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Mar 18 2007, 5:00 PM EDT (current) Lukahn
Mar 18 2007, 4:58 PM EDT Lukahn 1411 words added

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Dragons

Dragons, the most majestic of creatures. The question rages across Klonus, do dragons really exist? Those of the Northern Empires will say yes, for they deal with the great Wyrms every day. Those of the Eastern and Southern Empires will say neigh, those that see Dragons are insane, fooled by illusions and child’s nightmares. While they concede that they may have once been, the race is long extinct.
Naming Convention: Gaelic Criolen Flameheart
Archmage
Fiera Kriece

Dwarves

Probably the hardiest of all of the major races, the dwarves of Klonus are proud and stubborn. They have a love of ale and good companions. Most talk tougher than they are, but few will take the risk of calling any dwarf on his boasts. Their homelands being mountains, the dwarves live deep in the earth. The closest to the earth, they think themselves children of the magma that burns at Obsidian’s core. Dwarves are unique, in that they are spread all across Klonus, and yet all swear fealty to a single emperor.
Naming Convention: Scottish (those of the north and western world) or Khuzdul (those of the southern and eastern world) or a combination of both. Criolen Flameheart
Archmage
Fiera Kriece

Elves

The longest lived of the bipedal races, elves consider themselves the blessed of the gods. Attuned to nature and the magical auras that pulse throughout the world, the elves may seem snobbish to most. However, it is their great age that creates wisdom that most of the shorter lived races have no patience for. Their customs and habits are alien to outsiders, and only those with the sight for the long term can fully understand anything that they do. Probably the best keepers of History, they value their knowledge more than their own lives. It is said (quite nastily by most non-elves) that an elf faced with saving a great tome of history and their own child from a burning building will pick the tome, not thinking twice on the child’s screams. The truth of this is unknown to me.
Naming Convention:
Alvian Elves: Quenya
Western Elves: Sindarin
Eastern Elves: Valarin
Dark Elves: Quenya combined with some Black Speech Criolen Flameheart
Archmage
Fiera Kriece

Gnomes

Underestimated by most, or ignored, gnomes have a rich culture and are a mystery to most. It is common knowledge that they love the sparkling of gems, but that is more myth than fact. It is true that they harvest gems from the caverns that they work in, but mostly this is for trading with other races for goods they cannot produce themselves. Most live in forested hill areas, where gems can be readily mined and they can live in their preferred habitat – the roots of trees. Generally happy to welcome visitors, they offend easily, but are just as quick to forget. The common misconception of them being tricksters is caused by misunderstandings of their attempt to communicate.
Naming Convention: Finnish (generally used by the hillfolk) or Dutch (generally used by the forestfolk) Criolen Flameheart
Archmage
Fiera Kriece

Goblins

Generally considered the scum of the land, goblins live underground, and thus compete directly with dwarves. Indeed, certain pieces of histories from both dwarves and goblins have suggested several major wars between the goblins and the dwarves. Currently there is no cohesive goblin empire. Several larger clans have self proclaimed emperors, but there is no lineage and the ‘empires’ usually dissolve within a generation, especially when made up of more than one clan.
Naming Convention:
Eastern: Norwegian
Western: Swedish Criolen Flameheart
Archmage
Fiera Kriece

Halflings

The small folk called halflings generally enjoy living the simple life. Most enjoy nothing better than sitting in front of a fire with good friends and smoking their pipes and telling stories. Living in clans, they desire nothing more than to just live in peace. They are friendly, and will welcome visitors to their lands, but have no interest in conquest, and are fierce when they are defending their own lands. They freely will give anything they have to any one that asks, but expect the same in return. It is this custom that has them branded as thieves by most of the other races.
Naming Convention: Irish and French Criolen Flameheart
Archmage
Fiera Kriece

Humans

Those that are known as humans are spread all across the face of Obsidian. The shortest lived of all the races, they burn their Lesser Fires fiercely and quickly. Most are ignorant of the world around them and are content to stay that way. Each of the different groupings have very diverse cultures. Only one thing seems common among them. They all call Obsidian by the name of Klonus. None could tell me why.
Naming Convention:
Acrialian: Arthurian and Latin
Galidred: Russian
Perinican: Viking
Shimo Kahn: Hungarian and Mongolian
Thoruitian: Greek mixed with Arthurian or Latin Avram Rapp
World Walker
Order of the Ring of Fire

Kobolds

Kobolds are nomadic in general, and usually live by stealing from others. They generally don’t keep any history, and usually their king is not kept through lineage, but by who is strongest. They are cunning, however, and generally set traps for those that they steal from. They do not kill unnecessarily, only to achieve their ends. Being smaller, they are generally misjudged and thus violence follows them like plague. Their stature makes them perfect for raiding gnomish gem mines, and they are known to be the scourge of the gnomes. Currently the largest known collection of kobolds is in the central mountain ranges on the eastern continent of Giroth.
Naming Convention:
Eastern: Midnight
Western (displaced): Swiss Criolen Flameheart
Archmage
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Lycanthropes

Little information is known about these strange creatures, but evidence exists that these are a natural race, with a deep and intricate history. Although Lycanthropy is generally looke don as a disease, and in fact can be contracted from the bite of true lycanthropes, those that are true breeds cannot be cured, and are generally killed when discovered. Because of this, information on this race is hard to come by. Never fear, for I shall continue my efforts to uncover the mysteries of this race.
Naming Convention: Polish and German Criolen Flameheart
Archmage
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Minotaurs

One of the more unusual races of bipeds, the minotaurs have the heads of cattle and the bodies of humans. While the reason for this strange hybrid has been lost, the Minotaur Empire still is strong. Living in the northernmost part of Klonus, the cold climate has made them hardy. Constant war between their kind and the two human empires that press on their borders has made them formidable warriors. They generally keep to themselves unless provoked, as most have a high sense of honor. The dark minotaurs, however, are those that have returned to a savage nature, killing and feeding on any that they come across, including each other. Many of the minotaurs fear this savage madness, as they do not know what causes it.
Naming Convention: Egyptian Criolen Flameheart
Archmage
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Orcs

Orcs are large bipeds, greatly feared by those that do not understand them. They settle in lands much like humans, and therefore are constantly threatened by human expansion. Indeed, at this time there are no known Orc Empires. This may be attributed to the humans rapid spread throughout Klonus. There ability to adapt has forced the orcs out of their homelands and into wandering.
Naming Convention: Black Speech Criolen Flameheart
Archmage
Fiera Kriece

Undead

Although not technically a race, undead should have some mention here. The dire enemies of the elves, undead seem to have a political structure. This is attributed to the Undead gods and their necromancers, who rule the undead culture. As such, other undead also come to be rulers, such as the Lich. These higher ruler type undead seem to carry intelligence and self awareness with them. While it is known that they are still magically constructed, there is speculation that certain undead, such as vampires, may actually be a race instead of undead. More likely they have evolved into race type forms, considering there is no evidence that vampires can actually produce offspring. Undead can be found almost anywhere, generally by looking in abandoned graveyards or crypts. I would like to study undead more, but without the aid of a necromancer, I am loathe to seek out the higher powered rulers, lest I be forced to bow down to them as one of their minions. Criolen Flameheart
Archmage
Fiera Kriece