EternalEmpire:Races

Tenzido um ido Probus - Denizens of the World

"I was lifted to the top of a great peak, which was the very summit of the world, so that I looked down upon all the nations and cities and camps of the world, and all the sons of Men in their myriad forms, and the Powers and Wardens of the heavens were revealed to me in their multitude.

The Voice said, “These are my children and I have given them power over all creation, so that the mountains and fields, the jungles and deserts, the oceans and lakes, the fruits of the land, the beasts of the sea and sky, and all the wonders that burn in the cosmos shall yield up their secrets and their will to them.”

And I replied, “God of Gods, thy glory and generosity is without reckoning! Praise and honor are your name!”"

- 4:21 Olimaca

Races of Man

The ancient voyagers who came to Pergo were composed of many different races, created by unfathomable methods in order to handle the alien environs. Over time, some of these races died out or formed hybrids while others grew yet more distinct through natural evolution. These variant humans, or parahumans, are scattered across the globe, inhabiting even the most inhospitable and isolated areas. Some are images of physical perfection, with hypnotic grace and prodigious mental powers, others are freakish and barely human in appearance or action, bred for servitude or survival in the harshest climes, and still others demonstrate only subtle differences.

Creel

Creel are a hardy race that once spread throughout the world following the Great Ruin, but now their populations are dwindling and they find themselves unable to compete with or adapt to encroaching civilization.

In the Analeton, Dolominio writes that a cabal of seers, having divined that the end of the world drew nigh, begged the intercession of the goddess Mardalae, Lady of Sorrows, to spare them from the destruction and upheaval to follow. She bid them take only two individuals of their choosing, for each man two women, and for each woman, two men, and flee far into the wilderness where she would protect them. Shortly thereafter, she transformed them physically and mentally in the manner best to deal with both the hardships of war, disease, and famine, but also with the psychological burden of the loss, and these were the progenitors of the Creel race. This legend very clearly predates Analeton, and numerous variants of it have appeared in cultures throughout the South. Increasingly, however, many scholars believe that the Creel existed well before the Great Ruin, but only thrived during the ensuing period afterward.

Today, the Creel survive primarily in the arid, resource poor regions of south and central Provendo, and in the steppes between the Stadden and the Quanaradi ranges. Other areas in Otovan formerly had large Creel populations, especially in modern-day Pranatol and Siobia, but these have either relocated or died out completely.

Creel are characteristically tall and long-limbed, subsequently they can cover ground with impressive speed. Their skull size is comparable to most other parahuman types, although their brow ridges are more pronounced and they have deep-set eyes. Most curiously, they have a series of fleshy deposits that trail down the backs of their necks and around their abdomen which are known to be utilized in the storage of water. Additionally, recent examinations suggest that these deposits have a greater than expected role in the moderation of body temperature. Their tough, leathery skin, while differing in intensity from person to person, is not a symptom merely of dry climate and exposure to sun, but is actually denser and of different composition than normal Crudag skin tissue, making it more resistant to puncture and sunburn. Generally, Creel have dark brown or black skin, but a few distinct groups are known for lighter pigments, including a population in eastern Keom with a reddish tint.

Creel societies in the hinterland are centered around either extended family units in very isolated areas, or more commonly, as tribal entities. Naturally, their social norms and mores, religion, and language varies according to their location, descent, and interaction with others, although no anthropologists have uncovered the existence of written language in any Creel society. Similarly, Creel show a strong tendency toward illiteracy and other obstacles to learning. In general, they use only the traditional tools that their societies have used for thousands of years (even though some of these are quite “sophisticated” in their own specialized manner), and they have demonstrated little propensity for technical advancement or willingness to adapt tools introduced by outsiders. It is suggested that these qualities might be indicative of genetic inhibitions.

Average Lifespan: 62 years

Average Height/Weight : 6’4”/170 lbs

Possible Breeding: Fertile: Drozh

Sterile: Crudag, Dandrit, Dreck, Lenje, Sireed

Traits: Cast Iron Stomach, Decreased Life Support (Water only), Filter Lungs, Subsonic Hearing, Telescopic Vision, Temperature Tolerance, Disturbing Voice (Non-Creel only), Dull, Obdurate, Unnatural Feature (Fleshy-deposits, among Non-Creel only)

Crudag

Crudag are probably the most numerous of the parahuman sub-species on Pergo now just as they were before the Great Ruin. Subsequently, they are considered to be the baseline by which all the other parahuman types are judged. They are not, however, “ordinary” humans by any measure; in fact, they are closer to the ideal humans of legend and heroic myth. Crudag are physically robust, with resilient immune systems and restructured metabolism designed to quickly process impurities and keep them perennially fit. These factors, in addition to improved organs, especially an improved vascular system and lungs with filtration systems, increased their natural lifespan considerably even in the absence of civilization. Crudag also have much sharper visual acuity and a considerable ability to see in the dark, as well an improved ear structure, which allows both better discernment of sound and gives them unusual grace and balance. Aside from a tendency toward being tall and a general disposition toward physical fitness, Crudag vary extensively, particularly in terms of facial bone structure, build, and skin color.

Crudag populations are widespread, notably absent only on the Isles of Surroca far across the Allorinon Ocean and scarce only in the harsher climates, such as tundra or desert. Their societies tend to be large and complex, and they engage in city building, commerce, and political development much more so than most parahuman races. As a whole, Crudag also embrace progress in technical matters too. Beyond these generalizations, however, their numbers and are too great and their locations too varied to make more descriptions of their social, religious, intellectual, and cultural proclivities. Crudag stock was not designed for a niche or for servitude, thus they are every bit as diverse in these areas as the original Terrans, if not more so.

Average Lifespan: 120 years

Average Height/Weight: 6’0”/190 lbs

Possible Breeding: Fertile: Dandrit, Dreck, Lenje, Sireed

Sterile: Creel, Slees, Wondoz

Traits: Beautiful, Alcohol Tolerance, Disease Resistant, Extended Lifespan, Filter Lungs, Imaginative, Night Vision, Parabolic Hearing, Perfect Balance, Reduced Sleep, Telescopic Vision, Very Fit

Dandrit

Dandriti are a fairly numerous hybrid race, descended from Crudag and Sireed stock. They are fully capable of reproducing and have their own particular physiological characteristics as well as similarities with their purebred progenitors.

Dandrit descent is virtually indistinguishable from Crudag stock based on appearance alone. The main differences are that they tend to be shorter and usually have slightly larger and rounder heads, owing to the Sireed half of their genes. They also appear in a variety of facial structures and skin tones, although most Dandriti come from northern and central Provendo, and are predominantly darker skinned. Curiously, most Dandriti are unable to grow their head hair beyond 2-3” in bulk, and so they will be most distinguishable in societies where long hair is common. They have nearly identical internal organs to Crudag, although they lack a functioning filter-membrane on their lungs and generally have less efficient kidneys and liver, making them more vulnerable to toxins than the Crudag. Likewise, they lack the fine control of their facial muscles for ear movement that the Crudag have. Dandriti do, however, share both parent races’ enhanced immune system. Although fully capable of processing complex and abstract thoughts, they lack the intuitive mathematical ability of the Sireed as well as the celerity of their neural pathways. One Sireed trait that did pass on well was their superior sleep cycle; as a result, Dandriti need about 15% less sleep than Crudag and their dreams are more vivid and fecund.

While Dandriti exist wherever populations of Crudag and Sireed have procreated with one another, very large concentrations exist in only a few places: northern Provendo, historical home of the old ‘Dandrit Empire’; Lostram; and Keom. Dandrit civilizations also tend toward large populations and political, economic, and technical complexity. In many societies, Dandriti are considered more gregarious and prone to risk taking than average, although how true this is for the race as a whole remains to be seen.

Average Lifespan: 85 years

Average Height/Weight: 5’8”/180 lbs

Possible Breeding: Fertile: Crudag, Dreck, Lenje, Sireed

Sterile: Creel, Slees, Wondoz

Traits: Attractive, Alcohol Tolerance, Composed, Disease Resistant, Extra Fatigue, Fit, Perfect Balance, Pheromone Control, Reduced Sleep, Telescopic Vision, Proud

Dreck

Scholars still argue over whether or not the Dreck race is a variant parahuman at all, or simply a highly specialized branch of Crudag brought about through long isolation. Whatever the case, their divergent traits have enabled them to thrive in the inhospitable uplands of the north.

As the controversy over their origins suggest, Dreck are visually indistinguishable from Crudag, although they are more racially uniform, tending to have fair or pale complexions, pointed noses, shallow eye sockets, and a pronounced forehead slope. It is the appearance and functionality of some of their internal organs that lends the most support to their classification as a sub-specie. Dreck have kidneys that are about 17% larger and more efficient than in Crudags, while their bowels are host to a unique form of flora that is speculated to improve their digestive capability. Their superior water-storage and nutrient processing, as well as super-keen eyesight have made them well adapted to life in the cold and dry mountains of northern Otovan. Psychologically, there are few differences between Dreck and their close relatives and so their societies are as varied and complex, if more independent, owing to their existence in deep wilderness or inhospitable mountain ranges.

Dreck are found primarily in northern and central Otovan, particularly in the Hesperi, Quanaradi, and Bambilo mountains. Less numerous but still sizable populations are located in the western spur of the Stadden Mountains and the Serusilen River Basin. It is unknown just how plentiful Dreck are, but the reports of explorers and tradesman have led some to suspect that they may compose the majority of the Hangritic population.

Average Lifespan: 120 years

Average Height/Weight: 6’0”/190 lbs

Possible Breeding: Fertile: Crudag, Dandrit, Lenje, Sireed

Sterile: Creel, Slees, Wondoz

Traits: Beautiful, Acute Vision, Alcohol Tolerance, Composed, Disease Resistant, Extended Lifespan, Extra Fatigue, Water Storage, Filter Lungs, Night Vision, Parabolic Hearing, Telescopic Vision, Very Fit

Drozh

Drozh have long existed as slaves throughout the world and indeed appear to have been bred precisely for this purpose. Plentiful only in the fields and mines of the wealthy, the Drozh seem to have little capacity for independent action and other men view them with a mixture of pity and scorn.

Physically, the Drozh are a good deal shorter than Crudags even accounting for their noticeable stoop, but of larger girth. They have thick, heavily muscled arms and legs with dense grey skin that is resistant to punctures and burns. Combined with their muscles, their bones are denser and they have a greater number of tendons, making them fearsomely strong for their stature. As a result, they excel in hard labor such as land clearance, mining, herding, plowing, longshoreman – essentially any activity that requires an abundance of strength and stamina, but little precision. Psychologically, Drozh are unusually docile and delight in simple amusements, quite content with their mundane toils. This is no doubt a matter of design rather than happy coincidence. They seem all together disinterested in higher intellectual pursuits and they seem incapable of complex abstraction, as is appropriate for a slave species. They have the capacity to learn the languages of their masters, but their vocabulary and comprehension is limited and their locution ponderous. Their lifespan also suffers from drastic, inbuilt limitations: a remarkable 95% of all Drozh die within a year of their 35th birthday.

Despite this inherent inferiority, a small percentage of Drozh are more independent and clever than others, and naturally come to resent their servitude. In more barbarian realms, these ‘Wild Men’ are quickly killed, but occasionally a few escape to form their own rudimentary societies. Such was the case with the (grossly exaggerated) Wild Men tribes along the Drozh-Ghan river in ancient Siobia. Such individuals are exceptions, and the Drozh have produced no lasting civilization of their own. They are, however, immensely fecund – females have a gestation period about 15% shorter than Crudag females and typically give birth to two or three offspring at a time.

Average Lifespan: 35 years

Average Height/Weight: 5’2”/170 lbs

Possible Breeding: Fertile: Creel

Traits: Extra Fatigue, Fit, Illiterate, Light Hangover, Reduced Sleep, Single Minded, Early Maturation, Chummy, Hidebound, Innumerate, Low Empathy, Self-Destruct, Subjugation

Lenje

Lenje are genetically close to Crudag stock, although they have some obvious features that could confuse them for the water-breathing Slees. Almost as much at home in the sea as they are on dry land, Lenjic peoples have created some of the most successful maritime societies, including Arqualan itself.

In appearance, Lenje are a good deal shorter and stockier than Crudag, with nictating membranes and (if unaltered) have thin, flexible membranes that connect their toes and fingers together for aid in swimming. While obviously semi-aquatic, they cannot breathe water like Slees, although they have superior oxygen storage abilities and have collapsible lungs in the manner of marine mammals, allowing them to prolong and deepen their dives. The structure of their inner ear allows them to detect and differentiate sounds and vibrations in deep water. There is little divergence in facial structure or skin color among Lenjic populations, and they are almost universally olive colored. Their intelligence is roughly on par with Crudag, although they tend to enjoy a reputation for being shrewd and inventive thinkers.

Historically, Lenje have been concentrated along sea coasts and deep rivers, particularly on island continent of Arqualan and larger isles in the Sea of Holinos, including Melbria and Isleesia. Their success has driven them across the world, however, so that they can be found from plain to mountain and sea to jungle. While pureblooded Lenje are still a sizable minority on Arqualan itself, they are less well represented throughout the rest of the empire. As a result of this, and decreased reliance on diving in their daily lives, most Lenje families have taken to surgically removing their children’s webbing shortly after birth (particularly the fingers, but occasionally the toes as well). Crudag-Lenjic hybrids compose an enormous part of the Empire’s population.

Average Lifespan: 100 years

Average Height/Weight: 5’6”/170 lbs

Possible Breeding: Fertile: Crudag, Dandrit, Dreck, Sireed

Sterile: Creel, Slees, Wondoz

Traits: Amphibious, Attractive, Disease Resistant, Extended Lifespan, Filter Lungs, Fit, Imaginative, Nictating Membranes, Night Vision, Oxygen Storage, Polarized Eyes, Reduced Sleep, Slow Eater, Ultra Hearing, Unnatural Feature (Webbed-Hands/Feet)

Sigrech

The Sigrech are, thankfully, few in number. A savage, monstrous people, their origins are shrouded in mystery and legend. Savage killers, blood drinkers, and cannibals, some attribute their existence to a curse or other deviltry.

While most people have never seen a Sigrech, they would immediately know what they gazed upon. Sigrech have pale, mottled skin that appears to be peeling or otherwise decaying, even in an completely healthy subject. They lope more than they walk, their hunched spines supporting their massively muscled back and sinewy necks. Their faces tend to be much more angular than a Crudag and they have four pair of sharpened fangs that they wield to great effect in combat. Although fairy tales portray them as slow and stupid, those who have encountered them know that they are remarkably agile and fully capable of complex thought. In fact, during ancient War of the Blood Branch, where the armies of Dandreen hunted the Sigrech almost to extinction in the Carillon Mountains of northern Provendo, these monsters were feared as much for their sophisticated traps and ingenious weaponry as for their natural ferocity.

These ancient Sigrech were known to have constructed buildings, used a written language and alphabet, practice metallurgy and have their own established religions. Wild Sigrech in the modern age seem far less sophisticated, although vulgar rumors still abound of Sigrech civilizations in the dark, forested mountains of the Stadden and in the Hangritic north, true home of all devils. To the extent that they are still encountered at all, however, it is primarily in small covens of about 5-10 Sigrech and their degenerate associates, secreted within large cities. Here, they orchestrate kidnappings and murders to sate their diabolical lusts, and have also been behind the poisoning of water and food supplies, assassination of officials, and subversion. The motive for these operations is matter of grave concern.

Average Lifespan: 350+ years

Average Height/Weight: 5’4”/240 lbs

Possible Breeding: Fertile: None

Sterile: Speculative

Traits: Cast Iron Stomach, Deep Sleeper, Disease Resistant, Enhanced Dodge, Extra Fatigue (2 levels), Light Hangover, Resistant to Poison, Bite, Discriminatory Smell, Extended Lifespan (2 levels), Field Sense, Infravision, Penetrating Call, Perfect Balance, Regeneration (Regular), Bloodlust, Secret (Possible Death if true identity discovered), Subsonic Hearing, Chauvinistic, Chummy, Frightens Animals, Cannot Swim, Dying Race, Dominance (limited to one generation), Pallor, Semi-Upright, Unattractive, Unnatural Feature (take your pick), Unusual Biochemistry

Sireed

The Sireed population is much smaller than, say, that of the Crudag or Lenje, although they are very widespread. Gifted with impressive mental abilities, the usually close-knit Sireed communities are powerful and influential component of many governments and institutions, wielding more power than their numbers would suggest.

Physiologically, Sireed possess sturdy, well-regulated bodies with formidable immune systems and efficient organs that speak of extensive genetic alteration in the distant past. Likewise, they possess a highly adaptive metabolism so that their overall health only suffers from extremes of hunger or over-indulgence. They are almost universally slighter and less athletic, both in appearance and reality, than Crudag and their main distinguishing feature is the slightly bulbous character of the backs of their heads and a sharp, narrow jaw line. The most impressive part of sub-specie, however, is their prodigious mathematical abilities. Many Sireed deal with numbers and equations with an intuitive ease that humbles the academics of other races, and so Sireed scholars are renowned for their advances in pure mathematics, physics, astronomy, and architecture. For similar reasons, they have a natural affinity with music and have produced many of the greatest composers of the age. On the other hand, they are not innately more innovative than the Crudag norm. These gifts also predispose them to less desirable predilections, particularly an over-fondness for gambling.

While widespread, the Sireed tend to concentrate in settled areas, with especially high proportions in major urban centers. Sireed communities are closely knit and outsiders are treated politely, but kept at a distance. Traditionally, the Sireed have acted to distinguish themselves from their neighbors both culturally and genetically, both because of feelings of superiority and the strong desire to maintain their peculiar traits, which rarely manifest in hybrid offspring. Consequently, their neighbors often harbor resentment or suspicion, especially considering the disproportionate wealth and influence Sireed hold. While individuals of the race have arrived at the inner circles of power of many states, there are only a few historical examples of predominantly Sireed kingdoms from antiquity.

Average Lifespan: 85 years

Average Height/Weight: 6’0”/170 lbs

Possible Breeding: Fertile: Crudag, Dandrit, Dreck, Lenje

Sterile: Creel, Slees, Wondoz

Traits: Absolute Timing, Autotrance, Composed, Disease Resistant, Eidetic Memory, Lightning Calculator, Pheromone Control, Reduced Sleep, Telescopic Vision, Recovery, Attentive, Slow Healing, Compulsive Gambling

Slees

Slees are an unusual and rare sub-specie specially adapted for life in the oceans. Once numerous and widespread, their numbers and influence have diminished in modern age. As water-breathing humanoids, Slees have a large gill structure running from their shoulders to the middle of their backs. They also have pale, bluish skin, a disproportionate face with large eyes and a small nose and mouth. Their fingers and toes are elongated with webbing more pronounced than the Lenje. A true aquaform, an active Slees are much more comfortable in the water, although they still have functional lungs to breathe air. In fact, they sleep on land. Slees can operate comfortably underwater for periods up to twelve hours and are primarily limited by temperature regulation and chemical imbalance problems caused by prolonged immersion. They universally prefer salt water, as their biochemistries are best attuned to it; they tend to bloat in freshwater.

While they are highly communicative and no less intelligent than other parahumans, the Slees have maintained a relatively low level of technological sophistication and only rarely form cohesive states. Although they spend more than half of their lives on land (especially coastal and river/marsh land), their settlements are typically small and their civilizations lack the capacity for large-scale construction. They are excellent fishermen, however, and are also skilled in aquaculture. Primarily they are valued as explorers and guides as well as for their excellent knowledge of drugs and other chemicals extracted from sea life. Slees prefer to breed amongst themselves, since hybrid offspring are not fully functional aquaforms.

Average Lifespan: 100 years

Average Height/Weight: 5’4”/140 lbs

Possible Breeding: Fertile: None

Sterile: Creel, Crudag, Dandrit, Dreck, Lenje, Sireed, Wondoz

Traits: Aquatic (-50%, can breathe air), Nictating Membranes, Oxygen Storage, Reduced Sleep, Unnatural Feature (skin color, phalanges, facial features), Ultra Hearing, Temperature Tolerance, Pressure Support

Wondoz

The Wondoz are among the strangest parahuman races on Pergo. A kind of arboreal human, they thrive in even the densest and inaccessible woodlands on the planet.

Physically, Wondoz are short but sinuous, and they appear even shorter because of their hunched posture. Their faces are generally smaller and rounder than a typical Crudag, but they are otherwise similar in skull structure. Wondoz have very long arms with retractable claws useful for climbing and swinging across tree branches and thick vines. They also have prehensile feet, but these are limited primarily to hanging and grasping, as their legs lack the mobility for the efficient usage of tools. Because of their odd posture, the Wondoz are very slow on land, but are unequaled in their ability to traverse and track through forests. Their biochemistry is also attuned to survive the strong venom and poisonous attributes of some jungle flora and fauna so that they can digest many plants and animals that would kill another man. There are only minor differences between Wondoz mental traits and the Crudag norm, and they express interest in literature, music, natural and applied sciences, religion, history, and trade.

In fact, they place great value on their social structure and there have been several sophisticated Wondoz dominated civilizations in the past. A few of them have even expanded far beyond the forests, where their considerable engineering skill helped them construct renowned urban centers that still exist today. Although Wondoz make up only about 8% of the global population, they are champions in their niche areas, particularly forestry and engineering, and their peculiar architecture is always in demand among the affluent. As in the past, they continue to live in jungles and forests, primarily in the rainforests of equatorial Otovan, the jungles of Renoga, and the alpine forests of Amblend and Clestrica.

Average Lifespan: 62 years

Average Height/Weight: 4’10”/100 lbs

Possible Breeding: Fertile: None

Sterile: Creel, Crudag, Dandrit, Dreck, Lenje, Sireed, Slees

Traits: Attentive, Brachiator, Chummy, Claws, Disease Resistant, Extra Manipulators (feet – grasping only, no tool use) Gluttony, Imaginative, Perfect Balance, Pheromone Control, Reduced Hit Points, Reduced Life Support (can digest more items, limited to home biome only), Unattractive, Unusual Feature (long arms, prehensile feet)

Abhumans & Beasts of Cunning

There exists a third category of creature that cannot fit neatly within the dichotomy of man and beasts. These may be parahuman races that are even more alien than Sigrech or Wondoz, unrecognizable as fundamentally human. They may be men turned to monstrosities or animals raised to unnatural levels of intelligence through sorcery or forgotten science. They may be unliving things given life by the gods to act as their servitors and familiars. They are alternately celebrated and reviled, called unflattering names like “beastmen” or “goblins”, or hailed as the heralds of divinity. In any case, they hold only an uncertain and often uncomfortable place in society and more often seek the companionship of their own kind away from human civilizations, frequently to the detriment of man.

Vol Kor’y

Vol Kor’y (pronounced vole-ko-REE; Arqi Vulcrini) is the general name given to a variety of human-animal races that, aside from their mix of bestial physique and human intellect, hold no close biological relationship with one another. ‘Beastmen’ of this sort come in myriad forms, most commonly as monstrous apes, goats, and wolves. Some of these creatures are bipedal with well-developed manipulators; most are not. Almost all of them have the ability to speak and they are apparently capable of abstract thought and reasoning far more complex than anything in the wild. While many laymen believe these creatures to be the offspring of a human and a wild animal, scholars of more advanced civilizations hold this notion to be utterly inconceivable, pointing to the impossibility of such procreation in natural law and the existence of self-sustaining populations as evidence to the contrary. Examination of such creatures reveals that these creatures are neither human nor lower animal, but completely different life forms altogether. Their origins are unknown, but it is surmised that they are the products of dark sorceries, the experiments of the ancients, or the more recent creations of the Gods. To some extent, all three are true.

The name Vol Kor’y comes from a particularly truculent tribe of these creatures that plagued human settlers on the plains and foothills of what is today the province of Zacta Ponensus, to the west of the Ponostîria Mountains. The archives of the Kings of Lostram record violent encounters with these nomadic savages as far back as the 7th century AGA, although it was not until the Plains Wars of the 900s that their name became renown for their ferocity and cunning. The original Vol Kor’y slaughtered men, women, and children indiscriminately in their raids on frontier settlements, and were a serious threat to trade caravans and river barges in the area. In 970, an expeditionary force of 8,000 soldiers led by the Probite of Otolens was annihilated on the narrow banks of the Oster River by an enormous horde of beastmen (Disaster at the Ford of Stosa). Although their success was storied and later romanticized (as the Arqi are inclined to do with their staunchest enemies at the safe interpose of a few centuries), it was not to last. By 976, the remaining Vol Kor’y in Zacta Ponensus were suppressed by the campaigns of Subico Galbo Brewi. In addition to annihilating the Vol Kor’y, Galbo took great pains to studying and writing about their society, social structure, religion, industry, and so forth. To this day, most of what we know about the Vol Kor’y comes from his memoirs.

Galbo reported that the Vol Kor’y of the Zacta Ponensus comprised no less than seven distinct types of beastmen, each forming their own distinct family groups and tribes, but united into the Vol Kor’y tribal federation through ancient blood pacts. Galbo discovered that this unity and peace lasts only in the presence of foreign interlopers, and that the tribes are otherwise engaged in internecine wars with one another over territory for grazing and hunting, and this knowledge was instrumental in effecting their destruction. To the surprise of many, their religious customs were not wholly alien. While many did indeed worship unknown or debased conceptions of traditional deities, there were some striking similarities in ritual and theology among the Vol Kor’y, Keomese cults, and even some elements of mainstream Chingolun, although they were totally without knowledge of sorcery. They had virtually no knowledge or patience for agriculture and built only crude dwellings, but managed some sophisticated tools, particularly weapons and chariots. Their society was wholly nomadic, although they rotated back and forth between broad swaths of ancestral game land. In war, the Vol Kor’y were dominated by the Apemen and to a lesser extent, the Wolfbears, who being the most intelligent and most heavily thewed, were the natural leaders and heavy infantry. The rest of the races were used in specialty roles, such as fast scouts (Canids & Vulpids), skirmishers and bowmen (of which the goat-like Caprids were the most effective), and especially as fodder for close assaults (Minotauroids, Caprids, and Swinemen). As suggested, the Vol Kor’y also used cavalry, normally in the form of Drom and even Ox-drawn chariots to great effect. While the quadrupedal Vol Kor’y like the Canids and the Vulpids were natural cavalry, they had to rely on their own teeth and claws as weapons rather than a rider with a bola or bow, and had considerably less speed than Droms, so they were employed primarily as reconnaissance and harassment rather than the main thrust.

There can be no doubt that similar populations of beastmen continue to exist in the modern day, though whether or not any portion of the original Vol Kor’y society still exists is a point of debate. While encounters are rare, they are usually bloody, and those who live on the fringes of settled country must still concern themselves with combating their raids. Concentrations are greatest in the central and northern portions of Otovan, especially in the Quanaradi and Draven mountains, in the northernmost parts of the Stadden, and in the forested valleys of Loswath. In these regions, beastmen societies tend to be much less cosmopolitan than the Vol Kor’y of Ponensus, usually composed of single racial groupings. A handful of small populations have been discovered with more stable and advanced societies that have developed farming, sophisticated metallurgy, and written languages. Even so, beastmen have a much inferior technical capacity, so they must resort to trading and plunder for access to advanced devices. The most desired items are inevitably firearms, explosives, and strong blades, which they employ to kill humans as often as game.