Races

There are several different races inhabiting the continent of Arad.

• Faewyr - Proud clans hailing from the western island country of Tyr-Gwyrd, the Faewyr have a great respect for their ancestors and for nature. Their druidic traditions go back to the origins of their race, and they have a particular veneration for Great Animal Spirits.

• Fasa - Nomadic tribes from the vast plains of the Ancient Lands of northeastern Arad, they place great value in family and tribe and are mindful of their place within the natural world.

• Giganti - A large, war-loving people living in and under the frigid mountains of Sirak Drauth, they are the children of the Mountain Father. Known for ever-raging clan wars as each clan vies for glory over the others, they also have a cultural emphasis on taking pride in their crafts and are famous the world over for their work with stone, metal, and gems.

• Hillfolk - A hardy, if small, people that generally shun the trappings of more modern civilizations and harbor a deep mistrust of powerful government. The Hillfolk enjoy simple living, communities preferring to provide for themselves as much as possible rather than trading. They might be best described as "rustic and fiercely independent".

• Huecatn - People of the vast jungle valley of Tatlhuecatn, they see aspects of their shattered god Toteo in all the world around them. Their histories speak of fleeing to Arad via the astral Way of Dreams after eldritch horrors invaded their homeland.

• Khaldean - Lovers of the sciences and pioneers in fields such as clockwork, steam, and astronomy, the Khaldeans are known for their society's emphasis on higher knowledge and learning. The occult is a cultural taboo, however: the founders of Khaldea were exiles and escaped slaves from the occult-obsessed Nuumic Empire who would not concede that occult aptitude equated to superiority. (Sometimes colloquially referred to as "Grummers".)

• Nuum - Proud desert-dwellers of the mighty Nuumic Empire, known for their beauty and aesthetics. The Nuum largely abandoned their gods as they began unlocking the secret workings of occult power for themselves, now being a society of many arcane wonders.

• Rhuidim - Banished from the kingdom of Ivial ages ago for rebellion, the people of Tol Rhun are a reclusive lot who have forged their own nation in exile. Founded by a man appointed to be the heir of the increasingly-forgotten old gods, the Rhuidim seek ascendance through mastery of sorcerous arts.

• Viali - Hailing from the continent of Constantia, the Viali fled religious persecution to settle in southeastern Arad, bringing with them the discipline of the Inner Light. Highly concerned with honor and chivalry and often considered melodramatic, they sometimes struggle to fit in with their neighbors in Arad.

Of course, not everyone's bloodline is strictly from one culture. A significant portion of the population are of mixed heritage.