The First Race: Nydirans
by Cassius Vonkoff
Before our human ancestors traveled the oceans to this land and settled the land of Egoth, a previous race had already left its mark. This races was the nydirans, who had built a grand empire across the land and some say the stars themselves. It is unknown if our ancestors had dealings with the nydirans, though some sages believe our ancestors resisted their attempts to conquer us. I have found no evidence to support this claim. If stories of the native species of this land and the archaeological evidence is true, our ancestors would have had little chance against a nydiran invasion.
The Nydirans are a striking species to see, with beautiful azure to emerald colored skin. Their natural hair colors range that of humans except for blonde. The most common hair color is black or white. Their features seem elvish but chiseled looking with a slight frame and are as tall as any human. Nydrian are almost as long lived as elves, often living over eight hundred years. The elves and nydrians may have a common ancestor though there is no evidence of such connection.
Nydrians are one of the few humanoids who have an ability to change their shape, though they are unable to copy a person like a doppleganger. The ancient nydrians had a limited ability to shapechange, such as changing skin and hair color with ease. A few could adjust their height and weight. It wasn’t until the fall of their empire that the nydrians could mimic another race.
While our race was learning how to craft stone tools, the Nydiran had mastered art, stone and steel. The built beautiful structures, cities and ships that we cannot hope to match today. All their works were assisted by their mastery of magic. Magic to a nydiran is like breathing to us. Their mastery of magic is even beyond the elves, though elves claim the nydirans were as reckless as humans with magic and it is what led to their fall. There is a sense of rivalry between elves and nydiran, as the races conflicted during the Nydiran Empire’s height.
Nydrian today are strict vegans, refusing to even wear animal products. They do allow animal byproducts that do not harm the animal, such as silk. Strangely this does not include materials such as wool. For ancient nydrians, this was not always so. Artifacts and tablets from the Nydrian Empire prove that nydrians of that time ate meat and used animal products. Why the change is unknown, but some believe it had to do with the fall of their empire.
While this book is about the nydrian as a race, one cannot talk about them without mentioning “The Fall.” The Fall was a time when the gods themselves turned against the nydrians and sent monsters, plagues and natural disasters to wipe them out. The common story told is that the nydrians tried to claim the power of the gods for themselves and were punished for the attempt. One conflicting story comes from the orc oral history of all places. The orcs believe some nydrians became gods through magic and objects left by the creator of the world. The gods coveted the items and sent their wrath upon the nydrians. The nydrian empowered their defenders, the ancient orcs known as high orcs, to keep the wrath at bay as they hide the objects of power from the gods. The orc ancestors fought bravely and held the wrath at bay until the nydrian completed their mission. The nydrian were drained from their quest and they, and their guardians, eventually fell.
While the orc version may be something to connect them to the nydrians, other races have their own stories of how “The Fall” came to be. The one common thing among them is they all end the same, with the nydrians being nearly wiped out with the last few survivors going into hiding while the other races rose to dominance. It is believed one god, a god of justice, calmed the others and gave his protection to the last of nydrians. This protection was not free, with the last of nydrians swearing certain oaths in the service of this god. The last nydrians now serve as watchers of the other races of Egoth, to make sure what happen to them does not happen to others. Only once have they tried to warn the other races and yet were not heeded. This lead to the Second Fall, this time involving the humans of Egoth.