Physically, they are quite short and light, with an average height of about 4 feet and rarely weighing more than 30-35 kg. They have a pinkish face and posterior, while the rest of their body is covered in a brown or grayish fur coat. Their coat is well-adapted to cold weather, and its thickness increases as temperatures decrease. Their prehensile tails measure around 1.5 feet on average, and they are characterized by a modest degree of sexual dimorphism in which males are taller and stockier than females. Macaques also have very broad hands with large thumbs, as well as wide feet with opposable big toes.

Originally, the Macaque people were divided into many independent cities or tribes, each with their own laws and customs. Many of these kings and rulers were often related in some way, but this led more often to problems and conspiracies rather than alliances. For example, the city-state of Pelish was ruled briefly by Ulrai, who was then assassinated by the mad king Akthivol, who ruled until a revolt placed Maktaz on the throne. In addition, the northern region of Tulpah once came under the control of the Cobras' caliphate, while eastern Macaques' tribes paid tribute to Orangutans. For a brief and tumultuous period, some even tried to revolt and conquer the Cobra territories but were defeated. In the end, the whole Macaque people were definitively annexed by the Orangutan people into the Iwara Empire, even finding a sort of a common sense of race unity.

Tulpah is a land of hills and fertile lands in which grass can grow taller than seven feet and where one's can farm many different vegetables, but it also has small mountain ranges perfect for livestock breeding, making it a rugged and ever-changing land. Along many countries all over the world, the Macaques have a reputation for being rogues because of their tribal nature with sporadic cities, and their propensity to travel a lot. However, as a major crossroads of landward trade, Tulpah has a number of inhabited centers to cater merchants and caravans. Many of Tulpah's nomads have a notorious reputation among other peoples due to their greediness and duplicity, and most of the Knaves Guild's Sappers and Jostlers orders' secrets are down by them. However, it's also true that in eastern Tulpah Macaques are somewhat different from their hilly-dwelling brethren and are a much more peaceful people, little given to violence or adventure.