Peoples of the World
Races
Dwarves
History/Relationships: Dwarven society developed on the island country of Lede. Although dwarves are not particularly good sailors, they found themselves on Lede early on, and thanks to the easily accessible metal deposites, they developed one of the earliest advanced civilizations, eventually colonizing the mainland in what is now the Mountain Duchies. They mined metal for the giants and were on good terms with their neighbors -- so good, that eventually the elves of Renlinea went to war with the halflings of Erindu over trade rights with Lede. The dwarves themselves are a merchant people, selling metal and stoneworking services, and remained strictly neutral in these battles, and in the future conquests of Renlinea; it wasn't until the War of the Thrones, when dwarven noble families fought to remain autonomous, that they took a stand. Dwarves today are a fairly egalitarian, almost libertarian society. The Mountain Duchies are a confederation of noble houses that bind together for defense, but rarely bother each other and so do not really need any central authority. Their legal system treats nobles and commoners almost equally -- the only real difference is that only nobles may own certain things (claims, armies, Magicants, Heartstones). Dwarven builders and traders are common throughout the civilized lands in all urban environments, but dwarf nobles must live in the Mountain Duchies. Dwarves are on the forefront of magical research; talented commoners who wish to use a Heartstone are sometimes knighted. Many magic items are also produced by dwarves.
Appearance: Short and stocky, dwarven men are the epitome of masculinity -- strong, rugged, and sporting long elaborate beards. Dwarven women are noticably thinner than men, but are just as well-built, often looking trim and fit. They tend to have long hair with braids and ribbons. They live to around 150 years.
Personality: Dwarves are extremely logical no-nonsense people. They enjoy personal freedom but also work well in teams. Dwarves maintain a relatively objective and unbiased viewpoint, which causes them to lack both pride and humility -- they usually have a good sense of their own abilities. However, it also makes them unsually blunt and undiplomatic. Dwarves have a slight tendancy towards Lawful alignments.
Game Rules: Dwarves don't get any racial attack or dodge bonuses.
Favored Classes: Fighter, Wizard.
Elves
History/Relationships: Elves, according to ancient giant lore, come from a land far to the east, and sailed here, arriving on the Great Isle. Their civilization branched out from there, colonizing the Renlinean sea, and eventually came into conflict with the Erindese halflings. (Scholars believe they fought over the metal deposits on the island of Lede, while priests blame the war on intervention by the deities.) The elves, with the aid of the giants and goblins, won the war and proceeded to form an empire which lasted for 800 years. Many countries were built up by the empire, although the bulk of their wealth was diverted to the elven rulers. Eventually, Renlinea tried to invade Corsom by going through Alluvan. Repelled by the orc and human cavaliers, elven sorcerers applied the orcscourge, as spell developed by giant wizards and crafted into wands, wiping out entire legions of orcs. At about the same time, the Prophet Jordana was preaching rebellion to the oppressed peoples of Chirmont. The elves, softened by hundreds of years of peace and drained by their invasion of Corsom, fell to an allied army of humans, gnomes, and orcs. Most of the elves retreated to Ponderry. Eventually a truce was negotiated; the elves would recognize the teachings of Jordana and stay on their island. This lasted only a few hundred years, of course; during the War of the Thrones, certain elven nobles sided with Chirmont and Garland against Frelund and Alluvan, in return for land and priveledge, and they began to spread throughout the land once more. The elves today are not a unified people. Many are involved in the politics of the noble houses, and most identify themselves by their nationality first, and their race second. Elves are very interested in Heartstone research, as their history of using sorcerers has taught them the value of arcane magic.
Appearance: Tall and graceful, with long pointed ears, an elf's eyes and hair can be any color, including unusual tones like blue or green. They live to around 200 years.
Personality: Elves are aloof and arrogant, and have trouble seeing things from other people's point of view. However, they are usually calm and serene, and very forgiving of the errors of "lessers." They usually keep thier emotions suppressed. They have no alignment tendancies.
Game Rules: Elves sleep at night, for 8 hours, just like everybody else. (They still have immunity to sleep effects.)
Favored Classes: Elite, Sorcerer.
Giants
History/Relationships: Giants are considered the oldest race of humanoids (even though the rules consider them to be of the Giant type) in this area of the world. They were once the dominant race, but gradually lost ground and resources to the smaller, faster-growing races. The giants sided with the Elves during the wars between Renflour and Erindu, and later became valuable members of the Renlinean Empire, serving as master magicians, sages, and, of course, builders. During the Great Revolution, the giants were targetted early-on because of their sheer power; although massive, they could be taken down by coordinated cavalry efforts or offensive clerical spells. Finally, to bring an end to the war once the elves and goblins had been beaten, the Prophet went to negotiate a truce with the giants. They had one demand: her death. She agreed, but not before issuing a strict warning to her followers: "Let they who raise their hands in revenge be cursed by the gods forever." Jordana voluntarily gave up her saving throw against her own slay living spell. Although this ended the war, the giants were now the least popular creatures ever, considered by most to be demons incarnate. Most giants retreated to what is now Zoltar, although some fled into the wilderness. There they remained for a time; but when they saw Corsom being rebuilt, they went on the offensive once again. They underestimated the strength of the new human-half-orc-gnome alliance and were driven westward. Those giants which remain today linger in remote wilderness areas and wish only to be left alone. Most worship the Old Ways.
Appearance: The most prominent type of giants were the tall, majestic cloud giants, although these have all fled westward today. Now, only weaker subspecies remain: The ruddy-skinned fire giants, blue-skinned frost giants, and grey-skinned stone giants. Hill giants descended from cross-breeds between giants and ogres. Unlike ogres, giants are proportioned like humans. They live to around 300 years.
Personality: Giants are patient creatures that prefer to think before acting (except for hill giants, who resemble ogres psychologically). They have a patronizing attitude towards smaller creatures, and consider themselves superior, although they are not particularly arrogant. Giants value knowledge and new experiences. They don't form very tight families or social structures, although they can remain good friends despite years of separation. They have no alignment tendancies.
Game Rules: When I say giants, I mean friggin' GIANTS. They are playable as PCs using a monster class progression. There is still a lot of prejudice against giants, but it is tempered by curiousity, and they do have full legal rights in most civilized countries -- so long as they profess to follow the Church.
Favored Classes: Druid, Wizard.
Gnomes
History/Relationships: Gnomes are a "little people," related to the goblins and halflings, who migrated northward. Gnomes are found in most lands, but are especially prevalent in forested places like Frelund and Jarlheim and Alluvan. Although gnomes were trod upon by Renlinea and eagerly joined the Great Revolution on the side of the humans and half-orcs, most weren't particularly interested in the Prophet's words, seeing no reason to change from the Old Ways. Eventually, most capitulated under Church pressure, but many predominantly-gnome areas adopted the compromize of Orthodox Pantheism, and some still worship the Old Ways in secret. Gnomes are a nature-loving people that can often be found in wilderness occupations like hunters, trappers, and loggers, as well as caravan guides and rangers. Many gnomes are completely horrified at the idea of Heartstones, because they are harvested from magical creatures, and lately whole gnome communities have withdrawn from interacting with the large world out of protest.
Appearance: Between 3 and 4 feet tall, with hair in a variety of wild colors, gnomes look like nothing if not miniature, well-built elves. Unlike elves, they can and often do grow beards. They live to be around 100 years.
Personality: Gnomes are a confident and rugged people, with a great appreciation for the outdoors and athletic activities. They have large extended families and usually know their geneology. Gnomes take pleasure in simple things and often enjoy working as artisans. They have no alignment tendancies.
Game Rules: Gnomes don't get any racial attack or dodge bonuses.
Favored Classes: Barbarian, Sorcerer.
Goblins
History/Relationships: The warlike goblins were the footsoldiers of the Renlinean armies. Based out of ancient Treothe and the Steppelands (goblins are thought to have migrated there from the south with the other little people -- the haflings stopping in Erindu and the gnomes progressing further north), goblin mercenaries signed on with the Renlinean armies against Erindu and were valued members of the Empire ever since, taking jobs as guards, messengers, and animal handlers. When Renlinea fell during the Great Revolution, most of the goblin soldiers died, but those who were more well-integrated with everyday society quickly jumped on the Jordana bandwagon and became part of the new order. Goblins today can be found in most major countries; many carry on the warlike traditions of their ancesters, but many others are ordinary peasant folk or craftspeople. Very few are nobles, most being low-ranking knights who earned their title in battle.
Appearance: Goblins are not ugly wretches as described in the Monster Manual. Standing between 3 and 4 feet tall, goblins look much like human children with large pointed ears, fangs, and large eyes. Their skin and hair are a variety of earth-toned colors, and they tend to have higher voices than other Small races. They live to be around 100 years.
Personality: Goblins are an active and disciplined people. They enjoy having a sense of tangible accomplishment, and strive to control their own emotions and the world around them. They are a gregarious people who greatly enjoy the company of others. Goblins have a slight tendancy towards Lawful alignments.
Game Rules: Goblins have the racial features described in the Monster Manual, plus the following:
- Advanced Training: Goblins are disciplined people who train hard. They get one bonus feat at 1st level.
- Skirmish Tactics: Goblins train in combat against larger creatures. When involved in a Bull Rush, Disarm, Overrun, Sunder, or Trip attempt, the Goblin doesn't suffer a -4 penalty due to Small size. A Goblin who changes size has a penalty 4 less than normal on these maneuvers.
Favored Classes: Fighter, Rogue.
Half-Elves
History/Relationships: Half-elves can be found in all walks of life. Half-elven nobles are the result of politically convenient marriages between human and elf houses; half-elven commoners are usually the result of noble trysts. Half-elves suffer no stigma for their birth and are judged on their own merit. Most identify themselves as either humans or elves, depending on how they were raised. Half-elves are widespread, but don't ever gather in enough numbers to form actual communities. The Prophet Jordana was technically a half-elf, although most consider her to be human (having been abandoned by her elven father, a Renlinean noble) and she is often depicted as human in artwork.
Appearance: Half-elves look like a cross between a human and an elf. They are generally leaner than a human and have slightly pointed ears. Some sport unusual hair or eye colors. They live to around 150 years.
Personality: Half-elves are adaptable and ambitious like their human ancestors, but are also cool and composed like their elven forebears, rarely prone to emotional outbursts. They have no alignment tendancies.
Game Rules: Half-elves don't get a racial bonus to Diplomacy or Gather Information checks. Instead, they gain one free feat, but it must be one of those feats that just gives a +2 bonus to two different skills.
Favored Classes: Any. The class (not including Prestige Classes) in which the character has the most levels counts as their favored class. (If they have two classes with equal amounts of levels, the one that was most recently their favored class remains favored.)
Half-Orcs
History/Relationships: Many people are proud of their orc heritage; in fact, most half-orc nobles refer to themselves as "orcs" and some human nobles with orc blood call themselves "half-orcs," but everyone knows that the true blood of the orcs has thinned over time. Once the fearsome and undisputed rulers of Corsom, orcs are thought to have originated to the east across the Steppelands (and rumors hold that true orcs live there yet). Their horsemen were able to hold off the Renlinean Empire for hundreds of years, until a renewed invasion force, invigorated by the orcscourge, finally brought the mighty hordes to their knees -- just in time for the Prophet to initiate her Great Rebellion. The orcs quickly allied with the humans and gnomes against the Renlineans and were able to beat back the Empire, ending its reign forever. Humans migrated to Corsom to rebuild, and the orc population, decimated by war, mingled with the humans, teaching them the ways of the cavalier. The resulting half-orcs, with all of the ambition and adaptability of their human parents and the courage and willpower of their orc parents, spread throughout the land, often assuming leadership positions. Half-orcs today can be found in most lands, but are especially prevalent in Corsom. Many nobles in many countries are half-orcs or claim orc lineage.
Appearance: A true orc more closely resembles the PHB depiction of a half-orc -- tall and muscular, with dull skin, tusks, and a flat nose. The half-orcs of today are somewhere between this ideal and humans. They have enlarged lower canines, but these do not protrude from the mouth as true tusks. Their noses tend do be flat and their skin somewhat pale or dull. They live to around 100 years.
Personality: Half-orcs are a proud and willful people. They are boisterous personalities who prefer to take an active stance in life and show little fear. Although half-orcs suffer from a lack of natural charm, they have a good understanding of the world and empathize well with others.
Game Rules: In addition to their other abilities, half-orcs gain +2 Wisdom.
Favored Classes: Fighter, Paladin.
Halflings
History/Relationships: The wandering hafling clans known as Losha have no lands of their own, but carry their culture with them everywhere. They are a somewhat mysterious people, living out of covered wagons, dressing in colorful clothing, and speaking their own language. Most people don't fully trust them, but they manage to find work at harvest time and perform odd jobs like woodcutting the rest of the year. They are most common in Zoltar, Garland and Alluvan, although their wagon-trains can be found winding their way through many countries. Losha are members of the Church but are usually not welcome at local cathedrals; instead, they have their own ordained priests and observe the rites of Prayermeet and Balance in their own unique ways. There is an entirely different halfling culture in Erindu and the surrounding lands; once, a strong halfling empire was based out of the fertile Velm river bed surrounded by the jungles. These halflings are pagans, following the Old Ways. Although they still have a strong culture, their country has lost most of its former glory after losing dominance to Renlinea. Many suspect these haflings to be the ancestors of the Losha, but it is not known whether or not this is true.
Appearance: Around 3 feet tall, halflings look much like miniature people. They usually have dark hair, but not always, and their intense, sparkling eyes can be any color. They live to be around 100 years.
Personality: Despite their reputation for reservedness, haflings are a fun-loving people who form strong family bonds and are known for their loyalty; an indebted halfling is a trustworthy ally. They are consumed by wanderlust and rarely form permanent settlements, except in their homeland of Erindu; they are generally confident and proud of their traditions and not prone to worrying about things. Halflings have a slight tendancy towards Chaotic alignments.
Favored Classes: Cleric, Rogue.
Humans
History/Relationships: Humans are thought to come from a mythical land far to the west across the desert. They had colonized the northern countries, scrapping out a living amongst the giants and gnomes and orcs, by the time Renlinea came to power. Humans formed the backbone of the lower classes in the Renlinean Empire, working the fields and serving the elven and giant lords, and often serving as conscripted troops during invasions. As Renlinea grew more advanced and humans grew more populous without reaping the benefits of the empire they were helping to build, many grew disheartened with the uncaring deities of the Old Ways and with their elf and giant masters. When the empire began its difficult campaign against Corsom, the words of the Prophet Jordana swept through human lands, inciting millions to rise up against the ruling class in the Great Rebellion, aided by orc and gnome allies. The humans were free and quickly established the Church of the Pantheon as the official religion to replace the Old Ways. However, humankind proved just as ambitious and driven to conquest as the elves and giants had been -- perhaps more so. Within a few hundred years, prominent local rulers had set up hereditary rule and began to wage war on one another; each was attempting to conquer the ancient seat of power, Renflour. The first thing many of these rulers did was seize the local Magicants and force the Church clergy to ait them in their battles. The War of the Thrones, as it came to be known, lasted of and on for nearly 70 years, and was eventually ended by the Treaty of Barriton. This treaty set up Renflour as a republic and developed the Church/noble compromise over Magicants, among other things. This situation remained relatively stable for several hundred more years, when the discovery of Heartstones led to renewed religious skirmishes and power grabs, in what is now known as the Heartstone War. Today, humans dominate most civilized lands. Unlike the elves and giants of ancient Renlinea, though, humans exit at all levels of the social totem pole, and share their rule with other races; those in power prefer to judge others on their own merits rather than by race.
Appearance: Human ethnic appearance is on a spectrum from "fair" to "swarthy," starting with the pale, blond-haired people of Jarlheim, gradually going south and westward to the pale, dark-haired people of Alluvan and Chirmont, the hairy orcblooded people of Corsom, the stocky folk of Frelund, and the tan-skinned inhabitants of Treothe. Humans of the southern lands have even darker skin. There are other regional differences and traditions in human appearance; for example, people from Chirmont tend to be skinny, Frelunders are stout, Alluvani are known to be handsome, and redheads are more common in Renflour. They live to around 100 years.
Personality: Humans are a widely varied race, showing great ambition and adaptability. They are the most effective civilization-builders, and largely control the Church of the Pantheon. Humans have an unusual contradictory nature in which they desire freedom and a sense of identity, yet they often feel insecure unless they are part of a larger group. Humans that are spoiled with wealth and priveledge often become petty and childish, but those who grow up with adversity show a remarkable resilience. They have no alignment tenancies.
Favored Classes: Any. The class (not including Prestige Classes) in which the character has the most levels counts as their favored class. (If they have two classes with equal amounts of levels, the one that was most recently their favored class remains favored.)
Ogres
History/Relationships: The ogre race is thought to have begun as a hybrid between giants and orcs after the orcs first migrated from the east. Never terribly populous, the ogres have avoided most of the wars and politics of the ages, prefering to live a simple life out in the wilderness. Not terribly bright, all ogres have an affinity for animals and a love of the wilderness. They have a simple tribal culture, living in wilderness areas as hunters and gatherers, although they are usually on very good terms with their neighbors (they get along particularly well with gnomes). They often befriend large animals for use as mounts and hunting companions; ogre elkriders (mounted on dire elk) are terribly dangerous foes. Ogres are most populous in Alluvan, Corsom, and Jarlheim, where they are sometimes sailors. Most ogre tribes officially follow Orthodox Pantheism, but follow rites and rituals that more closely resemble the Old Ways; the Church doesn't really bother trying too hard to convert these politically impotent savages.
Appearance: Tall, muscular, and somewhat gangly, ogres prefer to wear their hair long and often with feathers, beads, or trinkets sewn into it. They are font of face paint and abstract patterns, and their skin and hair is often earth toned. Their large, orc-like teeth and sloping foreheads give them a primitive look. They live to around 200 years.
Personality: Ogres are a simple people. They are passionate about life and prefer to follow their feelings and instincts rather than intellect. They form strong bonds with family and friends, including wild animals. Most enjoy the outdoors and the thrill of a physical challenge, and don't quite get why civilized races are so attached to their "stuff." They have a slight tendancy towards Chaotic alignments.
Game Rules: Ogres are playable using a monster class progression. In addition to the game rules in the Monster Manual, ogres receive Handle Animal and Ride as class skills, and can use the Wild Empathy feature as a druid of their hit dice (this stacks with the Wild Empathy feature granted by the druid or ranger class). They gain a +4 racial bonus on all Ride and Handle Animal checks.
Favored Classes: Druid, Ranger.
Racial Archetypes
In many settings, humanoid races are criticized for being "humans in funny suits," which means that they are psychologically too similar to humans. This criticism is based on the idea that for intelligent races to be fun or interesting, they need to be truly alien, distinctly non-human in thought or deed; this allows people to explore the interaction between humans and these strange near-humans.
In this campaign setting, though, races are deliberately very similar to humans. They don't exist as a contrast to human nature, but to serve as archetypes of humanity appropriate to the setting. Each race generally fills a certain role. Although individual members of a race may be very different than the racial norm or fill a different sort of role, these folks are "bucking the trend."
Elves: Effete, cloistered nobility. Think pastry-eating hemophiliacs in lace.
Half-orcs: Tough, couragous, bold nobility, from the days when the biggest guy around ruled from a hall of stone.
Dwarves: Ambitious businesspeople and merchants.
Goblins: Dedicated professionals and soldiers.
Gnomes: Hardy woodsmen: hunters, trappers, woodcutters.
Halflings: Gypsies. Mysterious, exotic foreigners without a land of their own.
Ogres: The "noble savage." Simple, nature-loving tribesfolk who don't have the flaws of civilized people.
Giants: Sort of parent-figures or like the people of ancient Greece and Rome: feared for their power and dominance but respected for their wisdom.
Society
Social Class
| 2% | Nobility |
| 3% | Clergy |
| 5% | Middle-class |
| 82% | Peasants |
| 8% | Other |
Nobility
Wealthy land owners, traders, and governors. Nobles rule domains and sometimes even whole countries. Nobles are grouped by houses which pass hereditary rule on to their children. Each house has holdings in many different countries. This means that, while one noble house rules the country, the houses which own property there have a large degree of control over the local economy. It's even possible for one house to be renting land from a second house in a country ruled by a third house -- a truly tangled mess that can prove difficult for a newcomer to navigate.
Nobles are usually the most well-educated, well-travelled and well-connected people around. They are trained to read and write, to fight, to run the family business, and the rules of noble etiquitte. Nobles are also the only people officially allowed to use Heartstones, and many study the arcane arts. Many nobles are also raised in a life of priveledge and develop a subconscious arrogant attitude -- they are so used to being waited upon that they think of their lessers as inherently inferior beings. Because of this, and because many don't have to do any real work, they often engage in social scheming, and many nobles are extremely concerned about their social standing and image.
Common Races: Human, elf, half-orc, half-elf, dwarf.
Clergy
Priests and monks of the Church of the Pantheon and ministers of the Independant Temples (clerics of Orthodox Pantheism are considered commoners in all lands except Ponderry and Jarlheim, and druids of the Old Ways are outlaws or primitive peoples). The career of "priest" is a promising one -- you get to commune with deities and cast neat spells -- and talented commoners often ascend to the clergy in the hopes of a better life. Devout nobles are also inducted into the priesthood, often as a means of forging an alliance between a noble house and a branch of the Church. Because of there spellcasting ability and their need to interact with both peasants and nobles, priests are usually treated as their own social class.
Clergy generally are well-educated and literate, with a focus on theology and history. Most also learn to cast spells as clerics, although many of these are perpetually 1st-level, and there are some priests who have levels in other classes (such as fighter or yeoman). Many low-ranking or rural priests are simple, compassionate individuals who wish only to help their parishoners grow spiritually. High-ranking or urban priests tend to be more ambitious and political, trying to advance their rank within the Church and expand its temporal power.
Common Races: Human, half-orc, dwarf, goblin, halfling.
Middle-class
Highly skilled artisans and wealthy independant (non-noble) merchants. Most craftspeople are considered peasants, serving the needs of small farming villiages, but those in the big city who posess enough skill to ply their trade to the nobility can become quite wealthy. In ages past, most such skilled crafters were beholden to a particular noble house, but with the improved living conditions in the cities (thanks to the Heartstones) many now operate independantly. Increased trade has also lead to the development of independant merchants, plying their trade amongst a variety of noble houses.
Some people are born into the middle class, picking up their trade from their parents, but many are ambitious peasants who were able to make the leap to entrepreneur. Middle-class people tend to be literate and skilled in a particular field, and usually know a lot about the areas and factions in which they operate. They are commoners, and considered no better than peasants in the eyes of the law, although the nobility often treats them better.
Common Races: Human, half-elf, dwarf, goblin, gnome.
Peasants
Simple farmers, shepherds, fishers, hunters. Peasants make up the majority of the population. They typically live in small villages spread throughout the land, usually a few miles apart. They spend their days tending to the fields, the flock, the fishnets, or the forests. Most people live their whole lives in the same village, never travelling more than a few miles away, plying the same trade as their parents.
Most peasants are illiterate, and focus on manual labor (such as farming or producing simple goods). Instead of art, they have crafts; instead of literature, folklore; instead of grand balls, country fairs. The individual traditions of peasants vary from place to place, but most peasants form close bonds with their families and communities.
Common Races: Human, half-orc, goblin, gnome, halfling.
Outlaws, Pirates & Primitive Peoples
Anyone who exists outside the established social structure. Some of these are "primitive peoples" like giants, ogres, and certain gnome and elf communities, who live in remote locations and cling to the Old Ways and a more naturalistic style of living. Some are bandits, brigands and highway robbers who live in secret hideouts in the woods, and others are pirates and raiders on the high seas.
Primitive peoples in many ways resemble peasants, but live in locations so remote that they are beyond the reach of the Church and the nobility. They are usually born into their way of life and take great pride in it. They are far more skilled at navigating the natural world than the most highly trained noble-born rangers. Outlaws and pirates can come from any walk of life -- some are dishowned nobles, radical priests, or frustrated merchants -- but most are former peasants who've chosen to live free rather than answer to a lord.
Common Races: Human, elf, giant, gnome, ogre.
Gender Roles
Gender roles have traditionally been relatively egalitarian. Men and women have the same legal rights and responsibilities, and amongst the nobility, powerful female heirs are common. Almost every profession is socially acceptible for both men and women; it's even ok for the husband to stay home and raise the children, if the wife is a more capable breadwinner. There are exceptions; women are rarely drafted as infantry soldiers (but may be conscripted if they are skilled archers or cavaliers), and men are seldom midwives.
Dispite this state of more-or-less gender equality, there are great distinctions between men and women in terms of etiquitte and social mores. In general, women are expected to be ladylike and men to be manly. The essence of ladylike behavior is warm grace: a women must be poised, polite, calm, and delicate, but also very expressive with her emotions. Even a tough female fighter likely has experience fencing while wearing a fancy evening gown. The essence of manly behavior is controlled boldness: a gentleman is courteous and subdued, but always tries to be at the forefront of a situation, in an active role. Even a scrawny scholar is expected to rise to the challenge when the gauntlet is thrown down. Of course, there are plenty of exceptions to these rules -- some of the most interesting characters are the ones who buck society's trends.
Communities & Dwellings
The different races and cultures each favor different styles of housing.
Jarlheim: Houses in this cold northern land are typically wooden A-frames, with wooden roof shingles. They are sturdily built and brightly painted. They are almost always two-family dwellings, and are built in stands of coniferous forests, a scattering of several dozen buildings located uphill from the town's farmland and/or port.
Corsom: Houses on the plains of Corsom are built of large clay bricks reinforced with wooden beams. They typically have gently sloping roofs, often tightly woven thatch. The houses are built close together, usually facing inward on a town square with the rear of each house opening on small gardens or stables.
Chirmont & Alluvan: These two countries have similar building styles, with stucco walls and terra-cotta rooftops. Chirmont tends to have small cottages built in this style with larger villas, complete with inner atrium, reserved for the wealthy. In hilly areas and along the rocky coastline, people prefer to build their houses on slopes to preserve the level terrain for farmland. Alluvan typically has multi-family, sometimes multi-level dwellings. Alluvani communities blend together with the surrounding farmland; even larger cities tend to be in strange elongated shapes.
Garland & Renflour: The people of Garland favor brick buildings with thatch or clay-tile rooftops. They often have connected town-house style dwellings. Most villages are built on both sides of a river or stream. Renflourian buildings are similar, but are more often built of stone than of brick, and tend to be spread farther apart (similar to Alluvan).
Frelund & Zoltar: Western countries favor small brick and wooden cottages with thatched roofs. Their small buildings huddle together around the town center and are often decorated in festive colors. In Frelund, most villages are on the edge of a forest near tracts of farmland, and villages tend to occur in a series along a major road or waterway. In Zoltar, a very hilly country, most towns are isolated in elevated valleys.
Treothe: Rectangular clay, brick, or stone buildings, often adorned with elaborate tapestries, house most of Treothe. Because of the mild weather, many of these buildings are ancient, some dating back to Renlinea. They are continually being expanded; there are some entire towns that reside within a single building. The center of any town in this dry land is the community well.
Erindu: Most Erindese live near the shores of the river Velm in the broad, flat, fertile floodplane, in wooden houses with leaf roofs. These houses are elevated on stilts due to the seasonal flooding and many ground-dwelling insects. In contrast, Erindese cities are massive stone structures, with elaborate columns designed to look like river reeds supporting pyramid-like structures. These were built over one thousand years ago and have not all been maintained; many buildings are no longer used for their original purposes. They are often painted bright colors and decorated with flowering plants.
Gnomes: Gnome villages in most countries are typically built in forests, in half-submerged mounds. The gnomes basically dig out a large basement, lay in wooden walls, floors and ceilings, and cover the whole affair with dirt. Gnome craftsmanship seals the dwelling against rainwater seeping through the ground and provides light through a clever system of side windows. Gardens are often planted on top of the houses, which are scattered throughout a section of light forest. An exception is in Jarlheim, where gnomes live in wooden A-frames like their human and ogre allies.
Ogres: Primitive ogre tribes typically live a seminomadic existance in simple animal-hide tents. Those in more civilized parts of the world (such as Jarlheim) live in the same dwellings as other local humanoids.
Goblins: Goblins use whatever architecture and building style is common to the local area, but squeeze more families into larger dwellings. For example, if a typical human house in Alluvan is a two-family, one-story stucco dwelling, then a typical goblin house in Alluvan would be a five-family, two-story stucco dwelling that is twice as large as the human counterpart.
Dwarves: Dwarven buildings are almost always made of thick stone and set into the sides of mountains or hills. Many cities in the Mountain Duchies are laid out vertically, along the walls of a mountain canyon, often above an alpine valley where the dwarves farm and raise livestock. Dwarven fortifications are solid and forboding, and often seem to rise out of the mountain itself. Few dwarven buildings are located entirely underground.
Elves: Elves, especially in Ponderry, build wooden houses and incorporate live trees into the architecture, often using a tree as a central support or several trees as corner beams. The growth of these trees mean their houses require constant reworking. The wealthiest of nobles employ dwarf engineers to build them houses on elevated platforms in the trees themselves (usually, only a few rooms are located in the trees, the rest of the house on the ground). Elves favor a light and airy style of architecture with lots of engraved woodwork and are especially fond of gnomish carpentry. Some nobles build great palaces of stone, but even these are very open, with thin columns, open walkways and large windows. Elves in Erindu follow the customs of that land.
Halflings: Halflings in Erindu live like the rest of the Erindese, but the halfling Losha that roam the northern lands basically live out of covered wagons and colorful cloth tents. Everything in the Losha camp makes efficient use of space and weight, and most things serve multiple purposes (like a giant tub designed to wash clothing and people, but light enough to carry things in, and sturdy enough to function as a chair or table). They also have a lot of light sturdy boxes and baskets, so that items can be loaded and unloaded quickly. They sleep in hammocks inside of their covered wagons or in tents which come complete with waterproof floors (because they are constantly exposed to the dust of the road, Losha are very hygenic people). Losha even grow vegetable gardens on the roofs of some of their wagons.
Economy
Resources & Trade
The three pillars of the economy are food, military, and Essence -- spending and production in these three areas are the highest. The broad category of "worked goods," excluding arms, comes in a distant fourth -- most common people produce their own furniture, tools, clothing, etc. locally, although artisans are becoming more and more common, especially in large cities.
The nobility controls food production because nobles own most of the land (in some countries, a noble is, by definition, someone who owns land). Most countries produce enough food for their own needs, but because of regional weather effects, there is still a thriving grain trade. The biggest exporters are Chirmont and Erindu; the countries most often in need are those near the desert (like Treothe) or the far north (like Corsom and Jarlheim) and of course the Mountain Duchies.
Dispite the lasting "peace," skirmishes between houses and border disputes still break out from time to time, and the nobility still spends a lot of money paying and arming soldiers. Although skilled mercenaries are in high demand, most noble houses have their own troops, and countries maintain standing armies. Because of the influence of magic, large-scale battles are uncommon, so it is rare for the peasantry to be pressed into service.
The Church priests harvest and consume the Essence, but the nobility own the Magicants -- although the Church is strong, they don't command any armies, and so must cultivate a strong, positive relationship with the nobles. Peity aside, the nobles want spellcasting and the priests want Essence; hence, a thriving Essence trade as nobles in need exchange the precious powder for large quantities of food, resources, precious metals, and land. It may seem as though those with Magicants would rapidly become much wealthier than those without -- and this is true, but only to a point. All the magic in the world won't feed a country or win a war. At least, not yet. With the advent of Heartstone magic, this trade has increased dramatically, and is upsetting the ages-old hegemony of the nobility and the Church.
Because the holdings of the noble houses are far-flung, the economic landscape is ever shifting. A house that exports Essence for gold today might turn around and trade gold for grain tomorrow. Information and alliances are often bought and sold as well, as are wizard spells (for a price).
Money
The common unit of currency is the gold piece (gp). Although each country mints its own currency, they make their coins the same size as their neighbors for convenience. By the present day, most coins are stamped with relief designs and bear milled edges. 50 gold coins weigh one pound. In theory, it is the guarantee of the minting country that gives coins their value, but in practice, they are usually valued by weight (as bullion).
Lesser coinage, silver and copper pieces, are also minted. These are much smaller and lighter than the gold coins; 200 of these coins weigh one pound. The silver piece is worth 1/10 of a gold piece, the copper is worth 1/100. Although governments can be picky about wanting people to change foreign coins into local currancy, they usually pay little heed to silver or copper.
No one makes coins from platinum. However, Essence is used as a currency for large transactions. 500 gp worth of Essence weighs 1 pound. Because it is usually in powdered form, it must be weighed during transactions; use of a weigher's scales usually costs 1 silver piece. So although Essence is accepted everywhere, it is usually only used for important transactions. Many countries also print gold trade bars for this purpose. These are typically 20 pounds (1000 gp).
There are no proper banks; most people invest their money in land and business endeavors. However, many gold merchants and moneylenders will "hold" a person's gold for them, to be returned later upon request. The person is given a certificate listing the amount deposited, which they can present to any other member of the merchant's guild (usually associated with a particular noble house) to withdraw the funds. Nowadays, these documents are signed with an arcane mark, which is unforgable.
Law
Justice System
The typical relationship between commoner and lord is still feudal, with nobles granting peasants the right to farm their land in return for a cut of the produce. However, as specified in the Treaty of Barriton, these peasants are not truly serfs; they have certain legal rights and can move about as they please. In reality, these peasants have more autonomy in some areas (like Frelund, Zoltar, and Renflour) than in others (like Garland, Chirmont and Corsom). A noble lord is able to serve as judge and jury over the peasants on his land, although he is supposed to hold Tribunal (below) before executing, maiming, banishing, or seizing property. Most lords obey these customs, as the peasantry is usually not worth the hassle of bucking the system. Among the common folk, law is kept by a system of sherriffs and constables that varies from country to country; the most common punishment for a crime against fellow villagers is simply being run out of town.
The emergent middle class of merchants and skilled craftsmen have the same legal rights as peaseants, but are often treated as nobility for reasons of diplomacy. An extremely wealthy commoner merchant can be considered the same social class as a low-ranking noble. Most extremely wealthy merchants are, in fact, nobles; the idea of a "wealthy commoner merchant" is only about 20-30 years old.
Priests are considered commoners, socially, but have more legal rights. Priests of the Church (and of Independant Temples, in certain lands) are usually remanded to the discipline of their superiors in the case of minor infractions, but for more serious cases they are subject to Tribunal, as though they were nobles.
The process of Tribunal is the preferred system of international justice, and is held in any case involving a noble or for serious cases involving priests or commoner. It does not apply to pirates (on the open seas, justice is decided by the strong) and war criminals. A Tribunal is a hearing before a priest, a noble, and a commoner. The priest presides and appoints the other two judges. Cases are presented and evidence is heard, and then the three judges must reach a descision, which must be unanimous. Note that many legal rights we take for granted -- such as right to an attorney and habeas corpus and freedom from double jeopardy -- are granted by the Tribunal as a tradition but are not guaranteed. A person only has the rights to hear the charges against them, see all evidence presented, call and cross-examine witnesses, and speak at length in their own defense.
The most common punishment is fines, or confiscation of property in leiu of fines. For commoners with little money (such as brigands), banishment and branding/tatooing are not uncommon. Maiming, torture and the stockade are not very common and are seen as somewhat barbaric; real troublemakers are simply executed, usually by hanging. Prison is seldom used as a punitive measure -- nobles sometimes keep people as prisoners when they want to utilize them in some fashion, such as bargaining chips or questioning, or when they just want to ensure the person is miserable.
Law Enforcement
The law enforcement system of most nations is comprised of four types of forces: guards, constables, justiciars, and magistrates. All of these are in the employ of the ruling noble house, although they exercise very little authority over nobles of other houses. In Renflour, the law enforcement professionals serve only the Republic.Guards generally patrol urban areas and noble manors, and have the power of arrest. Constables are similar but are stationed in villiages. The relative utility of these two roles varies from country to country. In some lands, these are fair-handed people who work together to maintain law and order. In others, guards exist only to protect the nobility or act as cheap muscle, while constables are appointed to keep the peasants in line. Guards and constables also typically oversee jail facilities.
Justiciars are detectives and bounty hunters. Although their main role is bringing in the accused party for justice (or occasionally bringing back an escaped convict or someone tried in absentia), they are often the first highly skilled official at the scene of a crime and do the leg work to determine just who to accuse.
Magistrates are petty judges. They issue arrest warrants, preside over grand juries and hear minor cases, particularly those involving commoners. They can issue fines or other minor punishments, such as a month of servitude, but more severe crimes are usually heard by a noble lord or by Tribunal.
Time
The following are specified by clerics devoted to the Keeper of Time.
Years
Years are measured since the beginning of the Great Rebellion (when the Prophet overthrew the Renlinean Empire), abbreviated GR. It is currently the year 984 GR (or, "The Nine Hundred and Eighty-Fourth Year of the Great Rebellion," as if the rebellion were still going on). This method of timekeeping was introduced at the Treaty of Barriton which marked the end of the Throne Wars in 523 GR. Prior to this time period, different nations tracked time in a variety of ways, but the multi-national treaty needed a common date, and the practice caught on quickly. Time before the Great Rebellion is simply measured in negative numbers (for example, the Prophet was born in -17 GR, and died in 11 GR). The Heartstone Wars started around 940 GR and officially ended in 961 GR.
Months
The world's single crater-marked moon rotates as well as revolves. This means that as the year progresses, the image on the face of the moon appears to change as the moon spins around. Each lunar cycle, which lasts a convenient 28 days, the moon rotates about 2/5 of the way around (or 144 degrees), meaning that in 5 lunar cycles someone will have seen all 5 faces of the moon. Each of these is thought to show a different image and has a different astrological attribution depending on where during the year it is full. A year is 364 days long and has 13 months, and begins on the winter solstice.
Lunar Faces: Dragon, Rose, Ship, Goblet, Nightmaiden.
Months of the Year: Longnight, Midwinter, Coldwind, Springthaw, Blossoming, Summersow, Midsummer, Rainfall, Hotsun, Leaffall, Harvesttime, Feasting, Snowfall.
Days
"A week" means either 6 or 7 days depending on usage. If someone says, "I'll meet you here in a week" or "Take this medicine once per night for a week," they mean 7 days. If someone says, "The store will be open all week," they mean 6 days. This is because Prayermeet is not considered part of the "week," neither the first day of a week (that goes to Onesday) or the last day of the week (called Latterday). There are four weeks in a month; the first of the month is always Prayermeet.
Days of the Week: Prayermeet, Oneday, Twosday, Thrensday, Foursday, Fiveday, Latterday.