Part 1: Regarding Yalcs

In a long forgotten time, there lived a race of creatures known as the yalcs. But what are yalcs exactly? well, not much is known now about the yalcs. they're all but gone from our world, retreating to the most remote places to save what's left of their cultures and traditions. now,yalcs remain only the stuff of fairy tales and legends.

A word on the physique of yalcs. they are small, averaging 1 to 2 feet in height. the tallest yalc ever recorded was Aramat Eyaf Yalc of the Eyaf clan. measuring 3 feet 2 inches, she towered over the rest of the yalcs. apparently the Eyaf clan had some Tiboh blood on the maternal side, hence rendering most Eyafs taller than regular yalcs. Moving on, yalcs generally prefer to be socially independent, but they do take to company when the mood arises. they take an interest in things happening around them but seldom take an active part in it. even in those days, a yalc settlement consisting more than 2 clans at one time was rare.

Height is not the only thing which physically sets these yalcs apart. the yalc skins possess an inherent defense system. increased adrenaline flow causes the yalc skin to harden, forming a natural protective layer. the degree of hardening varies among yalcs. the skins of the yalcs of the Ohay clan were considered the hardest, able to deflect spears and even sword thrusts. some yalcs have learned to induce hardening at will. this feature has proven both a blessing (offering protection without having to carry cumbersome armour) and a curse (foreign hunters looking for yalc skin profits).

Fragmented as the yalcs appeared to be, they were, supposedly, united under one leader, the dominant Enoza clan. majority of the yalcs boasted a distant relation to the Enoza clan. most claims cannot be confirmed though there are some cases where the relation is proven. the Enozas were generally fat and homely, with a penchant for minding other people's business. hence the dominance and supposed leadership.

the yalcs occupied a large area of land known as Naidirem. this land stretched from the River Etihw in the south to the peaks of the Zifgnir Mountains in the east. it's northern and western boundaries are not clearly defined as it lay within the mysterious realms of the Eveileb forest. the various yalc clans were scattered all over Naidirem with the great Evas Lake being the absolute centre of the land.

Decnavda was regarded as the lingua franca for contact with those outside Naidirem boundaries. most yalcs are proficient in Decnavda although it is not commonly spoken among the clans. yalcs do have a unique language of their own, simply known as Enilec. here's a sampling of their speech. "good morning, nice day" in Decnavda, can be translated into "Oogday inromgnay, ecinay adyay" in Enilec, the suffix '-ay' being an annoying sound to the untrained ear, but a time honored suffix tradition to the yalcs.

the preservation of traditions and customs are important to the yalcs. to break tradition is to be Ehtoray, outcast from the community and land. in the really extreme cases, Ehtoray are sentenced to permanent exile. there has not been an official case of Ehtoray for more than a century, although there were reports of potential Ehtoray throwing themselves into the Evas Lake or disappearing into the Eveileb forest rather than face judgement. Ehtoray is considered the ultimate shame and an irrevesible status, lower than the lowest in society. never has there been a redeemed Ehtoray in the history of Naidirem. Until now.