Dwarves

"Also known as the Moderate Folk by some, 'stumpies' by elves (usually not in range of a dwarf's hearing), the Dvarren by themselves, and a few other things. They are about half human height, but exceptionally broad. Their tissue density and thick bones mean they don't float too well. Dwarves like water just fine, but as they tend to sink rapidly, prefer it in a hot bath or copper kettle as opposed to going out on the oceans. Dwarves who are forced to go sea-faring often use a cork-filled vest to avoid imitating an anchor. They're good with stone and metalwork of all kinds, are fair clerics and pretty darn good warriors. There is one group of dwarves with talent for spellcasting, or the High Art as the elves call it - Clan Magius. All the others are resistant to spells. Friendly enough race, if you're human. They tend to be kind of standoffish to other races, except for the animosity between them and elves. Elves look down on dwarves, and there is still some bad blood between the two from the days of the Elven Empire. Dwarves are also, as far as I can tell, the only sentient race where polyandry (having more than one husband) is the rule. It's hard to gain the friendship or trust of a dwarf, but once a dwarf has declared you a dwarf-friend it is a title that all dwarves will give respect to. Just keep in mind they're stubborn, conservative, often surly, workaholics. Other than that they're fine."
-Keian the Wanderer, "A Wanderer's Journal"

If you're expecting the typical dwarf of Aramar to be a bearded short fellow with a permanently dour attitude, you're in luck - there are such dwarves.

However they are hardly the whole race.

There is an area known as the Sea Of Steel - reddish iron oxide sands that abrade flesh in the frequent storms that whip through the area. Here the dwarves are tough and use a special potion that permanently removes hair. They also wear loose clothing that covers most of their body. There are the typical Shadarian dwarves, who are fond of carefully trimmed beards and long hot soaks in elaborately carved stone bathtubs. There are the dwarves of Nihon who are among the finest calligraphers around, and who have "invented" several forms of tea that they almost exclusively drink.

Then there is Clan Magius. Other than pure physical appearance, and the Rules, these are humans. They are not as tough as their cousins, but they do have one gift. Magic. While other dwarves may occasionally have the Sorcerer's Gift, Clan Magius in Shadar practices the High Art- Magecraft. All dwarves of Clan Magius receive some education in the Art, though many drop out to combine that Art with another skill such as clericism or weaponsmithing. Many dwarves of Clan Magius have attained Emeraldrank, a few have achieved Sapphirerank, and at least one Diamondrank.

The dwarves do prefer axes, hammers, and similar simple weapons for day-to-day conflicts. This is part of their prevelant philosophy of "the more complicated, the more likely to break down" which applies to every part of their lives from cooking to weaponcraft. Not that they are not capable of complexity, simply that they regard anything very complicated in operation as being inherently unstable. Their stonework, metalcraft, and pottery is often elaborately engraved though they don't use colors as much as other races due to dwarven eyes not seeing the same color spectrum. (Partial color blindness.)

Due to the destruction visited upon them during the days of the Elven Empire, and the Curse laid on them during the Slave Revolt, dwarven numbers have been in steady decline. One in six births is a female dwarf, and polyandrous marriages are common. Frequently one of the male dwarves will "just step out for a bit" and go off on an adventure such as pirate-hunting just to work off some tension.

Dwarves: (heavyworlder) Steel or Desert 24,250; Starfall or Jungle 18,520; Shadarian or Hill 64,000; Amberlake or Mage 3,100; Ironhill or Mountain 21,000; Reach or Deep 4,200