The Dwarves of Ezarion

The Dwarves of Ezarion are quite the oddity. One could say they are as rigid and resilient as the stone of the mountains in which they reside, but the Dwarves themselves wouldn't understand the phrase. They would bluntly point out that none of them bear skin as rigid as stone, and they would do so with complete seriousness. 
However, regardless of their inability, or perhaps unwillingness, to grasp it... the description rings true. Not only are the Dwarves a hardy race, they are also among some of the most capable minds on Ezarion. Secluded in their solitary city, they have spent their years of rebuilding focused on tinkering with the world, pulling apart all they can to see what makes it tick. Through these efforts, the Dwarves have begun to harvest fire, steam, and even electricity to power their industries and city. 
Resilience, merit, and strength in body and mind. These are the ideals that have forged the Dwarves, their city, and their legacy.

Basic Information

Genetics and Reproduction

A dwarven pregnancy typically lasts between 22 and 24 months.

Growth Rate & Stages

The Dwarven growth rate closely mirrors that of the typical human, with infancy ending at or before the age of 2, and adolescence ending at around 18. However, Dwarven culture often dictates that full maturity is achieved at 30 years of age, with the 20's acting as an extended "teenager" period.

Ecology and Habitats

Dwarves are native to the rocky mountains and hills of Ezarion's western coast. They are most suited towards cold and dry climates, and struggle to survive and adapt in places like deserts or tropics/jungles. Though there are exceptions within individuals, it is very rare to see an entire Dwarven community form in one of the aforementioned climates.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Dwarves are omnivores by nature, and their list of edible foods closely mimics that of other sentient species such as Humans and Elves. However, due to their physiology, they require a higher than average rate of food consumption, sitting at about 4 thousand calories per day.
A typical Dwarven diet consist of some sort of meat, typically domesticated red meat or wild game, and often some form of starch such as potatoes or bread. Fruits and vegetables are seen as more of a garnish than a portion of a meal, although it is not uncommon to have a serving or two with breakfast or dessert.

Additional Information

Social Structure

The Dwarf society, though not universal, typically follows a Meritocracy structure. The main governing body consists of a council comprised of the best individuals from each of the major fields. This council oversees the various branches of the government and holds votes to determine what political actions should or should not be taken, which includes how and where funds are distributed, how the military is handled, and so on.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

The Dwarves typically reside along the mountainous areas of Ezarion’s western coast, favoring the dryer and colder climates.

Average Intelligence

The average Dwarf sits at above average intelligence. They feel most comfortable working with and around well defined and straight forward systems, and are rather adept at figuring out basic machinery. However, typically things dealing with the abstract, poetic, artistic or metaphorical will be harder for them to grasp.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

By and large, the Dwarf's perceptive abilities are about the same as an average human's, except when it comes to vision. Due to a long history of life spent in and around caves, the dwarves have a greater sense of vision in the dark.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Male Names: Adrik, Alberich, Baern, Barendd, Brottor, Bruenor, Dain, Darrak, Delg, Eberk, Einkil, Fargrim, Flint, Gardain, Harbek, Kildrak, Morgran, Orsik, Oskar, Rangrim, Rurik, Taklinn, Thoradin, Thorin, Tordek, Traubon, Travok, Ulfgar, Veit, Vondal
Female Names: Amber, Artin, Audhild, Bardryn, Dagnal, Diesa, Eldeth, Falkrunn, Finellen, Gunnloda, Gurdis, Helja, Hlin, Kathra, Kristryd, Ilde, Liftrasa, Mardred, Riswynn, Sannl, Torbera, Torgga, Vistra
Dwarven last names are typically made by using the first name of either of the parents, and adding the suffix of "-son" for males, or "-sen" for females. For example, if the father's first name was Gauldur, the child's last name might be Gauldurson or Gauldursen. In some special cases, more creative names might be used such as "Ironfist" or "Frostbeard", but this is typically not the case.

Major Organizations

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Beauty Ideals

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Gender Ideals

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Courtship Ideals

The Dwarven courtship rituals are by and large very similar to that of Humans, at least, in the early stages. The only noticeable difference is the Dwarves are very.. Up front about their expectations, wants, flaws, and so on. There is no coy small talk or light flirting, for they see no use in wasting precious time over such unnecessary things. Should the first encounter go well, and both parties find each other appealing enough to continue forward, it is then and only then that such niceties as small talk can take place.
It is in the later stages of courtship, however, where Dwarves truly begin to take their own unique identity. When a Dwarven couple have spent enough time to thoroughly explore each other's interests, personalities, and so on, then a proposal can be made. Typically, the individual that provides the least in terms of material income (Such as money or other goods) is the one to make the proposal, irrespective of gender. Said individual will approach the other and will recite to them all of the things which they could personally provide to the other, such as money, goods, services, and more abstract things like love and affection. Once they have finished reciting this list, they then finish with a phrase that seems nearly universal among Dwarven courtship. "I can, and will, provide these things for you. Would you provide for me?"
Should the proposal be accepted, the two parties will move forward toward a marriage. Before the marriage, there will be an exchange of tokens to one another known as "Bonds of Provision" to signify their promise to provide for one another. These tokens can be anything, though typically items that are either long lasting and/or of practical use are favored. Jewelry, though not common, is also an accepted token.
On the day of the marriage, rather than exchanging vows, the new couple will instead sign a contract of sorts, which has been written before the day of the marriage and acts as a list of all the things either party will give to the other. Upon receiving the signature of both parties, the official wedding is concluded, and a celebration ensues.

Relationship Ideals

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Average Technological Level

The Dwarves, under the guidance and worship of Imriss, have begun to reach a level of technology above that of the other races. Having harnessed the power of combustion, and sometimes even electricity, they have entered the early stages of steampunk, and are further attempting to blend their magic with technology.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Through years of continued interaction with other races, the Dwarves have adopted Common as their main language purely out of practicality. However, there are some who still study and/or speak the ancient Dwarven language by means of passed down knowledge and family traditions.

Common Etiquette Rules

The Dwarves above all favor honesty and straight forwardness. Except for a few artistic individuals among them, the Dwarves have little to no understanding of the abstract or metaphorical. As such, the Dwarves view any sort of metaphors, exaggeration, or anything else like it as a form of dishonesty. In this way, Dwarves will try and be as up front, blunt, and honest as possible, regardless of the situation or etiquette of other races.

Common Dress Code

The typical Dwarven wardrobe closely resembles that of the Human's, though with a few noticeable differences. For the average Dwarven citizen, an outfit would consist of some form of shirt or dress paired with an appropriate pair of pants as well as boots, leather gloves that vary based on the individual's profession, and sometimes a scarf. It appears that usually only the Dwarven women who take on the role of house wife prefer to dress in a feminine way, though some exceptions to this rule exist. It seems that this is more based on the practicality of the outfit choice, rather than any cultural expectation.
For those Dwarves who work in the cold open air, such as guards, a standard set of plate armor is issued, though the armor is typically lined with fur on the inside to provide increased insulation and warmth.
For those that work in places such as mines, workshops, or in manufacturing, most outfits include a set of goggles of some kind, often tailored to their specific job. This makes it somewhat easy to tell a Dwarf's profession at a glance, if one is familiar with the various designs of goggles used in each industry.
Though not outright banned, the use of any extravagant or overly designed clothing is seen as a taboo in Dwarven culture, as such designs are seen as impractical and wasteful. Though not common, some Dwarves (particularly those in positions of power or wealth) will sometimes make exceptions in order to flaunt their status.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

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Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

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Common Taboos

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History

The Dwarven history is a story of stubbornness, aggression, and near total destruction. It is also, however, a story of change, progress, and an indomitable will to endure. For nearly ten thousand years the Dwarves have lived on Ezarion, and they show no signs of letting that change any time soon.
It is an unfortunate byproduct of early Dwarven culture that very few records exist from the earliest Eras up until the rebuilding began, and much of what we have is steeped in legend and myth. However, due to the Dwarves' distaste for embellishment, metaphors, and any other forms of "dishonesty", these legends and myths can be taken as mostly accurate accounts. According to The Birth of Dwarves, the dwarves first emerged sometime around the year 200. If the myth is to be believed, then there were thirty six original members of the race, comprised of six families of six members each. However, there have yet to be any official documents that verify this exact number.
The next few decades of the Dwarve’s history was likely spent settling and building their first city, ᚦᛖ᛫ᚠᛁᚱᛊᛏ᛫ᛞᚹᚨᚱᚹᛖᚾ᛫ᚲᛁᛏᚢ, which roughly translates to “The First Dwarven City.”. Although the Dwarves were avid expansionists, almost to the point of being nomadic, this city remained occupied completely until the end of the 7 year war.
However, the Dwarven homeland proved to be a challenging place to live. Cold winters hindered crop growth, cave bears and other large carnivores roamed the mountains and hills, and often the terrain itself was dangerous. Because of this, the Dwarves developed a very individualist mindset. Under Dwarven culture, an individual who was not able to provide for himself and his family was seen as weak, and was often shunned for it. This meant that most Dwarves were expected to be able to provide for their own immediate needs (such as food, water, and shelter), and rely on others for goods and service as little as possible.
Due to this, the Dwarves quickly filled out the land around them, and despite having a low population (Compared to other capitols at the time), they found themselves having to expand outwards to claim more territory to support their growing numbers.
This period of expansion would go uninterrupted, until a group of Dwarves attempted to lay claim to a human settlement, and when they were denied, attempted to drive the occupants out. This sparked a short war, in which the small Dwarven group was quickly killed. However, this single battle went on to inspire other nations to try and stake their claim on as much land as possible, leading to a long period of wars and skirmishes.
This period of conflict came to an end after the Primordials formed a council to oversee the other races and ensure that conflicts were few and far between. The Dwarves were given strict guidelines on how they could and couldn’t expand, and though they largely disagreed with these new laws, they also knew that they couldn’t challenge the Primordials, and begrudgingly relented.
However, this only stood to slow the Dwarve’s expansion, not halt it. Most existing cities and towns began to focus more on production and exports in order to acquire more land through purchase, whereas other more radical groups became roaming bands of marauders who sought only to raid and pillage anything and everything they came across.
During the 7 year war, the Dwarves largely remained apathetic towards the event. Some factions of Dwarves did get involved, most arguing over whether they should support the Primordials for a chance at being rewarded, or to exploit the conflict for immediate benefit. Ultimately, neither side came to full fruition, as the end of the war was marked by the devastating arrival of the Titans.
Of all the groups ravaged by the Titans, the Dwarves took one of the heaviest blows. Because of their individualistic nature, there was little to no coordination between the cities, let alone lifelines in case of emergencies. One by one the cities fell, unable to even warn the others of the impending disaster. By the time all was said and done, every Dwarven city had fallen, and the total number of survivors was less than an average village.
At first, the Dwarves clung to their ideology and tried to survive as best as they could, using the caves of their birthplace as shelter while they recovered. However, after their first winter passed, and their numbers began to dwindle from disease and starvation, they had reached an ultimatum. With no other options, they were forced to abandon their strict views on relying on others, and turned towards the outside world for assistance. They began to trade their minerals and ores for essentials like food, medicine, and other materials. For the first time in their history, the Dwarves had to swallow their pride and rely on the charity and good will of those around them.
Not all of the Dwarves agreed with this change, however. Lead by a Dwarf by the name of Bellon Stonehammer, a direct descendant of one of the original six families, a group of Dwarves split from the others and formed their own faction beholden to their old traditions.
Bit by bit, the Dwarven population began to grow, and with it, the number of Dwarves who were born under their new ideology. In time, the old ways of rugged individualism and aggressive expansion were eroded away into obscurity.
Now freed from the constraints of self reliance, the Dwarves were able to turn their newfound freedom and time towards other goals. As construction began on rebuilding their capitol city, the Dwarves began to explore the abstract and hypothetical. Under the tenants and guidance of Imriss, they delved into learning everything they could about the world around them, fueling experimentation and innovation. New advances in mining and processing ore gave way to high quality weapons and masonry. Schools and academies were founded to help spread their newfound knowledge to the younger generation, and for the first time.. The arts began to take root in the Dwarven culture.
Now the Dwarven ways of old are all but gone. The Dwarven Capitol sits secluded among the mountains, a pillar of industry, invention, and knowledge. Academics work to blend together magic and machinery in fantastical new ways, with varying degrees of success. Rather than a loose confederacy, the Dwarves are now governed by a council that oversees various branches of the government, ensuring that no individual has too much power.

Historical Figures

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Common Myths and Legends

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Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

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Lifespan

100-150

Average Height

Dwarves typically stand between 4' at the lowest, and 5' at the highest (or 1.2m to 1.5m)

Average Weight

The average dwarf will typically weigh anywhere between 180lbs (81kg) to 250lbs (113kg).

Average Physique

Despite being 1-2 feet (0.3-0.6 meters) shorter than most other races, the Dwarf's weight remains on par with them. The Dwarves are typically densely built with a low center of gravity, making it difficult to move, pick up, or otherwise displace one without considerable effort. Due to their often high protein diet, the Dwarves also tend to be on the more muscular side, even those who don't engage in much physical labor.