Races

Races

Humans

Humans make up most of the valley's population in all shapes and sizes. They were the first to settle the world and remain the most widespread.

Elves

Elves live in small enclaves scattered across the land and rarely venture far from home. Elves are tied closely to magic, so they tend to settle in areas of natural beauty and places with higher than average fairy activity.

Elves are private and withdrawn, but they will greet guests warmly - provided the guest knows not to overstay their welcome.

An adventurous elf is considered slightly mad by their kin, but elves do leave their enclaves for rare items or to deliver prophecies. They also wander when word spreads of a Fairy Storm or to gather information about magic.

Most towns see one or two elves each year, usually as independent travelers, occasionally as part of a small merchant caravan. Larger towns may have resident elves. Smaller settlements may still treat an elf as a strange curiosity.

Dark Elves

The elves that first settled this world came from high-magic realms. Some found themselves cut off from their magical lifeblood when they arrived.

Those who suffered the worst became Dark Elves. Starved of magic, they were driven underground to live in jewel mines and dimly lit caverns. In their shadowy cities, Dark Elves survive on what magic they can find and often work together to create massive structures and artwork designed to attract fairies.

Dark Elf raiding parties strike frequently but unpredictably. They target any source of magic and have been known to kidnap magic users. Any magical items they gather are brought back to their underground cities where they are passed around until completely drained. Even long-dead magic items are kept in the distant hope that fairies will rekindle them.

Dark Elves are greedy and suspicious of outsiders, but reluctantly accept those who share their underground existence. Black markets sometimes operate on the outskirts of Dark Elf cities, filled with the usual assortment of criminals and outcasts. These are tolerated because they provide a steady flow of magic items for the cities.

Some Dark Elves do venture to the surface. Adventuring Dark Elves can occasionally be found with merchant trains as guards or jewelers. Dark Elf jewelers are skilled at creating the intricate Fairy Cages used to detect fairy activity. Dark Elf adventurers are naturally drawn to magic and become utterly fascinated when they spot a fairy.

A Dark Elf who has chosen to adventure can usually be trusted, but should be watched carefully.

Dwarves

Dwarves are also native to high-magic realms, but being drawn to gems and gold, they tend to settle in places with natural mineral wealth, which helps them avoid the effects of magical withdrawal.

Like elves, dwarves are insular as communities, but they readily adventure beyond their settlements, often as part of trade caravans.

Dwarf artisans create some of the most prized enchanted gems in the valley.

Orcs

Valley folk tend to label any dark or corrupted creature that attacks civilized settlements as an "Orc" - from groups of Dark Elves to dwarves who have abandoned civilization.

But true orcs also traveled to the valley and formed their own settlements. Orcs mostly live in small clans, hunting and raiding a region before moving on when the land is stripped bare. Brigands and raiders are often drawn to orc camps as lawless gatherings of mayhem. Orcs welcome outsiders who share their love for violence and chaos, and have been known to follow a strong outsider who proves their worth to the clan.

Clans can occasionally unite under one powerful orc. Orcs are naturally hierarchical and will often blindly follow a leader who promises to spread mayhem across the countryside.

Individual orcs are not always agents of chaos and occasionally adventure outside their clans. Abandoning their usual ways of destruction, they may join more civilized groups, if only to enjoy fighting all the more after restraining themselves. When an orc channels their natural drive constructively, they can become incredible fighters, master blacksmiths, jewelers, or excel at other physical pursuits.

Even more rarely, an orc may channel their chaotic nature into magic or art.

Orc art is often starkly beautiful, taking the form of giant carved rocks or intricately worked stone slates. Sometimes they carve runes in ancient languages or unknown maps that came to them in dreams. An orc artist may obsess over a carving for years, tracing tiny lines over every surface, or they may find the perfect cut after a single slice. Orc art is usually a powerful source of attraction to fairies.

Elves often invite orc artists into their cities and watch them work with fascination.

Orc mages are often the most powerful spellcasters in a region and make valuable allies when they can be convinced to help. More often they hide by themselves, drawn to small caves or grottoes that teem with fairies. Orc mages often seem nervous as they search for signs of fairies and alternately distant as they probe unknown mysteries.

Enchantments created by orc mages are powerful but often large and unwieldy.

Dragons

Dragons in the valley are not generally intelligent and behave more like cunning, extremely dangerous beasts.

They tend to be smaller than in other lands. Most measure between 2-5 meters due to heavy predation once they grow too large to hide easily in wooded or rocky areas.

Dragons are naturally infused with magic. They manipulate magical forces like a storm manipulates lightning - it is simply their nature. Even large groups of humans are rarely a match for a single small dragon. Fortunately, dragons tend to avoid the other inhabitants of the valley, and most people avoid the main hunting grounds of dragons.

The Great Dragons

Over the centuries, three great dragons found their way to the valley: Eabuth, Woon, and Yehvren.

Each of the three great dragons rules over lairs filled with dozens of smaller dragons and other beasts who seem naturally drawn to them and obey their every whim like trained servants. Occasionally, the great dragons allow humans or other intelligent creatures to join their lairs as servants, and there is rarely a shortage of volunteers seeking to serve these powerful creatures.

Dragons can often be seen in the sky like giant hawks, watching over the lands. The great dragons maintain their own herds and hunting areas, so dragon attacks are uncommon, but few farmers have not lost livestock to a passing dragon.

On their whim, the great dragons may launch attacks against settlements. When they strike, they are more like forces of nature than normal raids, and few cities can survive without major destruction. The purpose of these raids is usually unknown and may serve only to remind the world that dragons are always watching.

Of the three, Eabuth is the most approachable. She allows those who manage to reach her lair high on the Northern Wall to stay in her extensive cave system and occasionally entertains guests with elaborate feasts. She is an ancient dragon and enjoys telling stories from the many worlds she has known.