Character Character Races

Elves
The elves of Cerilia are a graceful but reclusive race, suspicious of humankind. Early in Cerilia's history, the elves contested human settlement of the continent's vast forests, and a strong current of ill will toward the human nations still runs strong in the elven woods.

There is only one race of Cerilian elves; they call themselves the Sidhelien (SHEE-lin). The Sidhelien hold court in deep, mist-wreathed vales in the darkest hearts of the ancient Cerilian forests.

Elves stand as tall as humans, but are far more slender and graceful. Most average 5 1/2 to 6 feet in height, but weigh only 120 to 140 pounds. All have fair skin and dark hair, and their features are exquisitely fine. Elves possess an unearthly beauty, and their perfect voices can hold a mortal spellbound. Unfortunately, elves are too mindful of their superiority and treat outsiders with coldness or condescension.

Cerilian elves are creatures of faerie dust and starlight, gifted with immortality and powers of mind and body beyond those of humankind. They are a force for neither good nor evil; an elven wood can be perilous for human travelers, but even more so for goblins or gnolls.

The elven heart is unfathomable to nonelves; they're moved to wild delight, dark melancholy, or burning rage with only the slightest cause. More than anything else, elves are unpredictable, doing what pleases them from one moment to the next.

Half-elves
From time to time, a particularly handsome or beautiful human with courage and a gracious manner may walk among the Sidhelien unscathed. A few humans have even been accepted as equals in the elven courts. Mortals (by elven standards) quickly become lost in the elven spell; the years reel by in splendor and celebration, while the world outside comes to a halt or leaps centuries ahead. Such a mortal may return home to find that only a single night has passed, or that a hundred years have flown by. More often than not, a mortal's life runs out in a heartbeat.

Half-elves are the rare children of these unusual men and women and their elf partners. The elves regard such offspring as Sidhelien and welcome them fully in elf society. Humans, however, tend to be suspicious of half-elves, referring to them as bewitched or as changelings; it is rare for half-elves to leave the elven woods.

Halflings
The halflings aren't a numerous people, but they are found nearly everywhere humans live. Only a handful of humans know the secret of the halflings' origin: they once dwelled in the Shadow World, a realm of faerie enchantment parallel to Cerilia. That realm was poisoned by the rise of the Usurper, a gathering evil that corrupted their homeland, and they fled to the daylight world to escape his power. A small number of halflings arrived in Cerilia in time to witness the battle of Mount Deismaar. In the early years of the Anuirean Empire, the halflings left their homes one family at a time, virtually trickling into the human lands.

Living among their larger neighbors, halflings don't see the sense in a government larger than a small village or extended family, and are happy to count themselves as citizens of whatever land surrounds them. It's not unusual to find a handful of halfling farmers near a human village, or a neighborhood of halfling craftsmen in a larger town.

Halflings usually adopt the language, culture, and customs of the Big Folk around them while keeping a few aspects of their own culture. They feel free to use weapons in defense of their homes or families, but will never take up arms against each other. Halflings consider fisticuffs the only acceptable form of violence against other halflings.

Cerilian halflings stand about 3 1/2 feet tall and resemble small humans. They tend to be slightly stocky, and are fond of creature comforts.

Humans
Humans are the most populous race in Cerilia and inhabit every part of the continent. Five human nationalities or cultures currently exist: the Anuireans, the Khinasi, the Brechts, the Rjurik, and the Vos. Anuireans are native to the southwestern portion of Cerilia. The ancient Anuireans were a fair-skinned, red-haired people, but over centuries of extensive contact with other cultures, Anuireans have lost most defining physical characteristics.

Anuirean society is semifeudal and based on a class of free farmers and craftsmen. Regents (rulers of domains) are usually titled nobles. Anuireans respect nobility and look to their leaders to protect them from the barbarians and savages who surround the states of the old Empire. Commoners identify strongly with their lords, and the dealings and alliances of the noble families are topics of continuous discussion throughout Anuirean lands.

The Brechts inhabit north-central Cerilia. They tend to be short and stocky, with dark hair and eyes. Early in their history, they were under the rule of Anuirean governors, and Brecht nobility declined drastically in power and importance. When the Anuirean Empire fell and the Brechts gained independence, the guilds and merchants came into power. The nobility is weak in Brechtur, and several states have declared themselves republics.

The Brechts believe in free enterprise, and Brecht society revolves around wealth. The Brechts have a fierce love of independence and a tradition of self-reliance; they don't wait for their lords or rulers to solve problems for them. Commerce and trade are expressions of this belief, and Brecht commoners owe their first loyalty to guilds and companies.

Khinasi characters are native to the region known as Khinasi. They're descended from the Basarji, and speak the language of the same name. The Basarji arrived in Cerilia from lands across the Sea of Dragons. They are tall and lanky, with aquiline features and dark eyes. Their complexions range from a light coffee to a dark brown color.

Unlike the other human cultures, the Khinasi have no fear of magic. The study of magic is considered the noblest of callings, and the Khinasi universities devoted to magic are the finest in Cerilia. Like the Brechts, Khinasi commoners are traders and merchants, but an individual's decorum, hospitality, and conduct are far more important than gross wealth.

The Rjurik inhabit the taiga forests and highlands of northwestern Cerilia. They are a tall, broad-shouldered people with blond or red hair and fair complexions. Men and women most commonly wear their hair in long braids.

The Rjurik are stubborn individualists who don't swear fealty to anyone but their own kin; the family is the most important part of Rjurik life. Most Rjurik follow the god Erik, a druidical power, and druids are revered throughout Rjurik society as teachers, leaders, and advisers. All Rjurik have a deep respect and love for Cerilia's wilds, and carefully avoid over-hunting or clearing virgin forest.

The Vos are a barbaric race from the cold mountains and forests of northeastern Cerilia. They are tall, thick-boned people with flat features, light eyes, and sallow skin. Male warriors are fond of shaving their heads and wearing long, drooping mustaches.

The Vos have a rigid code of face and honor that demands blood for even unintentional insults. Their leaders are war-chieftains known as tsarevos who are advised by the priests of the grim Vos gods. Almost all Vos men are warriors and hunters-other professions are considered unmanly. Vos women are by custom greatly limited in their freedoms, although a few women have succeeded as warriors or tsarevas.

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