Hi all! I'm new here! :D Thought I'd contribute a bit instead of just lurking like a creeper. >_>
All 26 of my races are original. No elves, dwarves, orcs, etc. They're things you've never heard of before.
Each race is assigned an elemental affinity or a mixed elemental affinity and their culture is largely based around it. Every element has at least one, if not more racial representatives, and bear characteristics related to their represented element, such as heat/fire-resistance for fire or heightened reflexes/agility for lightning.
Geography is based around these elements, as the land and biomes themselves uniquely take on the characteristics of the most concentrated element in nature in that region. For example, regions with a high concentration of light energy are known for a wide display of bioluminescence across both flora and fauna, and mild, temperate, and sunny climate and weather conditions. Nature energy regions on the other hand will be thick of exotic plant and animal life, including massive plants that can even reach the size of mountains.
The races are all humanoid by nature, but to varying degrees will have other features that distinguish them. They also all have tails, but they vary greatly from one race to another.
Races are divided into two sets of equal number, 13 each. One set has softer and more humanoid features, whereas the other group is more monstrous in nature, prone to feature various spiky protrusions, fangs, claws, and an abnormal number of limbs or appendages.
Magic in my world is actually not magic at all, but a tangible substance with scientific properties. Existing in all sentient things, spiritual energy is used to convert energy into elemental energy that takes the tangible form its respective element.
Every person has access to spiritual energy to enhance their techniques, but not everyone can use elemental energy or "project" it.
Three types of energy users exists: physical types, hybrid types, and sorceror types. Physical types can only manipulate spiritual energy to enhance their physical techniques. Hybrid types can convert spiritual energy into elemental energy, but can only produce and control it directly from their bodies. Sorceror types can conjure and manipulate elemental energy apart from their bodies anywhere within a wide radius around them, and with training can also temporarily phase their own bodies into an element.
Population wise, physical types represent roughly half the population at 55%, hybrid types being 35% of the population, and sorceror types are the rarest at 15% of the population. These figures vary between individual races. Which type you end up being is largely hereditary and fixed at birth.
No technique or power is without an explanation and set of rules behind it. Each element has its own properties that define the rules that govern it.
Those with elemental proficiency (hybrid and sorceror types) are born with one, and sometimes two elemental signs, usually corresponding with their race's elemental affinity/representation. Elemental signs are the anatomical "code" within one's body that determines which elements they are attuned to and therefore can wield. These develop and strengthen in power and capability with training and experience. Elemental signs can also be learned, but are hard to develop, especially those most opposite of one's current signs on the elemental table, becoming progressively harder to acquire and strengthen with each new sign learned.
Most hybrids and sorcerors are able to learn at least two signs in life. Talented users generally pick up a third sign. The most exceptional and powerful of all will be able to wield nearly half of all elements, possessing four or even five signs. Although almost unheard of, there are legendary figures who've learned six or more signs. It is said that the mightiest of conquerors, emperors, prophets, and revolutionaries of all time who eventually rose up to alter the course of history forever managed to accomplish a seemingly impossible feat by learning all elemental signs (eight or nine, not sure yet).
Spiritual energy itself also comes in multiple forms: physical, mental, and spiritual. Physical energy is based on one's physical health and physique, and is strengthened with physical exertion. Mental energy is based on one's mental acuity and intelligence, and is strengthened by mental activity such as problem solving, research, and memorization. Spiritual energy is based on one's psychological stamina, faith, and willpower, and is strengthened by developing strong convictions, enduring and overcoming hardship, accruing life experience, and fostering empathy and compassion for others within oneself.
Gender equality is unfortunately not a thing in my world in respect to elemental powers. Males tend to have more physical energy on average than females, and has a biological basis. Men also tend to have higher levels of mental energy, but this tends to be a result of majority patriarchal societies that more heavily invest in developing men, whereas the trend is reversed in the few extant matriarchal cultures, indicating a social basis. Spiritual energy tends to be harder to measure, but the same trends hold true for it as it does for mental energy, except that the gap is less severe, and spiritual energy levels are higher across the board in more religious societies. However, more men tend to be physical types than women (60% to 40%), and more women tend to be sorceror types than men (25% to 10%), while hybrid types are roughly equal between the sexes (30% of men, 35% of women).
Atheism is a valid belief system in the world despite there being "magical" powers. Other religions exist that compete with it, based around the elements themselves. Deities are worshiped by some, but the evidence of their existence is debatable.
Sooo... I might have gotten a little overboard? I'm kind of obsessed... @_@