Races of Dalelands -- Dwarves

On Dwarves

Dwarves (Who call themselves clan-people) are famous for their hard work, clannishness, passions, greed, and large beards. However in Arth (The world of Dalewood) the Dwarves are a very private people when it comes to their relations, religion, and even reproduction.

Thing is, the secret of the dwarves is that they are not a race like Elves, Humans, or Grassfolk Halflings, instead, they are carved from stone and life is breathed into them, to serve a greater purpose.

Carved from Stone

Eons ago, a deity, that the Dwarves call the Dwarf-father, wished to create servants for his own needs, and while experimenting with various clockwork machines, he felt they needed some will and the spark of true life to do what he needed to do. Carving the great fathers of the Dwarves, he gave each a tiny shard of his soul, this became the first Dwarves, and soon they were all doing dwarvish things, smithing, smiting, and collecting gold and treasure. Soon some would be inspired to carve more dwarves, and the Dwarf-father would send another shard of his soul to the stone dwarf, producing a new dwarf. When one died, the shard returned to the Dwarf Father, and if important enough, the shard would be sent out again, otherwise the old shards would absorbed, to allow more shards later to be formed.

The fact that Dwarves are not born like men or elf a secret the dwarves keep close at heart, even if the sages know, as it a private thing. While Dwarves can trace their fathers to one of the great founders of the Dwarves, they are always silent on their mothers, for good reason. Its not that dwarves of a female form have not been carved, -- they have, if at times only to throw off the scent of someone prying too deeply in dwarflore.

Several mages have learned of this secret, and some have used this knowledge to try to carve their own dwarves as servants, with various levels of success.

The Great Work

Dwarves, at least the ones who have not converted to non-dwarven faiths, have a faith built around a term that they call "The Great Work'

The belief is simple enough when not looked in detail. Namely that dwarves believe

1. Their souls are a sliver of godhood

2. The god (Dwarf-father) is the creator of the Dwarven race

3. That the god created dwarves for a purpose, it that the dwarven need to craft, to dig, to collect wealth, and hopefully carve new dwarves is part of this greater purpose.

4. This Purpose is the great work (and this is the point that Dwarven faiths denominations disagree bitterly on what IS the great work.)

Another element that is key to Dwarves is that dwarven-like races, such as the Duergar, are the result of interference in this Great Work, normally by mages who are dealing with issues they do not understand. Many Dwarves feel it is their duty to if possible, release the souls of Duergar and other such races so they can return to the dwarf-father and the breach be healed.

Lifespan and reincarnation

Dwarves, unless meeting a sudden end, can expect to live 300 years. Some have been known to live 350 years, and the oldest recorded dwarf was 407 years old when he passed away due to the infirmaries of old age.

It is generally held among dwarves that great dwarves, Heroic kings, craftsmen and judges, will be sent back to live a additional life, generally being born when the Dwarf Father senses a great need for the dwarven nation it is being sent to. They are born with full awareness of who they were, and will use the same name.

These "Reborn" are both celebrated and dreaded, celebrated as great things might happen again, dreaded since tough times may be ahead.

Beards

One of the features that many dwarves (but not all) is a impressive beard. While many assume it a feature of Dwarves in general (and that the women have beards as well) the reason why Dwarves have beards outside of cultural norms is simple, when underground, the beards help with the dust, soot, vermin, and other nasties underground, and if the need is great, can wrap their long beards around their mouths and noses to protect their lungs. This is also why Dwarves are famously fussy about grooming their beards.

As a dwarf becomes older (or have wisdom, some it comes to a young age) their beards become grey, These "Greybeards" are the leaders of Dwarven society. These become leader of the clan of dwarves, and if the clan is getting too large, splits off to form their own clan.