Stoneguard Dwarves

*"The battlecries of the various clans of stoneguard dwarves are notoriously difficult to record owing in part to the strange distortion effects of subterranean warfare, and in majority to the tenacity with which stoneguard dwarves seek out and extinguish their enemies upon the battlefield."*
- Anabell Black, on the warfare of Dwarves

## Stoneguard Dwarves

Stoneguard dwarves, although being biologically similar to their common cousins, differ in two keys areas from their more common counterpart: First, they are found only in and around their underground kingdom Stone-Peak; and second, they are significantly more aggressive and warlike. Numbering just shy of ten thousand strong, the Stoneguard Dwarves compose the greatest single grouping of dwarven clans, all of which are intensively trained in warfare from early childhood till cripplingly old age.

### Location

Almost all stoneguard dwarves are found in Stone Peak, the subterranean kingdom that was built within the Eastern base of Mount Gregors Mount, just east of the Grand Imperium Arcarnum. The area of land claimed by the dwarves extends for some twenty miles east of the mountain itself, incorporating valuable farmland and woodland which are cautiously guarded by dwarven patrols. In events of emergency, however, all of the land outside of the mountain are considered disposable, and indeed: Stone Peak is fully self sufficient.

### Lifestyle

Life if tough for Stoneguard young. They are taken from the earliest age at which they can feasibly hold a weapon, and are trained relentlessly every day until they either die or are considered competent enough to serve their clan in war. Though death is uncommon through this process, it is an accepted necessity which is considered a means of weeding out the weak.

Although the majority of a stoneguard dwarves life is spent training in warfare, the natural affinity of dwarves for metal working and mining mean that most dwarves spend the majority, if not all of their free time studying those arts from their fellow clan members. Although this leads to highly skilled dwarves who may be considered masters of both creation and destruction, it also means that stoneguard dwarves have barely any time in which to relax. Indeed, a stoneguard dwarf may spend up to twenty hours training and studying, every day for months or years at a time.

Further to their training and studying, upon reaching maturity, stoneguard dwarves are expected to fight for their clan in the near constant battling between the stoneguard dwarves and the humans, monsters, and giants which frequently assault the dwarven holds. Though most assaults are no match to the ferocity and hardened discipline of stoneguard dwarves, such battles are unsurprisingly brutal entrapped as they are within narrow subterranean tunnels, caverns, and vaults.

These brutal conditions have, occasionally, lead to the psychological collapse of stoneguard dwarves, and so it is not impossible to find unhinged stoneguard dwarves travelling far from Stone Peak, having abandoned their station and clan.

### Foreign Policy

Stoneguard dwarves do not like visitors. They're great gates are almost always barred to any who would negotiate, and though they do occasionally trade with the outside world, they are loath to do so. Further, as they consider themselves the rightful rulers of all dwarves, they take any foreign dwarven hold as a personal affront. Any common dwarves attempting to seek safe-haven in Stone Peak is as likely to be executed as helped.

There is a single exception to stoneguard foreign policy, and that is the gnomes who also occupy certain corners of Stone Peak. The gnomes and dwarves have something of a symbiotic relationship, whereby the dwarves protect the otherwise helpless gnomes from a hostile environment, while the gnomes perform all of the essential work which maintains the kingdom itself, such as food production.

### Magic and Wealth

Stoneguard dwarves are considered, in many regards, to be fabulously wealthy. Within their subterranean caverns, great vaults house empires worth of precious metals, gems, and magically imbued crafted artefacts. However, as the stoneguard dwarves rarely have the opportunity nor inclination to trade any of this wealth, they are mostly ignorant of its true value. That is not to say that they are naive, or could easily be tricked out of their wealth - it is simply that the dwarves have little use for their accumulated wealth and subsequently do not consider it worthy of thought.

### Current Events

The rise of the Withered King in the Freefolk Dwellings have pushed many Western-Freefolk tribes in the direction of Stone Peak and the stoneguard dwarves who live their. This is a problem, as many monstrous and humanoid Western-Freefolk tribes which would have otherwise left Stone Peak in peace are now considering the great subterranean fortresses of Stone Peak to be perfect for sheltering within again the Withered King. In particular, the bands of giants which are usually loathe to cooperate have begun banding together into organised armies in an attempt to breach Stone Peaks massive gates and fine safehaven in the treasure troves beyond.

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