68 lines
No EOL
3.9 KiB
Markdown
68 lines
No EOL
3.9 KiB
Markdown
Dwarves are one of the most ancient and storied peoples of Baltun’ia, their deep roots running as far beneath the mountains as their ancestral lore. Known for their endurance, craftsmanship, and stoic pride, dwarves built empires beneath the earth long before many other species walked the land. Though their power has waned since the collapse of the Second Age, dwarven memory is long, and their influence still echoes in stone halls and mountain strongholds across the world.
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While often thought of as rigid or tradition-bound, dwarves are more than just smiths and miners. Their societies vary—some isolated and insular, others adapted to the surface, trading with other peoples and navigating a changed world. Even so, all dwarves hold fast to their clan ties, the memory of ancient glory, and the belief that the mountain remembers all.
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### Regions
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- [[Mimfjell]] – Seat of ancient power and ruined glory, now home to rugged survivors and guardians of lost halls.
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- [[Dragabri]] – Active volcanic forges and deep caverns where magma-born metals are shaped into legendary weapons.
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- [[The Weald]] – Reclusive stonekin live in high-altitude citadels, mastering both geomancy and ancient runes.
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- [[Falduhir]] – Mountain border-folk who maintain outposts and trade routes through treacherous highlands.
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### Names
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Dwarven names are often steeped in lineage and honor, with many bearing the names of ancestors or founding figures.
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- **Male**: Dain, Brokk, Thrain, Durik, Varrun, Kordak, Othrim
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- **Female**: Brynja, Helga, Thora, Marn, Sigra, Valmara, Gudrun
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- **Clans**: Stonebeard, Ironhand, Runekeeper, Deepdelver, Embermaul, Frostvein, Goldmantle
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### Traits
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- **Stalwart Constitution** – Dwarves are naturally tough, resistant to disease, poison, and magical corruption.
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- **Master Craftsmen** – Dwarven artisans produce unmatched armor, weapons, and clockwork devices.
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- **Clan Loyalty** – Each dwarf is bound to a clan or guild, and their loyalty is rarely broken.
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- **Long Memory** – Dwarves remember past injustices and glories alike; they chronicle everything in stone or metal.
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- **Mountain-Born** – Accustomed to the subterranean and high-altitude world, dwarves excel in harsh terrains and can navigate underground realms with ease.
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### Subraces / Variants
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- **Mountain Dwarves** – The most traditional dwarves, known for strength, armor, and devotion to old customs. Found in Mimfjell and Dragabri.
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- **Hill Dwarves** – Surface-adapted dwarves who farm and trade, often acting as go-betweens for other peoples. Found in Falduhir and [[Stoffen]].
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- **Stonekin** – Reclusive mystic dwarves who have bonded with the stone itself, rumored to speak to the earth and live for centuries. Found in The Weald.
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- **Deep Dwarves** – Pale-skinned, secretive dwarves who dwell in the uncharted Deep Realms, often shunned by surface kin. Rarely seen in the open.
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### Customs and Culture
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- **Stonebinding** – A ritual in which a dwarf carves their name into stone, binding their spirit to their home or clanhold.
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- **Forge Festivals** – Annual celebrations where masterworks are revealed, songs are sung in stone halls, and clan rivalries are tested in contests of strength and skill.
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- **Ancestor Worship** – Dwarves revere their forebears, often keeping shrines or urns in family homes.
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- **Oaths and Honor** – Breaking a sworn oath is one of the gravest crimes in dwarven society; such acts are recorded in stone for all time.
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- **The Reckoning Song** – A tradition where wrongs and debts are sung aloud during council gatherings, and reparations are negotiated before all.
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### Languages Spoken
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- **[[Dwarvish]]** – A guttural, rhythmic language designed for echoing in tunnels, filled with compound words and runic script.
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- **[[Common]]** – Spoken by most surface-dwellers, though often tinged with thick accents and clan idioms. |