TLG 8016 AWD Fantasy Setting.pdf - Fat Rat Games of Tallahassee

generally known, are left to the scholars. All the Divisions of Men
should be treated this way.
GREATER DIVISIONS: The Greater Divisions of men are Aenoch,
Ethrum, Inklu, Niada, Aathuk and Chianuk. They adopted many of
the practices of the dwarves, in craftsmanship, society and language.
AENOCH: The Aenochians originated in the far north where they
paid homage to Mordius and served the early dwarf kings. They
migrated during harsh times to the south and settled mostly in
the lands east and north of the Inner Sea, as far as the Channel
Lakes. They are pale skinned peoples, on average 6 feet tall with
light colored or red hair. They have interbred with the Ethrum for
many hundreds of years. The Aenochians were the greatest of all
the tribes of men, in power, numbers and conquests due in large
part to the meddling of the greater deity Thorax. They conquered
the Inklu and Niada to the south, the Madriu to the east and the
Ethrums to the west. They served Unklar during the Winter Dark.
ETHRUM: The Ethrum were close kin to the Aenochians in the
beginning. They lived in the north lands and came south shortly
after the Aenochians. These people settled mostly south and west
of the Inner Sea along the coasts of the lands that later became
Ethrum. They were much enslaved by the dwarves during the
long wars of the early days of the world and they adopted many
dwarf customs and practices in those days. They became skilled
practitioners of the arts and created some of the world’s most
wondrous magics. The Ethrum resisted Unklar’s rule throughout
the Winter Dark, much to the destruction of their people.
INKLU: The Inklu were the greatest of the southern tribes. They
crossed the Anvil in the early days and settled in the lands now
known as Inklu–Naid. They are a tall people, with dusky red skin,
broad faces and broad noses. Their hair is generally dark and they
sport little facial hair. The Inklu are numerous, dwelling in the
jungles and mountains of their native lands. A scarcity of natural
resources, combined with little interaction with the dwarves left
the Inklu without the skills to create iron weapons. They craft
most of their items from bronze or lesser metals. They have highly
sophisticated societies, built largely around the worship of local
deities, monsters and animals. Much of the northern continent
was conquered by Aenochia during the Age of Man, but with
very little impact. During the Winter Dark worship of the Snake
God prevailed and the Inklu defied the worship of Unklar (the
Snake God was a manifestation of the Wizard Aristobulus), but
as a result much of their civilizations was destroyed and their
populations greatly reduced.
RYKAARD: Deep in the world’s history a great host of dwarves set
themselves to conquering the seas. They eventually settled in the
southern climes. They took with them a hearty race of Muen and
these settled in lands not far from Alanti, upon the great island of
Aroya and later explored and built some settlements on the land
of Elis. The Rykaard are tall and thin of limb, with dark brown
or black hair. They have narrow features with wide eyes. At one
time they were the world’s greatest seaman and their vessels were
seen in many if not all the harbors of the world. They served their
friends of Alanti in the great goblin–dwarf wars with distinction,
but suffered grievous losses. When the oceans consumed Alanti
many of Rykaard’s lords and wizards were in the megalopolis and
were drowned with their allies. After that they dwindled as a
people. They left behind a host of ruins, strange cities of red stone,
lost now in the islands of the south. Though some of the kingdoms
survived and some few retain the knowledge of the ancients. They
did little to resist the coming of the Winter Dark and they served
their appointed overlord with little love or violence. Since those
days some of them, particularly in the far south, have gained some
strength of arms and even now have begun to uncover the magic
and power of their forefathers. They are a people with great love
for the dwarves.
AATHUK: The Aathuk were early wanderers and in their long
lives studied the heavens and the All Father. They plotted points
in the Void and charted the planes for the dwarven seers. They
were never numerous but held in great council with the dwarven
kings. They are tall and limber folk with long arms and legs. They
are generally quite thin, with elongated faces with narrow, thin
noses and shallow cheeks. Their eyes are deep pools of calm, and
belie a hidden wisdom, all this decked in long silver, white, copper
or golden hair. They dress in ornate clothing and armaments.
They are kin to the Oanthuil. They settled in the far north in the
lands of Aatuck. There they built cities of alabaster in the high
mountains, often capping the clouds. They studied the world and
the Void and their sages mastered all manner of travel long before
the Wall of Worlds. They used sky ships and strange beasts of flight
to cross the world and even beyond. When that dubious barrier
was constructed the Aathuk lost much of their powers and with
that their ambitions. They dwindled then in numbers and their
cities fell to ruin. Some few still thrive, hidden with magics and
sorceries at the top of the world.
LESSER DIVISIONS OF MEN: The seven lesser Divisions of Men are
the Madriu, Niada, Engale, Zuala, Katha, Oanthuil and Ustracan.
These are the people who shunned the dwarves and walked their
own paths.
NEHIAN: The Nia are a numerous people who followed the paths
of Mordius into the distant east. They settled upon the lands of
Ianuk and lived there for several thousand years undisturbed by
the troubles in the far west. They spread further, settling in the
archipelago of Surne as far south as the land of Dur. They are
small of stature, a light tint to the skin with narrow eyes and high
cheeks. They have dark hair and brown eyes. They are skilled
craftsmen in their own right. The Nia thrived for many years,
building kingdoms, warring one with the other and battling the
forces of the minor gods and demons of Surne who ever taunted
them with war and conquest. They alone of all the peoples of the
world have had almost no traffic with the dwarfs and therefore
the customs and practices are wholly different than the rest of
the worlds. The Winter Dark took them utterly by surprise and
Unklar leant his strength to the armies of Surne and the Nia
were overwhelmed and enslaved to the master of Aufstrag. Many
fought on into the deeps of the Millennial Dark, and their heros
are recounted in song and poem. At the end of the war, when
Unklar’s hold began to break the Nia threw off their masters and
plundered much of southern Surne. They are somewhat recovered
now, but their peoples are diminished.
MADRIU: The Madriu have dwelt in the plains and deserts of
southern Aenochia for time without count. They are a shorter
AFTER WINTER’S DARK 13