Tunnelers

Tunnelers are a subspecie of humans of rather unsure genesis, that controls Labirynth beneath Itirrian Peninsula, Northwestern Arrica and Southern Frankia. Its origin is unknown, because it is believed to exist around at least since early Ancient Era - long before humans reached the Western Karathia.
The chief theory about them is that they are a completely separate human cultural group (which is reinforced by their cultural and language uniques) that went underground prior to the ascension of Xylian Dominion, during early-to-middle Late Archaric Era. And then existed for many millenia in relative seclusion, in slightly aether-infused environment causing their increased adaptational changes.
Today they can be described as a subspecie of humanity that heavily adapted to living underground, making them an important asset in hands of Imperium of Karadia in their eternal war against Pandaemonium attempts to rise from the enigmatic Abyss on the lowest level of Labirynth.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Relatively similar to baseline human on the outside. Two hands, two legs, two eyes and mouth typically placed on a single head. Nothing really that outstanding.
Even their muscular system and bone structure - two things most oftenly influenced by magic-enhanced evolution - shows no discernable changes.

Genetics and Reproduction

Their reproduction system is more or less typical. They, however, have diverged slightly too far from baseline humans - being nearly on a verge of becoming a separate specie.
This causes their reproduction system to sometimes malfunction when mixing with other subspecies of humanity (or baseline humans) causing very high level of miscarriages and genetic dysfunction (overally reaching 20% of pregnancies). Sucessfull interbreeding significantly lowers this risk in subsequent generations, finally leading to them losing their whole uniqueness and becoming baseline humans - though they still have an increased chance of albinism that remains for several more generations.

Additional Information

Facial characteristics

Tunnelers can be easily described as a race of human albinos. White (or even pale) skin, red or, rarer, paleblue eyes. Oftenly visible small, red veins (their skin is slightly more translucent than human). Sometimes - especially among thinner skinned females or children - they tend to form expansive, tattoo-like 'pictures' of their skin.
Color of their hair serves as a mark of their descent. Normally they suffer from lack of pigment that causes their hair to grow white. However those that had access for much better and more 'wholesome' food - for generations - namely highest castes of their society - managed to avoid this defficiency (that already became genetic among the lower castes). In short - if tunneler does not have white hair, it means he hails from nobility.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Overwhelming majority of them inhabits Labirynth beneath Itirrian Peninsula, Northwestern Arrica and Southern Frankia. They live and breed in great numbers, with their extremely slave-based Virijan Hierarchate gladly selling even batallion-sized forces of slave-soldiers, not to mention craftsmen and so on. Thus they can be encountered pretty much everywhere, mostly in chains, and disappearing in local human population after few generation.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Massively improved eyesight in dimly lighted environment, that instead makes them heavily susceptible to sudden, blinding light - they are easily blinded by it, although it is really hard to achieve permanent damages.
In turn, their sight on the surface is severely handicapped. Their eyes were also 'rebuild' to work better on shorter range, with the ability to see details massively dropping beyond ~100 meters into blurry mess.
Their hearing is very good, with many of them (but not all, around 64% has this trait) also possessing a sort of rudimentary echolocation, capable to discern at least basic outline of the terrain even in complete darkness simply by klicking their tongue.
As it sometimes happen during magic-infused evolution, the not needed but not outrightly negative traits weakened at least slightly. Good example is their smell, that was diminished to the poinrt of being barely capable of detecting by smell that food is rotting - they are much beneath average human level.

Civilization and Culture

Beauty Ideals

Beauty ideals of tunnelers does not divert too much from baseline humans. Most significant difference is tied to their blood veins that sometimes form extensive 'tattoos' on their skin (especially among females and children) - they are often considered beautiful, especially when visible and symetric, without noticable imperfections.

Created by: ???.
IC: Occurence: Widespread
IC: Danger: Not Threatened

Lifespan

50-75.

Average Height

1.65-1.80.

Average Weight

60-80.