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Here in the Rumors section, you will find tidbits about
the World of Wyn D'mere itself. Enjoy!


THE KNOWN RACES

The Gomakas

When humans were new to the world and seeking to find their places in it, many gathered together in large numbers and formed great communities within walled cities. Still others formed agricultural villages that tilled and harvested the lands around themselves.
While most humans were happy and satisfied, some were heartbroken over the way humanity used the world and changed it as he saw fit instead of living in peace with it. These few left their industrial brethren to live as the animals do, in harmony with nature. They took the name "Gomakas", which in an ancient tongue means "Animal People".
They soon lived up to their name as nature itself embraced them, and their children were born with the wondrous ability to change from man to animal with ease. For many generations they lived in harmony together, but soon, as it is with all mankind, strife began between them.
To prevent war amongst themselves, they agreed to split up into tribes based on the animal forms nature had granted them and set out to live in separate part of the world. No record was kept of how many tribes there were or where they all went, but few of them seem to have any desire to interact with the world at large.
In the current times only six tribes have made themselves known to the world of humankind: the Forest Lion Clan, the Grand Falcon Clan, The Gray Rattler Clan, the Hill Ferret Clan, The Snow Raven Clan, and the River Turtle Clan.

The Change
Since their earliest generations, the Gomakas have enjoyed the gift of animal shape shifting. Unlike the often violent or painful transformations produced by magic, the Change, as they refer to it, is a peaceful and pleasant experience. This is because of the split souls that the Gomakas have been blessed with. Within themselves they have both the soul of a man and the soul of an animal. As such, one form feels as natural as the other to them.
While few seem to like to speak of their gift, it has been observed that some of the Gomakas can shape shift into a Hybrid form, a perfect mix of man and animal. From what has been recorded, only those who have mastered themselves can achieve this type of transformation. Those few who have mastered it still use it sparingly because of difficulty and strain required to maintain the amalgam state.
Even rarer are the legendary beings known as the Beast Lords who, by unknown means, have the ability to assume the shapes of several different animals instead of just one. They are a mystery even to their own kind.

Characters With the Gomakas Lineage
A character must decide what Clan he is from as it defines what type of animal he can change into.

The Forest Lion Clan
This clan above all others is quite aggressive and warlike. They live nomadically in the southern plains of Jafone following the herds as they travel. While they generally do not seem to care what happens to their territory while they are absent, they expect it to be vacant when they return again. They avoid trade routes but have no problems with asking for tribute from travelers who stray on to their lands.
As with many feline species, the young adults often find it difficult to find a place for themselves within the clan, especially if the size their clan is large. A few decide to venture off into the lands of their distant human cousins.

The Grand Falcon Clan
These individuals are, reputedly, the most beautiful of the Gomakas. In both human and animal guises they bare an air of nobility and splendor. In mannerisms, they are a haughty and aloof people, often looking down upon ground-locked folk. They separate themselves from the world in high cliff side and mountain top villages.
Though many of the Gomakas have maintained their social distance from the world of man, those who can bare the egos of the "feathered nobility of the air" have drawn some Grand Falcons into the polite society of a few courts.
Whether in a noble's court or the valley of the Gateway Mountains, a Grand Falcon can often times be recognized by the feathers he adorns his clothes with.

The Gray Rattler Clan
Often the most distrusted of the Gomakas, these people are the least accepted by humankind. Though they have done much less to provoke humanity then the Forest Lions and the Grand Falcons, most men fear them.
Most of this tribe lives in secluded briars and thick woods were they can easily hunt and live in peace. Those who choose to move amongst the throngs of man carefully conceal their true nature to avoid the fearful damnation of their neighbors.
While most of this clan have chosen to be at peace with the world around them, some have be seduced by the dark side of their natures and become that which humans fear.

The Hill Ferret Clan
When traversing the northern and southern hilly plains of Jafore, a perceptive person might be able to spot the hidden villages of this tribe. These people live in villages of underground burrows and tunnels.
Easily the friendliest of the Gomakas, they enjoy limited trading with passing merchants so long as their lands are respected. Unlike most other Gomakas, theses people often make seasonal trips to human settlements to trade for hard to make goods. More then one village has been surprised to discover that the traveling entertainers that frequent their festivals are not entirely human.

The Snow Raven Clan
The most mysterious of all the Clans, no outsider has ever seen one of their villages. While it is known that they occasionally walk among men, they rarely make themselves known unless necessary.
Though enigmatic, the services of these people are often sought after, as they seem to have eyes everywhere. As such, few people openly curse this clan for fear of being heard.

The River Turtle Clan
This clan does not gather into large communities as the others do. Instead, the live a nomadic life traveling the river systems in small family groups. As a whole the tribe seems to prefer living in their gigantic turtle forms than in human form.
Except for the occasional, accidental riverboat collisions, they enjoy a peaceful life of traveling and swimming. Very rarely will theses people be provoked to violence, outside of self-defense.

The Elves

It is rumored that even the Gods themselves were young when the first Elves emerged onto the world. As to their origins, no one truly knows. Many legends have portrayed them growing as flowers in an ancient forest. Others describe them arriving in this world from a celestial forest, in the havens, in a great silver sky galleon.
Very little is known about their culture or ways as, since the dawn of man, they have always kept to their secluded forests. When humanity began it expansion into Jafone, they found several traces of Elven ruins outside the known Elven forest borders. It is assumed that at one time they must have lived across the continent as humanity does now. Why they have retreated to their forests is a mystery.
What is very well known is that the Elves do not tolerate trespassers in the forests that they have claimed as their own. Those who have chosen to ignore these warnings have disappeared or come screaming in terror from the forbidden woods with no memory of the past days.

Characters With the Elven Bloodline
While no human is allowed to enter into the Elven forests, some humans have set up villages on the outskirts of them in hopes that it would grant them protection form raiders and monsters. In the communities that have respected the Elves privacy, this hope has been realized.
Occasionally, a village on the outskirts of an Elven forest will wake to find mysterious gifts of rare fruits and herb in their squares. Others will find their yearly festivals serenaded by strange unearthly beautiful music, but never find its source. It is during these rare visits that Elven admirers secretly court some young men and maids. And from these fleeting moments of desire come those of both Human and Elven parentage.
Though the human parent has fond memories of their lover, they can never recall much detail of their beloved other than a kiss here and there or the sound of their laughter. Sages believe that this is a magical curse that preserves the veil of secrecy behind which the Elves chose to dwell.
Those of Elven descent carry features of their inhuman parent. Pointed ears or unnaturally bright eyes are often present in these folk.

The Dwarves

Reputedly born of the fiery will of the Mountain Spirits, these solitary beings have dwelled in kingdoms under the mountains since the dawn of time. As to their true origins, none will speak.
The few who have dared to delve the deeps have reported that the Dwarves live in vast underground-fortified cities of unbelievable craftsmanship. Unlike many of the older races, they tend to largely ignore those who have journeyed to their hidden citadels; that is, until you touch their sacred treasures.
Those who have learned some of the language and culture have noted that some "young" Dwarves often leave the confines of the under-mountain to travel the world of man for a period of years. This is known as the "Ugula" which means, "Over-wander". These wanderers are the one that have seeded the basic understanding of Dwarven technology to the few they deemed worthy to teach.

Characters With the Dwarven Bloodline
The Dwarves on their "Ugula" have been known to take fancy to the young daughters of the highly skilled human smiths they visit. Sometime the daughter disappears for weeks, only to come home bearing baskets of golden treasure and a child in her womb.
As a Dwarven father always leaves a substantial dowry to his lover and child, most Dwarven-sired children grow up well provided for. Through the second hand teachings of their mother and grandfather, they learn of their heritage and nature. Dwarven-sired children are usually well received by the communities they grow up in as they tend to be quiet, respectful, and reserved outside of their homes.
A child of Dwarven blood tends to be quite short and stocky with boys growing stubby beards as early as age 12.

The Trolls

Surprisingly little is known about these xenophobic brutes other than their preference for cold weather and privacy.
Those who have encountered them in a "friendly" mood have described them as heavily muscled, thick boned human-like beings with large expressive eyes and very little hair. Most accounts have depicted them as standing at least 8ft tall on average.
Their culture seems highly based on a complex set of traditions and beliefs, one of which is to remain distant from other races. This belief in particular has been the greatest obstacle in learning more about the Trolls and their unique culture.

Characters With the Trollic Bloodline
Despite the isolationism of the Troll race, some amount of cultural exchange has occurred between them and the few humans that have had the perseverance. After years of persistence, they had earned the trust of the Troll tribe they had been following.
They learned that when two different tribes came upon one another, there was an exchange of young people in marriage to keep the two tribes from fighting. Once this was discovered, the human diplomats realized the mistake they had made and quickly found volunteers for marital exchange. This is how the first of the Troll-blooded humans were born.
Since that time, some of the Troll tribes have become slightly lest xenophobic towards accepting humans into their tribes as mates in accordance with their ridged traditions. Most often, the human and their offspring eventually leave the tribe before the child reaches maturity. This is due to the human parent being unable to live under the stringent traditional laws of the tribe. The Trolls find no offence from this as they consider humans to be morally week then themselves in general.
Children of Trollic blood tend to be larger and stronger then most full-blooded humans and usually retain the large expressive eyes of their Troll parent.

The Fey

Found in many of the secluded areas of Wyn D'mere's wilderness, the Fey are the most friendly yet enigmatic of the non-human races.
While most of them can take a human or human-like form, their natural forms tend to be quite different from each other's. Some sages suggest that there may be as many as 100 unique subspecies within the Fey race, each with its own magical abilities.
What is known is that they claim not to be from "here". They say that the world of Wyn D'mere is so similar to their own world in some areas that they naturally overlap onto one another, creating a gate of sorts. Since these areas are so similar to each other, one can pass through these gates and never know that they have left one world and entered another. As such the Fey often ward these areas to prevent any humans from wandering into the Fey realms. They do this, they say, because the places beyond the ones similar to Wyn D'mere's are not safe for unwary travelers.
What else is known is that the Fey are a chaotic lot who tend to mettle in the lives of others more than they aught to. Many a small village has regretted drawing the attention of the local Fey.

Characters With the Fairie Bloodline
If there is one defining characteristic of the entire Fey race is that they are supernaturally beautiful. This combined with their abilities to take human forms has resulted in the mixing of Human and Fey blood many times.
From birth, human children with Fairie blood display some mark of their inhuman heritage. Unnatural eye or hair color and pointed rosy facial features are but a few common signs of a child's link to the Fey.
A Fey-blooded child's reception by the community is based on whether the local Fairie population has been helpful or mischievous towards the community.

The Dragons

These ominous creatures of vast power have intrigued and terrorized humanity since its beginnings. Even now only the greatest of sages knows more than a handful about these reptilian lords.
It is known that they dominate whatever secluded place they call home. All other creatures in the vicinity live only by the dragon's grace. Luckily, there are very few dragons living on Jafore.
Physically, dragons are tremendously large winged reptiles-like beasts with keen senses and a sharp wit. They vary widely in coloration and preferred living habitat but all seem to suffer from avarice.

Characters With the Draconic Bloodline
As a result of a curse, Dragons found that they could not reproduce on their own. As such they found another species that they could produce offspring though, Humans.
By the nature of the curse, the Dragons were rendered neuter, but through magic could take the form of a male human. In this way a dragon could father a child with a human woman. Dragons sired this way remain in their vulnerable human form for a 100 years or so before they spontaneously transform into their true draconian form.
Due to a cruel law in draconian society, all "baby" dragons are hunted by full adult dragons to ensure that only the strongest are allowed to mature. As such, characters with this Aspect will always be under the threat of draconian attacks.

The Dámpeill

Legends abound about these "vile creatures of evil".
It is known that, amongst the Undead those that are "fully awakened" in power may chose to impregnate a human maiden by pure dark will alone. While many of the cruelly violated women never bring their babies to full term. It is the few who do that give birth to that which is alive but bound to undeath; a creature always being tempted to partake of their potent dark nature within them. Never to be trusted, they teeter constantly on the verge of unlife.
These vile beasts are often recruited by unliving to act as minions and spies, do to their ability to move about unhindered during the daylight.

Characters With the Dámpeill Bloodline
Perhaps the most feared and misunderstood are the poor wretches of the living dammed known as the Dámpeill.
As a precautionary measure, a curse is placed upon every Dámpeill mother by the unholy sire to prevent her from speaking of the child's true nature accept to a blood relative.
A Dámpeill child will quickly manifests minute signs of its undead sire as he grows. This often marks the child as evil to the surrounding community even if his mother has hidden his father's true nature from them.
While it is true that a lingering temptation to tap into the dark power within haunts a Dámpeill's every day life, one can chose to fight this urge.
Many stifle the urge with the desire to hunt down the beast that sired them. Others strike out to prove themselves before the divine Council of Light in hopes of receiving salvation from their unholy fate. And it is this fate that all Dámpeill dread as they are damned to rise as the undead upon their deaths.
As a Dámpeill has a dark seed of undeath within them, many will chose not to accept or trust them. Also, for some reason known only to the gods, creatures of darkness are often attracted by this seed of darkness; causing the Dámpeill's life to be wrought with troubles.



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Last updated on 4/23/2002
Copyright© 2002 by Reid San Filippo