Dwarves

General Info

One of the playable races in Arkesh. They are copies of standard DnD dwarves. For extra lore please refer to the player manual. Newly added subraces have their own statblock below.

Biology

Dwarves are solid and enduring like the mountains they love. Weathering the passage of centuries with stoic endurance and little change.

Ageing

With elves not being in this setting dwarves are the race that hold the potential to become the longest living. Aging up to 400 years. This longevity grants them a perspective of the world that shorter lived races lack. It makes them one of the wisest but also most stubborn races. Their dislike of change has also proven disadvantageous on occasions as they sometimes have trouble adapting to a quickly changing world.

Appereance

History

Era of the ancients

The ancient were the most advanced Dwarven race to date. They had technology you would imagine basegame gnomes would have. With an enormous kingdom stretching from the surface to the deepest layers of the Earth. Since their demise none have ever managed to venture as deep as they could. Because of this many treasures are still buried deep below the surface.
They were said to have amazing constructs. Forges and lifts the size of entire cities. Most magic artifacts around Arkesh were created by the ancient. Many Ancients made it their goal to create the ultimate artifact. What this artifact was is left to speculations. Ancient texts rever to it as The Eternal Equivalent Exchange. in their search the Ancients stumbled upon the seal of Earth. One of The 7 Seals. In the process of harnessing it's Amazing power they destroyed it. The destruction of the seal brought forth the first Catastrophe. An Earthquake soared through the entirety of Arkesh. In just mere moments the entire dwarven Kingdom was destroyed.

A Split Race

On the surface the Catastrophe was somewhat less disastrous. Don't get me wrong. All races bled under massive Earthquackes, Vulcanic eruptions and Tsunami's. But it didn't obliterate all life like it did deep below the surface. Surface dwelling dwarven colonies became the Mountain Dwarves. Who later split into the ice dwarves and the deep dwarves. The latter are a group of dwarves who seeked the knowledge of the ancients. In opposition to the Mountain Dwarves, who enjoy living above the surface. The deep dwarves always seeked to go deeper.

War with the Stoneforged

When the seal of Earth got broken new Divine energy got released on Arkesh. This brought forth the birth of the first Stoneforged. As this race was birthed during the annihilation of their own race. The Dwarves labeled the Stoneforged as the harbingers of destruction and made war with the young race.

Culture and behavior

Subraces

Mountain Dwarves

Deep dwarves (Duergar)

Ice Dwarves

The Ancient (Unplayable)