Dwarf

Physical Characteristics

Dwarves are best described as stout, sturdy individuals that are only around 4' to 4'6" in stature. They can live up to 200 years, and start to visually age past 50 years. They reach maturity around the same time as humans. They are very muscular and can also take a beating physically. They lack agility due to their stout nature. Their noses then to be large, round, and stubby, however some dwarves have more angular noses. Their ears are quite large, but their ability to hear sound is the same as a human.

Mental Characteristics

Dwarves can be very stubborn and defensive at times. They are known to hold grudges and rivalries can last many decades. They are gifted when it comes to metallurgy and metal working, being able to solve problems that even dark elves have trouble with.

History

The Kingdom of Thandolin was the first dwarven kingdom to be discovered, and to this day remains the only known dwarven locale among the denizens of the Exodius Continent. The dwarves of the aforementioned kingdom claim that their nation was founded hundreds of years ago at the hands of a dwarven expedition sent east, and to this day remains the only dwarven civilization to exist on an island. The Island of Khaz'Merith is home to a mountain of tremendous mineral wealth, assumed to have been formed by an ancient volcano many millennia ago. The dwarven island nation exported their great mineral wealth across the seas, and exchanged it for other commodities that they needed. They eventually found the Island of Ae'Tezan along with it's dark elven inhabitants. The dark elves needed minerals and alloys to fuel their desire to craft intricate commodities, leading to the formation of a trade agreement between the Kingdom of Thandolin and the Island of Ae'Tezan. The elves proved to be invaluable trade partners, and their commodities were far more advanced then any other civilization at the time. The dwarves exploited this detail and exported dark elven commodities to various other nations they were in contact with, including the Kingdom of Rivera. It is believed that through these exploits, the Kingdom of Thandolin has amassed a fortune greater then that of any other dwarven kingdom.

In more recent years, interest in the origins of the dwarven race has increased greatly. This is attributed to the increase in dwarven demographics among human civilizations over the last few centuries. Many aspects of their history have been revealed as a result, however their ancient origins are up for debate. The Auchinben Continent is the cradle of the dwarven race, located to the west of the Exodius Continent. Not much is known about this continent, however the dwarves proved helpful in detailing some aspects of their ancestral homeland. They emphasize the existence of mythical beasts known as dragons, described as giant lizards with four legs and giant wings which roam the craggy peaks of the countless mountain ranges present on the continent. There are also mentions of evil fairies who do not hesitate to slay dwarves that happen to encounter them. There are also reported to be three dwarven kingdoms that exist on the Auchinben Continent, possibly even more. The continent is a great distance across the sea and proved to be unprofitable for the Kingdom of Thandolin to maintain contact with, which had established regular trade with human civilizations on the continent of Exodius. The dwarven kingdom terminated their contact with the Auchinben Continent and focused on trade with human civilization, severing further information from the mysterious continent.

The dwarves attribute their race's origin to be from the ground itself, and that the mighty titan Khronor is responsible for their making. They claim that Khronor would submerge his hand into the dirt and grasp the dirt with his extraordinary strength. The titan would then thrust his hand out of the ground and place a newly formed dwarf on the surface. This tale of dwarven creation is considered to be nothing more then folklore in the eyes of scholars, but the dwarves believe this story with all their heart. The dwarves detail the early days of their race as a great struggle against the harsh winter environment, and constant attacks from dragons and other titanic beasts that roam the continent. The dwarves were drawn back to the earth that made them, and so they made their homes within caverns and caves. The interiors of mountains were excavated and turned into great halls. The dwarves used the excavated stone to construct massive titanic walls around their kingdoms to keep the beasts at bay. Dragons are to this day a problem in dwarven cultures, however the Kingdom of Thandolin is exempt from this as dragons are claimed to only be found on the Auchinben Continent.

Society

Dwarven society is one of great labor and passion. Dwarves are known for their dedication to a discipline, and are able to mindlessly pursue their favored subject without ever tiring. They do lack in ingenuity, often succumbing to the daily grind or being caught up in a specific task. What they lack in originality they make up for in quality, they do not stop improving their craft until they have reached the pinnacle of perfection. Dwarven social circles consist of family and co-workers. Their craft is their livelihood, and their entire lives are based around the work that they do. Dwarves favor practicality, which is reflected in their architecture and manufactured goods. While working hard is considered the cornerstone of dwarven society, their leisure time is just as important. Dwarves love to celebrate hard and favor alcohol more then any other race. Hangovers are nothing out of the ordinary for a dwarf, and their kin will not hold anything against them. Sports are a common activity that dwarves partake in their leisure time, the most prominent being axe throwing, brawling and archery. Most dwarven societies are ruled by a monarchy, and hold the utmost respect for their kings. Dwarves are very loyal and will not go back on a promise, delivering even if it harms their livelihood. Dwarven nobility does exist, but occupies a small fraction of overall dwarven society and does not pose the same problems that human nobility often incurs.

Politics

While many dwarven kingdoms are reported to be highly reclusive, the Kingdom of Thandolin is a thriving fountain of trade and political power due to their many trade routes with the various human kingdoms of the Exodius Continent. The aforementioned kingdom is also the only dwarven kingdom that humanity has established contact with. When the Kingdom of Rivera made contact with the dark elves of Ae'Tezan, it was the dwarves who established a trade route between the two nations since they possessed the necessary infrastructure to transport goods over long distances while the elves did not. The dwarves have acted as the middleman in many trades between various nations, and have an excellent track record due to their very durable and large sailing vessels. The wealth in the Kingdom of Thandolin has given the dwarves great power to influence the world, yet they instead prefer to hold on to the wealth rather then utilize it. The dwarves have good standing with all the nations on the Exodius continent, and as a result can be found everywhere.