Dwarf

Andraous (Discontinued)    Sentient Folk    Kin Folk      Dwarf

It is impossible to think of the mountains without thinking of the people that live within the heart of these awe-inspiring landmarks. While they present themselves a tough and stubborn at first glance, Dwarves are actually wise, thoughtful, and imaginative.
Dwarves are legendary for their mines.
They are as grounded as their homes, and dislike not having solid ground below their feet and above their heads. Adventurers are uncommon, but when they leave their mountain homes it is to find glory, wealth, or to reclaim lost Dwarven items and settlements. It is unheard of for a Dwarf to be comfortable out on a boat or on the back of an aerial mount.
There are a handful of Dwarven people, with there typically being one per mountain range. These include the 'Proto Dwarves' and Duergar.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Broad, stocky humanoids, Dwarves tend to stand 1-2ft shorter than the average human and are generally more muscular. They also have very strong jaws due to a diet filled with tough roots and stuff.

Biological Traits

After may generations spent deep within the mountains the long lived Dwarves have developed excellent dark vision and have become good at scaling rock surfaces. Their restrictive darken environment has made them slow runners, but steady on their feet. The lack of access to the sun and deep bodies of water has made them susceptible to sunburn and poor swimmers. Their lack of access to the surface has also resorted to the majority of Dwarves having some sort of pollen allergy.
Unlike the Elves few Dwarves have developed the ability to use magic, and those that have can use only simple spells. They are however, resistant to magic effects.

Ecology and Habitats

The main dwarven cities are located within the hearts of mountains, and many never leave the relative safety of their subterranean kingdoms. Those that do frequent the surface tend to prefer to travel at night to avoid the blinding sun.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Typically a Dwarven diet includes slimes, roots, tubers, and the flesh of pests found in their farms. As trade with other races increased luxury foods such as ale, red meat, and spices have become more and more common in their diets.
Most farming is the growing of roots, mushrooms, and tubers in specialized tunnels, as well as hunting any pests that burrow their way into those tunnels. They also raise certain breeds of slimes that they'll processes into noodles. Recently some Dwarves have started raising goats and sheep that were purchased from Humans.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Dwarven kingdoms are made of familial clans.
Adoption and the Treatment of Orphans In the event that a child is orphaned their familial clan will take over their care. Very rarely an orphan's entire clan is wiped out. When this happens the family clan name will be considered extinct, and the orphan will be apprenticed to a tradesmith to learn valuable skills. When they are considered an adult they must then work hard to earn their way into another clan or found a new clan of their own.

Facial characteristics

Like other Kinfolk, Dwarves can have a variety of hair and eye colors. Their hair can range from grays, reds, browns, blacks, and blondes, while their eye color can vary from pale blue, gold, grey, or green. Men tend to grow large beards, while the women have long sideburns. Their hair in general is extremely thick.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Native to Tamerea most major Dwarven settlements are located deep within the mountains.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Due to being an subterranean race Dwarves have excellent dark vision. However their eyes are very sensitive to bright light.

Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms

Uses a species of domesticated moss as a soft light source in their tunnels and structures.
Raise Slimes for food, medicine, binding agents, and compost.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

• Example Male Names:Dolgrin, Grunyar, Harsk, Kazmuk, Morgrym, Rogar.
• Example Female Names: Agna, Bodill, Ingra, Kotri, Rusilka, Yangrit.

Major Organizations

While Dwarves can be found throughout Tamerea their kingdoms are usually restrained to one per mountain and each one is self governing. Some of these kingdoms are so isolated from the outside world they have never had contact with other Dwarves or surface folk.
The kingdoms themselves expand very slowly, for it takes a lot of time to plan the expansions in a way were the dug out area won't collapse. Add on to the fact that even one bad event can wipe out an entire kingdom, Dwarves tend to create their areas with an emphasis on defense rather than offense.

Beauty Ideals

Dwarves tend to take pride in their hair and often decorate both their hair and beards with clasps braids, beads, etc. The shaving of one's hair outside of certain circumstances is considered taboo.

Gender Ideals

There are very few gender roles and no gender is restricted in their job choices.

Courtship Ideals

Typical tokens of affection among Dwarves include handmade trinkets and exotic foods.

Relationship Ideals

Dwarves are incredibly loyal to their companions.

Average Technological Level

While the 'Ancient Ones' excelled at a magical level, Dwarves excel at an engineering level. They've designed draw bridges to get over ravines, elevators to get up and down vertical levels in their cities, and pipes to divert water from rivers and lakes, both above and below ground.
Due to their subterranean lifestyle, Dwarves excel in stonework, metalwork, and lapidary. They have refined and perfected their crafting techniques and products, so their items are built to last. Their meticulous attention to detail means that they decorate their items with beautiful and complex designs.
While most of their structures exist deep within the mountains, more and more are being built above ground. The first of these were trade stations located on the lower areas of the mountains. Later on outposts were set up higher up on the mountains, and sheep and goats were raised here.
Disease is taken very seriously with Dwarves, sick individuals are quarantined and treated to prevent the spread of disease. There are legends of entire cities being wiped out due to poor healthcare. As a result visitors are not allowed into Dwarven cities if they are believed to be sick, and most are quarantined for several days before they can enter. When it comes to dealing with waste Dwarves don't have personal bathrooms in their living quarters. Instead they have public bathrooms. Waste is collected often and is used in the farming tunnels as fertilizer.
Battle Techniques While Dwarves are not militaristic, they are not harmless either, and will defend their homes to the death. Focused on security, Dwarves are excellent trap makers and melee combatants due to the relatively confined areas they live in. They preferr to use their environment to their advantage when fighting, and will use well planned group attacks for when an enemy gets passed their traps. Their favorite weapons tend to be war axes, battleaxes, war hammers, maces, pickaxes and occasionally crossbows. Some cultures make blades with diamond edges and armor out if diamonds.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

The various Dwarven kingdoms have been separated for so long that each has their own language, dialects and slang words. Individuals that have frequent contact with the surface world have also learned the Merchant's Tongue.
While Dwarves on the surface have a reputation of being very loud, most Dwarves typically speak very quietly, for loud noises can echo very far.

Common Dress Code

Don't like to wear excess jewelry. Often wears helmets to protect their heads while mining and fighting.
Dwarven Googles Originally Dwarves who worked the forage wore Dwarven Googles made of harden gel from grey/black slimes to protect their eyes from the bright lights of the forge. However Dwarven cities who engage in trade with elves now use googles made with dark glass due to their durability.These googles are also used by Dwarves that venture up to the surface. They can go without them at night, but the sunlight can easily injure their eyes without protection.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Every Dwarven kingdom has their own culture but most seem to have a passion for stone/metal work. Shifts in attitudes, styles, fashions, and trends seem to take a long time due to long lifespans and a cultural emphasis on history, honor, and tradition.
Most Dwarves choose to focus on 1-2 crafts throughout their lives. To learn a craft a dwarf becomes an apprentice to an experienced craftsman. This isn't restricted to crafts such as metal working and mining, but including jobs such as record keeping and healer as well. Once they start on a project, a Dwarf becomes highly focused on their task and will ignore all else until their task is complete.
Dwarves maintain extensive records for various aspects of life and place an emphasis on recording history.
Most cultures have a 'no need to fix what isn't broken' mentality, and will try to fix something rather than replace or discard it. They will try to apply tried and true methods when in new circumstances pop up, but if that fails they will try to demolish any potential obstacles before developing new procedures.

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

Despite having an extensive history of dirty professions such as mining and smithing, Dwarves consider personal hygiene of upmost importance, since even the smallest of colds can easily spread throughout the kingdom. As a result they will never go to bed, eat, attend important events, etc without cleaning up.
While they do take water based bathes when especially filthy, most prefer to take 'dust' bathes to save on precious water.
Hair maintenance is also of major importance, trims are appropriate, but shaving off facial/ head hair is shameful is considered very weird outside of certain circumstances.
Different kingdoms handle burial rites in different ways. Some mummify the deceased, while others will lower them into lava.

Common Taboos

Showing up at an important event while filthy is considered highly offensive, for it is taken as a sign that they wish for the other attendees to get sick.
Some Dwarves may be exiled to the surface for their crimes.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

General Dwarves engage in trade with other folk not out of necessity, but luxury for the most part. Their major exports includes metals, stonework, and gems, while their major imports include spices, red meat, furs, glass, sheep, and goats. Those that have little to no contact with the surface world tend to be xenophobic. Some common stereotypes of Dwarves is that they are standoffish, humorless, and stern.
Orcs In areas where both Dwarves and Orcs are found, they often butt heads when they try to expand their territory up on the surface. Dwarves believe that since they live within the mountains, they have the rightful claim to the surface of the mountains, while the Orcs have followed the same ancestral nomadic routes through the mountains for generations, and no small men suddenly showing up was going to take that from them.
Half Orcs Due to the conflicts that Dwarves have with Orcs their dislike often extends to Half Orcs as well.

Goblins In areas where both Dwarves and Goblins are found, Dwarves find them a nuisance when they try to expand their territory to the surface.
Giants For some reason Giants and Dwarves jut don't get along.
Humans Dwarves get along with Humans pretty well due to their hearty appetites and industrious nature but are still a bit weary of them.
Elves For the most part Dwarves get along with Elves and have good trade relationships. Occasionally they may get into some schirmishes, but they really don't get along with Drow, for Drow have been known to raid Dwarven tunnels.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• 'Ancient Ones'

Genetic Descendants

• 'Proto Dwarves'
• Dwelf

Origin/Ancestry

Dwarves are closely related to Gnomes.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Skin tones can be highly variable as well, ranging from any shade of tan-brown as well as any shade of grey.