Kobolds: An Overview

By Frank Gori

Kobolds were first created when a pair of warring dragons (traditionally told as a red dragon and an iron dragon in a deadly lover’s quarrel) dueled one another across the Fertile Lands. When dragon blood mixed with the seeds of the Nameless still in the soil, the firstblood Kobolds were born.

Kobold elders remind younglings that Kobolds dwell in the earth because it is from the Earth they came. Dragons are their mother-kin and Kindred are their brother-kin though both are flawed.

The firstblood tribes were powerful half dragons and soon began a campaign of sneaking into dragon lairs and taking their eggs. The eggs were hatched and the resulting hatchlings killed and bled into the soil making yet more kobolds of every color. The Kobolds of hatchling-blood were smaller and less dangerous then their first born kin and soon subjugated.

A generation of dragons saw their clutches stolen and united briefly to destroy the Kobold race. Dwarven clans still see it as their duty to kill any kobolds who trespass Dwarven lands. Kobolds in turn slay Dwarves above any other foe. The Great Slayer War succeeded, to a point. The firstbloods, who killed hatchlings, were destroyed, but the hatchling blooded generation proved to be more adaptable then their siblings. They bred fast and in clutches, matured rapidly, fled from battle, and learned to master stealth and traps. Those who hunted kobolds soon came to regret their chosen profession and the hostilities eventually ceased, for a time.

Knowledge is a tricky thing, though and the secret of creating Kobolds was not forgotten. Eventually an arrogant gold dragon called Midarious carelessly spent the lives of her dwarven servitors in a destructive war with a blue. She managed to capture her rival after a year-long siege. Midarious coveted her rival’s keep but had no dwarves left to defend it, thus she decided to get creative.

Midarious bled her rival carefully and flew to the Fertile lands. Another tribe of kobolds were born. Realizing she needed servants more loyal to her she bled herself, creating another tribe to rule the first. She enjoyed watching her blood rule her rivals and decided she wanted more. 

Midarious’ Kobolds went forth and gathered hatchling blood kobolds and interbred them making a hybrid race from her offspring and the hatchling kobolds. As their numbers swelled she began enslaving dwarves form other dragon clans and driving her rivals out of an ever increasingly wide swath of territory.

Weaker dragons, dissatisfied with their lot in life, soon swore in to Midarious’ banner and made more kobold firstbloods. They instructed them to mix with hatchlings until the present Kobold race was created, over the course of a score of years. Kobolds have elaborate tales about each of these dragons and their individual blood ties to them. 

A short brutal war followed that saw the Dragon elders gathering most of dragon kind against the Midarious Rebellion. The social order of dragonkind was threatened as Midarious twisted her blood and magic to make all manner of horrors from tatzlewyrms and drakes to peludas and hodogs.

Midarious was defeated and her minions slain or scattered. The Rite Of Dra-keth was her punishment which weakened and tormented her for hundreds of years. It is sometimes whispered that her vanity and arrogance pleased Maries and he sent one of his clerics for her to consume. The sacrifice bestowed his kiss and soothed her suffering behind the icy chill of indifference.

Sometimes referred to as The Revenge Rebellion, Midarious came back to her senses during the millennial hibernation which was also during the rise of the Marian Empire. She no longer had her wings; her magic and breath tormented her with Bliss and Despair, but she was still strong  and powerful. She helped the elves conquer when it pleased her, but mostly she gathered kobolds and had them scour the land for draconic keeps to assault killing dozens of sleeping dragons in thirst for vengeance.

Before the Kindred rose up, and before the dragons reawakened, she bounded north. Some say she found Maries’ icy embrace and is frozen with him, at his feet. Elves sometimes refer to her as the subjugated lover, others as Maries’ favorite pet, neither of which sits well with Kobolds.

Chieftains of Kobold tribes sometimes carry a wing scale of Midarious. Warrens often have a golden shrine to her, and a shrine to the Nameless. They are regarded as mother and father to the present race of Kobolds. Those Kobolds born with golden scales are treated as rulers and trained by the ruling caste.

Present day Kobolds are widespread but insular and rarely interact with the other races, sticking to their warrens. The social structure of most warrens is caste based, with scale coloration being a determining factor in one’s social standing and occupation. Each warrens has slightly different castes based on the oral traditions of the tribe therein, which occasionally leads to intertribal warfare.

The resulting offspring from Kobold that breed across caste lines are called Mudscales and are the lowest caste and generally only fit to clean the night-soil of their betters. Those that dare leave the tribe and warrens to strike off for the greater world are splinterscales and regarded as little better than mudscales.

Splinterscales generally head for Hub and attach themselves to Kindred neighborhoods. The transition is often difficult as the population diversity and attitudes of outsiders is extremely strange to the newly emerged splinterscale. Hiding remains an instinct and Kindred reactions are highly individual.

Reptile races like the Lash-ti-nowish and Geato Abira are given a measure of trust and respect. This is especially true of the lizard-women for whom most kobold men find attractive, though unattainable. Lizard-women for their part recognize the value of Kobold allies. Lash-ti-nowish enjoy the kobold sense of humor which is generally derogatory to mammals. The Lash also enjoy price gouging the insular tribes which won’t likely look for an alternate trading partner. 

Kristog and Kindred are tolerated. Kobolds like the song of the Krishtog and at least they aren’t mammals. Kindred and Kobolds share a father in a way, and are therefore a minor exception to the Kobold's general distrust of mammals.  Humans and Gren aren’t to be trusted. Humans try too hard to adapt, and Gren, while properly sized, try to control the Fertile Lands which the Kobolds regard as their fatherland. Dwarves and Elves are the Kobold's blood enemies. Dwarves actively try to purge the Kobold race from time to time.  As to the elves, Maries took away their mother and slew their father, his children are not friends.

Krishtog: An Overview

by John Belliston and Frank Shaw

                Below the Geato Marsh Plateau and before the Great Southern Forest is a strip of land called the Kristogalog. Dominated by Krishtog trees which soar into the sky hundreds of feet this marshy land is home to the race of frog people who share their name with the trees dominating their home.

                The Krishtog are a lithe race who appear smaller than they actually are. Looking like bipedal frogs, their skin varies, from yellows to greens with occasional reds and extremely rare poison-skinned blues. Their faces, lacking the muscles of many other races, usually appear to be smiling, which puts most of the other peoples of Desylinn at ease. Light on their feet, their strong legs allow them to hop through the thick branches of the trees they call home with ease; evading larger predators such as the catoblepas and hydra while confusing smaller ones like the zoogs, who don’t share the frog-peoples agility.

                The Krishtog do not live in permanent settlements, with the exception of the Elders, who look after the giant breeding trees, and the very young who also live in the trees. Most Krishtog live as semi solitary nomads, hunting and gathering food on their own or in small hunting packs. These hunting packs vary in size, but usually do not grow more than about ten individuals, and rarely last longer than a rainy season. Hunting packs are usually made up of siblings -those from the same hatch of a breeding tree- or cousins -those from different generations of breeding trees. At night the hunting packs will retire with the catch, which will often include fruits and greens as well as wild prey and feast around small fires where they sing their songs.

                The musical aptitude of the Krishtog is well known throughout Deyslinn. Their language is sung and lends itself to songwriting with relative ease. The Krishtog’s mastery of pitch and rhythm make even the least talented among them potential bards.  Most of the frog-people who are found outside of the Krishtog have gained notoriety for their music. They sing their songs in taverns, amphitheaters and the dens of the rich and powerful. The songs of the Krishtog usually detail great hunts, the migrations of beasts, or the rare heroic tale in which several Krishtog will give voice to individual characters. It is these songs that are the most popular with those outside of Deyslinn because of the beautiful harmonies and complex rhythms. The frog-people rarely employ other instruments other than their voices, though they will occasionally accompany themselves with bow shaped lyres that the most passionate singers carry. Called the Mishtomatigato (Tellers of Tales), their only distinguishing features are the lyre’s they carry. They are typically self-appointed and only garner respect from other Krishtog when their virtuosity with both voice and lyre is significant, causing others to fall silent and listen instead of joining in.

                The breeding trees of the Krishtogalog are beginning and the end of the frog-peoples. The largest of the Krishtog trees often hold ample pools of water that are continuously replenished from the roots and the frequent rainfall. It is in these pools where the Krishtog lay their eggs. Spending the first several months of their youth as tadpoles, the life of a baby Krishtog is harsh. The tiny taddlings feed on their brothers and sisters as well a vast array of insects and smaller fish, who also feed on the taddlings. When arms and legs begin to appear the babies cease feeding on their siblings and begin to periodically emerge from the water.

                Upon their emergence from the water they are greeted by the Elders. The oldest of the Krishtog, are tasked with raising the young and guarding the Breeding trees. From the Elder’s the young are taught the musical language of the race, and the songs the Krishtog are known for. They are also taught the arts of bow making, weaving, hunting and gathering, trap making and tanning. Other small crafts are taught by various Wisest including the art of making and playing the lyre, as well as jewelry crafting. The Elder’s nurture those Krishtog who survive the breeding pools, only allowing them to leave the trees once they have passed a series of tests displaying their ability to hunt and survive on their own.

                The most important weapon of the Krishtog is unarguably the bow. Every frog-person is proficient with the bow, having made their own to suit their personal preference. Some favor short compact bows, others favor long bows for better range. Every style and design one could think of exists in the Krishtog and no two bows are ever the same. Some may employ spears, flint knives, or even short copper swords for those that have come into contact with races outside of the Krishtog, the bow however is a constant.

                The single city in the region is Qynjb. Built at the base of a dead Krishtog tree, and overflowing over and inside, the branches. The city was originally an outpost of the Music Guild from Hub, who sought a permanent base in the Krishtog to help recruit both those frog-people with musical talent, and non-musical talent. A vast majority of the Krishtogs outside the region are members of the guild, even those who don’t sing. While still firmly controlled by the Music Guild, there is a small Merchant’s Guild presence in the city as well, leading to occasional street fights between the two factions. There’s also a Red Clan presence in the city, the Dwarves reaching out to their neighbors in the east, maintaining the only reliable road through region. The majority of the population is migratory, as the Krishtog only come to trade their trinkets, meat and occasionally lyres and bows. And many of the other races are passing through on their way to the Great Southern Forest to the south, or in caravans back north either to the Geato or Hub. The majorities of the permanent population are those banished from their societies, or are in hiding. The handful of “settled” Krishtog that do live in the city are Elders who still feel the need to guard the tree, despite it being dry, or the small handful of youth who’ve settled for an unfulfilling but easy life.

Lash-ti-Nowish: An Overview

By John Belliston

Lash-ti-Nowish (The Night Wind) Overview

When the Goddess Ssita looked upon the lonely beauty of the Dragon Sands she sighed.  From the ripples in the sand came the Lash-ti-nowish, the Night Wind, the Snakemen. Though legless and not known for their brawn, the Lash are renowned for their indomitable personalities and the powerful pheromones at their disposal. It is often said a Lash could convince a stone to buy sand and sweet talk the ocean to drink a sip of water.

Since their creation by Ssita, they have spread out across the desert and beyond, across much of the world. Though not as numerous as other races the Lash have the most long-reaching and powerful influence.  From the Steps of the Library to the furthest points of the Southern Islands the Lash either have direct power or whispers in the ears of the mighty. With a few words they can tear lives apart or sow the seeds of new nations. 

All their power links back to their most important belief. In their own tongue, “Lash lok Shamshar,” or "the Wind Moves the Sand." Empires and coinage, the life and death of man and nation,  all things are ripples in sand. The Lash-ti-nowish aspire to be the wind which creates them. They seek wealth and power, and don't care if they have the appearance of it. They become advisers to manipulate the powerful. They don't horde coin, they control commodities. They let others drown in coins and claim crowns and thrones, instead moving in small and subtle ways. They always know how to make others into the enemy. They moved from Imperial slaves to glass and southern spices without a drop of blood being shed - at least according to their records. 

The Lash have the most complete historical records in the known world. Stretching from almost the mythic beginnings of their race to the present day. The Kindred, Krishtog and other barbaric races see this as pointless, and the Dwarves, Abira and other civilized folk see this as excessive. However the records serve an important purpose in Lash-ti-nowish culture, keeping them informed once they awaken from the long sleep of 'Harshtar'. Every five to ten years each snake falls into a trance like state during which they will shed their skin. It can last for a few hours or days but grows a little each occurrence. For older Lash, 'Harshtar' can even last for years. This state is such a fact of their life that many plan their lives around it. The Old Ones and wealthy even create elaborate tombs for themselves to serve as comfortable places while they drift into the “skin sleep”. The lower castes do as best as they can. They find trusted friends to watch over them, or at worst bury themselves in the sand and trust to the repulsive pheromones to protect them. This consistent loss of time drives the Lash toward their fastidious records, thereby assuring that no matter how long the sleep, the Awoken can know what happened while they slept. 

Within the Dragon Sands there are ten Shamshars, each one corresponding to one of the colors of dragon and having their own quirks and local customs. The Gold are known for their immaculate diplomacy; the Silver for their impenetrable bank vaults and overly complex laws of politeness; the Iron for their profound secrecy and creation of miraculous works of magical glass. Each Shamshar holds to the deep rooted caste system which controls the lives of them all. At the top is the Congress of the Old Ones, who rule without question and live a life of utter opulence. Below them are the Sacred Bankers and Bureaucrats, a priest caste who live in accordance with their holy book “The Ripples of Worth”.  At the very bottom lie the Ecdy who are given the tasks that none other are willing. They are treated as less than slaves, as slaves at least once had economic value. 

Though there is a great inequality between castes, there is none between the sexes. There are almost no physical differences between the two and it is immensely difficult to tell the difference. It is considered the height of rude behavior to even speculate on which sex a Lash is. The one exception to this is during the mating process when it is considered a necessity to know, and is handled as quickly as possible.  

Each of the ten Shamshars has a different choice for the order of those between the Ecdy and the Sacred Bankers. Warrior, merchant, artisan, hunter, scholar, and laborer all vie for position within the different sands. This arrangement causes much of the conflict between the different Shamshars. If it weren't for the absolute authority of the Old Ones, the Children of Ssita would have long ago torn themselves apart. 

This system creates some of the most blatant inequality across all of Desylinn. However even the lowest of the Lash endure their hard lives because eventually they become Old Ones. At a particular age, which varies by the individual, when they go into Harshtar they shed their skin and turn a vibrant white which grows more translucent with age. Then all they need to do is present themselves to the Congress and accept their new place. Though many of the most desperate and mistreated try, it is almost impossible to fake the transformation, and those that do tend to suffer swift and brutal consequences.

Races of Desylinn (Part 2)

This is the second in a two part series on Race. Part One is here.

Humans: 

Created from the tears of the goddess Ariga, Humans are found on the chain of island archipelagos south of mainland Desylinn. Several common cultures exist among the island, but one separates itself, the Kingdom of Arigunta found on the largest island called Go’Arig. Throughout most of the islands the Humans form small coastal villages, where the men are warriors and the primary leaders. They spend their time hunting, fishing and occasionally raiding other villages for goods or women. The women take on the role of childrearing, maintaining small fields, and raising livestock. There is a strong tradition of tattooing done by most cultures throughout the islands, prominently on the men, who see it as a rite of passage. Women have tattoos as well, though not as frequently. The Humans have the most diverse languages of all the races; those on the northern archipelago nearest to Desylinn speaking a form of Lash-ti-Nowish, while those nearer to Go’Arig speaking variations of the Go’Arigi language. On the continent of Desylinn Humans are numerous, filling in whatever roles are needed. Originally sold as slaves to the Elves by the snakemen during the Empire, they have no firmly established kingdoms or countries as they are vastly outnumbered by other races. Many live in Hub or the surrounding Eartlinn where they are treated with less prejudice. There are a significant number in the Citiesof the Lost as well, and while they do not dominate these cities, they have come to hold some political clout there. 

Kindred:

Not a single race, but a confederacy originally made up of five distinct races: orcs, trolls, ogres, goblins and minotaurs. The Kindred have since become one of the predominant forces in Desylinn.  Born from the fallen teeth, brains and blood of the Nameless One, the Kindred are united in their origin and history. Little more than cattle to the Imperial Elves, the Kindred formed the bulk of the armies during the War of the Five, and the Kindred helped create a brand new society to fill the void left by the Empire’s collapse. The Kindred accept anyone who desires to adopt a “True Parent” and the mark of one of the khans. Each khan, corresponding to the five original races, serves distinct roles: the Orckhan, or “The Voice” serve as diplomats, singers, storytellers. The Trollkhan or “The Hands” serve as shamans, healers and scouts.  The Gobkhan or “The Legs” serve as shock troops, general warriors, and doing general labor for the Kindred. The Minokhan or “the Arms” are artisans, smiths, masons, creating great works of beauty. The Minokhan have many members not of the minotaur race among them. Finally the Ogrekhan or “The Back” serve as historians and mystics, keeping the history of the Kindred in scars etched across their backs. The Kindred value individuals based on merit.

Krishtog: 

A solitary race created by Ishari after the creation of the Geato Abira and the races of the Kindred, the Krishtog or "frogpeople" live in isolation in the bogs and forest along the borders of The Great Southern Forest and the Geato Marsh. Living in small family units the Krishtog, of all the races, seek self-sufficiency and isolation over everything else. Males and females may form mated pairs, but do not see monogamy as being important. They do not have specific gender roles until breeding time, as it is through child birth the sexes are distinguished. The couple journeys to great breeding trees surrounded by large spawning pools. The tadpoles are left in the pools, but only a small handful survive. Each individual Krishtog is responsible for their own livelihood as well as their own survival. The conditions in the Krishtogalog aren’t harsh though, and while some dangerous beasts pose a threat the frogmen’s tree climbing and strong legs enabling them to leap great distances keep them relatively safe.  The Krishtog make simple tools and weapons for use in their everyday life, emphasizing utility over decorum. Not completely bereft of art, the Krishtog have long complex songs which they sing often and without warning. Krishtog are rare, even in the territories they call home. Those found outside the Krishtogalog are often bards of note, or strange warriors known for singing in battle, and many have become well known throughout Desylinn. 

Lash-ti-Nowish (Snakemen): 

Created by Ssita in the Dragon Sands far to the southwest of Desylinn, the “snakes”, like the Dwarves, are divided into ten separate clans matching specific dragons. Unlike the Dwarves, there is no strong unity with the Dragons and the Snakemen take little interest in the great beings. The face of the Lash-ti-Nowish is the Gold Clan, who serve as diplomats to the other races. The other well-known clan is the Copper Clan, who sailed to the northernmost human islands to negotiate slave trades for the Elves during the Empire. The Snakemen live in hidden cities during the day, which only come to life at night, lit by starlight. While they have a defined society, they make no distinction between genders and have no tradition of marriage. Most Lash-ti-Nowish are nocturnal, as the harsh desert conditions of the Dragon Sands give even the Snakemen pause. They enjoy a highly efficient metabolism, allowing them to go days at a time without eating. This also forces them to periodically go into hibernation, called hrarstar, in which they shed their skin. This hibernation can occasionally last years.  The eldest of the Lash-ti-Nowish, the Old Ones, lead the society as judges and advisors for the rest of the Snakemen.  Uncommon through the rest of Desylinn, many Gold and Copper Lash-ti-Nowish can be found acting as merchants, particularly in Hub and in the remnants of Mariea.  

The Shards: 

Unique among the races of Desylinn, they are the youngest, not truly mortal, and not directly created by a god. Emperor Aries II created the first golems from the souls of loyal guards, sealing them into lodestones within the golem bodies. Once the last Empress, Arcadia, took control of the Empire the golems served as her personal guard and lost any sense of identity they once had. During the War of the Five the golems were released, becoming conscious agents in the world. Daras, the goddess of all life and death moved to take their lost souls, but her hand was stayed by Nhoj. He wished to see what would happen with the new "race".  Daras then vowed to never take the souls of the golems, so when they die their souls join with the Unbroken, a collective consciousness of souls from deceased Golems. Each Golem’s soul is but a shard of that greater consciousness, so creating more shards requires sharing your spiritual energy and placing it into a new, unanimated golem body. The Shards each serve the Great Library in their youth, a tenure which may last centuries. Part of the learning process involves the scribing of memories into their lodestones, making them permanent. Most Shards are found at or near the library, though some venture out, seeking new experiences to write upon their lodestones.

Races of Desylinn (Part 1)

Races of Desylinn:  

Each group which makes up one of the races of Desylinn has found a unique place in the world. The races struggle to get along, even 600 years after the collapse of the first great tyranny of the world. The vacuum left from the overthrow of Empire of Mariea remains unfilled. The strongest of the races are mired in tradition and taboo, while the weakest are greatly isolated from the rest of the world.  From the dwarves in the mighty Dragon Mountains to the Humans in the island chains to the south, only Eartlinn and Hub have become diverse and they are set to replace the tyranny of the elves with the meritocracy of the Kindred. Below are the races of Desylinn. 

Dwarves: 

Created by goddess Tiala and the god Bahu to be companions to the Dragons, the dwarves are the oldest of the mortal races of Desylinn. Originally carving the females from stone and forging the males from ore, the dwarves are resolute with strong traditions which have lasted for generations. Due to their unique creation, Dwarves have social taboos surrounding metal and stone: men may only work with metal, women only with stone. This results in two distinct gender roles: Dwarven men are artisans, particularly blacksmiths, and warriors. Dwarven women keep hearth and home but are also merchants, though they keep a male on staff to handle any metal. This separation of material has led to many items in dwarven society being made of fine ceramics or wood, in order to avoid the social stratification. The Dwarves are divided into ten "clans", one for each type of dragon they honor, and are further divided along class lines. The priests are at the top and act as liaisons with the ancient dragons, which advise or rule each clan. Next the clan leaders and bureaucrats who guide the people in day to day affairs, and then artisans, merchants and the noble warrior class all hold different forms of honor in the society at large. Finally come the peasants, who make up a bulk of the dwarven race and who’s labors form the backbone of the society.  Initially unwilling allies to the Elves during the Empire, the dwarves have become a powerful yet troubled people since the Empire’s downfall. 

Elves: 

The children of the god Maries, the long lived elves, were one of the most powerful races in the world of Desylinn. Having conquered a majority of the continent during the Empire of Mariea the tall, haughty Elves were brought low six centuries ago by armies of escaped slaves and their allies. Now the elves are a petty reflection of their cruel grandeur, all bearing the mark of Kadie's "kiss" on their cheek. Many of the Elves who live in Eartlinn, or the other lands of Desylinn mar this brand of their races shame in order to interact with others in the world. This is not always true of those remaining in Mariea. Elves generally consider men and women equal, either sex able to serve in any position. The only strong taboo in Elven culture is mixing their divine blood with lesser races. As such, Half-Elves are generally rejected and reared by the non-Elf parent. The Elves are once again finding their place in this new world. The older generation was alive during the War of the Five and the downfall of their nation. The younger generation feels the divine call of their forbearers and while most attempt to find a place in the Kindred, the Dwarven lands, Hub or even the Cities of the Lost, some desire to recreate what the Elves once had, even at the cost of their relationship with other races. 

Geato Abira(lizard folk): 

Created from the tears of the grieving Ishari and the blood of the Nameless One, the Geato Abira, or lizard folk, are reclusive. Judging each merchant, explorer, or envoy individually the lizard folk extend their trust warily. The exception is those who bear the marks of the Kindred, as they are allowed to pass freely through Abiran lands. The lizard folk have five genders, the most numerous being the Sal, or females, and the Taro, or males. The females are larger and strong than the males and have much higher status, becoming warriors and esteemed citizens. The males are a sub-class in their culture, with few rights and less power. The firm leaders of the Geato Abira are the seers or Sala-ma, females with an extra pupil giving them the power of seership.  Some males are born with this pupil and are also able to become seers known as Taresal, and while granted more respect than normal males, they still have little power. The fifth gender is the Sal-Talon, females which grow to be immense, far beyond normal size. These become honored warriors and have garnered much respect in Geato Abiran society. Many lizard folk are found outside their traditional territory, as the youth of the race are encouraged to venture into the world to understand how the other races live before coming home to take their place in society.

Gren: 

Created by the Wild Ones in mockery of the elves, the gren are a chaotic, nomadic people who value joyous celebration over politics and power. The Seven Great Families of Gren wander across the lands in large wagons pulled by massive hounds called chulla. The men and women of the Gren have clear gender roles, with men hunting, fishing, chulla training, and acting as warriors on the rare occasion a threat emerges. The gren women keep and maintain the large wagons, which have come into use since the fall of the Empire of Mariea. Women also serve as the primary clan leaders, and serve as diplomats and ambassadors. The Gren are naturally magical, as the power of the three gods who created them instilled innate abilities in each sex. The males have Rage, which makes them fearsome and bloody warriors, while the females have the calming power of the Soothing, which keeps the Rage in check and makes Gren males docile and playful. The Gren have a strong sence of vendetta, seeking to right perceived wrongs. Though not typically lethal, these acts of vengeance go beyond their otherwise playful attitude. Gren are eager to explore the world and seek the “new” wherever they go. Most still reside in the Fertile Lands, but it is common to see a clan of Gren traversing rocky Dwarven highways or digging out of the mire in the Geato Marsh, as the Gren see all of Desylinn as their home.

Half-elves: 

While Elves can breed with several races in Desylinn, the most common half-breed is  between Elves and Humans. During the Empire of Mariea, Humans were common house slaves to the Elves, being less temperamental than Gren and more civilized than the Kindred. It was not uncommon for Humans to be enticed into coupling with their owners. The resulting offspring were typically raised by their Human parent, or the staff of the house if the Human slave was executed as punishment for the child, a common practice. The adult Half-Elf would be granted limited freedom in Elven society, usually working "slave" jobs for little pay. They had the ability to wander, but were treated with serious disdain and hatred. Orc and Elf pairings occasionally resulted in a child as well, but unlike half-human children they were put to death when discovered. Called “Bad-bloods” because of their in ability to breed, during the time of the Empire there was no place for these mixed-blood people.  Human-Elf half breeds are still common today and unlike their Half-Orc/Half-Elf counterparts they either breed true human or true elf offspring. In Hub and the surrounding Eartlinn they have found a firm place in each of the Guilds, and many Half-Elves take Kindred Marks. Since the collapse of the Empire, Half-Elves have gained a certain legitimacy which they never had before.

(Part 2 Here)