Race Overview
Humans
Humans, the most widespread race in Aventuria, have adapted to all kinds of environments,
be it the brooding sultriness of the south or the frosty cold of the north, and they have
settled in almost every corner of the continent. Mankind is divided in different peoples, each
having their own mannerisms. The main difference appears to be that Middenrealmers and
Thorwalers originally came from distant Myranor, the Forest Folk and Utulu arrived in
Aventuria from Uthuria, and Tulamydes and Nivese appearto be native to Aventuria.
Intermarriages and mass migrations have played a large role over the centuries. The
ancestors of the well-traveled Norbards and the barbaric Ferkina were Tulamydes, similarly,
the Fjarnings from the high north and the Thorwalers are descended from the Hjaldings of
Gyldenland. The Gjalsker people, who live in the far northwest of the continent, are of mixed
Norbard/Thorwaler ancestry. Some say that the people who live in the Troll Peaks have the
blood of Tulamydes and Trolls in their veins.
The Middenrealmers are the largest group of humans. Their ancestors arrived from
Gyldenland and quickly became the dominant group of humans in Aventuria. This ethnicity
represents the majority of the population not just in the Middenrealm, but also the Horasian
Empire, the Svellt Valley, Bornland, Nostria, Andergast, and beyond. The complexion of
Middenrealmers varies from light skin to dark. Brown and blond hair are most common,
while a variety of eye colors exists.
Long before the arrival of Middenrealmers, the Tulamydes established great realms, such as
the Diamond Sultanate, in Aventuria. They dwelt in the lands of the southeast, from the
Khôm Desert and Balash to Arania, parts of Meridiana, and the island of Maraskan, where
they first mingled with the Middenrealmers.
The barbarian Ferkina mountain people, who occupy the mountain ranges between the
Mhanadi highlands and Rashtul’s Wall, are relatives of the Tulamydes. Their complexion and
hair color are usually darker than those of Middenrealmers, and blonde hair and green eyes
are rare. On average, Tulamydes live slightly longer than Middenrealmers.
The northwest of the continent is inhabited by the Thorwalers, bold seafarers and daring
explorers. They also originate from the western continent of Myranor where their legendary
ancestors, the Hjaldings, still dwell. Thorwalers wear their often red-blond hair and beards
very long, are exceptionally tall, and are known to be a very robust people.
One of the oldest human races is the Nivese, a nomadic people who roam the tundra, taiga,
and steppes of northern Aventuria and have always lived in clans. Although they tend to be
more slender than Middenrealmers and slightly shorter, the main difference is their almond-
shaped eyes and the typically copper-red hair, which they inherited from the Gyldenland
settlers. Nivese can grow to be very old; there have been cases where people lived up to 120
years, a fact that gave rise to the saying “to reach a Nivesian age.”
The Norbards of the northern domains are best known as traveling merchants. Their
ancestors, the Alhani, ruled a large domain centuries ago but it was destroyed by Tulamydes
and Middenrealmers, and the peoples of the Norbards were forced to scatter to the seven
winds. Norbards are slightly smaller than Middenrealmers and have a darker complexion,
and their typically black hair stems from their Tulamydian heritage. It is customary for
Norbard married men to shave their heads and for married women to shave a wide part into
their hair.
Most scholars do not differentiate between the Forest People and the Utulu, and tend to
refer to them collectively as Moha. The Forest People are smaller and more delicate than
Middenrealmers, while Utulu, on the other hand, are bronze complexions which
nevertheless vary in degree, while the Utulu have skin almost as dark as ebony. Utulu often
have frizzy hair, while that of the Forest People is often thin and straight. Both peoples
originated on the distant southern continent of Uthuria. Most Aventurian cultures practice
gender equality, with both genders sharing everyday tasks. Many regions brag of valiant
swordswomen, daring female pirates, and mighty enchantresses. Similarly, men are known
to lead lives as courtiers or stay home to watch children while the women go out
adventuring. Exceptions exist, of course, depending on region. For instance, strict patriarchy
is the order of the day in Andergast and parts of the Lands of the Tulamydes, while in Arania,
women usually occupy important positions in politics, trade, and the military, and their men
lead lives of leisure or devote themselves to the arts.
24
Elves
In Aventuria, speculation abounds on the origin of elves. They claim that they dreamed
themselves into existence, stepping out of the light into Creation in the forests of the
Salamander Stones. The collected tales of their history, known as the Faedhari, contain many
legends related to this one subject. The elves are a magical people. Millennia ago the high
elves ruled over large parts of Aventuria but their time has long since passed. Who knows
what catastrophe befell them and led to the sundering of the elven people into the tribes we
know today. Some suspect a connection to the pale-skinned, malignant night elves that live
in the Far North, away from the sun, and which call themselves shakagra.
Today, most elves choose to live secluded from the worldly affairs of the other races. They
often reside in extended families in deep forests or lovely meadows, or on the Eternal Ice or
the wide steppes of the north, striving to live in harmony with nature. One must travel far
from any human settlements to find an exclusively elven settlement.
The Firn elves manage to survive in the icy north. The Grim Frost Waste is their chosen
home, where they wage their eternal battle against the hated night elf queen, Pardona, and
her servants.
Steppe elves make their homes on the Green Plain and are famed for their riding skills. The
clans of Nivese who wander that region say the elves they meet are distrustful of outsiders
and seem engaged in a fierce, ongoing war with the goblins.
Wood elves, the most primal of elven peoples, disdain the temptations of the high elven
cities and still live within the protection of the forests of the Salamander Stones, the
ancestral home of all elven peoples.
Humans most often encounter Glade elves, which live near the rivers and lakes of northern
Aventuria, especially in proximity to the Salamander Stones, but also in Albernia, Alamada,
and the Horasian Empire. As the largest elven population in Aventuria, they have the
strongest influence on the image most humans have of elves. Some glade elves have even
given up the pastoral life and have settled in human cities.
As expected, half elves result from the union of elf and human. Contrary to common
superstition, it does not matter which parent is elven. Their slightly pointed ears clearly mark
them as mixed race, and it is often their fate to remain a stranger to both cultures and find
entry and acceptance in neither. Even though elves resemble humans at first sight, striking
differences exist. Their ears are pointed near the top and distinctly longer than those of
humans. The color of their eyes, which are slightly larger than those of humans, varies from
sapphire blue to emerald green with flecks of silver or gold, and they sparkle like gemstones
in sunlight. Elves tend to be taller and more slender than humans, and are known for their
great agility and elegance, as well as their sensitive noses. Many humans consider elves the
pinnacle of beauty, as their symmetrical features look more pleasant than is typically seen
among humans. Their serenity and almost ethereal otherworldliness combine in the human
psyche to produce the image of the classically beautiful elf.
They know no separation of work by gender, and only skill and calling are what counts. It is
said that they live and love more freely than any other peoples. Elves do not die of old age,
rather only after they have fulfilled their mission in life. Their lifespan may therefore extend
for hundreds of years. Every elf seems to pursue a different goal in life, one which only
reveals itself over the course of years. Once elves reach adulthood, they stop aging
outwardly, but when they fulfill their life’s goal, they age and whither within a few short
days. Elves fear little beyond what they refer to as badoc, a term that can be translated
roughly as “becoming too human.” Giving in to badoc means taking a step further away from
the light, of becoming less of an elf.
Dwarves
Legends and myths say that Angrosh (known to humans as Ingerimm) created the tribes of
dwarves to guard the treasures of the earth and to fight against the threat posed by dragons.
Dwarves generally live in subterranean cities they have dug deep under the mountains. All
dwarves once lived in Xorlosh, their holiest city, in the northern part of the Iron Forest,
which dwarves call the Ingra Knolls. Many large dwarven tribes developed from the eight
founding families of the Angroshim and soon spread under most mountain ranges in
Aventuria. The fierce forge dwarves live in the aptly-named Forge Mountains as well as in
the Thash. When humans think of dwarves, they tend to think of forge dwarves.
The tradition-steeped ore dwarves still live in Xorlosh and preserve their cultural heritage
with proverbial dwarven tenacity. They dwell primarily in Ingra Knolls but also in the Kosh
Mountains, the Iron and Phecano Forests, and even Fasar.
The good-natured and fun-loving hill dwarves left their caves and mines long ago and now
make their homes in the Hill Land Shire and the large cities of the Principality of Kosh,
alongside humans.
The diamond dwarves have their ancestral homes in the Beilunk, while others of their kind
have since found a new home in Rashtul’s Wall.
A number of smaller clans or tribes make their homes in the Dark Ridge Mountains and
places further north. Dwarves and humans have lived together for generations in cities such
as Angbar, Fasar, and Dwarrow. Dwarves seldom grow more than 5 and a half feet tall but
their defining features are their very compact builds and heavy bones, their extraordinary
toughness, and their legendary endurance. Their eyes are well-adapted to life under the
earth and they can see well in almost complete darkness. Beards are a thing of pride and joy
to male dwarves, and they are often skillfully braided and adorned with ornaments. Dwarves
count themselves among the longest-lived races in Aventuria and often live as long as 400
years or even longer. It is said that old Angroshim slowly turn into stone, returning to the
element from which their god created them.
Female dwarves are less numerous than male dwarves and are cherished by their tribes.
Often female dwarves receive many marriage proposals following courtships that can last for
decades. Even though dwarves think that their females and especially their children need
protection at all times, this does not mean that they are defenseless: some of the most
feared dragon slayers of the past were actually brave dwarven women.
Orcs and Goblins
Humans, elves, and dwarves all look upon the races of the orcs and goblins with mistrust.
Orcs, a nomadic race of merciless and brutal warriors, make their home in the barren
steppes and hills of the Orcland. Time and again they have laid waste to the realms of men.
They are slightly taller than humans and have a stronger build. Their faces seem rough and
possess a broad, flat nose, a receding forehead, and deep set eyes, and their ears are slightly
pointed. The orcs’ teeth are especially remarkable in that the canines that protrude from
their lower jaw would not look out of place on a boar. Orcs have a life expectancy of around
40 years but many die long before that in battle, a mainstay of orcish culture. Female orcs
sometimes live longer, but they play a subordinate role in orcish culture and are seldom
regarded as better than slaves. In fact, they are not even granted names of their own.
Orc tribes include the Zholochai, the Mokolash, and the Shurachai, or snow orcs, which live
in the Far North. The union of orcs and humans produces the coarse half orcs. The home of
the goblins lies in the Sickle Mountains as well as the plains of Bornland and the Far North.
Since they are very numerous and multiply quickly, goblin clans have even spread as far as
the Horasian Empire.
Calendars, Reckonings, and Holidays
Different forms of chronology coexist (more or less) in Aventuria, and differ from race to
race, realm to realm, and region to region. Even the length of a year can vary. Some peoples
base their calendar on the moon, others on the sun. All cultures measure days and nights,
even when they are hard to differentiate, such as in the Far North or deep underground in
the delvings of the dwarves.
The Calendar of the Twelvegods
In every region that recognizes the Twelvegods, one year consists of 365 days and begins in
summer on the 1st Praios. However, annual reckonings differ in many realms. The most
common of these reckons time after “the Fall of Bosparan” (FB), and is measured from the
year 0 FB (the fateful year in which the Garethians destroyed the old city and empire of
Bosparan). Events that occurred before the Fall of Bosparan (b.FB) are reckoned in a similar
manner. Some realms also measure time from the year in which they gained independence,
whether from the Bosparan Empire or the Middenrealm.
Regions that worship the Twelvegods divide their year into 12 months, each of which is
named after one of the Twelvegods. The standard year starts in summer on the first day of
the month of the king of gods, Praios.
The last five days of the year are particularly sinister and Aventurians associate them with
the Nameless One, the arch nemesis of the gods. They call this period the Nameless Days.
During these five days, no stars are visible on the meridian, and most people believe the
might of the Nameless God is greatest during this time. Initiates and novices, especially, have
many unholy, demonic labels for these days. Many cultures face the Nameless Days with
great fear as supernatural and unholy phenomena become more common during this time.
Feasts and Holidays
Holidays vary by region, so this section lists only a selection of important holidays, with an
emphasis on the festivals and events that are most widely celebrated and therefore likely to
be of the greatest relevance to heroes and adventurers.
1st of Praios: Midsummer; the beginning of the new year; the most important holiday in all
lands that worship the Twelvegods; a time to honor sovereigns and order. Major knight’s
tournament held in Gareth
2nd-3rd of Praios: Griffon Festival; traditional date of ennoblement
5th of Rondra: Day of the Oath; the most important holiday of the Church of Rondra,
traditionally celebrated with the ordination of many novices
15th-16th of Rondra: Celebration of the Sword, a holiday of the Church of Rondra marked
with tournaments and contests
1st of Efferd: Day of Water; the most important holiday of the Church of Efferd celebrated
with many processions and festivals
30th of Efferd: Fishermen’s Feast, a remembrance of the souls of those who have drowned;
Examination Day, a holiday of the Church of Hesinde and a popular date for final
examinations in many mage academies
1st of Travia: Day of Homecoming, celebrated especially in the north by Thorwalers,
Norbards, and Bornlanders.
12th of Travia: Day of Faithfulness; many weddings and other oaths occur on this day
1st of Boron: Day of the Dead; a day of prayers for the deceased
2nd-8th of Boron: All-Aventuria Meeting of Jesters in Khunchom, marked by countless
performances
20th of Hesinde: Beginning of the opera season in Vinsalt
30th of Hesinde: Festival of Illumination, the most important holiday for the Church of
Hesinde, marked by many processions
1st of Firun: Midwinter; the Day of the Hunt; a holiday of the Churches of Firun and Ifirn;
masked processions take place in many places to drive away winter
30th of Tsa: Day of Renewal, a holiday of the Church of Tsa; usual time to launch new
ventures of all kinds
16th of Phex: Day of Phex, a holiday of merchants and thieves; secret pacts with the gods
are often made on this day.
1st of Peraine: Sowing Festival, accompanied by the blessing of the fields
7th-12th of Peraine: Annual convention of bards (alternates between the towns of
Honeyngton, Norbury, Bethana, and Zorgan)
1st of Ingerimm: Day of Fire, a ritual consecration of weapons; the most important holiday
for worshippers of
Angrosh; the Trade Fair in Festum begins on this day
21st of Ingerimm: Day of Weaponsmiths, the most important holiday of Ingerimm; observed
with torchlight processions, admission of new apprentices, and the forging of masterpieces
1st-7th of Rahja: Festival of Pleasures, celebrated with joyous festivals and processions in
the streets, in honor of Rahja
Cosmology
The cultures of Aventuria have different perspectives on the creation of the world and on
the role each plays today. Most human cultures, especially those who believe in the
Twelvegods, accept a rather uniform cosmology.
According to the common religious creed of the Twelvegods, in the beginning there was
nothing. From this nothingness arose two beings, or rather two principles: Los and Sumu, the
domain of the mind and the domain of the body, respectively. These principles organized
everything else around them, until they perceived one another. When they recognized their
principles were incompatible, they began to argue. This struggle created the world and the
gods as Aventurians perceive and understand them. According to the mythology of the
Twelvegods, Los killed Sumu after a long struggle, but suffered grievous wounds in the
process. When he realized what he had done in his rage, Los cried out with regret. Twelve
drops of Los’ blood fell upon Sumu’s corpse and created the gods. Praios was the first of the
gods to spring forth, and Rahja was the last. Heretical free thinkers, such as the Hesindan
Ilaristes, claim that Los actually shed at least 13 drops, and that the first drop, which was full
of hate and pain, created the mightiest of the gods—the Nameless One, he who has fought
against the Twelve since the beginning in order to remake creation. All other living beings
are said to have arisen from the tears of Los. Plants, however, formed out of the body of the
ancient titan Sumu, while her dying womb birthed the titans.
The Nivese have a different tale concerning the origin of creation. According to them, the
mythical Heavenly Couple gave birth to the first human and the first wolf and blessed them
with descendants. These lived together in harmony, until Mada, one of the sons of men,
killed the cubs of the Heavenly She-Wolf, Liska. Liska laid her cubs into a bowl, which
became Mada’s Mark in the heavens. Liska then returned with her pack of Heavenly Sky
Wolves to devastate creation. The Nivese believe Mada’s sacrilege and the ire of the Sky
Wolves formed the world.
The Maraskani believe that the world is a discus created by the god Rur as a perfect present
for his brother-sister Gror. Rur threw the discus towards Gror and so the world discus flies
through the Ethrajin, the home of demons and the Brotherless (the Maraskani term for the
Nameless One). Nearly all creation myths describe an interplay between two primordial
forces at the beginning of time, and the world sprang from their interactions, whether
harmonious or adversarial. Many see this confrontation as a battle these are different myths,
scholars believe they largely agree on three aspects:
- Immortals created the world
- The world is subject to change because mortals and immortals fight for influence in
the world
- The most important aspect is that immortals can only intervene indirectly in the
world through the use of miracles, and it is the work of their believers that must
affect the fate of the world
Despite all their might, gods and immortals must submit to the iron Law of the World as
devised by Kha, to prevent the world from falling into chaos. She laid down this Law, called
the Mystery of Kha, In the Heart of the World. None can violate this Law, neither the
immortals nor Kha herself. Kha determined the structure of the world, the natural laws, and
the order of the Spheres. She appointed a mortal named Satinav to serve as the Guardian of
Time, after he committed many crimes against Time. As punishment she bound him to the
Ship of Time, where he languishes with his daughters Ymra (past) and Fata (future),
punishing every sin against the ordered course of creation without mercy. Even though Kha
was worshiped as a goddess by the first lizard people, the mythos of the Twelvegods does
not consider her an immortal in her own right. Instead, Kha is the name given to the Law of
the World, to which all the gods submit. Satinav is also relatively unknown among humans
outside of scholarly circles. Only the lizard peoples, thanks to their ancient culture, possess
accurate stories of these primordial events, and Kha and Satinav are still worshiped as gods
in certain lizard temples.
Also, there is no agreement on the organization of the Spheres, or whether they were
arranged by Kha or the gods, and Aventurian scholars argue about different Sphere models.
Most of these theories agree that the seven Spheres are separated by Limbo, a gray and
highly-magical medium, but scholars debate whether the Spheres encompass one another
like the layers of an onion, drift freely within Limbo like drops of oil within a bottle of water,
or lie on top of each other like the layers of a cake.
The Spheres of the World According to the Creed of the Twelvegods
First Sphere: Heart of the World. Kha’s Law of the World resides here
Second Sphere: Plane of Elements. Here one finds Sumu’s body and the pure forms of the
elements
Third Sphere: Dere, home of mortals. The world, as it is known and experienced by
Aventurians, lies in the Third Sphere
Fourth Sphere: Realm of Ghosts and the Dead. Site of the Halls of Boron, the home of the
souls of the deceased
Fifth Sphere: Citadel of the Gods. Site of the paradises of the various Twelvegods; home of
the immortals and also of Alveran, the Fortress of the Gods
Sixth Sphere: The Wall of Stars. Location of the star-studded sky and its constellations as
well as the source of magic, which is also known as stars’ energy (astral energy) or arcane
energy
Seventh Sphere: Infinite Chaos. Beyond the Wall of Stars lies the Seventh Sphere, the home
of demons, Chaos, and everything described as being Outside by the Myth of Creation
There are also a number of sub-Spheres, such as the fairy realms or the overgrown jungle of
the dragon realm of Zze Tha, which are detached from Creation and which have their own
natural laws. The hollow world of Tharun and the elven Islands in the Mist exist here as well.
The Seventh Sphere, which is actually not part of Creation, is the home of beings of Chaos
called demons. They wish to destroy Creation and thus have tried for eons to break through
the protecting bastion of the Wall of Stars (also known as the Star Wall), which was put in
place by the gods.
The Wall of Stars prevents demons from entering into the other Spheres of creation. But
there exists a breach in the Wall, in a place called the Starless Void. From the Third Sphere,
this breach looks like a starless expanse in the night sky (and it is this area that sits highest in
the sky during the Nameless Days). Presumably, the Nameless One breached the Wall at the
beginning of the Fifth Age to grant demons access to Creation. The other gods defeated him,
chained him into the breach, and arranged to use his own power to keep the breach sealed
for all eternity.
The Ages
Scholarly circles broadly agree that the world passes through different ages. The following
list of these ages is taken from the lore of the Church of Hesinde and is thus an Aventurian
view of the ages, the one used by most human scholars.
Summary of the Ages According to Hesindan lore
1st Age: Creation
2nd Age: War of the Titans
3rd Age: Age of Dragons
4th Age: Age of Trolls
5th Age: Age of the Nameless
6th Age: Age of Praios’ First People
7th Age: Age of the Many-Legged Beings
8th Age: The Forgotten Age
9th Age: Age of Maritime Beings
10th Age: Age of Lizards
11th Age: Age of Long-Lived Races
12th Age: Age of Short-Lived Races
13th Age: The Last Battle and the End of the World
The ages reckoned by cultures on other continents, such as Myranor and Uthuria, were
naturally influenced by local mythology and history. However, all look toward a promise of
great things in the coming age.
The exact length of any particular age is not known. However, most scholars assume that an
Age lasts at least a few thousand years, and in some cases a few hundred thousand years. An
Precise calculations, especially of the earliest ages, is difficult or nigh-impossible due to the
lack of extant sources. Even where remains from the ancient epochs of the world still exist,
such as in vast dragon cities, gigantic troll castles, or extensive, undersea complexes, written
records are often missing or cannot be deciphered. Recorded history did not emerge on
Aventuria until perhaps as late as the 10th Age.
The Turning of Ages
According to the Hesinden classification of Ages, the world is currently entering the 12th
Age. Transitions like these, which are also known as the Turning of Ages or the
Karmakortheon, are, regretfully, neither abrupt nor peaceful. For Aventuria, and perhaps
even for the entire world, a Turning of Ages is a time of upheaval, danger, and uncertainty.
Scholars believe that the battle between Good and Evil, between Creation and Chaos,
reaches its high point during this period, decisively influencing the fate of the world. Actions
taken during the Karmakortheon set the stage for the world in the coming Age, including
which races (and which gods) will dominate.
According to Hesindian interpretation, the 11th Age was dominated by elves and dwarves,
the so-called old or long-lived races. Scholars predict that the 12th Age will be an Age of
humans. However, there are many rivals among the short-lived races, rivals such as goblins
or the resurgent orcs, either of which is quite happy to stifle all hope of human dominance in
the coming Age.
A Time for Heroes
The current Turning of Ages coincides with a Heroic Age, another system that seems to
repeat in cycles. The dwarves speak of these Heroic Ages, as do the songs of the elves and
the old records of humans. About every 1,000 years or so, a time dawns in which heroes can
accomplish great deeds. Many signs point to the advent of a Heroic Age, not the least of
which being the Starfall that has enthralled almost every Aventurian with its nightly changes.
Talk of the Heroic Age flows from scholarly circles and quite a few adventurers now see
themselves as destined for greater things.
