Goblins
Hiding in every forest and in the shadows of every city thrive the cursed Urdar. The Urdar are cognizant of their lot in life. They are not physically strong. They are not intelligent (relative to other races). They have no deity looking upon them or great destiny before them. The key to their existence is to remain unnoticed by the other more important races. Furthermore, the Urdar have been cursed with an unwholesome appearance that colors the opinions of neighboring races. It has earned them roles in children’s tales of “Ugly Men” that steal away Yrūn children in the night.
- Kurúrdar (i.e., war Urdar)
Physiology
Urdar are short hairless anthropoids with squat heads and crooked limbs. Similar in size to the Ōéle, the Urdar are without exception ugly and misshapen. Urdar have sharp lower jaws and round orbital ridges with bulbous eyes. Commonly, Urdar lips are drawn back from their pronounced teeth, producing an uncanny grimace. Older Urdar grow horns about the head and spurs from limb joints. Urdàri horns are not effectual, usually remaining short and twisted.
Individuals that are exposed to Chaos Magic undergo a transformation into a state known as Kurúrdar (rf. Magic). The savage Kurúrdar are physically larger (3x) and more powerful than the Urdar.
Psychology
The Urdar are a neurotic race. The Urdar are well aware of the views and prejudices of surrounding races. They see themselves equally as ugly as others perceive them to be. This view compiled with the perception that they are a godless race, engenders a sense of racial self-loathing. For these reasons most Urdar are insecure and cautious. Though the Urdar prefer to see themselves as a benign and peaceful race, the Kurúrdar Effect (rf. Magic) is a constant reminder of just how tenuous that peace might be. Only in the most dire circumstances, where life and communities are imperiled, is the Effect welcomed.
Kurúrdar manifestations are nearly always savage. When more than one Kurúrdar encounter each other they act as team, as if they were trained to work together.
Culture
Urdàri culture is usually modeled after the nearest neighboring culture.
Following the Second Acèntyri-Dekàli War the Oðic Urdar found themselves with room to expand and soon filled the gulfs between lands claimed by the Yrūn and the Eylfāe (now the Urdàri Lands). They adopted Yrūn techniques for farming and began organizing themselves into small kingdoms (i.e., Gnot) as their Kændàlan cousins had done centuries before.
Language
The Urdar speak a low rumbling tongue (i.e., Urdàric) colloquially known as Grumble.
Names
Barrank, Dabalub, Dakana, Dekareb, Dygor, Ekpar, Ekpar-No, Eru-Nub, Erzen, Fauldon, Gerrus-Mak, Kodon-Nop, Korfogkir, Korzanak, Kreedar, Neruk-Po, Perukmud, Pobar, Po-Neerk, Prenek, Shanda-Nok, Terrad-Po, Zan-Po-Nok
Religion
The Urdar refer to themselves as a godless race, having no mythic progenitor. Shamen (always present within sizable Urdàri communities) recently learned of the ways of Wōd and have flourished with their new found knowledge and magics. The mysteries of Wōd were brought to the Ugly Folk by the mysterious Ragboot. Upon the discovery of Wōd, priests of that Order worked with the Urdar so that might experience the glory of the nature god. To aid the Urdar in this pursuit, the Orders of Wōd helped fashion the original Shaman Stones that are now so prevalent in Urdàri lands. The “discovery” of Wōd was a great boon to Urdar-kind, who had collectively been searching for a sense of belonging in a world where most other races have patron gods. To be “accepted” by the nature god is believed to be of particular significance.
Magic
Magic has always been strong with the Urdàri people, but until recently they had not been able to shape the power around them, rather magic has shaped them. One of the most protected secrets of the Urdar is the Kurúrdar Effect. When an Urdar is exposed to Chaos they undergo a transformation into a Kurúrdar (i.e, hobgoblin), a savage mirror-image of their spirit. The effect lasts only slightly longer than that of exposure. Following reversion, the despondent Urdar usually retreat to their shelters to cope with the event’s psychological implications.
Magic-use among the Urdar is a new development, having emerged within the last five hundred years. Original attempts at magic were unsuccessful, with spectacular failures resulting in repeated Kurúrdar Effects.
The Kurúrdar Effect may be resisted by force of Will.