The race of hill dwarves typically dwells in hilly regions. In Elloran their homeland is the country of Thorn-val, and in Shalanja their homeland is the kingdom of Saan-kett. Settlements of hill dwarves exist throughout the two continents and they are nearly always found within villages and towns, often with friends and family. Larger cities within the continents will have areas within that city that may be almost exclusively populated by hill dwarves.   Across the rest of Taia, hill dwarves can be found within Namia, Islandia, and Firborea, where they have no countries and can only be found within cities, towns, and villages or a rare hill dwarf settlement.   Short and stocky, hill dwarves have typical skin tones of deep tan to light brown, with ruddy cheeks and bright brown or grey eyes. Their hair colour is brown, black, or grey. The males nearly always have long beards that are often braided. They have round ears, thick bushy eyebrows, and large flat noses that are also a ruddy colour. They stand between 4 and 5 feet tall and average about 150 pounds.   In combat they wear chain mail with medium kite shields, and their favoured weapons are the battleaxe, handaxe, spear, crossbow, shortsword, and pick.