Yakfolk

Yakfolk, known among themselves as Yikaria ("the Lucky Chosen" in their language), are ogre-sized humanoids. Their heads resemble disgruntled yaks, complete with curved horns and dour expressions. Their hulking bodies are coated with thick fur and hair, and many outsiders can't tell the males and females apart.

Yakfolk Society

Other civilized races treat yakfolk as "bogeymen"-a scary race of evil, ruthless, and powerful savages. They dwell in secluded settlements sheltered from the worst of nature's abuse, including mountain valleys, soaring plateaus, and desert oases. In these seemingly idyllic hideaways, the yakfolk rule over humanoid slaves with iron fists. For all their learning and culture, yakfolk are enormously evil overlords. They care for their hapless subjects only to the extent that a live slave is more useful than a dead one, and keeping one alive is easier than laboring oneself. It's not that yakfolk are lazy-quite the contrary. They simply consider most menial tasks beneath them.
Outsiders that stumble into an enclave of yakfolk are usually surprised and pleased to find what appears to be a utopia, and the yakfolk foster that image until the strangers can be disarmed and enslaved.
Yakfolk have a drive for learning, particularly when it comes to the secrets of elemental magic and dark knowledge that might serve to corrupt or dominate others. Knowledge that the yakfolk can't gain or use is to be destroyed. Unsentimental by nature, yakfolk parents pack children off to communal creches once they are weaned, never to recognize them again. Yakfolk feel no loyalty to their families-only to their god and race.

Servants of the Forgotten God

Yakfolk function as a malignant theocracy in service to the Forgotten God. The worship of this savage, nameless deity directs their lives. The god takes the form of a male Yikaria, but the deity's face is worn smooth into a featureless mask. The deity is appeased by sacrifice, which the followers carry out by offering slaves in the Manner Elemental-that is, by fire (immolation), earth (live burial), water (drowning), or air (throwing the victim off a great height). Sacrifices are meant to ensure the benevolence of the deity and to punish disobedient slaves.
The Forgotten God enabled the yakfolk to enslave dao for a time. It is said that the Forgotten God journeyed to the Elemental Plane of Earth and, through guile and deception, defeated the Grand Khan of the dao. The price of that defeat was harsh: the dao were forced to serve the Forgotten God and its minions-and forbidden to attack them-"for a thousand years and a year." The sentence has since expired, and yakfolk can no longer summon dao as they once did, but fear of the Forgotten God has kept the dao from seeking vengeance.

Skin Crawlers

A yakfolk's most frightening weapon is its ability to magically crawl under another creature's skin, control its body, and suppress its mind. The yakfolk use this ability to spy on enemies, rob them, murder their leaders, and kidnap their young.

Basic Information

Ecology and Habitats

Yak-folk preferred to dwell in the highest regions of the World Pillar Mountains where they could rule their empire. Their cities were usually populated by five to six thousand yak-folk and many more slaves. Slaves were used as currency among the yak-folk. The buildings in a yikarian city were made from stones imported by the dao from the Elemental Plane of Earth. These stones were gray with a greasy surface. They were incredibly strong, making the siege of a yikarian city a daunting task for any would-be attacker.
Many small outposts were scattered in the valleys surrounding the larger yikarian cities. Though few yak-folk occupied these outposts, usually at least ten dao were present, making them formidable locations. Tribute was demanded by these outposts and any who refused were utterly destroyed. In this case, the land was handed over to slaves who had the proper attitude toward their yikarian masters.