Terras: The World of Terras 

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The People 
 The Countries
 The Map 

There are two sections to this small section on the world: The People and The Countries. I suggest you check the download page in the near future as more world information will be available. Or email me at terras_rpg@hotmail.com for more details. 

There are four races in the world of Terras: Humans, Fenir, Orthans, and Elehdel. There are also many cultures that are covered after the races. Each races’ histories, cultures and abilities are all covered in the section below. 

The Elehdel people are different than the other races found in Terras. They are typically between 4’0’’ and 4’11’’. At first glance they can be mistaken for small humans but once seen up close the differences are easily apparent. Their faces seem too smooth and perfect for human faces. These faces are devoid of any facial hair. This characteristic applies to their entire bodies as well. They grow small patches of hair on their heads but even these patches are scarce compared to the other races of the world. The Elehdel race has dwelled in the warm climates of the south for almost their entire existence. This is what has caused many of their special physical features. 

The most important attributes of the race are those that are not physical. The first of these is the Elehdel’s incredible lifespan. They can live anywhere from 115 - 160 years. This is almost twice as long as some other races, such as the Fenir or Humans. The Elehdel are considered children up until the time when they have lived for 32 years. On that date the Elehdel child is considered an adult. 

The Elehdel did not evolve as other races did. 

Old scrolls and books speak of the people of the north, the Fenir. Almost nothing was known of the Fenir until a time around 100 years ago when a large group of Fenir began to move south. These Fenir settled in human and orthan towns, and gradually became adapted to their new life styles. In the north however a great number of Fenir remained, and still remain today. Those Fenir who traveled south and became part of human and orthan society are known as Maach’on in Fenir, which means "Those who left". Those who remain in the North call themselves the "Tre’ch Fenir" which means the real Fenir. Even today a large amount of enmity and hatred remains between the two groups of Fenir. 

Every character who chooses to play a Fenir should decide whether they are Maach’on or Tre’ch Fenir. They should also decide which clan their character is in. If the character is a Maach’on then the character may choose not to be in a clan though this practice among the Maach’on is quite rare. Any player should feel free to invent a new clan. If the character is in a clan then the character begins the game with their clan symbol cloth which is detailed later. 

The Fenir are naturally taller then humans, with their average heights being between 5’11’’ and 6’8’’. Occasionally Fenir are seen who are much taller or much shorter than this. The Fenir have very different features than humans and are almost always instantly recognized. Their hair grows much faster and thicker then humans. Also their hair does not grow simply out of their scalp but also out of the back of their necks. This greater amount of hair than humans is to deal with the colder climates the Fenir are used to. The Fenir tend to be thin and very agile. They are known for their perceptiveness and quick thinking. Another feature on a Fenir’s face that is different than a humans are the Fenir’s ears which rise from the side of their heads and extend upwards above the head where they end in a point. This is what many attribute the Fenir’s great perception to. The other aspect of the Fenir that heightens their perception is the Fenir’s large eyes which take up much of their face. The reason that the Fenir have developed like this is that they are descended from a race of agile hunters who lived in the North. These features are what distinguish Fenir from other races. 

Fenir tend to live for around eighty years. They come to maturity around the age of fourteen. There are always exceptions to these dates but generally they are accurate. The Fenir also tend to become weakened by their old age around their 70^th year. This is very similar to what older humans go through. 

Fenir speak a language that is descended from the language they spoke a thousand years ago. It has seen a few changes but overall it remains the same. The Fenir language sounds unlike any other language because of its different sounds and pronunciations. The Fenir that moved south, the Maach’on, also tend to speak the language of the country they live in. 

The Fenir culture is not quite like any other. Their hunting instincts have remained over all of the years they have spent developing. These instincts are reflected in Fenir society. The Fenir see no difference between men and women and treat them the very same. They usually live in small villages, typically of 100 - 250 adults, which are known as clans. Each clan fully supports itself by growing its own food and supplying everything the clan needs. Clans do not communicate between each other except at the meeting of the clans, which occurs twice a year. The Maach’on Fenir still follow the clan society though the clans are simply made up those in the same city. The Maach’on have abolished many of the old rules, such as the laws against communication. They also do not attend the meeting of the clans. 

The Clans. Each clan is unique and differs from the others. The only exception is that some clans are split, having a clan in the south and the north. When such a situation occurs the clans pretend the other does not exist. Some clans are dedicated to war, others believe only in peace. There are even those who believe in wandering the Northern lands looking for remnants of the past. There are said to be over 400 clans though many Fenir claim there are more. There is a list of many clans later in this section on Fenir. Each clan also has its own symbol which the Fenir wear to distinguish between the clans. This symbol is worn whenever Fenir of a different clan are present. Every member of a clan has a piece of cloth with the symbol of the clan sewn or painted on. 

The Head of the Clan. Every clan elects a head of the clan who leads the clan and determines how they live. Once elected the person remains head of the clan for 10 years and then passes the position on to someone new. The person who was the head then becomes just a normal clan member though they may become the head of the clan again. The head of the clan is also the one who leads the clan in to the giant meetings of the clans. While the head of the clan leads the clan, the head is not considered a part of the clan. This means that the heads of clans may talk between each other whenever they would like to. They lead the Fenir people in whatever they do. 

The Clan Laws and the Meeting of the Clans. All clans follow the clan laws, which are the same for all clans, except the clans of the Maach’on. The head of every clan has a copy which is kept safe at all times. Every year the meeting of the clans occurs in the middle of summer and winter. At the meetings the head’s of the clans meet and discuss the clan laws. They then change those they want to or add any new laws that they feel are necessary. Once this is done the meeting of the clans is over. This usually takes several days to complete. During this the Fenir in the clans spend their time trading and talking with those of other clans. They also try to resolve any conflicts between clans. Once the meeting is over the Fenir return to their villages where a few Fenir were left to watch over the village, or the Ach as the Fenir call it. The Ach must always be guarded. 

The Maach’on. The Maach’on clans are very different however. They have changed many of the basic clan laws to help themselves adapt into the human and orthan society. As mentioned earlier the law regarding communication is ignored. Also the southern Fenir do not have one set of clan laws but instead each clan has its own set of laws. There is never a meeting of the clans however the head’s of clans will often gather and discuss issues. Besides retaining the clans the Maach’on live as the humans do. They have adapted to human society more than orthan since the humans origin are closer the Fenirs’ than the orthans’. The only ways of the Fenir still evident in the Maach’on are the clans and the customs the Fenir still preserve when alone in their houses. One custom they still follow is the one that is the most important and ancient of all of the others, the Choosing of a Clan. 

The Choosing of a Clan. When every Fenir child, whether boy or girl, reaches the age of fourteen that child leaves their family and clan. With them they take nothing but food and water. The child then wanders looking for a new clan. That child may visit as many clans as they want but by the time of the fifteenth anniversary of their birth, they must have found the clan they wish to remain in for their life. Once chosen they may not leave the clan until after they have been head of that clan. Tales still remain of how far some children have traveled searching for the clan that is right for them. In some of these tales the child reaches the fifteenth anniversary of their birth and has not found a clan yet. In these cases the child must declare themselves a clan of their own and hope to gain more members of the clan. A clan may not join the meeting of the clans unless it has at least twenty members. There is only one restriction on choosing a clan. The child may not remain in the same clan they were born in. 

This ancient ritual has been followed for hundreds, maybe even a thousand years. Today it continues in the north and south, and most likely will continue for hundreds of more years. 

Clan Living. There are said to be three different groups of people in each clan: the children and old Fenir, the foragers, and the builders. The old Fenir spend their time teaching the young Fenir everything they know. The children must learn enough so that the child will be ready for the choosing of a clan. This group is protected by all of the others. The Foragers are those who find and grow food for the clan and provide it with what it needs to survive. The builders are in charge of keeping up the buildings of the clan. They are also the ones who oversee everything else and make sure it happens. It is not possible to become a builder until you have been a forager for at least 8 years. The position of builder is not higher than a forager but it is expected that every Fenir be both within their lifetime. 

The Fenir do not use the same weapons to hunt or fight as other races do. Throughout history they have favored weapons that they have used for thousands of years. The two primary weapons that they use are the Raachs and also Chachras. These two weapons each have their own unique style and require skills that must be learned for many years. 

Fenir and Magic. The Fenir treat magic users the same as they do anyone else. They have no problem with those who wield the power. 

The Fenir to the Far North. In the region that is called the far north the Fenir claim their are hundreds of thousands of more Fenir who go to different meetings of the clans. Whether these Fenir exist, is unknown but if they do then the Fenir race is far larger than anyone ever expected. 

"The known history of the Fenir goes back to a time dating back over a thousand years. A time before the cities of today were ever built. The Fenir roamed the northern lands hunting as they always had. They were smarter then they were before and were able to build things , but still they continued their foraging lifestyle. The Fenir lived in small packs of five or ten and roamed as nomads. This was the lifestyle they thought they would be living for hundreds of years. That however was not to be. 

Around the year 500 of the old age, that lifestyle began to change. Groups of Fenir gradually began to settle down and live in larger group that remained on the same land. These groups grew into the clans of today. It is estimated that the clan system was fully established and became a part of all Fenir culture around the year 220 of the New age. Many of the clans of today trace their origins to those times and claim they were the first clan. 

The Fenir lived peacefully in this new found lifestyle and gradually their numbers grew, taking up more and more of the northern lands. This was when they first ran into the human and orthan settlements. The Fenir had never met any who were not of their own race, except for the Ancients who had studied the Fenir. These initial contacts with the humans and orthans, which occurred around the year 420 of the new age, were disastrous. The Fenir saw the humans and orthans as they did other animals, which meant they had no qualms about killing them when they intruded on their lands. The humans and orthans of course saw this as an act of war and sent armies to stop this slaughtering as they termed it. 

The war caused by these actions raged on for over fifty years. They human and orthan soldiers were not used to fighting foes they could not see. Their losses were tremendous. The Fenir however had minimal losses but lost most southern parts of the Northern lands. The Fenir clans never combined together though, they simply fought individually. This war might possibly have gone on forever but in the year 473 of the new age the human and orthan forces withdrew from the Fenir lands and settled in the territory that they had conquered. This is where the country of Trellis lies today. 

The Fenir stopped their attacks on the humans and orthans, realizing that their fighting style would not be effective against the heavily defended towns that now occupied their old lands. The Fenir withdrew into the more northern reaches of their lands and resettled, hoping that would truly keep them away from the humans and orthans. This peace lasted for almost one hundred and fifty years. But then that peace was shattered. 

In the year 617 the peace the Fenir had been living in was shattered as it had been almost two hundred years before. This time though the conflict arose between the Fenir and themselves. This was the conflict that would divide the Fenir into the Maach’on and the Tre’ch Fenir. In that fated year the meeting of the clans was held as usual. When the heads of each clan went to meet, the problems began to arise. Several heads of clans believed that it was finally time to move south and join the human and orthan culture, to make peace with their old enemies. The other heads rose against this outrageous declaration as they called it and said that the Fenir would not move south and that was the end of it. With this the meeting ended for the day. 

The next morning the meeting resumed but not as anyone expected. The heads of clans wishing to go to the humans and orthans came to the meeting led by Kariht Saach, and with him denounced the other clan heads and left to head for the southern lands. With them they were taking not just their own clans, but many members of other clans who they had convinced. They prepared to leave that day. 

The other chiefs decided that they could not let this happen even it required a war. They prepared their clans for a fight and blocked the way to the south not expecting there to really be any bloodshed. Almost fifty thousand strong they stood determined to prevent this break in their people. They stood blocking the way while over thirty thousand Fenir who had chosen to follow Kariht marched to the south seemingly ignoring the Fenir standing there. As they neared they simply walked through other Fenir who did not wish to harm their fellow people no matter what the circumstance. 

Seeing this the clan heads opposing Kariht screamed their orders, orders to kill any who did not stop. They did as their officers told them hoping it would keep the Fenir whole. But Kariht’s followers did not stop. They marched on and began to run, but they refused to fight their own people. They fled to the south hoping to make it with their lives. At the end of that day the clan heads opposing Kariht gave the order to stop the fighting. There was no way to reunite the Fenir. On the ground lay almost fifteen thousand dead, and every one of them a follower of Kariht. The rest were almost to the human and orthan lands. The clans heads remaining who had struggled to keep their people together stood staring at the field with a certain sadness in their eyes. One Fenir clan head declared to the others, "The moment they left, us, the real Fenir they became less than Fenir, they became animals. What we did was right." From that moment on the Fenir in the north called themselves the Tre’ch Fenir, the real Fenir. The Fenir who had left became the Maach’on. From that day on that event was known as the "Split" 

There has been no communication between the two groups since it happened. The Maach’on talk of it as a great sadness that had to happen. The Tre’ch Fenir look on it with disgust and have a hatred of those who they say did not even want to be Fenir, the Maach’on. Maybe one day they will reunite, but that will not be any day soon. 

The Maach’on told the history of the Fenir as they adapted in to their new culture, which by now they fit into very well. It is possible to see Fenir in cities all through the North and even in the southern lands. More and more Maach’on are moving in to the lands of the Coasts and the Central lands to escape the memories the Northern lands gives them. 

Little is know of the Tre’ch Fenir except that they have attacked human and orthan towns for the last hundred years, ever since the Maach’on left. These raids usually are against small weakly defended towns. After a raid nothing of use remains. The only news of what happens with the Tre’ch clans comes from the few prisoners captured in the raids but it appears that the Tre’ch live as the Fenir always have. 

There are many chapters yet in Fenir history. The Maach’on continue to grow into society and soon may even rise into several positions of power. The Tre’ch will remain in the north but it is possible that some day in the distant future they will move to the southern lands." 

A small number of the clans are listed below, though not all of them. There are hundreds of other clans so GMs are encouraged to invent their own. More clans will be published later. The clan name is listed first in bold. Following the name is a word in parenthesis. This word will be either Maach’on, Tre’ch, or both. This word refers to where the clan is located. If the word is both then two separate groups of the clan exist, a Maach’on group in the south and a Tre’ch group in the north. At the end of the description of the clan is a description of the symbol of that clan. 

Antra’ loch (Maach’on): This was the clan led by Kariht Saach so many years ago during the Split. The Antra’ loch clan is a clan that travels and rarely lives in one place. It is one of a small group of clans that does not have a set town or village that it resides in. The clan stresses the importance of the old skills but also on learning new skills. This is one of the most open minded clans. This clan interacts with all races and most of the clan’s members know many languages. The clan currently travels throughout the Central lands and the Allarn nations. It does allow members to leave the clan and come back at any time. Clan Symbol: A blue circle which contains a picture of a path leading through a forest. 

Crandt (Both): This clan is often called the warrior clan. The clan trains everyone in the clan fighting skills using Fenir weapons and also in many styles of martial arts. This clan broke into two parts during the Split. Now the Tre’ch part of the clan is located near the border of Trellis and is at constant warfare with humans and orthans. The Maach’on part consists of members who meet once a year or whenever else possible though the rest of the time they travel around alone or in small groups, usually working for governments or as guards. The clan meets in a remote part of Kendor on the last and first days of every year. Clan Symbol: A picture of a hand wearing Raach that is cut and bleeding out of a wound on the palm. 

Hanterd (Both): The clan of peace as it is often called believes that violence lowers a Fenir to the rank of an animal. This clan stood aside on the day of the Split and wept for the lives being taken. After the split this clan set up a small town the far east part of the northern lands, where it remains today. Since the Split the clan has not gone to any Meetings of the clans. The clan allows anyone, whether they are Maach’on or Tre’ch, to become a member as long as they denounce all violence. The clan believes violence should only be used to defend the oneself and running is almost always a better alternative than that. Clan Symbol: A picture of a wooded valley that is undisturbed by any creature. 

Quaach (Tre’ch): This is known as the water clan. It is one of the few clans that lives on the western coast. The clan survives using the clan’s fleet of fishing ships. They are perhaps the only clan to use the water in such a way. The clan members are educated in all areas but particularly in sailing and fishing. The clan has been known to conduct raids down the coast on human and orthan settlements though not very frequently. Clan Symbol: A ship being tossed on stormy water. 

Tarach (Tre’ch): The Tarach clan focuses all of its energies on preserving the Fenir culture and history. The clan members often travel outside of their village to find new information. This clan was the strongest opponent to the Maach’on Fenir leaving. It was the head of the Tarach clan who ordered that the Maach’on be killed. To this day the Tarach retain a hatred of the Maach’on. The Tarach will do anything for knowledge, though by now they have the best records on the Fenir and their history. Clan Symbol: A Fenir holding a book to her chest protectively. 

Ulant (Maach’on): This is the only clan which consists entirely of magic users. The clan is located in Jallisan and is made up of all of the Fenir at the school of magic there. It was founded in 689 of the New Age. The clan often works with the Talenarian government on projects which need magicians of their talent. Clan Symbol: The cliffs of Jallisan with the academy rising above. 

The Human race is the most numerous of all races and is the native race of central Barach. It is said that the Human race originally developed on the plains of Barach, tens of thousands of years ago. Since then they have become the primary race in almost every country and the founders of many countries as well. The human’s accomplishments have almost always been with the orthans assistance because of the great kinship between the two races. The human race is the dominant race throughout the cities and towns of Barach though the orthans are quickly gaining. 

The humans in Terras are humans as you know them. In appearance they are identical to what we know, though in ways and cultures the difference is immense. Humans are usually between 5’2" and 6’1". There are humans who are exceptions to this and up to a foot above or below the average heights. The average weights are between 50 and 100 kilograms. The human physique ranges from very thin and small to massive. The average intelligence and perception of humans is equally varying as are most of their attributes. The humans do have a high potential for intelligence and their ability with their hands, though this can also be very low naturally. 

The typical human lives 100-110 years. The reason for their long lives is because of magic healing. If this is not available to a character for some reason the typical length of life is 60-70 years. There are of course many exceptions to both of these. The magic healing is used simply to heal any problems with the character and cure any diseases. For a human to live the extra time they must receive the healing at least once a year after they reach the age of 60. As the person gets older the affects of age tend to slow them down and make action harder though if the character receives magical healing then this does not occur. 

Their is no standard language spoken by humans. They instead speak the language of their country or area. Humans did have a standard language long ago when they were nomadic but this gradually developed into the many languages of today. 

There is no culture that is common to all humans. Instead they tend to follow the culture of their country or area that they are from or live in. Humans do however share a few similar traits that developed while the human race was more united. The cultures of the countries of Barach are covered in the sections on the countries. 

There are no traits or customs that are common to the entire human race. There are actually no binding ties between humans except for race. This is why they originally settled all across the continent instead of together in one group. This is why humans do not have a strong loyalty to their race but instead usually to their country. This has been true since humans first started living in towns and cities. 

Because of the vast differences in the many cultures of humans, human history is likewise mainly centered on the individual histories of those cultures. The history below details the time before humans settled into their current cultures when they were still united as one race. 

"In the time before this age, before even the old age, humans did not live in the towns and cities that they do today. In that time humans wandered the plains of Barach, living off of the land. This is what they had done for hundreds of years, but gradually the human people settled down in towns and villages across the continent. These slowly grew bigger and towns would unite with other towns in the area. This was the beginning of the countries of today. 

The humans were not the only inhabitants in southern Barach however. The Ancients also inhabited some of the same lands the humans were moving into. The Ancients told the humans they could remain and that the Ancients would give them aid if a portion of the humans would work for the Ancients. This all happened during the Fear and many Ancients needed workers to build their Gallanto, which were great fortresses designed to keep the Ancients safe during the prophesied destruction. The humans, having little choice accepted the bargain. They served for several hundred years before the Ancients finally disappeared from the continent forever. After this the humans again settled into the cities and resumed life as it had always been. 

At this point human history divided, and became the history of the many countries they formed." 

Many races such as the Fenir and Elehdel have remained aloof from society as much as possible, but it is not so with the orthan race. The orthans developed alongside the humans and have been living with them in their villages and towns for almost a thousand years. The Orthan race is the second most numerous in Terras and are found throughout the continent of Barach. This was not always true however. Until just over a thousand years ago there were not any Orthans located on this continent. They were brought to Barach, according to legends, by an Ancient who had the ability of teleporting herself and others. The Orthans were brought to Barach from a more advanced civilization whose location is unknown today. The orthans still cling to some parts of this lost culture, such as the near sacred Rites of Time which are one of the most important parts of an orthan’s life. The orthans have a social system different than any human system however. The rites of time are what govern almost all social interactions between orthans. A complete history of the orthan race is located at the end of this section. 

Every character who is an orthan must decide which stage of life they are in. This should be done with the GM’s guidance. It is not reasonable if a young character is known as the Wise. Age should be a factor but also the GM should remember the great power that those in the last stages of their lives have. The character may instead roll on the chart below to determine their stage in life. If they roll on the chart they must have a reasonable age for the stage they roll. Example: If the character rolls a 19, then the character should not be younger than 35. 

Roll Stage in Life 

Orthans tower above all of the other known races in Terras. The typical orthan is between 7’1" and 7’10", though there have been stories of orthans growing to 8’6" or even taller. The incredible height of the orthans makes them stand out in a crowd. An average orthan’s physique is not small either. They are typically broad shouldered and built very solidly. These two aspects of the Orthan body combined add together to give the Orthan a truly massive weight. The average orthan weighs between 110 and 175 kilograms. This great size and bulk gives the Orthans a strength that is unparalleled by any race. Orthans have been known to lift massive stones almost twice their weight, which is an amazing amount, when building structures. The counter to this is that the Orthans are so large that their agility is affected as well. Orthans are very slow and have to be very careful to maintain their balance. 

An orthan’s face is actually quite similar to a humans. It is believed that originally orthans and humans were of the same race though this time was hundreds of thousands of years ago. Orthans are always have light hair on the top of their head though they never grow any facial hair except for eyebrows and eyelashes. The only other feature differing from a human’s face is the orthan’s nose which is much smaller than a human’s nose. Because of this, orthans have a -3 to perception when they are trying to smell something. 

Orthans tend to live between 90 and 120 years. They tend to come to maturity around age of 20 when they reach their full height and body weight. When orthans have reached the age of around 110 they tend to lose a large amount of their strength and often do not even have enough to support their own bodies. When this occurs the orthan must spend the rest of their life sitting or in bed. This occurs in about half of all orthans. It is called the aging disease. 

Orthans do not have a common language. Instead they speak the language of the country they live in or are from. The race has not had a single common language since shortly after they came to Barach. 

The orthan culture is a mixture of their ancient culture and of the cultures of many nations across Barach. The reason for this is that the Orthans are not native to the continent of Barach, but brought later and forced to leave their culture and people behind. Only a small number of orthans were originally brought but they have their numbers have grown tremendously. Unfortunately no magic users were brought within this small number so the magic powers and spells of the orthans are lost. 

Orthans have always tried to preserve part of their lost culture and still do today, but mostly they have fully adopted the human cultures. The Orthans often speak of the "Homeland" which is their name for the land they came from. It was so long ago that the orthans were brought from the Homeland that much of this land has been forgotten. The orthans have tried to pass down all that they could through stories and writings, but much of the knowledge has faded in the retellings. 

The Homeland. The orthan homeland is located somewhere very far away from Barach. There has been no indications of its existence except for the orthan people. There are many theories as to where it lies but it still remains a mystery. The orthan writings of their homeland speak of a dry climate that is filled with plants and animals that are unheard of on Barach. They also speak of huge cities that tower over everything, cities built by magic. The orthans tell stories of these lands with great fondness but also with a great sadness. They say there will never be anything to match the accomplishments of the Orthan people in the Homeland. 

The orthans also speak of the advanced technology of the Homeland. They say that the orthans have great carriages that are moved by ropes in the air and torches that don’t go out. Many orthans and humans have tried to recreate these marvels but have not been able. There have been a few successful tries though that resulted in inventions such as the crossbow and the crane. 

The Magic of the Homeland. Almost every legend and story from the Homeland speaks of the great feats of magic. The orthans who came to Barach speak of a magic power that is far greater than any known to magicians today. The orthans describe the same magic powers as are known by the magicians of today who wield the power. It is believed that the magic the orthans used is the same as the magic that people use today. The magicians had a knowledge of spells so advanced that they are beyond current magicians’ dreams. To cast these spells the orthans had special artifacts which they used to gain more power. Each of these artifacts was known as a "Hiero" and had a special ceremony associated with it that drew its power. Every magician had their own Hiero which they used for all casting. Magicians have often tried mimic the Hiero and the orthans advanced spells though as of yet no one has succeeded. 

The Orthan Lifestyle. Orthans live their lives just like any human, following the customs and culture of their chosen country, except that orthans also have parts of a culture passed down through the ages. From the time an orthan child is born till the child becomes an adult the child is taught all of the stories and tales that are left from the Homeland. The child then has the responsibility of passing the tales down to their children. This has continued since the departure from the Homeland. Another part of this custom is that whenever orthans meet for the first time the first words spoken by both orthans are asking the other if they know of any new tales. This is to see if any word has come about the Homeland. It is simply ceremony and no answer is expected. 

The Rites of Time. There is one set of ceremonies that has always been followed by the orthans in Barach but also followed by the orthans before they left the Homeland. These ceremonies are called the rites of time. They are perhaps the most important parts of an orthan’s life. 

The rites occur whenever that orthan has reached the next stage in life. When this happens then the rites are held. All those who know the orthan come and give their blessing and respects. After everyone has come, the orthan officially moves into the next stage of their life and receives their new title which they keep until they raise to the next stage. It is possible however that the next stage will never be reached. 

Stages in an Orthan’s life. Every orthan has a title before their name that depends on their stage in life. There is a set list of titles and an order in which they come. Each title is for a specific stage in life. Their are eight stages in life: the newcomer, the child, the explorer, the dweller, the writer, the wise, the master, and the leader. The stages come in that order and no stage may be skipped. The stage an orthan is in has nothing to do with age. An orthan who is 90 could be called a dweller or an orthan who is 75 could be called a leader, though this is very rare. 

The Title Order. If an orthan sees an orthan who is of a higher stage than themselves then the orthan is required to treat that orthan as the one in charge. An orthan of a higher stage may even order other orthans, though they do not have to obey unless the orthan is two stages or more higher. If this is the case and they do not obey then they are judged and if it is believed they were right in refusing they go free, if not then they must serve the one who ordered them for one year. It is very rare that an order is given in this fashion though it is not unheard of. Orthans of higher stage are always given precedence over orthans of lower stages. 

Moving between stages. To move to the next stage in life, an orthan must have seven orthans in higher stages recommend them for the stage. These seven orthans recommend the raise in stage if the orthan has met the requirements of their current stage. If this happens, the orthan may declare a rites of time and officially raise their stage. Every raising in stage is carefully thought over and only happens when the orthan is truly ready to move up a stage. Traditionally the seven recommendations must be made by non family members. 

All orthans begin as a newcomer when they are born. They leave this stage when they have grown up enough to learn the old tales and customs of the Homeland. This usually occurs around the age of ten. The next stage is the child. An orthan may leave this stage when they have learned all of the tales and customs of the Homeland. This usually occurs around the age of twenty. The third stage is the explorer. An orthan may leave this stage when it is believed that the orthan has become a person of the world and learned about many countries and cultures. This can occur at any age but is usually around the age of thirty. The fourth stage is the dweller. The orthan remains in this stage until they have learned how to live with others and be a part of orthan and human society. This can occur at any age but usually between the orthan’s 45^th and 70^th year. The fifth stage is the writer. This stage last until the orthan has written down all the have learned in life and anything they have discovered. This stage can lasts anywhere from two to twenty years depending on the orthan. The sixth stage is the wise. This stage lasts until the orthan has learned about life and why people are here. This is a very philosophical stage. It usually lasts at least ten years. The seventh stage is the master. This stage lasts until the orthan truly knows their self. Most orthans spend a very long time in this stage and actually most do not move beyond it. The eighth stage is the leader. This is the final stage and very few orthans make it this far. Those in this stage are responsible for leading the orthan people and guiding them into the future. They are treated with respect and are highly honored. Most orthans aspire to some day be a leader. 

Personality. Orthans have a wide variety of personalities but there are a few characteristics that are widely found. One such characteristic is that most orthans are very accepting of authority. This arises from their system of the stages. Most orthans are willing to follow someone higher then themselves as they realize one day though too will be ranked higher than other and need them to follow. Another similar personality trait is that orthans tend to be fairly calm unless they feel threatened or like someone has disrespected someone higher than themselves. They see these as very valid reasons for violence. Besides these two traits, which there are many exceptions to, orthan’s personalities are of a varied group. 

The history of the orthan race is tied tightly with the history of the humans and also the history of many countries across Barach. This part of orthan history is not what this section is on but instead leaves that to the general history of the continent and the histories of the many countries of Barach. This section is about how the orthan people came to Barach and their first days here. 

"The Orthan race first arrived in Barach 1721 years ago. This is known because the first year of the Age of Arrival was the year that we cam to Barach. Over this time we have adapted to this continent but we will never forget the Homeland. 

The orthan people have always lived in the Homeland as far as anyone knows. The cities there are older than any city on Barach and the orthan people older than any race on Barach. The main city of the Homeland, Mantein, is larger and more splendid than anything seen on Barach. Outside of Mantein was a small village which had a population of around 200. This was a typical village which survived on farming and producing other small goods. 

But one day this all changed. That was the day the Ancient named Halanei arrived. The Ancients were unknown in the Homeland and the people of the small village were amazed by the great powers this being possessed. Halanei had the ability to teleport as her inborn ability but also was a renowned spellcaster. The orthans had no choice but to obey, as they had no spellcasters among themselves. Halanei selected 100 orthans who were strong and used to working. Along with these she selected 50 children. She then used here teleportation ability to move these orthans to Barach. All orthans on Barach are descended from those 150 orthans. 

Halanei set up villages for the orthans and used them as workers. She made sure they survived and were provided for so that the race would grow and expand. This was why she had brought the children to Barach. She put the orthans in three different towns located across the continent. Halanei left the orthans to live on their own because little over a year after she returned to Barach the Ancients realized what had happened to their race. Halanei left the orthans in their villages and they never saw her again. 

The orthans made contact with the humans and even began living in their towns with them. The orthan race expanded and eventually they could be seen in almost every human town or village. The humans and orthans lived well together and their cultures gradually developed into one. Their language became a mix of the orthan language and of the human languages. They have lived almost as one race for over a thousand years now and this will continue as the bond between them now is stronger than ever." 

Here I will cover two main countries in Terras. If you want more information on these or other countries, I recommend downloading the complete rules. These two countries are located on the continent of Barach. 

Nurisan is perhaps the most powerful country in Barach. It is a very religious country that is ruled both by nobles and the church. It is powerful not only because of its size but its advanced items. Nurisan invented the catapult and many other military devices which they use to increase their power. Students are trained in schools to be able to design and create. This is what makes Nurisan a player in Barach. 

There is one disadvantage however. No magic users are allowed in Nurisan. Their religion says that magic is stealing power from the gods. If you are caught using magic in Nurisan, the punishment is death. 

The Culture of Nurisan is similar to most medieval cultures except for the holy 5^th day. The people believe the 5^th of each week is holy and everyone wears their religious robes and spends the entire day in church. The robes differ depending upon religious rank. 

Nurisan is currently at war with Talenar over some disputed lands in the south. 

Talenar is a country of magicians. It was founded by a group of greater mages around 300 years ago who were fleeing the persecution of magicians. Since that time Talenar has depended heavily on magic. Although it is a small country, Talenar can even stand up to Nurisan and other large nations because of the highly skilled Talenar mages. 

The Talenarian culture tends to be very tolerant but occasionally there are anti magic riots. The reason for this is that the most powerful body in Talenar is the council of wizards. 

Talenar is known for its magic academy that is the only one of its kind in the world. People travel from around the world to this school. 

Talenar is currently at war with Nurisan. Talenar was a part of Nurisan three hundred years ago until it broke away. Now Nurisan wants its land back and wants to get rid of the magicians in Talenar.