This is a similar question to one on another thread so here is a bit of cut and paste:

It's likely that the players have added their own flavours to the Factions by now giving them more definition then appears on the two websites. Some are more clear than others and some seem like a mix of one or two historical places, my Newbie question is, what are the basic OOC influences for each Faction?

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"Stick around!"
-Governor of California throwing a hunting knife into a man's chest

• Lions: Originally Arthurian England, they have changed over time to become closer to the fantasy backgrounds of Avalon and Lantia. The latter has given them an edge of Greek myth (with the Spartan-like "Hydra") while still retaining a good mix of IC historic groups (Like the Albione "Prince Bishop's Men").
• Vipers: Originally Teutonic Knights, they have gone very chaotic and horde-esque with a degree of greenskin (and ogre) bias. A haven for dark incanters (evil priests).
• Harts: Originally Lions, they split off in a civil war keeping Albion in a medieval/courtley England form with a tinge of celtic myth. Recently headed back towards Arthurian themes after the Lions left them.
• Gryphons: Spanish and French, with heavy elements of high-fantasy elven culture thrown in. Recently suffered from internal tensions and external pressure.
• Tarantulas: Split off from the Vipers to occupy the Menzoberanzen-style Underdark, this is a drow-heavy faction with moderate matriarchal tendencies. A haven for undead and the occational mind flayer.
• Dragons: Gaelic and Celtic myth, with very 'high-sidhe' fey courts involved. Not entirely certain beyond this, as the Cymrian and Erin nations have enough disagreements between themselves without bothering other people.
• Bears: Scotish... Caledonian heroes a la Braveheart. Fond of drinking and have occational 'kilt issues'.
• Wolves: Norse myth, raiders, reavers, karls and jarls. A haven for werewolves.
• Jackals: The most recent faction, they struggled to assert identity over the 'refugee' groups that originally propped up their numbers. Arabian and Egyptian influences are now heavy, with a number of Greeks on the side.
• Unicorns: Originally bold traders from the floating islands of Mauritania, they were pinned down to a fixed location at the same time the Lions were deprived of their demi-plane. Recently had a brush with being a dark and evil faction, they are now trying to re-assert their identity a traders in a game with no functioning economy.

Are you sure about that? I remeber the trannies being a faction as far back as 97 and I belibe the Vipers were a sort of rebel off shoot from the Cobras (now defunct) so that seams to give very ltittle timeframe for the trannies to be created after the Vipers came to be. (Note I started in 96 so I'm not saying it cant of happened just surprised)

LT - Runt S McEwan

PD - Steven Mahr

Also see "Jhereg" by Stephen Brust. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0441385540/102-3339926-7927329?v=glance&n=283155 It's fairly dreadful but enjoyable and is still the most readable of the series.  I believe that there've been changes.  Also IIRC

Wolves = humans

Vipers = humans, ogres, trolls, goblins, orcs and some drow, (kender?)

Fir Cruthen = Humans and elves/pixies (it's a height thing)

Al-Gaia = Humans and elves and dwarves (?) (and goblins still?)

Jhereg = Beastmen, Drow, Humans, prefix elves.

Lions = humans and dwarves

Nomads = humans in furry hats, other humans, some elves, more prefix elves and lots of other stuff (last I looked they tended to like bows, keep to themselves and have a great time)

Mercenaries (still extant?) Some people.

I hope I'm not too inaccurate in my racial profiling of the factions...

I have heard it said that the core of the Trannies originally came along as Vipers and a friendly split happened when they got Faction status for themselves.

The Vipers pre-date the Cobras: the Cobras turned up in strength at one Gathering to dispute control of Teutonia. They got beaten rather soundly at the Gatehring battlefield and dissolved as a faction after failing to get enough pre-books at the next event. Periodicly turn up as bad-guys in Viper plot, afaik.

I didn't mean that they split was recent, I meant that the Lions had recently shifted away from Arthurian themes and that the Harts had begun to run Arthurian plotlines that would be familiar to Lions players from 5 or so years ago.