Dwarves

The race of dwarves long predates the races of men. While dwarves are not especially common, neither is it rare to see them. This has been especially the case since their exile from their ancient holds in the Skanni Mountains, of which they rarely, if ever, speak. Since that time, the dwarves have traveled from town to town, settling for only short periods of frequently less than 60 years before moving on. They often make their livings as expert stonemasons, smiths, carpenters, or brewers. Rarely do they turn merchant, for these folk do not love to part with things they have made with their hands-and even when they "trade," it is more like a free exchnage of gifts between friends than a commercial transaction.

Dwarven behavior is often profoundly misunderstood by others. Some find dwarves stubborn, recalcitrant, and close-minded, but this is only on those subjects upon which the dwarves have devoted much thought, and the fact that they have usually thought through a problem or issue more thoroughly and exhaustively than those they speak to (most often humans), they may appear short-tempered and irascible.

No more are the dwarves as taciturn as they are often reputed to be. They are simply good listeners, and not inclined to contribute to a conversation unless they have something substantive to say. It is possible for a dwarf to remain silent at board through the entirety of a six-hour feast, only to finally utter a single cryptic and concise comment that would seem to conclude the conversation.

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

There are few dwarven female names known for certain, for the dwarves carefully guard their womenfolk.  Those names which have been known include the following:

Bilja, Brögg, Dyrgja, Frenja, Galja, Gudr, Höllr, Nalja, Strigrr, Tholja, Urðr, Yngja

Masculine names

The Danish, Svear, and Nordic skalds, who know more of the dwarven race than most men, have recorded their names as set down in legends, and given in person. It is not known whether these names are accurate, for dwarves guard their own tongue jealously and are thought by some to nickname themselves when speaking to the larger folk. Nonetheless, these are some common names that have been recorded:

Aí, Alþjófr, Alþjófr, Ánarr, Andvari, Atvarðr, Augirminir, Arvangr, Aurvagr; Báfurr, Bálinn, Bári, Berling, Bifurr, Bildr, Billingr, Bláinn, Blindviðr, Blôvurr, Böfurr, Bömburr, Brísingr, Brokkr, Brúni, Búinn, Buri; Dagfinnr, Dáinn, Dáni, Darri, Dellingr, Dolgr, Dólgþrasir, Dóri, Duneyrr, Duraþrór, Durinn, Dúrnir, Dvalinn, Dwóri; Eggmóinn, Eikinskjaldi, Eilifr, Eitri; Fafni, Fáinn, Fár, Farli, Fili, Finnr, Fjalar, Fjǫlsviðr, Fjǫrgi, Fǫrvi, Frægr, Frár, Fríðr, Froarr, Frosti, Fullangr, Fundinn, Furni; Galar, Ginnarr, Glói, Glóinn, Gloni, Gollmævill, Grer, Grímr, Gud, Gustr; Halgi, Hanarr, Hár, Haugspori, Helgi, Hepti, Heptifili, Heri, Herrauðr, Herriðr, Hildingr, Hjalgi, Hleðjolfr, Hlévangr, Hljóðolfr, Holgi, Hornbori, Horr, Hraki, Hreiðmarr, Hroar, Hrori, Hugstari; Ibbi, Idri, Idurr. Inri, Iri, Irr, Ívaldi; Jaggr, Jaki, Jari, Jurgi; Kili, Kraggi; Líðskjalfr, Litr, Ljómi, Lofarr, Lóinn, Lóni; Miðvið, Mjöðvitnir, Mjǫklituð, Moinn, Mondull, Mótsognir, Munin; Nabbi, Nalgi, Næfr, Náinn, Nali, Nár, Nefi, Niði, Nípingr, Norðri, Nóri, Nýi, Nýr, Nýráðr; Óinn, Oli, Ǫlni, Óri, Ótr; Ráðspakr, Ráðsviðr, Regin, Rekkr; Siarr, Sindri, Skávær, Skafiðr, Skirfir, Suðri, Svíurr; Thekkr, Theóðrœrir, Thjórr, Tholinn, Thorin, Thráinn, Thrasir, Thrór, Tigvi, Tóki, Túta; Uni, Úri; Varr, Vegdrasill, Veggr, Veigr, Vestri, Viðr, Vífir, Viggr, Vigr, Vili, Virwir, Vitr; Yngvi

Culture

Common Myths and Legends

Dwarves hold the earth to be the sacred mother of all.  It was in ages past that the dwarves themselves were brought to life in the womb of Ulaa.

Just as the dwarves themselves ripen in the womb of Ulaa, so all metals ripen in the womb of the earth, growing slowly toward their perfect form-gold.  Veins of ore are regarded as living embryos, guarded by the spirits of the earth.  Therefore, before a vein of ore can be extracted, sacrifices must be made to the spirits.  Moreover, as the act of mining itself may be regarded as a transgression against the body of Ulaa, care must be taken to extract the ore without her awareness.  Such has led to the dwarven tradition of soft mining-and it is one of the reasons that many dwarven miners develop skills as thieves.

The ore, so taken, is like an undeveloped embryo extracted from the womb of Ulaa, an abortion that will be brought to term in the forges of the dwarves, faster than it will develop within the body of Ulaa herself.  For this reason, an extra set of sacrifices must be made to the forges before the Master Smith can begin to work the ores.  At this time, the dwarves call upon the power of Amaimon, King of the Azer, to transform the ore itself.

The power wielded by the Master Smiths is great-they dare to take ores from the deep, sometimes wresting them through strength or stealth from the guardian spirits.  Such smiths are said to have miraculous powers of healing and can even raise the dead-albeit only once and during the dark of the moon.  Beyond this, a smith may learn to create constructs, though limited in mobility and confined to a small area.  They may even summon spirits of fire, although this must be done with caution lest a powerful demon or develop steps through the summoning.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

Male dwarves are proud of their beards, which they wear long and keep immaculately groomed, even when going into battle.  Often the beards are braided, decorated with beads, and fitted with rings of gold.  It has been claimed that dwarves never cut their beards, but in truth they keep them well-barbered and oiled at the tips (although when trimming off the damaged ends, the hair is never discarded).  Contrary to what the ignorant have alleged, their females are not bearded, but smoother of face than even the elves.  Rotundity is seen as a sign of trustworthiness-skinny dwarves, either male or female, are never quite trusted.  Dwarf-wives favor a weathered look in their husbands, wrinkles around the eyes and callouses on the hands being the most desired features.

Gender Ideals

Dwarven society maintains a clear distinction between male and female roles, with the male dwarves tending to the work of mining, masonry, smithying, and carpentry, while the female dwarves work the kilns and the looms of the hold, as well as attending to matters of healing.  Dwarven brewers tend to be male, but those female dwarves who have engaged in the craft have excelled in it.  It is rumored, in fact, that the better-known brews of the dwarves, superior as they may be to human brewing, are the products of male dwarven brewers and thus fit to be traded outside the hold.  The best brews are kept in the hold, crafted by the female dwarves and never shared out with any outside the hold.

Dwarven armies are made up principally of male fighters, although again those female dwarves who take up the spear or the hammer are formidable foes-akin to the shieldmaidens of the Skanni.  For the most part, however, the females of the hold tend to matters closer to home and rarely if ever venture outside.  This has led to the belief that there are no female dwarves, a stereotype most dwarves find incredibly stupid.  It has also led to the belief that male dwarves are desirous of human or even elven females, an idea that dwarves find particularly offensive-for although they have come to accept the strange appearance of those non-dwarves they have met, they find the appearances of non-dwarves not to their liking-the slender frame the elves favor and the curved frames favored by so many humans being distorted at best!

Relationship Ideals

Dwarves marry for life, and if anything should happen to one of them, the surviving spouse never takes another.  It is rumored that dwarves have gone to war against their own when this custom was broken, but the dwarves themselves do not speak of such things, let alone acknowledge them.  If asked, the bristles on the dwarf's beard may be seen to rise, a sure sign he is about to be roused to anger.  In such moments, it is best not to push the matter any further.