Dwarves

Dwarves (Flan: "dwurfolk") are about 4 feet tall, broad-shouldered and muscular, and of stocky build. Both males and females can be bearded. They prefer to live underground in vast cavern and tunnel systems, where they mine precious metals and gems. Their skin comes in earth tones, from red-brown to tan to gray. They tend to be dour and suspicious, but grudgingly helpful.
Dwarves live long lives, though not as long as the elves, and they reproduce slowly. Dwarves are sturdy, vengeful warriors with long memories of everyone who has done them harm.
The dwarves, called the dwur by the Flan, have two main subdivisions. The more common hill dwarves have complexions of deep tan to light brown, with hair of brown, black or gray. Eyes are of any color save blue. They are solidly built, though seldom exceed 4 feet in height. Mountain dwarves are somewhat taller, with lighter coloration. All dwarves are bearded.
The dwarves do not speak of their origins to outsiders, so little of their ancient history is known. However, it is understood that they once had great underground halls in the northern Crystalmists that were destroyed by the Invoked Devastation. Their last High King perished in the aftermath, and the clans have ever since been sundered. Led by lords and princes of differing noble houses, the dwarf clans allied with elves and gnomes during the Suel and Oeridian migrations, and even joined humans of reliable disposition to defend their territories.
In the present day, dwarves are found in rugged mountains and hills, particularly in the Lortmils, Glorioles, Crystalmists, Iron Hills, Principality of Ulek, and Ratik.
The dwur are perceived as materialistic, hard-working, and humorless. They tend to be dour and taciturn, keeping themselves separate from other folk, but they are also strong and brave. In wartime they are united and willing to see victory at any cost, but prone to avenge old slights and reject mercy. They jealously defend the honor of their clans and families, and greatly revere their ancestors, building elaborate monuments to them.
Yet, their chief love is precious metal, particularly gold, which they work with great mastery. Some dwarves suffer from an affliction called gold-fever, when their desire for the substance becomes so overwhelming that it consumes their souls. The tradition of dwarven honor demands that leaders dispense treasure to their loyal followers, and the inability to do this is a sure sign of gold-fever. Dwarves also place great value on their long beards, often braiding them and twining them with jewels and gold wire. It is a terrible dishonor to be shorn.
The traditional garb of dwarves is woolen trousers and a belted linen tunic, with a hooded cloak or cape worn over all. Their boots are of heavy leather, with or without buckles. Colors are a mixture of earth tones and loud, check-patterned hues. They also favor leather accoutrements, fitted with as many jewels and precious metals as they can hold. Females and males usually dress identically, except on certain ceremonial occasions when females wear a tabard-like overgarment, while males don their best embroidered work aprons.
Dwarven elders hold the secrets of their race's magic, best exemplified by their magnificent armor, weapons and tools. They also oversee the construction of monuments and tombs, many of which have magical traps and curses of great cunning.

Ethnicities

Hill dwarves are the most common dwarves. They work with other good-natured races across the Flanaess, and are often seen as soldiers and mercenaries in wars against giants and humanoids.
Mountain dwarves are less common than hill dwarves. They tend to be paler and taller than their cousins, averaging 4 1/2 feet tall. They prefer living in caverns deep under the mountains.
Duergar, also called gray dwarves, live far underground. These evil dwarves are hostile to their brethren and to all other races.

Born of Earth

Dwarves are tied much more strongly to the element of earth, and as such have less need for water than most. A dwarf does not have to drink liquids each day to survive, but on any day where they don't have water, then need to consume roughly twice as much food. Dwarven physiology is built for living underground with limited access to water. They derive most of the liquid necessary to survive from food, even when dried or salted (and ale, but that's another story).

Grooming

While the stereotypical dwarf is covered in dirt, a side effect of the work many dwarves engage in, most dwarves are actually fastidious when not working. Due to the scarcity of water, dwarves used scrubbing salts, minerals, and powders when "washing". This gives many dwarves a ruddy complexion from the abrasive cleansers.

Dwarves and Ale

The center of every dwarven clanhold is the family still or brewery. Each dwarven family has its own unique recipe for its ale, and a gathering of friends always entails a sharing of the family's ale. These recipes have been passed down through generations, and while each generation tries to "perfect" the recipe, the original is kept as an almost sacred clan relic. The recipes of families related by clan are similar, having the same descendent, and a master brewer can tell a family's lineage by tasting their ale.

Dwarven Construction

Dwarven Delves always start as mines, usually run by one clan. As the mines grow, other clans are brought in, and clanholds are carved out in the former mine tunnels. As the hold grows, the number of clanholds increases. When an area of the mine is cleared, architects and stonemasons follow and pave the passage. At the beginning of a passage, dwarven architects count one-hundred paces, the architect carves a stone door into one side of the passage, after the next hundred paces, a door is carved in the opposite wall, and so on. These carvings will be the locations for a family's hall.
The main level (usually connecting to the surface) of the delve is always called the First Rise, as the delve ascends, the dwarves call the new levels "Second Rise", "Third Rise", etc. The level below "First Rise" is called "First Deep" then "Second Deep", etc.
A clanhold delve doesn't just consist of the clan's living areas, in the tunnels nearby shopfronts and workspaces are carved based on the clan's specialty. At natural juncture points, the dwarves will carve out a few blocks for a Daernak (lit: familiar meeting place) or "Gather". A gather is a place where the clans mix and trade. Every Gather has at least one tavern, maybe two. Inns for visiting dwarves are carved out of a Gather and guildhalls, stores, and trading areas complete the Gather, which are about the size of a few blocks in a human town or city. Gathers are never closer than a mile from one another.

Basic Information

Growth Rate & Stages

Approximate Age Categories

• Adulthood: 40 years

• Middle Age: 125 years

• Old: 188 years

• Venerable: 250 years

• Maximum Age: Most dwarves pass before their 450th year

Average Physique

Dwarf Male

• Random Height: 4'2" +2d4

• Random Weight: 145 lb. + [Height roll × (2d6) lb.]

• Average: 4'7", 180 lbs.

Dwarf Female

• Random Height: 4'0" +2d4

• Random Weight: 110 lb. + [Height roll × (2d4) lb.]

• Average: 4'5", 135 lbs.