Races of Magnamund

[ravenclaw74]

Are there any canonical physical descriptions of these different races of Magnamund:

-Sommlending
-Durenese
-Aluvian
-Nael
-Shianti
-Elder Magi
-Tianese
-Drakkarim
-Herbalish
-Vakeros
-Mythenish
-Nadziranim

[Sunlord]

I always assumed that the human races of Magnamund were all very similar looking. Sommlending/Durenese/Nael?Aluvian/Tianese all look very similar. Drakkarim are more of a barbaric race, so I would assume physically more imposing, and not so nice to look at. Elder Magi I am not sure, but if you go by the illustrations of Lord Rimoah in the gamebooks, they all look like Santa Claus. Nadziranim are shapeshifters so they could really be anything...

Herbalish are also very similar to the Sommlending/etc... races. The Shianti look quite different. A little more like Elves from what I recall. Vakeros are dark-skinned correct? I believe the description of Paido in books 7/8/10 confirm this.

Anyone else know for sure?

[Guest]

This is what I think (or imagine)

-Sommlending (Norse, tall and blonde)
-Durenese (British)
-Aluvian (Germanic)
-Nael (Slavic)
-Vaderish (Western European)
-Shianti (tall golden/silver-skinned people)
-Elder Magi (almost Elven without the ears)
-Tianese (Chinese)
-Drakkarim (Barbaric humans)
-Herbalish (Indian)
-Vakeros (half-elven without the ears)
-Mythenish (Japanese)
-Nadziranim (minor Darklords)

[Wannabe Drakkar]

I've always thought of Vassagonia as something out of the Arabian Nights (wonder why?) and I tend to think of the Drakkarim as a sort of elvish people and that's how I describe them to my PCs, I've found the Dark Elves of Warhammer are an excellent comparison (in my mind at least, but as Im GM thats all that matters )

[DuskFox]

The Sommlending are of fair skin and hair, so it’s pretty apparent that they’re of similar racial stock as the standard Anglo type. It’s less Norse, as they aren’t generally described as large or hirsute, but then I may be mistaken.

The Drakkarim tend to be depicted with a very distinct look to them. Fair-skinned, almost uniformly platinum blonde, stocky… it’s essentially the Aryan stereotype. It seems like the men are given to large throat wattles, if the art is any indicator--any close-up of a Drakkar without a helm that I can recall shows them practically having bullfrog throat pouches. They likewise commonly seem to have deep-set, hard eyes and bold noses. “Handsome” is not a word I would choose to use in reference to them.

[Wannabe Drakkar]

I generally don't like those pictures, the drakkarim always seem to have a certain jean nay says qua (ok, i spelt it wrong but its only french im butchering ) I've always seen them as slender, fair, sleek, dark haired and even aquiline nosed, i think the "barbarian" word for them is quite problematic as barbarian generally makes people think of conan and the whole savagery of the drakkarim is more there obsessive sadism, its nice to have beautiful enemies anyway, its more unnerving
in my compains i have it so that a drakkar could easily pass themselves off as durenese if they study languages etc and not wear their face plates everywhere

[DuskFox]

It's "je ne se quois," but whatever.

I'm sure some of the Drakkarim are fair-featured and handsome, but the ones that are pictured are definitely not. Still, I'd always thought they'd be best as handsome, even beautiful, but evil and twisted. That seems more appropriate to me. So I'm with you.

[Wannabe Drakkar]

excellent and now you will help me kill Lone Wolf and Banedon and start the Drakkai order muahahahahahaha

[columbob]

It's "je ne se quois," but whatever.

Actually, there's no "s" in "quoi".

[DuskFox]

My mistake. I was writing from memory, not actually knowing French. I was pretty close, at least.

[redlaco]

Pretty close, but it's : "Je ne sais quoi"

Ok, that was the last correction...

[DuskFox]

As established, I don't speak French and forgot to proof it. My own fault. I have totally made a fool of myself for not knowing French. This will end as all such events end--murder-suicide pact.

[columbob]

Pretty close, but it's : "Je ne sais quoi"

Ok, that was the last correction...

I don't know why I didn't see that too, I was probably reading too quickly.

[Bewildered Badger]

Regarding the appearance of Drakkarim, it seems possible that there could be a great deal of variation. A Drakkar who was born and bred in Helgedad could be seriously affected by the vile energies of that place, and may appear quite different to his brethren from the Hammerlands.
Also, some modern Drakkarim could be descended from slaves captured on their campaigns of conquest, and may look quite different from the racial norm.

[Wannabe Drakkar]

I've always wondered what happens if a drakkar gets to intimate with a companion slave, would ensuing offspring be considered drakkar? i'd wager not as they are very honour bound and purist

[Bewildered Badger]

Good point. I'd imagine that any such cross breeds would be treated very much as second class by the rest of the Drakkar. As such they might be used as disposable forces, with any who demonstate great skill on the battlefield 'earning' the right to be accepted by the pure-bloods.

And, of course, if they look sufficiently different to Drakkar norm, they could well be used as infiltrators (like those ones in FFTD).

[Wannabe Drakkar]

The only drakkar in disguise from FFTD i remember was the ferryman, who was just wearing a big cloak over his armour, i mean, Zagarna could've been under there and we wouldn't have noticed

[Bewildered Badger]

There were also some disguised as Sommerlending troops. Apparently they hadn't done much research or preparation as, although they looked the part, they carried Durenese weapons.

[Wannabe Drakkar]

strange, as both the darklords and the drakkarim have their war museums, mayhap there was little difference between sommlending and ulnarian in the eyes of the naarish minions?

[Balgin Stondraeg]

There were also some disguised as Sommerlending troops. Apparently they hadn't done much research or preparation as, although they looked the part, they carried Durenese weapons.

No, that's another Legends falsehood. In Flight from the Dark they're turncoats/bandits etc who've just stumbled upon some uniforms on the battlefield and are exploiting it. Chancers, opportunists, vagabonds.

John Grant decided to turn them into Drakkarim infiltrators and, even though he blatantly flew in the face of Mr Dever and seemed to have disagreed with him a lot they did actualy collaborate so maybe Joe meant them to be Drakkarim in the first place but didn't make it very clear.

For now we'll never know.