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Physical Description

Dwarves are a strong and stocky race. They stand around four feet tall and are considerably broader than the other races of Cimmeria, often weighing close to 200 pounds due to their larger girth. Their increased size gives dwarves a formidable resistance to poisons, both virulent and recreational such as alcohol. Dwarves are well-known for their facial hair. Like other races it comes in at puberty, but at an accelerated rate for male dwarves. Males often keep their hair long in elaborate braids. Female dwarves develop hair similar to that of males of other races and typically keep their beards neatly trimmed. Both genders dress up their beards with decorations for special occasions. Dwarven skin tones and hair colors are varied, but their eyes trend towards earthy colors of brown, red, silver, and gold.

Dwarves are adapted to their life of living underground. They can see in pitch blackness at short distances, although only in black and white. Due to their movement through tunnels, dwarves have a keen sense of their depth below the Earth’s surface, like a bird sensing north. Due to their life surrounded by stone they are also highly attuned to the quality and nature of anything made out of rock. Dwarves live about four times as long as the average human, with the oldest dwarven lifespans stretching past four centuries.

Culture

Dwarves are best known for their mastery of the forge, shaping metal into weapons, armor, and intricate works of art. Their forges burn hotter and longer than others due to volcanic heat or enchanted flames. They work with rare metals such as mithril and adamantine, forging items that last for centuries. The art of enchanting without innate magic is also a practice well known to dwarves. They hammer runes into weapons and armor to imbue them with power. Dwarven metal art focuses on heavy pieces of statement jewelry or fine clockwork machines.

No discussion of dwarven culture is complete without mentioning their love of alcohol. Dwarves are famous for their potent ales and meads, often served chilled. The ingredients for most alcohols must be imported to dwarven kingdoms, making cereal grains one of their most desired commodities. While much alcohol is produced in dwarven realms, little is exported in turn. Within their communities dwarven brews are not only enjoyed recreationally but also serve as a social and religious cornerstone, consumed during ceremonies, battles, and even smithing rituals. A dwarf’s ability to hold their drink is a source of pride, and drinking contests are common.

Despite their rugged appearance, dwarves maintain a surprisingly rich and hearty diet, built for endurance and strength. Their meals are often heavy with roasted meats, root vegetables, and dense bread, sustaining them through long hours of labor. Mushrooms and cave-grown crops play a crucial role in subterranean dwarven diets, providing essential nutrients when surface food is scarce. A dwarven feast is a grand affair, where massive platters of food are passed around communal tables, ensuring no one leaves hungry. Hospitality is sacred, and offering a guest a meal is a gesture of deep respect. These food stuffs are largely imported to dwarven realms with a steady flow of valuable metals and jewels exported in return.

Dwarven music carries the weight of their history and hearts. Deep, resonant chants echo through their halls, often accompanied by heavy drums and brass instruments. Work songs help pass the time in the forge and mines, while epic ballads tell of great battles, lost treasures, and the deeds of their ancestors. Music is as much a part of their identity as their hammers and axes, binding their clans together and preserving their legends. In times of victory and sorrow alike, dwarves raise their voices in song, ensuring their stories are never forgotten.

Dwarves have lived exclusively in kingdoms since their creation at the start of the Conclave. The hierarchical structure of their government extends to the rest of their culture. The eldest or most experienced of a particular group rules that group. Tradition rules dwarven lives. Households are led by the eldest and they decide what is good and right within the family. Extended family form clans that often practice the same or similar professions. Within professions those with the greatest skill and talent set the tone. The past leaves a powerful imprint on dwarven lives. History and tradition are powerful forces that few within dwarven society go against.