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The Dwarves are a strong, hard working people, who have suffered both great losses and enjoyed times of wondrous prosperity. Short, stocky folk with pale and ruddy skin, the Dwarves are a somewhat uncommon sight in Aloria nowadays. The stout folk have spread all over Aloria after suffering greatly in their wars with the Dakkar. Only the Holds Aldruin and Grebor remain, with many dwarves founding their own cultures in Ailor civilizations and across Ellador in smaller groups. Despite their integration with other Alorians, the Dwarven people have remained an almost admirably stubborn folk in work and play. This race has a deep, rich history of wealth and war, forced separation, and profound unity.
| Dwarf | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Race | |
| Pronunciation | Dwuh-rf |
| Classification | Human. |
| Common Nicknames | Stout Folk, Deep Folk. |
| Languages | Dwarven, Common. |
| Naming Customs | Dwarven names have a fantasy feeling about them, with their surnames being either a reflection of their clans, or a moniker consisting of actual words. Use a Fantasy Name Generator to brainstorm. |
| Racial Traits | |
| Maximum Age | 100 years. |
Physical Characteristics
Alorian Dwarves are considered imposing people, despite their stout size. While most are between 4’3" and 4’9" at maturity, their stocky yet strong bodies make for a defiant stature. The stout folk are usually pale, and their rough skin shows their familiarity with hard work. In most respects, they resemble smaller Ailor, albeit with slightly more exaggerated features. They are incredibly hardy in comparison to the other races and less susceptible to pain and illnesses. Most possess muscular builds with emphasis on their forearms and legs. Their hands and feet are slightly enlarged in proportion to normal human feet and hands. While a majority of Dwarves have long beards, they are not universal. The differences between male and female Dwarves are not greatly pronounced; female Dwarves resemble male Dwarves, albeit with slightly more effeminate build and a lack of any facial hair. Dwarves typically live to the age of 100. Their maturity is homogeneous to the race; they mature around 20, begin to show a depression in age at 50, and die after they’re in their 90’s. Most Dwarves do not live to die of old age, falling in combat or in the dangerous work of hard labor. Dwarves that spend long amounts of time underground usually die of lung related illnesses from the fumes and constrained corridors of mining halls.
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Mental Characteristics
Dwarves are known to be a stubborn lot, but incredibly loyal. They are determined not only in their ways and practices, but physically focused on completing tasks. They are a people whose dedication to a practice can override their common sense and their instincts. Dwarves, while not overtly intelligent, have a keen attention span for the task at hand, whether that be chopping wood or planning a course of attack. Intense unity is a driving force behind the stout folk, as evidenced by the small team needed to operate the Axe-Grinders, giant spinning axes that could clear a forest in a day, according to rumor. In terms of combat, they are proficient in thinking of unorthodox terms of strategy, to the point of reckless abandon. Their pure creativity is somewhat lacking, but their driven nature typically makes up for this. Dwarves don’t tend to vary too much in terms of mentality; one would expect a Dwarf to generally be a gruff and hard working individual, valuing the tenets of loyalty. While not universal, most Dwarves have a task-based view on life, seeing their lot in life as a never ending list of challenges and obstacles, which can make them come off as both dour and optimistic. Older Dwarves are more calm and solemn, lacking the firebrand nature of younger members of the stout race.
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History
The history of the Dwarven race is a dark one. Existing for centuries untold underground in Ellador, they did not participate in the third Void Invasion. Instead, the Dwarves shut their gates to the evil, not wishing to kill themselves for the sake of strangers. During the time they were shut in, the stout folk began digging deeper and deeper. Then, around 26 AC, the Hold of Skorr uncovered the doom of the dwarven people. Their miners dug too deep and breached the ancient caves of the Dakkar, a Naylar subrace with a fiery, stony disposition. Before they knew it, they found themselves in an all-out war with these warlike reptiles. In four days Skorr fell to the waves, and various Holds would follow suit, refugees fleeing to other Holds, only for they to fall in turn. Some managed to form their own cultures and tiny communities, but only the reclusive Aldruin, and now mixed Grebor Holds, survived to this day. The war was brought about, by most accounts, due to the stout folk tunneling into a temple of the Dakkar God Hael, defacing it in the process. The Dwarves bore well forged weapons, but few were effective on such beings in their native territories. Towards the final years of the invasion, the stout folk attempted to crush the Dakkar by collapsing their many travel tunnels spanning the underside of Ellador. This attempt failed, and more than half of the Dwarven race was wiped out in the war, Holds destroyed over the next 150 years.
The Dwarves have split into many clans, some venturing into Human settlements on their own. The aforementioned separated clans have recently began to form small kingdoms, hoping to capture the prosperous times the race once enjoyed. A small amount of dwarves still live in refugee camps from the wars, but more and more are integrating into the societies of the other races. Settlements and towns sprout up where Dwarves and other races coexist, few even close to mines or fortresses as a tribute to tradition. To this day, Dwarves find good work all across Aloria. Not to be forgotten is the viciousness of the diminutive folk, as they can hold a grudge for many decades, especially against the races they’ve warred with. As a result, finding hostility toward Dakkar on the surface is common when a Dwarf is involved.
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Society
The social structure in Dwarven Holds, both present and past, varies depending on said Hold. Of the two existing Holds, Grebor operates on a “melting pot” like atmosphere, encouraging travellers and mercenaries to operate in their Hold. It has become highly militarized, while Aldruin has shut off outsiders, operating on religious rule. In general however, there are commanders and veterans in combat who take positions of leadership, but each Dwarf respects and cares for their kin, heeding their advice as well as they would their kings. While most clans of Dwarves are led by kings and take orders from said leader, this race has no superiority or inferiority in how they treat their kin. Loyalty is more than a word; it is a way of life for Dwarves. They would take pleasure in rescuing the lowest Dwarf, for saving a companion means much to them. For this reason, Dwarves make exceedingly good allies. However, this in turn can force their judgment to be clouded, risking the lives of many to save few. The stout folk are also often prone to revenge on an enemy. Sometimes a Dwarf may wait for decades to exact revenge, for Dwarves are patient beings.
When Dwarves intermingle with other societies and races, they often adapt most of their hierarchy and ranks. However, their devotion to their kin, their loyalty, and their stubbornness on whatever task they've been given still ring true.
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Politics
In Dwarven clans, the system of government is a varied one. However, one cannot think of these rulers as noble or elegant folk; rather, the king of a Dwarven clan was more often than not the one hardest at work, toiling in the mines or leading a charge in battle. Hard work and sacrifice was valued by the Dwarven people, and this was emphasized by how their leaders acted and treated those “beneath” them: with fair and equal respect. There was of course a chain of command, but kinsmanship was a common trait in Dwarven government. The “lowest” in Dwarven classes are usually the miners, but some are held in positions of great respect as well. In present times, Dwarves that have gathered into groups fall into similar, if slightly more monarchical systems of government. The two existing Holds, Grebor and Aldruin, run on a military and monarchical rule respectively.
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Culture
Dwarven Culture has been split with the invasion of the Dakkar, yet some traits remain true across the various groups. Dwarves tend to be more gruff, as a rule. They admire and enjoy hard work, perhaps only enjoying good drink and food after days full of working and prospering. They are generally a unified folk, enjoying company and singing to relax. Men and women hold very similar roles, though female leaders of clans are nonexistent. Dwarves enjoy many sorts of meats, not being too picky about where the creature comes from. Many of the stout folk get experimental with their food, often wondering how a cooked dog leg, or perhaps the arm of a troll may taste. They have a love for ale, often using it as “Holy Water” during religious ceremonies. They are educated in a roughly similar manner to Humans, learning to read and write in their own tongue, and many are trained to speak Common. Along with normal education, a Dwarf will also be educated on either mining, fighting, or in a few cases, training as merchants and envoys for others. Most are quite advanced in the arts of warfare and technology, depending on the culture, and Dwarves hold credit for inventing airships and various forms of cannons. Crafters, though their greater arts lost when Fummd fell, express art through their fine weapons, often spending weeks on a single craft to achieve perfection. When not making fine weapons and steel goods, they enjoy drinking, feasting, hiking, and being among their closest kin. They are a folk that generally prefer to work, seeing it as a form of enjoyment. They dress in simple leather, usually hide, with basic cloths. Brown is a common color among the stout folk, having little use for finer colors in their society. Those of higher rank usually dress in nicer armor with elaborate helmets signifying their rank. Those of the Khazur-Badh are generally more combat inclined, ready to take revenge on the Dakkar, while the Aldor have sunk into a depression from what they’ve lost. The Greborrin and Ruin-Khuur, and Humorrin, all to a certain degree, are happy to integrate and travel with other races, while the Grebadh-Uul remain reclusive.
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Religion
The most prominent religion of the Dwarven people is the Dogma of Duindin. While some praise him as an actual godly figure, others in the Dwarven community believe he was the first king of the very first Dwarven clan. Whatever his actual status, Duindin embodies that by which the Dwarven race identifies: the tenets of hard work, loyalty, justice, and kinsmanship. The priests of this god are no less hardworking than their fighting kin but prefer to practice the arts of basic healing. The only division in Dogma of Duindin lies in who they believed he was, but the faith is taught the same regardless. There are next to no Dwarven cults specific to the race, but renegade stout folk have been known to flock to human cults to be used as bodyguards and brutes. One of the two remaining Holds, Aldruin, is considered the heaviest concentration of religious dwarves, acting reclusive as they hold to their faith after the various invasions.
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Economy
Among themselves, Dwarves do not have a set form of currency; they barter goods and shipments, usually food in exchange for forged goods and vice versa. When dealing with the other races, they do keep a supply of gold and currency on hand, but mostly offer their fine goods in exchange for different forms of currency or large shipments of supplies. They have a fairly organized system wherein miners will bring their goods to the great forges that usually serve as a central housing and work hub of their communities. Those goods are then taken to other communities, usually in secret, to be sold and bartered. Dwarves are renowned not only for the fine weapons and armor they make, but the goblets, silverware, and other steel goods they produce. Their skill for such craft is unmatched, and is envied by the other goodly races, especially Humans. While many of their finer crafts were lost in various Holds, some are still discovered, and when they are, the economy of the other races takes note as well given their sheer value.
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Combat and Warfare
In combat, the Dwarven folk are a fierce people. They share the common belief of unity in battle and a sort of “controlled frenzy” that leaves their enemies at a total loss. In dueling combat, there is a fair saying among the bearded folk, “The axe cuts the tendons at the back of the knee, the war hammer crushes said kneecap.” This is evident when they take on larger foes, specifically Orcs and ogres, with whom they are often at odds. They are an aggressive folk, but will usually not attack unless provoked. That said, if a Dwarf caught sight of a dakkar in the wilds, a battle would quickly take place. They are fast to judge, and once they begin a fight, a Dwarf will rarely stop until the remains of the their victim stain their own clothes. Of recent, the Dwarves have had major wars with the Dakkar, nearly wiping out their own race. Nowadays, now that the two races have somewhat separated, Orcs and ogres occupy their time and efforts in military feats. In particular, the newly formed Khazur-Badh culture is driven for revenge against the Dakkar, and pride themselves on their fighting worth.
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Trivia
- Contrary to popular belief, Dwarven women do not grow beards. At all.
- In Dwarven legend, it is said the Dwarves were the first race to be born unto Aloria, sprouting up from the ground with the mountains they would come to mine.
- The Dwarven folk get on quite well with Elves.
Accreditation
- Written by Jared4242.
- Art by MonMarty.
- Processed by Qgmk, Catcat1305 and 0romir.