The very
word puts fear into the citizens of the empire who live north of the Great
River. The word is elvin in root, coming from
Elvinhome. It translate roughly into "beastman". The Nyrgil
live, generally, in the rocky terrain north of the Northern Woods, the
country that is commonly known as Gofin. The crags
and ravine shelter them from the harsh elements. They are organized
into clans. Smaller clans are generally nomadic, wandering the world and
getting food where they may. Particularly harsh winters
force them to forage and raid further south than their traditional
holdings. Larger clans have organized into primitive towns, operating under
a rough feudal system. There are even a few humans who employ them as mercenaries,
but these are few and far between as the wild nature
of the nyrgil is hard to keep a leash on.
Physically, nyrgil are as hardy as they come. They resemble tall humans, covered from head to toe in thick hair, which is usually grey or brown. Their faces are squat with a slight snout. Some clans have developed tusks.
Their level of sophistication varies greatly from clan to clan. Some wander in packs, behaving more like wolves of great intelligence than anything else. Others have developed primitive weapons, spoken language, and even control of fire. They have the senses of the keenest predators; sharp hearing, eyesight, and smell.
