The Dwarves are a proud race of short stature and stocky disposition. Talented Miners, Metalworkers and Traders, they are a resourceful people who live mostly in grand mountain homes and their surrounding farming villages. Though incapable of using Magic in any form (aside from Crystal Magic, which is universal), the Dwarves are capable warriors and ingenious inventors. One could say the lack of magic has forced them to adapt through technology, and given that their mechanical devices are now highly sought-after by much of the known world, it's easy to say they have succeeded.
The sole Dwarven Kingdom could be considered all of the realm, in some regards. The land is shared by the Humans and the Elves, but all mountain cities, though having a leader to preside over them, follow the rule of the Grand Dwarven King who resides in the ancient city of Escharom beneath the large mountain Escheim, better known by human tongue as Mount Turin. Unlike the human hereditary throne rights, Dwarven Kings are elected from the leaders of the 9 Mountain Cities upon the death of their predecessor.
Life in one of the Mountain Cities is largely the same as the others. A Dwarf's status is granted by his skill, so all young Dwarves are taught to strive towards being the best they can be at whatever the wish to accomplish, be it mining, weaponsmithing, armoursmithing, runeforging, inventing, politics, even farming. Because of this, intense rivalries are commonly formed in Dwarven culture which can even, at the extreme, lead to bloodshed or even murder, though are typically used for the heightened effort and care taken in a competitive environment.
The same can be said for Dwarves that live in small villages outside their underground homes, typically used for farming with the fertile soil rather than being completely reliant on cave-growing flora. More often than not these are situated close to the mountain city they bring resources to, and some can even be found on the mountains where Dwarven goat herders can be found. These villages typically have a bit more of a community feel to them, given that they are usually somewhat separated from the much larger cities, and are also where you're likely to find more Human-Dwarf interaction and trade.
With most of the world's history lost during the Age of Demons, it is largely unknown which of the races came into being first, though thanks to the ancient stone writing found in the deep caves it is the Dwarves who make the most likely claim. The stones tell of a time even more ancient than the Age of Demons, when the Dwarves knew not of the sun's light and delved deep into the earth, though the full details of what they found there are known only to a few of their kind, the text considered sacred by their race and heresy by some of the Human religions.
The most important thing that was passed on by those ancient stones, however, were the key principles any Dwarf should follow: Innovation, Camaraderie and Drink. It's said that a Dwarven Inn or Pub is one of the most merry places in any kingdom, and can also be one of the most fascinating.
Dwarven Civilisation[]
With most of the grand Dwarven cities hidden beneath the mountains they reside in, it's often difficult to tell just how intricate they are from the front gate alone, though it, like the inside, is carefully carved from the stone that makes up the mountain and made as though it belonged there to begin with. These grand structures often have multiple floors, guarded by bowmen, gunmen and more traditional warriors alike, and the gates are often exceptionally large to signify just how mighty their work truly is.
Once inside, the ambient light of the forges makes the whole city glow with a bright orange, mixing in with the sunlight pouring in through the vents in the rock. Grand statues of old Dwarven leaders often stand throughout the city and their buildings are intricately connected to the stone they are surrounded by. In some cases, you will only find a simple door in a natural wall of rock that leads into a wonderfully carved out abode, though most Dwarven architects tend to show off their skills and create grand sculptures surrounding such homes, especially when building their own.
Naturally, as some of the most renowned inventors and mechanics in the known world, Dwarven cities are filled with strange technology used for all manner of tasks; Magitech Golems, Steam-powered cart delivery systems, grand machines for carving out the larger rock and many more strange yet wonderful things.
The outlying villages may not share the same grand design or ambience, but they are still vastly different to human ones. The Dwarves' longevity often means that a home will serve as a home for a very long time, leading to each house, no matter where it stands, carrying a large amount of elegance in its design, often using stone more than any other material to ensure the structure will stand strong as time passes.
Dwarven Trade and Relationships[]
Humans[]
Though often seeing Humans as far too ambitious and flamboyant in cases, the allure of magic and the opportunities it presented was too much for the Dwarves to ignore. Though trade between the two races had been present before, mostly between the villages outside the large mountains, the advent of the Crystal industry has caused something of a boom in business and mutual endeavours, making the Dwarf-Human relationship easily the most integrated between two races.
If there is one thing the Dwarves don't quite appreciate or understand about Humans, however, is their religions and piety towards their gods. It doesn't help that the majority of the religious beliefs place humans above other races, leading to a small divide of racism between the two. Nonetheless, their centuries of trading relationships between one another hold true, and it is common to find members of both races in and around their respective kingdoms.
Elves[]
Opposites attract is more for fighting than friendship with these two races. Though humans are somewhat neutral to Elves, Dwarves have quite a history with them that is only made more prevalent when the natural longevity of both races is factored in. Many brawls and battles between the two have occurred over all manner of things, though typically the Dwarves are the aggressors, requiring wood from the forests or a clear path to establish an easier trading route between two of the Mountain Cities.
Even putting this aside, their ideals simply do not match. One race looks to tame the world around them and forge it to their design, whilst the other seeks to live in harmony with what the 'world' wants and follow the path of nature. Clashes between the two usually end in a stalemate thanks to the advantages Elven Magic gives in the woodlands, though if the Humans were also to turn their sights on them...
