Dwarf

The Dwarfs, (or the Dawi as they call themselves) are one of the oldest and proudest intelligent races of Orden, with a great wealth of history and power that stretches back to time immemorial. They once held an empire which stretched from **TBD** in the north to the **TBD** in the south, and from **TDB** in the east to the **TBD** in the west.

Dwarfs are known far and wide as the greatest miners and tunnellers - the ageless halls of Karaz-a-Karak are but one gigantic example of how huge their works can become. The Dwarfs are also highly proficient smiths and craftsmen, capable of producing works far more beautiful than the Elven metalwhisperers and hundreds of times more valuable than the trinkets of Men.

The Dwarf people as a whole are sturdy and strong, brilliant craftsmen and excellent warriors. Above all they pride themselves on their loyalty to each other or those they are indebted to. This strong bond of kinship has ensured that the Dwarfs stand as one of the most unified races in the world. Proud, honourable and enduring, it is said that the Dwarfs shall weather the trials and tribulations of this world until its final end

## History

The Dwarfs were created almost at the dawn of Orden, by their God Ord. The first dwarves lived deep underground, never knowing the sky, saw ages of the surface world pass unnoticed. This was the life of the dwarfs for eons, and much to the chagrin of the ancestor obsessed dwarfs, much of this history has been lost to time.

This all changed when the dwarf people received a command of Ord. They were told to leave their home in the Underdark and seek the surface above. Not knowing what this surface was, they dutifully followed, and set of onto their Quest for the Sky. Despite the command from their god, some Dwarfs, too stubborn or fearful of change, remained behind in their great underground cities. The split was spiteful, and left both sides with distain for the other, and began the rivalry between the Dwarfs and those who would become the Duergar.

## Biology

The Dwarfen people are short and stunted in nature, but possess an extreme degree of durability, endurance, strength, immovability and stubbornness that many other races often mockingly compare to, or in the Dwarfs case, embody those of a stone or mountain. Most Dwarfs stand only a mere 90 to 130 cm in height, however, they are noticeably very stout in build, with strong thick arms, long broad shoulders and short but powerful legs. Female Dwarfs have a similar physique, though they are much more curvaceous.

It is also customary, and in most cases mandatory, for all male Dwarfs to have a beard of some kind. Most Dwarf youths begin to grow their beards at a relatively early age and will continue to grow for the rest of their lives. These beards are an integral part of Dwarf patriarchal society, for it often dictates a Dwarfs personal age, wealth, or experience. The longer the beard, the more respect he gains from his peers and those of society. Rather than cultivating beards, female Dwarfs braid their hairs in much the same way as a sign of status and age.

## Culture

The most important principles of Dwarf society are often summarized by three things: age, wealth, and skill. The more of these a Dwarf has, the higher you are in Dwarf society. Dwarfs do not boast of their family achievements, they merely set the record straight and proclaim their ancestors' greatness by their own personal wealth and skills. Unlike humans, Dwarfs live naturally long lives, with some growing as old as several centuries to even a thousand years of age.

When a Dwarf starts their lives off as young youths, they are often mockingly called by their elders as "Beardlings". As their name applies, these youths still have short beards which indicate their young age and will continue to be youths until they reach at least more than 70 years of age. Whilst they age, these youths would learn the basic skills of their Clans, such as mining or smithing. In addition, they would be required to participate for some time in active military duty.

The oldest Dwarfs within a community are the "Longbeards" or "Greybeards". Dwarfs never cut or trim their beards, as the length of a beard indicates age, and thus wisdom. As such, these older Dwarfs are highly respected within their communities and their peers, and are often looked to for guidance and leadership. Only a Dwarf who has reached the age of a hundred, or has a beard that is touching the very floor will he be readily considered a Longbeard.

Dwarfs also have an affinity for their peoples own past and tradition and would constantly seek to remember their forebears by repairing and maintaining their products. All Dwarfs know how to reforge an ancient blade and are constantly trying to incorporate ancient relics into their newer works.

Dwarfs also enjoy hoarding their hard-earned treasures and gold within massive Vaults. When a Dwarf dies, his wealth goes to his family and so passes down the generations. This process ensures the memory of the dead will always continue, as well as to secure a Dwarf's supply of money for a more desperate time. Often, a Dwarf will measure his security by how far off the ground they are when they sit on their treasures. The wealth of the Dwarfs is legendary and has attracted hordes of invaders seeking to plunder that wealth.

### Dwarf Clans

Dwarf clans are in essence extended families who can trace their ancestry back to a founding ancestor who may have settled a specific valley, built a stronghold or founded a mine. Each stronghold is home to several Dwarf clans. The social ranking of a Dwarf is based on the social ranking of his Clan. The lowest ranking are the disgraced Clans who are often outcasts from the holds. The next lowest are the Clans which have no home hold, and instead wander from hold to hold as traders, as well as working in cities of other races. The middle-ranking class are the respectable clans who dwell within the holds. The top-ranking clans are the clans which engage in the most respected trades, such as gold working, weaponsmithing, runesmithing, and engineering. The ruling class is the royal clan, whose members are the nobility, one of whom is the king of the Hold.

Dwarf clans are thus mostly made up of many families, all of which share a common homeland, bloodline or ancestry. The ancestors of these clan are highly honoured, and part of this honour involves singing their sagas and maintaining their tombs and relics. Each clan is lead by the clan head also known as a thane. Some clans have their own identity sporting personal banners, sigils, and warcry.