"Reaching the gates of Detta was no easy task in itself. I often wondered at the resilience of the dwarves, pondering whether the rumors about them were all true. The climb up the mountainside expelled any doubts regarding their hardiness. When I reached the city, I began to understand why one would make such a hike. The gates were beautifully made; massive, fifty-foot-tall slabs of black stone had the helm of Cadros carved into them. Waiting in front was at least half a legion of warriors, all armed and armored. There was a captain among them, distinguished by golden sigils carved into his pauldrons. He was large for a dwarf, reaching almost five feet tall, and had the disinterested glare so common among the mountain dwelling clans. I swallowed a tinge of nervousness that built in my belly and went to introduce myself." - An excerpt from "The Travels of Hafrick Moriarty"
Dwarves are among the oldest races in Mytkora. They were created by
Cadros to populate his many domains. There are four types of dwarves. Three represent the sections of The Warrior's domain: mountains, stonehills, and caves. The other represents the god's ambition for expansion. They were united under Cadros' rule for centuries but have recently begun to split in their beliefs since The Silence. While the mountain and cave clans have retreated to their strongholds and fortified their beliefs, the stonehill and castle-building sects have begun to branch away from the God-King's regime.
Stout and Hardy
Dwarves are robust and sturdy people. They have round faces often covered in facial hair, and very few cut their hair shorter than the middle of their backs. Large, round noses and bushy eyebrows are the dominating features on their faces. They generally stand between four and five feet tall, although some castle dwarves are taller. They average around 150-160 pounds. Males are often taller and heavier than the females, and although both can grow facial hair, females often have no more than some stubble or much shorter beards. They believe in a strong family group and a long proving process for young males and females to prove themselves as adults. As such, most Dwarves are not considered adults until around their fiftieth year, and can live well into their third century.
Faithful Subjects, Fearsome Conquerors
Since their creation, Cadros ruled over the Dwarves in the mountainous regions of Mytkora. They acted as loyal servants to their God-King's demands, and in return became the dominant race in Mytkora through conquest and general prosperity. Cadros led the Dwarves on two long campaigns, often called the First War and the Second War. The First War was a sweeping subjugation of
The Athelesian Empire, resulting in nearly the entire continent being under command of the Dwarves (although they never conquered the Athelesian capital). The Second War crossed the Sea of Stars to the south, and resulted in over half of
The Isatisian Confederacy under Cadrosian authority. They controlled the trade of precious metals in many markets and made large profits off of mining precious gemstones from the hills. With the rich farmland they now owned, the Dwarven population skyrocketed and new settlements began to spring up across the newly conquered territories. In the decades that followed this war, Cadros prepared the Dwarves for their third campaign, but was stopped by the sudden disappearance of the Eleven called The Silence. There was mass panic among all of the Dwarven clans. For years, they stagnated. They became desperate and greedy, and the tight-knit communities began to fall apart.
Discovering Their Place
In the decades following Cadros' disappearance, a new king has appointed himself. He claims to be Cadros in the flesh, and he has united the cave and mountain dwarf communities in northwest Atheles under his banner. Over time, that half of the kingdom healed. In Isatis, however, there was a mass exodus from the chaotic situation that was developing among the communities. Now, dwarves can be found all across Mytkora. They still make for excellent additions to many communities and have built a reputation for fine craftsmanship. Despite the chaos and uncertainty, the Dwarves have begun finding new ways to thrive.
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