Races of Erehwon
There are many races inhabiting the world of Erehwon. What follows is a brief description of some of the more common races to be encountered.
Centaurs: Between the Westerrn Kingdoms and the colonies of the North lies a huge area rolling steppes known as the Cumbrian Plains. this huge territory is the homeland of the centaurs,also called the Horselords of Cumbria. Here they raise huge herds of wild horses aand tend to their flocks. The centuars are a nomadic, tribal people wanderring the plains as they see fit, following the annual migrations of their herds. They usually avoid the outside world, keeping to themselves and within their own borderrs but sometimes they are known to trade with settlements near their homelands border. It is said that they don't welcome strangers into their tribal lands. Little is known of their culture or society but it is rumoured that the clans aae ruled by a king and that somehwere in the heart of the plains is a city where he rules, but no body has ever visited such a place.
Dwarves: Dwarves along with the elves were the first inhabitants of Erewhon and they have a long and proud history. The greatest dwarven kings can trace their origins back to the original dwarven heroes (or so they claim). There are numerous dwarven cities and clan holds spread throughout the mountains and hills of Erewhon. Over the centuries some of these holds have fallen to invaders but there are still several powerful kingdoms and the dwarves are still a race to be reckoned with. There are two sub-species of dwarf, mountain and hill. The most commonly encountered are the hill dwarves but either race can be player characters.
Elves: The elves are the other first born but unlike the dwarves their power is definitely waning. Several hundred years ago the greatest elven empire was overrun by the forces of evil and the elves exiled to the lands west of the Kharnik Mountains. Today there are three known elven kingdoms in Erewhon but there is said to be a few independent communities hidden deep in the heart of the various woodlands and forests of Eros. There are also rumours of an island nation of elves, said to be as old as Vel'Nethwe somewhere far across the Northern Ocean but such rumours have never been substantiated by human explorers. Player characters can of either high or wood elf origins.
Giants: There are several sub-species of giants in Erehwon and many of the species in the Monster Manual can be found in this world. Of the various races the most common are the hill giants. The hill giants of Erewhon are more intelligent and cunning than those depicted in the monster manual, they are more in keeping with the giants of G1, the Steading of the Hill Giant Chief- they organise themselves into family units and clans but sometimes several clans will unite under a more powerful leader. They are also very territorial and will fight all comers to retain their homeland.
Other giant species include cloud giants, fire giants, stone giants and frost giants. The frost giants have a large kingdom in the frozen lands far to the north and it is said that there is constant warfare between them and the Drakkar. Of the other races of giants not much is currently known.
Gnolls: Gnolls are a primitive race of hyena like humanoids that live in the cold tundra of the north beyond Irongard. Gnolls live in loose tribal groups and spend their days wandering the northern tundra in search of prey, whether it be bison, caribou or man, it matters not to a gnoll. Gnoll bands are led by the strongest gnoll and sometimes several bands will organise under a particularly strong leader for a short time to conduct some especially bloody task. But such larger groups are usually short lived.
Gnomes: Gnomes are considered by many to be cousins of dwarves but they are in fact a race unto themselves. They are clannish creatures who spend their lives mining, crafting fine jewellery and enjoying the fruits of their labours. Gnomes tend to have a well ordered society with many levels of responsibility culminating in a single chief. Unlike dwarves gnomes don't tend to unite into larger kingdoms. Instead each clan will usually remain independent. There is a friendly rivalry between the gnome clans in an area and the clans will unite against a common foe, then once the threat is overcome the clans will once again go their separate ways.
Goblins: Goblins are a diminutive race of humanoids that make up with sheer numbers of what they lack in size. If it wasn't for their numbers and prodigious breeding cycle they would be considered to be little more than pests or vermin. Goblins although weak are cunning and are experts at ambush and guerrilla warfare much preferring to fight from a distance, or not at all, to engaging in traditional warfare. They lair in hills and mountain holds and these places are often a warren of small tunnels and mazes complete with pits, snares and all manner of traps to catch the unwary. Goblins are often bullied by the larger humanoid races and used as lackeys or cannon fodder.
Halflings: Halflings are diminutive demi-humans that look very much like miniature, well fed humans. They stand less than 3 feet in height and have soft curly hair on their feet and toes. They typically shun the wearing of shoes. Halflings prefer to live in temperate, pastoral countryside are often found living in, or near, other races towns and cities where they might benefit from the larger races laws and protection.
Hobgoblins: Hobgoblins are larger, more militant and better organised cousins of goblins. They are extremely warlike and violent and enjoy nothing more than waging war on other races and each other. Hobgoblins society is organised into tribes and their is a great deal of antipathy and open warfare between the various tribes. It is this constant warfare that prevents the hobgoblins from becoming more of a threat to the other races as hobgoblins spend much of their time fighting each other rather than their common enemies.
Humans: There are several different sub-races of humanity in Erewhon.
* Drakkar: The Drakkar are a proud warlike people who have so far resisted all attempts to become "civilised." The Drakkar Peninsula that they claim as their homeland is a rugged place where only the strong survive and the Drakkar seem to thrive there. The Drakkar are pale of skin and fair of hair, most have blue or brown eyes. Men wear long beards which they braid and as with dwarves the beard is a mark of honour amongst these tribal people.
* Skelts: The Skelts first migrated to central and western about a thousand years ago. They were a race of hunters and gathers who eventually settled in the empty western lands and built their own kingdoms. They have a strong, rich oral history and their bards are renown throughout the lands. Slowly the Skelts were assimilated by the Druth people and pushed further west. Today only the people of the island kingdom of Sharmra are of pure Skeltish origins. Pure blooded Skelts have brown or red hair and blue or brown eyes. They prefer to wear tartans and checks with each tribe maintaining its own clan tartan.
* Druthni: The Druthni people, like the Skelts before them migrated from the vast eastern plains but unlike the early Skelts the Druth were a warrior people set on conquest and war. Early Druth society was organised around families, clans, and tribes, and centred on a system of reciprocity between lord and thanes. The lord expected martial service and loyalty from his thanes while they for their part expected protection and rewards from the lord. The Druth overran most of the Skeltish kingdoms, and several elven ones as well, before a Skeltish king rose to challenge them. Eventually after years of conflict the two races settled their differences in the face of a threat of another quarter, a huge invasion of Orcs from the Shadowlands. After defeating the orcs the two races signed the Great Peace. Since then the tribal system of the Druth has given way to larger kingdoms and political groups. Today most of the humans of central Eros are of either Druth or mixed Druth/Skelti origins. The Druthni have blonde, brown or black hair and bronzed skin. Their eye colouration can vary from blue to brown, hazel or green.
Kobolds: Kobolds, are small dog faced humanoids of about 3' in height and like goblins are often considered to be little more than pests. They usually inhabit wild hills and dismal dank forests far from centres of civilisation. Kobolds are cowardly in the extreme and will usually run if faced with a determined foe, but like goblins they excel in the arts of backstabbing and ambush.
Ogres: Ogres are large, slow witted humanoids that live in wild mountains and hills. They are often used as servants and guards by the races of giants or as guards and mercenaries by tribes of orcs. If they can they will bully weaker humanoids and are surly, unpredictable and obnoxious to an extreme. They understand but one principle, that of strength. They will bully creatures weaker than themselves and be bullied by larger, stronger creatures such as giants.
Ogre-Magi: Ogre-magi are a separate race of ogres that are smarter, and stronger than their more common kin. They are also powerful spell casters and as such are much feared. Ogre-magi travel in small bands or are to be found ruling over a tribe of lesser ogres.
Orcs: Orcs are perhaps the most dangerous of the humanoid races. They are without a doubt the most well organised and (relatively speaking)advanced. The orcs of Erehwon are better organised than their kin on many other worlds, they are a race of warriors who excel in fighting. Their society is divided into several castes with the warrior caste being the rules of the society. The only way to advance within the society is by feat of arms and only the best warriors advance in warrior caste and become leaders. The society is regulated by the priests of Gruumsh One Eye, the Orcs greatest god. The entire race is geared to one purpose, to excel at warfare and defeat all enemies of the field of battle. Orcs are the only humanoid race organised enough to forge their own nations and kingdoms and as such are a real threat to the superiority of elf, dwarf and humans.
Trolls: Many of the wilder areas of Erewhon are infested by trolls. In the North of the continent of Eros they are especially prevalent in the Fens, Border Hills and the tundra of the Utter North. Trolls are fearless predators that are best avoided by the common citizenry of most lands.
This page was last updated on
Wednesday, 10 October 2001