Short and broad, Dwarves are hardy folk that are said to have skin of iron and bones of steel. Dwarves are well-regarded for their skill with metal, whether that be forging them into items of supreme craftsmanship, or wielding them in battle. The average Dwarf has a lifespan of three times that of a human, with some being said to live up to three hundred years. However, Dwarves are infamous for their low birth-rate, making them few in number outside their own communities. Nonetheless, their talents and famous beards have made their presence felt throughout Ásaterra, much to her benefit.
The Dwarves of the Mountains and Plains[]
Traditionally, Dwarves survived in mountain-top fortress-towns called Karaks, where their skills with stone and steel have kept them safe for centuries. However, with the expansion of Ásaterra and the relative stability it brought with it, many Dwarves left their mountain homes to create new lives amongst the people of Ásaterra. This has led to a divide in Dwarven society; between the traditionalist Dwarves of the Mountains, and the forward-thinking Dwarves of the Plains.
The Dwarves of the Mountains[]
The Dwarves of the Mountains stick to their traditional ways of living, choosing to live within the Karaks that have kept them safe for centuries. These Dwarves rarely travel far from their homes, choosing to keep to the lands they have known all their lives. Instead, the Dwarves of the Mountains dedicate themselves to their crafts, focusing their time and efforts into crafting objects of supreme beauty and function. It is because of this level of dedication that weapons, armour and jewellery crafted by Dwarves of the Mountains are highly valued. Indeed, it is common for trading towns to grow outside of Dwarven Karaks, ones that thrive on trading the exceptional items dug from Dwarven mines and shaped by Dwarven hands. Such is the prosperity of such trades, that some Dwarven Karaks have given up on farming altogether, instead dedicating themselves to their work and trading for the food needed to sustain them.
However, it is not items alone that the Dwarves of the Mountains dedicate themselves to. Many Dwarves choose to expand their Karaks, creating awe-inspiring architecture from the mountain rock. This architecture is not for looks alone however, for almost every Karak is a fortress of supreme strength. Each entrance is lined with unyielding defences, hewn from the mountain itself with expert hands. The Dwarves of the Mountains also stick to the traditions of martial training. Every Mountain Dwarf is trained from a young age in the art of the axe and hammer, drilled to lock shields in a shield-wall, and to hone their skills with the crossbow. As such, a Dwarven Karak is ready to withstand any assault at a moment’s notice. Many within Ásaterra believe this tradition to be unnecessary, as the armies of the factions stand ready to face any threat to the nation before they even reach a Karak. But to the Dwarves of the Mountains, these precautions have kept them alive so far, and they will not abandon them.
The most notable of these Karaks within Ásaterra is that of Karak Anor. located on the border between Northern Ásaterra and Treth, this Karak is the largest in the land, boasting the highest concentration of Mountain Dwarves for hundreds of miles.
The Dwarves of the Plains[]
Over the centuries since Ásaterra’s creation, there have been many Dwarves who have left their Karak behind. Whether through wonderlust, ambition, exile, or a host of other reasons, these Dwarves have chosen to leave their traditional lives behind and live amongst the people of Ásaterra. These Dwarves are known as Dwarves of the Plains, and can be found scattered across the length and breadth of Ásaterra.
Though the Dwarves of the Plains live all over Ásaterra, it is to her cities that most of these Dwarves are drawn. There they often find their skills as crafters and traders in high demand. Many a smithy across Ásaterra is fired by a Dwarf of the Plains, and many an armoury is filled by their tireless work. Additionally, many of the taverns and inns spread across Ásaterra are owned by Dwarves. Indeed, Ales and Mead brewed by Dwarven hands are highly prized in the inns of Ásaterra, for they are famous for their strength and rich flavour.
As the Dwarves of the Plains have intermingled with the other species of Ásaterra, coupling between Dwarves and other species have become commonplace. However, half-Dwarven children are few and far between. The infamous low birth rates of Dwarves makes the conception of a half-dwarf child difficult, as many couples will try for decades to make a single child. As such, these couples will often leave many dedications to Lyre, and go to great lengths to seek her blessing of a child.
Dwarven Beards[]
To many of the Dwarves of the Mountain, their beards are symbols of status and pride. Dwarves of any gender can grow a beard, although just as with other species, some Dwarves may not grow beards at all. Dwarves of the Mountains often grow thick and luscious beards. They take great pride in their beards, keeping them well-groomed and maintained. Many choose to plait their beards and decorate them with bands of precious metals. The more wealthy dwarves even decorate these bands with precious jewels, using them as symbols of wealth and power.
The Dwarves of the Plains have a more complicated relationship with their beards. Some choose to keep their well-groomed beards as a symbol of their roots to their past. Other Dwarves of the Plains choose to shave themselves in an act of rebellion against their forebears, a symbolic rejection of the Karak culture.
The high importance Dwarves place on their beards has resulted in a culture of beard fashion trends amongst Dwarven communities. The more fashionable Dwarves often choose to wear their beards in the latest style and length. Indeed, it has even been known for some trends to have little-to-no beard at all, much to the grumbling of the Dwarven elders.
Dwarven Religion[]
The Cult of Mordon[]
To Dwarves of most walks of life, the worship of Mordon is a key part of their identity. Mordon is said in myth to be the original creator of the Dwarven species, and did so in order to create a species who shared her love for crafting. As such, almost all Dwarves worship Mordon to a greater or lesser extent.
Most Dwarven homes hold some form of shrine to Mordon, and Mordon’s symbols mark their tools, workplaces and belongings. However, there are very few temples dedicated to Mordon in Dwarven districts or Karaks. Instead, the Dwarves choose to venerate Mordon through their craft. They will often say prayers to Mordon to keep their steel from cracking in the fire, or ask that their chisel blows cut the gems true, or a myriad of other aids during their efforts.
The Vaults of Mordon[]
In the Dwarven Karaks, the priests of Mordon serve a further purpose. When a crafter has worked for decades honing their skill to the point they catch the priest's eye, the crafter is then offered the chance to make an item worthy of Mordon. These Dwarven crafters will then work for decades on a single item. They will acquire the finest metals, cut the finest gems, and carve the finest runes. Using every ounce of their talent, they will craft a weapon of deadly power, or a suit of armour of unbreakable strength, or magical jewelry of supreme potency, or a decoration of dazzling beauty.
Upon completion, these Dwarves will submit their creation to the priests of Mordon. If the priests deem the item worthy, they will take it as an offering, and store it in one of the vaults of Mordon. There it will stay under the watchful eyes of the priests, adding to the wealth and power of the Karak. Most of these items will stay locked away for centuries, but occasionally the priests will give a gift of an item to a hero of particular note. To receive such an item from the vaults of Mordon is one of the highest honours the priests can bestow, and the bearer will forever have the respect of the Dwarves.
To the crafters who create such items, the giving of an offering to the vaults is a mark of high prestige. It elevates the Dwarf to the status of a Master Crafter, and opens their business to much higher value clients. The Dwarf is also seen as a worthy peer by other Master Crafters, who will often share closely-guarded secrets to smithing the most stubborn of metals.
Ancestor Worship[]
Though Dwarves worship the gods of Ásaterra, it is rare that a Dwarf will turn to any deity bar Mordon for help in their lives. Instead, Dwarves practice an ancient ritual of ancestor worship. When a Dwarf of particularly noteworthy prestige, glory, or skill dies, they are interred in the halls of the dead, and a great statue is made to represent the Dwarf when they were alive. It is to these ancestors that the Dwarves turn when in crisis, calling upon their forebears for aid in their darkest hours.
That is not to say that Dwarves believe their dead turn into gods when they die. Instead, Dwarves believe that the souls of their dead return to the rock from which Mordon cut them. When a Dwarf calls upon their ancestor for aid, they do not ask for divine intervention from a supreme power. Instead, they see their form of Ancestor worship as calling for help from a long dead relative, asking for their hard-won advice on how to tackle the problems before them.
Because of this, Dwarves have an unusual relationship with Umbramancers. Their ability to commune directly with the Ancestors makes them highly revered in Dwarven societies, leading to Dwarven Umbramancers obtaining high positions in noble courts. Most Dwarves also bear a natural resistance to the magical arts, making a Dwarven mage, let alone an Umbramancer, a rare sight indeed. However, Dwarven Umbramancers must walk a fine line, for to Dwarves, there is nothing more sacrilegious than the raising of their dead. Indeed, many are the tales of Dwarven Umbramancers obtaining wealth and power, only to fall under the axes of the Dwarves for disturbing the corpses of fallen kin.
The Cult of Lyre[]
Perhaps surprisingly, the cult of Lyre has developed a strong following in Dwarven communities. This is thanks to the low birthrate and their struggle for many Dwarves to have children. As such, it has become commonplace for Dwarven couples who wish to have a child to become devotees of Lyre, erecting a shrine to them in their chambers and attending fertility rituals at their temples.
The dedication that many Dwarven couples hold to Lyre often extends to parenthood as well. The teachings of Lyre help Dwarven parents to create strong families, and provide a healthy environment to raise their hard-won children. Such has been the effect of Lyre since many Dwarven Karaks were absorbed into Asaterra, that the Dwarven population in the region has steadily grown. Many believe this to be the reason for the many Dwarves of the Plains leaving their ancestral Karaks, the old stone holdings unable to sustain the growing Dwarven population Lyre has provided.