The majority of Falthringor’s residents are human, typically referred to as “lowlanders.” This demonym now carries an ironic undertone, given the elevation of Falthringor. Any humans from the wide swath of land bounded by the Duscarn Mountains to the west, the Silliar Ghats to the north, and the Yartharen Sea to the south and east are considered lowlanders. They typically have dark skin and coarse hair, features shared by the majority of humans in the sweltering lowlands.

The fertile lands beneath the mountains are ruled by anywhere between eight and eleven great houses, depending on whom you ask. These great houses are the defining political powers of the region. Each house acts as the governing body, the military, and the organizing force that manages agricultural laborers across the plains. In many houses, laborers are serfs, barely freer than slaves. House Wenjansk prefers the term “vassals.” The common people may own land and have some say in governance, and the elders of House Wenjansk, in turn, provide protection and law. There is still a wide gulf between the lords of the great house and the peasants, but vassals in and around Falthringor are treated far better than elsewhere in the lowlands.

The lowlanders pledged to House Wenjansk are sworn to uphold certain ideals: veneration of the bestial spirits, duty to one’s land or guild, a commitment to fight when necessary, and—more recently—gender parity. Collectively, these ideals are enumerated in the Wenjansk Code, a massive tome of laws, tenets, and history that is jointly compiled by the Lord Ratchets. These virtues have always been core to House Wenjansk’s identity among the great houses, but now they are also crucial to the livelihood of Falthringor and immediate surroundings. Even with the stronghold’s walls and life-giving torrent opus, day-to-day survival is never assured in the Duscarn Range. Avalanches, infectious diseases, and giant attacks are constant threats, so the unifying body of beliefs that bind the residents of Falthringor has never been more critical.

Lowlander Names