Dwarves

Three Dwarves of varying garb.

**Honourbound Dwarves, The Clans of Votha; wrapped up in complex kinships and traditions.**

Lam. Konos. Arelbel. These are the three remaining Clans of Votha. The Dwarves of Votha are united in naught but the complex ties between these clans and the first grudge against their creator, Morkith. It was the Traditionalist Lams that helped forge the **Entente**, but it was the Konos who made it prosper, and the Innovative Arelbel who brought them to the cutting edge. But with two clans, **Ral and Deler**, lost and broken, the dwarves must find new ways to balance the old traditions while adapting to the new world of Nebelloren.

## **Features**

### **The Clans**

The oldest organizations in the Entente were the Five Clans of Votha: Lam, Deler, Ral, Konos, and Arelbel. While Deler and Ral were lost to Undead Hordes, Lam, Konos and Arelbel continue to uphold their ancient legacies. All Dwarves are born into a Clan and while some will shift allegiances for marriage or honour, for most their clan is their Kin. Clans can be further distinguished into families, each with its own name though usage of these names differs from dwarf to dwarf. Clans are led by Elders, respected leaders who represent their clans and their ideals.

#### **Clan Lam**

Lam is known for upholding the most well known of the dwarven arts turning to the ancient traditions of the dwarven people for guidance and wisdom. With some distaste, they may be willing to abide by well-tested, obviously superior changes.

The Seal of Clan Lam is the Red Anvil of Lam

#### **Clan Konos**

Konos is known for its deep reverence for the ideal of the Clan as family. While all clans are to respect their members, the Konos’ believe that you should always help a kinsman in need. This leads to deep connections between all branches and a strong emphasis on providing for your kin even at the expense of yourself.

The Seal of Clan Konos is the Gold Ring of Konos

#### **Clan Arelbel**

Arelbel is known for its belief in innovation and rapid adaptation in facing challenges. Arelbels will always attempt to find new ways to push their craft of choice to its limits. While this can often lead to setbacks and grumbling from the Lams, they are nonetheless undeterred. This driving pursuit of advancement means that many Arelbels will not shy away from strange subjects, research or potential discoveries.

The Seal of Clan Arelbel is the Purple Heart of Arelbel

#### **Clan Deler**

Deler, while being one of the clans left behind on the Imeris Peninsula, were known for being the most populous dwarven clan in all of Votha, and are commonly credited to inventing modern dwarven brewing and agriculture.

#### **Clan Ral**

Ral, the other clan left behind, is a clan known for their ferocity in battle and remarkably short temper. While many have come to scoff the Ral Dwarves, dismissing them as barbarians, many (the Ral Dwarves included) think this to be a shallow look, if not a false one, on the greater view of Ral culture.

### **The Adamant Path**

The majority of Dwarves follow The Adamant Path, named for a mythological metal said to be the purest and strongest of all materials. Followers of the Adamant Path seek to refine and strengthen their spirit and the spirits of those around them so that in death their souls will be strong enough to join in the battle against their hated god, Morkith.

To the dwarves, Morkith is believed to be both their creator and creator of the world as a whole. Despite his status as a creator deity, the Dwarves believe Morkith cast them aside for petty reasons, and in the process became the root of each and every evil or trial in a dwarfs life. The Dwarves see Morkith as their ultimate foe and as such, they do not pray or worship him in any way, only mentioning his name to curse him and the disadvantages he sends them.

The view of The Adamant Path is that all things can be mastered. As building with stone was mastered by Lam so will all other things in time and one day the root of suffering itself.

### **Honour and Grudges**

To slight a dwarf is to risk a grudge that will wait until the day till vengeance can be reaped. If a slight isn’t forgiven or immediately settled, it is to be recorded in a Book of Grudges, with each keep or hillock maintaining their own book. The Elders of each hold would keep this Book, recordings the grievances dwarves have against other individuals. The grudges can be anything from a late payment on services to someone insulting the honor of a dwarf, their clan, or any other group important to them. Grudges can be resolved by just doing what the grudger asks but sometimes will resort to a brawl. Dwarves will hold their grudges for as many years as they have to to maintain their honor, with some being passed down generationally. To the Dwarves, honor is the measure of one's worth, and so to let go of a grudge unsettled is a highly alien concept.

## **Culture**

### **Names**

Dwarven first names have no set themes, but generally tend towards Nordic names. All dwarves possess a Clan which will always be mentioned, and some dwarves may have a Family name, indicating what branch of the clan they come from.

### **Religion**

The majority of Dwarves follow The Adamant Path. It is named for the mythical metal adamant, which is seen as the purest and strongest of all materials. The central belief of the Adamant Path has Dwarves see their creator Morkith as actively working against them. As such, they do not pray or worship him in any way, instead seeing him as their ultimate foe; a God who needs to be slain or bested, only mentioning his name to curse him and the disadvantages he sends them.

Competitions, healthy rivalries and demonstrations of mastery over a skill are all encouraged, with personal honour and prestige often on the line. Elders of Dwarven settlements usually oversee these competitions, as the skills fostered will lead to happier and wealthier Dwarves.

### **The Stonecurse**

While dwarves place a level of reverence to the depths of the earth, all dwarves know that to delve too deep is to invite Morkith's greatest curse upon them, the Stonecurse. How this blight was set upon the dwarves is up for debate, but what is known is that if a dwarf finds themselves deep below the earth, their body will begin to petrify, turning into a statue of stone. How long it takes for one to fully turn to stone depends from person to person, but once it starts it cannot be stopped. There is no known cure.

### **Beards**

Since almost all dwarves can grow beards, beards are an important part of dwarven culture and fashion. Dwarves expect eachother to take proper care of their beards, keeping them relatively clean and tidy with various combs and oils and to trim them at times so they don't grow unsightly. Knots, braids and rings are common adornments for beards, and as with all fashion, the materials and craftsdwarfship on display can serve as a symbol of status. To have one's beard shaved off is seen as a grave dishonour and is reserved as a punishment for heinous crimes.

### **Common Philosophical Notions**

* **Deler's Razor,** the problem-solving principle logic that recommends searching for the simplest explanations to events. It can be summarized with the phrase "You cannot just attribute Morkith to something bad that happened because you dont know the cause"

## **History**

* **??? BA**, the Dwarves are created by their God; Morkith.
* **??? BA**, the Clan Lam is formed in (place) alongside Clans Ral and Deler
* **??? BA**, the Clan Konos forms in (place)
* **1200 BA**, the **Imeris Entente** is formed after the Battle of Oldary Rock.
* **0 BA**, the Dwarves, along with the other races, flee the mainland.

## **Physiology**

### **Appearance**

Dwarves are short and stocky. They can range from pale-skinned to tanned, depending on the location of their homes, with eye and hair colors ranging as much as it does in Humans. Most dwarves grow beards, irrespective of sex.

### **Lifespan**

Dwarves live on average to around 250, with the more long lived reach about 275. Dwarves mature around the age of 30.

## **In Game Appearance**

### **MPM Sliders**

The following parameters are used within MPM, with a variance of around 10-15%;

```
Head: 85/85/85
Body: 120/70/130
Arms: 90/70/90
Legs: 110/70/90

```