Peoples of the Lakes Region
When first I came to Hoggsport, I had expected – I’m not sure. To see people mostly like the people that I had met in my home village, but more of them, perhaps. Instead, on a busy market day, I was almost overwhelmed by the sheer variety of people; big, small, thin, fat, some with pointed ears, some with thick beards, some with fur or scale, or emerald skin. And perhaps most interesting of all, none of them remarked upon this wonder of diversity, each most engaged with their own business, making their purchases or perhaps commenting upon the unusually clement weather.
- Sandvig of Marius The World As a Market Stall (2014)
The people of the Lakes Region come in many shapes and sizes. Although most of the various nations dotting the area around the region have a race that far outnumbers the others within that nation, who tend to predominate positions of authority, exceptions often prove the rule, and what may be ‘elven lands’ or ‘gnomish territory’ are often a mosaic of different people from different species who make up the majority of the populace. Not for nothing, kingdoms such as Harodom have noticed that making room for people to bring expertise and wealth that originated in other lands, have helped to make those more inclusive nations stronger. Not everyone may agree, but it is with cause that some tout the coronation of Francis Alexander as the dawn of a new Age of Reason.
This is all to say that while some stereotypes may exist about a given species, there isn’t really a ‘wrong’ way to be a dwarf or a goblin. Traditional views about honour, magic, academia, or hard labour are a tendency, not a hard and fast rule. And adventurers in particular never cease to surprise, because it is in the very nature of their profession to be exceptions to a rule…
Humans
Humans are among the most adaptable of the peoples of the Lakes Region, and are in roles of leadership in the Kingdom of Harodom and the Empire of Michian. Both nations owe some of their traditions, as well as their common trade language to the Empire of Lannick, the first of the great human Empires in this part of the world. Although not restricted or limited in their practice of any of the arts of magic, martial prowess, or trades, humans also do not specifically excel in any either.
Dwarves
A good word for dwarves would be ‘solid’. Stereotypically excellent craftspeople, dwarves will often honour their heritage with knowledge and pride in the achievements of their ancestors. Recently, one of the largest dwarven Holds in the Lakes Region, Hammerfrost Hold, was overtaken by the undead, forcing the surviving dwarves within to flee, or join the ranks of the undead. This has created a glut of dwarven refugees in neighbouring countries, where the additional skilled crafters are largely not unwelcome – but there are whispers the dwarves will soon seek to retake their homelands, for they have no intention on giving up on one of their ancient homes…
Elves
While not as physically resilient as dwarves or humans, elves have natural gifts in the fields of arcane magic. In the Lakes Region, the traditional elven lands are Eldersire and Darkwood, but recent conflict have disrupted life in both lands. Eldersire recently went to war with Harodom, a conflict that left both lands diminished and rebuilding; Darkwood, overrun by infernal forces, now has a government in exile. Nevertheless, the elves that populate the Lakes Region are most often varied in their interests and allegiances, with many focused on longer-term planning, rather than fretting about what they perceive to be short-term concerns.
Gnomes
Curious, thoughtful, and creative, it has been said that if you would like five opinions on a matter, you can do so most efficiently by asking three gnomes. The most populous gnomish settlement in the Lakes Region is Splishenfellow, and a majority of gnomes found travelling internationally hail from those lands. Splishenfellow is almost unique among the monarchies of the Lakes Region for having both a House of Lords, run by the landed gentry, and a House of Commons, run by representatives from the common people of the land. Observers have noted that Splishenfellow has been on the brink of civil conflict as these two bodies interact for almost twenty years now, so something is either going very right, or very wrong.
Curtainborn
Although legends of the plane-touched date back for centuries or even millennia, it was only within the last thirty to forty years that they have begun to appear in any great number. Still uncommon, the first cohort of adults have begun to make their mark upon the world. Curtainborn may be born to any other species, and no large lands or settlements peopled exclusively by Curtainborn exist. With an innate gift in working miracles in the names of divine powers, Curtainborn are often powerful priests – but being Curtainborn does not give any inherent views or morality, so there is a fairly broad distribution among the various faiths of Ariel.
D’Shunn
Distant cousins to the elves, d’shunn populations make their settlements in caverns beneath the surface of the earth. Those that come to the surface in the Lakes Region tend to be powerful spellcasters or skilled warriors, having braved some of the fiercest environments in all of terrestrial Ariel. The nearest known D’shunn Cavern to the Lakes Region is Mythostar, which has a standing treaty with Harodom through the Duchy of Gelrich. If there are other caverns nearer to the Lakes Region, it is possible that they have fallen out of contact with Mythostar – but no travellers have claimed a nearer major settlement.
Goblins
Goblin settlements rarely reach the size or scope of the great cities built by many of the other species in the Lakes Region, but dot the forested regions of Ariel wherever there is land that might well be used to their purposes. Although curiously the only species known to be absolutely unable to use arcane magic by function of their biology, goblins make capable priests and diviners, and are more than capable of pursuing any trade they set their minds to. Limber and agile, goblins are often found in mercenary forces, finding a niche and doing whatever needs doing – and often surviving when many of their fellows do not.
Lizardfolk
If there are large, truly permanent Lizardfolk settlements, they are in locations so remote that other species would rarely chance to see them – lizardfolk resilience making them hearty survivors in any terrain. Lizardfolk that live in lands closer to the other populations in the Lakes Region tend to be nomadic, with small villages serving as gathering points and trading locations. Although some lizardfolk are happy enough to do business with other species, it is generally understood that some of the migrant lizardfolk may, by choice, never encounter sapient beings other than fellow lizardfolk. For obvious reasons, non-lizardfolk have not been able to confirm or deny this.
Malkin
Refugees from the magically-rich empire of Magedom, the malkin were created as servants to the wizards of that distant land. When a civil war broke out between the powerful wizards, a large population of the malkin fled rather than be embroiled in the conflict, taking the fleet of ships capable of crossing the ocean, and heading to the continent of Ariel. Those malkin that made the long overland journey to the Lakes Region have settled predominantly in Harodom, where they were offered citizen status in exchange for assistance in the war with Eldersire. Seeking a new cultural identity, there are malkin of all walks of life trying new experiences, or relying on the skills that they acquired through a life of forced service.
Minotaurs
With only two great territories on the continent, Skrulmiter and the Yat’turth, the minotaurs of the Lakes Region as just as likely to have been born in smaller settlements or as members of nomadic groups of minotaurs, as hailing from predominantly minotaur societies. Famously mighty, making fierce warriors and tireless labourers, many minotaurs value the presence of members of other species with greater patience for more delicate work. Minotaur society follows traditions, roughly translated into ‘kindreds’, which hold up one aspect of minotaur culture as the one which they most ardently pursue. Minotaurs in the Lakes Region are known to have quarried the stone and chopped the lumber from which the great cities of the plains were wrought.
Orcs
Orcs in the Lakes Region may come from any land with area large enough to maintain a village. Those hailing from the City of Ang Gijak trend toward roles of great martial prowess, as the city’s warriors are highly esteemed, and encouraged to travel, seeking to make famous their names such that they will be met with due respect wherever they may go. A history of allying with raiders and seeking military advantage wherever it may be found has done little to aid the orcish reputation for non-martial pursuits, but with the exception of arcane magic, most every other trade may well be pursued by orcs, who often find their monumental strength and resilience useful in whatever they set their hands to.
While other sapient species populate the Lakes Region, these above hold the dominant military, social, and cultural roles among the mortals within this region. It may well be that in the fullness of time, other species will rise to prominence – for the gods alone know the true pattern of the weave of Fate.
Authored by: Andrew Dunlop
Fantasy Alive Lore Team 2026
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