The Umli? Did/ do they exist?

[Thinlómien]

I´ve been thinking this for long time. Umli, those half-dwarves, living in cold areas, do they exist in Tolkien´s books? They are one of the playable races in M.E.R.P. (Middle-Earth roleplaying), but I haven´t found any mention about them in Tolkien´s books (LotR, Silmarillion, Hobbit, Unfinished Tales). So I ask you, who I suppose to know this, is there any mention about umlis in any other souce, eg. The Adventures of Tom Bombadil? I think the idea of some half-dwarf folk sounds strange but it also sounds strange that the makers of the roleplaying game would have put races of their own to the book (I think it was made in co-operation with someone owning the rights of Middle-Earth...?).
And you may ask that why did I put this here, not to the roleplaying board. The answer is simple: I suppose you, who visit here know more... :)

[Maerbenn]

The Umli are completely an invention by Iron Crown Enterprises.

But perhaps with a little stretch of the imagination you could interpret this passage in The Return of the King as to refer to some kind of ‘half-dwarves’:The new host that we had tidings of has come first, from over the River by way of Andros, it is said. They are strong: battalions of Orcs of the Eye, and countless companies of Men of a new sort that we have not met before. Not tall, but broad and grim, bearded like dwarves, wielding great axes. Out of some savage land in the wide East they come, we deem.

[piosenniel]

The Umli are not a Tolkien created people. You can find their description in the Second Edition MERP (Middle-earth Role Play) book from ICE:

The Umli live in the Far North of north-central Middle-earth, east of the Lossoth. They are a race of short folk who apparently came from an ancient union of Men and Dwarves. Legends call them Half-dwarves.

Hunters, gatherers, and fishermen, they move from site to site depending on the season. Most reside in caves of underground settlements. Many mine, and the Umli are accomplished smiths and artisans.

~*~

ICE uses many interesting sub-groups for its Middle-earth role play games, some of which are from Tolkien works (though the powers they have may not be) and many of which are not found in any writings by Tolkien, as you can see from this list from a book on Races

Centaur - Horse Centaur; Lion Centaur
Droloi
Dwarves
Elves - Wood Elves; Grey Elves; High Elves; Linaeri/Loari; Dyari; Erlini; Half-Elf; Sulini
Fey - Dwelfs; Lennai; Tylweth Teg (Peries); Satyrs/Fauns
Garks
Gnomes
Goblins - Goblins; Hobgoblins; Kobolds; Murlogi
Gratar - Black Gratar; Gray Gratar; Green Gratar; Yellow Gratar
Halflings
Half-Orc
Hira'razhir - Hira'razhir; Hirazi
Idivya
Men - Common Men; High Men; Mixed Men; Laan; Jhordi
Mermen
Orcs - Common Orc; Greater Orc; Lugroki
Quishadi
Shuikmar
Sohleugir - Suarkar
Troglodytes
Umli
Urlocs
Vorloi
Vulfen

[Boromir88]

It says something in the appendix about the dwarves being a secret race, hiding their language, and not marrying into other races. Good question though, welcome to the downs Thinlómien.

If you wish you can post an introduction, or info, about yourself, and your experiences with Tolkien here (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showthread.php?t=2941) . :)

[Thinlómien]

Thank you from your answers, now I'm a bit wiser :)