Earthen Earthen are stony proto - beings , similar to dwarves , that were created by the Titan s to help shape the world of Azeroth . Earthen have at least two physical forms : those primarily seen in Uldaman and those primarily seen in Ulduar . The history of the earthen and their transformation into the race known as dwarves can be found recorded in the Discs of Norgannon in Uldaman . Further history about research conducted in Northrend can be found in Ulduar . History . Earthen are the product of modifications to the standard subterranean being matrix used by titans to terraform their worlds . Titan experiments . Titans were experimenting at creating , " earthen " , a race of guardians from living stone in many facilities all over Azeroth ( Bael Modan , Uldaman , Ulduar etc ) . Troggs were the mistaken first attempt at crafting earthen due to a matrix destabilization which occured when earthen were utilized in high - stress environments . They sealed the mistakes in vaults all over the world . The titan scientists referred to their " successful " second race experiment as Series Two . Series Two earthen were proven to be susceptible to the Curse of Flesh and over thousands of years of evolution many became dwarves . A new series of earthen were created in Northrend that proved to be immune to the Curse of Flesh . War of the Ancients . Before the War of the Ancients , technology was rare , and most tinkers and simple technology was found among the earthen . During the War of the Ancients , most " dwarves " chose to seal the gates of their underground cities , leaving the night elves to face the demons on their own . However , while they didn ' t have much contact , the earthen fought during the war . They fought an underground war in the shadows to prevent the return of the demons to the world of the living . Another group of earthen were convinced to join the Alliance against the Legion by the dragon - mage Krasus , even while being looked down upon by the night elves . It was a reluctant truce , as the earthen were called in by Krasus , Rhonin , and Malfurion in defiance of the xenophobic commander , Desdel Stareye . They were led by Dungard Ironcutter . The earthen were initially put to the outskirts of the host , but after Stareye ' s " tragic " demise , their warriors were put to their best use under the new commander , Jarod Shadowsong . When the world was sundered by the Well of Eternity ' s implosion , the earthen were deeply affected . Something happened to change them , perhaps the War of the Ancients , and many turned into the mortal dwarves , as they are now . Reeling with the pain of the earth itself , the earthen lost much of their identity and sealed themselves within the stone chambers of the Titan cities where the earthen first took shape and form . Buried deep beneath the world , the earthen rested in peace for nearly eight thousand years . Awakening . Though it is unclear what awakened them , the earthen sealed within Uldaman eventually arose from their self - imposed slumber . These earthen found that they had changed significantly during their hibernation . Their rocky hides had softened and become smooth skin , and their powers over stone and earth had waned . They had become mortal creatures . They had forgotten most of their history before coming out the slumber . The last of the transformed earthen left the halls of Uldaman and ventured out into the waking world . They were encountered by humans who called them " dwarves " a name which they adopted . Earthen in Northrend . According to information from the Tribunal of Ages , it is understood that the earthen created in Northrend are actually a new version created by the Titans after the discovery of the Curse of Flesh . The Forge of Wills and other systems were institutited to insure they would have an immunity to the Curse , and therefore will never transform . Otherwise , the northern earthen are exactly the same as the ancestors of dwarves and troggs . This fact gives the Explorers ' League an invaluable resource in studying dwarven origins , how it relates to modern dwarf branches , and other works by the Titans . Cataclysm . Earthens appear in the new zone of Deepholm , battling the stone trogg s . Physiology . The earthen ' s physical features are that of a smaller stature humanoid , though their composition is that of Azeroth ' s various stone core compounds . They have stone hides ( or " rock skin " ) and are more " elemental " in nature . Their design maximizes strength and stamina without sacrificing cognitive processing power . Their skin and musculature are nearly impervious to physical damage , and with very minor modifications the earthen display a remarkable resiliency to unwanted magical forces . They do not need to breathe and can tunnel around without shovels or picks . Their beards are actually an intricate series of mineral growths . They are immortal . Original - type ( Series One ) . The first generation of earthen ( Series One ) are the earthen that destabilized into troggs . Their physical appearance is unknown due to the fact that all ( or most ) of that generation of earthen turned into troggs . However based on information given by the Lore Keeper of Norgannon , they may have had an appearance similar to the Series Two line . The first creation and experiments with this line appear to have occured in the Bael Modan facility ( but appear to have also occured in Uldaman ) . Troggs have been found in other facilities and vaults around the world . Southern - type ( Series Two ) . This type was primarily associated with Uldaman . They have appeared mainly in the eastern kingdoms , though a few have been seen in Kalimdor . Although apparently more resilient to magical forces than the first series , they are susceptible to the curse of flesh and , like troggs , can destabilize if utilized in high stress environments , becoming dwarves . Destabilization also occured after the War of Ancients for a group of earthen while they were slumbering in Uldaman . These newly transformed dwarves left the facility to found the nation of Khaz Modan , leaving other unmutated earthen behind . Northern - type ( " earthen dwarf " ) . These are a new type of Earthen that were created in Ulduar ( via the Forge of Wills ) to replace previous generations of earthen that were succeptible to the curse of flesh . While they are simply called earthen there is some association with the term , " earthen dwarf " ( see notes below ) . Most currently known northern - type earthen were exiled from Ulduar . These earthen are made from the Enchanted Earth located in Northrend , giving them their unique look . They are able to use this earth to heal their wounded as well . These earthen are incapable of bleeding . They can speak many dialects very clearly , unlike the other earthen located around Azeroth . To date , this type of earthen seems to be the only type of earthen to be entirely immune to the Curse of Flesh . Regions . Bael Modan . Khaz ' Goroth was the facility overseer of the facility near Bael Modan nearly 100 , 000 years ago . His scientists began the first series of experiments to create a race of stone , known as the " earthen " . Mirroring the events at other titan facilities , the earthen destabilized turning into troggs . When the titans saw how brutal and misshapen the troggs were , they buried them in the northern vault of the facility . Bael Modan is noted as being one of the facilities where the first series of earthen were developed , implying it represents the earliest research into the creation of earthen ( it is unclear if any Series Two were developed there ) . Uldaman . The Uldaman facility was apparently used to produce Series Two earthen ( and to contain previous failed experiments such as troggs ) . Uldaman once contained earthen that had destabilized into dwarves . Following the events of the War of the Ancients some of the earthen went into deep slumber . Some time later they were awakened by an unknown cause . During their slumber they had evolved into dwarves . The dwarves left Uldaman and founded the civilization of Khaz Modan and the great city of Ironforge . Uldaman is still guarded by earthen which have not yet succumbed to the Curse of Flesh . Ulduar . The Ulduar facility appears to have been used for a new generation of earthen . At this facility the Forge of Wills and other systems were implemented to prevent the Curse of Flesh . A group of troggs called Forged Iron Trogg s were also kept there . Uldum . Uldum is one of the ancient titan cities where the earthen first took shape and form . It is said that after the War of the Ancients earthen reeled with the pain of the earth itself and lost much of their identity and sealed themselves within the city ' s stone chambers . Naming . Earthen . The " earthen " set of names was chosen by the Creators , based on the earthen ' s composition , that of Azeroth ' s stone core materials . Dwarves . According to the Lore Keeper of Norgannon , " Dwarf " is the term used for the second variant of Earthen destabilization ( aka Series Two ) . Before the War of the Ancients , the term " dwarf " appears to have been used as a derogatory term by the night elves towards non - mutated earthen . In the present dwarf has also retroactively been used by dwarves and others to refer to all non - mutated earthen . Most pre - sundering history was later forgotten as the earthen entered their slumber , and changed into the beings they are now . Brann Bronzebeard states in one of his books that when the humans first met the dwarves they just simply called them dwarves . Back when we created Ironforge we had no idea that anyone else existed in the world . We didn ’ t even have a written language — everything was handed down by word of mouth . Naturally , facts became legends and legends became forgotten . The early dwarves were so busy mining and smithing their little hearts out that remembering the past just didn ’ t seem all that important . They got very , very good at smelting ore and making things , but that was about it . However , from what we know of those early days , my people were happy . Then , one day , a couple thousand years ago or so , the first humans appeared at the gates of Ironforge . We know this because human written tales of the day tell of the race of short , stocky , bearded master smiths who shared a great love of crafting and storytelling . Dwarves , they called us , and thus we are known today , even though at the time we didn ’ t know the word literally meant “ diminutive . ” Ah well , it could be worse — they could ’ ve called us “ beard - men ” or “ rockheads ” or something like that . Since then the dwarves have kept this name . It should be noted that its unclear when humans first met the dwarves ( it appears to be after the War of the Ancients ) , and that humans had been around since before the Sundering , then known as the Azotha . However , the fact that humans met dwarves who didn ' t realize there were other races around implies either that this occurred millennia before the War , or at some point after the Earthen ' s transformation . Speculation . Curse of Flesh . It is revealed in the " " expansion by Gearmaster Mechazod that , like the gnomes , a catalyst for their transformation into dwarves may have been the " Curse of Flesh " turning their stone skin into soft flesh . However , the source of this information seemed clearly dubious as Mechazod is quite obviously mad , but many mechagnomes have been found in the Storm Peaks amongst the titan ruins surrounding Ulduar , who serve as guardians of the titans work . Perhaps something similar to the curse of flesh turned northern - type earthen into iron dwarves ( see below ) . Frostborn & Iron dwarves . Perhaps frostborn are earthen made of ice or are earthen who had adapted to the harsh cold of Northrend . An interesting note that can be taken from Northrend earthen ' s physical appearance is that while frostborn resemble the northren - type Earthen ' s cousins from the Eastern Kingdoms , only Iron dwarves resemble the northern - type , even having a blue internal glow . This would point to Ulduar as being the origin ( or the only one known ) of the Iron dwarves ' progenitors , the first version of this kind of earthen , which means that similarly to the Earthen of Uldaman who became the first dwarves , a group of Earthen from Ulduar could have ventured out due to a possible high stress enviorment they became the first Iron dwarves . If this theory is correct then it is somewhat ironic how Loken is leading the Iron dwarves against their progenitors . It is of noteworthy interest to mention that northern - type earthen are made from stone and do not bleed ( as per the quest text from a dying nothern - type earthen in Thor Modan ) , frostborn do bleed ( as per quest text from a dying frostborn in the valley below Frosthold ) . It has not been confirmed if southern - type earthen can bleed or not , but it is most likely they do not . Alternatively , since " earthen " is a term that refers to the physical composition of the race ( i . e . made out of stone and earth materials ) , then frostborn would imply a separate race made out of ice . This would suggest that " frost dwarves " may be secondary evolution of the original frostborn . However it is possible that the frostborn have never evolved ( or cursed as the case may be ) . However it is possible that both types of earthen were once created in Ulduar , Southern like Uldaman and Northern like Ulduar , but due to the harsh enviorments of Northrend , the Southern type of Earthen could have succumbed to the Curse of Flesh overtime , the High - stress enviorments of the north rather then those of warmer climates causing their frosty pigmentation . This latter interpretation might also explain the use of the term " earthen dwarf " . It is possible that the term may be a term generated by Brann Bronzebeard ( the main individual to encounter / spawn the " Earthen Dwarf " npcs in Ulduar ) to describe them , much in the same way he used frost dwarf to describe the frostborn . Uldum facility . Uldum is a research facility for the titans in their continuing efforts to enhance the biosphere of Azeroth . Specific information regarding their work as it relates to Uldum is unknown . The facility is believed to contain earthen , but also appears to be associated with mountain giant s . Although earthen may be associated with the facility in some form , if so , it is still unclear what types of earthen were constructed or are contained there . The information mentioned by Lore Keeper of Norgannon and contained on the Discs of Norgannon may imply that the facility contains further research beyond that kept in Uldaman . However it is unclear if research conducted there predates or post - dates the research commited at the Ulduar facility .