Mynyw Racial Makeup

The Mynyw have a long history of welcoming different races into the fold via cultural assimilation. Though the culture began as Humans, races such as Dwarves, Gnomes, and Elves have all begun to call the Mynyw their cultural group. Other minor races on a case-by-case basis have also joined the Mynyw, which typically includes Gnolls, Forest Trolls, and even in one case a Kobold.

Humans
Making up more than eighty-four percent of the the Mynyw, Humans staggeringly outnumber any other race within the cultural bonds. It is the race that came from proto-Humans of Vrykul descent and and formed most of what Mynyw society appears as today. A majority of the Heartlands resides in Humans hands, has been cultivated by Humans hands, or was defended and conquered by Human hands.

As the majority in the racial makeup, some Humans believe themselves to be superior to the other Mynyw races. These racial purists have a tendency to look down upon the other races and believe in broad separation, using fear mongering in order to justify their bigoted beliefs. However, these purists only make up a tiny percentage of the political mindset.

The practice of tattooing has long been a tradition within the Mynyw Humans -- there is typically symbolism or specific ritualistic practices involved within Mynyw tattoos with some groups such as the Rhyfellion specifically creating their own subset of tattoos to brand their members.

Common Features
Owing to their Vrykul proto-Human roots, Mynyw Humans tend to be tend to be tall, with the average Mynyw reaching six-foot two-inches. The largest Mynyw Human ever known was more than seven feet tall and the shortest no less than 5 foot, 4 inches.

Their hair color tends to favor red and brown -- most of the population has either or the other of these hair colors. Black and Blonde tend to be more rare; they are, however, uncommon traits that typically dominates the more common colors if said genes exist in one of the parents.

Freckles are extremely common among Mynyw Humans, so much so that interracial children tend to always have freckles.

Dwarves
Making up a bit more than ten percent of the Mynyw, the Dwarven Mynyw were the first race to be culturally assimilated into the group. Dwarven and Human Mynyw marriages are extremely common and have begun to cause Dwarven genes to become far more prevalent.

Coming solely from what was previously known as the Flamespitters Clan (now Sept), the Dwarves are a mix of Wildhammer and Dark Iron blood. As their name suggests, they have an affinity towards fire and are often trained in the ways of shamanism and wizardry, enhancing their attacks with fire. Gryphon Riders, instead of using storm hammers, use flame hammers instead.

The practice known as Scarring is common among Mynyw Dwarves. Similar to Mynyw tattooing rituals, Mynyw Dwarves scar their skin with specific brands and runes to enhance their magical potential, tell the story of their Sept, or whatever the specific Dwarf might wish to emblazon on their skin. This cultural practice has long been ‘owned’ by the Dwarves, but it has since blended into the tattooing practice of selecting an ink color and coloring the scars that remain to further make them pop out on their skin.

Common Features
Due to the mixed nature of the Wildhammer and Dark Irons, their skin types range between both -- however, many have black or red hair. Red hair is among the most common in these specific Dwarves, with dark pigments of black depending on Dark Iron heritage.

Freckles used to be uncommon among the Dwarves, however since the centuries of interbreeding with the Mynyw Humans, it has become more commonplace.

Elves and Gnomes
The two races that make up the largest percentage of minority races, the Mynyw Elves and Gnomes, barely able to make up less than five percent of the population. However, it is without a doubt that they have had a marked effect on Mynyw society

Elves
Although there are a wide variety of Elves, Quel’dorei (as formerly named) and Sin’dorei (though recent) are able to say that they were born Mynyw. Indeed, the last few hundred years has seen interbreeding between Mynyw Humans and Dwarves enough to create many half-Elves.

However, Void Elves have begun to trickle in just as the Sin’dorei have previously -- either disenfranchised with the Sin’dorei government, needing a place to find and call home, or any other reason, all have begun to call themselves Mynyw.

It is a fairly strict taboo among Mynyw Elves to call oneself a former name of their race -- thus ‘Mynyw Blood Elf’, ‘Mynyw High Elf’, and ‘Mynyw Void Elf’ are all relatively large insults to call a Mynyw Elf. It is seen that if an Elf joins the Mynyw and embraces the culture, they leave their former culture behind.

Elven Rangers and Magi have been the greatest assets to the Mynyw, creating programs that saw to the creation of Mynyw Rangers and wizards. In fact, it was an Elven Archmage that erected the famed Spire of Inisfallen, constructing it with Elven Architecture and using it largely to teach aspiring Mynyw magi.

Gnomes
Whirring mechanical wonders and engineering prowess are at home with the Mynyw Gnomes -- coming in third for the longest serving Mynyw race. Although they share very little initial cultural heritage or practices, Gnomes have slowly migrated into the Mynyw until a large influx after the fall of Gnomeregan.

Mynyw Gnomes tend to favor working with Mynyw Dwarves rather than everyone else; Mynyw Dwarves favor Gnomish creations and aptitude for curiosity in their mines, constantly improving efficiency of labor and reducing workplace injuries. Gnomish engineering, however, has become increasingly prized in larger cities with Modernists and Reformists. Still, Mynyw Gnomes have become a staple to society just as much as the Elves and Dwarves.

Miscellaneous Races
The last one percent of the Mynyw are miscellaneous races that do not make up a significant enough percentage on their own. These include Horde deserters, half-breeds, former adventurers that have settled down with Mynyw people, etc. Assimilation is key to Mynyw survival in their eyes -- though prejudice and old hatreds do end up burying themselves within certain Mynyw...