There are many different races of peoples on the continent of Caldrin. This is just a brief lexicon of little interesting facts of
these Races.
Humans- Humans are humans. 'Nuff said.
Centaurs- Humaniod torso and barrel of a horse, the centaurs are the long-standing enemies of the Lahayota.
The One-horns:
The Kalamsha- The Kalamsha are very clearly intelligent members of the World, telepathically communicating with their Riders through their single pearly horn. Heavily built with powerful sloping shoulders and thick legs, the Kalamsha are not the delicate unicorns of legend. They are mostly a dove gray, with black marks on the tips of their ears, around their knees, and runners
of black around their eyes and down their bellies, though the DreamTime Wood Kalamsha often have black "saddle" markings as well. All Kalamsha have nostril slits (much like a camel), whiskers, cloven hooves, and a full beard from chin to belly. The names of the Kalamsha are always four-parted, and fall under four primary catagories (Light, Dark, Sky, and Earth), or one of the many sub-catagories (Star, Sun, Shadow, Rain, Wind, Water, etc.) Each name is supposed to have at least one title word, and that is usually the last part of the name, but not always. If there are two title-words, the first is always one of
the primary catagories. This elaborate naming system is the Kalamsha version of a family tree, as most families pass on their title names to each generation. Examples: Light-in-the-Sky, Stars-in-the-Water
The Lahajaadrowdex- The Lahajaadrowdex are the Kalamsha's fierce and wild brothers. It is said by the Silver Canyon Lahayota that in the womb of their mother, every one-horn hears the Voice of the Goddess, and must choose between becoming a wild Lahajaadrowdex or a Kalamsha, though I don't know how much truth to assign to this fireside tale. The Lahajaadrowex are taller and lankier than the Kalamsha, though in most other ways the same. They are omnivorous, and will eat anything they can catch with sharp hooves and fangs or scavage, though they can and will subsist happily on vegetation as well. The telepathy, so important to the Kalamsha, is stunted in their wild cousins, and is used mostly to confuse and paralyze prey.
Hoppers- Hoppers live almost entirely on the shores of Goblin Lake and in the Silver Canyon. There are very few left wild, and most are so co-dependant on their Lahayota care-takers, that they could not return to the wild. The Lahayota use the gentle but large animals to dig burrows, pull heavy object, and to ride. Hoppers resemble kangaroos for the most part, but are much larger and lack all marsupial characteristics, and have larger eyes, ears, and forelimbs in proportion to their bodies. They are most often pale gray, sandy, or ever red, with creamy underparts and with darker umber or siepa markings on their eyes, ears, feet, and tail. They are not clearly intelligent, but they are capable of short bursts of telepathic imagry, especially when upset or curious.
Dragons- The Sea-loving Dragons of the North do not breath flame, I am sorry to report, and do not pillage villages or eat young maidens. They do, however, have an inordinant fondness for treasure, luxury, and wealth, and most of this is aquired through their uncanny and saavy political and merchanting dealings. They lord over the elegant city of Senleneya, and control the trading between Caldrin and the rest of the World over the Sea of the Young. Dragons stand about 15-20 feet at the shoulder, and are usually around 12 tons when fully grown. Their steel-sharp plate scales come in many colors, but most usual are dark blues and purples.
Griffens- Though once a powerful and proud people, the Griffens are now reduced to wandering vagabonds, rogues, merchants, and gypsies, because of the Wars of the BlackWing (See the Tales of Naapi). They excell at small magical tricks and hypnotism, and driving hard bargains (though not as hard as the Delaamafliya or as cleverly as the Dragons). Griffens have the body of a large cat (most often leonine, but some tribes have speckled or striped coats), and the head and wings of a large raptor (mostly that resembling an eagle, but again, there are tribal variations). They tend to avoid violence, prefering to soothe ruffled feathers with their delightful sense of humor, but are savage fighters when cornered.
Sphinx- The Sphinx stronghold in the hidden and mysterious Diamond Nations north of Keniya, and only "seekers of the Goddess" can find it and get in; to all others the land is veiled from sight. This is the safe-guard of the Diamond Nations, and to this day that is the once land that has never been attacked or plundered. Of course, it is also for this very
reason that the Sphinx are the least known Race on Caldrin...
Elves- I haven't really though about the elves much... I know that they are a very small people, and can often be very hot-headed. They rule the Stronghold of the North, Orgiria.
Sprites- The incarnate spirits of air and waterfalls. Tricky and mysterious.
Rean- Small, slim humanoids with the scaled legs, tail, and wings of a dragon. The Rean are a peaceful farming people that live almost entirely in the protected Last Lands on the Forgotten Water.
Lahayota- Called "Wolves" by the other races, and sneered down upon for their seemingly savage blood-lust and primitive ways, the Lahayota are still a major force in the World. Shape-shifters, skin-turners, the Lahayota have two forms: that of a short, stocky, dark-skinned humaniod, and that of an unusally large and powerful wolf. They live mostly in the Immortal Mountain region of the Last Forest, the Silver Canyon, on the shores of Goblin Lake, and in the deep, mysterious DreamTime Wood; it is a simple hunter-gatherer society in its crudest form, but then again, some of the best political leaders, war dukes, and wisest shamens are Lahayota. Like all of the Fire Races, the Lahayota were a peaceful people until the Tainting of Blood (See the Seven Tales of Naapi). They also have very high standards of honor.
Delaamafliya- "Cats". The Deelaamaafliya (meaning "Fierce Ones" in Lahayotait) are a nomadic people for the most
part; like the Griffens, they have a reputation as the Gypsies of Caldrin, but prefer to stay in the warm South and make their living by trading. Cats are excellent at what they do, and only the most hardened warriors try to drive a bargain with them. In appearance, the Deelaamaafliya are unlike the other Fire Races; they show both forms at once in an anthropomorphic way. They are very dark-skinned and lean, with yellow-green eyes and whiskers.
Raynyaafliya- "Foxes". The Foxes are considered very distant cousins to the Lahayota, and bear their Lahayotait name proudly ("The Little Red Ones") though their own name for themselves is easier to pronounce ("Tyana"). The Tyana serve mostly as scribes, embassies, and record-keepers, and it was the powerful influence of the Foxes in Still Water that resulted in the largest and most complete Library in the World. Creatures of field and scrubland, the Tyana are a small, slender people with mainly red or blonde hair and green eyes in their humanoid form.
Wokecait- "Falcons". Shy and mysterious, the Falcons are a Race of the high, cold mountain peaks of the Flower and Western Mountains. They are tall and lean in appearance, and retain their wings in either form. The Wokecait are cold and indifferent to strangers and often do not involve themselves in the concerns of the World, though one, called Wild Flyer by the Lahayota, was on the first Federation of Still Water and was later mated to Cloud SkyChaser of the Lindran Lahayota. Breeze "Little Wings" WhiteFeather, cousin to Storm and nenowned Healer, was their daughter.
Quilax- Horses
Back to the Tales of Caldrin
© WindChaser.
1997-2000