters tall when upright, the weatherbeaten, dark-gray, oblong body of the 8-limbed Urluq is thick with fat and muscle and covered in mossy clay-brown  bone plates. They walk hunched over, supporting their weight on  a pair of sturdy hindlegs and two long powerful front limbs which end in black sickle-like claws. Two gangly prehensile four-fingered limbs hang beneath the front limbs  and below them the third set of arms seems to be of vestigial nature; two-fingered, fleshy and limp.

Their chitinous head has a beady, unblinking, black eye on either side and they feed through a toothless chute-like maw swallowing and digesting most foods and some non-foods whole without issue, or otherwise tearing large pieces off with the strong almost beak-like jaws of their chitinous head.

They are imposing creatures, to say the least, but their usually calm nature have always led humans to treat them with respect  rather than fear. They are immortal and are notoriously hard to kill, but their species remains scarce. They are solitary wanderers by nature and only very rarely do two of their kind meet by the sea.  

It's possible that all the Urluq in the here and now are actually remnants of a millenia-old history. But even if they don't meet often they do observe their own traditions and norms: most of them are unfortunately opaque not t mention unknown to the common human which makes it very easy to insult a Urluq without knowing it.
 
If you ever were to set out to kill one of these lumbering things, you would be in some trouble as they are largely invulnerable to most common forms of killing and maiming. They are seemingly ageless, unharmed by heat, cold and pressure, are practically immune to all kinds of disease and poison, and can go for a long time without food and water. Also, they can breathe underwater. There is a threshold for most of these, of course, but if surpassed the Urluq will simply retreat into a state of hibernation which makes it largely incapable of truly dying; a s century later a single splash of water might revive a dessicated Urluq.  

Even bladed implements are to limited avail, even if it the metal somehow gets past their thick skin and thicker plates. They have several copies of each organ scattered across the body, making it difficult to deprive them of vital functions and their blood coagulates quickly meaning that most wounds will have little lasting consequence. Also, just to top it off, they have the ability of accelerated natural healing and are capable of regenerating lost limbs and flesh.

They do have a few weaknesses though. While they aren't exactly flammable, fire will sear exposed flesh so that it can't regenerate. For this reason they regard fire with a great deal of respect, sometimes even bordering on fear. Acid won't have the same scarring effect, but it can burn through their skin and pit their plating making it a considerable danger. Their eyes are likewise vulnerable and blinding them could subdue a rampaging Urluq. Finally, they seem to have a weak resistance against anaesthesia, sometimes even sleeping longer than the dose would seem to require.

The Urluq are haunted by what they call the Lethargy, a consuming weariness that causes them to live on the border between reality and dream. They sleep often and for long, and sometimes they'll retreat into a Great Sleep, a form of hibernation that can last for months, years, or decades seemingly without cause. The Sleep can come suddenly, causing them to fall asleep in the middle of nowhere where they'll remain until they awaken. They often become part of the landscape over the years, and their rock-like surface becomes covered in mud and moss; stains which will often remain after they awaken. For this reason, humans mostly refer to them as Mosshulks rather than Urluq.

Over the decades the Lethargy will have a sinister influence on their minds, causing them to have difficulty discerning between their memories and their dreams. This doesn't interfere with their waking behaviour, at least not in the beginning, but will cause them to seem absent-minded and sometimes act out of place. Despite this, the Urluq are surprisingly wise creatures and they possess a considerable amount of accumulated knowledge.

They are prone to philosophy; as most intelligent creatures would be if they were immortal and had no apparent purpose with their existence; not even self-sustainment. Many of them are sages or story-tellers, although a few live off their massive strength and work as laborers or bodyguards in human cities.    
[/spoiler]

Also, this is probably not meant for d20, but since it's the system I know the best I thought it would be fun to make some quick race write-ups. Some of them have quite a lot of abilities, but it's mostly balanced with weaknesses.

[spoiler=D20 Adaptations]
Mosshulks
+2 str, +2 con, -2 wis, -2 dex
Large Aberration
+5 natural armor
Sickle Claws:  2 claw attacks (1d8/x2)
Odd limbs: while they have prehensile limbs the secondary position makes them incapable of wielding melee weapon and bows capably. They get an additional -4 for any attacks they attempt with the secondary arms.
Odd body: The mosshulks can't wear armor
Perseverance: they can breathe under water, are immune to disease, bleeding damage, pressure, falls, natural heat and cold effects,  and aging (they can't die from old age). Also, they can go for 10 times as long without food and water.
Pyrophobia: Whenever they suffer fire damage they take an extra 1d6 points of fire damage as it sears their flesh beyond repair. They avoid fire when possible.
Lethargy: -2 to saves vs. Sleep effects and poisons that cause unconsciousness. Any durations are extended (including the duration of sleep poisons) as if per the metamagic feat. They also require ten  
Accelerated Healing: They heal triple the amount of hit points for every day spent resting and can regenerate lost limbs and organs
Hibernation: If they were ever to die because of damage, starvation, dehydration etc. The Mosshulk enters a state of hibernation from which it will heal 1 hp per day. Only massive structural damage can keep them dead.
Stability: +4 vs. Trip and bull rush
LA: +1

Swarm God
+2 dex, +2 int, -2 str
Medium Aberration
DR 5/-
Crawling Amnesia: Whenever they take more damage than they have points in their constitution score they take 1 point of intelligence damage.
Amorpheous: They can squeeze through any opening about the size of fist, moving 5 ft per round. Also they are immune to trip attacks.
Churning body: The God can lash out with limbs of stingers, claws and mandibles. This is a natural slam attack dealing 1d6 points of piercing damage
Reconstruct: If killed, the God will live on unless the attacker takes action to kill the tiny bug. It can reconstruct a body in a few days. The character and all his knowledge will still be gone.
Revelations of Tchekhryszebh: Swarm Gods receive a +2 to will saves because of their tenacious faith.
The Sin of Lying: Swarm Gods can only tell a lie if they succeed on a fortitude save (DC 25). If they succeed they can tell the lie but are nauseated for 3 rounds.
Infest: A Swarm can infest a corpse as a full-round action, giving them a +5 bonus to disguise when attempting to disguise themselves as that person specifically and a +10 to simply appear human. The corpse will be worn down over the course of 1d3 weeks.
Swarm weakness: Area attacks deal +50% damage to the Swarm God.  

Moshrayah
+2 str, +2 cha, -2 wis
Medium humanoid
Eyeless: They have no regular eyesight but gain 60 ft. Darkvision by virtue of echolocation (negated in zones of supernatural silence). They can't see color and can only read by touch or if the script is raised or in relief. Also, beyond the 60 ft. they can see nothing.
Sensitivity: Moshrayah possess a keen sense of smell, and by way of that they gain the Scent quality. They are also sensitive to pheromone trails and the hormones associated with emotional states and can generally determine the mood of a person within 5 ft.  
Magnetic Intuition: they always know the direction of North. A handy skill in the dark underground.
Eyebiter skills: +2 to all craft, perform, climb, and intimidate checks as well as survival in underground environments.
Conditioning: +2 on saves vs. poison and drugs.
Sunblind: Moshrayah are dazzled outside and in bright light. They also take a -2 penalty vs. natural heat effects.
Claws and fangs: they have two natural claw attacks and one secondary bite attack, typical of their size.  

Melek
+2 con, -2 cha
Medium humanoid (shapechanger)  
Adaptive Biology: Given access to a recently dead body of either medium, small, or large size (which wasn't a member of the fey, construct, elemental, outsider, ooze, or undead creature type), the Melek can attempt to adopt parts of the corpse. If the corpse possesses a natural weapon the melek can exchange any hand for it (if the limb was prehensile, the melek can also use it to hold weaponry and items). The Melek will have a -2 penalty using the limb for 1d6 days. If large, he will have a permanent -1 penalty with it, but in turn it will retain its damage. Natural armor can be stolen too. Each different kind of creature with at least a +1 natural armor bonus can be harvested for a cumulative +1 bonus, to a maximum of +3. A +1 bonus will last a month, a +2 will become +1 over the course of a week and a +3 will become +2 after 1d3 days. Organs, glands and nerves can be stolen to add a +1 to one of either fortitude or reflex which will last a week. A Melek can add a few more things (as many as his constitution modifier) to aid in skills. All of these additions add a +1 to a skill, given a reasonable explanation, and last for a week. Eyes could be used to aid perception, an extra finger could help with sleight of hand, and a pheromone gland might be added to aid diplomacy.    
Adaptive Healing: Given 10 minutes a Melek can use a corpse to heal 1d6 points of damage by replacing lost organs and tissue. This can be done 3+con times per day.
Changing Form: +2 on disguise
Suffering Mind: -1 to will saves; they are insecure and the constant changing of form puts a strain on their mind.
LA +0 (LA+1 if three-armed or four-armed. The four-armed variant suffers a -2 str)
[/spoiler]

[Mason]

Moshrayah are fascinating. Definitely getting the eerie vibe from them. I'm interested to know how they became part of human folk lore before Grandfather Eye's time?
 Do they have any part in human society? Do they work for humans? What do they eat?
  Im also curious about the haunting colorless sculpture: materials, method of crafting, what do the sculptures represent?


 The Urluqs also fascinate me. I would love to chat up one of those ancient beasts even if there appearance sent me into mad psychotic convulsions.
  What do you mean 'immortal and also notoriously hard to kill'? Does that mean they do not die of old age?
  Do they have a religion or rely solely on philosophy? OR do the two mix?

  To be honest I'm not to familiar with the rest of the setting, but these creatures are great.
  Inspiring. Looking forward to more.

 
 
 

[Superfluous Crow]

Basically Moshrayah did come topside before the humans ventured underground. Moshrayah are primarily carnivores, so they practised nocturnal hunting above ground and where on occasion seen by primitive humans. They can eat other things, and like all crafts they go to great extents to derive pleasure from cooking. Their food is often excessively spicy and involves exotic ingredients and delicacies whenever possible. I think I said it in the text, but many live in ghettos beneath the streets of human cities. They do have their own enclaves deeper underground but the ghettos subsist on selling superb craftsmanship, alchemical substances, and their art. When they live there they often live under human law and some of them are a bit prohibitive about their kind as they are not universally trusted. But they have a place.

Their sculpture is based on the idea of what would seem aesthetic to a creature that has no concept of colors and can't see the world like we do. A creature who will take more pleasure in shape and feel than color and depiction. They are twisting shapes of odd geometry and carefully created textures. They are made of many different materials depending on the artist, but usually stone.

I think it says ageless in the text. As far as anybody knows they can't die from old age. But then again, they are a bit mysterious. They are mostly philosophers, but any Urluq could find something of interest in a religion and become a disciple. Maybe he will even have more than one during his lifetime. They are not taught any religion as part of their culture, but that doesn't mean they can't be religious.    
The Urluq are based on the creatures called tardigrades (aka water bears). They are microscopic and pretty hard to kill. Urluq just operate at a different scale. But they also have elements that are more crustacean, ursine or sloth-like. Their way of walking could even be said to be partially derived from the way a gorilla stands.
   
But I'm glad you like them! Can't blame you for not knowing my setting, it's spread thin and I have a tendency to go back and do something all over again so it has some continuity issues. But I'm getting it back on track soon I hope, starting with these guys.

[Lmns Crn]

I like these-- quite a lot. Usually, I am put off by wildly unusual species; many seem to be weird for weirdness's sake. But there is a lot of meat here, and the more I read, the more fascinated I became. Each has a lot of fun psychological issues to grapple with (in addition to the merely physical, which is easier), and I find it difficult to pick a favorite.

What happens to a Melek who chooses not to scavenge parts? Will he eventually rot away entirely, or is he fine as long as a limb or organ is not irreparably damaged? Do they heal minor wounds (cuts, bruises, scrapes, etc.) naturally over time, the way humans do?

You mention various plagues in close proximity to the deep-delving humans' accidental discovery of the Moshrayah. Despite the eventual reconciliation, were the Moshrayah to blame for those misfortunes, or was it coincidence, or was it anti-Moshrayah propaganda spun by human xenophobes? Do Moshrayah possess powers to cause harm that they tend to be loath to exercise?

What kind of games do you imagine running in Broken Verge? I expect that Urluq, though interesting, are going to prove problematic in any combat-related game, moving from "wrecking everybody's face" to "totally helpless" based entirely upon whether the Narrator dares to throw the switch marked "Great Sleep". It seems like (on the battlefield, at least) there can be little middle-ground. Philosophically and physically, they resemble my own boru; boru and Urluq seem to find similar roles in cities, and have similar patience and wisdom, possibly related to each's longevity, toughness, and physical size and might.

The general thing that I like most, across the board, is that all your "immortals" are variously bedeviled from within. It's taken me until this point in the post to put my finger on that, but there it is. For all their impressive powers, they are flawed, and they are breaking apart-- due to creeping amnesia, madness (for what else should I label the Urluq's eventual inability to distinguish reality from dreams?), and hedonistic addictions? Am I right in the assessment that the Melek are the only race (barring humans, presumably) that can be considered mentally stable, free from pandemic slow-burning mental defect?