Skadvergar

Dwelling in the far North, in glaciers or along the frozen peaks of the Jagged Edge, Skadvergar (Frost Dwarves) seldom interact with other societies, save other dwarves on occasion. They are more magically-inclined than other dwarven races, with an innate power over cold, and their craftsmen are just as skilled at making weapons from magically-enchanted ice as from metal. It is thought that this race was created by Skadi after her marriage to Njord, blending her frost giant heritage with the sea dwarves who follow her Vanir husband.

Lifespan

The lifespan of the Skadvergar is unknown, but they are thought to be immortal, like the Alfar. Some tales speak of them "returning to the ice," possibly walking into the cold unknown beyond the North, or somehow passing into Niflheim, the Realm of Ice.

Appearance

Frost dwarves average around four feet in height. Although their hair is usually dark, they can be born with light blonde, grey, white, or silver hair, and their eyes range from blue to grey to entirely colorless. Their skin is pale and bluish, ranging in color from a slight tint to distinctly blue.

Culture

Although they still build ice-cave dwelling places from time to time, frost dwarves spend much of their life out in the open air, living lives of nomadic hunting in the manner of their goddess, Skadi. Perhaps because of their primary goddess, females in Skadvegar society are often more respected than the males, seen as wiser and more cunning.

Although they are nearly immune to the cold and so do not need to wear thick clothing, they still make their clothes from the fur of the animals they hunt merely out of tradition and a desire to show their hunting prowess. Some have been known to trade furs with Northmen who dare venture into their desolate homelands. They do not, however, trade their ice weapons or their knowledge of runes.

Religion

The frost dwarves worship the Aesir and Vanir of the Northern pantheon, but their primary deities are Skadi and Njord, their creators, who bless them with good hunting and fishing. They revere their ancestors also, but not to the same extent as mountain dwarves.

Military

As a nomadic hunting people, the frost dwarves do not always fight in heavy phalanxes like their mountain dwarf cousins. They frequently employ cavalry and ranged fighters instead. The frost dwarves are said to ride giant mountain goats and ibexes as mounts, making them a force to be reckoned with. They are expert archers and spear-throwers as well as skilled axemen, and feared above all is the chill touch of their ice-forged weapons. Some also claim that they make liberal use of ice magic in battle.