A Triclops (pl: Triclopes) is a humanoid that is characterized by a hyperbolic temperament; brittle frame; high, magical potency; and a roughly feminine appearance, regardless of gender. They come in two forms, Deorsum and Sitas, the former being physically hardier and the other being more magically potent. In greater Occultus society, triclopsi possess a poor reputation due to a racial association to the Library of Cardiff, an organization of primarily triclopsi mages well-known for their forbidden pursuits.

The largely accepted history of the origins of triclopes come from the Hesdiodic accounts, and support that Triclopes were descended from Cyclopean ancestors, particularly the Cyclopes that created Zeus' thunderbolt. After Apollo's son, Asclepius, was slain by Zeus' thunderbolt, Apollo cursed the sons of the Cyclopes by robbing them of their strength and cursing them with madness. The empty eye sockets under the brows were filled, turning them into three-eyed creatures, making them unlike their fathers and the humans around them. Unable to work for the gods as they had done all their lives, they were forced to go into the world to find a place.

The eldest son, Aortes, hiding his third eye, deceived the trojan hero Aeneas into taking him in as one of his consorts and brought the other two sons, Deorsum and Sitas, in as craftsmen. The two younger brothers made great weapons and works for Aeneas, and were noticed by Athena, who took pity on the three brothers. With her blessing, they broke away from Aeneas' influence, and were able to build families for themselves under the rule of Aortes, who established himself with the guise as a human queen of a petty kingdom. While Aortes never fathered children, Deorsum and Sitas fathered large families, whose children more similarly resembled the modern day triclopes.

Triclopes spread across the European continent with the growth of the Roman empire, and were present in small cloisters wherever the empire had influence. After the empire fell, these cloisters became independent entities, and would eventually form major communities with their own independent identities, such as the Library of Cardiff.

Triclopes possess thin, wiry frames that are supported on a structure of hollow bones. This makes them brittle as a species, but amazingly light and agile for their size. They are androgynous in appearance, normally leaning towards a feminine look regardless of gender. Their three eyes tend to be bright in color, and the radii are a combination of chemically active minerals that control the constriction of the pupils. Contrary to popular knowledge, each eye of a triclops is magical, and can be used to manifest the unique sight that a triclops gains as they grow into an adult.

On average, a triclops' power in magic is higher than that of a human's and their physiology lends to a greater and more nuanced control in spell-casting. This same neural wiring is what is believed to cause the emotional turbulence that seems to affect them. Triclopes process magic, thought and emotions much faster on average than humans, which can give them the appearance of being unstable or twitchy.

There are two commonly accepted types of triclops, Triclopsum Deorsum and Triclopsum Sitas. The most obvious difference is the orientation of the top-most eye, which indicates type and the underlying physiological differences. Despite the naming convention, these differences are not inherited, and one type can just as likely give birth to its own type as well as the other.

An example of a Deorsum's eye orientation.

A Deorsum triclops, also known as an angry-eyed or flat-eyed triclops, is one whose top-most eye is oriented horizontally. The brow is typically flatter on the top-most eye, and the inner sides of the left and right eyes are angled downward. They are normally hardier than their counterparts, having comparably thicker bone structures and larger muscle mass. Typically, a Deorsum triclops will recover from injury more quickly than that of a Sitas triclops and are possessed of a greater appetite.

An example of a Sitas' eye orientation.

A Sitas triclops, also known as a sad-eyed or lazy-eyed triclops, is one whose top-most eye is oriented vertically. The brow rests just above the top-edge of the top-eye, and the inner sides of the left and right are angled upward. They are possessed of a stronger connection to magic than their counterparts, capable of summoning and handling more energy in any one spell. Unlike Deorsum triclops, a Sitas triclops can use the space between their eyes as a focusing spot to cast spells, but will fatigue quickly if this done repeatedly.