Species of Tilendrel

"Elf, orc, lizard, whatever. Can you work?"

Magnus Revell, dwarven businessman

Tilendrel is home to a wide variety of species, including some from other worlds, such as Kalashtar and Tieflings. Following is a list of every major species and subspecies in Tilendrel, as well as some information on their origins and demography.   Humans   The most common and widespread species of Tilendrel, humans can be found in even the most species-exclusive communities thanks to their wide variety of skills and personalities. Their discovery is not documented by any other species, leading many historians to believe they were one of the first to inhabit Tilen.   Calishites, Chondathans, Damarans, and Tethyrians can be found almost anywhere in Tilendrel, and there are few clues as to their original homeland. The dwarves, however, keep more detailed demographical records, allowing geographers to pinpoint the small, mountainous area close to what is now the Ironheart Kingdom as the original home of most Illuskans and Rashemi. Rashemi, in particular, are a hot topic of debate, since their short, muscular builds lead some experts to believe that they and the Ironheart dwarves shared a common ancestor, one originally created by the Old Gods or another celestial power.   In a similar vein to the dwarves, the records of the old Darhemian Empire describe in detail the distribution of its species and ethnicities, confirming that the Mulan and the Shou were originally from the area around what is now Hin-Sung, and that the Turami are almost entirely native to Moradin Island. How they got there and why they stayed, however, remains a mystery even they cannot answer.   Dwarves   The second most populous species of Tilendrel, dwarves were also the first to form what could be considered a modern nation, as well as the first and best metalworkers. They are found mainly in the west and north of Tilendrel throughout their three nations, though a large number have emigrated to Everflame and elsewhere.   True to their name, mountain dwarves are found mainly in the mountainous expanse of their home nation, the Ironheart Kingdom. They are staunch allies of Everflame and Gildmire, sharing their strong sense of justice and righteousness. The Ironhearts are also known as the best smiths in Tilendrel, notable for forging such weapons as Berrothorn, the Sunblade, and the Cross of Glory.   After breaking with the Ironheart Empire in 814 ANG, hill dwarves are also found primarily in their home nation, the swampy Gildmire. Shrewd businesspeople, they are known for their stubbornness as much as their honour.   Duergar, unlike their kin, control very little territory, laying claim to a relatively small area east of Gildmire called Duerga. They also do not share their natural sense of justice and honour, though most aspire to it nevertheless. In pursuit of this goal, social status in Duerga is determined almost entirely by righteousness, and most truly unethical Duergar leave their homes, seeking a more opportunistic society.   Elves   An artistic and long-lived species, it is said that elves could be as widespread as humans, if only they cared to. While some might see their early subjugation by the Orcish Hordes as a rocky start for the species, historical records of the time seem to indicate that the elvish leaders were simply biding their time for an opportunity to free themselves. When the Ironheart dwarves attacked the Orcish Hordes, the elves, led by their legendary Bladesingers, leaped at the opportunity, winning their freedom just as the dwarves won their war of conquest.   High elves and wood elves mainly populate the South, though a number have also gone to join the Eastern Dwarves in establishing a larger presence in Tilendrel. Their cities are together with nature, built around trees and hills rather than through them.   In the East, desert elves lay claim to a large land mass containing a number of settlements, including one built upon the remains of one of the advanced Darhemian cities. Demographers, elven or otherwise, have yet to come to a final conclusion on how a subspecies of elves got so far from their homeland, with some even suspecting desert elves of being a different species entirely, just with strikingly similar features.   Due to their heritage, drow are reviled throughout the South, though they receive slightly more welcome in the East, since settlements in the desert need all the manpower they can get. A number of drow also live in other nations, especially the egalitarian Baronies of Everflame and among the fairly similar dark dwarves of Duerga.   Halflings   A tight-knit and content species, halflings have never founded a nation of their own, maintaining a presence primarily in Everflame as well as a few other nations. They have little demography worth studying, since it is almost universally agreed that they are close evolutionary relatives of humans, who they worked alongside early in Tilendrel's history.   Their subspecies are not worth mention, since both are almost equally spread across Tilen, with few cultural differences between them.   Orcs   A warlike and primitive species, orcs were little but a nuisance throughout most of Tilendrel's history, considered equal to goblinoids and kobolds. However, after fighting alongside the Litherian Empire in the First Arcane War, a group of them led by a half-orc named Akhra settled down in the north of their old ally's territory, opening diplomacy with other nations and becoming a notable if not universally respected force on the global scale.   Gnomes   Ever inventive and curious, the gnomish population of Tilendrel was exploited by the First Litherian Empire for their expertise until its fall in 1467 ANG. The gnomes, however, would not settle for a scattered minority in the remnants of a fallen empire. Somehow managing to channel the productive power of Mechanus in a ritual completely bewildering to almost every non-gnomish arcanist since, a group of tinker gnomes created Bentrelhold, a shining beacon of gnomish genius stretching from a kilometer above sea level to five below it that has been home to almost every rock gnome since.   While there are a considerable number of forest gnomes living in Bentrelhold, most prefer to live in a more open area, with forest gnomes forming a considerable presence among the Southern Elves as well as in most Everian Baronies.   Kalashtar   Formed as part of a pact with dream spirits known as Quori long before the rise of the New Gods, the Kalashtar of Tilendrel prefer to masquerade as humans most of the time, only revealing their true identities to close friends. Due to this, the Kalashtar population has remained fairly stagnant, as Kalashtar only rarely meet and recognise each other.   Tieflings   The subjects of prejudice almost everywhere they go, most tieflings in Tilendrel are nomads, never settling down for fear of being kicked out. Recently, however, a movement has been growing to promote racial diversity in Everflame's outer reaches, giving hope to some that they may yet find a home.   Goblinoids and Kobolds   Unlike their orcish brethren, most goblinoids and kobolds live up to the stereotype, joining with bandit groups or thieves' guilds. In Everflame City, however, a group of unusual and commonly reviled species including several goblinoids and a kobold has taken root, advocating tolerance and fairness.   Dragonborn   Due to the relatively low number of dragons in Tilendrel, dragonborn are equally rare, often being mistaken for lizardfolk or supernatural creatures. Even in Everflame City, dragonborn make up less than 0.3% of the population, coming almost as often from magical mishaps or planar travel than actual dragons. Those few who do sometimes look down on the 'untrue', creating a rift within a species not truly populous enough to survive it.   Species Breakdown by Nation/Region

Nation/Region	Human	Dwarf	Elf/Half-elf	Halfling	Gnome	Orc/Half-orc	Other
Central Everflame	32.8%	22.7%	19.5%	11.5%	5.7%	4.9%	2.8%
Lightarm	40.2%	23.5%	9.8%	2.1%	3.4%	18.4%	2.6%
Hallermin	31.4%	14.8%	40.8%	7.3%	2.6%	0.3%	3.8%
Forge's Eye	29.3%	41.6%	7.4%	4.3%	11.7%	3.8%	1.9%
Verdegar	15.2%	12.6%	32.8%	22.4%	10.5%	13.4%	3.1%
Southsea	33.4%	22.6%	31.1%	6.7%	5.1%	0.9%	0.2%
Candlekeep	61.6%	11.7%	27.7%	0.7%	8.0%	<0.1%	0.3%
Litheria	87.4%	3.2%	6.4%	1.9%	0.4%	0.2%	0.5%
Ironheart Kingdom	9.3%	82.2%	1.0%	5.5%	<0.1%	1.6%	0.4%
Gildmire	5.2%	79.8%	2.3%	1.3%	6.5%	4.2%	0.7%
Duerga	2.0%	91.8%	5.3%	<0.1%	<0.1%	<0.1%	0.9%
Southern Elves	14.3%	0.5%	75.2%	4.7%	1.2%	3.5%	0.6%
Eastern Elves	23.1%	4.6%	54.1%	6.1%	8.9%	0.2%	3.0%
The Empire of Hin-Sung	19.4%	12.5%	18.6%	14.8%	10.2%	13.3%	11.2%
Bentrelhold	7.7%	11.3%	1.2%	12.6%	65.3%	0.5%	1.4%
Krin'garr	5.0%	2.3%	0.2%	<0.1%	0.4%	92.1%	<0.1%