Dwarves

From below, up to the mountains. Our works will forever be great.

Written by Rat_King

"Aiah-Eh! Vindi Lo-Dann!"

-Ancient Dwarvish war call

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The first people of Seneca, Kings of the mountains and The Under, Innovators of technology and faithful to Lo-Dann the Reformer. Forever resilient, Seneca will never fall until the last dwarf dies.

Basic Information

Anatomy

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Physical Appearance (General/ surface dwarves)

• Identical to human anatomy, shorter and stocky stature and musculature
  
• Much more hardy and sturdy than humans, second only to the larger Senecans the orcs
  
• Female Dwarves from all varieties can grow beards but unlike their male counterparts, theirs only appear at the jawline and don't grow over 2.5 cm (or 1 inch).

Species Variants

Subterranean/Under dwarves

• Slightly shorter build than the surface dwarf, generally posses pale skin
  
• In rare cases, some Subterranean dwarves have glowing eyes

Mountain dwarves

• Slightly taller and less stocky than the surface dwarf,
  
• Closely resembles short humans.

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Biological Traits

a rare number of Subterranean dwarves possess glowing eyes which enhances their abilities to sense rare minerals.

Ecology and Habitats

Surface dwarves tend to live near caves that are capable of being mined, but in general they are adaptable. Meanwhile, the Under dwarves live under the subterranean scapes of Seneca and the Mountain dwarves prefer, well........ the mountains

Additional Information

Social Structure

The contemporary dwarf follows either the government of their own Clandens or they follow the local human government they live under, which could vary under feudal, republic or that of an imperial government.

Facial characteristics

Most male dwarves grow thick beards

Geographic Origin and Distribution

• All three variants are commonly found in Seneca, Surface and Subterranean dwarves can be found on the continent of Rhoygir albeit uncommon for surface dwarves and rarer for Subterranean to find themselves in Rhoygir
• Only surface dwarves are present in the continent of Carrion, either as traders or settlers.

Average Intelligence

• Mountain dwarves are the smartest amongst the three, since they are used to run collegiums and create astronomical objects such as great telescopes, observatories, and Astrariums. Being intelligent and proud is in their lifestyles, which is why the common dwarves perceive them as haughty assholes
• Subterranean on the other hand only possess a basic amount of knowledge about the surface world, just enough to communicate and trade with Surface dwarves and humans since they moved on from the times of Scarsis to just living their lives underneath

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

The Under Dwarves possess a sensory ability that allows them to feel or sense if mineral or metals are nearby. The earthen touch, they call it. They fear that by being touched by the sun, just as the surface and mountain dwarves, would lead them to lose these abilities.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Common Dwarven names, non-culture specific:

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Masculine Dwarven names:

• Olimer
• Berdock
• Bostas
• Skolmer
• Turgram
• Lorgan

Feminine Dwarven names:

• Harrolyn
• Bealgetha
• Dunhilde
• Feanna
• Helgrid
• Dothri

Note: dwarves don't have common unisex names
Naming convention for dwarves are fairly simple, if the dwarf belongs in a Clanden his/her name usually begins with the Clannate's name followed by the suffix '-den', if not then the name usually begins with the given name followed by the surname. for example "Fulgianden, Bostas Fulmor", 'Fulgianden' meaning that he belongs in the Fulgian clannate, 'Bostas' is the given name and 'Fulmor' is his surname. However, if he didn't belong to any Clanden then he would be called "Bostas Fulmor".

Major Organizations

Perhaps the most famous organization that came from the dwarves are the Council of Savants, founded by the humans and dwarves(mostly mountain dwarves) in the early days of the kingdom of Gascony. It was a way for the Senecans to develop new technologies and discover entities within the realm of science, alchemy and other arts that could be studied.

Another organization, the only one exclusive to the assimilated dwarves which is known as Grennler's Conclave. A secret group of dwarven merchants all throughout the kingdoms of Seneca. It often acts as an illegal crime ring, often orchestrating smuggler's dens and forgery acts to certain people. Initially the group began as a way to share trade secrets within each other until someone made changes. Some dwarves broke of and disassociated with them and now formed the Merchant's guild that welcomes and supports merchants and traders from differing background.

Beauty Ideals

Under the Clandens, males are desired to have long and braided beards. Culturally male dwarves are only allowed to braid their beards once they have attained certain feats, such as participating in five battles or having won ten duels consecutively and such which can warrant a single or multiple beard braids.

Female dwarves may also have braids, although it's less restrictive for women to have braids since it's downplayed in gender roles. Most woment under the Clandens are preferred to have shorter hair as all dwarves are encouraged to serve under militias.

Gender Ideals

Male dwarves are desired to have well groomed beards. Socially most men under clandens are preferred to be serving the clan military, either as a warrior or otherwise.

Female dwarves are more flexible in professions under the Clandens albeit they are less likely to hold places of power within the clannate as the system tend to favor agnatic kinship.

Dwarves outside of Clandens are more egalitarian in terms of gender ideals.

Average Technological Level

Inverntors of astronomical tools and steam powered engines alike, they helped shape Senecan technology into what is is now.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Prior to the arrival of human tribes in Seneca, the dwarves both surface and mountain all spoke Swaini. While the Under dwarves clung on to the ancient dwarvish language of Lecarne on which Swaini was derived from. To this day the Under dwarves still speak the same language.

During the periods of assimilation the use of Swaini gradually declined as assimilated dwarves tend to favor language of the local culture and dwarves under the Clanden now surrounded by territories of humans speak in various creoles such as swani-trebon, swani-gasque and much more.

History

Descendants of the ancient dwarves of Lecarne that migrated because of the oppressive elves of the days of Legend. The early dwarven clans spent their early days wandering and attempting to settle in the vast plains of Rhoygir, but to no avail. This was what life was like in the years before the discovery of Seneca, a clannate tries to settle down until they quarrel with the local powers of Rhoygir, and be overpowered by either the orcs or the beastmen. This led them to believe that the dwarves weren't meant to settle in this continent. Their desire for a place called home had led them to be desperate to finally belong in one place, for every dwarf in diaspora has grown tired of moving from one place to another. Out of desperation for a place called home rumors and myths of a continent untouched, circulated in certain dwarven clans bringing eager explorers into their ranks as they search for a home.

Junion 12, year 207 of Scarsis. A fateful day for the dwarves for they will ultimately become the first people of the new continent of Seneca(Originally Senkha). For the better part of 2 centuries they lavished in it's untouched wealth, bringing about great dwarven cities, new technologies, universities, and more. But since each dwarven Clannates kept growing it's not uncommon that they would wage war amongst each other. It wasn't until year 43 of Scarsis that a great war had blown up between the Mountain dwarves and the Surface dwarves. Since the mountain dwarves were lacking in number and support they eventually hired human sellswords from nomadic tribes in Rhoygir. The wars were eventually inconclusive ending in a white peace, but by bringing human sellswords in the continent of Seneca, they had unknowingly brought about the future end of the Dwarven golden age.

As the humans have heard of new lands, their tribes have come also to migrate to Seneca. Initially settling the westernmost regions of Seneca as to avoid the dwarves. But in time they grew far stronger than that of the infighting Clandens of the dwarves. Steamrolled by the mighty Cascan empire until their fall in late 400s No.Di. where the assimilated became part of the local cultures as the old empire broke down. And came the forming of the Senecan Alliance.

Historical Figures

Lo-Dann

Half-Human, Half-Dwarvish hero. revered as a saint and in some cases worshiped as an epithet of Innovus, Lo-Dann the reformer. He freed the Dwarven slaves against the early elven kingdoms

Fulgianden, Horris "Gray-eyes" Fulghast

Dwarven explorer that led the Fulgian clans to the fertile plains of Asturica, which was the land on the southeastern part of Seneca and essentially the first dwarf to discover the continent. He was also credited for founding the city of Vor Dorahl in his later days as he became Bann-Lohren of the Fulgian Clanden.

Tourgram De'Corbes

Merchant dwarf form the kingdom of Gascony that broke off from Grennler's Conclave after exposing the nature of their actions to Seneca and later forming the Merchant's Guild. Became the richest man in Seneca for the time he was alive, was later assassinated by the Conclave.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

• Ever since the forming of the Senecan alliance, their species are most intimate with humans since they have been working together even before their exile from the continent of Lecarne, the scramble in Rhoygir, and finally defending their new homeland of Seneca even though they fought each other initially.
• Dwarves and orcs had a rough relationship. During the times of Scarsis, Clandens would often be attacked by orcs or beastmen, but ever since the orcs joined the alliance their relationship between their peoples have mellowed out.
• The Nazca of Carrion are an enigma, sometimes they protect dwarven traders in Carrion and sometimes they would attack without reason.
• As far as the Senecan dwarves are concerned, the Lecarnic League can eat shit. Otherwise they feel neutral about the great conlict

"Aren't they just midgets?"

-Mayor Othon, smallbrain human

Dwarf from Overlord by so-bin

Origin/Ancestry

Primal Dwarves

Lifespan

70-115 years

Average Height

1.0 m - 1.25m

Average Weight

60-100kg

Average Physique

Thick and stocky