Warforged

Until Bella Hill, we'd expected to win the war outright. Mages were strong, but they tired easily in combat and our steel didn't. It was only a matter of time and getting the right amount of brave men in place to charge their towers. It all changed when we arose to see the sunbeams shining off their skulls as Menim's beasts marched toward us. - Captain Landolin Bellreaver

Every race has a creation myth, many of which contradict each other as with the Elves' and Humans' classic disagreement, and for every other race, that moment of creation happened so long ago that nobody can truly speak to it. Not so for the Warforged. It is widely understood that this race of sentient creatures who physically mix organic and inorganic materials were created by the Archmage Menim in the final year of his war against the Caelian crown.
At the Battle of Bella Hill, it's been said that 200 Warforged calmly marched behind the wizards' vanguard. A true count of their number has never been ascertained and never again were such great quantities of Warforged reported as being in the same place at the same time.
It is generally accepted that no Warforged have ever been created by another mage, and such activity is specifically banned in the current trade agreement between Menimrest and Sirastir. This legacy both assuages the fears of many non-magic users but also cements the connection between any living Warforged and their militaristic origin.

Post-War

After the cataclysm, multiple scientific and religious scholars certified that the Warforged were not automatons, and indeed had as much free will as any soldier did on either side of the conflict.
For much of the first century after the war, however, Warforged were still reviled and feared in many areas outside of Menimrest. This was further complicated by the appearance of The Unearthed in 50 YR.
As the last two centuries have passed, general sentiments towards individual Warforged has softened, though no nation has yet allowed a Warforged "homeland" to be created. It is unusual for the average citizen of the realm to encounter a Warforged these days, but bards bring tales from Ogria and Marothell that claim a few prominent figures with keenly metallic features.

Basic Information

Anatomy

All observed Warforged have been noted to have anatomy resembling that of a human or other upright, bipedal humanoid.

Genetics and Reproduction

Nobody has ever seen a child-sized Warforged, nor a pregnant one. Those Warforged who have made themselves public figures are reluctant to speak on the matter of reproduction.

Growth Rate & Stages

It is generally presumed that all Warforged were created at the fully mature stage, and no physical growth or transformation has been noted in scholarly literature.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

In the 300 years since the war ended, it is generally assumed that most Warforged stayed in or around Menimrest, where they found the greatest degree of acceptance over time. Sightings have been reported in almost every other nation.

Civilization and Culture

Common Taboos

It is taboo in polite company to ask a Warforged any questions about what they did in the war, or about Menim himself.

Lifespan

Indefinite