Dwarf

Dwarves are about 4 feet tall, broad-shouldered and muscular, and of stocky build. Both males and females are bearded. They prefer to live underground in vast cavern and tunnel systems, where they mine precious metals and gems. Their skin comes in earth tones, from red-brown to tan to gray. They tend to be dour and suspicious, but grudgingly helpful.
Dwarves live long lives, though not as long as the elves, and they reproduce slowly. Dwarves are sturdy, vengeful warriors with long memories of everyone who has done them harm.

Dwarven Bloodlines

Stout and unmovable as stone, the dwarves of Arith believe that they all originated from the same clanhold. There the seven original fathers served the Once and Future King. After their own gods fell to the elder titans, they worked closely with the Nordic Gods, crafting items of power for them to wage war against the hated Primordials.
When the dwarven homeland fell, the dwarven race was divided. The Seven Fathers were not able to put aside their differences and each led their people to the farthest corners of Arith. Each of the Fathers brought with them dwarves of the mountain and dwarves of the hill.
The line of Draglor settled his people in the Whitecrown Mountains and founded the Kingdom of Draglamor. The hill dwarves who followed Draglor settled in the Iron Hills and formed the Cantons of Angbadur.
The Line of Foros settled his people in the Icefast Mountains, forming the Kingdom of Forostaal.
The Line of Valunn brought his people to the Sunglema Mountains and created the Kingdom of Valundak.
The Line of Korr settled in the Ankorvian Mountains, forming the Kingdom of Korrandar.
The names of the other three lines were lost to history. One is known to have settled on the continent of Togos, while two lines settled in the mountains of Draconis.
The dwarves say that the Once and Future King will eventually return and reunite the Seven Lines and lead the dwarves to their rightful place as lords of all Arith.

Born of Earth

Dwarves are tied much more strongly to the element of earth, and as such have less need for water than most. A dwarf does not have to drink liquids each day to survive, but on any day where they don't have water, then need to consume roughly twice as much food. Dwarven physiology is built for living underground with limited access to water. They derive most of the liquid necessary to survive from food, even when dried or salted (and ale, but that's another story).

Grooming

While the stereotypical dwarf is covered in dirt, a side effect of the work many dwarves engage in, most dwarves are actually fastidious when not working. Due to the scarcity of water, dwarves used scrubbing salts, minerals, and powders when "washing". This gives many dwarves a ruddy complexion from the abrasive cleansers.

Dwarves and Ale

The center of every dwarven clanhold is the family still or brewery. Each dwarven family has its own unique recipe for its ale, and a gathering of friends always entails a sharing of the family's ale. These recipes have been passed down through generations, and while each generation tries to "perfect" the recipe, the original is kept as an almost sacred clan relic. The recipes of families related by clan are similar, having the same descendent, and a master brewer can tell a family's lineage by tasting their ale.

Dwarven Construction

Dwarven Delves always start as mines, usually run by one clan. As the mines grow, other clans are brought in, and clanholds are carved out in the former mine tunnels. As the hold grows, the number of clanholds increases. Dwarven law generally prohibits delving a clanhold within 100 yards of another clanhold depending on the strength of the local stone, to avoid undermining the structural integrity of the delve. If the clan is large enough, they may have several adjacent clanholds as second and third sons carve their own hold rather than stay in the family hold. One could pass through a mile of tunnel with dozens of minor holds surrounding the original hold carved by that clan.
The initial delve is always called the First Rise, as the delve ascends, the dwarves call the new levels "Second Rise", "Third Rise", etc. The level below "First Rise" is called "First Deep" then "Second Deep", etc.
A clanhold delve doesn't just consist of the clan's living areas, in the tunnels nearby shopfronts and workspaces are carved based on the clan's specialty. At natural juncture points, the dwarves will carve out a few blocks for a Daernak (lit: familiar meeting place) or "Gather". A gather is a place where the clans mix and trade. Every Gather has at least one tavern, maybe two. Inns for visiting dwarves are carved out of a Gather and guildhalls, stores, and trading areas complete the Gather, which are about the size of a few blocks in a human town or city.
Dwarves build in octagonal structures, and most clanholds and gathers are octagonal. Underground these octagonal keeps stretch from cavern floor to ceiling, looking like large columns holding up the "roots of the world" Aboveground the octagon also makes sense as being a very defendable shape. The origin of the octagon is the dwarven belief in the Seven Dwarven Fathers and the Once and Future King, who will unite the seven dwarven nations and lead the dwarves to their rightful place as lords of the earth.
Dwarven living space tends to be small, personal space consists of a bedchamber, while most of the hold is dedicated to communal areas. Among these communal areas is a forge, workshop and small still or brewery. Dwarves do not purchase beer or ale, since each family makes their own from recipes passed down generation to generation. Dwarves often bring beer or ale when attending a function at another home, and gifts of spirits are almost expected from dwarf to dwarf. Of course a subtle competition has arisen, with each family claiming and trying to prove that they make the best spirits. Interfamily strife has erupted as each branch tries to improve the recipe or cling to the true house recipe. To insult a dwarf's ale is a great insult to the family.
The main keep of any dwarven settlement is usually at the center of the settlement. A great hall and kitchen often takes up the first floor of the keep. Often the keep is made of two or more adjoining octagonal towers. The second tower often housing the Thane's family. Aboveground, the Hill dwarves may not adjoin the keeps, but rather connect several keeps with walls, for safeguarding livestock and providing a safe area for children. Belowground, many dwarven keeps are built at the edge of chasms leading deeper into the Darklands, with bridges across the chasms connecting the structures.
Surprisingly, the duergar keep to the same structures as their dwarven forebears.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Dwarf Male

• Height: 4'7" (4' 2" + 2d4)

• Weight: 180 lbs. (145 lb. + (Height Mod × 2d6))

Dwarf Female

• Height: 4' 5" (4' 0" + 2d4)

• Weight: 135 (110 lb. + (Height Mod × (2d4))

Civilization and Culture

Common Etiquette Rules

Used to dwelling in very close quarters, dwarves have no sense of personal space. However, living in such confines have made dwarves are often fastidiously clean. With water is such high demand, dwarves use scrubbing salts, powders, and pumice to keep clean.

Common Myths and Legends

The dwarves of the north pay respect to the Norse or Nordic Gods, who they considered allies in the war against the Primordials. Dwarven clerics of the Norse gods tend to take Thor, Odin, and Heimdall as their Patrons. Dwarven clerics of the Olympian gods often take Hephestus as a patron, while clerics of the Heliopolis Gods are drawn to Bes or Ptah.

Average Height

Male 4' 7", Female 4' 5"

Average Weight

Male 180 lbs., Female 135 lbs.