Dwarves

Our laws are written in stone

— Common Dwarven saying

Basic Information

Anatomy

Dwarves are a short, stocky humanoid species. While their stature is certainly suited to the underground settlements they call their homes, they are not particularly adapted to underground living overall. While their dense bone structure can be useful during cave-ins, it can also make climbing more difficult. Their eyes are no more powerful in the dark than most surface dwelling races, leaving them at a distinct disadvantage against some of the other denizens of the Undmor.

Genetics and Reproduction

The Dwarves are not a fecund race. While their lives can last centuries, a single dwarf might only have a handful of children within that time.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Generally, dwarves are able to digest most meat or vegetables, even some other races might find poisonous or rotten, due to tolerances built up over their long lives. However, food in the Undmor is not easily found nor farmed, and what is may not be as benign as it first appears.

Additional Information

Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms

Gremlins are a constant nuisance, taking and tinkering with Dwarven machinery. In addition, various domesticated species of animals and plants fill a variety of roles within Dwarven society.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

While there are many cultures within the Dwarven species, a natural loyalty has kept the race remarkably homogeneous given its ancient origins. Male Dwarf first names tend to be one or two syllables with short vowel sounds and hard consonants, while female names tend to be two or three syllables with longer vowel sounds. last names are can be trade names, earned titles, locations, or modified first names (usually to denote a notable ancestor). For instance, Dag Carver would be a typical male name. Vayen Ostilwater (Of Stillwater) might be the name of a Dwarven woman.

Major Organizations

King Kolgin's Empire The Engineering Guilds The Line Speakers

History

Dwarven history is pattern of surfacing into and retreating from the world above. While they would seal the holds for generations during times of conflict, their industrious and inquisitive nature prevented them from ever fully cutting themselves off from the surface. Oftentimes, their society would begin to mingle freely with those races that befriended them, creating legends that would span periods of isolation. Each time the Dwarves moved skyward, a handful of stubborn, deep-set settlements would refuse to join their brethren. When their cousins returned, this was both a source of tension and utility, as while reintegration could prove difficult those settlements would maintain the deepest fortresses and treasures of the absentees.
This last period of surfacing before the Shattering, however, was especially long. By a conservative estimate, five generations spent their lives on or close to the surface, and the divisions between those above and those below now challenge the core of Dwarven society: loyalty. Some no longer respect the King. It is said that some no longer respect their Ancestors. Those below whisper of exploitation and mutation, while those above speak of blasphemous cults and dark patrons. Now, with the surface destroyed, suspicion and contempt corrupt the hearts of many as the surface dwellers descend more quickly than ever.

Common Myths and Legends

The World Engine

Lifespan

150 years

Average Height

4-5 feet

Average Weight

200 lbs

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Typically, Dwarves are a fair skinned species, though exceptions are not unheard of, with uncommon colors from brown to even grey. Compared to the humans and elves of the surface before the The Shattering, they tend to have less warm or vibrant skin tones.