In addition to the races of Mann there are numerous demi-human races. The most common are the Booka, Duergar and Faeyn

Booka-- These short, brown-skinned people live in earthen houses, under hills or in small wattle and daub villages. They are simple souls who love the creature comforts of life. They prefer eating and telling stories to adventuring. Their distrust of strangers is balanced by a natural curiosity. Booka are generally between 3' and 4' tall. They will tolerate being called "Brownies" by other races, but will be insulted if called "Halflings".

Racial Advantages and Disadvantages

Booka are hardy and nimble creatures. They get a +2 on all Stealth skills and +3 on Search/Hide. If a Booka chooses a renegade profession, they get an additional +2 to Burgle, Pilfer and Traps. Booka also get a +2 on Acrobatics and +3 on Endurance vs. poisoning. Because of their size Booka get a -2 on Running and -3 on Jumping.

Booka are also limited to small and very small sized weapons. A large Booka (around 4 feet tall) may wield a long sword with two hands (taking a -1 initiative penalty) treating it like a two-handed sword.

Booka have a natural resistance to magic. They get a +2 resistance to all magic and an additional +3 vs. Necromantic and Enchantment schemas. If a Booka becomes a mage, he looses the +2 resistance but keeps the bonus verses Enchantment and Necromantic schemas.

Most Booka have a somewhat limited version of twilight vision as the Faeyn, but only effective for about 60 yards. Some Booka of questionable parentage may also have a limited version of infravision--effective for about 30 yards or so.

Duergar Smiths

Duergar-- These short, powerfully built and generally bearded people live in mountainous caves and love working stone and metal. They also like precious metals and jewels for their artistic value, frequently working them into their creations. Because they have often been the victims of treasure seekers, they distrust other races and keep to themselves. They stand between 3.5' and 4.5' tall and are indifferent to being called "Dwarves", but don't insult their house or blood will be spilt!

Racial Advantages and Disadvantages

Duergar have a reputation for being clumsy creatures and receive a -1 to any skill requiring physical agility (All Athletics skills except Endurance where they get a +2 and an additional +1 vs. poisoning). However, they are actually skilled craftsmen and have excellent manual dexterity. They get a +1 to Burgle and Pilfer and other skills requiring nimble fingers, and a +3 on Traps.

Duergar can generally use a long sword as a bastard sword, while tall duergar can even wield it without penalties. They cannot use longer swords or pole weapons, though they have been known to cut down halberds and other pole axes to their size and use them quite effectively. They seem to have a preference for war hammers and axes of the two-handed variety, which they can use without penalty despite their size.

Duergar share the Booka resistance to magic and the same restrictions against invoking schemas. Duergar are, however, skilled at crafting numerous enchanted items (especially weapons) in ceremonies that does not invoke Xaris directly through their persons and so does not violate the restriction

Duergar may (very rarely) share a limited form of twilight vision similar to the Booka (30 yard range), but generally all possess true infravision (60 yard range). This allows them to see heat sources in absolute darkness. However, strong heat sources or visible light can "fog" their vision.

Faeyn-- There are two common tribes of Faeyn most likely to be encountered: Valaeyn and Thraeyn. In general the Faeyn are very much in touch with nature and wildlife, rarely associating with men. They are nearly immortal and are generally more concerned with art and poetry than fame and riches. A Fae member of a Valaeyn tribe will tolerate the label "Elf" (they assume a human that uses that term lacks the intelligence to understand the distinction) but a Thraeyn will not. They barely tolerate being lumped in with the rest of the Faeyn, preferring to be identified by their particular tribe (i.e. the Wolfriders or the Treedwellers). Valaeyn are also taller than Thraeyn. A Valaeyn generally stands between 4' and 5' tall while a Thraeyn is usually a half-foot shorter.

Racial Advantages and Disadvantages

Faeyn are all very agile creatures and gain a +1 on all skills related to either physical agility or manual dexterity. They are also very perceptive beings and gain a +3 on all perception rolls. The Faeyn are naturally Xaris-using creatures so they do not possess the inherent resistance to magery that the Booka and Duergar possess, but they do get a +2 resisting Necromantic schemas and a +3 resisting schemas from the spheres of Spirit Mastery and Mysticism and 1 skill point which can be spent on any mage skill regardless of the Faeyn's profession.

The biggest disadvantage the Faeyn possess is an allergy to pure iron. Faeyn will actually take burning damage from touching iron, which has not been enchanted or exposed to high levels of Xaris. (See the notes on iron on our website under the World of Anghar section.) They can handle steel that contains carbon, though they dislike being around large amounts of it and will take an extra point of damage if wounded by a steel weapon. Enchanted steel or steel which has been exposed to high levels of Xaris does not present a problem to them.

Faeyn tend to prefer weapons made of argentium, argent-steel alloys (white steel), or if they cannot afford that, brass or bronze. They are not otherwise limited in their weapon choice, though the Thraeyn, being shorter, are limited to the same weapons as dwarves.

Halfbreeds-- While half-breeds are known to occur, they are generally disliked and looked down on by either of the parent races. (-1 to reaction rolls). A half-breed will have half of the bonuses from one of the non-human race's prime attributes. To calculate an appropriate height, simply average standard height for both races.