Dwarves

## Physical Appearance

Dwarves are the shortest medium-sized humanoids. Dwarves rarely reach 5 feet in height. Dwarves have naturally higher fat reserves than other races and store fat more easily. They also have thicker muscles and more slow-twitch muscles, giving them greater stamina than other races. Dwarven skin ranges from light to dark brown depending on random genetics and family history (length of time spent living underground versus in sunlight is also a factor). Dwarven hair colors are usually dark, and the percentage of red hair is much higher than in other races.

## History

Dwarves long ago settled in the Dwarven Lands, a rocky, mountainous region with many volcanoes and other volatile sources. The dwarves dug their way into the mountains and chose to live within sprawling fortresses built in stone. The ancient dwarves learned masonry and mining from scratch, developing their skills and becoming experts in the art of stonework. “Modern” dwarves are masters of technology, manipulating stone, gems, and metal to however they see fit.

## Alignments

Dwarves have rigorous laws governing each of their clans. Though each clan law will differ slightly from the others, as a whole they are rigid and occasionally tyrannical. Dwarves often have their own personal morals, not necessarily matching those of any other race or even other clans. The “ideal” dwarf is a Lawful Neutral, someone who enforces the laws as they see it, without moral biases.

## Society & Culture

Dwarven society is very rigid and defined. The dwarven people believe strongly in a caste system, where each member of society remains in their chosen place. Heroic figures or highly intelligent figures are able to move up in society, but only through rigorous adherence to society’s rules and hard, dedicated work.
Dwarves are very critical of most vices and frown upon them heavily. Gambling, prostitution, and other such vices are very often outlawed in dwarven society. Drinking is the only vice that dwarves participate in, as it is seen as a “harmless” vice. For the dwarves, with added stamina against drunkenness, drinking is social lubricant and alcoholics are rare.
Dwarven clans are made of dozens of families, which make up each caste level. Each family will have a specific familial profession. Changes to the family business are exceedingly rare and only take place in the case of caste changes. Each family practices a healthy dose of nepotism, as it is extremely important for each family to take responsibility for their own business in dwarven culture. Hiring outside the family shows that the dwarf is not confident in his own family members, and is only done in cases of extreme merit.

### Caste Levels & Etiquette

(The names of these castes and their purposes are the same across all clans, however some clans will place some castes in different orders, depending on the specialty focus of that clan.)

*Fuhrenor* (Leaders): This is the highest caste, essentially dwarven nobility. They are the government leaders, powerful and intelligent individuals who make laws, control armies, control trade agreements, and otherwise guide dwarven society.

*Lehrenor* (Teachers): These are the scholars, academics, and professors. They are highly intelligent and focused individuals. Inventors, engineers, and other important individuals will make up this caste.

*Schuzenor* (Protectors): These are the warrior caste, making up the dwarven armies, mercenary bands, and other fighters, and includes government diplomats and other government officials who “protect the name and borders of the Dwarven Lands with both wit and combat”.

*Verkaufenor* (Merchants): These are tradesmen, merchants, salespeople, and shopkeepers. Anyone who owns a business or works closely with money. This also includes bankers, accountants, and other money-oriented professions.

*Arbeitenor* (Skilled Workers): These are the “blue-collar” workers and laborers of the dwarven world. Masons, carpenters, blacksmiths, weavers. This group also encompasses artisans such as sculptors and potters. Anyone who works with their hands and creates things or manipulates materials is in this caste. Those skilled with Medicine and healing are also in this class.

*Maultienor* (Unskilled Workers): Certain professions are considered “unskilled labor” by the dwarves. Mining, cooking, cleaning, farming, butchers, lumberjacks, any labor that can be done by literally anyone with the strength and stamina to do so are in this caste.

*Nulzenor* (Casteless): The lowest of the low, the Nulzenor are those that have rejected the rigidness of Dwarven society. Thieves, murderers, and other lawbreakers are stripped of their caste title. They are only permitted to work the most demeaning of jobs, such as those dealing with human waste or corpses. Convicted felons must do this work or leave dwarven society altogether. The Nulzenor are not permitted to have beards or clan braids, and must keep their hair cropped short and their faces clean-shaven.

**Etiquette**: Dwarven castes are rigid in structure. To be dwarven is to be of stone, as the old saying goes. Those of a lower caste are not permitted to speak to those of a higher caste unless they are spoken to first. Higher castes are encouraged to treat lower castes with the utmost respect but not to allow them too many liberties. Those in lower castes are promised that if they work hard their whole life, the family may be permitted to move into a higher caste. These moves are made through marriage, and each caste relies heavily on nepotism for each profession. Dwarves also practice a kind of adoption called Kinden, where a higher caste may adopt a member of a lower caste to bring into the family business. This lower caste member must agree to give up all family ties, leaving his family behind and joining the new family.

### Gender Roles

Dwarves claim to be rather egalitarian. The line of inheritance, however, is entirely paternal. Women are permitted to be educated, to learn to fight, and to take on any profession they want. They can also own businesses and help make government decisions if they are a member of the right caste. However, they are treated more delicately than men as they are the primary tools by which a family can move in the castes. They are less likely to be chosen for dangerous positions, and less likely to be promoted over a male counterpart. They are also usually ordered to stop working or even fired from their chosen profession upon marriage, to focus on their wifely duties. A good dwarven family will have several sons to take over the family work, but will also wish for at least one good daughter to present as a potential wife. A son who works hard to prove himself will be able to present his sister as a bride to a family in a higher caste. Once the two families are bound by marriage, the lower family is raised into the “proper” caste.
Professions are pushed upon children from a young age, with their family urging them to continue the family tradition. Those in higher castes are permitted to take jobs in lower castes, but are often “removed” from the family when they do so. Those in lower castes are permitted to train and apply for jobs in a higher caste, but are very rarely granted these positions without marital influence or adoption.

### Half-bloods

Half blood dwarves are pretty rare, as relations outside of the dwarven race are heavily frowned upon. In a couple of the clans, the act of bearing a child from outside the race is an offense that can make someone casteless. However, once these children are born they are given all the same opportunities as any dwarven child, and given all the rights of citizenship. They are born into the same caste as their parents (and so in those two clans are born casteless), but can raise their family up through marriage and merit as any good dwarf can do.

### Linguistics

The dwarven language is guttural and thick. Many other races make jokes that dwarves must naturally produce extra phlegm, to explain the language’s severity. Other races also joke that Dwarven is the least romantic language, and that it is impossible to sound anything but angry while speaking it. Dwarves prefer works of fiction to poetry, and when they do poetry it is free-form and very rarely rhymes.

### Education

Each clan is responsible for educating children within it. All dwarven children no matter their class are educated by the Lehrenor until they reach age 30 or so. They are taught history, reading, writing, mathematics, and some science. Once this education is complete and the child is an adult, after their coming of age ceremony, they will usually join an apprenticeship in the family business. Some will devote themselves to training to join other professions. In most families, the first son or daughter will work in the family business, while the second or third child will focus their attention on a higher caste, to attempt to raise the family’s standing. These educations are costly however, as a lower caste member must pay for tutors in outside professions.

### Architecture

Dwarves build out and down, never up. Even those dwarves that live on the surface never build more than a single story high, and often dig down into the earth to create berms of stone and mud. Dwarves are excellent stone workers and their tunnels are almost immaculately carved from solid rock. They love round shapes and curved lines, appreciating the stark contrast with their own square bodies and the jagged rocks around them.

### Government & Laws

Each clan has its own set of laws and structure for clan members to adhere to. All the clans have outlawed many of the basic “evil” acts, like murder, theft, necromancy, unlawful worship and other acts that bring harm to others. However, some clans are more relaxed on religion than others. The primary focus of the laws is to create a “civilized and logical society”.
The government is mostly Plutocratic, in that those with wealth have the most influence. These families make up the Fuhrenor, the ruling caste. Just like with any caste, one can marry into the Fuhrenor, but that does not necessarily make you a leader. You still need to take on a government profession.
Each clan governs itself according to their own set of laws. The Fuhrenor put forth and vote on laws, usually with input from the second highest caste in that clan. For example, in the Thunderforge Clan, the Arbeitenor are second highest, due to the clan’s focus on smithing. The wealthiest members of the Arbeitenor are invited to the clan’s Senate to put forward laws which will then be voted upon by the Fuhrenor.
The 9 clans as a total rarely interfere with one another, except in matters of international treaties, such as those with Humans or Orcs, which they share their continent with. In these cases a single elected Fuhrenor from each clan will join a Moot, where they will discuss at length (sometimes for decades at a time, due to the long dwarven lifespan), what is to be done. Only when the 9 clans are in perfect agreement can they move forward with actions. This has caused many strifes in the past with the much shorter-lived humans and orcs, who will see the silence from the dwarves as insolence and move for war.

## Economy & Resources

The dwarven lands are rich with minerals, metals, and gemstones. Emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and other precious stones. There are also semi-precious stones like agate, malachite, melanite, moonstone, opals, etc. The most important stones that can be found in the dwarven lands are obsidian and adamantine, the hardest substances to use in weapons and armor. The gold, silver, and copper pieces that make up the Common Currency are minted by the dwarves, and controlled by them, as they are long-lived and economically educated enough to handle changes in the world economy.
The dwarves place very little value on agriculture, and prefer to focus on the raising of meat animals. Goats are the most common creatures, as they are well-adapted to the mountainous terrain and can find enough food. There is also a large population of wild mountain buffalo, lean and hardy creatures that have rather gamey meat but great leather and warm fur, as well as horns for decoration.
Dwarves are very picky about their trade agreements. They have a stable agreement with the orcs that is several hundred years old, for resources out of the orcish lands. Dwarves also export all their stones and metals, as well as the products made from them. Dwarven made armor fetches a pretty price, and both the human and elven armies are outfitted fully in this high-quality armor.

## Clans

### Stonecloak

The Stonecloaks experience a relative peace with the 11 other clans, though it is not a stable peace. During this time period, the Stonecloaks have shifted more towards being an economic power for between the clans and less martial might. As such, when they do need some fighting prowess, they tend to outsource these needs to foreign adventurers. They pay handsomely for these services making the long trip worth the effort.

### Golden-quil

A merchant clan who choose to make their mark through trade and commerce bringing the wonders of the outside world into the dwarven clans.

### SingedBeard

The SingedBeards a masters of Dwarved artificary, creating deadly siege weapons and firearms.

### Longbeard

The Longbeards serve as a neutral clan of sorts. Those who are old and wise enough serve as the caretakers of those heading into the afterlife. They reside within the city of Stukos, a gigantic mausoleum-city.  They perform all the rituals and services required for a Dwarf passing into the afterlife as well as acting as the historians of all Dwarven history.

## Marriage & Relationships

Marriage in the dwarven culture is a business transaction. Women are groomed to be good wives, and their families work hard to ensure a good match. Most if not all marriages are arranged marriages, the dwarves are rarely very intent upon romance. The ultimate goal of any female dwarf is to be married, this ensures a life of wifely duties, such as controlling the household and raising children.
Most matches are made by the parents of the dwarves in question. It is possible for a male dwarf to “court” a potential partner, but he should make his intentions clear to her parents as quickly as possible. At this point, the two parents will get together and decide whether the match is good for the families. If they approve, then the male dwarf will go through a brief courtship, essentially only a formality.
Once the match is agreed upon, a marriage contract will be written up by the families. The marriage cannot happen until the contract is completed and signed by the patriarchs of both families. Most contracts are strictly business, such as an exchange of a dowry and integration of the two family businesses. There will also be caste specific terms, such as jobs for specific family members. There will occasionally be more private sections of the contract, such as a required amount of children or outlining the minimum “romantic duties” the wife or husband must perform in the bedroom.
The contract process can take as long as 10-15 years, and once completed the two families will throw a lavish and extravagant wedding affair. This varies by caste, but weddings commonly last anywhere from a whole week to a month or more, with feast after feast, drinking, competitions of strength and cunning, the reading of dwarven stories and poetry, culminating in a grand ball where the ceremony takes place.
Divorce is a respected aspect of dwarven culture so long as it is done properly. Most contracts have a “buy-out” option, where if the two families or the husband and wife are experiencing marital difficulties they can pay the family off to break the contract. So long as no terms of the contract are violated then the two families part ways amicably, and the wife is permitted to remarry. Any children produced from the marriage are still legitimate, and remain with the husband’s family.  Any new husband and his family must treat the ex-wife as if she has never been married, even if children were produced from the prior marriage.
If a contract however, was violated and then rendered null and void, it brings shame upon the family that did the breaking. Should the wife’s family be responsible, the wife will be considered a divorcee and it will be almost impossible for her to marry again due to the stigma of a broken contract. If the husband’s family violated the contract, they are not granted custody of any children from the marriage and they are usually forced to pay reparations to the wife in order to care for these children.
Adultery is almost nonexistent in dwarven culture. Their lawful nature does not permit them to be very promiscuous and rumors spread quickly within the tightknit clan communities. Sex before marriage is rare and considered unhealthy. Sex is considered to be something for procreation only, so the culture heavily shames those who are seen as enjoying the act “too much”. Men of course are permitted to have certain appetites but women especially are easily shamed by the community for risque behaviors.