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|image = Dwarf.png
|image = Dwarf.png
|pronunciation = Dwoh-rf
|pronunciation = Dwoh-rf
|classification = [[Human]]
|classification = [[Dwarves]]
|subraces = Mithorrin, Aldor, and Urdweld
|subraces = Aldor, Ruin-Khuur, Dredgers, Saendr, Greborrin.
|nicknames = Stout Folk, Mountain Men, Deep Folk
|nicknames =  
|languages = [[Common]], [[Dwarven]]
*Stout Folk (endearing)
|naming = Scandinavian, and Fantasy Dwarven names.
*Fallen Folk (derogatory)
*Forge Fathers (praising)
|languages = [[Common]], [[Dwarven Dialect]]
|naming = Scandinavian, and very loosely Tolkien-Fantasy Dwarven names.


|distinction = Stout, compact humans with exaggerated facial features and incredibly effective mining, smithing, and battle techniques
|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 = 130 years
|maxage = 200 years
|height = 4’0” - 4’11”
|height = 4'2"-4'11"
|weight = Varies based on Subrace
|weight = 130-220 Pounds
|eye = Varies based on Subrace
|eye = In order of rarity: brown, grey, black, emerald, and piercing blue.
|hair = Varies based on Subrace
|hair = Blond, brown, black, blue, red, and (when older) grey or white.
|skin = Varies based on Subrace
|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.


The Dwarves of [[Aloria]] are a people defined by adversity in the face of great tragedy. Dwarves are said to have originated from the very mountains themselves, and some scholars still debate just how far back the existence of the Race goes, a difficult task given the majority of their time has been spent living underground. Dwarven Kingdoms once occupied great and awe-inspiring caverns of stonework and glittering gemstones, and the mightiest of surface and subterranean fortresses whose ruins yet litter [[Ellador]]. A suspicious people, they have been forced to immigrate into Ailor society in order to survive deadly encounters with [[Dakkar]], [[Isldar]] and the greed of their own people. Up until a few short years ago, it seemed to many like their people risked dying entirely. But with newfound wealth and hope spawning from the depths of Ellador, the Dwarven people are beginning to find a real foothold in all corners of the world, spurred on by the uncovering of a third split of Dwarven society in the Urdweld. Along with the Aldor and Mithorrin, who are still greatly divided peoples within the same Race, the Dwarves are united by their adaptive personalities, hardy bodies, and shrewd tactical minds. They are a people defined by their Clans, their Kings, and their almost unilateral faith in Duindin and his teachings.  
==Physical Characteristics==
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.


==Physical Characteristics==
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.
Dwarves can generally be described as very short humanoids, though upon closer inspection their proportional differences become apparent. Dwarves are broader than their Ailor cousins by a considerable margin; though to make them have a comparable weight despite their lacking height. Dwarves do not grow above five feet in height, with the smallest of their folk coming in at four feet tall. Females tend to be a few inches shorter and a little less broad than the males, though they remain thicker and stickier than most other Human Races. A Dwarf’s lifespan is about 130 years, but earlier deaths are common. While Dwarves reach maturity at a comparable speed to [[Humans]], they will begin to show grey in their beards shortly after their one hundredth birthday, and will only begin to show dehabilitagine effects of aging one year prior to their death. Dwarves will usually sprout brown, red, and black hair, and very rarely golden hair. Dwarven eye colors tend to stay around black, brown, or grey. All Dwarves can very occasionally have blue eyes, and this is thought to be a child who has received a blessing from [[Duindin]].  


All Dwarves have three interesting traits owed to their stocky bodies and the hardy lifestyle of their ancestors. Their respiratory systems are incredibly adaptive after evolving to suit the harsh conditions their ancestors endured. This means that Dwarves can extract oxygen from heavily contaminated or dirty air. They’re capable of breathing smoke (even [[Obscura]] smoke) with only minor discomfort, and poison gasses have dramatically reduced effects on them. For example, gas potent enough to knock out an Ailor will only make a Dwarf feel very fatigued. Dwarves are incredibly resistant to poisons entering their bodies through other means as well, taking roughly thrice the dosage of the other Races for any effects to begin to show. Dwarves have a curiously accelerated healing rate when compared to other Human Races. As a general rule, a Dwarf will spend half as much time in a healing house than an Ailor will with identical injuries, and their bones will be twice as unlikely to break. A Dwarf’s wounds will clot fairly quickly, blood forming into thick, protective scabs to shelter open injuries. Dwarves take in a very demanding diet to keep up with these abilities, needing twice as much food to feast upon as even the hardiest of humans. Famine is a constant concern for the Dwarven people, making them ideal trading partners for those lands with plenty of agricultural gains. Dwarves who live very average physical lifestyles will garner enough exercise to maintain a “chiseled” physique, resulting in the stout but powerful people. This varies a little when dealing with Urdweld who have a skinnier, slightly hunched build. Dwarves who do not engage themselves physically will earn a most impressive beer gut, and become more fat than stocky within a few short years. Dwarven magic users tend to suffer this most of all, as do scholars. Half-Dwarves will take on a Dwarven appearance over whatever the other parent was, though they do inherit the above quirks at lessened effectiveness. As a final note, a half-Dwarf will ''always'' age at the same speed as an Ailor, with an identical lifespan, regardless of parent Races. Aldor tend to have slightly tanned skin. Finally, female dwarves are technically capable of growing beards, but it takes dwarven women five years to grow a full beard.  
==Mental Characteristics==
“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.


===Mithorrin===
==Dwarf Subraces==
Mithorrin can best be described as “traditional” Dwarves. Up until the year 26 AC, they were the only species of Dwarf known to exist. Mithorrin tend to have very pale skin.  Their facial features are large and dramatic, if not a little bloated. Their brow, nose, ears, and jaw tend to stick out away from their face. Mithorrin will style themselves very aggressively to reflect their culture and personality, with braided or wildly-cut hair. Braids, mohawks, shaved heads, or grown out long hair are all very common among the Mithorrin, and males are also fond of growing out and styling their beards with equal dramatism. The more elaborate a beard the more potential for trouble however, as it is common all dwarven cultures for one dwarf to tug on another’s beard, usually as a sign of dominance or disrespect. Mithorrin lie on the more extreme end of the physical spectrum for Human species and are capable of carrying around twice their body weight on their backs. Males and females aren’t entirely similar, but they’re certainly not diverse, with universally broad, strong builds. With origins in the Elladorian Holds, their skin is always on the paler side and their hair is often light, with blondes, reds, and lighter browns as the vastly dominant colors. Black and darker hair colors aren't as common among the Mithorrin. Common eye colors are greys, blues, and occasional greens. Mithorrin Clans tend to be centered around Duindin and can be considered more traditional, and Dwarf-centric.
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===
===Aldor===
Aldor have undergone centuries of inbreeding with Ailor cultures, and as a result look far more approachable and pleasant to the Ailor eye than their Mithorrin counterparts. They have very similar faces to the Ailor, but mostly maintain a stocky, Dwarven build (Though, naturally, they aren't as wide as the Mithorrin). Gender diversity has also been wildly enhanced by mixed genetics. Male Aldor tend to have broader, rather masculine frames, while female Aldor tend to have smaller (but still broad by Ailor standards), rather feminine frames. Physically, Aldor are less impressive than their cousins, and while they can hold more weight than an Ailor, they tend to lose out in shoving matches due to their short limbs. Perhaps the most notable trait of the Aldor is their diversity. Centuries of blending with Ailor culture has spread the Aldor far and wide. They can be found as far as [[Daendroc]] or [[Ithania]], and their skin, hair, and eye color vary as much as the natives of these lands. An Aldor from Daendroc can be darkly tanned with brown hair and eyes, for example. Aldor do not tend to identify themselves by Clans, being far more prone to ingratiate themselves in Ailor society. Aldor tend to be very adventurous, and when Dwarven remains are found within ruins, it is more often an adventurous Aldor than an elusive, unburied Mithorrin. Aldor tend to die young due to their adventurous and glory-driven lifestyle.
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. Often confused with [[Fennh Lineage]] halflings, 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.
 
===Ruin-Khuur===
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.
 
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.
 
===Dredger===
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.


===Urdweld===
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.
Said to be so ugly that they sought gold to afford good looks, the Urdweld are considered eyesores among the Mithorrin and Aldor. This is cultural bias at its greatest, as the main difference between the Urdweld and their brethren kin is the large red noses and pronounced brow ridges that give off the impression of an eternally angry expression. They have a very similar physical size and build to the other splits of dwarfkin, but they are typically a few inches shorter and less muscular. A remarkable trait of the Urdweld is their hair, which grows an inch every week, six times as fast as any other Race. It is very common to find Urdweld Dwarves with hair sticking out almost every part of their skin. Not even their women are spared from this freakish growth, as they too are known to grow hair in every place a man could expect. Their skin ranges from a sickly pale to ashen grey and even darker shades of black, as hundreds of years with very little contact with the outside world has kept them away from the sun. The Urweld split enjoys a slighter longer lifespan of 150 years of age. Urdweld hair, of note, is near always black but appears in a bizarrely wide variety of styles, cuts, and textures. A dark blue hair color is a rarity among their people. Somewhat more common is a sickly dark blue eye color, though about half maintain the usual dwarven eye colors.


==Mental Characteristics==
===Saendr===
All Dwarves will have a unifying tactical, enduring, and intensely stubborn view of the world. Given the many tragedies inflicted on their people, all Dwarves possess a hardy mental fortitude to match their physical constitution. While capable of being “merry” with all sorts of folks, all Dwarves are also inherently distrustful of other Races, and thus are prone to intense loyalties and bitter grudges. Additionally, Dwarves of all sorts value competency and strength, though each of the Dwarven peoples has a different perspective on what it means to truly be strong in the face of adversity.
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 Mithorrin, being the most traditional of the Dwarven species, greatly value loyalty and the honoring of their ancestors. Unity is a strong trait within these Dwarves; they will gather a close-knit circle of friends and neighbors whenever possible. Mithorrin consider the safety and advances of the Dwarven people paramount above all, and worship Duindin more intensely than their brothers. While this circle will usually remain among Dwarves, the Mithorrin will occasionally befriend a non-Dwarf. This is a great honor to Dwarven society, with these few friends of the Dwarven people being christened “Ørbrodir”, or “Brother of Stone“. Mithorrin will go out of their way to be “Merry” with all, using that word to differentiate between those they consider true friends and those they will drink and sing and do business with. Mithorrin have slow-burning tempers, but when they boil over they are capable of an intense display of fury.  
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.


Aldor, being the product of Ailor and Mithorrin relationships over several centuries, are greatly opposed to the traditionalistic practices of the Mithorrin. Like the Mithorrin they possess an intense mental fortitude, but they see this trait as proof Dwarves are meant to be free and act as individuals, rather than remain in the “stuffy” clans of the Mithorrin. Aldor are more suited to inventor and tinkerer work, with some preferring to study with other Races to advance their chosen technology. A Mithorrin Dwarf may see an obstacle as something to be endured and fought directly, but an Aldor is more likely to manipulate others to solve the problem at hand. Their thought process is immediate, bordering on the impulsive, a stark contrast from the usually patient Mithorrin. Aldor are not quite as disciplined as their Dwarven brothers and are more susceptible to addiction and vices. That said, they are usually very empathetic to non-Dwarves, and make for fine merchants and workers within Ailor societies.  
===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.


When it comes to engineering and finance there is only one Race that stands without a rival, and those would be the Urdweld. As much as the Mithorrin and Aldor hate to admit it, it was the Urdweld who truly made the Dwarves masters of the mines, with their astute, calculative minds set on efficiency and hoarding. Urdweld have begin to typically wear jewelry from other races to flaunt their influence. The Urdweld’s greed is a point of contention among the Dwarves, it having driven hundreds of conflicts between both their people and outsiders. If there anyone who would sell their mother, it would be an Urdweld, and as it happens they are actually known to do so. Unhinged capitalism aside, the Urdweld are quite fond of spending their hard-earned wealth. The indulgent waste of Urdweld nobility can cause economic booms for entire cities in Aloria, and even the lowborn of Urdweld are able to throw away money that would make the average [[Regalian]] merchant sweat.
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.


==Summary of Racial 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" 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%;" | Honed Skill 1
| Constant Passive
| 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.
}}
|-
| 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. They can still continue to burgle, but will have to do with a broken leg. 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.
}}
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2;" | Great Force 1
| Constant Passive
| 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.
}}
|-
| 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 5
| Constant Passive
| Self
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip:  Honed Skill 5 | 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.
}}
|-
|}
==History==
==History==
Dwarves are scarcely found in the texts of other Races due to their self-imposed xenophobia and isolation throughout most of their ancient history. Dwarves appeared to simply sprout up from the mountains, a myth the Dwarves seem more than happy to spread. In the days before the oldest written records of Ølovomm, the days the “Ancient Holds” were rumored to exist, but very few records of these exist into the present day. Rumors of such Ancient Holds existing as far north as Jorrhildr have spread into the current day, adding to the number of dead adventurers littering the frozen wastes of Jorrhildr. Rumors of ancient subterranean Holds connected to vast and fortunate cave systems keep adventurers coming to Ellador and Jorrhildr both. The first “modern” Dwarven Hold was the [[Ølovomm]] Hold, established somewhere around 700 BC by a group of a dozen or so Dwarven colonies who--in a rare moment of Mithorrin innovation--observed the changing world around them and sought to unite themselves in order to remain relevant and successful in the developing world. Each Hold’s Kings came together to form the Hold’s council, or “Mountain Council.” To this day, Holds operate on an Mountain Council of exactly seven Kings. Even though this was never intended to be a permanent system, the fierce traditionalism of the Mithorrin has set the method in stone for good.
===Age of Beginnings===
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.
 
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 Night Dragons]] 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.
 
===Age of Strife===
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.
 
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.
 
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===
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 Night 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.


Dwarven population skyrocketed due to Ølovomm’s success, and as the centuries went on, more Dwarves broke off from Ølovomm to form their own Holds in Ellador’s many mountain ranges. The Holds [[Skorr]], [[Østrey]], [[Tehl-Humm]], and [[Æthrammar]] were all born over the next few centuries and operated on a disturbingly identical system to their father-hold. In fact, every Hold functioned so similarly that a Dwarf could be placed in any of them and live their life with near-complete familiarity, minus that with the populous. Years of prosperity tempted fate, and eventually the Dwarves had their first hostile encounter with another Race. The Dwarves were not unfamiliar with the other Races of Aloria, but certainly treated them with distrust. The Dregodar had been long-time neighbors of the early Dwarves, but contact was sparse. Traditionally, the Dregodar constructed their temples atop the tallest mountains in the region, which often sat them right atop the Dwarven Holds. The Mithorrin only considered their lands to be subterranean, but somewhere around 170 BC, Altalar spies discovered a scheme devised by the Kings of the Hold of Østrey. The Mountain Council of this Hold had been secretly hoarding a mass of treasure for their own benefit, including a small but beyond valuable collection of [[Starris]]. To avoid a civil war, these Østrey Kings made a deal with the Nelfin agents, organizing an attack against the nearby Dregodar. The other Holds followed suit, and the Dregodar people were quickly massacred; their temples destroyed, their people slaughtered, their [[Dragons]] butchered and their remains hoarded by the Dwarves, quickly casting any hopes of an alliance to the winds.  
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.


By 56 BC, the fleeting alliance had dissolved due to the latter party’s growing distrust. Alone, the Dwarves continued their offense on the Dregodar and alone killed the last of the [[Black Scale Mountain Dragons]]. However, the beast's reincarnation as the [[Great Ice Dragon]] spelled disaster for the Dwarves. Hundreds, if not thousands of lives were lost to the Dragon’s magic. Though the Dregodar vanished from Aloria after this event, the Dwarves took this loss heavily as it was their first substantial loss of life in war. After this event the Østrey Kings moved their secretive treasury and departed the Hold with a small band of followers, retreating south. Dwarven history leveled for the next few decades, remaining steady and predictable just as its inhabitants demanded. Throughout and after the war with the Dregodar, Holds had continued to sprout up, with the famous Holds [[Brohl]], [[Grebor]], and [[Aldruin]] being formed around this time along with a few others. The Dwarves kept their doors sealed throughout the [[Cataclysm]], still fearful of interaction with the other Races. Despite their best efforts, doom eventually came from within to shake the Dwarven people.
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.


The [[Dakkar]] were uncovered in 26 AC in the Hold of Skorr, which had grown famous for its bountiful and astronomically deep mines. The Dwarves of the Hold were treated to immediate hostilities, and after years without conflict and no specialized weapons, the Hold only held out against the Dakkar horde for three days before the populous was routed and slaughtered. The Hold of Skorr became the first of any Dwarven Hold to fall. A year later, a second Hold, Fummd, was overrun. Dwarven refugees became common in surrounding Ailor settlements. These would become the Aldor over the course of time, but in these early days, they were treated with the same distrust their ancestors had shown the Ailor. The Dwarves and the Dakkar remained locked in a subterranean war for centuries. The next Hold to fall was the first to rise, the Hold of Ølovomm, resulting in a massive crash in Dwarven morale.
===Age of Desperation===
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.


In the years following, the two remaining Holds of Grebor and Aldruin would make many attempts to recover the strength of their people but fail as many Dwarves, particular the Aldor Clans, flocked to Regalia to assist them in the many wars following 300 AC. A brief alliance was made with Regalia, along with [[Orcish]] smiths, to construct the Great Dredge Fleet of 302 AC, a mobile force fueled by Regalian coal, Dwarven engineering and Orc explosives. This was a decisive alliance Regalia’s ultimate victory in the conflict. With the announcement of the 11th Creed, hope for a renewed Dwarven Empire was made possible, with many Dwarves attempting to create a lasting alliance with the Empire, but each ultimately failed. In 304 AC, with the assistance of Regalian Black Powder, the Dwarves were able to find a curious gas deep below their remaining Holds. With this technology, Airships were soon flying across Aloria, and the Regalian Empire paid the Dwarves considerably for this advancement in technology. This Loftoren Gas would make airships more readily available and became a crucial part of Dwarven metallurgy practices moving forward. Then, in 305 AC, an illness spread like wildfire across Aloria. The Dakkar were forced to retreat to the very lowest depths of Ellador, confined there and leaving the grand majority of the Dwarven Holds uninhabited. Tragically, the Dwarven people had suffered too many losses and simply did not have the numbers to retake all of their Holds. However, in the spring of 305 AC, after a little over a year of Isldar forces slowly advancing on the Dwarven Holds, the Isldar attacked and ultimately took Aldruin. Most of the populace was led off in chains, and with Grebor alone standing, ready to blow themselves up, the Dwarven people reached their lowest point.
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.  


A year later, the misery and woe of the Dwarven people were finally answered. Andinn Blackhammer, himself a minor King in the Hold of Grebor, set off into the depths of their Hold. He emerged many months later, along with a veritable army of Urdweld, a Dwarven split-species that had been removed from surface life for generations. With them they brought riches untold from the depths of the world, and Andinn himself with a one-handed Starris Warhammer, the likes of which the world had never seen. He rode out from Grebor within a week and charged the Isldar forces who had been besieging Aldruin. As luck would have it, the Isldar had already begun their retreat to centralize their hold on Ellador, but Aldruin met with a small band of Isldar and for the first time in their history, scored a resounding victory for the Dwarven people over the Isldar. In short order, he was named “Lord of the Dwarven Kingdoms”, with some whispering him to be the second coming of Duindin himself. Whatever the case, what was undeniable was the influx of Urdweld and Mithorrin into Human settlements. Many went sent by King Blackhammer himself to make lasting ties with the Regalian Empire and other world powers, as many Holds were left in ruin and unrecovered. With Grebor and Aldruin back under Dwarven control, and many Dwarves being sent out abroad to make lasting ties, the fate of the Dwarven people finally seemed to be looking up.
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.
 
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.
 
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.  


==Society==
==Society==
Aldor society does not formally exist, instead adapting to whatever society they are born into. Mithorrin society has a very strong, flat structure. A Clan of Dwarves tends to share the same surname, or similarly styled surname, being led by a King, recognized as the ruler of said Clan. Being centered around the idea that all within the Clan are equals (so long as they pull their weight), kindness and decency is expected among most Dwarves. Kings are chosen by bloodline by their respective Clans and while respected, their word is more suggestion than law. A King will generally pass on the title of King to their eldest son, but in times of great strife, it is best assumed that the most competent Dwarf will lead a Clan as their King. Chosen Kings have exactly the same rights as other Mithorrin, but are generally treated with more respect and gratitude. Mithorrin society is so strong that those who leave it generally struggle to identify superiors and inferiors. A fresh trainee may be given a newly-forged Warhammer, while a hardened veteran may content himself to a simple club. Mithorrin women, like Urdweld, tend to be more fierce and ambitious than women in many Ailor cultures, but the majority will focus this efficiency on “keeping the hearth strong”, which can range from cooking to metalworking to the defense of a Hold. Female Dwarves never become Kings, instead preferring to serve as engravers, homemakers, merchants, or Forge-Sisters (a priestess) of Duindin. Male Dwarves tend to be far more humbled. They’re happy to be smiths, soldiers, mining workers, and other less refined jobs. Urdweld will organize themselves by age, with the eldest having the final say in matters of business on behalf of the Urdweld within their Clans. Urdweld have a curious fascination with Duindin, and seem to think of him as more of a mighty and demanding god than a kind, just one, and this reflects in Urdweld’s high expectations of excellence and business savvy amongst each other.  
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.


===Politics===
===Grudges===
The Dwarven political system is a relatively simple one. Every Clan of Dwarves must have a King, running of a Monarchy system. Each King is seen as the nearest representation of Duindin among their people, that usually being the most battle hardened, wise, and hard working of their people. In each Hold, seven Kings form a “Mountain Council”, so named due to each Clan typically coming from a different section of mountainous caverns. Some Holds, such as the Battlehammer controlled Aldruin, prefer to let a prominent King take a leading position in the Hold, with an Duin Council acting beneath them. If a King is to die, they are replaced that very day by the Clan as a whole, typically coming down to a simple vote, and usually falling to the son of the former King, assuming they are of age and competent enough to handle the position. The Kings essentially serves as a ‘face’ for the Hold; they handle trade deals, immigration, negotiations, and inner-Hold disputes. With the recent ascension of the Blackhammer Clan, Kings are also expected to take constant leadership in military conflicts and expansion. Dwarven Holds are surprisingly huge, rivaling the size of Human Kingdoms. Clans and Kings may exist outside Dwarven Holds, with Andinn Blackhammer, in particular, professing a need for new Clans to be formed abroad, but they follow much the same political structure.
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.


Aldor practically have no politics of their own, since they lack any sort of unity as a Race, other than their tendency to blend into Mithorrin Clans. Most are politically apathetic and carefree, with a fleeting, critical interest of politicians and their craft. Others may be straight up anarchistic, and work to disassemble or slander political movement simply because they disagree so vehemently with it. Urdweld, given their smaller numbers, are run by a small council of “Deep Ministers” that handle all matters of business and alliance brokering, and delegate particular tasks and “city-targeting” to smaller groups of Urdweld. Urdweld are encouraged to travel to Ailor and other such settlements to broker alliances, gather wealth and intelligence, and establish Clans.
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.  
===Culture===
Aldor do not follow any particular culture at all, much like their societal and political practices. They are free spirits above all and will either assimilate into Mithrodin culture or Ailor depending on their birthplace.


Urdwelder Culture is a harsh way of life. Compassion and empathy are foreign concepts to the Urdweld. The closest thing one comes to sympathies in Urdwelder diasporas is to assist those whose downfall hurts their interests. It isn’t uncommon for Urdweld of the same blood to offer one another favors in times of need, so long as the debts can be repaid in due time.
===Slang===
To be in the debt, for an Urdweld, is a great shame for themselves and their clan. The market decides everything after all, and if a Dwarf isn’t able to keep up then they had this coming. Debts are an awfully integral part of Urdweld culture, as clans are renowned to keep close accounting of every minute detail of every debt and grudge they possess. The grudges of the Urdweld have been the undoing for countless figures and societies throughout the eons they have dwelled under mountains or in the great cities of Aloria. While they may not possess empathy, they certainly respect the debts and grudges of their kinsmen, and will do everything in their power to strike a name out of their tomes, even generations after the death of the author.
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.


Mithorrin Culture is incredibly pragmatic and rigid. Indecision is looked down upon, with a Mithorrin Dwarf generally being expected to take to a trade at maturity and stick with it for life. This culture-ingrained lifelong dedication makes the Mithorrin natural masters at their crafts, if not a little jaded or uninspired. Some Mithorrin will take to their craft with flying colors, while others will find it unfulfilling and exasperating. Both are expected to follow their choice to the grave. In Mithorrin culture, beauty is functionality, so only the most functional, critical, and integral items are embellished with the Dwarven Alphabet and script the people consider appealing. Cornerstones of bridges, for example, are often ornately decorated, as might be the central pillar of the King’s chamber. The Mithorrin also practice blocky, squared-off tattooing. Traditional Mithorrin tattoos always originate from the chest over the heart, as it’s seen as the integral piece of the Dwarf’s body. Proud or successful Dwarves may have their tattoos stretch to their fingertips or knees, but the design will always originate at the heart.
===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.


Pipe-smoking is of crucial importance to Dwarven life. A Dwarf crafts his own pipe when they reach adulthood, and carry it with them as a treasured possession. Typically this pipe is inscribed with the Dwarf's name and the names of their mother; a reminder that home is not far when the proper time is taken. The pipeweed used by Dwarves often are underground fungi and plants, with a particular strain, “Duindin’s Draft”, is rumored to have magical properties, but this is met with merry laughter from the Mithorrin, who proclaim it to simply be “the finest smoke one will find away from Duindin’s realm”.  
===Leisure===
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.


===Religion===
===Art===
Most Aldor nowadays are [[Unionists]], [[Old Gods]] worshippers, or agnostic. Mithorrin, however, keep to their old ways as always, with continued worship to the [[Dogma of Duindin]]. This obscure religion is loosely comparable to ancestor worship, though the particular focus is on Duindin himself. Duindin was a Dwarf of great renown, who ruled over the Hold of Ølovomm as the one and only “Underking”. At this time, there were the Holds of Ølovomm in the Northern Mountains, the Skorr and Østrey to the East, the Tehl-Humm to the West and the hold of Æthrammar in the South. The only reason these Holds are known to exist is the above ground entrances or ruins each has. Many more are rumored to have secretive entrances dotting Ellador and Jorrhildr. In this age, Duindin was seen as a God walking among the early Dwarven Clans, capable of defeating any foe in combat with his magical, returning throwing hammer. Whether these tales are all hyperbole or based in some truth isn’t so important to his worshippers; the glory-filled stone tablets passed down through the Clans steel the resolves of many worshippers to this day. Priests and Priestesses of Duindin are referred to as the Forge-Brothers and Forge-Sisters, and tend to spread Duindin’s prime message to the Dwarven people. Duindin, as the father of all Dwarves and the only true creator and leader of their people, is to be honored by workmanship in smithing, stoneworking, fighting, and defending one’s clan. In the early days of Ølovomm, texts indicate followers of Duindin were capable of forging and bestowing magical boons, for both weapon and incantation alike. This age has long since past, whether true or not. Some theorize this is due to the loss of followers in Duindin’s faith. Duindin’s followers believe only by restoring the dwarven populace and those faithful to Duindin will such gifts be bestowed upon their people again.  
Dwarven art is hyper-focused on stonework. They are master sculptors, having a strong rivalry with both Imperial 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.


Worship to Duindin is only done once a month when the moon is full. Clans will gather outside, typically among the peaks of their mountains, and set up a great outdoor smithy. Manipulating steam and mirror technology to capture the light of the moon, they will begin a 24-hour chant, smithing and creating all the while. The very greatest works of the Dwarven people are forged during this time, chanting and singing all the while. The Urdweld also proclaim to worship Duindin once a month, though their rituals are secretive and never done in the open, the Urdweld preferring to retreat in solitude, or among what few of their clansman they truly trust, and chant towards their deity in a loud and impassioned prayer. An Urdweld among the group may cut themselves and bleed onto a piece of worked metal, to be worked and forged into a glorious weapon. Rather than use it, however, Urdweld are more likely to sell it to continue amassing wealth, an all-important facet of their relationship with Duindin. To an Urdweld, Duindin was the most successful of any Dwarf and brought about an age of prosperity they hope to achieve again.  
===Cuisine===
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===
===Economy===
The Hold of Grebor has fully abandoned its ways of old and thrives on foreign trade. The Mithorrin remaining in the Holds use the Regal to promote foreign trade. Grebor’s main economic deals come from their contracting of steam and airship technology to the Regalian Empire. The Hold of Aldruin, having only just been reconquered, works off of a similar system, and is more open to outsiders living there than Grebor. Both Holds have deep and expansive mine systems they are in the midst of reconquering after the Dakkar Invasions. [[Steel]], [[Crysteel]], [[Ferr-Iron]], and very rarely their own metals such as [[Metalitra]] and [[Mithrantine]] will be sold to foreign traders and nations, themselves eager to get their hands in the profitable, if dangerous, markets of Ellador.  
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.  


Steam power was an invention of the Dwarven people. Their Holds were warmed using steam and thermal heat, and many of these systems are still functioning today in even the most damaged Holds, like Alum-Berghul. Stonework traps involving the usage of pressure plates dot many Dwarven Holds to ward off intruders and outsiders; a Dwarf will be able to feel the shift in the stone beneath their feet and walk through the traps when entering a Hold or important chamber. Cog-work is readily evident in Dwarven Holds, though of a slightly clunkier nature than the fine clockwork machnications of the Qadir.  
===Combat and Warfare===
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.


===Combat and Warfare===
All Dwarves who serve in the militaries of the Holds are trained in the [[School of Karutûk]], which involves 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.
Combat and conflict are as a part of Dwarven culture as their beards. Whether it’s splitting an opponent's kneecap into splinters, or resoundingly outmaneuvering a foe in business, every Dwarf is accustomed to and drawn to conflict and confrontation. In martial combat, shields are often used to bash and protect the Dwarves’ small frames. Axes and warhammers are of course favored by the Dwarven people, going along the matra of “A warhammer will shatter the kneecap, and the axe will shred the tendons behind it. Duindin may take care of the rest”. The Mithorrin’s compact size and furious strength makes them a true danger to any they can get their hands on. Generally, Aldor make up for their lack of combat ability by being great smooth-talkers, diplomats, or quick-thinkers. Urdweld are more likely to use crossbows made of [[Duinsteel]], favoring sneak attacks over any sort of direct combat, something frowned upon by their surface kin.  


With the arrival of the Urdweld came the arrival of the [[Urdthogg]], a subrace of Bathogg that is uniquely capable of riding into tunnel systems. With it’s sleeker, jet-black mane and forward protruding tusks, the Urdthogg is capable of speeding its bearer along tunnel systems. It’s abnormal hind length strength allows it to climb steep walls for short bursts, making it a dangerous beast underground. These Urdthogg are being trained to work on the surface, but they have not yet been used, with smaller horses and war-ponies remaining in use by the surface clans. Dwarven mages are a true rarity among the Races, with most serving the Mountain Council of their Hold directly. Urdweld tend to have slightly more mages among their clans, with each clan typically having one Mage, who doubles as a sort of Priest to Duindin.  
===Religion and Holds===
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.  


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*Dwarves are known for three particular metals they have shown an aptitude in crafting. The first is Metalitra, a heavy sort of metal that features dark swirls across whatever it is made of, ideally heavy armors and heavy weapons like axes, battle hammers, maces and platemail. This is used by all Dwarves and is even used for walls and defenses in Dwarven Holds. The second is Mithrantine, a metal that bears half the weight of Steel, that shines and twinkles as an ore, and produces beautiful grey-white products. It is as durable as Blacksteel, but due to how light it is, is not typically used to craft heavy or blunt weapons, purely for use as bladed weapons or armor. More expensive than even Blacksteel, ancient Mithrantine weapons of power exist into the present day. While the forges of Grebor and Aldruin have tried their best, no Smith has been able to take Mithrantine and reforge it. The third metal is “Duinsteel”, a mysterious metal used by the Urdweld. In direct sunlight, it will began to quickly disintegrate, but when used underground or in moonlight, it will function as a lighter alternative to steel.  
*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.
*Andinn Blackhammer has professed a desire to discover a ranged weapon capable of combating the [[Frost Wyverns]] of the Isldar. Despite the efforts of their best smiths, neither the forges of Aldruin or Grebor have succeeded, leading to hopes that the Clans moving abroad will innovate and craft such a weapon.  
*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 Urdweld are rumored to have been hidden below the surface of Ellador, in the western tunnels, for centuries, hoarding a large mine of Mithrantine and potentially more. Whatever the exact wealth of the Urdweld, what can’t be denied is each Urdweld who leaves Ellador does so with a pocket full of coin and a checkbook ready to be filled.  
*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.  
*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.
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{{Accreditation
{{Accreditation
|Writers = LumosJared, Jonificus
|Writers = MonMarty, LumosJared, Okadoka
|Processors = HydraLana, Dosier, Hobblinghobbit, Katiesc
|Processors = FireFan96, Hydralana
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[[Category:Races]] [[Category:Human Races]]
[[category:Races]] [[category:Human Races]]

Revision as of 16:33, 11 October 2021

Dwarf
Dwarf.png
Race
Pronunciation Dwoh-rf
Classification Dwarves
Subraces Aldor, Ruin-Khuur, Dredgers, Saendr, Greborrin.
Common Nicknames
  • Stout Folk (endearing)
  • Fallen Folk (derogatory)
  • Forge Fathers (praising)
Languages Common, Dwarven Dialect
Naming Customs Scandinavian, and very loosely Tolkien-Fantasy Dwarven names.
Racial Traits
Distinctions 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.
Maximum Age 200 years
Height 4'2"-4'11"
Weight 130-220 Pounds
Eye Colors In order of rarity: brown, grey, black, emerald, and piercing blue.
Hair Colors Blond, brown, black, blue, red, and (when older) grey or white.
Skin Tones 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

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.

Mental Characteristics

“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. Often confused with Fennh Lineage halflings, 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.

Ruin-Khuur

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.

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.

Dredger

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.

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.

Saendr

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.

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.

Summary of Racial 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.

Ability Name Ability Type Ability Range Ability Description
Honed Skill 1 Constant Passive Self Grants the user Honed Skill 1

Home Upgrade 1 Region Enchant Player Region Grants the user Home Upgrade 1

Shrewd Insight 1 Control Power Emote Distance Grants the user Shrewd Insight 1

Great Force 1 Constant Passive Self Grants the user Great Force 1

Gate Smash 1 Trigger Passive Direct Touch Grants the user Gate Smash 1

Honed Skill 5 Constant Passive Self Grants the user Honed Skill 5

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.

Ability Name Ability Type Ability Range Ability Description
Founders Gift 1 Primal Power Direct Touch Grants the user Founders Gift 1

Founders Gift 2 Primal Power Self Grants the user Founders Gift 2

Founders Gift 3 Primal Power Self Grants the user Founders Gift 3

Founders Gift 4 Primal Power Self Grants the user Founders Gift 4

Founders Gift 5 Primal Power Self Grants the user Founders Gift 5

Bunker Down 1 Toggle Passive Self Grants the user Bunker Down 1

History

Age of Beginnings

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.

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 Night Dragons 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.

Age of Strife

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.

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.

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

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 Night 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.

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.”

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.

Age of Desperation

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.

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.

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.

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.

Society

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

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.

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.

Slang

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.

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

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.

Art

Dwarven art is hyper-focused on stonework. They are master sculptors, having a strong rivalry with both Imperial 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

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

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.

Combat and Warfare

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 School of Karutûk, which involves 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.

Religion and Holds

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.

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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Accreditation
Writers MonMarty, LumosJared, Okadoka
Processors FireFan96, Hydralana
Last Editor HydraLana on 10/11/2021.

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