Saguzahar

    The Saguzahar are a people of the south-eastern mountains of the Midal Realm. They lived for many ages under the earth, knowing nothing of the surface world. They are lithe of body, with elongated proportions. Their heads have a grotesque appearance, their flesh twisted into ridges and folds, with a small, sharp toothed mouth and beady eyes. Their ears are large and pointed, and seem to flow naturally into the ridges and folds that surround the face. They bear a passing resemblance to some bats, and indeed, the strange shape of the Saguzahar face seems to serve the same purpose as the ridges of a micro-bat-- that is, performing an aid in echolocation, at which they are adept. Saguza are sometimes called Bat-folk, but this is considered derogatory. Their vision is shortsighted and unusual compared to the races of men. They see a color bellow violet on the spectrum, called cébre, and cannot see the color red. (see: Exotic Colors)

    Despite their frightening visage, they are a peaceful people, known for their monasteries of arcane study. They are famous for their unusual artwork and poetry. They have had extensive contact with the former Atlantic empire, and their forms appear often in Atlantic murals and pottery. Most Saguza worship Tság, the blind god of the soil-- indeed, their ethnonym Saguzahar translates to "the people of Tság."

    Saguzahar speak a strangely structured language unrelated to any other tongues of men. 

    For more information, see: Saguzaharasat

    The Saguza writing system serves double-duty as a base- six numeral system as well. In addition to this, each character in the syllabary has a numerological value associated with it, that is used to derive mystical meanings from words by calculating the value of the syllables. 

    For more information, see: Saguza Numerals

Devils

    Demons, pulled from the abyss and masked by Satan and given identities. Many work as his agents, but some feel no fealty towards him. Mostly civilized. Sticklers for details

Cynocephalus

     A race of well known Foreshaped, men with heads like that of dogs. Often confused (derogatively) with Gnôles where the two races cohabitate. A large clan from the north-west call themselves Cínbin, and many know their race by this name in general.

    

    See also: Foreshaped, Cínbin; Gwrgi Garwlwyd óCínbin; Gnôles

Andarmen

     The Andrish, or Andarian race were originally members of a single dynastic tribe in the Midalrealm, but comprise more of a cultural identity than an ethnic one. Andars show a fair bit of variance in elfin traits (mostly depending upon how far removed they are from nobility). Most have dark hair, but eye color varies. Complexion is fairly variable. The Andars were conquered in prehistory by the Highelven empire, from whom their highest nobility trace their ancestry back to. Andars speak Midal Common, a tongue descended from Highelven (which may still be spoken by nobles or clergy)

    - Styled after Germanic and Anglo-Saxon ethnic groups 

Changeling

    Changelings are infant Fae swapped discreetly for infant humans. They grow to resemble the people who raise them, as a result of eating human food, and being separated from Fae influences. The "infant" Fae would likely not have been truly a newborn, but a Fae convinced entirely that it is an infant human. Whatever lives they lived before becoming changelings are forgotten, as is typical of Fae who shift into drastically different forms. These changelings are often very difficult to raise, and never lose their fae-spirit. They are wild, curious, uncoöperative, and typically disinterested in learning to read, write, do math, etc. They are, however, intensely social by nature, and have a carefree approach to life. They tend to have a wanderlust that drives them to travel from a young age. 

    That is to say, the changeling appears to age at a rate typical for a human. The changeling will have convinced itself so thoroughly that it is a mortal human that they may even appear to "die" if seriously injured. This works in reverse as well. If an attack is not convincingly injurious, the changeling may ignore it. Certain types of magical effects are thusly ineffective on changelings, even if they typically work on other Fae. While it is inevitable that a changeling eventually discovers her true nature, they tend to be very slow to being convinced of it, and may even carry on their lives as usual after finding out. However, once a changeling is made aware of their nature as fae, certain fae characteristics may begin to present themselves- specifically the tendency for Fae to change in form overtime to fit their desires or behavior.

    The human children who the Fae "infants" are swapped for are similarly usually raised in the Greenwood believing they are Fae themselves. Raised eating fae food, they tend to take on fae qualities, and usually remain child-like in form, with greatly extended lifespans. These children are also sometimes known as "changelings" but are more formally known as Fae-Touched.

Centaur

    A Centaur is an amalgam creature with the upper torso of a man tapering to the haunches of a horse, six limbs in all. Certain populations of centaurs prefer to stand on two hind legs, and wear robes to obscure their equine torsos. Centaurs were created as a result of a Fae curse- they were not originally humans merged with horses, but rather horses who had their heads and necks transfigured into imitations of the upper bodies of their riders. As a result, the psychology of the centaur has more in common with that of a horse than with that of a man, albeit more intelligent.

    There is another type of creature called a Centaur, which resulted from the same curse that turned the heads of horses into the upper torsos of their riders. The riders themselves were cursed, having their heads transformed into the head and haunches of horses, rendered incapable of speech, forced to crawl across the ground. Populations of them still exist, tucked away in strange corners. They possess the minds of men, but the generations have rendered them into reasonless beasts

Ettin

     1. (Race of Men) Ettins are race of men from the north, where they are called Iotarnír. Notable for growing throughout their lives-- that is, growing larger and larger-- there is a direct relationship between an Ettin and his or her size, age, and strength. Stronger Ettins grow larger, and the largest Ettins are very strong and very old, nearing the size of Giants. They are a loud, proud, and social race, with a tenacity for adventure and an endless appetite.

    The average Ettin usually stands a couple heads or more taller than the typical man from other races. Ettin culture is similar to, and closely tied to Norroenír culture, sharing much of their mythology and deities. It is uncommon for interbreeding between Ettins and other races to produce offspring, but it has been known to occur rarely. Ettins tend to be very expressive- and though typically very personable can sometimes be quite short tempered as well.

    

    2. (Giants, Monsters) nonstandard, see: Wris; Thurse; Trolls; Beamgheist

    3. (Two-headed Giants) nonstandard, see: Bicephalus

Bees, Sentient

    Not to be confused with red bees who may be sentient if possessed by an intelligent soul. Proper sentient bees are very much alive, and quite natural, known to inhabit the southern jungles. They are not visually distinguishable from ordinary bees. They construct massive hives, which serve as a central hub for their distributed intellect. Memories and other knowledge is stored in special complexes of honey. They are thought to be the creation of certain mysterious southern gods, to act as emissaries, devotees, and recorders of scripture. Tithes of pollen and sugar will win favor, which may allow a visitor to probe the depth of the bees' knowledge.

Atrocy

    1. (Deity, Entity) In the depths of hell lies an entity known as the Atrocy-- or sometimes as the Mother Atrocy to differentiate her from the fragments of herself seeded into the material world during the Demon War. The Atrocy is said to be formed of congealed hatred, boiled off from souls who have passed through hell, or were banished there, or leaked down into the dark pits of hell from the living. The Atrocy is deeply intelligent, though its singlemindedness and unambitious nature can lull a foe encountering it into a false sense of security. In Hell, it may be experienced as a vast ocean of burning hot liquid metal, scarlet red, filthy with coal and ash around its shores. It readily buds off small units, each of which may be called an Atrox, but are collectively still known as Atrocy (see. def 2.)

    Atrocy stranded outside of hell speak of the Mother Atrocy as a goddess, and may be known to pray to her. It is unknown to what extent the Atrocy in hell is aware of her disembodied fragments in the material plane, or how much she cares about their plight.

    2. (Minor Hellspawn) In the Midalrealm, the pieces of the Atrocy (singular unit, Atrox) encountered take on a shape roughly humanoid, with a surface that resembles crushed burning coals. These are, however, mere fragments of the true Atrocy, which is a singular being residing in Hell. There, its form is that of an enormous shapeless mass of burning liquid. (see def. 1.) When the demon portal Azag Baba was opened, the singular Atrocy fragmented itself into smaller units to pass through the opening-- many of these remain, wandering the surface of Tel and the Abyss.     

    When the portal was still open, the individual Atrocies acted in unison, part of a singular mind, connected telepathically to the mother mass in Hell. When this connection was severed, however, the individual units ceased to share a hive mind, and began to develop independently.

    While not strictly unintelligent, they seem to lack common sense, as though existing on the material plane is still somewhat foreign to them. Some seek to merge with others of their kind, forming into a larger, more powerful Atrox, while others seem to wish to preserve their individuality. If sliced apart cleanly, two halves can usually form themselves into two much smaller Atrocies. The burning fluid inside of an Atrox is also called Atrocy, though it is known more commonly a Demon's Blood, and upon the death of an Atrox, it solidifies into a hard, dense, red metal, which is highly sought for making weaponry. (see def. 3) Atrox are unphased by being pierced, and often bludgeoning seems ineffective as well. While they can survive bifurcation in ideal circumstances, their bodies will fail and die if too much of their inner Atrocy is exposed to the air.

    Cut off from Hell, Atrox will eventually perish and solidify without a supply of elemental ignistic energy. This can be acquired through magical means, or simply by spending time in or around open flame. Other than this need, Atrox require neither sleep nor sustenance. They cannot speak, and have no natural senses other than truesight. Some rectify their insensate state through the use of Thrûmic Orbs.

    

    3. (Material) Atrocy, perhaps more commonly known as Demon's Blood, is a hard, dense, scarlet red metal. Archaic highelven names for the metal include Aesatarôcsén, and Aesbaël. This material flows as a burning hot liquid under the crusty exterior of an Atrox, and is a small portion of the gargantuan fluid mass of the Mother Atrocy who resides in Hell. (see def. 1.) Atrocy is said to be a sort of congealed elemental hatred. The superstitious will say that carrying a weapon made from Atrocy will make the wielder paranoid and irritable. It is also said to grow somewhat warm in the hand when used to cause bloodshed. 

    Apart from its extreme tolerance to heat, and the way it readily takes and holds an edge, Atrocy is highly sought for imbuing with magic, as despite being a metal, it originates in a living creature, making it naturally adept at holding magical energies.

Ape

    Apes are vaguely man-shaped, and covered in hair. Several varieties. Typically social and curious, though with confusing social customs that may cause offence to be taken inadvertently. Close in intellect to a man, and may be taught language, though they cannot speak themselves. Not to be confused with monkeys, who are close simian relations to apes, but which bear a tail, where as apes have no tail.

Åldaigh

    The Åldaigh, (pronunciation: ol·DAY or all·DIE) also known as Åldalgan Dwarves, or Sea Dwarves, are a race of stout, humanoid folk who live along the north-eastern shore of Åldalga, the dark, wild continent west of Hesperia. Though physiologically similar to mountain dwarves, Åldaigh are culturally quite distinct. Their language shares a few roots with standard dwarvish, but otherwise is quite distinct-- it is thought to preserve many older constructions from the archaic dwarven mother-tongue. The Åldaigh live in tight knit communities. Unlike their cousins (but like most other humanoid races) Åldaigh distinguish between men and women dwarves, with each gender performing significantly different societal roles. Women perform most clerical roles, as well as governance and education. Male dwarves are more frequently found in vocations of manual labor, or handiwork- most importantly of this is the fishing industry, from which the majority of the diet of the Åldaigh derives. Men have their own dialect of Åldalgan-Dwarvish that they only speak among themselves. Learning to read is discouraged among men, but many do so in secret none the less.
    Åldaigh maintain fluid relationships, with a single female Åldaigh typically keeping several husbands, who compete quietly for higher positions in the pecking order. Women often will trade their disagreeable husbands to other women, and may maintain monogamous, romantic relationships with other women in addition to their harem of men. The causes of the significant population imbalance between men and women in Åldalgan society is not often shared with outsiders. The Åldaigh society puts a significant amount of pressure on its women, holding them to an exceptional standard. As a result of this, women who feel they cannot meet the high expectations of their society are strongly encouraged to retreat into the many Åldalgan convents, where they spend their lives exclusively with other women, making copies of ancient manuscripts, and contemplating divinity.