Svartalf

Svartalves (sg. Svartalf) are north-European faerie craftsmen from Svartalfheim in the Nevernever. They are first mentioned in Dead Beat and first appear in "B is for Bigfoot".

Description
Spindly humanoids, about 5' high, weighing about 50 kilograms, with gray skin, and huge, bulbous, black eyes, they resemble Ken dolls.

Svartalves look like grey little aliens, although the females are a bit more human-looking, with attractive features and long silver hair; they can and do wear a flesh human disguise much the same way the Red Court Vampires did.

They are peerless artisans of the supernatural world, providing the Norvegian gods with weapons and armor, their craftwares are sold out of a shop in Norway. They are very powerful and skilled in the Magical Art.

Svartalves are very private and independent and they absolutely do not tolerate any nonsense. The can also be prickly about their territory, and take their honor very seriously and are very old school; they are known to react very badly to anyone violating guest right. They are such fighters that have few opponents, including Harry Dresden, willing to tackle them.

According to the Leanansidhe, Svartalves covet beauty the way dragons covet gold; they also accept sexual favors as payment for favors, or compensation for transgressions. Thomas Raith is required to pleasure Svartalf females when he has been caught spying in their fortress, while Freya had to do the same with most if not all Svartalves to pay for the restitution of her necklace.

Waldo Butters describes them as being alien but looking human, since they're capable to wear flesh masks. The lore surrounding them is however very extensive and contradictory, and next to nothing is known for sure about their motivations.

"B is for Bigfoot"
Under the guidance of Coach Pete Vogon, two scions of a human and a svartalf are harassing Irwin Pounder to hone their hunting skill. Though limited by Coach Vogon's injunctions, Harry Dresden takes Irwin under his wing, allowing the boy to stand up to them.

Dead Beat
In Dead Beat,

Proven Guilty
In Proven Guilty, Harry Dresden used a pair of hawk-wing feathers made of gold by Svartalves to anchor Air in a ritual to test out Little Chicago.

Changes
In Changes, the summoning ring in Harry Dresden's laboratory has been upgraded to a five foot hoop of braided copper, silver, and iron. It cost Harry Dresden $3,000 from a svartalf silversmith, mainly as a compensation for working with iron. "'Each metal strand in the braid was inscribed with sigils and runes in formulae that harnessed and controlled magical energies to a far greater degree than any simple circle. Each strand had its own string of symbols were so tiny and precise that only a svartaf or maybe an Intel could have pulled it off. Flickers of light slithered around each strand of metal, red light, blue and green dancing and intertwining in continuous spirals.'"

Bombshells
In Bombshells, the center of their activity in Chicago is a fortress they have built themselves, where Molly Carpenter has tracked the presence of Thomas Raith. A party has been launched for the signing of a non-aggression pact with the Fomors.

Cold Days
In Cold Days, Molly Carpenter's apartment was built for her by svartalves. She said she bought it with honor. Harry Dresden thought they wouldn’t be happy if he dragged a personal fight with Fix at Molly Carpenter's apartment should Fix come looking for him there. Murphy said that Molly Carpenter's place is "under aegis of “Svartalfheim” no one gets in without major assault." Molly has to accompany Thomas Raith each and every time he leaves or return to her apartment or they won't let him back in.

External references

 * Svartálfar - Wikipedia
 * Svartálfar - Wiktionary