Dwarf

The first dwarves were fashioned from Miranda and brought to life by Earthmother, but that have all passed from this world. Their successors now live in bodies of flesh and blood, their ancient bodies only exists in myth and legend. Still there are those dwarves who still exhibit a reminder of all that was last and what they become someday.

Dwarves have always been known as superior craftsmen with an innate ability to fashion stone, metal, and gemstones. Legends say that when the world was young the best dwarven and elven craftsmen labored to make the most perfect gift for the gods. The dwarf finished a wonderful representation of the world, while the elf to this day still labors for perfection.

While most believes that dwarves are taciturn and door people only interested in gold, jewels, and drink this is far from the truth. Dwarves are beings of deep emotions that have lived under the cloud of the sin of their ancestors for thousands of years. They are deeply sorrowful and mourn what they forever lost. They often seek joy in the beauty of the physical knowing that it is as close as they will ever come to their ancestors.

Most dwarves average around four to four and a half (4-4 1/2) feet tall. They have broad shoulders, a thick waist, stocky legs, and slightly overly large arms. Their skin tones typically range from a light nutty brown to a rich earthen brown, while a completely pitch black not impossible. Both their eye and hair color favors dark browns or black, with lighter hair color more common than a lighter shade of eyes.

Dwarves are a very hairy species able to grow and maintain long hair, beards, and mustaches. In addition to having a significantly hairy torso compared to other species. This applies equally to both men and women, giving rise to the legend that there are no female dwarves. This is nonsense as female dwarves as proportionally larger breasts than many humanoids; although their hips and pelvis is not as different. Even for a non-dwarf it is easy to distinguish between the sexes.

Dwarves are not accomplished swimmers, even the most athletic. This is not due to any dislike of the water, but instead due to their higher mass to body fat and any other humanoid. Simply put a dwarf masses more than a human while standing just barely over half of their height. This additional mass is not fat, but muscle and denser bones. This makes swimming or even floating very difficult for a dwarf.

When Earthmother took from her children the gifts she had given them it left them as holes in the flow of the Shadow Realms. Just as the physical nature of this world causes eddies and disruptions, so do dwarves. The dwarves were originally fashioned from earth, stone, and ore of this world. They were granted gifts allowing them the magic or create - to change. Once that was taken away from them they now disrupt the flow of things of the realms more easily.

Dwarves will live well into their second century (200 years) with a rare dwarf reaching his third century (300th). Female dwarves reach a fertility cycle only once every four to five (4-5) years during their optimal child-bearing years. This makes children a very joyous occasion and a fierce desire in both men and women to protect pregnant women. A infant will suckle for the first two years of its life and be fully weaned by its eighth (8th) year. Children will reach sexual maturity in their early thirties (30s) and remain so until they reach nearly their one-hundredth (100th) year.

Old age among the dwarves is generally counted when a dwarf stops growing replacement teeth. A dwarf will have their initial teeth by their fourth (4th) year and will replace teeth every decade or so until they reach their old age when teeth are no longer grown anew.

A traditional dwarven community centers around the a dwarven clan. Clans are joined by blood (very important) and marriage (equally as important) - divorce is considered a mortal sin. Each dwarf is the clan and the clan is the dwarves. What this means to a dwarf is that they represent their clan wherever they travel and when among the clan it his priority over the individual.

Clans that have grown very large are often further sub-divided by family unit. A dwarf named Jongar of the Stonearm clan would be named as Jongar son of Rangal of the Stonearm assuming that Rangal is the head of the family. In a hold dominated by the Stonearm clan it would be shortened to Jongar son of Rangal or Jongar Rangal.

The dwarves have a long standing (millions of years) animosity with the elves. This dates back to the very creation of each of the current species' oldest ancestor and the reason they were created. As a general rule dwarves find the elves flighty and a blight upon the natural beauty of the land. Their constant desire to change the land to suit their own nature is antithesis to the dwarves.

This species of dwarf no longer exists on Miranda. Fashioned from the earth, ore, and stone of this world and given life by Earthmother they resembled living statues. Their sexless bodies were as stone, crumbling and cracking as they moves, but drawing more from the earth to replenish what was lost. Legends say their eyes were as brilliant as diamonds and that liquid iron flowed through them. The power of both the gods and devils washed over them with no more affect than the storm against the mountain. They were terrifying in battle and yet capable of beautiful artistry.

As punishment for the destruction caused by the Brothers War, all of the surviving dwarves were forever changed. They were given mortal bodies of flesh and blood - and the magic of creation was stripped from them. Some of the legacy of the ancient dwarfis still found in modern dwarf, but greatly diminished. The names of the dwarven clans is a reminder of what has been lost.

Known only as dwarves, these are the only dwarves that are recognized as such. The other species, if they still exist, would not be recognized as dwarves by any but Earthmother.

The most common dwarf on Miranda. These dwarves descended from those who left behind the great underground holds and decided to live on the surface of the world after Earthmother punished them. Their skin has toughened under the sun

Found only on a chain of islands in the Isaurus Ocean, these dwarves are nearly hairless having only light and wispy air. Their facial features are far more angular, which the foolish might describe as elven of sidhe in nature. Doing so will display that they have lost none of their temper or dislike of the elves.

Unlike their more numerous cousins, the deep dwarves have never left their underground cities. They still dwell in the absolute darkness. The have far less hair, pale skin, and their nails are slightly luminescent. Their eyes have adapted to the absolute darkness allowing them to see nearly as well as their cousins can under the moonlight. Although their diet is not as varied they still retain the well-known dwarven strength and hardy constitution. It is said they can survive on nearly everything (true) and even rocks will sustain them for weeks (not true).

A very unusual mutation and not exactly a true distinct race of dwarves. A dwarf is said to be true-blooded if they have come physical throwback to their ancient ancestors. This might be a stone arm, gemstone right eye, iron flowing through their veins, and many others. A True Blood dwarf was far more common in the thousands of years that followed the Brothers War than currently are found. Most of the dwarven clan names is derived from honoring an true blood ancestor.

True Blood dwarfs are infertile and cannot produce any new offspring from either other True Bloods or common dwarves. This is the reason True Bloods are both seen as symbols of hope that they have been forgiven as well as pitied for them being twice-cursed.

Dwarves have only a single ethnic group that accounts for over 99% of all dwarves on the planet.

• Dwarven