"A human builds a house for his children. A dwarf builds one for his children's children's children, and then complains the stone was too soft." — written in the margin of a Gemcradle guild ledger
Dwarves are stout, long-lived and stubborn, and they measure a life by what it leaves behind. Miners, smiths and gemcutters at heart, they hold craft as a kind of worship, honouring Umral and Kaelith at the forge. To a dwarf, a reputation is built like a wall, one stone at a time, and one shoddy piece of work can crack it for generations.
Names
A dwarf carries a given name and a family name taken from the trade or seam the family first worked. Mining families are named for their vein, such as Goldvein and Saltvein, and smithing families for the forge, such as Ironhand or Emberforge. Insulting a dwarf's work is taken as an insult to the family name.
Dwarves by Homeland
Aurumhold
The guild dwarves of Aurumhold are bound to the mines and merchant guilds of cities like Gemcradle, Sandspire and Ironcrag, and they stand high in the ranks of the Dawnblades. Wealth matters to them, but a well-made thing matters more. Drenvar Goldvein, a guildmaster of Sandspire, is one of their best-known names.
Aetheria
The city dwarves of Aetheria are master craftsmen whose guild work earns them seats in the Senate, where they are known as the bluntest voices in debate.