Major Races of Eosia and Tamul

There are multiple races of humans described in David and Leigh Eddings' popular series The Elenium and The Tamuli.

Some of the most important are detailed below.

=Styric= The Styrics are a race of humans which once populated much of the Tamul and Elene continents. The "ancestors of Styricum slouched, fur clad and club wielding, out of the mountains and forests of Zemoch onto the plains of central Eosia". Since Zemoch is bordered with Tamul, they may well have migrated from here.

They have, however, greatly reduced in number following the invasion of other races, principally the Elene race. The Styrics number several million undoubtedly; however they are largely dispersed in small villages everywhere except in the city of Sarsos, the only styric city.

The principle magic users in the world, Styrics can be found scattered across both continents explored in the novels. They are governed by the Ageraluon or 'the thousand', a body comprising the High Priests and Priestesses of the thousand Younger Gods.

Religion
The Styrics are, on the whole, learned and cultured people, who live in close communion with their multiple gods, known as the '1000 younger gods of Styricum'. The younger gods of Styricum are accustomed to answering and granting supernatural abilities to their worshippers in the forms of prayers which are answered. These spells are known as the secrets of styricum.

There are also Elder gods of Styricum, which predated the birth of the younger gods. It is unknown for how long, if at all, the Styric worshipped the Elder Gods.

In the city of Sarsos, the only styric city, where the 1000 high priests of the younger gods congregate in a form of parliament and decide on laws and edicts which largely govern the life of the styrics everywhere.

Relations with other races
The Styrics often refer to the way Elenes act and behave as barbaric.

They are frequently the subject of prejudice, bigotry, and occasional violence. Their persecution is so intense on the Eosian continent that Styrics live a simple, rustic existence. Styrics are more accepted in Daresia (the Tamul Empire), where their capital, Sarsos, is an architectural masterpiece. Because they are an oppressed and hunted people they have understandable mix of suspicion, anger, fear and contempt for the races that burn them alive (particularly Elenes).

Based Upon
A number of Styric characteristics and traits, make them at least a partial analog to Jews, including:
 * The dietary prohibition against pork
 * The pogroms held against them, making Styrics a much maligned race by other races and
 * The Styrics possess a national sense of persecution (similar to Jewish post Second World War diaspora)
 * A people of fair complexion with dark features, hair and eyes, and quite slight of build.

However, Styrics are polytheistic instead of monotheistic.

=Elene= For Eons, the Styrics held sway over Eosia, but "there came a time when the Elenes rode out of the east and intruded themselves into this place".

The Elene's are the most populous race and primary occupants of the Eosian continent, the setting for most of The Elenium, also to be found in Daresia, the eastern continent which serves as the location for The Tamuli.

The principle protagonist of the two series, Sparhawk, is an Elene.

Religion
All Elenes worship the same god, represented by a single monolithic church (similar to Catholicism).

Relations with other races
The Elene faith dictates that all other faiths are heretic and the followers of which require either conversion or annihalation.

Peloi
A group of nomadic horse-people who roam the eastern frontier of Pelosia. Strictly speaking, they are Elenes and worship the Elene god. Their customs are very different to those of other Elenes. They have more in common with Elenes from several hundred years before the novels are set than with 'modern' Elenes. The Peloi are strong and wild warriors whose reputation was so feared that when the Zemochs invaded Eosia, they avoided sending their troops through Pelosia because of the Peloi's presence there. The Peloi believe that fighting and stealing are the most honourable ways of earning money. The nation of Pelosia was named after the Peloi.

Based Upon
Elenes bare a resemblance to medieval England in their culture and technological level. They are roughly based on the people of Europe. They are fair skinned of varied hair and eye colour. Their are multiple nationalities each with their own preponderance of different physical and mental and cultural characteristics but are largely a homogenous racial group.

=Tamul= The ruling race of Daresia. The Tamul's inhabit the far eastern lands of the Tamul Continent. They are the founding people of the Tamul Empire, a multicultural empire spanning almost the entire continent.

The ruler of Tamul is the Emperor, however he is little more than a figurehead, and the different departments of the government run the country.

The government tries to ensure its continual power by arranging royal marriages that would result in stupid heirs to the throne, and intelligent Emperors often have fatal accidents. To prevent the meddling of the Emperor (who technically has absolute power in Tamul), most members of the government refrain from giving the Emperor bad news or often any news at all, and Emperor Sarabian (the current ruler) once said that he would need to look out of a window if he ever wanted an accurate report on the weather.

The Emperor has nine wives, one for each nation subject to the Tamuls, his first wife however, is always a Tamul and it is always her child that will become the heir to the throne. The Tamuls are an incredible polite people, so much so that a Tamul criminal will not attempt to escape if caught as it is impolite.

Religion
Many do not take their Gods seriously -- or even believe in them -- and, as a result, their deities are little more than divine infants.

Relations with other races
The Tamuls were virtually forced into ruling Daresia after the Atans offered themselves as slaves to them.

Based Upon
Most Tamuls are described as having Gold coloured skin and they appear to be similar to Asians physically.

=Atan= The Atan are a race of warriors who tower above others in physical stature and military prowess due to a dedicated breeding program they have used for centuries. Unfortunately they are too much of a danger to themselves for self rule and have entered into a voluntary agreement of servitude to the Tamul Empire, to which they provide a most formidable standing army.

Tall, warlike inhabitants of a country of the same name on the Daresian continent, they form the Tamul Empire's strongest (and only effective) army.

Religion
Their relationship with their god is intimate, yet formal: it will lend its power to them in the form of magic, but they only call on it on very special occasions as they do not believe they should bother their god with things they can do themselves.

Relations with other races
The Atans offered themselves as slaves to the Tamuls as they feared that without someone to control them; they would destroy themselves (before becoming subject to the Tamuls, fights to the death between the Atans could break out over such topics as the weather). Despite being slaves they are not treated poorly, instead the Tamul government uses the indentured slavery as a means to maintain peace and stability in the empire. The Tamuls have to be careful about the orders they give, however. In one case a very broad command was given to avenge the enslavement of many Atan youths by Arjuni slavers, and the Atans ended up marching through Arjuni and conquered its capital, creating havoc for the economy.

Queen Ehlana's formidable bodyguard Mirtai is an Atan.

Based Upon
Similarly to the Tamuls, the Atan's are described as having Gold coloured skin, so they are probably based upon Asian's, possibly the Mongols.

=Zemoch= A mixed race, the offshoot of Styric and Elene forefathers.

Held under the dominion of the evil Elder God of Styricum Azash and the Emperor Otha for centuries, they were freed thanks to the efforts of Sparhawk and Bhelliom at the end of The Sapphire Rose.

Under Otha's command, they twice invaded western Eosia, both times to seize the Bhelliom gem by force.

=Ogres and Trolls=

Confined to the Thalesian peninsula, the ogres and trolls of the Elenium are sentient sub-human creatures. Notable among the trolls is Gwherig, the disfigured dwarf troll who shaped the Bhelliom into the rose it is in throughout the novels. The Trolls have five Gods, the god of fire, the god of ice, the god of kill, the god of eat and the god of mating. Trolls have incredibly thick hides that protect them from most weapons but because of their hides insulate a large amount of heat; they cannot live long in any warm temperatures, restricting them to the colder areas of the world. Trolls are carnivores, their favourite food being humans, though they do not eat the heads. Ogres however, are herbivores by nature, and trolls are racist towards them.