Nocker

Personality/Behavior
Nockers are renowned the world over as master artisans of their craft but also incredibly cynical and judgmental of not only their own endeavors but virtually anything or anyone around them they can find fault in...which is pretty much everything. They aren't evil by any means but are infinitely critical and sarcastic, with a hard edge that is off putting to most anyone outside of the Earth Fae unaccustomed to their behavior. All find great exasperation and annoyance in dealing with "imperfect thngs" which include other Fae and will always seek to improve on it, often times trying to force their opinions on others for their "own good" as they percieve it. In the end though they prefer the company of their crafts and inventions, as objects are so much easier to fix than other people. However their own high standards are unreachable and all feel a great level of disatisfaction with anything they create, only adding to their sour temperments. Young Nockers may be headstrong and cocky, but inevitably feel the vicious judgment of their elders finding fault in anything they do.

Description/Biology
Nockers stand a bit taller than Halflings (around 4 1/2' on average) except a bit thinner and ganglier in build with a soft lavender to gray skin tone, sharp pointed ears and overall angular features. Their most prominent feature is wild and stiff white hair that sprouts from their heads, sticking out in all directions and usually done in an equally wild variety of styles.

Climate/Terrain
Underdeep

Territories
Nocker's live on a far deeper level of the Underdeep than Dwarves or Gnomes, taking advantage of thermal vents or natural gas to fuel their technological machinations but one actual city towards the surface does exist, a cylindrical tower built within a massive thermal vent that reaches high to a mountain peak in the White Mountains known as "Nok'or'vahn" which also serves as a lookout for House Stonehilt.

Society
At first glance, an actual semblance of "society" is something thats hard to percieve, most all Nocker seeming to have an overall distaste for each other and acting more like begrudging coworkers force to work alongside each other and merely tolerate each others existence as they go about their daily routines. However purely in a relative sense, they have more faith and belief in each other than they do for any other species and are only openly critical with each other in the hopes that it will force them to improve themselves out of a desire to prove the others wrong. Each Nocker tends to be more self serving, seeking to improve their own social standing in their society yet anything they produce as a result inadvertently strengthens their society as a whole.

Species Relations
For the most part only other Earth Fae like Dwarves and Gnomes have had enough of a history with the Nockers to understand that their abrasiveness is merely their nature and not anything intentional. They respect them for their technical acumen and frequently work with them on grand projects of combined effort. The only Earth Fae they don't get along with are the Darrig which is really of no surprise. Other fae rarely see them above ground but those who meet one usually try to pretend it never happened.

Gender Relations/Roles
Nocker contempt and judgement is ironically gender neutral, having an equal level of distaste for males and females alike, meaning both genders have the freedom of proving themselves beyond all doubt and only gaining the envy and spite of their peers.

Love/Courtship
Nockers view love as merely finding another who they have the LEAST contempt for and can tolerate to stay with for an extended period of time without becoming mentally ill. As such even "happy" couples by their standards still fight constantly but deep down do have a genuine level of affection for one another, actually respecting each others ability to put the other in their place.

Sex
Nockers for the most part are not a fan of physical affection but obviously in order to prolongue their species, it is necessary. Of all Fae, the Nocker have the widest variety of unique sex toys and devices that are designed specifically to avoid direct physical contact only until the necessary final moments where conception is necessary. As a result Nockers are seen as masters of "mechanized foreplay" but severely lacking in potency and stamina.

Birthright



 * Gadgeteer: Nockers are one of the only civilized races (other than the ill tempered Deep Dwarves) who have developed the groundwork for modern technology including steam power, clockwork mechanisms and electricity. As such, Nockers are able to operate and maintain unique equipment and armaments such as auto-crossbows and various firearms.

Favored Class
Most all Nockers are Artisans in some capacity even if they do double as a Soldier or Mage (usually focused on either Alchemist or Thaumaturge). Troubadours are rare but not unheard of.

Combat
Nockers who engage in open combat will own any battle by way of mechanized war machines, rarely needing to actual engage in direct conflict as they pepper the battlefield with fire, artillery and machinery bent on destruction and death.

Development
Nockers were originally inspired by the same race from the White Wolf "Changeling the Dreaming" rolplaying game with a few aesthetic changes to make them more associated with the Earth Fae.