Dwarf

Dwarves in Dualos live only in mountainous regions and in the Tericognita below them. They build great cities beneath the ground in which they create items and works of unparallelled skill amongst the mortal races. All dwarven society is a matriachy, with female dwarves making up the entirety of the Caste of Lords. Dwarven woman however are physical indistinguishable from men apart from sexual anatomy, and are still referred to by what other cultures refer to as male pronouns and titles. They selectively breed with other castes as a way of controlling the population within each section of their society. Two great dwarven kingdoms exist with each having cities spanning across the globe. The High Dwarves are those that inhabit mountain cities close to the surface, seldom venturing deep into Tericognita. Deep Dwarves however exist substantially lower into Tericognita and are rarely seen on the surface.

## Religion

The dwarven kingdoms all share the same set of traditions, based around a rigid caste system. Each of their deities governs the functions of a caste and the functioning of their religious system is entwined with this caste system.

### Herre, God of Lords

The righteous king of the dwarven Gods and keeper of the dwarven traditions. He stands watch over those who rule the dwarven people. His domain is Tempest.

### Sotur, God of Warriors

Being the dutiful defender of the dwarven people, he is the patron of those who serve the dwarven people with martial prowess. His domain is War.

### Seppa, God of Shapers

Considered the greatest of muses for dwarven craftsman and dwarven ingenuity, he guides and inspires those dwarves who create tools and art of all varieties. His domain is Light.

### Kaivos, God of Prospectors

The guiding light of dwarven explorers, miners and merchants. He prefers to work through intrigue and subtle cunning in order to protect those in his domain, and encourages the same from his follower's. His domain is Trickery.

### Yhtein, God of Lifters

Shepherd of the dwarven labourers and common folk. His priests work to ensure that commoners understand the important role that they play within dwarven society and continue to serve loyally. His domain is Life.

### Rikol, God of the Casteless

Trickster of the dwarven pantheon, who works against the dwarven traditions and protects those who do the same. He is officially not acknowledged by those who exist harmoniously in dwarven society and the only of the dwarven deities who seeks to protect those who seek to improve their place in the world. His domains are Knowledge and Arcana.

## Variants

### **High Dwarves**

The kingdom of the High Dwarves, otherwise known as Hishralok, controls mainly the dwarven holds closer to the surface world with their outposts and cities generally acting as gateways into Tericognita. As such the High Dwarves tend to have a strong emphasis on trade. The greatest artisans of the world are said to have all been from this great culture and they jealously guard both their treasures and their homes from any outsiders. Before the founding of Old Primis the High Dwarves were generally warm towards surface dwellers, however with the fall of Corrok to human trickery they have nurtured a strong resentment to humans specifically and surfacers in general.

**Game Mechanics;** For D&D 5e games, use either the unaltered Mountain Dwarf or the unaltered Hill Dwarf subrace from the Player's Handbook.

### **Deep Dwarves**

The kingdom of the Deep Dwarves, otherwise known as Lumralok, controls the dwarven holds much deeper within Tericognita and its people are rarely seen on the surface. As their own territories are much more hostile than that of other dwarves, they have a much more militant attitude to the world. They are almost eternally waging full scale war against one below surface civilization or another and have a very hostile attitude to outsiders. As a result the Deep Dwarves are generally universally feared and respected, yet shunned in equal measures.

**Game Mechanics;** For D&D 5e games, use the unaltered Gray Dwarf subrace from the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide.