Dwarves

by Riley Spalding

History:

Dwarves are marked by their stubbornness, and though some have scattered to the winds of Yaroth, the majority remain in the northern reaches, funding expeditions into the mountains, or readying raiding parties against the drow that wronged them. Dwarves are often referred to as the exiled people, as their original home was an ancient city of enormous size and complexity, called Drunor/The Halls Of Drunor, or simply the halls, to dwarves. This ancient hall was taken from them by The Dark Ones a race of beings the dwarves refused to remember out of spite. Since fleeing the deeper earth they’ve fought a continually losing battle against the Dark Elves/Drow for control of the Underdark, the end of this conflict forcing them to settle a majority of their population on the surface, something they once considered sacrilegious.

by Mathias Zamecki

Since then, some dwarves now sell themselves as mercenaries and entertain grand illusions of taking back their home from the dark elves while others simply want to find a new life in a new land. Though dwarven settlements are common in mountains, their recent sojourn into the lands above has seen many dwarven families settle in any city or settlement that would host them, though most have settled in the northern area between the lands of the Tieflings and the Goliaths, forming the youngest nation on Yaroth. This relatively isolated kingdom was originally an outpost established by the dwarves centuries earlier but was not overly prioritized by the ruling elite of the time.

by Guido Kuip

They hold family lineage, genealogy, and their ancestors in high regard. Particularly well-revered ancestors are referred to as patricians, and there are few living dwarves famous enough to claim this title. Though not expressly patriarchal in nature, dwarven families have a heavy emphasis on the male family members. This is more common in the old houses that escaped the destruction of Drunor and The War Of Darkened Halls, while the smaller families are more egalitarian. Their government begins with the great clans who serve as the ruling council while a ruling prince remains unfound and unelected, though there are rumors that the council has long since given up the search, having grown cozy with their privileged positions as the defacto leaders of dwarven kind. This has led to some inter-clan conflict, and although outright warfare is rare, intrigue and power struggles are common. Beneath them are the minor clans, those not large enough, or not as decorated as the great clans above them. Though these smaller groups don't need to fall under the command of their more powerful cousins, they often do just that. Be it out of ideological similarity, religious reasons, or simple fear of their rivals. Beneath them are the uncrowned families, those familial groupings who have not yet earned the right to claim a hold, issue titles, hold office, or serve as an officer in the dwarven military. Though they lack many of the rights and privileges of the clans, these families are at least able to start a business, and conduct commerce, something their clanless brethren cannot do. These clanless lie at the bottom of the dwarven social ladder, and only barely have the right to own things, lacking even the ability to purchase land/property. Dwarves who find themselves in this pitiless position will often sell themselves as indentured servants to even a minor family in hopes of rising up the ranks and improving their station in life. Though joining a clan is a lifetime commitment, those found guilty of particularly unpleasant crimes may find their clan status revoked, and their rights stripped. This is rare, but when it does happen they may find themselves clanless, forced to struggle alongside other criminals, foreigners, and those who have fallen from favor.

by Takeshi Yoshida

Religion:

They hold no true religion, or at least no religion like those of the surface dwellers, with most dwarves instead believing in the myth of the Goldthane brothers Ronlin and Dulgun who were said to be the first settlers and kings of Drunor. These ancient kings are revered as pseudo deities, though this worship has changed slightly after the loss of their ancestral home. Since then their worship has been more passionately asserted by the clan council, who are heavily interested in expanding worship. They argue that this is a natural extension of the ancestor worship that has always been present in dwarven society. Tying certain rights and privileges into regularly attending religious ceremonies means that any dwarf interested in climbing the social ladder must first convert. Naturally, those who lack these desires often don't bother, and instead stick to the same ancestor worship that they have practiced for millennia uncounting. Part of this worship is centered around the belief that the dwarves were at one point immortal in the sense that they were ageless. Since beginning the long climb their life expectancy has steadily decreased until they are merely very long-lived. The truth of this matter is unknown but one thing is certain, the worshippers of Ronlin and Dulgun assert that immortality is theirs to claim in time.

by Renata Mrowińska

Variety and General Appearance:

The outpost to the north of their original homeland was isolated for so long that most of the dwarves that lived there were considered Mountain Dwarves and were a little taller than average due to the time they spent outside and above ground. This area of the world is a desolate wasteland of sand or ash and unairable land, useless to anyone but the dwarves who eat nothing but meat and mushrooms. They usually refer to the dwarves that were forced to leave their homes as Deep Dwarves though most dwarves simply call this subgroup dwarves, making things confusing for most other races. Complicating matters further are Gray Dwarves/The Forgotten, dwarves left behind during the dwarven exodus referred to as The Long Climb. These unfortunate creatures mutated from centuries of isolation. Their skin is a dark black, ashy color, while their hair has gone white, and their eyes are either completely white or utterly black. Referred to as Gray Dwarves by non-dwarves, they are pitied and hated by their fellow dwarves, who assert that the gray dwarves gave into the darkness, siding with their ancient foes the dark ones. The truth is less certain, as the Gray Dwarves are hostile to outsiders and are rarely seen above ground.

by woojae choi

Relations to other species:

Most if not all dwarves hold a deep hatred for Dark Elves/Drow, as well as elves in general, though their surface cousins are usually thought of as simply being shifty or untrustworthy but not downright evil. Though they are incredibly wary of the Tieflings to the west, due in part to their skirmishes, but also due to their experience with Demons over the centuries of fighting the dark elves. They are generally neutral to all other races that are not tiefling or elven. They also have an odd friendship with the Goliaths to the east, whom they consider as tall cousins. This came about when their first king beat the dwarven representative in a drinking contest, endearing the race in the eyes of the bearded folk and beginning a long tradition of friendship. It's not uncommon to hear a dwarf refer to an especially respected Goliath as dwarfkin or tall cousin.

Naming Conventions:

Dwarven names get longer the better respected and accomplished the dwarf in question is, adding middle names as they accomplish notable feats. An example of a highborn with many feats would be. Drunagur Stonehewer, Earth Breaker, Foe Slayer, Vanafar. Those without the backing of a family or clan are without last names and usually use a placeholder name that indicates their career such as Smith.

State Affiliation:

The Drudorian Empire 

Classes.

(We are here) Dwarven Barbarians.
Dwarven Bards
Dwarven Clerics
Dwarven Druids
Dwarven Fighters
Dwarven Monks
Dwarven Paladins
Dwarven Rangers
Dwarven Rogues
Dwarven Sorcerers
Dwarven Warlocks
Dwarven Wizards
Dwarven Artificers

Geographic Distribution

• Underdark