In the Beginning, there were the Forge Fires of the Maker, deep within the earth, from which the Dwarrows crawled. They remain still, even to this day, however they are currently in the hands of the Duegar. But I digress, more on this later. Given form by the Fires, and breath by the Bellows, the Dwarves are natural craftsmen, especially when it comes to stone. Iron marbles their bones and traces of silver can be found in their eyes, should you know an alchemist with a loose ethical code willing to boil them down.
For time countless, the dwarrows lived around the Forge Fires, deep underground. They mined, crafted, worshiped, and fermented strange molds all in the vague glows of the lava flows. Their tunnels grew ever outward, downward, and upward. Grand halls were - and are still - carved from solid rock. Mighty metropolises decorated in intricate patterns, and statuary of kings and civic heroes past, were born forth from the earth. Underground rivers were charted and redirected. All these in the search for precious and useful metals. In these times the Tenets of the Maker (which teach the importants of Community, Hearth and Forge) were held to by all, and used to protect against the strange things, often found in the deep dark.
In the abscense of the sun, time worked different. Days were based around the bioluminescence of the algae blooms found within the caves. An average dwarf day lasted about 30 hours, and was divided evenly into three separate time periods, or "shifts." These were further broken down into , , and "swings" (roughly three seconds)
Dwarven society was, at this time. divided in to a class system - the name in their tongue roughly translates to "strata" in ours - which gave priority to the Priests and the wealthy. Some modern dwarrows will cluck their teeth at this system, but none will dismiss it. One should never deny the usefulness of a tool.
Things, in short, were Nice. And then, they got Fucked.
You see, the Dwarfs have a legend of "Ragnarok" - literally "Day of No Rock" - a day in which the world runs out of rock to mine. For a race that has spent their existence completely within the stones of the earth, such a time would unthinkable. Such a time would be catastrophic.
So you can imagine what happened when they reached the surface.
Panic swept through the Tunnels, as the discovery quickly turned to gossip, which only fueled the flames. As many marriage oaths were "until the gold runs out" (an unthinkable event used for poetic device), were the bounds still valid? Some claimed when the surface was broken, the miners fell up. Other reported a ball of fire, watching the world. Judging. These couldn't be true, others said. But, true or not, this Mass of Nothing could only be one thing: The marking of the end of days.
Suggesting Ragnarok was upon them, for sins unknown, the Priests of the Maker claimed the only way to repent was to return to the Forge Fires, deep within the earth. To shun the light appearing from high above, and embrace the comfortable darkness below. And so, with the wealthier class, they left to find the ancient homelands of the dwarrows. In time, they became the Deugar.
With their primary bastions of leadership gone, the dwarrows did what any dwarf does when aurthority is abscent, but there's plenty of booze: They fought. Wars broke out among the populous, with aligences shifting quickly. It wasn't uncommon to see two combatants fighting against on another in the morning, but side by side come kelpset.
Dwarf society crumpled and burned to ash. But, as with iron, ashes make the material stronger. From the chaos one dwarf drew forth order: Therdren Ironsoul, who first laid out the Nine Virtues of Dwarven Kind, banished the caste system of old and became the first King. These Virtues were applied as addendums to the Maker's Teachings.
- Strength - The arm that swings the Hammer, forges the strongest Sword
- Courage - Back not away from Challange
- Hospitality - Give succor to those in Need
- Honor - Disgracing yourself Disgraces your Fathers
- Freedom - Give in to no Bounds, for with them goes your Spirit
- Kinship - Stand with your Brothers, in Joy and Sorrow
- Industriousness - Strive to perfect your Craft always
- Ancestry - Remember from Where you came
- Self Reliance - Rely only upon Yourself, so others may rely upon You
The first to carry the Words of Ironsoul were his daughters. Through them the dwarves were taught to honor King Therdren, but stressed that worshiping him was false. Over the centuries, it become customary for clerics to be strictly female and remain maidens as the original Daughters did. (Ironsoul's numerous sons were more than enough to continue the blood line) From this they take their name: The Iron Maidens. In keeping with strict tradition and ancestry, modern Iron Maidens do not shave their beards, as some female dwarrows have taken to doing - the bare chin a fashion gleaned from Human females.
Spheres
While dwarven architecture and sculpting hold to block aesthetics, with natural curves where appropriate, the dwarrows hold the sphere as a perfect - even holy - shape. After all, any apprentice can form a perfect cube with a bit of chipping and sanding, but it takes true concentration and patience to achieve a recognizable sphere, and, it is thought, only the Maker could craft a perfect sphere; all others containing an unseeable flaw by the nature of mortality. For the dwarves - especially the Iron Maidens - the crafting of spheres from various materials is used as a form of mediation. In fact, all (read: those not above the surface) sites of worship are grand caverns carved into a perfect sphere. The purpose of this is many fold: 1) It reminds the carvers that they craft in the name of the Maker, 2) It helps center the minds of those who worship, and 3) The reverberations offered by the shape.
Dwarven worship is perhaps some of the most solemn in nature, yet also the most passionate. Outsiders who have witnessed the rituals, though rare they be, have often been brought to tears as the words of reverence, in the form of Gregorian style chants, echo in the eternal night of the underground. These chants, empowered by the reverberation of the spherical chambers, echo through out the mines and underground kingdoms. Even after the schism, both factions hold chanting as an important form of ritual, even if their views wildly differ.
The Surface
While some descended back into the earth and some remained in their traditional homes, there were some who eagerly sought to explore the strange new world of the surface. And they were rewarded for their curiosity, for they soon encountered Humans and, in turn, gained a strange magic: the ability to turn items of trivial craft into Gold. Humans, as the strange, tall creatures of the surface called themselves, turned out to be friendlier than the dark creatures encountered in the "wilds" of the subterranean. Well, for the most part. -Ish. Either way, the important thing is, they had gold of their own, and seemed all too eager to give it up for dwarven crafts. Even those made by lowly apprentices.
Slowly, but surely, the dwarrows that took to the surface integrated into human society, sharing their culture with the humans, and taking some of the human customs as their own. Today, many a young dwarf can be found in human cities performing odd jobs, running shops of various sorts, selling grilled rats on sticks, and even adventuring; typically sending a portion of their wages back home to their families.
Tools
Obviously, dwarrows are known for their tool usage. They're skilled in a wide variety of crafts, and therefore need a plethora of varied and specialized tools. What is little known, out side of dwarrow culture, is that a tool is an intimate item to a dwarf, much the same way a toothbrush or sex toy is to a human. A dwarf would not think to lend, or even ask to barrow, a tool from another, unless courtship rituals have been completed, and bonds of marriage have been planned out. If a dwarf needs a tool, they use their own, or none at all. Dwarrow view the liberal tool lending of humans as a form of deviancy, and teach their city bound children to stay away from such habits.
Dwarrow Stats
Giving in to self-excile after the discovery of the Surface, the Priests and Upper classes retreated into the depths of the earth, seeking out the primordial Forge Fires of old. And so they found them, miles and miles and miles down. So too did they find the mythical First City, though most of it and its wonders were partially consumed by the Forge Fires. The city slowly sinks, the lower layer slowly melting away, but the Duegar build on, upper portions holding the lower sections in place.
Alone down there, in the deep dark, with nothing by out dated beliefs and bellies full of anger and hatred, the Duegar turned into vile, awful creatures. The caste system was reinforced, with many being forced into slavery and servitude. Slaves too, were taken from the monsters that dwelled within the "wilds" of the deep, where before they were killed outright. And so, in the centuries since, they become the cruel masters of the Deep Dark.
Spheres
While dwarven architecture and sculpting hold to block aesthetics, with natural curves where appropriate, the dwarrows hold the sphere as a perfect - even holy - shape. After all, any apprentice can form a perfect cube with a bit of chipping and sanding, but it takes true concentration and patience to achieve a recognizable sphere, and, it is thought, only the Maker could craft a perfect sphere; all others containing an unseeable flaw by the nature of mortality. For the dwarves - especially the Iron Maidens - the crafting of spheres from various materials is used as a form of mediation. In fact, all (read: those not above the surface) sites of worship are grand caverns carved into a perfect sphere. The purpose of this is many fold: 1) It reminds the carvers that they craft in the name of the Maker, 2) It helps center the minds of those who worship, and 3) The reverberations offered by the shape.
Dwarven worship is perhaps some of the most solemn in nature, yet also the most passionate. Outsiders who have witnessed the rituals, though rare they be, have often been brought to tears as the words of reverence, in the form of Gregorian style chants, echo in the eternal night of the underground. These chants, empowered by the reverberation of the spherical chambers, echo through out the mines and underground kingdoms. Even after the schism, both factions hold chanting as an important form of ritual, even if their views wildly differ.
The Surface
While some descended back into the earth and some remained in their traditional homes, there were some who eagerly sought to explore the strange new world of the surface. And they were rewarded for their curiosity, for they soon encountered Humans and, in turn, gained a strange magic: the ability to turn items of trivial craft into Gold. Humans, as the strange, tall creatures of the surface called themselves, turned out to be friendlier than the dark creatures encountered in the "wilds" of the subterranean. Well, for the most part. -Ish. Either way, the important thing is, they had gold of their own, and seemed all too eager to give it up for dwarven crafts. Even those made by lowly apprentices.
Slowly, but surely, the dwarrows that took to the surface integrated into human society, sharing their culture with the humans, and taking some of the human customs as their own. Today, many a young dwarf can be found in human cities performing odd jobs, running shops of various sorts, selling grilled rats on sticks, and even adventuring; typically sending a portion of their wages back home to their families.
Tools
Obviously, dwarrows are known for their tool usage. They're skilled in a wide variety of crafts, and therefore need a plethora of varied and specialized tools. What is little known, out side of dwarrow culture, is that a tool is an intimate item to a dwarf, much the same way a toothbrush or sex toy is to a human. A dwarf would not think to lend, or even ask to barrow, a tool from another, unless courtship rituals have been completed, and bonds of marriage have been planned out. If a dwarf needs a tool, they use their own, or none at all. Dwarrow view the liberal tool lending of humans as a form of deviancy, and teach their city bound children to stay away from such habits.
Dwarrow Stats
- Strength must be higher than Dexterity
- Have traditional low light vision
- Because of the iron lacing their bones, dwarrows are resistant to magic
- Dwarrows gain a reduction to fire damage equal to their smithing profession skills (if any)
- Having shorter legs, they lose 10 feet to their movement; and due to their density are treated as having fallen 10 feet further
- Can use their beard as an item slot for jewelry (rings, talismans, etc)
- Anvil Chorus: Once per day, while working with their tools and singing songs of virtue, a dwarf of Personality (or Wisdom 13 or higher may temperately improve the functionality of a device in some way.
Duegar
Giving in to self-excile after the discovery of the Surface, the Priests and Upper classes retreated into the depths of the earth, seeking out the primordial Forge Fires of old. And so they found them, miles and miles and miles down. So too did they find the mythical First City, though most of it and its wonders were partially consumed by the Forge Fires. The city slowly sinks, the lower layer slowly melting away, but the Duegar build on, upper portions holding the lower sections in place.
Alone down there, in the deep dark, with nothing by out dated beliefs and bellies full of anger and hatred, the Duegar turned into vile, awful creatures. The caste system was reinforced, with many being forced into slavery and servitude. Slaves too, were taken from the monsters that dwelled within the "wilds" of the deep, where before they were killed outright. And so, in the centuries since, they become the cruel masters of the Deep Dark.
- As with the Dwarrow, so too with the Duegar, save for the Anvil Chorus
- Having grown accustom to the dim light of the Forge Fires, Duegar must save vs. blind when encountering a light source. They do have dark vision, however. Which is nice.
- Voice of Command: Once per day, a Duegar of Personality (or charisma) 13 or higher may attempt to Command a creature of the Deep Down. Many of the monsters down there have been bred as slaves at one point or another. There is a chance the feral beast may remember its true masters.
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