Lineages: The People
The unique people of Evindale
Kin: The Families
THE TH’IL — Distant cousins to the elemental fae, the th’il find comfort in biomes that remind them of element from which they were created.
You might enjoy portraying th’il if you like elves influenced by ancient elemental ancestries.
DRANORVAURI — Soon after the th’il were touched into existence, Sythlia asked Benos to breathe life in to the newly created physical world. The end result would be an ever-evolving line of people whose tie to the material world is unmatched by most.
You might enjoy portraying one of the dranorvauri if you like dwarves (karuun and guelt), halflings (igylin and tirfolk), or other creatures who find home in or about the earth such as the gol. Some come from magic mixed with earth, the gnome.
KLANE — Said to be the last of the Created, the klane are the most adaptable of Sythlia’s creations, and indeed the most curious having settled into every corner of the planes.
You might enjoy playing a klane if you enjoy the adaptability of humans, shadowfolk (umbran), and those brought back from death (vivashan).
CHILDREN OF THE ITALTI — The Surge unleashed wild and unpredictable transformations in Sythlia’s creatures, introducing magical beings into the universe. The first of these were god-like in power and were known as the italti. These are their descendants, though their powers have since disappeared.
You might enjoy exploring the Children if you wish to play tengu/kenku (korvadan), deerfolk (odoko), lizardfolk, strix (maraki), aarakocra (geraki), or elongated creatures warped by arcane magic (sadrath).
Dranorvauri
PEOPLE • OF • THE • LAND
Gnome
PEOPLE OF THE FAE REALMS
The Surge washed over all of Sythlia's realms, including other worlds and dimensions. Felwiddel was included, a world that maintained its own laws of physics and mysteries. The very earth of this odd realm of seemingly endless possibilities was already infused with Sythlia's own creation energies. When The Surge hit, most of the world was destroyed just as Ævyn had been. Yet the world quickly rebounded.
Curious of what happened, some elemental fae journeyed through portals of their own making to the source. Upon entering the mortal realm, they took the shape of the first people they saw — an igyrlin and a th'il.
Ever since, the mischievous soul of the fae has resided in the gnome, a people with a tendency to view the world as parts to be used, thrown away, and put back together.
Gol
THE CLAYBORN
Benos created the dranorvauri line before the First Murder, but the artificer god’s divine will for life continued to exist in the earth.
This latent divine energy was awoken the moment Ævyn’s blood spilled into the ground. The resulting release of energy not only created the italti, but also the Gol, a people born of clay.
Guelt
PEOPLE OF STONE
Dwelling on the surface of mountainous regions, from the foothills to the peaks, reside the affable guelt. Slightly taller and thinner than their undermountain cousins, the guelt are ostensibly known to be the liasons to those that dwell below. Hence their nickname, the Hillsliders.
The reality is while there is a permanent alliance between the Empire of Krak Therik and the Queendom of Fan Guel (“earthy people” in the Gueltish dialect), the Hillsliders are an independent people and nation quite different than the Spinewardens, sharing almost only their love for their home and constant thirst of innovation in technology.
Igyrlin
PEOPLE OF THE HILLS
Called halfling only by humans and their Tirfolk cousins, the folk of the Igyrlin have lived in the eastern hills of Ivari since the Second Age.
Affable, tenacious, and wonderful storytellers, the Igyrlin are a stark contrast to the t’nao that live just on the other side of the mountains to the east in the lands of Sta’abri.
Karuun
PEOPLE OF ORE
Originally born from the living rock and fueled by the passion of the heat within the earth, the karuun homeland is deep within the bowels of mountains, specifically the Langonol range in eastern Erinnal. During the mid-Second Age, however, many karuun left their underearth homelands and ventured forth to explore what else had been created.
While individual personalities are known to be as diverse as any, the karuun are sometimes said to be a hard people as unmoving as the mountains in both body and mind.
Tirfolk
PEOPLE OF THE PLAINS
When the Igyrlin claim they were the First People, they often point to the hearty Tirfolk as being the Igyrlin ancestor. The exceptionally durable Tirfolk see this as an insult, however, who claim the halflings could not possibly be of their ilk; “they are too weak.”
Smaller than a Karuun and taller than an Igyrlin, a Tirfolk’s lithe frame belies their incredible strength and resilience to the world’s dangers.
Typically seen roaming the vast tundras of Cultrek and the sands of Malech as raiders, the Tirfolk claim territories and hold on to them tenaciously.
Geraki
Children of Starix of Kant
Smaller, slighter, and lacking in wings than most avianfolk, the geraki are easy to mistake as fragile. Their agility and speed prove otherwise, something they’re keen to use to their advantage.
Human
ADAPTIVE • AMBITIOUS • RESILIENT
Kobold
MAJESTIC • INGENIOUS • RESOURCEFUL
Kotera
PREDATORY • SURVIVALIST • PATIENT
In other worlds, known as the lizardfolk.
Korva’dan
Children of Gors Hylt
Though korva’dan can be found nearly anywhere, their ancestral home of Lakt Thel is a bastion of spirituality and trade. A good number of korva’dan can also be found in northwestern Sta’abri as part of the Black Feather tribe.
Most korva’dan are raised as a generous but cautious people, a skill well-suited for their penchant of far travels.
Maraki
Children of Meiqir
Winged and wielding razor-sharp talons, the maraki are a formidable people capable of immense loyalty to those they deem deserving.
Odoko
Children of Fínne of the River
Few understand the ways of elemental medicine as the odoko, a trait they bear due to their italti ancestor, a powerful water spirit.
Sadrath
CURSED • FORSAKEN • ARCANISTS
Th’il & The Elements
The building blocks of the universe are conveniently packaged into eight known elements: Sun, Air, Fire, Void, Moon, Earth, Water, and Spirit.
All things in Sythlia’s realm are comprised of some combination of the Eight Elements. The th’il, however, are still influenced by their ancestral ties. This can manifest in any number of ways from materials chosen as clothing to a preferred living environment or biome.
Some th’il have elevated their elemental expression to an art form, and certainly throughout history some th’il have inspired entire movements surrounding it.
How you, as a player, choose to express your th’il’s attunement is entirely up to you.
The Eight Elements
Earth is the bedrock of physical existence, embodying gravity, mass, and inertia. It holds matter together and gives form to the world.
The Th’il
PEOPLE • OF • THE • ELEMENTS
In other worlds, known as the elves.
The Th’il were the first beings of free will created by Sythlia through a forced evolution from the elemental fae which gave them their signature attunement to one of the Eight Elements—Sun, Air, Fire, Void, Moon, Earth, Water, and Spirit.
The Age of Harmony
In the First Age, the Th’il thrived in a deathless world, nourished by Sythlia’s infinite divine energies. Each lineage expressed their attunement to the elements through unique rituals.
The Sundering of the Elements
The Second Age began with Aevyn’s death. Nor’dagha, the brutal aspect of nature, parted from Sythlia and with it went the elemental energies to which the th’il were attuned.
The divine energy released in Aevyn’s death created mutated beings of all sorts and the most powerful of these became the italti, many of whom would go on to rule as tyrannical god-kings.
As Sythlia’s first children, the Th’il established Wyth Tyr’il as a sanctuary against italti oppression.
The Age of Trials and Beyond
The Third Age saw the expansion of empires, pushing beasts of all kinds to Erinnal’s outskirts.
The Fourth Age scattered the Th’il further, integrating them with other cultures.
By the Sixth Age, industrialization and dark forces eroded their elemental roots, rendering the Th’il attunement muted for the duration of centuries.
Rediscovery and Renewal
Preserving their heritage in secrecy, the Th’il awaited resurgence. Now, in the Brightpunk Eighth Age, Evindale’s renewal offers the Th’il a chance to restore balance, their unity forged in millennia of trials their greatest strength.
Adri'il
ATTUNEMENT
EARTH
The first of the elemental fae imbued with Sythlia’s were those of earth. Called “feral” by some other th’il owing to their seeming lack of higher thinking, the adri’il are known for facial hair, pointed upper and lower canines, matter-of-fact mannerisms, and a penchant for adhering to their baser instincts.
On average, adri'il tend to be the most physically powerful of the th’il.
Fayd'il
ATTUNEMENT
VOID
Born of the Void (fahn), fayd'il initially lack physical form, manifesting in the spirit realm independent of other entities. Their souls, infused with Void’s negative energy, are “birthed” horrifically by erupting from the corpses of intelligent undead. Parents know where their child will manifest, leading to persecution and rarity.
Fayd’il appear as pale, semi-corporeal versions of their undead “chrysalis,” heal from negative energy, and are unharmed by positive energy.
Lithar'il
ATTUNEMENT
SUN
Small Lithar’il communities remain in Wyth Tyr’il, notably Lithir Hold. Once dying off, their decline was linked to the horrific hunting of their newborns who are burdened with all knowledge of the world. While the vast majority of this knowledge when they can communicate, their capacity to retain critical insights remains unique.
With slower aging and brighter, metallic hair, their population has stabilized.
Myrad'il
ATTUNEMENT
FIRE
According to their own legends, Sythlia tapped into the essence of the primordial dreg’n before she forced an evolution of an elemental fae of fire.
The Myrad have a distinct sheen to their skin that resembles that of silver, gold, brass, bronze, or copper while their hair can be of any color. Some have a ridged scalp, or even crests. Their eyes are often equally bright, though of a different metallic color.
Ryal'il
ATTUNEMENT
WATER
Evolved from ancient elemental fae of water, Ryal histories claim they, before any other th'il, were the first to grace Sythlia's world.
Historically, Ryals avoided mortal politics from their underwater home in the western oceans. However, in the Third Age they joined the Thiraf to battle a submerged ancient, causing tsunamis. Since then, they have taken active roles in land-based societies.
Slindar'il
ATTUNEMENT
MOON
The slightest of th’il, many Slin are said to dwell on the surface of the Empire of Slindari, though rumors claim their underground population surpasses all others combined. Their gray-toned skin, raven-hued hair (often with subtle iridescence), and their attunement to Moon suggests origins in the Umbra.
Once accused of being the "wielders of the course blade" for their alleged involvement with the death of Ævyn, the Slindari have a contentious history with other th'il.
Ancient elemental magic in their veins protects them from modern variants of arcane energies.
Theran'il
ATTUNEMENT
AIR
Also known as farseers, theran’il have wide, almost saucer-like eyes, placing them as the most alien-looking of all the th’il, matching the Sadrath in lack of typical proportions.
While all elves may be found in Wyth Tyr’il, the Theran’il claim no homeland as their population is typically seen in all climates and in all lands. They are few in number, however.
Vaud'il
ATTUNEMENT
SPIRIT
Feared and misunderstood, Vaud’il allegedly replace a child's soul before being born into their body which is said to be placed in its proper form elsewhere.
Vaud’il consume a humanoid soul every five years to maintain their form, marked as agents of Fayer upon their first consumption.
Often reviled, they sometimes act as psychopomps to guide the dying, are forbidden to end lives prematurely, and their closeness to the process of life and death cause many to embrace their role as zealots of faith.
The Story of Khilish
Hear me. Hear me, children of the tide. This is the tale of the girl who stole a god’s breath.
It was the Second Age, when the isles of Sra Wathra lay heavy under the hand of Osuvaal, the Unmaker, the Tyrant of Tides. He was no man, nor beast, nor spirit shaped by the great harmony of the First Age. He was something else—change without memory, a song that never ended, a hand that never let go.
Where he passed, rivers unwound themselves. Trees twisted into shapes they had never known. People forgot their names, their homes, their children. Some vanished altogether, not in death, but as if they had never been. He did not rule. He rewrote.
But the sea remembers.
And so came Khilish. A girl. A clever girl.
She gathered those who still knew whispers of what was—warriors, weavers, stone-cutters, elders whose tongues were not yet dust. She led them across black waters, through winds that stole their voices, to the temple at the heart of Sra Wathra, where Osuvaal sat upon his living throne, a thing of shifting gold and endless spirals, weaving and unweaving all that he pleased.
The warriors were bold. They rushed him. Their blades were sharp, their hearts strong.
And then they were gone.
Osuvaal did not lift a hand. He simply spoke, and their names were torn from the great pattern of the world.
Khilish stood alone.
Osuvaal turned his burning eyes upon her. “You are nothing,” he said, his voice a thousand voices. “Speak, and your words will forget themselves.”
But Khilish had not come to speak. She had come to bind.
From her sash, she drew a simple thing. A ring of woven reed, knotted in the old ways, traced with the breath of those who still remembered. A child’s trinket. A name, shaped by hand.
She held it high. “I am Khilish.”
The world shuddered.
Osuvaal hesitated. A pause—small, but enough.
She stepped forward, pressing her bare feet into the temple’s living floor. “You took too much,” she said. “Give it back.”
The temple groaned. The sky above darkened—not with his will, but with something older, something that remembered. The waves crashed harder. The wind howled.
Osuvaal moved to speak, to unmake her, but the words tangled. He reached out, but his fingers passed through the air. He was unraveling.
The sigil in Khilish’s hand burned bright. The temple cracked, its spirals snapping like old rope. The great weave of Osuvaal’s will, knotted so tightly around the world, caught, twisted, broke—its strands whipping loose into the storm.
The god-king screamed. His voice, the thing that had shaped the world for an age, was stolen from him, cast into the wind.
And when the storm passed, when the temple fell, all that remained was the mark Khilish had held—a perfect circle, burned into the earth itself. Spiraling. Knotted. Unbroken.
Her people found her there, standing at its center, her name untouched. Their names returned. Their voices no longer stolen.
And so they carried the mark upon their sails. Upon their shields. Upon their flesh.
A memory. A promise. A warning.
We remain.
Thiraf
ADVENTUROUS • CURIOUS • DANGEROUS
In other worlds, known as the catfolk.
Major Regions Global, homeland of Sra Wathra
Size Medium (avg height 5′ 4″ / 163 cm; avg weight 112 lbs / 51 kg)
Age Adolescence, 7; Adult, 15; Middle Age, 35; Old, 53; Venerable, 70; Avg lifespan, 91
The thiraf are a people of movement. They travel, trade, tell stories, and carve their own paths across the world. Some say they are restless. Others say they are simply free.
Origins
The thiraf evolved naturally, much like the t’nao and kobolds, rather than being shaped by divine hands or arcane accidents. Their oldest known homeland is Sra Wathra, three islands southwest of Erinnal, known for towering cliffs, hidden coves, and tides that shift like living things. From there, they took to the waves, spreading across the world in search of what lay beyond the horizon.
Culture of Sra Wathra
Not all thiraf share the ways of their island-born kin, but those raised in Sra Wathra live by the rhythm of the sea. Their history is shaped by the legend of Khilish, the girl who stole a god’s breath, who bound the Unmaker Osuvaal with memory and defiance. Her victory taught them that names hold power, that stories are shields, and that the sea, above all else, remembers.
Traditions & Beliefs
Names Are Power – A name is more than identity; it is an anchor in the world. Many Sra Wathran thiraf carry woven name-rings, pass down sigils, or carve their names into wood or stone to preserve them. Some even tattoo spirals on their skin—marks of continuity, defiance, and remembrance.
Knot-Binding Rites – Before a journey, a thiraf might weave a cord with knots tied to memories, promises, or prayers. Some are kept for luck, others burned at sea, letting the wind carry their wishes.
Wave-Tales & Songkeepers – History lives in breath, not just ink. Storytelling is central to Sra Wathran life. Some thiraf dedicate themselves to memorizing sagas, chants, and wave-tales—stories told in rhythm with the tide, passed down unchanged for generations.
Shield of Khilish – A mark of their people’s defiance against erasure. Found on sails, shields, ship decks, and skin, it is both a warning and a promise: We remain.
Trade & Trickery – The sea teaches adaptability. Sra Wathran merchants are sharp-tongued and quick-witted, dealing in anything of value. Honesty is a flexible thing, but a good deal should leave both sides walking away thinking they won.
Roles in Adventure
Wayfarers & Navigators – Born to the tides, these thiraf read the stars, winds, and waters better than maps.
Trickster Merchants – Smugglers, brokers, fast-talkers. If there’s a price, they’ll name it.
Stormcallers – Some say the sea listens to them. Some call it magic. Some call it instinct.
Tattooed Guardians – Warriors who mark their victories in ink, protecting the names of their crew and kin.
Thiraf Across the World
Not all thiraf hold to the sea. Some never set foot on a ship at all. Those who grow up elsewhere take on different customs, shaping their lives as the land allows.
Desert & Plains Thiraf
Sand-Sailors & Survivalists – The dunes are just another kind of ocean. Some thiraf craft wind-driven sandships, crossing the wastes as their kin cross the waves.
Bone-Weavers – In place of knots, they carve names and stories into bone, preserving memory in the hardest of things.
Mountain & Forest Thiraf
Silent Stalkers – Where others crash through undergrowth, they move unseen. Rangers, scouts, or something else entirely.
Stone-Singers – They say mountains sing, much like the sea. Some thiraf listen and carve spiral marks into cliffsides, reading the land like a tide.
Urban Thiraf
Silver-Tongued Tricksters – In cities, the sharpest blades are words. These thiraf become deal-makers, spies, or something between.
Inkbinders – Where their island kin weave names into reeds, these thiraf ink them onto parchment, preserving history in writing rather than song.
The thiraf are wanderers, but they are not lost. Whether at sea or on land, whether bound to the old ways or shaping new ones, they carry the lesson of Khilish:
To be remembered is to survive.
T’Nao
TOTALLY • NOT • AN • ORC
The story of the t’nao is one of ancient magic, tribal honor, and a deep, unbreakable bond with the land. These are the children of ancient dragons, guardians of tradition, and souls of the wild land known as Sta’abri.
Ancient Origins: The t’nao are descended from a sect of ancient dragons who, through a mysterious ritual or natural evolution, shed their wings and breath weapons to walk as mortals. Over centuries, they lost much of their draconic appearance but retained subtle features hinting at their majestic lineage.
The Horde Confederation: Many of the t’nao tribes united under the Horde Confederation of Sta’abri, a loose but respectful alliance that allowed them to maintain their identities while cooperating for mutual protection and benefit. Each tribe developed a unique cultural aspect centered around one of the Eight Elements, something many claiming a Sta’abrian heritage hold as a personal truth to this day.
Name Credit: @beamersrq
Umbran
PERCEPTIVE • CALCULATING • INTELLIGENT
In other worlds, known as shadowfolk.
Major Regions Primarily the Umbra, with significant presence across various regions in the Material Plane
Size Medium (avg height 5’8″ / 173 cm; avg weight 251 lbs / 114 kg)
Age Adolescence, 13; Adult, 18; Middle Age, 125; Old, 188; Venerable, 250; Avg lifespan, 275
The Umbran are a people of movement and perception, shifting between light and shadow as naturally as others breathe. To them, the world in not measured in absolutes but in gradients, understanding that contrast defines existence.
Origins
The Umbran, like all Klane, were created in perfect balance of the Eight Elements. Unlike other kin aligned to singular forces, they embody equilibrium, making them uniquely attuned to space, time, and motion. Their ancestral homeland is the Umbra, a shadowed realm where reality itself is fluid. Within this ever-shifting landscape, the Umbran learned to adapt, sensing the unseen currents of the world. Some call them watchers. Others call them ghosts.
Culture of the Umbra
Not all Umbran share the traditions of their shadow-born kin, but those raised in the Umbra live by its ever-changing rhythm. Their history is shaped by the legend of Ashan of the Last Dusk, the one who walked unseen through battlefields, who vanished between moments, and who taught them that to understand motion is to understand power.
Traditions & Beliefs
Names as Anchors – In a realm where reality is fluid, names serve as anchors to one’s identity. Umbran inscribe their names in Gloshadi, carving them into personal items, tattoos, or woven sigils to ensure they are not lost to the shifting tides of existence.
Shadow Weaving – A revered art form where Umbran shape darkness into intricate patterns and stories. These weavings serve as both decoration and mnemonic devices, preserving history in shifting forms.
Light Festivals – Celebrations where Umbran use vibrant colors and shifting lights to create stark contrasts against their own shadowed forms. These festivals symbolize the balance between light and darkness, presence and absence.
Subsume Shadow – Some Umbran have mastered the art of merging with shadows, allowing them to move unseen or traverse distances instantaneously within the Umbra. Some call it instinct. Some call it sorcery.
The Record of Motion – Instead of writing linear histories, Umbran record patterns of movement, mapping how events unfold in relation to each other rather than in rigid sequences.
Roles in Adventure
Shadow Navigators – Guides who can traverse the shifting landscapes of the Umbra, leading others safely through its complexities.
Dimensional Scouts – Explorers who walk the boundaries between the Umbra and the Material Plane, seeking knowledge, secrets, and hidden paths.
Contrast Artists – Creators who manipulate light and darkness to craft art that reveals unseen perspectives.
Temporal Guardians – Umbran who monitor and protect the integrity of time and space, ensuring that unseen forces do not disrupt the balance between realms.
Värul
ENDURING • ADAPTABLE • UNYIELDING
In other worlds, known as half-giants.
Major Regions Xakirog (Far North/Northeast, Erinnal), scattered settlements in borderlands
Size Large (avg height 7′ 10″ / 239 cm; avg weight 620 lbs / 281 kg)
Age Adolescence, 10; Adult, 20; Middle Age, 55; Old, 85; Venerable, 110; Avg lifespan, 135
Overview
The Värul, known as the half-giants to outsiders, are the descendants of the exiled giants of Xakirog, forged in the cold crucible of the north. Though their bloodline traces back to the towering Skirvalg, Urdroch, Hrothgál, and Raëskir, they are not mere hybrids—they are a people of their own, born of hardship, survival, and adaptation.
Unlike their full-blooded ancestors, the Värul are smaller, more adaptable, and better suited to long-term survival in the unforgiving north. While they still retain great strength, endurance, and resilience, they have found ways to integrate into both Xakirog’s giant-dominated society and the wider world beyond.
Their three major sub-lineages—the Varuul, Jorran, and Skaldren—have distinct roles within their culture, but all share a deep-seated wariness of southern civilizations, an iron-bound sense of loyalty to their own, and a growing presence beyond their ancestral lands.
Origins & History
The Värul trace their origins to the Third Age, when the giants of Erinnal were driven from their homelands by war, betrayal, and persecution. Some giants fought to the bitter end, while others fled northward, into the unclaimed lands they would later name Xakirog (guardian mountain home).
Among these exiles, those who could not withstand the hardships of the new land adapted—or perished. Over generations, the survivors changed: they became shorter (by giant standards), denser, and more resilient to cold and starvation. Some interbred with escaped enslaved people, exiled humans, or even other outcast kins, leading to the emergence of a new people—the Värul.
By the time of the Fourth Age, they were no longer considered “half-giants” by those within Xakirog but a kin of their own, distinct from the dwindling full-blooded giants yet deeply tied to their culture and traditions.
Värul Sub-Lineages
The Värul are not a single people but rather a collection of three major sub-lineages, each shaped by the environments and challenges of Xakirog.
Varun
(“The Tempered”) – Keepers of the Strongholds
Role: Warriors, blacksmiths, fortress-builders
Build: Stocky, dense, 7–9 ft tall
Traits: Extreme endurance, resistance to crushing force, skilled in crafting and war
Temperament: Disciplined, honor-bound, slow to trust outsiders
The Varun are the backbone of Xakirog’s defense, standing as sentinels in mountain fortresses and massive stone cities carved into the tundra. They take pride in their discipline, martial skill, and craftsmanship, ensuring that their homeland remains unconquered.
They are the most likely to interact with southern nations, trading cold-forged weapons, gems, and mercenary contracts in exchange for supplies that Xakirog cannot produce. However, their distrust of southern civilizations remains strong, and they never forget the war that forced their ancestors into exile.
Jorran
(“Stone-Children”) – Wanderers of the Wilds
Role: Scouts, lorekeepers, survivalists
Build: Tall, lean, 8–10 ft tall
Traits: Frost-resistant, low-light vision, deep connection to Xakirog’s natural world
Temperament: Reclusive, mystical, wary of authority
The Jorran are the most enigmatic, living nomadic lives in the tundras, ice caves, and volcanic valleys of Xakirog. They are deeply tied to the land, believing that Xakirog itself holds secrets that must be protected. Some Jorran claim to hear whispers in the wind and stone, guiding them toward hidden paths or forgotten knowledge.
Unlike the Varuul, the Jorran do not build—they preserve. Their knowledge of survival, weather patterns, and hidden dangers makes them invaluable guides, but also deeply feared. They are the least likely to leave Xakirog, though a few venture south as seers, wanderers, or lone warriors seeking purpose.
Skaldren
(“The Bastard-Born of Stone”) – Raiders of the Frozen Coast
Role: Mercenaries, pirates, free warriors
Build: Medium to large (7–8 ft tall), agile
Traits: Weather-hardened, some affinity for storm magic, tactical minds
Temperament: Fiercely independent, ruthless, pragmatic
Unlike the Varun and Jorran, the Skaldren do not see Xakirog as a homeland worth defending—they see it as a prison they refuse to be bound to. Many Skaldren have taken to the frozen coasts and open sea, raiding merchant ships and southern settlements, making them feared names across the world.
Some Skaldren work as mercenaries, selling their strength to the highest bidder, while others form their own clans and pirate fleets, answering to no one. Though they have a reputation for being dangerous and unpredictable, they are also the Värul who are most likely to integrate into non-giant cultures, seeking wealth, adventure, or vengeance.
Culture & Beliefs
Despite their differences, most Värul share a few core beliefs and traditions:
Loyalty to the Kin – A Värul’s first duty is to their people, no matter their personal beliefs. Betraying the Värul is unforgivable.
The Price of Trust – Trust is earned, not given. Most Värul view outsiders with suspicion, particularly humans and th’il.
Strength is not Just Muscle – While they respect physical might, the Värul also value cunning, resilience, and survival instincts as marks of true strength.
The Old Gods are Dead, but the Land Remembers – The Värul do not worship the gods of the south. Some venerate Xakirog itself, believing that the land has its own will and ancient power, akin to the reverence shown to The Land of Mütvia, far to the southwest.
Vivashan
ENDURING • UNNATURAL • RESTLESS
In other worlds, known as revenants.
Not all beings came from the gods or evolved from ancient ancestors. The vivashan are those created from another’s experimentation with corpses, awoke in a buried tomb, or were spirits that inhabited a body.
Most viviashan have a corpse-like or patchwork appearance befitting their origin, including missing fingers, limbs, or completely different body parts from very different looking people. Whatever the unique feature, all vivashan are able to function normally.
