Thanks for your interest, and the kind comment. :)

With the exception of humans and ithuri, there are the:
[list][*]dvergr, or dwarves, split into three groups. The Dov'khari reside in Sievaria, while the warmongering Azoc'dhari inhabit the Canyons of Auzziran to the west of the Desolation. The Chael'vhari live in Chaelados on the Coast of Crystals, and are slaves of Paerium. The dvergr are an elder race (meaning, older than the ithuri and humans).
[*]the giants. The giants are a trinity of races who dwell in Sievaria, with the exception of the ogurs. The velgs are the most powerful, being the tallest and strongest. The ogurs and jotun are descended from the velgs. The jotun are giants tainted by the influence of a lich, becoming cruel and cold. The ogurs, a shamanistic race, live in the service of the spirits of Araasyr. The giants are an elder race.
[*]the gnolls, or arache. A race of hyena-like humanoids who are devoted to the Sun God and his children, the mezzara. They hail from the Sands of Hathekk on western Araasyr, on their moving city (built upon the last mezzara, Khafa). They are fanatical, crude, and feral. The arache are an elder race.
[*]the fey, and the sicari. Both are relatively secluded from the world, and rarely mentioned. The fey dwell in the woodland realms of Celanire, while the sicari live reclusive lives in the tall peaks of Sievaria.[/list]

Science has advanced to the stage it was in the 18th century. Astronomy is big, biology is on the rise, and chemistry is popular, with the dawn of alchemists. Magic, however, is advanced yet dim. Without going into too much detail, a century ago, magic faded from the world and was only restored 50 or so years before during the Days of Darkness. Magic returned to the world, but maegi were fewer in number than they were a century ago, and their powers were significantly dulled. The most powerful are warlocks, who act differently to maegi in this world, because they draw their power from another world. Warlocks were the primary antagonist during the Days of Darkness, though many warlocks have learned to distance themselves from the corruption their power guarantees. Unlike science, magic and magical techniques has had thousands of years to be experimented with and developed, and though they are few and often weak, there are some of high esteem that still carry on the legacy of their ancestors (magic is tied to bloodlines).

Gunpowder was discovered by Paerium. Cannons and rifles became a huge factor in the success of the empire. The Habbisians are now trying to retaliate with their own version of these weapons, but gunpowder has, thus far, only been found in the empire.

Samara has always been a place of conflict due to the El'Junei Oasis. Is it the largest oasis in the Desolation. The Ghandishmen, nomadic tribes who migrate across the wasteland, have often clashed with invaders or bands of travelers capitalising on it. The most brutal conflict would be the Junei War, where the Imyassi Empire (ithuri) clashed with the Merthyssian Empire (human) over the oasis. The result of this was a defeat for the Merthyssians, and the construction of Vyriahil ('rebirth of Vyria'). Over time, the city was opened to humans, and both Merthyssians and Habbisians came to live and trade in it. It was when the Habbisian King Ujasa invaded that Vyriahil became Samara, and many of the ithuri were thrown out. As such, Samara maintains architectural influences of the Imyassi, Merthyssian and Habbisian.