Races of The Draconic Isles

Millennia ago The Draconic Isles were occupied by numerous races, but only five have survived into the modern era: humans, dragonborn, elves, dwarves, and changelings. Humans make up the vast majority of the people who live above ground, while the dwarves hold dominion under the earth. The Draconic Isles' isolation from the rest of Courceia has created significant cultural differences between the people of the Isles and their counterparts from the mainland.

Humans

Diverse and creative, humans make up between seventy and eighty percent of the population above ground. From sheer numbers alone, their culture and might are the dominant force on the isles. They increasingly live in urban areas and mostly belong to the Draconic Orthodox Church.
The sitting monarch of The Draconic Isles is a human and her dynasty has ruled for four hundred years.

Dragonborn

These men and women live alongside humans in cities and townships and are the most populous minority race on the surface. They represent somewhere between ten and fifteen percent of the population.
Dragonborn are well integrated into society, but often face prejudices based on the color of their scales. Metallic dragonborn are seen as trustworthy and helpful, whereas chromatic dragonborn are often viewed with suspicion by members of The Draconic Orthodoxy. The color of their scales is not hereditary.
Dragonborn have similar life spans to humans, but their physiology differs. They are hatched in private ceremonies and reach maturity faster than humans. Once reaching adulthood they appear to be unaging to other races.

Elves

Elves make up the remaining surface dwelling population. They tend to live in nomadic tribes and eschew urban centers. They primarily live in the forested regions of the Isles and view cities as blights on the land. Increasing urbanization by humans and dragonborn has caused some elven communities to be displaced. This has led to some strife between the races.
Elves practice their own nature worshiping, pantheistic religion which is passed down via oral tradition. They do not allow other races to participate in their practices. Their refusal to share the details of their religion with other races led to the rise of Druidism in the Isles.
Elves have long life spans. Other races speculate on the exact duration with great variance. Some claim elves can live for millenia, but most believe they could not live more than a couple of hundred years.
Scholars studying Elven tribes do so with great difficulty. The tribes do not record their history and are reluctant to deal with outsiders. As such, they are very much so a mystery to the other races of The Draconic Isles.

Dwarves

Dwarves are a subterranean race that live underneath the largest mountain range in Solland: The Gharatas. The Dwarven Kingdom is an isolationist nation and does not concern itself with the surface folk beyond trade and territorial disputes.
The Dwarven Kingdom’s relationship with the surface is governed by The Treaty of Oracles. This treaty establishes territorial boundaries giving dwarves dominion over the mountains and the Bailmarc Dynasty sovereignty over the rest of the lands.
Dwarves do not build settlements on the surface of the mountains, but the treaty prohibits non-dwarves from doing so. The treaty also bans mining by surface dwellers, but establishes trade between the nations. The bulk of the trade agreement centers on the exchange of metal, stone, and lumber.
Because dwarves do not like to visit the surface and other races are not allowed below the mountain special depots have been designed to facilitate the exchange of goods. These depots exist on the surface, but are built directly into the mountainside. Recently, these depots have been extended and connected by rail.
Dwarves can be found on the surface, but it is very rare. Many are exiles, others are special emissaries. Most surface dwellers will go their entire lives without having ever met or seen a dwarf.
Dwarves practice their own religion, which is considered by surface dwellers to be byzantine and excessively complex. Little is known of it on the surface, but it is frequently characterized as a mixture between atheism and ancestor worship. Celest Peak is sometimes a point of contention, as it is central to the history of The Draconic Orthodoxy, but it sits atop the dwarven kingdom.

Changelings

Changelings still exist in Solland, unknown to the rest of its inhabitants. In the ancient eras they were feared because of their shapeshifting powers. As a result, they were hunted to near extinction. They survive today by blending into society and living in secret. Through the generations, Changelings have passed down a secret language of subtle gestures allowing them clandestinely identify one another and communicate. Changelings who find each other often form small, supportive communities.