Dwarves

Physical Characteristics
Stout and stocky. The average height
for a male is 4'3". Female average
height is believed to be close to the
same. Despite their physical build,
Dwarves are alarmingly agile. Their
strength comes from very bulky and
firm muscles and yet great flexibility
is not affected. Dwarves have the
ability to jump up to six times their
length. Their running speed is not of
consequence.

As a society of fighters and miners,
Dwarves seem to have a very
advantageous build. In combat, the
fully or partially armed Dwarf has the
advantage of low center of gravity and
reduced vulnerable areas on their
body. Conversely, Dwarves are in a
position where they have access to
their enemy's lower extremities, often
overlooked in terms of armor, such as
the groin, legs and feet. Also, as
Dwarves' height is far lower than the
majority of the inhabitants of New
Pangaea, many armies fail to train
their soldiers in combat techniques
against a drastically shorter enemy.

With combat comes travel and long
treks across the land. It is believed
that the Dwarven people developed into
a mining culture instead of a warrior
culture due to this fact. Walking
great distances is very uncomfortable
and most animals of burden are too
large for a Dwarf to mount. The
reemergence of the Tulle Lizard has
greatly opened up an opportunity for
Dwarves to venture far from the
homeland independently.

Mating Rituals

As expected, little is known about the
mating habits of the Dwarven people.
Bits of details have been chronicled
over time in bar room conversations
with elder dwarves who had let their
guard down and interviews with exiles.
It is known that Dwarves mate in a
standing position. An unsubstantiated
rumor persists that they do not speak
or make eye contact while mating.
Although the sexual drive of the male
dwarf appears to be very healthy, few
children or infants are observed,
leading one to the conclusion that
dwarves have a high sterility rate, a
high mortality rate, infrequent sexual
liaisons, or have developed some form
of birth control. Several exiles have
hinted at a high sterility rate due to
chemicals used in mining. Mortality
does not seem be a factor as Dwarves
are very resilient and are extremely
competent care-givers.

There are Humans and even a few Elves
who have been known to carry on sexual
relationships with Dwarves. City
records register two marriages between
Dwarves and Humans. These women have
never been interviewed and have never
been known to speak of the private
aspects of their lives.

History

The last of the great races to emerge
from underground after the creation of
the Red Moon, Dwarves adapted to the
subterranean environment to the point
of dependence. Their height and great
strength are products of environment
from countless generations
underground. Most Dwarves are
generally uncomfortable when out in
the open land for months-long
stretches, preferring to reside in or
nearby caverns or caves. The few
communities that thrive in open land
are built into the earth as a sort of
man-made mounds.

From the time they emerged from the
Earth (known in Dwarven folklore as
the "Day of Light") Dwarves gathered
into small farming/mining communities.
Mistrust grew between the villages as
charismatic individuals vied for power
and spoke poorly of neighboring
communities to increase influence.
Although warfare between the villages
was rare, much conflict arose due to
different currencies, customs and
prejudice. The Dwarven people finally
united in 2344 AR under the banner of
Caleb Reinoff, a scholar and miner
from a Southeastern village. Reinoff
gained political power through
inspiring oration and calculated
ruthlessness against his opponents.
Establishing a common currency,
language and law eventually united the
Dwarves in mind as well as body. The
Reinoff Dynasty stands as the longest
running rule of a single family in
recorded history.

Note from Ben

I think Dwarves are the more
interesting of the races in New
Pangaea. Their history and manner is
more down to earth than some of the
more snobbish races. I can picture
shooting pool with a Dwarf and
chugging a beer while we check out the
she-dwarves. The other races would be
sipping wine with a pinky in the air.