Dwarves
"... oh, where the gold flows like ale, where the roots of the mountain twist, aye, that's where I know I'll find home" - The end of an ancient Dwarven song
Scattered throughout the continents, dwarven states often inhabit major mountain ranges, with some exceptions in cases of extreme circumstances. Despite their almost universal lack of state control beyond the mountains, a number of dwarven communities live outside and in some case very far away from mountain ranges. The concentration of Dwarven kingdoms inside mountains and lack of them outside can be attributed to several factors. The Dwarves tend to focus on mining, metalsmithing, and caving, all things that are typically much more favorable to perform inside mountains. Mountains are usually lightly populated, meaning there is often little to no resistance to Dwarves tunneling and forming new communities. This extends to the defensive nature of Dwarven settlements, as native populations usually find that by the time Dwarves have established themselves, it would require far more force than they possess to defeat them. Additionally, the number of Dwarves is relatively less concentrated than many other races, meaning that early Dwarves were most likely unable to secure the most favorable lands for farming. While this reasoning is perfectly sound from a scientific point of view, Dwarven tradition provides another.
Most Dwarves believe that their race was formed of sentient stone and arose simultaneously from the mountains, which they have held since. They claim this explains this dispersed population and their affinity for rock and stone. While considered fanciful by every other race, they are careful to avoid saying so to the Dwarves, who are notoriously quick-tempered and who remember slights such as this for a very long time. Dwarves are known to be extremely stubborn and tenacious, and while this has its benefits, Dwarves have been known to escalate individual disputes to clan-wide feuds which can fester for generations, and even lead to civil war.
Dwarves both in and out of their mountain halls often find employment as metalworkers, architects, and stone carvers. Their natural affinity for such materials alongside their long lives gives dwarves a distinct advantage over tradesmen of other races, meaning that Dwarves are highly desired for high-level positions in a number of related fields. Therefore, Dwarven kingdoms are often able to boast large numbers of advanced equipment for both war and peace.
Most Dwarves believe that their race was formed of sentient stone and arose simultaneously from the mountains, which they have held since. They claim this explains this dispersed population and their affinity for rock and stone. While considered fanciful by every other race, they are careful to avoid saying so to the Dwarves, who are notoriously quick-tempered and who remember slights such as this for a very long time. Dwarves are known to be extremely stubborn and tenacious, and while this has its benefits, Dwarves have been known to escalate individual disputes to clan-wide feuds which can fester for generations, and even lead to civil war.
Dwarves both in and out of their mountain halls often find employment as metalworkers, architects, and stone carvers. Their natural affinity for such materials alongside their long lives gives dwarves a distinct advantage over tradesmen of other races, meaning that Dwarves are highly desired for high-level positions in a number of related fields. Therefore, Dwarven kingdoms are often able to boast large numbers of advanced equipment for both war and peace.
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