Ancient Races

Grimmursven
Grimmursven, also known as Grimmurs in The North, and orcs in the south, were wolf-like humanoid  creatures that dominated The Northlands for thousands of years. Northern mythology claims that humans were made by the grimmurs as slave labor by taking the weakest and lame of their kind and breeding them until humans were born. Legends agree that Halvor Houndmaster, the hero of heroes of the North, led the northerners on a campaign of destruction that saw the end of the grimmur’s reign.

Physical Traits
Grimmurs were physically larger than your average human, most measuring out at 6.5 feet with an elongated, skinny torso that tapered down into small hips and short, canine like legs. Their arms were said to be as long as their bodies and ended in giant hands with four claw-like fingers. They were capable of walking upright, but were more comfortable on all fours. Their faces were slightly more protruding than that of a humans, with a very vague beginning of a snout appearing. Bodies covered in long course hair, although not enough to be considered fur.

Culture
It is noted that grimmursven were known to be intelligent and have been depicted as wearing clothing and using tools and weapons. They are also known as the inventors of the Northern language, which the first Northmen took and adapted to suit their vocal chords as the grimmurs’ version consisted of more growls and short barks. Grimmurs also did not tolerate weakness in their own numbers and would quickly attack and devour any member of its own if they were severely injured or elderly.

Fact or Myth?
There is no historical basis for grimmursven as there are for some of the other ancient races, such as giants, as no bones have ever been discovered and no records have ever been kept from those ancient times. Partially to blame is that many Provincial historians have never been to The Northlands to study these claims and Northern society lacks a archaeological and historical discipline outside of storytellers and relics passed down through generations. Most people outside of the North have never heard of the term grimmursven and those that have heard the term ‘orc’ have little to no idea of it’s origin, mostly assuming it to be some vague boogeyman from Northern legends. Although, traveling Northmen claim that grimmurs do exist to this day.

Giants
Giants were large land dwelling creatures that settled mostly in what is now known as The Jointed Provinces and parts of the North and clashed with humans over territory. The last supported sighting of a giant was Paragons:1401 and it was slain by a group of soldiers, heralding the end of The Last Stand of the Giants.

Physical Traits
Easily the largest land creatures ever to have walked Galnos, the average giant was between 30-45 feet tall with the largest giant ever recorded being Vegg the Sunblocker who stood near 150 feet tall. Humanoid in the sense that they had two arms and two legs, but different in dimension. Their arms were so long that their fingertips could scrape the ground as they walked and their legs were short and stubby compared to the rest of their bodies.

Diet and Behavior
Giant diet was largely vegetarian, consisting mostly of whole trees and bushes and were known to swallow huge handfuls of dirt for minerals. There were tales of sea dwelling giants that were carnivorous, wading deep into the ocean until a large sea creature swam by which the giant would then grab and drag back to land. A common misconception, perpetrated by horror stories and fairy tales, was that giants had a taste for human flesh. There is not one recorded instance of a giant eating a human, even during The Last Stand of the Giants. Giants natural habitat was anywhere they could drink fresh water and eat enough to sustain their massive size. There are records of giants in every major country with the exception of Agralan, where there is no mention of giants even in their legends. Natural loners, giants rarely met another of their kind, if ever, which led to terribly low birthrates. A giant, however, could live upwards of several hundred years. It is unknown if a giant ever died of old age.

Fact or Myth?
Giant bones have been found throughout the Jointed Provinces and are even on display in some private collections as well as museums. Now, it is unlikely that they are still around, at least in The Jointed Provinces. The North may hold a few holdouts, but most believe them to be completely extinct.

Deep Ones
Deep Ones were the predominant inhabitants that made up Grasturm and the surrounding islands. Legends say that Gradius The Flathead, Apprentice of Paetor, led men from what is now known as The Jointed Provinces to Grasturm and helped wage a war that sent the Deep Ones back into the sea.

Physical Attributes
While not a true race, the term Deep Ones is used for the creatures that made up the island’s inhabitants. There were several distinct types of “Deep Ones”, according to legend, that took residence on the different isles. They ranged from cephalopod-like creatures, to crustacean-like, to reptilian-like with vague humanoid shapes. They are depicted as using weapons and living, aquatic beasts as ships. Incredibly clever and smart and highly resilient to pain and damage, they were known to regrow lost limbs and some were known to regrow entire bodies from just their heads.

History
Legends say that Grasturm was at the bottom of the ocean when a gigantic earthquake lifted the islands up from the seabed along with their original inhabitants. A cold, calculating predator society that were natural puzzle solvers and strategists, The Deep Ones took to their new surroundings with ease. They began raiding passing ships from the mainland and their first few encounters with humans were all deadly affairs. It is said that The Deep Ones wished to raise other creatures from the depths, older more sinister things that they worshiped like Gods. They wished to drown the sea in blood to awaken these beings to the surface. This is why Gradius led humans to war with the creatures.

Fact or Myth
Grasturm is often a strange and mysterious place. Frightening beasts can be found in the swamps and sea around the area so it is not unrealistic to think that ancient societies believed these animals to be monsters, but there have been strange relics recovered that depict hieroglyphics of strange, tentacled men and accrochelle which walk upright. Pictures of whales being stabbed by a man that seems to be the same size but with large crab-like mandibles on its face.