Valundex's Dwarves

Valundex's Dwarves is the common name for the subgroup of Dwarves who inhabit Verrin's warm southern sands, the land of Sab Qhua. They broke away from their northern brethren in the third age, when Orcs ravaged Verrin.
Valundex, a great lord of the hold of Tolkrun-Miond, saw no way to defeat the Orcish hordes and instead lead tens of thousands of his kin in a great migration southwards to escape the devastation. Now separated from the rest of Verrin by a scorching desert, these refugees developed their own language and insular culture. The most striking thing about these Dwarves is their willingness to live out in the open- most Dwarves prefer the safety of mountain holds rather than encampment-cities built around oases.
Valundex's Dwarves also build great irrigated floral gardens, which they see as sacred. Rituals including funerals and weddings are performed in these gardens. The largest among these is the Great Garden of Tshugan which is over five miles in diameter. Most do not believe in such a place- until they look upon it.
Seen by most other Dwarves as effete and cowardly, the Dwarves of the South are nonetheless doughty warriors in their own way. They rely heavily on ambush and the superiority of their ranged weapons- crossbows are a product of Sab Qhua's ingenious inhabitants. Any would-be invaders are pierced with bolts before their assailants simply melt away into the desert haze.

Culture

Culture and cultural heritage

Despite a long separation and ongoing frosty relations with the northern Dwarves, the dwellers of Sab Qhua are still distinctly Dwarven. They maintain all the stubbornness, resilience and reliability of their mountain kin. They also retain a talent for mining and building, although their architectural styles have changed almost beyond recognition.

Common Dress code

Because of their much warmer homeland, the Dwarves of Sab Qhua forgo the tunics and furs worn by other Dwarves and instead wear long, flowing robes and headdresses to protect them from the sun's harsh rays. These robes vary greatly in colour and may even contain gemstones and pure golden thread as decoration.
The southern Dwarves are often seen as the world's best producers of fabrics, such as silks and linens as well as dyes and gilded jewellery.

Art & Architecture

Where the northern Dwarves pride themselves on their stout, square-edged and hard-wearing architecture, the children of Valundex allow their buildings to reach high into the sky. The cities of the desert are visible for miles around, with their beautiful gilded domes gleaming in the sun. Perhaps an old habit, there are also extensive underground tunnel systems beneath the sands. Huge tents and yurts are a common feature of Sab Qhua cities, as they allow much freer ventilation that permanent structures.
Overall, the Dwarves of Sab Qhua have a much softer and more aesthetically inclined culture than other Dwarves, but this does not mean that they have lost any of their skill at building to last. Some structures that still stand date back to the very first migration.