Chapter One
Races The races in this book use the lands of the Diamond Throne as a default setting. This is a place of great magic—mystical mountains, dark and forbidden forests, and otherworldly, sweeping fields of crystal. These lands’ turbulent history is filled with great deeds and savage conflicts. From the coming of the giants to the defeat of the diabolical dramojh, epic events have shaped the races of the lands of the Diamond Throne. However, you can transplant these races into any fantasy setting very easily. he descriptions of the player character races in this chapter include information on background, personality, and outlook. Remember that these notes are generalities, not necessarily true of every specimen of that race living in the lands of the Diamond Throne today. Use them as guidelines, but feel free to depart from them as needed to make your characters unique and interesting. These races are genetically incompatible with each other. Mating between members of different races will not produce any offspring. Note: The “Relations” section of each race refers to some other races presented in Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed.
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Faen Faen (pronounced FAY-in, singular and plural) is a catch-all term for at least three different kinds of diminutive people. In many ways, it’s useful to discuss the three of them together, for they do have a great many similarities—and some marked differences. Two types of faen are the nimble quickling, and the winged sprytes. (One other type, loresong faen, is discussed in Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed.) Characters cannot start the campaign as 1st-level sprytes, only as quicklings. See the “Metamorphosis” section in this entry for more information. Personality: All faen demonstrate a love for physical pleasure and frivolous fun. They love food, games, puzzles, song, dance, and drink. They don’t pay a lot of attention to social standing or popularity, but they do enjoy praise. Security is of great concern to faen. They want to know that they have someplace to run to if endangered—it’s not uncommon for faen to note the exits of a building as soon as they enter. Physical Description: Faen quicklings stand about 3 feet tall and are always very thin and lean. Male quicklings grow no facial hair. They tend to wear their thick hair long. Their large eyes sparkle with life and a hint of magic. Their ears are pointed. Sprytes are only between 16 and 18 inches tall. Their gossamer wings resemble those of an insect and beat extremely fast to keep them aloft. Their wingspan is about 20 inches. Their bodies are thin and lithe (all the better for flying). Their faces are long and comely, and they have large but slenderly pointed ears. Relations: Faen are not quick to judge a creature based on race, so it is safe to say that they get along with all races equally. Despite the staggering difference in size, faen enjoy the company of giants to most others’. This most likely stems from the giants’ warm and relaxed demeanor.
The different kinds of faen get along very well, intermix freely, and live in the same communities. They frequently intermarry, though their offspring are always either pure pure loresong or pure quickling; there are no half-and-half faen. Sprytes cannot reproduce. Outlook: While few faen are outright sadistic or cruel, an equally small number of them are truly benevolent or altruistic. Most remain fairly self-interested or focused solely on the well-being of a small chosen group of family members and friends. Faen believe that people should be able to do what they want, as long as it does not unduly harm or endanger others—or impinge on their desires. They’re not interested in law or government and resent someone attempting to give them orders. Quicklings are best when unencumbered. They seem prone to rash and foolhardy actions. The most frivolous of all faen, they are the bravest and noblest as well. Sprytes are usually quite cautious, due to their very small size. Still, they like to have fun and value kindness and generosity very highly. Faen Lands: Faen live mainly in mountainous, rugged woodlands. They congregate in secluded villages that often sprout up near natural shelter where they can hide and gain safety (a cave, a valley or ravine, and so on). Many have come to take up residence in the cosmopolitan giantish cities, living alongside humans and others. Religion: Faen worship all sorts of gods—hundreds, if not thousands of them. In fact, other races accuse faen of just making up new gods whenever they feel like it. That’s not entirely true, however—at least not from the point of view of the faen. What is true is that faen are continually “becoming aware” of the presence of new gods. They believe that each faen remains in touch with the spiritual and celestial realms, and experiences revelations about the existence of a new divine being from time to time. Thus, one commonly sees faen suddenly whisper a prayer, an oath, or an invocation to a god no one else has ever heard of. A faen experiencing such an epiphany usually does so at a moment appropriate to the nature of the god. A faen forced to swing on a rope across a chasm might suddenly discover knowledge of Derrah, goddess of rope, or Nevick, god of chasms, or even Juasthon, god of moving through the air without wings. Since all faen have these divine revelations—or at least in theory they could—the faen have no priesthood. They are all equally close to the divine. Most also feel duty bound to record the name and nature of the new god they have discovered and share it quietly with other faen. Language: All three types of faen share a language (Faen). They also speak Common.
