Dwarf

The Dwarves are a widely respected but largely destitute peoples, with their ancient strongholds long lost beneath the depths of the world, and their current culture bent more towards survival than sovereignty. Once, in their oldest records, they were created by the primordials as the guardians of the world against the ethereals - the celestials and infernals who once warred across the surface of Vennar. Any further records of that time have been lost, with the most ancient sources referencing only legends, yet many speak of the loss of their deepest strongholds and the maddened, desperate escape from their homelands.

### Basic Information

#### Anatomy

A dwarf of Vennar is a shorter, sturdy individual with cosmetic appearances dependent primarily on their genetic ancestry, but their subspecies based in the material within their being. Every dwarf of the world is infused with a material component influencing every aspect of their lives. An iron dwarf will have dark veins and cheekbones ridged with iron flakes, a stone dwarf will have skin dusted with flecks of granite or slate, and a gemstone dwarf will have rubies extending from their joints through the skin or teeth of amethyst. Dwarves of a certain material will have their personalities affected by this material, with iron dwarves being strong, confident, and courageous, while a ruby dwarf would be noble, passionate, and proper.   When creating your dwarven character, be sure to pick their material as well as their subrace, and consider how this material would have affected their personality, upbringing, and social expectations. A gold mountain dwarf would be expected to join the mercantile families trading with surfacers, become a jeweler, or even join the religious orders. An iron dwarf of any subrace would be expected to join the military, their usual personality perfect for the hard life of a soldier.   Men and women both keep great beards, which filter out the surrounding air and cultivate a small ecosystem of bacteria, fungus, and other such microorganisms. The average dwarf takes great pride in their beard, ensuring the small ecosystem they maintain and that maintains them is properly combed, cleaned, and fastened in such a way as to maximize the filtration it offers.

### Civilization and Culture

#### Gender Ideals

Separation based on sex is rare in dwarven society, with the sexual dimorphism of the species hardly discernable. Men and women both keep great beards, and both sexes are short and stocky, built for their steadfastness in combat and industry. A dwarven shieldwall of mixed sex would hold against a horde of fiends, while a mining troupe would survive any cave-in through tenacity and grit. Through-out the long millenia, while some dwarven societies may have seen fit to separate their people based purely on sex, the vast majority have seen fit to equalize the sexes or never considered it at all.

#### Culture and Cultural Heritage

Most dwarven cultures revere their ancestors, though this can include both those in a direct ancestral line and the primordials who first created the dwarves. With the vast gulf of time between the modern day and the days of creation, the difference has been entirely blurred. One of the few primordials to be consistently referred to as such is Borlum, the creator of the entire dwarven species and one of the first primordials to switch sides in the Genesis War, joining mortal and dragon kind against the Shattered God. With the low sexual dimorphism between male and female dwarves, the hermaphroditic quality of Borlum is far from unusual.   The society of most dwarven states is separated by material, due to the strict coupling taboos keeping most material lines pure. A material family will be well known for its expected role, with its most influential members joining the ranks of the local aristocracy. A ruby family will be well known for its socialites, investors, and jewelers, with the clan elders being some of the most respected and influential members of the local nobility.

#### Common Taboos

While dwarves may love and bond freely, two dwarves of a different subspecies producing a child will result in a mix of the two components and are thus heavily regulated by social norms. An iron dwarf and a coal dwarf will often result in a steel dwarf, done mostly in the interest of a monarchy in combining the bloodlines of two powerful warrior and industrial families. Nearly all dwarven cultures consider it taboo for a dwarf of mixed parentage to breed further as the mix will often result in a weakening or unpredictable stability, much like in the mixing of an alloy with the unpredictability of genetics.