Races of the Flanaess

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Humanity

Numerous human races inhabit the Flanaess. Though humans have identical abilities, each human race has a particular place of origin, physical appearance, and pantheon of gods closely allied with it. Despite outward differences, few humans pay attention to skin color and similar features; this is, after all, a land with numerous other humanlike and nonhuman races. Humans of different races frequently intermarry, leading to a slow blending of peoples and cultures.
The Flan were the original human inhabitants of the Flanaess, which is named for them. The Flan lived as hunters, fishers, gatherers, and farmers, though there is evidence they once had a great culture that long ago vanished. The Flan were greatly displaced by invading races from the west, following the destruction of the Baklunish and Suloise Empires 1,000 years ago. The Flan may be compared in some ways to Native American Indians. A typical Flan has bronze skin and dark eyes and hair, and prefers to wear clothing with bright, primary colors.
The Baklunish are an Arabic-like people with golden skin tones. Their eyes are often gray or green, and their hair is dark. When their empire was destroyed, the survivors fled north to the Dramidj coast. Some nomadic tribes were pushed northward almost into arctic areas. Nomadic Baklunish have a Mongol-like culture; settled Baklunish resemble the medieval Ottoman Turks or Persians in their culture and architecture.
Olive-skinned Oeridians were a warlike barbarian tribe many centuries ago. They entered the Flanaess less of their own free will than because they were being pushed ahead of Baklunish refugees and marauding armies of humanoids in the latter stages of the ancient Baklunish-Suloise war. The Oeridians marched down into the Sheldomar Valley and past the Nyr Dyv into the far eastern part of the Flanaess. They fought the Suloise in many places, often aided by native Flannae and demihumans, who hated the slave-taking, evil-tempered Suloise. Eventually the strongest tribe of Oeridians, the Aerdi, established their own empire: the Great Kingdom.
Suloise humans have pale skin, blue eyes, and blond, white, or red hair. They have intermarried with many peoples across the Flanaess. "Typical" Suloise may still be found in the Thillonrian Peninsula, on the islands off the eastern coast of the Flanaess, on the Tilvanot Peninsula, and in the Duchy of Urnst. Barbaric tribes of Suloise, heavily tanned and freckled from exposure to the sun, may be found in the Amedio Jungle and Hepmonaland.
A minor human race, called the Rhennee, may be found in the central Flanaess. These Gypsy-like people travel on river barges and are very clannish. Rhennee claim to have come to the Flanaess from other world, and they do not trust outsiders. They have a bad reputation.
The Olman is yet another minor race, known from the Amedio Jungle and Hepmonaland. This Aztec-like people once had an empire in the southern jungles, but it collapsed long ago, leaving only scattered tribes and ancient ruins behind. Other human races are rumored to exist, but these are not well known at present.

Elves

Elves (called "olve" or "olvenfolk" in Flan) inhabited the Flanaess for many centuries before the destruction of the Baklunish and Suloise Empires. Suloise, Oeridian, and humanoid invaders pushed the elves from their grassland and prairie homes, forcing them deep into ancient forests. Fortunately, the elves already preferred forests to other environments, and they were able to hold their own in many ancient timberlands as various human kingdoms rose, expanded, made war, and fell nearby. The Suloise and the humanoids, particularly the orcs, gave the greatest trouble to the elves, who often found themselves allied with their old Flan neighbors and with the aggressive but reasonably trustworthy Oeridians. High elves are known from the Town of Highfolk, Duchy of Ulek, Archclericy of Veluna, and the Spindrift/Lendore Isles. As a rule, they are the elves most likely to be in contact with other peoples of the Flanaess, particularly humanity. Elves of Highfolk and the Ulek states are particularly friendly. The Lendore Isles high elves, however, are very reclusive and have little to do with other peoples. High elves are slim and pale in complexion, standing about 5 feet in height, and like to wear greens, grays, and pastels. Most high elves are dark haired and have green eyes. Like all elves, they are often highly skilled in magic as well as swordcraft, and they have extraordinarily long lifespans. Elves invariably have pointed ears. Gray elves have either silver hair and amber eyes, or else golden hair and violet eyes. The gray elves of the Flanaess are traditionally reclusive, especially when confronted with hostile human kingdoms. Gray elves are especially prevalent in the Kingdom of Celene and the County of Sunndi. Sunndi elves are extremely militaristic, thanks to their facing many enemies at once, and have extensive alliances with local humans and demihumans to fight off incursions of evil. Sylvan elves are inhabitants of old woodlands, with darker complexions than high elves. They dress in browns and greens, and most value their privacy and separation from all other peoples. The collapse of the Great Kingdom and the Greyhawk Wars have only encouraged further isolation. Sylvan elves inhabit the Kingdom of Celene, Town of Highfolk, Duchy of Ulek, and many old forests (Celadon, Dreadwood, Gamboge, Gnarly, Grandwood, Vesve). Wild elves, or grugach, keep themselves isolated from all other peoples, including other elves. They are found scattered across the Flanaess in small bands in remote, temperate forests. They are very pale, shorter than most elves, and are xenophobic. They resemble sylvan elves. Valley elves are known only from the Valley of the Mage, serving the wizard who rules that land. These elves are taller than usual, some reaching 6 feet in height, and resemble golden-blond gray elves. Valley elves are not well liked by other elves. They travel about with cooshees, which are sometimes called "elven dogs." Aquatic elves are found in temperate and tropical oceans and seas. A large number of them are known to live near the Spindrift/Lendore Islands, where they are allied with the high elves. Aquatic elves have webbed fingers and toes, and they can breath water as well as air. Half-elves, the offspring of long-lived elves and short-lived humans, are found everywhere across the Flanaess.

Dwarves

Dwarves ("dwurfolk") are about 4 feet tall, broad-shouldered and muscular, with stocky builds. Both males and females are bearded. They prefer to live underground in vast cavern or tunnel systems, where they mine precious metals and gems. Their skin comes in earth tones, from red-brown to tan to gray. In nature they tend to be dour and suspicious, but grudgingly helpful. Dwarves live long lives, though not as long as the elves, and they reproduce slowly. Dwarves are good but vengeful warriors with long memories of who has done them harm.
Hill dwarves are the most common sort. They are known to work with other good-natured races across the Flanaess, and are often seen as soldiers and mercenaries in wars against giants and humanoids. Hill dwarves are especially common in the Principality of Ulek. Mountain dwarves are less common than hill dwarves. They tend to be paler and taller, averaging 4-1/2 feet tall, and prefer caverns deep under the mountains. Mountain dwarves are usually known from the Archbarony of Ratik and the Principality of Ulek. Duergar, also called gray dwarves, live far underground. These evil-natured dwarves are hostile to their brethren as well as to all other races.



Gnomes

Gnomes ("noniz") are thought to be related to dwarves, though they are smaller and enjoy the open air and forests more than their cousins. Gnomes have wood-colored skin in a variety of shades, from light ash to dark oak. Many gnomes live underground in burrows, near the surface; they prefer hilly country and forests. They enjoy merry-making and work equally well. The gnomes of the Flanaess are highly organized and quite aggressive in defending their territory. Those in the Kron Hills are especially noteworthy, as they defeated and drove out many humanoids who had preyed upon them. Kron Hills gnomes have great reputations as warriors. Large numbers of gnomes appear in the Flinty Hills, the County of Ulek, the Archclericy of Veluna, the Towns of Verbobonc and Highfolk, and the Kingdom of Celene. One important but little-seen subrace, the deep gnomes (or svirfneblin) live far underground; these have gray, hairless skin and excellent heat-sensing vision, but little else is known of them. Some are rumored to command creatures made of living earth and rock with their magic. Deep gnomes are among the few good underground races known.

Halflings

Halflings ("hobniz") are half the size of humans and look much like human children, though their faces age like human ones. A light covering of hair runs over most of their bodies, especially the backs of their hands and the tops of their feet. Halflings usually travel about barefoot, their thick-soled feet protecting them from the ordinary pain humans would feel in stepping on briars, sharp stones, and so on though such protection only extends so far, of course. Most halflings build shallow burrow homes or cottages in grasslands, forests, or hills.
Three subraces of halflings live in the Flanaess. The hairfeet is the most numerous and usual group, and most of these live among humans. Tallfellows are about 6 inches taller and rather willowy in build, usually living near elven groups, and stouts are about 6 inches smaller and live among dwarves. All groups are basically good natured and enjoy creature comforts. There are no halfling-ruled states in the Flanaess. Halflings in general are the least forward of any demihuman race, preferring to live in the shadow of bigger folk like humans, elves, etc.

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