Author: Scott "Volstagg" Casper (scvolstagg@visto.com)

Dwarves of the Flanaess

Overview

The dwarves of the Flanaess are an ancient race. On the dwarven calendar the current year is 6317 D.A., making the dwarven calendar the oldest on Oerik. Dwarves are very proud of their history, yet dwarven history has tended to be so insular that few other races are familiar with it. Part of the reason for this is that dwarves began long ago as an underground race. Only in the last few centuries have dwarves become more involved in above ground affairs than below ground. One of the main reasons for this has been the rise of human cities and the merchant class. Dwarves love city life and trade.

Dwarves also love mining, especially for precious metals. Silver and gold are okay, but every dwarven miner dreams of finding a new vein of mithral or adamantite. This preoccupation extends beyond mining. Dwarven craftsmen pursue the strongest and sturdiest building materials. Aesthetic value is often forsaken as dwarven architects strive for durability.

The status quo is very important to dwarves. What is important to dwarves today is important because it was centuries ago. Traditions tell a dwarf when to wake up in the morning, when and what to eat, and how to comb his beard. There are at least 300 beard styles, each with significance in dwarven culture. One of the distinct advantages of the rigidity of dwarven culture for non-dwarves is that the two dwarven languages have no dialects. All hill dwarves speak Makilhorem, as all mountain dwarves speak Brekuntorik.

The dwarves recognize twelve deities, the most commonly worshipped being Clanggedin Silverbeard (god of battle and honor), Dunathoin (god of mining), Berronar (demi-goddess of home and clan), and Ulaa (goddess of hills and mountains).

The community is highly valued by dwarves, often valued over the individual, so dwarves are known as staunch defenders when their communities are threatened. Dwarves have found themselves almost constantly thrust into this role throughout their history. Other races, particularly orcs and goblins, have long coveted the dwarves' mines and homes. The history of these wars is ancient, but largely unknown to non-dwarves because the battles have been fought underground or in remote mountain ranges. Every dwarf is taught enough history to hate orcs and goblinkind, and at the age of 30, every dwarf capable of holding a weapon receives grueling training in the fighting techniques most useful to counter orc, half-orc, goblin, and hobgoblin standard fighting techniques.

Dwarves do not like magic. Despite rumors to the contrary, most dwarves are not superstitiously afraid of magic, nor are they envious because they cannot cast spells themselves. In fact, dwarves are usually proud of their inability to work magic because they see magic as the tool of lazy humans and frivolous elves. Why should dwarves cheat and use magic to do what they can accomplish through dwarven sweat and blood?

Many wonder what place thievery would have in the lawful world of dwarves. It turns out, the laws that protect dwarves do not apply to non-dwarves, and not necessarily even to other dwarven clans. Dwarven thieves are often called upon to spy on the tribes of racial enemies, or to sabotage a rival clan that has not shown one's own clan proper respect. Other dwarves train to become tomb robbers -- to claim their own inheritances! Deceased dwarves are often interred with their wealth in trap-laden tombs. Only a relative who is strong and resourceful is meant to inherit.

Sub-Races

The Hegoldem-Dwur, or southern hill dwarves, are the most influential on the world scene. This is mostly due to their holding of the Principality of Ulek. Humans have long claimed that a human king bequeathed this land to the dwarves, but the dwarves claim older rights. The Principality is famous for its gemstones, but more greatly prizes its mithril mines. Along with the independent cities of the Wild Coast, the dwarves of Ulek recently drove back the orcish hordes of the Pomarj. In the Little Hills of the Yeomanry, the dwarves have a strong presence and control that kingdom's silver mines. The dwarves of the Abor-Alz are believed to control a great wealth from gold, silver, and gemstone mines, but they are the most reclusive of the southern hill dwarves and hoard much of what they have. The dwarves of the Iron League control the gem mining in the Headlands of Onnwal, and the gold mining of the Hollow and Hestmark Highlands which circle the County of Sunndi. They are hard pressed by the South Province of the Great Kingdom, but maintain good trade with Ulek and human kingdoms along the Azure Sea.

The Hegolden-Dwur tend to have dark brown skin, black or grey hair, and average a little over four feet in height.

Most other hill dwarves are called the Mentherim-Dwur, or 'Humanfriend" dwarves. These dwarves have adapted most closely to human civilization, living in or near human cities. Though proud of their dwarven culture, they are flexible enough that they can ignore dwarven customs that would prove inconvenient when trading with other races. The Mentherim-Dwur make the best dwarven PCs, as their flexibility makes them best suited for multiracial parties.

The Mentherim-Dwur tend to have dirt-brown skin; brown, black, or grey hair; and average four feet in height.

The Toherntik-Dwur are the isolated mountain dwarves. These dwarves live as if under a state of siege, forgoing contact with most other races. The mountain dwarves of the Barrier Peaks truly are besieged by monsters, while the dwarves of the Glorioles have chosen to shut themselves off from the oppressive Great Kingdom rather than seek other allies as the hill dwarves in that region have done. This mentality of being "dead to the world" makes the dwarves both fatalistic and forlorn. The dwarves of the Crystalmist also consider themselves Toherntik, but they are not so cutoff from the outside world. The Crystalmist dwarves maintain good trade with Sterich.

The Toherntik-Dwur tend to have deeply-tanned skin, brown or grey hair, and average four and a half feet in height.

The Turmistik-Dwur are the mountain dwarves of the northeastern ranges. They are the most militant of the dwarves. Perhaps someday they will end up like the Toherntik-Dwur, for these dwarves are equally besieged by monsterkind. However, the Turnistik-Dwur of the Rakers, the Griff, and the Corusk Mountains have never been isolated from each other, and draw on enormous strength from their numbers. They are known throughout the Flanaess as powerful fighters and dragonslayers.