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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Libertad" data-source="post: 9774456" data-attributes="member: 6750502">Chapter 3: People of the Magocracy <img src="https://i.imgur.com/n5VfZiM.jpeg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /><a href="https://legacy.drivethrurpg.com/product/142876/Dragon-366-4e" target="_blank">From Dragon #366, illustrated either by Anne Stokes or Wayne England</a>Humans: In prior Ages, elves were the race most associated with the practice of arcane magic. There have always been human mages, although the predominance of Istar during the Age of Might caused that race to be more known for its clerics than its wizards. Even after the Cataclysm, humanity was both widespread and predominant across much of Ansalon, and now they hold important positions across all three Orders of High Sorcery.The divided nature of the Orders and Towers, combined with the sinking of Istar, means that humans of Ansalon are now much more divided on geographic and ideological lines. Humans judge each other by family, kingdom, city-state, language, and Order rather than by a para-racial element. Talk of human unity and even human supremacy is associated with the final era of the Empire of Istar, and thus viewed as an irreverent notion at best or dangerous rhetoric at worst.The field of Agriculturalism, or the division of human civilization between sedentary agricultural societies and that of nomadic and pastoralist societies, is a popular theory among historians. It does have its flaws, notably a bias towards viewing agricultural societies as inherently "civilized" and as nomads being less developed and thus "barbaric." The theory maintains popularity due to literacy being easier to access in urban centers and stationary academic institutions, which in turn grants the potential to train more wizards. While at a less common rate, nomadic civilizations still produce wizards. Most notably, the humans of Khur have several cities which are regularly visited by their nomadic counterparts, and wealthier clans are known to send their children to learn at schools in these urban centers. The Saifumi people have a heavy presence in Ansalon's maritime trade, and their merchants and explorers greatly prize wizards. Magic capable of making repairs to ships and long-distance communication, as well as the Storm Barons' weather magic, revolutionized seafaring. The Horselords of Nordmaar have a long-maintained friendship with Solamnia, and marriages between the two groups are not uncommon in northern Ansalon.The fecundity of humans with other species of Ansalon serves as another form of soft power. Dwarves, elves, gnomes, goblins, kender, and ogres are capable of producing offspring with humans at a greater success rate than with other nonhumans. While differences in lifespan and cultures still act as barriers, marriages out of both love and economic/political convenience still happen wherever humans and other races congregate, producing families of mixed heritage. As the Wizards of High Sorcery have been a haven for those outside societal expectations during pre-Cataclysm times, their ascension to political power has made this practice more common in the Age of Magic. This isn't universal, however; the outcast and oppressed can just as easily fall into the role of hidebound traditions and old bigotries upon seizing power, and realms where wizards rule in familiar dynasties emphasize importance on "reliable bloodlines" among the ruling elite.As for nonhumans, their opinions and prejudices on the race are heavily influenced by geographical proximity to certain political blocs. In eastern Ansalon, humans tend to be viewed as hands-off, individualistic (sometimes to a selfish degree), and inward-focusing on their immediate communities rather than the greater picture. In western Ansalon, humans are associated with Ergoth and Solamnic cultures, and thus more with tradition and hierarchy. Solamnics are usually regarded as being community-focused yet contradictingly fractious, fearful of concentrated power in leadership. Ergothians are associated more with authoritarianism and "dark magic," their ruling mages selfish and vindictive and the teeming masses focused on avoiding their notice. Humans of central Ansalon are often derided as barbaric, unwilling or unable to accept the boons of wizardly civilization. They are also commonly described as being "too close to monsters, and not just physically" which serves as a triple-entendre insult. Obviously, this isn't seen as much of a negative among said races, who aren't too fond of "lowlander humans" that are more hostile to their presence.Draconians: The youngest race of Krynn, the first draconians were made six years ago in 342 A.M. Via the disparate efforts of draconic primal sorcery and goddess-granted magic among the Gray Robe wizards, a process was invented that caused embryos in metallic dragon eggs to transform into litters of draconians. Although they mature rapidly, the draconians are mostly kept in the city of Sanction, indoctrinated into becoming loyal servants of the Dark Queen. Currently, the more promising draconians have been tasked with infiltrating neighboring kingdoms, using heavy clothes and magic to disguise their true forms. Should they be discovered and captured or killed, they can more easily be explained as unknown abominations from the Khalkist Mountains. A troubling thought, but not on the same magnitude as a new race of soldiers heralding the return of the mightiest deity of Darkness.As of 348 A.M., the five base types of draconians have come into being. The noble draconians do not yet exist, as the Dragonarmies still have a trove of metallic eggs to go through before resorting to chromatic's. Dragon eggs whose embryos were assigned female upon analysis are deliberately kept unhatched so as to place an artificial control on draconian reproduction. Draconians don't know of a life outside the Dragonarmies, and are told precious little about the outside world. Thus, they learn and emulate behaviors from interaction with other races in central Ansalon: their beauty standards are influenced by mammalian humanoids rather than reptilian features; they incorporate Goblin and Ogrish slang alongside their native Nerakese; and while they know of cantrips and magic items, they learned to rely upon going without arcane magic that other civilizations on Ansalon take for granted.Dragons: The chromatic and metallic dragon clans long since retreated from wider society at the end of the Third Dragon War, their existence fading into myth and legend. Knowing that the metallic dragons would surely move against her, Takhisis reawakened her chromatic servants and commanded them to steal the eggs of the metallic clans. Takhisis then used this as blackmail material to force the good dragons to stay out of the upcoming war, but she secretly reneged on her oath to keep the eggs safe by using them as components for the creation of foot-soldiers in her future armies.Although the Dragonarmies have yet to ride out and conquer Ansalon in force, the metallic dragons are too fearful to openly move against her. Even so, few truly believe that the Dark Queen is the type to keep her word, so a few of the more proactive metallic dragons act through humanoid agents in Ansalon. Through the use of gem magic pioneered by the gold dragon clan, various metallic wyrms forge warlock pacts with races who can afford to walk openly in the Magocracy, as well as those lands yet unclaimed by the wizards. Saddled with the additional secret of pact magic being a vilified art, these warlocks are chosen for their talents at discretion before their magical awakening.As for the chromatic clans, they are emerging into the public consciousness in central Ansalon by gathering in greater numbers among the rising Dragonarmies. These rarely-visited lands have dragon-sighting claims dismissed as Kender tales in the wider continent. And while the Magocracy is sure to be a mighty foe, dragons have their own sorcerous magic, and the art of forging Dragonlances is lost to the Age of Dreams.But I want to play as a dragon, not ride a dragon! The 5th Edition of Dungeons & Dragons has many third party sourcebooks with rules for playable true dragons, and for Dragonlance they couldn't be a more appropriate option!<a href="https://battlezoo.com/products/battlezoo-ancestries-dragons-pdf" target="_blank"> Battlezoo Ancestries: Dragons</a> provides a new dragon race and class with 45 unique ancestries, designed to be balanced in line with non-draconic characters.<a href="https://store.2cgaming.com/products/dragonflight?srsltid=AfmBOoqEsj9skc_tlBlqJChzoRFeIT68n6RNm49SECcjjkFDabjK8UJz" target="_blank"> Dragonflight</a> is similar but fully embraces their powerful status, with the balance of power being suited either for all-dragon parties or 1-on-1 play.Dwarves: The relationship between dwarves and the Magocracy is currently one of strained tolerance. Unlike other timelines, Fistandantilus' lack of participation in the Dwarfgate Wars initially prevented a major shift in antipathy towards arcane magic among dwarves. That antipathy came later, after increased contact and trade with the rising Magocracy.In dwarven culture, one of the highest ideals of art and artisanship is to create works whose impact outlasts the creator. Bridges and tunnels that link distant habitats for generations, art that immortalizes key people and moments of ancient eras, and foresters planting the seeds of trees whose shade under which they will never sit. Otherwise practical acts of creation become works of communal empowerment and long-term foresight.The kingdoms of Kayolin and Thorbardin are home to rich mineral veins that are a prized trade good. Their use in conventional artwork and jewelry fits in line with dwarven ideals, but the increasing use of precious gems as consumable material components for spells runs anathema to this. Taking non-renewable resources to empower spells of limited use or duration, such as powdered diamonds for the Glyph of Warding or Stoneskin spells, are viewed as acts of supreme short-sightedness and selfishness to most dwarves.While Kayolin and Thorbardin still export precious minerals, they originally sought to discourage their consumption in magic through a variety of measures, from tariffs to treaties regulating their use. Shortly after the Black Robes gained control of the Tower of Wayreth, they invaded Thorbardin in 317 A.M. in an attempt to forcefully bring the mines under their control. This war lasted for five years, eventually resulting in Wayreth's withdrawal. This was partly the act of dwarves valiantly fighting to defend their homes, partly from economic sanctions imposed by other Towers after the price of gems skyrocketed across Ansalon as a result of the invasion.As for the Kingdom of Zhakar, they have a less hostile relationship with the Towers, although this is due more to geographic isolation on account of being in central Ansalon. Neidar dwarves, having long lived in a diaspora across the surface, are the most common type to take up wizardry. Having lived among arcane magic practiced by other races removes much of the stigma, but there's still a strong cultural aversion to using costly consumable material components which cannot be regrown or created anew. Thorbardin has its own internal society of wizards among the Theiwar clan known as the Obsidian Circle. Despite having a foul reputation for practicing necromancy and other dark arts, they sided with the other clans against the Black Robes during the invasion. The Circle long prized their independence and not having to prove themselves via the Test of High Sorcery, and knew that being incorporated more fully into the Magocracy would indebt them to foreign masters. Even so, the Theiwar mages have become receptive to Gray Robe emissaries from Central Ansalon, who also share the Wizards of High Sorcery as a common enemy.<img src="https://i.imgur.com/71vwk3W.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="width: 452px" /><a href="https://www.artstation.com/katemaxpaint/albums/119227" target="_blank">Lathril, Blade of the Elves by Ekaterina Burmak</a>Elves: Teaching the Magius language is a bare minimum for understanding the basics of arcane magic, but wizards who demonstrate an aptitude for linguistics usually learn Elven as their next language if they didn't grow up speaking it at home. The Qualinesti and Silvanesti kingdoms are among Ansalon's oldest continuous civilizations, and their high literacy rate combined with acceptance of the arcane arts means that elves numbered among the greatest mages of every Age. Lorac Caladon was one of the first wizards Merroc the White approached in his plans to establish a continent-wide Magocracy, and although his kingdom was among the last to join he was a frequent advisor in Conclave politics. Among the Qualinesti, their proximity to the Tower of Wayreth already had long-established close ties with the Wizards of High Sorcery. The Silvanesti were friendly yet more distant, with their own caste of arcanists in House Mystic who frequently sent their progeny to take the Test and earn the White Robes as a rite of passage.As for the Kagonesti, they saw the least need to incorporate arcane magic into their society, instead relying upon divine magic, especially druidism. Post-Cataclysm wizardry is still rare among their number, with their oppression at the hands of the Master of Daltigoth exacerbating the issue. The Dimernesti and Dargonesti sea elves have their own arcane traditions, but they are sufficiently isolated the rest of Ansalon that contact mostly occurs in coastal settlements on the Goodlund Peninsula and Blood Sea Isles (in the Dargonesti's case) or Silvanesti (in the Dimernesti's case). The use of the Water Breathing spell increased accessibility for land-dwellers in meeting with the sea elves, and House Mystic of the Silvanesti made great investments in establishing contact with their aquatic brethren. This is spurred on by Silvanesti's increasing isolation from the Tower of Palanthas, as they seek to form new alliances and trading partners.However, two major incidents caused deep strains between the elven kingdoms and the Magocracy at large. The first was the appointment of Par-Salian as Master of Wayreth. Although he originally wore the White Robes, a rising bitterness stemming from the murder of his beloved Ladonna took Par-Salian down the path of darkness, switching his allegiance to Nuitari. Beyond just adding another Black Robe vote to the Conclave, this put the Qualinesti squarely under the jurisdiction of an archmage whose ideology is in opposition to their own. Solostaran Kanan, a White Robe Conclave member who is a respected voice in southwest Ansalon, serves as a counterweight against Par-Salian's more authoritarian measures. For now, Wayreth's Master is smart enough to focus his iron-handed rule on neighboring Abanasinia and Kharolis. But there's an increasing sense of anxiety in the forest kingdom as to the future of the Qualinesti people.The second major incident stemmed from ideological differences between the Utopian Solamnics and Silvanesti conservatives. The latter's caste system was long a point of contention among the White Robes. As Silvanesti relied heavily on the White Robes for House Mystic's membership and vice versa, they regularly maintained contact with their non-elven counterparts in Solamnia and the Tower of Palanthas. White Robe Wizards outside the nation became increasingly critical of the elves' unwillingness to apply their own standards to their society's less fortunate, and the Red Robe city-states to the north encouraged an influx of lowborn immigrants to bolster their economy with unique magic from the forest kingdom. Such elven exiles are derisively called Blood Elves by the Silvanesti, both a reference to their resettlement in Red Robe lands and their supposed "bloody" nature, for it's commonly believed among the upper castes that only dangerous criminals and outcasts would seek to voluntarily leave their home country.Things came to a head during the Thon-Karr Riots in 323 A.M., where a delegation of Solamnic White Robe mages taught House Servitor members how to maintain their own magical communal laundry system in the city of Thon-Karr. As most Servitor elves are forbidden from learning wizardry, the use of architectural magic designed to be triggered by the placement of weight was a loophole in the laws, letting them clean their clothes instantly and quickly without needing to cast the spell themselves.The laundry system was quickly disassembled by House Protector soldiers, and not long after several Silvanesti children died of disease brought about by poor hygiene. The leadership was blamed, causing Thon-Karr's lower-caste citizens to start vandalizing the holdings of House Protector and House Royal. The deaths and imprisonment that arose out of this greatly angered foreigners upon hearing the news. But the Order of White Robe in Palanthas were particularly incensed, leading to a crisis where the House Mystic members were threatened with being declared renegades as well as a lockdown of travel to and from Silvanost's Teleportation Circle unless steps were taken to address the systemic injustices against low-caste Houses. As Silvanesti elves were already dealing with a "brain drain" to the northern city-states, they would lose out on their ability to vote in Conclave affairs pertaining to neighboring regions. Counteracting this was that the Solamnic White Robes still needed the Silvanesti bloc for Conclave votes in their favor, so a compromise was reached where House Royal slightly improved the standards of living for the lowest Houses. Even so, the damage has been done in the eyes of many, and relationships are strained.Gnomes: There's a story about an Ergothian nobleman, who sought a fast means of deforestation in order to make more farmland for his growing population. He hired a gnomish technician, but having heard tales of his people's unpredictable machinery, he sought to test the gnome by asking him to build an axe that can chop down the mightiest of trees. Eager to help, the gnome built a rotary blade suspended on a crane, cutting pieces of the tree from the top like salami slices. When one piece nearly landed on the head of an observing woodsman, the noble told the gnome to try again, this time building an axe that won't result in aerial injuries.Taking a more feet-on-the-ground approach, the gnome built a giant adze designed to make deep gashes in the earth in order to cut out the tree's roots and destabilize it. This worked, albeit so much earth was displaced that it couldn't be used for farmland. Frustrated, the noble explained to the gnome that he needed an axe that could be personally wielded by a human with little technological understanding, while also letting them be more efficient at their work.Understanding perfectly, the gnome built a hand-held axe whose head injected a powerful herbicide into the tree's interior with its swing. As it would rot the plant from within to eventually fall an indeterminate amount of time later, the gnome explained that this would free up time for the lumberjacks to rest and attend to other matters. Sensing the nobleman's fading hope and exhaustion, the gnome proposed that his next design will be to make a giant hand-cranked wheel of such axes. But the nobleman politely rebuffed him, asserting that he appreciated his effort but wished to "remember your lessons and do it ourselves from here." Touched by this, the gnome hugged him, saying that their two peoples would remain fast friends and learn from each other's experiences. The nobleman ordered the axes in bulk, and lumberjacks used several such axes at a time to more rapidly cut down the trees rather than using one swing and waiting.This tale is popular among both gnomes and non-gnomes. Among gnomes, it shows that the pursuit of knowledge and innovation is not just a virtue consigned to their race, and that valuable lessons can be gained from both outside perspectives and mutual aid. Non-gnomes use the story as a lesson on how the most effective solution is often the simplest one. Some see the value in the gnome's third attempt, and that the nobleman was too conservative and unimaginative to consider an outcome that would have commoners work less.This story can also be applied to the gnomish approach to magic. Given their emphasis on education, research, and continual innovation, many inexperienced with gnomes initially think that they'd take to wizardry with gusto. But while they may recognize similarities with their magical counterparts, gnomish culture has largely rejected magic save for a few specialist circles. The major reason for this is that the gnomish approach to technology is one of constant change and improvement.To gnomes, magic (and wizardry in particular) is too static: a spell in a spellbook will almost always have the same intended effect when cast, with only slight variations to damage, area of effect, and duration based on the expenditure of power used to cast it. The process of copying spells into other spellbooks leaves next to no room for customization on the part of the wizard doing the scribing. Furthermore, the grouping of Orders (and even some forms of magic) by morality is seen as nonsensical. To gnomes, technology and knowledge is innately amoral; it is not the tool, but the user and their intent which causes help or harm to others.Another reason for gnomish aversion is a more political and personal one. When the Knights of Solamnia chose the Island of Sancrist as their headquarters after being exiled from their home country, they established deeper ties with the gnomes of Mount Nevermind. When the Conclave voted to build a seventh Tower of High Sorcery on the island during 182 A.M., they did not do this with the consent of the Knights or majority of gnomes, causing a war to break out between the knightly orders of Solamnia and Huma. The former lost, and were slain down to the last warrior. Mount Nevermind quickly conceded to the Wizards of High Sorcery, allowing them to build a Tower. For the next 150 years relations gradually improved. An explosion during 332 A.M. wrought from internal sabotage resulted in the Tower's destruction, as well as the landscape of Sancrist and Crystine. This wiped out a significant portion of the gnomish population. Now, gnomes across Ansalon point to what happened as evidence that magic isn't any more practical or reliable than their own devices, going further in saying that at least they're honest in the unpredictability of their technological pursuits!<img src="https://i.imgur.com/rUObWMi.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="width: 259px" /><a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/454616" target="_blank">Hobgoblin War Mage from Flee, Mortals!</a>Goblinoids: Although not known for the arts of wizardry, the goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears found their societies just as influenced by them as Ansalon's other races. During the prior Age of Might they were enslaved and hunted by Istar and other civilizations, with the Ergothian province of Sikket'hul being unusual as a land where they were given the rights of common citizenry and had amicable relations with their human and kender neighbors. Many goblinoids suffered during the chaotic first decades after the Cataclysm, fighting other races as well as each other to survive in the new world.With the rise of the Magocracy, several clans saw an unexpected rise in fortunes. The Tower of Palanthas, who sought to take a different path than the sins of Istar and in line with Utopian principles, went with a delegation of warmages to meet the hobgoblins of Throt. As this realm was long contested by both humans and hobgoblins fighting over scraps of barely-fertile land, Merroc the White seized upon a plan to both bring peace while avoiding a victory that caused damage to the hobgoblins' ego and sense of honor. He challenged the warlords to a skirmish on the open fields: if the wizards won, they would rule over them for 20 years. If the hobgoblins won, the wizards would withdraw and give the land to them. The hobgoblins viewed this as advantageous, for twenty years was a temporary loss. As for the White Robes, a loss would show that they can honor treaties with sovereign kingdoms while not having much to lose over little-desired land. Furthermore, the humans of Throt had long since been used to fighting without the aid of wider Solamnia, but they'd have the aid of mages on their side for the time being.The Battle of the Dueling Fields became a major event in Solamnic and goblinoid history, with many tactics deployed having since been adopted by the Knights of Huma. The warmages, hand-selected for spells such as Stoneskin, Tenser's Transformation, and Shadow Blade, proved to the hobgoblins that arcane casters can still fight in the thick of melee without resorting to "conjured artillery and illusive trickery." After their victory, the White Robes quickly set to work, using magic to improve the sustainability of the land and using the cooperation of the hobgoblins to forge peace treaties between them and the local humans. When standards of living improved across the board, both sides were content to continue letting the White Robes be their leaders, incorporating Throtl into the Tower of Palanthas' lands.As for the goblins of Sikket'hul, they still live a mostly peaceful, sedentary lifestyle in Northern Ergoth. The Black Robes are harsh yet distant rulers, taking tribute in the form of taxes and deceased bodies for the kingdom's farms and armies. The province is overseen by Lord Sunchaser the Steadfast, numbering among the most talented goblin mages in western Ansalon. The province's capital city of Manic is favored by foreign merchants who find the human Ergothians too arrogant and conservative, and the kender of Hylo too handsy towards their personal possessions.Besides these two kingdoms, all three types of goblinoids can be found in the Taman Busuk region of central Ansalon, while bugbears can be found in mountain ranges from southwest Abanasinia to the eastern Goodlund Peninsula. The goblinoids of the Taman Busuk have long been subjugated and at war with the other civilizations in that region. But the recent rise of the Gray Robes saw them unified by the return of Takhisis the Dark Queen, promising vengeance and wealth against the prosperous lowlands of Ansalon who drove them into such desolate territory.Kender: Kender hold a love for all things magical, and the rise of the Magocracy of Ansalon encourages their wanderlust to visit the various Towers and marvel at the wondrous workings of wizards. Kender rarely have the long-term drive needed in committing to wizardry, so their interaction with most magic usually takes the form of magic items capable of being used by the Untouched. Or by establishing personal connections with a non-kender mages to use spells on their behalf in exchange for fascinating tales, objects collected on their travels, and various chores and errands that don't require too much concentration to perform. Needless to say, many wizards don't take the kender up on such offers, but those who do often earn very enthusiastic and loyal friends.Due to the high failure rate of kender taking the Test, an archmage on the Isle of Saifhum came up with a means of mollifying hopeful kender who wish to experience magic while not weighing down the broader education system: Spellwrought Tattoos! Long popular among sailors, tattoos imbued with cantrips and low-level spells were sold to kender, coming in a variety of artistic designs. Their fading away upon use encourage kender to keep coming back for more, providing an influx in wealth for tattoo parlors across eastern Ansalon accepting long lines of topknot-wearing customers.<img src="https://i.imgur.com/kA472o2.jpeg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="width: 657px" /><a href="https://www.furaffinity.net/view/52719487/" target="_blank">A Minotaur's Will by TheUNSCforces</a>Minotaurs: While the elves might have the longest-lasting arcane traditions in Ansalon, the minotaurs were the first people to embrace the rise of the Magocracy. Sharing a history of persecution under Istar, the minotaurs of Mithas and Kothas saw the promise of hope when the wizards caused the land surrounding the Tower of Istar to rise from beneath the waves of the newly-formed Blood Sea. They found some agreement in Merroc's ideals of Utopianism: now that all but three gods had fallen silent over Krynn, it is up to mortals to forge their own heaven.Whereas in the main timeline the minotaurs became a tyrannical warrior culture, in the Magocracy of Ansalon the race devoted itself to avoid following in the Kingpriest's steps. With the Red Robes' increased prominence due to their stellar talent with weather controlling magic, and the self-autonomous nature of island societies, minotaurs were encouraged to form confederations of city-states, with the Tower of New Istar granted special privileges to centralize resources against larger threats. The Great Circus at the city-state of Lacynos is the preeminent destination for entertainment on Ansalon, hosting all manner of sports and festivals, including Mage Fairs where talented spellcasters show off new and innovative spells and magic items. A newly-unveiled arena whose mazelike layout consists of malleable walls is used to create artificial dungeon crawls. This allows both regular citizens and actual delvers to experience the fun and thrill of raiding dangerous realms for gold and glory, but with little risk of actual danger.Ogres: With most of their number living in central Ansalon, ogres generally aren't considered citizens of the Magocracy. Many ogres took advantage of the Cataclysm by raiding now-defenseless territories once governed by Istar and more established kingdoms. This made ogres a feared, vilified threat in many lands, which the Wizards of High Sorcery seized upon by using magic to repel their raids. The Khalkist Mountains technically fall under the jurisdiction of the Towers, but neighboring Palanthas, New Istar, and Silvanesti don't wish to claim responsibility in managing its affairs. There is much debate over who should act, and to what extent, whenever trouble rears its head in the region.What takes many by surprise is that a lot of ogre clans are also technically magocracies. A rare few ogres are born with the powers of Primal Sorcery, capable of calling upon arcane magic that remains virtually unknown among the rest of their kind. These "ogre mages," as they're called, also tend to be physically powerful like their non-magical brethren, and they use equal parts brawn and brain to attain leadership positions. The city of Blöten is ruled over by a particularly canny ogre mage by the name of Rashek "Earthquake" Trotor. His nickname comes from his earth-based spells, which can cause the ground to violently break apart, melt into lava, or even furiously disgorge flying boulders at aerial enemies.The Gray Robes quickly came to power over virtually every ogre clan, with only a few outliers pushed into the most isolated regions. Using arcane might, fast-growing draconian soldiers, and the personal favor of the ogres' beloved Dark Queen, this race of giants eagerly found a new banner to rally under in the hopes of taking revenge on the Magocracy.The Irda, or High Ogres, look upon the distant Magocracy with an envious fascination. This isolated, good-aligned civilization despaired at seeing Istar's purges, but was mollified at seeing how the wizards were able to rebuild so much of Ansalon after the Cataclysm. Yet they look upon the more selfish and ill-intended Orders with fear, feeling that this new era is not to last. Most irda choose to remain on their island home, but the few who do visit the mainland find it easy to blend in as traveling wizards, for the High Ogres have their own longstanding tradition of High Sorcery. However, as more people are capable of casting magic than in any previous Age, so too is there a greater chance for someone to see through their magical shapechanging. Most feel that the Magocracy is not ready to make contact with their people, which keeps Irda visitors on the move and from establishing themselves in one location for too long.Other Races: Given that the Orders of High Sorcery are no strangers to societal outcasts, summoned extraplanar beings, and people bearing significant physical changes as the result of the Soulforge, many people regarded as aberrant or monstrous have long looked to the wizarding Towers as places they can find greater degrees of tolerance. Such tolerance isn't always benevolent, as many mages are eager to add new and unknown species to their experiments, or use their powers for magical innovations and personal projects. With various spells to aid mobility in hostile climates, wizards (particularly adventuring wizards) are more likely to come into contact with Ansalon's forgotten peoples.The Homecomer movement in the Plains of Dust has the most contact with such races, with thanoi and ursoi traders from the south bringing ambergris, seal and whale meat, and white dragon bones for trade. The druidic allies of the Homecomers count centaurs among their ranks, who see value in magic that can aid the Balance with the hope of turning the Plains of Dust into a fertile land once more.The Bakali (reptilian humanoid) races tend to live in rural locations in the wilderness, largely avoiding wider society. There are exceptions among the ones who live underground; long resenting the tariffs on gemstones from Thorbardin, various trade guilds sought to find alternative pathways into Krynn's depths by making deals with other subterranean races. Kobolds and their larger slig cousins, as well as troglodytes, are some of the most common groups to come into contact with these traders, impressed by the magic items coming from the surface. In exchange for these items, the traders hire them to obtain the gems in any way possible, which has included raiding nearby dwarven mines. Currently the reptilians are a believable middle-men, but it won't take much longer for the dwarves to find magic items among their number and seek retaliation against their employers.The phaethon traditionally live in the Khalkist Mountains, a region which has only grown even more reclusive with the erection of Teleportation Circles among the Magocracy's major population centers. While they are no allies of the Gray Robes, their community is divided over whether or not to make first contact with the Magocracy for outside aid. Phaethon in favor know that for all their faults, the Towers of High Sorcery are a lesser evil than the Dragonarmies, while those against point to the Black Robes as evidence that they could be bringing another, more established tyrant into their midst.The shadowpeople are another largely unknown race in central Ansalon. Almost all of their number live beneath the city of Sanction, meaning they know the dark secret of the draconians' origin but don't know who else they can trust with this information. So they continue living in secret, performing small acts of sabotage and covertly helping innocents in the region evade the wrath of the Gray Robes.The major cultural shift among the minotaurs saw a thawing in relations with the formally-hostile kyrie. After several tense meetings, the city-state of Shiv returned the Northstone (a magical ancestral artifact) to the avian humanoids as a goodwill gesture in exchange for helping guide maritime travel to safe spaces around the Blood Sea Isles. Now, winged guides of this race can be seen in port cities off Ansalon's northeast coast, but their people as a whole still mostly live in the mountains of Karthay.</blockquote>

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