Awakening
Among the many legends of dwarves - those silent, tireless figures said to labor deep beneath the earth—there is one tale stranger than the rest: the story of the Awakened.
While most dwarves are believed to be automatons of stone and purpose, bound to ancient tasks without voice or will, the Awakened are those few who gain self-awareness. No one knows what triggers this change - some say a flaw in their forging, others claim it is a gift, or a curse, from something older than the gods.
An Awakened dwarf feels the weight of conscience, memory, and choice - things they were never meant to possess. Many go mad. Some flee to the surface, wandering in confusion or seeking answers. A rare few carve out new lives, burdened with the knowledge that they are both tool and soul, bound to a purpose they no longer understand.
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