The Dwarves[]
A battle with the Dwarves and Goblins against the Cocos, By Krumbs
The dwarves were created by the God Armok, and are known for their fine art, whether it be the art of war, or the art of crafting. A great smith and a great warrior earn the same respect in dwarven society, because without the smith, the warrior would not have a fine axe to slay his enemies, and without the warrior, the smith would have no safe dwelling for smithing. Your average dwarf is stolid, stubborn, and stout, with a large beard. Even female dwarves have beards that rival those of human men.
Creation[]
The Dwarves have passed down many legends on how Dwarfkind, and all other races were made by the one universal god of blood, Armok. He created the world from his own blood for his children to live in, and it congealed into the earth we know today. Remnants of Armok's blood are often found in volcanoes scattered around the world. From the soil, he created man, which lived in the verdant plains of the world, farming wheat and tending to cattle. From the trees, he created elves, tall and angular beings that still tend to the trees they see today. And from stone he created the mighty race of trolls, which were favoured by Armok for a while. But then, he refined the race of trolls further, into two distinct races, the race of goblins and dwarves. Some claim he made goblins and dwarves only for them to fight eternally in his name, since both races worship Armok, but denounce the other. But where the goblins are crude, the dwarves are noble. Armok gave them the ability to appreciate war in all of its fullness, and fine craftsdwarfship which has no rival in the works of the others races.
The Art of Crafting[]
An example of fine craftsdwarfship.
Craftsdwarves are known for creating some of the most powerful and beatiful artifacts ever beheld by any of the races. Whenever a hero or adventurer needs armour to confront a great beast, they often turn to a dwarven smith for help. Craftsdwarves are known to go into strange moods, where some claim the crafter is possessed by a great demon, or perhaps Armok himself. They then obsessively hunt down materials, and gather them at a workshop, 'till everything is made ready for the artifact's crafting. They then work for days until it is finished, showing their creation to all. Some become legendary crafters, being endowed with great power by Armok, but for others, the talent is a fleeting experience affecting only their artifact. Dwarven crafters are known not only for their smithing, but for crafting glass, wood, bone, cloth, and even the stone in which they live.
The Art of War[]
A typical Dwarven Fortress
Dwarves are known for their honour in fighting the other races, but their superior technology often gives them a hand. A goblin may charge into the dark depths of a fortress, only to confront spinning serrated disks, rather than stolid warriors. Even the most basic dwarven army has a host of warriors, most often axedwarves or hammerdwarves, accompanied by marksdwarves armed with crossbows. Mechanics may design many devices to help in warfare, from traps for defense, to wooden barrel mechs with flamethrower arms, and booze jetpacks. Dwarven warriors themselves will most often be wearing steel, but they can be found wearing lesser alloys of bronze or iron, and occasionally the wealthiest warriors will wear fine mail coats of mithril. Some dwarves go into battle, wearing little more than clothes and only fighting with their bare hands, and through their rage, they maul and beat goblin bodies into little more than a green mush. Whenever dwarves go into battle, if they are hopelessly outnumbered or surrounded by enemies, then they enter what is called a martial trance. Some dwarven philosophers say that this is another example of possession, by demon or otherwise, similar to that of craftsdwarves. Whatever the cause, a dwarven warrior in a martial trance will deflect arrows and bolts with his blade, and decapitate and slice all foes around him.
The Dwarven Life[]
An example of a smaller outpost.
As important as crafters and warriors are, there are many dwarves who enjoy other jobs inside the fortress. The miners are revered for their ability to create tunnels through stone to find ores and gems for the crafters. Farmers are likewise renowned for their ability to tend to their underground plots, and grow plump helmets, cave wheat, and sweet pods. These are used not only for eating, but for brewing, and the everydwarf respects the brewer for his fine ale-crafting. Whenever dwarves are not under siege or fighting, their lives are very structured, with areas for merrymaking, eating, drinking, and even zoos and statue gardens in their underground complexes. To the outsider, the inside of a dwarven fortress is unbearably dark, the only light, if any, coming from the orange glow of a furnace. Some dwarves alleviate this problem with torches, but most can live quite comfortably in the darkness. Some dwarven children are even afraid of light, and often their parents will make them go to sleep with a torch by their beds.