Yrūn

Humans

From the jungles of Tassèrus to the icy wastes of Varsta, the Yrūn have established themselves on every continent of the World of Teréth End. Though not the most intelligent of the races, or the longest lived, or the strongest, the Yrūn populations have exploded across the world unlike any race before them. In their path, the Elder Races have withdrawn into the safety of their ancient retreats waiting for the Yrūn scourge to weaken or run its course. For an Age the hirsute savages have shown no sign of slowing. More disturbing than their reckless multiplying is evidence that they may be emerging as an intelligent race, with a speed that out paces their maturity.

The most populace Awakened race on the surface of Teréth End are the Yrūn. Residents of every continent and the shores of every sea, the Yrūn have made more impact on the world in two Ages than the Eylfāe and Dwürden have in four.

The fact that most available histories of Teréth End are from the Yrūn perspective is unavoidable as they are also the most prolific writers. Some have guessed that since the Yrūn lifespan is so short that there is more of an impetus among them to compose their thoughts in writing for subsequent generations, a task deemed less necessary among Elder Races.

Physiology

Since their emergence at the dawn of the Third Age, the Yrūn have changed little. This lack of evolution is thought to have something to do with lower magic levels in the Third and subsequent Ages. By comparison, the Eylfāe, Dragul, and Dwürden adopted many forms within the First Age, when magic was greater. The Yrūn, despite appear ing throughout the world, are unchanged from one continent and environment to the next, though ages separate them from their common Emèreni ancestors. Some have suggested that the Yrūn underwent drastic changes before emerging from Emer.

A typical Teréth End man stands 5 foot 8 inches tall with the typical woman 2 inches shorter. Yrūn skin tones range from pale (north Acèntyra, north and west Teréðor, north Lyrast) to tan (south Acèntyra, south Lyrast, Vulmùra) to brown (middle Teréðor,Tassèrus) to dark-black (Fiery Isthmus, south Tassèrus), to dark-violet (Emer). Hair colors range from blond, to brown, to black and red. Eye colors range from black, to brown, to blue (and hazel), to green and violet (rare).

Psychology

Most Yrūn of Teréth End are simple people with little education and very real fears regarding the Unknown. Yrūn seek comfort and answers to these mysteries in the words and teachings of religion. Because the Yrūn mind is limited in scope and understanding, most scholars of the race specialize in a single field of study.

The Yrūn mind is quite fragile and prone to Unhinging. This propensity for irrational and emotional outbursts makes the Yrūn a favorite target for outsiders, including the Gru.

Culture

Most Yrūn cultures exist to protect the smallest groups within the culture, the family. Families bind together in communities. Communities bind together as towns and villages. Villages and towns are usually protected under some lesser master who in turn (along with other similarly ‘ranked’ masters) are mastered. In some cultures there are more layers than this (e.g., Acèntyran, Dekàlas), in others there are fewer (e.g., Shar).

Language

The most widely spoken language of the Yrūn is Old Æzàlaric or Tradetalk). As a hub for international commerce, the City of Æzàlari’s old dialect has been adopted by sailors, merchants, and businessmen worldwide. The Dekàli-Tassèri hybrid tongue can be heard in port cities from Teréðor to eastern Lyrast. In some Acèntyran cities, Tradetalk may not be spoken outside merchant areas for the language is believed to have a close kin-ship with the Dragùlic tongue (Egdris’s gift to Scarázdralegð is not forgotten).

Religion

Unbelievers rank among the rarest of Yrūn sub-groups. The deities of Teréth End are believed to affect the life of people every day, from the rising of the morning sun to the opening of flowers in Æmarad. Not only is the influence of the gods evident, but the benefit of their favor is actively sought. Though Yrūn deities very rarely intercede directly in Mortal affairs, their majesty is apparent in the priests of their faith. With such evidence, it is left to fools to disbelieve. Intercession does occur, but never in a manner which would reveal the presence of the deity beyond a doubt. For example, a priest may ask his god to destroy a bridge to thwart an advancing army. As the army crosses the bridge it crashes into the river below, sweeping the soldiers and their horses away; those seeing the spectacle (miracle?) are left to wonder if the priest’s deity caused the bridge to collapse, or whether the weight of the army was too great for the old timbers.

Of all the world’s races, the Yrūn have the most diverse religions. Though the Sha’al may worship more deities, Yrūn of different regions worship different pantheons. The only other race to do the same are the Dwürden, who worship differently on Teréðor, Vulmùra and Lyrast. In most polytheistic cultures of Teréth End, it is common for a person to devote themselves to one deity, but to offer homage and prayers to others whose favor may be helpful through the day’s course. A Dekàli follower of Amra may asking for the blessings of Kændlan before eating a meal, or the wisdom of Irāyn before making a difficult choice.

Magic

The Yrūn have no natural magic ability. All members of the race who show an ability for touching the Chaos are believed to have some vestige of Eylfāe or other Elder Race blood within their lineage. For this reason, it is not possible for all Yrūn to study and master magic. The percentage of the population with the potential for this is generally unknown, though some sirkūlī are believed to solved this mystery. Because Elder blood is necessary for weaving the Chaos and the ability to do so can be passed through the rapidly expanding generations, the Eylfāe do not approve of the creation of Halvarel and Neveren; for each that is born is an erosion of their power.

One aspect of Yrūn magic-use that is widely observed is the relationship between birth date and Weaving potential. An Yrūn born beneath the full phase of Wōd has the potential to access divine magics, while those born under the more common full phase of Mamra may access the magics arcane. Birth beneath either of these moons does not ensure that the Yrūn child will develop the necessary aptitude for spell casting, but is viewed as a requirement nonetheless. There are scattered stories of Unawakened Yrūn manifesting Weaving talents after exposure to Wild Magics, but the accounts have not been verified. It would seem that if those reports were true, plenty of factions would be sparing no expense to a) seek areas of Wild Magic to empower themselves, or b) erase all evidence of the fact. Some have guessed that the Wild Magics approximate the state of magic in the early Ages.

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Nomenclature: Uren Dekàlic: Yrūn (race), Yrūni (pertaining to)