Dwarves are one of the featured races in the fictional Warcraft Universe devised by Blizzard Entertainment, and serve as a playable race in all but one of the Warcraft games. They are largely based on the mythical creatures of the same name, with elements of Scottish, Nordic and Russian cultures added to the mix.

They are indigenous to the world of Azeroth, the main setting for the Warcraft media. The majority of the Dwarves inhabit the region known as Khaz Modan, with the largest concentration in its capital city, Ironforge.
The Dwarves of the Warcraft universe are a stalwart and resilient race comprised of hearty men and merry women, hailing from a bustling civilization in lands that few others would care to occupy. Their home city of Ironforge is one of the only dwarven keeps remaining in the Eastern Kingdoms. They are depicted as stout and fearless in battle and friendship, and usually up to some good ale in a cozy tavern after a hard day’s work.

Dwarf crest, “Icon of the Forge.”The dwarves are renowned for their unmatched skill in the workings of metal and stone. They are masters of masonry and of the forge, and their architecture, sculptures, jewelry, armor, and weapons are beautifully and skillfully made. Many of Azeroth’s greatest treasures are the products of dwarven craft.

They are commonly associated with their cousins, the gnomes. It is not known if or when the gnomish race branched off from the dwarven race, but the gnomes and dwarves have been stalwart allies longer than either race can remember. The dwarves, living in the high mountains, ultimately befriended many of the mountains’ creatures too; where the humans, in far lower altitudes, ride horses into battle, the dwarves prefer to ride upon the thick-furred mountain rams, whose knowledge of the rocky terrains surpasses even that of the dwarves themselves. Also native to the windswept peaks are the mighty gryphons, whose proud nature has spelled the end for many a hapless traveller. The dwarves, however have managed miraculously to tame many of the gryphons and ride them both as a means of speedy transport and a mount for aerial battle.

Dwarves are, by nature, a very sturdy people with tough skin and resistance to several poisons and sicknesses. They range in height from 1 to 1.5 metres (3 to 4.5 feet)tall, and their frames are best described as short and stout. Their skin color ranges from ivory to milky charcoal to a light tan, and their hair can be anywhere from black to bright red.