Durga

Nicknames: Deepfoot [Dwar, digger, dwarf]

Diet: Meat, moss, some minerals, some stone, bone.

Homeland: Durgan Empire

Description:
The Durga are considered the eldest of all Mortal races, created by the Ancestor, Bakova, who was impatient with the frivolity of the other Gods. When Bakova was murdered in the "Great Betrayal," the race began a mourning that they have never quite finished.

Physical Description
Durga stand just 3 to 4 spans tall, with thick broad shoulders, solid legs, and powerful arms. Males traditionally have long, dark beards, while females tend to wear their thick hair in large braids. Most Durga have pale skin and brown eyes, though those that frequent the surface world quickly develop a ruddy skin coloration.

The Durga are very much like stone. This is not unusual, when one considers that spend most of their lives inside of mountains, and that they rarely venture under the open skies. Most folk don't realize that their bones are actually stone, and that they season their foods with pure powdered minerals. Generally speaking, the Durga are hard, stubborn, very strong, with rigid opinions and a very structured outlook. Proud of their heritage, they will defend their honor til death, and they never forget treachery or a lost battle.

That said, the Durga are not foolhardy, though the reputation of the Doomwalkers has furthered this misconception. In battle situations, they usually spend a great deal of time sizing up the opposition, creating detailed strategies to increase their chances for victory.

It is said that the Durgan race was once able to speak directly to the stone, and convince it to move or shape this way or that. The entire fabled city of Beaconholt was said to have been created this way, without the need of invasive mining. This talent is believed to have been lost with the death of Bakova.

Hauver, the first Durga created by Bakova, is the reigning lord of the Durgan Empire. Legend has it that Hauver will be both the first, and the last, of his people.

Cultural Traditions
The Durga are a very secretive race. They will reveal very little of their people to any stranger, and in fact, will not even speak their high tongue (Durgan) in public. Most MortalKin find it difficult to convince a Durga to befriend them, though once such a friendship bond is made, it is as dependable as a mountaintop.

Racial enemies
Drakes, Tiban Emberfist and his Burning 13, Antharr, Wythir, and the now extinct Jurrad.

Recent History
Late in the 4th Age, 1582, the split Durgaholts were tricked into a civil war, now known as the Durga Conflict. Each of the holts were gathered for Autok, to negotiate a final peace, when they were attacked with a sacred weapon, which made them all think that they were under attack by their brother. Simultaneously, a plague was loosed upon the race, in a certain plot to wipe them out entirely. Though many were killed by plague and hammer, the Durga recognized the treachery with the help of the Faeyan, and turned to face the assembling armies. Today, the Durgan nation is at an all time low, about half of what it was earlier in the Age.

Facts
The Durga are a race that are nearly extinct. There are now fewer than 10000 Durga in all of the lands, after the Durga conflict of 4a1582. It was the aim of the Wonderbell to exterminate them entirely, so that they could not be a force in the inevitable Bellwars which are certainly coming.

How do Durga differ than standard fantasy Dwarves?

Durga were all created by Bakova, a now dead God. They are overseen by Hauver, the first Durga, who will outlive all others of his race. They all come from one region of Deltoria, which is centrallized upon the holy Korin Valley. Durga are very secretive about their own culture, and will not teach their speach, letters, or tradition to outsiders. They will use a lower Durgan tongue, called "dwarven." Durga eat minerals, bone, moss and meat. Durga used to be able to speak to stone. Durga don't usually like to look into the sky, because they consider it the work of "Ill Gods."

Durga females do not have beards. Durga are not Scottish in behavior. Durga don't hate elves, because there aren't any. Durga don't mind horses, because they are extinct.