A lineage of elves hailing from Northern Eveynjar, the Dvardiri, aka the Hill Elves or Dwarves are a group of elven descent known for their incredible craftsmanship and ingenuity. Unlike many races in Eveynjar, the Dvardiri seem to be naturally reclusive as a race, preferring their massive underground cities to the surface world, preferring the comfort of their earthen walls to the cold northern air above them. Due to this reclusiveness, some races believe them extinct or at least incredibly endangered, though this is more due to the lack of trust the Dvardiri see in not only their elven kin, but also any nation from outside of Dvarheim, their homeland, and Indeljar.
The Dvardiri as a whole believe themselves descendants of the Gol'drakken (Earth Dragons) and an extinct race of fae whose name is lost to time.
Industrious People
The Dvardiri are incredibly unique in how they create their tools and metal. Interestingly, these elves seem to hold knowledge forgotten by the humans and beast folk. In order to make their metal, they melt the material through the use of geothermal heat combined with various cocktails of high-heat fuels, granting a purity in metal not seen in most nations, with the exception of the Naaludiri people. Their signature metal, known as Dvardite, is incredibly resistant to everyday use, acid, and heat, this bronze-brass colored material combines orichalcum, mythral, and solthral into one material, creating something so sought after, a single ingot can send some southern nations into a frenzy to buy the material.
Not only do they have a plentiful amount of metal, the Dvardiri also are incredibly advanced in the ways of technology, at least compared to many Ethenrean cultures, possessing access to steam technology, clockworks, various magi-technologies, and an explosive substance referred to as Gunpowder. Yes, they are Dwarves with trains and guns. The Dvardiri do not let this technology out of their sight, and they hold the secrets to properly make and use Gunpowder, which they store damp when transporting it outside of Dvarheim, to prevent it from either catching fire and exploding or keeping people from attempting to replicate it.
Underground Society
The Dvardai spend a majority of their lives underground, living most of their lives in a vast collection of incredibly reinforced tunnels known typically as Warrens. A single Dvardirian city can have thousands of warrens, with shafts and elevators to the surface. Each Dvardirian city is connected via a vast system of railways that go across the entirety of Dvarheim. Where there are Dvardiri cities that breach the surface, those places become important hubs of commerce that the Dvardiri call Gates. The most well known Gates are known as Amber-Gate and Sapphire-Gate, with Amber-Gate being connected to Indeljar, and Sapphire-Gate being connected to the Amorim Plain, though in recent years has been closed until the threat of Empyria ends.
Deep in the heart of Dvarheim lies a secret city of the Dvardiri, which is only known to various Blacksmiths and Artificers that are trained there. A city run on geothermal steam, the place is known as the clockwork soul of Dvarheim, Naalrym's Forge. Named after the Master of Metal himself, the forge is where the secrets of industry are taught to those who would advance it, though all that enter are sworn to secrecy under oath and spell. It is there that an event is held to elect the High Artifice of Dvarheim, an event that is held once every 50 years, with the current High Artifice being Khestrulim Darkbraids of Clan Ter'minathrin.
Alliances and Enemies
The presence of the Dwarves' nation has had an impact on all of the nations that have ever existed in Northern Eveynjar. Originally being part of the nation of Wolvenholm, the Dwarves secretly supplied the nation with incredibly protective armor and weaponry in an attempt to prevent southern interlopers, specifically the Naaludiri or Steel Elves, from interfering with their work. However, the Raptoran ruined that deal, and so the Dvardiri closed off their nation for around 1,000 years. Once the coast was clear, the massive lifts and elevators of the Dvardiri rose from the ground and opened their doors to their new neighbors, Indeljar, Empyria, and Yllithr.
When the Dvardiri originally came to Eveynjar, they had a close connection to their Naaludiri kin, with both the elven lineages working in tandem to advance the new lands they began to settle. However, with disagreements on how to distribute advanced technologies and prevent its misuse, the races warred with one another, with the Dvardiri retreating to the north, and the Naaludiri spreading their knowledge to the south, and dwindling due to misused resources.
Dvardiri Names
Dvardiri naming conventions don't particularly follow any conventions that are used by Earth cultures, but their names may have a scottish or german flair to them. Additionally, the Dvardiri sort themselves into clans, with each dwarven city generally possessing a major clan that the city is named after, and a bunch of minor clans that have sprouted from that main clan. Additionally, many a Dvardai also gain a moniker that either describes their personality, their appearance, or something unique about the specific Dvardai. Examples: Hjaldar Drunkhorn of Clan Asrad'zdach or Brenlynn Stormbotton of Clan Izvularn
Male Names: Hjaldar, Golikh, Ailig, Kummatin, Gimmir, Dubvrul, Khoustroic, Bhelnir, Mordir, Thormand
Female Names: Audhild, Brenlynn, Sarwynn, Naernura, Mardish, Mystlyl, Brulva, Sardille, Nassra, Tyshra
Major Clans (and associated cities): Ter'minathrin (Dawnhold), Morn'murnaal(Naalrym's Forge), Zdach'asrad (Amber Gate), Zdach'isvu (Sapphire Gate), Vavalfur'heim (Valkuldor), Hauferm'berlaim(Dhan Faldihr), Dihr'hjodlik (Gurbuldihr), Foshr'todir (Der Todir)
