Dwarf

Created on: September 03, 2006
Modified on: September 13, 2009

Dwarves are about half the height of a Human, with strong, barrel chests and thick muscular arms. The most famous trait of the Dwarves is their incomparable talent in the art of metallurgy. Dwarves are known the world over for their tremendous ability with the harvest and working of rare metals and gems. Items of Dwarven craftsmanship are objects of beauty and great durability, and often fetch a high price in markets all over Arawyn. Having mined the great northern mountains for so many centuries, Dwarves are resilient to many compounds and elements that would normally kill or harm other races. Most Dwarves live in large citadels carved into the very mountains. It is within these walls that Dwarven craftsmanship is at its finest. Hard work during the day is followed by great revelry at night with enough tankards of ale and hard spirits to drown an army.

Dwarves are not inclined towards magic; in fact, some magic has no effect on them at all. Dwarves hate goblinoids with a passion borne of eons of constant war; they have been subject to the rampages of Orcish war parties throughout their history.

Some Dwarves leave their mountain citadels to find employment in the Human kingdoms - hiring out their services to the rich. Dwarven adventurers can often be found among Elves, Hobbits, and Humans, for the Dwarves prefer their companions to be civilized people.

Dwarves are stout and stubborn, proud and serious. Sloth is greatly disdained and Dwarves hate laziness of any kind. They are generally hard-working, good folk and tend to keep company with people of a like nature. However, their fear of outsiders getting their treasure makes them difficult to deal with sometimes. They have an irrepressible appreciation of quality craftsmanship and critical remarks about such works are a good way to engage a Dwarf in conversation. Dwarves are naturally honorable and will not tolerate lying or thievery.

A male Dwarf’s beard is a sign of age, maturity, status, and adulthood. Dwarves without beards are considered a disgrace. For the females, it is braids in their hair. It is the length of the braid that denotes maturity and status. Dwarves have a long lifespan, but their constant warring with goblinoids claims many Dwarves before the natural ends of their lives. Thus, Dwarves highly respect their elders. A “graybeard” is given great deference - for if he has lived long enough to have gray in his beard, he must be an extraordinary Dwarf.

Role-playing

Dwarves despise goblinoids and regard them with deep suspicion.
Dwarves believe that everything that a person does or creates is reflective of her virtue as a person. Consequently, a Dwarf will find it nearly impossible to do something without committing her full effort to it, or make something without applying care and dedication.

Costuming and Makeup

Dwarves believe in dressing finely when not at labor in a mine or at a forge, and consider armor to be perfectly suitable clothing for formal occasions. You must wear a beard when playing a male Dwarf, or braids in your hair when playing a female Dwarf.