Imavant, Roof of the World

    The valleys and peaks of Imavant are home to creatures that speak and think but are not men.

    After the defeat of the Serpent Kings, the Gods returned to their original plan of developing humanity. But the god Zaldohin did not wish to see the other two kin, the simian and the lupine, fall into nothingness. And so he created the Preserve, here on the highest place in the world, near the gods themselves. And he appointed the Deathless Wardens to be their eternal protectors. The two species must not die off. This is the Wardens' pledge.

    The Lupine clans scattered throughout Imavant, hunting deer in the rich valleys and squabbling amongst themselves. Humans typically call the varying types of this kindred "dogmen". The apes grew in wisdom and built their hallowed city of Shanidel. Some call them yeti.

    The Wardens patrol the bounds of the realm. Anyone approaching from the outside is warned. If they do not heed the warning, they are fought. The Wardens, who appear otherwise human, have exceptional skill and can perform acrobatic feats that seem physically impossible. They may also manipulate matter and energy to some extent. They do not appear to age, but this is said to be due to a fruit cultivated at their headquarters, on a sacred and forbidden peak. They appear to be wholeheartedly devoted to their mission.

    The boundary lines of the Preserve are marked by a series of great stones, often carved with faces. Some of the faces seem more or less human, others are strange and unearthly, of no known species. No two faces are alike. Each stone is just in eyesight of the two next to it, in a great ring around the mountains. Very few humans have been allowed past this ring.

    The tribes of dogmen are allowed to fight among themselves to a certain point. If it seems that the warfare threatens the survival of the species, the Wardens will step in. Conflict between yeti and  dogmen is entirely forbidden. It is doubtful that the high walls of Shanidel could be scaled or breached by the dogmen anyway. The majority of the yeti seem to have no interest in the mundane world beyond their walls, preferring to spend their time studying lore or meditating on deep mysteries.

    Both dogman and ape are bound to honor Zaldohin for allowing their species to continue. They give thanks to him upon attaining adulthood, upon being wed, upon the birth of their own children, and upon their deathbed. Besides these things, Zaldohin has no formal worship or sacrifices. The few humans who have interacted with the Wardens have not been able to determine which of the ancient gods the name Zaldohin refers to. It has, thus far, not been found in any known human records or traditions.

    The dogmen are free to leave, but not to return. The Wardens will not allow the Imavant to be a safe house for raiders. Tribes and packs of dogmen have often emigrated and sought to establish a foothold in the outside world. Some have managed to do so, more have failed.