Dohwar

The dohwar, sometimes called dowhar, are a race of short, flightless avians. A merchant race, they consider themselves the great rivals of the Mercane, although the Arcane themselves barely acknowledge their existence. Insistent merchants, dohwar intentionally lacked any social skills. When negotiating, they frequently engaged in pushy and unpleasant behavior, pairing up against a potential customer and endlessly reciting their list of merchandise or offers to buy their client's possessions until some sort of deal is struck. They carry incredibly varied selections of goods, including wagons, small boats, magic items, and any other items imaginable. While seemingly chaotic and disorganized when seen by outsiders, dohwar are very well organized and work well together for the good of their species. They were constantly under the impression that everyone else in the multiverse was actively working against them, a feeling that most of the time inspired solidarity among their own.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Dohwar distantly resemble penguins, standing 3‒4 ft (0.91‒1.2 m) on average. Their chests are covered in white feathers, while the rest of their bodies are covered in bright colorful plumage that varies in color, including black. They have wings that, although not useful for flight, are capable of grabbing objects. Much like penguins, they walk by waddling ungracefully.

Genetics and Reproduction

They are monogamous and mate for life, and reproduce by laying a few eggs once a year. The eggs are referred to as "new wares".

Dietary Needs and Habits

The dohwar diet includes fish, plankton, and vegetables. They are immune to the effects of alcoholic beverages, but are highly susceptible to being intoxicated by sweet food, which produces on them an effect similar to drunkenness. A single apple, for example, could produce the effects of a strong ale, while small amounts of honey or maple syrup could drive a dohwar completely drunk.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Dohwar society is organized in large groups known as "cartels", which range from over 100 to around 230 individuals, including adults and children. Each cartel is led by a powerful spellcaster known as a President. Other spellcasters down the hierarchy are known as Executive Board members and Managers. The latter usually pilot the dohwar spelljammers. Due to the dohwar's strong aversion to pain, many spellcasters specialize in healing magic.

Average Intelligence

Average

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

All dohwar are innately capable of communicating telepathically with each other. They also use their telepathic skills to read other creatures' minds, an important asset in conducting business.

Civilization and Culture

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Though the dohwar speak their own language and the common trade tongue, they rely heavily on telepathy for communication among themselves. Dohwar form pairings called "mergers", where the two dohwar stay in constant mental rapport, even to the point of finishing each other's sentences. This drives other races crazy.

Common Dress Code

The dohwar love to dress in a garish mishmash of clashing clothes that would make an Aperusa blush. Amazingly, they've figured out that groundling civilizations may be disconcerted by their avian appearance. On these planets, the dohwar wear heavy hoods and cloaks and try to pass for short people.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Dohwar are almost universally shunned by other races and considered a major irritant. They are deemed intolerable by elves and reigar, and are largely ignored by the Arcane. Mind flayers and beholders consider them only of interest for their biological experiments, while the neogi appreciate the taste of dohwar flesh and gith pirates seek them for the loot in their ships. The only race that maintains friendly relations with the dohwar are gnomes, who have an enormous interest in the gadgets they sell in order to incorporate them into their inventions. The dohwar themselves are also known for reselling many gnomish inventions.

Average Height

3-4ft