The Dominant Belaran Races:
Ahnlarans |
Korularans |
Vasularans
- Belarans as a collective whole are a reddish-skinned folk. Their colorations rarely vary from their atypical deep bronze or copper tans. Most have long and straight scalp hair which is usually full and quite dark in color, though facial hair is an uncommon trait. The normal eye colors are shades of brown and black.
- Belarans have strongly pronounced features, and rarely appear delicate regardless of physical stature. The average male or female is slender, slight of build, but possessing a sinewy muscular form. Belaran men average about five feet in height, and weigh about 130 pounds. Belaran women tend to be slightly shorter than the men, ranging anywhere from four to five feet in height, and usually weigh about 100 pounds.
- Belarans prefer a distinctive dress which emulates their ancient and traditional native garb, regardless of where they dwell. The warm, dry climate of the Belaran homeland gives them cause to favor lightweight and loosely worn cloths to heavier weaves. The result became known as the padu. The padu is a strip of cloth, typically three feet in width and about ten feet in length. The garment is elaborately wrapped about each shoulder, between the legs, and the ends are joined about the waist. Padu are employed as a symbol of social status amongst Belarans, and range from plain cloth to elaborate, dyed weaves. The wealthy wear padu of silk, adorned with their family heraldry and trimmed with silver or gold thread.
- Belaran soldiers customarily wear tabards embroidered with heraldry. Some carry small shields, also painted with their heraldric devices. Belarans rarely don metal armors, though they suffer no restriction which precludes its use. The typical Belaran warrior is lightly armored, lightly armed, fast moving, and dangerous. Small, one-handed weapons and short bows are preferred, and some regularly utilize sleeping and damaging poisons. Belarans often use horses and other mounts, and their light cavalry units and horsebowmen are justifiably considered elite forces.
- Long before the New Age, the people of Belara effectively divided themselves into three separate and very different cultures:
- The Ahnlaran dynasties which formed the southern kingdoms.
- The Korularan jungle clans of the equatorial mid-region.
- The Vasularan tribes of the north.
- Ahnlarans
- Ahnlarans are Belarans who left the jungles to venture into the southern realms. Of all the expeditions, the Ahnlaran migration to the south proved to be the most successful. These Belarans prospered, and formed the grand southern kingdoms of Belara. They are the only Belarans to have ventured forth from their own continent onto the oceans to seek new lands. Consequently, these are the Belarans most often found outside of the continent of Belara.
- Their culture is one of devoutly religious sects which almost unanimously dictate certain philosophies of personal dignity, integrity and scrupulous character. Owing to these orthodox beliefs, these people are traditionally a proud race who place enormous value upon their personal honor. They are loathe to allow themselves to be maneuvered into compromising situations, and they will not advantage of another's misfortune. Their spoken word is their bond, and the intent more important than any manipulation of words.
- While there are some who do not hold true to such morals, as a whole Ahnlarans have a strong reputation for devout honesty. Because of this, they make excellent negotiators, and often find enduring diplomatic positions in the more goodly-aligned nations.
- The Belaran Races
- Korularans
- Korularans are the Belarans who remained in the equatorial rain forest jungles. The Korularan people are clans of simple folk who enjoy their simple lifestyles. They are very rarely encountered willingly outside of the jungles, and the Corlennian airships have never met with great success when gathering them as slaves.
- They are a quiet people given to religious superstition to so great an extreme as to border upon fanaticism. Of the different Belarans clans, they hold truest to the beliefs held during the Winds and the Rains. Their clans do not war with one another, but work together to overcome common problems. The same concept of group unity typically remains with the jungle dwellers who have left their rain forests for other lands.
- The Belaran Races
- Vasularans
- Vasularans are the Belarans who left the jungles to settle in northern Belara. The harsh environment left by the Mists has made them into aggressive and primitive warrior tribes which fight every day to endure the barrens.
- The Vasularan clans of Belarans are a suspicious and distrustful people. Their tribes are plagued with frequent internal disputes and fighting. The weak do not survive in their civilization, and only the strongest can lead the tribes. As individuals, they tend to have prominent self-centered outlooks, and are willing to pay dearly to leave the barrens.
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