nat-20-geo

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Chaos Dwarf Lords (John Blanche, Warhammer Fantasy Battle 3rd ed, Games Workshop, 1987)

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GNOMES

Short, stocky folk of wooded hills, rocky glens, and the winding, open road. Famous friends of gods and fey, gnomes are credited with developing mysticism as a codified school of magic.

Gnomes are thought to share a common ancestor with dwarfs—having diverged long enough ago to develop their prowess at magic, but recently enough to retain the arcane resistance of their subterranean cousins.

Sharing many characteristics with dwarfs yet appearing more fae or elf-like, gnomes have large, round ears that come to soft points and often facial features that are heavy yet gentle.

The gnomish approach to many mortal concepts such as names, gender, etc. is that of the fairies: somewhat of a game. Some gnomes embrace mischief and sport dozens of names and identities they wear like masks, while others explore these concepts to further their own empathy and bonds with others. Also noteworthy: while fey must each adhere to a “true name,” gnomes are mortal and are thusly bound by no such rule.

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ELVES

Lithe, pointy-eared folk who dwell in the hidden corners of the realm. Likely the first mortals to walk the land, the elves believe themselves exiles from the Realm of Mystery, home of fairies and of magic. According to their religion, elven souls are trapped in a cycle of eternal reincarnation. Elf society is forlorn by definition, with all members working toward escape from spiritual imprisonment known as the “Great Return.” Those that do not adhere to the common mission are exiled as heretical “dark elves.”

Elves have an innate connection to magic, and even those who do not develop skills at wizardry are sensitive to its presence. Due to this and since magic is typically seen as the key to the Great Return, elf society has a higher ratio of wizards than any other culture—save perhaps the gnomes.

Elf lifespans are up to five times longer than the average human, which reflects in their cultural views on age, sexuality, and relationship norms: elves do not dedicate themselves to ephemeral concepts such as monogamy, parent-child relationships, or even any gender for more than a decade at a time; the only ideal expected to remain constant is each elf’s dedication to the Great Return.

Elves are lithe, often thin and occasionally waif-like. Many outsiders believe this is due to the elven dedication to their studies and pursuits, or a lack of understanding of the daily needs of a physical body. Elf bodies are also distinguished by freckle-like pigment patterns that resemble specific constellations and transcend an elf’s reincarnations.

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DWARFS

Bearded, burly folk who hail from mountain holds. Honorable, proud, and immensely practical, the dwarfs are credited with the development of smithing, writing, and the first state workforce.

Born of darkness and stone, dwarfs are slow to be affected by the Arcane: they are largely resistant to the effects of magic but conversely struggle to cast even fundamental spells.

Dwarfs do not innately have a concept of gender. By human standards, all adult dwarfs look like middle-aged men, leading to many terms in common tongues such as “dwarflord” and “dwarfking” despite these positions not having any associated genders. Instead, dwarfs distinguish themselves among their own kind by a codified system of style and dress known as “khrosha.” By these complex codes of braids, colors, and ornamentation, dwarfs can identify potential suitors.

Beyond this iconic appearance, dwarfs are readily recognized by unique pigmentation patterns called “zaghven.” Appearing across their bodies, zaghven resemble exposed ore veins: long, asymmetric streaks that branch and fork. Zaghven is similar to vitiligo in humans but is seen on almost every dwarf and comes in various skin tones—lighter or darker than the dwarf’s normal skin color.