Sword and (Hominid) Planet

 No not those apes again. Not the chimpanzees and gorilla and chill bonobos who destroy humans with sticks. We have minions and tanks ffs. Not to mention nuclear subs that could resist for years, 

<End Rant.>

I want a sword and planet setting. Unusual humanoids are required: Tharks, Yarkoon, and Red Martians are preferred. Orcs, dwarves and elves need not apply. To be brief I am stealing a page from MWM's Ancients, and Pournelle's Jannisaries. Aliens have visited Earth and took souvenirs in the form of ancient humanoids They set up a preserve (call it Succor) for them where they could escape whatever the hell killed them off (modern man in some cases). They even tweaked the rescued humanoids to level the field cognitively. Iron Age Neanderthals running down Homo Erectus with flint knives is just wrong.

Our players (so far):

The Ancients: Originally Homo Erectus, the Ancients are the oldest race and have a deep affinity to nature. They prefer grasslands with some woods. they are knowledgeable about magic (actually psionics).

The Ice Folk: Originally Homo Heidelbergensis. The Ice Folk live in the frozen northern regions in keeping with their name. They are short and squat (for people who must have their dwarves). They carve natural caverns into fortresses and cities, trading furs to the southern folk for metal tools. They have begun building their own forges. they very good hunters and raise crops in their southern regions.

The Little Folk: Originally Homo Floriensis. These small (1.2 meters tall) people inhabit numerous islands. They are excellent hunters. They once preyed on dwarf elephants bust eventually domesticated them and bred several types for labor and food. They are excellent animal handlers. 

The Strong: Originally Neanderthalensis. The term Man Brute is a derogatory term applied to them by the Ancients and Little Folk. The Neanderthals have achieved an Iron Age Culture. They have numerous kingdoms, though their leaders can be deposed by a popular vote in most cases. They are an expansionistic power.

Tree Folk: Originally Naledi. The Tree Folk have a Bronze Age culture, They inhabit forests and live in cantons with no widespread government. They are excellent climbers and built their homes in the treetops. They are fond of raining rocks and arrows on uninvited guests.

The Weavers: Originally Denisovans. The Weavers are phenomenal craftsmen trading textiles, jewelry and more to the Strong and Ice Folk. They can work iron in limited amounts but achieve a high grade of metal and craft 'magic' swords (actually low grade steel in a guarded process. they are also skilled chemists and doctors and travel afar in those occupations.

Then a spacecraft runs afoul of an ancient alien defense system and savage humans arrive. The Little Folk and the Strong have half forgotten legends of... things that looked like them. They hunted their lands, stole their women. They were tricksters and assassins. Tall and a=spindly with smooth skins and little hair. They've arrived.