Legend has it, that after the Primeval War was over, and the Titans – the precursors to the mighty dragons – had defeated and banished the elemental overlords for control of Duir’Aion, the primordial elementals gathered for a council seeking a method of vengeance. They decided to create new life, which would challenged the Titans and their descendants for control. The plan was that with the dragons embroiled in a new war, the overlords might be able to break the banishment and enter the war to defeat the Titans once and for all. While the elementals worked together in their experiments, Uldrakk the earth elemental went deep into his domain. He gathered the finest and sturdiest materials and forged the perfect form. When he was done, Uldrakk breathed life into them, and the Uldren were born. The Uldren would flourish deep within the elemental plane, eventually emerging through portals into the Deep Realm, far below the surface of Duir’Aion. Eventually Uldren split into numerous clans and over time, began to resemble a more familiar shape.
The dwarves.
Skilled smiths. Fierce warriors. Stubborn to a fault. The dwarves of Duir’Aion, like their rivals the elves are on a decline, in terms of population and power. Once there was a vast empire in the Deep Realm, that underground network of caves that few civilized races call home.
To hear the dwarves tell it, their empire started its decline the day the Thanes decided they wanted territory above ground. This brought them into conflict with the elves and the dragons who claimed much of the world above ground. Engaged in a war on three fronts, the dwarves suffered massive losses, until the Martyr Compact ended the war.
Still the damage was done. Once the dwarves had forty citadels connected by tunnels and underground cities from one end of Tanaraq to the other. Now only Shatterstone remains, the last citadel and bastion of the dwarven race.
The dwarves are not without hope. Once or twice a generation a group of dwarves ride out to reclaim a nearby citadel. Sometimes they do, but more often than not they fail to hold it. The temptation to do so is great, for while a citadel is held, the one in command gets to be named Thane, and has a seat on the council. Currently there is only one Thane, dubbed the High Thane, Banek Shatterstone. While he seeks counsel from his advisors, Banek’s word is law. Fortunately Banek, while stubborn is a noble sort.
Once, clans were made up of a specific offshoot of dwarf. Now only clan Shatterstone exists and it encompasses all the remaining subraces of dwarf: the iron dwarves, the gold dwarves, and the onyx dwarves.
- Iron dwarves – The iron dwarves are what most of the world thinks of when they think of dwarves. Short and broad in stature, with long beards that they take great pride in, iron dwarves are the most numerous, and the ones most often seeking adventure or fortune outside of Shatterstone. Their skin tends to have reddish tones to them, for even the youngest dwarf spends a great deal of time working a forge. A dwarf that doesn’t (rare that it is) has grey skin. The beards range the color of copper to black hues, and usually matches their eyes. An iron dwarf born with green eyes is said to be destined for greatness. Iron dwarves have settlements outside of Shatterstone, to better explore the world. Banek has been known to close Shatterstone for decades at a time, banning travel to and from.
- Gold dwarves – The gold dwarves are of noble lineage and can trace their history all the way back to the Uldren. This makes them a bit more arrogant, almost on par with the spire elves. However, they are dwarves, and clan means more to them than individual desires. High Thane Banek Shatterstone is a gold dwarf. Their skin tends to be coppery to gold, with the same tanned hue from exposure to the great forges of Shatterstone. Their beards are lighter than their kin, ranging from blonde to gold. Their eyes tend to be universally amber, with blues and greys creeping up from time to time.
- Onyx dwarves – The reclusive onyx dwarves live in the deepest part of the Deep Realms, rarely venturing above ground. Onyx dwarves are master gemsmiths and jewelers. They typically only enjoy the company of another onyx dwarf, or their gem golem-like creations. Only a handful of them can be found outside of their hidden enclave. Most of them live in Shatterstone. The rare adventuring onyx dwarf is likely to be on a mission from Thane Banek.
It should be noted one clan of dwarf exists that the other dwarves do not recognize, as either clansmen or dwarves.
- Ash dwarves – Also known as martyred dwarves, after the Martyr Compact, are dwarves that were banished to the Pit as part of the aforementioned deal. The clan, once known as steel dwarves, were captured by the demons and tortured to the point of insanity. They were then bonded to ash demons, the lowest form of demon. The bonding gave the ash dwarves the ability to assume a form entirely composed of ash. It also bonded them to the Pit. When an ash dwarf dies, it’s soul reappears in the Bastion, the ash dwarf citadel. There the soul is rebonded to another ash demon. Ash dwarves are aware of their deaths, another trait which leads to their mental instability. Ash dwarves hate all other dwarves on sight, for they blame the other clans for their plight. They have nearly equal hatred for all elves, save rune elves, as the latter was also part of the Martyr Compact.
Rumors persist of other clans that have survived by becoming isolationists. I cannot speak for the veracity of these claims. I have seen a dwarf with a beard and hair the color of moss that claimed to be from the jungles of Tharr. As I have yet to visit the perpetually rainy jungle, I cannot say for certain of the dwarf had kin there.
– Always take time to enjoy the music
Chord, the Ivory Bard
A Darkness Rising 