"Vanguard" is a high fantasy themed MMORPG with a heavy focus on character advancement, an immersive world, and player interdependence.

A vast, detailed universe of fiery swords and powerful sorcery, dragons and knights, "Vanguard" involves a myriad of sentient races and creatures, many of whom players will be able to choose to play as their own.

"Vanguard" is a dynamic world where players can follow different paths of advancement, including assuming the roles of adventurers, crafters and merchants. They can make their mark on a world while ultimately shaping and forming its future.

Players will travel with trade caravans across deserts and fight pirates on the high seas. They will ascend the highest peak and explore the eerie depths of the darkest dungeons. "Vanguard" will offer a next-generation online experience in which players will actually experience what they have only previously imagined possible.

As the dominant race on Thestra, the influence of the humans is felt on all corners of the continent. They lack the size of the lesser giants, the life span of the elves or the sturdy resilience of the dwarves but they make up for it with an overwhelming desire to succeed, a bold tenacity and perhaps most importantly, the ability to adapt.

After the invading armies of undead razed their home city of Targonor, the humans moved north and rebuilt, founding the giant fortress city of New Targonor. This bastion of human achievement protects not only the humans but all the races of Thestra. While New Targonor is the pinnacle of human civilization, most are still born in small outlaying farming villages – such as Tursh.

A Thestran human’s interests vary greatly and due to their versatile nature they often pursue a wider variety of professions than most other races. Thestran humans have been known to be Warriors, Paladins, Dread Knights, Rangers, Rogues, Bards, Clerics, Blood Mages, Sorcerers, Druids and Necromancers.

The Varanjar, or barbarians as they are called by many, are closely related to the humans of Thestra. While larger and stronger than most humans, their features remain similar. It is often said that hundreds of years ago the Varanjar were themselves humans who left their brethren for a more simple life in the mountains of the eastern Thestra.

The validity of that claim has yet to be established and while physically, they may most closely resemble the humans it is the lesser giants, with whom they share a home in the mountain village of Halgarad, that they have found a common interest.

They are hard working, sturdy and brave. They live their lives close to the land and live in a predominantly tribal society. The Varanjar have been known to be Warriors, Rogues, Shamans and Druids.

Noble, beautiful, haughty and arrogant, for thousands of years the majestic elves defined Thestran civilization. Though after the great breaking nearly a thousand years ago, they were hurt perhaps the most of all the races. With their cities destroyed and much of their population gone the elves of Thestra were crippled. The ensuring wars have made the rebuilding process slow and it is only now that the high elves are rediscovering the knowledge that had been so long ago lost.

A typical high elf is of a slender build, they are pale and slightly taller than humans. They prefer to keep to themselves but realize that alone, they cannot hope to defeat the invading armies of undead and thus have made an effort to ally themselves with the rest of the Thestran races, putting aside even their legendary hatred of the wolf-like vulmane.

They make their home in the forest city of Leth Nurae. Without walls, it would seem a susceptible target to attacks but few have had the courage to try. High elves have been known to be Paladins, Dread Knights, Rangers, Rogues, Bards, Clerics, Blood Mages, Sorcerers, Druids and Necromancers.

Short, sturdy and amicable the halflings of Thestra seem to be bothered the least by the problems of the other races. For nearly a thousand years, they have been close with the humans and the two races interact and work together more than any others in Thestra.

Generally a peaceful race halflings will rarely start any sort of conflict, though when forced they will defend themselves with a surprising ferocity and resourcefulness. Their lifestyle lends itself well to agriculture and most who live in the halfling village of Rindol Field are indeed farmers. While the majority of halflings choose to stay close to their homes, it is not uncommon to see them in adventuring parties across Thestra.

Halflings have been known to be Warriors, Rangers, Rogues, Bards, Clerics and Druids.

The ferocious and wolf-like vulmane roamed in packs for thousands of years, constantly warring among themselves and engaging in skirmishes with the elves. It is only recently that the undead menace and the threat of being wiped out has forced them to create a more permanent settlement and to change their warlike ways.

They live in the primitive and tribal village of Dahknarg, where they are lead by a clan chief. At the moment, they are entered in a tentative alliance with the other races of Thestra though at times tensions, especially with the elves, still run high. However, despite their beastly appearance and tribal ways the vulmane are a noble race. Honor, respect, strength and loyalty are valued in vulmane society. They are master woodsmen, fearsome warriors and once you have earned their trust and respect – valuable allies.

The vulmane have been known to be Warriors, Dread Knights, Rogues, Shamans and Druids.

Towering over all of the other races of Thestra stands the lesser giant. As the largest and strongest race on Thestra they are often viewed by others with a sense of awe and wonderment. They rarely leave their mountain home of Halgarad, which they share with the varanjar, and even less frequently wish to involve themselves in the affairs of other races.

However, the undead invasion has forced them to begin to change their culture of solitude in order to survive. Though they are safe for now in the northeastern most mountains of Thestra, they are much smarter than they are often given credit for and have the foresight to see that what appears to be the other races’ problem now will eventually be their problem later.

Lesser Giants are hard workers, much preferring to labor with their hands than over a scroll or book and have a simple, uncomplicated view of life. They have been known to be Warriors, Dead Knights, Rogues, Shamans and Druids.

Master craftsmen and fierce warriors the dwarves of Thestra live in the underground city of Bordinar’s cleft, deep in the Widows Veil Mountains. They currently stand at the front line of the undead invasion, with the humans, halflings and vulmane already having been forced to move elsewhere and it is a task they readily accept.

Their home, much like themselves is sturdy and built to last. The sounds of dwarves busily forging armor and weapons with a skill and discipline that is unrivaled on Thestra can constantly be heard echoing through the grand halls of their city.

While often viewed as grumpy and dour by other races the dwarves actually have a very good sense of humor and once befriended, an unwavering sense of loyalty. They are much stronger than their size would imply and tend to lean towards more physical professions. Dwarves have been known to be Warriors, Paladins, Dread Knights, Rogues, Clerics and Sorcerers.