Dwarves

Dwarves are a Paraisian species who live throughout most of the major regions. They are a diminutive species, known for their skill in communing with nature and working in the elements.

Biology
Dwarves are biologically similar to humans, with one important difference: dwarves have complete mental control of their metabolism. They can just as easily consume twenty pounds of food in a single day and make it last for weeks as any human could eat a regular meal. Their healing factor is extrremely developed, as is their core body temperature's ability to self-regulate. As such, dwarves are well suited for all corners of the continent. These advantages allow them to thrive in natural environments.

Dwarves stand between 4 and 5 feet tall. Dwarven females are fertile only a few times a year, and having more than two children is considered astonishing in dwarf culture.

History
The dwarves existed outside of most major cultural development in Paraisia, preferring their small woodland villages to the increasing prevalence of large cities.

Eventually, dwarves were incorporated into modern society as farmers, hunters, trackers and other forms of outdoor work. While many opted to remain in their villages, a significant population moved to modern cities for work.

Culture
Dwarves have a deep love and respect for nature. While they do eat animals and plants, they thank the gods for providing such things, and consider a successful hunt as a gift. They are fiercely protective of animals, and will fight righteously against excessive hunting, deforestation, or pollution. As such, they generally distrust and hate the Volkarne.

Dwarves have a passion for combat, and enjoy fighting as a spectator sport, although due to low dwarven birth rates, killing is not permitted and surrender is considered less dishonorable than in in some cultures. Dwarves have a common rule against killing one another due to their constant fight against extinction.

Dwarven society is matriarchal. All major dwarf leaders are female, and women are valued as the most important citizens of society due to their reproductive contributions to the community, as well as their equal strength in dwarven biology.

Religion
Dwarves are extremely traditional and only worshhip the World Mother and Father. They thank the Mother for gifts of plants and the Father for gifts of meat. Cultic worship in dwarven culture is essentially non-existent.

Relationships with other sentients
Dwarves do not commune with Arbormen as the Orcs do,

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