Although elves taught humans about magic, about 700 years ago, there is very little contact between average men and elves. Every mage knows the elves, however, and for high-level mages, there is no substitute for training and researching with the elves. They have the best libraries, the best loremasters, the best teachers. Finding them can be difficult, however...
Dwarves, on the other hand, often have contact with humans. Trade in the Granos Mountains and the Telos Mountains would not occur without dwarves. Thus, average humans know a lot more about dwarves than elves.
Most humans in general are rather skeptical about demi-humans. In some places, such as Ket, they are treated like Humanoids (in Ket they are generally more evil, too), while in others they are viewed with suspicion or awe. Many towns in Beogar, Ket, and Athmyr have never seen an elf or dwarf, and when they pass through they tend to draw a crowd.
High Elves live in the Grandwood, the Adri Forest, and some plains areas bordering the Adri and the Telos Mountains. They are united under the rule of the Overking, who currently stays on his throne in the Grandwood. The Adri and surrounding area are ruled by the Underking, who is in constant communication with the Overking. Generally, the High Elves stick to themselves, but they do trade with men and have treaties with them. In the Grandwood, the elves allow Ket to forest the first 10 miles into the forest, but not the old-growth timber. Boats are allowed to pass through the forest along the Athas River, but not allowed to go farther than the bank. Often, an elven patrol follows each boat to make sure that they stay on course.
In the Adri, the elves allow the humans to forest within a day's journey of the edge (four miles or so), but have reforestation program. For each tree felled by the humans, two are planted in the same area, to expand the forest over time. So far, the humans have not noticed that the forest has grown several miles in the last 600 years. Travel within the forest is denied, however, and it is assumed that something is going on within its depths.
In the Telos foothills, High Elves have built cities on the hills, with stone buildings and wide streets. These cities are only rarely visited by average humans, but they are the centers for learning Magic. Huge libraries here hold the knowledge of nearly twenty generations of elven mages. All mages come here at some time to study, and usually are teleported in. The cities are well-hidden from others, and are never seen by the humans living a mere day's ride away.
Wood Elves are not nearly so nice to men and humankind. In the Ta-Bel'Ran and the La'nar'ran, the Wood Elves keep the forests virtual jungles of tangled underbrush and trees. No paths cross through the forest, no roads allow carts to move through the heavy growth. These elves do not recognize the Overking or the Underking, and have their own societies. In fact, the two woods hold slightly different groups. Note that Wood Elves will only speak Elvish, never Common or other Human tongues.
In the Ta-Bel'Ran, the elves allow the humans to forest the edges of the wood. However, anyone wandering further inside is shot full of arrows and delivered to his home as a message to other humans. These elves, having been a target of Autarchs, Ketites and Undead armies, have decided that they will just wait out the humans, since they will obviously destroy themselves before too long. They've waited nearly five generations now, and hope it won't be too much longer.
In the La'nar'ran, the elves have been attacked much less often and are a little more helpful to humans. Several tribes of nomads live near here, in the edges of the forest, and they are active partners with the elves in conservation and trade. The elves still value their space highly, though, and will stop any human from entering "protected" areas. On the other side of the forest, the elves have seen the guerrilla fighting that goes on around the Emba Veda, and have taken a harder hand in things. Evil beings in the area suddenly disappear, while good creatures can even wander into the forest and wander out unharmed -- often missing a day or two's memories, though. Humans in this area don't believe there are elves in the wood, but that it is a "dark and menacing" place.
Hill Dwarves live in Beogar, in the hills around the Oidillaf and in Ket/Wayland, in the hills around the Telos Mountains. The two groups have very little contact with each other, but messages are sometimes passed between them.
Hill Dwarves in Beogar tend to be very open. They live in towns that see quite a bit of human traffic, or even in human towns. Mostly they follow the laws of Beogar, but don't usually worship Tyr. This has caused some concern in Alhwick, but not enough to cause problems yet. Dwarves help the humans in mining, construction, and other crafts at which the dwarves excel. There are some secrets kept from the humans, but none of importance.
In the Telos area, the Hill Dwarves are much more numerous and generally live in their own cities. They are ruled by a king, and have a long history in the area. They are on good terms with the High Elves (as good as can be expected between Dwarves and Elves), and often trade with them. These Hill Dwarves see humans as an incursion and have already told some groups to "get lost" when they tried to farm some nearby lands. The largest city is at the head of the Emba Veda, using Water Power to run some of the largest mines and forges.
In the deep mountains, dwarves live differently. Mountain Dwarves live on the edge of the Underdark, generally in underground complexes connected to the surface and other conclaves via long tunnels. These dwarves don't worry much about the humans or elves, because they have their hands full with the Underdark. So, they are much more of a mystery to humans.
Mountain Dwarves live in the hearts of the Granos Mountains, the Cruth Mountains, and the Telos Mountains. Each group is separate, with various clans living almost completely separately from the others. These dwarves trade with other dwarves or humans for necessary food and "living goods", but not much else. They tend to be isolationist from the surface world.
One such clan is the KurrinKarm Clan, who live in the Granos Mountains not far from Huætburg. They send trade emissaries to the town every other month, with goods to trade and a list of goods to bring back. No human from the town has yet to visit their caverns, and they would like to keep it that way.
This is the stronghold of the KurrinKarm Clan. It was founded in year 3290 after the fall of the sky (Ket year 1169) and has been trying to repossess the Granos Mountains from the evil that lurks there for two generations. It is a Secondary Stronghold, but is self-sufficient. The over 400 dwarves living here cover the gamut of skills and clans. Duke Gonbard (F8) has ruled wisely since the death of his father, Duke Brokmin, 200 years ago. Every occupant is in the militia, and there is almost constant fighting for ground in the Granos Mountains' Underdark. Due to the warfare, these dwarves are understandably cautious about visitors, especially non-good ones.
The militia is commanded by General Atholgrom (F7) and his lieutenants. In addition to the normal dwarves, there are some forty "special forces" classified troops in the stronghold.
Interestingly enough, only Hairfoot Halflings are found in the Kitaran Sea area. They all live in a shire on the border between Athmyr and Wayland. Originally Athmyr claimed the land and the halflings paid taxes to the King. Now, the shire has seceded to Wayland, and sends a representative to the council in Nethathon. Basically, though, they live their own lives the way they always have.
The fields in the area are bountiful and produce more than enough to feed the entire shire. They elect a Sheriff when they want to, and get rid of one when he wants to retire. There isn't any overriding foreign policy or such things, since halflings have little use for government. Each person takes care of himself and things all work out. It's a very peaceful place for the few thousand halflings living there, and they really don't want to move or take over more space -- just to be left alone. Generally, that is what happens.
One note: the military in Wayland features a company of Halfling scouts, mostly slingers, thieves, and rangers. Since Military service is not mandatory in the Halfling Shire, this company tends to grow or shrink depending on conditions in the Halfling home area.
Copyright © 2000, Michael Friedman.