Races of Erä (WIP)
Until I found a suitable image, this will do
Credits
- Designed by u/ReualNathanOnyrian
- Cover Art:
- Interior Art: "DMC Bob the Minotaur" by dan-heron; "Fantasy City" by Unknown (found on Pinterest); "Breton avatar 3" by Bethesda; "Merchant" by Paizo; "Kitsu Tamao" by Alderac Entertainment Group; "Karametra’s Acolyte" by Dan Scott; "Frozen" by merl1ncz; "Warborn" by Ubisoft UK; "Viking Woman" by John Wallin Liberto; "Viking Child Revisited" by Kirynaa; "Desert City" by jjpeabody; "Redguard Avatar 1" by Bethesda; "Saracene Warriors" by Unknown; "Atlantis" by Unknown (found on Pinterest); "Veterano Macedonio" by Pablo Outerial; "Unknown"; "Phoenicia Picture" by Unknown (found on Pinterest); "Meletis (THEROS)" by AdamPaquette; "Последний день Рима" by Yuri Gvozdenko; "Imperial Soldier Concept Art" by Bethesda; "Vodacce" by Diego Rodriguez; "Vodaccian Woman" by John Wick Presents; "Vodaccian Courtesans" by John Wick Presents; "General Tullius" by Bethesda; "Barba Bracken" by Magali Villaneuve; "Japanese Village" by Dmitry Zaviyalov; "L5R Character" by Steve Argyle; "Asahina Shigemitsu" by Matt Zeilinger; "The Witchwood Crown cover art" by Michael Whelan; "King Emeric" by Bethesda; "llustration for Legend Of The Cryptids" by Young june Choi; "EriKa 2015" by DreamerWhit; "Risen 2: Dark Water character" by wesburt;
Disclaimer
This is a Work in Progress (WIP) document. That means that there's still a lot to be done, from better formating to grammar and spell checks, and some proofreading. Also, you may notice that some artwork credits are listed as "by Unknown". I expend almost an hour with each of those images looking for the author's name, but didn't found it. I even translated pages from Czech, Turkish and similar languages to see if I could found who made those images, but it was impossible. If you know the source of one of those images, please tell me so I can credit the artist properly.
Also, I'm new to GMBinder and usual tools, so my formating can be really messy at times. And English is not my first language, so mistakes are sure to be found here. With these out of the way, I hope you enjoy the preview to the first installment of my "Stories of Erä" series!
Table of
Contents
Ch. 1: Races of Erä
- Preface
- Humans.........................................................................................5
- Lurewulffer: The Frozen and Unbroken Will............6
- Ulalmaran: Cities Roofed with Gold...........................9
- Hereos: Wisdom, Travels and Perfection................11
- Romuleeans: The Decadent Empire........................14
- Takeyans: Elemental Blood........................................19
- Anorians: The Mixed Heritage..................................21
Preface
Erä. Unity in the language of the Mahla. The world that was born because of a song, and the imagination of the First Father. A world inhabited by wonder, mysteries, dangers, and people. A lot of them. Welcome traveler, to the Marvelous Guide to the Races of Erä, brought to your hands by yours truly, Mr Mothyn Bighorn, proud hunter and member of The Fine and Honourable Lodge for Eccentric and Exotic Gentleman. With the help of my fellow members and friends, Sir Lockwood Nameberry and Sir Janthrop, I studied the manuscripts left behind by one of the Chroniclers, Mayra Nygata of the Norcturward, and transcribed it to the Common tongue (adding some research of my own, obviously), so you can have this fine material in your precious hands. Every bit of lore that you see here has been rigorously studied and researched to the point of mental exhaustion, so we can bring to you, dear reader, the most accurate documentation material that you can found in the both Thorus and Ashalyra, making it worthy of both your time and money. I have ventured to recondite places, endured the freezing winds of Kalador and the Ice Antlers, and the suffocating heat of the deserts of Sandstone and Marathor. I have swum through the marshes of the Great Alliance of Blood and Szzkati’sste, and wrestled with mighty and powerful beasts while I was traversing the planes of Far Kahazia. I have faced many perils and dangers in order to collect all the information that you now have in front of you, expectant to be read and learned.
If you find this tome of use, please tell your friends, parents, children, siblings, neighbours and pets. Every acquaintance you met on the street, so this work won’t be for nothing. Closing this preface, I present to you the first volume of my lofty collection of books. I remain your humble scribe and obedient servant, and I pray the Gods and the Mahla to grant their grace, to be forever yours truly,
Mr Mothyn Bighorn
Alas, after that Preface, there is not to much to say, eh, dear friend? So let’s just take our dive into this fine material, and let your mind be submerged with the knowledge that this book provides, so you can understand more about the world you are dwelling with. And we are gonna start with the youngest race to came into existence. The last would be the first, that was how that saying went? Well, enough about this gibbering and let’s start, shall we? I present to you,
The Humans
Humans are like ants. Lift a stone and humans came out, leave a trail of crumbs and humans follow you; you want to exterminate them all at once, but they reproduce like rabbits. They are like a mixture of several animals in the body of an intelligent being. Such fascinating and lowly creatures.
-Elf noble, talking to a High Priest elf.
Humans. For many, a plague. For others, conquerors. And for some beasts, tasty snacks. Humans are the youngest race, and yet the most adaptable, flexible and ambitious of them all, also possessing the most varied ethnics groups, tastes, customs, moralities, etc. Some elven scholars study humans as an evolutionary phenomenon of certain animals, due to their great adaptability to any climate, reaching from the driest deserts to the coldest tundras, and dominating almost any skill, with a perfection that almost reaches the low standards of the elven race. There are all kinds, brown, pale, tanned, tall, short, robust, blond hair and black hair, light or dark eyes; in short, there is variety to pick the one you like most.
Everyone's Seconds Best Friends
Humans intermingle without any problem so much among their race as with any other non-human, and despite the disdain that in some of said races generate, have been able to win the love that is reserved with the little brother, half idiot but eager to learn. That is the reason they are called as “the second best friends of everyone”, after dogs, of course.
Limitless Ambition
Being the least long-lived of all races (with some exceptions, of course), and with a maturation process for many precocious, humans are daring, bold and ambitious. They want everything done in the moment, as soon as possible, to be able to deal with other matters. Human society believes that one will find glory by amassing fortunes, power and fame, and that is why a large part of this race goes out to look for them in adventures, putting at risk (and not caring much, either) their own life.
A gift in the shape of a Soul
Finally, human beings seem to be the only ones who possess what scholars often refer to as "soul." While other races (including me, of course) have an inner driving force that gives them life, called anima, humans seem to have something of greater strength and power within them than a soul. Because of this, human beings are much more likely to succumb to emotions than the rest of the races. This does not seem to bother them at all. They even coined a phrase, which says: "What is life, but the emotions that remind you of what you are alive?" Rare phrase in my opinion, but that’s how they are.
Human Traits
Humans vary wildly from place to place, but they all share some common features.
Ability Score Increase. Increase an ability score of your choice by 1. You cannot increase the same ability score given by the subrace you choose.
Aligment. Humans tends towards no particular aligment. The best and worst are found among them.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Languages. You can speak, read and write Common.
Subrace. Because of their innate capability of adapting to different enviroments and places, humans have developed six different subraces, each one with their own culture and ideologies. Choose one of your liking.
Lurewulffers: The Frozen and Unbroken Will
It's cold. No, it's freezing, enough to become a stalagmite. You wrap yourself in your hides and cloaks, inside your tent, waiting for the storm to pass. You decide to peek outside, to see if there is gonna be any change in the weather. And you see him there, with only his armor, contemplating the extensive tundras that make up his home, without caring about the icy wind at all.
Tall, strong and resilient, the Lurewulffers stand like stoic stone statues the icy wind that would make anyone else suffer from cuts in the skin. This race of humans (the most enormous in terms of muscle mass and stature) does not lose the opportunity to demonstrate their skills in combat, being one of the most tremendous fighting forces in Questia (that’s how humans call the continent of Thorus), due to its tenacity and its code of honour, which establishes that a Lurewulffer must never abandon a battle. There are only two ways to get out of it: winning or dying. This simple rule has such a magnitude in their society that all those who break it are commonly hunted by their own families, because having a coward among them is a complete dishonour.
Blood and Glory
The Lurewulffer are tall, muscled people, hard as their native land, with pale skin like the snow that covers Kalador, and limp hair, which usually vary from the colour of the wheat to that of the dark feathers of the crow. Their eyes are usually blue or hazel, demonstrating a clear iris in most of the population. Both men and women tend to adorn their hair with elaborate braids, and men do the same with their beards. Carrying either disheveled hair or beard in a scruffy manner is considered to be of very bad taste among the Lurewulffer, since it denotes little care for the person. They usually cover their faces and bodies with significant tattoos, which vary from the name of ancestors and relatives to sacred symbols and representations of spirits and special moments in the life of said Lurewulffer.
The Lurewulffer culture is constantly in the search for glory and honour, and anyone who breaks a code to which he swore allegiance, whether or not he is a Lurewulffer, will be despised by all of society. The Lurewulffer also place a great emphasis on the family and the community. Each family nucleus acts by itself as a small community, deciding within the clan questions of all kinds.
Lurewulffer feels a special predilection for bears, and much of their culture is developed around the figure of these animals. The Lurewulffer identify with them because of their size and resistance to damage and cold, and often use their skins and fat to shelter from the cold and keep their weapons and tools in a good shape. The claws are used in rituals and jewelry, and the liver and heart are used in special dishes, along with the rest of the meat.
The Spiritual Bear
When a Lurewulffer reaches a certain age, namely fifteen years of existance in this world, both men and women must perform a challenge to be considered an adult within society and their clan. The young one is provided with rations for one day, an axe, a spear and a bow with an arrow. For fifteen days, one for each year spent in the shelter of his home, the young must survive in the raw and cold untamed land, hunting to survive. She is not allowed to approach her old home under any circumstances. After spending fifteen days, using the spear, the axe and the bow with an arrow that was given at the beginning, the young must hunt a bear, and devour the animal's heart a few seconds after killing it, while it’s still warm.
The Lurewulffer have the belief that in this way, one will be able to obtain the strength and power of the bear, as this will absorb the spirit of the animal within one’s body before it escapes. If the young one dies at any time of this challenge, he is repudiated and his name is never mentioned again. The young one must then return with the corpse of the bear, and this is used to hold a feast in which the entire clan participates. The meat is roasted and the fat is smeared on the body of the already adult Lurewulffer, to protect it from the cold and from all damage. The same procedure is usually done with newborns, for the same purpose. The fur of the bear is then used by the Lurewulffer as a coat, and it is always worn over. Scholars often say that the Lurewulffer take more care of that skin than of themselves.
Thanes and Jarls
In spite of being the family clan the unity of the Lurewulffer society, the men of the south organize themselves in different territories, organized by Jarls or Thanes, the only representatives of the nobility in that society. Each clan chooses which Jarl or Thane to give their allegiance, and these are always in conflict to increase their territory. In spite of this, they tend to have good relations with each other, and they continue to identify as one culture. This structure comes from the beginnings of the Lurewulffer society, and only once were they all under the command of a High King. The Ulvolv-Nygata dynasty was the only one that managed to maintain the Jarls and Thanes under their command in a unified way, even conquering the territory of the Noulur or snow elves, managing to have almost all of Kalador under its wing, in the so called Kingdom of the Sundown. However, with the death of the last king of the dynasty, fifty years ago, and due to the lack of heirs, the kingdom fragmented, the elves regained their former lands, and the Jarls and Thanes returned to their state of independence with respect to the rest.
The örl
The Lurewulffer have a strong belief in destiny. According to them, at the moment of birth, their destiny is already sealed, and there is no way to escape. Any attempt to do so is held back by a supernatural force. This force is called Örl, and rules the lives of all living things. The Örl marks what your role in life will be, where you will be born, when you will die, etc. One can not escape his Örl, instead, he should receive it with open arms, because it is the only way to be able to have a place in the banquet that awaits inside the palace of the gods. For the Lurewulffer, the Gods live in a huge dining room, where competitions, games, and banquets are held. There gather all the great men and women of history, both Lurewulffers and not, waiting for the final confrontation between Licha and her children and the rest of the Mahla and their children, in a battle that will end up consuming Erä.
Names
The Lurewulffers put their name together in the following way: first, their juvenile name, if they have not yet overcome the challenge of adulthood, or their adult name. Then comes the name of their clan, of vital importance to them. Finally, comes the family name, or "nickname," the name by which the family recognizes that Lurewulffer. This nickname can be referenced to events in the life of the Lurewulffer or characteristics of him, and usually changes throughout his life. So, for example, you can be Gudbrand of the clan Scylfing, the Wolfskin.
Male Names. Ake, Arvid, Asmund, Balder, Bjarke, Bjorn, Brynjar, Canute, Colborn, Dag, Dugfin, Einar, Eiriki, Eric, Folke, Frey, Geir, Gudbrand, Halvard, Hemming, Ingar, Ivar, Jerrik, Olsen, Ole, Ove, Sven, Stait, Torben, Thorsen.
Female Names. Abarrene, Abela, Abigail, Adheleid, Brenda, Bhorgil, Dagny, Eerika, Helka, Hella, Helga, Ragna, Saga, Shelby, Sigfrind, Thyra, Toril, Unn, Ylva, Yssara.
Clan Names. Weagmundin, Ylffin, Scylfing, Sköljung, Völsung, Arking, Jorkung, Thokindin, Ikylffung, Skaldung.
Nicknames. Silvercloak, Bearheart, Tallpike, Woodborn, Stoneheart, Strongjaw, Ironarm, Snoweyes, Wolfskin, Seaborn, Nighthair, Flowercheeks, Brotherslayer, the Conqueror, the Coward, the Brave.
Racial Traits
The Lurewulffer have distinctive features, that separates them from the resto of the human subraces.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength and Constitution score increases by 1.
Age. Lurewulffer considers themselves adults when they reach 15 years old and pass their ancient trial, and usually live a little more than 80 years old.
Size. Lurewulffer have a massive frame for humans, and they can easily be above 6 feet tall, almost 7, and weight an average of 200 pounds. Your size is Medium
Languages. You can speak, read and write Lurewulffer. Lurewulffer is a hardy language, with a lot of consonants and strong sounds.
Snow Born. You are resistant to cold damage and you are also acclimated to high altitudes, including elevations above 10.000 feet. You are naturally adapted to cold climates.
Survivor. You gain proficiency in Survival. You also gain proficiency with battleaxes, greataxes and hide armor.
Courageous. You gain advantage on saving throws against being frightened.
Ulalmarans: Cities Roofed With Gold
Lords of the fiery Sandstone Desert, this people of dark hair and skin feels comfortable among the hot sand like the Lurewulffer among the ice. With a cheerful and extroverted personality, the Ulalmarans specialize in business as well as wandering in the back of their mounts in the desert, looking for oases or hidden treasures in the sand. The Ulalmarans share with their southern relatives the resistance of live in a hostile environment, in which water is sometimes more coveted than gold, and a good shade is worth more than a thousand palaces.
People of the Sand
Ulalmarans are notable for their tall, gaunt frames and finely toned physics, both man and woman. While Lurewulffer exhibits swole bodies and huge frames, Ulalmarans tends to have a more fibrous body, with more defined muscles and a ripped appearance. They generally possess dark skin, varying from light brown in hue, to nearly as black as night. Their hair is very curly and wiry, and usually is as dark as their skin, but some can be found with lighter tones, like auburn or dark red. The people of the desert feels comfortable wearing ostentatious ornaments, intricate tattoos and delicate dresses of every colour. Piercings are also a common staple among them. Unlike their southern cousins, the tattoos that the Ulalmaran use to cover their bodies don’t have any special significance, and just play an aesthetic role, being especially popular among women. Many Ulalmaran men show an affinity for beards, but instead of braiding them, they usually just tie it with a single knot up to the chin.
A life of Ostentation
Ulalmarans enjoy riches and ostentation. It is said that all the buildings in their capital city of Brahga are roofed with gold, and they all eat in silverware. Obviously, this is a blatant lie, as I can confirm that I saw Brahga with my own eyes. In reality, the Big Jewel of the Sandstone desert is divided in three parts, or three districts. The poor district, called the Overcrowded District-in a very uncreative fashion, if my opinion is taken in account here, agglutinate the mayor part of the citizens.
Here the workers, artisans and minor merchants live, with the people that are to sick or crippled to work anywhere. They live in the conditions that the name of their district suggest. The second district, the Middle District (I swear, this people can be very good with words, but imagination is not part of their capabilities, it seems), houses all the important merchants with their shops, master artisans and usually people that gained the favor of a very important person. This district is way more clean, and here the main market, the Golden Ring, has it home. And finally, after a big gate made of gold and silver, the Cloud District can be found. Home to the nobility and the sultan, this part of the city confirms the rumors said beforehand. All their mansions and estates are roofed with precious metals, and jewels and gems are to be found anywhere, decorating cutlery, columns, walls and even floors. People walk over a fortune. The fact that the city is ubicated in one of the few rock formations in the desert, with the Cloud District topping it, also reinforces the belief said before. As the sun comes down or up as it travels through the sky, the roof of the White Palace shines with it, giving the idea of beacon in the middle of the desert.
Fluid Tongue
Ulalmarans like to converse with people, and they use their innate abilities to negotiate for supplies that are scarce in their homeland, like water and fresh fruits. The Ulalmarans do not often feel resentment for any another race. They know that anyone is a potential client to sell their services. They also don’t have any problem with camaraderie, joining any caravan or group of adventurers that pass by there, since they are usually filled with nice people with whom to talk, and more importantly, full of provisions necessary to survive. Nevertheless, these proud people will not tolerate the insult personal, and to antagonize an Ulalamaran is earn a tenacious adversary, who will not relent attempts to destroy you, both publicly, as physically.
The Savuharib
The Ulalmarans aren’t just friendly merchants from the desert. Their riding and fighting capabilities are well known in all the land, being one of the most requested mercenaries of all Thorus and Ashalyra. And from all of them, the best are the Savuharib. Meaning “riders of the sandstorm” in the Ulalmaran language, the Savuharib are the most well trained, deadly band of mounted combatants that you can hire. Their mercenaries are trained since a very young age, commonly offered by the families when they have eight years old. Having a member of the Savuharib in the family is a great honour, and even the sultan competes with the rest of the nobility and populace to have his sons fill the ranks of this force. The Savuharib only accepts people who can pass a series of tests, the nature of them hidden to public knowledge. Even me, with all my investigation prowess, could not poke into the secrets of this order. You can usually identify them by their black clothing and armor, and the distinct tattoo that they have in their chest: a skeleton riding a horse. When they charge to battle, they usually covers their face with clothes, leaving only their eyes visible, because they think that death don’t have a face, so they don’t have to show theirs. The order usually accepts only men, but it’s not strange to see woman in their ranks, if they prove worthy enough.
Contrary to what common beliefs can be thought at hearing that the Savuharib are a mercenary group, this secluded sect of warriors has an strict code of honour. I know for a fact that they refuse to attack settlements that can’t defend themselves (although they don’t have any problem if their employer attacks it with his own troops). Also they always let go children and elder, and people that can’t fight, like crippled or sick ones.
Names
The Ulalmarans don’t have any special custom regarding names. Someone can easily change his family name with another, or even with the profession that he practices. And some don't even use their family names at all. Usually their individuals are named as “son of” or “daughter of”, or cousin, uncle, niece, etc, and sometimes they even combine these type of mentions. Their names can shift as the dunes of the desert, but their family ties still remain strong.
Male Names. Abimbola, Ahbas, Ajmed, Ak’imh, Baako, Bassam, Bak’ham, Buzhan, Cid, Fayyaad, Fazil, Hanim, Heydar, Kwame, Nuru, Obasi, Olamilaken, Talib, Tuma, Zaharin, Zhair, Zuberi.
Female Names. Anahita, Afia, Akunyu, Amara, Azarha, Bahar, Chianaka, Deska, Dikeledi, Dilshad, Elahe, Hester, Jaleh, Jazmin, Masika, Mirembe, Nala, Nia, Roshanak, Shadi, Sharhzad, Zalika, Ziba
Racial Traits
The Ulalmaran have the following racial traits, that distiguish them from other humnas.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution and Charisma score increases by 1.
Age. Ulalmarans considers themselves adults in their late teens and can live over 70 years old.
Size. Ulalmarans are tall and powerful. They can easily be over 6 feet tall, and weight more than 180 pounds. Your size is Medium
Language. You can speak, read and write Ulalmaran.
Born Rider. You were born to ride, be it for transport, sport or war. You gain proficiency in light armor as well as the shortbow and the scimitar. Additionally mounting and dismounting only costs you 5ft of movement.
Desert Born. Adapted to living in a hostile and draining environment, your body has adapted to cope. You are immune to the effects of extreme heat and have advantage on saving throws against exhaustion.
Persuasive. You gain proficiency with the Persuasion skill.
Hereos: Wisdom, Travels and Perfection
Navigators, philosophers, merchants, sages, adventurers, writers. The Hereos have many names, and all of them fit them well. These wise people have managed to conquer fields in the study of Science and metaphysics that other races would only dream of achieving. Diplomats and orators, the Hereos use their patience and tenacity to solve any problem that they face, looking for the best tactics and plans to achieve it, looking specially for the diplomatic solution.
Physical and Mental Perfection
The Hereos have tanned, brunette skin because of how much time they expend under the sun while travelling in their ships, and doing exercises and various activities. This people enjoy doing physical and mental activities during the day, and commonly rely on other workers or slaves to do the more mundane tasks, like farming, cleaning or doing the hard work in sailing. It’s not strange to see that a wealthy Hereo pass eight hours of his day doing physical exercise, and be sure that he will spend another eight studying or debating with other people. The Hereos think that a beautiful body signifies that the individual has a beautiful mind, and by so, they despise the people that don’t use time to cultivate both mind and body. Their hair is usually black or brown, curly, although some individuals (specially woman) presents straight hair.
Their eyes are coloured like the olives that they usually plant in their homeland, although some have more tones of honey around their pupils. The Hereos fancy simple robes and tunics, and usually don’t wear anything below them. The usual colour is white or cream, and they use clothes belts to fasten them in the waist. Men don’t adorne their body with anything, and women commonly favors a little sun draw on her cheeks, and some glass coloured baubles in their ears and necks as the only kind of ornament. Some use dark eyeliners to emphasize their dark eyes. But in general, they are a culture that don’t see with good eyes using external assets to embellish thyself. They strongly believe that if you want to be beautiful, you must achieve through hard work, both pysicial and mental.
Elite Mentality
The Hereos have only one code: what you do, you have to do it for the good of the community, and you have to do it in the most incredible and spectacular way you can, because in the end we will all die and only be remembered for our actions in life. This is why the Hereos are always trying to improve each other, in order to achieve a work greater than that of their predecessors, in order to be remembered. For an Hereo, his identity in society is everything, and the sentence for death is better than that of ostracism. When a Hereo is expelled from his city, he stops being a person, he is just an entity without a purpose, without family, without friends, waiting only at the moment of his death. Some courts take pity on the exile sometimes, and hide in their panniers poison to commit suicide.
The Hereos consider that the other races are too savage or inept to understand their wisdom, and they especially despise those who do not possess an "advanced" system of government (practically, all Questia). Foreigners are not welcome in their cities, and also for the same reason it is rare to see an Hereo walking outside the walls of his home, with the only exception means when they are travelling for commerce or studies. Hereos developed an innovative type of government, called “democracy”. In that type of government, each citizen get a voice in the Parliament of each city-state when laws have to be discussed. Take in account that “citizens” is only referred to the free, wealthy, borned in that specific city Hereos. Another member of a different race can’t participate in the Parliament, the same as a poor Hereo or a slave, doesn’t matter if they borned in that city. The system works well, at least, that’s what the Hereos proclaim.
The Beautiful Wisdom
The Panalea and Kiiport islands are the home for this curious people, all of them divided into city-states. The particularity of these settlements is that they all have the names of women. This is explained by the Hereos themselves, saying that it was a woman who gave birth to their race, Adyaglia, the Beautiful Wisdom, who was the first to settle the questions about their existence and the systems that govern the life of men. Question themselves about their existence and their purpose in the world is one of the favorite pastimes of the Hereos. They can reach such level of concentration while meditating that there are stories (confirmed by yours truly) of Hereos standing nude in the middle of a snow storm, the freezing wind cutting their skin, in a potent trance, humming questions. Sometimes they need a powerful shake to take them away of that state. The belief that a woman was the one who gave birth the their entire race also conditions them to have women in higher regard than men. Their opinion is always taken in account, and sometimes, they make the final decision in important matters, being it family or state matters. Hereos despise other cultures that put women after men and consider them no more than objects, like the Veraccians.
However, they still have their differences in the Hereos society. Public baths exist, but they are divided by sex, unlike the Verraccian’s ones. Usually women can’t be seeing in the street in the company of other man that it’s not their husband (mainly because it’s a danger to that other man, because the Hereos have it very difficult to understand that a woman can also commit sinful acts) and they usually go with their face covered in fine silks, in order to prevent temptation for the other man. This type of behaviour is only expected on the “citizens” of the city-state, called “Poly” by the Hereos. The common rabble, the poor and the outsiders are not expected to have any kind of manners, so they are not obliged to carry this customs with them while they are in the Poly. The Hereos sees them with pity, because they think they are barbarians without culture, and because of that they tolerate them in their cities, like they were strayed children.
Names
Because of the esteem that Hereos have to women, their names are composed of three parts: their first name, the name of their mother, and the phrase “gis tis mitras mou” or “kór tis mitras mou”, that means “son of my mother” or “daughter of my mother”.
Male Names. Aegus, Aeneas, Aindrea, Ales, Alyosha, Artemas, Bachuss, Bandi, Bartlett, Basilius, Bazyli, Castor, Cris, Clao, Colson, Deondre, Dorian, Draco, Eustacio, Feofa, Fillippus, Iosif, Iskinder, Lysias, Zakair, Zeryph.
Female Names. Agafya, Agda, Ágatha, Agnetha, Althea, Alyona, Bara, Cajsa, Calanthe, Callista, Chrysante, Daphne, Daria, Demetria, Dionisya, Dorika, Electra, Gennadiya, Kaatarina, Kajsalina, Lenka, Leontine, Yaketarina.
Racial Traits
Hereos have distinctive features, that sets them apart from the rest of the human subraces.
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom and Intelligence score increases by 1.
Age. Hereos considers themselves adults at their late teens, and can live a little less than a century.
Size. Hereos have a medium frame, usually reaching 5 feet or a little higher. They are 160 pounds, usually. Your size is Medium.
Languages. You can speak, read and write Herean.
Sea Traveler. You gain proficiency with the navigator’s tools and with vehicles (water). You can also add your Wisdom modifier to checks made to orientate yourself while sailing while using your navigator’s tool.
Appraiser. You have advantage on checks to determine the value and craftwork of items.
Diplomatic and Politicians. Your people are naturally good at giving speech and partaking in debates. You gain proficiency in the Persuasion skill and may add your Intelligence modifier to any Charisma (Persuasion) skill checks when addressing a crowd.
Romuleeans: The Decadent Empire
One hundred seventy three years ago, the Romuleeans controlled one of the biggest empires known to men. It went from the shores of the Heart Sea to the northern peaks of Mulfjoran Dhzûm, covering the land of what’s nowadays Gharaña, Anoria, Veraccia, Trosca, and the Sacred Romuleean Empire. They constituted a disciplined and enormous army, composed of willing and trained citizens, who were eager to give their life for their Imperatore and Senate. The advance of the Romuleean Legionaries was impossible to hold by their enemies, and what could not be conquered by force, it was annexed by treaties, diplomacy or blackmail. Nothing could stopped them. Nothing but themselves.
Divided by Politics
Fifty years of political turmoil turn one of the most powerful empires of all time into a group of fragmented kingdoms, scattered through the land of what once was a united country. A big portion of the former empire returned to their previous owners, and the Romuleeans found themselves divided into two realms: the Sacred Romuleean Empire and the Principalities of Veraccia, both with very different political and cultural approaches. And both of them think that they are the true descendants of the spirit of the Old Empire. Despite their differences, they see each other as members of the same race, and share the same pride of being Romuleeans.
United by Race
Romuleeans tend to have fair to swarthy skin, and sharper faces that other races of men. Their hair is usually curly, and their faces commonly presents patrician features. They present some features also common to the Lurewulffers, and it’s said that the early Romuleeans come from the a branch of this people of the south who went to explore the lands beyond the Mountains of Jorkarar. Although the separation into two different countries make the Romuleeans from Veraccia and the Romuleeans from the Sacred Empire physically different, they still share some common features, like dark hair and medium and small height (compared to other humans). Both of them also have a disposition to have moles in their skin, especially in the cheeks and shoulders.
Veraccia
The Veraccians are prideful people. Their temperament is as fast as their swords, and the last man standing is the one who is right. Veraccians have a slender constitution, and medium weighted, with their hair black and smooth. Their eyes are dark and mysterious, with tones that varies from black to grey. They have straight and proud noses, and their complexion go through the range of tones, from fair to swarthy. The Veraccians give a lot of importance to their personal image, specially the nobility. The shirts and underwear is usually made with light fabrics. Brocades, velvet and tooled leather are the exterior preferred ornaments. Between the nobles, the dark rich tones are very popular. The noble women prefers to carry simple jewels, normally pearls or polished stones.
The Gap in Society
Few places have a distinction so marked between their nobility and their populace like in Veraccia. And the difference is even deep between the two sexes. Men and women are seen completely different, and not in a good way. I have to first say that this distinction is only applied to the nobility. The peasant class doesn’t have time to think about this mannerisms. Their whole day is composed of working. Everything, from bargaining in the market (a favored activity by the Veraccians) to dueling and taking a walk through the streets is considered something masculine. Noble women usually don’t go outside from their homes, and don’t even form part of the rituals of romance. There’s a special social class, that was invented for that motive. The Courtesans.
Women from the nobility are taught to be modest and sheepish, but the profession of the courtesans was made to solve this problem. A man can talk to a courtesan of things that he can’t to his wife. He can take her to places that are considered to “indecent” for other women. He can praise her as a goddess of love, as an ideal figure. And when everything has ended, he can dedicate to his own business without thinking on the matter anymore. The courtesans of Veraccia are famous in all over Thorus, and even some places of Ashalyra. Although there are schools for basic etiquette, music and other various arts, the best courtesans are trained principally with private tutors. In the same way that smiths, vintners and other professions, this occupation is passed from mother to daughters. In fact, there are various “courtesans families” spread all over Veraccia.
The Signores
Five princes or “Signores” reign over the Principalities of Veraccia. Twenty years ago there were seven, fifty years ago, three. Their number changes like a nobleman changes his clothes. The convoluted political climate that reigns over Veraccia makes it really difficult to have an established members of Signores. Every Signore governs over one different aspect of the country, specially over commerce. The cercany that Veraccia have with the Heart Sea helps them to have an unique advantage in maritime commerce over the rest of the nations. Every prince dreams with the day that he could reign over the rest of their cousins, unifying Veraccia under their own mandate.
Names
The Veraccians have a very interesting system for naming people. Only the Signores and their families have surname, and they are usually derived from the names of the three Senator that founded their nation: Adriano, Justin and Decimus. Nowadays, nobles trail their lineage to one or more of this Senator, and their names reflects it finishing them with the same vowel of the orignal name of the Senator. The vast majority of the Veraccian society, except the nobles, usually don’t have surnames. A Gianni is different from other Gianni because of their profession. Gianni the leathersmith is obviously different to Gianni the wine merchant.
Male Names. Alberto, Antonio, Carlo, Ernesto, Felice, Fortunato, Gianni, Giuseppe, Leon, Marco, Modesto, Pietro, Rinaldo, Rolando, Savino, Siro, Timeo, Tino, Umberto, Vito.
Female Names. Alesio, Angelina, Clarissa, Crescenza, Elena, Fiora, Iolanda, Lea, Luisa, Miranda, Natalia, Paolao, Penelope, Rachele, Rebecca, Regina, Sandra, Valeria, Veronica, Viola.
The Sacred Romuleean Empire
After the fall of the Old Empire, the Imperatore of that time, Calaga Rufus Midus, fled with his family to their summer house in the plains of Tarolia in search of refugee. He gather all the troops he could get and barricaded himself with his troops inside the villa, not letting people enter, and leaving all the surrounding towns and cities unprotected. The territories of the actual Veraccia are being disputed between descendants of the Senators. The countryside is been raided by the Attalla, a nomadic tribe that came from Maraudar, being pushed by the orc tribes that inhabits there. Town by town, they fall to the Attalla, who only conquers and pillage, looting what they can and destroying what they can’t take with them. The raiders siege the Imperial Villa in Tarolia, and finally breaks through the defenses and assault the palace of the Imperatore. The leader of the Attalla, a man named Húm, behaves Calaga Rufus Midus, and coronates himself as emperor. The situation seems desperate, and the biggest empire known to man is facing its certain doom. Or at least, that was almost everyone thought. Everyone except a man named Octav.
Octav and Octavius
Octav was a Romuleean general, who commanded the Phoenix legion while in times of the predecessor of Calaga. At this time he was retired, but hearing about the news, he contacted with old friends who also served in the same legion as him, and gathered a small army. Slowly, he started recovering territory from the Attalla, swelling their ranks with every able bodied man or woman who wanted to join them. After a successful campaign, the armies of Octav recovered the Imperial Villa from the hands of Húm, and proclaimed him as emperor. However, his reign was short. A month after the victory, Octav fell terrible ill, and died a few nights later. His nephew, a man called Argustus, who changed his name to Octavius in honour to his uncle, assumed the mantle of Imperatore. Octavius is a man of far greater strength and ambition, when compared to his uncle. And he is putting all that strenght and ambition into fulfulling his dream. To reconquer the whole Old Empire again, and put it under the Romuleean mantle one more time.
The True Descendants
The Romuleeans from the Sacred Empire differs a little from their cousins in Veraccia. The plains of Tarolia and the shores of the Dalcia Sea are inhabited by people of brunette skin and curly dark hair, with iris like olives, both green and black. Their noses are usually biggers than their counterparts, and their eyes protrudes a little more from their faces. Their robes follows a more traditional style, similar to what the fashion in the Old Empire was, and mixed with what the Attallas wore: tunics and robes dyed with bright colours, adorned with jewels and exotic motives, like animals and plants. Even the peasants have at least one part of their clothing dyed with bright colours, and a set of prismatic baubles to wear on important occasions. The Sacred Romuleean Empire is highly religious, and contrary to their counterparts in Veraccia, they have women in very high regard. The source of all of this is Octavius’ wife, the Imperatriz Thea. A strong spirit and a beautiful face, combined with an unbroken will and a borderline religious devotion to her husband is what makes this woman a force to be reckoned with. Thea is beloved by their people because of her beauty and humble origins, and it’s considered a figure to follow for many women in the Empire. Although they see the Romuleeans of Veraccia as cousins, they despise the backstabbing society that they created, and how they look down on women. They also accused them for not helping when the Attalla invasion occurred, and for such they don’t consider them true Romuleeans. The animosities between the two realms are manageable, for now.
Names
Because of the rift between the two societes, the name convention of both Veraccia and the Sacred Romuleean Empire differs greatly. The citizens in the Sacred Romuleean Empire utilizes the naming conventions of the Old Empire, with citizens having names depending on their ranks in society. Usually, the most prominent men and women, like the Imperatore and the Senate, have three names, one their first name, and the others being names of their parents and their political charge. For example, the Senatore Sixto’s full name would be Sixto (first name) Meridio (father’s name) Ceasare (political name). However, a peasant can also have a variety of names. The big esteem that the Romuleeans from the Sacred Empire have for their ancestors makes that a lot of people have the name of their parents and grandparents on their names, and it’s not strange that they change names when a more prominent family member is discovered.
Sacred Romuleean Empire Male Names. Adorjan, Africanus, Aghostino, Atticus, Bastiaan, Bautista, Bence, Bonavento, Bonifass, Cezary, Claudius, Clement, Constantino, Corinthian, Coranus, Eloi, Emilio, Frisco, Jermain, Jules, Klaudiusz, Klaus, Laurentinus, Magnus, Maximos, Maximilian, Romano, Salvatore, Sixto, Urbano.
Sacred Romuleean Empire Female Names. Addriana, Agrippa, Alma, Almeda, Augusta, Aura, Bellatriz, Bibiana, Cassia, Cecilia, Celestine, Clarette, Clarissa, Dea, Decima, Faustina, Felicia, Floor, Ignatia, Juliana, Juliet, Kirstine, Kirstej, Latasha, Lavinia, Leatrice, Lucille, Maybelline, Oriana, Prunella, Regina, Sabina.
Racial Traits
Despite being so different from one another in certain aspects, all Romuleeans shares the same racial features, that makes them a mighty race.
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence and Charisma score increases by 1.
Age. Romuleeans considers themselves adults when they reach their late teens, and usually live over 70 years.
Size. Romuleeans are rather short compared to their human cousins, with individuals even under 5 feet. Your size is Medium.
Languages. You can speak, read and write Romuleean. There's a minor distinction between Veraccian and Sacred Romuleean, but they are similar enough to still be comprehended as one language.
Blackmailer. You gain proficiency with the forgery kit and the Deception skill. Also, when you are using the Quick Fake special use of the forgery kit, you have advantage on the Intelligence check made to set the DC for someone’s Intelligence (Investigation) check to spot the fake.
Thundering Voice. You can use an action to shout an order entwined with magic. A creature of your choice that can see and hear you and understand the message must make a Wisdom saving throw. The DC for this saving throw equal 8 + your proficiency modifier + your Charisma modifier. The creature must then carry on your order to the best of its capacities for up to one hour, repeating the saving throw at the end of each minute. The magic of this spell breaks if the creature completes the order, succeeds on the saving throw or takes damage. The magic also fails if the creature is instructed to do something obviously dangerous or harmful to itself, such as walking into the mouth of a dragon or leaping of a tower. The effects of this feature count as a charm for purposes of immunity and saves.
Takeyans: Elemental Blood
The Takeyans are, at all, a strange people. Reserved and silent, they spend much of their time contemplating and observing the world around them, always amazed by what they see, as if everything was new. The Takeyans contemplate the material world as if they were children, with curiosity. They can follow a path of ants for meters, looking in awe how they carry leaves and bread crumbles to their nest. Or just sit for hours, studying the bark of a tree, its shape, how rough the texture is. As you can see, they are pretty strange.
Shy Island Dwellers
The Takeyanos usually live in remote communities, separated from each other by several kilometers of impenetrable jungle. Each village governs itself, and commonly does not have contact with the rest, but it is spoken of the existence of enormous temples in the tops of the mountains that populate the island of Takey, which congregate million of pilgrims. Takeyans have slanted eyes, with dark coloured iris, their pupils usually larger than that of other races of humans. They have silky hair, usually with dark and brown tones, and some wicks with paler colours, like yellow or grey. Some individuals bleach it to be completely white. Their skin is very fair, in contrast of what you will think of folks leaving in a tropical island, and their frames are agile and stylized, almost fragile looking. They tend to be shorter than the rest of the human races, and a lot thinner.
Both men and women dress with a strange clothing, called kimono. This are made of a special silk, produced by a strange specimen of spiders that only live in Takey and Lemuren. This material makes the clothing really light, a requirement for the hot and humid climate that predominates in the island. Usually, the Takeyans dyed their clothes with the nectar of a flower called “the tears of Umolbel”. Umolbel is a minor deity, the mistress of the waves, greatly revered in the area. They like to wear bright and vibrant clothes, and woman usually embellish themselves with flowers on their hair and seashells as earrings or necklaces. Both men and women like to paint their bodies with different tattoos, that represent their connection with the spiritual world.
These humans are very calm and slow to get angry, and usually have no slip with other races, so their living with the rest of the people usually does not end in trouble. However, being such reserved people, usually take a long time to make both friends and enemies, and also take a long time to forget them.
Spirits and Elements
There’s something special about this race of humans. Endowed with a great connection with the spirits of their ancestors, to whom they usually ask for protection and good luck, the Takeyans are able to control those spirits in a way that any other race would find impossible. Believers that everything is reincarnated in the element with which it has had more affinity in life, this race of humans feels a great attachment for the pillars of nature (Fire, Water, Earth and Air) and have managed to connect in such a way to them that it is said that each individual carries their essence within them, which allows them to display tremendous power when they feel they are in danger.
Takeyans have a great connection with the elements, and they usually show that in their personality. All Takeyans are very peaceful in nature, and usually likes to observe rather than act. But they can be really unpredictable. Within they, the fury of the elements is always boiling, making them suffer from sudden changes of mood. They can be feeling really down, and then a second later, have their emotions completely ignite, just to be consumed in seconds and return to a calm attitude. Takeyans pass a lot of their life time practicing and meditating, in order to be able to control this sudden changes of humor. And some are even capable of completely hide their current emotional state. But there’s always something that will tell apart the emotions that are navigating inside their soul at that moment. Their hair.
The Colours of Emotions
You see, Takeyans have an interesting quirk. Their hair changes colour, depending on their current mood. Some older members of this race are able to control this changes, but it requires a lot of self control. Usually their hair is jet or chestnut, but it can shift to another color almost immediately. It can turn fury red, excited gold, scared white, depressed blue, disgusted green, and a lot of different combinations. Because emotions range so wildly and are so diverse, the amount of different colours that the Takeyan’s hair can change to is really damn high. Nobody knows why the Takeyans have this feature, and they say that it always happened, and no explanation is needed. This is how they are, and they don’t need someone explaining that phenomenon to them. They are already living it, why would they need an reason why it happens? Strange reasoning, but, as you know, dear reader, they are humans. They are really strange.
Names
Takeyan’s name have a distinctive feature, different from the rest of the human races. Usually, humans refers themselves first with the name they were born, or in default, the name they choose to use. Then, their clan or family name, or even surname, in some cultures. And then some nickname, if they have it. Takeyans have so much respect for their ancestors and families that their names are composed by first their family name, and then the name that family choose for them. You can’t change your name, only the oldest member of your clan can, although you can ask him or her if they allow the change. The name that your family give to you is sacred, and should never be touched, or insulted. Insulting the name of a Takeyan or their family’s is one of the few things that can really infuriate them.
Male Names. Afa, Aisake, Aleki, Anewa, Aputi, Butat, Enele, Fef, Fuifui, Ha’aheo, Hanohano, Haunui, Hiapo, Hikawera, Ho’oani, Hû’eu, Ina, Itu, Ka’auakai, Kaelani, Koamalu, Laki, Makai, Manu, Na, Nuui, Popoki, Taurau, Waata, Waipuna, Zamar.
Female Names. Ahulani, Alani, Anuhea, Elenoa, Fetia, Halona, Hi’ilei, Hina, Hinatea, Huali, Inina, Iolani, Ka’ana’ana, Kaamia, Kahula, Kamakani, Latai, Liona, Lokelani, Mehana, Millawa, Ngana, Nohea, Pelika, Satina, Tahia, Tiaho, Toroa, Uluwehi, Waiola, Waitara.
Family Names. Aika, Akemi, Asami, Bunko, Chika, Cho, Daichi, Daiki, Eiji, Eiko, Emiko, Etsuko, Fumio, Hana, Haruki, Hiroko, Hishi, Izumi, Jun, Katashi, Katsu, Ken, Kenshin, Makoto, Noriko, Rei, Ren, Shigeko, Tsukiko, Ume, Yasuko, Yukio.
Racial Traits
Takeyans have special features, that distinguish them from the rest of the human subraces.
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence and Dexterity score increases by 1.
Age. Takeyans, thanks to their connection with the spirits and their calm way of life, usually became adults at their late teens, and can live well over a century, with some individuals reaching the century and a half.
Size. Takeyans are usually short and thinner compared to the other human subraces. Commonly they don't pass the 5 feet, and weight no more than 130 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Languages. You can speak, read and write Takeyan.
Natural Communion. You gain proficiency on the Nature skill.
Elemental Blood. You know the shocking grasp cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the chromatic orb spell as a 2nd-level spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 8th level, you can cast the conjure minor elementals spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Elemental Mantle. As a reaction, when you take lighting, thunder, fire, cold or acid damage, or when you cast a spell that does damage of one of this types you envelope yourself with an elemental mantle. If you trigger this feature after taking damage you may reduce the damage by half your level. If you trigger this feature upon casting a spell you may add half your level to the damage. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.
Anorians: The Mixed Heritage
Called “half-elves” by many, the Anorians are in reality a ancient human race, whose origin can be traced to the first humans to inhabit Thorus. The nickname of “half-elves” refers how this race cames to be. In old times, their ancestors mixed with the long gone Elves of the Moon, giving birth to childs that had both elvish and human blood running through their veins, thus achieving many times inherit the best (or worst) of both races, and form individuals who at least stood out from the crowd.
To this day, the Anorians have mixed so much between them and other human races that the most prominent elvish features-pointy ears, drop-shaped faces, stylized and skinned bodies-have been losing prominency, and only some facial and eye features denote their elven ancestry, like high cheekbones, almond eyes, and strangely coloured iris. Some also presents very smooth and pale skin, very hard to tan. Their hair can range from all tones, from raven black to a sun-like shade of yellow, passing through brunette, auburn, and even red. Their eyes also shows a huge fan of colours, ranging from the most common ones, like dark, brown, green or blue, to more eccentric ones, like honey, red, amber and even purple. Furthermore, individuals of this race usually presents eyes of different colour, what some physicians call “heterochromia”. The Anorians like to dress with a variety of clothes, ranging from more light shirts and pants, to intricate black dresses and suits, to brightly coloured vest and dueling capes, paired with hats adorned with feathers. The Anorians love diversity, and they show it in their clothing and buildings. Their biggest cities are a mixture of various architectural styles, from Romuleean arcs and houses to Lurewulffers halls of mead, Victorian mansions from Phobia and Gnome farms. It’s really difficult to get bored in those places, to be honest.
Jack of All Trades
Elvish and human blood still runs through their veins, making them excel in almost any activity that they partake. They are the perfect examples of jacks of all trades. Anorians are fast learners, and they are very curious, traits that makes them one of the most eagers and talented humans in all of Erä. Their elvish heritage makes them more intelligent and wise than other races, and the human resilience and versatility are combined into this people, making very particular and unique beings. Although this is a cause for admiration from other humans, the elves, especially the Sunglur, feels a deep contempt towards them. They think that inside this people, the pure elvish blood it’s flowing alongside the filthy and dastardly human blood, tainting the former and making their recovery impossible. Some elves even went so far as to bleed Anorian slaves, in the hope that after certain alchemical rituals, the elven blood could recovered again.
Bastards of the World
The word “Anorian” derives from a word in ancient elven, that means “bastard”. The word is often used as an insult, especially in Lur society. Being a bastard by elvish standard is not having a family to refer to, someone to be named after, it’s been nobody. Similarly to the exiled Hereos. Nonetheless, the Anorians don’t see their name as an insult, but to be proud of. They wield their name with honour and pride, telling everyone that being a bastard is what makes them what they are, a group of unique people, skilled and talented in multiple skills, with the ambitions of the humans and the tranquility of the elves, both dancing in a coordinated dance inside their souls. Or at least, that’s what they tell you.
A Love for Politics
There is another curious trait about the Anorians. They love politics. Scholars says that the political arts were borned with the Hereos, but the Anorians perfected them. Being a mixture of two origins, the Anorians knows how to blend themselves into both human and elven society, even with the animosity that most elves show to them.
A lot of humans kings and nobles keeps Anorians ambassadors or consultants in their courts, and even some important elven people have Anorians hidden in the backstage of their plans. The diversity in skills that the Anorians have makes them pretty useful allies to have nearby. But this loves for politics have a dark side. You see, diplomacy and blackmail are two of the pillars of actual politics. And when those pillars also constitutes part of a society, that society tends to divide themselves. And that’s exactly what is happening to the Anorians right now.
A Divided People
After the Romuleean Empire fell, all the territories that were from the Anorians now found themselves without a ruler, and also without protection. The Attalla warriors raided Anoria tirelessly, pillaging towns and cities. The Anorians didn’t have an army, and weren’t capable of defending themselves, so they just keep quiet, feeling helpless about their current situation. There were rumors of a Romuleean general who was retaking lands from the Attalla and waging war at them, but it seemed that he focus his main attention into Tarolia, leaving the rest of the Empire unattended. Luckily, seeing that now they have a stronger enemy to face, Húm retired much of the troops that were raiding Anoria to fight against the legions of Octav. A man so this as an opportunity. An opportunity to be free again. It’s not like the Anorian suffered under the Romuleean order, in fact, they were considered first class citizen, at the same level as the Romuleeans. But this people always loved it’s identity as a race, and now they had the chance to be under their own rule. A man named Theodoro rose above everyone else. He was an already grown man, not a young hero, so common in this type of stories. Theodoro already lived fifty winters, but the fire of his soul were not extinguish by age. He gather a force of volunteers, and attacked the Attalla, weaken by the war against the Romuleeans. One by one, he reconquered the towns and cities which were taken by the invaders, and gave the land to farmers so it can be used right after they recovered it. He united all of Anoria under his rule after expelling the last remnants of the Attalla, and founded the Kingdom of Alzier, named after the city he took as capital. This was the first and last time the Anorians would be under a sole ruler of their own kind.
An Empty Throne
After Theodoro’s death, the throne was left without heir. Theodoro never married, despite the advice of his counselors, and never had a son. It was in that moment that the true face of Anorian’s politics showed its terrible face. Everyone wanted the throne. The members of the Royal Chamber jump to each other throats with claws and teeth, trying to assure the place of High King for themselves. Alliances were made and then broke; old friends stabbed each other in the back; whole families, whose roots could be traced even before the Romuleean occupation, were completely wiped out of existence. So big was this conflict, that is known as the Interregnum by both the Anorians and the Romuleeans. Even some towns and villages, sensing that the Sacred Romuleean Empire was a better place to live, swore their alliance to Octav and then his nephew Octavious. A quarter of the vast region of Almamyra ended up under Romuleean order.
After fifty years of internal conflicts and civil war, someone stood up and put order. In reality, there were three person that stood up, three siblings: Cedric, Ferghus and Mavis. Folks says that they are the bastard sons that Theodoro had with a dryad, but that’s probably just a legend. What we know for sure is that, with their combined forces, they stopped the Interregnum, separate Anoria into three different kingdoms (one for each sibling) and brought a period of peace to the region. Nowadays, they are still ruling over the throne of their own kingdoms.
Three Siblings, Three Thrones
Cedric, the older, had what was left of Almamyra under his rule, and declare himself as vassal of the Sacred Romuleean Empire, after waging war at them for ten years. Both him and Octavius maintain friendly relationships, and they are becoming good friends. Their wives had a lot to do with that, working at the shadows, pulling strings to form a good period of peace between both domains. Ferghus, the middle one, took the region of Archion, with its rich iron and copper veins that are all over the rocky landscape. Being a very infertile land because of all the mining operations that the Romuleeans conducted in the area for centuries, Archion base all its economy in the traffic of iron and copper, and use it to build the foundations of a rich industrial society. They recently discovered mineral coal inside the mines, and the rumours of a strange type of machine that is driven by this coal. All their cities are made with iron: their houses, city walls, statues, etc. The last sibling, Mavis, the only woman, controls the area known as Northumbraeisen. This area is interesting. Full of mystery, this area was one of the more ravaged by the Attalla and the Interregnum conflicts, and their people grew very distrustful and unforgiving. The whole region is surrounded by mist, even in the middle of the day, and their soil is black. Their trees are black. Their houses are black. It’s a glum land, full of dark woods, eerie landscapes and terrible secrets. It’s truly an ominous sight to behold.
Names
Anorians don’t really have a convention for names. Usually it’s just their first name and their family name after that, or sometimes their profession. Receiving other cultures with open arms it’s surely a way to not have a establish convention for naming.
Male Names. Airell, Alan, Anghus, Bran, Bredon, Bricriu, Caradoc, Conalt, Darcy, Devin, Dillion, Eghan, Ewyin, Galvyn, Güy, Harvey, Irven, Karney, Kelvyn, Kungsnos, Leigh, Maccus, Moryn, Owyin, Reaghan, Tiernay.
Female Names. Aife, Alane, Ardena, Beatha, Birgit, Caomh, Cinnia, Deheune, Donia, Doreena, Elsha, Evelina, Genevive, Gilda, Gwyndolin, Idelisa, Keelin, Lesley, Mabina, Mirna, Morgan, Oriana, Rowena, Selma, Ula, Yseult.
Racial Traits
Thanks to their ancestry, Anorians have unique features, that really sets them apart of not only humans, but other races as well.
Ability Score Increase. Increase two abilities of your choice by 1.
Age. Anorians, same with the rest of their cousins, mature at their late teens, but thanks to their elven ancestry, can live well over 200 years.
Size. Anorians have an average frame, ranging from the 5 feet to a little over 6 feet, and weight usually 170 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Languages. You can speak, read and write Anorian and one extra language of your choice.
Skillfull Hands. You gain proficiency with one tool and one skill of your choice.
Favor of the Ancients. The blood of both ancient elves and humans runs through your veins, making you excel on almost every activity that you partake. Immediately after you roll a skill check with which you are proficient with and before the DM determines the results, you may use this feature to reroll that skill check with advantage. You can’t use this feature again until you complete a short or long rest.
