The Duneimen

Duneimen Peoples:

Azurians
Kamorans
Mikanians
Moarvik
Ryoshans
Skarrels
Verosians

DUNEIMEN GAME STATISTICS

WHO ARE THE DUNEIMEN?

Duneimen are a tall, stocky race of beings that vary greatly in appearance all across the world but share certain common characteristics. They have moderate body hair and most males grow facial hair. Their ears are rounded and their limbs long and lanky. They are very short lived. Because of this and their expansive cultures all across the world, they have developed into many different sub-races.

THEIR HERITAGE

Duneimen are a young race, compared to Duervar, Gnomes and even Folkin. However, to them their history seems as old as all time, and much has been lost in the past.
There are many different human religions. Different Pantheons of Divinities have come to rule different cultures. Despite this, there is one true origin to the Human race.
After the fall of the Duervan Empire, Naeja sought to repopulate her world. She offered the world first to the Duervar and Gnomes, but they did not want it. So, she created the Folkin, but though they loved the world and explored much of it they did not expand their civilizations. Naeja realized the only way a race could truly come to reign over the world is if they had great ambition and diversity.
Before this time, Naeja had mothered many great Divinities who resided in the Eternal Realms. Many had helped her to control the natural forces of the world. She went to her first children and commanded them to work together to create the perfect race, which she would give the ambition and proliferation to expand over the lands of the world. So it was, that all the Divinities poured the greatest parts of their personalities into this race, the Humans.
Naeja set them throughout the lands and they began their fast and powerful rise to domination. Many cultures and civilizations have risen and fallen throughout their history.
Not all humans remember this history of their race. Many other divinities have influenced the vast numbers of human civilizations and have convinced them of other creation mythos. Some of these myths may be accurate, but if they are then these humans are not the children of Naeja.
In the lands of Verosia there are 7 great human Kingdoms: Rona, Moar, Parthus, Kamora, Gand and Kal-Mikan. In the lands of Old Camus there are two human realms; the Kingdom of Sora, and The Skarrellands. In the Southern Hemisphere, beyond vast straights, is the continent of Shuro-Than where lies the great human Empire of Ryosha. Within these twelve realms reside the seven races of humans.
In the ancient land of Old Camus there is a barbaric clan culture. It is called Skarrelland and the humans who live there are descended from the same people who fore-fathered the Ronans. In the greatest time of this land these ancient people fell into war with themselves. Those who still worshiped the ancient god of war, Kalrik, sought to overthrow the newly risen Kingdom that served the God of Honor, Thamor. In the end the worshipers of Thamor were victorious, but their kingdom was in ruin. They left the continent and established a new kingdom on a continent across the Sea of Dragons named Verosia. They called this new kingdom Rona, and they became the Ronans. Those who remained in Old Camus descended into barbarism and became the Skarrels.
On the other side of Verosia a very ancient realm was being conquered. It was the Empire of Kal-Kamora. Once it was the greatest human civilization to ever exist, but the curse of one its own gods buried it beneath the sands of Vas-Meknor. Only those cities on its borders remained and they were quickly swept up by the closest civilization. That realm was Parthus, a collection of city states that had come to be united under one tyrant, the Arch-Primus. Parthus was loyal to a pantheon ruled by Memnik, a God of Tyranny, War and the Night. The Kamorans have remained a distinctive people, but the Parthans have had much influence on their culture.
The Kamoran influence had gone beyond the desert of Vas-Meknor. The fertile hills and planes to the East were populated with other men, probably related to Parthans. During the height of Kal-Kamora they were just another people serving this great empire, but when Kal-Kamora collapsed they gathered to form their own culture. These are the people who eventually formed Gand. The Ganiards appear much as Parthans but with many of the stronger features of the Kamorans, such as darker skin and dark eyes.
Rona expanded over the lands of Verosia and eventually came in contact with other human civilizations of this continent. As these other races were enveloped into their culture and over a thousand years their blood mingled, they became one race, and were called by the name of the land from which they were born. These are the Verosians.
The first race the Ronans encountered were from the Moar Lands. They were great horsemen, breeding and riding their steeds over the long coastal lands of hills and bogs. The epicenter of their realm was Tharthin. The Ronans enveloped the Moarik in their expansion, and Tharthin would become a grand city of their kingdom. The Moarik are the second race of Verosians. When the Great Kingdom of Rona finally fell, the Moarik claimed their independence again and the city became the capital of Moar.
Rona’s reach extended south of its own kingdom as well, to the lands of the Ganiards. The Ganiards were overwhelmed by the power of the Ronans and being without a true religion of their own, the priests of Thamor easily converted them. Thus the lands of Gand became part of Rona. Thus the Ganiards became the third race of Verosians. When the Great Kingdom of Rona fell, the Ganiards became their own people again and named their kingdom Gand.
The Moarik introduced the Ronans to the people of J’admir, a small realm set on a peninsula separating the Bay of Unur from the Great Oceanic Sea. The J’admir were a seafaring people who knew very little of war. They were traders and merchants, traveling up and down the western coast of Verosia and far to the north to the lands of Veldessa. They too eventually became part of the Kingdom of Rona and the J’mir became the fourth race of Verosians. When Tharthin separated from Rona after the Great War, J’admir joined them and together they formed the new kingdom of Moar.
The greatest realm the Ronan’s encountered was the Empire States of Parthus, whose borders began on the coastlands south of J’admir. For only a small expanse of time these two realms tried to live in peace, but the greatest Divinities of both pantheons were diametrically opposed. Thamor and Memnik eventually led their worshipers into a war of immense proportions, but in the end Thamor was victorious and Rona conquered Parthus. The Parthans would become the fifth race of Verosians.
Rona eventually came to rule all of southern Verosia and they would reign over this land for centuries. Rona’s conquest of the southern lands swept away more than the Parthan realm. A series of small but important colonies were conquered. The people there would not surrender and instead fled to the sea. They were from Ryosha and when their Empire decided to retaliate it did so with great force. Ryoshans are a feudal people, living under the reign of local lords who answer to either an Emperor or a Warlord. They know nothing of the traditional creation mythos and worship very different divinities. Some say they are not born of Naeja. Thus began the Ryoshan Wars that would last for over a century.
During this time Rona continued to expand and its population boomed. The need for more fertile lands was even greater. They eventually returned to Old Camus and began to conquer Skarrelland. For almost a century they would regain their freedom only to be conquered again and again. The Skarrels did mingle with the Ronans, and those of their descent are called Sorans, the sixth and final race of Verosians. They would one day come to rule their own kingdom, called Sora. The Skarrels, however, are still their own people and have always lived in their own lands.
Wars came and went with other kingdoms. During the Wars with Ryosha, Parthus had served as the staging point for most battles. In fact, it was the southern lands of Parthus that the Ryoshans were fighting for. Eventually the Ryoshans were defeated and peace reigned for over a decade. By the end of this time the Parthans demanded that the huge armies they were struggling to support be disbanded. When the Triumverate of Rona finally gave in, the soldiers found themselves without homes, land or income. However, they were still well equipped and easily rose to war. Led by a way-ward general they turned on Rona in revolt. Eventually this army threatened all of Parthus and the city-states allied with them, in an attempt to break free of Rona. They succeeded and the Parthans became an independent people again.
The war did not end here. Rona tried many times to restrict Parthus through trade sanctions and constant threats of forceful invasion. When assassinations of Parthan nobles began Rona was immediately the target of accusations. This kicked off the Great War, a period of succession for Parthus and the war that led to the Age of Darkness.
By the end of this war both Parthus and Rona were in disarray. The cities of the Ganiards in the east had allied with Parthus during the Great War. They now split off from their former allies, but were still strong. They united reclaiming the ancient name for their realm, Gand.
Due to a contest for the crown of the High Lord of Thamor, the Church of Rona split. With it the lands of Old Camus that were strongly controlled by the Knighthood of Thamor declared their independence and became the Kingdom of Sora. Skarrelland had won its independence long before this, but Sora made pacts with their brothers to end any enmity in hopes that they could be peaceful neighbors.
The other great duchies of Rona had to choose whom they would ally with. Then the new King of Rona declared that all schools of wizardry be disbanded, as they allowed the concentration of too great a power. Tharthin, greatest of Ronan cities had always been strong supporters of, and served by, the Wizards and they would not see this law out. Their Duke ordered that all Wizards would have sanction in Tharthin and if the Ronan King did not find this acceptable then he would no longer be their King. Tharthin was removed from the Kingdom of Rona and J’admir joined with them to form the Kingdom of Moar.
Other independent Kingdoms formed. Keir, Kal-Mikan and Kamora all broke free of their respective sovereigns and now are ruled by their own nobility.
Kamora is steadily growing to be one of the greatest of these Kingdoms. Their people are rediscovering their history and lore. The old religion is returning and with it the ancient gods have returned. Kal-Mikan has become more and more isolated from the rest of the world and many of their people have forsaken “faith-based” religions for philosophical beliefs. Keir is the smallest Kingdom in Verosia. Only two other cities hold fealty to the western port, but it serves as the gateway between Moar and Parthus. Thus, it has become powerful in trade, wealth and influence.
These are the greatest human kingdoms, but there are other lands in the world of Naeja. In the northern parts of the world there was once a kingdom called Azuratra. The people here were a mighty shamanistic race, but the ogre kingdoms pushed into their land and drove them to the brink. Some became corrupted by the Nameless One and are now the Hobgoblins and Goblins. Those who survived moved into the high reaches of the mountains and have barely survived. The Azurian are a failing people, but one of powerful blood. They too are somehow linked to the Elder Elemental God, but their prophecy speaks of a day when this ancient enemy of theirs will return and destroy what remains of their people.
These are the human realms and within them there are eight races of humans: Verosians (Ronans, Moarik, Ganiards, J’mir, Parthans and Sorans), Kamorans, Mikanians, Skarrels, Veldessans, Ryoshans, and Azurians.

KAMORANS
A race even more ancient than the Verosians is the Kamorans. Once they ruled the vast fertile river valley that spread north into the desert of Vas-Meknor. They worshipped gods totally unlike those of the Ronans. A culture ruled by religion, the Khani (kings) were said to be half gods. The Empire of Kal-Kamora once reigned over all of Southern Verosia, including Parthus and Gand. They traded with other cultures as far away as Shuro-Tahn and Valdessa. Their gods were capricious and often cruel, but followed a strict belief in universal laws. This proved to be the undoing of both gods and men.
Aha-Amal, the Sun and Sky, was King of the Kamoran Gods. He passed the secrets of the universe to his priests, and they learned that invoking great power often had great consequences. This is the law of the universe, and they often used it to their advantage. Finally, one of his High Priests, Maijad, used a great ritual to mummify himself in a tomb until the cosmic alignment would allow him to resurrect his love. To thwart anyone who would try to stop him he used a ritual with the most horrible of curses. Opening the tomb would mean the destruction of their empire. With him he entombed all of his priests, one of which was the sister of the kingdom’s greatest warrior. When the warrior learned that she had been buried alive he ignored the curse and broke into the temple. He, his sister and all his army that followed him suffered a horrible death at the hands of the monstrous remains of the High Priest. Maljad served as the focus of the cosmic backlash, and summoned a terrible storm of sand to cover the kingdom for two thousand years. All that remained were a few settlements on the border of the desert and one city that sat at the delta of the river, now known simply as Kamora.
The Kamoran gods were as subject to the universal laws as any mortal and those who lost all there worshipers faded into nothing. A few remained but were greatly weakened. What rose in the place of the once vast empire were those civilizations that had suffered under their yoke. The Parthan City States quickly began to dominate the ruins of the world. When Memnik became ruler of their pantheon many of the Kamoran gods were called to join him. They did so to regain power, and have since been his grudging subjects.
The Kamorans are now mostly found in their last city and in roving caravans throughout the desert. Eventually Kamora became part of Rona, and when the Great War saw the end of the mighty Kingdom they became independent again. Parthus tried more than once to ensnare the legendary race, but without success. Now, the ancient Kal-Kamoran gods are starting to be worshipped again. The old ways are returning and some believe one day that the ancient empire will be released from the sand and Kal-Kamora will return to glory. No one is sure when the two thousand year old curse truly comes to an end.
Kamorans are a tall and dark brown skinned race with beautiful features, thick full lips and curly black, brown, blonde or rarely red hair. Their eyes are usually dark though amber and golden are known. Other eye and hair colors are a sure sign of Ronan or Parthan blood. Men usually stand well over six feet tall, and women usually just beneath that height. They are particularly strong and agile people, and their culture is filled with exotic dances and sports.
Kamorans are found mostly in southern Verosia, but they have spread far and wide and many live in parts of Rona, Moar, Kal-Mikan, Parthus and Gand. Even a few have migrated as far north as Valdessia and as far East as Sora. There are actually quite a number of them living within Ryosha as well. Of all the Verosian races of man, the Kamorans seem to be on the greatest of terms with the Ryoshans. Some of both races live in each other’s lands and it has been learned that some of their religious and philosophical views are found in both cultures. The Kamorans also very closely interact with the Mikanians, and surely both races have a common origin. It is said that once Kal-Mikan was a part of Kal-Kamora, but the distinctions between the two races makes the relation unclear.
Kamorans are an incredibly artistic people. Their masons and architects prefer grand statues and sculptured stonework. Colorful murals and wonderful monuments fill their cities and palaces. Some of the most elaborate man-made structures ever have been unearthed amidst the ruins of their once great empire. Kamorans were once focused upon religion, and though the old ways are returning, the wealthy classes still distrust gods. Now they are philosophers, artisans, and artificers. They study the stars and focus their attentions to interpreting the natural laws of the cosmos. They believe the universe to be a place of strict rules and patterns, that can be manipulated but not without creating effects that pass like a chain reaction into the other patterns of the cosmos. This is very similar to the old religions, but bypasses the absolute rule of the deities. The common people though, without the wealth to access such knowledge, have begun to seek out religion as a means to gain power. This threatens to tear down the foundations the nobles have claimed give them the right to rule.
Kamorans dress in thin clothing often with gold and jeweled adornments. Most commonly they wear fabric made of cotton from Gand and Silk from Ryosha. Those who can’t afford even cotton will wear fleece. Because of the intense heat between the desert and southern coasts, Kamorans usually do not wear heavy tunics. Short waist wraps are the common garb, with perhaps a vest to cover the shoulders and back. Head wrappings are also common, as these keep the blazing heat of the Orb at bay. However, they aren’t usually as large and elaborate as Mikanian turbans. When in the desert, they will often wear Abba cloaks, just as Mikanians do. Their traditional clothing was much more elaborate. The priests wear great mantles of gold adorned with the symbols of their gods. Heavily jeweled armbands, rings, boots, and scarabs are all symbols of prestige. While the nobles have tried to wear more Ronan and Parthan style clothing, the poor and middle classes are beginning to return to the ways of old.
One of the most distinctive cultural elements of the Kamorans is their preference for Nemete’, the art of body painting. Another ancient tradition relating to the worship of the gods, Nemete’ is a way to paint temporary or permanent symbols upon the skin using numerous techniques. They can be as simple as black ink set as small symbols to as complex as multicolored tattoos covering the whole body. A red ink is often used, made from special reeds found along the shore, to produce temporary markings. Though mostly for show; there are a few who still know the true Nemete’, a magical enchantment process. This is one of the few magical forms known to the Kamorans. Magic is viewed as the power of the gods, and to be a wizard or sorcerer means that one is somehow in touch with the deities. Many of the upper class have learned from Ronans who shared their magical knowledge, and even a few have gone to Tharthin to learn in the schools of wizardry. Within Kamora, though, there are very few wizards willing to instruct. The Kamorans view arcane magic with a great deal of respect but also with an equal amount of fear, as the source of such power is not necessarily from benevolent deities.
The Kamorans are amazing architects and stone workers. They can build incredible structures and have some of the world’s greatest monuments. Their artistic ability is without a doubt greater than most other human races. However, their technological development isn’t very wide spread. Though the upper class have access to shipping vessels of some of the highest quality and from their trade over the many centuries Kamora is as well developed as any other Post-Glory city, the commoners who fill the streets see hardly any of this. Daily life for the poorer classes is much the same as it was two thousand years ago.
Kamorans are one of the most widely accepted races. There are many in Parthus, Moar, Rona and Gand. There are even some in Ryosha, Tochira and Sora. Kamora is still a hub of trade and for this there are always opportunities to explore and spread. However, their history and unique culture keep most of the Kamorans where they are. The only racial strains they hold are with the Parthans, and the wars between the two are so ancient that it only creates a slight level of discomfort amongst them. Rona has a particularly strong relationship with Kamora, and in fact one of the last kings of the Great Kingdom of Rona was from Kamora. Mikanians trade heavily with the Kamorans and the only time they clash is when there is dispute over borders, which in itself is rare due to the nature of the desert. Within Kamora there are more Ryoshans than in any other part of Verosia, as this is the only kingdom that trades heavily with the aggressive empire to the south.
Kamorans are from one of the most ancient kingdoms of known history, and though it has fallen they truly believe that one day it will be freed from its curse. Eagerly awaiting this day the religion of old has returned and secret sects are now practicing many of the darker rituals that would be forbidden by the more “civilized” nobles. Kamora poses no real threat to anyone currently, but no one has ever been able to take the city. It has only joined other kingdoms by the will of its people. If Kal-Kamora does arise again, it would change the face of Verosia.

MIKANIANS
As the Mikanians tell it, there was once a powerful Kamoran sorcerer named of Abda-Jural who was condemned by the Khanus for worshipping “false gods”. He was hauled into the desert and left for dead. Jural wandered in the blazing desert for thirty-two days, kept alive only by his magic and force of will. When it seemed he would finally fall and die in the sands he came upon a great oasis. There was a beautiful palace and when he entered he found that the only people living here were beautiful Janni women. They told him they were the daughters of his gods, the Genies, and were sent here to be his harem. He was chosen to be the father of a new race and this was his palace, called Mikan. From him were born the Mikanians, descendants of the Janni, and since that time they have ruled an exotic and powerful realm. When Kal-Kamora was being destroyed by a great sand storm many of the Kamorans fled to Mikan to seek refuge. Abda-Jural proudly let them live within his city, as his subjects. He renamed his realm Kal-Mikan and named himself Amir over all the desert peoples of Vas-Meknor.
That was thousands of years ago, and since then the two races have bred into one. Being that they were all Kamorans at first, there is no real difference in them now, although some proudly boast how pure their Janni blood is. Mikanians are tall darkly tanned skinned people with dark eyes and hair. They have full lips and their noses round down, though less broad than Kamorans. They often let their hair grow wild and long, and the men often prefer goatees and beards.
Mikanians are most populous in the city of Kal-Mikan, but there are many wandering tribes throughout the desert. These tribes have named their own Sheiks, but all still serve the Amir. Many Mikanians are found in Kamora and some in Moar. A few tribes trade with the Ganiards and many trade with the Duervar. The desert is a terrible place though and eventually all Mikanians pass through Kal-Mikan.
Common Mikanian men and women dress in long wool robes that cover most of their body. The men wear tabards and the women wear hoods and veils. Some of this originates from the fact that the desert sun is so bright it eventually burns exposed flesh, but mostly it is carried down from the Janni. The wealthy prefer silk which they trade with Kamorans for (who trade with Ryoshans). Though the common dress appears drab, usually black, brown or tan; the wealthy dress in rich and elaborate colors. Most silk is left white, or died black, but wealthy women wear scarves of elaborate colors and designs. Men and women alike wear gold and silver, bejeweled and gilded over all their body. Even weapons of the wealthy are heavily jeweled. Some of this is begotten from the Duervar, but it is said that the Amir’s temple is built over a great mine from which the most precious gems in the entire world are plucked. Mikanians also wear tattoos much as the Kamorans did, but the magical use of the ancient rite is not commonly found in their realm.

RYOSHANS
The ancient race of humans called Ryoshans built their society on the continent of Shuro-Tahn south of Verosia. Their civilization developed over thousands of years to become the power they are today. In the earliest ages of their society they were organized into clans warring amongst each other for control of the land. However, as their numbers grew and their borders became increasingly overlapping the petty kings formed allegiances that would eventually split them into two factions. A great war lasted hundreds of years before finally one Kingdom was victorious, and Shang-Yaran was named Emperor. He developed a complex beaurocracy that used regional

SKARRELS

RYOSHANS

AZURIANS

Origin
Appearance
Populations
Culture
Adornment, dress and appearance
Religion
Magic
Technology
Society Relationships
Closing

DUNEIMEN GAME STATISTICS

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