Races of Grey Merrian
Humans
The humans found in this area are all descended from survivors of the Mage Wars. Prior to the wars this area was one of the more dangerous parts of the Dominion to live in. The High Mages of this area had come to the desicion that the local populous was simply a resource to use for their ongoing magical experimentation. it was this belief that was the root cause of the Mage Wars. Because of this the area is quite lightly populated with most people living in small village with little or no central government. The major power blocks are bandit gangs. The area around Grey Merrian is slighlty better off as over the last 50 yers Lord Darl has brought some stability to the region, despite this the rule of law is still weak and the further from Grey Merrian you go the more dangerous life becomes.
Life is much like that of Dark Ages europe but the feudal system is a lot less ingrained into the populations psyche. Also in many places there are populations of Kelmarin (see below) living in close proximity to human settlements, often sharing the same land. This has modified a few details of human life most noticably the status of women, the sexual equality of the Kelmarin has rubbed off with women given a greater respect than would be otherwise expected. Many villages have a communal chreche where the village young are cared for, taught and used for simple labour.
Kelmarin
The average Kelmarin stands 5 foot tall, resembling a cross between a man and a goat with a fur covered body, hooves (but human style legs and knees), a goats head and five digit hands with hard nails. Both male and female Kelmarin have pouches which contain two nipples in constant lactation as well as the sex organs. The only obvious physical difference between the sexes is the horns, males have large curled horns whilst females have short pointed horns.
Kelmarin tends to form small family groups, called Kleths, based on personal tastes, each group will contain a roughly equal mix of male and female members. Pregnancy in a Kelmarin lasts for 3 months, after which the litter of 10 to 12 whelps are born. These are shared out amongst the members of the Kleth, any that cannot be cared for are simply left to die. This disdain for their young continues as a whelp will be cast out of a pouch if it seems to not be growing fast enough or when it has grown uncomfortably large. The Kelmarin make no attempt to teach any young, or Kelkar, who survive being cast out, indeed they treat them as humans do rats. Kelmarin see nothing worng with killing a Kelkar who they find stealing food or that just gets in their way, when questioned about this by humans they simply say that the Kelkar "smell wrong". Most humans who have spent any time around Kelmarin accept this behaviour.
At some point in a Kelkars life, normally after 5 years, they undergo a period of rapid growth, during this period they find themselves drawn to the local herd. At this point the Kelmairn take them in as a knew herd member and begin their education.
Because of their reproductive methods the Kelmarin have no concept of lineage and treat all young Kelmarin, not Kelkar, as something to treasure. The Kleth is the unit of power within any Kelmarin herd, each will decide amongst itself it's view on any discussion them each Kleth will act as one to get this done. The concept of collecting power or wealth to pass on to ones descendants is foreign to them.
Lost Races
Whilst many records from the Dominion have been lost the College of Grey Merrian has found information that their have been at least four other races living on the world at some point in history.
Ellandil
The oldest race know to have existed is the Ellandil. Little is known of this race, a few monuments of theirs can be found which suggests they where of a similar size to men but no art or such like is known of.
Research into Dominion records suggest the Ellandil race destroyed itself thousands of years before the formation of the Dominion but the exact cause of this destruction is unknown.
Depdwel
This race of beings was at it's peak in the time after the fall of the Ellandil but before the journey of Man from the Far Isles.
They are known to have stood maybe as tall as a Kelmarin and live in below ground structures, but spending much of their lives above ground.
Depdwel artifacts can still be found occasionally but most of their known dwellings have long been picked clean.
Trekeen
The Trekeen flourished in the time after the fall of the Ellandil along with the Depdwel. Again little is known of this aboreal people who appeared to keep no records.
What little is known of them is from the records of the Depdwel. The two races seems to generally get by with out major issues, though the Trekeen were apparently formidable warriors when roused.
Both the Trekeen and Depdwel were destoryed some time before the coming of Man. The exact cause of the destruction is unknown to the College, but neither race seemed to be in any sort of decline.
Kkkt
The Kkkt were apparently a major part of the Dominion prior to the Mage Wars. They are described as giant ants with four legs, two arms and small mobile faces. Their culture seemes to be based around a hive with most members of the hive being simple automatons slaved to the will of the hive queen.
At some pont prior to the Mage Wars some afflication overcame the Kkkt queens causing them to revert to a beast like nature. There are no known Kkkt in the lands known to the College and what bacame of them during the Mage Wars is unkown.