Dwarf

The Dwarves are the most unchanging of all the Fey. Set in their ways, they hold to their traditions and customs while letting the outside world change to hold them. Interested mainly in the ways of the earth, they perfect the workings of metal and stone. Traditions and their ways are handed down from parent to child, and their importance emphasized. Their language, which many Human scholars merely suspect exists, is a secret one, held close and never revealed to outsiders. Though common language is used around other species, their own is secret, revealed only to other dwarves in the fastness of their great holds.

Dwarves make for great miners and the greatest of smiths. Master stonesmiths and metalworkers they prefer to build with stone or enlarge their mines into subteranian keeps. Preferring to live in mineral rich lands, they have settled in the largest numbers in the many mountain ranges throughout the world. Less than one Dwarf in ten is female, and as such females are prized in Dwarven society, and all doors of opportunity are open to her.

More than a little suspicious of non-dwarves, they nevertheless respect their ‘elder siblings’ the Elves. On the whole, dwarves won’t trust anyone they don’t know well. They tend to be blunt people with an eye always on the bottom line. Although profit-oriented as a people, they tend to be long term planners, which makes them fairly honest. When Dwarves are wronged they tend to be quite tenacious in exacting revenge, although they may not seek redress immediately; Dwarves have long memories, and sometimes grudges can last across many generations.

= Roleplaying a Dwarf=

Looking like a Dwarf
Dwarves in Mystfall are known for their luxurious beards, and even female dwarves will sport at least a dainty goatee. These reps must be different than your actual facial hair (otherwise you are hard to differentiate from a regular human with a beard!). Dwarves tend to dress in earthy colours, as well as metallic tones. Their dress tends to be more practical than anything, and formal wear for a dwarf might just be their least threadbare pair of pants. This doesn't account for accessories, however, as dwarves love jewelry made of precious metals, and are happy to show off in the form of rings or heavy necklaces.

Dwarven Names
Dwarven names tend to be composed of a first and last name. First names are short, practical, and usually no more than two syllables. Last names are commonly two words put together, usually related to dwarven culture (smithing, mining, etc.). Example names for dwarves are Hagar Ironfist, Jett Blackstone, Cedar Ironthunder.

= Dwarf Culture =

Birth and Childhood
Dwarves, like elves, have a longer live span then humans. A dwarf would consider their life well lived at a ripe age of 200, but some have been known to live to 250 or even 300. Unlike the elves however, possibly due in part to their beards, dwarves always appear to be older than they actually are.

Naming Day
Considered more important then their birthday, a dwarf’s naming day is held 10 days after their birth. Prior to naming day the dwarf is simply known as “Baby”. Following the ceremony a celebration is held. First-born sons and daughters are a cause for much larger party.

Fostering
At age of 6-8 male dwarf children are fostered out to uncles or other friends of the family. The fosterer is expected to teach the child a trade. This practice allows more dwarves to participate in family life and takes the strain of raising the young off the married dwarves. The fostering of female children is rare but not unheard of.

Milestones
These milestones are mostly recognized among the merchant class of dwarves, but exist in some form at all levels of dwarven society.

The First Apprentice – Is the day when a young dwarf becomes a adult by being chosen by a master as an apprentice. This is the point where a serious study of their life work will begin. It is a joyous day.

The Master’s Path – This is a day when an apprentice is no longer an apprentice. The dwarf has created their first master crafted item.

Love and Marriage
Dwarven women are given a fair bit of freedom in choosing a mate. There is no expectation of celibacy prior to marriage but dwarves do believe in monogamous marriages. Although not common, some dwarven women choose not to marry.

Courting
Dwarven men will often present themselves as suitor to single dwarven women. This often involves them formally declaring themselves to be a suitor and letting the woman know their qualifications as a husband. This might involve a demonstration of their skill or a gift as a demonstration of their wealth etc. Because of the low chances of finding a Dwarven wife, male dwarves will frequently court women of other races.

Since they usually have a wide selection of men from which to choose a husband, dwarven women tend to marry exceptional men. Married male dwarves are usually the leaders of their communities whether their leadership is political, artistic, military or in some other form.

Weddings
Because of the relative rareness of dwarven women, weddings are a rare and much celebrated event. Prior to a wedding the community will get together to build a large house for the new couple. A ceremonial axe is often made to “protect” the new house and may be decorated with symbols of the bride and grooms families. Fertility symbols of all sorts abound at dwarven weddings. Male friends of the grooms often stand and testify as to his suitability to be a husband. Following the ceremony, there is a large party, often attended by the entire community.

Work and Play
“There is a time to work and a time to play” and dwarves rarely confuse the two. Dwarves believe in hard work, yet they recognize the importance of relaxation and take it just as seriously.

Among the Fey, dwarves are known for making and building things. Especially things associated with stone or metal. This is not to say that every dwarf is a miner, smith or stone mason but as is true of so many stereotypes, there is more then a grain of truth to this perception.

Family businesses are common among dwarves. Often many generations will work together in one line of work. While most families do not insist their offspring join the family business, it is often expected, especially if the youngster does not show a particular aptitude for another line of work.

Dwarven communities often center around the homes of married dwarves. These homes are typically bigger then average to allow room for children. These homes will have external building to act as workshops or barns or storage. Single male dwarves will often share a small home with a brother or cousin in the same line of work. In many cases, their home and work will be in the same building.

Celebrations
Dwarves are known as a hardworking, serious race. However, when they decide to hold a celebration, dwarves apply the same tenacity to the art of having fun. Dwarven parties are not fancy affairs. The idea of fancy party clothes would be quite foreign to dwarves. Rather they tend to gather in a large group with lots of food and drink. There is often music and dancing. The average dwarf can consume more alcohol then the average human. Most dwarves would prefer a large mug of good ale to a tiny cup of fine liquor.

Dwarves participate in many forms of dance. Dwarven Interpretive Clog Dancing is a performance piece, which involves a dwarf reading a piece of epic poetry, interrupted with moments of clog dancing. This is done to either to mark a great occasion (birth of a child, victory in battle etc.) or as part of courting. The intricacies of this art are often lost on non-dwarves. Dwarven Line Dancing is a more popular form of dance for parties. Long lines of male dwarves form and there is much stamping of feet and clapping of hands in time to the music. This is the most popular form of dance among dwarves, as it does not require partners.

Potatoes
Dwarves love to eat potatoes. It’s their favourite food, and no dwarven banquet is complete without some potatoes. “Potato day” is a special celebration that can be held anytime the dwarves feel like a party and there is nothing else to celebrate. “Playing Potato” is a game played by Dwarf children, where they bury themselves up to their chins in dirt.

Dwarven Monarchy
In The Mysts, Dwarves have a well-structured monarchical government. The King of Dwarves sits at the top with a number of vassal Dukes beneath him. Below the Dukes are a group of Lords each with their lands. All of the royal families are tightly related.

The process of moving from The Mysts to the Material Plane has disrupted this hierarchy. The King of Dwarves appears to have stayed in The Mysts (at least for now), as have many of the Dukes and Lords. Many dwarves entered the Material Plane separated from others in their original communities. As they have settled on this plane, prominent families have taken on the roles and responsibilities of Lords, although only rarely have they taken the title, and are more likely to refer to themselves as Governor.

Local Government
In The Mysts, it is common for Lords to appoint Mayors and Magistrates to run each community. On the Material Plane in smaller communities, the governors are more likely to take on the role of mayor themselves. The mayor is responsible for the day to day running of the town. He has the ultimate decisions making power but is expected to consult with the townsfolk before making major decisions.

The most common form of the consultation is through a town meeting. At these meeting all members of the town have the opportunity to express their option on the decision required once. The opinions are given from the youngest member of the town through to the oldest member of the town by order of age. This is so the oldest townsfolk are heard from last and will carry the most weight. This can be a long process and in large dwarven centers, when controversial decisions have been required these meetings have been known to last for days.

During times of crisis when decisions must be made quickly the mayor will appoint a small group of advisers. However, the oldest adviser is still given the right to speak last.

Formal Justice
Most dwarven communities have a group of magistrates. These are usually older, well respected dwarves who sit in judgement over wrongdoers. The magistrates are appointed by the Lord (or his equivalent) usually on the recommendation of the Mayor. The number of magistrates in a given community varies based on the size but they usually work in teams of three.

Magistrates have wide ranging powers and can act as investigator, mediator or judicature as the situation appears to merit.

Decisions of the Magistrates can be appealed to the local Lord (or his equivalent) but are only rarely overturned.

Informal Justice
Dwarves are very good at holding grudges. Since they are long live these grudges can last a long, long time. Dwarves are often patient at taking revenge for a perceived wrong against them.

Some grudges have been known to escalate into large-scale feuds between rival families or communities. Some of these have lasted generations until no one can remember or cares what the original grudge was about. While rarely violent, feuding groups will not speak, trade etc. with each other.

Death and Burial
Dwarves tend to bury their dead in catacombs formed by mined out tunnels. Not only does this create a use for these already created tunnels but also it creates the least fuss if the soul returns to the body from the Land of the Dead. In areas where catacombs are not available, family crypts are commonly used. A dwarven funeral is a simple ceremony. They body is cleaned up and dressed in clean clothes and then taken to the catacombs or crypt.

Dwarves consider it impolite to pester the dead. Families will take whatever means are available to them to ensure that the soul of the dead dwarf can return to its body. They will not send a seer to the land of the dead to ask if the family member plans to return.