Dwarves

Sing, oh stone, of the Living Mountain It that hewed seven from the primal rock; sing of the one who fell to darkness And the glory of the six who remained, to build the holds. Sing of our birth, and the first of our kind Who carved the cavern halls. -Epic of the Stoneborn
Dwarves are a stout and hardy people that live in mountains, caves, canyons, or anywhere else where large quantities of stone can be found. They are quite short compared to humans, but make up for it in mass, as they are built wide and full. They tend to exist in highly collectivist, rigid, and religious communities, a consequence of their unusual reproductive cycle. Their strong sharing of tradition and knowledge also means that trades are better preserved than among most, resulting in a culture of artisans; Dwarven smithing, masonry, and brewing are widely considered to be unparalleled.

The Stonecalling

Dawrven society is underpinned by a rite known as the Stonecalling. This ritual is how new dwarves are created and is deeply tied to dwarf religion and mythology. A Stonecalling requires six dwarves, one representing each of the unfallen dwarven gods, a full year of work, and an ample supply of living rock. During this process, the dwarves live and work together, supporting one another as the work continues. A new dwarven body is carved from the stone, which is then animated into flesh and blood by an ancient ritual. New dwarves are fully adult in mind and body, and lack only worldly experience. Dwarves remain animated for 200-300 years, and do not age at all until near the very end. When a dwarf nears the natural end of their life, they become gradually slower and stonier until finally turning back into the rock they came from.
Occasionally, the Stonecalling will produce a dwarf that remains somewhat stony. Rockblood dwarves, as they are called, are considered blessed and specially favored by the gods. The blessing can manifest as anything from particularly hardened skin to what is essentially a dwarf-shaped earth elemental.

Dwarven Society

In order for the Stonecalling to persist throughout the generations, with all the resources and knowledge required, it is necessary for dwarves to exist in highly structured society, which explains the highly lawful and insular tendencies of most dwarven holds, with disorganized cities typically collapsing and dispersing within a generation, which can still take several decades.
Typically, a hold will have a strong central leader that wields much of the power in the society. Some are run on very orderly, bureaucratic democracies, but still posses a powerful head of state. This leader possesses a relic, among the most potent items that the hold has crafted, that serves as a symbol of their rulership.
In the known lands, there are two major groups of dwarves known to surface dwellers; Northern dwarves and Southern dwarves. Northern dwarves make their homes in mountains or near surface caves and tend to be insular and withdrawn; a major exception are the dwarves of the Ember Mountains, which are quite involved in the local politics. They are noted for their skill in smiting, brewing, and prospecting. Southern dwarves live in canyons or entirely constructed underground complexes in flat areas. They commonly live in symbiotic communities with gnomes, with a gnomish settlement being built on the surface above a dwarvish one. Although they still live underground, Southern dwarves spend a lot more time on the surface interacting and trading with their neighbors. These dwarves are renowned for their advanced technological and architectural skills, as well as a greater affinity for Earth magic.