Iron Fortresses of the Dwarves
Cousins to the gnomes, with mutated human ancestors, first dwarves crept off to find dark caves to dwell in.
As they adjusted to the darkness they discovered a world of beauty, as the gemstones and precious ores shone like the stars. These became precious to them and they built great under ground fortresses, to mine and craft things of beauty. They are amazing stone and metal workers, often plying this trade in the many mines across Ashen. During a time of trouble in their underground fortresses, the dwarves split into three groups. One stayed in the fortresses becoming known as the mountain dwarves, others returned to the surface world and took to the hills to mine precious metals, while others delved deeper become the duergar. Hill dwarves are the most commonly found traveling the worlds, the mountain dwarves hide in their fortresses coveting precious things while the Duergar, deep in the hearth, have not been seen for many years |