Thal

Thal
One of the Four Great Races, the Thal (pronounced Tal) once thrived, their dominion stretching the length and breadth of Tol long before the arrival of humans or Atroxi. They are known to the halflings as the Fir Bolg.

Appearance
Modern Thal in some ways resemble humans, such that many humans believe them to be "archaic humans"; they have a humanoid form, but their bodies and limbs are much thicker, their bones and body shape much broader. Most strikingly is the abundance of thick matted body hair across their arms, shoulders, upper back and chest. Their facial structure too differs significantly from humans; they have much larger broader skulls, with heavily pronounced brows.

Ancient Thal - as they existed at the height of their civilisation - stood between 2.2m and 2.5m tall, towering above the likes of humans. It is rare to see a modern Thal even 2m tall.

History
Alongside the Ursine, Yedmer, and Lisar, the Thal were one of the four races rising to sentience and civilisation in the aftermath of the fall of the dragons.

The Thal were the dominant race in Thal, sharing parts of it with the Ursine and the Yedmer. However, in the aftermath of the Great Draconic War with their numbers devastated and many of their holds empty and undefended, they offered little significant resistance to human encroachments. As humans began migrating into Tol in ever greater numbers the Thal were ultimately displaced, being forced to retreat to the furthest reaches of the north, occupying the Pale, the area now known as the Dún Ail highlands.

It was the arrival of the Halflings that marked the final death knell for the Thal; High King Niall instigated a series of aggressive campaigns to drive the Thal out, taking Thal holds for themselves, with halfing colonies springing up across the highland region.

"Giant hunting" parties into the Pale were not uncommon among humans, who would attempt to take down and kill the largest and mightiest of the Thal, to then brandish their skulls upon their shields. Over many hundreds over years this created selective pressure against larger Thal, an issue exacerbated by their eventual expulsion from the surface as they were driven into subterranean cavern systems to seek refuge from hostility on all sides.

Their retreat underground was a final act of self defense, as they utilised their advanced stonecraft to convert deep underground caverns into a new home, far removed from their enemies on the surface.

Society
Ancient Thal did not form kingdoms; a Thal Chief was leader only because others chose to follow them. There was no concept of inheritance, and no Thal was enslaved to another, each a free person to choose the Chief they followed.

As a result of their prolonged strenuous struggles, the Thal eventually adopted more hierarchical political and social structures, united as a people under a single Chieftain supported by a council of elders.

Culture
One of the defining features of ancient Thal society is the prevalence of rock-cut architecture, that is, building directly into cliffs and caves. Most of the remaining Thal rock settlements are been destroyed, forgotten, or now inhabited by halflings or Atroxi.

It was a common sight to see Thal settlements decked in beautiful frescoes depicting their lives and histories.

Since their expulsion from the surface, their subterranean holds remain largely inaccessible to surface dwellers.