QUARMALLIANS

Along the southwestern coast of the Lankhmar continent sit the towers and walls of Quarmall. Within these impressive, though crumbling, fortifications can be found the topmost layer of an ever-expanding underground empire ruled over by a race of long-lived, pale skinned men whose gaunt images can haunt even the most stalwart heart. At one time these men ruled a great empire above the ground, their influence could be felt in the lands of the east, their spies sailed the Sea of Monsters, but just as time slips away from man's grasp, so did the empire once claimed by Quarmall. Quarmallians are a proud race that lives with a veneer of high culture and civility, though wholly supported by raids and generations of slave labor. This is the paradox that defines their existence, and their core being.

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

Female Names: Friska, Ivivis, Kewissa, Terelis, Veclirrah

Masculine names

Male Names: Brilla, Flindach, Gwaay, Igwarl, Hasjarl, Klevis, Quarmal

Family names

Names: The names used in Quarmall society sounds melodic and thought provoking, if you actually had a great appreciation for and deep understanding of their language. To the rest of the world at large they sound abrupt and throaty in pronunciation. Names are typically two to three syllables long. This way they are not overly brief nor too presumptuous, which is the way they feel all civilized and proper names should be. Surnames are rare in this under kingdom and are typically the name of the father, or vary rarely, the founder of the family line. A typical reciting would be "Igwarl, son of Quarmal, son of Jehknor, descended from and heir to the right and proper lineage of the emperors of Quarmall."

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

Language: The Empire of Quarmall may have one of the oldest languages still spoken. It is highly evolved with many grammatical rules and exceptions. It is said that a scholar could well go insane before fully mastering it. It is a fortunate thing that many, if not all the inhabitants of the shadowed realm have also mastered Lankhmarese. When in front of strangers it is unusual for the natives of Quarmall to speak solely in their own language for they have a distinct distaste for appearing to have ulterior motives, whether or not they really do.

Shared customary codes and values

Personality: Those born into any class of Quarmall save the lowliest of slaves are stubbornly aloof. Even common eunuchs and serving girls can bare a distinct pride in their lands along with the sense of natural authority they feel when looking at the other races of man. All who survive to adulthood in the labyrinth that forms this kingdom develop a certain amount of callousness, having been witness to far more cruelty than an outworlder would have thought possible in a lifetime. This leaves those walking the shadowed corridors of Quarmall with a distinct look in their eyes, either a cold aloofness or a near perpetual state of shock mixed with mild fear. The humors and melancholies of these folk are far deeper and darker than the outer world's and seldom forgotten quickly by those foreigners who see them.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

Physical Description: The men and women of Quarmall come in all heights from those so short they should be dwarves to men whose height would tower over most of the other races of the world. However they are almost uniformly thin and sickly looking. There are exceptions to this rule of course, the eunuchs who serve the discreet needs and harems of their lords are far more portly than most, and a few nobles eat to gross excess, but by and large these are a light, slender people. Their skin is pale, almost chalky in appearance, having been deprived of the special nourishment that only the sun can provide. Most would consider the Quarmallians gaunt, however hollow might be equally appropriate; their skin seeming to more float around the bones within their bodies than simply to hang on their frames. Hair color ranges from pale white to deepest black with all manner of colors in between; including such shades as green and purple, having been influenced by the alien world they choose to live in. Skin is always pale and easily burnt if overly exposed to the sunlight of the outer world.

Relationship Ideals

Relations: To the typical Quarmallian, most other races make up a common pool from which to gather slaves. Those few who have chosen or been forced to live among the other races will accept the others as freemen, but seldom if ever as true equals. There are a few exceptions to this rule, but only a few. First are the easterners, people from those exotic distant lands are generally accepted, if only because of some ancient dealings with them whose memories are now lost to time. The other would be ghouls, while the Quarmallians have no love for the semi-transparent race, they have no desire to try and make the cannibals their slaves.

Quarmallian Racial Traits +2 Intelligence, -2 Constitution. This is a highly learned and structured culture, the rulers of Quarmall have literally bred a smarter race by watching and trying to structure the procreation of their people. On the other hand, this dark buried kingdom has few influences from the outside world and a genuine lack of proper nutrition. Because of this the people tend to be sicklier than those from beyond its borders. Low-light Vision. The dim tunnels that serve as their home have made their eyes adapt, as a result quarmallians can see twice as far as other races when looking by torchlight, moonlight, or other means in dark and near dark conditions. Extended Lifespan. Most if not all pure-blood quarmallians live far longer than the normal human. They are not considered middle-aged until 50, old age doesn't officially set in until they are 80, and a venerable quarmallian (like the emperor Quarmal) is easily 140. Bad Reputation. Because of the raiding and slave taking culture that helps Quarmall survive, Other races react negatively towards them, giving them a -2 reaction penalty to diplomacy checks, but a +2 to intimidate checks. Bonus Feat: Skill Focus (any one knowledge skill). All natives of Quarmall have at least secret access to a variety of tomes and scrolls. Knowledge skill is a class skill for all Quarmallians regardless of class. Because of the highly civilized nature of their culture there are no barbarians found among their people. In addition, white wizards are not known to live among them so this class also isn’t generally available to these characters. Favored Class: Black Wizard. These are a mystical people, and as such, much of their time is spent in study of the arcane arts.