Dwarves

" Oi, ye fracking lillie eyed kook! Watch were ya be aiming them arrows pointy ears or you'll be getting hit with the broad side of this hammer if my name ain't Thoradin Ironbeard son of Daindin Ironbeard!" Thoradin Ironbeard at at the second siege of Samara with his elven companion and life long friend Elis'via Verdian. Dwarves are a proud and hardy people of the mountains and hills known for their rough exteriors and hearts of gold.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Short and stocky bipedal humanoids with thick and strong frames.

Biological Traits

Dwarves have a strong resistance to poison and an natural instinct for tools, crafts ,and weapons which dwarves have used for generations.

Genetics and Reproduction

Dwarves reproduce sexually and will gestated for a period of 10 to 11 months before giving birth.

Growth Rate & Stages

Dwarves mature at the same rate as humans, but they’re considered young until they reach the age of 50. On average, they live about 350 years.

Ecology and Habitats

Most dwarves live in rocky mountainous terrain either on and in hills or deep within mountains and under the world. They will carve and craft ecosystems for themselves within these environments and create homes for themselves.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Dwarves are incredibly hardy and tough people and can eat and drink almost anything from the toughest and rancid foods to the strongest and most poisonous spirit. Dwarves are famous of eating large amounts of food, especially meats and ale. They grow and raise what they can and will often trade the precious stones and minerals they mine for those supplies.

Biological Cycle

Dwarves are a tough people and the passing of time doesn't take it's toll like most other races of the world. As a dwarf gets older the effects of aging do take their toll and they will die of old age naturally.

Additional Information

Social Structure

The chief unit of dwarven society is the clan, and dwarves highly value social standing. Even dwarves who live far from their own kingdoms cherish their clan identities and affiliations, recognize related dwarves, and invoke their ancestors’ names in oaths and curses. To be clanless is the worst fate that can befall a dwarf.

Facial characteristics

Dwarves have hard stern faces and are well known for their large beards and fast growth of hair.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Dwarves are spread all throughout the world and in mountainous and hilly places. A large concentration of dwarves have their own kingdom deep within the underdark.

Average Intelligence

Although dwarves are often mocked for their crude behavior and brutish personalities. Nonetheless they are very keen minded and excel in their craves to unparalleled degrees.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

They have the ability to percecive the world through sight, scent, taste, touch, and hearing with some having magical senses as well.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Dwarven clan names are of great importance to dwarves with their first names usually having some great personal honor.

Major Organizations

Dwarves have certain positions of great power all throughout the isles and below in the underdark. The greatest of these is the last dwarven kingdom of Dwemeria deep below.

Beauty Ideals

Personal hygiene, maintenance of ones beard and personal jewelry are key examples of dwarven beauty.

Gender Ideals

Gender ideals are more strict in dwarven societies. With the male being the leader and gem winner while females tend to be given more maternal roles in that regard.

Courtship Ideals

Most courtship is arranged from clan to clan by two willing members and approval by the fathers of the respective clan members.

Relationship Ideals

A husband should take care of the needs of his wife and a wife should take care of the needs of her husband.

Average Technological Level

Dwarves have very advanced technology and magical prowess to better help mining and defense.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Dwarves tend to speak common, Dwarvish and in some cases undercommon. Dwarvish is full of hard consonants and guttural sounds, and those characteristics spill over into whatever other language a dwarf might speak. Undercommon is a softer language with odd cadences.

Common Etiquette Rules

Dwarves will show great respect to honored members and elders in societies. It is most noted for a dwarf to tell you his male fore bearer in honor of his life and glory.

Common Dress Code

Dwarves tend to either wear simple hardy clothes for work or armor of some sort or another. In rarer cases dwarves will wear very fine garments adorned with the jewels they worked hard to obtain.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Dwarves have a deep and honored culture as hard workers and great warriors of the mountains and hills. They also have a deep passion for craftsmanship and strive to make the very best in whatever they try to do and to celebrate even harder afterwards.

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

It is tradition to groom and braid beautify patterns in your beard and to always hold both your and your clans honor in high esteem. Customs involve great days of celebration and partying to enjoy the live you have crafted and to honor the brave dead who have fought for it.

Common Taboos

It is a grave taboo to shave ones beard off completely or to dishonor your clan greatly. Both will most likely lead to exile until honor can be restored. It is also taboo to leave a drink unfinished or for a fellow dwarf to strike his brother in the family jewels. Finally the greatest taboo for a dwarf is to become disloyal and betray a friend. Such an act is seen as unforgivable as loyalty is one of the deepest traits a dwarf can hold.

History

Dwarves are said to be as old and mighty as the mountains themselves.Some even claim they were forged in the very anvils of creation themselves. Regardless of tale and legend the dwarves held huge Mountain ranges which spread for miles as Kings on top of the hills and beneath the mountains. That all changed during the perils and most of dwarven kind was almost lost forever in the ensuing chaos. However through strength and stone the dwarves survived and thrived.

Historical Figures

Thoradin Ironbeard The Smoke Hammer, Daindin Ironbeard the Greathammer, Earlgin Greyspine The Mighty Maul, Wilhelm Drakespeare The Tall Tale Teller, Thorgin Allanvil The Living Forge.

Common Myths and Legends

It is said the dwarves keep many ancient treasure deep within their mountains from their wars with giants and dragons such as great and powerful items and weapons. Once such famous item is the Stella Stone. An ancient artifact said to be the very heart of a star and contains untold power.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Dwarves tend to have tough but fair relations with most of the surface world besides relations with the elves and the other inhabitants of the underdark which are at constant war for control of the mighty tunnels.

Scientific Name

Nani in Montibus

Lifespan

350 years

Average Height

4 and 5 ft

Average Weight

200 - 250 lbs

Average Physique

Dwarves tend to be short and very stocky and have very thick bones for their size.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Dwarves have different skin tones but tend to be of more fair complexion.