Imperialus
Explorer
I've posted it before but this seems like a good thread to share it in again. This is my campaigns take on Dwarves. Maby someone will find it useful... Just a warning though, it's long. 17 pages in Word. I'd love to hear what people think of it though.
My overall goal was to create a society that was recognizable as D&D's dwarves and maintains most of the assumptions held about them but still makes it very obvious that they are a different society than anything humans have come up with. The Lawful nature of dwarves tends to manifest across the society as LN with a great deal of focus placed on personal honor and ones own place within the society. Individuality is encouraged and celebrated but each dwarf knows exactly where he or she fits within the society as a whole.
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Dwarven Families and Society:
Life and Family:
To an outsider looking in, Dwarven clan and family structures can be dizzyingly complicated. Each male dwarf has two surnames, a warrior society name and a clan name. They are written as the given name, clan name, warrior society name. Therefore a Dwarf whose first name is Benar, of the Deep clan claiming membership in the Axe warrior society would be called Benar Deep-Axe. Females have only clan names. Upon marriage the male dwarf takes his wife’s clan name and moves to live with her clan. He keeps both his given name and his warrior society name however. He also brings a dowry with him as a gift from his mother to the bride. The bride’s clan (though her brother) gives the husband a suit of armour and a weapon to aid in the protection of his new clan. Oftentimes these gifts can be quite lavish with magical items often being given among the wealthier families. This is in part a means to increase the defensibility of a woman’s clan but also to make any interclan alliances that much stronger since the dwarven man is unlikely to be willing to go to war against his former clan. Sons trace their lineage through the mothers side and in fact with the exception of determining stewardship very little importance is placed on who their father is. It is the maternal line that determines things such as inheritance and royal dynasties. This is mostly because unlike humans, dwarves tend to have more male children than female usually around 60% male to 40% female. This biological quirk is one of the major reasons that dwarves venerate their women so much and why men are so willing to risk their own personal safety to protect the women of their clan.
With the exceptions of weapons and armour which is seen as the exclusive province of men, (it is exceedingly rare to see a female dwarven warrior) all property in a marriage belongs to the woman and inheritance passes on to her daughters. This is to protect women whose husbands are killed during battle in this highly martial society. If a woman dies first her husband typically continues to live in the same extended family household with the other unwed men. Divorce is almost unheard of among dwarves but when it does occur the wife must gift at least a third of her wealth to her former husbands mother or sister (if his mother is no longer alive) at which point he goes to live with her and takes back his original clan name. Any unstewarded children remain with their mother. If a husband dies his widow is free to and usually does remarry. Men rarely remarry, if they do it is almost always to another widow of the same clan as their former wife.
The lives of young dwarves are usually quite similar regardless of sex. Boys and girls are both raised by their mother and her extended family who live together in large clan holdings along with any husbands present. A child’s relationship with his/her father is usually quite distant since he will oftentimes be away on a military campaign or working in the mines. This does not mean that the relationships between father and offspring are cold, indeed dwarven men place a great deal of importance on being able to spend time with their children but they do not have any authority in regards to how their children are raised.
After a young mans 20th birthday he becomes a thrall and goes to live with the clan of an uncle on his fathers side who becomes his steward. This is similar to a position of a squire or apprentice. A thrall is responsible for the maintenance of his uncles equipment and his uncle is responsible for teaching him the art of warfare and equipping him with his first suit of wargear. After a lengthy period serving as a thrall (usually around 30-40 years) a young man is given his rites of manhood by his uncles warrior society (the rites vary from society to society) and is permitted to attach the society name to his own. After this the young man has a certain amount of freedom. Though many return to their clans to serve as protectors, artisans or laborers just as many join a sort of crusade organized by the warrior societies into the bowels of the earth fighting orcs, goblins drow and all manner of evil creatures of the underdark. Still others take up the sword of adventurers and go seeking their own glory. One of the few other things that a dwarven man has control over is when he wishes to marry. When a dwarf desires to get married he merely informs his mother at which point she will arrange a marriage between him and an eligible bachlorette from another clan. Though technically speaking any man (that is a dwarf who has joined a warrior society) can get married most wait until they are around 100 years old since the more impressive his deeds the more likely he is to attract a wealthy and powerful wife.
Dwarven women will usually remain with their mothers clan for their entire lives. This is not to say that they are cloistered however. Since they control the finances and politics of their family they are often the most public face of dwarven society serving as traders, diplomats and craftswomen. They hold an equal number of seats on the dwarven royal council and though the high king is male (being the first son of the matriarch of the royal clan) they carry an equal voice in politics in all manners except warfare.
It is also important to note that not all dwarven men are simply warriors (though a great many are) and although though all men receive a great deal of martial training from their stewards many choose more peaceful pursuits such as mining, metalworking or even agricultural activities. Many dwarves will also multitask working as a smith or miner during times of peace but also marching to war when the need arises. Though warfare is usually considered the most prestigious pursuit that can be undertaken by a dwarf, mining and metalworking are also highly valued and many of the greatest dwarven heroes are as well known for their skills at the forge or rockface as they are with an axe.
Appearance and Beards:
Dwarves are as varied in appearance as humans, elves or any other race. Their skin tone usually ranges from a light brown Mediterranean colour to a dark brown almost ebony colour with the lighter shades of brown being most common. Their eyes are large and round with large iris’ usually either brown or gray in colour to accommodate the size that their pupils will grow to when using their darkvision. They typically have broad facial features and heavyset brows. Their hair ranges in colour from reddish brown and dirty blond to black. Among men it is fashionable to grow it to a middling length, usually between the bottoms of the ears and the shoulders. It is oftentimes kept out of the way using a leather thong to tie it back or a headband. Women usually grow their hair much longer; it typically reaches between the small of the back and her hips.
In terms of body shape dwarves are shorter and stockier than humans averaging between 4’ and 4’6” for males and 3’8’ to 4’5” for females. The healthy weight for a male dwarf of average height is between 200 and 225 pounds, though most of this weight is muscle mass and very dense bone, not fat. Obesity, at least in dwarves under the age of 200 or so is actually quite rare due to their obsessive physical conditioning.
Dwarven fashion is driven by the practicality of their nature combined with the fact that they are usually quite well off. Few dwarven cities have much of a textile industry so most fabric is imported from outside.
Men typically wear leather vests that lace up in the front, which, depending on the quality, are often studded with precious metals or stones over cotton or wool tunics, which are often embroidered with geometric designs or dyed. They usually wear breaches that reach just below the knee made of heavy cotton or wool with thick leather belts holding pouches containing his personal effects. Knee length skirts made of soft leather or wool are also popular among dwarven men on more formal occasions. The most popular footwear among dwarves are heavy leather boots often re-enforced with steel toes and shanks especially for when working in the mines.
Dwarven men usually carry heavy single edged short swords with a matching dagger at their belts as a part of their everyday dress, and though they are designed more for personal adornment than use in warfare they are still effective weapons. These weapons usually have considerable work put into their decoration and wealthier dwarves will often have elaborate designs and precious stones worked into the blade and hilt. Other than their swords however dwarven men almost never wear jewelry or ornamentation of any kind. They will occasionally wear armbands made of precious metals but this is usually just on feast days and other important occasions. In recent years it has become fashionable for young dwarves to pierce their ears and wear golden hoop earrings but older dwarves tend to see this as ostentatious and frivolous.
Women will usually wear either ankle length gowns sewn from all manner of fabrics, from cotton and wool to silk for formal occasions. Like the tunics of the men these are often dyed bright colours and beautifully embroidered. Their cuts also vary considerably depending on what it is being worn for. Women also often wear tunics similar to the men with ankle length skirts for day-to-day wear. Their normal footwear consists of practical thick-soled leather shoes, and should their work make skirts difficult to wear they also will wear breeches and boots just like the men. They also wear leather belts though it is more common for women to carry their personal effects in a leather pouch worn on a thong about the neck. Unlike the men dwarven women can and do wear jewelry and take pride in the jewelry that they wear. Dwarven women also carry daggers at their side, these are usually a gift from her husband and they match his own sword and dagger. These are not designed for personal protection but rather as a utility knife used for eating and all manner of other things.
Personal grooming is also very important to dwarves. They bathe regularly in large well-appointed bathhouses both public and private that serve as informal meeting places to gather with friends and family to eat and relax. These bathhouses are usually built over natural hot springs, which provide a limitless supply of hot water and steam. In the event that hot water is not naturally available, dwarves make do by heating water and piping it up to the baths. Naturally when on campaign or adventuring personal cleanliness often takes a backseat to more practical matters but whenever possible dwarves attempt to keep themselves clean and presentable.
The most important attribute of a dwarven man is his beard. These are elaborately braded with dyes, jewels, and precious metals woven in. Dwarves (or those versed in dwarven culture) can learn a great deal from the patterns of braids and beads that make up a dwarfs beard not the least of which being his name, warrior society, clan, accomplishments, position within his clan or warrior society, his trade and all other manner of things. Dwarven women also grow beards, though theirs are much more austere rarely reaching below the collar of their shirt or dress with only a few beads detailing their clan and family alliances. Some dwarven women have even taken to shaving their faces and braiding their tokens into their hair.
Beards differ in style from dwarf to dwarf and each one is a personal representation of what he wishes to project to the world. One of the most common false assumptions surrounding a dwarf and his beard is that he never trims his beard, or only does so after a loss in battle or if he is dishonored. This is untrue, if a dwarf never cut his beard it would, by the time he reached middle age become completely unmanageable, not to mention matted and filthy. A poorly kept beard is seen as a sign of a poorly kept life and brings shame to its owner. Every other month or so a dwarf will remove all the adornments from his beard untwist the braids wash and trim it before replacing everything.
The list of possible adornments in a dwarves beard is so long that it can take a lifetime to learn to recognize them all, some important generalizations can be learned quite quickly however.
First are the tokens. Every dwarf with a beard (that is to say every male dwarf over the age of 20 and about half of all female dwarves) has tokens in his beard, the females who don’t have beards wear the same tokens in their hair. These are simple steel disks about an 1/8th of an inch thick and an inch in diameter with holes punched around the edge allowing hair to be threaded through it with an rune stamped onto it. The dwarven runic alphabet has over 300 characters and by reading the characters on the tokens anyone who can read dwarven can learn the dwarfs name, clan and warrior society. Some dwarves will have additional tokens made of iron with the names of other clans or warrior society that he has a particularly close relationship with. Most often this is his mothers clan if he is married but it could also be the clan of a dwarf who saved his life, the clan of his closest friend or a warrior society that came to his aid during a crusade. Members of a clan or warrior society that is represented on a dwarfs beard can usually count on being able to ask the dwarf a small favor without expecting recompense. More rare but none the less present are tokens made out of wrought iron. The clan, individual or warrior society represented by that token is considered an enemy of the dwarf who wears it and though outright hostility is not a forgone conclusion an icy relationship is almost a certainty. These tokens are usually only worn when clans are at war or during personal feuds but occasionally an individual will take offence at an entire clan as well.
Precious and semiprecious stones set in silver or gold and worked into the beard are roughly analogous to military decorations given out by other nations. The most common or well-known ones are quartz on silver, a decoration given to a dwarf who served in a crusade. Tiger’s eye on silver represents a dwarf who helped defend his city from an invasion. Onyx on gold represents a dwarf who risked his life to save another dwarf warrior. Opal on gold represents a dwarf who risked his life to save the life of a woman or child. Lapis on gold represents a dwarf who saves the life of his clan matriarch. An emerald on gold represents a dwarf who undertook a suicidal mission and somehow survived. A diamond on mithril is given to any dwarf who kills the leader of an enemy army such a drow priestess or an orc warlord. A ruby on mithril is given to a dwarf who either singlehandedly or as part of a small group saves the life of his king. The list goes on until almost every conceivable decoration for bravery is acknowledged.
Dyes are used to represent political positions. The matriarch of a clan (and her husband) both dye a streak of gold into their beards or hair representing their age and experience. Leaders of warrior societies will have a blood red streak representing their prowess as a warrior while the high-ranking officers will have streaks of orange in their beards. Members of the royal council have a narrow silver streak in the middle of the gold or red streak already present. Remember, all council members are also either matriarchs or leaders of their warrior societies. The king’s beard remains undyed.
Short lengths wire made from precious metal are used to represent various oaths that a dwarf has undertaken. Made from bronze, silver, gold or mithral these wires and what the represent are detailed under the subheading “oaths”
Braids are mostly a matter of personal preference and fashion, they are essential for keeping many adornments in place however and most dwarves have them though the number of braids depends on a given dwarf’s preference.
Goverenment:
Dwarven governmental power is shared between a hereditary king and an appointed council. Both bodies have the right to propose new laws, taxation, blessing of crusades, ect. and each body also has the right to veto any action attempted by the other. This makes for some lively council sessions over hotly contested issues. The king inherits the throne from his mother, the matriarch of the royal clan. The king does not pass the throne onto his son, indeed kings are forbidden from marrying or having children. His heir is instead his nephew through his eldest sister. The King and his high council (consisting of 5 clan matriarchs and 5 male dwarves chosen from the warrior societies) share power almost equally. Each council member serves for 20 years and cannot serve again for the remainder of his or her life. The king chooses Council members whenever a vacancy comes up. Each clan or warrior society can send a candidate who will be judged by the king over the course of a weeklong celebration culminating in the unveiling of the kings selection. In times of crisis the King can suspend the council’s veto powers and assume control of a dictatorship for a maximum of 2 years.
Dwarven nations and cities are largely interchangeable. Each city has it’s own king and council and though a few of the most powerful more closely resemble citystates in that a single powerful city may hold a few smaller cities under its power their influence is limited. A city for the most part runs its own affairs and though there is a high king who is elected from among a confederation of anywhere from a one to two dozen cities in a similar geographical area for life his position is largely ceremonial and mostly exists to provide outside nations with a single figure that they can approach with requests for alliances, rights of passage and other diplomatic requests. He cannot enforce any edicts without the support of the kings beneath him however so any diplomatic requests to dwarven confederations can sometimes take a great deal of time to get hammered out.
Oaths:
Honor hard work and loyalty are the most important aspects of a dwarfs character and the oaths sworn by dwarves are probably the best example of this. There are a multitude of oaths that a dwarf can swear, each having it’s own phrasing and meaning and though Dwarfs will do their utmost to uphold any oath that they swear any given oath has a place is a complicated hierarchy which allows a dwarf to break an oath should it come into conflict with another oath or responsibility. Oaths of friendship or bronze oaths are the lowest level of oath, usually the best that a non-dwarf can hope for but even among bronze oaths there is a hierarchy, which is oftentimes difficult to see as an outsider. For example if a dwarf tells you “I’ll lend my strength to the defeat of your foemen” it means he’s willing to fight for you but will not risk his life in any substantial manner. If on the other hand he says “My heart is dedicated to the defeat of your foemen” it means that he is entirely willing to die in combat supporting you. With bronze oaths being called friendship oaths, silver oaths are also referred to as comrade oaths, gold oaths are called blood oaths, and mithril oaths are also called life oaths.
The oaths get their names from small twist of bronze, silver, gold or mithril wire which is braided into a dwarfs beard after the oath is sworn. While a given dwarf may have dozens of bronze and silver wires twisted into his beard he rarely has more than a handful of gold oaths and scarcely any mithril oaths. Mithril oaths are rare indeed being reserved for the most binding oaths sworn his king, his wife, or other members of his immediate family. It is very rare for a dwarf to swear more than 2 or 3 mithril oaths over the course of his life. The best example of such an oath is uttered as a part of the marriage ceremony where the man swears that he will defend the life and honor of his wife with his life and every ounce of strength in his body.
Bronze and silver oaths can be broken if the circumstances warrant without dishonor. A good example of this would be a newlywed dwarf breaking a bronze oath sworn to his warrior society where he had promised to join them on every crusade that they undertook. No one would begrudge him for breaking this oath since it would be obvious that he had responsibilities that he had to maintain with his new wife’s clan. If an oath is broken in such a way the dwarf pulls the wire from his beard and melts it down at which point it is no longer valid. If a bronze or silver oath is broken without good reason the dwarf will loose some face and his family may be levied a fine, the oath breaker may be required to spend a number of years in indentured servitude, or extreme cases may warrant a public flogging.
Gold and mithril oaths are much more serious affairs. Bronze silver and gold oaths can be sworn to a dwarf’s warrior society or clan but mithril oaths can only be sworn to a dwarf’s immediate family or his king. Should a dwarf fail to keep a gold oath there is a considerable loss of honor, sometimes leading to temporary banishment or even permanent exile the exact punishment determined by whoever the oath was sworn to in the first place. The breaking of a mithril oath is one of the few things that a dwarf can do to earn the death penalty.
In the event that a dwarf cannot live with the shame brought about by his breaking of an oath he can opt to undertake a death crusade. This is a lone crusade into the underdark with the goal being to kill as many enemies of the dwarves as possible before being killed himself. It’s a one way trip but it allows the dwarf to die with honor, his broken oath being treated as though it never happened.
It is important to note that not all oaths require metal to be woven into a dwarf’s beard. If an oath will likely be completed in a relatively short period of time such as a dwarf promising to escort his niece’s trading caravan safely to a nearby human settlement nothing is woven into his beard. The oath is still considered binding however, the wires simply serve as reminders of the long term oaths sworn. If an oath requiring a wire is completed or for some other reason rendered invalid the wire is pulled out of the braid and melted down just as if it had been broken with honor.
Clan and Warrior Society Loyalties:
A Dwarf’s loyalties or at least the priorities he assigns to his clans and warrior society will usually shift several times over the course of his life. A young dwarf (under 20) is loyal to his mother’s clan though their loyalty is usually relatively immaterial since these dwarves have almost nothing in the way of power or influence.
Dwarves serving a steward still hold their primary clan loyalty to their mother’s clan, they are intensely personally loyal to their steward first. They have no attachment (at least formally) to their steward’s clan though many friendships are often forged in the 30 or 40 years spent among a different clan. Since thralls basically go where their steward tells them to this would also create loyalty to their stewards military society though until their right of manhood they have no formal ties to it.
After the rights of manhood a dwarf has a choice. He can either focus his loyalty on his warrior society and join a "crusade", go adventuring or focus his loyalty towards his mother’s clan and return to live with her.
After marriage all ties are broken (formally at least) between a dwarf and his mothers clan. He is now a member of his wifes clan, and though he will likely continue to maintain friendly relations with his mother’s clan he is no longer a member of it and cannot be counted on to support it. Loyalty to his warrior society also usually takes a back seat to loyalty to his wife’s clan though he will try to avoid conflicts of interests between his clan and his warrior society as much as possible.
Warrior Societies:
Warrior societies are complex organisms and each one is different. Since a given society may have members from dozens if not hundreds of clans members of a single warrior society may end up fighting against each other during interclan warfare, though this is usually a personal choice and a warrior will not suffer condemnation from either his warrior society for choosing to fight or from his clan for choosing to abstain from the conflict. Other than the most extraordinary cases clan warfare rarely involves large amounts of bloodshed and there have only been a handful of situations in the thousands of years of dwarven history where a clan was actually exterminated so it is usually not essential that every warrior in a given clan take part in the conflict. The warrior societies also serve as important mediators during clan warfare ensuring that lines of communication can remain open between the clans even if the warfare has gotten particularly violent and important society members will oftentimes serve as neutral third parties in the negation of peace treaties or in attempts to prevent a disagreement from escalating into open conflict. This is an important safety valve for the clannish and prideful dwarves since it gives the opportunity for both sides of a disagreement to end their conflict with honor and dignity.
The other major undertaking of the warrior societies is the formation of crusades, invasions of varying sizes deep into the underdark for months at a time. Sometimes these crusades have specific goals such as the retaking of a mine seized by goblins or reliving a gnomish city besieged by orcs but other times they are more open ended with the goal being to simply kill as many enemies of the dwarven people as possible in a given number of months. Most of the warriors in a crusade are usually younger unmarried dwarves seeking to blood themselves against their ancestral foes and earn glory for their name. Older dwarves still take part however serving as officers and elite soldiers but their duties to their clan often keep them from joining the crusades as often as they might otherwise like. Some dwarves also elect never to marry claiming to be “wed to their axe” and continue to advance within their warrior societies and lead them on crusades. Widowers will also oftentimes find themselves a home on campaign, spending their time alone fighting until they rejoin their wife in the afterlife.
Crusades are organized by one or more warrior societies and after having an acceptable number of warriors volunteer they petition the king and the male half of the council for permission to leave. This is usually granted, unless the king has need of the troops himself or the goal is particularly foolhardy. After permission is given a date of departure is set and the night before the warriors are set to leave they take part in a religious ceremony blessing the crusade and each one swears an comrade (silver) oath or stronger promising that he will see the crusade through to its completion or his death, that he will not allow cowardice to enter he heart, that he will obey his superior officers and that he will do his utmost to bring honor and distinction to his family, warrior society and clan. The crusade then departs and does not return until its goals are met or it is no longer possible for the surviving dwarves to accomplish their mission. The latter happens quite rarely as the dwarven crusaders are more likely to fight to the bitter end than admit defeat and break their oaths. Sometimes these crusades can be devastating to a dwarven city sucking it dry of young warriors traipsing off on a fools errand leaving it open to counterattacks by its enemies. That is why the king and council have the right to forbid any crusade or to limit its size as they see fit.
Returning crusaders receive a hero’s welcome upon their return. The city usually all but shuts down for several days with everyone’s efforts being put towards welcoming the return of the crusaders. Feasts are held, decorations for bravery are handed out with much pomp and ceremony and the crusaders give lavish gifts of plunder to their families and clans.
There are between one and two hundred different warrior societies in existence at a given time, the popularity of a given society waxing and waning many times over the years. Some societies have members numbering in the tens of thousands scattered across entire continents, while others boast only a few dozen members in a single city. Some warrior societies are highly secretive others quite open. Societies also vary in the degree of emphasis they place on military power with some warrior societies more closely resembling armed craftsmen guilds than military units. A dwarf has a certain amount of choice when determining which warrior society he will join since he can pick the uncle he wishes to become his steward. Sometimes if the boy has no uncles or at least no uncles who are members of warrior societies that he wishes to join he can request that another relative of his father such as one of his fathers cousins is willing to take him as a thrall.
It is also important to note that while a warrior society may have several traits that most of its members tend to share that does not mean that every dwarf in a given society is the same. Not every miner is a member of the stone society and conversely not every member of the stone society is a miner. Joining a crusade is not exclusive to Axe members, indeed a large crusade may have members of a dozen or more warrior societies represented in it. Despite these difficulties however some generalizations can be made. There are a number of warrior societies that consistently have maintained large numbers and have considerable influence. Some of the more prominent examples follow:
Axe: The Axe society is one of the great crusading warrior societies. There are tens of thousands of dwarves claiming membership in the Axe society. The Axe society makes it a point of pride that no matter where or when a crusade is declared there will be at least a few Axes who join. Members of the Axe society tend to be slightly more reserved and traditional than many other dwarves and this sometimes manifests in slight racism directed towards other races. By far the most axe society dwarves are fighters though rouges, scouts, rangers (who focus on underground survival skills) and clerics also fill their ranks. Even bards who wish to record the sagas of the crusades often are drawn to the Axe society.
Shield: The Shield society focuses on the defense of dwarven cities and the protection of its citizens. They busy themselves manning and maintaining the cities defensive works and patrolling the outskirts of the territory claimed by the city. This does not mean that dwaves of the Shield society are glorified national guardsmen by any means. Dwarven cities are almost constantly under attack and members of the Shield society see a great deal of work. Members of the shield society are usually the first dwarves that outsiders seen when approaching a dwarven city from either above or underground. Fighters, rangers, scouts, clerics, and dwarven defenders are common sights in the Shield society.
Justice: The Justice society serves as a sort of police force and court system. Though small when compared to either the Axe or the Shield societies they are highly regarded for the service they provide to the community. These dwarves spend a great deal of time studying dwaven law and the intricacies of oaths. They also familiarize themselves with the more common laws of neighboring nations and cultures in case circumstances arise that leniency is required in the understanding of a case involving an outsider. Many members of the Justice society are paladins, or clerics of the god of Justice and most members of the Justice society have a few levels of expert as well representing their legal training.
Stone: The Stone society is less military oriented than most other societies. It is really more of a miners guild than a military force. This does not mean however that members of the stone society are pushovers. Mining is dangerous work with natural hazards such as cave-ins, explosions, and dangerous open pits being only part of the danger. Attacks from goblins, orcs, umberhulks, drow, eye tyrants not to mention rival dwarven cities and all other manner of underground creatures are commonplace and the miners have to be capable of defending themselves.
Forge: The Forge society like it’s name suggests focuses on the art of metalworking, most specifically weapon and armour manufacture. A piece of equipment with a makers mark belonging to a member of the Forge society is almost always exceptionally well crafted. The Forge and Stone societies maintain very close ties sometimes causing confusion among outsiders especially since the runes for Forge and Stone are quite similar in appearance. Though like all dwarves Forge society members have some martial training most of them have more levels in expert than anything else. Their work mostly keeps them in the city proper lessening their need to concern themselves with personal defense and allows them more time to focus on their art.
Arrow: The Arrow society is another crusading warrior society, and though they are smaller than the Axe society its members are usually much wealthier for one big reason; the Arrow society frequently founds crusades where it hires its members out as mercenaries to other nations and races. Their most frequent employers are various gnomish nations who hire Arrow society members to aid in the protection of their own mines but other nations make regular use of these skilled and dedicated warriors to further their own causes, at least when they can afford them. There is more than a little rivalry between the Arrow society and other more conservative societies who see the Arrow society as compromising dwarven ideals in the pursuit of money. Like the Axe society most Arrow society members are representatives of the various fighting classes though many may have greater skills in overland survival and combat since they oftentimes find themselves fighting outside of the caves that most dwarves are familiar with.
Balefire: Though the Balefire society is quite small compared to many others it holds great prestige due to the fact that members of the Balefire society more often than not dedicate themselves to the study of the arcane arts. This makes them a force to be reckoned with and Balefire society members are highly valued as allies of other societies. As can be expected most Balefire members are arcane casters, sorcerers, wizards, warmages and their ilk.
Temple: Members of the Temple society are the priesthood of the dwarves. The Temple society founds and maintains the temples and places of worship for the dwarves and accompanies crusades to serve as spiritual guidance and magical healing. Though clerics are present among other warrior societies the Temple society has by far the most clerics, and paladins.
Shadow: The Shadow society is a highly secretive warrior society, which has a small number of members in nearly every dwarven city. No one is entirely sure what their goals or motives are but it is rumored that they control many aspects of dwarven politics from behind the scenes. It is also rumored that they are carrying on a secret war against the forces of the abyss and study dark arts and demonology to better understand their foes. It is also argued that they are in league with dark forces and are seeking to overthrow dwarven society and bring creatures of the abyss flooding into the world. One thing is for sure however; most other dwarves treat members of the Shadow warrior society with suspicion and disrespect, there have even been attempts to exterminate the society but any time it is believed that its members have been killed it will emerge again several years later just as strong as before. Its membership seems to be drawn from all classes, and it is even rumored that there are members of other societies who have falsely declared their loyalty and are in reality members of the Shadow society.
Other Warfare:
Crusades are not the only reason that dwarves will fight. Dwarven cities will usually claim large stretches of territory surrounding their cities that are consistently patrolled and aggressively defended if they feel that their boarders have been compromised. These tunnels mostly exist as a buffer zone between the city and other underground races (few of which are friendly) but more than a few adventuring parties have found themselves stopped and interrogated by well armed dwarven patrols who’s boarder they have unwittingly compromised. Dwarven cities also claim significant plots of land above ground for farmland and pasture and can be just as tenacious when it comes to defending these as well.
Inter clan warfare is also a fact of life among dwarves. In the event of a disagreement or slighted honor between clans a third party, typically a warrior society, arranges an arbitrated meeting between the matriarchs and patriarchs of the two clans. Most often a member of the Justice society carries out this task but such is not always the case. High-ranking members from almost any warrior society assume the roll of arbiter if they are requested. The most important attribute of an arbiter is that he has no ties to either of the two clans, though a reputation for wisdom and honor are close seconds. The arbiter will first meet with representatives of the aggrieved clans separately, meeting whichever side brought the problem to his attention first and then with both parties together allowing the grievances to be aired and ensure there is no confusion as to what the problem is. These meetings take place behind closed doors and the arbiter is honor bound not to divulge what goes on during them to anyone else. This keeps other clans from becoming involved in the affairs of the fighting clans and prevents the conflict from spreading.
The day after the initial meeting the arbiter meets with both clans again and suggests a solution to the dilemma. This is debated and if it is found to be acceptable to both parties the matter is considered closed. The decision is considered binding to both clans and blood (gold) oaths are sworn agreeing it will be upheld. If the solution is unacceptable the arbiter listens to why it is and within a week proposes another solution. This process repeats for a minimum of 3 weeks though it oftentimes goes on for much longer than that if the solution seems to be within reach with only small issues preventing the two parties from reaching a consensus.
If the problems cannot be resolved through arbitration however after 3 attempts the clans may elect to go to war with each other. From that point on clan members cannot enter the other clans territory under any circumstances and are not permitted to trade with each other. Clan warfare is highly formal and ritualized to minimize bloodshed but it is still a deadly serious affair. Each clan lays out victory terms and the arbiter determines if they are within reason or not. If the terms are not found to be within reason then a clan can be forced to return with new terms or the arbiter can declare victory in favor of the other clan before blood is shed. If the arbiter declares that both sets of terms are acceptable the clan representatives swear blood (gold) oaths agreeing that should they loose they will accept the terms with good grace and the feud will be over. The two clans are now officially at war.
After victory terms have been established the clans determine the size and makeup of the forces that will fight as well as any limitations that will be present on the battlefield such as a ban on offensive magic use or the presence of magic weapons and armour. This is actually quite a lengthy process as clans attempt to commit fewer troops to the battle than their opponent hoping that they will be able to win with fewer warriors and therefore make the victory all the more decisive. This keeps the size of the armies that fight each other quite small rarely consisting of more than a hundred or so warriors and further serves to keep the number of potential deaths to a minimum.
Finally after the armies have been decided on the clans agree to meet in a neutral location, usually just outside of the city on a given day with no more or less troops than agreed upon and commit to battle. Clerics from a neutral party are on hand to treat any serious injuries and neutral representatives from different warrior societies are present to ensure that both sides fight with honor and within the limitations agreed upon. The warriors participating in the battle are honor bound not to strike any blows towards helpless foes or any dwarf who has removed his helmet (the removal of a helmet is considered a sign of surrender) and any dwarf that does so can be charged with murder. The battle goes on until one side surrenders and quits the field. This usually doesn’t take too long since only in the most extraordinary of circumstances will one side or the other be willing to fight to the bitter end. A dwarf does not loose honor for surrendering to an obviously more proficient foe in these battles so most dwarves will remove their helmets in surrender before they suffer too grievous an injury. After the battle, the matter is considered closed and the terms of the victorious clan are considered binding to both clans.
Cities and Day to Day Life:
Dwarven cities are typically old mines that have been converted into living quarters, kitchens, bathhouses, armouries, and all the other essential facilities for day to day living. They grow organically usually expanding from a large central cavern, which serves as a natural hub containing the city’s markets, public buildings, meeting areas, and inns. This is as far as most outsiders get in a dwarven city since the remainder of the caves and tunnels are the property of individual clans.
The clans whose territories bring them close to the surface oftentimes engage in a form of terrace farming providing most of the agricultural goods consumed by the city. Dwarven farmers also raise goats and sheep, animals that more closely resemble mountain goats and bighorn sheep than human versions of the same domesticates. Dwarves have bred a short stocky breed of pony that they use as a beast of burden both in the mines and on their farms. One unique aspect of the ponies bred by the dwarves is that they have evolved darkvision to 60 feet due to the centuries that they have spent underground. Dwarven farmers are typically some of the least prestigious members of dwarven society but the food they provide is nonetheless essential.
The most powerful and influential clans have their territory spiraling downward from the main hub as this is more likely to bring them into contact with more ore and precious stones than others. This also means that they are more likely to run into orcs, goblins, drow, and other traditional enemies of the dwarven people so they also tend to be the most militarily powerful of the clans.
Dwarven markets are busy noisy affairs with men and women selling their wares under the watchful eye of members of the justice warrior society. Usually contained in the large central chambers of a city the markets are one of the few areas of a dwarven city where freestanding structures are commonplace. Even so, many stores around the perimeter are still quarried directly into the rockface. Also cut into the perimeter are the entrances to the territories of various clans. These entrances are usually barred against outsiders and members of other clans, though this is more an issue of privacy than any hostility on the part of the dwarves. In all but the smallest of cities the central plaza contains a large obelisk or statue, which is magically enchanted to glow and fade according to the time of day outside, serving both as a timepiece and a source of light. Large braziers and torches provide additional light and warmth but depending on the depth of the city many outsiders still find the ambient temperature to be a little bit cold for comfort.
Individual clans own storefronts throughout the various trade districts and a number of stores are owned by trading consortiums belonging to various outside races and nations. Many clans also keep a few vacant storefronts that they rent to traveling merchants who wish to sell within the city. These foreign traders usually live in small apartments above their storefronts even if they are dwarves from another city who have no clan relatives that they can stay with. There is a significant disparity between the sexes in the market with the numbers staunchly in favor of women the actual ratio being about 2/3 to 3/4 women. Most of the worked goods produced, from statues, to jewelry, to food, to books, are also made by women the one exception being weapons and armour, which are exclusively crafted by men.
Travelers seeking food and shelter can find it at a number of inns owned by clans. These vary in quality and reputation like inns anywhere but the best ones are usually owned by the surface clans since they have access to the best fresh produce and also have the most contact with outsiders making cultural misunderstandings much less likely. Dwarven food is typically simple but hearty; stews, hard breads, racks of mutton, goat meat and roast vegetables making up the majority of their diets. The food keeps well since a cold pantry is simply a room without a fire in it, and despite the fact that other than salt spices are a luxury few dwarves ever see a good dwarven cook can create some incredibly delicious meals.
The various warrior societies present in a city also have their meeting halls and training grounds either located in the main hub or right near by. These range in size depending on how many members a society has and what its focus is, containing sparing grounds for the more militant societies well appointed council rooms, libraries, and workshops.
The royal clan usually owns the public areas of the central hub though sometimes a particularly wealthy clan may fund and maintain one as a gift to the city in order to increase its prestige. These may take the form of theaters, bathhouses, feasting halls, and even beautiful rock gardens with semiprecious stones arranged in elaborate patterns.
Plays are a popular form of entertainment for dwarves and they resemble in many ways the plays of ancient Greece with honor plays being a third style in addition to comedies and tragedies. Dwarven comedies can be a little bit difficult for an outsider to understand, as dwarven humor is quite different than that of other cultures. Dwarves consider it to be very funny when someone attempts to take advantage of someone through skullduggery or other dishonest tactics but the victim does not let him or herself be swayed away from the honorable path and ends up coming out victorious in the end. Needless to say this sort of humor falls flat on most other races.
Music is another art greatly appreciated by dwarves. Dwarven music usually very lyrical oftentimes sung acappella or with minimal accompaniment from instruments. When instruments are used, drums are used to keep tempo and instruments like fiddles and fifes carry the tune. Most dwarves are at least moderately proficient in how to play an instrument or two and the ability to sing well is highly valued. There is a great variety of dwarven music, from war chants, to drinking songs, love songs, funeral songs, and long saga style songs retelling the legends of the dwarven people. The latter are usually played and sung by a single musician usually with a simple drum for accompaniment.
Beyond the central hub of a dwarven city lie the territories claimed by individual clans. These are almost little cities in their own rights containing small shops, kitchens, feasting halls, temples, daycares, baths and gardens. Like the hub they usually center around an open area with living areas spiraling off in different directions housing individual families. The women of the clan raise children communally, usually on a rotating basis. This allows individuals to pursue their own interests, hobbies and work while others take their turn rearing the children. Meals are also communal affairs eaten in large feasting halls giving the dwarves an opportunity so socialize and relax.
Each clan is responsible for the defense of its own territory and all take it quite seriously. Guards are posted around entry points and there are a significant number of dwarven men (usually members of the Shield warrior society) who take charge of a clan’s defense. In the event of a major attack however clans are not above requesting aid from other clans in the city and the speed of response that these requests usually have has caught many would be attackers by surprise.
Anyone who is not a member of a given clan is usually barred entry from that clans territory with most meetings between members of different clans taking place in the hub of a city. There are exceptions to this rule however, dwarves will oftentimes seek passage through another clans territory in order to reach particularly rich mines and usually giving a portion of their profits to the clan who’s territory they are imposing on as a gift. This is part of the reason why the most powerful clans tend to have their territories built deeper underground since the gifts given by miners traveling through their territory can sometimes add up to quite significant amounts. Dwarves who are engaged in the defense of a city will also pass through other clans territory and are usually allowed to do so freely so as to engage in patrols of the mines and caverns that make up the uninhabited perimeter of a city.
Members of other clans and even occasionally other races are sometimes also invited into a clan’s holdings. These are usually close friends of important members of the clan, though the matriarch must grant permission for any guests to enter. Those who have the opportunity to sample dwarven hospitality however rarely come away disappointed. Guests of a clan are treated with the utmost respect, being put up in lavish quarters reserved for such a purpose oftentimes sized to fit demihuman occupants and are permitted to sit at the same table as the clan matriarch and her husband getting second pick of the dishes served at meal time. Visitors are usually a cause for celebration among dwarven clans and little expense is spared to extend their hospitality once it has been given. Clan members visiting from other cities are also cause for excitement and though they are usually not treated quite as ostentatiously as other guests, a dwarf who travels to another city that has members of the same clan in it can expect free room and board for the duration of his stay.
One interesting aspect of dwarven society is that even among the wealthiest of clans there are almost no servants, the only exceptions being dwarves who have been sentenced to a period of indentured servitude for a breach of an oath or other criminal activity. These dwarves are recognizable by the heavy iron bracelets that they wear around their wrists and necks, they are required to undertake any task demanded of them by the dwarf who they wronged and are usually put to work doing menial labor or other undesirable tasks. Other than those few exceptions however everyone pitches in to ensure the smooth running of their clan making servants largely unnecessary. Elderly dwarves over 225 years old or so usually enter a semi-retirement, they are not expected to work unless they desire to and are treated with great respect and admiration. Elderly women usually help raise their grandchildren and greatgrandchildren while elderly men spend most of their days telling old war stories, writing, reading and socializing with each other.
Evenings are usually spent alone with other members of a dwarf’s immediate family. Most dwarven homes are small since so much of a dwarf’s life is spent in more communal settings but most homes have at least three rooms. A master bedroom, a larger room shared by the children and a family sitting area. Dwarven homes also usually have a small vault off of the master bedroom where the family money and valuables are kept. Some homes are bigger, sometimes containing small kitchens or libraries but even among wealthy dwarves living areas reflect the relatively small amounts of time spent in them and are quite small rarely being more than about a 500 square feet in total area. Dwarves tend to spend their money and effort improving common areas for the benefit of their entire clan or city rather than on their own living area. Any thralls being trained by a man also live with his family usually sleeping in the same room as their children. Dwarven women will typically have between 6 and 10 children over the course of their lives though 7 or 8 years often separate children.
Unmarried adult dwarves sleep in large dormitories segregated by sex with chests or lockers containing personal belongings. These facilities are usually quite spartan and it varies from clan to clan whether or not individual dwarves even have private rooms.
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My overall goal was to create a society that was recognizable as D&D's dwarves and maintains most of the assumptions held about them but still makes it very obvious that they are a different society than anything humans have come up with. The Lawful nature of dwarves tends to manifest across the society as LN with a great deal of focus placed on personal honor and ones own place within the society. Individuality is encouraged and celebrated but each dwarf knows exactly where he or she fits within the society as a whole.
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Dwarven Families and Society:
Life and Family:
To an outsider looking in, Dwarven clan and family structures can be dizzyingly complicated. Each male dwarf has two surnames, a warrior society name and a clan name. They are written as the given name, clan name, warrior society name. Therefore a Dwarf whose first name is Benar, of the Deep clan claiming membership in the Axe warrior society would be called Benar Deep-Axe. Females have only clan names. Upon marriage the male dwarf takes his wife’s clan name and moves to live with her clan. He keeps both his given name and his warrior society name however. He also brings a dowry with him as a gift from his mother to the bride. The bride’s clan (though her brother) gives the husband a suit of armour and a weapon to aid in the protection of his new clan. Oftentimes these gifts can be quite lavish with magical items often being given among the wealthier families. This is in part a means to increase the defensibility of a woman’s clan but also to make any interclan alliances that much stronger since the dwarven man is unlikely to be willing to go to war against his former clan. Sons trace their lineage through the mothers side and in fact with the exception of determining stewardship very little importance is placed on who their father is. It is the maternal line that determines things such as inheritance and royal dynasties. This is mostly because unlike humans, dwarves tend to have more male children than female usually around 60% male to 40% female. This biological quirk is one of the major reasons that dwarves venerate their women so much and why men are so willing to risk their own personal safety to protect the women of their clan.
With the exceptions of weapons and armour which is seen as the exclusive province of men, (it is exceedingly rare to see a female dwarven warrior) all property in a marriage belongs to the woman and inheritance passes on to her daughters. This is to protect women whose husbands are killed during battle in this highly martial society. If a woman dies first her husband typically continues to live in the same extended family household with the other unwed men. Divorce is almost unheard of among dwarves but when it does occur the wife must gift at least a third of her wealth to her former husbands mother or sister (if his mother is no longer alive) at which point he goes to live with her and takes back his original clan name. Any unstewarded children remain with their mother. If a husband dies his widow is free to and usually does remarry. Men rarely remarry, if they do it is almost always to another widow of the same clan as their former wife.
The lives of young dwarves are usually quite similar regardless of sex. Boys and girls are both raised by their mother and her extended family who live together in large clan holdings along with any husbands present. A child’s relationship with his/her father is usually quite distant since he will oftentimes be away on a military campaign or working in the mines. This does not mean that the relationships between father and offspring are cold, indeed dwarven men place a great deal of importance on being able to spend time with their children but they do not have any authority in regards to how their children are raised.
After a young mans 20th birthday he becomes a thrall and goes to live with the clan of an uncle on his fathers side who becomes his steward. This is similar to a position of a squire or apprentice. A thrall is responsible for the maintenance of his uncles equipment and his uncle is responsible for teaching him the art of warfare and equipping him with his first suit of wargear. After a lengthy period serving as a thrall (usually around 30-40 years) a young man is given his rites of manhood by his uncles warrior society (the rites vary from society to society) and is permitted to attach the society name to his own. After this the young man has a certain amount of freedom. Though many return to their clans to serve as protectors, artisans or laborers just as many join a sort of crusade organized by the warrior societies into the bowels of the earth fighting orcs, goblins drow and all manner of evil creatures of the underdark. Still others take up the sword of adventurers and go seeking their own glory. One of the few other things that a dwarven man has control over is when he wishes to marry. When a dwarf desires to get married he merely informs his mother at which point she will arrange a marriage between him and an eligible bachlorette from another clan. Though technically speaking any man (that is a dwarf who has joined a warrior society) can get married most wait until they are around 100 years old since the more impressive his deeds the more likely he is to attract a wealthy and powerful wife.
Dwarven women will usually remain with their mothers clan for their entire lives. This is not to say that they are cloistered however. Since they control the finances and politics of their family they are often the most public face of dwarven society serving as traders, diplomats and craftswomen. They hold an equal number of seats on the dwarven royal council and though the high king is male (being the first son of the matriarch of the royal clan) they carry an equal voice in politics in all manners except warfare.
It is also important to note that not all dwarven men are simply warriors (though a great many are) and although though all men receive a great deal of martial training from their stewards many choose more peaceful pursuits such as mining, metalworking or even agricultural activities. Many dwarves will also multitask working as a smith or miner during times of peace but also marching to war when the need arises. Though warfare is usually considered the most prestigious pursuit that can be undertaken by a dwarf, mining and metalworking are also highly valued and many of the greatest dwarven heroes are as well known for their skills at the forge or rockface as they are with an axe.
Appearance and Beards:
Dwarves are as varied in appearance as humans, elves or any other race. Their skin tone usually ranges from a light brown Mediterranean colour to a dark brown almost ebony colour with the lighter shades of brown being most common. Their eyes are large and round with large iris’ usually either brown or gray in colour to accommodate the size that their pupils will grow to when using their darkvision. They typically have broad facial features and heavyset brows. Their hair ranges in colour from reddish brown and dirty blond to black. Among men it is fashionable to grow it to a middling length, usually between the bottoms of the ears and the shoulders. It is oftentimes kept out of the way using a leather thong to tie it back or a headband. Women usually grow their hair much longer; it typically reaches between the small of the back and her hips.
In terms of body shape dwarves are shorter and stockier than humans averaging between 4’ and 4’6” for males and 3’8’ to 4’5” for females. The healthy weight for a male dwarf of average height is between 200 and 225 pounds, though most of this weight is muscle mass and very dense bone, not fat. Obesity, at least in dwarves under the age of 200 or so is actually quite rare due to their obsessive physical conditioning.
Dwarven fashion is driven by the practicality of their nature combined with the fact that they are usually quite well off. Few dwarven cities have much of a textile industry so most fabric is imported from outside.
Men typically wear leather vests that lace up in the front, which, depending on the quality, are often studded with precious metals or stones over cotton or wool tunics, which are often embroidered with geometric designs or dyed. They usually wear breaches that reach just below the knee made of heavy cotton or wool with thick leather belts holding pouches containing his personal effects. Knee length skirts made of soft leather or wool are also popular among dwarven men on more formal occasions. The most popular footwear among dwarves are heavy leather boots often re-enforced with steel toes and shanks especially for when working in the mines.
Dwarven men usually carry heavy single edged short swords with a matching dagger at their belts as a part of their everyday dress, and though they are designed more for personal adornment than use in warfare they are still effective weapons. These weapons usually have considerable work put into their decoration and wealthier dwarves will often have elaborate designs and precious stones worked into the blade and hilt. Other than their swords however dwarven men almost never wear jewelry or ornamentation of any kind. They will occasionally wear armbands made of precious metals but this is usually just on feast days and other important occasions. In recent years it has become fashionable for young dwarves to pierce their ears and wear golden hoop earrings but older dwarves tend to see this as ostentatious and frivolous.
Women will usually wear either ankle length gowns sewn from all manner of fabrics, from cotton and wool to silk for formal occasions. Like the tunics of the men these are often dyed bright colours and beautifully embroidered. Their cuts also vary considerably depending on what it is being worn for. Women also often wear tunics similar to the men with ankle length skirts for day-to-day wear. Their normal footwear consists of practical thick-soled leather shoes, and should their work make skirts difficult to wear they also will wear breeches and boots just like the men. They also wear leather belts though it is more common for women to carry their personal effects in a leather pouch worn on a thong about the neck. Unlike the men dwarven women can and do wear jewelry and take pride in the jewelry that they wear. Dwarven women also carry daggers at their side, these are usually a gift from her husband and they match his own sword and dagger. These are not designed for personal protection but rather as a utility knife used for eating and all manner of other things.
Personal grooming is also very important to dwarves. They bathe regularly in large well-appointed bathhouses both public and private that serve as informal meeting places to gather with friends and family to eat and relax. These bathhouses are usually built over natural hot springs, which provide a limitless supply of hot water and steam. In the event that hot water is not naturally available, dwarves make do by heating water and piping it up to the baths. Naturally when on campaign or adventuring personal cleanliness often takes a backseat to more practical matters but whenever possible dwarves attempt to keep themselves clean and presentable.
The most important attribute of a dwarven man is his beard. These are elaborately braded with dyes, jewels, and precious metals woven in. Dwarves (or those versed in dwarven culture) can learn a great deal from the patterns of braids and beads that make up a dwarfs beard not the least of which being his name, warrior society, clan, accomplishments, position within his clan or warrior society, his trade and all other manner of things. Dwarven women also grow beards, though theirs are much more austere rarely reaching below the collar of their shirt or dress with only a few beads detailing their clan and family alliances. Some dwarven women have even taken to shaving their faces and braiding their tokens into their hair.
Beards differ in style from dwarf to dwarf and each one is a personal representation of what he wishes to project to the world. One of the most common false assumptions surrounding a dwarf and his beard is that he never trims his beard, or only does so after a loss in battle or if he is dishonored. This is untrue, if a dwarf never cut his beard it would, by the time he reached middle age become completely unmanageable, not to mention matted and filthy. A poorly kept beard is seen as a sign of a poorly kept life and brings shame to its owner. Every other month or so a dwarf will remove all the adornments from his beard untwist the braids wash and trim it before replacing everything.
The list of possible adornments in a dwarves beard is so long that it can take a lifetime to learn to recognize them all, some important generalizations can be learned quite quickly however.
First are the tokens. Every dwarf with a beard (that is to say every male dwarf over the age of 20 and about half of all female dwarves) has tokens in his beard, the females who don’t have beards wear the same tokens in their hair. These are simple steel disks about an 1/8th of an inch thick and an inch in diameter with holes punched around the edge allowing hair to be threaded through it with an rune stamped onto it. The dwarven runic alphabet has over 300 characters and by reading the characters on the tokens anyone who can read dwarven can learn the dwarfs name, clan and warrior society. Some dwarves will have additional tokens made of iron with the names of other clans or warrior society that he has a particularly close relationship with. Most often this is his mothers clan if he is married but it could also be the clan of a dwarf who saved his life, the clan of his closest friend or a warrior society that came to his aid during a crusade. Members of a clan or warrior society that is represented on a dwarfs beard can usually count on being able to ask the dwarf a small favor without expecting recompense. More rare but none the less present are tokens made out of wrought iron. The clan, individual or warrior society represented by that token is considered an enemy of the dwarf who wears it and though outright hostility is not a forgone conclusion an icy relationship is almost a certainty. These tokens are usually only worn when clans are at war or during personal feuds but occasionally an individual will take offence at an entire clan as well.
Precious and semiprecious stones set in silver or gold and worked into the beard are roughly analogous to military decorations given out by other nations. The most common or well-known ones are quartz on silver, a decoration given to a dwarf who served in a crusade. Tiger’s eye on silver represents a dwarf who helped defend his city from an invasion. Onyx on gold represents a dwarf who risked his life to save another dwarf warrior. Opal on gold represents a dwarf who risked his life to save the life of a woman or child. Lapis on gold represents a dwarf who saves the life of his clan matriarch. An emerald on gold represents a dwarf who undertook a suicidal mission and somehow survived. A diamond on mithril is given to any dwarf who kills the leader of an enemy army such a drow priestess or an orc warlord. A ruby on mithril is given to a dwarf who either singlehandedly or as part of a small group saves the life of his king. The list goes on until almost every conceivable decoration for bravery is acknowledged.
Dyes are used to represent political positions. The matriarch of a clan (and her husband) both dye a streak of gold into their beards or hair representing their age and experience. Leaders of warrior societies will have a blood red streak representing their prowess as a warrior while the high-ranking officers will have streaks of orange in their beards. Members of the royal council have a narrow silver streak in the middle of the gold or red streak already present. Remember, all council members are also either matriarchs or leaders of their warrior societies. The king’s beard remains undyed.
Short lengths wire made from precious metal are used to represent various oaths that a dwarf has undertaken. Made from bronze, silver, gold or mithral these wires and what the represent are detailed under the subheading “oaths”
Braids are mostly a matter of personal preference and fashion, they are essential for keeping many adornments in place however and most dwarves have them though the number of braids depends on a given dwarf’s preference.
Goverenment:
Dwarven governmental power is shared between a hereditary king and an appointed council. Both bodies have the right to propose new laws, taxation, blessing of crusades, ect. and each body also has the right to veto any action attempted by the other. This makes for some lively council sessions over hotly contested issues. The king inherits the throne from his mother, the matriarch of the royal clan. The king does not pass the throne onto his son, indeed kings are forbidden from marrying or having children. His heir is instead his nephew through his eldest sister. The King and his high council (consisting of 5 clan matriarchs and 5 male dwarves chosen from the warrior societies) share power almost equally. Each council member serves for 20 years and cannot serve again for the remainder of his or her life. The king chooses Council members whenever a vacancy comes up. Each clan or warrior society can send a candidate who will be judged by the king over the course of a weeklong celebration culminating in the unveiling of the kings selection. In times of crisis the King can suspend the council’s veto powers and assume control of a dictatorship for a maximum of 2 years.
Dwarven nations and cities are largely interchangeable. Each city has it’s own king and council and though a few of the most powerful more closely resemble citystates in that a single powerful city may hold a few smaller cities under its power their influence is limited. A city for the most part runs its own affairs and though there is a high king who is elected from among a confederation of anywhere from a one to two dozen cities in a similar geographical area for life his position is largely ceremonial and mostly exists to provide outside nations with a single figure that they can approach with requests for alliances, rights of passage and other diplomatic requests. He cannot enforce any edicts without the support of the kings beneath him however so any diplomatic requests to dwarven confederations can sometimes take a great deal of time to get hammered out.
Oaths:
Honor hard work and loyalty are the most important aspects of a dwarfs character and the oaths sworn by dwarves are probably the best example of this. There are a multitude of oaths that a dwarf can swear, each having it’s own phrasing and meaning and though Dwarfs will do their utmost to uphold any oath that they swear any given oath has a place is a complicated hierarchy which allows a dwarf to break an oath should it come into conflict with another oath or responsibility. Oaths of friendship or bronze oaths are the lowest level of oath, usually the best that a non-dwarf can hope for but even among bronze oaths there is a hierarchy, which is oftentimes difficult to see as an outsider. For example if a dwarf tells you “I’ll lend my strength to the defeat of your foemen” it means he’s willing to fight for you but will not risk his life in any substantial manner. If on the other hand he says “My heart is dedicated to the defeat of your foemen” it means that he is entirely willing to die in combat supporting you. With bronze oaths being called friendship oaths, silver oaths are also referred to as comrade oaths, gold oaths are called blood oaths, and mithril oaths are also called life oaths.
The oaths get their names from small twist of bronze, silver, gold or mithril wire which is braided into a dwarfs beard after the oath is sworn. While a given dwarf may have dozens of bronze and silver wires twisted into his beard he rarely has more than a handful of gold oaths and scarcely any mithril oaths. Mithril oaths are rare indeed being reserved for the most binding oaths sworn his king, his wife, or other members of his immediate family. It is very rare for a dwarf to swear more than 2 or 3 mithril oaths over the course of his life. The best example of such an oath is uttered as a part of the marriage ceremony where the man swears that he will defend the life and honor of his wife with his life and every ounce of strength in his body.
Bronze and silver oaths can be broken if the circumstances warrant without dishonor. A good example of this would be a newlywed dwarf breaking a bronze oath sworn to his warrior society where he had promised to join them on every crusade that they undertook. No one would begrudge him for breaking this oath since it would be obvious that he had responsibilities that he had to maintain with his new wife’s clan. If an oath is broken in such a way the dwarf pulls the wire from his beard and melts it down at which point it is no longer valid. If a bronze or silver oath is broken without good reason the dwarf will loose some face and his family may be levied a fine, the oath breaker may be required to spend a number of years in indentured servitude, or extreme cases may warrant a public flogging.
Gold and mithril oaths are much more serious affairs. Bronze silver and gold oaths can be sworn to a dwarf’s warrior society or clan but mithril oaths can only be sworn to a dwarf’s immediate family or his king. Should a dwarf fail to keep a gold oath there is a considerable loss of honor, sometimes leading to temporary banishment or even permanent exile the exact punishment determined by whoever the oath was sworn to in the first place. The breaking of a mithril oath is one of the few things that a dwarf can do to earn the death penalty.
In the event that a dwarf cannot live with the shame brought about by his breaking of an oath he can opt to undertake a death crusade. This is a lone crusade into the underdark with the goal being to kill as many enemies of the dwarves as possible before being killed himself. It’s a one way trip but it allows the dwarf to die with honor, his broken oath being treated as though it never happened.
It is important to note that not all oaths require metal to be woven into a dwarf’s beard. If an oath will likely be completed in a relatively short period of time such as a dwarf promising to escort his niece’s trading caravan safely to a nearby human settlement nothing is woven into his beard. The oath is still considered binding however, the wires simply serve as reminders of the long term oaths sworn. If an oath requiring a wire is completed or for some other reason rendered invalid the wire is pulled out of the braid and melted down just as if it had been broken with honor.
Clan and Warrior Society Loyalties:
A Dwarf’s loyalties or at least the priorities he assigns to his clans and warrior society will usually shift several times over the course of his life. A young dwarf (under 20) is loyal to his mother’s clan though their loyalty is usually relatively immaterial since these dwarves have almost nothing in the way of power or influence.
Dwarves serving a steward still hold their primary clan loyalty to their mother’s clan, they are intensely personally loyal to their steward first. They have no attachment (at least formally) to their steward’s clan though many friendships are often forged in the 30 or 40 years spent among a different clan. Since thralls basically go where their steward tells them to this would also create loyalty to their stewards military society though until their right of manhood they have no formal ties to it.
After the rights of manhood a dwarf has a choice. He can either focus his loyalty on his warrior society and join a "crusade", go adventuring or focus his loyalty towards his mother’s clan and return to live with her.
After marriage all ties are broken (formally at least) between a dwarf and his mothers clan. He is now a member of his wifes clan, and though he will likely continue to maintain friendly relations with his mother’s clan he is no longer a member of it and cannot be counted on to support it. Loyalty to his warrior society also usually takes a back seat to loyalty to his wife’s clan though he will try to avoid conflicts of interests between his clan and his warrior society as much as possible.
Warrior Societies:
Warrior societies are complex organisms and each one is different. Since a given society may have members from dozens if not hundreds of clans members of a single warrior society may end up fighting against each other during interclan warfare, though this is usually a personal choice and a warrior will not suffer condemnation from either his warrior society for choosing to fight or from his clan for choosing to abstain from the conflict. Other than the most extraordinary cases clan warfare rarely involves large amounts of bloodshed and there have only been a handful of situations in the thousands of years of dwarven history where a clan was actually exterminated so it is usually not essential that every warrior in a given clan take part in the conflict. The warrior societies also serve as important mediators during clan warfare ensuring that lines of communication can remain open between the clans even if the warfare has gotten particularly violent and important society members will oftentimes serve as neutral third parties in the negation of peace treaties or in attempts to prevent a disagreement from escalating into open conflict. This is an important safety valve for the clannish and prideful dwarves since it gives the opportunity for both sides of a disagreement to end their conflict with honor and dignity.
The other major undertaking of the warrior societies is the formation of crusades, invasions of varying sizes deep into the underdark for months at a time. Sometimes these crusades have specific goals such as the retaking of a mine seized by goblins or reliving a gnomish city besieged by orcs but other times they are more open ended with the goal being to simply kill as many enemies of the dwarven people as possible in a given number of months. Most of the warriors in a crusade are usually younger unmarried dwarves seeking to blood themselves against their ancestral foes and earn glory for their name. Older dwarves still take part however serving as officers and elite soldiers but their duties to their clan often keep them from joining the crusades as often as they might otherwise like. Some dwarves also elect never to marry claiming to be “wed to their axe” and continue to advance within their warrior societies and lead them on crusades. Widowers will also oftentimes find themselves a home on campaign, spending their time alone fighting until they rejoin their wife in the afterlife.
Crusades are organized by one or more warrior societies and after having an acceptable number of warriors volunteer they petition the king and the male half of the council for permission to leave. This is usually granted, unless the king has need of the troops himself or the goal is particularly foolhardy. After permission is given a date of departure is set and the night before the warriors are set to leave they take part in a religious ceremony blessing the crusade and each one swears an comrade (silver) oath or stronger promising that he will see the crusade through to its completion or his death, that he will not allow cowardice to enter he heart, that he will obey his superior officers and that he will do his utmost to bring honor and distinction to his family, warrior society and clan. The crusade then departs and does not return until its goals are met or it is no longer possible for the surviving dwarves to accomplish their mission. The latter happens quite rarely as the dwarven crusaders are more likely to fight to the bitter end than admit defeat and break their oaths. Sometimes these crusades can be devastating to a dwarven city sucking it dry of young warriors traipsing off on a fools errand leaving it open to counterattacks by its enemies. That is why the king and council have the right to forbid any crusade or to limit its size as they see fit.
Returning crusaders receive a hero’s welcome upon their return. The city usually all but shuts down for several days with everyone’s efforts being put towards welcoming the return of the crusaders. Feasts are held, decorations for bravery are handed out with much pomp and ceremony and the crusaders give lavish gifts of plunder to their families and clans.
There are between one and two hundred different warrior societies in existence at a given time, the popularity of a given society waxing and waning many times over the years. Some societies have members numbering in the tens of thousands scattered across entire continents, while others boast only a few dozen members in a single city. Some warrior societies are highly secretive others quite open. Societies also vary in the degree of emphasis they place on military power with some warrior societies more closely resembling armed craftsmen guilds than military units. A dwarf has a certain amount of choice when determining which warrior society he will join since he can pick the uncle he wishes to become his steward. Sometimes if the boy has no uncles or at least no uncles who are members of warrior societies that he wishes to join he can request that another relative of his father such as one of his fathers cousins is willing to take him as a thrall.
It is also important to note that while a warrior society may have several traits that most of its members tend to share that does not mean that every dwarf in a given society is the same. Not every miner is a member of the stone society and conversely not every member of the stone society is a miner. Joining a crusade is not exclusive to Axe members, indeed a large crusade may have members of a dozen or more warrior societies represented in it. Despite these difficulties however some generalizations can be made. There are a number of warrior societies that consistently have maintained large numbers and have considerable influence. Some of the more prominent examples follow:
Axe: The Axe society is one of the great crusading warrior societies. There are tens of thousands of dwarves claiming membership in the Axe society. The Axe society makes it a point of pride that no matter where or when a crusade is declared there will be at least a few Axes who join. Members of the Axe society tend to be slightly more reserved and traditional than many other dwarves and this sometimes manifests in slight racism directed towards other races. By far the most axe society dwarves are fighters though rouges, scouts, rangers (who focus on underground survival skills) and clerics also fill their ranks. Even bards who wish to record the sagas of the crusades often are drawn to the Axe society.
Shield: The Shield society focuses on the defense of dwarven cities and the protection of its citizens. They busy themselves manning and maintaining the cities defensive works and patrolling the outskirts of the territory claimed by the city. This does not mean that dwaves of the Shield society are glorified national guardsmen by any means. Dwarven cities are almost constantly under attack and members of the Shield society see a great deal of work. Members of the shield society are usually the first dwarves that outsiders seen when approaching a dwarven city from either above or underground. Fighters, rangers, scouts, clerics, and dwarven defenders are common sights in the Shield society.
Justice: The Justice society serves as a sort of police force and court system. Though small when compared to either the Axe or the Shield societies they are highly regarded for the service they provide to the community. These dwarves spend a great deal of time studying dwaven law and the intricacies of oaths. They also familiarize themselves with the more common laws of neighboring nations and cultures in case circumstances arise that leniency is required in the understanding of a case involving an outsider. Many members of the Justice society are paladins, or clerics of the god of Justice and most members of the Justice society have a few levels of expert as well representing their legal training.
Stone: The Stone society is less military oriented than most other societies. It is really more of a miners guild than a military force. This does not mean however that members of the stone society are pushovers. Mining is dangerous work with natural hazards such as cave-ins, explosions, and dangerous open pits being only part of the danger. Attacks from goblins, orcs, umberhulks, drow, eye tyrants not to mention rival dwarven cities and all other manner of underground creatures are commonplace and the miners have to be capable of defending themselves.
Forge: The Forge society like it’s name suggests focuses on the art of metalworking, most specifically weapon and armour manufacture. A piece of equipment with a makers mark belonging to a member of the Forge society is almost always exceptionally well crafted. The Forge and Stone societies maintain very close ties sometimes causing confusion among outsiders especially since the runes for Forge and Stone are quite similar in appearance. Though like all dwarves Forge society members have some martial training most of them have more levels in expert than anything else. Their work mostly keeps them in the city proper lessening their need to concern themselves with personal defense and allows them more time to focus on their art.
Arrow: The Arrow society is another crusading warrior society, and though they are smaller than the Axe society its members are usually much wealthier for one big reason; the Arrow society frequently founds crusades where it hires its members out as mercenaries to other nations and races. Their most frequent employers are various gnomish nations who hire Arrow society members to aid in the protection of their own mines but other nations make regular use of these skilled and dedicated warriors to further their own causes, at least when they can afford them. There is more than a little rivalry between the Arrow society and other more conservative societies who see the Arrow society as compromising dwarven ideals in the pursuit of money. Like the Axe society most Arrow society members are representatives of the various fighting classes though many may have greater skills in overland survival and combat since they oftentimes find themselves fighting outside of the caves that most dwarves are familiar with.
Balefire: Though the Balefire society is quite small compared to many others it holds great prestige due to the fact that members of the Balefire society more often than not dedicate themselves to the study of the arcane arts. This makes them a force to be reckoned with and Balefire society members are highly valued as allies of other societies. As can be expected most Balefire members are arcane casters, sorcerers, wizards, warmages and their ilk.
Temple: Members of the Temple society are the priesthood of the dwarves. The Temple society founds and maintains the temples and places of worship for the dwarves and accompanies crusades to serve as spiritual guidance and magical healing. Though clerics are present among other warrior societies the Temple society has by far the most clerics, and paladins.
Shadow: The Shadow society is a highly secretive warrior society, which has a small number of members in nearly every dwarven city. No one is entirely sure what their goals or motives are but it is rumored that they control many aspects of dwarven politics from behind the scenes. It is also rumored that they are carrying on a secret war against the forces of the abyss and study dark arts and demonology to better understand their foes. It is also argued that they are in league with dark forces and are seeking to overthrow dwarven society and bring creatures of the abyss flooding into the world. One thing is for sure however; most other dwarves treat members of the Shadow warrior society with suspicion and disrespect, there have even been attempts to exterminate the society but any time it is believed that its members have been killed it will emerge again several years later just as strong as before. Its membership seems to be drawn from all classes, and it is even rumored that there are members of other societies who have falsely declared their loyalty and are in reality members of the Shadow society.
Other Warfare:
Crusades are not the only reason that dwarves will fight. Dwarven cities will usually claim large stretches of territory surrounding their cities that are consistently patrolled and aggressively defended if they feel that their boarders have been compromised. These tunnels mostly exist as a buffer zone between the city and other underground races (few of which are friendly) but more than a few adventuring parties have found themselves stopped and interrogated by well armed dwarven patrols who’s boarder they have unwittingly compromised. Dwarven cities also claim significant plots of land above ground for farmland and pasture and can be just as tenacious when it comes to defending these as well.
Inter clan warfare is also a fact of life among dwarves. In the event of a disagreement or slighted honor between clans a third party, typically a warrior society, arranges an arbitrated meeting between the matriarchs and patriarchs of the two clans. Most often a member of the Justice society carries out this task but such is not always the case. High-ranking members from almost any warrior society assume the roll of arbiter if they are requested. The most important attribute of an arbiter is that he has no ties to either of the two clans, though a reputation for wisdom and honor are close seconds. The arbiter will first meet with representatives of the aggrieved clans separately, meeting whichever side brought the problem to his attention first and then with both parties together allowing the grievances to be aired and ensure there is no confusion as to what the problem is. These meetings take place behind closed doors and the arbiter is honor bound not to divulge what goes on during them to anyone else. This keeps other clans from becoming involved in the affairs of the fighting clans and prevents the conflict from spreading.
The day after the initial meeting the arbiter meets with both clans again and suggests a solution to the dilemma. This is debated and if it is found to be acceptable to both parties the matter is considered closed. The decision is considered binding to both clans and blood (gold) oaths are sworn agreeing it will be upheld. If the solution is unacceptable the arbiter listens to why it is and within a week proposes another solution. This process repeats for a minimum of 3 weeks though it oftentimes goes on for much longer than that if the solution seems to be within reach with only small issues preventing the two parties from reaching a consensus.
If the problems cannot be resolved through arbitration however after 3 attempts the clans may elect to go to war with each other. From that point on clan members cannot enter the other clans territory under any circumstances and are not permitted to trade with each other. Clan warfare is highly formal and ritualized to minimize bloodshed but it is still a deadly serious affair. Each clan lays out victory terms and the arbiter determines if they are within reason or not. If the terms are not found to be within reason then a clan can be forced to return with new terms or the arbiter can declare victory in favor of the other clan before blood is shed. If the arbiter declares that both sets of terms are acceptable the clan representatives swear blood (gold) oaths agreeing that should they loose they will accept the terms with good grace and the feud will be over. The two clans are now officially at war.
After victory terms have been established the clans determine the size and makeup of the forces that will fight as well as any limitations that will be present on the battlefield such as a ban on offensive magic use or the presence of magic weapons and armour. This is actually quite a lengthy process as clans attempt to commit fewer troops to the battle than their opponent hoping that they will be able to win with fewer warriors and therefore make the victory all the more decisive. This keeps the size of the armies that fight each other quite small rarely consisting of more than a hundred or so warriors and further serves to keep the number of potential deaths to a minimum.
Finally after the armies have been decided on the clans agree to meet in a neutral location, usually just outside of the city on a given day with no more or less troops than agreed upon and commit to battle. Clerics from a neutral party are on hand to treat any serious injuries and neutral representatives from different warrior societies are present to ensure that both sides fight with honor and within the limitations agreed upon. The warriors participating in the battle are honor bound not to strike any blows towards helpless foes or any dwarf who has removed his helmet (the removal of a helmet is considered a sign of surrender) and any dwarf that does so can be charged with murder. The battle goes on until one side surrenders and quits the field. This usually doesn’t take too long since only in the most extraordinary of circumstances will one side or the other be willing to fight to the bitter end. A dwarf does not loose honor for surrendering to an obviously more proficient foe in these battles so most dwarves will remove their helmets in surrender before they suffer too grievous an injury. After the battle, the matter is considered closed and the terms of the victorious clan are considered binding to both clans.
Cities and Day to Day Life:
Dwarven cities are typically old mines that have been converted into living quarters, kitchens, bathhouses, armouries, and all the other essential facilities for day to day living. They grow organically usually expanding from a large central cavern, which serves as a natural hub containing the city’s markets, public buildings, meeting areas, and inns. This is as far as most outsiders get in a dwarven city since the remainder of the caves and tunnels are the property of individual clans.
The clans whose territories bring them close to the surface oftentimes engage in a form of terrace farming providing most of the agricultural goods consumed by the city. Dwarven farmers also raise goats and sheep, animals that more closely resemble mountain goats and bighorn sheep than human versions of the same domesticates. Dwarves have bred a short stocky breed of pony that they use as a beast of burden both in the mines and on their farms. One unique aspect of the ponies bred by the dwarves is that they have evolved darkvision to 60 feet due to the centuries that they have spent underground. Dwarven farmers are typically some of the least prestigious members of dwarven society but the food they provide is nonetheless essential.
The most powerful and influential clans have their territory spiraling downward from the main hub as this is more likely to bring them into contact with more ore and precious stones than others. This also means that they are more likely to run into orcs, goblins, drow, and other traditional enemies of the dwarven people so they also tend to be the most militarily powerful of the clans.
Dwarven markets are busy noisy affairs with men and women selling their wares under the watchful eye of members of the justice warrior society. Usually contained in the large central chambers of a city the markets are one of the few areas of a dwarven city where freestanding structures are commonplace. Even so, many stores around the perimeter are still quarried directly into the rockface. Also cut into the perimeter are the entrances to the territories of various clans. These entrances are usually barred against outsiders and members of other clans, though this is more an issue of privacy than any hostility on the part of the dwarves. In all but the smallest of cities the central plaza contains a large obelisk or statue, which is magically enchanted to glow and fade according to the time of day outside, serving both as a timepiece and a source of light. Large braziers and torches provide additional light and warmth but depending on the depth of the city many outsiders still find the ambient temperature to be a little bit cold for comfort.
Individual clans own storefronts throughout the various trade districts and a number of stores are owned by trading consortiums belonging to various outside races and nations. Many clans also keep a few vacant storefronts that they rent to traveling merchants who wish to sell within the city. These foreign traders usually live in small apartments above their storefronts even if they are dwarves from another city who have no clan relatives that they can stay with. There is a significant disparity between the sexes in the market with the numbers staunchly in favor of women the actual ratio being about 2/3 to 3/4 women. Most of the worked goods produced, from statues, to jewelry, to food, to books, are also made by women the one exception being weapons and armour, which are exclusively crafted by men.
Travelers seeking food and shelter can find it at a number of inns owned by clans. These vary in quality and reputation like inns anywhere but the best ones are usually owned by the surface clans since they have access to the best fresh produce and also have the most contact with outsiders making cultural misunderstandings much less likely. Dwarven food is typically simple but hearty; stews, hard breads, racks of mutton, goat meat and roast vegetables making up the majority of their diets. The food keeps well since a cold pantry is simply a room without a fire in it, and despite the fact that other than salt spices are a luxury few dwarves ever see a good dwarven cook can create some incredibly delicious meals.
The various warrior societies present in a city also have their meeting halls and training grounds either located in the main hub or right near by. These range in size depending on how many members a society has and what its focus is, containing sparing grounds for the more militant societies well appointed council rooms, libraries, and workshops.
The royal clan usually owns the public areas of the central hub though sometimes a particularly wealthy clan may fund and maintain one as a gift to the city in order to increase its prestige. These may take the form of theaters, bathhouses, feasting halls, and even beautiful rock gardens with semiprecious stones arranged in elaborate patterns.
Plays are a popular form of entertainment for dwarves and they resemble in many ways the plays of ancient Greece with honor plays being a third style in addition to comedies and tragedies. Dwarven comedies can be a little bit difficult for an outsider to understand, as dwarven humor is quite different than that of other cultures. Dwarves consider it to be very funny when someone attempts to take advantage of someone through skullduggery or other dishonest tactics but the victim does not let him or herself be swayed away from the honorable path and ends up coming out victorious in the end. Needless to say this sort of humor falls flat on most other races.
Music is another art greatly appreciated by dwarves. Dwarven music usually very lyrical oftentimes sung acappella or with minimal accompaniment from instruments. When instruments are used, drums are used to keep tempo and instruments like fiddles and fifes carry the tune. Most dwarves are at least moderately proficient in how to play an instrument or two and the ability to sing well is highly valued. There is a great variety of dwarven music, from war chants, to drinking songs, love songs, funeral songs, and long saga style songs retelling the legends of the dwarven people. The latter are usually played and sung by a single musician usually with a simple drum for accompaniment.
Beyond the central hub of a dwarven city lie the territories claimed by individual clans. These are almost little cities in their own rights containing small shops, kitchens, feasting halls, temples, daycares, baths and gardens. Like the hub they usually center around an open area with living areas spiraling off in different directions housing individual families. The women of the clan raise children communally, usually on a rotating basis. This allows individuals to pursue their own interests, hobbies and work while others take their turn rearing the children. Meals are also communal affairs eaten in large feasting halls giving the dwarves an opportunity so socialize and relax.
Each clan is responsible for the defense of its own territory and all take it quite seriously. Guards are posted around entry points and there are a significant number of dwarven men (usually members of the Shield warrior society) who take charge of a clan’s defense. In the event of a major attack however clans are not above requesting aid from other clans in the city and the speed of response that these requests usually have has caught many would be attackers by surprise.
Anyone who is not a member of a given clan is usually barred entry from that clans territory with most meetings between members of different clans taking place in the hub of a city. There are exceptions to this rule however, dwarves will oftentimes seek passage through another clans territory in order to reach particularly rich mines and usually giving a portion of their profits to the clan who’s territory they are imposing on as a gift. This is part of the reason why the most powerful clans tend to have their territories built deeper underground since the gifts given by miners traveling through their territory can sometimes add up to quite significant amounts. Dwarves who are engaged in the defense of a city will also pass through other clans territory and are usually allowed to do so freely so as to engage in patrols of the mines and caverns that make up the uninhabited perimeter of a city.
Members of other clans and even occasionally other races are sometimes also invited into a clan’s holdings. These are usually close friends of important members of the clan, though the matriarch must grant permission for any guests to enter. Those who have the opportunity to sample dwarven hospitality however rarely come away disappointed. Guests of a clan are treated with the utmost respect, being put up in lavish quarters reserved for such a purpose oftentimes sized to fit demihuman occupants and are permitted to sit at the same table as the clan matriarch and her husband getting second pick of the dishes served at meal time. Visitors are usually a cause for celebration among dwarven clans and little expense is spared to extend their hospitality once it has been given. Clan members visiting from other cities are also cause for excitement and though they are usually not treated quite as ostentatiously as other guests, a dwarf who travels to another city that has members of the same clan in it can expect free room and board for the duration of his stay.
One interesting aspect of dwarven society is that even among the wealthiest of clans there are almost no servants, the only exceptions being dwarves who have been sentenced to a period of indentured servitude for a breach of an oath or other criminal activity. These dwarves are recognizable by the heavy iron bracelets that they wear around their wrists and necks, they are required to undertake any task demanded of them by the dwarf who they wronged and are usually put to work doing menial labor or other undesirable tasks. Other than those few exceptions however everyone pitches in to ensure the smooth running of their clan making servants largely unnecessary. Elderly dwarves over 225 years old or so usually enter a semi-retirement, they are not expected to work unless they desire to and are treated with great respect and admiration. Elderly women usually help raise their grandchildren and greatgrandchildren while elderly men spend most of their days telling old war stories, writing, reading and socializing with each other.
Evenings are usually spent alone with other members of a dwarf’s immediate family. Most dwarven homes are small since so much of a dwarf’s life is spent in more communal settings but most homes have at least three rooms. A master bedroom, a larger room shared by the children and a family sitting area. Dwarven homes also usually have a small vault off of the master bedroom where the family money and valuables are kept. Some homes are bigger, sometimes containing small kitchens or libraries but even among wealthy dwarves living areas reflect the relatively small amounts of time spent in them and are quite small rarely being more than about a 500 square feet in total area. Dwarves tend to spend their money and effort improving common areas for the benefit of their entire clan or city rather than on their own living area. Any thralls being trained by a man also live with his family usually sleeping in the same room as their children. Dwarven women will typically have between 6 and 10 children over the course of their lives though 7 or 8 years often separate children.
Unmarried adult dwarves sleep in large dormitories segregated by sex with chests or lockers containing personal belongings. These facilities are usually quite spartan and it varies from clan to clan whether or not individual dwarves even have private rooms.
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