Mountain Dwarves

Said to be the original race of dwarves throughout pondera, Mountain dwarves keep their home most often to the underground kingdom of Steisen. Allthough the surrounding lands and on the surface are home to other dwarves, the majority of mountain dwarves live underground, in the depths, where they take the most of their advantage to see in the dark. Some argue that hill dwarves are the first of their kind, but the majority of the world believes that the mountain dwarves came first.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Although it can differ from culture to culture, the majority of dwarven names come from the history of their parents, and the expected history of the dwarf. A dwarf will always be given a name from their parents, usually as an honorific towards a family friend, or honorable family member, with the expectation that the name itself will garner respect and honor for the dwarf throughout their lifetime. From there, each dwarven culture will grant an honorific name, given by those of status, usually as a title to be included in the name. Finally, the last name in all cultures will either be the last name of their house, the name of their parantage, denotating the family line, or a name given by the leader of a community. No dwarf may grant themselves a name, and those who do are rightly shunned by the society they lie too about. In short, a dwarf name is their history, one worth wielding stronger than any weapon.

Example: Ogdrik "The Dragonslayer, The Winekeeper, The Studious, The Dubious" Grangleson.

Major Organizations

Kingdom of Steisen is the most prominent kingdom regarding mountain dwarves. They claim it as their homeland, and most are agreed in scholarly discussions that it is the proper land for their creation. Quite a few mountain dwarves can be found outside of Steisen however, with a rare few clans itself inside Kuraudosukurēpā who have been there for generations.

Beauty Ideals

In dwarven culture, beauty is defined by the apparent status of the other. For men and women, there is a fine balance between a hard working dwarf, and being overweight. Both of them watch their figure just enough to be able to show off their strength, and look fairly wealthy via overeating or overindulging.

For dwarves in cultures with long hair or beards, braids usually show as a status symbol, coutship, or even messages of power from one culture to the next via attatching beads or fancy decorations in the hair.

Gender Ideals

Because dwarves can appear mostly androgenous to outsiders and even other dwarves, they have found that the social construct of a pure male female pairing foreign to their society. Though some dwarf women prefer to shave their beards, this is far from the norm. The most true of a gender ideal is to raise the honor of ones house, and their standing in society.

Courtship Ideals

Each dwarf spends their adult years trying to find what the dwarves speak in their own language as their "fated." The one or many who may complete them as a person. Who fills this void in a dwarfs life can vary on many levels. Sometimes it is the one they spend years protecting a town with, or the one they have been mining with over the decades. The truth is that to someone who does not understand the subtlties of a dwarfs affections, it seems like a dwarf does nothing, but this is far from the truth.
When a dwarf finds who they believe is their fated, it can lead to some of the greatest of dwarven artwork ever inspired to be made. Something to help reveal their affections. Sometimes, the artwork is more physical, such as performing great deeds in someones name, or making a huge profit. Each dwarf is different on how they persue this adoration for another. It is a hugely personal matter, and the first person to view this inspiration, should they be capable and willing to acknowledge anothers feelings, will feel the effort that was put into this.
If this courtship is accepted, feelings are reciprocated, and a real relationship forms between the individuals.

Relationship Ideals

Many poke fun at dwarven relationships as "a competition." And far be it from outsierrs for this grain of truth. In a relationship, both are expected to bring out the best in each other, and try and prod at the worst. This idea that they can only compete with each other when they are at their peak seems to eminate to all corners of society. Be it drinking competitions, who can be the better parent, cook, smith, etc.
The difference that most seem to be unaware of within these relationships is the celebration of both participants for both victory and defeat. Each having its own virtue, and worthiness to celebrate.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

The 88 are an ever growing number of ancestors that the dwarves consider to be the pride and joy of all dwarvenkind. Each dwarf has its history well known through the cultural heritage of the dwarves. Those who hold the name of one of their dwarven ancestors are held to high regard and expectations as well.
#13 House Terasunder: Though the original name of the leader of the house was lost, all of its members specialize in mining operations, explosives and every way to explore the caves not carved out by dwarven hands. It is believed that the original leader of the house brought gunpowder from gnome lands, and used it to start a revolution in mining operations within the kingdom.
#25 Edgar Grimbreaker: Was the first dwarf to ever hold the capability to use divine magic strong enough to cause a hoard of undead to halt in place, allowing only four people the capability to run in, and slaughter the entire hoard without a single casualty. Was the third official recorded cleric of Olänn.
#26 Ghornin Caestus: Developed a fist fighting style capable of inflicting great damage against the abominations that attack the ancestral home of the dwarves, and opening a school to teach vast numbers of students.
#35 Caeltus Lapis: Discovered Rune magic. Allowing the ease to imbue permanent enchantments into weapons through simplified runes of partial dwarven make.
#43 Ingel Lightblade: Created a thousand swords for a thousand families during a major siege on Geburtszwerg. His prowess with magic was so great, that it is said that only those who were truely meant to wield a weapon made by a lightblade would have it glow in their hand.