GRAY DWARF
Gray Dwarves are considered anathema by their kindred. According to the holy texts of Dwarves, one of the first of the first generations of Elder Dwarves sought to replicate what the Smith, the great Father, had done, and so worked in secret to do so. After spending countless hours observing the Smith create other dwarves, this unique elder dwarf attempted to make life. He had neither the experience nor foresight of the Father, however, and was greedy; as a physical vessel, he brought together all of the world’s minerals, hoping to bestow ultimate power on his progeny. At first it seemed to be a success but still the new creation was hidden away. It was not until after the Creator had finished his crafting and had given his children free will to do with as they wished, that this strange new creation came to light. This was the ancestors of what would become gray dwarves, known then as opal dwarves.
For a long time, as far as mortal dwarves could tell, their opal dwarven brethren were simply like the rest of them. They seemed to feel a niche: that of exploration, creativity, ingenuity, and imagination. It wasn’t until the great war with the orcs that things went awry. When the dwarves were warned of the horde gathering at their gates, the vast majority of the empire ignored the warning, but not the opal dwarves. They were the first line of defense against the subterranean threat and found themselves alone. With nothing else to do, they holed up and dug deeper than ever. It was then they found a strange, whispering, bodiless presence promising them the power they needed to survive the enemies at their gates. While they resisted for a great period of time, eventually the flaw in their making contributed to their succumbing to these offers.
It was at that point that the opal dwarves degenerated in a generation into a new subrace called gray dwarves. Their complexion became that of ash and their minds were warped by the strange sorcerous secrets the strange voice whispered to them.
STATISTICS
AGE
Gray dwarves tend to live somewhat shorter than their brethren, cultural and social obstacles aside. They reach maturity at 35 years, middle age at 115, and venerable age at 225. Their lifespan is around three centuries.
APPEARANCE
Gray dwarves have ash-colored skin black eyes with hair of gray, orange, or red. They are on the smaller end for dwarves, standing between 125 and 143 cm in height.
DEMEANOR
There’s something wrong with gray dwarves, others of their kind will say, and they’re not wrong. Whoever or whatever they spoke to back on Hyboria all of those years ago left a mark on their soul and mind beyond the gift of sorcery. They are all insane, though the intensity and specific brand of mental dysfunction varies. They are all intensely paranoid and egocentric. Gray dwarves think that the world owes them everything and they are willing to take what they’re owed in any way possible.
SOCIETY
Gray dwarven society is a stark contrast compared to that of other dwarves. Where most dwarves have a strict, lawful society, the reverse is true for gray dwarves; they tend strongly towards chaos. In fact, it’s hard to find a group of gray dwarves together in the Exiled Lands that could be said to have anything resembling a society specific to their kind. They are often solitary and when they do come together for an extended period of time, there is a constant jockeying for position and power with no reason or rhyme. Gray dwarves usually form small family groups or temporary bands focused on accomplishing a specific goal.
FAVORED PROFESSION
Going against all norms for their kind, gray dwarves are every bit as likely to become sorcerer mystics as they are outlaws, warriors, or artisans. They are far less likely to pick up the paths of faith or fecund mystics or entertainers.
ENEMIES
Gray dwarves hate other dwarves and goblins above all else.