Human

CONCERNING HUMANS

Humans are the most prevalent race in Narenfel, the scions of the ancient Ennu and Wyntiri Empires. Those of Ennu stock tend toward dark or darker skin, those of Wyntiri background are of paler complexions.

Regimantis
Regimen are usually tall with larger skeletal structures with tan to pale complexions, and often have blonde or brown hair. Facial hair is common.

The northern nation of Regimantis serves as a bulwark of law and protection. To safeguard against the mistakes of the past, arcane magic is outlawed within its borders. Most life in Regimantis is rural, religious, and conservative. Regimantian knights and paladins patrol its borders and roads, keeping peace, security and the Way of Sheysun.

Regimantis is a community-based society, in which lineage, family and background are very important. Armor is often associated with this, and is passed down from generation to generation.

As a people (and a government) Regimantians tend to believe more strongly in the power of religion and put their faith in Sheysun. Perhaps as a result, they often see things in terms of strong dichotomies: good/evil, right/wrong, etc. This morality is strictly defined and much more strictly enforced than it is in other nations.

For nobles or the wealthy, Regimantian fashion is prim and austere, with dark brown and russet velvets being favored. Many wear embroidered ruffs around the neck. It is fashionable to wear padded silks with light (generally ornate or costume quality) chainmail shirts, belts or tabards on the top. Overall, there is a slightly militaristic slant to Regimantian fashion.

Both men and women train and serve in the Regimantian military.

CALLEN MOOR
Moormen are of medium stature, with tan to darker complexions, and dark brown or black hair.

Both men and women prefer the Djet, a double set of robes with divided trousers beneath, and long flowing robes with exterior pockets above. Moormen Djet are very colorful (in hues from bright yellow, to magenta, to cyan to red). They are very fashionable and often adorned with semi-precious or precious stones, or magic. Most men paint the lines of their eyes with a blue ink called agobe. Women use the agobe to paint their top or bottom lip blue. (The other lip is painted in a color that offsets their Djet.)

More than any nation in Narenfel, Moormen culture is caught up with the ins and outs of magic. It drives their society, their thinking, their ambition. Mages and magecraft dominate every aspect of society, from farming, to building, to warcraft, to education. As a result, even the most common, blue-collared Moormen may seem cultured or intelligent to those in more far-flung locales. A sense of national pride, self-centered and proud is common.

Callen Moor is driven by the politics of five Houses, each with its own agendas, strengths and weaknesses. Most things that happen within (or without) a township are connected to some degree to one (or more) of these Houses.

THE FIVE HOUSES OF CALLEN MOOR

HOUSE	SIGIL	COLORS
Ashcroft	The Spiderdragon	A black spiderdragon on a field of crimson
Emberjade	The Fish and the Coin	Three silver coins, above two golden fish, against a field of green
Isendrath	The Star Crown	A white crown with a star ornament on a silver field
Nyt	The Night Harp	A purple harp on a black field
Rooksweir	The Tower & Hawk	A golden hawk, wings spread, atop a golden tower, both against a blue field

 

BRAMM
The state religion in Bramm is the worship of Ashblack. Foreigners who visit Bramm are sometimes off-put by the more morbid nature of life there. Most small townships are built with graveyards in their town center, and field workers are nonchalant about using the composting of dead bodies for their fields.

Brammans themselves are of medium stature, and tend to fall into either very thin body structures or ones of excessive girth. While they are generally of pale Wyntiri stock, they opt to powder their faces with a light gray foundation to give a pallid, slightly undead look to their demeanor. Many favor long, dangling mustaches and pointed van dyke beards.

Brammish fashion marries garrish opulence with velvet doublets and half capes. Unlike Regimantis, where wealth is generally understated or hidden, Brammish citizens prefer to showcase their wealth, and favor rings, necklaces, brooches, and buckles. These are especially visible against the blacks of their clothing. Motifs of snakes and dragons are popular.

Brammans are generally welcoming and liberal, though perhaps more opportunistic than those from Callen Moor or Regimantis. Bramm welcomes foreigners, and has a robust economy of businesses and guilds.

Many Brammans are prone to gambling and feats of skill. They enjoy a good feast, and with feasting, drinking. Their main festival drink is called Normorren, and is made of the berries of a plant that “grows best” on graves. Commonly called “corpse wine”, it is smooth and somewhat sweet, though tempered with honeysuckle and jasmine.

NEW WYNTIRI
Most of New Wyntiri is a dense jungle. Wyntiri cities are built on poles and platforms, such that buildings and homesteads are above or are floating on the water itself. There are some walkable platforms, but for the most part, citizens go from place to place via shallow boats, propelled forward with long poles or paddles.

Wyntiri inhabitants believe they are the remnants of the sunken Wyntiri Empire, who claim that their ancestors washed up upon these shores after the Turning (an even memorialized by their flag). It is an interesting fact (much mentioned by the Cahedra) that these descendants have not largely integrated into the rest of society, but have instead chosen to remain apart, here, in the swamps.

Wyntiressess are generally tall and pale, with red hair being most prominent. Wyntiri men are also tall and fair, with red or brown hair.

Most other inhabitants of Narenfel tend to leave the Wyntiri well enough alone — partly because few wish to venture into the swamps to interact with them — but also because they have many strange customs and traditions. Chief among these is that their society is entirely dominated by women (known as Wyntiresses). Men are given more menial roles, and cannot rise to positions of power.

Wyntiress (and Cahedrist) historians point to a time in their past in which the survivor men of Wyntiri were all but lost, leaving the Wyntiri women to pull society together, and maintain their past heritage. Once a balance was restored, Wyntiri women retained their positions of power, and the males existed in a subservient role. Males from other countries tend to look down on Wyntiri men with scorn, disbelief, pity, and disgust.

Within the borders of their own lands, male and female Wyntiris wear very little, save for what is necessary for basic comfort. However, for those Wyntiresses who decide to leave the swamps, most choose to wear silk dresses or doublets with light chainmail ornamentation.

THELL
Across the frigid waters of the Frost Rush lies the collection of city-states referred to loosely as Thell. Of all the nations, Thell is the least well known, partly because of its remote location, partly because of its inhospitable (freezing cold) nature, and partly because the Thellan language barrier.

Thellans are black of skin, and customarily bleach their hair white. Like Regimantians, they are generally powerfully built. Thellans dress heavily and in layers. Outer layers are usually furs, while inner layers are made of seal skin or waxed linen. Most Thellans mark their foreheads with a single white dot or a triangle of three smaller dots.

Thellans place a premium on self-reliance — it is a driving force within their society. From an early age (and during special milestone ages during their lives) children are taught to fend for themselves. These rites of passage are held as proof of the strength of their culture.

Interestingly enough, this has not made Thellans arrogant of spiteful, or even reclusive. While there is a spectrum of personality between the various Thellan city-states, most are warm-hearted, gregarious, even generous. Thellans are rarely seen beyond their borders, but they have a reputation for being trustworthy, fierce, and capable. Most people of other nations view them as exotic, and they are often subjected to something of celebrity status when they visit a town.

Thellan language is complex, and according to Cahedrists, must have evolved in a distinctly different way from other languages The language is an integrated mixture of words, clicks, gestures and body twitches, made more complex by the fact that it is learned through oral tradition — there is no native Thellan alphabet or writing. This has not stopped Cahedrists from attempting to codify it, but thus far there has been little success. Outside of Thell, there are very, very few places to learn the Thellan language.

DAIR (AND THE TWILIGHT CONCLAVE)

Dair is not a nation, but a single sovereign city located in the Twilight Conclave, across Frost Rush Bay from Regimantis. It is a fiercely independent place, and has resisted and repelled incursions from both Regimantis and Callen Moor over its history, earning it a reputation for being a maverick, stalwart, speak-your-mind kind of city. As such, it has continued to attract larger than life personality types ever since.

“Dairmen do as Dairmen dare” goes the proverb, which speaks volumes to its lack of political alliances with any of the other nations. Dair prefers to be neutral, self-relaint and ready for whatever might come. This attitude has made it the preferred trading outpost of the limited number of Thellan traders that exist. It also makes Dair a place where those on the run, those looking to start a new life, or those looking to conduct businesses that exist apart from sovereign rule tend to congregate.

Dair’s ruling council keeps a large armed force trained and at the ready and is not afraid to employ it. Dair was the first armed force to come to the aid of the Nations during the Shadow War and was a core member of the Grand Alliance. Once the War was over however, the Dair forces quickly dispersed back to their beloved city.

Inhabitants are a mix of all the nations, with some obviously coming from ancient Ennu stock — larger bones, almond skin, muscle/fat mix.

Dairmen dress warmly, and are usually semi- or full armored. Being ready at a moments notice is one with their sense of fashion.