The Mortal Flocks

Mortals on Werjen can live for a very long time, up to two hundred years. Rarely do their bodies fail from natural causes. Their longevity is derived from the potency of their souls, a mystical green gas housed within their heads. There were originally thirteen distinct peoples on Werjen, but only nine have survived the grueling test of time. Historically, each of the mortal flocks followed a single god, a Herder, but the Herders have been absent for over eight hundred years. Now, many mortals have the luxury of following the Herder of their choice, or even none at all.

Humans

Over time, their cunning and ruthlessness allowed them to gain control of Resh, the powerful and prosperous center of Werjen civilization. They have ruled the city almost continuously throughout its illustrious history. Humans are diverse in appearance, particularly in height. Those bloodlines that settled the Serlistan plains to the north tend to be far taller. The Herder Biern has longed ruled over the Humans, and they continue to pay him homage in his Reshen Temple.

Drydin, dwarvenkind

Shorter than all flocks except for the Relpinfels, Werjen’s dwarves are stocky and enormously strong. Many have beards, but not all. They have distinctive vertical notches in the cheekbones under each eye, making them easily distinguishable from short Humans. The Herder Hirloa was instructed to watch over them, but she cared little for her flock. Without the protection of their patron, and subject to constant attacks from their pugnacious neighbors on the continent Yoon, the Drydin burrowed deep into the mountains and created a virtually impenetrable network of tunnels. Their ancestral home, Mount Lechis, is the greatest fortress ever created. They are notable as the only flock to have a significant presence on Werjen’s two continents, Serlista and Yoon.

Vayaleese, the elves

The Vayaleese are often viewed with suspicion on Werjen for worshipping Rossil, who once betrayed his Herder brothers and sisters. Originally they closely resembled Humans, but their evolution took a strange turn when the whole of their populous was drenched in a blanket of mysterious residue that fell from the heavens. Their ears grew elongated and pointy, but lacked cartilage, causing them to flop outwards. Their hair became fine and wispy, their stature diminished slightly, and they became more slender. They also lost the ability to grow facial and body hair. They have a wide variety of eye, hair and skin colors. Most Vayaleese view the label ‘elf’ with contempt. Five clans, forming a loose political alliance, dominate the western coast of Serlista. Vayaleese leaders remain in the coastal stronghold, Tiren Arno, year round.

Soliks

Standing seven feet tall on average, covered in thick brown and white fur, these large beasts are known for their physical prowess. The fur around their face is always black, and their eyes are small and colorless. Along with the Praeopi and Drydin flocks, they were relocated to the remote continent of Yoon shortly after the creation of the Herders. They have a reputation for being unintelligent and undisciplined. Politically, they are organized into autonomous clans, typically with a defensible hill or plateau as a central fortification. Over time, as their patron Herder Oble has controlled them with sorcery, they have become resistant to some spells.

Praeops

Although slight of build when compared to Humans, the Praeops are strong and very fast. Their faces are long, narrow, and covered in scaly plates. The warriors among them also have natural armor in the form of a thin exoskeleton that covers most of the body. The queens are more insectival in appearance than the rest of the species, with segmented, puffy abdomens that are supported by an extra pair of legs. The Praeops adhere to a rigid social pyramid, with the Herder Thractis at the top and the queens just underneath. Their largest underground hive, the Naktix, is the where nearly all of them live and die.

Relpinfels

They are the last remaining of the three “little flocks” that originally inhabited the planet. Like their patron Herder, Lainaris, the Relpinfels have a distinct love for natural life. They tend toward a pack mentality, with extended families being ruled by a single chieftain. In their ancestral city, Zuze, the chieftains pay homage en masse to their monarch, the Zuzian King. The Relpinfels are small and fast, unrivaled when it comes to stealth, however, they lack strength when compared with other flocks. They are quite clever, but usually unable to stop and listen to their inner voice of reason. They are covered from head to toe in a patchwork of natural colored fur, with browns, blacks, reds, tans, and whites being the most common. On average, they stand two heads shorter than a Human.

Jans

Originally named the Langue, the flock was later adopted by Herder Hrul and renamed to the Jans, after the divine word for discipline. The name was well earned, as this flock has a reputation for following their leader’s commands without hesitation and without regard for their own safety. In appearance, Jans closely resemble Humans, but are a head taller and have distinctive eyes that turn down sharply at the outside corners. In the easternmost part of the continent Serlista, the Jans live on the plains among many crystalline spires that jut up from the ground. Their capital, Spireguard, is built around the base of one such monument.

Perians

Drenched by the same residue that mutated the Vayaleese, they diminished in size and lost the hair from all over their bodies. The Perians are physically weak, but are perfectly capable of defending themselves. In response to their feeble frames, they developed a powerful variety of spell casting, called markshaping. Like the Jans, they are historically bound to Herder Hrul. A single political body, the Council of Six, comprised of three Jans and three Perians, rules over Hrul’s empire.

Eklini

The Eklini have been cultured by Eidilis to be extremely intelligent. They have eyes that are big, round, and inevitably some shade of blue. They are slender but have broad, powerful shoulders, making them supremely fast in the water. Fishers, sailors and pirates live within their coastal cities. Though their military might is limited to Werjen’s oceans, their wealth is unrivaled. They leverage their neutral reputation to trade in cities on both continents.