Ralg’kril (“Dust Fairies”)

Race type: Demi-Humans

Lifespan: 350-400 years.

Everage height: 1.85m (males), 1.8m (females).

Rare Race: this race is rare and seldom seen in Kiern Vale, and therefore is not appropriate for players who are new in Melestra.

Ralg’kril are tall demi-humans which other races find rather unsettling in their appearance. Their body is athletic, strongly built and resembles a more muscular version of their hated enemies, the Mistweavers. Their skin hues are various shades of grey, ranging from very light white-grey to dark grey. The nails of their fingers and toes tend to be slightly longer than those of humans, with a grayish hue tending a bit towards reddish.

The facial figures of the Ralg’kril are similar to Mistweavers, including the glittering eyes with blurred pupils, and the elongated eyebrows slanted upwards. However, unlike the Mistweavers, Ralg’kril ears are slightly pointier than human ears (though not longer), and their eye color is red, ranging from bright red to dark blood-red. The hair is abundant and often long, its color varying from bright red to dark crimson. Crimson-gold or reddish-brown colors are rare, and may indicate traces of human blood (or worse, Mistweaver blood) somewhere in the family tree.

Origin and History

Much like their sworn enemies, the Mistweavers, the Ralg’kril claim to be the descendants and heirs of the legendary Khar’ril. While the Ralg’kril argue that the Mistweavers are nothing more than the offsprings of some Kahr’ril breeding experiments, utilizing primitive human ancestors - The Mistweavers claim that the Ralg’kril (whom they call in the derogatory name “Dust Fairies”) are nothing more than a corrupted race, spawned by the Kahr’ril to serve in their ancient forges.

The Majority of the Ralg’kril chose to live under the fiery mountains in the western edge of the known world. There, at the heart of the mightiest volcano, they had built the legendary city of Khargratt (a name which means: “Eternal fire legend”). Very few non-Ralg’kril had ever laid their eyes on this place, with its mythical forges and bubbling magma pools, and lived to tell the tale.

For countless generations, the Ralg’kril and Mistweavers waged war upon each other, both directly and through human vassals. Those wars were never crowned with decisive victory for either side, though usually the Mistweavers were able to repel the Ralg’kril back into their mountains: Although the Ralg’kril possessed both better magical weapons and greater ruthlessness, they lacked discipline, and the constant internal division and quarrels between their different princes undermined their efforts. On the other hand, the Mistweavers barley even tried to assault the nightmarish magma ramparts of Khargratt.

When the En’mirian empire, which easily subdued the Mistweavers, tried to do the same to the Ralg’kril, their legions suffered heavy losses and were forced to retreat – for the first time in the empire’s history. The En’miri did manage to defeat some Ralg’kril princes and drive them into the darkness beneath the mountains. However, two attempt to advance into Khargratt ended in utter failure – and since then, the En’mirian legions did not dare try their luck again.

Over the years, limited trade took place some bolder En’mirian merchants and certain Ralg’kril princes and crafters, as many En’mirian nobles and commanders were willing to pay a fortune for swords or armor forged by Ralg’kril artisans. Here and there, a few Ralg’kril mercenaries dared to venture into the empire (except the lands of the Mistweavers), and sell their services to En’mirian priestesses or nobles, or tracked deposits of magical metals throughout the empire.

The extend of damage caused to the Ralg’kril homeland by the Great Shattering is unclear. However, given that the Western Continent of Narlirdrea suffered less than the Central Continent of Melestra, it seems likely that the legendary Khargratt still exists. Nevertheless, rumors say that something affected the Ralg’kril since the Grand Shattering, making their internal wars much bloodier and crueler, in a way not seen for many centuries.

Strangely, despite the Ralg’kril being the ancestral foes of the Mistweavers, they played almost no role in the utter destruction of the hated kingdom of blessed light – a deed which was almost entirely done by humans, many of them former vassals of the Mistweavers themselves. On the other hand, nowadays it seems that more “Dust fairies” than ever before are leaving their ancient homelands, either individually or in small groups, and seeking their luck in foreign lands, sometimes forced to swallow their dark pride when dealing with populations that are repelled at the mere sight of the Ralg’kril who are widely believed to be at least partially demonic.

Culture and Values

Ralg’kril society is strict and merciless, viewed by some as a kind of “Dark mirror” of Mistweaver society, though less complex and much swifter to decide and take action. Ralg’kril legend claims that in the distant past, they had a high king who ruled the princely houses and the craftsmen with iron fist, but his throne in Khargratt was emptied thousands of years ago, maybe after some great war against the Mistweavers. Since then, Khargratt is ruled by a council of ministers, high priests of Rahl, the Ralg’kril incarnation of war, and master artisans. Outer cities and provinces are ruled by war princes or noble-houses, frequently waging wars against each other, moved by ancient animosities which can last centuries and even millennia.

The concept of “House” or lineage plays a supreme role in Ralg’kril society, surpassing even the En’miri and Mistweavers. Bringing honor to one’s house is the leading value of their culture, and exile and expulsion, especially if followed by erasing one’s name from his family lineage, can sometime be considered a punishment worse than death. Frequently, such punishment is followed by a strict prohibition on suicide – so that the punished individual will continue to live and exile and suffer disgrace, ensuring that other Ralg’kril will “watch and fear”. Such punishment can involve a risk for the punisher as well, as the disgraced one, filled with hatred and bitterness, might attempt to take revenge one day – but this is considered a part of “accepted rules of the game”: a house leader or a house that cannot defend itself from vengeance is not entitled to be called an honorable house.

Ralg’kril appreciate beauty, although their art and architecture are much simpler and darker than those of the Mistweavers. To the Ralg’kril, beauty and efficiency go hand in hand. They value strength, ruthlessness and prowess, though many Ralg’kril see themselves bound to a strict, though sometimes cruel code of honor. Their tradition vividly memorializes and sings about ancient wars, not only against the Mistweavers, but also against nameless things that lurk deep between the fiery roots of the mountains. Often, they expect nothing but merciless brutality from their enemies (even exceeding their own ruthlessness) if they lose or yield in battle. They value riches and shining gemstones – but mainly as a tool to achieve power within their house and bring honor to their house within their internecine struggles.

Most Ralg’kril follow an ancient religion which worship an entity called “The Burning Shadow”, one of the Kahr’ril deities according to tradition. Some Ralg’kril describe her as a formidable female shadow surrounded by immense flames; other see her as the embodiment of “War” or “War and honor”. She can manifest as either a female Ralg’kril or, occasionally, a female human, always with glinting red hair in the color of living flame, and wielding fiery weapons whose mere touch can melt hardened steel.

The lady of burning shadow or simply “War” (“Rahl” in Ralg’kril tongue) is deity of fire storms and destruction, but also associated with creativity and primordial magic which bubbles from the great fires under the world. Her blessing allows her priesthood and champions to summon or subdue ancient creatures from the realm of fire, and use them to power the mighty forges under the mountain; and her priests are believed to be able, at the height of battle, to take a form of darkness and fire, then call and wield formidable weapons made of living flame.

Relations with other races

The Ralg’kril harbor deep hatred for the Mistweavers, whom they view as soft, worthless slaves with arrogant pretensions of mastery who dare to deny the Ralg’kril birthright as the heirs of the Kahr’ril. Most of the Ralg’kril rejoiced when the Mistweavers kingdom fell, mocking the fact that the Queen of Light ignored the tearful prayers of her “children”. On the other hand, many Ralg’kril, especially those who venture outwards and deal with the outside world, believe that the ancient war was already won and that the remaining Mistweavers no longer pose a threat – there is no need to harm them any further.

Most Ralg’kril tend to feel a traditional, somewhat amused disdain for other races: The Ogres are nothing but overgrown monkeys, toying with magic they usually can’t understand, and lacking the true powers of living flame; The En’miri are no more than small, arrogant children whose creations cannot compare to the ancient splendor forged beneath the fiery mountains. However, their enchanted gems are of some interest: after the failed En’mirian raid on Khargratt, the Ralg’kril had dragged captured gem-bearing priestess and En’mirian smiths to exploit their power and knowledge – though most of the prisoners did not survive in the fiery darkness.

Language

The language spoken by the “Dust Fairies” is called Ralgrit, and very few non-Ralg’kril knows how to speak, let alone read the ancient marvels written in it.

Ralg'kril Names

Many Ralg’kril names are derived from terms of significance in their culture, in a manner that seems somewhat similar to the sacred words which are frequently employed in Mistweaver names:

Short term used As a Basis of a Name	Meaning	Full Term
Grat	Fire	Gratre
Rung	Basalt/Dark and Strong Stone	Rungorn
Gral	Metal anvil	Gralde
Rad	Tempered Steel or Blade	Radrill
Krat	Fortified Gate (often reinforced by volcanic stone)	Kratkor
Lirg	Burning or Searing Ash	Lirgre
Sorm	Boiling steam or Water	Sormren

A Ralg’kril name will often be built from one of those word, with the addition of a prefix or suffix

Meaning	Prefix/suffix	Male form	Female form
Belongs to (Grator=belongs to the fire)	Suffix	Or	Orl
Master of (Ingrat=mistress of fire)	Prefix	An	In
Ancient/Honorary (Relgrat=Ancient Fire)	Both	Al	El
Song or ballad (Norgrat=A song of fire)	Prefix	Nor	Nor

Sometimes, when a name is starting with a prefix, female names get an additional suffix in the form of “E”: For example, “Ingrat” can also become “Ungrate” (with a pronounced ending vowel).

This phenomenon is most common in names starting with prefixes which are identical to males and females, like “Nor”.

Common male names: Grator, Angrat, Algrat, Norgrat, Rungor, Anrung, Alrung, Norrung, Gralor, Angral, Elgral, Norgral, Rador, Anrad, Alrad, Norrad, Krator, Ankrat, Kratal, Norkrat, Lirgor, Anlirg, Lirgal, Norlirg, Sormor, Ansorm, Sormal, Norsorm,

Common female names: Gratorl, Ingrat, Elgrat, Gratel, Norgrate, Rungorl, Inrung, Elrung, Rungel, Norrunge, Gralorl, Ingral, Elgral, Norgrale, Radorl, Inrad, Elrad, Radel, Norrade, Kratrol, Inkrat, Elkrat, Kratel, Norkrate, Lirgorl, Inlirg, Lirgel, Norlirge, Sormorl, Insorm, Sormel, Norsorme.

Surnames

Surnames can use the same syllables used to form private names, and will mostly make use of the full word and not its shortcut which is used for the private name. Sometimes, it will follow by suffixes with significance of their own. For example: Rynlirgre = the battle in the ashen field.

A special “house prefix” will be added before the surname, hinting the significant of the house:

Kahr = celestial (used for a house of princes)

Narat = A house of craftsmen or artisans,

Korg = A lineage of warriors or another important family (used as some kind of default to honorable address to a family)

Therefore, the full name of Prince Anrung can be Anrung Kahr-Rynlirgre, or in a shorter but still respectful address: “Kahr Anrung”.

The full name of the well-known sword crafter Radel can be Radel Narat Nrgralde (meaning: “A song of metal ringing on the anvil”), or in short: “Narat Radel”

On the other hand, the adventurer Norrung from the mostly commoner family of Sormarg, will be called: Norrung Korg Sormarg, or Korg Norrung.

Some might just call him Norrung Surmarg, which is considered an insult (unless used by a Ralg’kril from a much higer status): every Ralg’kril house, as simple as it can be, has its own pride.

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Created and edited by Gideon Orbach (2017) © All rights reserved. Commercial use and/or any profit-making purpose is strictly prohibited without explicit permission from the creator, in writing and in advance. Noncommercial/personal use with no profit aim is allowed (and even recommended!)