Full Description :
The alerion is similar to an eagle but larger. Its feathers are orange and red, nearly the color of fire, and its wings have sharp edges similar to the edge of a blade. It feeds on fruits and berries but prefers fresh meat. It is very intelligent and will often hunt in packs of three or four to pull down large enough game for the whole nest to feed.

The alerion are very majestic birds, even while hunting they fly in well formed patterns that compliment the use of their blade like wings. They swoop down and instead of slowing their flight to claw with their talons, they continue by striking with the edge of a wing. Most birds that have frail and hollowed wings would be injured by such an attack, but the alerion were born for this manner of hunting.

Myths and tales of the alerion to be the children of the gods are told around many small villages and fires. Because of their coloring they are thought to be from the sun itself, the mythical phoenix perhaps of legend that could heal with a single desire. No alerion has been known to truly heal someone, but to see one is thought to be good luck. Many a traveler has given boon and praise to the alerion for guiding their path to a safe camp in a time of need. To follow the flight of an alerion is suppose to find good tidings at the end, whether it is gold or something else is speculated as everyone who has ‘followed’ an alerion have returned with different stories of their finds.

Being that they are larger than the average eagle, with a wingspan of approximately 12 feet and a body that is approximately 5’6” they are a sight to see. Because of their size they need an increase in food consumption they prey on larger animals. While fish and small dogs are sufficient for a normal eagle clutch, deer, boar, and a slow wolf or two are what the alerion hunt. With their swift dives they can cut their prey quickly and be gone before a retaliatory attack and answer. With three or four of the alerion working together they can take down larger animals such as small bears or even elk.

They do not slice pieces of their prey off and eat, but instead attack it until it is too weak to flee or fight. When the animal is down, they swoop in and pick their meal apart, leaving a one or two other behind to protect their kill as the other return home with food for their family.

When two alerion choose a mate it is for life. When the female dies from during her time of laying eggs the male will never choose another mate. Instead he will be regulated to protecting the rest of the clutch.

Additional Information :
It is seen as an overseer of the avian world as other birds tend to be subservient to it at times. Because of their dominant nature, they seem to be able to direct other birds to work for them. They will often times have other birds collect fruit for their offspring and nesting to repair their homes.

The alerion are very protective of their own kind, especially of their young. Because a female only lays eggs once in their lifetime they can be very aggressive when it comes to their offspring. When the female is sixty years old, the female lays four eggs, which take sixty days to hatch. When the young are born, the female, accompanied by a small retinue of other birds, fly to the sea, plunge in to the depths, and drown. The male and the others return to the nest to care for the young alerion until they are old enough to fly. This cycle happens over and over. Out of the four eggs, at least two of them are females.

The Ma`no are a group of similar races that have evolved separately to different ways. Think of early man when it began evolving from the ape to the missing link, to man. The ma`no are that bridge. They are the three steps to humanity lost.

Full Description
A bipedal creature that has average intelligence. They form communities and have a better understanding and form of technologies than the other subraces of their kind. They build homes of wood and brick, and in places where they strive and conflict, they protect their communities with walls and minor fortifications that can withstand most harsh weather. They are very early tribal settlers who have finally given up the way of the nomad.

They have chosen to build their homes and grow as a new culture than simple travel from place to place starving for food and freezing from no shelter. They have a basic understanding of everything that seems near childish to the more establish races, but when seen back in perspective humans, gison, and the keirn were the same when they began settling.

Their skin is a pale green in color, almost looking like a sickly pale as a human would get when ill. Their facial features are broad with high foreheads, large cheekbones, flat noses and wide jaws that hold many teeth. The stand around five foot eight to six feet tall and are average in build. The Alla`t in charge of the community is always chosen because of their intelligence and ability to continue to protect they community as a whole. But, even though they seem more civilized, they have a harsh justice on the weak. They have a blood lust, that once began, is never easy to quell.

They are a self-centered race. Only the continuation and protection of the community is important, so everyone else not of their people is an enemy. They were first spawned by Sethalis as a tool to try to infiltrate into the armies that had human soldiers to cause havoc and dissension. Their brutish looks were a very easy way to tell them from the average human. Their average intelligence, an unforseen mistake, made them question the reality of who they were as well, causing them to stop doing as Sethalis bid. All the time. Some are still Followers of Sethalis, whole communities, but those are the more brutal of their kindred. Like any other racial group, they wish to expand their community for the whole of the people. Sometimes starting war to conquer more or better lands, occasionally their nature seeps out and they act on their inner brutality.

Additional Information
The have two cousins of sorts that they despise for their relation to them. The Lider`l and the Obak`e, both of which are not as intelligent and therefore seen as inferior to them because of it.

While they are beginning to settle their homes and family, they still have a lust for war and feeling superior to others. Because of this they still mount aggressive actions against outlying settlements to far from the more civilized lands so not to attract to much attention.

Full Description
They are a dark brown rust color, nearly the color of dried blood and have a body that is approximately 5’ wide, not including their legs. They are covered in short dark hair and enjoy grooming themselves to stay clean. This has been observed to be a mating oriented function as only mates will groom each other. No outside spider has been known to touch another in such a maternal state. Even offspring are rarely groomed by their parents after they mature.

Society
The Blood Spider is normally a solitary animal, preferring the company of it’s victims then it’s own kind. They will usually live away from the bustle of humanity where they will not be disturbed and hunt on large animals for food. Only during mating season will they gather together, the males fighting for dominance over the females for rights to mate. Those who win, mate with the females and leave them to their own ends.

The females do not lay eggs often. Once every five to six years will a female become fertile and lay her eggs. These watermellow sized eggs are dry and dusted with a fine white powder that causes pain and numbness if touched bare handed. This effect lasts for a few hours and fades will no ill side effects. The female can only lay about five to eight eggs, with a mature ratio of only about one to two surviving. Because of this limited number of offspring it has kept the population down considerably.

Home
They tend to live in tight fitting hollows that they dig in the ground. These hollows are usually under boulders or old trees where there is ample seclusion and protection. While it leaves ample room for animals and intruders to wander in, they are more than capable of protecting themselves even in the tight confines of their hollows.

One thing that is different with these spiders, other than size, is the lack of spider silk. They do not produce it and therefore can not spin webbing. Some have thought that because of their size they can not produce this spider silk while others believe it is because of the venom that they produce. The sacks that normally produce silk were replaced with those that produce their venom. Regardless, because of this there is no visible warning on entering into a den of a blood spider. Not even a smell from their victims as they devour ever drop of liquid inside the bodies leaving no death smell.

Resources
They will normally attack their prey by surprise, knocking them to the ground with their two front legs and then stinging them with a small protrusion that extends from their mouth. This stinger has a fast acting venom, that when it is injected into their victim they begin to go numb.

Because of their size few will be found among the boughs of trees, but in some areas where the ancient trunks are thick and strong, they have been known to drop from on high and pounce on their victims. Using size and poison to efficiently harvest food.

Vision will go first, then motor skills, until they can no longer move. This stinger leaves a very small and unnoticeable mark when they puncture the skin. It is not a deadly toxin and rarely will kill, however it gives them the oportunity to feed on their victim at their leisure. Once stung and unable to fight, the spider then haul them back to their lair, where they inject a small protubance into the victim and drain their blood.

The venom can be harvested up to three hours after the Blood Spider has died. This venom has been known to be used by countless assassins as well as for medical purposes.

3681A, 27th Ventosus Day 42.

It is our forty second day out from home. Home, there is a thought. I have been gone just over a month and already it feels forever. My children, my wife… I see their faces in my dreams but they seem distant even now. Childish I know, even dramatic perhaps. Even for me.

We have been underground in these ruins for days and I fear that the light will never shine on me again. I missed the meteor shower again, I fear I never will. I wish I could have seen the stars fall to the earth, I hear it is a sight like no other. Especially in the waning of summer when fall comes, the stars fall like rain and light the sky as if dusk was on the world twice in one day.

Is this trek smart? Is it worth it? My troupe and I were hired to navigate through these ruins looking for an item of ancient origins. I wasn’t even given a description, only Martic, our self imposed leader of this group. Arrogant yes, but not half bad in charge in a pinch. Anyway, he did mention it was some grand door or gate. I don’t know why we are looking for a door, we can not bring it back if it is big.

Our group of thirty is down to twenty eight, two days ago we lost one to a quake and a wall collapsed in on him. Joana. His cries echoed in the underground darkness for hours until he finally quieted. We tried digging him out but the more we dug the more collapsed on him. Martic said a prayer and walked off into the darkness. I stayed trying to comfort him, but I feel it was more for me so I would not be haunted by demons when I sleep.

The second one… his screams will haunt my nightmares forever. Marcus went walking off into the darkness last night to relieve himself. Martic told him to stay close but he walked off. I echoed his sound judgment but he still walked off into the dark without a light. The last words from him were distant in the darkness, but he mentioned something about the smell of death and then his screams awoke us. We ran to were we thought he was but could not find him, not even any blood.

We said a prayer to him and began walking. We have traveled far into this ruined structure. Once thought a place of worship, a large temple perhaps, it seems more of a city held within the walls of a single building. The topmost portion outside has crumbled to an indiscernible mess, but underground it has stayed mostly intact.

It would have looked pretty perhaps when people lived here. I have found some pottery and dry rotted clothing and tapestries. Few bones however so I can not determine what caused the people here to leave.

We have stopped for a break to rest our weary feet and drink more tepid water. It tastes old but you can survive on it. We will be leaving soon according to Martic. He said last night that after two deaths, if we do not find this item within the next few days we will leave and return home.

Garan just returned from scouting ahead. He claims to have smelled something like a dead body. Perhaps it is Marcus, we are on a lower level than we were when we lost him, perhaps he just fell down a fissure and died. What a terrible way. So we are off to check on this and then proceed.

My family, I hope to see them soon.

Stefan, Scribe and Teacher. Journeymen
Last journal entry.

Choke horrors are nightmarish creatures that give the most knowledgeable and adventurous pause. They are tall gangly bipedal creatures that have four whip like appendages instead of arms. These whips end in small, yet sharp claws that rake metal armor as would a sword. They have a white pallid complection and a smell of sweet decaying roses. This gives them a quick appearance of being a corpse if they hide their whip arms. Their black eyes showing no signs of intelligence or thought, but behind those eyes are primal predatory instincts.

The Choke Horror is a member of the Fel’Krethsh caste of the demon kind. They are animals and nothing more than that. They stalk their prey and feed, little else. Their masters use them for fodder on the battle field, occassionally leaving them with the dead to kill any straglers to a battle.

They have no speech or culture, but will occasionally hunt in packs of two or three. They are single minded and devious, wanting only to feed. They tend to lurk and hide in the shadows and jump out at a anyone or anything straggling behind for an easier meal. They will attempt to grapple their intended prey with two of their arms leaving the other two open for defense or attacking and try and strangle their victim to feed on at a later date.

They can only attack with three of their whips as the forth one is always left for defense or to grab anything close for defense or food. They are carnivorous creatures that will eat the flesh from their victims before their last breath escapes their lips. They will eat any animal they can get a hold of, but prefer humanoid and sentient beings for some unknown reason. They rest in dens hidden away from direct sunlight as the sun seems to hurt their eyes. It doesn’t harm them, but bright light seems to be an aversion to them.

Additional Information
The Fel’Krethsh are the slave caste of the demons. They are the workers that keep everything the way the masters want it. Should a need arise for more at the Pits, they gather hunts and bring them to the Pits, keeping them full for their masters. Most of the Fel`Krethsh are animalistic in intelligence. They understad command and the wants of their masters, but no nothing but to appease. They are the small imps in the night, the horrible shadows that stalk dreams and nightmares. They are what people fear in the dark with no name.

More information on this can be found here Hewdamian Demons

Full Description
A dark unicorn appears as a black unicorn that has had its horn uncurled and split. Where one horn rested, now two glossy black and twisted horns sit drinking the light as if it fed off of its brilliance. Their eyes glow a fierce red and their breath steams with anger and hatred.

To kill a Unicorn is to bring bad luck and the hatred of nature itself down upon the foolish. It is said that the mate of a unicorn that is murdered will turn horrible in it’s pain and anger, turning against nature to hunt and kill the murderer of it’s mate. It turns dark and soulless and seeks nothing but the death of it’s enemy.

A dark unicorn was once a majestic unicorn that has had or seen its mate murdered. Their hatred and sorrow consumes them from within and warps their morals and sensibilities turning them into a festering form of hatred that despises anything living. They can sometimes be found as being mounts for demonic beings. Their first task, however, is to avenge their mate and kill their murderer.

The are still very intelligent, but they have lost their morals and compassion and will stop at nothing to avenge the death of their mate. Once they have witnessed the death of their mates murderer, they will seek out others of like mind to bring pain and sorrow to those of the living and natural world.

Additional Information
Even after they have recieved their vengence they will continue on in their tormented state. Their anger and hatred will continue to grow and expand with each passing day, stuck in an life they would never have chosen they seek to punish everything for their current state of being.

Appearance
A fey hound is rather large, with it’s shoulders sitting at about 4 feet and it’s very intelligent eyes that glimmer in total darkness. Its body has a look of a strong wolf, with the head and shoulders of a great panther. It has the strength and hungery of a wolf, yet the speed defies a wolfs sprint and its quick reflexes able it to fight like a caged demon. It’s coat is very soft and dark. Dark browns and blacks are very common, with shades of grey spotted throughout. A fey hound will favor the traits of either the wolf or the panther aspects of its inheritance, but not usually both.

Society
Fey Hounds live in small family pacts. Usually a male is head of the family and the rest follow his lead. On average a family pact will be anywhere from two to five hounds living together, roaming the countryside. The females nurture their young until they are old enough to fend on their own. The young usually only stay a few years after their birth, then move on to make family pacts of their own.

They are very close knit and will protect one of their own kind as often as one of their own pact.

Personality
They are very shy and skittish of outside people, mostly humans and other bipeds. They learned long ago that not all of the bipeds are the same. While some respect them others will covet them for the coat or their looks. They tend to stay away from populated areas and will usually hide when people approach.

They are very good natured however, and if the trust of one can be garnered then it is a trust and respect for the life of the family pact. They let others of their kind know who they trust and who they don’t. Their communication is very broad and swift. They are able to pass on the sent os the person in question so all of their kin know which biped to trust and protect.

They are helpers of those who call the wilderness their home. They will come to the aid of someone who calls their home the same as the hounds. As long as they have gained the respect of the male of the pact, then they will be viewed as a friend. Stories of harsh winters where pacts of hounds hunted for trapped weary frontiersmen filter through the wilderness towns and villages. Gathering food and branches for fire to keep them warm.

They have a hatred toward all things unnatural and will often join the fight when dealing with any creature fitting that quality. They have a special dislike toward worgs. Where they will often fight to the death just to remove one from their natural order. They travel in small packs and are rarely seen alone.

Additional Information
When actually seen, it is viewed as a good omen or good luck. Their coats are coveted by poachers and collectors and a live young hound is worth a king’s ransom in some places. Softer than silk and more durable than common leather and fur, the rich and wealthy pay a fortune to own such a unique and rarely found item.

Full Description
Some claim that the giants were the first mortals to walk the land in the wake of the spirits rising when the gods began breathing life into the souls that Kasal deposited on Hewdamia. These massive beings walked the world uncontested for years, living in relative peace among each other as a united clan.

They were not called giants then, but Kadinhool, roughly translated into, ‘The First’. They built a massive city in the heart of the world, what is known as the Etolin Desert today. This city housed all of the giant kind and was massive beyond anything any other mortal would ever see next to the dragons. Peace is never able to last forever, and when the gods Caedmon and Sethalis began manipulating them like deific marionettes, that world of relative peace would come crashing down.

It is lost to the histories of what really transpired, but fighting erupted among the giants and the city was lost and ruined. Some still claim the ruins sit below the sandy dunes of the desert that the Lemieans call home. The end result of this genocide was the splitting of the race into different subraces by the location of where they migrated to.

The Jotun settled down just north of their old home in the Greenbone Forest, now home to the Derevo. They are the smaller and weaker minded of the giants, having taken brutal punishment in the forest from the Derevo as well as the Sslassti and other creatures of the marshlands close by. This has been difficult on their society as these new races have swept in and forced them to move their homes constantly.

The Aegir traveled the length of the land till they found the cool ocean near the northern wastes, now home to the Keirn as well. They befriended the Keirn when they arrived and helped the Keirn adapt to the cold environment. The Keirn get many

The Surtur stayed near their ruined home and began traveling the now arid deserts hunting Sandstalkers for food. They are at odds with the Lemieans who they claim have traisped across their holy lands and fighting has been limited but steady over the years.

Additional Information
On a side note, these are giants as they are in my world setting of Hewdamia. They are not your typical giants.

For instance, the Jotun (Norse mythology), called by many names(jötnar, jötunn, or risar, bergrisar, þursar, or Jötunn.) The meaning has a similar root as “eat” (Proto-Germanic *etan) and accordingly had the original meaning of “glutton” or “man-eater.” Hence why the Jotun in Hewdamia are cannibals.

The Aegir (Norse mythology)is a giant and a king of the sea in Norse mythology. He seems to be a personification of the power of the ocean. Hence why I placed them near the ocean and their love for it shows as they worship the old dead gods of the sea.

The Surtur (Norse mythology) are what are commonly known as fire giants in other game settings. According to mythology the surtur were the Surtr (modern Icelandic Surtur, sometimes Anglicized Surt) is the leader of the fire giants in the south, the ruler of Muspel, the realm of fire. His name means “Swart” or Black, and at the end of the world, Ragnarok, his hordes will rush north like a south wind to overwhelm the gods.

Full Description
Demon’s are one of the most feared creatures known, yet they are not of Hewdamia. They are from somewhere else. No one knows exactly where they come from, but a few know how they get here. There are doorways, or gates, scattered across the lands in remote parts of the world where these creatures are able to enter the world. Before the War of the Gods, Caedmon created these gates and hid them from the prying eyes of the other Gods, lest the find out about them before he could use them. It is not known whether Caedmon knew of the Demon’s before coming to Hewdamia, or if his main purpose to coming here was to bring them to destroy the world. Before he could activated the gates and allow the swarm of Demons to come through the gates, the War started and he eventually died. Now the gates sit cold and inactive. A few were damaged in the Great War and allow a single Demon to come through on rare occasions. There a few keys scattered about the world though that Caedmon hid in the event he was unable to open them. These keys are coveted by his continued followers.

Demons have social castes that they fall under. When they are born, they are born into these castes and forever stay. They are never able to better their station. Each one is content to stay in their caste but is more than willing to fight up the chain to a more lucrative position. These castes are the Nobles, the middle class, and the slave class.

Da`Sregt (Day re jet) - Noble
The Da`Sregt is the ruling caste to their race. In their mind they are born perfect and fitted to rule. They are by far the more intelligent and most powerful of their race. They are not demonic or horrific creatures. In fact, they are very angelic looking and beautiful. Their skin color ranges from ebony black, deeps reds, to pearlescent white.

They have a better than average intelligence and are as strong as most animals of burden. Their skin color ranges from deep reds, or endless blacks. They have frightening visages with large teeth and glowing red eyes. Some have wings while others have multiple arms. All have a similar look to them however. While on the world of Hewdamia, they live where they can, choosing the depths of the world or other remote parts of the lands where most mortals choose not to travel. They rarely gather in large groups as it attracts attention, but they will gather followers or hire mercenaries to form armies to attack anyone they see as easy prey. Their goal is to open the Demon Gates and destroy the mortals, taking over the world. They are immune to fear and can only be hurt by weapons of high quality and magic. This is a side effect from their travels from their world.

The nobles of demon kind are different from the rest of their kin. The top three demons of nobility are singular in nature. They have one ruler with two demons who reside below him. They alternate between the three of them constantly fighting with one another, but never to the death as their existence is unique. The nobles do not age so they are forever in their caste. The other nobles below them however, are born and raised to fight. Seldom do they fight one another, but have been known to try and supplant a brother or cousin above them for power.

Every noble demon born of a certain caste is all called by the same name, with an added surname of their choosing. These are usually to strike fear into their enemies or show of their deeds. Regardless of this self given title, they are all of the same blood and therefore of the same name. When describing these demons, singular tones will be used to describe them but only in the sense of their particular caste of demon kind, not them personally.

There are approximately seven different nobles with the Three ever present. The Three seldom die, and only at the hands of someone or something. When they are replaced, the remaining members of the Three ake them into hiding and process their future into the ruling Three. When they emerge, they are not ever immortal as was their predessessor.

Ba`craht (Ba crate) - Middle Class
The Ba’craht are of the middle class. They supply most of the warrior and commanding class of the demon kin. They protect the nobles and rule their armies. Their generals are of this caste and willingly stay within its confines, knowing that to be greedy is to end up in the pits.

The Ba’craht are what are most commonly thought of as demons. They are hideous beasts who smell of death, blood, and rage. They are intelligent but animalistic in nature, almost feral. Someone are humanoid in appearance with animal features, while others assault the senses with visual attrocities to plague the mind for years. Every demon born of this caste are warriors by nature. They all relish in the battle for blood, fighting among the ranks to be the first in battle. They have some of the best military minds of the demons as they spend their entire life by the edge of a weapon.

They have few social responsibilities or desires outside of gathering for death. During the time when a call to the Pits are given, this is the only time outside of battle that they will usually spend a large amount of time gathered together. This is mainly due to a lack of trust at what the other demons of your station are thinking. Regardless whether it is natural to them to compete and kill for power, they still fear gathering in large groups lest it be there last.

There are approximately ten demons of the Ba’craht caste, all of which have some purpose for war. Whether they are the generals of the Legions or guards of the Three, all of them are bred for war and destruction. Unlike their noble masters, they take on individual names ot try and bring a quality to themselves that shows their worth. Similar in the nobles surnames, their names usually inspire fear or show their deeds of many battles. Usually the longer the name the more prestige they carry.

Fel`Krethsh (Fell kretch) - Slave
The Fel’Krethsh are the slave caste of the demons. They are the workers that keep everything the way the masters want it. Should a need arise for more at the Pits, they gather hunts and bring them to the Pits, keeping them full for their masters.

Most of the Fel`Krethsh are animalistic in intelligence. They understad command and the wants of their masters, but no nothing but to appease. They are the small imps in the night, the horrible shadows that stalk dreams and nightmares. They are what people fear in the dark with no name.

There are approximately ten demons of the Fel`Krethsh, most of them being half breeds. A few however are truely horrendous and seldom are found on a field of battle. A majority of the Fel`krethsh are the fodder and shock troops of the demon hordes. No real organization to them they are grouped together and given a spot to kill. They do not stop until they are given an order by their masters and will continue to kill, even when there is no one left of the enemy. They will begin to turn on each other all to appease their masters.

Full Description
They stand on average, 8’ tall with long powerful arms and legs and a short and wide body. Their face is very brutish looking with a broad ridge-like forehead and large cheekbones. Their teeth extend beyond their lips making them appear as if they are constantly snarling. They have pale green skin with tufts of hair matting their body. Their eyes are small but sharp, allowing them to see in the dark up to 60’ with minimal light.

Additional Information
Trolls are usually mountain dwelling beings, their tribal society usually try to seclude themselves from the outside world, as their animalistic appearance has caused them to be persecuted by nearly every race. This couldn’t be farther from the truth however as they are very loyal and respectful. It is their repression and outright horror by the other races that keep them away.

Home
Their society is based on a tribal mentality similar to the Keirn. They have a chief who rules the tribe and the warrior caste who protects them from danger. They live near the lower mountain plains that offer fertile land as well as access to the mountain minerals found near their homes. They build tall narrow homes of stone and wood and have a central meeting hall reserved for meetings and holidays. They are very loving and protective of their families.

They worship the gods Aduivo and Gotruis both for their respect of the world and their surroundings and the respect of the warriors spirit. Their religious factions are always women who fail to be a match for the men in martial talents but are powerfully faithful in their beliefs.

Personality
They usually are not aggressive to anyone who does not attack them first. Most trolls will only attack someone who attacks them first. They are very suspicious of any outsiders as they have been used and murdered by nearly every race who sees them as nothing more than a semi-intelligent animal. Which in fact is false. They are highly intelligent compared to other creatures and bipedal beings. They have a form of music art which details the passage of time through the deeds of family and ancestors. They are very soft spoken to those they trust, yet can be very over bearing if insulted or among strangers. They trust little outside their family and influence, but will respect those who mutually respect them. Gaining their respect however, is very difficult as they have been used before and have never forgotten a slight.

Workmanship
They have developed their own smithing, and have become extremely good. Their weapons are sought after by anyone who knows of the quality and will pay handsomely for it. Even so, they seldom sell their wares to anyone other than those trusted by their tribe. Because of this unique smithing technique they are contacted by many warriors who want superior quality items that they know they can trust.

Little is known about their smithing secrets, although it is rumored to be due to the mixing of some plant juices mixed in with the metals. Whether this is done by pouring the substance in with the melted ore, or using the liquid to cool the metals between tempering is unknown. However, all of their weapons have a reddish tint to them that no other metalsmith can explain. If the weapons are melted again and reforged, the reddish tint is gone and the weapons never seem to carry the same edge.

Special Abilities
Other than their vision they do have an ability to regenerate injuries. However this is small and over a period of time. They also can only regenerate while in daylight. They say the warmth of the Sun God looks down on them and heals their ills. Whether this is true or not is speculation.

Full Description

Ka’tshar are very similar to ants with one exception. They are about 6" long. They have a above animal intelligence but still can not communicate with intelligent beings. Their mandibles are large and extremely strong, being able to punch through most chain mail with ease. They are very skittish when it comes to confrontation with things far bigger than they are, but wil lswarm in the hundreds if their mounds are provoked. Often overpowering even the mightiest of cretures with sheer numbers.

Home
The Ka’tshar are generally found in desert environments but have been seen in plains areas that tend to be dry and devoid of an abundance of life. Their nests are generally underground with their mounds sometimes stand ten feet above the ground and go as deep as forty feet below the surface. Falling in one is not advisable. The tunnels have been known to be lage enough for a small snimal to crawl into or even a small child, however most do not make it ten feet into the tunnels before soldiers are sent to remove intruders.

Resources
They have a number of different sources of food. The workers who are detailed to forage outside of the nest gnerally look for water bearing plants to suppliment the need for water in such a dry climate. These workers are very specific and do not have any defense other than running. However, this a select group of foraging Ka’tshar that search for real food. These groups ranks are generally filled with at least 1/3 of the soldier caste. The soldiers compliment the workers by taking down small prey for the use of food.

They are aggressive enough to swarm animals and use them for food. The largest swarm seen has been able to take down a healthy Yeaken within three minutes. They use the animal as any other scavenger would by taking what they need back to the colony to feed the queen and the rest of the colony.

Caste Distinction
Their coloring dictates their station in the colony.
Workers : A soft color orange.
Soldiers : Red and black striped with a numbing secretion on their mandibles that slowly paralyze their victims. Normally used only on food to stop it and bring it back to the workers.
Scouts : Also known as swarmers. They have a set of functional wings that they use to fly and find food and water. They look similar to the soldier but without the black stripes. Their mandibles are just as large but lack the secretion of the soldiers.
Queen : About 8" long, with a white sticky pouch attached to her midsection. She seldom moves and is protected by a vast number of soldiers at ever moment of the day. She lays approximately fifty eggs a day. Some of which are used for food for the colony, 2/3 of which actually make it to hatch.

The eggs of the Ka’tshar are very nutritious and are a delicacy in most homes. They are traded with some of the other cultures in the land and put on the tables of the rich and important. The eggs average 3" long and look similar to a chicken egg with a soft outer shell.

Additional Information
At any given time the queen is guarded by a dozen soldiers, some of which will second as a husband for a short time. They will give down their life for the protection of her and the eggs alone. They will never move from her chambers. The queen can call forth more soldiers should the need arise.

The Ma`no are a group of similar races that have evolved separately to different ways. Think of early man when it began evolving from the ape to the missing link, to man. The ma`no are that bridge. They are the three steps to humanity lost.

Full Description
A bipedal creature that has a lower than average intelligence. They form clan like communities, settling down when food requires then to. They are a roaming race of semi-intelligent creatures. Sometimes they have permanent homes, but these are crude houses of wood and mud. Their skin is reddish in color, almost looking as if they were sunburned. Their facial features are broader then the Alla`t, with squat foreheads and high cheekbones, wide noses, and large mouths that hold crooked teeth. They stand roughly five foot five and are of a squat hunched build.

The Lider`l are ruled by a Shaman and a Chief, one who has proven themselves in battle. Normally the chief is the strongest one. These leaders are ruthless most of the time, expecting respect form the rest of the clan. Anything else is dealt with in a fast and brutal way. They can not have anyone that might be a candidate to take their leadership role walking around in the clan.

Their shamans are the only one of their race to have any ability to weild magic. It could be possible that their shamans are an evolved form and are closer to their Alla`t cousins than they think, or may want to admit. But it is there. They are crude in their worship, views sins of animals and weather to frighten their people into doing what they wish. Most of the time these sins and omens are fake and are used to make the masses think they have power and speakfor the Gods.

Like the Alla`t, they have a harsh and brutal justice on the weak. Normally they are killed by a family member to show loyalty to the clan. They have a blood lust that comes out in nearly every daily activity. They will attack people if they have an advantage of terrain or odds.

They are a self-centered race. Only the continuation of personal gain is important, so everyone else is a potential enemy. They were the second attempt by Sethalis to try to infiltrate into the armies that had human soldiers. Their brutish looks were a very easy way to tell them from the average human. Their below average intelligence, an unforseen mistake, made them difficult to penetrate the armies without killing anyone within the first day or so. All are still Followers of Sethalis and worship Him as their Creator.

Additional Information
They view their cousins as either traitors (the Alla`t) or weaklings (Obak`e). They see their cousins choice to settle instead of the way of the land is one of weakness. They settle but in times of the coldest of winters when their food hides until the warmth returns. They then build crude shelter and pack as many in them as possible for warmth. To accept the warmth of hearth and home over the strength of the wilds is to be weak and they do not respect them. In their limited intelligence can think of respect and disrespect.

The Ma`no are a group of similar races that have evolved separately to different ways. Think of early man when it began evolving from the ape to the missing link, to man. The ma`no are that bridge. They are the three steps to humanity lost.

Full Description
A bipedal creature with very low intelligence. Being animalistic at times but having the basic fundamentals of a tribal family. They form tribal sects, not even large enough to call a community. They always move from one place to the next, unless a good place can be found where little work is required to gather food.

Their skin is grayish in color, almost the color of dead flesh, pasty and pale. They have flat faces, with broad foreheads and wide cheekbones. Their noses are mostly flat and thick. Their mouths are wide having teeth that are sharp and made to tear flesh, most crooked however. The stand a short five feet tall at best and are very frail and weak looking in appearance.

Most of it is just one family ruled by the strongest male. They rule by fear and fear alone. The strongest survive in this type leadership. Fear of the strong, as well as the weak, is always present. They feed off of the weak and normally kill them for pleasure. They raid and sack villagers and caravans for their food and supplies that they need, or think they need. Their thirst for blood overrides all of their actions. They are a rejected version and the last attempt to create something to infiltrate any army. This failure prompted Sethalis to create more vicious creatures to just wreak havoc and kill for pleasure.

They are not very loyal creatures, always going to the side that they think is winning. They will never attack anyone unless they outnumber them three to one. Their tactics are childish, and rarely good or well planned. They just attack in vast numbers. They have a Shaman that threatens Sethalis’s wrath if their warnings are not headed. Most of the time they are false warnings to give themselves personal gain or protection.

Additional Information
The Obak`e are the most animalistic of the Ma`no. They are the ape to the man. They use crude weapons and an even cruder form of speech. They follow the strongest of their clan and see signs of anything as signs from the gods. Odd weather, animals, stones piled in odd manners. Everything to them is a tale from the gods, which they know nothing about.

Full Description
Oricks stand roughly five feet and weight just over a hundred pounds. They have ash colored skin and rarely have hair longer than stubble over their entire body. What hair they do have is usually in small clumps and patches no longer than a 1/4 of an inch long. Their face is very unattractive due to their squat and always running nose and their small squinted eyes gives them an appearance of always being in physical pain. They have squat legs and long and spindly arms that hang past their knees.

History
Oricks are nearly an absurd race of intelligent beings that could have progressed into something much more, had their luck been better. In 323A, when the Derevo split into four tribes, the Sladiva trekked north to the mountain passes that bordered their banished home; they came across the tribes of the Oricks. They were grouped in large family tribes of close to a hundred and isolated from the outside woes from the inhospitable lands that gave way to the Bladed Peaks and the homes of the Gison.

The Oricks, having lived for so long in isolation with each other, had developed a form of mental relationship with their tribes. This relationship was a mental or spiritual harmony that bound all of their emotions and feelings together. Should a member of the tribe feel pain, the others fell compelled to help them. This allowed them to advance quicker than a normal tribal society would have the opportunity to. They developed family values without realizing it.

Not knowing much of the surrounding area, the Sladiva befriended the Oricks into helping them establish their new homes. The Oricks built their underground homes away form the brutal northern colds as well as helped gather foodstuffs for the harsh winter. The more the Oricks worked for the Sladiva, the more they were pressed into more labor type work, until the Sladiva literally broke their tribes apart by enslaving the poor naive race. Most of the women and children were left to their own while the men were kept for reasons of a workforce as well as to keep the strength of the population culled under one group. This culling of the Orick happened over many generations, until they were threatened to be extinct.

Years passed and the tribes were failing without a sufficient male force to provide for the tribes for food and protection, but also to breed. With the Sladiva killing or pressing into slavery the males of the Orick, the tribes began to dwindle. When all was thought lost, a bastion of hope broke the clouded sky for the pitiful beings as they were continuing a series of buildings underground when they came across a band of Gison in their upper passageways. Knowledge of the split of the Derevo the Gison forced their way into the home of the Sladiva and began slaughtering them, leaving the pitiful and defenseless Oricks alone. When a lull in fighting began, the Orick used that opportunity to run. The men ran to their homes and moved their families farther into the mountains and farther into the forests.

Additional Information
Had the Sladiva not intervened the Orick would no doubt be farther advanced than they are today. Now however, they have a hatred for most races that raises their bloodlust to unspeakable levels. This bloodlust clouds their vision and they think of nothing but all the years of their servitude, all the years of pain that was given to their ancestors. While their advancement as a civilization and a race were slowed by the introduction of the hate filled Sladiva, they have over come their tribal and brutish ways becoming a society of tinkers and builders.

While crafting weapons and armor come slow to them, building solid structures on limited materials seems to be a knack they surpass in. They are an excellent labor force, but will do everything in their power to stay an independent race. They rarely choose to take out their racial hatred on others, but if the need is great they have been known to raid the mountain villages for supplies. The only true friends they have, if any can be called a friend at all, are the Gison. They found more caring and friendship form the quiet and protective stone race than any other race they have met.

The head of the gau was called the Aris, they were usually the wisest / eldest in the entire family tribes and were appointed by the Oymak. The oymak are the heads of the individual family tribes, also known as a tribal chief. They are appointed for their bravery and compassion for the whole. The Second Nine of Oymak are a group of nine religious shamans that are granted their station because of their affinity with the Gods. They have no true singular religion but worship the Gods as a whole which they call Great Mother during the winter and Great Father during the summer.

Over the years, they have now evolved into to separate tribes, or Gau as the Orick calls their family groups. The northern gau that still reside in the Blade Peaks have stuck to their old ways and continue on living as they did centuries ago. They have become much more aggressive due to their slavery and captivity by the Sladiva, but their culture has changed little. They love the mountains and the peace that it can bring, yet are quick to protect that peace. Any intruder into their home is dealt with quickly, often before they can give their intentions. This has made for some rumors of their brutality and murderous ways.

The gau who went south into the thick forest have adapted to the life of the woodlands. They are still the same squat brutish race, but they use their arms and upper body size to scale trees as a monkey without a tail. They are gatherers and hunters now, keeping a close eye on their neighbors to the south of them, the Derevo. They do not differentiate between the different cultures of the Derevo and therefore are skittish of them and anyone else near their homes. Instead of killing intruders, they usually run them out by guerrilla or scare tactics, wishing not to get into a confrontation. However, should the threat come to their family and gau, they will sweep down from the trees like some nightmare from a children’s story. Above all else, they will protect their family and gau.

Neither race tends to wear armor, but can be found wearing enough clothing at times to add some protection. Their weapons are simple and common tools made from the world around them, stone axes and hammers, flint knives, stone spiked clubs, etc. They have been known to use weapons from fallen enemies which are usually left to the leaders of the tribes and their elite warriors.

“Hoy friend, the sun shines bright on your feet today. How does your face fair Trader Evan?

The sun shines on your feet as well my friend Ahmor, although my face may not survive another day in this sand blasted wind.

Your greetings are getting better, but still lacking Evan, but you are an outsider after all and it can not be helped. And remember when someone asks how your face is fairing, they do not mean your tan but your health. Regardless, what are you to do today?

My apologies Ahmor, your language is far different from my own. Thank you for your tutelage as I may never have been able to learn enough in time to be welcomed here. I had thought to travel out to the burning sea and find me a Sandstalker to view and write on, I hear they are a sight to see.

That they are my friend, but dangerous. I will gladly show you one so you can tell others of your people not to travel here in search of them. We will go on the viebati’ to make the trip much easier.

We will not be taking the camels Ahmor? But why?

The viebati’ are much more suited for this trek we take. We will be traveling further into the burning sea than you have traveled before; much farther than a mere camel can take us. We call them viebati’, but in your tongue is means sandgrazer.

Those? They look like a camel that had their humps knocked off. But as you say, you are my guide and have kept me alive this far. Why do you call them, ve… vea… sandgrazers? Do they eat sand? Far be it for me to seem ignorant but so many things have baffled me since I arrived here that it would not surprise me.

If I did not call you friend I would think you were trying to make jest of me but I know you mean well. No they do not but we call them that because it seems they life off of nothing out in the burning sea. They eat but can survive much longer than a common camel. We will be taking them however not just for that, but for the water they provide us. Come let us begin our journey.”

Full Description
Sandgrazers are large camel like creatures that roam the desert in small herds. They stand roughly 7’ tall at the shoulders and have a broad square face with three eyes, two in the forward front of their skull and one higher up in the middle on the back of the skull. This eye is used to watch for predators. They have a very high endurance and don’t seem to need to eat. They do however need water.

They can smell water up to twenty miles of any size and find it unerringly. They have large glands that hang below their belly that can be removed that are filled with water. Removing these glands does not hurt the animal, as they drop off naturally after a certain amount of water has been retained in them. The water held in these glands are equivalent to a gallon of water and are fresh, if not a little warm. It is drinkable and will sustain anyone that has no food for an extended period of time as nutrients are passed into the water through the animal.

Additional Information
The nomadic Lemeain tribes of the desert hoard these animals for this benefit and usually track down anyone attempting to take one without permission, which they never give.In a desert environment, the strong survive. The sandgrazer’s are nearly defenseless.

The symbiosis that they share with the Lemieans is simple, they each have something the other needs. The desert tribes need a source of water, which the sandgrazer provides. The sandgrazer needs protection from predators and other hazards, which the lemiean’s provide.

The water glads naturally drop off due to weight. After a certain weight they would simply fall. The do eat, but do not seem to eat as often as most animals would. In a desert you wil lfind a lot of animals eating certain plants that horde water to get their water intake. The sandgrazer doesn’t need to do this as they horde their own water, therefore they would not be required ot eat as much as a normal desert animal. They eat yes, but not nearly as much.

They are more of a domesticated animal. They have very little fight in them and enjoy the attention and protection the Lemiean’s give them. They are not like their difficult cousins, the camel. They will allow only certain people to ride them and if they are of a certain weight, to heavy and they will just stand there or sit.

History:

Master Gatriuh. . .

Yes Steph? Have you finished your studies early again? I must try to give you work suited for your level apparently.

No Master, er yes master I am finished but I have strange news for you. I was returning some of my books to the lower library when I noticed a trail of torn paper coming from one of the alchemy rooms. When I entered I noticed a scorch mark in the wall where all the scrolls were kept, and the scrolls were gone.

What!?! Are you sure Steph? No one has been down there since that rock headed Bromhern who claimed he was a master transmografier or whatever he called himself, went missing. Fool.

Yes Master I am sure. I also heard rustling of parchment down the tunnels but I could not find it.

Then let us go look and hope all is well.

-Master Gatriuh, of the 5th Archive, Teacher and Scholar.

The Library City of Tasgall has always been a place of higher learning and study for everything magical. Conocha from all walks filtered to the city more than once in their lifetimes, studying what others had worked so hard for or researching their own methods and new items of power.

One such man by the name of Bromhern who titled himself a master of transformations, had been in the city for a few weeks and had alienated many of the current masters residing in the city for his arrogant attitude and seemingly limited knowledge when dealing with the mystic arts.

One such experiment that Bromhern had been working on, which concluded to be his last, was transferring a spell from a scroll onto a small item. His multiple attempts failed, along with expending a number of scrolls uselessly. His temper flared and in the process knocked a few items to the floor. It is not know if the process is deliberate or by shear accident, but in his ranting and careless spell throwing he bound an essence into a group of scrolls. This essence, gaining intelligence on its creation, realized its vulnerability quickly and did the only thing it could physically do. It began drawing every magical scroll, parchment, and tome within its reach into its forming body.

When Bromhern realized what was happening it was too late as the body now loomed a few feet over his head. At first it was a misshapen thing. More like a clutter of crumpled papers and parchments than an actual form. Then it began to take shape looking more humanoid like with every scroll is drew into its body. Bromhern was happy, ecstatic in fact at his new creation. No one he knew or read about had ever created such a creature, even as odd as it was. He finally had some backing to his boasts. It, however, didn’t feel the same about him. When he approached it, it lashed out with burst of crackling energy that hit Bromhern like a hammer. He was thrown into the far wall with a bone cracking hit. A puff of smoke and burned parchment lifted from the creatures shoulder and it winced in pain.

Bromhern, as incompetent as he was, was still a learned magician and launched an attack of his own. A ball of flame shot from his palm and careened toward the creature. A puff of ash and smoke was his only knowledge that something the creature did stopped the ball of flame from hitting it. But when the flame neared the creature it hit a shimmering wall of blue and the flame dissipated into nothing. The creature thrust its forming arm at the prone magician and portal of multi-colored hue opened at the magician’s feet and he fell into the open doorway. A bright flame erupted from the creatures shoulder and a large amount of ash and smoke puffed into the air. It roared in pain and sought out more of what it only thought of as continued life. Magic scrolls. It left in a scraping shamble into the tunnels and was only seen fleetingly before the city was destroyed in the war of the gods. Whether it is still there to this day no one knows. But rumors of a few more of these to have popped up over the years have filtered to magicians everywhere and they are looked for and hunted down before they can do more damage.

Description
The creature will average to be around five feet tall. But stories of them being much larger, around sixteen feet, have been penned down in the history books. It looks nothing less than a humanoid creature covered in a mass of books and papers. Only closer inspection the scrolls and tomes are covered in runes and other mystic writings.

They have no culture, no desire to do anything but add to its existence by drawing in magical scrolls and tomes. Every time one is drawn in it gets a little stronger and bigger. It has a very defensive nature and will attack at the slightest form of aggression, or what it sees as aggression. It will also attack anything carrying a magical scroll or tome. The more powerful the item the more ferocious it will attack.

It has no real physical attacks, being made from paper and books it is rather frail and brittle. But what it does have is more powerful than any sword or axe it could wield. Every magical scroll and tome within its body is its weapons. It has the ability to draw on these whenever it chooses. It can cast the spells written within as easily as a fighter swings a mace. Doing so hurts it of its life and power, but if the risk is worth it, it will take it. Each spell it uses causes the scroll or page in the book it was penned on to burn and be lost forever. This causes pain to the creature on a scale of how powerful the spell was. The more it casts the more it hurts itself and depletes its energy.

Properties
After research and study has gone into these scroll gholems, it is thought they are created by a series of spells being combined with a wish scroll. The wish scroll acts like the heart for the creature and it will continue to function if the wish scroll is intact. If it were to be damaged or destroyed the creature would crumble into a pile of scrolls and books and forever be gone. It will unleash every spell it has before that happens though if given a chance. These creatures should be studies at a great distance and left alone if possible. Especially if carrying a scroll or magic tome.

They seem to be able to sense these magic items from great distances and can pinpoint the exact type within two hundred feet. It only needs to be within ten feet to draw in an item. It I touches one such item however it instantly is drawn into its form, only able to be returned to its owner if it is vanquished.

This is a Hewdamia submission before magic was changed, but can be used in any magical setting.

Full Description
The Souless are previous clerics of other deities who have flocked to the call of Sethalis (enter Evil God Here) and have chosen to forsake their previous duties and follow Him unerringly. Whether Sethalis came to them, or they began searching for Him, the end result was a deal that took a portion of their soul and left them with powers they had never wielded before.

They will appear usually as they did in life, except for pale skin and gaunt features as their bodies get older. While they do not age, their bodies will in fact begin to slowly die. They augment this by taking in the life essence of their victims. By taking this essence they effectively return that which is lost and rejuvenate their bodies and minds. This essence is not their blood but their lifeforce, their inner spirit. Since the Souless have no souls, they sap the energy from the souls of the living.

If one does not partake in the taking of essence they will literally become a mindless husk frantic on feeding. In their frantic state they usually end up tearing and actually eating their victims, leaving bits and chunks of flesh scattered about. Enough so as to have them die within seconds of the attack. Where the typical Souless only needs the skin pricked to open the body for the transfer of spiritual essence, and while blood is drawn no blood is taken in this exchange. Souless who are in charge of their senses do not care for the taste of blood as it dirties their spirit, they are more interested in the soul that they do not have.

It is instant pleasure and a feeling of highened elation but it is fleeting and never stays more than a few days. The young and strong in spirit usually sustain them the longest. During this draining of essence, they can gain knowledge and memories of their victims.

Their bite is probably the most feared attack that the Souless have. While it may only do minor injury there is a small chance that those bitten will contract a wasting disease and become one of the Damned. The Damned are those who are under the full control of the Souless. This bite is two fold. One is has the ability to turn the bitten into the Damned as stated, but it also drains the Spirit from the target and rejuvenates the Souless, repairing any injuries they may have had. This is also what keeps them mentally intact and rejuvenates their appearance.

Additional Information
The Souless are not injured by the sunlight, but are uncomfortable and have trouble seeing. It causes them no physical pain but they do have a itching discomfort in the back of their mind as if their previous God looks down on them in scorn. Running water, garlic, and silver do no injury to them and does not harbor their passage. Water sanctified by a church will harm them as well has block their path until it dissipates. White ash has been known to give them pause but this has not been verified.

They seem to be vulnerable to holy items, especially those from their previous church. It is apparently their old worshiped God holds contempt for them and has their members try and hunt down the abominations.

Description
Torch spiders are larger than your average spider, with a leg span of approximately two feet. Their body is an odd bulbous shape and is just shy of a foot long. They have talon like hooks on the end of each leg that they use for climbing, their larger body needing the extra support as they scale trees and other porous surfaces.

Their skin is a dark color of brown and yellow and covered in short silken hairs. Their distinctive mark is their lower body. While bulbous and rather misshapen, it has a purpose. When seen during the day or in bright light, the back of the body has a clear layer of skin that is smooth, underneath this thin layer of skin is a shifting milky substance that has no distinct color. At night however, this fluid is used to attract their prey.

Torch spiders live in small families of about ten adult spiders, with varying stages of young that number no more than twenty at a time. When their population becomes crowded they either begin killing the weak and feeding them to the young or the adults move to create another clutch, leaving half of the adults and young behind and taking the other half to relocate.

The torch spiders young are different than a normal spider; they do not instinctively know how to hunt. Like a small child they only know danger and the need to feed. They learn how to live and survive by watching their adults. They must be cared for so the adults hunt for them. The adult torch spider can weave and intricate web of dazzling madness, their thin silken web nearly invisible at night even to the wary and watchful. They spin their web and wall their young in the outer walls. The adults then sit inside the center of the web and turn their namesake to use.

The adult can use the fluid inside its clear sack as a light source. While this has no effect on a nocturnal creature it attracts insects of all types, trapping them in the web so the young can feed with ease. When the young require larger food, with the assistance of the aging young, they spin trapping webs along trails of small animals. The young then pounce on the trapped animal and sink their leg hooks into them so they can not scamper away. Sinking their fangs into their flesh to numb their motor skills, they then feed at their whim.

It is not unknown to have single humanoids trapped in such a manner and attacked by numerous torch spiders. It has been witnessed that a group of ten torch spiders could trap and immobilize a grown human adult in less than thirty seconds, making it impossible for them to flee or fight back effectively. Rumors of a family of torch spiders in the Bretol swamps that have taken out a group of hunters from a nearby village have begun to circulate among the traveling merchants and caravans. No one has witnessed it personally but large populations of the torch spiders have begun to rise in those areas.

The light that the fluid gives off is a yellow-orange, similar to a small lit torch. If seen in the forest it looks as if a torch is burning on the ground or moving through the trees. The motion of the spider’s body seems to make the light come alive to give it a realistic look. Some hunters have told tales of being stalked by what they assumed where bandits until they stumbled across one of the spiders. To hear them tell the tale, they would have preferred the bandits.

Properties
While not magical, alchemists have come to the conclusion that the fluid inside the clear sack is a combination of chemicals that when mixed together causes it to become bright with light but not heat. If harvested the fluid can be kept in a sealed container and be fresh for up to a month before spoiling. Once the container is unsealed it will become alight and stay lit for approximately two to three hours. When prepared it is activated by the air and in an airless environment it will not work. (Underwater for instance, or in an void.)

The toxin that they inject when they bite is fast acting in smaller animals, twenty pounds or less, usually having an effect within a few seconds. They bodies quickly go numb and limp and they simple can not react. They do not feel the biting after the toxin takes affect however so they are spared the feeling of being fed on.

When larger prey is bitten it reacts far more slowly. Often times multiple spiders will jump on the same prey to inject them so the toxin works faster so they do not flee. While their leg hooks keep them attached, it does so minor as if they are violently slung they will usually come off to protect themselves and pounce again for another bite.

Other Information
The fluid is highly sought after by alchemists and miners who work in deep mines that have gas that will not allow a flaming torch. While the availability of it is scarce, they pay handsomely for its use as it can help speed up difficult mining.

The toxin is also sought after for its numbing properties. Medical healers seeks its fast acting properties so they can help their wounded patients quicker and without the victim reacting to pain.

In the northern reaches of the swampland where the Jotun roam in the Greenbone Forest, torch spiders are hunted and used by the Jotun for various reasons. Their toxin is used for hunting prey. By adding the toxin of a torch spider and the toxin of a sleeper snake, the resulting poison is very fast acting, even to the giant Jotun, able to drop a full sized Jotun within seconds of being injected. Smaller animals and small humanoids have been known to die from the strong and potent poison.

Race : Derevo/ Yakaram   
Appearance : Almost identical to the Novotie yet their features are not as angular, seeming to be broader then their cousins.
Average Height : 6’ 2” 
Average Weight : 215 lbs
Average Lifespan : 150 years
Typical Climate : Forest edge, Plains, Temperate, Tropical

Description : They are very slim and frail looking, yet are healthy and extremely physical. They can average around 210 - 220 lbs and can average to about 150 years old before they lay down and let the earth consume them. They have a human diversity in appearance where no two individuals look alike. Their hair color tends to be natural browns or blonds, with few with hair darker. Their eyes are almost a universal color green, just different shades for each individual. Their ears are smaller than the Novotie and not as pronounced, yet still stick out.

Distinguished Traits : Having an affinity to their natural surroundings they have developed a limited form of infravison They can see heat patterns that distinguish a being in the darkness. While they can not gather specifics about they person, they can tell if they are hiding. If they are very familiar with the individual then they can determine who they are. They can only see 15’ in darkness with their infravision, but can see blurred movement up to 30’ in darkness.

Personality : When dealing with the outside world, they still keep their segregated opinions that their tribe has implanted into their minds. While they will work with members of the opposite sex, they will do so under the strictest of terms and the shortest time necessary. They are cordial to other races and tend to hire themselves out as embassadors for the other races to mediate disputes. They do so only at the request of one of the parties involved and they always carry a superior attitude to these meetings. They are constant advisors to the Novotie however, and show them their utmost respect regardless of the sex of the person in question.

Home : They live in small villages on the border of the Brelean Forest. The men and woman live separately in different villages, although not far from each other, are rarely visited by either group unless it is absolutely necessary, and even then they have a meeting place somewhere not in their respective villages. They do this because they have a very segregated view of each other, willing to live separately as they have done for centuries.
              
Relations : They are very segregated and will rarely spend any time with a member of the opposite sex, since their culture is broken down into casts of society, then by gender. They will only spend time together during war and festivals of procreation. At no other time will they congregate, unless it is important. They are almost like two separate cultures in this respect. Their females are just as strong and as opinionated as the men, never are they subservient. They raise the male children until they can walk, then let them free. Those that find the male encampments grow strong as part of the tribe. Those that get lost in the forests are not even mourned as they were not worthy to be with the tribe. 

At one point the Yakaram were very male superior. The women at home and hearth where the men worked and protected the family. During the infighting and the war between the tribes, the women were forced to protect the families at home while the men were fighting abroad. This led to a little unknown time similar to affirmative action. The women forced the men to see they were as equal as they were. When that failed they seperated. They realize that each side needs the other but refuse to give ground and admit it. This has been going on for centuries. Being that they are of the longer lived, they have time to sit back and wait for the other to see the err of their ways. They respect each other because they see a need for the others, but they also see that each group is important. Whether more important is up to individual interpretation. I hope taht helps and doesn’t raise more questions.  

Religion : Each village has a High Priest that they listen to for guidance and that travel to speak with one another frequently to discuss matters of religion, but there is not one single God that they believe in more than any others except when it comes to the sex.. They respect and fear all the Gods fully, but their view on them is different depending on the individual God. The females of the Yakaram, while they respect the male Gods will not worship them outright. They may thank them in passing for an event that they know only that God could have done, but that is the extent of their belief. The men are the same, while they worship and respect the male Gods, they have a large problem believing that Idehund is a Goddess and refuse to accept her as one.

Language : Their language is very aggressive and specific, often omitting words normally in a conversation to make it shorter. This isn’t by personal choice but by having done it throughout the years they have made their language useful yet to the point of their meaning. Nothing is wasted when they speak. Their written language is the same, with only thirty character like pictures they mean multiple things when grouped together in certain patterns.

Favored Profession : While all of the Yakaram are aggressive and physically capable of physically defending themself and their culture, they tend to have softer professions. They have great success when becoming a rogue however, with their natural grace.

Full Description
The Yeaken is a large beast of burden similar to an ox. Their shoulder stands at about eight feet in height and they can weight close to seven hundred pounds if they are healthy. They have leather skin closely resembling that of a rhino or elephant and a broad curled horn in the middle of their head.

This horn is half as wide as their skull but can measure up to 2’ long if straightened. In use, it is ideally similar to a ram’s horn in that they can butt with it. It does have a small opening in the base near the skull that the Yeaken can produce sound from. They have a tuba sounding blast when they are angered or mating. The sound is a long and deep blart and is deep, similar to a tuba sound. Very clear and resonant, not hollow sounding. It is extremely hard and is colored brown and tan. Their eyesight is normal as well as their hearing, but they have a great sense of smell. Males tend to have a facial beard that is white that hangs close to the ground.

Their front legs are longer than their back, giving them a sloped appearance and making them slow runners. They can not attack with their front legs, instead use either their frontal ram horn, or their back legs. Their back feet have wicked claws on each to protect them in the wild. It is common for domesticated Yeaken to have these removed for safety.

They are social animals and are very peaceful in the wild as well as domestication. In the wild they very seldom do they travel alone, but tend stay in family groups of herds. They always travel with the weaker and smallest of the family inside and have the larger and stronger Yeaken toward the outside forming a circle as they travel. They are very trusting which makes domestication extremely easy and makes them easy prey for predators that can take something as large as them down. They can sense hostile intentions with their acute sense of smell and keep a long memory of things that hurt them.

They are used as large pack animals. They rarely get tired pulling the usual cargo in wagons and one can pull a wagon where it would take two or three oxen. Because of their intelligence it takes little guiding from a teamster as well.

They have been known to be used in battle pulling siege equipment but they are only useful if they are not near the actual battle, as the smell of blood frightens them.  There has been rumor of an elite group of soldiers who use a pack of these in battle though. Their back talons tearing plated armor like parchment. But this is only a rumor and has never been seen.