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Human races | Demi-human races | Non-human races | Other Creatures
Races of the Flanaess
Humans
Nearly all the humans of the Flanaess can trace their roots to five racial groups. (A sixth group, the Olman of the Amedio jungle, exist as former slaves in the Hold of the Sea Princes.) Many folk retain distinctive racial characteristics, but most are difficult to recognize due to long centuries of mixed marriages. However even in these cases, many families identify with a certain racial group and follow those traditions and customs whether they resemble their ancestors or not. Only the Rhennee shun marriages outside their own race.
Flannae
Members of the Flan race are accepted to be the first human inhabitants of eastern Oerik; hence the term Flanaess. Originally scattered nomads with no real settlements, the Flan were pushed to various areas of the continent just over a thousand years ago by the invading Suel and Oeridians.
The Flannae are recognizable by their bronze complexions and wavy or curly hair. Their skin tones range from a lighter coppery color to a deep brown. Flan eyes are most commonly dark brown or black, with brown or amber appearing less frequently. Their hair is usually black but also ranges through shades of brown-black, dark brown and brown.
The Duchy of Tenh boasts of a pure Flan heritage. Geoff and Sterich, while slightly mixed with other races, still identify with the Flannae. Other nations that show strong Flan roots are the Rovers of the Barrens, Stonehold and the Theocracy of the Pale.
The original Flan nomads of a millennium ago wore simple, utilitarian clothing including loincloths, capes and leather wrappings on their feet that served as shoes. They also wore brightly colored body paints, primarily vermilion and yellow ochre, in primitive patterns, a practice still common among the surviving Rovers of the Barrens. In civilized regions such as the Duchy of Tenh, Flan clothing tends to follow current fashion, though in solid, bright primary colors.
The ancient Flannae were a peaceful people who followed a regular pattern of seasonal migration. They lived off the land, hunting and gathering, and their population remained relatively steady. They had a strong view of nature as an entity, and the myths, legends and culture all emphasized the importance and values of a dose relationship with nature. All of the known druidic gods are Flan in origin.
While many Flannae were able to coexist with the immigrating Suel and Oeridians, others found themselves pushed from their traditional lands. They were forced to hunt in unfamiliar territories and climates, and some scholars speculate that the Flannae nearly died out during these difficult years.
Some of the pureblooded Flannae still show characteristics of their ancestors. They tend to prefer open spaces to crowded cities, and they have an affinity for gardening (especially among those with no choice but to live in crowded conditions). Some Flan (particularly those of the Rovers, though many of them have been killed in recent years) are good with horses. The Flannae have a strong tradition for storytelling, and most families have a repertoire of legends and traditions passed down through the generations. They like to spend as much time as they can out of doors, and a favourite pastime during comfortable weather is to build an outdoor fire and gather the family around for an evening of stories.
A modern custom among the Flannae is to plant a tree at the doorway of their home. The tree helps to maintain the families ties to nature and remind them to care for the Oerth mother Beory. Among some branches of the Flan, if the tree sickens or dies, this is taken as a sign that the family must move or perhaps bad luck or some evil influence. Trees and plants are often given as gifts to welcome a new baby or to greet a Flan family moving to a new home. For good luck, some Flannae keep a dried or pressed leaf from their home tree when travelling or adventuring.
Oeridians
A millennium ago, the Oeridians moved from the west into the Flanaess, where they eventually took control of what is now Furyondy, Perrenland, the Shield Lands, the Great Kingdom of North Aerdy, the United Kingdom of Ahlissa, Onnwal and Sunndi They are sometimes difficult to differentiate from other races, with skin ranging from tan to olive, hair varying in color from honey-blonde to black (with brown and auburn being most common), and eyes of every common color, though most often brown or gray. Oeridians are recognized more easily through their choice of clothing.
Favouring plaids and checks, sometimes with unusual variations such as diamond or lozenge patterns, the Oeridians are perhaps the flashiest dressers in the Flanaess. Their clothing normally consists of close-fitting trousers and short tunic with capes or cloaks.
Historically, the Oeridians were fierce warriors and aggressive about controlling land. They fought hard to maintain their borders and even harder to acquire lands they desired. Conquerors by nature, they are accustomed to thinking of themselves as the best humanity has to offer and thus destined to rule. They are prone to take charge, obey their superiors, and sacrifice for the good of whatever group they are in. All Oeridians suffer from bouts of temper, however, and those who can control their emotions and channel their energies into productive activity are regarded highly among other races.
Oeridans have a talent for focusing their attention in combat. And this sometimes gives them the upper hand. They consider fighting a craft, and practice is taken very seriously. Some Oeridians practice acrobatics, tumbling, unarmed fighting and even dance as part of their training. Because of the great amount of time the warriors devote to practising their art. Oeridians tend to be nimble.
The Oeridians are recognised for the superb weapons and armour they produce. They are always looking for ways to improve their odds in battle, and that includes perfecting existing weapons and armour designs, and inventing new types of armour and weapons. They are also very inventive with developing magical armour and weapons and combat spells.
Oeridian custom requires that a gift be offered to a host or hostess when an overnight stay is anticipated. Traditionally, this gesture was meant to put the hosting family at ease and serve as a sign that the visitors had no designs on acquiring the host’s land or property.
The Oeridian people feel deep ties to their clan and are fiercely protective of both their immediate and extended family. A threat to an Oeridian’s land or property is only slightly less important than a threat to his family.
Rhennee
The Rhennee are truly the enigma among the races of Greyhawk. While the other four races can trace their histories to elsewhere on the continent, the Rhennee have separate origins. They are thought to have first appeared in the Flanaess in the area around the Adri Forest around 150 cy, moving west to avoid harassment by Aerdy soldiers and citizens. The Rhennee increasingly left the land to become migrants on the central rivers, until comparatively few land-dwelling Rhennee now exist. Though they rarely speak of this to outsiders, their legends claim that the race came to Oerth accidentally from their home world of Rhop. Although the Rhenn-folk have only a few ideas of what their home plane was like or how they got here, they know that it was quite different from the Flanaess
At a glance, some Rhennee might be confused with Oeridians. Rhennee skin color ranges in the tan to olive shades and hair tends to be black or dark brown, and curly hair is most common. Their eyes are most often brown, gray or hazel, but blue or green eyes are not unusual The Rhennee are wiry and short, with males averaging about 5' 6", but they are exceptionally strong for their build.
The Rhennee live exclusively on the waterways, making their homes on large barges that average about 60 feet long and 15 feet wide. These sturdy barges are similar in style to a junk; they are capable of navigating the Nyr Dyvs often-choppy waters and treacherous storms, as well as river ways. These ships may have one or two masts. A single barge may be home to as many as 45 people, including a captain or chief, two to four guards, a "wise woman," an advisor or two, 13 to 24 adults, and seven to twelve children (up to age 12). The guards may be male or female, but the advisors are always female. The wise woman is the matriarch of the group (although not all families on the barge are related); her role is to sell fortunes for land-dwellers and thus earn coin, and also to predict the weather, settle disputes and use her skills with herbalism for minor healing. The wise woman is the driving force in Rhennee society; not even a noble will knowingly contradict her. In spite of the role of the wise woman and her advisors, Rhennee society is extremely chauvinistic. Other women are treated as helpmeets and gain some respect from the men, but they are basically considered chattel. No formal rite of marriage exists, and barge captains and nobles may have as many "wives" as they can support. The men tend toward proud, aggressive behaviour and are quick to issue a challenge to a non-Rhennee male who looks in the direction of one of their women.
The Rhennee earn their living primarily through transportation of goods and passengers, with some hunting, fishing, trading and craftwork on the side. Most will not work when they can steal and thus have good thieving skills, although they avoid stealing from each other. Some also have a skill for tinkering, but their reputations vary widely.
Most of these folk do not seem inclined toward good or evil, but instead lean toward neutrality. Some Rhennee have recently followed evil cults (for example those of Vecna and Iuz), but this influence has been thrown off. The Rhennee follow a rather strict set of norms that has different standards for their own kind and for non-Rhennee. Many of their customs are baffling to outsiders, and the Rhennee seem to like it that way. Outside the city of Greyhawk, a large settlement (if it can be called that) of Rhennee floats on the Selintan River. The city officials ignore the flotilla, leaving the Rhennee to resolve their own problems in their own way. The system works well for all concerned.
Suloise
The Suel folk arrived in Oerik as refugees from lands south and west of the Crystalmist and HelIfurnace Mountains. Escaping the wars in their homelands, the Suloise helped to displace the Flannae from their traditional lands and were themselves scattered far and wide.
No one is certain what the ancient Suloise Empire was like. Most of their former realm was destroyed by the Rain of Colorless Fire, leaving behind what is now called the Sea of Dust. Rumours abound of Suloise ruins and treasures buried in the Sea of Dust, but the climate there is so harsh that few dare to go looking for this wealth.
The Suloise are the fairest-skinned of Oerik's races, some being almost albino. Their eyes vary from pale blue and violet through deep blue and the occasional gray. Hair color ranges in the strawberry blondes, yellows and platinums. Wavy or kinky hair is seen as often as straight hair.
The Frost, Ice and Snow Barbarians are the best examples of pure Suel blood. Suel descendants are also predominant in the Duchy of Urnst, the islands off the eastern coast of the Flanaess, and the lands of the Scarlet Brotherhood on the Tilvanot Peninsula. Some Suloise settled in the Amedio Jungle and Hepmonaland, where they became tanned and freckled.
Ancient Suloise wore wide-legged pantaloons and loose blouses. These styles are still popular but have been adapted for climate. In the north, these garments can be of fur or felted wool, worn with capes, furred boots and mittens. Those in the south sometimes wear a loose vest instead of a blouse, and fabrics are lightweight. Solid colors are preferred universally, with most folk having only one or two colors in their wardrobe. The Suloise also like to wear emblems and souvenir trinkets on their clothing. These ornaments are considered important items of family heritage. They can be passed down through generations.
The Suloise have a strong sense of the importance of ancestral and family ties. They fight more among themselves than other human groups because of these ancient allegiances.
The Suloise are not known for their patience and have a short way with disagreements since they tend to be opinionated and convinced that their notions are the best. A popular saying in some parts of the Flanaess is, "when all the Suloise have left the table," meaning that nothing constructive will take place in a discussion until anyone unwilling to be open-minded is removed.
These folk are also known for their manual dexterity. They have a talent for all arts and crafts, especially those involving detail work such as embroidery, sewing, leather tooling, sculpting and painting. Suloise weavers can demand the highest prices on the continent for their fabrics, both for the fine grain of their weaves and the extraordinary detail of their patterns.
The Suel have a long tradition of wizardry and magical research, and the ancient Suel Imperium produced many powerful magics, culminating in the Invoked Devastation that laid waste to the ancient Baklunish Empire. Even now many Suel become mages. Perhaps their dexterity gives them an advantage in manipulating spell components and gesticulations.
Baklunish
The Baklunish are settled mainly in the northwestern regions of the Flanaess. Zeif, Ull, Ekbir and the Tiger Nomads are the best examples of pure Baklunish folk.
Their skin tends to be golden and eyes are most commonly green or gray-green, with gray and hazel less frequent. Hair color is always dark, ranging from blue black to dark brown. Baklunish features can he seen mixed with those of other races in the nations of Ket and Tusmit, and among the Wolf Nomads and the Paynim tribes.
In the north, bright colors and gaudy patterns are typical of Baklunish costume, with gowns and robes favoured, and short breeks with long coats nearly as popular. Peasant folk in the north also wear gaudy fabrics, but tend more toward a single long robe with whatever adornments are available. The southern Baklunish favour colors in the pastel ranges, with patterns also popular. Dress is complex and fancy, with puffs, slashes and peplums. Ruffs might be seen at formal occasions. When at war, this fanciness is eschewed, and most soldiers wear rough fabrics, leathers and hides adorned with shields and coats of arms. They often carry banners displaying clan colours and symbols.
All Baklunish are raised to esteem honour, piety, generosity and family. Pursuit of these virtues is so consistent that for a Baklunish to kill his parents, for instance, is unthinkable.
The Baklunish have developed two distinct cultures. One group long ago developed a horse-based nomadic culture based on raiding, herding and trading the fine horses they breed. The settled Baklunish are traders and farmers who have achieved considerable power and built great cities and roads.
Like the Suel, the Baklunish are recognised for their magical skill. They are especially noted for inventing new elemental spells and using spellcasting in concert with others through co-operative magic. Even to this day their reputation is due in part to the Rain of Colourless Fire that the Baklunish brought down upon the Suloise Empire a thousand years ago.
Human races | Demi-human races | Non-human races | Other Creatures