Dwarf
- Tempur: The creator of dwarves and the god of stone, ore and the mountains. Tempur is not a god you pray to and expect to get something from. He is often depicted as an very large dwarf with four hands. One pair working with a pick axe and one pair working with a hammer. Or a pick axe and a hammer crossed over each other.
- Brimbut: The god of the axe, ale and war.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Dwarves are a humanoid species and in many ways they look just likes humans but much shorter and broader and with good propotions in every limb. Their skeleton structures have a higher density than humans which makes them broader and more robust build, and the bones are less viable to be broken.
Biological Traits
In comparisation with humans dwarves are short. The average is around 125 centimeters. Dwarves are broad and bulky built giving an apparence of being well founded on the ground.
Genetics and Reproduction
They are unable to breed with any other known species, but otherwise they functions as humans. There are no known half dwarves.
Growth Rate & Stages
Dwarves go through the same growth faces as humans but they take far longer to go through them. A dwarf is considered as an adult when they reach 40 years of age ,and old when they reach 300 years. Most dwarves are dead before they reach 400 years.
Ecology and Habitats
The dwarves have for as long the documented history knows made their homes within the mountains. Their homes are underground cities which are well build and very functional.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Dwarves have the same dietary needs as humans, but have a preference for mushrooms over vegetables. Most of them enjoys meat over everything else, but they seldom use spices.
Biological Cycle
Just as a human they get wrinkles and the hair start to grey when they grow old.
Behaviour
Dwarves have a hard time adapting to the concept of day and night, which is prevailant above ground. As they can see in the dark they prefer to keep the schedule they have beneath ground. Sleep eight hours, work four hours, rest one hour, work four hours, rest one hour, work four hours, go to sleep. They often consider daywalkers to be undisciplined.
Although they like to do stuff, they fully believe planning and making plans is taking action. As such they can spend more times making plans and back up plans than are actually doing the thing.
Additional Information
Social Structure
The dwarven species most commonly live in societies which can be considered absolute monarchies but without the feudal structure, common in human cultures. Each King or Queen rules a large and often very old dwarven city. In proximity to each city there might be some outposts connected to the city, led by a laird whom answers to the king. These outposts are connected to their kingdom with sturdy built dwarven roads, who most commonly are above ground. But for some very old outposts there have been time enough to build well fortified roads beneath the ground.
Within each city there are strict social structures where everyone is born into a cast or guild. If it turns out during the upbringing and education that a dwarf shows talent for another cast or guild than the one he/she was born into, he/she will be transfered into it. When it happens it is considered a very honourable thing and it makes his or hers family very proud.
Dwarves are very socials creature whom likes to have many around them. They do not necessarily like to communicate with each other, but being alone is very discomforting for a dwarf. They also like hustle and bustle around them, the sound of hammers on anvils, and the sound of people talking and walking. Dwarves seldom likes being out in the wilderness as it is to silent and serene for their tastes.
Facial characteristics
Broad faces with distiguished features. The nose is most commonly larger than humans making it an easy recognicial part of a dwarf. Males usually wear full beards, which are a source of pride for them.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Dwarves make their homes in mountain ranges all over Ereb Altor
Average Intelligence
The dwarven species intellegence is within the same range as humans.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
The sensory perception of dwarves are within the same range as humans, with the exceptions of dwarves having the ability to see in darkness. In total darkness they can see about as far as a human does with a torch.
A set back is that a dwarf who spends time above ground needs to get used to daylight. It takes some time for them, at least a few days, until the eyes stops hurting when the sun is out. There are no mountain born dwarves who have ever learned to enjoys a clear sunny day, even after hundreds of years their eyes will be irritated by the clear skies. A trait which can explain why they are considered grumpy by the other surface dwelling species.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Male:
- Goron
- Boffur
- Balin
Major Organizations
The oldest kingdoms in the Grynner mountains are called "Deep kingdoms" as they run very, very deep beneath the mountains. The dwarves would never admit it, but even they do not know how deep they go or what is to be found down there in the depth. The Deep kingdoms are considered to be the original kingdoms established long before the surfacing.
Beauty Ideals
As gold and silver are common within the dwarven cities, they are very common as jewellery for dwarves. A dwarf dressed up would be considered very tacky in most human societies.
Braid and beads in the hair and beard are considered a sign of beauty.
Gender Ideals
There are no gender ideals, rather extreme pragmatism. You do what you excel in, damned what you got between your legs.
Courtship Ideals
The courtship ideals of the dwarves would hardly be considered a courtship within other cultures. It is very down to earth and pragmatic. If two people truly believes that they can endure a long life together they might decide to do so and move in together. There are tales of true love between couples but the most common is respect and loyalty. A common saying is, "love is for elves."
Relationship Ideals
Husband and wife and as many kids as possible. Due to the low birthrate, having more than two children is a reason for celebration within the guild and a pride for the parents.
Average Technological Level
Generally considered to be the most advanced race within technology.
A recent development of the kiln for ore melting is to bind a salamander within it. As such there is no need for coal. There are a few of the newer kingdoms whom are trying it, but most older and more traditional kingdoms scoff at the idea of having magic doing a dwarfs job. Shuffeling coal is a good job for dwarven youngling.
Common Etiquette Rules
Dwarves are very bound by tradition and within their society a dwarf know where he or she stand. Those who are beneath shows great respect to those above them and would probably never disagree with them. Asking questions to better understand their wisdom is okey, while asking questions to disprove their wisdom is an affront.
Common Dress Code
The work- or everyday clothing is robust and very well made. It is often extremely practical, and pockets and pouches are very common. It is a bit of pride to have many pockets filled with useful things.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
- Solidarity within the kingdom and to extention the race
- Stubbornes and lack of flexibility
- worcoholic
- Preserverence and endurance
- Stability
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
The city and its leadership should be strong and the people should obey.
Although there is a rigid cast and guildsystem within each city every dwarve are part of the militia. They train at least once every month. As a part of their growing to age ceremony they are granted a chainmail, helmet, axe, shield and crossbow from their extended family.
Common Taboos
Trying to decieve or blantantly lie to a dwarf from the same kingdom as yours is the ultimate taboo. You stay honest and stand by your word.
History
According to their own history texts the dwarves have always lived beneath the Grynner mountain and had developed several kingdoms by the time they broke through to the surface. According to dwarven historians they were actually aware of a world outside the mountains, as the goblins and orcs they fought were using wood and the prisoners told the dwarves about the outside world. After consultation between the most important kings one of them where appointed the task of surfacing. The kings and queens had decided that they could not rely on what their captives told them, but they had to make their own presence known on the surface to protect their mountains.
After breaking through the dwarves sent out scout parties and started to collect samples of plants and animals, which where totally unknowned for the dwarves. It was to one of these scouting parties the elves decided to make themselves known. According to some elven histories, the elves had observed the dwarves for sometime before deciding to make themselves known. According to both dwarven and elven historians contact was made around 6000 B.O. When both species had decided that they where not enemies they started to collaborate, and slowly trade started to develop. This trade led the dwarves to discover sugar and red meat.
Apart from discovery of new materials and food the dwarves also learned of other mountain ranges which led to a cultural and religious shock to them. As they were the sheperds and care taker of mountains, why didn´t they know of these mountains. Had Tempus created other dwarves beneath these mountains just as he had beneath the Grynner mountains? The questions where many and the answers were few. In the end it was decided that as a part of their religion they had to travel to other mountains and find if there are dwarves there, and if not these mountains had to be settled.
From the Grynner mountain range the dwarves have spread throughout Ereb Altor.
During the last conflux the dwarven kingdoms shut their gates and endured it in their halls of stone.
Historical Figures
Boro Stonecleaver "Orcbane": A ancient hero who killed a whole hoard of orcs by himself. It is said that he was injured badly but didn´t allow himself to die until his deed was done. The dwarf found him dead in the cave laying on top of a small mountain of dead orcs. The dwarves razed the cave and made it his tomb as an honour to him.
Common Myths and Legends
According to their own legends the dwarves where awoken from the stones in caves deep beneath the mountains. The god whom awoke them where Tempus as he wanted a race whom whould take care of the mountains and use their produce to create wonderful things. Tempus where also concerned by the blackbloods whom had started polluting the caves and mountains just like parasites. Part of the dwarves mission where to rid the mountains of the parasites as well.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
The dwarven culture is very not inclusive against new things and as such other species and their way of thinking. Dwarves have a hard time understanding other cultures and how they think. The result is dwarves having issues with almost all other cultures.As most dwarves are race egoistical and they have issues with most other races.
Dwarven religion states that dwarves are the caretakers of mountains and that blackbloods are parasites. It is a part of the dwarven religion to cast blackbloods out of the mountains. As such they are the arch enemy of dwarfs and can expect no mercy, and dwarfs excpect no mercy from them.
Elves likes everything that dwarves dislikes, so they seldom function well together. Dwarves consider elves to be aloof, air headed and unpractical goofs. And as elves enjoy being alone in the serene stillnes of the nature, dwarves consider them to be plain weird. Generally dwarves do not like the elven species, but they don' t hate them and can become friend with individual elves.
In many ways dwarves have a hard time to understand the human species as it has so many different kinds of religions and cultures. It goes against the most core belief of dwarves, that there should be one culture for the whole species. Dwarven diplomats who have experienced and learned one human culture often makes the mistake of treating other humans in accordance of that culture, and refuse to adapt. More than one duel have been fought between dwarven diplomats and human dignitaries over dwarves refusing to apologise for an affront.
Lifespan
250 years but can reach around 400.
Average Height
125 centimeters
Average Weight
80 kg
Average Physique
Short and broad, most common with large muscular structures as most dwarves enjoys physical labour.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
As dwarves are a subterrean race there are no known dwaf who has been born with dark skin. They are often paler than most humans and when they spend time in the sun they easily get burned.
Geographic Distribution
Related Organizations
Related Ethnicities
Related Materials