Dwarf

Ancient and dauntless as the mountains they call home, the dwarven race stepped onto the land of Etharis alongside the elves. Unlike the elves, however, the dwarves built their thanedoms deep within the mountains of what is now the Burach Empire. Adept with metalworking and jewel crafting, the dwarves created countless cities in the hills and two impressive, impenetrable capitals in the oldest mountains in the continent, the Rock Teeth and the Grey Spine. The veins of mithril and gold were rich beneath these mountains and dwarven crafters quickly became famous across Etharis.

During the wars of the Era of Expansion, the dwarves barricaded themselves within the fortresses of their two greatest cities: the tiered city of Stehlenwald and the now ruined city of Grebenstein. The dwarves of Grebenstein were besieged by the human warlords who would later lay the groundwork of the Burach Empire. Though the dwarves fought valiantly for their homeland, the Burach warlords uprooted their thanedom and claimed their vein rich mines.

The second dwarven kingdom of Stehlenwald, however, endured the siege. Rather than share the fate of their cousins to the north, the Stehlenwald dwarves dug deeper into the heart of the mountain. There, their miners laid eyes upon a new metal which was impenetrable to the arrows of their enemies; adamantine. With armor and weapons of impenetrable craftsmanship, the dwarven battalions pushed the invaders back to their homelands, but at a great cost: half of their population was exterminated, either by war or famine. Isolation within the mountain was their only chance for survival.

By the birth of the various human kingdoms, the proud dwarves Stehlenwald had begun to recover their numbers. When they emerged, they realized that the political landscape had changed dramatically. They were surrounded and vastly outnumbered by the armies of the Burach Empire. The dwarven emperor realized that there was only one way for his people to survive and prosper, and struck a deal with the Burach Empire. They would surrender their lands and become members of the Burach, as long as they could govern themselves independently.

Some older dwarves still cannot forget that the humans once tried to eradicate them. As they say, it's easier to move a mountain than a dwarf. But though there is still a deep rivalry between humans and dwarves, the Stelhenwald province of Rauland will be there for the Burach Empire in times of need - an oath none expect to be broken.

Subraces

• Mountain Dwarves: The most common form of dwarf found on Etharis and denizens of its great dwarven keeps like Stehlenwald.
• Hill Dwarves: Almost completely eradicated by the humans in the Era of Expansion, hill dwarves are just now getting their numbers back as they live alongside their former enemies in the lowlands of Etharis.