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Dwarves: Aestas Dwarves live up to all of the expected tropes and stereotypes... they usually live in mountains, and are expert craftsmen, gruff and clannish. The Dwarves of the Known World make their primary homes in the northern regions of the FarSpar Mountains, Durham, and the Northlands. Scattered settlements can be found nearly anywhere there are mountains and caves, but outside of the Dwarven heartlands, populations are much smaller. Living underground most of the time, they are not bothered by the inhospitable climates of the surface world. Dwarves often trade with the humans around them, but rarely concern themselves with human religion or politics. Dwarven subgroups include "Hill Dwarves" and "Mountain Dwarves", but the differences between them are lost on humans for the most part. It is safe to think of these as ethnic groups within the Dwarven bloodlines.
"Durma" is the language of the Dwarven people. It is a difficult tongue for humans. It is a harsh but noble sounding tongue, especially when spoken by Dwarves. It is almost never spoken in the presence of non-Dwarves. The written language uses a series of complex ideographs, like Chinese, but more complex. Despite their clannishness, the Dwarves will react favorably to a successful attempt to speak Durma.
Gnomes: Gnomes are a somewhat smaller, surface-dwelling sub-race of the Aestas dwarves. They are so rare as to be thought non-existent by most humans. They are usually mistaken for Dwarves in the Known World, due to their similar appearances. Gnomes are smaller and thinner, and many live above-ground in isolated forest communities in the valleys of Dwarf territories. Aestan gnomes speak a variety of Durma that is mostly mutually intelligible with Dwarves.
Gnomes come in two main varieties, 'Rock Gnomes" and "Forest Gnome". Rock Gnomes are by far the most common, found in significant numbers near Dwarven territories. Rock Gnomes can also be found living in human cities, in small wards devoted to them and their workshops; indeed, a Gnomish Quarter is something that nearly all human rulers seek to encourage. The Grand Duchy of Durham is home to the most significant population of Rock Gnomes in the Known World. "Forest Gnomes" tend to be solitary guardians of the forest, often living alongside but separate from Wood Elves. Forest Gnome culture is inseparably centered on nature and the natural world, and their priests are nearly always druids.
Halflings: Usually considered "Flatland Dwarves" by humans, Aestan Halflings are no exception to the tropes... they are agricultural, bucolic and mild-mannered. When humans think of them at all, Halflings are considered good neighbors by most communities. Halfling lands usually are self-governing, with a protective relationship to a neighboring human power. Most are settled farmers, but those living in the Pershamon Empire tend to be semi-nomadic pastoralists, known for their vast herds of sheep. They are few in number in the Known World compared to humans, but oddly quite common in the islands of the Savage Lands. Halflings nearly always use the local human dialect for their own languages, altered to fit their cultures more closely.
Halflings are divided into two groups, called 'Lightfoot" and "Stout" by humans. The vast majority of those in the Known World are of the "Lightfoot" variety, while those from elsewhere are "Stout". This is especially true of the Halflings native to the Savage Lands, who often have some very odd cultural practices. There are certain small islands dominated by savage halflings, fierce cannibals of the Stout variety.
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