The Hammer and the Chisel: Where do Dwarves come from?

Dwarves are a cornerstone of western fantasy, with surprisingly few origins of their creations or myths of their procreation. Most media depicts dwarves as long lived artisans who specialize in working stone and metal, granted life by a creator god who wanted to see his creations prosper.

But why are their no myths about how new dwarves come into the world? Most seem to just do what humans and the other folk of their setting do; have sex and have children. This is fine, but there's no whimsy to it. I have some ideas I like to think about whenever this idea comes to mind.

Dwarves Replace Themselves

Dwarves are born with a desire to create, and each has a life long creation that they return to at the end of each day. Little by little, decade by decade, they build up, refine, and breath their passion into a masterpiece. A statue of a fellow dwarf that they've never met, a person who does not yet exist. 

As their life draws to a close, they dedicate more and more of their time to their masterpiece. And as they breath their last breath into their masterpiece, a new dwarf wakes up. They find themselves in a home they somehow know, but have never seen. Facing the statue of a person they've never met.

Dwarves Sculpt Their Children

Dwarves life and love for a very long time, and these partnerships come together to share their passions and artistry in a way that betters the future. Dwarven couples spend their days sharing technique, sharing stories of family long passed, and of the family they wish to have. Whether molded from clay by the gentle hands of a parent to be, or hammered out of iron by hands calloused by the worries of life, new dwarves are a shared labor of love of their parents.

Most choose to make their own children, young ones they can breath life into and whom can bring joy and naivety back into them. Many choose to build the families they never had themselves; brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, aunts and uncles. Creativity is to be shared and spread, to be given to the world so that the wonders of creation never go out.

Dwarves Spawn Spontaneously

For many dwarves, their worlds depend on the ever deepening network of tunnels and mines surrounding their homes. Expedition teams scout new paths through existing caves for future expansions, though the records of who is part of these teams are often incorrect.

When passing through caves with prominent stalagmites, many expeditions find themselves with more dwarves than any of them remember bringing along. The new dwarf, however, distinctly remembers gearing up and delving into the cavern with the expedition, though they struggle to recall their name or where they live.

Once returned to the settlement the expedition left from, these dwarves are quickly integrated and accepted into their local society. A poor memory is often solved by some times in the field, and plenty of drink, after all. 

Pictured: A prominent 'Dwarf Garden', a known hot spot for new dwarves.