Niss
Guardians of the northern forests, the niss have stood at odds against the tribes of Aluvia for as long as anyone can remember. The Silveran clans to the north settle only along the fringes of the deep woodlands, minimizing their impact on the land, and so enjoy an uneasy peace with this ancient race of fae. But the Aluvians have always sought mastery of their environment, and their frequent wars with Viamont have forced them to clear land for fortifications and defensible farmland. In particular, the forests along the Canfield River have been the site of many brutal skirmishes - the woodcutters there developed their axes into the infamous Canfield Cleavers to better defend against niss raids.
Long ago, the niss dwelt as far south as Milantos. But relentless pogroms by generations of Milantean sorcerers - to whom niss bones, blood, and hearts are powerful reagents - eventually drove the southern niss extinct.
Standing a little over four feet tall and slender in build, the niss are far more dangerous than they might appear. Their heads are large and bulbous, with angular features, a flattened nose, enormous eyes, and pointed ears that give them exceptional hearing. Though they wear no armor and little clothing, their bark-like skin is as tough as leather, and their swords of enchanted stone are as keen as any steel.
Many Aluvians deride the niss as savages and cannibals, but their language of clicks and whistles is capable of great depth and nuance, and they consume their own dead and those of their enemies not out of malice, but out of abhorrence for any waste. They can live for centuries, and their elders practice their own magical traditions, distinct from those of humanity. A few mages have sought to make contact with the niss to learn about their magic, but thus far, none have returned.
