The Monstrous Races

'The Monstrous Races' is a term which has become relatively controversial in modern times despite still being in common use, arguments over it are often quite passionate, with some calling it racist and others finding any criticism of it to be an attack on their religion and god. Coined by Siegmundduring the unification and pacification of Fruchtbarland, it was intended to convey his belief that orcs, goblinoids, and other similar races were fundementally incompatible with the law and order that he felt was necessary for justice and good to exist within a society. Today, members of the races in question who live in human dominated societies bristle at the label and its implications but find that its origins with a member of the ascended can make fighting against the term a controversial act.

History

It was during the peak of his crusade to unite and pacify Fruchtbarland that Siegmund came up with the label of "The Monstrous Races" to describe the orcs and goblinoids that his forces increasingly faced as they pushed towards The Western Wall. By presenting them as a force which was fundamentally incompatible with his vision for a lawful and peaceful world he spurred the men who believed in his vision to ever increasing acts of bravery and valor in the face of the enemy. His ascension raised his teachings from philosophy to holy scripture, and this included his concept of The Monstrous Races. Since its conception, the ranks of The Monstrous Races have expanded to include Gnolls and Kobolds, as well as a few more varieties of goblinoid that Siegmund likely never came into contact with.

Today, conflicts between humans and the races of The Monstrous Races are rare and the days of clashing armies are long past, most violence coming in the form of raiding parties or small parties of warriors going out of their way to seek fights. Despite this, members of these races who live in and travel through human dominated lands face no small amount of prejudice and sometimes outright hostility due to their heritage. Border regions and those particularly devoted to Siegmund tend to be the worst for this, but it can be found throughout The Shattered Continent in one form or another. Some have pointed out that there is no small amount of irony that most violence committed against humans is by other humans, not the vilified Monstrous Races, but any serious criticism of siegmunds teachings remains frowned upon.

Members

While Siegmund was likely specifically referring to Orcs and Goblinoids given the historical context of his coining of the phrase, the term has since expanded to cover many of the humanoid races which humans have come into conflict with during their conquest and domination of the majority of The Shattered Continent.

Orcs

Goblins and Goblinoids

Goblins

Main Article: Goblin

While they are occasionally pressed into service by larger and stronger beings, conflicts with goblins have rarely involved clashing armies, raids by individual tribes are the typical manner in which men and goblins meet in battle. Their reputation as an irritant rather than a true threat has helped them overcome some of the stigma of being a member of The Monstrous Races, and today many goblin tribes have established peaceful trade relations with nearby human settlements. Goblins have become a relatively common sight in many human cities and are generally tolerated despite the scales being weighted against them by siegmund.

Hobgoblins

Bugbears

Although their solitary nature means that they don't have the history of war and raiding humans settlements that landed most of the Monstrous Races that title, Bugbears make the list both to their goblinoid heritage and the sheer cruelty and viciousness that they show the victims of their hunts.

Gnolls

Kobolds