Peoples of the Forges

Races in the Forges

live overground, only go underground briefly and/or in small numbers

• humans (often mixed with other races, especially orcs (in the western Forges) and dwarves (further to the east; see the Fedun)
• halflings (though there are none round here)
• elves (very few in the Forges; mostly mountain elves and some wood elves)

live mostly overground, but partly underground

• gnomes
• some dwarves

live mostly underground, but partly overground

• other dwarves, especially the Hewellen
• orcs

live underground, only go overground briefly and/or in small numbers

• Goblins and other goblinoid races

live deep underground, never seen or heard of overground

• deep gnomes
• probably some other races I haven't thought much about, like duergar, derro, and fire & earth genasi

Social organisation underground

Most or all of the underground societies of the forges combine matriarchal and patriarchal elements. See the main article on Social organisation underground.

Lifespans

Most races live about the same length of time as humans, give or take a little. Halflings and gnomes live to about 150 or so. If goblins tend not to live as long, it's because they live underground, and life is hard down there. Dwarves can live to about 250.
Elves are the longest-lived mortal race. It's possible for an elf to reach 750, but they hardly ever do. You can't live that long without getting a little weird. Elder elves sometimes wander into the forest and forget how to use language; or become cruel and inhuman because they lose track of other people being actual people; or simply lose interest in the kinds of decisions that enable survival. When elves say that someone "died of old age," they don't mean of heart disease or cancer; they mean their age became too heavy to bear. This can happen at any time after 350 years or so.