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{{Info races
{{Info races
|image = Dwarf.png
|image = Dwarfsplash.png
|pronunciation = Dwoh-rf
|pronunciation = Dwoh-rf
|classification = [[Dwarves]]
|classification = [[Human]]
|subraces = Aldor, Ruin-Khuur, Dredgers, Saendr, Greborrin.
|nicknames =  
|nicknames = Stout Folk, Fallen Folk, Forge Fathers.
*Stout Folk (endearing)
|languages = [[Common]], [[Dwarven]]
*Fallen Folk (derogatory)
|naming = Scandinavian, and very loosely Tolkien-Fantasy Dwarven names.
*Forge Fathers (praising)
|languages = [[Common]], [[Dwarvish]]
|naming = Old Norse
|distinction = Stout, mountain-dwelling people who show unerring perseverance and skill with crafting
|maxage = 200 years
|eye = brown, gray, green, and blue.
|hair = Blond, brown, black, red, and (when older) gray or white.
|skin =
[[File:Skin1.png]]
 
[[File:Skin2.png]]
 
[[File:Skin4.png]]


[[File:Skin3.png]]


|distinction = Stout, mountain-dwelling folk who show unerring skill with finecrafting, jewelcraft, smithing, cooperative fighting, woodworking, and engineering, with a unique familiarity and skill in [[metallurgy]] and weapon crafting.
|maxage = 200 years
|height = 4'2"-4'11"
|weight = 130-220 Pounds
|eye = In order of rarity: brown, grey, black, emerald, and piercing blue.
|hair = Blond, brown, black, blue, red, and (when older) grey or white.
|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 come 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 to suffer, 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 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, of bountiful merriment, and of a truly peaceful age.


==Physical Characteristics==
==Origins==
Dwarves are a stout and stocky people. Standing from 4’2” to 4’11” in height, they typically have ruddy faces, with short, stout 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. Female Dwarves have more soft features, with a tendency to braid their hair, though both male and female Dwarves will often be found wearing jewelry, especially necklaces. Dwarves tend to weigh nearly the same as humans, carrying a heavy, bulky build. Dwarven men also tend to be a little taller than their female counterparts. About half of male Dwarves tend to bald in their 70’s, with the rest following around their 120’s. All Dwarves have hearty stomachs and the appetite to back it up. It will usually take 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. It is also worth noting that all Dwarves tend to have slightly pointed ears, though not to the extent of most Nelfin. Offshoots from this general description of Dwarfkind are many, affecting anything from height to body build and more. With that said, 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.
The Dwarves are a mysterious [[Race]] hailing from the subterranean depth of [[Ellador]]. Before the arrival of the [[Dregodarians]] or [[Allorn Empire]] to the region, the Dwarves lived below the Elladorian mountains in a grand empire, ruled over by the High Kings of the Great Holds. Eventually, contact was made between Dwarves and Altalar, but these relationships would eventually spell doom to the Great Holds. Tricked into going to war over vast riches, the [[Dwarven Empire]] was shaken to its core when the [[Isldar]] came to be, turning Ellador into a frozen wasteland and forcing the Dwarves underground once more. In their isolation, the Dwarves unleashed a terror from the depths, the [[Dakkar]], which resulted in the fall of half of their Great Holds, and the collapse of the Dwarven Empire. Since then, the Dwarves have spread out across wider [[Aloria]] in the Dwarven Diaspora, with pockets of them settling in the various nations of others, offering their skills to benefit the societies they live in. While many are quick to declare the Dwarves a dying Race whose golden age has decayed beyond repair, others have seen the Dwarves for who they truly are: a proud people forged in hardship, and tempered to resist even the greatest of challenges, always persevering to live another day and ensure the legacy of their ancestors does not fade away into obscurity.


==Mental Characteristics==
==Core Identity==
“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. The failure of the Altalar to come to their aid when most needed and their unending wars with the [[Isldar]] have made them wary of [[Elves]] of any kind. This is not to suggest a Dwarf is murdersome 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. This isn’t to suggest Dwarves are an altruistic sort. Their greed and lust for power makes them capable of terrible acts, and they have a particular disgust for the bestial [[Races]], rooting from their conflicts with the [[Dakkar]]. [[Dragons]] are as well a sworn enemy to Dwarfkind, 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.
===Introduction===
To be a Dwarf is to be resilient in the face of adversity, persevering where others would falter, and looking ever forwards when the past has taken everything. The Dwarves are master smiths, miners, mathematicians, and general craftsmen, having a knack for making the most mundane of creations appear like a work of art. With an unmatched ethos of integrity and hard work, the Dwarves have proven to wider Aloria that their kinsmen are not one to be discounted, even with its population lower than any other Race, even that of the [[Maraya]]. Dwarves are aware that they are seen by many as a dying Race whose glory days have frozen over, and now suffer a low decline. Yet to the Dwarves, this present reality is one hardly given passive thought or consideration. They have learned to make do with their lot in life and finding the proverbial diamonds in the rough.


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


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


==Ruin-Khuur==
===Physical Characteristics===
Ruin-Khuur are very mercantile in their behaviour, 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, but they are also possessed of 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 and 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. Because of this, they are often compared to the Solvaan Altalar, with whom they actually get along decently. At the cost of missing out on proper integration into Ailor society, the Ruin-Khuur are still welcome back in Ellador as the brains and pockets of their home Holds.
[[File:Newdwarf.png|200px|thumb|right|The stocky appearance of Dwarves gives them a reputation of hardiness and strength.]]
True to their name, Dwarves are known to be the shortest Race in Aloria, with all of their members being shorter than five feet tall. Often mistaken for shorter [[Ailor]], Dwarves tend to have wider frames if they were scaled up to the size of an Ailor, and also have greater development of muscle mass in comparison. Their skin is known to be tougher than others, with their hands and feet often remarked to have a leathery texture to them, almost as if they are callused, yet lacking the hardness that is associated with them in Ailor. Dwarves are also known to have strong skeletons, allowing them to carry heavier loads which can appear somewhat amusing to others, yet is completely normal to Dwarves.


Life for the Ruin-Khuur can be summed up with “What has been done, What are the others doing, What can I do?”. 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 the lot of 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, outright not speak 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 keeps their business partners coming back to them for a relationship they know will never cheat or fool them.
Many Dwarves often have semi-exaggerated facial features, such as more pronounced noses, brows, ears, and jaws, though it is also just as common to have very Ailor-like features. Dwarves also grow their hair faster than other Races, with the men often fastening various ornaments to them as a cultural fashion. Besides these differences, Dwarves can be compared to Ailor quite accurately. Dwarves feature the same sets of hair, eye, and skin color as the Ailor, with the same sort of diversity found across all populations (meaning an African-coded Dwarf can be the blood-related sibling of an East-Asian-coded Dwarf, who has a blood-relative nephew that is Caucasian-coded).
==Dredgers==
Dredgers are sea-travelling 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 expertises 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.


Life for the Dredgers is generally an experience of searching for purpose and meaning in a continuously changing world. Ever since the destruction of their origin Hold and the beginning of their endless wandering, there has never been a period of more than a few years during which the context of their existence has remained completely the same. Perhaps another ship is built, or one has to be scuttled and crews have to be re-organized. This constant changing of circumstances
Half-Dwarves often retain the height of their Dwarven parent, while appearing like a stockier version of their non-Dwarf parent. For example, a [[Qadir]]-Dwarf child would appear like a short, stocky Qadir while still having sandstone-colored eyes and mandalas.


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


==Saendr==
====Abilities====
Saendr are easily recognizable with a bronzed skin and their 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 (often referred to as the “Soul-kissed”) have a particular affinity for Soul Magic, and have a similar affinity that the Qadir have, and thus get on with little discrimination in Qadir society.
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="font-weight:bold; text-align:center; background-color:#c0c0c0;"
! Ability Name
! Ability Type
! Ability Range
! Ability Description
! Modifiers
|-
| style="background-color:#D6C0A0;" | Weapon Summon
| Summon Power
| Self
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Weapon Summon | The user can summon any type of weapon from Melee Weapon Point Buy, or Ranged Weapon Point Buy made out of Magic. This weapon functions like a normal weapon would, has the same durability, but does not use any ammunition to fire if ranged. While using a Summoned Weapon, all Mundane Techniques used with it are instead classified as Abilities of Magical nature. A destroyed Summoned Weapon cannot be Summoned again for 12 IRL Hours.
}}
| {{#simple-tooltip: Dwarf Modifier | Any Weapon Summoned by a Dwarf is not magically summoned, but ‘crafted’ instantaneously from metals or objects they have on or near them. This weapon is not classified as Magical, and is completely mundane, still using Mundane Techniques. The Weapon appears to be made of cobbled together and quickly welded metals.}}
|-
| style="background-color:#D6C0A0;" | Control Immune
| Constant Passive
| Self
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Control Immune | The user is immune to any Control Abilities that would be applied to them. They can however choose to permit the Control Ability to work if they are aware it is being used on them beforehand and want the effect to apply.
}}
| {{#simple-tooltip: Dwarf Modifier | The Dwarf is additionally immune to any Abilities (even non-Control Powers) that would alter or remove their Memories in any way, shape, or form. }}
|-
|}


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.
====Specials====
=====Masters of the Anvil=====
Dwarves have a natural and cultural inclination towards metals and are the undisputed masters of the forge. All Dwarves may choose one Crafting Point Buy Pack for free without Proficiency Point investment. Additionally, a Dwarf can identify by sight and touch alone what metals an object is made of, even if it is just small engravings or plating, and even without that Point Buy Pack.


==Greborrin==
=====Unparalleled Quality=====
Greborrin are a traditionally militaristic lot, with ill tempers and quicker swings of their weapons. Greborrins 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 in another world to the Grebor, as they share a sense of common purpose and loyalty, approaching 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.
Crafting and the material arts are generational and communal for Dwarves, with each family having tips and tricks of the trade that they pass down and share. Dwarves are usually perpetually honing their craft, and skills, eager to learn and improve from others to make it better, and then some past that. Anything a Dwarf makes with Metallurgy will always be of a higher quality. Weapons and Armor are more resistant to natural degradation, sharper, and more expertly crafted. In addition, nothing a Dwarf makes is ever truly broken, as long as it was made by their hands and returned to them for repairs.


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


==History==
=====Natural Affinity=====
===Age of Creation===
The Dwarven Race is naturally resistant to unwanted Planar infection, being an exceptionally hardy peoples. While the Dwarf is not Aberrant or Occult, they are completely Immune to Blood Sickness, Soul Sickness, or any Sickness inflicted from failed affliction infection. If the Dwarf is an Aberrant or Occult instead, they gain no bonus from this Special at all.
Recorded Dwarven history begins with the founding of the Olovomm Hold, settled in the northern center mountain-chain of Ellador, a few miles south of the icy tundra. Under the widest of the mountain-tops, a small stone door was cut away, and down the tunnel of that door lay Olovomm proper, an 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 mountain sides. This is all laid out in a series of Stone Singing-laden tablets, from which much of early Dwarven history was recorded. 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. No written history is noted 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 to. These so called “Olovomm Records” are highly valued as collector’s items to this day, and 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 they shall hereon be called Isldar to avoid confusion), instead prioritizing mining and expansion operations from the interior of Olovomm.


Soon after, the Dwarves began to strike out. Issuing forth from their ancestral hold of Olovomm, Dwarfkind proverbially spread its wings across much of the nearby surroundings. Small parties of expeditionary travellers often led by quasi-legendary figureheads established new Holds to carry the weight of the burgeoning Dwarven population. It was so that the Skorr, Ostrey, Tehl-Humm, and Aethramm holds were founded around the year 400 BC. But just as operations began to expand- a task which the newly expanded classes of miners and craftsmen took to with much gusto- a diplomatic party from a far-off land arrived with a disturbing message. [[Allorn Empire]] dignitaries informed the leaders of each hold that large bands of separatists from their own nation had migrated to the Dwarven continent, establishing immense spire cities aboveground and bringing with them a great number of [[Wyverns]] and [[Violet Night Dragons]], to which they paid worship. This foreign presence in Ellador disturbed the Dwarves, and no doubt encouraged by their surprisingly pleased Allorn attachés, they immediately began to prepare a military campaign with the aim of driving them out. Some Dwarves argued against this, given that tradition had always dictated that their holdings were always underground and anything outside their Holds was technically free real estate, but they were drowned out by the clamor of vengeful voices.
=====Unbroken Kinship=====
The Dwarf has a naturally strong body and an even stronger stomach. The Dwarf is immune to any negative or detrimental effects from ingested poisons, rotten or out of date food, or otherwise corrupted and inedible materials. This includes alcohol, but only to the point that the Dwarf cannot pass out or become sick from excessive intoxication (they can still get drunk normally). In addition, the Dwarf can lift objects their strength may not usually allow, able to hold up fallen structures, or lift massive boulders. This cannot be used in any Combat RP or competitive RP. They are also resistant to naturally occurring extreme temperatures, both hot and cold.


===Age of Strife===
==Language==
This began the First Dragon War. The great Holds of Olovomm and Skorr, together with an immense Allorn army sailing from Daen, engaged the Isldar with the intent of subduing their populace and defeating their armies. Beginning in 346 BC, this war would last for four years, during which Isldar guerilla tactics would prove difficult if not impossible for the much larger Altalar-Dwarf forces to defend against. Using the wilds to their advantage, Isldar scouts and bowmen cropped up in the forests and hills as their enemies were on the march, whittling away at their perimeter guards and often undertaking successful assassination attempts on the Archmage generals and Dwarven clan elders present. By its end, the overstretched coalition army was wracked with attrition, and moreover the civil disorder had worsened so substantially in Daen that the Altalar had to, for a time, retreat to shore up their Empire. The retreat undertaken was consensual, one of the few times the proud Dwarves ever actually agreed to walk away from a fight. The truth was, they were strategically and experientially overmatched. The Isldar had been fighting against the Allorn military in Daen for decades at this point, and their surviving forces were mostly composed of hardened veterans, while the Holds’ hosts were fresh and had not seen war before. This served as an immense Isldar victory, with their ability to drive off their enemies with so few losses cementing their legitimacy and increasing their pride.
The Dwarf language is known simply as [[Dwarvish]] which has a real-life equivalent to Old Norse. Dwarven is a difficult language to learn for many, as it lacks the more familiar [[Altalar]] alphabet, instead using its own runic letters instead (based on IRL Younger Furthark). These runes are featured in everything made by Dwarves, such as the heads of axes, the stone columns of buildings, or engravings on jewelry. Dwarven names feature a personal first name, a middle name to honor an ancestor, and a last name.


Then, after a brief period of rebuilding, came the Second Dragon War in 312 BC. The Altalar returned with a zealous fury, deploying mass incendiary weapons in the Elladorian countryside in a concerted effort to drive the Isldar from their hiding spots and force them into an open battle. When the Dwarves caught word of the renewed Allorn offensive, many holds- Olovomm, Skorr, Ostrey, and Tehl-Humm- threw their lot in with the vengeful Elves, marching from their iron doors to fight the Isldar once again. But this was not nearly so large as the former war, and no armies clashed in any sort of decisive confrontation. The Dwarves refuse to acknowledge the Second Dragon War as a formal war to this day, because they never actually engaged the Drogon cultists. Both sides deployed in limited numbers and skirmished, but did not come to any meaningful results. After some years of this, the warfare fizzled out and drew to a close, with most combatting parties retiring first to their camps and then home. Tired at this point of the constant tumultuous arrival and withdrawal of impossibly large Elven armies that never actually resulted in anything good for Dwarfkind, the Dwarves spent a while behind locked doors, developing internally and paying no heed to the outside world even though their hated enemies remained. In 300 BC, the Skorr Hold split into the holds of Brollo and Fummd due to a dispute in rulership between the two sons of a king, Bathador and Khazain Ironhand. The youngest of the two, Khazain, settled the dispute by departing Skorr with a caravan to create his own hold elsewhere, Fummd, at which point Skorr was formally renamed to Brollo.
Example list of Dwarven First Names:
'''Male''': Arni, Danr, Gunni, Hrolfr, Magni, Steinn, Vigi
'''Female''': Asta, Dagny, Edda, Hildr, Katla, Unnr
'''Non-Gendered''': Audr, Kanan, Thea, Pavi, Rudra, Navi


For a while after this, the Dwarves enjoyed peace in a period they now call the Khazukâl Kåram, roughly understood in Common as ‘the Age of the Holds’. Of course, Dwarven Holds existed before this time period, and they would continue to exist after. However, the phrasing was always meant to implicatorily indicate that these were the only years in which things were as they should have been, and serve as a golden time for Dwarfkind to always look back to with fondness. It is true that many of the great works of the Dwarven people were created during this Age. Once they had recovered from their larger wars with the Isldar and were able to finally begin delving further underground once again, around 290 BC, 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. This fueled a great amount of technological advancement on the part of the Dwarves as well, and their newfound riches combined with discoveries in the field of Stonesoul Sorcery led to the creation of many of the Dwarven artifacts which drift around Ellador today. Through an increase in trade with other nations, the Dwarves were also exposed to foreign goods and luxuries for the first time, such as tea, [[Kaffee]], and chocolate. After a century of good fortune and economic success, the Tehl-Humm Hold, famous keep of the warriors, was so overfull that it permitted a caravan to depart and found the new hold of Frannam a short distance away. But in the experiment of Frannam, one of the fatal flaws of Dwarven society reared its ugly head.
As well as a first, middle, and last name, Dwarves also have a Hold Name from which they trace their ancestral lineage to. Each of the Hold Names is named after a Founder God, and are summarized below:
*Dwarves from Ølovhamm have the Hold Name Ølovhammin
*Dwarves from Ruin-Khuuramman have the Hold Name Ruin-Khuur
*Dwarves from Grebor have the Hold Name Greborrin
*Dwarves from Aldruin have the Hold Name Aldor


A Grudge-squabble broke out among the founding crews of Frannam, and soon devolved into an all-out civil war within the nascent hold. This crisis would only be resolved with significant outside mediation from Olovomm, and by the time it was complete, the Frannam Hold had split into the two neighboring holds of Hammum and [[Grebor]]. This marked the year 150 BC, where Dwarven prosperity was at its greatest height. The buildup of economic strength and military force continued until the Dwarves became proud enough of themselves to consider fighting the Drogon cultists nestled in their countryside once again, not from simply sheer malice, but because their consistent raids on Dwarven caravans and debauched displays of cruelty on captured Dwarven merchants had become too much to bear. But when the Altalar envoys were summoned, each one danced around the question of their aid, until eventually a Prince was called from Daen to give an explanation to the assembled Dwarven Hold-Kings. This Prince definitively told the Dwarves that no help from the Allorn Empire would be coming anytime soon, because the Allorn bureaucracy was on the verge of collapse and the nation had destroyed itself with infighting. The Kings were then presented with two options: either wait for the Altalar to recover their footing, or make the choice to begin the war without them. A stormy mood took them, and they gathered up the Prince and ejected him from Ellador to cries of traitorship and betrayal while mustering their armies to engage the Isldar alone. This is the origin point of the great Grudge between Dwarves and Elves, for while Dwarven enmity is limited to the Isldar alone, their disdain for all other Nelfin races springs from this hot-blooded disagreement with the Altalar over who was in the right.
==Religion==
Dwarves follow the Faith of the Founder Gods, or the Dogma of Duindin. This religion is focused only on the Dwarves, and the other Races are completely ignored in their religious beliefs. This does not bother the Dwarves, who at one time never knew other Races existed, as they believe that they only need to know what Duindin has revealed to them and anything else does not require them to focus too much effort on. As a result, Dwarves are very indifferent about the creation of Aloria or other Races, viewing other faiths as a means for non-Dwarves to find their way in the world. Most curious of all is that Dwarves do not fully deny the possibility of Duindin being a sub-diety to some other divine being, though accept that such a question does not need to be answered unless Duindin reveals it himself.


===Age of Tragedy===
According to the Dwarves, Duindin was the creator of the Dwarves, who took the materials of the earth and molded them into the shape of a Dwarf, before breathing life into them. In the beginning, the first Dwarves were completely helpless, as they lacked the understanding to survive in a subterranean environment. Having pity for his creation, Duindin chose to reveal himself to the Dwarves by taking on their form, instructing them whenever they met a hardship they could not overcome. As such, Duindin is known as a god that reincarnates into a mortal body every time the Dwarven people required his divine intervention, before dying and waiting for the next time he was needed. Each of Duindin’s incarnations is known as a Founder God, who created one of the Great Holds of Ellador. Below is a summary of each Founder God:
After further preparations, the Dwarves deemed themselves ready. They unleashed a new generation of technology and siege machinery on the Isldar, using immense trebuchets to flatten the walls of their strongholds and automated drills to bore into their Wyvern nests and slaughter the inhabitants. This Third Dragon War began in 114 BC with coordinated Dwarven attacks all across Ellador on the locations of known Isldar strongholds. For an unknown reason, this early offensive seems to have taken the Isldar by surprise. Archaeological remnants of the battle sites from this time period mostly tend to indicate a prepared army engaging partially armed civilians, with Nelfin bodies littered around the detritus of half-rotted crossbow bolts and snapped axe handles. Now it was the Dwarves’ turn for cruelty, the angered hold-soldiers using the bodies of Isldar and Wyverns alike in malignant displays of justafixion and mockery. Indeed, they even attempted to build flying machines out of the carcasses of slain Wyverns in what some have said were the precursor designs to modern [[Airships]], though there is very little similarity. By five years into the war, nearly all Wyverns on Ellador had been killed, and the war turned to a land war. This, the Dwarves excelled at. Step by step, Spire City by Spire City, their inventions, machinery, and superior infantry pushed the Isldar back across the Elladorian landscape, rolling them further north and away from the Dwarven population centers. But having overextended, they inadvertently provided the Isldar an opportunity to regroup, which was eagerly taken. By 100 BC, much like the Second Dragon War, this engagement had fallen into a stalemate. But it was not to be. Maneuvering by the chief of the Hold-Kings, the ruler of Olovomm, had brought several of the Dwarven armies together and slipped them past the harassing Isldar skirmishes who obstructed their supply lines. With this large a host, he could make a meaningful march on their largest remaining Spire City at Assalya. But an Isldarrin army blocked his path, and at a mountain called Udillin’s Foot, they met.


The Battle of Udillin’s Foot was a cataclysmic event for the Dwarves. At the beginning, the Dwarven artillery was so effective that it massacred everything the Violet Night Dragons sent against them at an outright alarming rate. The Drogonite forces would see entire formations lost in a matter of seconds when a Dwarven explosive barrage tore through them, a pivotal charge vanished in half a minute to the cacophonous thunder of shells meeting their mark. Even the Dragons themselves began to fall to the Dwarven artifice, special hide-piercing rounds and Allorn-advised harpoons ripping through the fragile underbellies of the flying Elders. Although Frisit herself entered the battle on the side of the Isldar, it was too late to save them. As she flew back and forth, destroying cannons and catapults, her brethren fell one by one. The triumphant Hold armies continued to advance further and further, and it looked to all in command that the field was about to be won for the greatest victory in the history of the Dwarven people. They were about to begin to celebrate, when Frisit, as the last Violet Night Dragon left alive, cast an immense spell. This spell worked in not only what power she had left in her, but the Soul Essence of the other Dragons slain during the battle, combining everything into one final bid to cast off the enemies of her Nelfin protectors and subjects. And cast them off, it did. Dwarven logistic reports indicate that the around 100,000 man strong Dwarven army present at Udillin’s foot was slaughtered to a man by the cold snap generated from Frisit’s spell, and not a single survivor limped home to tell the tale. Moreover, the once fertile and green Ellador was now bathed in snow and ice, its temperature having dropped so dramatically that it was impossible to grow food aboveground. So the Dwarves, noting that their great enemy seemed to be vanquished but reeling from the loss of what was practically their entire military population, retreated into their Holds and slammed the doors again, allowing the Isldar to be created and set up their initial fortifications without any obstacles.  
*'''Ølovhamm''' was the first time Duindin took on mortal form, and thus gave the Dwarves a physical representation to note for future incarnations. Ølovhamm taught the Dwarves how to survive in a subterranean environment by teaching them how to mine, build, farm, forage, and develop families. Together with his creation, Ølovhamm created the first Great Hold, with himself as High King. When he saw his creation succeed in surviving, Ølovhamm died, and Duindin returned to watch over the Dwarves from beyond.


In the 20 years following Udillin’s Foot, the Frannam Hold colonized the [[Aldruin]] Hold, further spreading the Dwarven populace. The Dwarves were not idle in these 20 years, nor the 20 years that followed, starting to construct means of transport and mining entirely underground, fearing a future surface-attack by the Isldar. This sort of comes to pass, as in 53 BC Isldar Mages cast a catastrophic spell that drops the temperature in the Olovomm Hold to minus two hundred degrees, wiping out nearly the entire hold populace in minutes. This has been interpreted as the Isldarrin response to eradicating their peoples and mocking Wyvern remains in their earlier conflicts. The surviving Dwarves were shocked and initiated a full lockdown, burying their Holds and the entrances in the mountains. A few clever Dwarven craftsmen begin constructing secretive passages only revealed under certain conditions in the mountains above their holds, and as such, few Dwarves are seen on the surface leading into the [[Cataclysm]]. It is worth noting that some Olovomm families survived these chaotic few decades, thanks to being on visit to other Holds, and with them were carried some information and relics from Olovomm, but these were few and far between.  
*'''Ruin-Kuuramman''' was the second time Duindin took on mortal form after he saw Ølovhamm Hold stagnate and grow overpopulated, causing strife among the Dwarves. Ruin-Khuuramman taught the Dwarves how to build a civilization, such as setting up government, bureaucracies, mathematics, schooling, and Clans. A second Great Hold was constructed with help from Ruin-Khuramman, creating the Dwarven Empire in the process. Communication networks were created between Ruin Kurhamman and Ølovhamm, and the Dwarves entered their golden age under the mountains of Ellador, where the Halls of the High King were lined with Gold and gems of all varieties, and technological advancements such as the creation of mining explosives were made. When he saw his creation succeed in empire-building, Ruin-Khuuramman died, and Duindin returned once more to watch the Dwarves from beyond.


===Age of Travel===
*'''Grebor''' was the third time Duindin took on mortal form, after a group of Dwarves tunneled to the surface of Ellador, and found an unknown wilderness waiting for them, alongside strange beings of notable height (which would later be revealed to be the Dregodarian Altalar). Grebor taught the Dwarves how to conduct diplomacy with strangers, how to trade with foreigners, and how to wage war against enemies. A third Great Hold was constructed with help from Grebor, which became the first Great Hold to have an entrance on the surface of Ellador, serving as a trading station, but also a vanguard outpost for the Dwarven military. Grebor was High King when the Allorn Empire first contacted the Dwarven Empire, and established good relations with the [[Nelfin]]. When he saw his creation succeed in establishing first contact, Grebor died, and Duindin returned once more to watch the Dwarves from beyond.
The Cataclysm, while hugely important to Aloria as a whole, is not noted so heavily by the Dwarves. It was not until 26 AC that the Skorr, digging deep and blissfully unaware of the Cataclysm above, dug into the Dakkar Under-Caverns. The Dakkar would soon unleash a crusade upon the Dwarves, and Skorr as a Hold was destroyed within the year. A few Skorri families fled to other Holds, and live on to this day, remembering the loss of their home, and dreaming of recovering the ruins of Skorr. A year later, in 27 AC, Fummd Hold lost contact with Skorr, destroyed by the Dakkar as well, but not before giving out a desperate warning to all other Dwarven Holds. Very, very few Fummd families survive into the present day, being absorbed into the Brollo population. Ostrey Hold fell in 76 AC to the Dakkar, a magmatic expanse flooding the upper and lower levels alike. However, the Ostrey population would escape and survive due to the construction of a great flotilla of steam-powered barges, coming to be known as the “Dredgefleet” and spawning the Dredger culture. This culture still sails and roves along the seas and coastlines of Ellador and the North, illegally stripmining as it goes.


For roughly a hundred years, the Dwarven people slowly dwindled down in population as they kept the Dakkar at bay, with those few Dwarves who departed the traditional Holds finding some small success. In 176 AC, Aethramm Hold was destroyed. Most of the population made its way to Ailor-settled lands in [[Hedryll]] and [[Kausis]], which forms the very first Human-Dwarven contact. The Ailor welcome the stout folk, but moreso out of a need to compensate for their lost manpower following the [[Vampire Wars]] than anything else. Two years later, Brollo Hold was destroyed by the Dakkar, though this time much of the population successfully escaped and builds a mighty fleet to sail south of Ellador. Bad maritime skills and plain old bad luck caused them to blow far off course from their intended target of [[Silbrae]], and land in [[Farah’deen]]. The entire Brollo population was quickly enslaved by the [[Songaskians]]. In 180 AC, the Tehl-Humm Hold, the legendary home of the most warlike clans, suddenly silenced all contact with the other Dwarven Holds. All the underground passages to Tehl-Humm were closed, and no contact from Tehl-Humm is heard of again. Assumed lost to the Dakkar, the other Holds carried on with their long war with the Dakkar, but none discovered the truth of this sudden silence. A few scant Tehl-Humm families are seen in Frannamar during the time of the disappearance and survive into the present day. In 190 AC, the Dwarves developed ground-powder technology, which severely hampered the efforts of the Dakkar. Ground-powder technology consists of depth charges designed to tunnel a certain distance and then explode, which became a great boon to possess when one’s primary enemy comes from below.An unknown Dwarven craftsman developed this technology and quickly disappeared from the Holds, but his work led to the Great Fiery Peace from 200-270 AC. The Dakkar ceased their crusades during this time, and an uneasy absent-peace followed that allowed the Dwarves to recover as a people. In 216 AC, during this peace, the Brollo families (as well as the surviving Skorr and Fummd peoples who fled their own destructions) were liberated by [[Qadir]] raiders. In several major Pearl Cities, high-profile raids on slave houses resulted in an agreement in Al-Alus and Mooriye. All underground works and land was given to the recently liberated Dwarves, in exchange for minerals and ore to be used in their clockwork studies, for free. While the Brollo, Skorr, and Fummd families that remained were hesitant, they ultimately agreed to the proposal, and founded the first Hold outside of Ellador; Konrak-Al, just under the surface of Al-Alus. These peoples would shift to become the Saendr Dwarves, but uphold Skorr, Brollo, and Fummd names as a means to pay homage to their lost holds. Within this Hold, the Dwarves know relative peace, though are halted from any growth or expansion by their commitments to the Qadir above them.
*'''Aldruin''' was the fourth and last time Duindin has taken on mortal form, after two notable events destroyed the Dwarven Empire. First, the [[Battle of Udillin’s Foot]] plunged the surface of Ellador into a frozen hellscape, cutting off the Dwarven Empire from contact with the outside world, alongside a hostile Isldar force on their doorstep. Secondly, and more damning, the Dwarves of Ølovhamm Hold dug too deep in pursuit of riches and unleashed the Dakkar. Within months, Ølovhamm was overrun and the Dwarven population eradicated, with Ruin-Khuuramman soon to fall, signaling the end of the Dwarven Empire. Aldruin taught the Dwarves to persevere, and to venture out into wider Aloria in order to prevent the fall of Duindin’s creation. Aldruin as such is the Founder God of the Dwarven Diaspora, which saw large communities of Dwarves spread out around Aloria, settling into new settlements and serving under the local states as master craftsmen. Aldruin also taught the Dwarves to find hope even in the most desperate hour, and that they know all they need to weather the storm. Aldruin aided in the construction of the fourth Great Hold, which replaced Grebor as the communication line between the Dwarven remnants and the Diaspora across Aloria. When he received word that the first settlements of the Diaspora has been established, Aldruin went to Ruin-Khuuramman to wage war against the Dakkar, where he died in combat against an innumerable host of Dakkar, and Duindin returned once more to watch the Dwarves from beyond.


In 271 AC, the Hammum were suddenly struck by an underground volcanic eruption. Much of the Hold City was destroyed, but a few families flee to Aldruin and Grebor. This is the last Dwarven Hold that is destroyed, with Aldruin, Grebor, and Konrak-Al remaining more or less whole. About a decade later in 280 AC, the Aldruin Hold, being the weakest and least militarized of the Dwarven Holds, has internal strife and panic. A sizable portion of the Aldruin Dwarves, known thereafter as the “Leavers” to all other Dwarves, eventually become the Aldor Dwarves (mixed with Ailor) who live in Ailor societies and adopt Ailor cultures. Those few that remain in Aldruin are the Ruin-Khuur, who open the doors of Aldruin and become a major trade hub in the area between the Dwarves, [[Humans]], and other [[North Belt]] kingdoms. Humans would come to settle in their Hold as well, being the first known Humans to do so, but the Ruin-Khuur remain genealogically separate through strict anti-racial mixing laws. Still, these Ruin-Khuur resin relatively open minded and progressive Dwarves, with the “Leavers” or “Aldor”, becoming far more similar to tiny Ailor. The panic in Aldruin turns out to be unwarranted, as Grebor would come to take the brunt of the Dakkar assault.  
Like [[Unionism]], Dwarves can pray to Duindin directly or through one of his Founder God incarnations. As the Founder Gods represent aspects found in everyday life, they are often prayed to the most and are often the patron deity of a certain trade (Ølovhamm for farmers and miners, Ruin-Khuuramman for teachers and scribes, Grebor for soldiers and diplomats, and Aldruin for sailors and doctors, to name a few associations). Prayers to Duindin or the Founder Gods are often a more personal experience, except for one communal show of worship which takes place during the night of a New Moon. During this time, Dwarves will come together to offer up some of their belongings to a massive open fire pit, while chanting the Song of Duindin. It is believed that these offerings are given directly to Dundin, who will distribute them to the Dwarves who exist in the afterlife.


In 290 AC, Grebor successfully deployed a Deep-Set-Siege tactic, wherein they end up blowing open massive caverns around their hold. This was done to both clear causeways of magma from which Dakkar attacks could be seen hundreds of yards away, but also to become a more easily defensible Hold. Grebor would become the final stand of the Dwarves, and they successfully repelled a final assault from the Dakkar in early 291 AC, in what would be known as the “Battle of the Khaldor-Bridge”, so called for the final defense of the Khaldor Bridge, which saw King Regorn of Grebor Hold slay 20 Dakkar single handedly, causing the eventual collapse of the Dakkar forces. The Dwarves of Grebor feared a counter-attack, but a sudden disease spread among the Dakkar that solidified the Dakkar to stone on the surface. King Regorn would allow a few [[Allar]] chemists into his hold to use the disease on the Dakkar armies, which was staggeringly successful. The Dakkar were ultimately decimated and retreated deep down, never to be seen again. The Greborrin peoples became less racist and unwelcoming after this victory, but were still highly suspicious of all outsiders. They remain war-like and have a particular hatred for Isldar, ever fearing another attack from the north.
In regards to death and the afterlife, Dwarves believe that when they die, their spirits travel to the Halls of Duindin, where they are reunited with all the Dwarves that have ever died, alongside Duindin in his full glory as High King of the Eternal Hold. The offerings given during the New Moon are used to provide the dead with the resources needed to thrive in the afterlife, such as hammers to work in the Halls of Duindin, or food to hold great feasts for all Dwarven-kind.


In 305 AC, that fear was realized as the Isldar of the North declared open war on the Dwarves and laid siege to Grebor. They declared that Ellador belonged to them alone, and the Dwarves responded quickly and harshly. In contrast to the defensive war they fought against the Dakkar, they threw themselves upon the Isldar in a desperate attempt to not lose what few Holds they had left. The Dwarven population lost nearly half of their fighting force in the war, many dragged off to the Spire Cities of their old foes in chains. Grebor maintains contact with Aldruin through a silver-spun bridge across the magma caverns deep below Ellador’s surface, allowing some Greborrin to leave the Hold and reach out to the world. Many such Dwarves made for the [[Regalian Empire]], attempting to petition for aid against the Isldar. More recently, the Isldar have begun to occupy the Human colonies in Ellador, but there has been little lasting interest from [[Regalia]] to aid the Greborrin or the Human colonies. The Greborrin have since reluctantly settled in Regalia along with the Aldor and the Ruin-Khuur traders that already live there, in the hopes of eventually convincing the [[Regalian Government]] to help Grebor. This effort has seen little success over the past few years, but hope remains that the Empire will step in to lift the siege of Grebor and return some semblance of peace to the Dwarven peoples.
The Dwarves also have a prophecy that describes what happens when every Dwarf in Aloria dies off and the Race goes extinct. When the final Dwarf enters the Halls of Duindin, all the Dwarves will return once more to Aloria, where they shall defeat all who have ever made an enemy against the Dwarven Race, before establishing the Eternal Hold under Ellador, where all Alorians shall find a realm which has never occurred before. Due to this prophecy, the Dwarves are not as worried about recovering the fallen Holds of Ølovhomm and Ruin-Khuuramman, as Duindin will eventually re-establish them upon the return of the Dwarves. However, Dwarves also believe that continuing these efforts helps buy time for their ancestors in the afterlife, as more offerings are able to be delivered during the New Moon, as well as allowing more Dwarves to be born and die, in order to increase their numbers for the final conquest.


==Society==
==Families==
Dwarves model their societies and personal identities in three forms. The Family is the primary form for a Dwarf, and what they base all other decisions and duties upon. 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 reside 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 the peoples have been going through. Beneath the Patriarch, Dwarven society is split based upon working occupation and skill more than anything else, nearly functioning off a well-behaved meritocracy. The most skilled of the Blacksmiths is recognized by the Family, with very few disputes of 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 Aldor or Greborrin. They acknowledge their home hold in this way, and so the idea of Hold and Family can be both distinct and one in the same for a Dwarven family, depending on where they find themselves. Finally comes the Dwarves’ tertiary form, that of the Culture. This is more greatly expanded upon in the Culture section, but in brief each Dwarf has particular mental and physical attributes that are molded by their Culture, and to a lesser extent their Family and Hold history.  
===Childhood===
===Grudges===
Dwarven childhood is fairly comparable to other Races such as the Ailor, with children growing up in a nuclear household of two parents and a few siblings. For the first few years of life, Dwarves often stay at home where they play with handcrafted toys and help around the house with chores to build up working skills. Around the age of 10, Dwarves enter into schooling, where they focus on learning fundamental skills, with a strong focus on mathematics. It is said that Dwarves are some of the greatest mathematical minds in all of Aloria, with many other societies hiring a few Dwarves to handle the keeping of numerical records, or to double check the results of their non-Dwarf co-workers. Following their education at age 20, Dwarves tend to enter apprenticeships with whatever trade they desire to pursue in their life, which they do for another decade.
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 the phenomenon 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 physically 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 on the communal or racial level. At present, the only Races the Dwarves hold a Grudge against are the Isldar, and to a lesser extent, the Altalar. The Isldar for their status as their hated enemies, to be denied refuge and treated with hostility at every turn, and the Altalar as partially responsible for their demise, to be mocked and debated on the qualities of their ancestors (a concept the equally lineage-obsessed Altalar take very seriously) without end. The Grudge against the Isldar is called the Zarak Khazal, the Lieless Oath, and is one that can never be resolved under any circumstances.
 
===Adulthood===
Dwarven adulthood revolves around contributing to Dwarven society as a whole, both in the defense of the remaining two Great Holds, but also in supporting the Dwarven Diaspora across wider Aloria. Dwarves live about twice as long as Ailor, which has allowed various Dwarven Clans to become well-known across several generations, thus making their reputation well-known in the areas they populate. As a result, many industrial areas across Aloria have notable Dwarven populations which ensure the continued operations of machinery, content in using their race’s abilities to benefit civilizations.


Grudging is a phenomenon which stretches beyond the individual. 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, but those who trifle with the livelihood of one of the Stout Folk would do well to tread with caution. For next 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 which 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 be more than unlikely to admit. Despite being a destructive force which inherently handicaps the advancement of Dwarven society at its base, Grudging is also an unparalleled driving power which allows Dwarves to commit themselves to a goal with absolute certainty and have no doubt in the faith and conviction of their comrades.
===Romance & Gender Norms===
Dwarves are considered to be committed lovers in relationships, as to be with another in Dwarven society is considered a sign of deep commitment and one which is not easily forgotten. Due to this emphasis on commitment, Dwarves are often hesitant to enter relationships until they get to know the other person, not wishing to commit to something which may not work out in the end. However, if two Dwarves do eventually end up together, their bond is one of the closest and most caring of any in Aloria, as Dwarves will go out of their way to ensure that their partner is provided for. In terms of gender norms, Dwarven society is egalitarian, believing that every Dwarf, regardless of gender identity, has the means to contribute to society. While Dwarves still recognize biological sense, and many Dwarves still identify as male or female, there is no societal pressure for Dwarves to accept a gender binary, and are free to live their lives as they wish. Ultimately, Dwarven society is focused on strengthening the whole of society, and causing grief to others based on their identity runs contrary to such goals.


===Slang===
==Politics==
Another fact shared between Dwarves is their tendency to use Hold Slang in place of Common words when it suits them, they want to be particularly obtuse, or 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 one 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.
Despite the collapse of the Dwarven Empire, the political hierarchy of the Dwarves has remained practically the same. At the top of society are the High Kings of Grebor and Aldruin, who are elected by the Holds upon the previous ruler’s death. The High Kings are responsible for cross-Hold communication and receiving word from the Diaspora communities abroad. Below the High Kings are various bureaucratic and administrative offices, all held by the most competent of Dwarves in society. Due to their emphasis on meritocracy and importance on aiding their fellow Dwarves, the concept of nobility is hard to grasp in Dwarven society. Even the Clan leaders who oversee various families in a Clan are not considered higher than anyone else, and mostly exist as a representative for the Clan as a whole, rather than its leader.


===Economy===
Outside of the Holds, the Dwarven Diaspora still acknowledges the importance of the High Kings, though most day-to-day politics are run by the Clan leaders, who often form small councils in the Diaspora communities to ensure the wellbeing of the Dwarves. These councils interface with the local governments to obtain contracts for mining or construction projects, providing aid to the Great Holds, or any other assortment of interfacing between the Dwarves and others.
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 craftsman being able of metal and stonework that rivals the finest Altalarrin works. Dwarven artifacts and treasures are eagerly sought after by adventurous sorts, and the metal-work 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 a 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 their 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. When dealing with a 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===
In all foreign diplomacy, however, Dwarves tend to be seen as incredibly self-centered and unwilling to compromise. While initially, the Dwarves were far warmer in the negotiations with foreign powers, the betrayals by the Allorn Empire and the immense destruction inflicted by the Isldar has made Dwarves far more suspicious of open gestures of goodwill. This doesn’t mean that Dwarves are unwilling to enter negotiations with others; they just assume that they will be betrayed again, and so keep their cards close at hand until they can truly trust others.
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 which dictates Dwarven fighting styles: “The hammer is for the front of the knee, the axe is for the back.” They prefer to form large shieldwalls and attack the lower bodies of their often far taller and lankier opponents rather than separate and try to fight alone. As well, the height of a Dwarf is deceptive when it comes to their strength: they have the muscle mass of an Ailor despite being rather short, and pack quite a bit of heft behind their blows.


All Dwarves who serve in the militaries of the Holds are trained in the usage of a shield, oftentimes a large round shield with a bossed center. Besides this, there is the choice of a main weapon, oftentimes either a halberd or other kind of polearm for longer-range combat or an axe for shorter-range combat. The favored weapon of Dwarven self-styled heroes and generals is, however, 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 technology which 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.
===Grudges===
One of the most notable concepts of Dwarven politics to outsiders is the concept of the Grudge. Grudges can be compared to blood feuds, where a Dwarf will write down the name of someone who has immensely wronged them and then seek to avenge that wrong at a later point in time. Grudges are often held on an individual level, but it is possible for a Grudge to be shared by an entire Clan, or even the entire Race. This last instance is known as an Eternal Grudge, and it has only been declared twice in history: once against the Isldar, and the second against the Altalar. The Eternal Grudge against the Isldar was declared after the Battle of Udillin’s Foot when Elador froze over. Dwarves blame the Isldar for destroying their people’s way of life, and avenge the grudge by treating the Isldar as perpetual enemies by denying them respite whenever they encounter them and engaging in violent acts against Isldar businesses and communities wherever they are found. The Eternal Grudge against the Altalar is less severe, but is still shared among all Dwarves. As the Allorn Empire failed to assist the Dwarves against their war against the Dregodarians when it mattered most, the Dwarves believe that the ancestors of the Altalar deserve to be belittled and insured, something which never fails to irritate the lineage-obsessed Altalar.


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


Further Dwarven abilities are determined by their culture. Abilities are determined by Hold and Culture and allows for mixing with different end results. A Culture Ability is determined at birth, and is dependent on the family’s culture (An Olovomm survivor family would start with their Olovom Culture ability, and then choose a Hold Ability depending on where they settle). This factors in for Dwarven Families being so dispersed that you could, for example, find Olovomm survivor families and Skorri in both Aldruin and Qadir lands. An Olovomm survivor family would retain their Olovomm Culture Ability (Soulwarding Shield), but if they settled in Aldruin or grew close to Aldruin dwarves, their Hold ability may change to the Aldruin Hold Ability (Zeal by Adoption). Dwarves start with a Culture Ability that is set and cannot be changed from birth, while the Hold Ability can be changed, at most, once per month.
==Fashion==
Dwarven fashion is often based on the environment they find themselves in, with flowing fabrics being worn in warmer areas such as Farah'deen, while pelts and thick tunics are worn in the Holds of Ellador. Regardless of climate, jewelry and decoration play a notable role in Dwarven fashion. Of special pride to the Dwarves are their ornately worked belts, often engraved with detailed metal embellishments meant to detail the achievements of the wearer’s ancestors and the symbolism of their lineage. Beard decorations are also a popular practice for men, who are known to grow their facial hair long in order to stylize it in various patterns with rings clasping the hair together. Other jewelry features necklaces, bracelets, and rings made of precious metals, with gemstones finishing off the look. Dwarves believe that these precious metals and stones are of immense importance to Duindin, and so make efforts to collect as much jewelry as possible, in order to offer it as an offering during the monthly ritual of the New Moon. This is where the stereotype of Dwarves being greedy comes from, as many outsiders just believe that the Dwarves are trying to hoard Aloria’s treasures from everyone else, without knowing the religious implications behind it (or even that said treasure is to be destroyed by fire).


{| class="wikitable"
==World View==
|- style="font-weight:bold; text-align:center; background-color:#efefef;"
World View is optional content that helps give Dwarves flavor and depth.
| Hold Abilities
*Dwarves are approving of [[Magic]], but mostly in a mundane, assisting role. For example, a Dwarven Fire-Mage is helpful for igniting the forges of a smithy or starting a boiler, but the internal heating systems found in Dwarven homes are completely mechanical in nature.
| Type
*Dwarves are extremely supportive of [[Engineering]], especially Steamtech, which they invented. Many modern inventions found in the [[Regalian Empire]], such as [[Airships]] and internal heating, were first invented by the Dwarves and have only recently been introduced to the Empire in recent decades.
| Range
*Dwarves have also contributed to the Regalian Military by improving cannon technology and siege architecture.
| Description
*Dwarves are mostly against slavery, as they are well aware that their own Race has been taken away by the Isldar to do harsh labor. Dwarves often go out of their way to liberate a Dwarf in slavery, even if it means the death of both the liberators and the slave, as the Dwarves believe that it is better to die free than in chains. However, this sympathy is not given to either Isldar or Altalar, who the Dwarves are likely to turn their backs on due to the Eternal Grudges against both of them.
|-
*Dwarven warfare often involved heavily armored infantry equipped with heavy warhammers and axes. Their weapons are often seen as clunky and unwieldy by other Races, due to the fact that they are often sized to the Dwarf in question, and usually heavier than their larger counterparts used by other Races.
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2; width:10%;"  | Soulwarding Shield (Olovomm Culture)
*Dwarves are heavily against Dragons and anything Dragon-related. It is not uncommon for a Dwarf to destroy the windows of a local Dragon Temple or attack those who are affiliated with the Dragons.
| Mobile Channel
*Dwarves are against [[Mutations]] and [[Afflictions]], especially [[Vampirism]], given that the Great Holds are close to the [[Dorkarthi Desprinces]] in Ellador.
| Self
*Dwarves have a strong drinking culture, and often gather at taverns or pubs to celebrate the most arbitrary of occasions. It is said that Dwarves make the best drinking buddies, and are always eager to hear about the most mundane events over a mug of alcohol.
| The Dwarf, if standing on solid stone, may summon a small dome shield formed around them and two other people within a 1 block radius of them that makes them completely immune to physical mundane Melee Attacks and Default Arrow Attacks from outside of the shield. Any of these attacks bounce of the shield. The Dwarf can maintain this defensive shield indefinitely as long as they can keep their hands pressed to the stone, and cannot utilize any other Abilities or take any other actions. Anyone can enter or leave the shield, and it will not protect them from the inside.
*Dwarven artwork is strongly linked to stonework and craftsmanship in tools and jewelry. While paintings are uncommon, Dwarven walls inside the Great Holds have ornately carved images on the walls with gems and metals adding color to them, with runic messages chiseled underneath to tell the story of whatever artwork is presented.
|-
*Dwarves are very fond of stews, as they are great for communal dining and utilizing ingredients which can grow in subterranean environments, such as mushrooms.
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2; width:10%;"  | Arcane Enmity (Olovomm Hold)
| Racial Spell
| Emote Distance
| The Dwarf may target one person per day as their Skaal. When within Emote Distance of the Skaal, the Dwarf may Transmute any Sorcery Spell or Magic Spell cast on that person to themselves. The Skaal will be unharmed, and any effects of the Spell will harm the Dwarf instead. Any physically damaging effects of the Spells are halved on the Dwarf, while any other aspects function as-is. This has no effect on Area of Effect Abilities.
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2; width:10%;"  | Peerless Pathfinding (Skorr Culture)
| Racial Spell
| Self
| May always retain their sense of direction while underground or in a building, having a perpetual sense of the quickest way to the exit, even if they were blindfolded in it. They can also determine where they are in Regalia at all times.  
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2; width:10%;"  | Rock Companion (Skorr Hold)
| Racial Spell
| Self
| Followers of Skorr have a pet rock familiar, being a small, non-flying creature made of pebbles and rocks. The familiar can be collapsed into dust and given basic directions on verbal command and reformed if destroyed, though the reformation process takes a day. The familiar can only follow extremely simple verbal instructions, and cannot harm or interfere with others in an aggressive or combative function
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2; width:10%;"  | Iron Roots (Ostrey Culture)
| Racial Passive
| Self
| The Dwarf is Immune to Knock-Down, Knock-Back, or any Displacement Abilities that would shove or push them away.
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2; width:10%;"  | Grand Lifting (Ostrey Hold)
| Racial Spell
| Direct Touch
| The Dwarf can lift any object, even up to 2 tons in a vertical motion, but cannot throw them. This could be anything from holding up a collapsing mine-tunnel or lifting a bar from a person who was pinned underneath one.
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2; width:10%;"  | Draconic Enmity (Tehl-Humm Culture)
| Racial Spell
| Emote Distance
| When a Primal Power is cast within in Emote distance of the Dwarf, once per day, they can choose to Cancel it and prevent that power from being cast again for 1 minute.
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2; width:10%;"  | Grand Resilience (Tehl-Humm Hold)
| Racial Passive
| Self
| The Dwarf is Immune to Control Powers and Target Curses (cannot even perceive them).
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2; width:10%;"  | Sparklight Torch (Aethramm Culture)
| Racial Spell
| Direct Touch
| The Dwarf can conjure torch sparks in their hand which shines through Mundane and Ability-Created Darkness. These sparks additionally sooth painful wounds when held near them, but not heal them.
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2; width:10%;"  | Guiding Light (Aethramm Hold)
| Racial Spell
| Emote Distance
| The Dwarf is incapable of contracting or being infected or changing into any type of Affliction (including but not limited to Vampirism, Werebeastism, Witchblood, Dragon Wardens etc.). Additionally, the Dwarf can temporarily restore the Mentality of a person within Emote Distance if that Person is afflicted with a Mind-Altering Affliction (Such as Vampirism, Werebeastism, Etc.) This only lasts for as long as the Dwarf is within Emote Distance of the Person, and is telegraphed by a faint glowing light around the Dwarf and the Target.
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2; width:10%;"  | Stonesoul (Aldruin Culture)
| Racial Passive
| Self
| The Dwarf gains a Ghostly-Bird Companion, which can be a Falcon, Hawk or Eagle of their choice (though possibly any reasonably and similarly sized predator bird). This Bird appears to be made of translucent ghostly substance, with stone-etched glowing runes on it. This Bird cannot be harmed or captured, and if at risk, will flee the scene and return to the Dwarf when it is safe. The Bird is capable of minor aesthetics for the Dwarf, such as sitting in their hand when feeding or playing. The Bird must always remain within the same street of its owner. Through the usage of their bird, the Dwarf gains +5 Perception through their bird communicating things to them. (The bird's communication is purely aesthetic, the character cannot perceive things only the bird can see).
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2; width:10%;"  | Stoneblooded (Brollo Hold)
| Racial Passive
| Self
| The Dwarf can learn up to 1 Sorcery Level (or 3 Whimsy Spells) for free. These do not cost Proficiency Points, but do obey limitations on Sorcery Caps and Sorcery Schools. If the Dwarf is also a Ritualist, Sorcery Levels gained from this Racial do not count for the normal limitations on Ritualism when combined with Sorcery. (Any further Sorcery Levels gained will remove this, however.) For example, if some Mutation or Affliction does not allow Sorcery learning, this Racial Passive is disabled.
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2; width:10%;"  | Grand Sensory (Fummd Culture)
| Racial Spell
| Direct Touch
| The Dwarf can Smell any metal for instant accurate identification. Additionally, the Dwarf has an exceptional eye for Metal Armor, and can know where to strike at its weak points. Once per day, the Dwarf can strike at a single piece of armor (for example an arm-guard or bracer, or a helmet, or cuirass) and render it useless. It remains attached to the body in a broken state, but no longer provides protection against further attacks. This Ability does not work on Artifacts, but can work on Ability Armor. If such Ability Armor has some form of “disappears after 3 hits”, or some similar conditional durability, it is instead instantly destroyed, if it does not have conditional durability, it responds like normal armor.
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2; width:10%;"  | Grand Metalworks (Fummd Hold)
| Racial Spell
| Emote Distance
| The Dwarf can assist someone else in a Metallurgy Science related creation, giving them +5 Proficiency while creating the object, which can exceed the Proficiency Cap. This Ability can only be used once for any singular creation, even with Multiple Dwarves.
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2; width:10%;"  | Workshine (Frannam Culture)
| Racial Spell
| Direct Touch
| Can rub metal dustings on crafted objects like furniture or woodwork, which then turns that rubbed metal dustings to gold flake, silver flake or patina flake for decorative purposes. They can also put these metal dustings on weapons or armor for aesthetics, but this carries no functional value.
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2; width:10%;"  | Stonevoice (Frannam Hold)
| Racial Spell
| Direct Touch
| The Dwarf an Stone-Sing to any hand-held stone, infusing it with messages just like written letters, requiring them to be held in hand to playback in one’s mind. The Dwarf can create an infinite number of stones this way, but the Stone cannot contain more than a "page's" worth of information (or three full In-Game Emotes).
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2; width:10%;"  | Implacable Constitution (Grebor Culture)
| Racial Passive
| Self
| The Dwarf is unaffected by gasses or other noxious aerial substances including alchemy and smoke.
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2; width:10%;"  | Brotherly Arms (Grebor Hold)
| Racial Passive
| Direct Touch
| The Dwarf gains +5 Shielding while standing shoulder to shoulder with another Grebor and holding up a shield (they must also be holding up a shield). Stacks indefinitely up to a cap of 30 Shielding (including native Shielding Stat).
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2; width:10%;"  | Call to Arms (Hammum Culture)
| Racial Spell
| Announce Emote Distance
| The Dwarf can blow the Hammum Horn, an Announce Emote Distance (60 blocks) sounding horn that calls the Dwarves to battle to where the Hammum has blown the horn. Only Dwarves can interpret where the sound came from.
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2; width:10%;"  | Grand Instrumentalism (Hammum Hold)
| Racial Spell
| Direct Touch
| The Dwarf can craft Steam-powered Play-boxes that make music, or play a specific instrument, and then play an orchestra or a band as a solo performer with play-boxes. The quality of the sound is determined by the Dwarf's Proficiency from any [[Muscial Skill Category]], but the proficiencies are interchangeable with the Play-Boxes. (For Example, if a Dwarf with 10 Proficency in Woodwind Instrument makes a Play-Box with Brass Instrument, that Brass Instrument Box will play with 10 Proficiency.)
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2; width:10%;"  | Fool’s Gold (Aldruin Culture)
| Object Illusion
| Direct Touch
| The Dwarf can touch a pebble and cast this Object Illusion onto it, making the pebble appear as a Gold Coin or Regal. They can only create a handful of these at a time, but hold up to even physical inspection. This illusion lasts for a day before fading.
|-
| style="background-color:#dcd5f2; width:10%;"  | Zeal by Adoption (Aldruin Hold)
| Racial Passive
| Self
| If the Dwarf is staunchly Unionist, they gainaccess to the Primal Sorcery School of [[Union Blessings]]. The Dwarf gains additional Constant Passives from Union Blessings, even if they do not spend Proficiency to acquire Spells. Aldruin Hold Dwarves with this Ability are exclusively Unionist in belief, and believe wholeheartedly in the Spirit and the Creeds. They cannot be swayed from their faith or be converted, and will hold onto their belief in the Spirit and the Emperor until their dying breath.
|}


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

Revision as of 00:01, 5 May 2022

Dwarf
Dwarfsplash.png
Race
Pronunciation Dwoh-rf
Classification Human
Common Nicknames
  • Stout Folk (endearing)
  • Fallen Folk (derogatory)
  • Forge Fathers (praising)
Languages Common, Dwarvish
Naming Customs Old Norse
Racial Traits
Distinctions Stout, mountain-dwelling people who show unerring perseverance and skill with crafting
Maximum Age 200 years
Eye Colors brown, gray, green, and blue.
Hair Colors Blond, brown, black, red, and (when older) gray or white.
Skin Tones

Skin1.png

Skin2.png

Skin4.png

Skin3.png

Origins

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

Core Identity

Introduction

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

Clans

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

Design

Mental Characteristics

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

Physical Characteristics

The stocky appearance of Dwarves gives them a reputation of hardiness and strength.

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

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

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

Racial Abilities & Specials

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

Abilities

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

Dwarf Modifier

Control Immune Constant Passive Self Grants the user Control Immune

Dwarf Modifier

Specials

Masters of the Anvil

Dwarves have a natural and cultural inclination towards metals and are the undisputed masters of the forge. All Dwarves may choose one Crafting Point Buy Pack for free without Proficiency Point investment. Additionally, a Dwarf can identify by sight and touch alone what metals an object is made of, even if it is just small engravings or plating, and even without that Point Buy Pack.

Unparalleled Quality

Crafting and the material arts are generational and communal for Dwarves, with each family having tips and tricks of the trade that they pass down and share. Dwarves are usually perpetually honing their craft, and skills, eager to learn and improve from others to make it better, and then some past that. Anything a Dwarf makes with Metallurgy will always be of a higher quality. Weapons and Armor are more resistant to natural degradation, sharper, and more expertly crafted. In addition, nothing a Dwarf makes is ever truly broken, as long as it was made by their hands and returned to them for repairs.

Utilitarian Handiness

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

Natural Affinity

The Dwarven Race is naturally resistant to unwanted Planar infection, being an exceptionally hardy peoples. While the Dwarf is not Aberrant or Occult, they are completely Immune to Blood Sickness, Soul Sickness, or any Sickness inflicted from failed affliction infection. If the Dwarf is an Aberrant or Occult instead, they gain no bonus from this Special at all.

Unbroken Kinship

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

Language

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

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

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

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

Religion

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

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

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

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

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

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

Families

Childhood

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

Adulthood

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

Romance & Gender Norms

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

Politics

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

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

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

Grudges

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

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

Fashion

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

World View

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

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

Trivia

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