Recently got the campaign book and having been reading it none stop for the last three days. But as I combed through the pages there is mentioning of a race called Gar numerous times.

All of which paints not in a favorable light. Yet there are no stats to speak of in the Bestiary. I figure that's because their in another book like a monster manual, but it might take me a long while before I get my hands on that copy.

So what exactly are Gar, their history and some basic things to remember about them?

Your fellow traveler,

MCRN

They do actually appear in the ARG Bestiary volume 1, and they have existed since the 3.5 version, but. . .

Essentially, the gar are orcs in the D&D sense. Now, of course nothing is that clear cut in Arcanis, and the gar culture is far more complicated and nuanced than the typical D&D or Warhammer Fantasy versions of the orcs. Appearance-wise, they are generally humanoid with art showing them as having prominent canines and pointed ears like the elorii (there is a very specific in-canon reason for that ). They tend to be tribal in nature, focusing on nature and primal magic, and shun settlement and civilization. Unlike normal orcs, they are not fundamentally violent, but are perfectly willing to defend themselves when threatened. Most races view them as stupid, barbaric, and little better than pests. This has led to empires for thousands of years pushing them off their traditional lands and into marginal areas of the world.

I mostly agree with Cody. But I'd rephrase a lot of it this way:

The gar are more "cave-men" than "orcs." My opinion. The Gar generally live at the margins of civilization in areas that are unsettled and have stone age level technology and shamanistic spell casters. They live in family units and are often semi-nomadic. Most people in the Known Lands think of them as nuisance...to the extent they think of them at all. Once upon a time they were much more than they are now...but most people (including the Gar) don't know their history.

There is a big exception to that for the Kio and Undir in the League of Princes. South and west of them is a (essentially fascist) civilization of the Gar that uses the same advanced weapons, armor and tactics as anyone else. Those Gar are big threat to the League, and the Kio militaries spend plenty of time skirmishing and fighting with them. This conflict is mostly unknown or ignored in the countries of the Known World such as Altheria, Coryan & Milandir.

Huh...well this definitely paints a picture about them.

So Orcs/not orcs/cavemen people then...who also have an advanced nation due battle with the "not" half elves of the league of princes.

Just another day in Onara then...Just wonder what that would look like...

LOL! Yeah! I"m sure I saw that guy attacking the League!!! The jerk!

I would note that the "savage" Gar in the "Known World" apparently have nothing to do with the "fascist" Gar at the southwestern edge of the world. they are two different vestiges of something ancient and essentially forgotten. If you ever get curious you can look up the ancient history in the Blessed Lands book or Ssethregore book.