Nain
The oldest subgroup of Dwarves, closely related to Elves. Indeed, in their own tongue they call themselves "Stone Elves" and think of themselves as Elves, but sovereign and separate from the Elven Empire. Nevertheless, their relationship with other Dwarves is still mostly positive, and they are members of the Dwarven Accords, which agrees to coordinate all possible resources to defend against any non-Dwarven invaders of the Dwarven lands, including Elves.
Though slightly shorter than the average Elf, a Nain could easily be mistaken for one if not for the lack of pointed ears and the obvious beard, which is nevertheless shorter among their kind than with other Dwarves.
Transformation: Delver
Like all Dwarves, Nain have an affinity with the stone in which they live. They sometimes lament the loss of affinity with trees that Elves share, but they make up for this loss with an increased sense of surrounding awareness. All Dwarves can innately sense the shape of any stone room they're in, but the most adept of the Nain, called the Delvers, can sense nearby rooms and cavities, and other significant changes in the density of the rock, even if these are not directly connected to their current location. These Delvers explore deep cave systems and find the easiest ways to traverse them, so that Nain can live within them with the least amount of environmental destruction caused.Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Viricia, Allia, Ismene, Antsa
Masculine names
Einar, Carl, Sten, Gabrus, Lacamal, Albius
Unisex names
Andreas
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
Nain speak Naiani, a dialect of Current Elvish that is mutually intelligible, albeit with difficulty, with the dialect spoken in the Elven Empire. Most Nain also speak the other Dwarven languages, especially Svartalfari.
Average technological level
The Nain are one of the most primitive groups known, especially in comparison to their neighbors, and believe in simple living. Their population is small and of low density, and they export little, mostly consisting of artworks and items that are more aesthetic than functional.
Common Etiquette rules
In combination with their favor for simple living, Nain also prefer simplicity and straightforwardness in social interactions. It's considered rude to hide one's feelings, and a person who lies for any reason may become shunned by the community. Likewise, they encourage treatment of others as equals, regardless of social status. Nain tend to be considered tactless by others, especially the Elves with their highly-regimented rules of engagements.
Common Dress code
They wear simple tunics of linen or wool, often undyed, held in place by ropes, and have a taboo against combining garments of different materials or colors.
Art & Architecture
The Nain strongly believe in preserving nature in its original form. As such, much of their land seems unkempt, and is managed by inconspicuous methods such as selective burnings. Their farmlands seem overgrown with trees and bushes, and have no obvious borders.
They live in simple galleries of stone dug out from the countryside, choosing locations based on the quality of stone rather than the abundance of valuable minerals. These galleries consist of simple rectangular rooms, often with rounded corners, simply because these are easier to carve, connected by short corridors. They are unadorned by artworks, but are almost always adjacent to natural cave systems, which they leave untouched and carefully protect, except for small tunnels made to ensure transportation to even the most remote of individual caves within the system.
The entrances to their galleries are well-hidden, usually under a thicket of trees, ensuring that they are almost impossible to find. Interlopers in Naiall find that the greatest challenge is simply finding out where the locals are, and finding a safe place to rest without fear of being attacked in the night by people who seem to literally jump out of the ground.
Birth & Baptismal Rites
As caves are considered holy spaces, one or more is set out in every community as a birthing location. A midwife will dwell in the vicinity, and pregnant women will visit her for advice. When one is nearing birth, she will live in or next to the birthing cave, and the birth will be performed within under the most auspicious conditions possible. Afterwards, the baby will be brought to an adjacent cave to be cared for until it and the mother are strong enough to return to their home.
Coming of Age Rites
A Nain is considered an adult when their beard is long enough to be braided, and they demonstrate their independence by doing so. The braid doesn't need to be maintained afterward, and many will go back to a simpler hairstyle after the proof is given.
Funerary and Memorial customs
Many settlements have special caves for burial, located very deep underground and filled with water. The dead will be placed into these after a funereal service. In other locations where no suitable burial caves are found, mounds will be built instead, growing with generations as more dead are interred under them.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
The Nain believe in simple, unadorned, naturalistic beauty. They wear simple and efficient clothing and shun most accessories and cosmetics. They prefer long hair and beards, but tied in braids or buns so as not to present a hazard. Following from this, beauty is judged on one's natural features, with an association between inherent beauty and personal or spiritual strength. People regarded as ugly tend to be distrusted, and have few options to address their appearance. However, there are limited forms of cosmetic alteration available, and it's believed that applying these at a young age can affect a person's growth positively.
Gender Ideals
Like other Dwarves, there isn't a strong difference between male and female appearances, but those features which do differ are noticeable to themselves. Women tend to be shorter and more slender, with shorter and finer beards, and to have rounder faces. Because they have few standards of beauty, the Nain tend not to regard someone's image as particularly masculine or feminine.
Nicknames (least to most pejorative): Stone Elves, Fair Dwarves, wild kin, slowfolk, ditch dwellers, cloudheads
Height: 1.4-1.7 m (4'6"-5'6")
Skin Colors: Light to medium brown
Hair Colors: Any shade of blond or brown
Eye Colors: Blue, green, brown, or hazel
Lifespan (Average/Maximum): 350/780
Height: 1.4-1.7 m (4'6"-5'6")
Skin Colors: Light to medium brown
Hair Colors: Any shade of blond or brown
Eye Colors: Blue, green, brown, or hazel
Lifespan (Average/Maximum): 350/780
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