Dwarf/Genetic

From Sedes Draconis

Dwarven Genetic Groups

During the initial expansion of anatomically modern dwarves through their ancestral territory, the rugged terrain isolated populations from one another. This led to the division of the species into several distinct genetic groups.

The original genetic groups were:

• Central
• East-Central
• Hedhoid
• East-Highland
• Valokoid
• Outer-Highland
• Transmontaine
• Iloid
• Gâkataloid

http://www.sedesdraconis.com/images/charts/dwarfgenetic.jpg

In pre-historic and historic times contacts and expansions led to considerable mixing of the different groups. In present times some of these groups are all but vanished, and many populations are mixtures of several of the original groups. The most significant such event was the invention of agriculture by the Hedha, leading to a rapid population growth which swamped many of the surrounding groups (primarily the East-Central and East-Highland groups).

The differences between these groups are mainly in appearance. But there are some adaptive differences, such as that the extreme highland Iloids have the broadest chests, but the relatively lowland Hethoids have relatively narrow chests for a dwarf. The coloring and sizes given in the main Dwarf article are the standards over the modern dwarven populations.

There are few remaining dwarves who are primarily of the Central, Outer-Highland, East-Central, or East-Highland genetic groups. These groups have been largely displaced or swamped by the other groups.

The dwarves of the highland Ilos tribes are near purely Iloid and the Ahasbex dwarves of the tundra are near purely Gâkataloid. But most modern dwarves are varying mixtures of Hedhoid, Valokoid, Transmontane, Iloid, and Gâkataloid.

Basic Physical Traits of Remaining Genetic Groups

Group	Hedhoid	Valokoid	Transmontane	Iloid	Gâkataloid
Height	Medium	Tall	Tall	Short	Medium
Build	Slight	Medium to Slight	Medium	Quite Broad	Broad
Skin Coloration	Lightish	Medium	Medium to Lightish	Darkish	Medium
Hair Coloration: Eumelanin (dark pigment)	Light	Light	Medium	Dark	Dark
Hair Coloration: Phenomelanin (reddish pigment)	Low	High	Mid-High	Mid-Low	Low
Hair Type	Wavy	Straight-ish	Wavy to Straight	Curled	Wavy to Curled