Dwarves
Dwarves (Dvergar) are a hardy people, short in stature with iconic thick beards. They tend to be quite stubborn in nature with a preference for the underground and an instinctual fear of flying. Dwarves are one of the oldest species in Exorsia, some legends even claiming that they were on Exorsia far before the Elves arrived.
Dwarven culture is very community and tradition based, while the specifics vary depending on the location in the world they hail from, Dwarves tend to have strong family bonds, adhere to a strict moral rules, and have ties to religion, particularly the following of Skapari, the Dwarven Patron Deity.
One of the oldest Dwarven stories, one that many swear by, is that the Dwarven ancestors were forged from the earth and chiselled from the stone by Skapari himself, in order to help tend to his many forges. This is used to explain the Dwarves' natural connection to the earth and penchant for craftsmanship.
Many Dwarves draw on their ancient connection to the earth through a type of spellcasting unique to Dwarves, sometimes called Gemcasting. This variant of spellcasting allows Dwarves to channel Primal Magic through the earth itself, such as through rocks or more potently, gemstones, temporarily enhancing their Magical potential.
Craftsmanship
Dwarves are renowned at being master crafters, especially in ironwork and stonecraft. You can find many Dwarves working in craftsmanship professions as well as working underground as miners.
Craftsmanship is an integral part of Dwarven culture and a Dwarf’s job is a point of pride in majority Dwarven settlements, like Dun'Vol and Kahz Molduhr.
This love of creation usually leads many dwarves to worship the God of Craftsmanship and Patron God of Dwarves, Skapari, the Dwarven name for Hephaestus.
Dwarven Fire Genasi, named Ironblood, are seen as sacred within Dwarven culture, symbols of good luck and a blessing from Skapari. This seems to be due to their innate resistance to heat, making Ironblood excellent blacksmiths. Ironblood are far more common than any other type of Genasi among Dwarves.
Beards
A Dwarf's beard is an iconic and identifying part of the species, it is also an important symbol in Dwarven culture. The growing of a Dwarf’s first beard is commonly a symbol of adulthood and maturity while the losing or shaving of one’s beard is largely considered a great tragedy or a symbol of disgrace.
Due to bearded women being uncommon among other humanoid species, Dwarven women living in multicultural communities may shorten or shave their beards to fit in. Though, this is largely seen as a faux pas by traditional Dwarves.
Appearance
Dwarves are short and squat in size, they usually have a stocky build and thick skin. Unlike most humanoid species, both male and female Dwarves have copious amounts of body hair and can grow long and thick beards.
Complexion: Dwarven skin tones are similar to humans, ranging from a light pale complexion to a dark brown complexion.
Hair: Dwarven hair ranges from black, brown to ginger, commonly turning gray or white with age.
Eyes: Dwarves tend to have Brown or Green coloured eyes.
Maturity:
Dwarves mature slightly slower than humans and aren’t considered an adult until they have grown their first full beard, usually around the age of 30.
Reproduction:
Dwarves reproduce similarly to Humans, though unlike Humans, Dwarves experience fewer negative conditions during pregnancy. The gestation period for a Dwarf is around 6 months.
Ancestry
Terrena
1.2 - 1.5 m (4 - 5 ft)
Diet
Omnivore
Patron Deity
Skapari (Hephaestus)
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