Dwarf

The stout Dwarves have lived in the eastern Highlands for thousands of years, making the harsh and mountainous region. They excel in the arts of the forge and brewery, so much so that their craftsmanship guides an individual from any part of Auria into their kingdom just so they may be indulged in their finery.

It is said that the Dwarves are beings borne of Earth and Fire itself, though there exist no further proof of this claim other than the theories of their runespeakers and folktales of the first Emperor. Many Dwarven women sing the tale of how this legendary Emperor who emerged from the ground with the fury of fire pulsing through his veins, raising the mountains of the Highlands high into the sky so he could build a throne that overlooked the land below - this throne would commonly be known as Thorrim, named after the first Emperor.

Though their origins are more myth than fact, the Dwarves hold the story close to their hearts and continue their traditions of craftsmanship through the forge, forging the greatest weapons one can obtain.

Thanks to their proximity to the neighbouring nation, the Dwarves became natural allies to the Humans, creating a pact that stated that if one kingdom was to be attacked, the other must come to their aid above all else. It is why, during the Great Fall, the Dwarves were placed in a difficult position. The Humans had just begun a war they could not win and the Wild Elves and their allies were soon to march upon the Grand Capital. Though they did not agree to the Mad King’s brutal ambitions, the Dwarves marched forth into the Grand Capital to protect those they could. When the Great Resistance came besieging the city, the honourable Dwarves were the first to meet them in combat, leading to a slaughter where both sides of the war lost a great deal of their men but in the end, the Resistance prevailed. The slaughter at the King’s Gate is another one of the Dwarves’ tales that is song to this day, the people of the Mountain never forgetting the consequences of creating alliances with other nations and vowing never to ally with another kingdom again… it is said that Thorrim is a lonely mountain from now on.

Despite their cold gaze towards potential allies, the Dwarves still welcome anyone into their city walls if it is trade they seek. Many Dwarves have adapted to becoming travelling merchants, exploring the vast world of Auria and bringing their business to the frontdoors of the people. In one of their travels, a group of Dwarves witnessed the Feniks wielding strange contraptions that could hit enemies from afar at the blink of an eye. Intrigued about their weaponry, the Dwarves asked the Fenik to teach them how to create these contraptions they called "Guns" to which the Feniks shared their secrets as long as the Dwarves came to work as their apprentices back in Streamgear. Seeking not to pass up this opportunity, the Dwarves agreed to venture into the bustling and advanced city of Streamgear where they were trained in the ways of Tinkering. In the process of teaching the Dwarves, the Feniks were also given lessons in brewery, leading to both races gaining mutual benefits in this relationship as the taverns of Streamgear heavily lacked in a good, refreshing drink up until now.

Though some Dwarves chose to stay in the harbour city, others wished to return to Thorrim with their new-found knowledge, bringing the arts of Tinkering to their homeland and starting a new age of craftsmanship in the mountain city, not only creating mighty-fine guns for the people but also going a step further, creating automated turrets and siege machines that to this day are unrivaled in their potential.