A Grand Assessment Of The Peoples of The Warren of Caer Sidi

An Buioch (An Buioch): The An Buioch, or The Thankful, are a small tribe of elves turned anthropomorphic wolf due to ritual sacrifices in the past, leaving them only able to use ritual and religious magic yet making them stronger, faster, smarter, and longer lived. An Buioch live on average 400 years but the accounts for the longest lived An Buioch was reportedly 600 years old. They are known to be master archers, owing to their hunter lifestyle.

*Collected from a correspondent in An Buioch

Atzerian (Atzera): Reptilian denizens of a strange jungle holdfast, that are differentiated into three types, helpfully described by one of our clerics.

Teczea (chosen ones): The firstborn children of the gods the Teczea were shaped into the forms of frogs made to stand upright with massive bodies towering at an average of 8ft tall. They believe themselves to be the chosen of the gods born to lead the other children of the stars and so they in almost all of the cities have done just that blocking off power from the other casts hoarding it all to themselves.

Teczmortea (chosen hard ones): The second born children of the gods the Teczmortea were shaped into the forms of crocodiles with large strong bodies standing at average 6ft in height. Due to their large strong bodies, you can find the Teczmortea primarily in the military or construction tasked to use their power in order to protect and build up the people of Atzera.

Teczcoulea (chosen small ones): The thirdborn children of the gods the Teczcoulea were shaped into the forms of geckos with small, short bodies with a normal life span of only 40 years. They make up the largest majority of the population living in large family units working every job imaginable in the empire.

Centaurians (Wynchestir): Hailing from Wynchestir, Centaurians are a varied race of creatures, with many different appearances. From feline and cervine beings to snake-like or even draconic, all of these beings call themselves Centaurians. They are as varied in their personalities as they are in their forms, though some constants can be seen in their peoples' habits. They are a mysterious, almost playfully secretive group of people. The smaller Centaurians seem to be more mischievous and playful, with the feline Centaurians prone to thieving and pranks. The larger Centaurians, however, are more business-like, and are quite sterner than their diminutive cousins. Their mighty Emperor Andronikos is a fearsome beast, and though he has the same penchant for mystique, he is an awe-inspiring lion in a herd of sheep.

They are an inherently magical race of beings, and can use their own blood as an arcane reagent, ensuring that magic in their hold is an ever-present mystique. There is a drawback to this, of course. The cenataurians have discovered that though they can create arcane reagents to externally fuel their magic, their own blood takes precedence over arcane sources. It is this flair for the arcane that helped them become a place of interest.

Chichiton (Kuali Iskuintli): The Chichiton are a small humanoid species averaging three feet in height. They have flat, pug-like faces, broad muzzles, large eyes, and velvety ears that fold forward. Their fur is short and comes in brindled, fawn, or black, with dark markings around the face that lighten with age. Though they possess forepaws with thumb-like digits capable of fine manipulation, their claws are vestigial. Physically compact and resilient, Chichiton are often employed in coal mines , where their size allows them to access confined, dangerous spaces.

Historically pastoral and communal, Chichiton society was organized around large circular tulou dwellings and focused on shared labor, ancestor veneration, animism, and medicinal cooking. In the industrial era, this culture has been displaced by coal and rail company control. Many Chichiton now live in company-owned mining towns or industrial housing. Their traditional beliefs have been restructured into a corporate-backed theology centered on a "Heavenly Hierarchy" of Company Gods. Despite cultural erosion, Chichiton continue to prepare communal meals in tulou kitchens and maintain hidden ancestor shrines in uninspected areas of mines. Most now use common names instead of traditional naming conventions, and their native language is nearly extinct. Those who reach the cities tend to live in boarding houses and work in industrial repair or machine operation. Many convert portions of their wages into ceremonial joss scrip to burn for their families, a practice that blends tradition with imposed religious structures.

Cnfrillduto (Hdigimuervisk): The Cnfrillduto proves an elusive race, living deep in the frigid waters of the far south of the warren. Even amongst the Syvisans who dwell there, the Cnfrillduto are a frightening and alien presence, with “jaws as wide as the Portals of Aimsir'' full of razor-sharp teeth, ever-glowing bioluminescent lights attached to their heads to manoeuvre their way around the cold and dark recesses of the Southern Seas and to act as lures in hunts using their clawed and webbed hands and feet. Woe be to the unwary traveller whom is caught in the mysterious and dangerous grasp of the Cnfrillduto.

Dyipfolk (Deepwoods): The Dyipfolk (singular Dyipling): a ratlike humanoid species of Fae inhabiting the secret spaces of Mistwoods, colloquially sometimes referred to as “ratfolk”. They stand at about 100 - 140 cm tall, although their slightly hunched gait makes them look somewhat smaller.

They have very large ears and correspondingly quite acute hearing, which in some ways acts as their primary sensory organ. Their vomeronasal organs are also well developed and allow for sensing of a larger span of smells, although the usage of this sense tends to be limited in polite company, as it involves bringing particulates into the mouth, often through licking or otherwise tasting the subject matter. Vision is another sense that somewhat differs among the Dyipfolk as compared to that more commonly found in other intelligent species. Their eyes are adapted to a lower light environment, particularly to the conditions surrounding dawn and twilight, and as such they have an easier time navigating such lighting conditions. However, this comes at a cost too, as this light sensitivity means that many Dyipfolk are quite uncomfortable during the day or in the more well lit environments other species prefer, often resulting in a form of snow blindness if exposed for long periods of time. Thus, many Dyipfolk that have to brave such conditions have resorted to some form of eye-covering, be that something simple like a piece of bark with slits carved in it or something more elaborate like goggles.

*Collected from a correspondent in Deepwoods

Dwarves: A diminutive, yet sturdy race of peoples, the dwarves of Caer Sidi are strong-willed and stern. They often live in mountain holds or in grand keeps built above ore-rich ground, as they much prefer to work with the bounties of the earth, such as metals and root vegetables. In fact, they are so skilled with metalwork, they are renowned for their skill at working with metals that they are often sought after as smiths and craftsmen. They are often seen sporting well-crafted and cared for beards, usually braided and adorned with handmade rings and other metallic ornaments. Even the female Dwarves are known to wear full and ornate beards, just as ornate as the beards of male dwarves. This makes identifying the genders of Dwarves very difficult, even though they claim to be very easy to tell apart, and that we are just ignorant. Though they are at home in caves and mountains, Dwarves can be found anywhere in small numbers, as they are a family- and clan-driven people. Many Dwarves have been seen on Fleet naval ships, as well as in the smithies and holds of more noble holdfasts. Though diverse, these people still maintain their love of metal.

Elves: The Elves are a noble fae that have dwelled in the warren for as long as tales have been told. Whilst they are envied for their ethereal beauty and grace, their true gift is their longevity. Elves can live much longer than humans, dwarves, and other types of fae beings. With this longevity they often travel the world, easily becoming adventurers and scholars of the Warren. It is this trove of knowledge that the elves rely on, gathered from elders and adventurers to be handed to the next generation.

Eneks (The Autumn Reign): Eneks are a bizarre creature, similar to the Starforged of Maylla, they are beings seemingly made of obsidian, looking more like large stony humanoid insects than anything else. They communicate through telepathy to other beings, but amongst themselves, they have a language of clicks and other guttural noises. They are enigmatic, speaking kindly to most who approach them, but they have a menacing, innocently sinister air to them, as if they were planning something more in their words. They worship an equally mysterious entity known as the "Empyress," a being that is apparently more humanoid than the beings that worship it.

Feijnfolk (Fenwoods): The main inhabitants of Fenwood are the Feijnfolk, a fae species native to the marshes Fenwood. They are slightly shorter in stature than the men of Syvisa, and have pointed ears like those of elf- or goblin folk. One of their most distinctive features are their long lion-like tails, though they are not always visible, as it is common practice amongst Feijnfolk to wrap their tails around their waist like a belt, especially when going into battle. Feijnfolk commonly have green skin, though some of them have slightly yellow or blue skin tones. Their hair is normally a dark green, though it can also be black or have a blueish tone, and other colors of hair can also rarely appear. Their eyes are bright yellow and glow slightly in the dark. Feijnfolk are known to have exceptional eyesight, and can see well in almost complete darkness. Feijnfolk are thought to be distantly related to trolls and have slight regenerative abilities, allowing things like limbs to grow back over the course of several years. Their kinship with trolls and their good night vision have left them fairly sensitive to light, leading to most Feijnfolk hating having to be in direct sunlight for any extended amount of time. They normally live to be about 100 years old, but death is not seen as the end of ones existence amongst Feijnfolk. Necromancy is widely practiced in Feijnfolk society, and the ghosts of dead ancestors are often summoned to be asked for their guidance.

*Collected from a correspondent in Fenwoods

Felicitans (The Queendom of the Silver Paw): A strange species, the Felicitans appear to be normal Syvisans with the characteristics of feline beasts. They have feline ears, a tail, and other qualities of feline creatures, such as claws or whiskers. Such traits and qualities appear to be varied among the Felicitans, though they share the ears and tails. They are believed to have higher senses of smell and night vision, as a feline might, though this has yet to be fully proved. They are an emotional people, that display their emotions with their tails and ears as you or I might smile, glare, or wince. This makes them very easy to read, and while I would not recommend using this knowledge to play cards with a Felicitan, one's impetuous youth could be spent far worse, this cleric supposes.

Halflings: A diminutive and homely fae, the halfling is an agricultural being devoted to hearth and home. Often found in small villages, sometimes referred to as "ridings", these villages are usually very insular. Halflings are renowned gourmands, creating simple but plentiful feasts with dozens of simple dishes beautifully made. Their reputation of good food and simple work may create an idea of uneducated farmers and simple-minded peasants that turn their little pockets of the world into idyllic country fiefs. That is not to say all halflings are "country bumpkins," no. Many are wanderers and travelers of the world, looking for stories to tell when they eventually return to the Riding they call home. Family and home are very important to these fae, and they will surely seek to protect and entertain their family-found or otherwise-in equal measures.

Gnomes: Similar to dwarves, these slightly smaller fae beings are also tied to the earth and metal, but they are also more… wild. These are beings of endless creativity and inventiveness, and they are known for their bizarre creations and their inquisitive spirit. Living in forests, caves, and cities, these fae attempt to make friends with any other being. It is often noted by those who make such observations that a gnome is a combination of dwarf and halfling, with a creative determination found in dwarfs, and a friendly demeanor that makes the halfling famous. Gnomes are different from both however, by their short-sightedness in their ingenuity. At least in youth, a gnome often creates an unmanageable device or ventures into near unescapable danger without a care in the world, seeking only to live life fully. Though most gnomes live much longer than Syvisans, one might not be able to tell from the way they gleefully dance into danger. Older gnomes have been known to be wiser and more restrained than their young, but this is not wholly true. There are still glimmers of mischief in their wise eyes, and when a gnome says they have a masterpiece to show you, run. Run fast.

Merfolk: Merfolk's lower halves are akin to that of a fish, whilst their upper halves are more human like. Their skin colours come in a wide range from red to gray to silver and can be both spotted and striped. Instead of hair they have tendrils growing from their heads, and they have flippers instead of ears. Merfolk can only breath water and will suffocate if they are out of water for too long. Merfolk are considered to be adult around the age of 16, old around the age of 70 and can expect to live to around 95 years old.

Piscinae (The Bloody Fleet): Piscinae, called "fishmen" behind their backs, are just that. Humanoid fishes, sharks, and occasionally crustaceans or even cephalopods also populate the depths. They are much less seen than tritons or other merfolk, but they are valued in crews, as they value the families off and on board ships with their lives. Unlike Tritons and Oceanids, the Piscinae have a much harder time breathing air as a Syvisan would, most of them relying on gills to breathe the waters they live in. There are many ways for them to combat this, but the larger Piscinae, the bodyguards and soldiers that are most required to be on land, often utilize arcane brands or scar tattoos in order for them to stay on dry land for longer than a few hours.

Satyrs: Satyrs have the lower body and legs of a goat, as well as goatlike ears and horns, whilst their head and upper body look more like that of a human or an elf. Satyrs have roughly the same strength as a human, but their legs make them swifter at running and better at jumping. A satyr's horns grow for their entire life, with males' horns growing faster than females'. This leads male satyrs generally having longer horns than females, though horn length and shape still vary a lot by individual.

Syvisan (Human): One of the newer arrivals to the Warren, the Syvisans are a mortal race that arrived in Caer Sidi after the loss of their own original warren, Syvisa. They are a varied folk, also calling themselves “human.” They are rather shorter-lived than their fey companions who are native to CS, but the Syvisans are an ambitious people and adapt well to living in new environments.

Starforged (Maylla): The Starforged are crystalline humanoids whose first interaction with the Warren was the accidental arrival of their King Inera. After his death and 'raising', he created the first core through experimentation with Fae. The core allowed new crystals to grow and take shape, creating the first coman Starforged who, unlike the King Inera, needed to absorb magical reagents to live. Over time the Starforged would grow and form their own society, eventually splitting off into many different variants.

Tritons (The Bloody Fleet): Tritons, sometimes mistakenly called "sea elves", are tall humanoids that seem human enough at first glance, discounting a shimmery blue or green hue to their skin, but on closer examination one notices the slightly bulging eyes, the fin-shaped ears, webbed digits, and thin slits of gills just below the jawline. Their traditions are steeped in honour and arrogance, and it is fully expected that a triton will die before submitting to shame.