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The Brech’mar (brek'mɑ:r) are the people of Brecha, the Goddess of Earth, and were given mastery over her element by bonding their souls with the earth elemental spirit [[Gnome]. They are a short, stout, and hearty people who make their homes in the mountains of Kalesten and Thiskel--primarily in subterranean cities supported by agricultural villages on the surface. They are known for their exquisite metalwork that is often traded with neighboring elemental races. The Brech’mar are a proud, independent people with strong warriors but are also known for their hospitality and appreciation for food and culture.

Biology

At first glance, the Brech’mar look very different from the other elemental races, many of which are known for their refined beauty and height. In comparison, the Brech'mar are exceptionally short with broad, sturdy frames that carry more fat than their cousins, and are often more hirsute. They are especially strong

Their ears are also much less prominent and their hearing may be less acute in an open environment than many of the other elemental races. Hearing is not as important a trait in their subterranean environment as many rely more on vibrations through the earth. Brech’mar hearing is on par with humans on the surface.

Brech’mar have enhanced night vision in comparison to many of the elemental races and humans, especially those whose eyes are accustomed to the subterranean dark as miners. They have a tapetum lucidum[1] which allows them to see better in low light, much like many nocturnal animals. This also causes Brech’mar eyes to reflect light in the dark.

Appearance

A stark contrast to the other elemental races, the Brech’mar are a short and sturdy people. Males stand between 4’10” and 5’ (147-152cm) and females at 4’6” to 4’9” (137-144cm) with medium to heavy frames with broad shoulders on the men and wide hips on the women. Both genders often carry a bit of extra weight on them, either plump or muscular, depending on their typical physical activities.

The original populations of Brech’mar are fair of skin, but colonies across the world have developed more variety. Typically, Brech’mar that spend more time underground will be paler than those on the surface who are exposed to the sun. They have a wide variety of hair and eye colors, even in the original populations. Blonde, red, brown, and black hair are all typical of the Brech’mar, and eye colors cover shades of blue, green, gray, brown, hazel, gold, and violet.

Rather than having the long, tapered ears, Brech'mar have ears that lay flat against the side of their head with a two to three inch upward tilted point. These ears do not have the mobility of the tapered ears of the other elemental races, instead being more like human ears.

The Brech’mar are a rather hirsute people as well, with men often having prodigious amounts of body hair and full facial hair. Beards are highly appreciated amongst the Brech’mar. Even female Brech’mar are not immune to the hairy traits of their people, though they have far less body and facial hair than the males. Brechian women often are able to grow light moustaches and chin-beards, some with more extensive facial hair growth. Brech'mar also tend to having thick, dense eyebrows, sometimes merging as a unibrow.

The various Brechian cities and regions have different and evolving fashions when it comes to styling hair. Men and women sport a collection of hair cuts and coifs unique to their regional tastes, as well as beard styles for the men that may involve braids, waxes, beads, and other styling techniques. Women also have their own collection of styles for their limited facial hair. In many cases, their facial hair does not grow exceptionally long like men's, but they still find creative ways to style it, though some also opt to shave or remove the hair partially or completely. Eyebrows are also subject to creative grooming styles.

Lifespan

The Brech’mar have a lifespan of around three hundred years, of the shorter lifespans among the elemental races. Like other elemental races, they do not show apparent aging for much of their lives. They mature at the same rate as humans for the first twenty-five years of their life, at which point aging is suspended until around the middle of the two hundredth century when they gradually continue aging.