Dwarf

Dwarves, sometimes called the Stone Folk, were a natural humanoid race common throughout parts of Alceon. Dwarves are a tough tradition-abiding folk known for their strong martial traditions and beautiful craftsmanship.

Physical Characteristics
Dwarves were a short race, as their name implied, standing from 4'3" – 4'9" (1.3 – 1.45 meters) on average, with gold dwarves a bit shorter What Dwarves lacked in height they made up for in bulk; they were, on average, about as heavy as humans. A dwarf could weigh anywhere from about 160 – 220 lbs (73 – 100 kg). Dwarven males were a bit taller and heavier than their female counterparts. Like humans, dwarves had a wide variety of skin, eye, and hair colors, typically pale among mountain dwarves and deeply tanned or brown amongst sand dwarves. Hazel eyes were common throughout the race, with blue eyes more common amongst mountain dwarves and brown or green eyes found amongst the sand dwarves.

Male dwarves were often bald and grew thick facial hair sometimes used to display social status. This hair was often dark in hue, though among mountain dwarves blond or red hair was just as common. Sand dwarves took the care of facial hair to an extreme, carefully oiling and grooming it, with some adding perfume and ornamentations

Dwarves were a long-lived race, though not so much as Elves, and reached physical maturity somewhat later than humans. A dwarf was traditionally considered an adult once he or she reached age fifty  Dwarves aged much like humans but over a longer period of time, remaining vigorous well past 150 years. Most dwarves lived to see their bicentennia and a few lived to be over 400.

Abilities
Dwarves were unusually tough for humanoids, in more ways than one. Dwarven stomachs, for instance, were resistant to virtually all poisons and it took less effort for a dwarf to get back on its feet than other races. Dwarves also had dense bodies and were difficult to push around as a result, as well as having the capacity to bear loads that other races might find hindering with little ill effect. Dwarves also had a sense about them that few races did, with a preternatural awareness of their surroundings useful for a subterranean race as well as good judgment all-around in general.

Many dwarves were difficult to like and lacked the charm of many other smaller races, such as halflings or gnomes, though this was not a trait common to all dwarves and some possessed a great deal of charismatic power. Furthermore, dwarves were not entirely unsocial and more than a few had a natural knack for bartering or judging the value of an offer, something that sit well with their legendary crafting abilities.

It was occasionally believed that dwarves possessed the ability to see in the blackest darkness, like a drow, and there was evidence that this might be true though it was also possible that the tales were misheard recollections of duergar, who were often mistaken for dwarves. However, many dwarves did have an affinity in other ways for the caverns in which they lived, possessing a natural affinity for recognizing unusual patterns in stonework that could seem almost supernatural at times.

Subraces
There are five primary subraces of Dwarves found in Alceon.
 * Mountain Dwarf
 * Hill Dwarf
 * Frost Dwarf
 * Sand Dwarf
 * Grey Dwarf

Personality
Whether or not the dwarven claim that they were carved from the world’s stone was true, dwarves shared many qualities considered similar to the stone they lived with. Strong, hardy, and dependable dwarves were polite, particularly elders, and possessed a wisdom beyond that of many other races. Dwarves valued their traditions, regardless of the subrace they came from, and looked for inspiration from ancestral heroes. Dwarves were also known for their stubborn nature and cynicism, traits widespread amongst the dwarves but which contributed to and were commonly offset by their bravery and tenacity.

Dwarven friendship was hard to earn, but was strong once won. Naturally dour and suspicious, the stout folk were slow to trust others, specifically towards those outside their family, suspecting the worst of an individual until the outsider proved many times their good will. Once this trust was gained, dwarves held their friends to it and viewed betrayals, even minor ones, with a vicious propensity for vengeance. A common gnomish oath, remarking on this dwarven sense of justice, was “if I'm lying, may I cross a dwarf.”

For dwarves, loyalty was more than a word and that it should be both valued and rewarded. Dwarves believed it a gift and mark of respect to stand beside a friend in combat, and an even deeper one to protect that ally from harm. Many dwarven tales subsequently revolved around the sacrifice of dwarves for their friends and family. Just as dwarves were known for their dependability as friends and allies, dwarves also harbored grudges far longer than many other races. This may have been on an individual basis between a dwarf and one who had wronged him or against entire races, even if warfare with the enemy had long since ceased

Dwarves were a careful and deliberate race, with a more serious disposition than other races, who they sometimes viewed as flighty or reckless. A dwarf did all things with care and a stubborn resolve, with brash or cowardly behavior unusual for the race. However, dwarves did succumb easily to wrath or greed, which were the most common vices of the race

Dwarves who left their homeland to become adventurers did so for a number of reasons. In part, a dwarf might have been motivated by simple avarice, given the dwarven love of beautiful things. As often, however, a dwarf might have been motivated by a drive to do what was right for others (particularly their clan) or a love of excitement for, as settled as dwarves were, they rarely tired of thrills. But even these wayward dwarves retained the spirit of their brethren, hoping that their accomplishments abroad could bring honor to themselves, their clan, or both. Given that successful dwarven adventurers were likely to recover rare items or defeat enemies of the dwarven people during such challenges, this was a hope not entirely without merit.

Culture
Dwarves highly valued the ties between family members and friends, weaving tightly knit clans. Dwarves particularly respected elders, from whom they expected sound leadership and the wisdom of experience, as well as ancestral heroes or clan founders. This idea carried on to relations with other races and dwarves were deferential even to the elders of another, non-dwarven race.

Likewise, dwarves, perhaps moreso than most other races, turned to their gods for guidance and protection. Non-evil dwarves looked to the divine for comfort and inspiration, while the wicked looked to their divine overlords for methods through which to obtain power over others. Individual dwarves might have been faithless, but the race as a whole, regardless of subrace, had a strong inclination for religion and almost every community maintained at least one temple or ancestral shrine.

Castes
The dwarves cultural values of tradition and history have over time lead to a caste system within most major dwarven settlements.
 * Noble Caste
 * Warrior Caste
 * Smith Caste
 * Artisan Caste
 * Merchant Caste
 * Miner Caste
 * Servant Caste
 * Casteless

Warrior Caste
Warriors are subdivided into smaller castes, with specific houses producing soldiers, bodyguards, officers, etc. Warriors lead lives of drill and practice and marry early, knowing their lives will be short and grim.

The dwarven military is made up of various houses from the Warrior caste. Each warrior house is sworn to a noble patron, which can create unique situations should the fortune of the noble house or the warrior house fail. If something lowers the standing of patron noble house, the respective warrior houses sworn to the house lose status among the warrior caste.

Smith Caste
Smiths are respected, and children born to the Smith Caste are expected to learn the craft as their Ancestors did. Females in this caste may become smiths, though it would also be acceptable for them to marry and produce children for their caste.

Smiths compete for acclaim and patronage and there are often the equivalent of Smith Provings to determine the most skilled smith. Within the caste weaponsmiths, followed by armorsmiths, are most revered. Smiths smelt raw materials to produce finished goods such as tools, weapons and armor. They will sometimes travel with groups of Warriors to repair their equipment.

Artisan Caste
Artisans work closely with smiths but are not quite as respected. They ornament the goods crafted by smiths or simply create art for its own sake. They often produce leather and cloth goods

Servant Caste
This caste makes up the bulk of the population in the Dwarven cities. Members consider themselves and their work worthy of the greatest respect and take pride in their service to other castes. They are usually employed as washerwomen, maids, cooks, barkeeps, etc. They look down upon the casteless.

Casteless
When a Dwarf commits a great crime there is a good chance that they will become casteless, along with any children they might have. Usually the threat of becoming a social untouchable along with your children prevents many dwarves who might have an inclination towards crime. However even with this tradition in place there are still a number of casteless dwarves. A casteless dwarf is banished out of their home settlement and must make a life for themself somewhere else. The dwarf who earns the punishment has no hope of ever regaining any status in dwarven society, however on rare occasion the successors of a casteless dwarf can earn their way back into dwarven society through a great act of service or heroism.

Stoneking
The leader of one of the major Dwarven cities is referred to as Stoneking, both in title and in surname. An example of this is the current Stoneking of Dhuldahn who was born Ragmir Kragmail, but is now known as Ragmir Stoneking. The dwarven mentality behind this is that when ascending to the throne one no longer belongs to their original clan, but rather all dwarven clans in their realm.

Interracial Relations
Dwarves did not forgive past wrongs easily and the entire race had more or less declared war on goblins and orcs as a whole, wiping them out where they found them. Many dwarves viewed these races as a foul infestation of their mountain homes and felt it was their duty to purge them. Likewise, many dwarves viewed drow and grimlocks with a similar hatred and many dwarves have a hatred of giants who will occasionally try to enslave them.Because of this, dwarves generally viewed related races, such as half-orcs, with distrust

In regards to their distant cousins the azers, duergar, and galeb duhr, dwarven opinions varied. Many viewed their distant relations with sympathy for their prior enslavement.On the other hand, duergar and dwarves had long been enemies and many dwarves viewed them with little more love than they did the drow who shared the Underdark with the duergar.

Dwarves typically got along well with gnomes, with whom they shared a love of fine crafting, and passably with humans, half-elves, and halflings. Recently in Dhuldahn a large number of Goliaths were integrating into the city and many dwarves were starting the process of learning to live with their fellow mountain dwellers. However, most dwarves commonly believed that true friendships could only be forged over long periods of time and a common saying was that "the difference between an acquaintance and a friend is about a hundred years", meaning that few members of the shorter-lived races ever forged strong bonds with dwarves. There were exceptions, however, and some of the strongest friendships were those between a dwarf and a human whose grandparents and parents were also on good terms with the dwarf.

Notable Dwarves

 * Ragmir Stoneking
 * Drout Zekar