Dwarf

Biology
Dwarves are varying from shades of light grey to pitch black. It is said that they first emerged from an eruption of a great volcano Ajal that caused the spreading of large obsidian shards throughout the known world. As one of the relatively new races emerging roughly 7,000 years ago.

Deities/Religion
Most dwarven religions hold these shards as important towards their origin and gods or god.

Dwarves make their homes in large communities that are dug into the hills and mountains, using the natural terrain as their homes. While they do not see any problem with not digging into the earth to create their communities it is not a natural thought to them. Just as for humans it would make no sense to dig a hole and go live in it, when you can build a structure like a hut or tent. They naturally seem to have a distrust of other races, even when they are willing to work with them, it is not uncommon for them to feel safer in the company of their fellow dwarves and clans. A dwarf stranger will always be more trustworthy than any other stranger to them.

Culture
Compared to most races they do not tend to travel and when they do, they travel with other dwarves from their clan. Seeing a dwarf on their own is a rare sight to behold and is usually thought of as a negatively, as it is often a sign that the dwarf was cast out of their clan. While some do live with other races (mostly humans if any) they don’t tend to stay on a permanent basis, usually as tradesfolk looking for work or trade, or emissaries for their gods or mercenaries looking to give their services. Once they are done or think there is better coin to be made elsewhere, they leave.

Clans are formed from a lineage that theoretically can be traced back to the original Dwarves that emerged from the Shards of Ajal. The clans branch off when it is considered that the deeds of the dwarf are notable enough for them to be recognised for their own clan. Many dwarves make it their life's goal to start their own clan as it etches their lineage into stone.

The dwarves are also known to entomb their dead rather than burning them as they rise to defend the treasures of their past. These make excellent places for tomb robbers to steal from if they can defeat the dead.

Their settlements are scattered throughout the world, some of the largest is where they mythically first emerged from the shards, the larges of this is known as Hilrek the Grand Fortress, outsiders, even many dwarves that were not born within or around the city are not permitted to enter.

They have had defensive and trade allies in the past, but it is not unknown to history that they have completely shut themselves out from the rest of the world. Why they have done this and what they did when they were shut off remains largely a mystery from the rest of the world, and from what it seems often the common civilian within the city. The city itself is lead by a council comprised out of the most important clans within the fortress.