Dwarves
Quick Overview: Dwarves are an indigenous race on the Nexus Realm and inhabit the underground cities they carved out of the rock. They are probably the least effected of all the races by the War. When the Gate War broke out, they shut the massive doors that opened into their Keeps, and locked themselves in. It wasn't until several hundred years after the Gate War that they slowly started venturing out again. Dwarves are big on tradition. There are three underground Kingdoms and several Clans, and numerous Families. To go against Family, Clan, and Kingdom would dishonor their entire family line. They wear three braids to represent their Clan, Family, and Kingdom. If a dwarf encounters an ally that becomes like a blood brother, he may add another braid to signify this relationship, too.
Dwarves tend to wear more medieval clothing, but aren't above adapting some the more sturdy human garments if they are convenient. For a Dwarf durability is what matters in clothing.
Racial requirement: Three braids. If you can manage the whole beard and such go for that too!
Racial Ability: Resist Magic
In the Beginning
In the beginning, the Nexus was an empty land filled with lush greenery. Lord Steelbeard was young, but the head of his family. Even in this beginning, he taught his sons the way of their Clan, and he trained his only daughter to be the Keeper of his Book of Grudges. For Lord Steelbeard, family and clan were all. His Book of Grudges was a way to protect them.
All Dwarves can trace their family lines directly back to Lord Steelbeard. It is said that Steelbeard is named for the iron that formed his bones, as he came to be on the Nexus. The empty land had formed the first Dwarves out of the earth, with no Gods, and no witnesses. Lord Steelbeard was as near unto a god, as any Dwarf could be because he was the first.
Clans
Griswold One-eye was taught by Lord Steelbeard to head the Clan of the Forge. He is the first of the weapon, armor, and steel smiths. His youngest brother Thrunghol Bloody-axe founded the Clan of the Blade, leaning on Griswold's craft. Forever after to teach all other fighters, mercenaries, and military members. Jonus Strongheart was to be taught the ways of the Clan of Coin that would later comprise of merchants, traders, and business owners. The Clan of Stone would be gifted to Rayak Irongut for all the trades that deal in architecture, building, and the mechanical defense of the Keeps. Finally, Lord Steelbeards oldest son, Nareg Stormhammer was made a part of the Clan of Rule, which forever after would be made up of Kings and nobles.
Lord Steelbeard’s daughter, Isabella SteelBeard was trained to be the keeper of his Book of Grudges. As Mistress of the Book, she was the arbitrator for the other Clans, and the dispenser of just decisions. Since she never had her own family, being married to the Book, her brothers provided some of their own daughters to help her, as her Handmaidens.
The Book of Grudges
All Dwarves are meticulous record keepers with exceptional memories. A Dwarf will never forget help given, or a slight taken. Each dwarf carries a miniature version of the Book with all infractions against that dwarf, and debts owed, kept there in exacting detail.
Every New Year, copies of these books are taken to that dwarf’s kingdom and given to the Mistress of the Book and her handmaidens. She then carefully goes over each one and takes the most heinous infraction’s against Clan, Kingdom, and Dwarves as a whole, and transcribes them in The Book of Grudges. This will influence the Dwarven king and all trade agreements thereafter. All dwarves may send to their kingdom asking for information held in The Book of Grudges about specific people or races.
The Mistress is the Bride to the Book, and advisor to the King himself. All Dwarven women that are given to the position of handmaiden relinquish any ties to their family or Clan. This is a highly prestigious position given to Dwarven women with a strong intuition for justice and fairness. They are the arbitrators for Dwarven society. The Mistress of the Book is picked from the Handmaidens of the previous Mistress when she dies.
Kingdoms
All went well for a long time when the Gates natural to the Nexus kept opening more and more frequently. There were so many creatures dumped onto the surface of the Nexus, attacking all they encountered that Ulric Ironbeard, who was the current Dwarven King, led his people into the earth to found the first Dwarven Kingdom. It was founded in the mountains, and carved out of the very granite itself. It is called the Kingdom of Ironbeard.
The iron smithing family of Steelbright founded the Kingdom of Steelbright many ages later as they split off from the Kingdom of Ironbeard due to a long since resolved trade dispute. This was the second Kingdom to be founded, and as such is often where apprentices to the Clan of the Forge go to be trained if they show an especially high aptitude for working metals.
Lastly, Ragnok Stonehelm and his band from the Clan of Stone, in the search of more granite caverns to carve out in full architectural glory, founded the Kingdom of Stonehelm. Even the youngest Kingdom of Stonehelm has a history that stretches back eons.
These three Kingdoms are each governed by their own King and each King is taken from the Clan of Rule of that Kingdom, and given the surname of that kingdom when the time comes. There have been but few times in Dwarven history where this change of leadership was bloody. Most often, in living memory, the passage from king to heir is a peaceful affair, where the king handpicks the heir. It is often the King’s own son, but doesn’t have to be if the King feels there is a better candidate available. Advisors surround the new king from the Clan of Rule, plus a delegate from each clan. He is also advised by the Kingdom’s Mistress of the Book.
Family
The last link in the chain of a Dwarves life is his family. A families surname is passed from father to son or daughter, and their lineage is taken very seriously.
The honor of one’s family is the first thing young Dwarves learn about. They are taught the whole family lineage back to Lord Steelbeard, himself. Every family has it’s own heroes in different Clans. By the time a child reaches adulthood at just under 20 years, they will have an extensive knowledge of Dwarven history as family history intertwines with Clan and Kingdom. This often creates a powerful sense of belonging and honor in the Dwarven child.
During the next ten years of so, the Dwarf is still considered a child and is tested for various aptitudes within different Clans. When he or she is 30 years old they are given to the clan that they show the most aptitude for, in order to be trained for the next 30 years. This is to make the most efficient use of each individual’s talents. No Dwarf would ever consider putting an individual in a clan they did not have an aptitude for. To do so would waste that person’s talents, and the time it would take for the Clan to train them.
This means a Dwarf will not be a fully functioning member of society until they are close to 60 years old. This is a tradition that dates back to the days when Lord Steelbeard, himself, taught his own sons their Clan trade. Dwarves live for approximately 500 years, unless accidental death occurs, and have a lot of time to contribute to their Clans.
Daughters of Dwarven families are taught the same way as their brothers until they are done with their Clan apprenticeship. They can hold positions within their Clan, but more often marry and become the Mistresses of their own family Houses, acting as auxiliary Clan members instead. They are traditionally in charge of the entire families finances and production, while their husbands perform duties to Clan and Kingdom.
However, during times of war, women take a more active roll within the Clans. According to Dwarven protocol, every Dwarf is taught in the Clan of their aptitude to prevent knowledge loss during major wars or natural disasters.
Dwarves signify the connections to their Family, Clan, and Kingdom by wearing braids in their hair and beards that represent these historical loyalties. One braid is braided with a cloth or trinket that symbolizes their family, one for their Clan, and One for their Kingdom. Married partners will often wear a braid for their spouse. If a Dwarf takes loyalties to another group he may wear another braid to symbolize that. This is a very serious symbol, and if a Dwarf braids a braid for his loyalty he will defend it to the death
The Trade Agreement with the Elves
During the era of the Ironbeard Kingdom, before the other two Kingdoms were founded, a flighty race of beings calling themselves Fey came to the Nexus. They talked incomprehensibly about music and songs, but could do the most amazing works of magic. They, in turn, were fascinated with the level of artistry normally done to Dwarven weapons, and goods.
During the first few centuries of contact the Dwarven race allowed a select few non-Fairy emissaries into their holds. This sparked more trade as the Fey attempted to lure away architects and stonemasons to their own Realm far away. The Fey thirst for Dwarven goods was vast and hard to keep up with, driving them to pay even steeper prices in trade goods.
The Fey would imbue an artifact after it was crafted with a spectacular magical effect in return for more goods. This process would have been acceptable, but the Fey seemed to be catching on to the Clan secrets as they worked with the Dwarves.
It was because of this fear of loosing Clan knowledge to an alien race, that King Ironbeard IV closed the Dwarven Kingdom of Ironbeard to all non-Dwarven people from that time forward. This is a tradition that was kept with the founding of the other two Kingdoms as well. This started the Fey tradition of coming for barter every 1000 years, allowing the Dwarves a chance to produce a sizable amount of goods for sale.
On Magic
Before their contact with the Fey, no Dwarf could ever do any sort of magic, and the Fey kept it more or less to themselves as a trade product to get more Dwarven goods. It wasn’t until Janna Strongblade was haggling over a small weapons transaction with a Fairy named Oakbarrel, that she put into her agreement that he would teach her magic as she forged his weapons. For whatever reasons, the Fairy agreed. She is said to have shown the utmost in patience during this time, and is honored for that. Since the learning of the magical arts the Dwarves relied less on Fey artisans to imbue their weapons and armor with magical effects. This was a crowning achievement as it devalued a lot of what the Fey had to offer in trade, making Dwarven products more valuable still.
Dwarves did learn the first three Fey Paths of magic: Life, War and Protection. War and Protection are especially popular with those in the Clan of the Blade to supplement their martial skill. Most Dwarves are trained in some form of weapons use, but there are specialists out there that devote their energy to magical use.
Dwarves will not learn the Path of Pain, or even worse, the Path of Death Magic’s without risking disgrace to their family. If a family member is found to have learned these highly unethical arts, then they will consider it their duty to kill the offending member to put him out of his misery. There is a high sense of duty to family honor, and any Dwarf foolhardy enough to disregard that may find their brothers and sisters avenging that honor violently with every tool at their disposal.
On Humans
Small bands of Dwarves often travel back and forth across the world trading goods, or mining and gathering natural resources. If an area of unclaimed land has gold, iron, or granite, a Dwarven mining contingent may set up camp for as long as it takes to mine it out with clear markers to avoid confusion. Sometimes this can take decades. Dwarven protocol would never allow the theft of land or claim jumping. If the land they want to mine is occupied they will spend years attempting to buy it or trade for the mining rights to it. Once they have secured the site, they will enforce their mining rights with whatever force is necessary.
It was on one of these mines that a new race trespassed. Balthazar Steelbright was mining it on behalf of the aging Athric Ironbeard, and since he had asked for Athric’s eldest daughter to marry, he meant to keep the land entrusted to him, no matter what. He successfully enforced the holding and prevented this new race, calling themselves Humans, from attempting to take his claim.
Like the Fey, the Humans seemed fascinated with goods of Dwarven make, and were thus allowed to stay near the Keeps for trade purposes. They did seem to have an appearance similar to the Elves of Fey origin, and it is speculated that the two races may have been related.
Unlike the Fey, the Humans were far cleverer with their machines. Where the Fey used magic to make their lives easier, the Humans created machines and ‘technology’. These items could be used by anyone trained in their use, and often made simple household living less of a struggle.
The Dwarves immediately went about trading for small items such as cook stoves, watches, and binoculars. With the exception of the high technological weapons such as firearms, human weapon creation was fairly shoddy with no craftsmanship involved. Absolutely no artistry was involved with their knives and the machete-like sword were little more that stamped metal alloys with no runes, or scrollwork so common to Dwarven blades. All of their ‘technological’ machines seemed to reflect mass production with no pride in the manufacture. It is speculated if their production techniques were learned that Dwarven manufacture could improve on the design.
Dwarven goods and products are a source of pride and honor, and each creation is a work of art designed to function in a state of perfection. A Dwarven axe will be created with intricate runes with scrollwork stamped into the actual axe head, deep enough to last many Dwarven generations. They do not partake in theatre, painting or philosophy as the human’s do, but instead every item created by Dwarven hands is a work of art in its form, function, feel, and looks. This is apparent in a simple weavers blankets that pile warmly on the bed, or the actual architecture of their underground keeps.
Unfortunately, most of the Humans that came into the Nexus Realm were not the ones that produced the goods they carried. They seemed to have very little information about how the items they carried came into being. It is thought that there was a class of manufacturers in the Human home realm that took care of this. Instead, it was found that the written ‘manuals’ had little appeal to the Humans on the Nexus, and could be bargained away for information on other Nexus races, or minor magical items. These manuals had wonderful detailed drawings and explanations that the Humans were only too happy to help with the translations for.
Humans could be as curious as an untethered Fairy if you gave them too much information, and this led to repeated attempts to arrange visits inside the Dwarven Keeps. It was with no malice that they kept attempting to arrange this, but that combined with their curiosity about the methods used by Dwarven smiths was enough to discourage event the kindest Dwarf from petitioning any of the three Dwarven Kings on their behalf to allow them entrance. Also, the Human mind did not seem to be able to grasp exactly what a Dwarven Keep was, as they kept referring to them as caves. It was seen as wiser to humor them in this assumption.
War
At the first rumbling of the Gate War the Dwarves watched carefully. Always ready to pull back all operations outside their underground holdings. It is irrelevant as to which side started it, because neither one seemed to care as long as they got the land above ground on the Nexus.
It was with complete awe that the Dwarven scholars noted the numbers of both sides. Observers were often sent to watch minor battles in order to estimate which side was the most capable, and what the Fey and Humans would bring to bear against their enemies. It was astounding how many Humans and Fey flooded the surface of the Nexus. Humans especially were amazing in their numbers and weaponry. Most Dwarves had thought that as a race they had already moved most of their numbers to reside on the Nexus, and now it seemed their numbers were unimaginable.
The Fey bought every weapon available in the three Dwarven kingdoms until there was nothing left to sell. The humans disdained hand weapons in favor of their technology. It was obvious that the Human race was used to war, and far more prepared than the Fey. The Dwarves kept a strict policy of neutrality and started to pull back from their surface operations.
When it became apparent that this war would take over the entire Realm they pulled back to their Keeps and Holds to shut the sturdy gates on the insanity outside. No good could come out of participating in this war, and the smaller Dwarven numbers could be overwhelmed if they weren’t careful, so it was better to avoid it entirely.
The horrific rumble of the Collapse rattled the Dwarven Kingdoms and heralded the end of the war. They still waited fully two centuries after the fighting died down to create goods and reopen trade relations with the survivors of either side.
Dwarves Today
Dwarves are the only race untouched by the Gate War. It was the fast thinking of the Council of Kings to cut themselves off from the rest of the Nexus. This action was the only wise one available.
They do not partake in the petty squabbling that the rest of the Nexus seems only too delighted to be a part of. They will trade with all races as long as the price asked for is provided, but they have started to move some of their business into the blossoming city-states of the Nexus because it’s ease of trade.
They are very careful with Beastmen, and will only trade with them if the individual is not listed in the Book of Grudges by name, Warband, or lineage. It is well known that certain family lines, and Warbands have belligerents in larger numbers than others. Often only with bands that are fully established with children are safe to trade with.
The Dwarves probably have a clearer view of the events leading up to the Gate War than any other race on the Nexus, but that knowledge is kept deep in their keeps. They have carefully preserved artifacts from both sides to ponder over and study, as well as many collections of Human technical manuals to learn from. There is no doubt that those mechanical wonders will someday be within Dwarven reach.
The world may have changed, but the Dwarven race has not. They are the same people that came from the earth of the Nexus, and dug into its very roots. They are as old as the mountains, and their traditions go deeper than the granite bones of the world. They are a people that live and die by tradition, loyalty, and honor.