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The Greater Realm of Elyden is home to more then just the races of men. The races of Beast, also widely known as beastlings, also inhabit Elyden, while not as civilized and unified as the races of men. They are savage, ruthless, and without mercy. There exist several major tribes of Beastlings, most are separated by race.
Gnolls: Gnolls are a humanoid beastling race that most closely resemble hyenas that dwell in the north eastern parts of Elyden. Gnolls are extremely tall, with the members of the race standing on average between 7' and 7'6". Though gnolls are relatively lean for their height, weighing in usually between 280 to 320 lbs, the race cuts an impressive visage. In part because of their height and lean musculature, gnolls are very quick compared with many other races such as humans or even other beastlings. Moreso than many other humanoid beastlings, primal instinct remains a strong part of the gnoll psyche. Gnolls are natural predators and savour the thrills of the hunt. Almost all gnolls prefer the wilderness to the civilized enclaves favoured by men, and those that do take to cities usually think of them as just another kind of landscape. Gnolls of the wilds prey upon isolated communities often, raping pillaging, marauding, and enslaving those left. Gnolls assault humans so often that half-gnolls happen quite frequently. Gnolls of all the beast races are perhaps the most reviled and hated. And with good reason.
Mongerls: These ape-like men make their home around the Endless plains and the eastern mountain ranges. Mongerls have a close connection with primal magic, and are some of the most skilled in its use. Many scholars believe primal magic in fact comes naturally to most of their ilk, with a good few extending their skills in it to become truly formidable. Mongrels are said to be swift warriors and skilled riders, that resemble anthropomorphic apes. They are also said to have a city deep in the east mountains called Cro Beska, but can also be found in the Endless Plains. Always a thorn in the side of the sides of the Khitani, as mongerls are said to kidnap men and women alike and, using powerful primal magic, forcefully transform them into bestial mounts.
“No one knows from where Gothians originally came, but the gothica hoards are a race of horrors that have been a threat to the civilized cultures of Elyden for as long as any can remember.“ - Lord Marshal Erik Halverson, Templar of Korczyn.
Grimgoths: Grimgoths belong the the Gothica family of beastlings, who make their home primarily in the central western mountain ranges. Grimgoths in particular are a race of monstrous humanoids that live in the underbarrows beneath the mountains. Grimgoths are some of the nastiest beastlings one can come upon, with the race often described as savage humanoids that have dwelt within the depths of the world for thousands of years, even during the time of dragons. As such, they have lost their sight in the lightless depths and have replaced their ability to sense the world around them with an acute sense of smell and echolocation. The underbarrow is a savage place, and grimgoths are just as primitive. They make crude clothing from the hide of animals and weapons from stone. Their love of dark places makes their appearance on the surface extremely rare and often short. They have the often nasty habit of infesting mines. As humanoid creatures Grimgoths have slightly scaled, gray skin that is usually scarred from hunts through constricted passageways. Perhaps the most striking feature of a grimgoth is the complete absence of eyes or eye sockets. Blank skin stretches across the upper face, giving grimgoths a shadowed, masked visage. The average height for a grimgoth, male or female, is five to five and a half feet. The average weight is around 180 pounds.
Boargoths: A boargoth is a massive humanoid distantly related to, but larger and stronger than, grimgoths and Voregoths. Like many Gothians, boargoths speak Gothric. They are one of the only Gothica's to be covered in fur. Boargoths resemble hairy, feral grimgoths standing seven feet tall and often weigh 300-350 pounds. They take their name from their tusk and claws, which are similar to those of boars, and unlike grimgoths, have eye sockets and eyes. Their claws are not long and sharp enough to be used as weapons, so Boargoths often armor and arm themselves with a variety of purloined gear. Most often, this gear is second-rate and in poor repair. Boargoths, like other Gothians, have a reputation for being dim-witted and brutish. This claim is not unfounded and like their kin boargoths have easily provoked tempers and are prone to fitful rages. Few boargoths overcome this nature and their culture's brutal nature. Boargoths tend to also be immensely stronger then most races of men, easily capable of lifting and tearing a mans head off with their bear claws.
Voregoths: Voregoths are a larger, stronger, smarter, and more menacing form of gothian than grimgoths, but not as powerful as boargoths. It is believed they may have created the latter two races, the former through force feeding a type of fungi to what was once a race of men and using primal magic to transform their bodies and minds. None are quite sure how Boargoths came about, but similar devilry is suspected. By and large voregoths, like their kin, are considered evil creatures and often meet this expectation. Voregoth society is cruel and harsh, with the race prizing discipline with brutal efficiency to the more softer virtues of civilized life. Voregoths are rarely found in communities where they are not in command of either grimgoths or boargoths, or sometimes both, and the most civilized gothian communities are ruled by the race. This is in large part because Voregoth society is more industrious and less savage than that of grimgoths or boargoths. Though sometimes boargoths take control most such communities are ruled over by the strongest Voregoth, who serves as the warchief.
Voregoths have a long tradition of mastering and breeding the creatures of the world into slaves of various sorts. Many, for instance, like working with wolves or worgs. Similarly, many wyvern breeds were first bred by Voregoths. Some even believe Voregoths carried this practice on within their own race, creating the grimgoths and boargoths in such a manner. Voregoths are immensely protective of their tribe's reputation and military status, so much so that meetings between different groups can turn violent if proper protocol is not followed. However, though Voregoth tribes are territorial and egotistical in nature they will often unite for a common purpose, such as war against the Races of men. Several large scale conflicts have in fact been born from “Vhor Gaku” which loosely translated means 'Warpath', these are large scale invasions or wars of vengeance against the races of men, often formed from imagined slights or just the love of war itself. This makes the Gothians undoubtedly the most dangerous of all the Beastlings, with Voregoths at the head, the are easily the most disciplined, well lead, and united of the beastling races. No community of Gothians must ever be allowed to foster...
Gorthger: Gorthger are the fierce offspring of ogres and Voregoths. They generally display the brutish tendencies of their larger sires, but are more cunning, violent, and prone to mutation. Gorthger are almost obsessed in their single-minded drive for combat. An Gorthger out of combat is restless and troubled, but is often seen chuckling wickedly to itself during particularly brutal fights. Gorthger often serve their gothian kin as valued mercenaries, as often for the love of combat and destruction, as for the gold and promise of loot.
Drus & Oak Men: Drus are small fey warriors who act as guardians of other fey creatures of the Greenwood such as Dryads. They are sometimes nicknamed Stings from their longswords they carry which are constructed from thorn plants. Thorns will attack anything that threatens the greenwood and other forest creatures. They prefer to sneak up on opponents and carry sleep arrows which cause adversaries to fall into a slumber. Quick and nimble they are not very strong, they have been known to call upon their older larger cousins, the Oak Men, giant sized tree men. Thanfkully to those who live within or around the greenwood, Drus, Dryads, and Oak men are quite docile if left alone and unmolested. Sighting either is extremely rare, as they blend seamlessly with their surroundings. One might stumble across a great Oak man and never know it.
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Knights of the Blazing Sun
The Knights of the Blazing Sun are a small elite order of Kumen devoted to the study and mastery of the science and art of warfare. These fervent followers of Kammeth value ability and accomplishment over all other factors, including noble birth. It is because of this that the order has grown in prosperity attracting the finest military minds to its banner. A Knight of the Blazing Sun's primary goal is to obtain perfection in the art of War, for this is one of Kammeths primary tenets, as such they travel Elyden individually seeking battle both large and small. A warband with a Knight of the Blazing sun at it's head is a potent force capable of dealing with opponents with a level of cunning that ensures victory before the battle is even joined.
As a private order from the Faith militant, the order will often join the wars of the faithful, often against beastling hoards or pagan uprisings.
The Argentum
The Argentum is a ministry within the Church of the Sacred Flame dedicated to the acquisition, study, and redistribution of magic items and artifacts, focusing on those that might be put to evil use. Freed from all restrictions and disavowed by the Church at large, it sends agents abroad to retrieve items of power—things that can be used by the Phoenix Throne to solidify its political and magical dominance. Some of these items languish in half-forgotten ruins. Others must be snatched from the clutches of their present owners. The Argentum is a shadow organization that cares not for treaties. It exists because the Elyden powerful magic as much as it needs great armies.
The Argentum's goals also extend beyond acquiring dangerous magic, but also into investigating and rooting out heresy. It is in the hands of heretics some of the most vile and dangerous of magic items have been found after all. The Argentum is primarily responsible for the near extinction of the art of Necromancy. Many nobles become quite wary when an agent of Argentum shows up in their court-because why would he come unless the noblemen somehow failed in their devotion to Kammeth?
