Dwarves

Dwarves are one of the five races created from clay around -20,000 NE, together with humans, gnomes, halflings, and goblins. They live in Norethrope or Wessleland but occasionally cross a border or two.

Dwarves were made and given life by Claeus, which is also their parent god, Moradin.

All dwarves speak Dwarvish and Common, and sea- or fellsjö dwarves learn a lot of new languages on their “boat trips”. Duergar speak Undercommon, and Golden dwarves speak Celestial.

### **Sub-races**

* Mountain dwarves (dull light brown skin, light hair): Mountain dwarves generally live in the Somni mountains in Norethrope. A few clans migrated to mountain ranges on the same continent, the Monshillos mountains and the Orkish Barrier. Most mountain dwarves never see sunlight, and the few who do are exceptional people. Sometimes they are exiles, but usually they’re adventurers. Mountain dwarves are straight to the point, and make things that are useful. This doesn’t mean that they hate art though, most mountain dwarves would stop to watch the sun set everyday in their long lives of 400 years.
* Hill dwarves (white skin, light to dark hair): Hill dwarves live in the hilly taiga of Wessleland, sometimes bordering the land of Drakonverthika which usually doesn’t bother the inhabitants. Hill dwarves tend to get along with most races, like kobolds, halflings, bugbears, and others. There’s one race they despise. Elves. Although wood elves often act kind, high elves can be very much considered arrogant, and more so in the company of a dwarf. Hill dwarves live around 300 years.
* Snow dwarves (white skin, light hair): Snow dwarves dwell in the very north of the north, Norethrope. Between tundras and taigas they build their cities, made of wood, with lots of beer and gold inside. These dwarves like to call themselves *viking,* which means something like “traders”. In reality, plunderers is a better translation. Snow dwarves take what they want, although they rarely kill someone. They have a great sense of hospitality and can cook very well. Most snow dwarf clans have around 3 ships available, which they like to invade cities with. They live up to 250 years.
* Fellsjö dwarves (white or light brown skin, dark hair): Fellsjö dwarves, or sea dwarves, are unarguably one of the best explorers and pirates in the world. They live as nomads in a desert of water, living everywhere and nowhere, but sometimes they come back to the land of their dwarven brethren. The fellsjö dwarves might be called criminal scum by one race, and geniuses by the other. With their charming attitude, they usually pick your pocket before you know it. They rarely ever hurt anyone, however. It is more fun to let them walk the plank! In comparison to snow dwarves, cities don’t have to be that careful when they see a sea dwarf ship approaching. Sea dwarves are honest and would never violate the law (on land). Most pirate Fellsjö dwarves are exceptions though, because most traders and explorers of them disguise themselves to scare off the real deal.
* Duergar (purple-grayish skin, white hair): Duergar, or snufftorch dwarves, are the cursed cousins of the mountain dwarves. Deep in the Somni mountains they fight mountain dwarves like it’s their only chance at redemption. The grumpy duergar don’t like others, except for the occasional good exception. Good-hearted duergar make great spellcasters or guards and are very loyal. Most duergar however, would rather keep fighting their kin. They are slavers and tyrants in the Underdark, mirroring their ancient masters, the mind flayers. They broke free physically, but mentally they never changed. Even good duergar among them are pessimistic.
* Golden dwarves (all hair and skin colours): Golden dwarves live in the planes of Mount Celestia and Arcadia, and they have celestial blood. This makes them far more powerful than their fully mortal cousins. Golden dwarves sometimes act cocky and will feel the need to protect people, but they usually mean no harm with that.