Mine Devils

These small creatures are a form of corrupted dragonborn. This appearance has helped them remain hidden for a long time. If one was spotted, it would simply be regarded as the child of a dragonborn. This is where most similarities end though. Mine devils are mischievous pranksters, and they will do anything to be a bother to anyone who trespasses their mines. Cave-ins and floods are all amongst their repertoire. These were usually blamed on forces of nature, or angry demigods. When the mine devils were discovered, this view changed of course.

Basic Information

Anatomy

A smaller form of dragonborn that never reaches a height above 1 meter. Unlike the regular dragonborn, which appear in various colours, the mine devils always seem to have a blue-grey hue. Their snout is quite elongated as well, giving their faces more the appearance of that of a crocodile rather than that of a dragon.

Genetics and Reproduction

Mine devils are egg laying creatures. They lay these eggs in special incubation dens near pockets of lava to keep them warm. An egg usually hatches in 2 months.

Growth Rate & Stages

When they hatch, mine devils are immediately independent enough to live for themselves. After a few weeks of roaming the mines alone, a mine devil tends to join pack. They live here for the rest of their lives.The oldest mine devil is said to have reached 50 years. Most mine devils don't get much further than 40 though.

Ecology and Habitats

A mine devil mainly lives in caves. They conglomerate around pockets of lava, attracted to the heat. Often a mine devil will come to the surface to steal from other sentient races. They will roam cities at night and steal anything expensive looking they can find. They keep their treasures in treasure hoards underground.

Dietary Needs and Habits

A mine devil is omnivorous. Their diet mainly consists of cave spiders, rats, cavernous mushrooms and cave river fish. Sometimes they bring back food from the surface.

Biological Cycle

The seasons and the day and night cycle barely effect a life underground. Temperatures remain constant underground and thus they can't stand long changes in temperatures. This is why they remain underground and in relatively warm cities.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Mine Devils live in packs. These can be any size from 10 to 100 creatures. At the head of the pack stands the oldest of the clan, the elder. This individual divides the other pack members up in their individual roles. Some can be miners, some be foragers, some are thiefs.

Facial characteristics

An elongated snout with jagged edges.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Anywhere there is caves, there are mine devils

Average Intelligence

Sentient, but not extremely bright. A mine devil is great at survival, but garbage at puzzle solving. They are great trap makers though.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Due to spending most of their lives underground, they can see better than usual in the dark. Apart from that, they have human senses.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Male names: Grer, Grog, Grimas, Granor Female names: Blir, Blan, Blia, Blenos A mine devils last name is the name of the elder they follow. An elder's surname is always Aenor.

Major Organizations

Merthos is the closest thing to a mine devil city you will find. It is located right beneath Haernos. Technically it is still considered a pack, though it's numbers are now nearing the thousand. Mine devils don't have an organized religion, but they praise elemental lava creatures usually called a grebli by mine devils. Grebli can be found in pockets of lava.

Average Technological Level

Very low level technology. They mine with nothing more than pickaxes. As there is still dragonborn blood in them, they could be able to harness the power of elemental stones, but they haven't found out that they can yet.

Common Dress Code

Mine devils don't dress themselves much. If they find something expensive looking on the surface they can were, they will though. These clothes are way too big for them though, and they do look rather silly in them.

History

When the dragonborn surfaced, a few were snatched away by the dragon commander of the forces of evil: Morna. They were selectively bred into two subspecies. One of these were the mine devils. When the war started, they were ordered to erect a system of caves designed to let through small numbers of forces, and which would make anyone who would try to find their way through get lost for all eternity. They succeeded in this, but Morna and his forces lost the war anyway. After the war ended, the mine devils remained in their caves spread out over the continent. They developed their own culture and packs have been growing bigger and joining together.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

The mine devils fear the other races. They killed their leader Morna, and they fear the same fate rests upon them if they are found. Dragonborn especially are a great fear of the mine devils, as they were key in defeating Morna. Furthermore, a dragonborn is always dressed for battle. If dragonborn found the location of a mine devil pack, they would probably be tracked down and killed within a day.

Scientific Name

Draco Parvus Consceleratus

Origin/Ancestry

Corrupted dragonborn

Lifespan

40 years

Average Height

90 centimeter

Average Weight

30 kilos

Average Physique

Proportionally more muscular than a dragonborn. They spend a lot of time expanding their cave systems by hand, so they train extensively in their own way.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Blue grey hues. Some of the most experienced miners are permanently blackened by dust. Many cary scars from sharp rocks because of a below average sense of self preservation.