Solid As A Rock
Created by Giants as diminutive versions of themselves in order to mine the tight spaces underground for precious metals, Dwarves live deep inside mountain ranges and are rarely encountered outside of their natural habitat.
Serious and proud, Dwarves are Lawful Good by nature and their word is solid as stone. They are also quite avaricious, with an in-born desire for gold, silver and gems that leads many to hoard wealth. Said wealth is often required to maintain their large, multi-generational extended families with presiding patriarchs of up to 300 years old. Parents bond for life and traditionally have seven children per family.
Dwarves worship a single male god, Moradin, who was the first Dwarf to break the chains of his Giant masters and wanders the Underdark to this day. They have a deep respect for divine magic and an equally deep fear of arcane magic, with Dwarf Sorcerers unheard of.
As a culture without boats, most Dwarves are incapaable of swimming, giving rise to the myth that they sink like stones. PCs may be the exception, but NPCs can’t even tread water and will drown. Dwarves are also distant cousins of Halflings, who are descended from clans who stayed on the surface thousands of years ago.
All Dwarves have a special kinship with rock that results in an unerring subterranean direction sense. They can never get lost while underground.