Dwarves

"Chronicling, specifically, the mighty mountain dwarves of the Blight..."

"Blight" or "Mountain" dwarves are a strange species indeed. Some say they are carved from actual mountain stone, though this is considered silliness. However, it has been witnessed by reliable sources, the actual eating of unrefined rock by a blight dwarf. This is actually true. Mountain dwarves have incredibly strong teeth and digestive systems and can actually ingest rocks if necessary. This, to them, is something of an embarrassment, and a trait they'll likely hide unless absolutely necessary.
That being said, Blight Dwarves are adventurous eaters. In fact, food is one of their few true joys, and though the blight is dangerous and bleak, it offers many strange and unusual dining opportunities for the more adventurous of eaters.
Dwarves are master crafters and miners, and the Blight dwarves live in the toughest mountain range in all Hariel. The largest dwarven settlement is that of Harnath Uul, cut deep into the Blight itself. The dwarves of the north create magnificent cities in the very rock itself and live to design intricate infrastructures. Unlike traditional dwarves, they are not driven by gold or general greed. They are quite literally hardwired to seek mathematical purity through architecture.
This quality is the result of genetic engineering from the very gods themselves, as dwarves (unbeknownst even to them) were the architects of the Holy Mountain itself. They are the planner and hammer of the gods. This is something they've forgotten over eons of separation from their divine masters. They, along with their more magically-inclined "cousin race" of gnomes, are possibly the crafters and architects of many (if not all) the unique magic items that were lost from Celene and spread out around the world of men.
Now they are builders without a purpose, but ingenuity has always been at the forefront of the dwarven psyche, so they've managed to create their own purpose. One need only glimpse their immaculately detailed structures to know they are touched by the divine.
Only the richest of lords may employ dwarven craftsmen to build their strongholds. Dwarves are modest about most things, but not their handiwork.
Dwarven adventurers are typically the sort that feel like they don't quite fit in within dwarven society. Perhaps they have the heathen notion that there's more to life than math and rock? Or perhaps they've shown signs of the worst, saddest handicap a dwarf can have: lack of mathematical or architectural prowess.
However you slice it, dwarves in the wild do their best to fit in, though human culture (the most predominant throughout the land) is a mystery to them. They admire the human drive to find purpose in their lives, but don't cannot fathom how fickle and unfocused they can be. Many dwarves study the arcane, since it combines science with a different sort of Art, and can possibly scratch that missing itch.
Some dwarves have become entrepreneurs of sorts, creating famous "brands" for their designs, and thus leaving the Blight (or other mountain ranges) for the big cities, where they can make a name for themselves. Dwarven celebrity designers are not uncommon in places like Varuum and Angleport.
Unlike traditional fantasy dwarves, ours have a very refined palate and have a fondness for fine wines and perfectly aged libations. Unlike the other small folk, the halfling, who will drink just about any old swill you put before it.

Basic Information

Ecology and Habitats

The largest settlement of Blight Dwarves, accounting for perhaps half of their total species, is the mountain kingdom of Harnath Uul, cut into the very stone of the Blight mountains.

Genetic Descendants

• Gnomes
• Undead

Origin/Ancestry

These "Godkin" are said to have been created by the Lords of Celene, along with their gnome cousins, as machinists, builders and engineers.

Related Myths

• A Timeline of Gothenya