Humans
While they are the youngest race to walk Elberen, humans have quickly risen to be the most prominent in just a few hundred thousand years. The greatest human city is the royal city of Aranorn, from which the Lord and Lady Escalliot rule with a firm, but just hand.
Humans differ from the other races of Elberen in that they are easily the most adaptable. However, in relation to the other races, their lifespan is relatively short (60-70 years being the average).
Elden
Graceful and poetic, the Elden were the first children to walk the face of Elberen. Legend tells of their vast and powerful empire full of immeasurable wealth and wonders. And yet, the Elden proved to be their own worst enemy. They reached too far in their insatiable lust for magic and power, thus bringing about a great and terrible cataclysm that all but obliterated the Elden and forever changed the face of Elberen. Their once great cities reduced to rubble, their vast stores of knowledge and power destroyed, the battered remnants of the Elden fled into the wild and barren places of the world to eke out a living as best they could. Vowing to never again repeat the mistakes of their fathers, the Elden turned to a nomadic, tribal lifestyle more closely attuned to nature.
Today, Elden are a superstitious people who tend to dislike cities and prefer to avoid them except for trading purposes. Otherwise, Elden prefer the wild, dwelling together in small tribes under a 'Wind Speaker' shaman who acts as the tribal and spiritual leader. The Elden revere nature, and regard it as a living, breathing entity which must be respected. Although Elden are generally a peaceful people, they are counted among the deadliest and most skilled hunters in the world. To take a life, however, is something they view as very serious, and will never do so lightly.
Elden resemble slender humanoids with delicately tapered ears and fine features. They average 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 feet in height and weigh between 100 to 130 pounds.
Trall
Tralls are large, thickset humanoids with tough, leathery skin that resembles nothing so much as unyielding stone. Tralls inhabit rocky and mountainous regions where they build vast underground fortresses and mine precious gems and minerals. Proud and warlike, the Tralls have clashed with humans on more than one occasion, but presently hold a tenuous truce with them.
For a Trall, to die in glorious battle is the highest achievement one can reach, and the manner of this glorious death will determine their status in their next life. For this reason, Tralls are deadly opponents in battle and show no fear. Tralls wear little armor in battle, relying on their tough skin that will easily turn aside all but the hardest of blows. They tend to favor great hammers, picks and clubs in a fight, but will utilize whatever is at hand if necessary.
The greatest Trall fortress, Dharfang, lies beneath the Dragonspine mountains and it is here that the Trallish High Chieftain holds his seat. The Tralls have no standing army, though the High Chieftain can call forth a muster at a moment's notice and any Trall who doesn't answer the summons is forever disgraced.
Tralls stand between 7 and 8 feet height and can weigh between 300 and 400 pounds. Their skin can range from stone gray to dusky brown to jet black. Tralls are hairless, save for the thick locks atop their heads which they take great pride in braiding and shaping into frightening designs.
Sprite
Sprites are diminutive humanoids who sail the seas and riverways of Elberen. They are merchants and traders for the most part, selling their wares in port cities and along riverbanks in fanciful, brightly colored ships. Sprites are shrewd in their dealings - so much so that it is a common saying in Elberen that "If you paid double to a Sprite, you got off easy!". Nevertheless, Sprites are a gentle folk, fond of song, dance and a good tale or three.
Legend tells that untold millenia ago, Sprites were possessed of beautiful, multicolored wings and were able to fly. However, during the terrible magical cataclysm caused by the Elden, the Sprites were transformed into their present wingless state and lost their ability to fly. The Sprites prefer not to speak of this, however, believing that the loss of their wings was a punishment for some great and terrible sin that only they know (and they're not telling!).
Sprites are also brilliant tacticians and masters of water warfare. Spriteship cannons are the most accurate and deadly in the world and combined with their ballistae and grapnels make the Sprites a force to be reckoned with, indeed. It is also whispered that the Sprites have the ability to hurl a liquid fire that will quickly reduce any enemy ships to ashes.
When they aren't sailing (which is a rare thing, indeed), the Sprites are an island dwelling people who hail from the southern islands of Corte. They do not allow non-sprites to visit their islands, and will quickly turn back any curious sailors seeking to explore.
Sprites stand approximately 3 1/2 to 4 feet tall and are slender. Their most distinguishing features are their deeply colored, iris-less eyes and tapered ears.
While they are the youngest race to walk Elberen, humans have quickly risen to be the most prominent in just a few hundred thousand years. The greatest human city is the royal city of Aranorn, from which the Lord and Lady Escalliot rule with a firm, but just hand.
Humans differ from the other races of Elberen in that they are easily the most adaptable. However, in relation to the other races, their lifespan is relatively short (60-70 years being the average).
Elden
Graceful and poetic, the Elden were the first children to walk the face of Elberen. Legend tells of their vast and powerful empire full of immeasurable wealth and wonders. And yet, the Elden proved to be their own worst enemy. They reached too far in their insatiable lust for magic and power, thus bringing about a great and terrible cataclysm that all but obliterated the Elden and forever changed the face of Elberen. Their once great cities reduced to rubble, their vast stores of knowledge and power destroyed, the battered remnants of the Elden fled into the wild and barren places of the world to eke out a living as best they could. Vowing to never again repeat the mistakes of their fathers, the Elden turned to a nomadic, tribal lifestyle more closely attuned to nature.
Today, Elden are a superstitious people who tend to dislike cities and prefer to avoid them except for trading purposes. Otherwise, Elden prefer the wild, dwelling together in small tribes under a 'Wind Speaker' shaman who acts as the tribal and spiritual leader. The Elden revere nature, and regard it as a living, breathing entity which must be respected. Although Elden are generally a peaceful people, they are counted among the deadliest and most skilled hunters in the world. To take a life, however, is something they view as very serious, and will never do so lightly.
Elden resemble slender humanoids with delicately tapered ears and fine features. They average 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 feet in height and weigh between 100 to 130 pounds.
Trall
Tralls are large, thickset humanoids with tough, leathery skin that resembles nothing so much as unyielding stone. Tralls inhabit rocky and mountainous regions where they build vast underground fortresses and mine precious gems and minerals. Proud and warlike, the Tralls have clashed with humans on more than one occasion, but presently hold a tenuous truce with them.
For a Trall, to die in glorious battle is the highest achievement one can reach, and the manner of this glorious death will determine their status in their next life. For this reason, Tralls are deadly opponents in battle and show no fear. Tralls wear little armor in battle, relying on their tough skin that will easily turn aside all but the hardest of blows. They tend to favor great hammers, picks and clubs in a fight, but will utilize whatever is at hand if necessary.
The greatest Trall fortress, Dharfang, lies beneath the Dragonspine mountains and it is here that the Trallish High Chieftain holds his seat. The Tralls have no standing army, though the High Chieftain can call forth a muster at a moment's notice and any Trall who doesn't answer the summons is forever disgraced.
Tralls stand between 7 and 8 feet height and can weigh between 300 and 400 pounds. Their skin can range from stone gray to dusky brown to jet black. Tralls are hairless, save for the thick locks atop their heads which they take great pride in braiding and shaping into frightening designs.
Sprite
Sprites are diminutive humanoids who sail the seas and riverways of Elberen. They are merchants and traders for the most part, selling their wares in port cities and along riverbanks in fanciful, brightly colored ships. Sprites are shrewd in their dealings - so much so that it is a common saying in Elberen that "If you paid double to a Sprite, you got off easy!". Nevertheless, Sprites are a gentle folk, fond of song, dance and a good tale or three.
Legend tells that untold millenia ago, Sprites were possessed of beautiful, multicolored wings and were able to fly. However, during the terrible magical cataclysm caused by the Elden, the Sprites were transformed into their present wingless state and lost their ability to fly. The Sprites prefer not to speak of this, however, believing that the loss of their wings was a punishment for some great and terrible sin that only they know (and they're not telling!).
Sprites are also brilliant tacticians and masters of water warfare. Spriteship cannons are the most accurate and deadly in the world and combined with their ballistae and grapnels make the Sprites a force to be reckoned with, indeed. It is also whispered that the Sprites have the ability to hurl a liquid fire that will quickly reduce any enemy ships to ashes.
When they aren't sailing (which is a rare thing, indeed), the Sprites are an island dwelling people who hail from the southern islands of Corte. They do not allow non-sprites to visit their islands, and will quickly turn back any curious sailors seeking to explore.
Sprites stand approximately 3 1/2 to 4 feet tall and are slender. Their most distinguishing features are their deeply colored, iris-less eyes and tapered ears.
