Appendices for Sign of the White Raven

Greetings Everyone,

I am simultaneously working on chapters 31 and 32.  I hope to finish them and post them before I leave Afghanistan.  In the meantime, here are the appendices I intend for the back of the manuscript.  The tables formatted a bit funky, but what can you do?

Appendix A

Sudean Agricultural Calendar

Utilized for Daily Accounting in the Kingdom of Sudea

1	ALLFATHER’S MOON
GURLACHDAY	SHILWEZDAY	CORBALLDAY	CARPATHDAY	SILDAENDAY	ZOREKDAY
1   NEW YEAR WINTER SOLSTICE	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30
2	HUNGER MOON
GURLACHDAY	SHILWEZDAY	CORBALLDAY	CARPATHDAY	SILDAENDAY	ZOREKDAY
1	2	3	4                     FEAST OF FAELWE	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30

 

3	BUDDING MOON
GURLACHDAY	SHILWEZDAY	CORBALLDAY	CARPATHDAY	SILDAENDAY	ZOREKDAY
1	2	3	4	5                     FEAST OF LILLANE	6
7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30
4	PLOWING MOON
GURLACHDAY	SHILWEZDAY	CORBALLDAY	CARPATHDAY	SILDAENDAY	ZOREKDAY
1	2                   SPRING EQUINOX	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30

 

5	SOWING   MOON
GURLACHDAY	SHILWEZDAY	CORBALLDAY	CARPATHDAY	SILDAENDAY	ZOREKDAY
1	2                     FEAST OF CERDAE	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30
6	GROWING MOON
GURLACHDAY	SHILWEZDAY	CORBALLDAY	CARPATHDAY	SILDAENDAY	ZOREKDAY
1	2	3	4	5	6                     FEAST OF KORELLE
7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30

  

7	HAYMAKING MOON
GURLACHDAY	SHILWEZDAY	CORBALLDAY	CARPATHDAY	SILDAENDAY	ZOREKDAY
1	2	3   ALERON’S BIRTHDAY       YEAR 8745	4               SUMMER SOLSTICE	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30
8	SQUASH MOON
GURLACHDAY	SHILWEZDAY	CORBALLDAY	CARPATHDAY	SILDAENDAY	ZOREKDAY
1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24
25 SQUASH HARVEST FESTIVAL	26 SQUASH HARVEST FESTIVAL	27 SQUASH HARVEST FESTIVAL	28 SQUASH HARVEST FESTIVAL	29 SQUASH HARVEST FESTIVAL	30 SQUASH HARVEST FESTIVAL

 

9	HARVEST MOON
GURLACHDAY	SHILWEZDAY	CORBALLDAY	CARPATHDAY	SILDAENDAY	ZOREKDAY
1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24
25           HARVEST FESTIVAL	26           HARVEST FESTIVAL	27           HARVEST FESTIVAL	28           HARVEST FESTIVAL	29           HARVEST FESTIVAL	30           HARVEST FESTIVAL
10	STORM MOON
GURLACHDAY	SHILWEZDAY	CORBALLDAY	CARPATHDAY	SILDAENDAY	ZOREKDAY
1	2	3                     FINAL BATTLE ANNIVERSARY	4	5               AUTUMN EQUINOX	6
7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30

 

11	FALLING LEAVES MOON
GURLACHDAY	SHILWEZDAY	CORBALLDAY	CARPATHDAY	SILDAENDAY	ZOREKDAY
1	2	3                     FEAST OF ANDULLE	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30
12	ICE MOON
GURLACHDAY	SHILWEZDAY	CORBALLDAY	CARPATHDAY	SILDAENDAY	ZOREKDAY
1	2	3	4	5	6
7                     FEAST OF     FINLE	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30
YULE FESTIVAL WEEK
ONEDAY	TWODAY	THREEDAY	FOURDAY	FIVEDAY	SIXDAY
1	2	3	4	5                     FEAST OF     ISELLE	6                       ONCE EVERY FOUR YEARS

 

Appendix B

Comparative Timelines of Dwarves, Elves, Men of Sudea and Arkans

 

MAJOR EVENT	ELVISH CALENDAR	SUDEAN CALENDAR	DWARVISH CALENDAR	ARKAN CALENDAR
CREATION OF THE WORLD.	BILLIONS OF YEARS BRH (Before Recorded History)
ELVES CREATED.	~6000 BRH	~7255 BRH	~5830 BRH	~10635 BRH
MEN, WESTMEN AND DWARVES CREATED.	~5000 BRH	~6255 BRH	~4830 BRH	~9635 BRH
DWARVES BEGIN WRITTEN RECORDS.	170 BRH	1425 BRH	YEAR 0	~4805 BRH
GODS APPEAR TO ELVES	YEAR 0	1255 BRH	170	~4635 BRH
DWARVES MIGRATE TO BLUE MOUNTAINS.	971	624 BRH	1141	~3664 BRH
GODS LEAVE ELVES, APPEARING TO MEN, WESTMEN AND DWARVES.	1255	YEAR 0	1425	~3380 BRH
GODS DEPART WORLD.	1755	500	1925	~2880 BRH
DWARVES BEGIN TO COLONIZE GREEN AND WHITE MOUNTAINS.	1760	505	1930	~2875 BRH
ELVES REACH CONTINENT.	1867	612	2037	~2768 BRH
GREEN MOUNTAIN KINGDOM OF DWARVES ESTABLISHED.	1990	735	2160	~2645 BRH
WHITE MOUNTAIN KINGDOM OF DWARVES ESTABLISHED.	2032	777	2202	~2603 BRH
SUDEA DECLARES INDEPENDENCE. ELVES WITHDRAW FROM CONTINENT.	3886	2631	4056	~749 BRH
ADVERSARY RETURNS TO WORLD. ELVES RETURN TO CONTINENT.	4514	3259	4684	~121 BRH
ADVERSARY ESTABLISHES ARKUS	4635	3380	4805	YEAR 0
BEGIN THE GREAT WAR OF THE FREE PEOPLES AGAINST THE ADVERSARY.	6000	4745	6170	1365
THE ADVERSARY DEFEATED, ENDING THE GREAT WAR. ALERON I DIES.	6004	4749	6174	1369
SECOND CLEANSING OF ARKUS	6115	4860	6285	1480
KING ALAGRIC IV OF SUDEA DIES WITH NO HEIR.	9004	7749	9147	4342
WRITING OF DWARVISH HISTORY: YEAR 10,000 EDITION.	9830	8575	10000	5195
WRITING OF SUDEAN HISTORY: YEAR 6000 EDITION.	9886	8631	10056	5251
WRITING OF ELVISH HISTORY: YEAR 10,000 EDITION. BIRTH OF ALERON II.	10,000	8745	10,170	5365

 

Appendix C

Myths, Legends, and Prophecies

The Allfather Creates Aertu and the Nameless One Rebels

According to the elves recounting of their teachings from the Aelir, at the beginning of time, the Allfather, creator of all things, begat the universe from incoherent matter.  He created the multitudes of stars in the night sky.  He beheld the beauty in what he had created from nothingness, but it gave him no comfort, for it still seemed cold and empty.  The Creator fashioned beings like unto himself, in the forms of male and female, for he remembered his Sisters as well as his Brothers and wished to create a family like unto the one from whence he came.  These first children, the Aelir, numbered fourteen in all and equally matched, consisting of seven male and seven female.  This celestial family coexisted happily for uncounted ages, with only the stars as companions.  They travelled widely, marveling at their father’s creation.  The male and female of his children coupled and over the course of the ages begat untold thousands of offspring, the Aelient, like unto themselves, but of lesser stature.  This was the natural state for these beings and they did just as their Father had, before coming of age in his Mother’s universe.  These first children were not destined to stay forever in their Father’s universe, but would someday come of age and create their own to their own liking.  Their offspring, begat of their Father’s universe, however, would remain forever tied onto it.

As is the way of stars, some grew old and died.  From their death were born new stars.  It was at this age that the Allfather knew the time had arrived for the next stage of his creation. About one likely star, He congealed the formless gasses into balls of matter, glowing hot like steel from the crucible, spinning around the star.  He did the same about many other stars and left them to cool for eons untold.  One day, He returned, with his children and grandchildren in tow and said, “See all of you the many worlds I have made here unto this star.  Only one of them will be suitable for our purposes next.”  He then led them to the third small rocky world from the star and said unto his children and grandchildren, “Behold that which is to be the fruit of my Creation.”

His children did not yet understand and one said unto his Father, “Why this one Father, for there are much larger and more beautiful worlds further out than this one.  It is plain, dark and uninteresting with its steaming pools and black rocks.”

“Ah my child, you do not yet understand our purpose.  Though still rough yet, it will be as a jewel when we are finished.  Let us go down and shape this rough new world to our liking.”

The Allfather proceeded to separate the land from the sea.  He brewed monumental storms over the seas and used the rain and winds to carve the highest mountains, wearing them flat and then raising new mountains in their place.  Thus was barren rock turned to soil over the course of untold ages.  When at last it was ready, He said, “Come my children, let us bring life unto this fertile world we have before us.”

“What is life, oh Father?” they asked in unison.

“I will show you now,” He told them, as he took up water from the sea and bent his will to it.  The first life sprang forth in His cupped palms.  His children saw and were amazed, but he admonished them, “My children, do not attempt to bring forth beings like unto yourselves into this world, for that is my prerogative.  Make all forms of plant and beast, but save for me the beings who will rule over them.  My grandchildren, do not attempt to bring forth life as your parents do, for if you succeed, your creations will be flawed.  Instead, it is your destiny to inhabit this world and others that we build, so that you may watch over them as caretakers.”

With that instruction, the children of the Creator made all the life in the seas, then they made all the life on land.   What had been barren rock and steaming pools, became green hills and valleys, white capped mountains and crystal blue waters.  The world had indeed become like unto a jewel.

At the point where the world had been populated with all manner of life, one of the children had become so enamored of their handiwork that he begged of the Creator, “Father, please, may I have this world as my own?  I love it so and wish to watch over it and care for it for all the ages that are yet to be.”

The Creator knew that this could not be so and saw through his son’s plea to the covetousness that lay beneath the request.  “Do not ask this of me, as it cannot be so.  Your purpose is to create a universe of your own when you are grown.   In due time,  you will be able to create worlds and populate them,  just

as I have done.  Do not thwart your own destiny, just to possess a portion of mine.”

The errant child, much chagrined by his Father’s reprimand, grumbled loudly to his brethren and their children over the unfairness of the Creator’s decision.  His brethren rebuked him as well for his disobedience to their Father, however, he swayed many of the grandchildren with his words and they became his followers.  Secretly, he preached to his following of the unfairness of the Creator’s prohibition on them to create living things.  He taught to them the way to accomplished it and together they created all manner of despicable creatures, for it was true, as the Creator had said, that the creations of the grandchildren would be imperfect and flawed.

Soon enough, the others discovered that the beautiful world they had created was beset with foul creatures that crawled in dark places.  The beasts were beset upon by biting things, parasites and disease.  The plants died from fungus, rot and ravenous creatures.  The Creator was not pleased with what he beheld and asked of his children, “Who among you is responsible for these foul creatures?  They are a disgrace and a disfigurement upon our beautiful world.”  None spoke up to own to the wrongdoing.  The Creator looked into the hearts of his children and when he came to the one who had disobeyed him said, “Do you think you can hide the truth from me, my disobedient son?”

“It was not I who disobeyed you Father.  I have always been your faithful servant,” the son lied.

“Do you think I cannot look into your heart and see the truth?  You add lies as well to your treason.   I have seen now  what you have done,  and that you  have drawn my children’s children into your disobedience.  Get thee gone from my sight, never to return and those of your following who refuse to repent.”  The disobedient son left the presence  of his  Father  and  his brethren,  taking with him  the grandchildren who would follow.  Though many grandchildren repented, begged for forgiveness and returned to the fold, most did not and followed the disobedient son.

The other children then proclaimed, “Father, we must rid this world of all the vile things our brother has brought into being.”

“That cannot be so,” the Creator replied.  “That which has been brought into being must not be destroyed out of hand and must be allowed to follow its natural  course.   We will give  our creatures  a means  to defend  against the

creatures of your brother, who will not be named.  Now our beautiful world will be marked by strife forever more.”

Soon after, the Allfather discovered that the one who will not be named had done that which was unthinkable.  He had created creatures after his own likeness, as was to be the sole prerogative of his Father.  Like the creatures of his followers, these were fraught with imperfection and he made many attempts, failing each time.  Now, gruesome creatures of dim intelligence and evil disposition stalked the dark places of the world, wreaking havoc among the beauty of creation.

 

  Eltheri Prophesy 

Darkness shall envelope the world and the mighty shall fall to contain the nameless shadow.

Though the light shall seem victorious, it is but the start of the waning.

The tree appears dead; yet one branch lives on, hidden among the weeds and the fruit of the living branch shall be chosen above all others, when the nameless shadow shall walk the world again.

The chosen will carry my power and might, and shall be the only hope against the nameless shadow.

Should the shadow consume the fruit of the living branch, all is lost, but the chosen may turn the darkness to light.

-Elther the Elightened

Recorded at the High Temple of Cyte

Year 502 Elvish Calendar

 

 Halfblood Prophecy 

The strength of the halfbloods fails, when the line of kings dies.

The might of the halfbloods is but a distant memory.

Millennia shall pass, before another comes to reclaim past glory.

From the weeds, a hidden seed sprouts and the tree grows anew.

The glory of the halfbloods comes at great cost.

Darkness seeks to swallow light at every turn.

-Duran the Mad Hermit

Recorded by Ethelred

Scribe of the Great Temple of Iesenholdt

Year 3254 Sudean Calendar

 

Arkan Prophecy 

The One True God needs no other name; no other gods shall come before Him.

He is the beginning and the end; all the world is His dominion.

You, my offspring, his chosen people, shall rule this world and all that inhabits it, in His name.

Always, shall you follow His commandments, for should you fail Him in that, a new people shall be chosen to rule in His name and a new champion shall lead them to glory.

-Ghizmuk the Last Quarter-goblin

First Seer and Revelator to the Arkans

Recorded at the Executioner’s Block

The Second Cleansing

Year 1480 Arkan Calendar

 

Appendix D

The Beings and Races of Aertu 

IMMORTALS 

THE ALLFATHER:  Creator of the universe 

THE AELIR:  First children of the Allfather, each were destined to create a new universe upon maturity.  Numbering fourteen, seven male and seven female, they pair-bonded prior to maturity, producing offspring known as Aelient.  Men commonly venerate them as gods and goddesses.  Sent by the Allfather, the Aelir came to elves and men as teachers, assisting them in building complex societies and advancing knowledge.

Gurlach:  God of the Forge/Metalworking

Finle:  Goddess of the Loom/Weaving

Shilwez:  God of Husbandry/Livestock

Cerdae:  Goddess of Agriculture/Crops

Corball:  God of the Sword/Law

Andulle:  Goddess of the Bow/Government

Carpath:  God of Numbers/Mathematics

Faelwe:  Goddess of Scrolls/Writing

Sildaen:  God of Stone/Engineering

Lillane:  Goddess of the Hearth/Cities

Zorek:  God of the Sea/Fishing

Korelle:  Goddess of Wind/Sailing 

Nameless One:  God of Evil/Adversary to Allfather (Intended God of Philosophy/Science)

Iselle:  Goddess of Mercy/Medicine

AELIENT:  The offspring resulting from the pairings male and female Aelir, produced during periods preceding creation of worlds, to serve as caretakers of the finished worlds after the departure of the Allfather and Aelir, number in the thousands. They manifest as various nature spirits, often forming attachments to land and water features.  They taught elves and men to live in the wild, before the arrival of the Aelir.  Nearly one third of the Aelient followed the Adversary into rebellion against the Allfather and remains under his sway.

MORTALS 

ELVES:

NATIVE TO:  Elvenholm (The Western Isle)

LIFESPAN:  2000+ years

ATTRIBUTES:  Elves range from five and one half to seven feet tall and weigh 100 to 200 pounds.  They are generally human in appearance, with a slight pointed shape to the ears, clear white skin color, hair color white through black, but never red, located head and groin region only, always straight, with males beardless.  Very quick and lightweight for their size, they are omnivorous, with fair night vision.

NOTES:  Elves are not immortal, but extremely long-lived, with some individuals greatly exceeding the average life span of 3000 years.  All elves possess some degree of ability for sorcery.

MEN:

NATIVE TO:  Northeast and South Continent

LIFESPAN:  50+ years

ATTRIBUTES:  Men range in height from five to seven feet tall, weighing 100 to 250 pounds.  Heavier than elves of similar size, but not significantly stronger, men appear clumsy, in comparison.  They are regionally variable in size and appearance, with skin color ranging from white to dark brown approaching black; hair color ranges from white blond, through browns and red, to black, texture from straight to tightly curled, males usually bearded and body hair distribution is highly variable.  They are omnivorous, with poor night vision.

NOTES:  According to historical records, white skin and hair colors other than dark brown through black, did not exist in men prior to their contact and intermingling with Elves and are most common within the historical borders of the Sudean Kingdom.  Lighter shades of brown skin, with straight black hair, are natural to northeastern populations, while a similar, though darker skinned, physical type is native to Kolixtlan and the central jungle.  Populations south of the inland sea and the Blue Mountains were originally dark brown skinned, with curly hair, prior to elvish colonization.  Sudean populations assimilated many of the outward physical traits of the Elves, while the traits of longevity and sorcerous ability consistently passed on only in populations maintaining greater than 50% elvish ancestry. 

WESTMEN:

NATIVE TO:  Northwestern Continent

LIFESPAN:  50+ years

ATTRIBUTES:  Westmen range in height from five to six feet tall and weigh 150 to 250 pounds.  They are extremely heavy boned and muscular, far more powerful than men or elves, great sprinters, but poor distance runners.  Their skin color is white, with hair color ranging from blond, through browns and red, to black, texture straight to wavy, males bearded and body hair distribution varies.  Heavy brow ridges, large noses, large teeth and chinless jaws characterize their facial features.  They are omnivorous, with poor night vision.

NOTES:  Considered by elves to be a variety of men, there has been little to no intermingling of their populations with those of other men for over 10,000 years.  According to the dwarves, whose records extend that far, their immense strength is due to their method of hunting large game by ambush, prior to becoming civilized. 

DWARVES:

NATIVE TO:  Iron Hills of Northwestern Continent; migrated to Blue, Green and White Mountain ranges

LIFESPAN:  80+ years

ATTRIBUTES:  Dwarves range in height from four and one half to five feet, weighing 150 to 250 pounds.  Their skin color is white with hair color ranging from blond, through browns and red, to black, texture straight to wavy, males heavily bearded, body hair heavy.  Heavy brow ridges, large noses, large teeth and prominent chins characterize their facial features.  They are omnivorous and their night vision fair.

NOTES:  Dwarves may have originated from an intermingling of westmen and men, in prehistoric times, or as an independent branch of the family.  By appearance, they seem more closely related to westmen, who were their close neighbors, in prehistoric times.  Their short stature may be an adaptation to their inclination for underground habitation.  They shelter exclusively in caverns, often enlarging them substantially through mining.  Dwarves were the first race to develop writing and forge metals, preceding Elves in those respects and are the most skilled in metal and stonework of all races. 

TROLLS:

NATIVE TO:  All Mountain ranges of Continent

LIFESPAN:  300+ years

ATTRIBUTES:  Trolls are seven to ten foot tall bipeds with short tails, weighing 500 to 1000 pounds. Thick fur covers their bodies, with small areas of exposed skin on face and hands, reptilian in appearance and mouths filled with sharp reptilian teeth.

NOTES:  Usually solitary, sheltering in caves and overhangs, in mountainous areas, northern individuals are larger and lighter colored than southern ones.  They practice primitive tool making, to include thrusting spears, clubs, and hand axes, but no known use of fire.  Trolls are carnivorous, with excellent night vision.

HALF-TROLLS:

NATIVE TO:  North Foothills, Blue Mountains; Castia, Kolixtlan, Elven Colony and Central Jungle

LIFESPAN:  200+ years

ATTRIBUTES:  Six to eight foot tall humanoids, with vestigial tail, half-trolls weigh 250 to 400 pounds.  Their skin, dark green to black in color, appears reptilian overall, with hair only on head and groin region.  They have humanlike teeth, with prominent canines and are omnivorous, with excellent night vision.

NOTES:  Believed to derive from the crossbreeding of smaller varieties of trolls to westmen, half-trolls appear much more humanlike in behavior than trolls do.  They engage in advanced tool making, to include ironworking, use fire, build shelters, fabricate crude clothing, congregate in small bands. 

GOBLINS:

NATIVE TO:  All forested regions of Continent

LIFESPAN:  60+ years

ATTRIBUTES:  These four to five foot tall humanoids weigh 100 to 150 pounds, with greenish black, smooth hairless skin, a slightly stooped posture, with apelike gait and an apelike face, with prominent canines.  They are omnivorous, with excellent night vision.

NOTES:  Goblins are semi-arboreal, though known to shelter in caverns where available.  They employ advanced tool making, to include ironworking, use fire, fabricate crude clothing, build shelters, often occupying caves as well and congregate in large bands. 

HOBGOBLINS:

NATIVE TO:  Kolixtlan and Central Jungle

LIFESPAN:  70+ years

ATTRIBUTES:  Five to six foot tall humanoid, hobgoblins weigh 100 to 200 pounds, having light to dark brown skin with a greenish tinge, straight black hair on head and groin region, a fully upright posture and a human-like face, with prominent canines.  They are omnivorous, with excellent night vision.

NOTES:  Hobgoblins, believed to derive from the crossbreeding of goblins to men, are much more humanlike in behavior than goblins.  They are excellent climbers, though not as arboreal as goblins.  Practicing advanced tool making, to include ironworking, they fabricate advanced clothing, use fire, build shelters, often occupying caves as well and congregate in groups to the extent of small villages. 

ARKANS:

NATIVE TO:  Arkus; (The Northern Isle)

LIFESPAN:  2000+ years

ATTRIBUTES:  Arkans range from five and one half to seven feet tall, weighing 100 to 200 pounds.  Generally human in appearance, with a slight pointed shape to the ears, light tan skin color, hair color dark brown through black, but never red, located head and groin region only, always straight, with males beardless.  Very quick and lightweight for their size, they are omnivorous, with fair night vision.

NOTES:  Arkans are 88% descended from elves abducted by Adversary, during their first colonization of the continent.  Crossed with goblins for night vision and to instill affinity to dark sorcery, just as with elves, they are not immortal, but extremely long-lived, with some individuals greatly exceeding the average life span.  All possess some degree of ability for sorcery.  Arkans are not inherently evil, but culturally indoctrinated to venerate the Adversary, believing him to be the creator of the world.  They refer to the Nameless One as “The One True God” and claim that he needs no name to distinguish him from the false gods. 

DRAGONS:

NATIVE TO:  Desolate areas of Continent

LIFESPAN:  3000+ years

ATTRIBUTES:  Dragons are large reptiles, up to forty feet long from nose to tail, having slim sinuous bodies, with the exception of a deeply keeled chest for anchoring of flight muscles, bird-like legs ending in clawed grasping toes, wide leathery bat-like wings, with wingspan exceeding length of body and a long snout with numerous sharp reptilian teeth.  They possess lung-like organs that concentrate a flammable gas and an oxidizing gas, which, upon combining in the nostrils, burst into flame.  They come in several different varieties, some preferring mountains, some deserts and others, like the water wyrm, gravitating to low wet areas.  They are carnivorous, with excellent night vision.

NOTES:  One of the Adversary’s earliest attempts at intelligent life, dragons are notable in that they seem to be indifferent, rather than truly evil.  Numerous reports exist of compassion and restraint on their part.  Solitary by nature, they are slow to reproduce and have never been numerous.  Dragons are notoriously difficult to kill, but a well-placed spear, puncturing both flame organs, causes immediate death by incineration. 

OTHER MONSTERS

Other monsters exist throughout the Continent.  With highly variable lifespans, intelligence ranges from nearly non-existent to advanced.  They exist as small populations overall, lacking reproductive viability, but intelligent forms are extremely long lived, some individuals surviving from the creation period.  Intelligent specimens were, like dragons, early attempts by the Adversary, before his creation of trolls and goblins, while non-sentient forms are the creations of renegade Aelient.