The world's main races
I'm presenting the main races here; I won't give any information about the Chorredas and Attaveks, so as not to spoil the events of Book 1.
Nor will I present the interracial clans on this page, as it would be unnecessarily long. To find out more about their customs, go to the blog posts!
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You'll find them below, in that order:
Light Elves
Shadow Elves
Dwarves
Nomegats
Fairies
The Orcs
The Iquas
The Rokaths
Light Elves
These largely peaceful beings live on vast plains and refuse to wage war even when in danger. They are incredible healers, cultivating the land with wheat, barley and medicinal plants. Their diets may vary from village to village, but they are mainly vegetarian or even vegan.
Their dwellings are created by their goddess herself, and are huge trees with the right number of rooms for each family. The only exception is the village of Fyrupana-Ra so as not to block the sea winds and thus avoid quarrelling with the Iquas. This group also rejects technological progress in favor of living in communion with nature, as they did in the old days.
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The Elves of Kovân and Zovân vary in many ways, from their appearance to their culture. On the former continent, their skin is predominantly light and their hair dark, but on the latter, their skin is dark and their hair light. There are, however, a few places on both Kovân and Zovân where these richly colored traits are combined. To limit ourselves to a single version or even vision of this people would be erroneous and bland.
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In politics, they are mediators and negotiators. Thanks to them, many conflicts have been avoided in the past and concessions made. They accept every appointment to keep the peace, even if no Doven has taken place for centuries.
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They like to make jewelry with forging gloves, made of a very special alloy, to put in their hair in the effigy of their divinity. An earring with a shaped diamond shows whether the individual lives with his parents or is married: this is the Milia. Worn on the left, the individual is still living with his parents; on the right, someone has married them and they are now living together. Long tubular beads separate the diamond from the rim to represent the number of children or siblings, depending on where the Milia is located. The Milia representing the siblings is hung at the entrance to the house after the wedding as a blessing and protection.
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These people seduce their partners with their long, silky, well-decorated hair. This is their main characteristic. The villages pass on their knowledge orally to the younger generation in the evening, either around the campfire or after dinner.
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Every morning, they bend their heads to the ground to pray to Fyzi and maintain their relationship with her. They let animals roam freely through their village, but direct larger animals elsewhere if they risk destroying their homes or crops.
Shadow Elves:
Mostly composed, they are a highly diplomatic people, always seeking a peaceful solution to any conflict, although they know how to defend themselves when necessary. In fact, they share the same policies as their Light cousins. They are predominantly neo-vegetarians, adding fish to a wide variety of vegetable dishes.
What distinguishes them most are not the varied appearances they may have from one continent to another, like their cousins, but their eyes. Unable to see in daylight, they have adopted a nocturnal lifestyle. Shadow Elves who live in mixed cities during the day wear special glasses made by the Nomegats.
Their dwellings, too, are created by Fysi, surrounding trees with spiral windings. They join them by bridges and long wooden walkways built over time from branches and trees they have patiently shaped over decades. Lanterns of bioluminescent stones and crystals gently illuminate the paths, dressing the town in enchanting glows in harmony with the flora and fauna. The religious symbols on their doors depict the phases of the moons, unlike their cousins who praise the sun and its red dwarf, Krazon.
Seduction comes mainly when the storytellers take the pace of the evening, but the right decoration of their hair is also a factor. Their Millia is a spreader, hollow on the left and full on the right. The Millia of love is white for marriage, blue for divorce, and black for death. Spouses may separate, but partners may never remarry, if they do, they are called Philimàn. They are accepted into the clan, though unwelcome, and their Millia bears a red paint cross.
On Zovân, large pearls decorate thick locks in a unique color, often associated with their amber, midnight-blue or opaline eyes. Most Shadow Elves are dark-skinned and have light, often frizzy hair. As for those of Zovân, their skin is white and their hair is dark and decorated with gold or silver. To see Shadow Elves with either light or dark skin and hair, regardless of continent, is more than likely. The ethnic mix and the different generations make anything possible.
As fine poets and great storytellers, they enjoy getting together at nightfall to tell the stories of the world and the clan. They also have the distinguishing feature of putting their history and culture down in writing, unlike their cousins who pass on their knowledge to their descendants mainly orally.
To pray to Fyzi, they kneel around the oldest tree in their village and hold hands with the others, mumbling prayers. They are very pious, superstitious people who devote their lives to the gods. Showing them respect is one of their most important traditions, and no one entering their lands is allowed to depart from it.
Dwarves:
Renowned for their bad temper and lack of subtlety, the Dwarves of Kovân are little appreciated beyond their mining skills. Omnivorous and greedy, they are prone to over-hunting and regularly come into conflict with their various neighbors. The Dwarves of Zovan, on the other hand, are calmer and act as mediators on their continent.
Their cities are all built of stone, both to prevent fires and to venerate the spirit of the mountains, which they respect as much as Kruvo, the deity of materials. Wood is mainly used to make furniture, doors and shutters. Like the Nomegats, their towns are surrounded by gigantic ramparts to protect their people from the Karapots and their neighbors.
On Kovan, they are a patriarchal people with a persistent misogynist culture, although the women are fighting to change this. Their restricted ideas prevent them from advancing socially, excluding all remarried people and illegitimate children, as well as displaying a great deal of racism. As a result, many Dwarves find themselves leaving the mining towns to do business in other cities, escaping the pressures of their homeland while still working for their people. These social outcasts are feeling an overwhelming need to prove their worth to their country, which, unfortunately, will never accept them.
They supply Imely with precious metals and stones, so the inhabitants of the world are careful not to offend them. The summaries of the Doven are recorded in the eponymous dwarf city of Dovena in Zovan, where these important meetings took place.
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On Kovan, life partners are found in the conflicts that arise between two individuals. Many couples are formed in the tavern, alcohol and music going hand in hand with bawdy songs in an atmosphere that is surprisingly warm for everyone. Women mainly stay at home to look after their families, but some break with tradition by working. Often working as waitresses or helping to raise livestock, they are hard at work, seeking attention to prove their worth. The most daring take to the mines, but are frowned upon by the rest of society.
On Zovan, cultural syncretism with the Fairy, a matriarchal people, has put all genders on an equal footing. Less vindictive but just as determined, they know when to take up arms to defend themselves or keep the continent at peace. The quality of their beards is a criterion of beauty and seduction that takes precedence over everything else. They may also bring a Morwean stone as a token of commitment, to show their dedication and ability to meet the challenges of life together.
Once a week, Dwarves gather in the chapel to pray together at the altar of Kruvo, or they can go whenever they like. Weddings are also held here, with tradition dictating that one of the spouses throws the other into the crowd, and the one who catches them is the witness to their union.
Nomegats:
Their aliveless and eccentricity often make them hard to bear. Official scientists of Imely, Nomegats are innovators who push the boundaries of technology. Omnivorous but reasonable, they take only what they need and cultivate, taking care of the land as well as their animals. These beings have four fingers instead of five, and the symbol of Ekryv, the deity of energies, on their foreheads.
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Like Dwarves, Nomegats have large fortified cities, with cannons and other energy weapons on their ramparts to defend them against all types of attack. These weapons are mainly designed to repel or even stun, and will only kill when absolutely necessary. Houses are stacked one on top of the other, forming tall buildings. The warehouses in the center of towns are the most oversized, and some serve as inns for lost travelers. Their machines and cogs, proudly displayed in the open air, attract many warmly welcomed Imelians. At least in Kovan. Nomegats of Zovan have been a source of deep hostility and discord among their own people for many years.
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Busy studying and making crazy inventions, these people have little interest in politics. They prefer to follow the majority rather than suggest ideas. They do, however, agree to take part in meetings if a conflict threatens to slow down their research. They manage to get along with the Dwarves by coaxing them with their machine-refined alcohols. This collaboration enables them to obtain materials from their mines. A karta is chosen each time the latter dies, however, to maintain the appearance of order and the hope of a new Doven.
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Their ability to manipulate various energies enables them to create batteries for their machines. A group of Nomegats is therefore present in all cities with this kind of technology to power them directly on site.
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Every djamn (year), an Invention Festival is organized in the cities. The biggest and most extravagant is held in Ekodjova-nyan. These celebrations are also a source of meeting points for new parties. The more imaginative a Nomegat is, the more likely they are to seduce, and their madness is even seen as irresistible. A woman blew up her house trying to make a remote-controlled vehicle? She'll be married within the week!
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Each of their inventions is thanked in the name of their gods. They pray to them for the materials they need to build and operate their machines. They were the first people to come up with the idea of creating totem poles to symbolically represent the divinities and place them in places of worship.
Fairy:
Like the other peoples of Imely, they are feminine by birth but do not exclude gender variations. Their philosophy varies from continent to continent: on Kovân, the Fairy are reputed to be idealists who advocate an impossible kind of peace ; on Zovan, they are often the first to take up arms. Unlike other peoples, the Fairies of the two continents don't consider themselves to be part of two different branches, and will treat each other with the same respect as they would a member of their own family.
On Kovan, each village is built on a giant tree called Phillyn, which means protector in the language of the Fairy. They live in miniature form in a set of giant flowers, with golden sap visible on their surface, which grow on the mother tree. Small extensions of rock, covered with moss and other vegetation, on which other flowers stand, are scattered at the foot of the Phillyn and are most often gathering places. The plant roots link the whole village to the tree, enabling the Fairy to communicate with the Phillyn as well as with each other by a simple touch on the bark or walls. At nightfall, the phosphorescence of the flora born of magic illuminates the lands of Siflân.
Their culture is centered on celebrations, games, dances, music and song. For all these reasons, they love to throw big parties every night. Every village that welcomes them is happy to feast in its own way all night long. They are also renowned for their meticulous embroidery with gold or silver thread and gemstones.
The standards of seduction are many, but mainly involve connection with the inner self and their environment. Fairy have different types of wings, some more like dragonflies than butterflies. In the latter case, color is important to charm another person. As a sign of union, she wears a ring on her right hand, linked to the engagement bracelet.
To conceive an heir, the partners choose an element (fire, earth, air, water, plants or lightning) and call upon a priestess who will bind their energy to this element to create an egg. This type of conception gives babies a birthmark instead of a navel. They can, however, become pregnant if they are with a person physically capable of offering them offspring.
Their wings wrap around them to give them the average size of other Imely races, and a series of runes wrap around their arms. Activating them, the wings spread out through the clothing, giving the Fairy a height of around four inches. Some, proud of their attributes, keep their wings over their clothes.
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A village on the cliffs north of the land of the Fairy in Kovan is quite different. These are the Tillythiams. Several members of different races also live here, so they've taken to living in their larger form. They are a group of mages, priests and enchantresses, who work in harmony with all the gods. These mages are responsible for the great celebrations in their honor, as well as for the unification of souls known as Katesh. Contrary to popular belief, the Tillythiam Queen Mother is not Karta of the Fairy. The latter lives in another village in Siflan de Kovan.
Their prayers to Ekryv are made by communicating with the Phillyn at any time of day. Many Fairy seek comfort from the deity of energies in this way, in order to obtain advice about their magical skills. Answers come in the form of images or emotions transmitted telepathically. Apart from the Tillythiams, who pay equal attention to the nine gods, Fairy mostly worship Divlân and Fysi, the deities of love and nature.
Orcs:
Their muscles are as impressive as their lower jaws, which are fitted with large fangs. Despite their gruff appearance, they are sensitive beings, caring for their people as well as the beasts they tame and raise to protect the place where they live. Although eloquence is not their first quality, they make every effort to ease exchanges with their neighbors. They are not, however, harmless, and will not hesitate to take up heavy weapons to retaliate at the first provocation or declaration of war.
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On Kovan, Orcs dig their homes into the canyon walls for better protection against storms and desert animals. Sturdy double-doors lead to large spaces containing their animals, as well as to alleys in the rocks. The caves are dark but damp and cool, allowing them to grow the crops they need to feed themselves and their livestock. The villages are enclosed by high walls and gigantic gates to keep the giant scorpions out.
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On Zovan, the Orcs have adapted to the tropical climate and built wooden dwellings stacked one on top of the other. They try to take up as little space as possible so as not to deforest or disturb animals by expanding the town.
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Orcs are often politically neutral. Unfortunately, not taking sides has led to a growing disrespect for others during the Dovens. In the villages, a chief is appointed to meet the people's primary needs, all decisions are made by him and nothing is done without his approval. Today's kartas are reluctant to attend a new doven, tired of exhausting their people with vain hopes of integration into the world.
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Renowned for their blacksmithing skills and natural resistance to high temperatures, this people can manipulate any metal near an inferno and make it into anything they want. Many weapons and armors are their creations, but crossing their land makes merchandise transactions difficult.
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All members of the tribe are blacksmiths, and children learn to hold hammers and use fires from their elders at an early age. To seduce, Orcs make a special object and offer it to the one they love. If feelings are mutual, the other accepts and makes something in return. If they are united by razoss (the first union before katesh), the spouses will wear a couple's bracelet featuring ornamental arabesques representing their relationship.
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When forging, the rhythm of the hammers and the tinkling of the metal lead them to sing hymns to Lokum, the blacksmith's deity. They also have a totem representing them in their homes and forges.
Iquas:
Female Iqua
A bitter, cantankerous people, they isolate themselves from the rest of the world. Their appearance goes hand in hand with the fear they inspire: while the men are shimmering and exotic, the women are dull and cold. This matriarchal people, who violently mistreat male members and those considered weak, show no mercy, either to their own kind or to those of Imely. They have little need to trade with other races, as they feed on the marine plants and fish around them.
Underwater caves in close proximity serve as their nests. Males and females live separately in their tenth year, until a couple forms to have their own chamber. They furnish their interiors with plants and rocks, creating cozy cocoons for the females to sleep comfortably. The men have no choice but to content themselves with the bare minimum, such as the leftovers from the women's meals and a pile of rocks. Complaining is not an option, unless they've decided their lives have gone on too long. The marine animals they cohabit with protect their territory and vice versa, so they have no fear of attack.
The lucky few who catch a glimpse of a man never see them surface a second time. Because of these immoral restrictions, half-Iqua children are rare and almost never know their sea-born parent. The karta are feared throughout the world, sticking to the ancient system for ruling over her people. A clan chief for each tribe is appointed to bring a political report once a month without the karta having to travel.
Water also assists them at every moment of their lives, answering their calls to defend or attack. If they are ever upset for any reason, they can prevent the fish from being captured and make life difficult, if not impossible, for the rest of the terrestrial world. By praying to the ocean deity, tsunamis can be unleashed, leveling coastal towns and villages. Their song is also a source of tremendous power, capable of bending any will or breaking any spell.
Their voice is an important part of their culture and pride. So much so, that without it, Iquas die a slow death. Depriving an Iqua of its voice is also a punishment that women inflict on men to maintain control over them. While some become mute as a result of injury, others become so after intense physical and psychological abuse.
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Women don't seduce, they choose the man they want based on his colorful, sophisticated scales. They put a band around his arm as a symbol of union, and they have no right to question their decision. The women lay a small egg which they place inside the men to fertilize them. Children are usually born in pairs, cared for by the men but educated by the women. The guards who watch over the men make sure that no revolutionary ideas are given to the young boys. As for the girls, they learn from an early age to be as cruel as their mothers. If any Iquas try to change things, they disappear one night and never return.
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Couples of women are not uncommon, the only evidence of the twisted love that members of this people have for each other. They often take several men for the pleasure of abusing them together afterwards.
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Iquas can adapt to life on land as well as in the sea, as the gills on their necks compress, allowing them to breathe the outside air. When the females emerge from the water, their tails transform into a multitude of scaly veils. Since no one has ever seen a man emerge, no one knows if it's the same for them. Their arrogance and sense of superiority doesn't motivate them to reach land, so they stay in the sea and see the shore as nothing more than an exotic destination to laze around.
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Each birth is followed by a baptism by Takuro, the god of life, to whom they make an offering during gestation. These gifts for the divine are dishes placed on an altar before a man's blood is spilled in the waters of the place of worship. Very pious, the Iquas pray to Shikymra, the divinity of the oceans, every morning and evening.
Man Iqua
Rokaths:
Rokaths inspire both fascination and disgust in many Imely peoples. They have a difficult, untamable nature, which doesn't help communication with other races apart from the Orcs, who are not very talkative either.
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Omnivorous, but with a clear preference for meat, they hunt in groups with a pack of karapots bred by them and bring back meat for the rest of the village. They live mainly in small villages. If karapots are present, a karakesh, a territory ritual, is unexpectedly performed to legitimize their presence.
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Shunned by other peoples, the Dovens are a “world meeting” in name only. The Rokaths have long looked after their homeland themselves, with clan chiefs meeting once a year to discuss problems and find solutions. So they take little interest in what's going on outside their own people, unless it concerns the karapots.
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They seduce each other with their cooking skills, but also during ceremonial fights, where everyone finds a partner. Though fierce in public, they know how to show affection in private. Divlan is their deity of choice because of their ability to fall in love only once in their lifetime. If their other half dies, they let themselves wither away, heartbroken. Couples wishing to form an official union go straight to katesh, as they have no fear of breaking up. Unable to kiss as other people do, they grab the other's tusk(s) to represent what they consider a highly passionate act (shary).
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There are different clans with different clothing and decorative styles to match their environment: forest clans (wooden decorations, furs/skins, camouflage paintings); mountain clans (feathers, stones/bird bones, tribal paintings); desert clans (bones, giant scorpion shells, grease/sand paintings); and dragon clans (dragon claws/tips, eggshells, flame and claw paintings). Everyone has a tattoo of their clan on part of their body. For commercial reasons, a Rokath from another clan may live with another, but no mated pair is allowed to form. If such a case arises, the couple's tattoo is broken by a claw before they are excluded from all clans. This makes them razens, the outcasts. In the dragon clan, the penalty is death.
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From an early age, rokaths learn weaponry and martial arts, as well as primitive drumming and singing. Close to the karapots, they protect them and reciprocally, as communion is very important to them. They breed korts to hunt with them or simply to keep them as pets. They are also great animal tamers, willing to help other races soothe their working karapots if the latter are restless.
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To venerate Kettoss, they perform a ritual in his honor on the members of their karapot pack when they choose them, and pray to them before every fight. As for Divlan, couples pray to them every day to thank them for their union.
