Dwarf
Basic Information
Anatomy
They are also hairier on average; unlike humans, both sexes can grow facial hair, with the females' being softer and sparser. This and the relative lack of differences in build has caused many cases of mistaken identity when dealing with other races, so it's not unusual for dwarvish women to shave their faces to avoid the annoyance.
Additional Information
Facial characteristics
Dwarves have rough features on the whole. Mountain dwarves are particularly known for having strong jawlines, thick brows, and large noses. Other types are a bit smoother, but still have a certain substantiality to them.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Dwarves are named at birth by their clan's elders. Their names often come from ancestors or relatives, so many have been used and reused for generations; because of that, it comes with a strong obligation to do right by the previous bearers of one's name.
Clan names are held in even higher regard. Each clan has a long history with many great deeds to its name, which may come from its founder or from some feat of theirs.
Any dwarf who is cast out of their clan is stripped of their name and forbidden to use any other dwarvish name in its place.
Clan names are held in even higher regard. Each clan has a long history with many great deeds to its name, which may come from its founder or from some feat of theirs.
Any dwarf who is cast out of their clan is stripped of their name and forbidden to use any other dwarvish name in its place.
Major Organizations
In Vesperia, there are several major dwarven clans that have established themselves. The stronghold at Sentinel Mountain in Parthenia is probably the largest, and its primary clan, Rumnaheim, the most influential. Their kinfolk crossed the continent to establish the stronghold of Golden Heights in the Dragonspire Mountains, and now the two settlements run one of the only regular caravans that crosses the Roaring Plains between them.
Relationship Ideals
Love comes second to everything else in dwarven relationships. Most of their marriages are arranged by clan elders with the aim of strengthening alliances, and their main goal is to rear children for the clan. They view children as one of the greatest projects they can embark upon, and their spouse as a co-contributor.
However, this does not mean that dwarven society is strictly heteronormative. They used to be, but a few centuries ago, one clan invented a workaround: polygamy. Polygamy was once common in ancient times, when frequent wars could deplete the male population, but dwarven marriage law never actually specified what combinations of sexes were acceptable. This gave rise to the practice of "squared marriages". In short, a dwarf may marry a member of the same sex if they wish, but only if they're willing to marry an opposite-sex spouse chosen by their clan and bear at least one child with them. Not everyone agrees with this, but the sense of obligation is often strong enough that they're willing to "lie back and think of the clan", as it were.
However, this does not mean that dwarven society is strictly heteronormative. They used to be, but a few centuries ago, one clan invented a workaround: polygamy. Polygamy was once common in ancient times, when frequent wars could deplete the male population, but dwarven marriage law never actually specified what combinations of sexes were acceptable. This gave rise to the practice of "squared marriages". In short, a dwarf may marry a member of the same sex if they wish, but only if they're willing to marry an opposite-sex spouse chosen by their clan and bear at least one child with them. Not everyone agrees with this, but the sense of obligation is often strong enough that they're willing to "lie back and think of the clan", as it were.
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
- Trades are passed down from parent to child.
- Dwarves decorate their hair and beards with ornaments to signify what they've accomplished in life. Youngsters wear their hair loose or in a ponytail, but upon entering adulthood, they start braiding it. Beads of different colors signify accomplishments in work or battle. Those who are married add caps to the ends of their braids, and trim their hair in the back. Dwarves in mourning over the death of a close relative or a major battlefield loss shear it all off entirely except their beard; outcasts are forcibly shaved all over before they're thrown out.
Common Taboos
- The dead must have their hair covered by a cloth to keep fiendish entities from seeing what they've accomplished in life.
- The fires of the forge and hearth must never be allowed to go out. When a dwarf moves to a new place, they bring a small brazier of coals from their home fires to carry Ignis' blessings with them.
Lifespan
350 years
Average Height
4'3''
Average Weight
129 lbs
Average Physique
Dwarves of all races have a tough, stocky build.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Most types of dwarf tend towards the same earthy tones as humans. Hill dwarves are fair to tan, mountain dwarves are moderately brown, and jungle dwarves are very dark. The exception are dark dwarves, who have stone-gray skin similar to other Underdark races. Their hair is almost always brown or black, but there are some redheads here and there, particularly among hill dwarves.
Geographic Distribution
Related Ethnicities
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