Here is a brief listing of the known sentient races of Mendia.
Dwarves are uniformly short and squat, with powerful physiques. The Outsiders that brought Dwarves to Mendia culled their slaves from two distinct groups.
While Dwarves live in peace with the native Humans and Elves of Mendia, they prefer the company of their own kind. Varheim build their homes in the cliffs and slopes of high mountains. Norheim prefer lowlands and build underground cities beneath low hills.
The typical Elf is slender and quick. They are shorter and lighter than Humans and have sharp features and pointed ears. Their appearances vary greatly and reflect their native habitat. Some have dark brown skin like tree bark and leaf-colored hair; others have pale green complexions and hair the color of beach sand. All elves have dark green or blue eyes with catlike pupils.
Elves get along with Humans and Dwarves, but prefer to live in towns near forests, open plains, or the sea. Their love of nature sometimes puts them at odds with their allies.
The Glaudrim roam the spaces between worlds, pillaging and destroying. They use slave races, the Trolls, Kobolds, and Walking Corpses. They are at war with the Outsiders.
Glaudrim have a three-phase life cycle, Wyrm, Wyrmkin, and Great Wyrm. They hatch from eggs as Wyrms, burrowing legless serpents that grow up to 20 feet long and have heavy scales. They spend eight to ten years underground, feeding on any creature that crosses their path, including other Wyrms. Those that survive are called back to their original nest, and carry out the First Molt under the watchful eyes of their parents, emerging as Wyrmkin.
Wyrmkin are humanoid, with clawed limbs, lizard-like heads, scaled bodies, and thick tails. They walk upright and use tools and weapons. A typical Wyrmkin is 8 to 10 feet tall and weighs between 400 and 500 pounds. The First Molt grants Wyrmkin the spark of intelligence, which they use to good effect. Wyrms are solitary predators. Wyrmkin are fiercely competitive, but they cooperate to achieve their goals. Most act as servants and soldiers for their Great Wyrm parents, but rogues and outcasts pursue independent goals.
Wyrmkin form communities based on parental ties. On Mendia they built stone towns and forts in warm mountains and deserts. Wyrmkin towns are easy to identify by their curved walls, wide halls, and large central living chambers. They are typically surrounded by walled enclosures that held their preferred food, live, warm-blooded creatures.
Many Glaudrim remain Wyrmkin the remainder of their lives. Those few that are blessed with the Second Molt become Great Wyrms. Wyrmkin who do not become Great Wyrms live for hundreds of years.
The Great Wyrms, true winged dragons, are practically immortal. In addition to their considerable physical abilities, they are shape shifters and magic users. Young Great Wyrms are difficult to kill, but they lack the guile of their elder kin. The old ones rival the Children of Singularity in power and can fly between worlds.
Goblins live underground and are nocturnal, a characteristic that puts them at odds with the Humans and Elves, who prefer daylight. They are short and slender and have a slightly hunched posture. Their appearance reflects their environment. They have pale, mottled, gray or brown skin, dark eyes with catlike pupils, and large pointed ears, but woe unto anyone who suggests these features indicate a relationship with Elves.
When it comes to mining and underground construction, Goblins rival the Dwarves. They dig vast pits with maze-like habitations built into their walls.
Humans are the most populous race of Mendia, building settlements in every clime. Their appearances are varied, and they mix freely with Dwarves and Elves. Some Human settlements even accept Goblin citizens, although these groups are few and far between.
Humans were the driving force behind the slave revolt and take a leading role in actions against hidden enclaves of Outsiders and Glaudrim when they are discovered. Most humans live in the Free Cities, a sprawling collection of city states that dominates most of the eastern half of Mendia.
Kobolds are small and scaly and have pointed, reptilian features. Some say they are the lesser spawn of the Glaudrim, their masters, but the Kobolds who escaped destruction at the end of the great war have thrived and multiplied, which suggests they are a separate race. Their scales vary in color, reddish brown, dark green and black, and mottled brown and black being common. Kobold eyes have dark red or green irises and triangular pupils. Their hands have three clawed fingers and an opposable thumb.
Kobolds are nocturnal and dig small underground settlements in thick woodlands or natural caverns. They sometimes occupy abandoned Dwarf or Goblin settlements. Humans, Elves, and Dwarves generally hold Kobolds partially responsible for the damage caused to the World Tree by the war between the Glaudrim and the Outsiders. Goblins and Kobolds will sometimes ally to achieve some short-term goal, but neither group trusts the other.
While the race's scaly appearance hint at reptilian origins, Kobolds are warm blooded and are comfortable in temperate or warm climates. They avoid cold regions but can survive there when they must. Their scaled hides provide moderate physical protection, so most Kobolds wear only what they must to secure their personal items. When traveling, they often wear a cloak dyed in natural colors that provides shelter and doubles as camouflage. Kobolds are carnivores and prefer fresh meat, but, if necessary, they will eat other foodstuffs.
Due to their small size, Kobolds avoid direct confrontation, preferring indirect attacks. They are proficient with ranged and thrown weapons and lure foes into positions where they can attack from a distance and retreat safely. If Areas near Kobold settlements are riddled with small tunnels that serve as escape routes or tactical tools. Larger creatures are forced to crawl through these narrow passages.
Permanent settlements all share a few features: a large egg chamber in the most secure section of the lair; multiple entry points, including hidden tunnels; communal dens shared by many Kobolds; and a large central food store where they hold live animals.
The Outsiders were similar to Humans in form, but tall and terrible to behold, with hair like fire and eyes like blood. They are at war with the Glaudrim.
The Glaudrim used Walking Corpses as soldiers in their battle with the Outsiders, and, according to some stories, opened a permanent gateway to their native realm, the Deadlands. The original Walking Corpses came in many shapes and sizes, but most of these creatures perished long ago. Today, the Walking Corpses look like Humans, Dwarves, Goblins, or Trolls. No one has ever seen a Kobold or Elf Walking Corpse.
Walking Corpses have dead-white skin and eyes like black pits. While most seemingly lack intelligence, others clearly display sentience and often lead large groups, called Swarms. Corpses do not form communities as such, but Swarms often stay together for years, moving from place to place for unknown reasons. Most races avoid Walking Corpses and will take unified action to drive them from their lands. Goblins are the exception here, and often share territory with one or more Swarms.