Duanan are the cat-like nomads of the Krai Nal Plains. Because of their physical similarities to, and ability to interbreed with Elves, many sages believe they share a common ancestry. Their way of life has existed unchanged for many thousands of years. In fact, they are so in harmony with the lands they call home that many Druids come to live among them during their apprenticeship.
Duanan are fierce, proud warriors when aroused, and do not easily forgive enemies. The Empire of the Hartland maintains a careful peace with these folk, for their true numbers and magical power are unknown. Many believe that the druidic councilors at the Imperial Capitol are secretly in league with the Duanan Clans.
Adventurers among these people are rare. Most Duanan found outside the Krai Nal Plains were either sent by their Clan leaders, or, more rarely, ventured forth out of simple curiosity.
Personality: Duanan tend towards a quiet and reserve that makes them appear standoffish to most other races. Coupled with their large sense of personal space, many mistake the Duanan as abhorring civilization. On the contrary, the Duanan fully realize the benefits of "civilized society." They just don't like living in one.
The Duanan find buildings restrictive, cities and towns smelly and noisy, and the close proximity of crowds deeply disturbing. They want to feel the wind in their manes and the grass beneath their feet. Freedom, space to roam, and prestige within their Clan and Family are what they value.
Society: Duanan society is made up of large Clans which are sub-divided into Families. The average Duanan seeks to raise his/her standing in the Family first and in the Clan second. The Family, as a whole, seeks to increase its influence in the Clan, while the Clan will look for supremacy over other Clans.
There are special groups within the Families and Clans. Warriors are the peace-keepers and defenders. They are responsible for the preservation of Clan and Family (in that order) against all others. Warriors are also responsible for defending Clan and Family names. The Chieftain (or Chieftess) of a Family is almost always a warrior. The title of Warleader is held by the ablest warrior of the Clan. The Warleader is appointed by the Clan Chief for his or her intelligence as well as ability, for it is the Warleader who plans battle strategy and leads the Clan into battle. The Warleader is often sent as an ambassador to other Clans or peoples. The Family of a Warleader almost always rises to second rank in the Clan, next to the Clan Chief's Family. The Clan Chief is chosen by all the Chieftains of the Clan for his or her leadership skills and ability to negotiate favorably for the Clan.
Conflicts between Families are usually resolved either by negotiation, or infrequently, trial-by-combat between the best warriors of the two Families. In rare situations where violence is unavoidable, the Clan steps in to settle the matter. This is a dangerous procedure, for the Families involved may not be satisfied with the Clan's solution, and can leave to found their own Clan, or join another Clan. Duanan, having lives that span two hundred years or more, tend to take the long view: What is best for my Clan? What is best for my Family? What is best for me?
Clerics hold a separate position in Duanan society. Where warriors are the law-enforcers, the priests are the law-makers. It is the priests' duty to retain the history of each Family and Clan. They also act as councilors to Chieftains and Chiefs. A Duanan will always pause to listen to a cleric, for they are the keepers of wisdom. Clerics are also responsible for giving personal names to the newborn.
Duanan find evil priests particularly abhorrent and terrifying. Duanan, travelling outside their home plains, learn to hunt down and destroy Baelite cultists or Settites wherever they might be. Many Duanan become very skilled at rooting out these evil-doers, gaining reputation and recognition for their Clans and themselves.
Wizards, or any arcane caster, are outside of Duanan society. They act as both advisors and defenders, bound neither by Family or Clan laws as they have no Family or Clan. As a result, Duanan mages do not have Family or Clan names. Duanan wizards often travel from Clan to Clan, carrying news or visiting others of their class. Once every five years, there is a Great Council, when every Duanan wizard, sorcerer, or other arcane caster who can attends a great gathering hosted by one of the Clans (chosen at random). The host Clan gains the free protection of the wizards until the next Great Council. At the Council, each wizard is judged by the others for work he or she has performed for the Duanan people. Those who are judged to have worked against the Duanan are either exiled or killed, depending on the severity of the crimes. Renegade wizards are actively hunted by other Duanan mages.
As they are outside the strictures of their race's society, Duanan wizards and sorcerers are responsible only to other wizards for their actions. Wizards who perform heroic feats are held in high esteem by all Duanan. Wizards break the traditional Family and Clan barriers; as a result, they have great political influence by favoring one group over another. Duanan magi have the right to sit on any Clan or Family council they choose, though if there is another higher-ranking mage present, the visitor may not vote.
Since warriors are an integral part of their society and wizards are completely outside it, only renegade Duanan will take the fighter class in combination with an arcane caster class. The objectivity of the spell caster would be compromised by the duty of the warrior to Clan and Family. Such outcasts will never be reaccepted back into Duanan society. Fighter/wizards have no Family or Clan names. Many Clans actively hunt down and kill such outcasts.
Outside their own kind, Duanan hardest time accepting that wizards of other races act for their own power or love of the Art, and not for the common good of their own folk. A Duanan warrior will at first be puzzled by the isolation most non-Duanan wizards seek, disbelieving of wizards who actually charge money for their services, and outraged by wizards and guilds that keep their secrets from each other. A Duanan wizard, on the other hand, knows of the self-serving habits of other races' spellcasters and will not trust them in the slightest with the collected knowledge of Duanan arcane casters.
The Duanan Family is a close-knit group of directly related individuals. The Family is protected by its own warriors and is led by a Chieftain. The Chieftain is responsible for the Family's success, whether financial, political, or military. The warriors are responsible for implementing the Chieftain's will. A warrior who disobeys his or her Chieftain is considered very disgraced. Warriors who actively work against the Chieftain will be outcast, if not killed. There are exceptions to this rule.
Families make alliances with other Families for many reasons - political, economic, and military being the main ones. These are usually spoken agreements, as the Duanan do not have a formal written language. The Families involved will never break their word. To do so would mean expulsion from the Clan.
Marriages between Families are common. The proposer (male or female) becomes a member of that Family (and Clan, if the proposer is from a different Clan). If the marriage is approved by the Chieftains of both Families, then the proposer will add his or her new Family and Clan names to his or her personal name. If one or both the Chieftains do not approve of the match, then the proposer must renounce his or her old Family (and, in some cases, Clan) to join the other's Family and Clan. When both Chieftains disapprove of a marriage, the individuals involved will often seek a new Family and Clan.
A Duanan can be admitted to a new Family, but this is a decision that rests solely with the Family Council. Things that will be considered are: abilities (i.e. character class, profession, etc.), skills (level of proficiency), former Family and Clan, and many other matters. During times of war, admittance to a new Family is much easier, as the Family Council will seek to replace lost numbers.
Expulsion from a Family is usually a result of working against the Chieftain or the Family Council, or from such crimes as murder. Punishments usually include shaving off the offender's mane, hand or ankle cuffs, or all three. Branding the back of one or both hands may also occur if the crime is severe enough. Most often, however, offenders will be lowered in their standing with the Family or Clan. The Chieftain is the one who actually deals out the punishment, but the Council decides on the punishment. A warrior can bring any member of the Family, including another warrior, before the Council for judgement. If another warrior is brought in, the warrior(s) responsible had best have a good reason for it.
The Duanan Clan is a group of two or more Families working together under a formal relationship. A Clan Council, composed of the Family Chieftains, priests, and the highest-ranking mage present, chooses a member of one of the Families as Clan Chief, who may or may not be a member of a character class, and final arbiter of decisions. Second to the Clan Chief is the Warleader, who is responsible for planning battles, ambassadorship, as well as seeing that the Clan warriors perform their duties well.
Overall, the Clan acts as an extended Family with some competition between Families. Rivalry between Families is resolved by the Clan Council. Crimes against the entire Clan are also resolved by the Clan Council. Decisions which affect more than one Family are left to the Clan Council for approval.
Duanan are capable of cross-breeding with only humans or Elves. Such first generation crossbreeds have all the abilities of their Duanan parent. Elven crossbreeds also have longer lifespans, equal to about half that of the Elven parent's. Human crossbreeds have normal Duanan lifespan, but can also advance unlimited, if single-classed. Second and later generation crossbreeds will have the human, Elven, or Duanan parent's abilities dominant as governed by the dominance of blood. Crossbreeds of any sort are very rare and not always welcome among Family or Clan.
The People have few children compared to humans. The average Duanan female can expect to have up to three or four children in her lifetime. Twins are a very rare, and eagerly sought for, occurrence. Children are usually separated in ages by two to five years. Gestation period is nine months.
Other Races:They do well among Elves, whom they resemble and are respected by. They regard the shorter races with some amusement. Duanan tend to act aloof towards humans. Most other races they've only heard of in legend and fireside tales.
| Race | Response |
| Dwarves | "Strange, smelly, loud creatures." |
| Humans | "Confused, chaotic, and impolite for the most part." |
| Tatheari | "Perhaps the noblest race of all." |
Physical Description: They favor Elven features greatly, and range in height from 5' to 6'. Unlike cats, the Duanan have no claws, whiskers, or tails. Duanan ("Duanan" is both singular and plural) are covered with soft silky body hair ranging all of the natural cat colors, including gold and silver. Complete black is very rare, stripes only a little less so, while spots are fairly common. The thickness of their body hair varies from individual, but is normally only a little thicker than a human's. Hands, feet, and face are finely chiseled and sharp of feature. Ankles and wrists have "cuffs" of long, fine hairs. These cuffs are kept neat and cleaned often -- the Duanan consider well-kept cuffs a source of pride. Covering the head and back of the neck is a fluffy mane, the pride and joy of these cat-people. To the Duanan, the mane is a symbol of status, similar to fine clothes for an elf or human.
Of Elves and humans, Duanan favor Elves the most, having the same triangular face, pointed ears (they're on the sides of the head and not at all cat-like), and sharply slanting eyes. They have longer, sharper teeth that are very noticeable when they are smiling. It is said that when one deals with a smiling Duanan, it is best to count one's relatives afterwards.
True to their appearance, the Duanan posses cat-like speed and agility. Duanan can also see well in very poor light, viewing a moonless night as if it were full daylight. As long as there is starlight, they are unaffected by darkness. In conditions of near-complete dark (say a dungeon), Duanan can see twice as far as a human so long as there is some light present. As a race, the felinoids are naturally good-looking. Those people who like cats (aluirophiles) tend to react favorably to the Duanan (+2 on reaction rolls). Those who do not like cats (aluiriphobes) have the opposite reaction (-2 on reaction rolls). The cat-people do not have the endurance or hardiness of other races, suffering a -2 penalty to their Constitution. The average Duanan lifespan is about 200 years, although ages of 300 are not unheard of.
Relations: The Duanan have a slight condescending attitude towards other races, mainly because of the shortness of their names. Duanan place great honor and pride in a long, descriptive name. However, a Duanan who meets a stranger, Duanan or not, will give only his or her personal name. It is considered rude in the extreme to tell one's complete name to a stranger and delay negotiations. A Duanan is exceedingly proud of his or her name. Insulting a Duanan's name, or his lineage, is a deadly insult and almost always results in immediate attack.
Duanan will tend to react to members of other classes the way they would among their own people, until they learn otherwise. This can lead to some consternation, especially with regard to priests and mages. Duanan get along best with warriors. They appreciate and value the rogue's skills with scouting and moving unseen among enemies. Paladins are confusing, since they are both warrior and priest. Rangers they like best, for rangers instinctively understand the Duanan's ties to the land.
Duanan tend to treat humans as unusual creatures, and with somewhat less honor and respect than they'd show another Duanan. Elves and Half-Elves they treat as equals. Elves are longer-lived than Duanan (which is good), but their names are woefully short and colorless. Dwarves they respect for their skill at metal-working. Halflings and Gnomes are viewed as silly, short, and cute. The Duanan have a great respect for the Tatheari. Many times a lone Tatheari has aided a Duanan Family or Clan in trouble.
The Duanan hate crowds, preferring wide, open spaces. They are not claustrophobic, they just have a large sense of personal space. Their campsites are filled with spacious tents and lodges, with many areas open to the sky. Open air, clear skies, and wind ruffling the mane - these are the things that make a Duanan happy. They do not take long captivity very well.
When dealing with strangers, a Duanan will almost always be polite, but wary. He or she will be very cautious about revealing Family, Clan, and allies. Friends are greeted warmly, and much effort will go to making such visitors comfortable. Enemies are insulted, spat upon, and usually attacked with the greatest ability. Family and Clan enemies are almost always attacked on sight. The Duanan are not suicidal. A lone Duanan will not usually attack a large, powerful enemy by him- or herself. Instead, he or she will gather a few allies and then massacre the opposition.
Non-Duanan members of character classes that would normally hold power in their society (most notably mages) are treated with more respect than another stranger, but that is all. Such individuals hold no position at all in Duanan life. In very rare cases, certain non-Duanan have been adopted into a Family or Clan (or adopted by the Great Council, in the case of an arcane caster), but such has not occurred in generations.
If a Duanan says that he or she will do something, that Duanan will do it, so long as the task does not go against his or her beliefs. Duanan always seek to uphold their Family and Clan names, for they gain credit for themselves in the eyes of both Family and Clan for doing so.
Alignment: Duanan are fiercely loyal to their Families and Clans, but also prize individual freedom. Combined with their desire for room to roam, they tend towards Neutral Good.
Religion: Living in harmony with the land, Duanan accept Druidic teachings readily. They follow Sylvanus and Vorin.
Language: Duanan speak their own language, that also has a written form, plus that of the Hartland (Perhadese).
Names: Duanan names contain no "b", "z", "p", "q" or "g" sounds.
Male Names: Male names begin with a consonant and end with a consonant: Calais, Drakkan, Rialak, Tyvak, Silruk.
Female Names: Female names begin with either a vowel or an "R", and end with a vowel: Arakna, Elle'ava, Imalae, Owehi, Reykea, Yatei.
Family Names: Kordai, Nrandr, Sannok.
Clan Names: Crel, Harek, Rakr.
So a name such as: Calais es Nrandr das Crel = Calais of the Family Nrandr and Clan Crel.
A Duanan's name can be extended, usually by accomplishing some great deed. A more impressive name might look like this: Rialak tol Vulk iv Dol Merdun ne Ashad Kathnyr es Vialad das Iruud = Rialak who is hero to the People of Kath at the War for the Desert of Dreams, of the Family Vialad and Clan Iruud. This Duanan has done something exceptional, and so his personal name has been extended - probably by the Clan Council. Or even: Liada Shevril Kiaudun Sannok du Vireid es Caer Shalün es Sannok das Harek = Liada, Master Trader of the Sannok Family, honered of the Shin Faer Calün, of the Family Sannok and Clan Harek. This Duanan is probably the most skilled trader of her entire Clan, and has even travelled as far as Caer Shalün - very far from home indeed - where she was greeted as a respected guest.
Adventurers: Duanan adventurers are usually young "wildlings" who have left Family and Clan to seek their fortune in the world. They want to perform some feat that will add to their personal name. Gaining wealth, prestige, and power are also goals. Or it could be simple curiosity about the outside world and the strange creatures that live in it.
Avamor Campaign:Duanan in Avamor live exclusively on the Krai Nal Plains. By treaty with the Empire of the Hartland, the Duanan are all considered Imperial citizens, and governed by a representative of the Great Council. Clan Chiefs hold official rank equal to that of Barons, while Family leaders hold rank equal to that of Count. Long tradition dictates that Imperial forces do not encroach on the Krai Nal Plains without permission, and the Duanan do not travel in groups larger than a Family within the Empire proper. There is great respect for the Duanan within the Empire. Most Hartlanders find the cat-people attractive and fascinating, both for their physical beauty and for their preservation of a barbaric lifestyle.
Copyright 1998-2001 by Guardian (cmuel59749@aol.com).