Dwarf

The dwarves of Aethervale are a people divided between their storied, ancient past and a fiercely industrious present. In the smog-choked skies of Steamfort, the Forge-Lords and their Ironbeard Syndicate represent the pinnacle of dwarven engineering. Having embraced Aether-technology, these dwarves have traded the quiet dark of the deep earth for the roar of furnaces and the hiss of steam, mass-producing weapons, automata, and vehicles that power much of the modern world's economy.

However, not all dwarves have abandoned the old ways. Deep within the active, thriving stronghold of Dal Dur, governed by High King Thrain III, the traditionalists remain. These stone-singers use ancient, resonant magic to shape the earth itself, serving as the primary miners and suppliers of raw Aether-crystals. They guard the ancient vaults and histories of their people, maintaining their ancestral home as a powerful pillar of dwarven society.

Rather than a deep cultural rift, these differing lifestyles form the foundation of a strong geopolitical and economic alliance among the dwarven people. While minor ideological tensions exist—with the industrialists sometimes viewing the traditionalists as too bound to the past, and the stone-singers occasionally seeing the Forge-Lords as overly reckless—they remain firmly united. Despite these differences, both factions share the innate dwarven traits of stubborn resilience, unmatched craftsmanship, and a deep, enduring loyalty to their kin.