The Gniwers

Curious as they are, Gniwers are the second most widespread race in the universe, only surpassed by the Humans, who — to be fair — also have a much larger population. Of those who haven’t left their origin world, Manadia, the majority lives in Nimora: a vast city built underground, providing a more moderate climate compared to the heat on the burning surface. Despite the secluded location of Nimora, Gniwers are self-sufficient, having adapted fully to life underground.
When the Humans came to Manadia many centuries ago, a war broke loose. Threatened by the new visitors, the Gniwers met them with aggression and continued to raid the human settlements close to the main entrance of Nimora. For years, the war continued until Jori the Tall — apparently, the tallest Gniwer ever to exist — negotiated peace with the Humans. In return for their agreement to relocate to the large oasis in the midst of the desert, the Gniwers promised to seize their attacks and offered to support the Humans in erecting a new settlement which led to the foundation of Ankrabad, one of the most beautiful cities of the universe today.
Known as a very proud race, Gniwers don’t take it lightly when someone speaks down to them. While this already causes trouble between their own quite often, it can especially escalate if the one they feel offended by belongs to the Rhultak. Being the smallest race, Gniwers easily lose their temper when they feel made fun of, and it certainly does happen that some more confrontational Rhultak like to accuse a Gniwer of trying to compensate for their literal shortcomings. Rhultak aren’t much taller than Gniwers, which, when pointed out in the midst of such an altercation by a member of the other races, can cause its own problems; it isn’t unheard of a Gniwer and Rhultak suddenly joining forces to beat up the know-it-all who dared to intervene.
The gniwerian culture on Manadia is separated into a small elite, the Scholars, and the much bigger underclass of Tinkerers. Almost every Tinkerer dreams of a life as a Scholar, since reaching this rank means to get paid by the underclass to follow whatever creative dreams one has in mind. The maximum number of Scholars, which hasn’t been changed for centuries anymore, remains capped, and so only a few positions open up every year, based upon how many Scholars embarked on their journey to the gods. During the Adaran, a month-long competition that every Tinkerer is allowed to participate in, the winners of these spots are determined. From all over the universe, Gniwers journey back to Nimora to present their inventions, hoping to secure this life-changing opportunity.
Gniwers are especially known for their ingenuity, sneakiness, distinct hearing, night vision and long life spans — some of them reaching 300 years of age. Hidden in the shadows, a secret society of Gniwers exists that capitalizes on exactly these advantages. While not many know of their existence, some of the most organized and deadliest assassins of the universe belong to their group. Only few know their name and even less know how to contact them, but whenever someone does, there is no doubt that at least one person is going to die; the only question is, whether that is the victim, the assassin or the one who dared to reach out and try to secure a deal…

Basic Information

Genetics and Reproduction

Gniwers often are mistaken for small Humans, their physical differences only different by their impish-like features. Anatomically similar, quite a few romantic relationships occur between them. Gniwer-women are pregnant for 2,5 Human years.

Growth Rate & Stages

A Gniwer reaches societal maturity after 90 years, at which age they will settle down and determine their place in society. Before they reach that age, Gniwer youngsters tend to seek out adventure. For that reason, the outside world tends to only know younger Gniwers.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Gniwer society is split up in several ways. First there is a horizontal split, dividing the high elite Scholar clans from the Tinkerer clans, but within each group there are several clan divisions based on specialisation, each bringing with them specific priviliges, priorities and restrictions. Though many outside anthropologists have tried to make sense of this very formal society, none have succeeded and rumors exist that even Gniwers themselves do not fully grasp the full workings of their own society. One thing remains very clear, the clanless are not accepted as full Gniwers and will be ignored by the rest. This however seems to be quite unusual.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

When older, Gniwers primarily live on Manadia, their homeworld. Outside of the blessed few touring Arliterum and the main political seat on Nimora, there are many Gniwer settlements on the homeworld. Gniwers are not uncommon to see on different worlds though, especially at younger ages. The Universal society relies heavily on the technological skills of the Gniwers, allowing a lot of Tinkerer families to live outside of Manadia.

Average Intelligence

Gniwers are a highly intelligent with great affinity to technology of any kind. Their technological advances are often mistaken for magic as their skills nearly rival those of the Dhari, but in reality there are very few Gniwers capable of any supernatural power.

Civilization and Culture

Major Organizations

Gniwers have elevated their search for better technology to a religion. Claimed to be a way of enslaving Tinkerers to the ideology of the leading class of Scholars, Theoremos follows the Laws of Tech. Due to this widespread dogma of every Gniwer being a specific cog in the Grand Machine of life, peace is maintained all amongst Gniwer kind and very few Gniwers are ousted from their clans. One can therefor assume that each Gniwer they encounter, at least indirectly answers to the Board of Scholars seated in Nimora.
Besides the Theoremos, Gniwers tend to stay away from other Gniwerdly organisations, though the Assasination clans are all part of The Organisation.

Beauty Ideals

Gniwer women are known to be the most beautiful women, even outside of their species. The Entertainment Clans of the Gniwers provide many women for the brothels of the Universe, though they are never cheap and it is forbidden to speak of what happens when intimate with a Gniwer female, under penalty of death.

As such, Gniwers appreciate slender women with large curves adorned with a lot of precious metals and stones as well as bearded men with big muscled arms and clean tools.

Gender Ideals

The idea of gender is very dual for Gniwers, however, they do not perse seem to care how gender impacts relationships. Without the need to follow biological constraints for reproduction due to medical technology, Gniwers seem to have let go of the concept alltogether.

Relationship Ideals

It is not accepted to have a longterm relationship outside of the clan. Whilst younger Gniwers sleep around a lot, by the time they are ready to settle down, they will select someone within their own clan or they are assigned a partner by their Scholar. This usually very peaceful process still remains one of the main reasons for young Tinkerers to perform The Adaran .

Average Technological Level

Without exaggerating, Gniwers boast the highest possible attained technology, often with their most accomplished Scholars conferring with Dhari builders when they were around to devise new and better ways to make use of Ethilium and other unknown sources of energy and technology. The Gniwers have chosen to not share this with other races out of fear of it being used against them and thus loosing any advantage they might have because of it.

Common Taboos

One does not ever discuss a Gniwers height unless they are more then just friendly with said Gniwer.

History

Gniwers originated on Manadia. Their capital, Nimora, is said to be one of the most technologically advanced places in the known Universe. Only but a few non-Gniwers have been there and even then, only in restricted areas.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

The Entertainment clan is the only clan that has regular intimate relations with other races. However, the Merchants clan and several Maintenance related clans continuously have exposure to other races.

Gniwers are not per se unfriendly to others, but as their size is usually a disadvantage, they have developed a careful approach. It is however not unknow to see a couple of Gniwers and other race's members be close friends with one another; this is never true for any of the Scholar clans though.

Lifespan

300 years

Average Height

1 meter to 1.5 meters

Average Weight

40kg to 75kg

Average Physique

Though Gniwers are not "strong" in the traditional sense of the word, they contain a wide range of physical boosters allowing them to hold their own, even against a Rhultak.

Geographic Distribution

• Durania
• Khorgram
• Limera
• Manadia

Related Organizations

• Church Of Essence
• The Essence Hunters -IMAGE