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Author: Harken
Date Added: 1/10/09
Last Modified: 7/20/09
Of the five common races of Aedolyn, the humans are the most abundant and hold three of the nine seats of power. As a general rule, the human species is the more ’rounded’ species of them all and have a well balanced sense of life. They are inherently not blessed with an advantage in anything but instead with the ability to specialize in and master any number of fields. The alignments of Humans vary but it is safe to assume that the people of the nation will stick to the general alignment of the nation set down by one of the Nine.
The Four HumansBäran
Lands: Since the Age of the Nine the Bäran people have lived and dominated the lands of the Kingdom of Bäros including the Bäros Lowlands, the Sylinian Plains, and the Dvorian River Valley. Historically, they also settled in the Mirodo Highlands, but no longer make any sort of claim to that region focusing solely on the three major regions of the Kingdom of Bäros. The ancient peoples of Sylinia and Dvoria have been grouped into the Bäran Humans since they are so physically and regionally similar.
Physical Features:
Lifespan: 100 Years
Height: 5’5” – 5’11”
Weight: 120 – 250 lbs
Hair: Darker shades of Brown, Black
Eyes: Green, Brown
Build: Varies
Skin: Rarely pale, mostly tan
Traits: Typically well-rounded
Relations:
History:
Telgin
Lands: The Telgin People weren’t as prominent in the early ages as they were in the later years. The Telgin lands didn’t exist until the Third or Fourth Age even though the Telgin Republic appeared during the Second Age. The lands of the Telgin include only a portion of the Telgin Republic: the southern half of the Telgin Moor which holds their capital in which they dominate. The Telgins are extremely adept when it comes to the sea and sailing; it is said that the life of a Telgin belongs to the sea and it is usually true. A majority of Telgins spend a portion of their life at sea; it is treated as a coming of age type situation. The Telgin culture also emphasizes the importance of magic, and therefore the typical Telgin is also a mage. Despite their minimal territory, the Telgins have much respect across Aedolyn for their general neutrality, richness, and kind-hearted manner.
Physical Features:
Lifespan: 180 Years
Height: 5’10” – 6’4”
Weight: 115 – 175 lbs
Hair: Blonde, White, Light Brown
Eyes: Blue, Green
Build: Tall, Thin
Skin: Pale
Traits: Very magically inclined, well on the sea, natural rangers
Relations: Attempted neutrality
History:
Galstran (Vahr’dak)
Lands: The Galstran (or Vahr’dak as they call themselves) were the original people of the ancient city of Zul’Caer in the current Galstrom Alliance. They were very rebellious of their god Viscerra and there therefore persecuted, driven from their homeland, and cursed. This curse altered their appearance and abilities and essentially created the Galstran race. Now the Galstran are spread out across the lands of Galstrom contributing as a large minority to the city of Dák’mitorë.
Physical Features:
Lifespan: 50 Years
Height: 5’5” – 5’11”
Weight: 75 – 130 lbs
Hair: Very Long, Shades of Black and White
Eyes: Grey, Blue, Hazel
Build: Varies, Light, Athletic
Skin: Shades of Grey
Additional Information: Galstrans have thick and sharp nails resembling claws and it is not uncommon to come across a Galstran with very short horns; however, not everyone has them. Their hair also is typically very long ranging from mid back length to floor length.
Traits: Enhanced speed and jumping capabilities due to their light bones and natural athleticism. Because they were cursed by Viscerra they are no longer as able to use magic as other humans. Their typical weapon is the spear. Their shortened life naturally improved their memory.
Relations: Galstrans don’t tend to interact with anyone outside of Galstrom, and if they do it is with elves. There are slight relations with the elves of Nâvirfëll, but they also try to avoid any involvement in the Problem of Galstrom. Dark elves, however, have close relations with the Galstran, orcs, and trolls. Within Galstrom, the Galstran are at a perpetual war with the orcs and the trolls. Everything is on a clan-to-clan basis, so alliances between small sects are often formed, as well as hatreds. The Galstran used to be governed by the Gray Estate, but now the Gray Estates are not viewed as sovereign bodies.
History: Shortly after the formation of the Sharrum Alliance in the Third Age there was a revolt in the northern region of the Galstrom Badlands. The humans who lived there were in opposition to forming an alliance and so bluntly ending the reign of prosperity. They hatched a plan to march into Haar and overthrow Viscerra; however, when news of this revolt and their intentions reached her ears, Viscerra quickly smashed them down. She went one step further and unleashed a plague upon their lands which completely destroyed the badlands and Zul’Caer and cursed all the people transforming them from humans to Galstrans. Their appearance worsened and their lifetime decreased, but, staying true to the balance of Aedolyn, they also gained a few abilities. The land would forever be barren and would be referred to as the Northern Plaguelands or the Barren Lands.
After that, the Galstran had no choice but to abandon their ancient homeland in search of a new one. Many took refuge in Haar, but that city was already dominated by orcs, so they continued to travel south until they settled on Dák’mitorë, at the time, a small town with a prime location in the middle of the Zul’Caer Highlands. Galstrans also felt a connection with the name Zul’Caer and could never part with their beloved home city. They rebuilt their society with Dák’mitorë as the center instead of Zul’Caer. They rose to prominence again and rejoined the flow of life in Galstrom and in Aedolyn.
After the dissolution of the Haar Peace Accords in the Fifth Age, Galstrom was thrown into a frenzy and plunged itself into a anarchic state of war that devoured the lands, destroyed all order, and changed the way of life in Galstrom forever. The ancient Gray Estates lost their political and social clout and the long-protected culture and traditions of the Galstran began to fade away. Today, in the sixth age, the Galstran live mostly in clans with no significant regard to the Gray Estates and continue to fight on a day-to-day basis with the other peoples of Galstrom.
The Gray EstatesHistoryThere were originally five estates that comprised the Gray Estates and they ruled equally and peacefully over the Galstrom Badlands and Zul’Caer, but after Viscerra cured the human race and forced them to relocate their entire society, relations got complicated. Territory became an issue and all of the estates split into two or even three other estates. By the end of the Third Age there were 12 recognized estates but it was not uncommon for estates to die out and for new ones to emerge. All of the estates are managed by the Gray Council which consists of the head of each estate and they would delegate and solve problems by means of this council. The Council used to be based in Zul’Caer but was moved to Dák’mitorë and now it still exists but not every estate attends the gatherings, but another example of how the Gray Estates are losing political and social clout. Below is a list of the current estates and their locations:
- Four in Dák’mitorë: Kohlm, Tilu’n, Nuuk, Sámangn
- Three in the Zul’Caer Highlands: Oru’zgal, Malzâr, Farahan
- Two in the Galstrom Steppes: Niruzan, Sarií
- Two in the Galstrom Badlands: Baalk, Kandar
- One in Haar: Hérrat
StructureEach Estate was ruled by a strict internal order but that fell apart after the dissolution of the Haar Peace Accords and the destruction of the highlands in the Fifth Age. But before then, the estates were based on strict hereditary and territory criterions. Each estate is composed of several noble houses and each noble house is a family of pure blood, meaning a family that does not breed outside of their respected estate unless the marriage was approved by the parents. Houses choose which estate they are in and, if necessary, can move from one estate to another, but this usually results in complications and house splits (moving from one estate to another usually requires consent from the new estate). Each estate is ruled by the Estate Council which is comprised of the heads of each of the house which are called Fahlons. The Estate Council chooses one of the Fahlons to represent the entire estate in the Gray Council and this person is called a Stave. (There are no gender restrictions in Galstran culture.)
The concept of autonomous houses within each estate makes the estates very unstable, especially now in the Sixth Age, and it also promotes much drama, corruption, and deception. The history of the Gray Estates in plagued by the ambitions and actions of the individual houses, and the more powerful the house the more corrupt the estate was. A Galstran who breeds outside of an estate suffers many consequences; it negates their nobility status and dissolves their political protection by the estate. They are then forced to leave the estate and live on their own or join an outside clan which can chose to affiliate with an estate or not. Clans are groups of Galstrans who have been exiled from their estate or have voluntarily left, they are generally small and before the Sixth Age, many would eventually rise to House status and eventually rejoin an estate and regain their nobility status, however, only the lesser estates would accept such unpure-blooded houses.
Today, in the Sixth Age, the Gray Estates are very unstable because their leadership it constantly changing, laws and decrees tend to change from Stave to Stave. Assassinations, murder, and other backstabbing acts are prevalent and the Galstran to still partake in this political system have come to accept corruption as inherent.
A basic breakdown of the structure is as follows:
Gray Estates
Gray Council
Heads of Estates – Staves
Noble Houses
Estate Council
Heads of Houses – Fahlons
Clans
Heads of Clans - Hamids
In Galstran SocietyEach Galstran used to belong to an Estate and each was marked with traditional tattoos that they receive at a young age (once their body has stopped growing after around 8 years), but since the Fifth Age the Estates have become more traditional and less of a sovereign body. Not many Galstrans place much importance on purity of Houses and they have, therefore, become so mixed and corrupt that it doesn’t really matter anymore. Clans have emerged as the primary lifestyle of the typical Galstran (not based so much on lineage and more just on territory and affiliation). The Estates and Houses still exist, but they are holding on to the ancient names because that is all they have left to justify anything including their existence.
Nívak
Lands: The lands of the Nívak people are the most ancient lands in all of Aedolyn, they are also the center of Aedolyn. The Nívak Desert is where the world began and the main stage of the Days of Aratar. After the Awakening the Nívak Desert with split in two and the southern half continued the name of the Nívak and became the lands of the Nívak Federation ruled by autonomous clans. The Nívak people are much darker complexions than their other human counterparts, except for the Galstrans. In general, they are more muscular and tend more to focus on physical means instead of magical means of fighting. If they do dabble in the art of magic they tend to stay in the elemental and spiritual spheres. The Nívak people live all across the Nívak desert but a large population is focused on their capital, the ancient fortress of Zal’Garish.
Physical Features:
Lifespan: 250 Years
Height: 5’6” – 6’2”
Weight: 150 – 250 lbs
Hair: Brown, Blonde
Eyes: Brown, Green
Build: Muscular, Larger Frames
Skin: Tan, Brown
Traits: Typically well-rounded
Relations:
History:
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