Munen

> "The munen race, as a species, has yet to decide on anything. Good or evil, nature or technology, religion or the sciences. Until they make up their accursed minds, the rest of us can only watch and wait, blades at the ready."
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> - Solanil Eldrelan, Lord Regent of Adra-Falan
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Munen comprise a large portion of the overall population of Rheann. They are one of the most diverse races, with varying philosophies, religions, and cultures within one species. It is said that no two munen are alike, though the other races may disagree on that point. How they truly came to be is something of a mystery, as each religion has its own explanation for the event, but one thing is certain: Munenkind are currently poised to stand as the dominant race throughout all of Rheann.

## Physicality

Munen come in all shapes and sizes: Tall and short, thick and thin, beautiful and homely. Their skin color can range from dark brown to porcelain white, and their hair color runs the gamut: red, brown, blonde, or black. Their eyes have a similar range, including blue, brown, green, hazel, and gray.

## Personality

Munen are often described by others as chronically hurried, as their short lives can lead them to obsess over finding love, wealth, and fame in the six or seven decades they have to live. Otherwise, their personalities are surprisingly varied depending on the circumstances of their upbringing.

## Religion

Munen are known to worship any god, or sometimes several at once. Though the most popular munen god is currently Archon, the people of the Tan empire worship dragons, and Asgarothians venerate animal spirits and war heroes. Munen druids typically worship Sarak or Faedrana. It is said that munen even started the cult of Lyliria, but it would be impossible to gauge the truth of that claim.

## Other Races

While munen tend to get along well with the other mortal races, they also have a tendency to make blanket judgments about them. If a munen's wife is killed by a dornen, it is not unlikely that he will form a vendetta against all dornen, beginning a sort of personal crusade against them. If a munen meets an especially kind adrassi, they may decide that all adrassi are beautiful, nurturing creatures despite evidence of their ruthless tendencies.

## Munen Lands

Atiru, Kama-Houtan, Elsmir, Corania, Havensport, Elysia, Asgaroth, Danjara, Kyonggan, Sinzhen, and The Huran Steppes

## Subgroups

### Arethalian

The most common munen culture, hailing from Elysia, Havensport, Elsmir, and the Holy Corian Empire. They originally inhabited the Southern plains of Arethal, struggling against the predators of the Southern Forest of Icicles and the Wooded Coast. The majority have left their pagan beliefs behind in favor of the protection offered by Archon.

### Asgarothian

These hardy munen hail from the frozen islands and tundra to the Northeast of Arethal. From there they farm, fish, and send raiding parties to the cities of other munen for supplies and riches. They worship the spirits of their fallen war heroes and venerate those who attain glory through combat.

### Tanese

Tan-Shoutaru was once the location of the great Empire of Tan, a vast kingdom which spanned entire hemispheres and a great many distinct cultural groups. Contemporary Tanese munen are the descendants of those who survived the empire’s collapse by sailing to the shores of Arethal and Marizan. Although each Tanese nation has its own cultural identity, they all have in common the religion known as Taiji, which involves the worship of dragons as holy figures.

### Marizani

These munen are the native people of Marizan. Some call the powerful jungle kingdom of Danjara their home, while others come from the fertile plains of Atiru or the hostile sands of Halathi. Marizani munen represent a wide swath of different cultures in one group which is loosely held together by the threads of trade. It is commonplace for them to worship pagan deities grounded in the raw elements of the natural world, including some half-man, half-animal figures.

## Life as Munen

The experiences of any given munen are determined largely by the place from which they hail.

Below is a list of each region from which munen can originate as well as the conditions for someone raised there.

### Asgaroth

Those from Asgaroth are almost always inhabitants of Uthenhal or one of the surrounding towns. Not everyone is a raider in Asgarothian society; hunters, shepherds, tailors, leatherworkers, and shipbuilders are all important for Uthenhal’s survival, even if their work is less glamorous than assaulting the shores of the mainland in a longboat.

### Elysia, Kama-Houtan, Sinzhen

Munen from these places are often farmers or tradespeople. It is a common practice in these countries to train one’s children in the same trade their family has practiced for generations. They are some of the most comfortable places on Rheann to live as a munen, especially in the large, well-maintained cities which dot the coastlines.

### Forest of Icicles

Life for munen in the pine forests of Western Arethal is difficult and solitary. At least, one hopes for a lonely existence, as the alternative is to be attacked by adrassi, legion, or worse. One may have grown up in a secret cabin, a ruined tower, or even among the werewolves who call the forest home.

### Vamihadras

Munen from legion lands are either farmers, cautious city-borne tradesmen, or one of the native folk who travel constantly across the land in mysterious caravans. Munen farmers in Vamihadras have the option of paying a blood tithe - A grisly tax which can be paid instead of food or gold- To the Legion overseers who lurk in their dark manor homes.

### The Holy Corian Empire

Most people originating from Corania call Alexandria their home. It is a wealthy trading hub, allowing merchants and artisans to flourish. A munen could survive as a tradesman, thief, farmer, or as a member of the well-funded imperial army. There are some small communities of munen who survive as desert nomads whose lives are not usually easy or long, but such is the price of freedom from the Holy Corian Empire.

### Elsmir, Danjara, Kyonggang

The peaceful forests of these countries are host to traders, hunters, craftsmen, and humble farmers. The kingdoms in question are old, wealthy, and relatively safe, allowing individuals the chance to explore a variety of options before choosing their life’s work.

### Havensport

For those who hail from Havensport, life is either a desperate struggle or an opulent dream. Those who have the least lose friends and family to violence, plague, or starvation. The few who are not poor have the world at their fingertips.

### The Pagan Lands, Atiru

The fertile plains of these places make them ideal for the needs of munen farmers. Someone raised in these nations may need to learn how to fend off gryphons or insect swarms, but otherwise their life would be placid and uneventful.

### Droch Mordal

To stick out like a sore thumb sums up the munen experience in dornen lands. The people of Droch Mordal are nothing but polite to the tall folk who live among them, but the height difference makes for some awkward moments. Still, a munen child would benefit from the educational standards and social nature of their dornen neighbors.

### Halathi, The Huran Steppes

Life in these places can be harsh, as resources are relatively hard to come by. The locals are largely nomadic, meaning that towns or cities are few and far between. A munen raised in these nations would need to be a cunning survivalist or else very charismatic in order to get by.

### Ildresk

A surprising number of munen make their homes among the adrassi of the Obsidian Court. The Ajayan Rainforest has more than its share of threats, including deadly spore nymphs and aptly named terror lizards. A childhood there would certainly offer any munen a unique appreciation for the power of the natural world.