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Message: <blockquote data-quote="steeldragons" data-source="post: 5252453" data-attributes="member: 92511">Races: HumansThe peoples of Orea are as diverse as the realms themselves. The men of Mostrial are renowned as noble warriors. The Thelitians rule the trade routes from deep within their desert empire. The Rangers of O’Douhn patrol the kingdom  of Grinlia from their wooded keep. The elves of Mïralôsta are staunch supporters of their allies, while the ShïStaliiri and Kantiiri are reclusive and secretive. To the north, in the depths of the Naradun  Mountains, dwarves work their wondrous crafts of gold and arms while the barbarians of Gorunduu hunt the snow-swept plains. In the south, the druids of Mistwood keep their secrets in shadowed glades while the great freecity of Andril is a beacon for all. For all of the races of the realms, in any of the different nations, the cities and keeps, the woods and hills, or in the dark tunnels and caverns below, adventure awaits everywhere.     Orean Races     Humans     Half-Elves (PCs always considered half-Mïralôstae.)          Elves (in order of most common to most rare – on the surface)              Mïralôstae (“Watchers of the Moon”, high elves)              Kantiiri (“Of the Wild”, essentially wood elves, but swamp, dessert and snow varieties exist and will be fleshed out in the future. For now, think of them as “wood elves”)              ShïCynallae (“Blood of the Clouds”, originally based on the World of Greyhawk’s “valley elves.” They’ve morphed a bit since then…I call them “cloud” or “mist” elves)  Kärolôstae (“Watchers of the Deep”, sea elves)              <NPC very rarely encountered>ShïStaliiri: (“Blood of the Stars”, basically “grey elves” I guess. )               <NPC almost never encountered in the surface realms>ShïDaeïri: (“Blood of the Darkness”, the drow)     Dwarves              Mountain dwarves: Naradun              Hill dwarves: Daegun              Ice Dwarves: the Korokun  Gnomes  Halflings (original Hairfoot-type)     Half-Orcs     Centaurs  Zepharim  Satyrs  Sprites  Goblins     Races of Men     (Note: the humans of the Principalities of R’Hath and the Freelands are really a conglomeration of these other races of men. Their heights, weights, hair and eye color runs the gamut of human possibility.)                 Gorunduun: The clans of the Gorunduun tundra are very much the same as they were since the days before the Godswar. They have a fierce reputation as warriors and are also known to be excellent trackers. Each clan is a group of families spread out over a particular territory that may change periodically, dependant on availability of game or wars with neighboring clans. On the whole, the Gorunduun do not venture into realms beyond their territories. . .anymore    The clans are devoted to a totem animal. They are the Lion, the Wolf, the Falcon, the Stag, the Fox, the Bear, and the Dragon. Each clan also has a special tribal weapon that is unique. The clans are each led by a Chief (or Chieftess), a hereditary position whose family holds mythical ties to the totem. Each clan also has a shaman. Unlike the chief, the shaman is not hereditary, being “chosen” by the totem in some way. They have a strong distrust of magic, even clerical. The magics of their shamans instill a fearful respect because of the shamans’ connection to the clan totem. Outside spellcasters will be treated with suspicion if not outright hostility.               The Gorunduun are generally a handsome race. They are slightly larger than other races of men, average heights being  over six feet for men, over 5 and a half feet for women. Their hair is generally light browns and blonds, though some have darker shades, the Dragon clan in particular. Eyes are predominantly blue with green and hazel not uncommon. It is custom not to grow a beard until after one is wed and becomes a father.                  The barbarians of Gorunduun began as tribes that sought to escape enslavement by the Selurians and, later, the Thelitians.  Following the Godswar, they raided into the southern lands regularly until the Thelitians and various Grinlian lords were able to organize enough to fight them back. These raiding hordes were one of the driving factors in the creation of R’Hath by the persecuted wizards of that era. Since the Scourge Wars, the Gorunduun have been mostly quiet and peaceful, except for the Dragon clan who are seemingly always on a warpath, usually with the other clans, but also raiding into other realms. The Gorunduun have been known to trade with the dwarves of Naradun and the neighboring realms of men. The barbarian clans are generally fearful of elves, owing to an innate distrust of magic and their images in Gorunduun mythology as evil spirits.                  Grinlian: The people of Grinlia are as diverse as the Thousand Realms themselves. They are generally independent and industrious by nature, or have become so since the unification of Grinlia during the Scourge Wars.               Physically, their heights are similar to the men of Mostrial, with men often growing between 6 and 6 and a half feet. Hair and eye coloring is generally darker than their southern cousins ranging from brown through very dark brown and black, though lighter shades are not uncommon.. Red hair is rare. Eyes are overwhelmingly brown, with blue eyes being the second most common. Green/hazel eyes are uncommon but not odd. Violet or grey eyes are very rare and striking characteristics.   Grinlian surnames often have prefixes, similar to those used in Mostrial, to denote family lineage. The most common south of the Arm of Tyris is ‘Kar,’ “son of.” There is also L’ a contraction from the Selurian “Levarus” or “the house of,” as in L’lorn. O’ for “of the” as in O’Douhn. D’ adopted from the elvin word for “river” or “flowing from” north of the Arm of Tyris, as in D’Ensior. Family names of humbler folk are generally descriptive of the family trade, “So-an-so the Miller, So-and-so the Smith” or a given/chosen name that is descriptive of some trait, practice, or characteristic, as in Elibon Redsword or Aline Sure-eye.               The history of Grinlia, like its people, is a history of a hundred realms. From the days following the Godswar, the lands of Grinlia were ravaged with discord, violence, and chaos. The ancient city of Brightmoon and the white walls of Sanctum were all that stood after the Arm of Tyris reached across half the country, to the feet of the Dragonreach mountains. Petty warlords and self-proclaimed kings battled for supremacy over each other, fighting and stealing land, back and forth, endlessly. This was Grinlia for countless generations. Then, as the Scourge Wars made their way into those realms that are now part of Grinlia, a prophecy was fulfilled and the gods smiled as one of the Gifts of Doron, the Starsword, was returned to the hand of one who would unite various lords and lead them to victory against the dread godson, Aishapra. This was Elibon of the house of Lorn, called Elibon Redsword, hero of the Thorn. After vanquishing the demonspawn, Elibon was hailed as the first highking of Grinlia and so began the royal house of L’lorn. Since then, the realms of Grinlia have grown to include all the lands north of ShiStaliir all the way to the peaks of Naradun and beyond the Dragonreach range, even to the edge of Miralost.         Grinlia is currently broken into six regions: Denil, O’Dounh, Resahd, and East Embrar are each ruled by a Duke/Duchess. D’Ensior is a collection of Baronies ruled over by an Arch-Baron. The king’s seat, Castle Aberol, is located in West Embrar and so falls under the king/queen’s direct rule.      Areas of note in the realms of Grinlia are too numerous to list but some of the best known across Orea include the hovering citadel of the wizard of Towerton, the vast woodlands of O’Douhn wherein the O’Douhn rangers are said to have a mighty stronghold, the cursed marshlands of Dunsmoor, and the “Gem of the West”, Andril’s sister city and the crown-city of Grinlia, the ancient city of Brightmoon.     Mostralian: The people of Mostrial are a hearty and noble race. They are known for their strong sense of honor. A Mostrialian who gives his word is giving his life. They are also reputed to be a strong willed people with a fierce spirit that cannot be overcome. Mostralians are known to be very good with horses and expert calvary men. They are also known to be excellent shipbuilders and seamen. They also have a reputation for being talented musically. Minstrels from Mostrial are honored guests and prized entertainers wherever they go, owing mostly to the fame of the hero of the Thorn, the half-elvin bard, Calidwyn Spellsinger.  Physically, their heights run the full gamut of human possibility but average between 5 and 6 feet, with women generally being in the lower half. Their coloring ranges on the lighter side, from brown through blond with red hair not uncommon. Eyes are generally also light, blue, green, and hazel being predominant.  Family names in Mostrial are very important. Where you are from or who sired you are the most common. Both are preceded by prefixes. Eth, “of,” which can be either “born of/son of” as in Lela Eth Mitar or “from/(native) son of”, as in Talador Eth Eoril. Generally, the family names last only a couple generations, though many upper class and royal families trace their name back to some legendary heroic figure. Great deeds done by a particular person will probably result in their name beginning a new family line.     After the Godswar, Mostrial was the first human realm to achieve stability and eventual prosperity under their great highking, Adrigol. Until the Scourge Wars, the lands of Mostrial extended the entire breadth of Orea, south of ShiStaliir and Thelitia, with the except of the ancient freecity of Andril which is ruled by it’s own council of lords. Since the wars, most of the area east of the river Adrigol has broken off, and is collectively referred to, now, as The Freelands. In the generations that have passed, the people that inhabit the Freelands are no longer viewed as being of Mostralian stock and Mostrial proper is only a fraction of the power it once was. Still, they are valued as allies by Grinlia and Tanku and trade heavily with the desert empire of Thelitia. Mostrial has not had any formal dealings with the dwarven kingdom  of Daegun, though some trade does take place from time to time in isolated instances. The elves of ShiStaliir have been reclusive neighbors for the length of Mostrial’s history.  Places of note in Mostrial include Talas Eoril, called “the citadel of the Sea King,” the enchanted and mysterious forests of Hirial and Balwood, and the House of Calidwyn, Orea’s foremost bardic college.        Selurian: The Selurians have almost passed into the realm of legend as none have been seen on the mainland of Orea since the establishment of the Half-Sea Treaty over a century ago. They are remembered as being the casters of the Great Spell and thus blamed as the creators of the devastation and chaos that ensued. In common folklore Selurians have gained a reputation as being devilish monsters.       As a people, Selurians are believed to be isolationists. They exist exclusively on the island remains of their “Empire.” Generally not wanting anything to do with the crude “lesser” men…anymore. They have a haughty even arrogant demeanor linked to their societal belief that they are the original race of men first created by the elder gods. This belief was the cause of their ages old war with the Tanku and ultimately the downfall of their once magnificent Empire that spanned across most of Orea.      After the Godswar, the Selurians rejected the new gods. No doubt another reason for their dubious if not outright sinister reputation. As such, there are no Selurian clerics. They are, however, reputed to excel in the working of magic and are considered, among the learned of Orea, to be the foremost alchemists in the world, possessing knowledge and skill that has been lost to the rest of Orea. Legends tell of great magical war machines. Tales of ships made of fire and armies of dragonriders are still used to frighten naughty children.       According to surviving accounts, they are tall like the Tanku but not prone to be as muscular. Having more slight, elf-like, frames. They are said to have angular features. They have very pale skin. Hair is generally pale grey, white or pitch black. Grey or grey-blue eyes are most common with some instances of black.       Tankuan: The United Island Kingdoms of Tanku are a collection of islands off the south east mainland of Orea. While terrain varies from island to island, generally these realms are tropical paradises. The seafaring peoples of Tanku are hailed over the whole of Orea as among the most regal and noble. On the whole, they possess a quiet reservation and contempletive nature that has given rise to the belief that the Tanku are able to commune with the winds and seas over which they rule.       From the major island of Tanku a highking rules over the other kings. Fighting among the lesser kings is not uncommon, but in general the United Island kingdoms are a lawful well-ordered society. The other larger islands that are recognized as comprising the United   Kingdoms are Dalram, Ulba, and Omduppo. But there are countless smaller islands aligned with one or the other of the more powerful kings.       While there are variations in appearances among some of the islanders, generally, the Tankuans (as they are collectively called by mainlanders) are taller than most humans. Six and a half feet is average. They are dark skinned ranging from caramel to dark brown to the Tanku proper (natives of island ofTanku) with gleaming black skin. Hair is dark brown or black and tightly curled. Eyes are overwhelmingly brown or black. The tribes from the island  of Dalram are known to occasionally have bright emerald green eyes.       The Tanku are one of the original races of men, first created by the elder gods and the chosen tribe of the moon and water goddess, Arinane. After the Great Spell and the ensuing chaos of the Godswar, the Tanku embraced the coming of the new gods (the current Orean pantheon.) In the wake of the Godswar, the first highking of Tanku outlawed the practice of sorcery, blaming wizards as the casters of the Great Spell that destroyed their formerly immense empire. To this day, the study, teaching or practice of magic is outlawed on the island of Tanku and most of the other islands as well. Magic-users from the mainland are watched carefully, if they are permitted ashore at all.      Thelitian: The men of the Desert Empire, Thelitia, are known for being shrewd. They are always interested in trade, of pretty much anything. The Empire of Thelitia is contained within the desert that most of the Hundred Realms call The Lost Sands. The Empire is ruled by a pharoh-like god-king called The Shadarsha from the ancient city of Theli. He is believed to be the emissary of the sky god, Arsha (the Thelitian name for Astar) who came to save the Thelitians after the Godswar and restore order to their lives.  The Empire is largely supported and built on the backs of slaves. Many Thelitian slaves are a class of their own, families having served as slaves for generations or newly conquered tribes of other desert people, but raiding parties of slavers are a constant source of fear for those peoples wandering through the borderlands of the Empire. The clerics of Thelitia are a caste unto themselves, enjoying near god-like status among all but the royalty.   The physical features of Thelitians vary due to millennia of crossbreeding with slaves from all over Orea. Traditionally Thelitians have bronzed skin with black hair and eyes, with extreme rarities of blue or green eyes. Their height averages at 5 and a half feet for men, a few inches shorter for women with rarities at both ends of the spectrum.   [FONT=&quot]According to the histories, the desert was created by the Great Spell that ushered the beginning of the Godswar. Magical energies are powerful and sometimes unpredictable in the desert. There are countless myths of great magical treasures and hordes of powerful items lost in the sands in ruins of ancient Selurian cities. Current folklore holds that the devastation of the Great Spell fell on Orea at what is called Thole, “the Broken Lands.” This area at the northwest of the desert is considered a highly evil cursed region. It is a harsh barren realm of jagged rock and volcanic activity. A great stronghold of evil kept by the Society of the Crimson Skull is rumored to be somewhere in the Broken  Lands but only the most vile servants of darkness know its location.   [/FONT]</blockquote>

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