Dwarf

Summary

Dwarves primarily live in the lands of Vounas and Dohir and supply Vrashyn with much of its ore and gemstones. Boisterous and crude according to others, Dwarves usually prefer the company of their own kind but are the life of any party after a few drinks. This doesn't mean they are internally harmonious, however: A minority of Dwarves shun communal life, seeking a return to the great empires they once controlled before their defeat by the Elves.  

Subraces

Once the rulers of vast kingdoms that dominated Vrashyn, the Dwarvish kings were overthrown by an alliance of Elves and Satyrs two centuries ago. Their alliance returned decades of Dwarvish aggression in kind, destroying whole armies and pushing them back to their mountain strongholds. Refugees fleeing the war became the Hill Dwarves, living around the mountains and working as farmers or smiths. The Dwarves already there become the Mountain Dwarves, almost all of them working in the mines. Some Dwarves, unable to make it to the mountains, fled deep into the Underdark. Warped by deep magic, they became the Duergar.  

Physical Traits

The typical Dwarf is stocky and strong but lacks the speed of other lineages. Using their immense arm strength, they prefer to wield battleaxes and war hammers, shunning more delicate weapons. Dwarves have darkvision and high constitution gained after generations of drinking in dark caves. Dwarves are not particularly predisposed to magic, usually preferring to recruit members of other races with the gift. Still, the occasional Dwarvish mage can be found in the mountains and plains.  

Appearance

Heavyset and shorter than most races, jokes that others tell about the Dwarves often center on their squat proportions. Mountain Dwarves have white skin and dark hair. Hill Dwarves vary more in skin and hair color, with red hair being most common. Dwarves of all genders take pride in their hairiness: women usually maintain short, braided beards while men knot theirs or let them grow ragged. Dwarves typically have dark-colored eyes.  

Culture

With their once warlike culture broken by their loss to the Elves and Satyrs, Dwarves have evolved a communistic society supported by their mineral exports while maintaining aspects of their imperial morality. Dwarves tend towards a lawful alignment, valorizing those who commit to the principles to which their specific community has committed itself. Dwarves value justice and provide for all members of their communities, but valorize the collective will and may punish deviancy harshly as a result. While Dwarves are not bigotted when it comes to sexual preference, shaving your beard for religious or gender-related reasons is seen as a great affront. Dwarvish traditionalism also expresses itself in the elevation of their traditional gods; worshipping most other gods is not tolerated in the majority of Dwarvish communities, particularly in Vounas.  

Livelihood

Because most Dwarves work in mines or indoors, they view the daily and yearly cycle with more apathy than others. Dwarves can be observed working (or partying) long into the night and sleeping through the day. In Dwarvish communities, all boys learn basic smithing or mining techniques at a young age. Dwarves carve their homes out of stone or dig into hillsides, smelting any ores they find and working the excess stone into concrete roads. For fun, Dwarves love drinking, singing, contact sports, and doing all three at once. Their favorite is a community-wide game called Lorfodur that is similar to rugby. To sate their appetites after a long day of work, Dwarves prefer extremely spicy meat-filled curries and stews. Those that lack their tolerance for noxious substances may find this food—and their alcohol, for that matter—difficult to consume.  

Upbringing

In addition to aspiring to share resources equally within the community, Dwarves eschew single-family homes in favor of large homes that contain anywhere from a handful to even a dozen extended families at once. In small mining communities, everyone in a settlement may live in one large cavern. Dwarvish children learn to cook from an extremely young age, and the children of the house are expected to cook a nightly feast to share with their parents and grandparents. Rather than schools or tutors, young Dwarves receive informal education through work and travelling storytellers. A Dwarf is considered an adult when they complete a major work in their chosen craft. A smith might create a sword while a lapidarist would be expected to fashion a perfectly-cut gemstone. Like most great events in a Dwarvish community, this is typically celebrated by a feast.  

Relations with Others

Dwarves find comfort in the isolation of their mountain communities but welcome visitors so long as they work for any food and services they utilize. Dwarves despise Elves for what they did to their ancestors and dislike Satyrs for aiding the Elves in The Great Dwarven Wars (2897-2963 AK) . Dragonborn are generally mistrusted unless they prove that they don't serve their local dragons. Dwarves have the best relationship with Humans and Gnomes, often recruiting their mages and craftspeople when there's a shortage at home.