Dwarves

"If we do not unite, our people will be destroyed. I give you a choice: join me or die."

—Magitheria Ironbeard

Dwarves, or Dün, are the oldest mortal race to walk Karothoz. Many dwarves are talented craftsmen, smiths, or fierce warriors. The other dominant mortal races of Karothoz often consider them to be primitive and uncivilised.

The first dwarves emerged from the massive mountain range which is now known as the Dwarven Kingdoms: an area which they still call home.

The dwarves have a long-standing hatred of the elves, and have often found themselves pitted against them in various conflicts. The most well-known of these being the Great War, during which Magitheria Ironbeard united the disparate Dwarven Kingdoms under one banner.

Origins
Not much is certain concerning the origins of the dwarves, though most historians agree they are without a doubt the oldest of the mortal races. Some of the earliest dwarven legends predate the founding of the Library of Quil’Ladan by several thousand years.

While some dwarves follow the faith of the Holy Mother, most follow the teachings of the Hünedrain, or Seekers. They believe that long ago a group of gods shaped and formed the world before becoming dormant and taking the form of mountains. Specifically they believe that the god Yostilda gave shape and life to the dwarves and all the other living creatures of Karothoz. The Hünedrain claim that the dwarves were created alongside the rest of the world's living things and are therefore neither superior or inferior when compared to any other creature.

Historically, dwarves founded settlements in the mountain range now known as the Dwarven Kingdoms around 6- 7 thousand years, though they likely existed long before that. They still remain there to this day, having founded various kingdoms and nations, though many dwarves have migrated to the other parts of the world.

Appearance and Traits
Dwarves are a short, broad-shouldered, and well-muscled race. They are shorter and stronger than both elves and humans, but also not nearly as quick or graceful. Male dwarves grow large often elaborately groomed beards, styled in various ways according to the culture in which they live. Female dwarves tend to do the same except with the hair on their heads. Dwarven women are usually 4 feet tall, while men are typically 4.5 feet tall, and at most 5 feet tall. Most other races see the dwarves as being barbaric and unintelligent. While dwarves are certainly no stranger to being brutish warriors, they are anything if not intelligent, being some of the world's greatest craftsmen and artisans.

Dwarves are great warriors: easily dominating the battlefield with pure strength and endurance. Excluding the Kir-Muradi, dwarves are generally afraid of magic and have made no significant efforts to master it. Thus many consider them to be amateur mages at best, but it is uncertain if this is due to natural restraints imposed on their power or a lack of magical understanding amongst the dwarves in general.

Although not as long-lived as elves, dwarves commonly live until they are 200. The oldest dwarves have been known to live up to 400 years, but most fall short of this. A dwarf is considered mature when they are 30, and middle-aged at 100. They age in a similar manner to humans--developing wrinkles, sagging skin. and greying hair.

Variations
Several variations of dwarves exist, though they are difficult to define at the best of times. These variations are purely physical, and many dwarves fall into multiple categories or are not placed in any at all.

Mountain Dwarves
Stocky and pale-skinned, mountain dwarves are the majority in Dun-Murad and Kïr-Murad, with some living in Al-Murad and very few in Iz-Murad. They are usually shorter than most other dwarves, with many possessing black hair and grey eyes. It is generally believed their pallid and stocky appearances are the result of spending the majority of their lives underground, but this cannot be proved for certain.

Hill Dwarves
Taller than mountain dwarves, hill dwarves primarily make up the kingdom of Al-Murad, and are around a quarter of the population of Iz-Murad. Their skin is usually far tanner than their mountain dwarf cousins, ranging from dusky to nearly ebony tones. Red hair is quite common among hill dwarves, though not universal.

Sea Dwarves
Sea dwarves are feared by all other dwarves due to their strange appearances. All sea dwarves possess grey skin of varying tones, with some appearing close to a normal pale pink skin color, and others having skin as dark as stone. Many sea dwarves possess red eyes, an incredibly rare trait among mountain dwarves, and practically unheard of among hill dwarves. Some stories tell of sea dwarves with webbed feet and hands, though this has not been verified.