Dwarves

With Humans and Moogles, Dwarves are one of the most populous non-human races in the Web of Worlds. They can be found in the Crystal, Merge, Mana, Alter, Gate, Dragon and Light Dimensions. In each Dimension they occur, Dwarves have unique sub-special traits.

Common Physiology

Despite the wealth of sub-species within the Dwarven family, all do share quite a bit in common. The first (and most often noticed) commonality is their stature. Dwarves tend to be shorter than the average human, rarely topping 5'6" in height. They are also very dense, with both males and females tending to weigh around 250 lbs upon reaching adulthood.

Dwarves are also often subterranean dwellers, and so are built to withstand greater pressure. They also are one of the few races in the Web that is gifted with infra-visual capabilities, allowing them the ability to "see" in the absence of light (though Dwarven dwellings are often lighted anyway, even when underground).

Dwarves also are generally better adapted to survival in extreme temperatures than humans are. Most Dwarves are capable of withstanding extreme cold (as might be found very deep underground), and two species (the Crystal and Dragon variants) are likewise adapted to surviving in very very hot temperatures.

Most Dwarves have very dark skin -- a curious development for a largely subterranean race -- and are thus more resistant to some of the harmful effects of sun exposure. The only sub-species for which this does not apply is the Light Dimension dwarves, who tend to be more light skinned and can tan or burn easily if they remain in the sun unprotected.

Finally, dwarves are mildly lithovorous, capable of digesting raw minerals. Dwarves can't really bite into solid rock -- their teeth are only as strong as those of a human, after all -- so they typically consume stone and minerals in a crushed, powdered form. In fact they require a certain amount of stone and minerals of various types in their diet, though most prefer to subsist by more traditionally humanoid means.

Dwarves and Magic

Most species of dwarves are somewhat resistant to magic. This has two major consequences. One is that dwarves are more capable of shrugging off the effects of magic than many other species (in addition to their durable dwarven constitution.) The other is that most dwarves cannot practice magical traditions involving the direct manipulation of mana, ie, most of them. Most magic practiced by dwarves usually involves an intermediary, and often also has an application in the time-honored dwarven tradition of forging (see Rune-Working and Runekasting.) This does not stop dwarves from gaining magic through "divine favor" as priests, clerics, and even Paladins.

Subspecies

Alter Dwarves

The Dwarves of the Alter Dimension are found on the world of Alter-Mana. They are similar to their Mana cousins in several respects, including their practice of Elementalism, though they have no knowledge of runes.

Together with the Neko Merchants Guild and the trade city of Barzel, the Alter Dwarves make up a controlling faction in the Luon Federation. Their main city on Alter-Mana is Cleft of the Earth.

Crystal Dwarves

One of the more successful Dwarven peoples, the Crystal Dwarves (also called Magma Dwarves) live in the Underground Kingdom. Their entire civilization is built upon islands of cooled stone resting atop a churning sea of molten magma; they have necessarily developed an inborn heat resistance which helps them survive. Crystal dwarves are renowned for being skilled in engineering, mining and metalsmithing, and also practice limited forms of magical craftsmanship and runecrafting.

The capital of Dwarfdom in Crystal is the city of Bazzakrak, an enormous castle fortification that has stood for thousands of years. During the Great War, the Crystal Dwarves built the first prototype tanks for the Grand Army, out from which the GA's gospel of tank warfare was born.

Dragon Dwarves

This race of dwarves is nearly unique in that, as far as is currently known, they have never lived underground. They are native to the desert sands of Arad, and once formed the leadership of the mighty Sultanate of Aradia, a nation which fell during the Great War.

In modern times, the Dragon Dwarves are members of the Scandian League, though they also make up a significant portion of resistance forces in Scande, many still following the religion of Draggoneth.

This race is also found on Draco, and even there is also primarily desert-dwelling. They are commonly found in the domains of Blue and Brass dragons.

Gate Dwarves

The dwarves of Gate are a relatively small population, found on the islands of Acacia and Stouthome in the El Nido islands, as well as the wetlands on the northern half of the Medinan island of Nidohome. They are swamp-dwellers, and are semi-aquatic, noted for being more accomplished swimmers than most other Dwarven races.

Light Dwarves

Among the rarest of the Web's dwarf populations, they can be found in remote regions of Ticondera and to a lesser extent Hyland and Polias (as many Dwarves fled Ticondera as refugees during the Great War). Of all the Dwarven races, Light Dwarves seem to have the most aptitude for traditional sorcery -- which isn't saying much, though it should be noted that almost all Light Dwarves have some ability to manipulate Mana. As already mentioned above, they do not have the dark, nearly black skin that all other Dwarven subraces have.

Mana Dwarves

Native to Gaia's Navel, these Dwarves are one of the principal races that form the Tasnica Republic. Dwarves have a long tradition of association with Tasnicans, dating all the way back to the age of the Alte Tasnikanze. Mana Dwarves often practice Elementalism, and also frequently study the art of runecasting.

Like most Dwarven races, the Mana Dwarves have a reputation as accomplished engineers and machinists. It should be no surprise that the AAA Corporation Forge Mechanicals was founded by a dwarf.

Mana Dwarves have natural thermographic vision as an adaptation to their native cave environment.

Merge Dwarves

Native to the seas of Merge World I, the Merge Dwarves traditionally dwell in air-filled sub-oceanic caverns. It is believed that they once ruled a vast underground empire, but the frequent merging and separating of the twin worlds of Merge caused most of their caves to be flooded, and resulted in the destruction of their civilization.

The surviving dwarves adapted readily to living underwater. They can hold their breaths for phenomenal periods of time (several days, by some reckoning), and are highly adept swimmers. They have a tertiary eyelid, lined with special mucus, that is very thin and affords them with highly accute underwater vision.

The Merge Dwarves are divided into several clans, which are united together into the Dwarven Skull Empire. These dwarves are at least as mechanically savvy as the Crystal Dwarves, and had constructed their own fleet of submarines to facilitate travel between their various caverns. They were later given dome technology by the Guardians, which allowed them to spread their civilization to the ocean floor. Dwarven settlements now blanket the lower reaches of the Inner Sea of Merge I.

During the Leviathan War, the Merge Dwarves fought on the side of the Fascist Pact against the Merge League and Tycoon. They conquered the latter, and have since settled in traditionally Tycooner landholdings. They also obliterated the Merger city of Istory, an action which earned them international condemnation.

Dwarven Interfertility

Dwarves can produce offspring with Humans, resulting in a half-dwarf (or, as termed by the Dwarven tongue, a Mul). Muls are often completely hairless, and more often than not are born infertile. They have enormous strength and endurance, however, and have been bred in times past as slaves.

Prominent Dwarves

• Aggronor Stonebreaker, Gaia's Navel's Conservative Senator, and Minority Whip in the Tasnican Senate
• Dack Stonescythe, Emperor of the DSE in Merge
• Grom Goldmaker, Founder of Forge Mechanicals in Mana
• Phiott Whitehammer, King of the Underground Kingdom in Crystal
• Duro Marshaxe, Jarl (Governor) of the Dwarves of Stouthome in El Nido
• Tor Stonecliff, an Eblanese Mul, a pilot in the EKAF Mobile Corps.
• Eleod Vrinnicus, dwarf shadow priest
• Beodric Moeller, a Mul who served as Prime Minister of the Tasnica Republic from 640 to 625 WB during a major war with Pandora