The ven are a race from long before our time, they were contemporaries of the Hyperboreans and Atlanteans, although those races were nothing but primitives at this time. Created by the Sorcerer Kings, they were slaves until the Kings brought doom unto themselves. They vanished and the ven took over the shattered remnant of the world. Shanri, the enemy.
This is the end of their age, the height of their power.

The ven are divided into several Unveiled Houses:

• The House of the Bear, the strongest of the ven, isolationists in the north of Shanri.
• The House of the Elk, the most cunning of the ven, half-veiled for their treachery.
• The House of the Falcon, the most courageous of the ven, recently unveiled.
• The House of the Fox, the most beautiful of the ven, masters of art and style.
• The House of the Serpent, the wisest of the ven, who know the world and it’s magic.
• The House of the Wolf, masters of tool and weapon, tenacious and a little crazy.

There were Veiled Houses, which earned their way out of land, out of history. Some may return, like the bold Falcon. Here are some of them:

• The House of the Horse, whose crime was serving the greater good.
• The House of the Boar, who gave up their ways to join the orks.

The beings of Shanri are divided into several types:

• Ven, the blooded lords of the world.
• Veth, or ‘dirt’.
• Ork, anything living which is not ven or veth counts as ‘ork’.
• Suaven, the ven who have passed into solace.
• Spectre, horrible spirits who draw energy from the living.

The words of Shanri are complex and strange, the few found and truly understood are indicative of their attitudes towards the world, society and each other.