| The Distinction of Men and Other Races |
| The peoples of Eloria are dissimilar and share history betwixt themselves. The First Men left many descendants and the family that retains the blood of the First Men retains many gifts. The Ild Men are the motley collection of families which dominate Eloria, for these descendants have become the populace of the ancient cities. Over time, they have taken characteristics from tehir environment and their languages have evolved. |
| First Men- these people share hawk noses and a strong forehead. Their hair is usually dark and straight. They bear light colored eyes and grow to a good height, for they are strong of limb and keen of wit. They are also favored with a long life, measuring up to two hundred years. They share great strength and endurance and have an affinity for all the elements. Ankhmen- The descendants of the Wild Men and the First Men, these people have grown into a sturdy if diverse people. They are of medium height and range in complexion from fair to swarthy, but the people of Ankh all share a common characteristic: greed. They work well together and the pursuit of trade has colored every Ankhman who would sell his own mother if the price was right. They are hardy defenders and would rather acquire new lands the new way, by gold. The average lifespan is 55-60 years of age. |
| Northmen- These people include the men of Nas Tirith, Dansig and the lands to Nagrim Mountains. They share a better percentage of First Men blood and are a hardy people who grow strong and tall. They have more body hair than thier cousins across the sea. They have lighter eyes and many are light of hair though the First Men black does appear every once in a while. If it were not for fighting goblins or the Dar-Etan tribesmen, the average person would live for one hundred years. Southmen- These people claim ancestry with both the men of Khand and the First Men. They are a darker skinned people and include the nations of Kyria, Stormwatch and Vandein. They are medium hight and work well in groups. They are also stereotyped as being obsessive with monuments and public works. They will build aqueducts, highways, rest areas for travelers and great statues in the middle of nowhere. They live on average between 60-65 years of age. |
| The East- the peoples of Kehman and Khand share their ancestry to long ago, but the peoples of Kehman also claim some Valyrian blood. These people are of a medium height and slim builds. Their eyes are traditionally painted with black outlines and they favor robes and linene dress. They also wear sandals and jewelry to display their wealth. Tattoos, shaven heads and body art is not uncommon. Their life spans an average of 75 years, but some nobles have lived to one hundred. The Dar-Etan Tribesmen- These people range over the Dar-Etan Plains, from the Nagrim Mountains to the Dragon Sea. They are a series of nomadic people with only a few set territories. Many are great horsemen and they are a tall race. they favor light clothing and fleet battle tactics. They do not have written records and maintain the oral tradition. They are also a splintered group and rare is the man (or woman) who can bind even two tribes together. It is said there are over one hundred different tribes, but there are only thirty large, important tribes and of these five dominate the plains. The average lifespan is 35-40 years. |
| The Nomads of Aranoch- These people claim ancestry with ruined Valyria and many are dark skinned with dark eyes. They are said to have twelve or thirteen tribes wandering the waste, for these are the only men in that forsaken land. Few wonder if it were not better to find wyverns than a nomad. Not much is known of the nomads but it is said they have lived on average 120 years. |
| The Elves of Lorien- These people came from the Great South, across the seas and settled in the tree filled land of Lorien. It is said the elven royal family escaped en masse from a coup and an emperor became a king by his own choice. This secretive people trade with neighboring Kyria, Ankh and Vandein, bartering wood products and jewelry for food and wine. Elven cloth is often in demand, for the elves loom much finer material than man, rivaled only by the eastern silk of Khand. These elves are tall and fair skinned, with light colored eyes and light hair, though some families are said to have albinos with white hair and red eyes. Elves live on average 600-1000 years. |
| The Elves of Andor- These people are shorter than their southern cousins and are ashen skinned. They have dark eyes and are much more aggressive. Legend says the Andorans are nocturnal, hunting at night and their warfare is a mix of guerilla tactics and deadly ambushes. Their skill with the bow is legendary and it said that the man who is killed by an elf will never see his killer. They do not like outsiders in their pocketed domain and wage war with the other inhabitants of Andor. They reside in specially hidden valleys, protected by magic and camouflage. Their magic is often dark and destructive and they are said reach ages of 200-800 years. |
| Dwarves- These dimunitive folk seem to dwell almost exclusively in the Khand Mountains, working metals and mining for generations. Some say Dwarves also came from the Great South, but none have traversed those wild seas. They have delved deeply into the Khand Mountains and developed a symbiotic relationship with whatever power rules the outside land; the dwarves mine metals and make finished products in exchange for food, gold and privacy. The empire of Khand has long depended on the abundant supply of labor for their wars and rebellions. The dwarves function as arbitrary merchants, they sell to whoever can afford their wares. These people are small but sturdy, with fair to tanned skin and often grow beards. They are physically powerful but are short of leg. They are said to live from 100-300 years on average. |
| Dragons- These legendary beasts have long vanished from the face of the world, said to have been hunted to extinction by the First Men. They were said to be very large, with teeth, claws and giant wings, scaled with impregnable skin and as ancient as the bones of the world. |
| Wyverns- These creatures are smaller cousins of dragons, but tend to be brutish and savage. There are five families of wyvern, each with special abilities and temperments. The Cold, Fire, Earth, Water and Venom comprise most of wvyerndom, but within these families intelligence varies as do whether they are winged. The Cold hunt the far north, make homes in tall mountains and are solitary hunters. The Fire tend toward deserts and volcanoes, for they cannot be warm enough. The Earth and Water both favor deep, dark caves but the Water also make nests in small islands and hunt the seas. The Venom tend to favor forests, dells, glades and the open plain. All wyverns are born from eggs and live to from anywhere of 50-1000 years. Some legend talks of Ancient Wyvern Magi, servants to the Dragon Lords of old, but no one knows. |
| Giant Spiders- The difference between the spider races can only be measured by intelligence and size, for there are many kinds. Most spiders are quite stupid in comparison with their bipedal neighbors but there are spiders that have mastered language and even the mystic arts. This race is as old as the stars and hunted the earth long before man ever rode the waves or tamed the horse. There are many enclaves and colonies spread throughout Eloria, troubling both forest and mountains. All giant spiders are dark colored but vary in design. The more intelligent spiders often become larger in size, but the average spider measures 3-5 feet in length. It is uknown how long a giant spider can live, but a Spider has been raised from the larval stage by the Wizards of Stormwatch for the last 80 years. Spiders plague both man and orc. |
| Orc/Goblin- These humanoids have long been the tenants of Eloria, ranging over the land until the Great Invasion. Now they fight a guerilla war with the encroaching human kingdoms, fleeing to mountains and the lands that men do not desire. They are gray of skin but do range into the yellow and green color range. They are nocturnal but do venture into the daylight. They are the victims of a genocidal campaign that has lasted for over two ages but have survived with their amazing reproductive capabilities and natural cowardice and lack of pride. Their tribes are fragmented and strewn across the west, but most agree that the goblin's home is the Nagrim Mountains. They range in heights from 4-6 feet tall and are ruled by a clear hiearchy, the stronger you are, the more likley you are to rule. The average age for goblins can range from 30-150 years. |
| Race Attributes- Attributes between the races vary, but the following are some general statistics on various races. Humans- IQ 3d6 ME 3d6 MA 3d6 PS 3d6 PP 3d6 PE 3d6 PB 3d6 Spd 3d6 Elves- IQ 3d6 ME 3d6 MA 2d6+3 PS 3d6 PP 4d6 PE 3d6 PB 5d6 Spd 3d6 (Lorian) ME 4d6 PB 4d6 (Andor) Goblins/Orcs IQ 2d6+3 ME 2d6 MA 2d6 PS 4d6 PP 3d6 PE 4d6 PB 2d6 Spd 3d6 (Large) IQ 2d6 PS 3d6 PP 4d6 PP 3d6 (Small) |