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|image = Dwarf.png
|image = Dwarf.png
|pronunciation = Dwoh-rf
|pronunciation = Dwoh-rf
|classification = [[Dwarves]]
|classification = [[Human]]
|subraces = Aldor, Ruin-Khuur, Dredgers, Saendr, Greborrin.
|nicknames =  
|nicknames =  
*Stout Folk (endearing)  
*Stout Folk (endearing)  
*Fallen Folk (derogatory)  
*Fallen Folk (derogatory)  
*Forge Fathers (praising)  
*Forge Fathers (praising)  
|languages = [[Common]], [[Dwarven Dialect]]
|languages = [[Common]], [[Dwarven]]
|naming = Scandinavian, and very loosely Tolkien-Fantasy Dwarven names.
|naming = Old Norse
 
|distinction = Stout, mountain-dwelling people who show unerring perseverance and skill with crafting
|distinction = Stout, mountain-dwelling folk who show unerring skill with finecrafting, jewelcraft, smithing, cooperative fighting, woodworking, and engineering, with a unique familiarity and skill in [[metallurgy]] and weapon crafting.
|maxage = 200 years
|maxage = 200 years
|height = 4'2"-4'11"
|eye = brown, gray, green, and blue.
|weight = 130-220 Pounds
|hair = Blond, brown, black, red, and (when older) gray or white.  
|eye = In order of rarity: brown, grey, black, emerald, and piercing blue.
|skin =  
|hair = Blond, brown, black, blue, red, and (when older) grey or white.  
[[File:Skin1.png]]
|skin = Pinkish Pale, Ruddy Brown, and Light Grey.
|}}
The Masters of Stone, keepers of ancient treasures, creators of momentous artifacts of power, the Deep Folk, the Fallen People, and the Stout Kin; the Dwarves of [[Aloria]] are known by all these names and many more. The Dwarves have a history officially dating back to the founding of their First Hold, Olovomm. From this Hold the Dwarves would grow to found many others, some to fall quickly, some to suffer a long decline, and some to last until the present day. In the mountains of [[Ellador]] one will find little obvious evidence of the Dwarves; their strongholds and smaller settlements are often disguised using the local terrain, expertly carved stone staircases leading up a mountain path, or clever doors that do not open to those who do not know the proper means of entry. Much like finding their homes, understanding a Dwarf well enough to befriend them is a trial few can bear, for Dwarves can be a judgemental, harsh, bitter, and greedy lot. But the Dwarves are also known to be a loyal, fiercely protective, and merry people, dearer to their friends than any of the other Races, and as well the mightiest craftsmen, second perhaps only to the [[Altalar]]. Their success as a people comes in far shorter bursts than they, and no true golden age has ever existed for very long amongst the Dwarves. Rather, for every great height and victory the Dwarven people achieve, they often make a fatal error in greed, hubris, or plain old bad luck that leads to yet another downfall. The Dwarves are a people permanently wronged by their own actions and the terrors of the world, but who soldier on in pursuit of returning to a time no living Dwarf may recall, but all feel deep within their heart. A time of shared prosperity, bountiful merriment, and a truly peaceful age.


==Physical Characteristics==
[[File:Skin2.png]]
Dwarves are a stout and stocky people. Standing from 4’2” to 4’11” in height, their men are usually a little taller than their women; they typically have ruddy faces, with short limbs that are usually knotted with muscles. A Dwarf’s face seems to pop out of their head ever so slightly, with exaggerated noses, brows, and mouths. Beards are common on any male Dwarf over the age of 20, and these can be braided, tied, and dyed in a variety of colors and styles. Conversely, about half of male Dwarves tend to go bald in their 70’s, with the rest following around their 120’s. Female Dwarves have softer features, with a tendency to braid their hair, and both male and female Dwarves will often be found wearing jewelry, especially necklaces. Some among the women are capable of facial hair, and this is considered normal in Dwarven society, though most do not possess any. Dwarves tend to weigh nearly the same as humans, carrying a heavy, bulky build. All Dwarves have hearty stomachs and the appetite to back it up. It usually takes twice the amount of alcohol to inebriate a Dwarf when compared to most [[Ailor]], and poisoning a Dwarf is even more challenging. Even the more Ailor-looking Dwarves tend to be hardier than most. The offshoots from this general description of Dwarfkind are many, with differences in anything from height to body build and more. Regardless, most Dwarves tend to have brown, black, or fiery ginger hair. Brown, hazel, black, emerald, and silvery-blue are, in descending order of rarity, the eye colors of the Dwarves, though there are also a scant few Dwarves that seem to be born with a faint purple eye color, seemingly occurring naturally. Lastly, the body hair of a Dwarf seems to depend largely on the Dwarf in question, though even the most Ailor-like Dwarves sport a little more body hair than normal, especially on the tops of their toes and feet.


Half-Dwarves inherit some of the stout nature of their Dwarven Parents, but their non-Dwarven parent usually results in them standing anywhere between 4'2 and 5'2 in height. Half-Dwarves, outside of their height differences, have most of the same physical characteristic as their Dwarven Parent. While Half-Dwarves tend to be stockier, they also can inherit slightly pointed ears, different body-hair colors, and other minor features from their non-Dwarven parent. Half Dwarves do not pick a subrace, and have their own unique set of Racial Abilities.
[[File:Skin4.png]]


==Mental Characteristics==
[[File:Skin3.png]]
“If given the choice to befriend a Dwarf or lift a giant boulder, at least find one with smooth edges.” So goes the Dwarven proverb, and with good reason; Dwarves are a bitter, jealous bunch by nature, and severely mistrustful of outsiders of any sort. This is not to suggest a Dwarf is bloodthirsty or violent against any particular people, even their dreaded Isldarrin enemies. A Dwarf will always keep their manners and their wits about them, right up until a fight is unavoidable. Dogmatic in their ideals of honor, hard work, and loyalty, a Dwarf can be the finest and most reliable of friends, if you can convince them you are not going to plant yet another knife in their back. However, this isn’t to suggest Dwarves are an altruistic sort. Their greed and lust for power make them capable of terrible acts, and they have a particular disgust for the bestial [[Races]], rooting from their conflicts with the [[Dakkar]]. [[Dragons]] are a sworn enemy to Dwarfkind as well, and Dwarves have slain and used the corpses of Dragons in horrifying displays of pragmatic cruelty. To a Dwarf, there is always another beast or betrayer around the road to be confronted, and so friendship with the unknown is a business best left to the foolish. Dwarves have a mental fortitude that matches their physical constitution, but it is built up and supported by an ever-present stubbornness. A Dwarf admitting fault is a rare sight, but a bit of quiet bluster and an eye to the ground is a common way of saying “I am truly sorry” from one of the stout folk. They are decent enough company, if you don’t come to expect too much of them.


==Dwarf Subraces==
|}}
Dwarf types are fairly homogeneous by height, but differ in body build, origin, culture, and integration into other peoples. Generally speaking, a Dwarf has a subrace and also a Hold of origin which affects their profession or outlook. Aldor have diverged the furthest from the Dwarven standard, with Saendr being the next most different, and the other three types of Dwarves being nigh impossible to visually distinguish from one another– to non-Dwarves at least. A Dwarf, on the other hand, generally retains the ability to tell who is from where. When two Dwarven parents of different subraces have a child, the child is either one or the other.
 
===Aldor===
The Aldor are the Dwarves who have integrated the best and the most into Ailor society, even adapting portions of their bloodline to make themselves more aesthetically similar to their host cultures. They are short and thin in stature, not as stocky or durable as their brother subraces, and typically resemble smaller Ailor with a softer, less pronounced version of Dwarven facial features. These features were generally moderated according to Ailor standards, creating a middle look that comes off as neither truly Dwarven nor completely Ailor. That said, they fit rather well into the Ailor lands they journey to, especially in the Regalian Archipelago, where there are a large number of Aldor. The price the Aldor pay for this ease of integration is that they are strongly disliked by other Dwarves, especially the Ruin-Khuur and Greborrin, whose traditional mindsets clash severely with what they perceive as a selling-out of their national heritage and total abandonment of their homeland.


The Aldor adhere to a philosophy of easy-going living. Mistaken by other peoples for laziness, this concept is in fact to the Aldor more an acute understanding that engaging in frequent stress ruins one’s life. They are some of the most laid-back people in Aloria, because rather than worry over specific issues, they always seem to effortlessly dance around them and find a method to continue on their way with their lives. There is no such thing as a worried Aldor. In turn, this makes them the polar opposite of other Dwarves in that they have no uniting concept of a Grudge, and their society has little to no family-based cohesion. Aldor are unconcerned party people at heart, easy to speak to, and easy to befriend. Their clean severance from the rest of their Race means that they are not caught up in their messy and fatalistic politics, and can enjoy themselves free of responsibility and duty.
==Origins==
The Dwarves are a mysterious [[Race]] hailing from the subterranean depth of [[Ellador]]. Before the arrival of the [[Dregodar]] or [[Allorn Empire]] to the region, the Dwarves lived below the Elladorian mountains in a grand empire, ruled over by the High Kings of the Great Holds. Eventually, contact was made between Dwarves and Altalar, but these relationships would eventually spell doom to the Great Holds. Tricked into going to war over vast riches, the [[Dwarven Empire]] was shaken to its core when the [[Isldar]] came to be, turning Ellador into a frozen wasteland and forcing the Dwarves underground once more. In their isolation, the Dwarves unleashed a terror from the depths, the [[Dakkar]], which resulted in the fall of half of their Great Holds, and the collapse of the Dwarven Empire. Since then, the Dwarves have spread out across wider [[Aloria]] in the Dwarven Diaspora, with pockets of them settling in the various nations of others, offering their skills to benefit the societies they live in. While many are quick to declare the Dwarves a dying Race whose golden age has decayed beyond repair, others have seen the Dwarves for who they truly are: a proud people forged in hardship, and tempered to resist even the greatest of challenges, always persevering to live another day and ensure the legacy of their ancestors does not fade away into obscurity.


===Ruin-Khuur===
==Core Identity==
Ruin-Khuur are very mercantile in their behavior, often making excellent traders and craftsmen. It was a Ruin-Khuur who first invented modern Dwarven airships and gunpowder techniques. Despite being narrowly focused on finance and business, Ruin-Khuur are among the most pious and religious Dwarves, often taking sustained time away from their business to pray and give worship to their Founder God. The Ruin-Khuur are traditionally stocky and muscled Dwarves, and possess uniquely stern expressions; the facial muscles of Ruin-Khuur Dwarves are arranged in such a way that their lips always seem to be pressed into a dour, unfeeling expression. When they smile, it comes off as more of a leer, with the flash of their teeth imparting hostile intent even if there was none to begin with. Ruin-Khuur Dwarves can, like the Aldor, be found scattered all across Aloria and even within the Regalian Archipelago in significant numbers. The difference is that the Ruin-Khuur are blunt, uncompromising, and mean, and do not give up on what (to them) makes them Dwarves to settle in other lands.
===Introduction===
To be a Dwarf is to be resilient in the face of adversity, persevering where others would falter, and looking ever forwards when the past has taken everything. The Dwarves are master smiths, miners, mathematicians, and general craftsmen, having a knack for making the most mundane of creations appear like a work of art. With an unmatched ethos of integrity and hard work, the Dwarves have proven to wider Aloria that their kinsmen are not one to be discounted, even with its population lower than any other Race, even that of the [[Maraya]]. Dwarves are aware that they are seen by many as a dying Race whose glory days have frozen over, and now suffer a low decline. Yet to the Dwarves, this present reality is one hardly given passive thought or consideration. They have learned to make do with their lot in life and finding the proverbial diamonds in the rough.


They are a very sternly-minded people, with little patience for the games of the Aldor or the excessive hatred of the Greborrin. A Ruin-Khuur Dwarf is concerned with the little things he can do in the immediate moment to advance himself or his peers. This means that many of them are vendors, merchants, or craftsmen, who take their profits and send them back in packets to their families or liege-lords in Ellador. Despite this commercial tendency, the Ruin-Khuur are far from silver-tongued, and are where the Ailor stereotype of the rude and arrogant Dwarven shopkeep comes from. They tend to arbitrarily refuse business to people whose character they do not trust, including outright not speaking to those disliked by the local Dwarven community, and are in general a very tricky sort to work with. That said, the magnificence and beauty of their crafts and reliable nature as tradesmen keep their business partners coming back to them for a relationship they know will never cheat or fool them.
===Clans===
So long as there are at least two Dwarves in a population, they will never feel lonely. Whereas Races such as the Ailor have a history of internal strife and bloodshed, Dwarves have never found strife among each other. Instead, Dwarves have a natural affinity for seeking out other Dwarves to form communities with, even if they are complete strangers. These communities are known as Clans, which can best be described as an extended family of friends and acquaintances. Whereas another Race may be more hesitant to let a stranger enter their home and eat dinner with them, this is completely natural for Dwarves, who are known to be hospitable to their guests and treat each other as if they were blood relatives. Clans can be as small as two Dwarves or as large as an entire neighborhood. It is even possible for two Clans to come together as one, or remain separate entities, yet intermingling as if they are one. Ultimately, the central focus of Clans is to ensure that no Dwarf is left alone or abandoned, as their Race cannot afford to be so careless with each other. This also means that homelessness does not exist in Dwarven communities, as a Clan will immediately offer shelter to a Dwarf they see in need. While there are instances of hermit Dwarves that do avoid Clans altogether, they still feel a sense of belonging to the wider Dwarven identity, as all they need to do is knock on a door to be welcomed in for a brief meal or chat with their people.


===Dredger===
==Design==
Dredgers are sea-traveling Dwarves, especially skilled with steam and coal technology. Along the coasts of Ellador, they sail massive coal-powered barges and land vehicles that strip mine the coastal caverns of minerals, stone, and most importantly fuel to continue their journey. In this way, they exist in a continuous cycle of raiding and refueling, by which to maintain such a large fleet in the uncertain seas of the North they are forced to pillage new materials to burn. The Dredgers are a patient people who live by the saying “dry a mine before you strike a new one”, especially repeated among those who come to Regalia. Those who live in the Holy City tend to be content remaining there without engaging in their usual nomadism, as long as they can find new things to keep themselves interested and busy. That said, they do retain a tendency to rotate between fields that still use the expertise they possess. What this means is that a Dredger who is very skilled in the art of smithing and who has produced sets of armor for fifty years might suddenly decide that he is done with armor, and start making buckets instead. The main skills of a Dredger are often very cross-disciplinary for this reason; so that they can retain the ability to change on a whim and find something novel and exciting to do.
===Mental Characteristics===
Dwarves are resilient yet adaptable, stubborn yet empathetic, and hardworking yet playful. These contradictions all come together to create the Dwarven mentality of life. Having suffered betrayals and warfare against an assortment of enemies, even to the point where their once-great empire has crumbled to a few remaining Great Holds, Dwarves have an uncanny ability to take whatever is being thrown at them and launch it right back with greater ferocity. Dwarves as such have a very strong survival instinct and look to find ways to maintain their footing in Aloria, lest their Race slip into irrelevance and squander what their ancestors had accomplished. Dwarves are known to stick to their plans and see them carried out, but also know when a plan needs to change for the greater good and can abandon them with a sense of accomplishment and understanding. With this sense of perseverance, many would expect the Dwarves to be as cold and hard as the stones they mine under. However, the Dwarves are often hearty and inviting, as well as are known to be the bringers of merriment to any social event. Even while working in their trades, Dwarves are known to jest with one another or sing a communal song, all while ensuring that their labor is being carried out competently.


The Dredger people are societally afflicted by wanderlust. Ever since the destruction of their original Hold many years ago, they have lost the ability to stay in one place. It is said by many that they will be this way until the day comes when they can reconstruct their ancestral home once again, although as time passes, that seems more and more unlikely. What sets Dredgers apart from other Dwarves is that they are much more informal, and abandon the stiff language and accents of their brethren for a simple and calmer tongue which loses its harshest affectations. Dredgers are good shipmates, trusty for banter and cheer. A notable diaspora of them exists through the coastal cities of [[Anglia]], where they make their homes next to the superheavy [[Anglian]] shipyards and assist the local Ailor in devising new maritime designs.
===Physical Characteristics===
True to their name, Dwarves are known to be the shortest Race in Aloria, with all of their members being shorter than five feet tall. Often mistaken for shorter [[Ailor]], Dwarves tend to have wider frames if they were scaled up to the size of an Ailor, and also have greater development of muscle mass in comparison. Their skin is known to be tougher than others, with their hands and feet often remarked to have a leathery texture to them, almost as if they are callused, yet lacking the hardness that is associated with them in Ailor. Dwarves are also known to have strong skeletons, allowing them to carry heavier loads which can appear somewhat amusing to others, yet is completely normal to Dwarves.


===Saendr===
Many Dwarves often have semi-exaggerated facial features, such as more pronounced noses, brows, ears, and jaws, though it is also just as common to have very Ailor-like features. Dwarves also grow their hair faster than other Races, with the men often fastening various ornaments to them as a cultural fashion. Besides these differences, Dwarves can be compared to Ailor quite accurately. Dwarves feature the same sets of hair, eye, and skin color as the Ailor, with the same sort of diversity found across all populations (meaning an African-coded Dwarf can be the blood-related sibling of an East-Asian-coded Dwarf, who has a blood-relative nephew that is Caucasian-coded).
Saendr are easily recognizable by their bronzed skin and darker hair colors. Breaking away from the traditional Dwarves, Saendr can often be found reading or writing. Craftsmen are relatively few among the Saendr, with record-keeping and intellectual discourse being the more common trades among the Saendr peoples. Saendr have a particular affinity for Soul Magic (and are often referred to as the “Soul-kissed” for this reason), mirroring that of the Qadir. Thus, they get on with little discrimination in Qadir society.


The Saendr are, as a people, scientific. From their relatively comfortable and secure positions existing in a symbiotic relationship beneath the Qadir pearl-cities of Farah’deen, they have evolved from dour and reclusive Dwarves into something more open and debative. While they still retain the affinity for the creation of constructs and feats of mechanical engineering, the works of the Saendr are always meant for science and discovery. They struggle to output anything meant to kill or function as part of the military. For this reason, most of the other Dwarves like to call them ‘useless,’ and they in their academic mindset prefer to associate with the Qadir instead.
Half-Dwarves often retain the height of their Dwarven parent, while appearing like a stockier version of their non-Dwarf parent. For example, a [[Qadir]]-Dwarf child would appear like a short, stocky Qadir while still having sandstone-colored eyes and mandalas.


===Greborrin===
Greborrin are a traditionally militaristic lot, with tempers as quick as the swings of their weapons. Greborrin are among the most numerous Dwarves on the Ellador mainland, and hold a special hatred and resentment towards both the Isldar and Regalian Government; the Isldar for their ancient Grudge, the Regalian Government for always failing to come to their aid. Ailor politics are alien to the Grebor, as they share a sense of common purpose and loyalty, and approach their problems in a straightforward, honest manner. Lying is a rarity among Greborrin, far preferring to threaten or fight their way past any problem in their path.


The Greborrin Dwarves are consumed by all the Grudges and enmities that their people bear. They tend to be unable to ignore these enmities, even for a but a moment, and will never cease to pursue their resolution. This means that the Greborrin Dwarves end up living like the enforcing arm of Dwarven society, incessantly striking at its foes. While it is the calm and stoic Ruin-Khuur who go about indicating the enemies of Dwarfkind, it is the Greborrin who more often than not punish them by ganging up together and setting out with vengeful intent. The famous Tehl-Humm Hold was for most of its history entirely Greborrin, and their militant streak shows in its consistent production of dedicated and fervent warriors.
===Racial Abilities & Specials===
Racial Abilities are generally a set of unique powers and effects that all peoples of that race all innately have, while Specials are more passive, aesthetic focused capabilities. Specials are defined per-page, while Abilities can be searched on the [[Ability List]] page to determine their generic function. Dwarves have a mix of Abilities and Specials themed around stones, gems, and the earth. Half Dwarves also get access to the Racial Abilities, but none of the Racial Specials.


==Summary of Racial Abilities==
====Abilities====
The Common Abilities of the Dwarven Racial Kit, are shared by all Dwarven subraces. Half Dwarves have the Common Abilities of the Dwarven Racial Kit, but not the Founders Racial Abilities.
{| class="wikitable"  
{| class="wikitable" style="width: 670px;"
|- style="font-weight:bold; text-align:center; background-color:#c0c0c0;"
|- style="font-weight:bold; text-align:center; background-color:#c0c0c0;"
! Ability Name
! Ability Name
Line 65: Line 56:
! Ability Range
! Ability Range
! Ability Description
! Ability Description
! Modifiers
|-
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2; width: 21%;" | Honed Skill 1
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2;" | Weapon Summon
| Constant Passive
| Constant Passive
| Self
| Self
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Honed Skill 1 | Choose Metallurgy, Arcanology, or Linguistics. If at least 3 points are invested in the chosen Proficiency, choose a single 3 Proficiency costing “Pack” for free additionally. This Pack does not contribute to the maximum Packs possible for this Proficiency at max Point investment. If none of these are chosen, nothing is gained.
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Weapon Summon | The user can summon any type of Ranged (except Puretek) or Melee weapon made out of Magic. This weapon functions like a normal weapon would, has the same durability, but does not use any ammunition to fire if ranged. While using a Summoned Weapon, all Mundane Techniques used with it are instead classified as Abilities of Magical nature. A destroyed Summoned Weapon cannot be Summoned again for 12 IRL Hours.
}}
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2;" | Home Upgrade 1
| Region Enchant
| Player Region
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Home Upgrade 1 | This (Mundane) Region Enchant is always active on the user’s primary residence and cannot be disabled. While active in a region, it becomes immune to fire damage due to sprinkler irrigation systems. Additionally, if a metal block is placed behind the front door or any entrance, if the Region is burgled, any burglars have one of their legs broken due to a trap activating, and can no longer continue to burgle. This effect cannot be Dodged, Prevented or Countered.
}}
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2;" | Shrewd Insight 1
| Control Power
| Emote Distance
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip:  Shrewd Insight 1 | When conversing with a person, the user can, once a day, detect the true disposition of a person towards them. This may be done either by detecting how much the target likes or dislikes the user, or by more specifically detecting how they perceive the user. This may need to be updated from time to time, as people change their minds about others all the time. A character with at least 10 Proficiency Points in Theatre Arts is immune to this Ability. They simply send back blank results.
}}
}}
| {{#simple-tooltip: Dwarf Modifier | Any Weapon Summoned by a Dwarf is not magically summoned, but ‘crafted’ instantaneously from metals or objects they have on or near them. This weapon is not classified as Magical, and is completely mundane, still using Mundane Techniques. The Weapon appears to be made of cobbled together and quickly welded metals.}}
|-
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2;" | Great Force 1
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2;" | Control Immune
| Constant Passive
| Constant Passive
| Self
| Self
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Great Force 1 | If at any point within 7 blocks of the user heavy objects are falling (for example, a collapsing roof or beam, or a large boulder) the character can brace the falling objects and hold them up long enough for nearby others to escape or not be harmed, and also create an escape for themselves. This Ability cannot be used for any Combat advantage.
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Control Immune | The user is immune to any Control Abilities that would be applied to them. They can however choose to permit the Control Ability to work if they are aware it is being used on them beforehand and want the effect to apply.
}}
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2;" | Gate Smash 1
| Trigger Passive
| Direct Touch
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip:  Gate Smash 1 | The Character can muster all their strength and smash through a metal or wooden gate or door that is locked or barred. This Ability does also work on cell gates in the Regalian Prison. This Ability can be used once per day. And produces a lot of noise, thus requiring the actual Ability usage to be done in announce emote (+h). Because of the size and bulkiness of the Character however, they are also permanently incapable of dodging or side-stepping any Mundane or Ability based Projectile attacks.
}}
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2;" | Honed Skill 4
| Constant Passive
| Self
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip:  Honed Skill 4 | Any item created by the user at a certain Proficiency Point investment for the skill, the item is always made as if it had +5 Proficiency invested (pertaining to Hobby Group Proficiencies Visual Art, Craft Art, Threads Art and Culinary Art). This +5 boost can break the 15 Proficiency limit for these Hobby Group Proficiencies. Additionally, any item made by the user within the Metallurgy Point-Buy system is always of superior quality than other crafters who do not have this Ability. (Metallurgy does not have a Quality=Proficiency investment system, superiority is dictated by this Ability only).
}}
|-
|}
===Founders Racial Abilities===
The Founders Racial Abilities are Abilities unique to the Dwarves bestowed on them by the blessings of their Founders. Due to the connection of the Founders existing most strongly with the Mundane, and their general doctrinal dislike of Afflictions, Dwarves lose access to all of these Abilities if they are infected with any Affliction, or acquire any other form of Magical Abilities (such as Sorcery, Magic, etc.) with the exception of Artifacts.
{| class="wikitable" style="width: 670px;"
|- style="font-weight:bold; text-align:center; background-color:#c0c0c0;"
! Ability Name
! Ability Type
! Ability Range
! Ability Description
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2; width: 21%;" | Founders Gift 1
| Primal Power
| Direct Touch
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Founders Gift 1 | Any Artifact owned by this Character can be skillfully duplicated into a single mimic Artifact, including its powers. The user may then give the Artifact to another person. This mimic Artifact is in all aspects an identical copy, except that it cannot be given to a third party or taken from the person that the user gave it to. If for whatever reason the gifted person loses the mimic Artifact, it disintegrates. Additionally, the mimic Artifact is not immune to item degrading Abilities, and can be destroyed. It is required to report who owns a mimic Artifact to Lore Staff through the usual process of Artifacts changing ownership. The user cannot destroy or take back the mimic Artifact remotely, it must be destroyed while worn by the owner. This Ability has no cooldown, however a mimic Artifact can only be produced in a forge. If the user loses their Artifact, the mimic Artifact also disintegrates. Mimic Artifacts cannot be given to alts or inactive players, and an Artifact owned by an inactive player will disintegrate the mimic also.
}}
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2;" | Founders Gift 2
| Primal Power
| Self
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Founders Gift 2  | This Ability grants several effects. Firstly, any infection process that would cause the user to be infected with an Affliction, is halved. If for example for infection you must roll “/dice 0 20” and infection occurs when rolling above 10, infection instead only occurs when rolling above 15. Additionally, the user is immune to the ambient damage of heat and frost, meaning they can resist extreme temperatures, but not fire or magma itself, or being flash frozen in freezing water. Finally, the user is immune to any Knock-over or Knock-back effect from any Abilities or Mundane Techniques. The Character can still be staggered, but their position cannot be affected by these mechanics.
}}
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2;" | Founders Gift 3
| Primal Power
| Self
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip:  Founders Gift 3 | This Ability grants several effects. Firstly, the user is immune to any toxins, venoms or acidic substances that would cause damage to their body from Mundane sources only, regardless of being inhaled, applied or drunk. Secondly, the user never becomes ill from rotten foods or copious amounts of alcohol, they still receive the mind dulling effects, but are unable to become sick or go unconscious from overdrinking.
}}
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2;" | Founders Gift 4
| Primal Power
| Self
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip:  Founders Gift 4  | This Ability grants several effects. Firstly, the user is able to always see through certain illusions but only in hyper specific circumstances. The only illusions the user can see through, are illusions pertaining to earth metals (such as fake Regal coins) and earth gems (such as illusioned diamonds). Secondly, the user is able to always see through forgeries made with the Art Forgery Pack, for any forgery made in the Craft Art category. Finally, in Progressions, the user is able to identify structural weak points in buildings. This does not aid in finding structural weak points in walls, but can help in securing an easy exit, or an easy demolition job from other buildings.
}}
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2;" | Founders Gift 5
| Primal Power
| Self
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Founders Gift 5  | This ability grants several effects. Firstly, the user is immune to mind control by Dragons. Secondly, the user is immune to: Emotion Sense 1, Shrewd Insight 1, Peace Reign 2, Mind Surge 1, Mind Surge 2, Mind Surge 3, and Mind Surge 4.
}}
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2;" | Bunker Down 1
| Toggle Passive
| Self
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip:  Bunker Down 1 | If wielding a shield, the Character can choose to “Bunker down”, requiring them in a kneeling position with a shield down in front of them (using a shield if mundane, if not mundane, a shield is not be required). While this stance is upheld, they become immune to any Mundane or Ability based harm effects from a 180 degree angle in front of them (Ability based effects besides damage still apply). There is enough room behind the user for 1 additional person to gain the benefit, with the user counting as an Obstacle. The user of this Ability cannot do anything but talk while bunkering down (they cannot even see past their shield), but the person behind them (if there is one) can move and use Abilities, Weapons, or Items.
}}
}}
| {{#simple-tooltip: Dwarf Modifier | The Dwarf is additionally immune to any Abilities (even non-Control Powers) that would alter or remove their Memories in any way, shape, or form. }}
|-
|-
|}
|}


==History==
====Specials====
===Age of Beginnings===
Masters of the Anvil
Recorded Dwarven history begins with the founding of the Olovomm Hold, settled in the central northern mountain-chain of Ellador, a few miles south of the icy tundra. Under the widest of the mountaintops, a small stone door was cut away, and down the tunnel behind that door lay Olovomm proper, a gargantuan hall of stone and iron. Many tunnels shot off up and down the mountain range, leading to smaller cities and openings at the bottom of the mountainsides. By 500 BC, the Dwarves began taking detailed records with ink and parchment, constructing a written language of runes and markings that is still used today, but no records remain of their history before the founding of Olovomm in 700 BC. King Tharain Blackhammer was stated to have settled Olovomm, and his son King Throm would begin the detailed record-keeping of every weapon, armor, or jewelry forged from Olovomm, as well as where they were traded. These so-called “Olovomm Records” are highly valued as collector’s items to this day, especially by adventurers searching for long-lost treasures. Records would indicate the Dwarves were unaware of the presence of the Isldar at the time of their arrival in Ellador in 450 BC (at the time known as the [[Cult of Drogon]] Altalar, but who may sometimes be called Isldar to avoid confusion), instead prioritizing mining and expansion operations from the interior of Olovomm.
Dwarves have a natural and cultural inclination towards metals and are the undisputed masters of the forge. All Dwarves gain the Utility Metallurgy, Iron Family Metallurgy, and Ellad Family [[Metallurgy]] packs for free without Proficiency investment. For any Abilities or Mechanics that require a minimum point investment of Proficiency into Metallurgy, these free Packs count as having 9 points invested. Regardless of Metallurgy packs or skills, a Dwarf can identify by sight and touch alone what metals an object is made of, even if it is just small engravings or plating.
 
Unparalleled Quality
Crafting and the material arts are generational and communal for Dwarves, with each family having tips and tricks of the trade that they pass down and share. Dwarves are usually perpetually honing their craft, and skills, eager to learn and improve from others to make it better, and then some past that. Anything a Dwarf makes with Metallurgy will always be of a higher quality. Weapons and Armor are more resistant to natural degradation, sharper, and more expertly crafted. All Dwarves have an additional 10 Hobby Points to spend, but these points may only be spent in the [[Craft]] or [[Culinary Art Category]]. In addition, nothing a Dwarf makes is ever truly broken, as long as it was made by their hands and returned to them for repairs.
 
Utilitarian Handiness
A Dwarf is never without tools and can, with any nearby materials, compile them into a small non-combat tool in their hands, like a hammer, pencil, chisel, etc. This ‘crafting’ is almost instantaneous, and while the tool looks cobbled together, they are completely functional and made of the equivalent of steel. The Dwarf can make as many of these tools as they would like, or as many as their surroundings would reasonably allow. The Dwarf can also hand these off to others, but 5 minutes after leaving Emote Distance of the Dwarf who created it, these tools will break instantly.
 
Natural Attunity
The Dwarvish Race is naturally resistant to unwanted Planar infection, being an exceptionally hardy peoples. While the Dwarf is not Aberrant or Occult, any Affliction infection process that requires a roll is halved for the Dwarf, which means that if a /dice 20 requires a 10+ to be infected, the Dwarf is only infected on a 15+ instead. If an Affliction infection does not require a roll (and is non-consensual in-character), the Dwarf can simply ignore the first time they would be infected, up to once per month. If the Dwarf is an Aberrant or Occult instead, they gain no bonus from this Special at all.
 
Unbroken Kinship
The Dwarf has a naturally strong body and an even stronger stomach. The Dwarf is immune to any negative or detrimental effects from ingested poisons, rotten or out of date food, or otherwise corrupted and inedible materials. This includes alcohol, but only to the point that the Dwarf cannot pass out or become sick from excessive intoxication (they can still get drunk normally). In addition, the Dwarf can lift objects their strength may not usually allow, able to hold up fallen structures, or lift massive boulders. This cannot be used in any Combat RP or competitive RP. They are also resistant to naturally occurring extreme temperatures, both hot and cold.
 


Soon after, the Dwarves began to expand further. Spreading from their ancestral Hold of Olovomm, they annexed the surrounding lands and found suitable positions to found new Holds. The expeditions creating these new outposts of Dwarven society were founded by often quasi-legendary figureheads with caravans of hopefuls following them, giving rise to a host of ancient epics and legends. The Skorr, Ostrey, Tehl-Humm, and Aethramm Holds were founded this way, all of them around the year 400 BC. It is also in this period that the Dwarves first made contact with the Altalar Allorn Empire and its dignitaries. The initial Altalar lost absolutely no time in informing whichever Dwarven king or Hold-lord they could find that large groups of ‘dangerous, evil’ separatists who were not to be trusted had fled their nation, onto the Dwarven continent of Ellador. Initially, the idea that a foreign presence was near them did not necessarily disturb them. After all, the Holds of the Dwarves were underground- let whoever lives above do whatsoever he or she wishes. But the more the Altalar dignitaries whispered into the ears of the local rulers, of [[Wyverns]] and [[Violet Creation Dragon]]s and other foreign things, the more agitated they became. After enough poking and prodding, the sentiment that these unwelcome interlopers of the Cult of Drogon should be driven out grew until it could not be contained, and the Dwarves began to muster their armies.
==Language==
The Dwarf language is known simply as Dwarven which has a real-life equivalent to Old Norse. Dwarven is a difficult language to learn for many, as it lacks the more familiar [[Altalar]] alphabet, instead using its own runic letters instead (based on IRL Younger Furthark). These runes are featured in everything made by Dwarves, such as the heads of axes, the stone columns of buildings, or engravings on jewelry. Dwarven names feature a personal first name, a middle name to honor an ancestor, and a last name.


===Age of Strife===
Example list of Dwarven First Names:
The Dwarves would fight a total of three Dragon Wars against their Drogonite enemies. Not all of them would be fought in by all Holds, for various reasons, and not all of them would be with the support of the Allorn Empire, whose forces came and went in response to the unrest within its lands. The First Dragon War began with Olovomm and Skorr together with a large allied army of Altalar against the Drogonite settlers. It started in 346 BC, and would last for a total of four years. Isldar guerrilla tactics decided the First Dragon War, as the Altalar-Dwarf armies could not find a way to openly and properly confront them. Instead, they were slowly whittled down until they had to leave and resupply. Eventually, the attrition became so bad and the civil situation on Daen worsened so thoroughly that the Dwarves permitted the Altalar to withdraw and return home to deal with their issues. However, the Dwarves were not entirely unsuccessful– their people learned quite a bit about large-scale war, something which would serve them well in the many conflicts to come. After a brief period of rebuilding came the Second Dragon War in 312 BC. Spurred on by the partial success of the First Dragon War, many Dwarven Holds armed themselves and joined in, including Olovomm, Skorr, Ostrey, and Tehl-Humm, as well as the returning Allorn armies. This time, the Altalar brought with them a plethora of hellish Alchemical and Arcane concoctions, scorching the countryside to drive their Drogonite enemies out of hiding. Unfortunately, this did not prove enough to triumph over them, and after the second bout of conflict with little to no results, all parties withdrew again in a repeat action.
Male: Arni, Danr, Gunni, Hrolfr, Magni, Steinn, Vigi
Female: Asta, Dagny, Edda, Hildr, Katla, Unnr
Unisex: Audr, Kanan, Thea, Pavi, Rudra, Navi


After this fruitless effort, the Dwarves were rather tired of pointless wars against an enemy who they were not entirely sure they even wanted to fight in the first place. Withdrawing behind their doors, they focused on internal development and progression of their realms, delving deeper into the mountains and creating greater feats of engineering. The Dwarves consider this their golden age, because compared to the endless lists of tragedies lining the rest of their history, nothing especially terrible happened for a substantial period of time. Politics and court-culture flourished, and the ambitions of each individual Hold-King only grew. In 300 BC, the Skorr Hold split into two separate Holds, Brollo and Fummd, connected by one passage through the closest mountain. This was the result of irresolvable issues between two sons of the ruler, Bathador and Khazain Ironhand. The former is known as the founder of Brollo, while the latter is known as the founder of Fummd. Throughout this golden age, even the Hold-Kings themselves were astonished by the sheer amounts of mineral wealth which they managed to dredge up from the depths of Ellador. [[Gold]], gemstones, [[Silver]], [[Iron]]; it all came flowing in quantities previously thought impossible. Most of the Dwarven [[Artifacts]] which drift around Aloria today were created in this period, either commissioned by foreign rulers to grace their courts or by Hold-Kings to fill a slot in their endless armories. Legendary smiths founded guilds whose names are still known in the modern-day, and poets and bards wrote songs of their ancestors’ past and the first two Dragon Wars which still sit engraved on the stone walls of the remaining Holds.
As well as a first, middle, and last name, Dwarves also have a Hold Name from which they trace their ancestral lineage to. Each of the Hold Names is named after a Founder God, and are summarized below:
*Dwarves from Ølovhamm have the Hold Name Ølovhammin
*Dwarves from Ruin-Khuuramman have the Hold Name Ruin-Khuur
*Dwarves from Grebor have the Hold Name Greborrin
*Dwarves from Aldruin have the Hold Name Aldor


In time, Tehl-Humm Hold, famous keep of the warriors, became so overfull that it permitted a caravan to depart and found a new Hold a short distance away. This Hold was called Frannam, and it would soon split due to an internal dispute. The arrogance of its initial leaders, as well as endless disputes between the work-crews meant to finish digging it, led to a chain reaction of important figureheads declaring Grudges towards each other. Eventually, it came to a point where blood was spilled and they could no longer reconcile their differences, leading to the creation of the two separate neighbor-Holds of Hammum and [[Grebor]]. This occurred around the year 150 BC, sometimes considered the height of Dwarven prosperity. Unfortunately, this prosperity would only lead to more and more Race-wide arrogance, as the powerful and well-rested Dwarves toyed with the idea of bringing the fight to the Drogonites lingering on their continent once again. This did not spring from sheer malice, however, as the Drogonites had been kidnapping their merchants and slaughtering them in horrific displays of cruelty, generally committing dark actions of revenge for previous conflicts. However, each time the unified Hold-Kings tried to secure the aid of the Altalar, they could not. The representative of the Allorn Empress on Ellador continually denied their pleas due to the horribly unstable situation in his home country. The stormy Dwarves took this as a betrayal and threw the dignitary out before he had the chance to repair the situation. This is considered the beginning point of the Dwarven Grudge for the Altalar, which runs deep, and has still not mended itself.


===Age of Tragedy===
==Religion==
After light preparation, the Dwarves rushed forward into what would be their final pre-Cataclysm war against the Drogonites. They unleashed their built-up reserves of manpower and technology, dogmatically moving from Spire City to Spire City with trebuchets and automated drills, boring into Wyvern Nests and interior keeps, slaughtering anything with pointy ears. Beginning in 114 BC, this Third Dragon War saw large Dwarven armies successfully assaulting large cities and leaving no survivors wherever they went. For an unknown reason, this early offensive has been noted to have taken the normally prepared and alert Drogonites by total surprise. The Dwarves avenged whatever past cruelties they had been dealt, using the bodies of Isldar and Wyverns alike in malignant displays of justafixion and mockery. Step by step, they burned their way across the continent, more often than not overwhelmingly victorious. But before they could reach the Isldar capital Hold of Assalya, they were stopped by a desperate last stand at a mountain called Udillin’s Foot. What occurred there was nothing short of cataclysmic for the Dwarves. While their artillery was effective at massacring the Violet Creation Dragons and their creation, it is held that when they were about to down the final Dragon, Frisit, something occurred, a spell woven by her Primal Magic. The Dwarves write that “In a snap of Frost, All that was, Now ceased to be.” Their records indicate that of the 200,000-man strong army, not a single Dwarf came home to tell the tale, only observers at distant posts guessing at what had happened. Reeling from this event, the Dwarves withdrew into their Holds without knowledge of what had happened to their enemy, locking the doors.
Dwarves follow the Faith of the Founder Gods, or the Dogma of Duindin. This religion is focused only on the Dwarves, and the other Races are completely ignored in their religious beliefs. This does not bother the Dwarves, who at one time never knew other Races existed, as they believe that they only need to know what Duindin has revealed to them and anything else does not require them to focus too much effort on. As a result, Dwarves are very indifferent about the creation of Aloria or other Races, viewing other faiths as a means for non-Dwarves to find their way in the world. Most curious of all is that Dwarves do not fully deny the possibility of Duindin being a sub-diety to some other divine being, though accept that such a question does not need to be answered unless Duindin reveals it himself.


In the 20 years following Udillin’s Foot, the Dwarves assessed their new reality. The once green and fertile Ellador was frigid and bathed in ice, and they adapted as best they could, creating thick coats of fur and lighting great bonfires to keep their Holds warm. Around the same time, the [[Aldruin]] Hold was founded by settlers from Frannam, and warily began to recover. While they had written off the Isldar as vanquished, now Isldar proper and not Drogonite Altalar due to Frisit’s spell, the Isldar had not written the Dwarves off, and would return to have their vengeance. In 53 BC, Isldar Mages cast a catastrophic spell that dropped the internal temperature of the Olovomm Hold to minus two hundred degrees, wiping out almost the entire populace in a matter of hours. The surviving Dwarves reacted with shock and anguish to the loss of their oldest Hold by sealing themselves away ever deeper, trying to forget about the outside world as much as possible. It is because of this that they entirely missed the Cataclysm, the Void Invasion, the Wildering, and all related Arcane and natural disasters that had washed entirely over them. The Dwarven annals barely even bother to refer to this world-altering event, noting sarcastically that they had “already had their turn.”
According to the Dwarves, Duindin was the creator of the Dwarves, who took the materials of the earth and molded them into the shape of a Dwarf, before breathing life into them. In the beginning, the first Dwarves were completely helpless, as they lacked the understanding to survive in a subterranean environment. Having pity for his creation, Duindin chose to reveal himself to the Dwarves by taking on their form, instructing them whenever they met a hardship they could not overcome. As such, Duindin is known as a god that reincarnates into a mortal body every time the Dwarven people required his divine intervention, before dying and waiting for the next time he was needed. Each of Duindin’s incarnations is known as a Founder God, who created one of the Great Holds of Ellador. Below is a summary of each Founder God:


However, this quip would prove ill-placed, as the tragedy was not yet done with Dwarfkind. In the year 26 AC, the Skorr Hold dug too deep and breached the under-caverns of the Dakkar. A monstrous Race of rock and magma, they considered this an invasion on their people and holy land, and swiftly began to assault upwards against the offending Hold. Skorr would be destroyed within the year, unable to resist the sudden onslaught of stone men. A year later, in 27 AC, Fummd Hold would fall as well, but not before giving a desperate warning to all other remaining Holds to resist the enemy and prepare for war. They did whatever they could, but it would not prove enough, as low population and other woes would cause Ostrey Hold to fall to the Dakkar in 76 AC, a magmatic expanse flooding its upper and lower levels alike. However, the Ostrey population would escape and survive in more significant numbers due to their construction of a great flotilla of steam-powered barges, coming to be known as the “Dredgefleet” and spawning the Dredger culture, named for it. These people, once inhabitants of the Ostrey Hold, now rove the seas and coastlines of the North, illegally strip-mining every coast they touch.
*Ølovhamm was the first time Duindin took on mortal form, and thus gave the Dwarves a physical representation to note for future incarnations. Ølovhamm taught the Dwarves how to survive in a subterranean environment by teaching them how to mine, build, farm, forage, and develop families. Together with his creation, Ølovhamm created the first Great Hold, with himself as High King. When he saw his creation succeed in surviving, Ølovhamm died, and Duindin returned to watch over the Dwarves from beyond.


===Age of Desperation===
*Ruin-Kuuramman was the second time Duindin took on mortal form after he saw Ølovhamm Hold stagnate and grow overpopulated, causing strife among the Dwarves. Ruin-Khuuramman taught the Dwarves how to build a civilization, such as setting up government, bureaucracies, mathematics, schooling, and Clans. A second Great Hold was constructed with help from Ruin-Khuramman, creating the Dwarven Empire in the process. Communication networks were created between Ruin Kurhamman and Ølovhamm, and the Dwarves entered their golden age under the mountains of Ellador, where the Halls of the High King were lined with Gold and gems of all varieties, and technological advancements such as the creation of mining explosives were made. When he saw his creation succeed in empire-building, Ruin-Khuuramman died, and Duindin returned once more to watch the Dwarves from beyond.
For roughly a century after the fall of Ostrey Hold, the Dwarven people slowly dwindled in population as they kept the Dakkar at bay, with those few Dwarves who departed their Holds finding some small success. In 176 AC, Aethramm Hold was destroyed by the Dakkar in turn, falling to a renewed offensive. Most of the population made its way to the Ailor states of [[Hedryll]] and [[Kausis]], where they found a surprising welcome at the hands of the piratical Velheim and xenophobic Ohrneti. Two years later, Brollo Hold was also destroyed by flows of magma and endless armies of enraged Dakkar. Though they attempted to repeat the trick of the Ostrey Hold and sail away, their ships were powered by sail rather than steam, and the winds blew them far off course from their intended target. Rather than landing in [[Silbrae]], they landed in [[Farah’deen]], where the entire refugee party was promptly enslaved by the [[Songaskians]]. In 180 AC, Tehl-Humm Hold, the legendary home of the peerless warrior clans, suddenly fell silent. All of its underground passages closed, and since then it has never been heard from again. Rather than submit to extinction, the Dwarves continued to innovate, inventing the so-called ground-powder technology in 190 AC. They combatted the Dakkar with this novel creation, depth charges designed to burrow deep into an enemy formation and then detonate. The handicraft of an unknown Dwarven craftsman, this invention led to the so-called Great Fiery Peace of 200-270 AC, during which the conflict between the Dwarves and Dakkar ceased.


During this Peace, the surviving Dwarven peoples kept in Songaskian servitude were liberated by [[Qadir]] raiders. Having little remaining cohesion to speak of, they accepted these raiders’ invitation to take up residence with them in the great Qadir city of Al-Alus. The Dwarves and Qadir quickly found a rapport with one another, as whatever the Dwarves mined from the ground could be used to fuel the Clockwork constructs of the Qadir, in exchange for ownership of lands below the soil to construct a new Hold within. This led to the foundation of the first Hold outside of Ellador called Konrak-Al, situated just under the surface of Al-Alus and populated by those Dwarves now called Saendr.  
*Grebor was the third time Duindin took on mortal form, after a group of Dwarves tunneled to the surface of Ellador, and found an unknown wilderness waiting for them, alongside strange beings of notable height (which would later be revealed to be the Dregodar Altalar). Grebor taught the Dwarves how to conduct diplomacy with strangers, how to trade with foreigners, and how to wage war against enemies. A third Great Hold was constructed with help from Grebor, which became the first Great Hold to have an entrance on the surface of Ellador, serving as a trading station, but also a vanguard outpost for the Dwarven military. Grebor was High King when the Allorn Empire first contacted the Dwarven Empire, and established good relations with the [[Nelfin]]. When he saw his creation succeed in establishing first contact, Grebor died, and Duindin returned once more to watch the Dwarves from beyond.


The Great Fiery Peace ended with a volcanic eruption destroying the Hammum Hold, rumored to be the work of the Dakkar. Most of Hammum's population was destroyed, with those who remained fleeing to Aldruin and Grebor. Hammum would be the last Dwarven Hold to suffer destruction, with Aldruin, Grebor, and Konrak-Al remaining more or less intact in the present day. However, as the Dwarves of the time had no way of knowing this, a number of them fled Aldruin Hold in a panic, not wishing to be next. These Dwarves, known as the “Leavers” to all others, eventually became known as the Aldor Dwarves, intermixing with the Ailor societies they became dispersed within. Those who remained would become the Ruin-Khuur, opening the doors of Aldruin and leading to its status as a trade hub between Humans, Dwarves, and all other [[North Belt]] Kingdoms friendly to the stout folk.
*Aldruin was the fourth and last time Duindin has taken on mortal form, after two notable events destroyed the Dwarven Empire. First, the [[Battle of Udillin’s Foot]] plunged the surface of Ellador into a frozen hellscape, cutting off the Dwarven Empire from contact with the outside world, alongside a hostile Isldar force on their doorstep. Secondly, and more damning, the Dwarves of Ølovhamm Hold dug too deep in pursuit of riches and unleashed the Dakkar. Within months, Ølovhamm was overrun and the Dwarven population eradicated, with Ruin-Khuuramman soon to fall, signaling the end of the Dwarven Empire. Aldruin taught the Dwarves to persevere, and to venture out into wider Aloria in order to prevent the fall of Duindin’s creation. Aldruin as such is the Founder God of the Dwarven Diaspora, which saw large communities of Dwarves spread out around Aloria, settling into new settlements and serving under the local states as master craftsmen. Aldruin also taught the Dwarves to find hope even in the most desperate hour, and that they know all they need to weather the storm. Aldruin aided in the construction of the fourth Great Hold, which replaced Grebor as the communication line between the Dwarven remnants and the Diaspora across Aloria. When he received word that the first settlements of the Diaspora has been established, Aldruin went to Ruin-Khuuramman to wage war against the Dakkar, where he died in combat against an innumerable host of Dakkar, and Duindin returned once more to watch the Dwarves from beyond.


Some time later, in 290 AC, Grebor successfully deployed a Deep-Set-Siege tactic, blowing open massive caverns around their Hold. First among Dwarven Holds, their last stand against a relentless Dakkar assault succeeded, and they repelled them in early 291 AC in what would be called the “Battle of the Khaldor-Bridge,” wherein the titular bridge saw King Regorn of Grebor slay 20 Dakkar single-handedly and win the day alongside a massive counterattack. The population of Grebor, fearing another Dakkar offensive, significantly militarized. They remain war-like and have a particular hatred for Isldar, ever remaining wary of further assaults to follow upon their people. However, in regards to the Dakkar, their worries were unfounded: crippling disease began to spread among them like wildfire, and before the Dwarves could even register the strategic situation, their enemy of three centuries was gone deep beneath the surface again, to caverns that they would have the wisdom not to disturb a second time.
Like Unionism, Dwarves can pray to Duindin directly or through one of his Founder God incarnations. As the Founder Gods represent aspects found in everyday life, they are often prayed to the most and are often the patron deity of a certain trade (Ølovhamm for farmers and miners, Ruin-Khuuramman for teachers and scribes, Grebor for soldiers and diplomats, and Aldruin for sailors and doctors, to name a few associations). Prayers to Duindin or the Founder Gods are often a more personal experience, except for one communal show of worship which takes place during the night of a New Moon. During this time, Dwarves will come together to offer up some of their belongings to a massive open fire pit, while chanting the Song of Duindin. It is believed that these offerings are given directly to Dundin, who will distribute them to the Dwarves who exist in the afterlife.


In 305 AC, the Greborrin hatred of the Isldar was validated as they declared open war on the Dwarves and hastily laid siege to Grebor. The Isldarrin declaration was that Ellador belonged to them and them alone, and the Dwarves responded harshly to the latest in a long string of threats to their independence. In contrast to the defensive and measured war against the Dakkar, the war against the Isldar was fought recklessly and offensively, armies throwing themselves on the Isldar in the hopes that brave sacrifice could keep them away from what few Holds remained. Nearly half the armies of the Dwarves perished, many dragged off in chains to the Spire Cities of their ancient enemy. Grebor continues to maintain contact with Aldruin through a webway of silver-spun bridges stashed deep below Ellador’s surface, permitting a few Greborrin Dwarves to flee their Hold and preach the plight of their people to foreign governments in the hopes that someone would take up the call to battle the Isldar alongside them. More recently, the Isldar have begun to occupy what Human colonies exist in Ellador, but the [[Regalian Empire]] which rules them has shown little interest in helping them. The efforts of the Dwarven diaspora to win aid for their homeland have seen little success over the past few years, but hope remains that the Empire will step in to lift the siege.  
In regards to death and the afterlife, Dwarves believe that when they die, their spirits travel to the Halls of Duindin, where they are reunited with all the Dwarves that have ever died, alongside Duindin in his full glory as High King of the Eternal Hold. The offerings given during the New Moon are used to provide the dead with the resources needed to thrive in the afterlife, such as hammers to work in the Halls of Duindin, or food to hold great feasts for all Dwarven-kind.


==Society==
The Dwarves also have a prophecy that describes what happens when every Dwarf in Aloria dies off and the Race goes extinct. When the final Dwarf enters the Halls of Duindin, all the Dwarves will return once more to Aloria, where they shall defeat all who have ever made an enemy against the Dwarven Race, before establishing the Eternal Hold under Ellador, where all Alorians shall find a realm which has never occurred before. Due to this prophecy, the Dwarves are not as worried about recovering the fallen Holds of Ølovhomm and Ruin-Khuuramman, as Duindin will eventually re-establish them upon the return of the Dwarves. However, Dwarves also believe that continuing these efforts helps buy time for their ancestors in the afterlife, as more offerings are able to be delivered during the New Moon, as well as allowing more Dwarves to be born and die, in order to increase their numbers for the final conquest.
Dwarves model their societies and personal identities in three forms. The Family is the primary form for a Dwarf, and serves as the basis for all their decisions and duties. Sometimes referred to as Clans, a Dwarven Family operates as a tightly knit unit with each member taking on specific duties under the guidance of the Patriarch, and all families residing primarily in a Hold that carries their namesake. Older families (usually those dating back to the founding of a Hold) may stylize their Patriarchs as “Kings” of their Clan, but this is rarely done nowadays out of respect for the general turmoil and struggle their kind has undergone. Beneath the Patriarch, Dwarven society is split based on working occupation and skill more than anything else, functioning as a well-behaved meritocracy; the most skilled of the Blacksmiths is recognized by the Family, with very few disputes over who is more fit to lead a particular Family or occupation. Dwarves are a practical lot, and that is reflected in how they effortlessly organize themselves based on what will be best for their family. It is worth noting that Dwarves greatly value all blood relations, treating a Cousin with as much loyalty and service as they would a sibling. The secondary form of a Dwarf’s identity is his Hold. A Dwarven Family may have ties to the Frannamar Family but may reside primarily in Aldruin or Grebor. They acknowledge their home Hold in this way, and so the idea of Hold and Family can be both distinct and the same for a Dwarven family, depending on where they find themselves.


===Grudges===
==Families==
Perhaps the most important single concept espoused by Dwarven society is the concept of a Grudge. This concept can be boiled down to when someone wrongs me, I will write it down, and avenge it later. Grudges have led to entire families dying out from infighting, and are oftentimes responsible for a reality wherein lineages of Dwarves die out fighting the Isldar because a Drogonite bowman threw an ice shard at their grandfather. Different Dwarven societies have different interpretations of how one holds a proper Grudge and records it, but the idea is shared between all of them except, notably, the Aldor. Dwarven Kings and lords like to make a show of keeping a book of all the grudges of all their subjects, but this is near impossible and mostly for flair and posturing. However, each Dwarf does tend to keep somewhere in a pocketbook on him, scrawled in pencil, the names of the people who have duped or insulted them and how they are to be served their just desserts. Grudges can be held on the individual level, but also the communal or racial level. The Dwarves hold two racial-level Grudges: one against the Isldar, and a lesser one against the Altalar. The Altalar Grudge can be honored by insulting or belittling the ancestors of the Altalar in light of their failure to aid the Dwarves when it mattered most, a technique which never fails to ruffle the feathers of the equally lineage-obsessed Altalar. The Isldar Grudge can be honored by treating Isldar as perpetual enemies, denying them refuge and peace of mind at any turn possible, and offering them nothing but hostility at any turn. Not all Dwarves take either Grudge at face value, and there is room for flexibility and pragmatism behind closed doors.
===Childhood===
Dwarven childhood is fairly comparable to other Races such as the Ailor, with children growing up in a nuclear household of two parents and a few siblings. For the first few years of life, Dwarves often stay at home where they play with handcrafted toys and help around the house with chores to build up working skills. Around the age of 10, Dwarves enter into schooling, where they focus on learning fundamental skills, with a strong focus on mathematics. It is said that Dwarves are some of the greatest mathematical minds in all of Aloria, with many other societies hiring a few Dwarves to handle the keeping of numerical records, or to double check the results of their non-Dwarf co-workers. Following their education at age 20, Dwarves tend to enter apprenticeships with whatever trade they desire to pursue in their life, which they do for another decade.


When a Dwarf has a Grudge, he will seek out other like-minded Dwarves to fulfill that Grudge with him. There is nothing more stubborn, churlish, and resolute in Aloria than a band of Dwarves seeking to resolve a common Grudge. Most of the time, this takes the form of a band of short men on the warpath smashing up a Dragon Temple or beating a stray Isldar. Those who trifle with the livelihood of one of the Stout Folk would do well to tread with caution, or next thing they know fifteen of them might show up at their door, clubs in hand and scowls on their faces. Unfortunately, serious Grudges tend to end with the death of the Dwarf in question, because pursuing a Grudge is not a business that can be resolved with a monetary or verbal apology. Those who have gotten on the bad side of the Dwarves tend to pay with their blood, but not everyone lies down and just takes it. Just as many Dwarves have died over petty insults and squabbles as non-Dwarves have, a fact which a Greborrin on a rampage would never admit. Despite being a destructive force that inherently handicaps the advancement of Dwarven society at its base, Grudges are also an unparalleled driving power that allows Dwarves to commit themselves to a goal with absolute certainty and not doubt the faith and conviction of their comrades.  
===Adulthood===
Dwarven adulthood revolves around contributing to Dwarven society as a whole, both in the defense of the remaining two Great Holds, but also in supporting the Dwarven Diaspora across wider Aloria. Dwarves live about twice as long as Ailor, which has allowed various Dwarven Clans to become well-known across several generations, thus making their reputation well-known in the areas they populate. As a result, many industrial areas across Aloria have notable Dwarven populations which ensure the continued operations of machinery, content in using their race’s abilities to benefit civilizations.


===Slang===
===Romance & Gender Norms===
Another fact shared between Dwarves is their tendency to use Hold Slang in place of Common words when it suits them, when they want to be particularly obtuse, or when they are in the company of other Dwarves in the know. What this means is that they enjoy randomly inserting words from the Dwarven language to replace proper nouns and basic concepts where they feel they should be replaced. Oftentimes, this means that when a Dwarf spins off into a list of insults, it sounds something like ‘’Tarûkhal a-mâruhad kårar ûkhnelgi!” and is frequently unintelligible to those who are not intimately familiar with their linguistic tradition. Of course, the intent remains perfectly discernible even if the words are obscured, because a shouting Dwarf with a red-colored face and a raised fist can mean only one thing: that a fight is surely on the doorstep. Players are free to make up their own Dwarven slang as long as it does not excessively conflict with the lore and as long as it does not replace an obnoxious number of words. The occasional substitution here or there is fine, but please do not go overboard.
Dwarves are considered to be committed lovers in relationships, as to be with another in Dwarven society is considered a sign of deep commitment and one which is not easily forgotten. Due to this emphasis on commitment, Dwarves are often hesitant to enter relationships until they get to know the other person, not wishing to commit to something which may not work out in the end. However, if two Dwarves do eventually end up together, their bond is one of the closest and most caring of any in Aloria, as Dwarves will go out of their way to ensure that their partner is provided for. In terms of gender norms, Dwarven society is egalitarian, believing that every Dwarf, regardless of gender identity, has the means to contribute to society. While Dwarves still recognize biological sense, and many Dwarves still identify as male or female, there is no societal pressure for Dwarves to accept a gender binary, and are free to live their lives as they wish. Ultimately, Dwarven society is focused on strengthening the whole of society, and causing grief to others based on their identity runs contrary to such goals.


===Fashion===
Dwarven fashion is simple and utilitarian. As a people, they have an affinity for straight lines and harsh edges, with many layers and fur bits added on to shield against the cold. Of special pride to the Dwarves are their ornately worked belts, often engraved with detailed metal embellishments meant to detail the achievements of the wearer’s ancestors and the symbolism of their lineage. Moreover, as many a Dwarf has joked, these double as great impromptu weapons in a time of great trouble, as their decorations give them a leaden weight. Generally speaking, a Dwarf can be said to wear what is most comfortable to him or herself. The Ailor inventions of modern slippers and bathrobes have struck a certain chord with them, and it is not out of place to see a rugged, burly-chested armorsmith donning a pair of innocent bunny slippers in the comfortable confines of his home, as comical as it sounds.


===Leisure===
==Politics==
Dwarven leisure is manifold but commonly involves the consumption of alcohol. All sorts of parties, dares, bets, and dances, enhanced by the corrupting influence of liquor, are instant hits among their halls. While slow to become intoxicated, this does not stop them from drinking until they have had their fill, and making themselves the unavoidable center of every single party they are in. When not inebriated, Dwarves have a preference for leisure that can be done while working or to develop something pragmatically useful, such as singing in cantos that follow the beat of a blacksmith’s hammer, or throwing axes in the barracks-room to prepare a useful skill for potential future military conflict. This has led to them being disdained as somewhat uncouth and rowdy by other peoples, but the Dwarves do not care, as anyone who says this about them does not know what a good time means or doesn’t have the stomach for the drink involved.
Despite the collapse of the Dwarven Empire, the political hierarchy of the Dwarves has remained practically the same. At the top of society are the High Kings of Grebor and Aldruin, who are elected by the Holds upon the previous ruler’s death. The High Kings are responsible for cross-Hold communication and receiving word from the Diaspora communities abroad. Below the High Kings are various bureaucratic and administrative offices, all held by the most competent of Dwarves in society. Due to their emphasis on meritocracy and importance on aiding their fellow Dwarves, the concept of nobility is hard to grasp in Dwarven society. Even the Clan leaders who oversee various families in a Clan are not considered higher than anyone else, and mostly exist as a representative for the Clan as a whole, rather than its leader.


===Art===
Outside of the Holds, the Dwarven Diaspora still acknowledges the importance of the High Kings, though most day-to-day politics are run by the Clan leaders, who often form small councils in the Diaspora communities to ensure the wellbeing of the Dwarves. These councils interface with the local governments to obtain contracts for mining or construction projects, providing aid to the Great Holds, or any other assortment of interfacing between the Dwarves and others.
Dwarven art is hyper-focused on stonework. They are master sculptors, having a strong rivalry with both Regal Culture Ailor and Fin’ullen Altalar for dominance in this sphere, and taking any chance they can to proudly one-up either of them. Their schools of master carving date back hundreds upon hundreds of years, as they are quick to remind anyone who even tangentially inquires on the topic, and are matched by few to none. A favored style among them bears some resemblance to the Ailor concept of a tapestry, except it is entirely graven into the wall of a Hold, with the text being narrated in runes underneath the slowly progressing visual imagery of the depicted story. When they create busts, they are more appreciably abstract, lacking the direct attention to detail and smooth edges of an Ailor or Altalar creation. Rather than communicating the exact portrait of a subject, the Dwarven style emphasizes the feeling their presence conveys, with harsh and bold lines for imposing kings that make anyone looking at their statue understand what it must have been like to stand before them.


===Cuisine===
In all foreign diplomacy, however, Dwarves tend to be seen as incredibly self-centered and unwilling to compromise. While initially, the Dwarves were far warmer in the negotiations with foreign powers, the betrayals by the Allorn Empire and the immense destruction inflicted by the Isldar has made Dwarves far more suspicious of open gestures of goodwill. This doesn’t mean that Dwarves are unwilling to enter negotiations with others; they just assume that they will be betrayed again, and so keep their cards close at hand until they can truly trust others.
One might expect the Dwarves not to have a cuisine worth appreciating. And in a sense, they would be right. However, the Stout Folk are skilled in preparing a wide variety of mushrooms and other subterranean agricultural products, knowing what exactly should be cooked for how long, and just the right way to include it in a stew. Indeed, Dwarven stews have achieved a level of culinary fame outside of Ellador, with the filling mixes of meat, potatoes, cave-lichen, and mushrooms having a certain earthy texture and filling satisfaction that is hard to match. Overwhelmingly simple, Dwarven cuisine is all about what will fill you up here and now so you can get the work you need to do done for the next few hours, with little patience for things that spoil quickly or require elaborate recipes to create. This puts them famously at odds with the Ithanian Ailor, with one courtier having been said to have broken into tears upon witnessing a Dwarven recipe for ground sheep gallbladder and mushroom-stuffed potato fries.


===Economy===
===Grudges===
Dwarves have always had a particular affinity for blacksmithing, craftsmanship, and stonework. Even the lowest Dwarf is capable of using a hammer and pick, with the most revered of Dwarven craftsmen being able of metal and stonework that rivals the finest Altalarrin works. Dwarven artifacts and treasures are eagerly sought after by adventurous types, and the metalwork creations of a Dwarf fetch a high price anywhere. Stonework is their more common primary export, as are ores, gems, and jewels from their expansive mining systems. Dwarves tend to prefer to set up mining operations in large expansive caves, and begin tunneling excavations at a downward slant, ensuring any Dwarven community has bountiful access to coal, copper, iron, and other basic materials, as well as more rare treasures beneath Aloria. As expansive and glorious as their underground systems may be, the Dwarves are no slouches when it concerns surface-business. Above ground, Dwarves are skilled in woodworking and forestry, and sawmills are a common sight near their Strongholds. In more recent times, the Dwarves have traded more than ever before in a bid to keep their food stores stocked in Grebor, and to gain allies in the fight against the Isldar. With that said, it is worth noting the Dwarves have a long tradition of avoiding selling certain goods to other races, believing that any Dwarf-made treasure falling into another’s hands without the character of the buyer being assured is a shameful and risky business. Still, Dwarves tend to be skilled in bartering when their greed and pride is kept in check, and are quick to strike up trade agreements and deals in their favor. After all, when dealing with people who can seemingly craft the finest of treasures and shape the course of Aloria itself with their hands, it is difficult to turn them down.  
One of the most notable concepts of Dwarven politics to outsiders is the concept of the Grudge. Grudges can be compared to blood feuds, where a Dwarf will write down the name of someone who has immensely wronged them and then seek to avenge that wrong at a later point in time. Grudges are often held on an individual level, but it is possible for a Grudge to be shared by an entire Clan, or even the entire Race. This last instance is known as an Eternal Grudge, and it has only been declared twice in history: once against the Isldar, and the second against the Altalar. The Eternal Grudge against the Isldar was declared after the Battle of Udillin’s Foot when Elador froze over. Dwarves blame the Isldar for destroying their people’s way of life, and avenge the grudge by treating the Isldar as perpetual enemies by denying them respite whenever they encounter them and engaging in violent acts against Isldar businesses and communities wherever they are found. The Eternal Grudge against the Altalar is less severe, but is still shared among all Dwarves. As the Allorn Empire failed to assist the Dwarves against their war against the Dregodars when it mattered most, the Dwarves believe that the ancestors of the Altalar deserve to be belittled and insured, something which never fails to irritate the lineage-obsessed Altalar.


===Combat and Warfare===
When a Dwarf has a Grudge, they will seek out other like-minded Dwarves to help fill that Grudge with them. This can be seen as somewhat immature for outsiders when they see a band of Dwarves seeking to resolve Grudge over something which seems fairly trivial. However, those on the receiving end of a Grudge often learn quickly to seek amends with the Dwarf they slighted, lest they end up with their body bruised or broken, property damaged, or worse. Most Grudges can be solved by apologizing and making amends to the Dwarf who declared the Grudge, while some more serious Grudges can only be paid in blood (not necessarily resulting in death, however). Despite the potential for Grudges getting out of hand, they do demonstrate the unparalleled ability for Dwarves to unify against a common foe with immense dedication and commitment to their kinsmen.
A Dwarf rarely fights alone. Their combat techniques and strategies all revolve around the idea of a group battle, as to be caught without allies is to be caught off guard, and a Dwarf is never off guard. Their synergy in combat is matched only by the most elite [[Tenpenny]] regiments, but their individual striking maneuvers are judged by the other peoples of Aloria as being very simplistic and predictable in nature. There is a simple parable that dictates Dwarven fighting styles: “The hammer is for the front of the knee, the axe is for the back.” They prefer to form large shield walls and attack the lower bodies of their often far taller and lankier opponents rather than separate and try to fight alone. In addition, the height of a Dwarf is deceptive when it comes to their strength; they have the muscle mass of an Ailor despite being rather short, and pack quite a bit of heft behind their blows.


All Dwarves who serve in the militaries of the Holds are trained in the usage of a shield, oftentimes a large round shield with a bossed center. Besides this, there is the choice of a main weapon, oftentimes either a halberd or other kind of polearm for longer-range combat or an axe for shorter-range combat. However, the favored weapon of Dwarven self-styled heroes and generals is a warhammer. Not all Dwarves are trained in the wielding of this culturally significant and extremely heavy weapon, and when one encounters a Dwarven army in the field, it is a bristling wall of spears that is to be expected, backed up by the latest in a line of increasingly complicated steam-powered innovations. Technology thus also plays a critical role in Dwarven warfare. The Dwarven armies of Ellador are famous not necessarily for their infantry, which is not half bad either, but for their sappers. Frequent use of field fortifications, tunneling, and rudimentary explosives with airship scouting capabilities means that the combat effectiveness of Dwarven forces tends to be far higher than their often low numbers might suggest. It is their technology that has always been their critical edge against their numerous foes, and when innovation lags in the Holds, it is said to be bad news for the fate of Dwarfkind. But having invented [[Airships]] and being at the forefront of steam technology, it does not look like progress will be lagging again anytime soon.
==Fashion==
Dwarven fashion is often based on the environment they find themselves in, with flowing fabrics being worn in warmer areas such as Farah'deen, while pelts and thick tunics are worn in the Holds of Ellador. Regardless of climate, jewelry and decoration play a notable role in Dwarven fashion. Of special pride to the Dwarves are their ornately worked belts, often engraved with detailed metal embellishments meant to detail the achievements of the wearer’s ancestors and the symbolism of their lineage. Beard decorations are also a popular practice for men, who are known to grow their facial hair long in order to stylize it in various patterns with rings clasping the hair together. Other jewelry features necklaces, bracelets, and rings made of precious metals, with gemstones finishing off the look. Dwarves believe that these precious metals and stones are of immense importance to Duindin, and so make efforts to collect as much jewelry as possible, in order to offer it as an offering during the monthly ritual of the New Moon. This is where the stereotype of Dwarves being greedy comes from, as many outsiders just believe that the Dwarves are trying to hoard Aloria’s treasures from everyone else, without knowing the religious implications behind it (or even that said treasure is to be destroyed by fire).


===Religion and Holds===
==World View==
Within each Hold, there is a sort of “Founder God,” along with their associated Artifact that is credited with giving the Dwarves of said Hold their resilience and power. Olovomm is looked upon as the Great Founder, and as such is revered more so than the others, but each Dwarven God has a specific set of strengths and duties on behalf of the Dwarven peoples, and as such all of the Pantheon are known to the Dwarves. They do not necessarily revere their Gods or pray very often, turning instead to the practical use of each God’s Dogma which is usually recited verbally as a Dwarf calls upon their God. While the verbal component is unnecessary, a Dwarf will call upon their own Soul when accessing their respective Racial powers, and use that concentration to defend, attack, craft, or otherwise serve as their God’s Dogma demands. These Souls are based on the Hold a Dwarf primarily calls Home. Each Hold also has a particular Artifact or treasure that their God was known to carry in their mortal years, and they are highly sought after by the more adventurous Dwarves, even though records of their existence are very scarce.  
World View is optional content that helps give Dwarves flavor and depth.
*Dwarves are approving of Magic, but mostly in a mundane, assisting role. For example, a Dwarven Fire-Mage is helpful for igniting the forges of a smithy or starting a boiler, but the internal heating systems found in Dwarven homes are completely mechanical in nature.
*Dwarves are extremely supportive of [[Engineering]], especially Steamtech, which they invented. Many modern inventions found in the [[Regalian Empire]], such as [[Airships]] and internal heating, were first invented by the Dwarves and have only recently been introduced to the Empire in recent decades.
*Dwarves have also contributed to the Regalian Military by improving cannon technology and siege architecture.
*Dwarves are mostly against slavery, as they are well aware that their own Race has been taken away by the Isldar to do harsh labor. Dwarves often go out of their way to liberate a Dwarf in slavery, even if it means the death of both the liberators and the slave, as the Dwarves believe that it is better to die free than in chains. However, this sympathy is not given to either Isldar or Altalar, who the Dwarves are likely to turn their backs on due to the Eternal Grudges against both of them.
*Dwarven warfare often involved heavily armored infantry equipped with heavy warhammers and axes. Their weapons are often seen as clunky and unwieldy by other Races, due to the fact that they are often sized to the Dwarf in question, and usually heavier than their larger counterparts used by other Races.
*Dwarves are heavily against Dragons and anything Dragon-related. It is not uncommon for a Dwarf to destroy the windows of a local Dragon Temple or attack those who are affiliated with the Dragons.
*Dwarves are against Mutations and [[Afflictions]], especially [[Vampirism]], given that the Great Holds are close to the [[Dorkarthi Desprinces]] in Ellador.
*Dwarves have a strong drinking culture, and often gather at taverns or pubs to celebrate the most arbitrary of occasions. It is said that Dwarves make the best drinking buddies, and are always eager to hear about the most mundane events over a mug of alcohol.
*Dwarven artwork is strongly linked to stonework and craftsmanship in tools and jewelry. While paintings are uncommon, Dwarven walls inside the Great Holds have ornately carved images on the walls with gems and metals adding color to them, with runic messages chiseled underneath to tell the story of whatever artwork is presented.
*Dwarves are very fond of stews, as they are great for communal dining and utilizing ingredients which can grow in subterranean environments, such as mushrooms.


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*Dwarven [[Artifacts]] are highly sought after by both adventurers of other races, and the Dwarves themselves. Many bloody conflicts have come between greedy adventurers and proud Dwarven families, over the long lost relics of the past.
*The Ailor inventions of modern slippers and bathrobes have struck a certain chord with Dwarves, and it is not out of place to see a rugged, burly-chested armorsmith donning a pair of innocent bunny slippers in the comfortable confines of his home, as comical as it sounds.
*Some Dwarves have considered Grudging the Regalian Government on a level similar to the Altalar, for the exact same reason. While this movement does not have the societal approval to take hold, it enjoys a worrying popularity among the Greborrin, and may soon become a reality.
*The two largest Diaspora Clans are the Saendr Clan in the Qadir [[Confederated Hadrityas]], and the Dredger Clan which sails around the [[Windward Seas]].
*Ancient carvings and scattered records found deep within the Olovomm Hold indicate the existence of other Dwarven subraces lost to time. Only one name survives into the present day. The Smiluanr are depicted on ancient tablature as being a dwarf rising high above the mountain. No other knowledge or references to the Smiluanr have been discovered.
*According to Altalar sources, it is said that High King Grebor has purple irises. Dwarves reject this claim, as the Dogma of Duindin does not describe Duindin other than the Dwarves being made in his likeness. Dwarven statues also lack any colors beyond the gem and metalcraft of the person’s jewelry, adding to the uncertainty.
*Dwarves are susceptible to the same Afflictions as Ailor. It is noted that any Affliction in a Dwarf means complete and total societal rejection by all Dwarves, even the more accepting Aldor and Ruin-Khuur.
 
{{Races}}
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{{Accreditation
{{Accreditation
|Writers = MonMarty, LumosJared, Okadoka
|Writers = FireFan96
|Processors = FireFan96, Hydralana
|Processors = MantaRey, Magivore, Jouster
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[[category:Races]] [[category:Human Races]]
[[category:races]] [[category:Human Races]]

Revision as of 00:51, 28 February 2022

Dwarf
Race
PronunciationDwoh-rf
ClassificationHuman
Common Nicknames
  • Stout Folk (endearing)
  • Fallen Folk (derogatory)
  • Forge Fathers (praising)
LanguagesCommon, Dwarven
Naming CustomsOld Norse
Racial Traits
DistinctionsStout, mountain-dwelling people who show unerring perseverance and skill with crafting
Maximum Age200 years
Eye Colorsbrown, gray, green, and blue.
Hair ColorsBlond, brown, black, red, and (when older) gray or white.
Skin Tones

Origins

The Dwarves are a mysterious Race hailing from the subterranean depth of Ellador. Before the arrival of the Dregodar or Allorn Empire to the region, the Dwarves lived below the Elladorian mountains in a grand empire, ruled over by the High Kings of the Great Holds. Eventually, contact was made between Dwarves and Altalar, but these relationships would eventually spell doom to the Great Holds. Tricked into going to war over vast riches, the Dwarven Empire was shaken to its core when the Isldar came to be, turning Ellador into a frozen wasteland and forcing the Dwarves underground once more. In their isolation, the Dwarves unleashed a terror from the depths, the Dakkar, which resulted in the fall of half of their Great Holds, and the collapse of the Dwarven Empire. Since then, the Dwarves have spread out across wider Aloria in the Dwarven Diaspora, with pockets of them settling in the various nations of others, offering their skills to benefit the societies they live in. While many are quick to declare the Dwarves a dying Race whose golden age has decayed beyond repair, others have seen the Dwarves for who they truly are: a proud people forged in hardship, and tempered to resist even the greatest of challenges, always persevering to live another day and ensure the legacy of their ancestors does not fade away into obscurity.

Core Identity

Introduction

To be a Dwarf is to be resilient in the face of adversity, persevering where others would falter, and looking ever forwards when the past has taken everything. The Dwarves are master smiths, miners, mathematicians, and general craftsmen, having a knack for making the most mundane of creations appear like a work of art. With an unmatched ethos of integrity and hard work, the Dwarves have proven to wider Aloria that their kinsmen are not one to be discounted, even with its population lower than any other Race, even that of the Maraya. Dwarves are aware that they are seen by many as a dying Race whose glory days have frozen over, and now suffer a low decline. Yet to the Dwarves, this present reality is one hardly given passive thought or consideration. They have learned to make do with their lot in life and finding the proverbial diamonds in the rough.

Clans

So long as there are at least two Dwarves in a population, they will never feel lonely. Whereas Races such as the Ailor have a history of internal strife and bloodshed, Dwarves have never found strife among each other. Instead, Dwarves have a natural affinity for seeking out other Dwarves to form communities with, even if they are complete strangers. These communities are known as Clans, which can best be described as an extended family of friends and acquaintances. Whereas another Race may be more hesitant to let a stranger enter their home and eat dinner with them, this is completely natural for Dwarves, who are known to be hospitable to their guests and treat each other as if they were blood relatives. Clans can be as small as two Dwarves or as large as an entire neighborhood. It is even possible for two Clans to come together as one, or remain separate entities, yet intermingling as if they are one. Ultimately, the central focus of Clans is to ensure that no Dwarf is left alone or abandoned, as their Race cannot afford to be so careless with each other. This also means that homelessness does not exist in Dwarven communities, as a Clan will immediately offer shelter to a Dwarf they see in need. While there are instances of hermit Dwarves that do avoid Clans altogether, they still feel a sense of belonging to the wider Dwarven identity, as all they need to do is knock on a door to be welcomed in for a brief meal or chat with their people.

Design

Mental Characteristics

Dwarves are resilient yet adaptable, stubborn yet empathetic, and hardworking yet playful. These contradictions all come together to create the Dwarven mentality of life. Having suffered betrayals and warfare against an assortment of enemies, even to the point where their once-great empire has crumbled to a few remaining Great Holds, Dwarves have an uncanny ability to take whatever is being thrown at them and launch it right back with greater ferocity. Dwarves as such have a very strong survival instinct and look to find ways to maintain their footing in Aloria, lest their Race slip into irrelevance and squander what their ancestors had accomplished. Dwarves are known to stick to their plans and see them carried out, but also know when a plan needs to change for the greater good and can abandon them with a sense of accomplishment and understanding. With this sense of perseverance, many would expect the Dwarves to be as cold and hard as the stones they mine under. However, the Dwarves are often hearty and inviting, as well as are known to be the bringers of merriment to any social event. Even while working in their trades, Dwarves are known to jest with one another or sing a communal song, all while ensuring that their labor is being carried out competently.

Physical Characteristics

True to their name, Dwarves are known to be the shortest Race in Aloria, with all of their members being shorter than five feet tall. Often mistaken for shorter Ailor, Dwarves tend to have wider frames if they were scaled up to the size of an Ailor, and also have greater development of muscle mass in comparison. Their skin is known to be tougher than others, with their hands and feet often remarked to have a leathery texture to them, almost as if they are callused, yet lacking the hardness that is associated with them in Ailor. Dwarves are also known to have strong skeletons, allowing them to carry heavier loads which can appear somewhat amusing to others, yet is completely normal to Dwarves.

Many Dwarves often have semi-exaggerated facial features, such as more pronounced noses, brows, ears, and jaws, though it is also just as common to have very Ailor-like features. Dwarves also grow their hair faster than other Races, with the men often fastening various ornaments to them as a cultural fashion. Besides these differences, Dwarves can be compared to Ailor quite accurately. Dwarves feature the same sets of hair, eye, and skin color as the Ailor, with the same sort of diversity found across all populations (meaning an African-coded Dwarf can be the blood-related sibling of an East-Asian-coded Dwarf, who has a blood-relative nephew that is Caucasian-coded).

Half-Dwarves often retain the height of their Dwarven parent, while appearing like a stockier version of their non-Dwarf parent. For example, a Qadir-Dwarf child would appear like a short, stocky Qadir while still having sandstone-colored eyes and mandalas.


Racial Abilities & Specials

Racial Abilities are generally a set of unique powers and effects that all peoples of that race all innately have, while Specials are more passive, aesthetic focused capabilities. Specials are defined per-page, while Abilities can be searched on the Ability List page to determine their generic function. Dwarves have a mix of Abilities and Specials themed around stones, gems, and the earth. Half Dwarves also get access to the Racial Abilities, but none of the Racial Specials.

Abilities

Ability Name Ability Type Ability Range Ability Description Modifiers
Weapon Summon Constant Passive Self Grants the user Weapon Summon

Dwarf Modifier

Control Immune Constant Passive Self Grants the user Control Immune

Dwarf Modifier

Specials

Masters of the Anvil Dwarves have a natural and cultural inclination towards metals and are the undisputed masters of the forge. All Dwarves gain the Utility Metallurgy, Iron Family Metallurgy, and Ellad Family Metallurgy packs for free without Proficiency investment. For any Abilities or Mechanics that require a minimum point investment of Proficiency into Metallurgy, these free Packs count as having 9 points invested. Regardless of Metallurgy packs or skills, a Dwarf can identify by sight and touch alone what metals an object is made of, even if it is just small engravings or plating.

Unparalleled Quality Crafting and the material arts are generational and communal for Dwarves, with each family having tips and tricks of the trade that they pass down and share. Dwarves are usually perpetually honing their craft, and skills, eager to learn and improve from others to make it better, and then some past that. Anything a Dwarf makes with Metallurgy will always be of a higher quality. Weapons and Armor are more resistant to natural degradation, sharper, and more expertly crafted. All Dwarves have an additional 10 Hobby Points to spend, but these points may only be spent in the Craft or Culinary Art Category. In addition, nothing a Dwarf makes is ever truly broken, as long as it was made by their hands and returned to them for repairs.

Utilitarian Handiness A Dwarf is never without tools and can, with any nearby materials, compile them into a small non-combat tool in their hands, like a hammer, pencil, chisel, etc. This ‘crafting’ is almost instantaneous, and while the tool looks cobbled together, they are completely functional and made of the equivalent of steel. The Dwarf can make as many of these tools as they would like, or as many as their surroundings would reasonably allow. The Dwarf can also hand these off to others, but 5 minutes after leaving Emote Distance of the Dwarf who created it, these tools will break instantly.

Natural Attunity The Dwarvish Race is naturally resistant to unwanted Planar infection, being an exceptionally hardy peoples. While the Dwarf is not Aberrant or Occult, any Affliction infection process that requires a roll is halved for the Dwarf, which means that if a /dice 20 requires a 10+ to be infected, the Dwarf is only infected on a 15+ instead. If an Affliction infection does not require a roll (and is non-consensual in-character), the Dwarf can simply ignore the first time they would be infected, up to once per month. If the Dwarf is an Aberrant or Occult instead, they gain no bonus from this Special at all.

Unbroken Kinship The Dwarf has a naturally strong body and an even stronger stomach. The Dwarf is immune to any negative or detrimental effects from ingested poisons, rotten or out of date food, or otherwise corrupted and inedible materials. This includes alcohol, but only to the point that the Dwarf cannot pass out or become sick from excessive intoxication (they can still get drunk normally). In addition, the Dwarf can lift objects their strength may not usually allow, able to hold up fallen structures, or lift massive boulders. This cannot be used in any Combat RP or competitive RP. They are also resistant to naturally occurring extreme temperatures, both hot and cold.


Language

The Dwarf language is known simply as Dwarven which has a real-life equivalent to Old Norse. Dwarven is a difficult language to learn for many, as it lacks the more familiar Altalar alphabet, instead using its own runic letters instead (based on IRL Younger Furthark). These runes are featured in everything made by Dwarves, such as the heads of axes, the stone columns of buildings, or engravings on jewelry. Dwarven names feature a personal first name, a middle name to honor an ancestor, and a last name.

Example list of Dwarven First Names: Male: Arni, Danr, Gunni, Hrolfr, Magni, Steinn, Vigi Female: Asta, Dagny, Edda, Hildr, Katla, Unnr Unisex: Audr, Kanan, Thea, Pavi, Rudra, Navi

As well as a first, middle, and last name, Dwarves also have a Hold Name from which they trace their ancestral lineage to. Each of the Hold Names is named after a Founder God, and are summarized below:

  • Dwarves from Ølovhamm have the Hold Name Ølovhammin
  • Dwarves from Ruin-Khuuramman have the Hold Name Ruin-Khuur
  • Dwarves from Grebor have the Hold Name Greborrin
  • Dwarves from Aldruin have the Hold Name Aldor


Religion

Dwarves follow the Faith of the Founder Gods, or the Dogma of Duindin. This religion is focused only on the Dwarves, and the other Races are completely ignored in their religious beliefs. This does not bother the Dwarves, who at one time never knew other Races existed, as they believe that they only need to know what Duindin has revealed to them and anything else does not require them to focus too much effort on. As a result, Dwarves are very indifferent about the creation of Aloria or other Races, viewing other faiths as a means for non-Dwarves to find their way in the world. Most curious of all is that Dwarves do not fully deny the possibility of Duindin being a sub-diety to some other divine being, though accept that such a question does not need to be answered unless Duindin reveals it himself.

According to the Dwarves, Duindin was the creator of the Dwarves, who took the materials of the earth and molded them into the shape of a Dwarf, before breathing life into them. In the beginning, the first Dwarves were completely helpless, as they lacked the understanding to survive in a subterranean environment. Having pity for his creation, Duindin chose to reveal himself to the Dwarves by taking on their form, instructing them whenever they met a hardship they could not overcome. As such, Duindin is known as a god that reincarnates into a mortal body every time the Dwarven people required his divine intervention, before dying and waiting for the next time he was needed. Each of Duindin’s incarnations is known as a Founder God, who created one of the Great Holds of Ellador. Below is a summary of each Founder God:

  • Ølovhamm was the first time Duindin took on mortal form, and thus gave the Dwarves a physical representation to note for future incarnations. Ølovhamm taught the Dwarves how to survive in a subterranean environment by teaching them how to mine, build, farm, forage, and develop families. Together with his creation, Ølovhamm created the first Great Hold, with himself as High King. When he saw his creation succeed in surviving, Ølovhamm died, and Duindin returned to watch over the Dwarves from beyond.
  • Ruin-Kuuramman was the second time Duindin took on mortal form after he saw Ølovhamm Hold stagnate and grow overpopulated, causing strife among the Dwarves. Ruin-Khuuramman taught the Dwarves how to build a civilization, such as setting up government, bureaucracies, mathematics, schooling, and Clans. A second Great Hold was constructed with help from Ruin-Khuramman, creating the Dwarven Empire in the process. Communication networks were created between Ruin Kurhamman and Ølovhamm, and the Dwarves entered their golden age under the mountains of Ellador, where the Halls of the High King were lined with Gold and gems of all varieties, and technological advancements such as the creation of mining explosives were made. When he saw his creation succeed in empire-building, Ruin-Khuuramman died, and Duindin returned once more to watch the Dwarves from beyond.
  • Grebor was the third time Duindin took on mortal form, after a group of Dwarves tunneled to the surface of Ellador, and found an unknown wilderness waiting for them, alongside strange beings of notable height (which would later be revealed to be the Dregodar Altalar). Grebor taught the Dwarves how to conduct diplomacy with strangers, how to trade with foreigners, and how to wage war against enemies. A third Great Hold was constructed with help from Grebor, which became the first Great Hold to have an entrance on the surface of Ellador, serving as a trading station, but also a vanguard outpost for the Dwarven military. Grebor was High King when the Allorn Empire first contacted the Dwarven Empire, and established good relations with the Nelfin. When he saw his creation succeed in establishing first contact, Grebor died, and Duindin returned once more to watch the Dwarves from beyond.
  • Aldruin was the fourth and last time Duindin has taken on mortal form, after two notable events destroyed the Dwarven Empire. First, the Battle of Udillin’s Foot plunged the surface of Ellador into a frozen hellscape, cutting off the Dwarven Empire from contact with the outside world, alongside a hostile Isldar force on their doorstep. Secondly, and more damning, the Dwarves of Ølovhamm Hold dug too deep in pursuit of riches and unleashed the Dakkar. Within months, Ølovhamm was overrun and the Dwarven population eradicated, with Ruin-Khuuramman soon to fall, signaling the end of the Dwarven Empire. Aldruin taught the Dwarves to persevere, and to venture out into wider Aloria in order to prevent the fall of Duindin’s creation. Aldruin as such is the Founder God of the Dwarven Diaspora, which saw large communities of Dwarves spread out around Aloria, settling into new settlements and serving under the local states as master craftsmen. Aldruin also taught the Dwarves to find hope even in the most desperate hour, and that they know all they need to weather the storm. Aldruin aided in the construction of the fourth Great Hold, which replaced Grebor as the communication line between the Dwarven remnants and the Diaspora across Aloria. When he received word that the first settlements of the Diaspora has been established, Aldruin went to Ruin-Khuuramman to wage war against the Dakkar, where he died in combat against an innumerable host of Dakkar, and Duindin returned once more to watch the Dwarves from beyond.

Like Unionism, Dwarves can pray to Duindin directly or through one of his Founder God incarnations. As the Founder Gods represent aspects found in everyday life, they are often prayed to the most and are often the patron deity of a certain trade (Ølovhamm for farmers and miners, Ruin-Khuuramman for teachers and scribes, Grebor for soldiers and diplomats, and Aldruin for sailors and doctors, to name a few associations). Prayers to Duindin or the Founder Gods are often a more personal experience, except for one communal show of worship which takes place during the night of a New Moon. During this time, Dwarves will come together to offer up some of their belongings to a massive open fire pit, while chanting the Song of Duindin. It is believed that these offerings are given directly to Dundin, who will distribute them to the Dwarves who exist in the afterlife.

In regards to death and the afterlife, Dwarves believe that when they die, their spirits travel to the Halls of Duindin, where they are reunited with all the Dwarves that have ever died, alongside Duindin in his full glory as High King of the Eternal Hold. The offerings given during the New Moon are used to provide the dead with the resources needed to thrive in the afterlife, such as hammers to work in the Halls of Duindin, or food to hold great feasts for all Dwarven-kind.

The Dwarves also have a prophecy that describes what happens when every Dwarf in Aloria dies off and the Race goes extinct. When the final Dwarf enters the Halls of Duindin, all the Dwarves will return once more to Aloria, where they shall defeat all who have ever made an enemy against the Dwarven Race, before establishing the Eternal Hold under Ellador, where all Alorians shall find a realm which has never occurred before. Due to this prophecy, the Dwarves are not as worried about recovering the fallen Holds of Ølovhomm and Ruin-Khuuramman, as Duindin will eventually re-establish them upon the return of the Dwarves. However, Dwarves also believe that continuing these efforts helps buy time for their ancestors in the afterlife, as more offerings are able to be delivered during the New Moon, as well as allowing more Dwarves to be born and die, in order to increase their numbers for the final conquest.

Families

Childhood

Dwarven childhood is fairly comparable to other Races such as the Ailor, with children growing up in a nuclear household of two parents and a few siblings. For the first few years of life, Dwarves often stay at home where they play with handcrafted toys and help around the house with chores to build up working skills. Around the age of 10, Dwarves enter into schooling, where they focus on learning fundamental skills, with a strong focus on mathematics. It is said that Dwarves are some of the greatest mathematical minds in all of Aloria, with many other societies hiring a few Dwarves to handle the keeping of numerical records, or to double check the results of their non-Dwarf co-workers. Following their education at age 20, Dwarves tend to enter apprenticeships with whatever trade they desire to pursue in their life, which they do for another decade.

Adulthood

Dwarven adulthood revolves around contributing to Dwarven society as a whole, both in the defense of the remaining two Great Holds, but also in supporting the Dwarven Diaspora across wider Aloria. Dwarves live about twice as long as Ailor, which has allowed various Dwarven Clans to become well-known across several generations, thus making their reputation well-known in the areas they populate. As a result, many industrial areas across Aloria have notable Dwarven populations which ensure the continued operations of machinery, content in using their race’s abilities to benefit civilizations.

Romance & Gender Norms

Dwarves are considered to be committed lovers in relationships, as to be with another in Dwarven society is considered a sign of deep commitment and one which is not easily forgotten. Due to this emphasis on commitment, Dwarves are often hesitant to enter relationships until they get to know the other person, not wishing to commit to something which may not work out in the end. However, if two Dwarves do eventually end up together, their bond is one of the closest and most caring of any in Aloria, as Dwarves will go out of their way to ensure that their partner is provided for. In terms of gender norms, Dwarven society is egalitarian, believing that every Dwarf, regardless of gender identity, has the means to contribute to society. While Dwarves still recognize biological sense, and many Dwarves still identify as male or female, there is no societal pressure for Dwarves to accept a gender binary, and are free to live their lives as they wish. Ultimately, Dwarven society is focused on strengthening the whole of society, and causing grief to others based on their identity runs contrary to such goals.


Politics

Despite the collapse of the Dwarven Empire, the political hierarchy of the Dwarves has remained practically the same. At the top of society are the High Kings of Grebor and Aldruin, who are elected by the Holds upon the previous ruler’s death. The High Kings are responsible for cross-Hold communication and receiving word from the Diaspora communities abroad. Below the High Kings are various bureaucratic and administrative offices, all held by the most competent of Dwarves in society. Due to their emphasis on meritocracy and importance on aiding their fellow Dwarves, the concept of nobility is hard to grasp in Dwarven society. Even the Clan leaders who oversee various families in a Clan are not considered higher than anyone else, and mostly exist as a representative for the Clan as a whole, rather than its leader.

Outside of the Holds, the Dwarven Diaspora still acknowledges the importance of the High Kings, though most day-to-day politics are run by the Clan leaders, who often form small councils in the Diaspora communities to ensure the wellbeing of the Dwarves. These councils interface with the local governments to obtain contracts for mining or construction projects, providing aid to the Great Holds, or any other assortment of interfacing between the Dwarves and others.

In all foreign diplomacy, however, Dwarves tend to be seen as incredibly self-centered and unwilling to compromise. While initially, the Dwarves were far warmer in the negotiations with foreign powers, the betrayals by the Allorn Empire and the immense destruction inflicted by the Isldar has made Dwarves far more suspicious of open gestures of goodwill. This doesn’t mean that Dwarves are unwilling to enter negotiations with others; they just assume that they will be betrayed again, and so keep their cards close at hand until they can truly trust others.

Grudges

One of the most notable concepts of Dwarven politics to outsiders is the concept of the Grudge. Grudges can be compared to blood feuds, where a Dwarf will write down the name of someone who has immensely wronged them and then seek to avenge that wrong at a later point in time. Grudges are often held on an individual level, but it is possible for a Grudge to be shared by an entire Clan, or even the entire Race. This last instance is known as an Eternal Grudge, and it has only been declared twice in history: once against the Isldar, and the second against the Altalar. The Eternal Grudge against the Isldar was declared after the Battle of Udillin’s Foot when Elador froze over. Dwarves blame the Isldar for destroying their people’s way of life, and avenge the grudge by treating the Isldar as perpetual enemies by denying them respite whenever they encounter them and engaging in violent acts against Isldar businesses and communities wherever they are found. The Eternal Grudge against the Altalar is less severe, but is still shared among all Dwarves. As the Allorn Empire failed to assist the Dwarves against their war against the Dregodars when it mattered most, the Dwarves believe that the ancestors of the Altalar deserve to be belittled and insured, something which never fails to irritate the lineage-obsessed Altalar.

When a Dwarf has a Grudge, they will seek out other like-minded Dwarves to help fill that Grudge with them. This can be seen as somewhat immature for outsiders when they see a band of Dwarves seeking to resolve Grudge over something which seems fairly trivial. However, those on the receiving end of a Grudge often learn quickly to seek amends with the Dwarf they slighted, lest they end up with their body bruised or broken, property damaged, or worse. Most Grudges can be solved by apologizing and making amends to the Dwarf who declared the Grudge, while some more serious Grudges can only be paid in blood (not necessarily resulting in death, however). Despite the potential for Grudges getting out of hand, they do demonstrate the unparalleled ability for Dwarves to unify against a common foe with immense dedication and commitment to their kinsmen.

Fashion

Dwarven fashion is often based on the environment they find themselves in, with flowing fabrics being worn in warmer areas such as Farah'deen, while pelts and thick tunics are worn in the Holds of Ellador. Regardless of climate, jewelry and decoration play a notable role in Dwarven fashion. Of special pride to the Dwarves are their ornately worked belts, often engraved with detailed metal embellishments meant to detail the achievements of the wearer’s ancestors and the symbolism of their lineage. Beard decorations are also a popular practice for men, who are known to grow their facial hair long in order to stylize it in various patterns with rings clasping the hair together. Other jewelry features necklaces, bracelets, and rings made of precious metals, with gemstones finishing off the look. Dwarves believe that these precious metals and stones are of immense importance to Duindin, and so make efforts to collect as much jewelry as possible, in order to offer it as an offering during the monthly ritual of the New Moon. This is where the stereotype of Dwarves being greedy comes from, as many outsiders just believe that the Dwarves are trying to hoard Aloria’s treasures from everyone else, without knowing the religious implications behind it (or even that said treasure is to be destroyed by fire).

World View

World View is optional content that helps give Dwarves flavor and depth.

  • Dwarves are approving of Magic, but mostly in a mundane, assisting role. For example, a Dwarven Fire-Mage is helpful for igniting the forges of a smithy or starting a boiler, but the internal heating systems found in Dwarven homes are completely mechanical in nature.
  • Dwarves are extremely supportive of Engineering, especially Steamtech, which they invented. Many modern inventions found in the Regalian Empire, such as Airships and internal heating, were first invented by the Dwarves and have only recently been introduced to the Empire in recent decades.
  • Dwarves have also contributed to the Regalian Military by improving cannon technology and siege architecture.
  • Dwarves are mostly against slavery, as they are well aware that their own Race has been taken away by the Isldar to do harsh labor. Dwarves often go out of their way to liberate a Dwarf in slavery, even if it means the death of both the liberators and the slave, as the Dwarves believe that it is better to die free than in chains. However, this sympathy is not given to either Isldar or Altalar, who the Dwarves are likely to turn their backs on due to the Eternal Grudges against both of them.
  • Dwarven warfare often involved heavily armored infantry equipped with heavy warhammers and axes. Their weapons are often seen as clunky and unwieldy by other Races, due to the fact that they are often sized to the Dwarf in question, and usually heavier than their larger counterparts used by other Races.
  • Dwarves are heavily against Dragons and anything Dragon-related. It is not uncommon for a Dwarf to destroy the windows of a local Dragon Temple or attack those who are affiliated with the Dragons.
  • Dwarves are against Mutations and Afflictions, especially Vampirism, given that the Great Holds are close to the Dorkarthi Desprinces in Ellador.
  • Dwarves have a strong drinking culture, and often gather at taverns or pubs to celebrate the most arbitrary of occasions. It is said that Dwarves make the best drinking buddies, and are always eager to hear about the most mundane events over a mug of alcohol.
  • Dwarven artwork is strongly linked to stonework and craftsmanship in tools and jewelry. While paintings are uncommon, Dwarven walls inside the Great Holds have ornately carved images on the walls with gems and metals adding color to them, with runic messages chiseled underneath to tell the story of whatever artwork is presented.
  • Dwarves are very fond of stews, as they are great for communal dining and utilizing ingredients which can grow in subterranean environments, such as mushrooms.

Trivia

  • The Ailor inventions of modern slippers and bathrobes have struck a certain chord with Dwarves, and it is not out of place to see a rugged, burly-chested armorsmith donning a pair of innocent bunny slippers in the comfortable confines of his home, as comical as it sounds.
  • The two largest Diaspora Clans are the Saendr Clan in the Qadir Confederated Hadrityas, and the Dredger Clan which sails around the Windward Seas.
  • According to Altalar sources, it is said that High King Grebor has purple irises. Dwarves reject this claim, as the Dogma of Duindin does not describe Duindin other than the Dwarves being made in his likeness. Dwarven statues also lack any colors beyond the gem and metalcraft of the person’s jewelry, adding to the uncertainty.
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