Yetis

Yetis are wild creatures from the snowy mountains surrounding Kraezia. They are ape-like creatures with fast legs and nigh-immortal endurance. Legend has it that Yetis do not die of age. They make excellent agile warriors.

They can also be excellent smiths, having a good taste in steelforging and weapon designing, especially when it comes to broadswords, spears, and great axes. It seems as if the yetis are loosely close to humankind due to a similarity in blood and appearance, but whatever missing link drove them to become separate was gone ages ago.

This is indeed aided by the fact that they sailed to Kraezia in the early years, claiming that their home was taken over by foul, cold evil that displaced them. They formed a new kingdom off the coast on the island they call "Kronah".. But their armies are more inland, serving as mercenaries and warmongers.

This in part caused a war in the early stages of the empire, they invaded towns and villages, capturing the innocent to serve as laborers or conscripted recruits in their armies.

It wasnt until a war against the sea-dwelling sahuagins started that the Yetis began to form alliances, they aligned with the dryads due to diplomacy from the Cassan kingdoms, eventually leading to a grudging trade agreement with the other races after the Kraezian empire captured their "forward capitol" of ward...

Their control of ward did not last, as they brought forth militias from Kronah and their own remnant forces, leading to a massacre within its walls and the re-establishment under king Skauskysk. Many years later in the 3404th year he would be killed in battle during a war with the Kraezian empire. caused in part by the arrival of crystal golems during the battle of Vrida Ridge. Returning a grudge between humans and yetis.

The kingdom was eventually devastated in the most recent war, in 3506, against the empire yet again, they lost many warriors when the empire attempted to invade the cold kingdom they had formed. They fought them back though, narrowly...

Yetis despise mageries and sorcery of all kind, considering it cowardly and dark magics are considered abhorrent atrocities to them. Thus magic usage in their lands is prohibited and its nigh impossible to learn magic when among them... This may not stop some few brave souls from studying what is forbidden, though... And ironically some perceive that their god-king from long ago seemed to have used a magic infused blade in recorded tales.

They have excellent liking for practical clothing as well, most yetis who travel or live in isolated towns and villages will usually be practical, with most wearing next to nothing besides leather armor, pocketed kilts, or light clothing for more action to be done. And its rare to find an unarmed yeti anywhere. While more rich yetis wear steel armor as if it was their morning clothes.

They also revere their own martial prowess after centuries of armed warfare, with many warriors having steel resolve and discipline, while the tales they tell are of great battles and legendary warriors who fought the former battles. They refuse to consider backing out, as they consider that dishonor and cowardice.. Making one wonder if they are connected to orcs more than humans, or being a link between both.

As above, yetis are ape-like humanoids usually being around 7 to 8 feet tall, while their fur ranges from snow-white to charred grey in color, they have yellow, soul-piercing eyes much like a canine's, and intimidating teeth. Their muscles bulge, allowing even the youngest and most dexterous recruit fighter to appear to be a hardened champion ready to grind foes into the dust.

Their architecture takes on practical matters of war as well, a traveler will easily mistake even small villages for being bolstered fortresses filled to the brim with steel-willed guards.

Every yeti, even the nobles, descends from a warrior... Having natural training in combat equal to even a soldier, and any further training can make them a killing machine.

The yetis also worship one god: A man once known as their king from long ago, while his appearance has either been glorified or forgotten, it is interesting for one to notice that he resembles a human much more than the yeti's do, and is always shown as a brave king who faced a chaotic flame far beneath the ground for his people, leading to his sacrifice to godhood. He resembles a king armed in plate armor with a crowned full helm, always bearing a single long-sword wreathed in crystal ice (or magic?)

There are some tribes of forgotten yetis that dwell even higher in the mountains that worship the flame that the god-king tried to fight, claiming that it was a force of nature attempting to clean the world of impurity. They are very hostile and considered heretics by the more civilized kinds. These tribes deeply revere fire.

Many yetis believe that they will meet their god-king if they become revered in legend, this is known to be not a peaceful meeting, but a duel of fates, where the passed warrior must brave his own god in combat, most clerics of the god-king claim not a single soul has successfully won against the god-king, but if he does fall, then the brave warrior becomes the second god in the god-kings pantheon, joining him in immortality. Those that do fall are still honored, though. And the "holy book" of this god king is a treatise on the art of combat that the king once trained from in his mortal life. This is read from commonly to learn their god's style of battle.