A few words on population

Throughout Reptiliad, there are various levels of population but there is a tendency for the various tribes to stick to the areas they are most suited to.

The Dwarfs are most likely to have the largest population in Reptiliad but there will always be difficulty in proving this because the Goblins may exceed their numbers but are rarely above ground long enough to find out. The Dwarfs tend to live near to the mountains but like to have a mix of open plain and forest nearby. That gives them the benefits of being close to the source of the stone they need for their castles, close to the Goblins who mine the ores for weapons and power-stone and it also means that they have good access to grazing land and hunting grounds. They were the second of the humanoid races to arrive on Reptiliad after the Goblins but it is not really known whether the Goblins originate from the continent or whether they travelled to it.

Whether the Goblins travelled to Reptiliad or not is widely discussed but it can certainly be said that they have been there the longest of the humanoid races. There are large populations of Goblins who almost exclusively live below ground, in the mountains of the continent. They like to make tunnels that give them access to the forests so that they can go hunting for animals at night and they tend to steer clear of open spaces because they tend to become agoraphobic. It is a good thing for the Goblins that they have such a good trading relationship with the Dwarfs because they would have difficulty travelling too far to trade with other tribes. The Dwarfs are always happy to go into the mines to trade and the Goblins are always happy to entertain them.

The humans are the most recent of the humanoid races to arrive on Reptiliad. They came in great long ships that were filled with food, seeds and domesticated animals so they were prepared to settle the land. It came as a great surprise to them that there were not more people in the land... until they encountered Dragons for the first time. Luckily for them, the Dwarfs were able to help them out and they quickly struck up trade agreements that enabled the Dwarfs to obtain fine cloth and a variation of foods in return for their building expertise. This helped the humans to get a foothold in the land while they built up their farms and fortifications. Many a human has been saved by the sturdy architecture of their Dwarf-build house. The protection that they have received has enabled them to properly settle and build up their numbers but they have only been on Reptiliad for a hundred years or so and their numbers are few when compared to the other races.

The Dhurni live in the northern territories and are most numerous of the dinoran races. Although they are nomadic, there are many separate caravans that travel the wastes and they are excellent at surviving where others would falter. There are more Dhurni than humans but they are far fewer in number than the Dwarfs or Goblins. Little is known about their arrival in Reptiliad and some even suggest that they may be an off-shoot of the Dragon species but this is absurd because they are mammalian, not reptilian in design. What is certain about the Dhurni is that although they are fairly slight and sinewy in build, they are immensely strong and agile and they excel at hunting.

The Mhurni have the lowest population of all the races on Reptiliad and the Dwarfs are always desperate to prevent it reducing further. The Mhurni tend to live at the junctions of different environments and like to have a mix of mountain, plain and forest within easy reach so that they can harvest the various ingredients they need for their medicines and alchemy. Whether it is as a result of the drugs they take, the alcohol they drink or the vapours that they breathe, is uncertain but the Mhurni breed very slowly and if they suffer casualties from Dragon predation it hits them the hardest of all the races on Reptiliad. As has been mentioned already, the Dwarfs are always concerned about the Mhurni for fear that they are left without the ability to trade for power-stone so they are extremely protective of the gentle race. The Mhurni, on the other hand, are not easily looked after because they like their own simple ways and are usually far to intoxicated to worry about things like keeping away from danger.

Occasionally, there are other visitors that either don’t stay long or are taken by the Dragons. These tend to be people who lack the confidence to mingle with the local tribes and, in isolation, falter and pass away over time. There are also those that are shipwrecked who may find shelter in one of the tribes or will be swept up by a hunting Dragon or killed by one of the many beasts. Raiders often visit Reptiliad but they tend to be surprised at just how well the locals defend themselves and each other and usually leave with fewer numbers and a wish never to return. As a result, there can be a wide range of different races in the land at any time and occasionally, they may stay long enough to make a legend of their own.