The Falkeans

The Falkean race is an ancient one, originating from the lands north of the Empire where the present day city of Tempia is located. When the North Sea Marauders began ravaging the northlands, the Falkeans began fleeing south in droves, often becoming refugees in the lands of the Empire. Looked upon with certain disgust by many Humans, the Falkeans were often forced to assume lower positions on the social strata. This has not stopped some Falkeans from becoming influential agents in the Empire’s history, however. An Imperial Steward for Emperor Sallus II was actually a Falkean. Severed from their homelands, the Falkeans have endured lowering fertility rates over the many centuries they’ve been refugees. This has resulted in the Falkean population falling to only a few thousand, their numbers dispersed amongst the fiefs of the Empire. When the First Grand Plague struck the western continent, many initially believed the cause to be the Falkeans. This ended in growing anti-Falkean sentiment, and the growing numbers of Rom-worshippers began to use the Falkeans as scapegoats. A series of mob-related killings have been recorded by some Imperial Grand Scribes, but the exact number is lost to history. When the true cause was discerned to be the Slaver States of Lar, these discriminatory killings decreased, but some hardliner believers of the faith of Rom still held the Falkeans as the true culprits.

In the 15th year of the Fourth Era, the Falkeans were driven out of their homeland by the North Sea Marauders who ravaged the coastlines. Being a relatively peaceful people who practiced fertility rites, the Falkeans had no chance against the hard steel of the Northmen. Driven south into the newly formed Kingdom of Ostendi, the Falkeans were viewed as a distrusted lower class of foreigners and aliens. Their plight, however, gave a strong casus belli to King Janianus, son of the High King Aureus. In the 18th year of the Fourth Era, Janianus began to wage wars against the Northmen to claim some of the timber-rich Falkean lands for Ostendi. Their former homes now “civilized” by Ostendians, the Falkeans soon realized that they no longer thrived in their ancient abode, some theorizing that the presence of Men had weakened their traditional link with the Old Gods. This led to the growing fear and realization that the Falkean race would most likely fall into extinction. However, with no head of religion and no centralized leader, the Falkeans were effectively a decentralized diaspora that was forced to acclimate to Imperial society.

More information here:

https://mckingdom.fandom.com/wiki/Falkean_Lore