alt. Stone Dwarf

Personality

Stone dwarves are a stubborn people who believe in duty, honor, diligence, and the eventual reward that all these things bring. They are fiercely loyal to their clans, but take far longer to develop trusting friendships with others. While serious a majority of the time, stone dwarves do enjoy revelry, they simply believe the time and place for it is after the work is done. Stone dwarves have little patience for frivolity or ineptitude, and quickly dismiss though who exhibit these qualities. Stone dwarves have a love of the riches of the earth, from the precious metals to gems, leading many outsiders to view them as greedy. Stone dwarves weigh every option carefully, especially in battle, where their sound tactics have brought victory to dwarves time and time again.

Physical Description

Stone dwarf men range in height from four to five feet tall, and their broad frames can easily weigh over 200 pounds. Stone dwarf women tend more toward the four foot mark and the lighter end of the scale. Stone dwarves have gray to white skin, though it changes little regardless of sun exposure. Their hair is most frequently black or gray, though white is not unheard of. Stone dwarf eyes are dark, and sometimes gray or a rare cold blue. Stone dwarves devote many hours to the maintenance of their beard, which is a symbol of status in their society. They prefer rugged clothing that is useful for explorers, craftsmen, and warriors.

Relations

Many races regard stone dwarves as cold, serious and grumpy. It is true that stone dwarves are slow to open up to new comers. This is because once a stone dwarf makes a friend, it is for life. Often stone dwarf friendships take decades just to form, much too long for the short lived humans. Stone dwarves consider all dwarves to be kindred and treat them pleasantly, but also feel they are misguided and foolish. Nevertheless, stone dwarves seek out dwarves when issues of travel and trade are required. Gnomes and stone dwarves often have friendly competition over who are the better craftsmen, which lead to relations. Some Stone Dwarves get along with the mercantile Halflings, though find them too often be a bit too light-hearted. Stone dwarves rarely interact with the elven races, and prefer to keep it that way; they simply don’t understand the cultural ideals of these people, which often make them ill at ease in their company. Nevertheless, over time if a member of any races proves himself to be a trusted ally, they will find the same in their stone dwarf companion.

Alignment

Stone dwarf society espouses law and order, with strict clan hierarchies that are observed by all in the community. As a people, stone dwarves tend toward good, though those who give into greed are frequently neutral, and some evil.

Stone Dwarf Lands

Stone dwarves are known for building massive cities that sprawl for miles under the mountains. While they also build impressive surface keeps that are filled with travelers and traders, these in actuality serve as little more than doorways to their vast kingdoms. Each stone dwarf city or clanhold is designed with defense as its first priority. The caverns are segmented, so that one can be abandoned while the others remain fortified. Their mountain homes are filled with mineral veins, ranging from iron to gold. Surprising to many surface folk, the caverns of stone dwarves supply ample food, including fungus and lichen that is grown in vast fields, fish from underground rivers, herds of a subterranean cattle, known as Rothe, and a strange kind of oat that grows without sunlight. Stone dwarves outside their homelands are frequently skilled smiths or mercenaries, and can command great prices for their services.

Language

Stone dwarves speak a dialect of dwarven. Stone dwarves commonly learn Gnomish, Halfling, and Giant.