In Regard to Eldraspell: Races

The following is an excerpt from the book Stǣr of Eldraspell, from the chapter "On the disparate races of Eldraspell: mann, ælf, and wight", by the scholar Witga.

The exact definition of race, or more aptly species, is unclear; what differences define the distinction between mann and ælf? Some would say that the very nature of being is what differentiates the two, while others would argue that the distinction is entirely arbitrary, for we all breath, bleed, and die, no? There are, of course, the wights; this is a far clearer case, for wights are creatures of magic, beings of the beyond. There are those who believe that ælf's, elves and dwarves and such, are themselves wights. While this notion is an interesting one that provokes thought, most scholars - myself included - argue that, if anything, these ælfs are closer in relation to us, mann, than wights. In fact, most amongst the ælf population would take offense at the suggestion of them being in any way related to those wicked creatures.

The following section is concerned with the classification, clarification, definitions, and descriptions of the various races, species, that call Eldraspell their home.

Mann. The most abundant of the races, mann were once native to the central regions Eldraspell, it is due to this fact that they were best able to prepare for the coming of the Mist. It is remarked by some that mann is the most mundane of people, such is folly, however. Mann is versatile, capable of a great range of things. Potential is the gift of man. The potential to be, to do, anything. There were once many subsets of mann, though the concentration of the populace has, over the last millennia, diluted the identity of these disparate tribes and clans. Despite this, there are still those who maintain the sanctity of their heritage, carefully preserving the history of their people. The Eardstapa of the Dales (it should be noted that these people are the native inhabitants of modern day Niwegard, though have since concentrated their population in the border region of the Lowland Dales), and the Heohlond of the plains are prime examples of this. 

Elf. The fair folk, as they are oft' called, are rather mysterious; they guard their history fiercely. There are a variety of elven people, with the sylvan variety being the most common. They are a secretive lot, as such information on them is scarce. What is known, however, is that they are as varied as mann; what we classify as 'elves' range from the mann-like people of the sylvan court, to the diminutive and mischievous tricksters of the pixie kind, to the skulking goblins of the underground. Unlike mann, elves consider magic to be a part of their being, they weave it into their songs, their poetry, their every movement is infused with the ethereal magics of their kind. They are, perhaps, amongst the rarest of species of Eldraspell, due in large part to their historic occupation of the outer lands; those places first consumed by the Mist.

Dwarf. Dwarves are, for lack of a better word, stout. They are renowned crafters and artisans, valuing beauty and freedom above all else. They once dwelled deep within the tall mountains, or within settlements on the slopes of the foothills. They are a stubborn lot, loyal, but stubborn. It is this stubbornness that nearly spelled their doom, they believed they could protect themselves from the Mist, that they could hide away in their great mountain halls, safe as the world about them was consumed. They could not. Some consider the dwarven kind to be crude, but one must appreciate their ways, dwarves believe that a direct approach is often times the best one; they've little time for nuance or subtext. While sometimes distrusted, as there indeed exist stories amongst mann that speak of dwarven mischief, you will find that most villages will welcome a dwarf into their community, not least because of the impeccable craftmanship they can offer. Some scholars believe that dwarves possess amongst them a lingering blessing of the gods, or at the least some closely held secret, for their crafts are known to be superior to that of mann, as if their every hammer stroke were blessed.

Halfling. The small folk, easily mistaken for children of mann are a secretive and elusive people who dwell mainly in hidden hill-lands and secret forests. It is believed by some that the race of halfling is all but extinct, though most scholars agree that, while it is true that the small folk are scarcely ever seen, it is unlikely that they no longer exist at all. Indeed, even in the Elder days, before the Mist and in the age of Godcund, halflings were a rare sight. Skittish is a word often associated with individuals from this species, it is unlikely that a mann or ælf would even notice that they had strayed into halfling land, the people are prone to hiding; shuttering away their villages when an outsider approaches, blending in with the natural world, remaining unseen. This knack for passing unnoticed extends to the people themselves, those who have had dealings with the small folk have remarked that they are unnaturally stealthy in nature, light on their feet and oddly graceful. 

An interesting historical fact is that, according to some sources, the practice of smoking plants and herbs in pipes originated from the halfling people. There is an amusing story centered around a halfling who, while fixing the chimney of a friend, accidentally inhaled the smoke wafting from the fire blow. Little did the handyman know that his friend had forgotten about him, and had started cooking meat over the fireplace, the herbs from the marinade falling into the flames and mixing with the fumes. The tale goes that the halfling in question had quite a good time of it, and, upon returning home that night, set about creating a device that would allow him to inhale the smoke of herbs in a convenient manner. Thus the practice of pipe-smoking was created. Whether or not this particular legend holds any weight is unknown, but it is humorous nonetheless.

Dēormann. Beast-men they are oft' called in the modern vernacular, dēormann are a group of species that most would consider to be bestial in nature. This ranges from the merfolk of the deep waters, to the fugolmann of the high rocks. The people known as wendan are included in this category; more often called the shifter-people, wendan are individuals who, either through birth or as the result magics, have the ability to change their shape and form; usually into that of an animal, though this is not necessarily true for all wendan. Dēormann as a whole are exceptionally rare, due to the unfortunate historic practice of hunting them for their pelts and hides, as they were considered to be mystical in nature, possessing special properties; it is said that our immortal king Ælfric possesses one such garment, a fine robe made from the fur of a dēormann. Though uncommon, shifter-people may yet be found roaming about what remains of Eldraspell. It is unlikely that there exist any settlements inhabited solely, or even predominantly, by dēormann. In modern times, the people who bare the name of shifter are more likely than not to be travelers, vagabonds and drifters. Solemn in nature, dēormann are remarked as being exceptional manual labourers and soldiers.  

Wight. Wights. What is there to say about such despicable things? Indeed, it is my inclination to leave this section as sparse as possible, the things that are wights are underserving of my time and penmanship. And yet, I would be no true scholar if I were to shy away from controversial and unsavoury subjects. Wights, then, are beings from beyond, creatures of twilight and malevolence. They are tricksters, craven beasts of wicked nature. What form a wight can take varies greatly, some may appear as ethereal spirits, or deadly river beauties, hags and ghouls, ghasts and things that defy description. Horrible, wicked things, truly. There are some who say that not all wights are inherently evil, to that I would say: historical accounts beg to differ. Take heed, dear reader, never trust a wight, for whatever they may offer you, whatever they may promise, the price is always far greater than what it at first may seem.  

Mist-Touched. Alas for the mist-touched, those poor souls who have been corrupted by the Mist. Indeed, exposure to the Mist has an unnerving way of twisting and contorting mortal kind, all that you are is stripped away, every hope and dream, fear and secret, all gone, replaced by the Mist. Such beings are dangerous, they will harm you, if they can. It is lucky, then, that these wretched folk have been shut out from the kingdom of Niwegard, kept away from the decent world by the great wall erected by our king. Pray that you never encounter a mist-touched, dear reader, and pray all the more that you never join them.

Other. It should be noted that this chapter in no way offers a definitive list, due in large part to the simple fact that the categorization of race or species is not universal, there are some who would argue that beings such as goblins and boggarts should be considered separate to other ælf's. For the purpose of this book, I have followed the commonly held consensus on the matter. There exist many strange and wonderful creatures across the lands of Eldraspell, this chapter offers but a glimpse of what is out there. 

The remaining pages of this chapter will be concerned with the deeper discussion of the above mentioned races, delving into greater detail on the topics of history and culture. Let us begin, then, with...