Dwarves

''“ - Die like a warrior, die in the name of ancestors! - Grum cried as he slaughtered his clan. Chamber of Trun was filled with blood and screams of his dying children. Old dwarf's eyes were filled with grief and despair, as his axe was taking one life after another. - ''Wyrmspiel has fallen, Ankerath has fallen, Girunglend has fallen... - he repeated over and over as he walked to the edge of  ancient Chamber. He sat on the edge and start smoking, staring with blank eyes on rising dawn. Sun flashed as dragon fire, making old burns on the face itch. He sighed deeply and threw axe into abyss in front of him. And then he fell.”                                                                                                                             Year 982 after Sky War.''

Dwarves came from depth of the earth long ago to find surface in chaos and decadance. Diminished to barbaric state after Sky War, surface races fell easy beneath iron fist of dwarven order. Healing and rebuilding, but as well enslaving and slaughtering, dwarves spread their power all across the surface and established Circle of Anvils. Great alliance between seven major dwarven clans, Circle ruled the world for almost a millenia, using power of their Underground Gods to dominate almost everyone in Skaran. Things changed when dragons arrived from world beyond the Veil. Humanity lead by dragons and dragon-blooded sorcerers and wizards reclaimed surface for themselves, liberating all races from long dwarven domination. Only two clans survived this massive rebellion and horrible war: Refter, the Black Dwarves, and Furtung, the Dwarves of Blue Spine. Both of them made peace treaties with rebels to survive and even turned on other clans, but many dwarves despise that period of history and wish to return age of dwarven greatness and have their revenge on surface races.

Dwarves are tough and furious in battle and are widely known for unmatched 'hird' battle tactic, fearsome battle formation they use in wars that looks more like some merciless perfect death machine rather than battle line. Dwarves are easy to anger and quick to action in dire circumstances, though they don't approve pointless violence. Dwarves that live outside their clans usually blend into communities of other races pretty easily, as their talent as metalsmiths, crafters and masons are appreciated everywhere. That dwarves are less likely to approve radical views implying that dwarves need to regain what was taken from them, and tend to live in peace.