Race & Ethnicity

Races

• The six different types of inhabitants are known as peoples, the Six Loquent Peoples (sa ṁéṙantu lèuðúes) or simply, the Six Speaking Ones (sa ṁèṙantúes). In order of creation they are:

1. The Ethrans (iðṙ̨ónus), the Children of Air.
2. The Pyrans (accent on the first syllable) (pųŗ̇ónus), the Children of Fire.
3. The Hydorans (amŗ̇ónus), the Children of Water.
4. The Humans (taļónus), the Children of Earth.
5. The Xylans (mąţónus), the Children of Wood.
6. The Lithans (onḑónus), the Children of Stone.

• Each of these peoples has several bynames which are used frequently to refer to them.

1. The Ethrans are the “bird people” (àṁteútus), or the “bird-bidders” (aṁvúndus) because of their ability to control birds.
2. The Pyrans are the “unicorn riders” (ĸę̀ndëmímus), or the riverbank dwellers (àfṙëṁę́sus).
3. The Hydorans are the “swan riders” (ȝ̇òlvïmímus), or the “water people” (àṁṙëṁę́sus) because they live near or on lakes and ponds.
4. The Humans are the “horse riders” (ècümímus) because their culture is dependent on the horse, or the steppe dwellers (ĸèbaṙṁę́sus).
5. The Xylans are the “having lots of body hair” (ţų́xṙus) because their bodies are covered with hair, or the “forest dwellers” (ṁixṁę́sus).
6. The Lithans are the “argali riders” (pèκümímus), or the “cave dwellers” (gųfṁę́sus).

Distribution

• The distribution of the Peoples is important because it determines much about their life styles. This distribution is accounted for in their mythology.
  • The Ethrans, the Children of Air, were given the “air” in which to live. They settled on mountain tops where they were close to the openness of space and from where they could observe this world into which they had been placed. They live in strongholds on the top of mountains called citadels (ðų́nos). There are six of them. The elevations given are those of the present day.

1. The Main Citadel (ufðų́nos) is on the summit of Mt. Ebrus in the Caucasus Mountains. The west summit stands at 5,642 m. (18,510 ft.). The east summit is slightly lower at 5,621 m. (18,442 ft).
2. The Center Citadel (bèðṙëðų́nos) is on Mont Blanc in the Alps at 4,810.45 m. (15,782 ft.).
3. The West Citadel (ṁesðų́nos) is on Mt. Mulhacén in the Sierra Nevada range in southern Spain at 3,478.6 m (11,413 ft).
4. The Sea Citadel (maṙðų́nos) is on Mount Olympus at 2,917 m. (9,570 ft.).
5. The South Citadel (lumðų́nos) is on Corno Grande in the Apennine Mountains at 2,912 m. (9,554 ft).
6. The North Citadel (ĸuðų́nos) is on Galdhøpiggen in southern Norway at 2,469 m. (8,100 ft.).

• • The Pyrans, the Children of Fire were given the riparian plains of the rivers. Here, in the fertile soil, they grow their crops and pasture their goats.
  • The Hydorans were given the “water” on which to live.
  • The Humans were given the “land”, the steppes, on which to live. Here they live a nomadic life with their horses (known today as Przewalski’s horse, Equus ferus przewalskii).
  • The Xylans were given the forests in which to live.
  • The Lithans were given the “rocks” in which to live. They live in the mountains where they mine for metals and jewels.

Language, appearance, and ancestry

• The Six Loquent Peoples all spoke the same language, Senjecas, until the Great Sundering. After that problems arose among and within the different Peoples and dialects arose which often became mutually unintelligible.
• Unfortunately, genetic studies were never made before most of the Peoples became extinct. (There are some who maintain, however, that some of them still live among us.) Because of this the only account we have of their ancestry is their mythology. Geneticists have tentatively assigned a binomial name to each of the Peoples.

1. Ethrans – Homo primicreatus
2. Pyrans – Homo ripacola
3. Hydorans – Homo lacucola
4. Humans – Homo sapiens (If this name had not already been assigned, they would have been given the binomial Homo campicola.)
5. Xylans – Homo sylvicola
6. Lithans – Homo monticola

• The Six Loquent Peoples can be grouped into two major groups based on their bone structure. The Ethrans, the Humans, and the Lithans have solid bones. The Pyrans, the Hydorans, and the Xylans have hollow bones.

Some general descriptions

1. The Xylans and the Lithans have a tapetum which enhances their night vision.
2. The Six Peoples are each a different species, thus there is no interbreeding. Sexual activity is, however, possible between those Peoples of the same size.
3. The excretory, digestive, circulatory, respiratory and endocrine systems function in basically the same ways in all the Peoples.
4. In those peoples that procreate, the females possess only two breasts.
5. The males of all the peoples possess a foreskin.

The Ethrans

1. The Ethrans are much like Humans in anatomy and physiology. They are, on the average, the same height and weight as Humans.
2. Their hair is pure white, although the hair of the sundered Ethrans has turned black.
3. Among the male Ethrans, some have body hair and some do not, similar to the Humans.
4. Their eyes are the light blue color of the sky.
5. In a manner similar to electric eels, they have somatic cells designed to be conduits of the energy in earth mistakenly called magic.
6. Dentition is the same as in Humans.
7. In the beginning of creation they were all created at the same time, thus there is no procreation. But there are two sexes, complete with genitalia, although without ovaries or testicles, and sex is enjoyed for pleasure. With the sundered Ethrans, sex has become a means of domination.
8. The Ethrans are immortal.
9. In the tales and legends of Humans, the Ethrans have been transmogrified into wizards, mages, etc. Some cultures remember them as angels.

The Pyrans

1. The Pyrans are much like Humans in anatomy and physiology. They are, on the average, the same height as Humans. Although more slender than Humans, they are very muscular. They are one of the three peoples that is hollow-boned (cúlmis), in a manner similar to birds.
2. Both sexes wear their light brown hair in a ponytail.
3. Their eyes are amber-colored. Their visual acuity is exceptional.
4. They have no body hair, except in the axillae and groin.
5. Dentition is the same as in Humans.
6. They may engage in sex at any time, but the female is in estrus only in the fall. One child, rarely two, is born after a gestation of ten lunar months. The sex of the child is by chance as with Humans. The female will not go into estrus while she is nursing. Menopause occurs around the age of 70.
7. The average life span of a Pyran is about 200 years.
8. In the tales and legends of Humans, the Pyrans have been transmogrified into elves.

The Hydorans

1. The Hydorans average two-thirds the height of a Human and are very slender. They are one of the hollow-boned peoples and thus are very light.
2. They possess in their knees a device similar to that found in fleas which enables them to jump a great distance.
3. Their hair is blond and they have no body hair at all.
4. Their eyes are blue but a darker blue than that of the Ethrans.
5. Their hands have proportionally longer fingers and are partially webbed which facilitates swimming.
6. Just under the mandibular angle below the ear on either side is one gill slit, which is used both for respiration and the excretion of electrolytes when in the water. It is covered by a muscular flap which prevents desiccation when on land. These gills do not function in salt water. There are valves that close off the nostrils and ears when they dive.
7. Dentition is the same as in Humans.
8. They may engage in sex at any time, but the female is in estrus only in the winter. One child, rarely two, is born after a gestation of six lunar months. The sex of the child is by chance as with Humans. Menopause occurs around the age of 50.
9. Because of their slightness the children often fall prey to predatory animals.
10. The average life span of a Hydoran is about 100 years.
11. In the tales and legends of Humans, the Hydorans have been transmogrified into fairies.

The Xylans

1. The Xylans average about ten feet tall and they are proportionately wide, but they are one of the hollow-boned peoples and thus lighter than they seem. There are valves in the veins in their legs and abdomen which assist the return flow of blood. The larynx and nasal passages are proportionately larger and their blood is rich in erythrocytes, a large amount of which are stored in the spleen for emergency use. All this combines to make them superior sprinters and runners.
2. Their hair is dark brown and their skin is dark, and except for their bearded faces, they are covered with hair; not in the manner of a yeti or sasquatch, but as in Human males who are extremely hirsute. The pubic hair is long and covers the genitals.
3. Their eyes are a deep green.
4. Dentition consists of one more set of molars than in human dentition, that is, 2-1-2-4. The maxilla and the mandible are not hollow-boned and the temporal muscle is proportionally more massive to facilitate the cracking of the nuts that comprise a large part of the diet. The temporal muscles are attached to a sagittal crest which is not visible because of the skull hair.
5. They can hear frequencies both above and below those perceptible by the other peoples.
6. There are no female Xylans. The males possess a penis but lack testicles.
7. The Xylans are not susceptible to any diseases, but as long as they are not killed, they are immortal. To date only one has been killed.
8. In the tales and legends of Humans, the Xylans have been transmogrified into giants.

The Lithans

1. Lithans are more like midgets than dwarves, averaging half the height of a Human.
2. Their hair is red and the males are rather hirsute. Upon being married, the male is permitted to let his beard grow.
3. Their eyes are black.
4. Dentition is the same as in the Humans.
5. They may engage in sex at any time, but the female is in estrus only every three years. The gestation period is about seven months and the birth of one child, never twins, occurs in the spring. Menopause occurs around the age of 100.
6. The average life span of a Lithan is about 300 years.
7. In the tales and legends of Humans, the Lithans have been transmogrified into dwarves.

Occupations

• The chief occupation of the Six Loquent Peoples is determined by the ecosystem to which they have been assigned. Of course, each community has other tasks to be performed for the life of the community.

1. The Ethrans, as the first created, became the scientists and scholars who began to investigate the world in which they were placed. Much was learned and recorded about the world in the 26,000 years before the Pyrans were created. This period of 26,000 years is known as a mezdį́tas. This first period is known as the iðṙ̨ònmezdį́tas.

• There are six degrees of Ethrans:

1. 1. archimage
   2. mage
   3. archon
   4. adept
   5. guardian
   6. elemental
2. The Pyrans became herders. From the bezoar ibex (Capra aegagrus), they domesticated their own goat (Capra donensis) to produce large quantities of hair and milk. The herding is the task of the men. The women maintain the hayfields and the family vegetable gardens and care for the flocks of geese. Each village (dábos) has a smithy. The weaving of goat’s wool is done by the women. Both men and women share in the making of cheese. This second period is known as the puṙ̨ònmezdį́tas.
3. The Hydorans, in their water environment, became fishers. Both men and women fish and gather other water creatures for food. It is the women who harvest the cattails which they prepare as food and from which they obtain a fiber for making their clothes. This third period is known as the aṁṙ̨ònmezdį́tas.
4. The Human men herd their horses across the steppes. On horseback, the men also hunt game using the golden eagle to bring down the game. Game adds variety to the horsemeat diet. The women remain at the encampment (ceíṁos) to do the subsistence gardening and other household tasks. They also search the surrounding steppe in the spring for birds’ eggs. This fourth period is known as the taļònmezdį́tas.
5. The Xylans have no regular occupations. They live free lives roaming the vast forests of Sefdaania. Because they are Children of Wood, they have an extensive knowledge of the medicinal properties of plants. They often travel to the settlements of the other Peoples to trade their simples for whatever the people have to offer in trade. This fifth period is known as the mąţònmezdį́tas.
6. The Lithans in their mountain villages (pálqos) have mined the mountains for metals and gems. Working in their smithies, the Lithans are master artisans, making implements from the metals and jewelry from the gems. The women are responsible for the other tasks: maintaining the household tasks, maintaining the vegetable gardens and the fields of flax from which they weave cloth for their clothes, and caring for the donkeys. Some of the Lithan men wander Sefdaania to barter their wares with the other Peoples. This sixth period is known as the onḑònmezdį́tas.

The Six Honorable Trades sá ĸ̌į́to dąṙóes

1. ruler (ṙéƶus)

• Prince (asúṙus)
• Duke (deúĸus)
• Marquis (meṙƶáŗ̇us)
• Count (qṙą́fus)
• Baron (dąmáŗ̇us)
• Mayor (ṙiȝą́gus)

1. healer (ȝę́ĸus)

• Priest (vláqmus)/Priestess (tovéṙus)
• Physician (lę́gus)/Nurse (t̬ę́us)
• Judge (médus)
• Herbalist (ĸįṙą́gus)
• Teacher (dóĸus)
• Sorcerer (mą́ȝus)/Diviner (túlĸus)

1. food provider (pą́tus)

• Farmer (þṙéfus)/Vinedresser (ĸų̀ftoṙtą́gus)
• Herder (élnus)
• Fisher (písĸus)
• Brewer (ál̬us)/Vintner (ṁèiną́gus)
• Hunter (ĸédus)
• Apiarist (véȝus)

1. 4. craftsman (ų́ṙus)

• Painter (címus)/Scribe (peícus)/Sculptor (vį́rus)
• Weaver (ṁévus)
• c. Basket Maker (ĸ̌ésus)
• Potter (lį́gus)Glazier (ȝ̇ę́lnus)
• Carpenter (ĸ̌ɔ́sus)
• Smith (témus)
  • Metalworker (ṙùðsëtémus)
  • Locksmith (àṙguṙą́gus)
  • Tinsmith (ṁòlnëtémus)
  • Goldsmith (ȝ̇altémus)
  • Coppersmith (ṙàuðtémus)
  • Blacksmith (şąltémus)
  • Silversmith (vèluṙtémus)
  • Jeweler (ȝ̇élņus)

1. Merchant (pę́ṙus)

• Grocer (eðpę́ṙus)/Tobacconist (mų̀xmųlpę́ṙus)/Florist (ànðëpę́ṙus)
• Apothecary (ȝę̀xtüpę́ṙus)
• Baker (vǫ́gus)/Butcher (ĸáṁus)/Clothier (òuþpę́ṙus)/Glover (màntavtáṁus)/Seamstress (şų́us)/Tailor (òutámus)
• Trader (çógus)
• Chandler (ȝą́ĸus)

1. laborer (dą́ṙus)

• Mason (ondą́gus)/Sawyer (pęílus)
• Cleaner (vúqus)
• Police (meðnámus)
• Miller (mólus)
• Teamster (sélĸus)/Sailor (ną́ṁus)/Ferryman (péṙmus)
• Miner (ȝ̇éṁ̨us)