Dwarves

Bold and hardy, dwarves are known as skilled warriors, miners, and workers of stone and metal. Though they stand well under 5 feet tall, dwarves are so broad and compact that they can weigh as much as a human standing nearly two feet taller. Their courage and endurance are also easily a match for any of the larger folk.

Dwarven skin ranges from deep brown to a paler hue tinged with red, but the most common shades are light brown or deep tan, like certain tones of earth. Their hair, worn long but in simple styles, is usually black, gray, or brown, though paler dwarves often have red hair. Male dwarves value their beards highly and groom them carefully.

Origin & Creation

Dwarves are the children of Knutra - Goddess of Tempest.

A Cold Birth
Knutra created the first dwarves by making the sea hit the mountains over and over again, eventually creating dwarves from the mountain rock.
Knutra loved her children with an intense passion, and she wanted them to conquer the world. She envisioned making a species of people hard as the rock from which they sprung, and therefore her newborns were left to fend for themselves without her guidance. In the harsh world of The First Age, the dwarves went to the mountains for shelter, but the storms of Knutra found them anyway calling lightning and earthquakes everywhere they went. Many of the dwarves perished, their souls unclaimed by The Ice Queen, as they were deemed unworthy.

The Resistance
At a certain point the dwarven species was facing imminent destruction by their own creator, and the few that were left buried deep within the mountains to escape Knutra's wrath. In the heart of the largest mountain, they found a huge jewel. The jewel was larger, brighter and more beautiful than anything the dwarves ever laid eyes on. In defiance of their benevolent mother and through sheer skill and determination, the dwarves began cutting the gem into shape. They poured every ounce of their physical and mental forces into their work as they religiously began believing they could create their own salvation.
They began praying and their work became their worship, and soon their hands seemingly moved by themselves, cutting something from the jewel, that none of them had a clear vision of. Their faith and determination at last bore fruit, and when their work was done, a new deity was born: Drahôtek - God of Mountains.

Knutra's Repentance
Drahôtek - God of Mountains became the protector of the dwarven species, and with his calm, stoic wisdom, he gave the dwarves many gifts, making them flourish and rise up against Knutra. At first Knutra was filled with wrath, about to curse Drahôtek and launch an assault, but the feeling soon subsided and was replaced with both pride and regret. Knutra saw, that her children had finally found their footing in Atozia, and had become stronger than she had envisioned. Unfortunately through her rough measures in making the hearts of the dwarves strong, they had also made them hard, planting pieces of resentment and distrust - especially towards her.
As a gesture of deep regret, every dwarven soul has since been allowed entry to her realm Kharybdiz - The Turmoil Vortex in the afterlife. This gesture has since been referred to as Knutra's Repentance.

Sub Species & Ethnicities

Mountain Dwarves

The most common dwarf is the mountain.

Hill Dwarves

Hill dwarves are the only dwarven species still very devoted to Knutra. They are also the only seafaring dwarves.

Duergar (Underdark Dwarves)

Duergar are dwarves who delved too deep and made permanent residence in The Underdark being corrupted by the twisted nature of it.

Habitat

Most dwarves can be found in mountainous regions of the world. Hill dwarves reside on the north east coast of Ocantos, where they live in vast underground networks. Duergar are dwarves who delved too deep and made permanent residence in The Underdark being corrupted by the twisted nature of it.

Society & Culture

Dwarven societies stretch deep beneath the mountains where the dwarves mine gems and precious metals and forge items of wonder. They love the beauty and artistry of precious metals and fine jewelry, and in some dwarves this love festers into avarice. Whatever wealth they can’t find in their mountains, they gain through trade.

Language & Names

How does the species communicate? Do they have a written language? What real world language inspires their language? How are individuals named?

History

What historic events define the species? What notable figures are remembered within the species?