Iron Dwarf Culture

Way of Life for the Mining Folk

Below the burning mountains covered in the ever-growing trees live those that give merit to education and trade. All who live in the caverns below the Great Furnaces must have a purpose in life, must do something that benefits their industrious people. Mining, academia, the military, and more await those who fulfill the duties of their people, striving for the greatest and perfection in every aspect of their trade.
Tradition and the teachings of the god Crommel are essential to the way of life for these cave dwellers, but that does not mean they do not look for innovation and betterment. In the name of the God of Forges do they craft, in the name of their creator they create new. While their brethren that live farther down in the depths of the earth may covet gems and shining things, for these people right below the surface, their divine calling lays in the precious metals that streak the heavy rocks.
Beneath the soaring peaks of the Great Furnaces, the Iron Dwarves have built a thriving civilization that believes that everyone can be productive members of society. Their society is built on education and where that education can then take someone if they choose to invest themselves even the smallest amount. Having the title of Dwarf is a great honor and one that is not given lightly due to what it means for an outsider to be graced with something that means more than anything to other Dwarves.

Culture

Culture and cultural heritage

Through the teachings of Crommel and their close ties with the Father of Dwarves, the Dwarves created a society of merit and creation, establishing their place on the bricks of their forges and the peels of their hammers. Traditions are held close here, but so is innovation and the movement forward that comes from a well-rounded education and an investment in the future of all.
No matter where a Dwarf may roam or where they may live within the Great Furnaces, these people will adhere to the ways of their creator and their forefathers, striving for greatness in their creations. There is an innate sense of family and camaraderie amongst these people that came from the stone, one so strong that even the Gem Dwarves of the deepest depths are regarded to be Dwarves just the same.

Beliefs

All races in Isekai have a set of beliefs that they consider their law. Iron Dwarves see their life as one of creation and learning, striving to reach the greatness that all Dwarves can.

1. Trade is to be fair, goods made by craftsmen shall never be advertised as something that they are not.
2. There is a use for everything, waste is deemed despicable and shall not be tolerated from a Dwarf as there is a use for slag, for wood, for stone, and for each Dwarf themselves.
3. Those with beards both long and white shall be respected, scorning an elder is forbidden and considered a treasonous act.
4. Anyone convicted of any type of crime will always have the option of a hearing, a banishment, or a formal challenge against an opponent of the Crown's choosing or their delegated official in cases that are not fit for the Sapphire City.

These beliefs drive the Iron Dwarves and their way of life as they interact with their own people, others, and their creations. Even Dwarves that have long left the Great Furnaces to live elsewhere will still hold on to these deep-held beliefs.

Family

Much like other races of Isekai, family is extremely important to Iron Dwarves as a family name does bring with it some form of reputation. Even so, one’s family does not dictate their status or what one may accomplish in life as Iron Dwarves believe that their station is what they make of it, not something determined by some abstract thought. That being said, having a well-known family name as a craftsman can still be extremely advantageous,
Dwarf clans often span centuries and history can sometimes make or break a clan name. Those of Clan Thunderbeard will hold the throne of the Dwarven Kingdom while those with the name of Clan Jadeshaper may be shunned for how they acted during the Eldritch War. While Dwarves do not live the long lives of Elves, their memories and histories run just as deep.

Property & Ownership

Dwarves believe that all should have the right to own their own items, especially a good set of tools and a small personal forge in their homes. No matter what job one works, they have access to buy the highest quality of goods for a fair price so that they may benefit from the craftsmanship of their people. Dwarves also often own their own homes but land ownership outside of that is left to the land of mining claims.

Taboos & Insults

Iron Dwarves rarely take offense to anything, believing that it is best to speak the truth or be upfront with their comments. Nothing is truly taboo other than speaking poorly of Crommel and what the god has given them.
The greatest insult to a Dwarf is to imply that their goods are inferior to that of another race or country.

Iron Dwarf Culinary Arts

While Dwarves are able to craft a number of implements for cooking including cast iron, their true calling in the culinary arts is in the area of mead making. Alcohol is a staple of the Dwarven diet, often with a beverage of lower alcohol content being served with breakfast and various heavy meads being served with lunch and dinner. Dwarven Mead, a hearty honey mead, is the most common, various other flavors are also made and sold throughout the Dwarven Kingdom.

Dwarven Mead

Mead is a staple of all meals in the Dwarven Kingdom and is often served before the meal itself. Dwarven Mead was the original creation of the earliest Dwarves, made with honey that could be gathered from the trees of the Great Furnaces. The ever-growing nature of the trees and the flora that grows on the burning mountains gave the honey a spicy flavor that could energize the most tired of people.

Common Customs, traditions and rituals

Tradition is a large part of the culture of Iron Dwarves. Some traditions come from the days of creation after Crommel first created the Dwarves while other traditions have come about naturally but have become such an integral part of society that it is likely those will never change. Traditions such as a strong love of education and mining define the Dwarves and set them wholly apart from the other races.

Clothing & Textiles

Clothing is important to Dwarves as it varies greatly depending on one’s profession. While a Miner and a Blacksmith may wear similar clothing, a Scholar and a Soldier would not. That being said, almost all Dwarves have a set of armor that is kept either at home, in their office, or on their person in case there is ever a need for it.

Armor

Armor is probably the most common clothing piece that almost all Dwarves have. Whether it be chain mail, plate mail, or leather armor, all armor worn by Dwarves is created in the Dwarven Kingdom and customized to the wearer and their specifications. Most Dwarves are granted a set of armor upon their entrance to one of the three Dwarven academies in the Sapphire City and can be exchanged for a more fitting set if their profession changes.

Academia

Schooling is important to all in the Dwarven Kingdom. No matter where one comes from, they are welcome at any one of the academies across the country. These academies teach about topics such as mining, engineering, languages, smithing, magic, and almost anything else that one can think of. While most Dwarves will strive to be able to attend the three largest Dwarven academies in the Sapphire City at some point in their lives, this is not always possible but smaller academies are scattered throughout the cities of the kingdom.

Smithing

Due to Crommel being the God of the Forge, smithing and Metalworking are ingrained in the Dwarven way of life. While not all Dwarves will become Blacksmiths or Metallurgists during their lives, there is still a deep appreciation for that work amongst all. Street lights, cast iron, armor, weapons, and trinkets are just a few of the things made by craftsmen and smiths throughout the kingdom that all benefit from in one way or another.

Parent ethnicities

• Dwarven Culture

Encompassed species

• Iron Dwarves

Related Organizations

• Cleric Corps
• Hammerfalls
• Royal Dwarven Military
• Stoneshapers

Related Locations

• Great Furnaces

Languages

Dwarves are one of the most well-spoken races in all of the world. Due to their love of academia, they have created the script for a number of languages and have large portions of their academies dedicated to the scholarly pursuit of languages. It is not uncommon for a Dwarf to speak three to four languages even if they are not a Scholar due to the merchant nature of many of the Dwarves' pursuits.

Dwarvish

Dwarvish is the chosen language of the Dwarves and many of the scripts they developed for other languages started with the Dwarvish script as a base.

Naming Traditions

Dwarves have interesting names that follow the patterns of their native language. All Dwarves will also have a clan name of some sort, often that refers to a past profession of the clan or some other defining feature.

Name Generator Coming Soon!

Relations with Other Races

Dwarves get along with a wide range of people, their closest friends are likely to be Halflings and Dragonkin. They see Halflings as fellow Dwarves in most cases and they have immense respect for the Dragonkin regardless of what Metallic heritage that they may come from.   Chromatic heritages are treated with scrutiny though and it takes considerable time for a Red Dragonkin to earn any trust in Dwarven society in particular because of a nasty history that Red Dragons have displayed in their lust for wealth. Currently, an issue exists between the Human Empire and the Dwarven Kingdom that has halted most official trade but the Dwarves believe this issue will pass in due time.

Religious Observance

The Pantheons of Isekai are of extreme importance to all races and cultures, no matter their differences or difficulties. Each culture worships one of the gods as this belief is what allows them to be judged fairly upon their deaths.
Iron Dwarves follow the teachings of Crommel as the God of the Forge and the Father of all Dwarves. They believe their pursuits in craftsmanship are an ode to the creations that Crommel is known for and all Dwarves are meant to search for similar greatness.