Lifespan:* 120 years
Allowed Classes: Middle, Lower
This very clannish race was once most populous in Scotland, Wales and Northern England. The Dwarven Lords kept their northern cities and large tracts of the land around them under guard from other races, but eventually fell to English incursions. Despite this, they have always been peaceably minded, if a little standoffish, towards other races. They only really started integrating when Queen Elizabeth asked for their help to defeat the armada. These ties were strengthened during the English Civil War, when Oliver Cromwell and the Dwarven Sir Thomas Fairfax's New Model Army performed superbly, defeating their (Eldren-led) Royalist opponents.
Dwarves are stocky, and powerfully muscled. They have finely lined faces, and the color of their eyes is always deep and bright. Dwarven hair can be any Human color, although it is coarse and grows thickly on the scalp and face. Dwarven women do not grow beards, despite slurs to the contrary. Their thick luxurious hair is the envy of women from other races, and often grows long enough to reach the floor. Dwarves are hard-working industrialists, and make up a large part of the gentry and skilled labor in many towns where mining and building are primary industries. Unsurprisingly after the industrial revolution, large parts of the nouveau riche are Dwarves. Dwarves have a strong work ethic, often shunning anyone not doing something to contribute to society.
Dwarves suffer from legendary stubbornness. They often harbor bad feelings toward Eldren, due to the Civil War over two centuries ago. However, this is mainly due to their irritation with people they consider weak or too fey to get their hands dirty.
Special Abilities:
Little Legs: Dwarves are a short race and, as such, their legs are much shorter than those of the average Human (or Eldren or Beastman for that matter). When calculating movement speeds, your scores are halved (but rounded up).
Stubborn As A…: The stubborn, pig headed intransigence of the Dwarven people is famous (and infamous) world wide. Any mundane attempt to dissuade a Dwarf from something he has set his mind to is considered one difficulty level harder than usual. A sorcerer using magic to coerce or affect the mind of a Dwarf suffers a penalty of one of their successes from their casting roll.
* Lifespan indicates natural span with access to medicine and correct diet. Urban Lower classes in industrial areas will be lucky to reach ½ this figure.
