The Dwarves of Angstrad

There are two types of Dwarves found in Angstrad. Regular Dwarves and Giant Dwarves. Giant Dwarves are the same in all ways to the regular type but grow to the size of a large human.

At first glance, there isn't too much different about Angstrad Dwarves and any other generic fantasy dwarf. They're short, stocky, bearded warrior/craftsmen. Each and every one of them is a master in their chosen trade from the day they become of age. Each and every one is also a fearsome warrior.

There are differences, however. First, they don't speak with a Scottish accent. They speak with a Dwarven accent.

There are no female Dwarves. Dwarves do not reproduce sexually. The way it goes is that very rarely a Dwarf falls in love. It doesn't matter what the Dwarf falls in love with. It could be a female member of another race, another Dwarf, a concept, a thing, it doesn't matter. When a Dwarf is filled to the brim with love(gosh)a new Dwarf is created out any materials at hand by the loving Dwarf. The "father" then raises the child to adulthood, imparting to it all the Dwarvenly ways.

Dwarves only ever die by violence and malicious magic. While they can starve, Dwarves are capable of eating anything organic and a lot of inorganic things too. Only, not every dwarf chooses to go to culinary extremes for mere survival. Thirst can also kill them. A Dwarf will theoretically go on living forever. You can tell a Dwarf's age by cutting off a limb and counting the rings.

Dwarves are rightly feared in combat. When engaged in combat, a Dwarf must make a save against Battlerage. Battlerage is a condition in which a Dwarf will choose an opponent and attempt to kill it to the exclusion of all other considerations. The Dwarf will try to utterly and irrevocably slay the target. A Dwarf cannot die until the Battlerage is through. This condition lasts anywhere from minutes to months and the duration is rolled randomly. The saving throw is penalized by the number of days in which the Dwarf hasn't had an alcoholic beverage. A Dwarf can have his Battlerage cut short by a heavy blow to the head. This involves making a called shot to the head that causes at least ten points of damage.

Dwarves live either as hermits or in monastic style brotherhoods and guilds.