Dwarves
There are two sub-species of dwarves in the northern realms. The Hill Dwarves, or proper dwarves, can be found as citizens across the Five Kingdoms, as well as in their mountain fastnesses, known as "holds". The Hill Dwarves are known as terrific miners, traders and craftsmen. The dwarves of the holds are bound by traditions and live in a very structured society, governed by strict laws of honor. Those living in the kingdoms sometimes follow the old traditions, but more often they've adopted the human customs. The name Hill Dwarves is a mistranslation of a dwarven word meaning "civilized mountain", which can be used about hills - but also about any non-dangerous geological formation.
Mountain dwarves are a general name used for tribes, or "clans", of more feral dwarves. They build litte, living nomadic lives in the Great East Mountains and the Northern Wild. They favor kilts, bagpipes and wearing their hair long and braided. Unlike Hill Dwarves, Mountain Dwarves shave as often as not - one of the main reasons their Hill Dwarf kin consider them uncivilized. Again, "mountain" is a mistranslation, this time from a word for "dangerous mountain". But over time, those mistranslations have stuck in the Common tongue, and now the dwarves also use them when speaking common.
Due to the vision of the mighty holds with deep mines and fortifications overlooking mountain passes, those who know little about dwarves sometimes mix up the terms "Hill Dwarf" and "Mountain Dwarves". For a dwarf (of either kind), this is a serious insult.
Elves
Of the three main kindreds of the elves, only two are generally mentioned: The High Elves, and the Wood Elves.
The High Elves hail from the great island Anthuan in the west. A very few of them live on the mainland, but make sure they remain apart from the human culture. If you meet a High Elf on the mainland, he's usually on some sort of mission. Rumours abound that the High Elves have a special force of agents, spies and - some say - provocateurs, who travel the human lands in disguise, trying to steer the politics of the human realms.
The Wood Elves are a common name for a thousand different tribes scattered in the larger forests of the world. It is rumoured that they have a city, deep in the Great Forest, but no outsider has ever been there. Wood elves are fond of travelling and making new experiences, and therefore aren't a very uncommon sight in the human realms. On the other hand, they protect their territory fiercely, and therefore have a reputation for being stubborn and hard to deal with.
The third of the elven kindreds, the Drow, live deep underground. They are boogiemen used to frighten children. Apparently, they were seduced and cursed by the goddess of spiders, Lolth. A drow is so rare a sight, that it's not even certain if it would be recognized by a random human of the five kingdoms. But if it was recognized, it would be feared.
Gnomes
Two types of gnomes exist, but they are more different even than the elven kindreds. There are great physical similarities between the two kinds, and they are both extremely clever and intelligent, but apart from that, they have little in common, perhaps with the exception that neither kind seem to form societies on their own, but do participate in the societies built by other races.
The Forest Gnomes live in forests and wild places, befriending the land and the animals. They are often found near Wood Elf communities, being the one civilized race the wood elves will accept in their realms. They usually live alone, or in very small family groups. It is rumoured that some of the human barbarian tribes of the Northern Wild have Forest Gnomes living among them. They are most often friendly, but are also known as tricksters - and many find them annoying.
The Tinker Gnomes on the other hand, can be found living among Hill Dwarves, Stout Halflings and in every major Human city. They work as magicians, scholars and tinkerers, creating half-magical machinery and keeping vast libraries of lore in the terse Gnomish language. Tinker Gnomes think fast and often make leaps of logic, and can therefore seem a bit blunt and unpredictable to other races. They are, however, usually appreciated as they are rock solid pillars of the community. Barring one or two mad alchemists…
Halflings
Two halfling cultures exist in the five kingdoms. The Lightfoot Halflings are nomads, travelling from place to place. When they stop somewhere, they work as entertainers, handymen and - not to put too fine a point on it - thieves. They tend not to be especially welcome, and most people would never trust a halfling.
The Stout Halflings on the other hand are incredibly reliable, and they strongly dislike their lightfoot cousins for ruining their reputations. Stout Halflings live in comfortable semi-underground homes known as holes, and prefer living on the countryside as farmers and hunters. As long as you don't break their peace (or remind them about the existence of Lightfoot halflings), they are a peaceful and welcoming people. Stout Halflings stick to their own kind, and travelling is looked down upon among them. A few of them will go adventuring at some point in their lives, but usually only if it is really neccessary. Exile is a common punishment method among them, however, so if you meet a Stout Halfling away from their own kind, chances are that it's a criminal. This does not help the halfling reputation.
Humans and Halfbreeds
Humans are incredibly numerous, and make up 80%-90% of the population in the Five Kingdoms. They have short lives compared to the other common civilized races, but make up for this with a penchant for building lasting organizations.
Humans breed quickly, and have the ability to breed with other species. This has led to the creation of many half-breed races.
Half-Elves are common wherever Elves and Humans intermingle. Seldom a result of marriages, most Half-Elves are the result of dalliances between human women and male elven wanderers. Exceptions do occur however. Half-Elves usually live among humans, their heritage often giving them great beauty and force of personality, destinying them for leadership. Some, of course, resent them for this…
Half-Orcs can be the result of rape and raids, but - perhaps surprisingly - among the barbarian tribes of the Northern Wilds it is more often the result of inter-tribe marriages or even breeding exchanges. Among Orcs, a Half Orc is often valued for its intelligence, often becoming shamans or leaders. Among Human barbarians the Orc blood gives much valued strength and endurance. In civilized lands, however, half-orcs are viewed with suspicion or even fear.
Dragonborn are extremely rare. A half-breed between Humans and Dragons, these beings are born as a result of intercourse between a human woman and a dragon changed into human form. These beings are so rare that no particular prejudice applies to them - people more often simply do not know how to react. Those who follow the dragon gods often see them as blessed. Dragonborn breed true, but they can also breed with humans - this latter case leading to bloodlines who look human, but who sometimes display sorcerous powers. Some mistake dragonborn for Half-Dragons, but in this latter - even rarer - case, the child was born from an egg laid by a dragon after intercourse with a human male. Half-Dragons are even more dragon-like than the Dragonborn, and much more powerful.
Thieflings are as rare as Half-Dragons. Humans can breed with fiends, sometimes leading to various vile but powerful half-breeds, but most often leading to humans that seem normal. These bloodlines, however, can sometimes spawn a child with much more fiendish appearance, known as a thiefling. Often, parents who have a thiefling child know nothing of their heritage, so it usually comes as a shock. Many parents will kill thiefling children rather than live with the shame of having had one. Thieflings are universally feared and often reviled, which more often than not turns them into villains. Some, however, are good enough of heart that they try to overcome the cultural prejudice against them. There are even a few legends about some who have succeeded.
