Dejy
The Dejy are the most diverse of all the Human races. Ample evidence shows that they have inhabited or roamed the farthest corners of Tellene and all areas in between. Today, they are most populous in the Young Kingdoms, the Wild Lands, and the various wastelands (deserts, jungles, tundra, remote islands and the like). They range in size from the short and thick-boned people of Dynaj to the lean and Ranger desert riders of the Elos. Skin colors run from amber-gold to burning red to the light brown color of worn leather. While facial features vary from tribe to trive, hair color is always dark, facial and body hair sparse, and the Dejy typically have flatter faces than the angular Brandobians or hawk-nosed Kalamarans.
The tribes of the Elos Desert are excellent riders of both horse and camel. They herd asses, hunt wild antelope and desert hares, and grow hardy crops of tubers wherever possible life in the desert is harsh, and these folk are as adaptable and enduring as the desert itself. Tribal names include the Murs, the Shanjens, the Hasheri, and the Yataks.
The people of the Khydoban and its environs are about the same general size and build as their Reanaarian neighbors. Several tribes make up their primarily nomadic population. Dynaj and Thygasha being the major exceptions. These tribs live throughout the Khydoban wastes. Ruins miles into the Khydoban Desert bear testament to the magnitude of the empire they once ruled. These folk average less than five and a half feet tall, their bodies big-boned but not ungainly, and their skin is a deep reddish-brown. The men consider a beard to be a sign of age and therefore wisdom.
The Dejy of central Tellene, who cover the Young Kingdoms and Pekal and O’Par, vary greatly from tribe to tribe. They include the Defohy and Fitonshir of Paru’Bor and [[Ek’Gakel], the Chors from the Banader River valley, the Ridijo from north of the Jendasha and the Shan-Gyr of the Adiv Hills. These tribes adhere most closely to their ancient tribal beliefs; these beliefs often include a disdain or enmity for those that infringe upon their lands, hunting grounds, or areas that they hold sacred. Other tribes of the north and wild lands include Chinotan, Anyth, Byth, Thondehe, Evony, Tharay and Narhino.
The folk of the island colonies of Eldor and Mendarn, and many of the continental Dejy who live among their ruling nations, have soft brown skin and speak a slow musical language. The largest of these islands, Malavla, gives its name to all of these tribes. Malavlans build great artifacts, usually huge totems of wood or stone, and the islanders wear exotic clothing of grasses, feathers, and shells. Masks are an important part of their life, and every special occasion calls for its own mask.
Few Dejy live on the island of Svimohzia, having long ago been driven deep into the Vohven or to the mainland by the more warlike races, especially the Kargi. Pockets still exist in the Vohven Jungle, where they keep to themselves. The Ahznoms believe the easternmost tribes, known as the Simay, to be barbaric, if not cannibalistic.
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Masculine names
Family names
Other names
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
The Dejy have a long history of spoken language, and each tribe has its own tongue. Scholars might identify patterns or families of these languages, but the Dejy see little point in it. None of the tribes has any written language. The Dejy generally speak their own language among themselves and only those that must deal with outsiders learn to speak another language. With respect to the nomads and tribesmen, when they learn to speak another language, they still see no point in learning to read it. In the various nations and cities descended from Dejy, they have adopted a nearby human or humanoid language for recording history or transactions. For example, the City State of Thygasha uses alternately Reanaarian, Fhokki, Gnome and Merchant’s Tongue!
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