Dwarves

Those Who Dig Deep

The dwarves may be the shortest of the three corporeal races, but that does not make them any less capable. In fact, they were the first to settle, the first to farm, and the first to smelt metal. They have shaped gemstones longer than any other race, carved mountains into grand halls and towers, and delved deeper beneath the earth’s surface than anyone else dares.

Appearance

Dwarves are short, stocky humanoids with wide shoulders and thick, powerful limbs. Their faces are broad and blocky, with sculpted features that may appear coarse, especially when compared to the fine-boned elegance of elves.

They dress much as they appear: plainly, practically, and without pretension. Sturdy leather, rough-spun wool, and coarse-woven flax are the norm. They favor simple dyes—black, blue, grey, and occasionally brown—but rarely anything brighter.

Culture

While not strictly male-dominated, dwarven society is one in which every individual has a clear role and is expected to fulfill it with diligence and pride. According to tradition, leadership is considered the responsibility of men, but this does not mean women are any less valued.

Dwarves are universally recognized as exceptional traders. They are cutthroat negotiators, shrewd businessfolk, and master hagglers. Haggling is not only accepted—it is expected, and even celebrated as an essential part of dwarven identity. Yet even more than their fierce bargaining, it is the quality of their craftsmanship that has earned them respect across the known world.

Ethnicities

Dwarven culture can be divided into three main ethnic groups.

Mainlander

This is the largest of these groups. They live in the mountains and the lands around them. Their history has been marked by conflict, particularly against the Goblins, and they have found the strength to carry on and thrive in their strong traditions and religious practices. They are known as a zealous people, with little tolerance for heresy.

Khazkudal

The Khazkudal is known as the black forest by the rest of the world. This region was conquered from the dendorian tribes centuries ago, but their influence can still be felt in the Khazkudal culture and dialect. The language here has many dendorian loanwords, and the dwarves that live here are distinctly taller than their mainland kin. They are much less focused on the mountains and much more concerned with building strong wood and stone infrastructure that survives the winters and deep snows here.
They have also incorporated the warrior spirit of the dendorians into their lifestyle.

Islander

The islander dwarves live away from the mainland. They went here in order to escape mainland zeal, and they generally have a contrarian perspective of the world. They are religious, but they acknowledge many more prophets than just Athari, and they are not particularly strict in their faith, to the utter dismay and disgust of the mainlander government.
They pride themselves as seamen, warriors, and traders, and they are the ones the rest of the world has the most contact with.

Men of Metal

The dwarves are widely known as smiths and architects. They pride themselves on their superior alloys and metal quality. Their metal crafts are one of their main exports, and they are often hired for architectural jobs, especially when it concerns defensive structures, underground works, or building in the mountains, which are their specialty.