Dwarves

The Dwarves are one of the oldest of races. They are fierce warriors, whose short stature yet powerful strength provides them with ample advantage in battle. Despite their brutishness, the Dwarves are ultimately a race of creators, working many crafts to an impressive standard - from bards to architects to inventors, the Dwarves have a welcomed diversity of artisans within their society. Masters both in craft and on the battlefield, a proud race, who care greatly for their kin, and would do much to ensure the safety of their race’s survival.
The Dwarves believe that in the beginning they were made from the stone of the earth, and so they carry their mantra: “To live by the stone is to die by the stone.” Methods of Dwarven funerals vary depending on the role of the Dwarf - from burials, to being swallowed in a pit of flowing lava. The Dwarves began in the dark, as legend has it, digging deep into the earth they found their purpose - many races start above ground, but the Dwarves were born beneath it.
Perceived as greedy by even their foreign allies, the Dwarves do have a strong lust for wealth. Though Dwarves pride carries on despite how lined they find their pockets. As with any other race, the best and worst can be found among the Dwarves - a race of fighters, miners, artisans, and denizens of the earth.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Dwarves are a bipedal humanoid species, with the standard set of head, torso, two arms with 5 fingered hands and 2 legs with five toed feet. Dwarves are naturally short, the tallest Dwarf in history was recorded at 5ft 5.

Genetics and Reproduction

Dwarves reproduce through sexual intercourse with a placental gestation period of ten month before a child is born.

Growth Rate & Stages

Dwarves grow for the first 20-50 years of their life, developing sexual maturity around the age of 65. After that, it is downhill from there. At around 180 years of age, females lose their ability to reproduce. It is around the age of 280 that Dwarves are considering elderly.

Ecology and Habitats

Dwarves have lived under the earth since their birth, deep caverns of stone and dirt are more familiar to them than a quaint country house of a Human, or decadent villa of an Elf.
While this is the case the specifications of each dwelling differ greatly depending on the geographical location of the stronghold.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Dwarves are an omnivorous species, eating pretty much anything. They farm, hunt, and fish for their food in many different ways.
Dwarves have large appetites, almost as large as an Orcs. While they prefer meat above all else, their diets are made up primarily of grubs and fungus. A disgusting meal for a human, but a Dwarf may lick their lips at the sight of a roasted Cave Beetle.

Biological Cycle

Dwarves live to an average maximum of 350 years if they are not killed through unfortunate accidents, disease, or war.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Over the eras, Dwarves have developed a caste system for the beneficial use of the ruling class. That being said, Dwarves capitalistic nature has not found need to alter the current political balance maintained by the Dwarf Lords.

The current caste system is as follows:
Noble > Architect > Warrior > Smith/Artisan > Miner > Banker > Merchant > Mechanic > Farmer > Servant > Casteless

Facial characteristics

Dwarves are known for being particularly hairy, even the females of the species can boast full beards of exuberant length. Dwarves beards, much like eye-colour, is entirely based on their parentage and genetics. Despite stereotypes, some Dwarf men can only grow stubble, while some women have beards hanging to their feet.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

The vast majority Dwarves come from the frozen north -- Kharzenfaal, while smaller groups of Dwarves arose from the ground in central Das'.

Average Intelligence

Dwarves are a fairly intelligent race, it's debatable if they're as smart as the Elves, thought their circles of interest differ greatly.
Dwarves care more for the sciences and technology than about the use of magic, Dwarves have time, efficiency and very little ethical or conservative limits.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Dwarves are aware the body has five senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell.
As a race of underground dwellers, Dwarves have what is commonly known as darkvision, allowing them to see roughly 60ft. around them in low light.

Civilization and Culture

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Dwarven. Most Dwarves follow the root dialect of Dwarven, developed from Deep Speak of the Mythic era, breaking apart into several languages including Under Common. Dwarven is the one of the most studied languages, surpassing Draconic in recent years.

Common. A language developed for trade, the primary language of Humans, many Dwarves are versed in the use of common, many having it as a second language.

Under Common.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

High Elves:

Dwarves hold a lot of suspicion in the High Elves, and hate them more than any other of the Elven subraces. Believing all High Elves too be irredeemably corrupt and pompous. High Elves will almost always receive the blame for problems faced in Dwarven society, if a connection can be made: it will.

Wood Elves:

In more recent eras Dwarves have become more accepting of Wood Elves, while still seen as tricksey and suspicious, they are much more welcomed and agreeable compared to their High Elven counterparts.

Humans:

Dwarves find humans wholly strange, humans, who live much shorter lives than Dwarves, are difficult to get to know. They find their ability to adapt to be amendable, and enjoy watching human civilisation attempt feats where they knowingly will not see the fruit of their labour.

Scientific Name

Dvelkan

Lifespan

350 Years

Average Height

1.4 - 1.7 meters.

Average Weight

65 - 100 kilograms.

Average Physique

Dwarves are primarily burly and strong, with decent amounts of body fat.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Primarily pale skinned. Darker body tints are uncommon but not unnatural.

Related Myths

• The Stonemen