Race
The multiracial aspect of Maugeter and the surrounding Realm is perhaps the most striking thing about it. Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Halflings, Goblins, Giants and many more races live together without it ever occuring to them that they ought to be enemies. Maugeter's world is not a friendly place however, and the overbearing attitude of the authorities in Maugeter and Ristinnol leads to a high proportion of bandit activity in the farmlands between them.
One of the interesting aspects of this multiracialism is that the different intelligent races cannot successfully breed together - half-race offspring are usually stillborn, and those that survive are invariably sterile. This forces a certain degree of racial grouping, particularly amongst lower classes, as every human or orc or whatever needs to find a viable breeding partner. Those in more privileged stations in society know that they have the freedom to locate a mate should they wish to do so, so these racial groups start to disappear the further up one looks.
The dominant humanoid, man-sized races of the world are known collectively as manlings. Although some of the more physically powerful or exotic races have been known to use this as an insult, the word is commonly used by manlings themselves. Manling races include humans, elves, dwarves, orcs, halflings, goblins, kobolds, gnomes, hobgoblins, gnolls, yuan-ti and other, rarer races.
- Humans are the most common race in the Realm, though the other races - even the other humanoid races - still massively outnumber them together. There are approximately twice as many humans as there are of any of the other major humanoid races.
- Elves of the Realm are very different from the elves of other planes. Though they are physiologically similar, elven culture as known simply does not exist here. Elves here never learned to enter trance, and sleep just as humans do. Likewise, the strong martial and artistic culture associated with them never came to be. Elves partially retain their elongated lifespan, though they mature faster and are much more likely to die of some accident in a world with no forests to protect them. Their senses are still sharper than a human's, and they still retain their physiological resistance to certain spells.
- Dwarves of the Realm, like elves, are very different to their typical stereotype. Whilst they are still short, and resilient, and some of the greatest craftsmen are dwarvish, you are as likely to find a dwarf fishing, or crop farming as you are weaponsmithing. Dwarves do not live underground, as there are no underground cities for them to live in, and they certainly don't retain the animosities they are commonly associated with.
- Orcs, though an accepted part of society, typically retain a certain position within it. Your average orc is still slightly stronger and slightly stupider than your average human, and whilst there are orc wizards of great accomplishment studying at the Maugeter School of Wizardry, there are an awful lot more orcish labourers and soldiers.
- Halflings and goblins, often collectively referred to simply as halflings, find their position in society restricted by their biological capabilities as orcs do. Halfling soldiers are uncommon, though in the artistic and mental fields they compete on an even footing. Halflings in Maugeter retain their keen senses remain, but the bizarre social conditions that lead to their throwing expertise do not exist in this world.
The other manling races are less common. They can still be found throughout society, but finding one of each in a given location would be a rarity. Gnolls are rarely seen in civilised lands, preferring the forests and wilderness. Gnomes are very rare, magically powerful creatures prone to experimentation and invention. Only a single bloodline of yuan-ti exists, one family spread out across the Realm, ruled by a matriarch in Kanzier.
Non-manling races are far rarer. Giant races such as ogres and trolls are comparatively common in military circles, but not often seen in towns and cities, where their low intelligence and poor social ability makes employment difficult. Only one dragon is known to live in Maugeter, although the dragons' ability to polymorph could well mean that any number of spies from the Domain lurk within its walls. It is rumoured that a terrifying beholder can be found somewhere at the School of Wizardry, although no non-student has ever met it.