The Lencori are a large group of human peoples that inhabited and still inhabits Lencenor (modern-day Lorent). For much of their history, the Lencori clashed with major imperial powers and saw their people and territory conquered and divided by the Gnomish Hierarchy, Castanor, and the Damerian Republic.
Etymology[]
The name Lencori derives from the Old Castanorian "people of the west" and was first mentioned during the reign of Castan Beastbane in the Early Castanorian Period.
The Gnomish Hierarchy, which had dealt with the Lencori many years prior, simply referred to the Lencori as "taldouds" meaning "tall person" in Gnomish.
History[]
Origins and the Hierarchy[]
The Lencori were never a unified people and were split into countless tribes, clans and kingdoms that were constantly warring amongst themselves and the halfling tribes.
During the rise of the Gnomish Hierarchy, the Lencori opposed the Hierarchy's expansion, but over time found that trade with the gnomes was more profitable, something that promoted the establishment of the gnomish colony of Portnamm. The Gnomish Hierarchy later established a web of alliances in Lencenor and consistently set the tribes against one another as the Hierarchy slowly expanded; in times of war with the Hierarchy, many Lencori would serve as mercenaries for the wealthier gnomes against their own kind.
Age of Beasts[]
In 1200, during the Age of Beasts, many Lencori texts indicate mass disappearances of entire seaside villages, leading to greater isolation for the region. The events during the Age of Beasts generally led to the decline of the Lencori people, making way for external conquerors to subjugate them, as well as indicating the origins of a fear of serpents and reptilians in Lencori mythology.
Castanor[]
In 618 BA, the city of Vertesk was founded by refugees from Castanor who were fleeing from a civil war and found itself trading with both the Hierarchy as well as the native Lencori, with many Lencori quickly clinging onto Castanorian ideals and rule as they favored the influence of their own human kind rather than gnomes.
During the expansion of Castanor in the years following, various Castanorian colonies were founded in the areas closer to the Dameshead, with the Redfort itself becoming a border fortress of Castanor in Rubenti territory. The Lencori were initially very receptive, adopting Castanor's customs, language and even gods in the areas bordering these settlements. However, many in the western and central parts of Lencenor became hostile and repeatedly impeded Castanor's later advances and often allied against it alongside the Gnomish Hierarchy.
Lencori Wars[]
In 78 BA the Lencori Wars began and saw the rival Damerian Republic and Gnomish Hierarchy unite to finally quash the increasingly hostile Lencori resistance, and partition Lencenor between them. During this time the Republic controlled Wesdam and lands up to contemporary Lorentainé under its control, while the Hierarchy had Portnamm and the lands above the Portroy River in its domain.
Eventually the original Lencori cultures would be divided in two groups: Lenco-Damerian and Lenco-Hierarch respectively, merging the original cultures and tribes with the customs of their new rulers.
Arrival of the Adeanics[]
In 58 AA, the Sormanni mercenary known as Crovan Spearsworn returned home after fighting for Castanor in the War of the Falling Stars and brought with him the cult of a new god: Adean. Rejected in his homeland, Crovan left the Sormanni with his followers in the year 62, attacking the Entebenics that occupied the coast all the way to Mistspear and founding Crovania
List of Cultures[]
Pre-Damerian Lencori[]
Post-Dragonwake Lencori[]
Modern Lencori[]
† = Extinct