The People

The People of Brycigg bonded through the flames of the Shattering, turning races that were once at odds into strong allies. Because of this most races can be found in most settlements across the empire, even the once 'monstrous' races have found roles to fill as functional members of society.

However, most races still value their founding stories and unique gods in ways that others might not understand which can sometime cause contention.

## The Aarakocra

The avain people of the Aarakocra were born into the plane during the second generation of Banr as aerial troops for their plot against the newly fledged gods. However, Banr misjudged Aara with whom they created the birdfolk and found their offspring peaceful and refusing to go to fight.

The young Aarakocra hid in the far, mountainous regions of the world from Banr's wrath during the Shattering, only stepping up to fight against the invasion of their lands when they felt threatened. Because of this the Aarakocra are one of the few civilised races that have never truly found a place in the empire and are still seen as oddities by most people.

The two major settlements of the Aarakocra are Aaqa and Nnyst, both mountain top cities that only the most experienced non-Aara folk could ever hope to find. They worship no gods but hold the primordials Aara and Oure in high regard, with both of their cities dedicated one of the pair. Whilst lack of control and/or hotheadedness is frowned upon in the Aaran culture those folk who display such traits usually find their place acting as emissaries to the empire.

## The Aasimar

During the Shattering, whilst most gods were focused on defeating the threat at any cost Merridon was devoted to the protection of the mortal races against the calamity. But with the kingdoms being so disparate the god struggled to protect them all. To solve this issue Merridon created angels and planars to act in defence of the mortals.

After the war, one of these beings sought their own power in jealousy of Merridon, turning to Tameril to create a race to inspire its own rise to godhood. The children of this union were called Aasimar. Due to their late birth and their connection to Tameril, Aasimar fell into human society easily and found themselves fast friends with most mortals due to their connection with the protector spirits. When their children followed the humans gods instead of helping their creator ascend it faded into obscurity and corrupted. Legends say that this being still haunts the planes, searching for Banr to learn the darker arts of creation.

## The Dragonborn

Banr bore the dragons as their ultimate weapon against the gods but they quickly fell into infighting, separating into the metallic and chromatic factions. Distracted from the Shattering they fought their own war but each grew weary of fighting for themselves, so both sides sought a way to employ foot soldiers to fight for them.

The Chromatics tricked the ailing Banr into creating their progeny, promising to return to the war against the gods. This is how Chromatic Dragonborn were born. In response, the Metallics met with the mortals gods and learned from them how to craft life and the Metallic Dragonborn were created.

Even after the Shattering ended and Banr was sealed away the Dragonwar continued, however the Dragons themselves grew bored of their progeny. Most dragons went into hiding after this, leaving the two mortal forces to squabble amongst themselves. During this time the twin kingdoms rose in spite of each other and to combat each other.

The Metallic Dragonborn empire of Palarandusk stood as a symbol of hope for the burgeoning Bryciggian empire in the post-Shattering landscape. However, the dragonborn struggled to assist with the other races due to their absolute reliance on law.

## The Firbolg

Deyra of the Forests was in no rush to claim her mortals, unlike most primordials. It was only after the Elves clashed with the Quaggoth over rights to the forests of the land that Deyra spoke up, but no one would listen to the forgotten primordial. The other primordials ignored her plight too for being focused on their own progeny. Only Oure of the Mountains would listen and where the mountains met the roots of the forests sprang forth the Firbolg.

Whilst many still attach Elves to the dominion of the forest, only the Firbolg have true kinship with it. As such, in fear of harming nature in any way, no true permanent settlement of Firbolg has ever existed, keeping them off the world stage in a big way. They worship their creator primordials and pay little attention to the deities of other mortals, other than Yestor whose domain of peace appeals to them greatly.

They share great affection for their Goliath cousins, although the half-giants passion for competition worries them.

## The Gnomes

Guided by Ebel the gnomes divided themselves between the older mortal races for protection. Because of this gnomes have a hand in the development of pretty much all cultures in Brycigg, a point they are quite proud of. So, it would only be fitting for their gods to be much the same.

Their most notable creation is the ascended hero-god Shinesilver, who was one of the few mortals to stand against Banr at the end of the Shattering and was vital in the formation of the Bryciggian Empire in the years following. Shinesilver holds the domain of heroics.

Whilst the gnomes have no true home to call their own they see themselves as the mortal glue keeping everything together.

## The Goblinoids

Of all of Banr's war force against the gods the Goblinoids were the most lowly and expendable. They were born from unions with mud and blood and all sorts of filth in Banr's darkest days. Modern goblinoids care little to remember this.

However, during the Shattering the leaders of the Goblinoids, their fledgling gods, grew tired of their mistreatment and revolted against their constraints. Many of their kind died trying to escape the clutches of Banr and if it hadn't been for the assistance of the gnomish people they might have been all lost in this way. The gnomes employed their trickery and know-how to hide the goblinfolk in plain sight, all over the mortal world, until they knew the others were ready to accept them. To this day the goblinfolk feel the weight of this debt and adore their saviours. This hasn't stopped an air of healthy competition between the two races though and each competes to outdo the other with inventiveness.

After the gained their freedom they shunned their creators and accepted the deities of the world they found themselves a part of. Eventually a few goblinoid gods rose to fill gaps in the pantheon.

The hobgoblins found themselves fitting into human society easier than their cousins, many finding positions of power and influence with their keen minds. One such influencer known as Weer ascended to godhood under the domain of

The bugbears struggled to find a place initially but eventually settled in with the forest based societies, giving them space to roam and find peace. A bugbear known as Mimimin ascended to godhood as the god of thieves.

The small goblins flourished alongside the gnomes and are known seen as an important part of their culture. Alongside the gnomish hero-god Shinesilver a goblin know as Dromguh ascended into the domain of friendship and loyalty.

## The Goliaths

When Oerth consulted with Banr and created the Dwarves, Oerth's first student Oure of the Mountains overheard and stole some of the knowledge. Although Oure would not find the means to apply these secrets for aeons.

Their chance came when displaced humans of the Shattering fled to the mountainous regions of the world. Using the fragments of knowledge, over time, Oure transformed the humans into the Goliaths. Some believe this to be a mercy, to help the frightened people survive the harsher climates of the area.

Most Goliath trace their heritage back to the town of Stratoskir. Stratoskir itself is an example of what is perceived to matter in Goliath culture, as the town is built under the dome of some colossal draconic skull. Legend says that in the early days of Goliath culture some ancient wyrm threatened the people into servitude, to which Oure rose up from the mountains itself and battled the creature, gifting the skull to its children to use as they saw fit. The skull was kept and used as a constant reminder of their creator's strength and what each goliath should attempt to achieve.

## The Halflings

Outsiders often mistake the halfling peoples happiness to stay put for laziness but that couldn't be further from the truth. Born from the union between Banr and the primordial of Summer, Thia, the halflings were tasked with working the lands under Thia's gaze to make the most of their bounty. This is a task that the halflings of Brycigg still keep to this day, many of them tracing their lineage in unbroken chains back to the first workers of the fields.

For other halflings this manifests in a different way. Those uninterested in farming or other labours often find other noble tasks and apply this same sense of duty to them. Halfling guards are known to be the most diligent, for example. A halfling will never leave anything half done, no matter how unimportant said task might seem to the other races around them.

This sense of duty also extends to their worship, with the halfling pantheon of gods being commonly observed often among the majority of their people.

## The Kenku

The true birth of the Kenku is unknown but the common story traces them back to a similar creation story of the Aarakocra. Being younger than the Aarakocra though, Banr had already been slighted by many of their creations. The Kenku caught the brunt of it's rage and transformed them from the flying, talking, inventive beings they once were to the silent creatures they are now.

## The Tortle

As Sael, primordial of the moon, saw their original progeny (the elves) growing further and further from them they tuned to Auros, the Sun, for comfort. As both wished for a race that would truly honour them the Tortles came into being. Whilst the race was young the primordials hid them away from the other mortals to save them from the corruption they felt had befallen the elves.

Of course, this did not stop the outside world from stumbling upon them by accident and filling the Tortle cultural consciousness with a desire to see what extended beyond their tiny world.