Introduction to Glorantha

Non-Human Races

The Elder Races

The Lesser Races

Aldryami

Elves and several related species commonly associate in a single forest community. Since all claim descent from (and actively engage in worship of ) the goddess Aldrya, the members of these mixed forest communities are collectively named after her -- Aldryami. Each species seems to derive from types of plant; in general, the size of any Aldryami depends on the size of its plant counterpart. Thus most of the Red Elves are frequently mislabeled as runners.

The Aldryami, especially the elves, are old antagonists both of dwarfs and of trolls.

Elves: slight of frame, quick, and intelligent, the elves of Glorantha are a species coupled to trees. They become quite shy when taken from their protective forests. Among their trees, elves are supreme, living in complete harmony with their environment.

The elves view themselves as caretakers of the forest, and their every activity is directed towards that end, ever ready to clear up an outbreak of giant aphids or incursions of human loggers or landclearing farmers.

Elves come in various races, identified as colors by humans, dependent upon the type of forest in which they are found. The Green elves are native to coniferous trees, the Brown to deciduous temperate forests, the Yellow to tropical jungle, and the Red to ferns and other primitive plants.

Dryads: these tree spirits are very much like the dryads of classical Greek mythology. Each of these wood nymphs is tied to a special tree, copse, or grove -- as her tree fares, so fares the dryad.

Runners: these are small elves, related to small plants the way elves are related to trees. The classification is important only insofar as runners usually lack intelligence and courage as well as size, while most red elves lack only size.

For more information on the Aldryami, see:

Dwarfs are mortal foes of elves and trolls, because of old crimes dating back to the Godtime. Unlike elves and trolls, dwarfs are of only one species.

The iron discipline and unyielding attitude of dwarf culture is inhuman in its rigidity. Most humans cannot understand their machine-like state of mind. Apparently many dwarfs cannot either, for there is a significant rate of desertion from the ranks. These adherents of such philosophies as Individualism, Vegetarianism, and Octamonism are considered heretics by conventional dwarfs, and in some places, they form whole societies.

Dwarfs are organized into nine separate castes or job-types, each named after a different mineral. These occupations mimic the different races of Mostali which were known in the Godtime. Of the Ancient Mostali, most are now gone, and Iron Mostali are the most numerous of the survivors. A few Lead Mostali are known to survive in the land of Slon, and one famous Quicksilver Mostali can be found in Dragon Pass.

Rock Dwarfs: the Rock dwarfs mine, quarry, dress, and build with stone. They are the architects and sculptors of dwarf society.

Lead Dwarfs: the Lead dwarfs invented plumbing, and later developed glassblowing and making as well.

Quicksilver Dwarfs: the Quicksilver dwarfs know the art of transmutation and the science of alchemy.

Copper Dwarfs: the Copper dwarfs make implements, useful utensils, and some weapons.

Tin Dwarfs: Tin dwarfs summon and control those useful creatures, gnomes. They also create semi-living constructs (such as jolanti and nilmergs) that perform much of the dwarfs' labors.

Brass Dwarfs: Brass dwarfs are alloyists and metallurgists. They create new metals from combinations of old ones. They are also in charge of the forges.

Silver Dwarfs: Silver dwarfs are enchanters and sorcerers. All dwarfs learn magic appropriate to their caste, but these dwarfs specialize in creating magic items and working with magical power.

Gold Dwarfs: Gold dwarfs are teachers, and represent the mind of Mostal. They maintain the continuity of dwarf society through correct education and indoctrination.

Iron Dwarfs: Iron dwarfs, the blacksmiths, are dedicated to the science of war. They forge armor and weapons, and learn how to use the tools of battle.

For more information on Dwarfs, see:

Several types of trolls may live together in one community. Social status is determined by an individual's type. They are socially matriarchal, and generally do not bother with civilized niceties even in their largest societies. Trolls are not as gregarious as humans, and lone trolls or small family hunting groups are common. Troll villages are ramshackle and small.

Types of trolls include the uzuz, uzko, uzdo, enlo, and romal. Trolls avoid sunlight, and live contentedly in the dark. Their prodigious appetites are said to be able to digest anything, including solid rock (though they dislike it). Trolls almost always are seen munching on something.

Uzuz: the mistress race. These rare beings were born either in Godtime or under magical circumstances. They have superhuman capabilities. A mistress race troll rules any troll society fortunate enough to have one live within it. Such great beings are rarely or never seen by humans.

Uzko: dark, or surface trolls. The 'standard' troll of the species which once dominated the world. Since early historical times dark trolls have been cursed, and their numbers have declined as the enlo have increased.

Uzdo: great trolls. Gigantic and powerful warrior slaves, created during troll efforts to break the enlo curse. Though fierce and deadly, great trolls have lost intelligence.

Enlo: trollkin. These misbegotten wretches are among the saddest creatures in existence, born to be slaves and to suffer. They are the laborers of troll society. Most recently-born trolls are of this type.

Romal: cave trolls, nose lopers. These large and unsightly monsters have been tainted by chaos; hence their power to regenerate. They are bestial and not really part of troll society.

For more information on Trolls, see:

The most ancient ancestors of the tribes are now all gone from this world -- counted among the gods. All of the mertribes are now ruled by the deep sea tritonic class, whose descendants are the more common niiadic class, whose children are, in turn, contemporary air-breathing merfolk. These merfolk in turn are classified into two types, cetoi, who are more mammalian than fish-like, and are usually friendly to humans; and the piscoi, who have scaly tails and even bodies, and are generally quite hostile.

All the females bear their children within their bodies until birth. Upon birth they discover if the child is normal (an inferior type) or blessed -- the same type as the parents. Interclass breeding always produces the inferior type of the pair.

The merfolk are most numerous in shallow water and just off-shore, and always organize into tribes. Although two tribes of merfolk may be ostensibly ruled by the same niiadic clan, there may be frequent recorded war between them. Merfolk politics are unstable and shifting beyond the tribe; even clan influences may be in vain.

Ludoch: these cetoi merfolk seen by humans more often than any other type. Their tails are smooth and slick, like those of porpoises and whales, and their flukes project sideways. They are neutral or friendly to mankind. They are found in the seas off the coasts of both Genertela and Pamaltela; the Holy Country holds a kingdom of ludoch who cooperate with the local fishermen.

Malasp: these merfolk have scales and fish-like tails and fins. Unlike most piscoi merfolk, they have been known to deal peaceably with humans. They live primarily in the seas off the north coast of Pamaltela.

Ouori: these cetoi merfolk are ugly, baggy, and wrinkled, and are sometimes called the walrus people. They are friendly to humans, and never attack without provocation. They inhabit the Neleomi Sea and eastern coast of Genertela, and spend much of their time on shore or floating on the surface of the ocean.

Ysabbau: these merfolk are the most hideous to human eyes. They are large, spined, and scaly, and hate humans more than any other species of triolini. They can be found in all oceans. If there are not enough of them to attack a ship, they cut fishing nets, plant barnacles and shipworms on hulls, and break rudders and keels.

Zabdamar: these piscoi merfolk are the rarest and most magical of the triolini. Zabdamar women are beautiful, but the men are scaly and ugly, much to the males' shame. Zabdamar men do not even have hands or arms, only flippers. Zabdamar are native to the Sea of Fog, and are only rarely found elsewhere.

For more information on the Merfolk, see:

Dragonewts are peculiar creatures who continually reincarnate and metamorphose, ever-striving to achieve dragonhood. They are an enigmatic race, misunderstood and mistrusted.

Individual dragonewts trace descent from whatever dragon or dragons laid the initial clutch of eggs which resulted in their existence. Dragonewts of the same clutch call each other "egg-brother". They organize themselves into variously-sized settlement-nests.

Normal dragonewts are intended to be a race of mystery, alien and irrational to human understanding. Their language (Auld Wyrmish) includes visual, auditory, olfactory, and empathic components. But they are unconscious of their own language and cannot teach it, and because humans are not naturally empathic they can never gain more than a basic understanding of the language. Dragonewts have no written language, and have little need of one, as they are immortal, ever-reincarnating, and learn needed facts directly from other dragonewts.

Regular contact of normal dragonewts with outsiders is usually assigned to one individual in a group, who tries to act according to human expectations. It learns human languages, and learns to write or otherwise communicate ideas to humans. Sometimes it will own or be an interpreter dragonewt who has been surgically altered so that it can stumblingly speak human words. Altered interpreters may have guards, servants, and so on. Such dragonewts not infrequently become outlaws. When an outlaw dragonewt -- one who has ceased to believe in the dragon way -- dies, it is not reincarnated and never reappears. No one knows where its soul goes.

Some places in Glorantha have large colonies of deviant dragonewts, and they differ from the norm given here. But all of those variants have the same heritage.

Dragonewts go through the following stages in their life cycle.

Scout Dragonewt: The scout (or crested) dragonewt is small, short-tailed, and has an arched crest upon the head. A vegetarian, it prefers leaves and fruit. Its betters will train it as a slinger to bring down birds and rabbits, and teach it the art of scouting and skirmishing, and to serve as a slave.

Warrior Dragonewt: The warrior (or beaked) dragonewt is larger than the scout stage, and is carnivorous. The tail now reaches to the ground, and at first the skin is covered both with scales and with small protrusions. They are most often found as hunters or guards of dragonewt nests.

Most warrior dragonewts ride upon creatures called demi-birds. Demi-birds are feathered, beaked, and lay eggs, but their bones are solid and they have vestigial arms, not wings. The demi-bird is fearless and carnivorous, adding to the fierceness of the dragonewt warrior.

Noble Dragonewt: Second-stage armor and natural weapons are, in the third stage, nearly replaced by frills, spines, wattles, pouches, and other decorative and communicative devices. Skin colors become more vivid, and the number and variety of scent glands increase. This stage is omnivorous.

A noble dragonewt will lead and represent; the stage is expert at living peacefully with the outside world. In some regions this stage is known s the 'tailed priest'.

Ruler Dragonewt: These rare dragonewts are almost never found outside their own nests. One is usually found in each small nest, and several in a town cluster. Their community functions, diet, and powers are unknown. The appearance of a ruler dragonewt (sometimes known as a 'full priest') resembles that of a noble, but they have wings.

Presumably, a ruler dragonewt meditates upon the secrets of dragonhood in preparation for the final metamorphosis. Such a dragonewt will, one day, awake to find itself a full dragon. It will then depart from its nest, to go to wherever dragons go.

For more information on the Dragonewts, see: