Races

Races of Cerilia

Cerilia is a broad, rich continent home to dozens of races, but humans are by far the dominant race. In the span of a mere two thousand years, humans have dotted the land with towns, cities, and other settlements, pushing back the elves, goblins, and other races native to Cerilia to claim this land as their own. Other races are still numerous and powerful though, and as the Empire of Anuire has waned and failed, many lands once held by humans have reverted to wilderness.
What follows is a brief description of the major human and non-human races that inhabit Cerilia. These are by no means the only races that may be found in Cerilia, but between them they control the majority of Cerilia's realms, kingdoms, and empires.

Excerpt of an Interview with Rich Baker:

Question :

The Human cultures of Cerilia are a real part of what makes it distinctive. Even without ability score modifications, they seem to ooze of a specific feel and attitude. They also seem to emulate specific real world cultures. Can you expand on this and touch on each Cerilian culture and any real world influences you had when designing them, and why you chose these specific influences?

Rich:

Well, there aren’t many secrets here. The Anuireans are more or less based on medieval France, with a strong resemblance to the political patchwork of the Holy Roman Empire (or German Empire) of the 13th to 15th century. They’re actually the most fictional of the human nationalities, since the Anuirean language and names are basically made up from material I developed a very long time ago in one of my first attempts at world-building.
The Brechtur are inspired by the Hanseatic League, the Dutch, and the mercantile city-states of the Italian peninsula. (The Hanseatic League is a pretty interesting piece of European history that most Americans have never heard of, by the way; it’s worth reading up on.) Call it northern Europe of the 14th to 16th century.
The Khinasi resemble Moorish Spain of the 12th to 14th century, with a dash of Ottoman Turkey in places like Khourane and Aftane. (The great sea-battle won by El-Arrasi against the Anuirean fleet is Lepanto in reverse.) There’s a sense of tolerance, learning, and civilization present in Khinasi that is unknown in the other lands. The Khinasi place-names generally come from north and west Africa, changed by a letter or two.
The Rjurik have a sort of strange Viking-highland Scot-native American mix, with a strong emphasis on the Viking part. Some of the more densely settled and long-established kingdoms (Halskapa, for instance) bear a strong resemblance to Denmark of the 12th to 13th century. I borrowed place-names from Norway, Sweden, and Finland for the Rjurik, changing a letter here and a syllable there to give them new twists.
The Vos are based on Russia and eastern Europe of the Dark Ages (say, the 9th to 11th centuries), with a patchwork of nomadic tribes, some Slavic, some Turkic. Peoples like the Pechegi and Polovtsians (forgive my spelling if I got ‘em wrong) are very Vos, as are races like the Bulgars and the Serbians. The language is very Russian, derived in much the same manner as the Khinasi and Rjurik names. You’ll notice that the Alexander Nevsky story is one of the first things we tell you about the Vos, although we changed the names to protect the innocent.
Why’d we do this? The short answer, I guess, is to increase the «realism» of the setting. One common tongue and culture for all humans everywhere feels kind of odd in a fantasy world, so we looked for a good example of many cultures in close proximity. Europe’s real history gave us all the inspiration we needed.

HUMANS
The humans of Cerilia vary widely; no less than five distinct human cultures dwell there. Cerilia's peoples are spread across the entire continent, and though there is some intermingling, the Cerilian humans have done an excellent job of maintaining their respective heritages and ways of life.

ANUIREANS
.Anuireans (an-WEER-ee-ans) are native to the southwestern portion of Cerilia. The ancient Anuireans were a fair-skinned, red-haired people, but over centuries of extensive contact with other cultures Anuireans have lost any defining physical characteristics.

Anuirean society is semi-feudal, founded on a class of free farmers and craftsmen; slavery is an offense to the Anuireans. Regents are usually titled nobles. Anuireans respect nobility, and look to their leaders to protect them from the savages who surround the states of the old empire. Commoners strongly identify with their lords, and the dealings and alliances of the noble families is a topic of constant discussion throughout Anuirean lands.

The Anuireans were once the overlords of nearly the entire continent. Following the lead of Emperor Roele, they dominated the other cultures of the land, and it seemed certain that they would be the ones to bring the disparate bloodlines together and unite the land forever. However, the death of Michael Roele (the last ruler of a 1,000-year dynasty) changed all of that. The Anuireans as a whole are now no more and no less powerful as the other peoples of Cerilia.

Still, the Anuireans have the advantage over their comrades, in that they have the lushest part of Cerilia to work from. The weather is temperate, the fields yield a bountiful harvest, and there's a plentiful supply of goods coming through the former capital of the Empire. It's no wonder that the Anuireans were able to dominate Cerilia for centuries.

Anuirean leaders are usually warriors, or at least cultivate a warlike aspect. After all, the chief god of Anuire is Haelyn, the god of war. Also, every Anuirean ruler knows that Roele established his Empire by taking over one kingdom at a time, and every regent thinks she can duplicate the feat. This means that the Anuireans' advantage over the neighboring cultures is wasted because the small kings spend their time squabbling among each other.
In a historical context, Anuire can be viewed as an amalgamation of the Roman Empire and Medieval England. Anuire has a relatively advanced medieval technology similar to that of the early Renaissance cultures.
Anuirean cultural traits

The Anuireans are a stubborn, proud, and warlike people who respect social order and take great pains to maintain a demeanor appropriate to their rank and duties. Reserved and formal, Anuireans are sensitive to even slight changes in body language and mannerisms. Furthermore, the dealings and alliances of noble families are favored topics of continuous discussion throughout Anuirean lands.

KHINASI
The Khinasi (kih-NAH-see) characters are native to the region known as Khinasi. Unlike the other human races, they're descended from the dark-skinned Basarji (bah-SAR-zhee) and speak a language known by the same name. The Basarji didn't come to Cerilia with the other human tribes; they colonized the southern shores of Cerilia from lands across the Bair el-Mehire. They are tall and lanky, with aquiline features and dark eyes. They range from a light coffee to a dark brown complexion

Unlike other human cultures, the Khinasi have no fear of magic. The study of magic is considered the noblest of callings, and the universities of Khinasi are the finest in Cerilia. Like the Brecht, common Khinasi are traders and merchants, but a person's decorum, hospitality, and conduct are far more important than gross wealth.

The Khinasi make much of their living by trade. While the Brecht tend to trade to the north and west, as well as to the Vos and Rjurik, the Khinasi practice their commerce with the Anuireans and their ancestors across the Sea of Dragons. Unlike the Brecht, the Khinasi assimilate the aspects of other cultures they find valuable, while still maintaining a core of being that is Basarji in origin.

The Basarji became known as the Khinasi because of their most famous leader in times past. The mage-king el-Arassi rose during the Anuirean occupation of Basarji lands, and forced the Anuirean Empire to grant a measure of independence to the Basarji city-states through his skillful manipulation of politics and magic. In gratitude, the Basarji named themselves "Khinasi," or "people under the protection of el-Arassi." Though they still retained their tribal name of Basarji, they became known as the Khinasi throughout the rest of Cerilia.

The Khinasi live in city-states scattered about their lands. Each kingdom tends to hold only one city of any importance; the king rules the surrounding provinces, which provide livestock and other goods, from the comforts of the city. In most city-states, the people are free to travel from the provinces to petition the king. Khinasi rulers are usually wizards, for the Khinasi value intelligence in their people above all else. It's known that there are regents of other professions, but their reigns are usually unsuccessful.

In a historical context, Khinasi can be viewed as being closest to the early Arabian cultures. The Khinasi have the most advanced educational system in Cerilia and their technology is similar to that of the Renaissance cultures.

Khinasi cultural traits: The Khinasi people are well-educated traders and merchants that know that an individual’s decorum, hospitality, and conduct are far more important than gross wealth. Unlike other cultures, the Khinasi have no fear of magic; to them it is considered the noblest of callings.

BRECHT
The Brecht (BREH-kt) folk inhabit north-central Cerilia. They tend to be short and stocky, with dark hair and eyes. Early in their history, they were under the rule of Anuirean governors, and the nobility declined drastically in power and importance. When the Anuirean Empire fell and the Brecht gained independence, the guilds and merchants came into power.

The Brecht believe in free enterprise, and Brecht society revolves around wealth. The nobility is weak in Brechtür, and several states have declared themselves republics. The Brecht have a fierce love of independence and a tradition of self-reliance; they don't wait for their lordlings or rulers to solve problems for them. Commerce and trade are expressions of this belief, and Brecht commoners owe their first loyalty to guilds and companies.

The Brecht are sea-faring traders, plying their ships through the frozen Krakennauricht to reach foreign ports. Though they have the most exposure to other continents and cultures, they are, strangely, also one of the most insular of peoples. They've seen how other people live, and while they don't necessarily disapprove, they're far more comfortable with their own way of life.

Brechtür leaders are typically of the rogue class, though they call themselves merchants. Their patron deity is Sera (called Sarimie by the Anuireans), goddess of fortune and commerce, and so the Brecht base their lives on living up to her ideals. Therefore, the merchant class is the highest rank one can gain in Brechtür society, and many sailors give their lives trying to achieve it. Money, not nobility or knowledge, is the driving force behind Brecht society.

The folk of Brechtür are, above all, pragmatic. They generally won't fight a battle they're sure to lose, instead preferring to bargain their way out of it. Most of them won't betray friends for the sake of a profit, but it has been known to happen. This is not to say that they're entirely cold to the needs of others, but they do tend to weigh the costs and benefits of their actions.

Brecht lands are surrounded by mountains on one side and the sea on the other. They have been beaten once by a land-bound army, they're determined not to let it happen again. The passes through the mountains are now well guarded, and the Brecht see themselves as unbeatable at sea. Combine this with their skill at commerce, and they become somewhat full of themselves, viewing their position as unassailable.

In a historical context, Brechtür can be viewed as an amalgamation of the Dutch and the trade oriented Hanseatic Period of the Germanic cultures. Brechtür has a relatively advanced medieval technology similar to that of the early Renaissance cultures.
Brecht cultural traits: The Brecht society revolves around wealth and the sea. The Brecht believe in free enterprise, sharp wits, and nimble fingers. The Brecht are a fiery and quick-witted people and often act before others have had time to consider a matter thoroughly.

RJURIK
The Rjurik (ree-YOU-rik) inhabit the taiga and highlands of northwestern Cerilia. They're a tall, broad-shouldered people with blond or red hair and fair complexions. Both men and women wear their hair in long braids. The Rjurik are stubborn individualists who don't swear fealty to anyone besides their own kin; the family is most important part of Rjurik life.

Most Rjurik follow the god Erik, old father of the forests, and druids are revered throughout Rjurik society as teachers, leaders, and advisers. Common Rjurik have a deep respect and love for Cerilia's wilds, and carefully avoid over-hunting or clearing virgin forest.

Living in the wind-swept land north of Anuire, the Rjurik make their living by hunting across the hills and moors of their territory. The Rjurik rely on individuality to see them through, yet they also place a strong bond on the clan. They are nomads in the summer, but return to their halls at first snowfall, there to keep the cold at bay with feasts and roaring fires in the mammoth hearths. They venture out into the cold in hunting parties, replenishing their larders as necessary. Because of the harshness of the landscape and the ever-present danger of monsters, the Rjurik almost never travel alone.

Though the Rjurik have jarls to lead them, and can demand the jarls step down if they fail to do a good job, the true rulers of the people are the druids in their groves. They bend the Rjurik opinions, and conduct the rites that keep the Rjurik mighty. The jarls seek out the druids in the oaks and taiga, searching for words of wisdom to guide their people.

There's little war in Rjurik. For one thing, the Rjurik people don't see the need to glorify themselves through massive battles. For another, the nearest clans are usually a good distance away, making the logistics of battle uncertain. Finally, the Rjurik prefer to face off in one-on-one challenges when an insult is dealt or when an upstart seeks to become the new jarl, rather than wasting precious lives.

This is not to say that the Rjurik will not fight wars. When foreign armies invade the tundra, the Rjurik can mobilize better and faster than nearly any army in Cerilia. Since they know their land well, they can travel across it far faster than their enemies, and reinforcements seem to arrive at supernatural speeds.

The Rjurik themselves are a hardy race of foresters, hunters, and warriors. Their jarldoms and clan-holds are scattered along the forbidding coasts of the Mhiere Rhuann and the icy Thaelasian passage, although a few small holds can be found as far east as the Krakennauricht. The Rjurik are a free-minded people who place little importance on titles or rulers; a Rjurik jarl reigns by the consent of his folk and can be replaced if they don't like the way he's doing his job.

In a historical context, the Rjurik are an amalgamation of that of the Nordic Vikings and the mythic Celts. Rjurik technology is not particularly advanced and can be viewed as roughly equivalent to the technologies of the Middle Age cultures.

Rjurik cultural traits: The Rjurik are a wild and hardy people. They are taught from an early age a deep reverence and respect for Cerilia's wilds and are notable foresters.

VOS

The Vos (VAHS) are a barbaric race from the cold mountains and forests of northeastern Cerilia. They are tall, thick-boned people with flat features, light eyes, and a sallow hue. Male warriors are fond of shaving their heads and wearing long, drooping mustaches.
The Vos have a rigid code of face and honor that demands blood for even unintentional insults. Their leaders are war-chieftains known as tsarevos, advised by the priests of the grim Vos gods. Almost all Vos men are warriors and hunters - any other profession is considered unmanly. Vos women are greatly limited in their freedom by custom, although a few women have succeeded as warriors or tsarevas.

The Vos are by far the most brutal and misunderstood of the humans. They live in the area of Cerilia known to geographers as Vosgaard, but to its neighbors as the Land of Darkness, the Brutal Lands, or the Lands of Midnight Sun. It's populated heavily by humanoids and monsters. The gods of the Vos are harsh and evil, and the Vos themselves have a reputation for being nearly as cruel as the humanoids they hunt.

Though all these things are true of the Vos, there's also something about them that most people don't take into account: The Vos live in the harshest part of Cerilia, surrounded by inhuman creatures. Though they once worshiped the god of the moon and magic, they've found little solace in his teachings. Small wonder, then, that they turned to gods more suited to their land, gods of cold and rage.

The Vos rulers are priests of the Ice Lady and the Terror God. They earn the Vos their reputation, for they are the ones constantly warring on each other and those surrounding them. Those who are not priests rarely have power in Vosgaard, for one of the few threats the Vos leaders unite against is a leader whose visions don't come from the gods.

Taken individually, the Vos are actually decent people. Though they don't believe in mercy, they understand compassion. While they're savage in battle, they have a firm code of honor. And while they hunt their enemies ruthlessly, their friends are their most treasured possessions.
The other human races of Cerilia are inclined to view the Vos as evil barbarians, savages, and marauders, but this isn't an entirely accurate assessment. The Vos have their cities and kingdoms, and there are heroes of noble bearing among them. It's important to remember that by their own standards Vos warriors are acting with honor when they raid and pillage the lands of the Brecht or the Basarji. And while no one will ever accuse a Vos of subterfuge or subtlety, it's also true that a person always knows where he stands with a Vos warrior.

The code of courage and violent tendencies of Vos warriors and rulers have made north-eastern Cerilia a battlefield for the settling of their differences and feuds. The Vos hold "weaker" cultures in contempt and view the other peoples of Cerilia as potential slaves or enemies, but they absolutely hate each other. Travelers in Vosgaard should go to great lengths to avoid associating themselves with any particular chieftain or baronet - it's dangerous to take sides, even by placing oneself under a chieftain's protection.

In a historical context, the Vos are most similar to the ancient Mongols or Huns. Vos technology is the least advanced of the human cultures and can be viewed as roughly equivalent to the technologies of the Dark Age cultures. There is no written version to the Vos language and only those that speak another language are literate.

Vos cultural traits: The Vos are a strong and warlike people with a rigid code of face and honor. The Vos know what it means to fight for survival - both against their foes, and the bitter cold of their homeland.

DWARVES, CERILIAN

Dwarves lived in the mountains of Cerilia long before humans came to the land. Over the years, the dwarven holds have chosen a defensive strategy, fortifying their approaches and retreating to their cities under the mountains whenever threatened. Dwarves have a fierce hatred of orogs, the result of uncounted wars fought under the earth.
The typical dwarf stands about 4' to 4'6" in height, with an exceptionally stocky build and thick, sturdy bones. Dwarves are creatures of stone, the children of the mountains, and their bodies are twice as dense as those of other creatures; in this respect they're closely related to stone giants. Dwarves often weigh as much as 250 to 300 pounds despite their size. A dwarf's skin is gray, stony, and cold to the touch. All dwarves have eyes that are dark as jet and their hair and beards are black or dark gray in color and normally cropped short.
The dwarves of Cerilia usually adhere to friendly neutrality; thus they are on good terms with most other races, including the elves. They're masterful craftsmen and traders; dwarven caravans roam through Cerilia laden with goods. Dwarven arms and armor are the best in Cerilia and Dwarven mercenaries are highly prized. In the privacy of their own homes, the dwarves of Cerilia are hardly the dour and grim sentinels that they are first appear. Though they still have the responsibility of keeping the orogish population in check under the mountains, their lives are filled with merriment and gaiety.
Dwarven kingdoms are generally organized around the clan, and clan members are expected to be loyal to their clan first and king second. The clan leaders, in turn, first serve their people and swear fealty to the dwarven king. The dwarven king must therefore be an adept negotiator and a shrewd politician to keep his people together.
Dwarves learn the arts of war at an early age, for they see their duty as containing the orogs in the caverns under the mountains. The orogs have, strangely, grown ever more mighty in their years of confinement, and the dwarves have had become that much better to deal with the orogish menace. It is partly for this reason that they prefer not to deal with outsiders - visitors distract the sentries.
In addition to being skilled fighters, the dwarves of Cerilia are also excellent miners. Each dwarf clan tends to specialize in a certain sort of mining, so that one clan searches out gems, while another specializes in ores. The clans within a kingdom tend to complement one another, so no clan is left with a useless skill. Dwarves are the most technologically advanced race of Cerilia; their level of technology is roughly equivalent to the historical cultures during the close of the Renaissance period.

ELVES, CERILIAN (SIDHELIEN)

There is only one race of Cerilian elves; they call themselves the Sidhelien (SHEE-lin). The Sidhelien hold court in deep, mist-wreathed vales in the darkest heart of the ancient Cerilian forests. The elves of Cerilia are a graceful but reclusive race, suspicious of humankind. Early in Cerilia's history they contested human settlement of Cerilia's vast forests, and a strong current of ill will towards the human nations still runs strong in the elven woods.

Elves stand as tall as humans, but they're far more slender and graceful. Most average between 5'6" and 6' in height, but weigh only 120 to 140 pounds. They are pale, with fair skin and dark hair, and their features are exquisitely formed. Elves possess an unearthly beauty, and their perfect voices can hold a mortal spellbound. Unfortunately, elves are very conscious of their perceived superiority and treat others with coldness or condescension.

Cerilian elves are creatures of faerie and starlight, gifted with immortality and powers of mind and body beyond those of humankind. They're neither a force for good nor a force for evil; an elven wood can be perilous for human travelers, but even more so for goblinoids or gnolls. The elven heart is unfathomable to mortals; they're moved to wild delight, dark melancholy, or burning rage with the only the slightest of causes. More than anything else, elves are unpredictable doing what pleases them from one moment to the next.

Elves resist aging and normal disease - only magical diseases such as lycanthrope can harm them. They cannot see in total darkness, but can see by starlight or moonlight as well as a human sees by daylight. Elves don't need to sleep, but they can become physically exhausted and must rest quietly, studying spells or standing watch, for about as long as a human needs to sleep. Cerilian elves can move over heavy snow, soft sand, or a mountainside as easily as a human walks across a level surface.

The elves of Cerilia are not the run-of-the-mill elves that most might expect. These elves, though civilized enough that their music can bring tears to the eyes of even the roughest forester, also have a core of savagery that permeates their being. Having lived with the brutal humanoids for thousands of years, the elves have had to learn to deal harshly with those who oppose them. Besides, they've watched everything they built over the past millennia come crashing down around them with the arrival of the humans such a short time (about two elven generations) ago.
As such, they harbor deep hatred in their collective breast for those who've dispossessed them. This extends to humans or humanoids, or whoever stands in the way of the elven dominion. However, there are elves who take a more rational view to the whole thing, seeing the humans as the next step and a needed catalyst for change. These elves look to the humans for ways to improve the elven kingdoms, to teach the elves the realities of living in modern Cerilia.

The Elven Court has fractured from a single large kingdom into many small ones, just as the human Empire has shattered. Every elven settlement now has its own version of the Elven Court, but none of them can match the glories of the original. The elves hope to reunite the elven lands to recapture the beauty and grace of the past. Even so, elves remain one of the most technologically advanced races of Cerilia; their level of technology is roughly equivalent to that of historic cultures during of the late Renaissance period.
The type of elven ruler varies from court to court, depending on what the elves of that nation value. The elves of Tuarhievel favor warriors, while those of the Sielwode prefer mages as their leader. Of course, each court prefers its type of leader over all others. If elves are to reconcile, they must first set aside these differences.
When the humans began to force the elves from their ancestral homes, the elven leaders began the gheallie Sidhe, or Hunt of the Elves. Elven knights roamed the lands held by the elves, slaying whatever humans they found trespassing in their borders. Most elven lands have long since called a cease to this hunt, but individual elves and some entire elven nations continue the battle to this day.
The elves are aware that gods exist, but they do not pay homage to them. Particularly after their deception and betrayal by Azrai, the elves have been adamant in their refusal to worship human gods. To the elves, spiritual development is the responsibility of the individual. The path that an elf takes is a decision that only he or she can make. So strong is this belief that if an elf chooses to worship one of the human gods, so be it. The only restriction placed upon such rare individuals is that they not discuss their religious ideologies within elven realms.

HALF-ELVES, CERILIAN
From time to time, a particularly handsome or beautiful human with courage and a gracious manner can walk among the Sidhelien and return unscathed. A few humans have even been accepted as equals in the elven courts. Mortals quickly become lost in the elven spell; the years reel by in splendor and celebration, while the world outside comes to a halt or leaps centuries ahead. The mortal may return home to find that only a single night passed, or that a hundred years have passed him by. More often than not, his life runs out in an eye blink, like a moth dancing too close to the flame.
Half-elves are the children of these unusual men and women and their elven hosts. The elves regard them as Sidhelien and welcome them in elven society. Humans are more suspicious of half-elves, referring to them as bewitched or as changelings. It is rare for half-elves to leave the elven woods.
Like elves, half-elves are beautiful and graceful, but their builds are heavier - they're well within the human ranges of height and weight. They share their elven parent's night vision, but have to sleep as much as a human.