henrythemad
Artisan
Dwarves
Primary City: Iceforge
System of Government: Imperial
History
The dwarves found within the Maelstrom are descended almost entirely from exiles from Dwarrenagor, a dwarven nation far to the south beyond the Maelstrom. Many of the dwarves (though certainly not all) are descended from the blond bearded Mithril Clan who were once the proud rulers of a united Dwarrenagor.
In the mountainous realm of Dwarrenagor far to the south and outside the Maelstrom lived the five major clans of dwarves: the pillaging Blackaxes, the mercantile Whiterocks, the scholarly and traditional Steelbeards, the hardworking Flamefists and regal Mithrils. The clans existed in a state of constant rivalry and warfare until they were united many hundreds of years ago by the Mithril clan into a united kingdom. Even still, rivalries and fights broke out constantly. Clan identity was so strong that the dwarves would dye their beards to match the colors of their clans (black for Blackaxes, white for Whiterocks, grey for Steelbeards, red for Flamefists and blonde for Mithrils). It was only by the efforts of the ruling Mithril clan with the aid of diplomats from the kingdom of Icenia that Dwarrenagor was kept from falling apart.
Then came the day over three hundred years ago when the curse of Glantri destroyed Icenia, ending their diplomatic efforts in Dwarrenagor. Each clan of dwarves immediately began to blame the others for what had happened to their ally, and closed off their territories to any from the other clans. In no time the monsters of the neighboring Bile Dens took advantage and invaded.
Led by a hideous undead creature called Goretongue, an army of monsters swept into Dwarrenagor, storming the Mithril Hall and slaughtering scores of dwarves. The Mithril clan seemed all but wiped out. Some few dwarves of the Mitral Clan were able to escape, however, fleeing north. As the dwarves headed north they picked up any fellow dwarven refugees fleeing the armies of Goretongue. Regardless of which of the five clans they belonged to the dwarves banded together to escape the marauding monster armies.
Led by Duncan Platnumspike, the third cousin to the Thane of Dwarrenagor, with their numbers swollen to a few thousand, the dwarves fled far north in search of a new homeland. The refugee caravan traveled north for weeks before finding a viable piece of land to settle and rebuild their shattered lives. Early efforts to build the town were halted one night when one of their elders and wisest sages, a woman named Myra Coaleyes rose an alarm. Myra was was said to have prophetic dreams and announced she had dreamed of a dark presence kidnapping children and the elderly. It was quickly discovered that the young and old dwarves were, indeed, missing. Duncan immediately dispatched scouts. Only one returned, he reported that he saw the last of the children (and the other scouts) in the far distance heading north away from the settlement seemingly at the behest of a monster that the scout could only describe as “a horrific being.” Claiming that the creature attempted to control him with charm and dominate magics, he fled to make his report.
Enraged, Duncan called all able bodied men and women to action. Giving a quick rallying declaration he swore that he would pursue the being and rescue the old and young who had been preyed upon by this mysterious creature. With near unanimous support his followers abandoned their fledgling settlement determined to rescue their troubled fellows and relatives.
For months the dwarves pursued the creature, never catching sight of it, but seeing signs of the steady passage north of their compelled relatives. Though they pursued children and the elderly, the monster and it’s victims traveled with the speed of fit dwarves in their prime and the rescue party was always struggling to avoid losing their trail.
During the trek the rescuers endured many difficulties and dangers and the pursuit of this beast has come to be known as the Hike of Hardships by the dwarves. Many historians feel that only the natural hardiness of dwarves allowed casualties to be comparatively minimal. Most other races would not have had the determination and stubbornness to pursue for so long and so far.
The trek took years through the wilds and the monster’s path seemed to avoid civilization. The dwarves resolutely continued heading north. While some stated that they should abandon the pursuit, Myra Coaleyes insisted that her dreams foretold they would catch up and rescue their family members. Some wondered if Myra and Duncan fabricated this story to keep their people moving and preserve hope, but the caravan did continue moving north in spite of those doubts.
At last, after two years of travel, loss and hardship they came upon a vast, magical whirling storm. It was stationary, stretched on for miles in either direction and though it didn’t seem to be moving, the winds within it and around it were extreme. It was a thing of terrible beauty with clouds, rain, hail and lightning of all colors and obvious magical energy whirling around at enormous wind speeds. Myra Coaleyes had declared that she had seen this before, in her dreams, and that the creature that had kidnapped their young and old lay within. Duncan ordered that they would cross the storm. Many balked at this, as entering the storm seemed a quick way to certain death. The charismatic Duncan gave a rallying speech saying that they would not abandon their children and honored elders to the clutches of this foul beast, thus steeling the resolve of even the most reluctant of dwarves, and with that the would be rescuers charged into the storm.
Accounts of the survivors state that the winds, hail, and lightning were horrendous. Many dwarves were permanently killed, struck down by the storm no matter how strong their spirits. Others simply vanished and were never seen again. The surviving dwarves passed through the storm however and a short distance into it found some of their missing old and young, though not all. Many, from both groups of dwarves, were simply never accounted for, lost to the ravages of the storm. None of those kidnapped could remember traversing the storm. Of the monster that had kidnapped them none seemed to have any memory save one word “Balgrith,” though none knew what it meant.
Myra Coaleyes was among those lost crossing the storm, and some blamed her for the entire debacle. A few tried to pass back through the storm to escape, but all were struck permanently dead by the magical forces, and it was not long before none tried. All told, the dwarven numbers were cut by nearly a third. Coupled with the losses on the road this left the once proud survivors with less than seventeen hundred people.
Duncan decided that, since they could not return to their tentative settlement, now so far to the south, that they would settle on this side of the storm. It was not long before dwarven scouts encountered Imperial settlements in the Verdant Lands. Duncan presented himself and sought refuge for his people and entered into talks with the Empire for his people to settle into their land.
The perfect solution came in the dwarves’ experience in mountain warfare. The Empire had just suffered through the Third Troll War. New Norwatch, the town that had traditionally guarded the Windgap Pass through the Frostbite Mountains against the trolls, had been burned to the ground in the early stages of the war. When Duncan boasted that dwarves were second to none in fighting in the mountains, the Empire offered them the ruins of New Norwatch, the surrounding area, and a house of their own in return for swearing allegiance to the Empire and guarding the north against the trolls. The dwarves happily accepted and Duncan was made High Lord of a newly formed minor house under House Stratos called House Mithril.
In 717 of the Fifth Era (by the Imperial Calendar), the dwarves moved into the remains of New Norwatch, then only guarded by a contingent of Imperial troops squatting in the ruins of the city and guarding against any further troll attacks. Duncan immediately began to rebuild the town on the ruins. Renaming the town Iceforge (because they are forging a new future from the ice) the dwarves constructed their own town.
Using a combination of dwarven industriousness, the additional manpower of the Imperial troops and citizens who returned after the town was retaken, and the natural resources found in the Frostbite Mountains, Iceforge was up and running within two years. Additionally, the dwarves were able to improve upon the defenses that New Norwatch had possessed, including a number of ingenious traps and tactical kill zones to decimate any trolls that might attempt to come through Windgap Pass. If any potential attackers from the north made it past that, they would have to deal with the stout walls and defenses of of the city itself.
Once Iceforge was rebuilt and the dwarves began to settle into their new lives as Imperial Citizens the looked beyond Iceforge itself. They began to thoroughly explore the Frostbite Mountains, and to mine the stone, ore and gems to be found there. Additionally farms were set up in the hard lands south of the Frostbite Mountains, and underground farms harvested the edible mushrooms that grow under the mountains.
House Mithril also began to send parties north to scout and, when able, cull the trolls. The scouting parties, made up of both dwarf troops and Imperial soldiers, frequently ran into problems. On the cold arctic glacier north of the mountains people began behaving strangely, men and women would turn inexplicably violent, sullen and behave in abnormal ways. There have even been rumors of people resorting to cannibalism, though these are denied by officials. The rumors state that, though not immune, dwarves seem more resistant to whatever cursed effects occur to men and women north of the mountains. As a result, missions to the north are, whenever possible, now made up entirely of dwarven soldiers. Thankfully the forays were not all negative, as the scouting parties have sometimes encountered various tribes of Ogres and Yeti, many of whom proved friendly.
Ten years after the dwarves built Iceforge, reports from scouts north of the Frostbite Mountains reported the trolls had massed for another attack. With the advanced warning of the scouts and the massive defenses built to defend Windgap Pass, House Mithril repelled the troll army in days with a minimum of casualties. Emperor Andus was so impressed at the self sufficiency and resilience of the dwarves that he promoted House Mithril to a Great House, over objections from many Great and Lesser Houses with longer histories of service to the Empire. Further, he granted full rights of trade to House Mithril for their gems and metalwork.
Physical Traits
Dwarves are physically hardy people, all of whom have thick beards regardless of gender. Dwarves almost always take pride in their beards. Some dwarves will decorate them with braids or beads while others let them grow wild. Dwarven eye color runs the normal gamut of colors as does hair, though a few dwarves maintain the now old and obsolete tradition of dying them to match the clan of their ancestors. Most dwarves do not bother with this tradition anymore, believing that distinguishing amongst clan is part of what led to their ruin in the past.
Dwarves are tough and can survive extreme temperature conditions, making them well suited to the often frigid temperatures in and around the Frostbite Mountains. Additionally poison has difficulty in effecting dwarves, as their systems can often shrug off all but concerted poison attacks. Dwarves are also able to consume prodigious amounts of alcohol before being incapacitated.
Current times
Today Iceforge is a small but and incredibly well fortified city of mostly dwarves with a notable population of other Imperial races as well (mostly humans but small amounts of getragen, wylderkin and even a few hoblings). They guard against possible troll incursions from the North as well as the occasional Orcish bandit raid from the orc kingdom of Orentis to the west.
Though dwarves had only heard ancient tales of trolls before settling in the Empire, their constant fighting with them has quickly garnered a great hatred for the monsters, and most dwarf warriors relish the chance to slay a troll or two.
Dwarven miners haul up ore, precious metals, and gems, while craftsmen fashion them into weapons, tools and jewelry to sell elsewhere within the Empire. The dwarves of House Mithril are said to create some of the best weapons in the Empire. The dwarves have recently opened up some minor trade amongst the friendly High-Ogre tribes north of the mountains, though the trek is far too difficult and dangerous to set up a regular trade route.
The climate in and around Iceforge is cold and winters are especially harsh, but the tough dwarves are well suited to handle the extreme frigid temperatures of the region. Those who farm above ground, south of the mountains, have a tough life as the cold temperatures and hard, often rocky, soil make growing crops difficult. Being dwarves, however, they refuse to give up and each year produce modest harvests. The meager crops, when coupled with underground mushroom crops, usually range from barely enough to insufficient to support the populace (depending on the quality of the harvest that year) so House Mithril commonly imports food from other parts of the Empire, especially the nearby Verdant Lands.
Culture
Culturally the dwarves are something of a far cry from their origins in Dwarrenagor. During the flight from Goretongue and the Hike of Hardship, clan distinction quickly began to mean less and less as the dwarves were forced to band together to survive. It wasn’t long before lack of dyes meant that the dwarves could not dye their beards to match their clan colors and by the time Duncan Platnumspike led the dwarves to the Empire, many had already put aside the old clan grudges. Of course, being stubborn, long lived, and with good memories, these grudges may flare up from time to time, but for the most part the dwarves consider clan loyalty to be less important than loyalty to their family and houses now.
Dwarves are practical and conservative, believing that all members of their society should work, for the betterment of their families and community, even if that work is something seemingly minor like sweeping the tavern floors. They strongly value hard work and abhor laziness, believing that those who do not contribute to society in some form should not be part of it. Family is incredibly important to Dwarves and it is not unusual to find two or three related families living in one house or in homes in very close proximity to one another. They believe very strongly in family loyalty, sometimes to a fault.
Dwarves marry for life though they never do it lightly. Any dwarven marriage is expected to have a long period of courting, at least 15-25 years, and marriage can only be performed if both sets of parents agree to it. A marriage that does not produce children is generally viewed as unfortunate, though there is no specific stigma. Extramarital affairs are strongly frowned upon, when a Dwarf marries they declare their love for all time and they are expected to maintain that vow to the end of time.
Marriages are large celebrations where friends and family of both the bride and groom come together in a feast. The newlyweds get up before their loved ones and declare their love to each other for all time and the rest of the day is given over to feasting, singing, dancing and drinking.
Dwarves are expected to be married before they have children, and it is considered shameful to have a child out of wedlock. Children born with unmarried parents are pitied for not having a “proper” family structure. If the parents marry later though this stigma on both the parents and the child are significantly lessened, though not erased entirely.
Life Cycle
Dwarven children are raised by both parents as well as the extended family. All of the family considers it their duty to assist in raising a child, though the immediate parents have the final say in any child rearing decisions.
A dwarven child’s beard starts to develop by the age of five or so when a small fuzz considered adorable begins to appear. Around the same age the child begins to be taught about dwarven society and history by their family.
Between the the ages of ten and twelve a dwarf is expected to decide which craft they would like to pursue. As many dwarves devote their entire careers to a craft so they can master it, this is a very important decision. A Craft Fair is held every year where dwarves from all around travel to Iceforge. At the fair as many crafts and professions are on display as possible so dwarven children can make a decision as to what vocation they wish to pursue. Once a child makes their choice their family arranges for the child to begin an apprenticeship to that profession. Dwarves who cannot afford to pay for an apprenticeship or live in areas too rural to travel to the Craft Fair will often teach their children their own craft, or arrange for a family member to apprentice their child for little to no cost. This does sometimes result in dwarven children who cannot pursue their desired vocation.
How long a Dwarf remains in an apprenticeship varies based on the occupation and the quality of both the teacher and the student, but it is exceedingly rare if it is less than 10 ten years and is usually 15-20 years or more. Regardless of the time involved, most apprentices are required to prove their capability in some way. With craftsmen this is often by completing an object that shows their ability that is judged by their master. In other occupations it is some other test or sign of competence. Once a Dwarf has completed this test he or she is considered a member of the vocation and community in fullness and can strike out on their own.
Dwarves are typically expected to focus on mastering their craft for their entire lives/careers. Many might dabble in other subjects that they find interest in, but professionally they will often be solely devoted to the craft they were apprenticed in and are expected to becomes masters to the best of their ability.
Dwarves live to be around 500 years old or so. They are expected to work up until they are unable to based on age or infirmity. If a dwarf grows too old to perform their vocation they will focus their efforts on education or retire and help to raise the youngest members of their family, focusing on still contributing to the community in spite of their age. Elderly dwarves are honored and treated with utmost respect, as they have an enormous amount of knowledge and experience to pass along to the younger generations.
When a dwarf dies the bereaved enter a three day mourning period. The first day is for immediate family only, where they gather to remember and mourn for their lost family member, comforting one another and remembering their impact on their lives. The second day is opened up to other members of the community who will traditionally offer support and remember the deceased for the good they brought to the community. The final day is a celebration of their lives and the family and community will drink and feast in honor of the deceased and their life.
Holidays
Dawn of Darkness: On the winter solstice, traditionally the darkest day of the year, dwarves gather to mourn the loss of their original home of Dwarrenagor and the beginning of the Hike of Hardships. Dwarven families gather to remember the hardships faced by the dwarves in those times and tales are told of the difficulties faced, often by those who survived it as it was only around 300 years ago.
Homefounding Day: Celebrated on the first day of spring this is a day of massive festivals and celebrations to honor the end of the Hike of Hardships when the Empire agreed to let the dwarves settle. Dwarves engage in prodigious feasting and drinking on this day.
Trollblood Day: this is a day of enormous pride for the dwarves, as it celebrates their first major victory against the trolls since joining the Empire and proving of their worth to the Empire so strongly that House Mithril was made a major house. The dwarves celebrate by recounting tales from the battle and drinking and feasting. Every year there is a parade in Iceforge and street shows where performers re-enact various parts of the battle. Some dwarves will dress up as a troll pretend to chase children who will pretend to beat up the troll as part of the celebrations.
Crafting Festival: Every year, at the height of summer, is the Crafting Festival. This is a weeklong festival in Iceforge where dwarves from all over come to show off their wares and professions to allow young dwarves to see which occupation they would like to pursue for their lives. It is also an opportunity for craftsmen to sell their wares. Naturally many dwarves engage in drinking, singing, storytelling and feasting during the week they are in the city.
Politics
Politically, the Platnumspike family leads House Mithril and Duncan’s son, Nolan Platnumspike, is the current Overlord of House Mithril. Duncan had named a number of lords (some of whom were later promoted to minor houses when House Mithril was promoted) to oversee the holdings, interests and operations of House Mithril.
Iceforge
The city of Iceforge is a walled and incredibly well fortified city found at the southern end of Windgap Pass (the only major path through the Frostbite Mountains). The city is constructed largely from stone and wood. The buildings are often simple and utilitarian, with minimal decorative flourish, but very efficiently and sturdily built. It is a key point of defense against troll attacks. Before the dwarves came to the region the Empire had erected a town to guard the pass named Norwatch, but it was burned to the ground by invading trolls. Later the Empire rebuilt it, calling it New Norwatch, but it too was burned to the ground by an invading army. The dwarves have built Iceforge on the ruins of New Nowatch, but improved upon the defenses considerably.
Large and thick stone walls guard the north and the approach from Windgap Pass, which is itself heavily trapped by the dwarves to sabotage, slow and kill invading armies. Various watchtowers carved into the stone of the mountains on either side of the pass to rain death upon any invading army also contribute to the defense of the city. The only way into the city from the north is the North Gate, a massive and incredibly well fortified door that is made of stone and metal and is operated on a massive pulley system. Once closed, it would take a massive amount of dedicated strength to open again without using the pulleys. The North Gate is kept open most days, as the miners need to exit it to reach the mines and stone quarries in the mountains, but it is well maintained and can be closed surprisingly quickly in times of danger.
The center of the city is Frostfist Keep, where Overlord Nolan makes his home and which serves as the government center to Iceforge as well as all of House Mithril’s holdings. It is more than that though, and should any troll army manage to make it through the gauntlet of death that is Windgap Pass, and break through the thick and well-fortified stone walls of the city, the population would make its way behind the thick stone walls of Frostfist Keep. Even the most conservative estimates state that the keep could hold out against an invasion for months with only 50 men to defend its walls. Outside of Frostfist keep the city is divided into quarters.
The northwest quarter, also known as the Stone Quarter, tends to contain warehouses and crafters to facilitate processing the stone and gems that are dug up from within the Frostbite Mountains. The farther south you go within the quarter the more buildings are retail stores for gems and goods using gems as well as housing for those that work in the quarry and gem mines.
The northeast quarter, known as Smith’s Quarter, is largely given over to warehouses for ore and precious metals brought up from the mountains. Farther from North Gate you will find various craftsmen and smiths who transform the metals into useable goods as well as the housing for the dwarves who live and work in the mines or in the various smithies.
The southwest quarter, or Home Quarter, is dedicated almost entirely to residential homes. Those who do not have homes in other parts of the city live here.
The Bazaar is in the southeast corner, where most dwarves go to sell or ply their crafts and every summer for the Crafting Festival it is transformed into an immense showcase for all manner of trades and professions to be shown off. Many of the retail shops for traders who come to the city are found here.
The south wall of the city is also made of stone and defended against attack from the south. Though less built up than the northern defenses, they are still quite stout and very well designed. Though not as large a threat as the trolls, orc bandits from Orentis have been known to attack from time to time, striking the southern wall. The South Gate is a large and thick metal affair, and is the only path into the city from the south. Traders and visitors from other parts of the Empire enter the city through Southgate.
Though the underground mushroom founds are found under the mountains to the north (with the farmers typically living under the mountains) most of the food production for Iceforge is from the farms south of the city. There are a few small hamlets or villages south of the city to provide services for those farming communities, but Iceforge is by far the largest settlement in House Mithril’s lands and is the cultural center of the Dwarven people within the Maelstrom.
Prominent Minor houses within House Mithril
-House Cavestone, led by High Lady Hugnada Cavestone
House Cavestone is responsible primarily for the mining operations under the Frostbite Mountains. This includes ore, gems and precious metals as well as quality stone for construction and stonemasonry. The vassal lords to House Cavestone have these responsibilities split up between them.
High Lady Hugnada Cavestone herself is a veteran skirmisher and warrior. She is quite loyal to Nolan Platnumspike and is a harsh (but ultimately fair) lord as long as her edicts and procedures are followed. When they are not she shows no mercy in her punishments.
-House Steelarm, led by High Lord Samnoic Steelarm
House Steelarm is primarily responsible for turning all of the raw ores, stones and gems that are brought out of the Frostbite Mountains into a useable finished product. Their vassal lords are largely divided up amongst the various specific products and trades for it, but they all answer to House Steelarm (who in turn answers to House Mithril).
Samnoic Steelarm himself is steadfastly loyal to Overlord Nolan Platnumspike and was a trusted right hand man to his father Duncan during the Hike of Hardship and was one of the first houses created by House Mithril. He is a grizzled old warrior and is widely regarded as a master smith, though these days he is getting on in years and most of his activity goes towards running house Steelarm. He is quite well liked by his people and vassals and is as trusted by Nolan as he was by Duncan.
-House Earthmantle, led by: High Lord Vonuik Earthmantle
House Earthmantle is in charge of all farming efforts in the lands owned by House Mithril, including the mushroom farms beneath the Frostbite Mountains. While not overly glamorous or profitable, this industry is, nonetheless, very important to House Mithril’s interests and as such House Earthmantle is respected for their grim determination and hard labor in spite of fairly minimal profit or glory.
High Lord Vonuik Earthmantle leads the house and though a capable healer he is a bit of an eccentric and inconsistent ruler. Some critics argue that House Earthmantle could be more powerful than it is if its head was more capable, but for the moment he is doing sufficiently well that Overlord Nolan has had no cause to replace him.
-House Broadshield, led by: High Lady Dofrae Broadshield
House Broadshield is in charge of the defenses of the lands of House Mithril, focused most predominantly around the upkeep of Frostfist keep and the defenses through Windgap Pass. They are also responsible for scouting forays undertaken to the north to gather intelligence on troll activities.
Dofrae Broadshield is the current head of the house and is a fierce warrior and shrewd tactician. Her father was good friends with Duncan Platnumspike and a fierce warrior in his own right, but was lost when the dwarves crossed into the Maelstrom. She is a no-nonsense warrior who takes her duties seriously and has personally led forays to the north and thus knows firsthand the hardships and dangers faced by the scouts who travel to the north, as well as what long periods on the Glacier can do to a person.
-House Stonehammer, led by High Lord Gognic Stonehammer
House Stonehammer was a vassal of House Steelarm until House Mithril was granted the right to control the trade (and profit) of their own goods generated in and around Iceforge. Gognic , a skilled accountant and businessman, made a case for House Stonehammer to be promoted to a minor house and put in charge of the trade. Overlord Duncan had reservations, but House Stonehammer has proven more than up to the task. They manage all of the trade of dwarven goods to the rest of the Empire and the tiny amounts of trade made to the Ogres, usually by sending one or two merchants with some goods to the Ogres along with one of House Broadshield’s forays to the north.
House Stonehammer is currently lead by High Lord Gognic Stonehammer. Gognic is distantly related to the family that ruled the Whiterock clan of dwarves in Dwarranegor, who were well known for their business acumen. Of course that old clan affiliation means far less to this generation of dwarves than it used to. Though an accomplished celestialist, Gognic has an eccentric and unpredictable personality. In spite of his eccentricities he is an excellent businessman and has amassed a large amount of wealth and prestige for his house.
Views on Other Races:
Dryads: Dwarves have had almost no interactions with Dryads. They’ve heard of their existance, of course, but have no real information on them.
Wylderkin: Wylderkin are incredibly diverse so it’s hard to pin them down to a general stereotype. Overall they’re viewed as a bit primitive and wild by dwarves. They seem more susceptible to behavioral changes when on the Glacier than most other races though, so some dwarves are wary of them as a result. Most dwarves view them as primitive but basically decent.
Stone Elves: The dwarves tend to distrust Stone Elves. Most dwarves have trouble trusting people who don’t laugh or get angry and they are viewed as either empty inside or hiding their feelings which makes them untrustworthy.
Dark Elves: The dwarves have never encountered dark elves, though they’ve heard occasional rumors of their existence under the land to the southeast.
Mystic Wood Elves: The few Children of Storm encountered have seemed a good, if exuberant, sort. The dwarves tend to view them as fun loving little brothers/sisters.
Biata: So far the biata rulers of the Empire have been fairly straightforward and generous with them though, which the dwarves have certainly not forgotten. A few dwarves feel that their generosity masks some hidden agenda.
Elves: Tree hugging nature lovers. Dwarves do not understand their connection with nature or strange ways and they are often viewed as arrogant.
Hoblings: Though hoblings are opportunistic and one should read any contract made with them very closely, dwarves view hoblings as favorable overall. Their love of money and good food and drink matches that of the dwarves and so they get along rather well.
Humans: This is the race it is the toughest to get a bead on because one human is very different from the next. Dwarves view humans as in too much of a hurry all the time and unwilling or unable to take their time to do something right but overall humans and dwarves get along pretty well.
Selunari: These wanderers are sometimes considered untrustworthy, but they tell great stories and can be a fun time.
Oathsworn: Very few have actually been encountered but based on their reputation dwarves respect their combat abilities while at the same time being wary about their savageness.
High Orcs: Dangerous, violent and surprisingly well organized. Though dwarves admire their battlefield prowess, the tendency of Orcs from the nearby nation of Orentis to occasionally attack House Mithril’s western territory tends to cultivate a general dislike of High Orcs for most dwarves.
High Ogres: Primitive but friendly and with a simple wisdom about them. Many of the ogre tribes on the Glacier aid and trade with dwarves sent on missions to the Glacier.
Primary City: Iceforge
System of Government: Imperial
History
The dwarves found within the Maelstrom are descended almost entirely from exiles from Dwarrenagor, a dwarven nation far to the south beyond the Maelstrom. Many of the dwarves (though certainly not all) are descended from the blond bearded Mithril Clan who were once the proud rulers of a united Dwarrenagor.
In the mountainous realm of Dwarrenagor far to the south and outside the Maelstrom lived the five major clans of dwarves: the pillaging Blackaxes, the mercantile Whiterocks, the scholarly and traditional Steelbeards, the hardworking Flamefists and regal Mithrils. The clans existed in a state of constant rivalry and warfare until they were united many hundreds of years ago by the Mithril clan into a united kingdom. Even still, rivalries and fights broke out constantly. Clan identity was so strong that the dwarves would dye their beards to match the colors of their clans (black for Blackaxes, white for Whiterocks, grey for Steelbeards, red for Flamefists and blonde for Mithrils). It was only by the efforts of the ruling Mithril clan with the aid of diplomats from the kingdom of Icenia that Dwarrenagor was kept from falling apart.
Then came the day over three hundred years ago when the curse of Glantri destroyed Icenia, ending their diplomatic efforts in Dwarrenagor. Each clan of dwarves immediately began to blame the others for what had happened to their ally, and closed off their territories to any from the other clans. In no time the monsters of the neighboring Bile Dens took advantage and invaded.
Led by a hideous undead creature called Goretongue, an army of monsters swept into Dwarrenagor, storming the Mithril Hall and slaughtering scores of dwarves. The Mithril clan seemed all but wiped out. Some few dwarves of the Mitral Clan were able to escape, however, fleeing north. As the dwarves headed north they picked up any fellow dwarven refugees fleeing the armies of Goretongue. Regardless of which of the five clans they belonged to the dwarves banded together to escape the marauding monster armies.
Led by Duncan Platnumspike, the third cousin to the Thane of Dwarrenagor, with their numbers swollen to a few thousand, the dwarves fled far north in search of a new homeland. The refugee caravan traveled north for weeks before finding a viable piece of land to settle and rebuild their shattered lives. Early efforts to build the town were halted one night when one of their elders and wisest sages, a woman named Myra Coaleyes rose an alarm. Myra was was said to have prophetic dreams and announced she had dreamed of a dark presence kidnapping children and the elderly. It was quickly discovered that the young and old dwarves were, indeed, missing. Duncan immediately dispatched scouts. Only one returned, he reported that he saw the last of the children (and the other scouts) in the far distance heading north away from the settlement seemingly at the behest of a monster that the scout could only describe as “a horrific being.” Claiming that the creature attempted to control him with charm and dominate magics, he fled to make his report.
Enraged, Duncan called all able bodied men and women to action. Giving a quick rallying declaration he swore that he would pursue the being and rescue the old and young who had been preyed upon by this mysterious creature. With near unanimous support his followers abandoned their fledgling settlement determined to rescue their troubled fellows and relatives.
For months the dwarves pursued the creature, never catching sight of it, but seeing signs of the steady passage north of their compelled relatives. Though they pursued children and the elderly, the monster and it’s victims traveled with the speed of fit dwarves in their prime and the rescue party was always struggling to avoid losing their trail.
During the trek the rescuers endured many difficulties and dangers and the pursuit of this beast has come to be known as the Hike of Hardships by the dwarves. Many historians feel that only the natural hardiness of dwarves allowed casualties to be comparatively minimal. Most other races would not have had the determination and stubbornness to pursue for so long and so far.
The trek took years through the wilds and the monster’s path seemed to avoid civilization. The dwarves resolutely continued heading north. While some stated that they should abandon the pursuit, Myra Coaleyes insisted that her dreams foretold they would catch up and rescue their family members. Some wondered if Myra and Duncan fabricated this story to keep their people moving and preserve hope, but the caravan did continue moving north in spite of those doubts.
At last, after two years of travel, loss and hardship they came upon a vast, magical whirling storm. It was stationary, stretched on for miles in either direction and though it didn’t seem to be moving, the winds within it and around it were extreme. It was a thing of terrible beauty with clouds, rain, hail and lightning of all colors and obvious magical energy whirling around at enormous wind speeds. Myra Coaleyes had declared that she had seen this before, in her dreams, and that the creature that had kidnapped their young and old lay within. Duncan ordered that they would cross the storm. Many balked at this, as entering the storm seemed a quick way to certain death. The charismatic Duncan gave a rallying speech saying that they would not abandon their children and honored elders to the clutches of this foul beast, thus steeling the resolve of even the most reluctant of dwarves, and with that the would be rescuers charged into the storm.
Accounts of the survivors state that the winds, hail, and lightning were horrendous. Many dwarves were permanently killed, struck down by the storm no matter how strong their spirits. Others simply vanished and were never seen again. The surviving dwarves passed through the storm however and a short distance into it found some of their missing old and young, though not all. Many, from both groups of dwarves, were simply never accounted for, lost to the ravages of the storm. None of those kidnapped could remember traversing the storm. Of the monster that had kidnapped them none seemed to have any memory save one word “Balgrith,” though none knew what it meant.
Myra Coaleyes was among those lost crossing the storm, and some blamed her for the entire debacle. A few tried to pass back through the storm to escape, but all were struck permanently dead by the magical forces, and it was not long before none tried. All told, the dwarven numbers were cut by nearly a third. Coupled with the losses on the road this left the once proud survivors with less than seventeen hundred people.
Duncan decided that, since they could not return to their tentative settlement, now so far to the south, that they would settle on this side of the storm. It was not long before dwarven scouts encountered Imperial settlements in the Verdant Lands. Duncan presented himself and sought refuge for his people and entered into talks with the Empire for his people to settle into their land.
The perfect solution came in the dwarves’ experience in mountain warfare. The Empire had just suffered through the Third Troll War. New Norwatch, the town that had traditionally guarded the Windgap Pass through the Frostbite Mountains against the trolls, had been burned to the ground in the early stages of the war. When Duncan boasted that dwarves were second to none in fighting in the mountains, the Empire offered them the ruins of New Norwatch, the surrounding area, and a house of their own in return for swearing allegiance to the Empire and guarding the north against the trolls. The dwarves happily accepted and Duncan was made High Lord of a newly formed minor house under House Stratos called House Mithril.
In 717 of the Fifth Era (by the Imperial Calendar), the dwarves moved into the remains of New Norwatch, then only guarded by a contingent of Imperial troops squatting in the ruins of the city and guarding against any further troll attacks. Duncan immediately began to rebuild the town on the ruins. Renaming the town Iceforge (because they are forging a new future from the ice) the dwarves constructed their own town.
Using a combination of dwarven industriousness, the additional manpower of the Imperial troops and citizens who returned after the town was retaken, and the natural resources found in the Frostbite Mountains, Iceforge was up and running within two years. Additionally, the dwarves were able to improve upon the defenses that New Norwatch had possessed, including a number of ingenious traps and tactical kill zones to decimate any trolls that might attempt to come through Windgap Pass. If any potential attackers from the north made it past that, they would have to deal with the stout walls and defenses of of the city itself.
Once Iceforge was rebuilt and the dwarves began to settle into their new lives as Imperial Citizens the looked beyond Iceforge itself. They began to thoroughly explore the Frostbite Mountains, and to mine the stone, ore and gems to be found there. Additionally farms were set up in the hard lands south of the Frostbite Mountains, and underground farms harvested the edible mushrooms that grow under the mountains.
House Mithril also began to send parties north to scout and, when able, cull the trolls. The scouting parties, made up of both dwarf troops and Imperial soldiers, frequently ran into problems. On the cold arctic glacier north of the mountains people began behaving strangely, men and women would turn inexplicably violent, sullen and behave in abnormal ways. There have even been rumors of people resorting to cannibalism, though these are denied by officials. The rumors state that, though not immune, dwarves seem more resistant to whatever cursed effects occur to men and women north of the mountains. As a result, missions to the north are, whenever possible, now made up entirely of dwarven soldiers. Thankfully the forays were not all negative, as the scouting parties have sometimes encountered various tribes of Ogres and Yeti, many of whom proved friendly.
Ten years after the dwarves built Iceforge, reports from scouts north of the Frostbite Mountains reported the trolls had massed for another attack. With the advanced warning of the scouts and the massive defenses built to defend Windgap Pass, House Mithril repelled the troll army in days with a minimum of casualties. Emperor Andus was so impressed at the self sufficiency and resilience of the dwarves that he promoted House Mithril to a Great House, over objections from many Great and Lesser Houses with longer histories of service to the Empire. Further, he granted full rights of trade to House Mithril for their gems and metalwork.
Physical Traits
Dwarves are physically hardy people, all of whom have thick beards regardless of gender. Dwarves almost always take pride in their beards. Some dwarves will decorate them with braids or beads while others let them grow wild. Dwarven eye color runs the normal gamut of colors as does hair, though a few dwarves maintain the now old and obsolete tradition of dying them to match the clan of their ancestors. Most dwarves do not bother with this tradition anymore, believing that distinguishing amongst clan is part of what led to their ruin in the past.
Dwarves are tough and can survive extreme temperature conditions, making them well suited to the often frigid temperatures in and around the Frostbite Mountains. Additionally poison has difficulty in effecting dwarves, as their systems can often shrug off all but concerted poison attacks. Dwarves are also able to consume prodigious amounts of alcohol before being incapacitated.
Current times
Today Iceforge is a small but and incredibly well fortified city of mostly dwarves with a notable population of other Imperial races as well (mostly humans but small amounts of getragen, wylderkin and even a few hoblings). They guard against possible troll incursions from the North as well as the occasional Orcish bandit raid from the orc kingdom of Orentis to the west.
Though dwarves had only heard ancient tales of trolls before settling in the Empire, their constant fighting with them has quickly garnered a great hatred for the monsters, and most dwarf warriors relish the chance to slay a troll or two.
Dwarven miners haul up ore, precious metals, and gems, while craftsmen fashion them into weapons, tools and jewelry to sell elsewhere within the Empire. The dwarves of House Mithril are said to create some of the best weapons in the Empire. The dwarves have recently opened up some minor trade amongst the friendly High-Ogre tribes north of the mountains, though the trek is far too difficult and dangerous to set up a regular trade route.
The climate in and around Iceforge is cold and winters are especially harsh, but the tough dwarves are well suited to handle the extreme frigid temperatures of the region. Those who farm above ground, south of the mountains, have a tough life as the cold temperatures and hard, often rocky, soil make growing crops difficult. Being dwarves, however, they refuse to give up and each year produce modest harvests. The meager crops, when coupled with underground mushroom crops, usually range from barely enough to insufficient to support the populace (depending on the quality of the harvest that year) so House Mithril commonly imports food from other parts of the Empire, especially the nearby Verdant Lands.
Culture
Culturally the dwarves are something of a far cry from their origins in Dwarrenagor. During the flight from Goretongue and the Hike of Hardship, clan distinction quickly began to mean less and less as the dwarves were forced to band together to survive. It wasn’t long before lack of dyes meant that the dwarves could not dye their beards to match their clan colors and by the time Duncan Platnumspike led the dwarves to the Empire, many had already put aside the old clan grudges. Of course, being stubborn, long lived, and with good memories, these grudges may flare up from time to time, but for the most part the dwarves consider clan loyalty to be less important than loyalty to their family and houses now.
Dwarves are practical and conservative, believing that all members of their society should work, for the betterment of their families and community, even if that work is something seemingly minor like sweeping the tavern floors. They strongly value hard work and abhor laziness, believing that those who do not contribute to society in some form should not be part of it. Family is incredibly important to Dwarves and it is not unusual to find two or three related families living in one house or in homes in very close proximity to one another. They believe very strongly in family loyalty, sometimes to a fault.
Dwarves marry for life though they never do it lightly. Any dwarven marriage is expected to have a long period of courting, at least 15-25 years, and marriage can only be performed if both sets of parents agree to it. A marriage that does not produce children is generally viewed as unfortunate, though there is no specific stigma. Extramarital affairs are strongly frowned upon, when a Dwarf marries they declare their love for all time and they are expected to maintain that vow to the end of time.
Marriages are large celebrations where friends and family of both the bride and groom come together in a feast. The newlyweds get up before their loved ones and declare their love to each other for all time and the rest of the day is given over to feasting, singing, dancing and drinking.
Dwarves are expected to be married before they have children, and it is considered shameful to have a child out of wedlock. Children born with unmarried parents are pitied for not having a “proper” family structure. If the parents marry later though this stigma on both the parents and the child are significantly lessened, though not erased entirely.
Life Cycle
Dwarven children are raised by both parents as well as the extended family. All of the family considers it their duty to assist in raising a child, though the immediate parents have the final say in any child rearing decisions.
A dwarven child’s beard starts to develop by the age of five or so when a small fuzz considered adorable begins to appear. Around the same age the child begins to be taught about dwarven society and history by their family.
Between the the ages of ten and twelve a dwarf is expected to decide which craft they would like to pursue. As many dwarves devote their entire careers to a craft so they can master it, this is a very important decision. A Craft Fair is held every year where dwarves from all around travel to Iceforge. At the fair as many crafts and professions are on display as possible so dwarven children can make a decision as to what vocation they wish to pursue. Once a child makes their choice their family arranges for the child to begin an apprenticeship to that profession. Dwarves who cannot afford to pay for an apprenticeship or live in areas too rural to travel to the Craft Fair will often teach their children their own craft, or arrange for a family member to apprentice their child for little to no cost. This does sometimes result in dwarven children who cannot pursue their desired vocation.
How long a Dwarf remains in an apprenticeship varies based on the occupation and the quality of both the teacher and the student, but it is exceedingly rare if it is less than 10 ten years and is usually 15-20 years or more. Regardless of the time involved, most apprentices are required to prove their capability in some way. With craftsmen this is often by completing an object that shows their ability that is judged by their master. In other occupations it is some other test or sign of competence. Once a Dwarf has completed this test he or she is considered a member of the vocation and community in fullness and can strike out on their own.
Dwarves are typically expected to focus on mastering their craft for their entire lives/careers. Many might dabble in other subjects that they find interest in, but professionally they will often be solely devoted to the craft they were apprenticed in and are expected to becomes masters to the best of their ability.
Dwarves live to be around 500 years old or so. They are expected to work up until they are unable to based on age or infirmity. If a dwarf grows too old to perform their vocation they will focus their efforts on education or retire and help to raise the youngest members of their family, focusing on still contributing to the community in spite of their age. Elderly dwarves are honored and treated with utmost respect, as they have an enormous amount of knowledge and experience to pass along to the younger generations.
When a dwarf dies the bereaved enter a three day mourning period. The first day is for immediate family only, where they gather to remember and mourn for their lost family member, comforting one another and remembering their impact on their lives. The second day is opened up to other members of the community who will traditionally offer support and remember the deceased for the good they brought to the community. The final day is a celebration of their lives and the family and community will drink and feast in honor of the deceased and their life.
Holidays
Dawn of Darkness: On the winter solstice, traditionally the darkest day of the year, dwarves gather to mourn the loss of their original home of Dwarrenagor and the beginning of the Hike of Hardships. Dwarven families gather to remember the hardships faced by the dwarves in those times and tales are told of the difficulties faced, often by those who survived it as it was only around 300 years ago.
Homefounding Day: Celebrated on the first day of spring this is a day of massive festivals and celebrations to honor the end of the Hike of Hardships when the Empire agreed to let the dwarves settle. Dwarves engage in prodigious feasting and drinking on this day.
Trollblood Day: this is a day of enormous pride for the dwarves, as it celebrates their first major victory against the trolls since joining the Empire and proving of their worth to the Empire so strongly that House Mithril was made a major house. The dwarves celebrate by recounting tales from the battle and drinking and feasting. Every year there is a parade in Iceforge and street shows where performers re-enact various parts of the battle. Some dwarves will dress up as a troll pretend to chase children who will pretend to beat up the troll as part of the celebrations.
Crafting Festival: Every year, at the height of summer, is the Crafting Festival. This is a weeklong festival in Iceforge where dwarves from all over come to show off their wares and professions to allow young dwarves to see which occupation they would like to pursue for their lives. It is also an opportunity for craftsmen to sell their wares. Naturally many dwarves engage in drinking, singing, storytelling and feasting during the week they are in the city.
Politics
Politically, the Platnumspike family leads House Mithril and Duncan’s son, Nolan Platnumspike, is the current Overlord of House Mithril. Duncan had named a number of lords (some of whom were later promoted to minor houses when House Mithril was promoted) to oversee the holdings, interests and operations of House Mithril.
Iceforge
The city of Iceforge is a walled and incredibly well fortified city found at the southern end of Windgap Pass (the only major path through the Frostbite Mountains). The city is constructed largely from stone and wood. The buildings are often simple and utilitarian, with minimal decorative flourish, but very efficiently and sturdily built. It is a key point of defense against troll attacks. Before the dwarves came to the region the Empire had erected a town to guard the pass named Norwatch, but it was burned to the ground by invading trolls. Later the Empire rebuilt it, calling it New Norwatch, but it too was burned to the ground by an invading army. The dwarves have built Iceforge on the ruins of New Nowatch, but improved upon the defenses considerably.
Large and thick stone walls guard the north and the approach from Windgap Pass, which is itself heavily trapped by the dwarves to sabotage, slow and kill invading armies. Various watchtowers carved into the stone of the mountains on either side of the pass to rain death upon any invading army also contribute to the defense of the city. The only way into the city from the north is the North Gate, a massive and incredibly well fortified door that is made of stone and metal and is operated on a massive pulley system. Once closed, it would take a massive amount of dedicated strength to open again without using the pulleys. The North Gate is kept open most days, as the miners need to exit it to reach the mines and stone quarries in the mountains, but it is well maintained and can be closed surprisingly quickly in times of danger.
The center of the city is Frostfist Keep, where Overlord Nolan makes his home and which serves as the government center to Iceforge as well as all of House Mithril’s holdings. It is more than that though, and should any troll army manage to make it through the gauntlet of death that is Windgap Pass, and break through the thick and well-fortified stone walls of the city, the population would make its way behind the thick stone walls of Frostfist Keep. Even the most conservative estimates state that the keep could hold out against an invasion for months with only 50 men to defend its walls. Outside of Frostfist keep the city is divided into quarters.
The northwest quarter, also known as the Stone Quarter, tends to contain warehouses and crafters to facilitate processing the stone and gems that are dug up from within the Frostbite Mountains. The farther south you go within the quarter the more buildings are retail stores for gems and goods using gems as well as housing for those that work in the quarry and gem mines.
The northeast quarter, known as Smith’s Quarter, is largely given over to warehouses for ore and precious metals brought up from the mountains. Farther from North Gate you will find various craftsmen and smiths who transform the metals into useable goods as well as the housing for the dwarves who live and work in the mines or in the various smithies.
The southwest quarter, or Home Quarter, is dedicated almost entirely to residential homes. Those who do not have homes in other parts of the city live here.
The Bazaar is in the southeast corner, where most dwarves go to sell or ply their crafts and every summer for the Crafting Festival it is transformed into an immense showcase for all manner of trades and professions to be shown off. Many of the retail shops for traders who come to the city are found here.
The south wall of the city is also made of stone and defended against attack from the south. Though less built up than the northern defenses, they are still quite stout and very well designed. Though not as large a threat as the trolls, orc bandits from Orentis have been known to attack from time to time, striking the southern wall. The South Gate is a large and thick metal affair, and is the only path into the city from the south. Traders and visitors from other parts of the Empire enter the city through Southgate.
Though the underground mushroom founds are found under the mountains to the north (with the farmers typically living under the mountains) most of the food production for Iceforge is from the farms south of the city. There are a few small hamlets or villages south of the city to provide services for those farming communities, but Iceforge is by far the largest settlement in House Mithril’s lands and is the cultural center of the Dwarven people within the Maelstrom.
Prominent Minor houses within House Mithril
-House Cavestone, led by High Lady Hugnada Cavestone
House Cavestone is responsible primarily for the mining operations under the Frostbite Mountains. This includes ore, gems and precious metals as well as quality stone for construction and stonemasonry. The vassal lords to House Cavestone have these responsibilities split up between them.
High Lady Hugnada Cavestone herself is a veteran skirmisher and warrior. She is quite loyal to Nolan Platnumspike and is a harsh (but ultimately fair) lord as long as her edicts and procedures are followed. When they are not she shows no mercy in her punishments.
-House Steelarm, led by High Lord Samnoic Steelarm
House Steelarm is primarily responsible for turning all of the raw ores, stones and gems that are brought out of the Frostbite Mountains into a useable finished product. Their vassal lords are largely divided up amongst the various specific products and trades for it, but they all answer to House Steelarm (who in turn answers to House Mithril).
Samnoic Steelarm himself is steadfastly loyal to Overlord Nolan Platnumspike and was a trusted right hand man to his father Duncan during the Hike of Hardship and was one of the first houses created by House Mithril. He is a grizzled old warrior and is widely regarded as a master smith, though these days he is getting on in years and most of his activity goes towards running house Steelarm. He is quite well liked by his people and vassals and is as trusted by Nolan as he was by Duncan.
-House Earthmantle, led by: High Lord Vonuik Earthmantle
House Earthmantle is in charge of all farming efforts in the lands owned by House Mithril, including the mushroom farms beneath the Frostbite Mountains. While not overly glamorous or profitable, this industry is, nonetheless, very important to House Mithril’s interests and as such House Earthmantle is respected for their grim determination and hard labor in spite of fairly minimal profit or glory.
High Lord Vonuik Earthmantle leads the house and though a capable healer he is a bit of an eccentric and inconsistent ruler. Some critics argue that House Earthmantle could be more powerful than it is if its head was more capable, but for the moment he is doing sufficiently well that Overlord Nolan has had no cause to replace him.
-House Broadshield, led by: High Lady Dofrae Broadshield
House Broadshield is in charge of the defenses of the lands of House Mithril, focused most predominantly around the upkeep of Frostfist keep and the defenses through Windgap Pass. They are also responsible for scouting forays undertaken to the north to gather intelligence on troll activities.
Dofrae Broadshield is the current head of the house and is a fierce warrior and shrewd tactician. Her father was good friends with Duncan Platnumspike and a fierce warrior in his own right, but was lost when the dwarves crossed into the Maelstrom. She is a no-nonsense warrior who takes her duties seriously and has personally led forays to the north and thus knows firsthand the hardships and dangers faced by the scouts who travel to the north, as well as what long periods on the Glacier can do to a person.
-House Stonehammer, led by High Lord Gognic Stonehammer
House Stonehammer was a vassal of House Steelarm until House Mithril was granted the right to control the trade (and profit) of their own goods generated in and around Iceforge. Gognic , a skilled accountant and businessman, made a case for House Stonehammer to be promoted to a minor house and put in charge of the trade. Overlord Duncan had reservations, but House Stonehammer has proven more than up to the task. They manage all of the trade of dwarven goods to the rest of the Empire and the tiny amounts of trade made to the Ogres, usually by sending one or two merchants with some goods to the Ogres along with one of House Broadshield’s forays to the north.
House Stonehammer is currently lead by High Lord Gognic Stonehammer. Gognic is distantly related to the family that ruled the Whiterock clan of dwarves in Dwarranegor, who were well known for their business acumen. Of course that old clan affiliation means far less to this generation of dwarves than it used to. Though an accomplished celestialist, Gognic has an eccentric and unpredictable personality. In spite of his eccentricities he is an excellent businessman and has amassed a large amount of wealth and prestige for his house.
Views on Other Races:
Dryads: Dwarves have had almost no interactions with Dryads. They’ve heard of their existance, of course, but have no real information on them.
Wylderkin: Wylderkin are incredibly diverse so it’s hard to pin them down to a general stereotype. Overall they’re viewed as a bit primitive and wild by dwarves. They seem more susceptible to behavioral changes when on the Glacier than most other races though, so some dwarves are wary of them as a result. Most dwarves view them as primitive but basically decent.
Stone Elves: The dwarves tend to distrust Stone Elves. Most dwarves have trouble trusting people who don’t laugh or get angry and they are viewed as either empty inside or hiding their feelings which makes them untrustworthy.
Dark Elves: The dwarves have never encountered dark elves, though they’ve heard occasional rumors of their existence under the land to the southeast.
Mystic Wood Elves: The few Children of Storm encountered have seemed a good, if exuberant, sort. The dwarves tend to view them as fun loving little brothers/sisters.
Biata: So far the biata rulers of the Empire have been fairly straightforward and generous with them though, which the dwarves have certainly not forgotten. A few dwarves feel that their generosity masks some hidden agenda.
Elves: Tree hugging nature lovers. Dwarves do not understand their connection with nature or strange ways and they are often viewed as arrogant.
Hoblings: Though hoblings are opportunistic and one should read any contract made with them very closely, dwarves view hoblings as favorable overall. Their love of money and good food and drink matches that of the dwarves and so they get along rather well.
Humans: This is the race it is the toughest to get a bead on because one human is very different from the next. Dwarves view humans as in too much of a hurry all the time and unwilling or unable to take their time to do something right but overall humans and dwarves get along pretty well.
Selunari: These wanderers are sometimes considered untrustworthy, but they tell great stories and can be a fun time.
Oathsworn: Very few have actually been encountered but based on their reputation dwarves respect their combat abilities while at the same time being wary about their savageness.
High Orcs: Dangerous, violent and surprisingly well organized. Though dwarves admire their battlefield prowess, the tendency of Orcs from the nearby nation of Orentis to occasionally attack House Mithril’s western territory tends to cultivate a general dislike of High Orcs for most dwarves.
High Ogres: Primitive but friendly and with a simple wisdom about them. Many of the ogre tribes on the Glacier aid and trade with dwarves sent on missions to the Glacier.