Races of the Witch World

[Indagare]

I finally read through all the books and I collected info on the various human and non-human species for the Witch World. If anoyne here has notes or books that could augment or expand this list, the help would be most appreciated.



Gated/Natural Races

Name: Old Race
Appearance: Black hair, grey eyes, oval faces, pale skin that tans but does not become ruddy.
Living Area(s): Estcarp, Escore, Arvon.
Other: The Old Race is very long-lived, not even showing outward signs of aging until death is only a few years away. They are naturally inclined to have Power which allows them a connection with the land around them. For the past thousand years only women were thought to have (or trained in) the ways of Power. With the coming of Simon Tregarth and the reopening of Escore, however, more and more males seem to be coming into the Power again. They are assumed to be among the natives of the world since they have no legends of coming through a Gate.

Name: Latt
Appearance: Black hair, grey (?) eyes that slanted up on the edges, short, stocky bodies, pale skin that tans but does not become ruddy. Oval face with high cheek bones.
Living Area(s): North of Alizon and Arvon.
Other: The Latt are hunter-gatherers. They may be related to the Old race since their physical appearance is similar and they also do not have any lore of coming through a Gate. Both females and males seem able to wield Power, though not everyone in their society is a Power-wielder. Those north of Alizon were driven out of that land by the Alizonders.

Name: Sulcar
Appearance: Blond to platinum hair, green, blue-green, blue or sea-colored eyes, pale skin that tans, tall and robust.
Living Area(s): On their ships at sea. Current land base is Korinth, north of Alizon.
Other: Sulcars are traders and fighters of some skill. They live with their families on their ships. Though most among them do not have the Power, some have the ability to read waves, find safe routes, and similar sea-related powers, though they seem unable to directly control wind or wave. They were chased from their home world by an invading alien force. Their gate was far to the north of the world and has been sealed. Some seem to have gotten lost or took a different route and ended up near Escore. These sea raiders seem to be more barbaric in nature.

Name: Alizonder
Appearance: Silver-white hair, vivid blue or green eyes, sharp teeth, pale skin.
Living Area(s): Alizon.
Other: Alizonders have a barony that has constant bouts of treason and treachery. Poison is quite commonly used and most Alizonders take small doses of the more common poisons to develop immunity. They are very fond of their dogs, white creatures with lithe bodies and have termed themselves the ‘Hounds of Alizon’. This trait seems to allow them to be easily tracked by Grey Ones and they could be forced into the Dark by a Master Power. Very, very few have natural Power and are usually of melding between other races. They were brought through a Gate by two Adepts, a Gate that was later sealed by one.

Name: Dale Folk
Appearance: Blond to dark brown hair, green, blue, brown, or hazel eyes, pale skin that tans and becomes ruddy.
Living Area(s): High Hallack, Karsten(?).
Other: Coming into the world by a Gate of their own making, those of High Hallack closed the Gate behind them once through. They have created many dales and are still recovering from the war brought to them by the Koldar and Alizonders. Some seem to have moved into Karsten prior to the war given the description of the average Karstinian.

Name: Falconers
Appearance: Red hair, amber eyes, pale skin that may be tan or ruddy.
Living Area(s): Eyrie.
Other: The Falconers were one of the first peoples brought through the Gates. It is assumed the Gate they were brought through was shut. They bond with falcons, black birds with a white ‘v’ on their chests, for the life of the bird. After the death of the bird the Falconer can die from shock. Barring this, a Falconer may bond again with another bird. Male Falconers bond most strongly with male falcons, though they can bond with females as well. Though they could bond as well, female Falconers, until recently, have not been allowed to bond since it helped keep them passive. This was due to the interference of the Dark One Jonkara, who enslaved Falconer men through the women they cared for (causing the women to become extensions of herself). It may be possible that Jonkara was not truly of the Dark but merely a Great One called upon for vengeance.

Name: Varnian
Appearance: Tan or dark skin, black (?) hair, brown (?) eyes, very tall and skinny.
Living Area(s): Var.
Other: Varnians seem to have come through a Gate that is presumably closed. They are taller than any other known race and are exquisite glass-makers. They seem to have means of detecting Power and females among them can use it. Despite (or perhaps because of) this females (except for Power users) and children are kept within the deepest part of their houses when outsiders visit.

Name: Torfolk
Appearance: Downy hair, long, thick arms and short legs.
Living Area(s): Tormarsh, Tormoor.
Other: Those of the Tor seem to be very ancient and whether they came through a Gate or not is debatable. They worship the being known as Volt. They are quite lithe and graceful despite their ape-like appearance. It is not mentioned that they walk on all fours at any time, though potentially they could given the length and heaviness of their arms. It is not mentioned whether their feet are human or more ape-like in nature nor whether they may be of some avian decent or not.

Name: Gormian
Appearance: Wheat blond hair, blue, blue-green, or green eyes, pale skin.
Living Area(s): Estcarp, presumably.
Other: Those of the island of Gorm were overthrown by the Kolder, the population of their island home was decimated. How many of their race remains is debatable, though some seem to turn up now and again. It is possible that this race is now extinct or near extinct.

Name: Vuspell
Appearance: Red-yellow hair (possibly naturally black), dark brown skin, broad features.
Living Area(s): Nomadic, Escore.
Other: The Vuspell, or at least the band described, seem to have originated somewhere in the north-eastern part of Escore before their tribes were broken and scattered by sea raiders. They are primitive in many ways, but may have once had a more advanced civilization. They are extremely skilled with gems and metal-forging and practice elaborate burials. They paint their bodies and might also dye their hair. They may have come through a Gate. They seem to have large, wolf-like dogs that can be hitched to sleighs. These dogs have cream-colored bodies and brown legs with a brown stripe running down their backs to the tip of the tail.

Name: Kioga
Appearance: Dark skin, hair and eyes. High bridge noses and cheekbones. Most ear braided hair. Men wear mustaches.
Living Area(s): Nomadic, Arvon.
Other: The Kioga Gated themselves in barely a generation ago when another race of their own world began enslaving them. They have a deep bond with their horses. They carry short, barbed spears as weapons. Worship the Mother of Mares and her Twins. Their horses are intelligent and strong and Choose their rider. They do not seem to have mind speech but could well have near-human intelligence.

Name: Unknown
Appearance: Very dark brown skin, hair and eye color unstated.
Living Area(s): Cliff areas, western Waste.
Other: This race is very small, no larger than around 3 feet (91.44 centimeters) tall, and apparently very light boned. They have developed gliders, which probably serve them well due to their light mass. They may have been Gated in at some time in the past. The full extent of their Powers is not mentioned, though they seem to have both warding and communication abilities.

Name: Koldar
Appearance: Pale skin: eyes and hair are not described.
Living Area(s): Koldar island base.
Other: Once occupying the areas of Yle and Gorm as well as their overseas island base, the Koldar seem to be hyper technological in nature. They came through a Gate of their own making which was eventually destroyed as was their entire race. They left the world scarred and their strange technology as legacy. This technology has yet to be fully explored. None of the areas the Koldar once possessed have yet been inhabited again.

Name: Unknown
Appearance: Reddish hair, brown-yellow skin.
Living Area(s): Unknown
Other: Some of this race appears as Koldar zombie slaves. Their origins are still unknown, though it can be presumed that they lived somewhere on the western continent.

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Name: Green People
Appearance: Variable hair, eyes, and skin. Males have two ivory horns on their heads
Living Area(s): Valley of the Green Silences, Escore.
Other: The color of a male or female from the Green Valley varies on both mood and time of day, and perhaps on the person that views them. The degree to which these changes manifest themselves vary from individual to individual, but all change to some degree.

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Created Races [Humanoid]

Name: Were Riders
Appearance: Black hair, green eyes, pale skin that tans but does not become ruddy.
Living Area(s): Arvon – the Grey Tower.
Other: They seem related to the Old race in some way; the Were Riders are all male and can all shapeshift into animals, usually related to a heraldic image: pard, lion, hawk, eagle, horse, boar, wolf, fox, bear, badger, etc. They are also apparently able to assume other shapes as well, though they do so less often and these secondary forms seem more like an illusion than reality (their change into a beast is real shape-shifting, not illusion). They have children through Dalesfolk, though how much of their Power they retain is not clear, some seem to shift easily while others seem to need magic items to help them shift. It is possible the Were Riders will die out in another generation or two if the ability to shapeshift fades entirely.

Name: Krogan
Appearance: Pale skin, silvery hair, green eyes with no whites, gilled, slightly webbed fingers and frog-like feet.
Living Area(s): Lakes and streams of Escore.
Other: The Krogan are humanoids dependant on living in or near water. They can live outside water for a while but must return to it occasionally or die. This limits their range of living area to those connected or close waterways in Escore, though at least one is known to have ranged further with aid.

Name: Flannan
Appearance: Feathered human-shaped body, spreading bird wings, clawed feet.
Living Area(s): Heights of Escore.
Other: Though they make excellent messengers, the Flannan lack the concentration to be able fighters. They are short of stature, possibly to allow them to fly in the first place. They have wings on their backs as well as arms and can also take on the shape of birds, though this shift seems mostly illusion.

Name: Thas
Appearance: Small, wry bodies with bloated stomachs covered in scraggly, root-like hair.
Living Area(s): Underground areas, Escore, Arvon.
Other: Thas have very great powers over the earth. They have poisonous claws and have apparently allied themselves with the Dark.

Name: Moss Woman
Appearance: Long, mossy hair, withered-looking body, green(?) eyes.
Living Area(s): Forest of Mosswomen, Escore (may also live in Arvon).
Other: Mosswomen seem to stay within their forest home rarely if ever leaving it. They seem to have an affinity towards names beginning in ‘F’. There have never been moss men sighted or reported, though the Mosswomen give birth to children.

Name: Grey One
Appearance: Anthropomorphic wolf.
Living Area(s): Escore, Estcarp, Arvon.
Other: Creatures of the Dark, Grey ones hunt in packs like normal wolves. They are capable of both two-legged and four-legged locomotion. They are able to speak and a rare few have been shown to have minor Power. They seem particularly able to track down Alizonders, possibly due to the traits Alizonders may have absorbed from their hounds.

Name: Sarn Riders
Appearance: Ambiguous
Living Area(s): Escore, Arvon.
Other: Sarn Riders are creatures of the Dark. Though they once took Keplain mounts they now seem to ride on lizard-like mounts. They seem to have an equivalent that rides in Arvon that is not necessarily of the Dark, but might serve it.

Name: Winged Ones (Varks)
Appearance: They have heads of birds and the bodies of men and women. It is likely that they are also winged.
Living Area(s): Arvon, the Waste.
Other: The blood of a Winged One is dangerous to the living and seems to be acidic. They seem able to continue to fight even if dismembered or beheaded. Their numbers seem to be dwindling, however. They serve the Dark.

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Created Races [non humanoids]

Name: Rethan
Appearance: Unicorn-like creatures with golden eyes, roan red body fur and creamy underbody. They have creamy tails and creamy manes with a single, backwards curving red horn.
Living Area(s): Escore.
Other: Rethan are capable of speaking telepathically with others. They will not wear bridles or saddles, though they will carry supplies in cases of dire need. They seem to have other abilities as well, though to what extent they have Power beyond telepathy is not clearly defined.

Name: Keplain
Appearance: Jet black horse with blue or red eyes.
Living Area(s): Valley of the Keplain, Escore, Arvon.
Other: Keplains were originally created for the Light. Somehow they were corrupted and controlled by the Dark. They have since been released from this bondage and now serve the Light again. They can run very quickly and are able to communicate telepathically with others. They seem to have other Powers as well, though like with the Rethan these are not well-defined.

Name: Vrang
Appearance: Bird-like form but with the head of a lizard. The head is covered with red scales that glitter the sun, but its feathers are blue-grey.
Living Area(s): Heights of Escore.
Other: Vrang can work effectively both as scouts and as warriors.

Name: Scaled Ones
Appearance: Jewel-scaled lizard whose front feet work as hands.
Living Area(s): Valley of Green Silences, Escore.
Other: These lizards seem to serve as sentries to the Valley of Green Silences.

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Races [non-humanoid]

Name: Falconer Falcon
Appearance: Black-feathered bird with a white 'v' on their chests. They have golden eyes.
Living Area(s): Heights of the former Eyrie on the boarder of Karsten and Estcarp, new Eyrie in the Dales.
Other: Though they are rarely separated from their human companions the Falcons are capable of advanced planning and can telepathically talk to those with the Power to read animal minds. Through gestures and actions they can also try to convey messages non-telepathically with others, though this requires non-telepaths to believe the bird is actually trying to communicate.
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Creatures of the Witch World

Name: Web Riders
Appearance: Greenish-white phosphorescent creatures that seem half transparent. They are about a foot (30.48 cm) in diameter, looking like a mixture of crab and spider with many-jointed legs. They have pincers and fangs and are apparently slightly more crab-like than spider-like.
Living Area(s): Arvon, the Waste.
Other: Web Riders get their name from the purple filaments they ride on top of. Their bite is poisonous and their blood is acidic. They can ride the wind with their webs but cannot control the wind. It is possible to counter them by creating a strong enough breeze to blow them away. It is not stated that they are intelligent though they do seem able to plan ambushes.

Name: Rasti
Appearance: 3 foot (91.44 centimeters) long weasel-like creatures.
Living Area(s): Nomadic, Escore, Estcarp.
Other: Rasti are usually servants of the Dark whether they were created for that purpose or not. They are driven by their hunger, though they seem to have some sort of society beyond this. They are described as having wonderfully soft fur that makes excellent clothing, which makes it unlikely they are truly intelligent since those of the Light wear rasti fur as clothing. It is mentioned that they have counterparts in Estcarp, though those rasti are no more than 3 inches (7.62 cm) in length.

Name: Unknown (possibly Lizard Mounts)
Appearance: Long, narrow heads, necks, bodies, and legs. They have smooth, white to grey-scaled skins and sharp, curving teeth. Instead of hooves they have clawed talons.
Living Area(s): Arvon, possibly Escore.
Other: These mounts look like a cross between a lizard and a horse. They are ridden by servants of the Dark, though it is not explicitly stated that they are of the Dark themselves. It is not mentioned but they likely have long, lizard-like tails as well, though if seen from a distance they can be mistaken for normal horses.

Name: Were Rider Mount
Appearance: Dappled grey, white and black horses with green pupilless eyes.
Living Area(s): Arvon: Grey Towers, Reeth
Other: The mounts of the were riders are trained to carry their riders in both human and animal forms. Normal horses tend to shy away from them, though they are not usually dangerous. They seem to have a measure of intelligence, though how sentient they are is debatable. They cannot shape shift.

[Michael]

Keplain should be Keplian. I don't recall the Falconers having red hair, but I believe some of the Sulcar had red hair. And there was a group of sea-raiders who attacked Escore whom Katthea speculated might have been connected with the Sulcar but she thought they were more barbaric.

Off the top of my head, there were also the "Sky Ones" of Arvon. I'm not sure how much they were a 'race' as they may have been a family or group of families of the Old Race who had altered their own nature after becoming Adepts.

Nonetheless, that's quite an impressive list. Always love to meet another fan with a penchant for the details of Witch World.

[Indagare]

Originally Posted by Michael

Keplain should be Keplian.

Fixed

I don't recall the Falconers having red hair, but I believe some of the Sulcar had red hair. And there was a group of sea-raiders who attacked Escore whom Katthea speculated might have been connected with the Sulcar but she thought they were more barbaric.

Yeah, I mentioned that second group of Sulcar above. I've actually been wondering whether the Sulcar might not have all originally been that way, the Guardians mentioned in "Port of Dead Ships" seem all to have been of a darksome nature and the being called Urseta Vat Yan in Warding seemed quite suprized that a Sulcar would speak the truth as they see it.

Off the top of my head, there were also the "Sky Ones" of Arvon. I'm not sure how much they were a 'race' as they may have been a family or group of families of the Old Race who had altered their own nature after becoming Adepts.

Yeah, I also recall the Dargh being mentioned in Warding as a race of cannables, but they aren't described at all beyond that.

Nonetheless, that's quite an impressive list. Always love to meet another fan with a penchant for the details of Witch World.

Thanks. I feel the same way. I really would like to talk more about these things since the Witch World stories offer a wide canvass for the imagination.

[Michael]

Sorry about the Sulcar gaffe. I scanned your list a couple of times.

But I wasn't thinking of the Dargh with my "Sky Ones" reference. The Adept Landisl had three companions whom he referred to as "Sky Ones". And the girl (I forget her name) who was chased by her half-brother's hunt, that became That Which Runs The Ridges, had some kinship with Landisl. She was semi-human, semi-birdlike.

[Indagare]

Originally Posted by Michael

Sorry about the Sulcar gaffe. I scanned your list a couple of times.

No worries, that's a lot of info to process all at once.

But I wasn't thinking of the Dargh with my "Sky Ones" reference. The Adept Landisl had three companions whom he referred to as "Sky Ones". And the girl (I forget her name) who was chased by her half-brother's hunt, that became That Which Runs The Ridges, had some kinship with Landisl. She was semi-human, semi-birdlike.

I understand, I just meant there are a lot of things in the Witch World referenced to but not described in a lot of detail. Or they are described in detail but their exact nature isn't given. It doesn't suprise me as a lot of avian types seem to pop up, I'm actually more suprized that feline-decended folk don't show up, given the affinity the Lady had towards felines. Though perhaps in her opinion a whole cat was better than a half cat...

[Paul Goode]

Its been a while and I may be confusing universes, But weren't the Rasti a witch world race? I vagely recall a rat-like critter of that name somewhere. I could be in the wrong series and I don't have time to research this right now. Help your friend of the fading memory oh Kind Folk--Later--Paul

[Paul B.]

Originally Posted by Paul Goode

Its been a while and I may be confusing universes, But weren't the Rasti a witch world race? I vagely recall a rat-like critter of that name somewhere. I could be in the wrong series and I don't have time to research this right now. Help your friend of the fading memory oh Kind Folk--Later--Paul

Now that you mention it, it rings a bell with me too. I seem to associate it with Escore. I too, am not at home, so I can't check either.

Oh, wait. The Rasti wouldn't be the rat-like race in _Breed to Come_, would they? Wasn't there a similar race on Astra in _Starborn_?

[Indagare]

Originally Posted by Paul B.

Now that you mention it, it rings a bell with me too. I seem to associate it with Escore. I too, am not at home, so I can't check either.

Oh, wait. The Rasti wouldn't be the rat-like race in _Breed to Come_, would they? Wasn't there a similar race on Astra in _Starborn_?

No the Rasti DO exist in the Witch World but the descriptions of them I have read seem to indicate they are totally consumed with filling their bellies thus making them unlikely to be able to understand things on higher levels.

If we were to go into it, many of the animals on the Witch World can be communicated with in some way or the other but I was trying to draw the line somewhere. I mean in "Port of Dead Ships" Chief, who is a cat from our world, plays a part. Should cats be included as a race based on this or not? If so why not horses or wolves or other 'animals'?

I hope you see my problem. I didn't include the Rasti because I felt they were too close to animal kin in mind-set (obviously I don't count body shape). If something doesn't normally think beyond the food/water/shelter mindset, then I didn't count it as a race. I'm willing to add them if you could give me good reason.

[Irene]

My memory is definitely that Rasti are Witch World rat-like creatures. BUT, that they do have higher reasoning. Their primary goal is filling food, but they are capable of the levels that mercats of our world achieve, leaders, followers, watchers, complex living abodes.

Their step above the animal is that they can communicate on a slightly higher level. My memory is that in one of Lynne McConchie's WW books where there are blue eyed Keplians, there is also a "Leader" or ruler of the rasti, which was either a human or a Adept.

But then my mind isn't working fully today. [Yes the memory train has left the station, and I missed it.]

[Paul B.]

Originally Posted by Irene

level. My memory is that in one of Lynne McConchie's WW books where there are blue eyed Keplians, there is also a "Leader" or ruler of the rasti, which was

That would be _Key of the Keplian_ then. Is that where the Rasti were mentioned? Possible, since I know I have read that one. that would fit in with my memory connecting them with Escore.

P.

[Indagare]

Originally Posted by Paul B.

That would be _Key of the Keplian_ then. Is that where the Rasti were mentioned? Possible, since I know I have read that one. that would fit in with my memory connecting them with Escore.

P.

I've added in the Rasti, the Dargh, the Sky Ones, and the Falconer Falcons. I added in the Falcons mainly because they are also capable of higher thought processes (I seem to recall a story where one lived past his Falconer dying to extract revenge).

They might fall into the created non-humanoids category, except they seem more or less natural. Having come from another world it's hard to tell whether they were fashioned to be more intelligent than your average hawk or if they evolved naturally like this.

[Michael]

The Rasti showed up in several books. Like so many other creatures, they were created to serve a Dark Adept.

I think the Rethan were actually the Renthan. I may have documented most of these races and creatures in my Witch World Companion, which I intended to mention previously but I guess I never included it in my earlier posts.

Sorry about that.

[Indagare]

Originally Posted by Michael

The Rasti showed up in several books. Like so many other creatures, they were created to serve a Dark Adept.

I think the Rethan were actually the Renthan. I may have documented most of these races and creatures in my Witch World Companion, which I intended to mention previously but I guess I never included it in my earlier posts.

Sorry about that.

Fixed the spelling error (sorry, I was going mostly by memory when typing these).

On your site, it mentions that the Falconers had reddish hair and brown-yellow eyes. I'm trying to find any earlier instances to match this. In the stories written by P.M. Griffin their eyes were described as blue or silver-grey and their hair wasn't really described well. I seem to recall reading somewhere that they had 'firey' colors but I'm not sure where...

By the way does anyone know anything about the Kioga? They're mentioned at the start of Warding.

[Michael]

The notebooks with all that information are maybe packed up somewhere in New Mexico, Florida, or Texas.

Or else they have been lost forever.

I don't know what my sources of information for the Witch World Companion were, beyond that they were the books I had purchased through the years. Many of them are now tattered paperbacks in a box in Texas.

Every time I leave a state, I leave stuff behind that I hope one day to reclaim, but so far that hasn't been possible.

[Irene]

Wasn't that in YEAR OF THE UNICORN where the people were split into several pieces, leaving one part behind them?

[Indagare]

Originally Posted by Irene

Wasn't that in YEAR OF THE UNICORN where the people were split into several pieces, leaving one part behind them?

Just Gillian who was split in two. Though it is also indicated in that book that the Were Riders had more forms than those of 'normal' animals as well as other forms of Power.

Kioga: a race similar to native americans. They are nomadic and follow the Lead Mare, the symbolic leader of their tribe. They have dark skin, hair, and eyes. They wear their hair in braids with bright ribbons or cords.

They appear in Gryphon's Eyrie. Joisan and Kerovan spend time with them before going on to search for Kar Garudwyn. A Kioga named Guret joins them on this quest. This is also the novel that That Which Runs The Ridge is in. The bird-like woman is Sylvya and her half brother is Maleron.

I am a major fan of the Witch Worlds. So much so that I am currently running a game on a website called rpol.net. It is under the fantasy games and is called The Gate. Please feel free to check it out.

Also, Michael, I really enjoy your Witch World Companion site....

[Marron4Gateau]

Thought I'd resurrect this thread to mention the Rus- evil, cunning black birds with red heads. Also known as the "Wings of Ord" (Horn Crown). The Vark woman in Zarsthor's Bane and The Warding of the Witch World seemed to have a connection with them.

There are also the "toad folk" (as Brixia thinks of them) in the Waste from Zarsthor's Bane. If they have a connection to the Toads of Grimmerdale is interesting to speculate on. It's possible that, like Gunnora and the others are to the Old Race and Dalesfolk, the Grimmerdale Toads are the "gods" of these "toad folk".

[Marron4Gateau]

Also, I wonder if the lizard mounts the Sarn Riders ride are called "Sarn"? It would make sense if they are the "riders of Sarn" wouldn't it? Odd to call them that, I know, when, in their first appearance, they rode Keplians...

[Michael]

I'll go out on a limb and say I don't think the lizards are Sarn.