Dwarves

They appear similar to humans, but most are about four feet tall, with the tallest being about five feet tall. They are also literally creatures of the earth, as they come from stone and metal rather than biological flesh. The ethnicity of eastern (a.k.a. Ashlian) dwarves is known for having most types of hair colors (red, blonde, white, black, and brown hair), which usually begins to gray at around the age of 100. Due to their obsession with being as close to Thranir as possible, they are always created with a beard, as to honor Thranir's love for his majestic beard. Their skin tone varies wildly, as it can be earth-colored, slightly coppery, pale, and a deep, purplish red.

What influences their crafty nature (besides literally being made by the gods to mine ore and make stuff out of it) is that, once per lifetime, they can perform a special ritual to call upon Thranir, at which point the dwarf will have a vision. This vision shows what magical item he is about to craft, and then he will begin obsessing over creating this item, seemingly not the dwarf he was before. Locking the dwarf in a forge or other crafting shop is usually the procedure here, and other dwarves will go fetch whatever special materials the dwarf requires. Adventuring dwarves or outcasts might go out on a personal quest to collect these materials, and more legendary or renowned dwarves usually craft more complicated items, therefore requiring more exotic materials. If a dwarf cannot craft the item in a certain timeframe, then some rather terrible things can happen, usually ending in the dwarf's untimely death. It's a bit concerning that the ritual (and some of the possible mishaps from not crafting the item in time) look like they have to do with the Old Gods and arcane magic, but most dwarves don't seem to mind. The item will continue to exist until the dwarf passes away, unless it was crafted by a renowned-enough dwarf.

Dwarves only have one gender in their society and reproduce asexually. In order to do so, a dwarf must experience a vision from Thranir that informs him of his current destiny: to create a true work of art. That work of art, of course, is another dwarf. That dwarf will go on to create a sculpture of another dwarf, complete with all the features that dwarf will have in life. The sculpture itself is hollow, as it is filled with hot liquid metal before being sealed forever. Then, when that dwarf is finished with the sculpture, it is lowered by chains into a superheated forge (usually containing lava). After a few prayers and sacrifices to Thranir, the statue is pulled out of the forge. The statue is then cracked open by a chisel, and inside is a living dwarf. The features of the dwarf are decided by the vision itself, and visions stop occurring when there is a substantial amount of dwarves in a settlement already.

From a dwarf's creation, he already looks like a young adult human male, though shorter and with a rather long beard (it's very unusual for a dwarf to be beardless). They're already considered to be fully grown as soon as they are birthed, and they live to be about 120-150 years old on average. 12 to 48 hours after death, natural or otherwise, they will turn into a stone statue. They are essentially being birthed from stone and returning to the earth upon death.

Duergar can grow in size, similar to Draugr, as well as see in the dark very well using very sensitive echolocation capabilities. They are blind, however. Regular dwarves don't have these capabilities (besides infavision), but they do have the ability to make out rather subtle things in dimly lit subterranean environments, and many have adapted to their mining-based lifestyle by understanding irregularities in underground passages far better than any human.

Most of the time, if we're being meta here, just use whatever Norse name sounds fun. Look at the suggestions in the Player's Handbook of D&D, as it can give you a good idea. The game Dwarf Fortress can generate entire lineages along with names, too. It's like thirty bucks on Steam, or free if you get the ASCII version.  Of course, you could also just use any sourcebook you want, or fantasynamegenerators.com. Anyway, the dwarves do have a clan system, which is more just extended family rather than noble clans. Their last names are the names of their clan, and in order to start a new clan, it's not just a bloodline that must be born anew. Instead, you have to earn respect and recognition for an act you did that will resonate within all of your descendants (or cause chuckles within other clans). This act is usually the name of the clan, like Clan Stormburn, or Clan Shieldbreaker, or perhaps Clan Catscream.

In Ashtree, only one dwarven kingdom still exists, which is the Kingdom of Nalthurim. It claims most of northern Ashtree as its territory, even if the humans still technically live there. There is a singular fortress city rumored to be somewhere in the Moon Peaks, supposedly near Crescent Peak. Malgadihr is the name of this fabled city, and though many other fortresses like it have existed in Ashtree, it seems to be the only one left. Though smaller forts exist, all report to king Hrothtir Bloodfury. The Bloodfury clan has ruled for several generations, and their dynasty doesn't seem to be abdicating any time soon.

Unlike the elves, most dwarves care little for beauty. That is, unless it comes down to hair. Settlements don't really need barbers, as most dwarves are content with keeping their beard and hair tidy and beautiful on their own. They often decorate their hair and beard with jewelry, and it's not uncommon for them to be styled into dreadlocks or a mohawk. Though bald dwarves are a little uncommon, beardless dwarves are completely taboo. Their reasoning behind these similarities in style? Thranir is proud of his beard, and since all dwarves must follow his example, dwarves must be proud of their beards, too.

As dwarves only have one biological sex, it seems impossible for them to deviate from their only gender. As of now, it's completely unknown whether or not any dwarf has a gender identity besides masculinity.

Dwarves, being the craftiest of all the species in Darkguard, are as a result the most technologically advanced species. They even invented the crossbow! However, this isn't just due to their societal goals. They owe it to their communication with their fae cousins, the gnomes. Temporary portals created in their spellforges allow for communication of ideas and sending supplies across realms, though none are permitted to enter through them for long. Another reason for their well-developed society is the fact that one of the purposes of their creation was to be able to craft the finest magical items the world has ever seen. Of course, these items are meant to serve the dwarves and the gods, not other races. Even then, these are pretty much permanent magic items, or at least they exist until the dwarf's death.

The dwarven language in Ashtree is thought to be the parent language of Ashlian, the language most humans in the kingdom use. It's far more archaic and harsh sounding, and the scripture is quite different, but the similarities are noticeable.

Unlike elves, the dwarves couldn't care less about what visiting foreigners do. So long as you follow their laws, you can go drink at their tavern and be merry. It's not unheard of for humans to live in dwarven settlements, after all. Otherwise, dwarf-to-dwarf etiquette is quite simple, though rigid. You must pray to Thranir before every meal, as well as before working with other dwarves at your job. Additionally, politeness must be maintained outside of taverns or homes (those are the only times you get to bicker). One last major point is that although the consumption of alcohol is integral to dwarven society, it should be restricted to taverns and homes only.

As most dwarves live in the northern, colder reaches of Ashtree (though most of the kingdom is pretty chilly), they usually dress in preparation for lower temperatures. They usually have heavy padded coats, with richer dwarves often making them entirely out of fur and leather. Gambesons and different forms of leather armor are often worn casually, though usually only by those who can afford it. The reasoning behind this generally seems to be that an attack could come at any time, so being prepared always helps. Their coats typically have at least some form of engraving or pattern on them, usually being a serpent or some other animal or monster. Occasionally, flowers or other plants are depicted as well. Tunics, robes, and trousers also tend to be decorated, though the patterns are usually more abstract. The colors most dwarves go for with formal clothing or armor are dark and typically cooler rather than warmer, and work clothing tends to be bright and warm in color. Since many dwarves work in the dark (other than artisans and craftsmen), in order to make out other dwarves in the dim torchlight, bright colors are needed to be worn.

Religion is a very important of most dwarves' lives, even if they live outside of established settlements. Whenever a dwarf is about to create something new, whether it's a meal, a batch of ale, or a sword, precautions must be taken to appease Thranir. If metal is involved in the creation process in any way, then an even more elaborate ritual is performed, as the Forge Spirit requires more than just simple prayers and incense. These sacrificial ceremonies might take hours before any actual smithing is done. After all, dwarves believe that if the Forge Spirit, an extension of Thranir, isn't appeased, then the final product will turn out terrible. Dwarven smiths dedicate their entire lives to appeasing the Forge Spirit, so the line between priests and blacksmiths in dwarven society is blurred. Some priests (and clerics, too) replace entire body parts with metal prosthetics, whether they need them or not, to become closer to the Forge Spirit. Some old dwarven priests are pretty much half-metal, as they believe it extends their lifespans.    Their society may seem quite monotonous at first, with them all looking similar and having strict work routines. However, once they get back to their homes or head to a tavern, you can definitely see everyone's personalities come out. When dwarves are made, their sculptor only creates their physical features, not their mental traits. In that way, they are actually quite similar to humans. There are a couple things that can be found amongst all dwarves, though this is induced by their religion. The first is their obsession with beards, which is explained by Thranir having a glorious beard, and by dwarven logic, it is necessary to look more like Thranir. The second is their love for alcohol. Though their society is rigid and very much work-oriented, the dwarves' perception of Thranir's teachings includes the belief that there should always be time to unwind after a hard day, though it should never get in the way of work. Alcohol and food are the best ways to do so in dwarven society, so that's exactly what most dwarves do after work. The other reason behind their constant consumption of alcohol is that they will literally die if they don't ingest it once per month, or at the very least they'll get sick. Even then, going without it for over a week can make them grumpy.   After centuries of consuming alcohol nearly every day, Thranir gave them the gift of being able to resist some of the negative effects of alcohol for a price: their blood would have rather high levels of alcohol in it. Hence why not getting enough alcohol is like not getting enough of one nutrient for a long time. Some scholars say that it might just be the natural progression of their species, but most dwarves don't believe them.   In terms of cuisine, the dwarves have a rather unique diet. They don't include very many surface plants in their food, as they mostly dwell below the surface and in colder regions. These factors contribute to their meals having plenty of mushrooms, moss, lichen, and cave-dwelling plants. If they do include surface plants, they're usually berries, figs, cherries, plums, corn, leeks, cabbages, parsnip, beets, and radish. Most other plants are exceptions. For meat, mountain goat and lamb meat is found often, as well as venison and beef. Fish are included as well, though how often they're found depends on how many there are in the nearby cave systems. Occasionally, more exotic foods are included, such as meat from cave spiders (both regular-sized and giant), algae-flour bread, giant mushroom stalks, giant lizard meat, or giant toad meat. They usually don't bother with sauces or dips, but spices and herbs are almost always present. Some meals are actually rather spicy, too. Dwarven desserts include cinnamon buns, jelly-filled pastries (they were the first to invent jelly), and what is essentially cereal. Keep in mind that sugar isn't readily available, so these aren't as sweet as their modern-day counterparts.

Besides what was already listed, here are some fun facts about dwarven society.

• They have many festivals and ceremonies, mostly dedicated to rather trivial things. Their lower population can allow for much better average lifestyles than that of humans, and this extends to their celebrations.
• Dwarven musical instruments are far more elaborate and complex than those of humans. For example, the Kuthéra is a stringed instrument played with a bow and plucked simultaneously. The instrument has two sets of strings for this to be possible, creating potentially complex melodies with just a single instrument, not to mention multiple. The Groldhit is literally just an accordion, and those didn't exist in the 11th century.
• Their craftiness extends to arms and armor as well. They invented the crossbow, after all. Their polearms include billhooks and bardiches, too, which humans didn't use much until they saw dwarves wielding them. Even to this day, these weapons aren't too popular amongst other races, even if orcs love using crossbows. Some dwarves even use a chain connected to a hook as a weapon!
• Gnomes are practically immortal faeries, so they don't have a problem when it comes to free time. Combined with their ability to create new and wondrous designs, they are a dwarf's best friend. The only problem is that they don't exist in this realm (most don't, at least). Dwarves do use spellforges to create temporary portals to their settlements, though it's unclear whether or not the gnomes actually live in the Twilight Weald or here in Darkguard. The gnomes don't seem to know. All the dwarves know is that they are benevolent faeries and the hated rivals of the malevolent goblins. The gnomes do need dwarven steel, and the dwarves need gnomish ingenuity.

And no, not all dwarves are smiths, brewers, and miners, contrary to popular belief. Those might be highly needed professions, but they still need to function as a society.

These creatures were created during the Divine Era, in a time where they were all blind, slave-like, underground dwellers that built and mined for Valniet and the elves on the surface of Darkguard. Eventually, as the Divines gained power, they decided to make their life a bit less miserable. They gave them sapience, a motivation to keep working (gold and glory), as well as the ability to see and create fire. They were even given the uncanny ability to notice irregularities in underground networks to help them navigate treacherous subterranean environments. They pretty much reached the same status as the elves at this point, except they still lived underground and mainly mined for an economy, as most of their food was grown by the more agricultural elves. They worked together like a well-oiled machine, constantly trading with each other, and they overcame their differences in what gods they followed pretty well. Unlike the elves, when the battle against the Old Gods came, they weren't defeated by attrition, stress, and a blood pact with the Old Gods. Instead, the hearty little dwarves continued on and hacked away at the aberrant monstrosities until their last breath. They earned a higher seat of favor amongst the Divines, and the elves were looked down on with contempt for betraying the Divines. This obviously led to the elves' jealousy and hatred of the dwarves, while the dwarves disliked the elves for how they were treated like the gods' favorites during the Divine era.

The Six-Army War

The dwarves, at the beginning of the Civilized Era, began to expand their kingdoms up towards the surface, eventually building surface cities, and the god Ugolt of the orcs was watching their progress from afar. He decided to talk to one of the dwarven kings, a man named Arolik, in disguise as a dwarf thane. He offered to join forces with the orcs in order to build a confederacy of sorts, where the tribes and kingdoms traded with each other and aided each other in battle. The king had a personal bigotry against orcs and their culture, even though they weren't as outright evil as the Mor-Vulug of today. Ugolt was trying to see if he would go past his personal bias and judgement with the temptation of an alliance that would make both cultures prosper like never before. Of course, his answer was a firm no, backed up by all the horrible things he began to say about the orc species as a whole. Ugolt simply listened and listened, until he finally broke. Eye twitching from his damaged pride, he conjured a war axe into existence, and threw it directly at the king's chest. His avatar was shot down with arrows by Arolik's bodyguards, but he knew it was worth it. After returning to a powerful orc chieftain, he told them to not waste any time and go to war with the dwarf kingdoms, and that they shouldn't stop until every last one is razed to the ground.   Ugolt had become the same judgmental man that he saw in Arolik, as he held a personal vendetta against dwarves. Thranir, the god of crafting and building, was created out of this struggle (see his article), and he decided to aid the dwarves in every possible fashion. He rallied the giants in the land of Colossus with the help of the dwarves, and they began to aid them in the war. He even got some of the fae, including gnomes, to join. They continued to build and expand, even in the time of war. To counter the giants, Ugolt made unbreakable, divine pacts with Bork (the god of goblins and mischief) and many ancient dragons to aid him in battle. The most ancient of dragons are thought responsible for creating the kobolds to act as sappers, skirmishers, and resurrectors of dead dragons to make them into dracoliches. Meanwhile, the goblins of Bork would serve as the more expendable vanguard and archers for Ugolt, and the hobgoblins would fight alongside the main orc forces, possibly serving as cavalry. Bugbears and other pest-like goblinoids would serve as saboteurs and infiltrators.   The dwarves, as they are still alive, won with a home turf advantage, out-skirmishing the guerilla warriors of the opposing army, and having their giants absolutely demolish the dragons with ranged attacks. Perhaps this was indirect, but Thranir was personally hurt when he saw his beloved dwarves' work being destroyed by the war, some things which took them decades to construct. He personally went to The Crimson Pastures to make a deal with the many devils that lived there, even going personally to Gala himself for a boon. In exchange for never-ending hatred against the races that wronged them (except the dragons, as those were hated by the giants, their natural enemies), they would be granted supernatural strength and willpower in the field of battle. The dwarves and giants may have won the war, but at what cost?

They don't hate elves nearly as much as legends say, but they are aware of how much the elves envy them. As such, they try to stay away from them. Skirmishes and heated encounters are inevitable, but all-out war has only occurred once before. They are rather indifferent towards humans, but the few traders that know the location of dwarven settlements are always welcome. Adventurers and mercenaries are provided with surprising hospitality, too. Orcs, goblins, and kobolds are obviously hated with extreme prejudice. That deal that Thranir made with the devils of the Crimson Pastures gave them a supernatural hatred of these creatures, after all. Strangely enough, this effect seems to not be nearly as strong on those that have left dwarven settlements, but it's definitely present. This effect also seems to trigger when facing dragons, and it works vice versa.