Dwarf
From Praemal
Although most call them dwarves, their own name for their race is Haurdir, the Stalwart Kings of Order. There are two great clans of dwarves in the known world, the Stonelost and the Grailwardens, but the Fables of Burdock claim that there was once another.
The hallmarks of dwarven culture include a strong oral tradition (including music and song), self-sufficiency, and strong religious faith, particularly of Mocharum the Soul Forger. Other members of the dwarf pantheon include Hanseath the Bearded One, Mya the Mother of Wisdom, Roknar the Tempter, Thautam, Morachon the Forge-Tender and Yurabbos the Rune-Carver. Teun, the Mother of Machines, is sometimes considered part of the pantheon, especially among the Grailwarden.
Dwarves of both great clans put a great deal of importance on personal honor, but unlike some human cultures (including among the elites of the Tarsisian Empire), a dwarf who has lost all their honor through some horrible misdeed cannot kill themselves. Suicide is the ultimate taboo in dwarven culture and instead, they typically join mercenary bands fighting for doomed causes, hoping to die in battle and reclaim some honor before their soul comes before Mocharum once more.
Historically, dwarves have lived entirely underground, or nearly so. As a result, surface-grown crops and meats are highly prized in dwarvish society. In particular, beer is treated as a drink of kings, rather than a common man's drink, since hops, barley and wheat must be imported. Of course, dwarves having ready access to precious gems and metals made acquiring the resources to make beer was soon possible, but the love of beer remains. Today, many of the best brewers in the world are dwarves, although they are also known for their other potent drinks.
Dwarves are vulnerable to a unique form of vampirism; dwarven vampires are vulnerable to different things than vampires of other races are.
They also are vulnerable to at least one unique form of lycanthropy as well.
One of the races of Praemal.
Dwarf player characters have access to all of the appropriate feats, spells and substition levels from Races of Stone.
In Midwood, the Grailwarden dwarves can be bards, berserkers, clerics, fighters, paladins, rangers, rogues and wizards.
Midwood dwarves are members of either Clan Glangirn or Clan Farrin.
Most dwarves in Midwood are Neutral Good, Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral or Neutral, with berserkers being Chaotic Good or Chaotic Neutral. Other alignments are tolerated, but the behavior is noted, and characters may end up being closely watched by authorities, especially openly evil characters. Chaotic Neutral dwarves are treated as being evil by other dwarves for the most part.
