Enchanter Lewin's Compendium of the Known Races of Eidos

(The contents below are direct transcription from Lewin's lengthy compendium. Worth noting is the vast majority of the original two thousand page text is missing, with, if the word of editors is to be believed, little loss to the overall meaning of the compendium.)
Enchanter Lewin's Compendium of the Known Races of Eidos
As written by Enchanter Lewin of the College of Magi, Ravenrock, Eidos
Second Edition: Edited by Variel Braern (VB) of the Elvish Embassy of Aslod - 217
Foreword
Herein lies the denoted transcriptions of the investigations of one Enchanter Lewin, himself being myself, therein commissioned by the College of Magi to record as to the sentience of Eidos and its people's, those whom are befitting of the designation, therefore including hence: those of Humankind, oldest and proudest of races, their kingships and their many colours; the Elves, in their ways; the Dwarves; Gnomes; Dragonborn; and most dire, the Tieflings. Thereupon doth this record begin - studying those most plentiful and hardy of the races:
Man.
VB: Worth noting is that compared to Dwarves and Dragonborn, humans are below average in hardiness. 
Humankind
Foremost of Eidos' species are mankind, long since held as the oldest of this fine continent. Thereupon their achievements are many, and variations of people's, too. Upon study, many averages might arise - that of the male and female kind, the former possessing average years of life in the sixth decade, adult weights of such being within the eightieth kilogramme, or such, and their heights at one thousandth-tenth score eighty. Magical inclination is as haphazard as it is entropic, conterminous with the inclinations of nature itself. Therein there arises equal chance infants are born possessing of magickry. [Several lines missing, most likely of little worth] Humankind is most plentiful, most powerful, and thus, the main focus of Eidos. 
VB: Lewin incorrectly asserts humans are the oldest of Eidos' sentient races; in actuality, Elvish architecture dates back many thousands of years, with written record of Elvish tribes existing far, far earlier than humankind. Humans are only notably proficient, over other races, in two respects; their capacity to learn, and their capacity for xenophobia. 
Elvishkind
Mistakenly assessed as the oldest and wisest of the races of Eidos, the Elves possess an affinity for nature far beyond that of other species. Possessing of uncommonly bountiful visage, grace in exception of others, and knowledge of matters arcane beyond most (besides, of course, the College). However, whilst their magickry in times of yore supposedly was also vastly exceptional and plentiful in possession by their kin, the Elves of late have lost these gifts. Some say it is due to stagnation; others to splendiforous and decadent pursuit; but this journal will attempt to withhold judgement and make no further comment. In height, they exceed man on the regular, though in weight, they often fall short; and in lifespan, there is little record of Elvish old age. The Elves, unlike man, make their home particular to their surroundings; less hardy and possessing of less resilience, they descend themselves into forested areas (such as the Windsong Woods, wherein the majority of Elvish civilisation lies) and build upon their fortifications there. Worth noting is that Elvish architectural practice has, in some ways, left its own mark upon those of Man, such as in Aslod, which lies just short of Elvish territory beyond the coast. As of the establishment of the Chantry by Justinia the First, and its associated ecclesiastical elements such as the Spellbreakers, the Elves are considered part of the Chantry and held as such.
VB: Such is the nature of this section and of my own expertise that editing it would be fruitless, so I will write an addendum instead. Elvish kind is the oldest in Eidos, and some would assert our innate connection with nature and magic makes us amongst the wisest, though it would be arrogant to claim as such here. Due to the Sundering, the talent with which most Elves utilise magic diminished significantly. Also of note is that Elvish kind can die of old age, though we live significantly longer than humans - around seven hundred years. To Lewin's credit, seven hundred years is still more than seven times his own lifespan, and as such, it would seem as if Elves can live near enough forever. The Elves willingly co-operate with the Chantry and the Spellbreakers - we are not subjects so much as we are vassals.
Dwarvenkind
Neither the oldest nor the wisest of the species of Eidos, but certainly amongst the hardiest, the Dwarven men of Eidos are seldom seen outside of their stoned fortresses dug into the Frostbite Mountains that form the barrier to lands further North. As a result, little is known of them, and few accurate studies have taken place; though it is known that Dwarvenkind and Humankind have often collaborated in the struggles of the past, as with the Gnomes, and their penchant for technology has oft been compared to innate magickry itself. On what little average is known, Dwarvenkind falls short of human height by far but meeting similar weights even despite their smaller stature; their lifespan is also in excess of man, by around the four thousandth-tenth.
VB: Worth noting is that even Elvish records of the Dwarves and their once-great Empire are near barren. The Dwarves are reclusive, and always have been.
Gnomishkind
Diminutive even by Dwarven standards, the Gnomish - sometimes referred to also as the Halflings - are separated into two distinctive kinds; those who enjoy the peaceful comforts of their own abodes in seldom disturbed agricultural communities, loving their hearth more than most else. The other form of Gnomish kind are tinkerers; traders; more worldly cousins to their quieter kin. These gnomes often run their own caravans with the Gnome's keenly honed sense of danger, risk, and reward. Moreover, they perform and take on roles such as bards, explorers, and tinkerers, their energetic and curious nature lending themselves well to performance or discovery. These kinds are often seen working in tow with Dwarvenkind, though usually they find themselves above ground more. They possess far below average height, most regularly a full-head shorter than their Dwarven kin, and weigh far far lighter, as well. They live in slight excess of humans, at, on average, one century's mark.
VB: Those gnomes that choose to live off the land and its bounty often visit Elvish territory, and the Elves have connections with many notable Gnomish settlements that behave in this way.
Dragonborn
Among the more esoteric of the people's of Eidos perhaps, except for Tiefling kind, the Dragonborn gypsy-kind are fabled to have once hatched themselves as the off-shoots of real dragons. Dragonborn appearance varies depending on their supposed draconic ancestors, with their ancestry determining, in part, their capabilities. Observed most commonly are those with bronzed complexion, with rarest being black. Within Eidos, Dragonborn society is mystical and transformative; outsiders to their culture will be hard-pressed to penetrate the vast webbing of mysticism surrounding their caravans, which travel often mysteriously between towns, withdrawing themselves from common society in all cases but to purchase or sell goods for the benefit of their caravans. Nomadic and isolated Dragonborn travelling alone are relatively rare, but not unheard of, and certainly, are from which most information regarding the society of these dragonkin springs. They are, on average, in excess of human height and weight, owing to their ancestry; curiously, however, they are usually shorter-lived, lifespans marking at the half-century percentile.
VB: Much like the Dwarves, Dragonborn 'society' - if it can be called that - is not tremendously well known; however, they are a proud people, and very spiritual. Whether they use their powers for good or for evil, they form brotherhoods with those of their own ancestry that top any bond that could be formed with anyone of any other species.
Tieflings
Most mysterious and also most cautioned of the races of Eidos, Tiefling (or as they are sometimes known, demonkin) are met with scarcely more than whispers, second-looks, and fearful gaze. Their supposed history is shrouded in folklore, claiming they, supposedly, bore blood in a pact for a dark lord of Hell itself for power. Tieflings possess hallmarks of this ancestry, and their considered outsider nature leads to their usual claiming of titles of criminality. Beyond this, little more is known for sure - their nature, whether by birth or by social construct, is such that speaking with them on most matters is unproductive. As a result, they remain the only race in this Compendium the author, Enchanter Lewin, himself being myself, I would assess incorrectly surmised within these pages, and awaits further editorial in the years to come.
VB: For a change, Lewin admits his own lack of information - and so will I. Whilst those Dwarves that make their way down south are all too happy to speak and form friendships, Tieflings of all kinds in all places are reclusive and mysterious. They are best avoided - for their sake, and yours.
VB: The Orcish Clans
After the first edition of this Compendium, a great exodus took place from unknown lands south of Eidos - from that exodus emerged the Orcs, who settled in the lands south of the Daggercap Mountains, in Xnarul and its surrounding desert. The Orcs were, at first, not welcomed - and numerous conflicts were fought (and continue to be fought) on their claimed territory. However, almost a century having passed since their arrival, it is relatively safe to assume that the Orcs are here to stay. Still, few incursions into their territory for academic reasons have been successful, although the unfortunate off-spring of Orcish conquests - half-orcs, often born from the involuntary union between an Orcish male and a female of another species, usually human - have worked their way further North, and become better integrated in Eidosian society. Broadly, it would be wise to investigate the Orcs further - whether they will continue to be a threat to the continent and its peoples remains to be seen, and if not, a valuable resources could be found in them.
Epilogue
As such, the nature of Eidos is cosmopolitan, but hierarchical; wherein emerges a clear distinction between those at the bottom of the social scale - the oft-feared Tieflings - and those befitting of their status at the top - Humankind, in its vast array of achievement and heraldry. Thereupon, I shall end this compendium concisely, and thank the College for the opportunity to finish this text in all its two-thousand-page glory.
VB: Lewin is correct in his surmising of Eidos as a melting pot of many races. However, his now outdated ideals of human supremacy must be challenged in the decades to come; with the arrival of the Orcs, it is not certain whether Eidos will ever be the same again, and the old order must change before it turns itself to the torch. It is near enough a miracle that in its current form, the compendium comprises a smattering of pages compared to its original edition. I hope future editors will be equally as concise, to ensure this document remains a useful reference for travellers, mages, and normal folk alike.

Purpose

Enchanter Lewin's Compendium of the Known Races of Eidos is a journal commissioned by the College which aims to document the behaviours and social structures of the sentient species of Eidos. For the most part, Lewin's assessment of "sentient" was those possessing some form of social structure and that live in some form of settlement, mobile or not. There have been several editions and addendum's to Lewin's compendium since it was first written in 139, accounting for the Orcish Exodus, the Yuan-ti Discovery, and etc. Currently, the compendium stands at its (number here) edition.

Type

Journal, Scientific

Medium

Paper