Dwhewn-Narâg

Dwhewn-Narâg, meaning the Dwarves of the Grudge, presumably called so after Karkûn Narâg that they hold dear;
Those dwarves do hold their oaths most seriously and are acting on some kind of personal code of honor and grudges, oath-swearing; Like many Mountain Dwarves, they are usually private;

Culture

Culture and cultural heritage

They have a caste system that determine the opportunities that they encounter during their lives;

The Caste System

All Dwhewen-Narâg are born into predetermined social classes that dictate their life paths and societal standing.
A child inherits their caste from their same-sex parent. This means a son inherits his father's caste, while a daughter inherits her mother's. In mixed-caste marriages, the family typically aligns with the higher-caste parent.
In the past, well before Anvil's Orchestra, when dwarves birth rates were low, female dwarves often sought partners from higher castes to improve their social standing. This practice, while potentially controversial, was generally accepted within the society - but is less and less common since ;
A Dwarf can transcend the caste system by becoming sponsored by the King Under the Mountains. This elevation not only benefits the dwarf itself but also their entire family. Additionally, the assembly of noble houses may elevate a Dwarf to a higher caste as a reward for significant accomplishments.
Despite the importance of caste, there's internal rivalry within and between castes. For instance, high-ranking Smiths may consider themselves superior to Warriors.

The Artisan Distiniction

In every Caste, there are Artisans; For instance in the Smith Caste: The Artisan Distiniction refines and decorates crafted goods. Smiths are responsible for manufacturing the diverse products needed by all castes. Artisans, therefore, are the artistic expression of dwarven society.

Aritsans, cannot demote or promote themselves to any caste; They have to wait 3 generations and the tests should be appropriate for their sons/daughters and grandsons/granddaughters before they can belong to other caste;

The Noble Caste

The Noble caste is comprised of numerous houses, many founded by adventurers; However, some were established by high-caste dwarves, often from the warrior, priests or smith castes.

Monarch under the Mountain

The King or Queen of the Mountains, together with their Royal House, occupies the apex of the dwarven social structure. They are considered the preeminent noble House and usually the position is hereditary and can be transferred to another house by a popular vote of 75% of the assembly (detailed below).

The Assembly of Noble Houses

Members of the Assembly are known as Karnath, though some derisively refer to them as "Mountain Lords". During the events of the Kadian Invasion of Rakion, the Assembly is composed of 242 Karnath from the most influential noble houses in the empire. The right of a noble house to claim a vote in the Assembly is predicated on that house having a Karnath, a general. Therefore, the number of Assembly members can fluctuate. Any caste other than the noble caste is not represented in the Assembly.
A Karnath is essentially a lord of the assembly. Becoming a Karnath requires a vacancy, typically caused by death or resignation. An existing member nominates a candidate, who must then secure the approval of one-third of the Assembly.
The Karnaths themselves, serve in their positions for life, unless they are dismissed or succeeded. While the King Under the Mountains. is technically the supreme military leader of Dora-Nil, in reality, their authority is limited to the warriors of their own house. To increase their military might, the Mountain King can appoint High Generals from other noble houses, gaining access to their warriors as well.

The Priest Caste

The Priest class of Dora-Nil, is only loyal to the Morndinsamman and every house of the nobles, try to align themselves with one god of the Morndinsamman; However, in the lower castes, it is much more diverse. They can conduct The Trial of Will and Duty and therefore, of extreme significance to the caste systems.

The Warrior Caste

Warrior houses are intrinsically linked to noble houses, with their status and prestige mirroring that of their patron. The most elite Warriors serve the royal house, enjoying privileged access to the finest weaponry and armor. The rise and fall of royal houses directly impacts the fortunes of their associated Warrior houses.

The Warrior caste is a pivotal force within the complex Dwhewn-Narâg, fulfilling numerous roles and commanding significant influence. As one of the most populous castes, Warriors are essential to Dora-Nil's security, a responsibility that often comes at a high cost. Their lives are marked by rigorous training and early marriage, reflecting the harsh realities of their existence. Despite the sacrifices, Warriors find honor and purpose in their service.
Women play a vital role within the Warrior caste, serving not only as fighters but also as mothers. There are ways for many to become warriors within the castes but the most popular one is through The Trial of Will and Duty;
The Warrior caste is further divided into specialized sub-castes: Officers, Soldiers and Guardsmen; Warrior houses, often designated by the Assembly, are entrusted with the planning and execution of expeditions into various levels of the Underdark. These houses appoint officers from among the Warriors sworn to them to lead these perilous missions.
A select few high-ranking Warriors may attain the honor of knighthood, addressed as Abir, which best translates to "Ser" in Khuzdul; Therfeore, every Dwarven Defender, is automatically called "Abir".
A few more honored champions, are the battleragers, while not Abirs, they are terrible for their wrath, almost taking a pilgrimage to learn types of rages of different cultures, where they utilize their ways and bring it into Dora-Nil.

The Smith Caste

The Smith caste is responsible for manufacturing essential goods, tems like armor, weapons, and tools. The Artisans add ornamental details to the Smith's creations; They provide the esstenial tools for warriors, miners, farmers; Artisan Smiths are sometimes skilled in Runecrafting.
While many aspects of Smith life are strictly regulated, there seems to be flexibility regarding personal trade.
Smiths compete with each other to showcase their skills and craftsmanship. These competitions produce impressive displays of weaponry and armor that are highly sought after by other Dwarves. Weaponsmiths and armorers are particularly esteemed within the Smith caste.

The Mining Caste

The Mining caste is responsible for extracting valuable minerals; The Miners wield considerable wealth and power. The Miner's Guild controls the distribution of extracted minerals. The Mining Caste is highly involved with the priest caste as they help them in excavations.

Specialialty Miners

Unlike other Castes and Dwarves, the Mining Castes have developed artisans that specialize in three fashions: Those who are Oracles, Shamans and Runic Casters which specialize in Mining.

The Merchant Caste

Most of Dora-Nil's goods are traded by merchants, either to surface traders or within the community itself. Only Licensed Merchants, who are usually artisans, may sell goods in high-society quarters.
It should be noted that once Merchant often acted as ambassadors to other races, however, since they betrayed the trust of the Dwarves, the Noble Caste took it upon themselves to fulfill this role.
The Merchants often hire Casteless for many dangerous missions which involve gathering information, fauna, resources and special ingrredients.

The Farming Caste

Surface Section

The Farming Caste is one of the most improtant of the castes, even it is considered to be of low statue; Even though it is low, the Farming Caste is highly sought upon for work and all understand its importance.
For Dwarves, it is no small matter of growing wheat, grain and other essentials, so they have special designated castes growing it up on every surface hold they have;

Underdark Section

Most of the food of the dwarves, cannot come from above and their stores of food and alcohol, actually come from vegetation in the underdark, where they use special lightning effects, used by the priests castes and sometimes Shamans from the Mining Caste who helps them in this matter;
Recently, since the Division of the Empire of Dora-Nil, the Dwarves have had mastered runic scripts, used by Dwhewn-Betag to grow food in their underground holds.

The Servant Caste

The Servant caste, the lowest tier of Dwarven society, provides essential services to the higher castes. Their roles include cleaning, cooking, and domestic service. Despite their humble position, they approach their work with dignity and pride. They often view the casteless with disdain, underscoring their belief in the importance of their contributions. While they form the majority of the population, they hold the least amount of wealth and power.

The Slaves Caste

The Slaves Caste, are not Dwarves per se, more like Half-Dwarves or slaves caught in the war, who have to atone for their crimes against dwarf-kind; They are serving up sentences to redeem the wrongs as recorded in the Karkûn Narâg. The Greater the crime, the longer and terrible the servitude.

The Casteless

The casteless are outcasts of Dwarven society. Born without rights and formal education, they are considered less than human. The Assembly decrees that casteless dwarves are forbidden from performing any work that could be done by a caste member, forcing them into a life of menial labor, begging, or crime.
To mark their outcast status, casteless dwarves are branded with a tattoo shortly after birth. The casteless are seen as descendants of criminals and undesirables, tainted by the Ancestors' rejection Only those who become priests, or honored Dwhewn who fought for greater of dwarf-kind.

Parent ethnicities

• Dwhewn
• Dwhewn-Betag

Encompassed species

• Mountain Dwarf

Related Items

• Bane of a Thousand Invaders

Languages spoken

• Khaz-Narâg