Natives of the Standing Lands

Dragonborn
Heirs of the Winged Tyrants, the dragonborn are one of the largest and most diverse races in the Standing Lands. They dwell mainly along the continent's western coast, stretching from the northern frosts to the great desert of the south, and make up a colorful quilt of tribes, clans, and kingdoms often at war with one another. Few ever risk the journey east to meet with the Old World colonists, having to pass through vast tracts of land claimed by goblinoids, yuan-ti, and other creatures, but the few who dare tend to be traders bringing fine crafts and jewelry made of the purest gold, silver, and platinum in the world. Some few, fascinated by the new settlers, have chosen to remain in the colonies to learn more about these peoples and the world they came from.

Gnomes
Short, industrious, and clever, some believe gnomes to be an offshoot of the dwarven race that adapted independently after somehow being stranded in the Standing Lands. Gnomes, meanwhile, maintain a rich oral tradition that claims they were formed from roots, clay, and fire long before any other intelligent race existed. Regardless of their origins, the reclusive gnomes have proven to be by far the friendliest native species the colonists have encountered, emerging from their treetop villages and concealed caverns to trade with and guide the new arrivals. Gnomes have a deep animosity towards both goblinoids and orcs, the former from the millennia-old conflict between the races, and the latter due to their brutal attacks on gnomish settlements. Many have chosen to settle in the colonies and adopt the newcomers' dress, mannerisms, and language, though they remain steadfastly loyal to their native culture and beliefs.

Goblins
Goblins in the Old World were little more than nuisances. Goblins in the Standing Lands, if they can even be considered part of the same species, are among the most cruel, clever, and vicious creatures to ever exist. Highly intelligent and capable of greater cooperation than their Old World cousins, goblins have been the fiercest and most persistent enemies faced by the colonists. They delight in murder and torture, readily use painful and debilitating poisons, and employ psychological warfare with a truly unnerving zeal. Despite their relatively small size, just over four feet tall, a typical goblin is at least as strong as an adult human, and often far quicker and more agile. The only advantage the settlers truly had over these creatures was their technology--steel and cannon. However, worrying rumors indicate that the goblins may have discovered the key to one or both, and the thought of goblin warriors encased in steel terrifies even the hardiest warrior.

Hobgoblins
Compared to their goblin cousins, hobgoblins are civilized and reasonable. That said, they are still extremely xenophobic, warlike, and hostile to outsiders. Hobgoblins primarily dwell in rigidly organized city-states along the southwestern shores of the Great Inland Sea. There, they have built huge and efficient industries in the working of iron and bronze, as well as pottery, quarrying, and logging. Their primary export, however, is war--and their primary imports are slaves to work their massive forges and deep mines. They have, over the ages, engaged in countless struggles with goblins, yuan-ti, and even giant-kind, though just as often they have battled one another. The arrival of the more technologically advanced colonists, however, has sent shockwaves through their society. Though they still believe themselves the most powerful and competent race in the Standing Lands, they have seen the superiority of steel over iron, and desperately wish to learn the secret for themselves.

Bugbears
Bugbears have more in common with their Old World goblin cousins than their fellow Standing Lands goblinoids, being a largely disorganized people living on the fringes of society. Despite their huge size, impressive skills at stealth and forestry, and vicious natures, countless devastating defeats at the hands of the dragonborn have left any ideas of racial unity or identity shattered and left in the dust of history. They primarily dwell in the forests and mountains of the northwestern continent, though occasionally they are brought east as mercenaries or slaves by their fellow goblinoids. Despite their sad state, they remain a dire threat to small communities and wandering travelers in whatever regions they call home, and the sick delight they take in hunting and killing their victims seems to have only intensified after their many defeats.