Common Men

Common men on Kulthea tend to be smaller and shorter-lived than their High Men brethren. They are composed of myriad of different racial and cultural groups. The following list addresses some of the primary groups found on Emer and Jaiman.

Anzeti

The Anzeti reside in the mountainous regions of central Emer. Hardened by their climate, they are shy and reclusive, isolated, and seldom encountered by other races

Dúranaki

The Dúranaki are a nocturnal and distinctive group, residing in maze-like caverns carved out of the mountains of Jaiman. Their dress features black leather accented by silver and platinum studs and bracelets. Their hair is bleached white, dyed bright colors, and treated to stand out from their scalp. They are skilled craftsmen and tend to make talented Mages and Mentalists.

This race tends towards isolation, occasionally emerging to trade herbs and their fine metal craftwork with other groups on Jaiman. They commonly lead raids against the Myri, capturing many and retaining them as slaves. Through an unknown process, they condition the Myri minds to total loyalty, and Dúranaki representatives are never seen without at least one Myri bodyguard.

Jaaderi

The Jaaderi have long made their homes on the plains of Tai-emer, located in eastern Emer between the Spine of Emer and the Sea of Tears. They make up the main population of the Lankanôk empire, whose capital lies at Kenezán. Robust, strong, and aggressive, the Jaaderi are similar to the Maya

Maya peoples

The Maya people constitute a diverse range of the Native American people of southern Mexico and northern Central America. The overarching term "Maya" is a collective designation to include the peoples of the region who share some degree of cultural and linguistic heritage; however, the term...

 in appearance. They are sometimes seen trading in Sel-Kai.

Rhiani

These nomadic peoples make their home on the desert plains of Uj in southern Emer. Masters of horses, the Rhiani are fierce and strong-willed. These desert folk are unusual in that they have two eyelids. The outer one appears and functions as normal, while they inner eyelid consists of a thin membrane which shields their eyes from bright sunlight. With the inner eyelid closed, the Rhiani have a disturbing, “blind” look to them.

While not exceptionally numerous, the Rhiani are a hardy race; their lives in the deserts of Uj necessitates such a character. They are organized into twelve tribes that act independently of one another and, once a year, they send representatives to the ruined city of Shezarak where inter-tribal agreements, alliances, and marriages are established. These events are coupled with celebrations and vast discussions of important issues.

In general, the Rhiani are extraordinarily honest and strongly value that character in others. Conversely, the have little tolerance for liars, cheaters, and their ilk. The Rhiani have an uncanny ability to detect untruths, and are difficult (and dangerous) to bargain with if one is trying to cheat them.

Shay

The Shay are a common stock of men, the result of the mixture of many racial sub-groups, that reside in Tai-emer and southern and central Hæstra. Their physical characteristics can be quite varied. The Jameri are of Shay stock, but consist of those groups that migrated to Jaiman early in the Second Age during the initial rise of the Masters of Emer.

Talath/Myri

The Talath and Myri represent two nearly identical groups of hardy men that reside in northern Hæstra (central Emer) and Jaiman, respectively. While simple, they are powerfully built and exceptionally tall. They are often ruled by other people, but they tend not to mind as long as the rule is benevolent. They are not particularly docile (except the Myri when enslaved by the Dúranaki, who apparently use some kind of enchantment), make terrible slaves, and are protective of personal freedoms.

Y'nari

The Y’nari tend to concentrate in the northeastern region of Emer and the southern portion of Silaar, where they are known as the Nuyani. Their appearance is distinctive because of their almond-shaped eyes that slant slightly up on the outside, and eyelids with epicanthic folds (similar to the Asian

Asian people

Asian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...

 races of Earth).

Laan

The Laan carry a measure of immortal grace, perhaps suggesting a derivative ancestry from Elves. Indeed, they are long-lived, averaging 150 years or so, but are taller and more heavily boned than Elves. They are a beautiful race clouded by a grim determination that results from their mortality. They generally consider themselves superior to other beings, and throughout history have often been at odds with the Loari Elves, both of which are driven by an overriding ambition to control their own destinies. The Laan have built many empires on Emer and today mostly reside in Hæstra.

Zori

Physically and mentally, the Zori are identical to the Laan, but instead reside on the northern continent of Jaiman. The were once the architects of great empire in north central Jaiman, but it was destroyed in unknown catastrophe. Today, the wastes of Zor are rarely visited.

Elves

Shadow World Elves are taller and stronger than those found in the various Dungeons and Dragons settings, and are immortal

Immortality

Immortality is the ability to live forever. It is unknown whether human physical immortality is an achievable condition. Biological forms have inherent limitations which may or may not be able to be overcome through medical interventions or engineering...

.

Within Shadow World, elves are divided into a number of sub-types, including the Linæri, Loari, Erlini, and the Dyari. The first two types are considered the “High Born,” referred to as the Iylari. As a whole, they are generally taller than humans, have elongated ears, larger eyes, and slightly delicate features. To mortals, they can be quite beautiful. Common to all of the elves, however, are their egos, as they view themselves superior to all other races. This self-aggrandizement is demonstrated differently by each particular elven sub-group (i.e., the Erlini are somewhat self-effacing while the Linæri maintain a certain degree of charm about it), but it is most prominent among the Loari elves, who make no attempt at hiding their contempt for mortals.

Linæri

They are more philosophical and musical of the two groups of Iylari, preferring open spaces to structures and airy homes. They typically have golden blond hair, blue eyes, and fair skin.

Loari

The Loari seek power and the ability to craft; they are the forgers of great kingdoms and items of power. They are technologically advanced (at least, compared to the technological levels demonstrated by other mortal and immortal groups) and unsurpassed in gem-cutting, architecture, and making and working with metallic alloys. Their weapons, armor, and magical devices are among the most potent in the world. The great Loari smith Tethior, is a renowned figure in Kulthea’s history.

Most Loari typically have raven-black hair, pale skin, and brown or hazel eyes. They are stronger than other elves, and have a slightly heavier bone structure. Except in comparison to the mortal Laan, Loari warriors are without match among the humanoid races. Also, as mentioned, their egos are without match, either among the mannish races or the elven groups. Their conceit of other groups is, however, more passive than aggressive, as they rarely seek to dominate others.

Erlini

The Erlini are commonly called Wood Elves. They tend to be shorter than their high-born brethren and less muscular, but are among the most agile. Like the Linæri, the Erlini tend to live close to nature and prefer her in her unaltered state. Their architecture is never intrusive on nature, but seeks to work with it and around it. The Erlini are the most likely of the elven groups to intermingle with humans.

Dyari

Called the Dark Elves, the Dyari are not, in fact, dark skinned. They are typically fair skinned with pale or white hair, dark eyes, and can be physically intimidating like the Loari. As a whole, they are invariably evil (thus the “dark” moniker) and typically lend their considerable talents to the darker sides of the magical arts. They are cunning, cruel, and ambitious, the product of what happens to the Loari when they are coupled with a distinct lack of morality. Many are worshippers of the Dark Gods, especially Moralis and Inis, and not a few have given over to the Unlife.

Garks

Garks are evil ape-like creatures that inhabit the dense jungles and temperate forests of Emer and Jaiman. They are short, muscular, covered in a mottled gray fur, and only semi-intelligent. They employ crude weapons of stone, bone, or wood when aggressively defending their territory or raiding caravans, travelers, or homesteads.

Goblins

Goblins, known as the Murlogi in Emer, are small and vicious humanoids that carve cavernous homes out of the various mountain chains throughout Kulthea. They are fast-breeding, and their population numbers are uncountable. They are typically 3 – 4 ½ feet tall with large distorted faces, long ears, sharp teeth, and long arms. They are regarded by humans as stupid, but this is far from the truth – they are indeed skilled tacticians and craftsmen

Lugrôki

The grotesque Lugrôki are strong and fierce warriors. Their skin is almost black, and large fangs emerge from their snout-like mouth. They are talented craftsman, but only produce weapons of war that lack any beauty. The Lugrôki dwell in maze-like caverns under the Spine of Emer and other mountains on Emer and under the various chains of Jaiman. They can be divided among lesser and greater Lugrôki, a distinction based on size and, perhaps, intelligence. Lesser Lugrôki aer somewhat analogous to Orcs

Orc (Middle-earth)

In J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings, Orcs or Orks are a race of creatures who are used as soldiers and henchmen by both the greater and lesser villains of The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings — Morgoth, Sauron and Saruman...

 in Tolkien's legendarium

Tolkien's legendarium

The phrase Tolkien's legendarium is used in the literary discipline of Tolkien studiesto refer to the part of J. R. R. Tolkien's high fantasy fiction being concerned with his Elven legends; that is, historic events that have become legendary from the perspective of the characters of The Lord of the...

, while greater Lugrôki resemble the Uruk-hai

Uruk-hai

The Uruk-hai are fictional characters in J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth. They are introduced in The Lord of the Rings as an advanced breed or breeds of Orcs that serve Sauron and Saruman...

.

Trolls

Trolls are big, stupid, and extremely aggressive. Comprising many different kinds, trolls are found in nearly any kind of ecological context. Almost all trolls are sensitive to sunlight, and many local legends hold that they turn to stone or wood if exposed to direct sunlight.