Shiv
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Post by Shiv on Nov 12, 2010 19:49:10 GMT -5
The Dwarves of Skarvidda
When asking other races to describe the dwarves one gets a multitude of answers but some common words used will most certainly be; Temperamental, fiery, honourable, short-fused, dependable, blood crazed and “jolly good at a party”. According to the ancient texts the dwarves were born from the fires of the deep volcanoes, a fact that is strongly reflected in their behaviour. A dwarf is solid and steadfast like a mountain, but explosive and destructive like a volcano if angered, sometimes working themselves into such a rage that they forsake the weapons they are holding to use their fists and teeth to pummel or bite their enemies to death. Likewise a dwarven feast will often start out in an orderly fashion, with clans gathering around long tables in order of rank and standing while listening to the sagas sung by the bards. As the evening progresses though, the eating and drinking will become more loud and uncontrolled, with the night culminating in different (often dangerous) forms of testing ones will, resolve or martial prowess.
Physically, the dwarves short and stocky, most often standing between 130 - 160cm tall. Their skin comes in ranges from deep copper to sooty black. Skin is used as a sign of stature and beauty in the dwarven society, the darker your skin, the better. Dwarves skin is also known for its resistance to heat, indeed it is used by cave trolls and goblins as a casting for their shields, being able to withstand considerable amounts of open flame before being damaged. The final thing the dwarves take pride in is hair. Braided beards, ponytails or even a well exposed chest can be a way for a dwarf to show off on formal occasions. Their hair seems to have inherited the fire resistance of their owners to some extent, but if you meet a dwarf in one of their (very hot) homes you will most certainly find any exposed hair to be smeared with a dark tar-looking substance called "borrta" that protects beards and braids from catching fire.
The dwarven homelands are called Skarvidda in the dwarven tongue and contain a massive array of mountains under which the dwarven empire is located. The main dwarf hold, Viddongur, is situated inside a mountain bearing the same name, where massive flows of lava illuminate the strong rock houses of the dwarves dwelling within. Skarvidda serves as a trading route between Valecia and the eastern kingdoms as well as Kaer Maeghol, meaning the dwarves currently have a strong position in trade between the races. Caravans pass daily along the large routes through the mountains, allowing trackers, guides and mercenaries a steady flow of income, since even the dwarves cannot begin to cope with the dangers lurking amongst the peaks and cracks of their native land.
According to dwarven religion, the world is a written page in a book -or a set of books- being written (views differ between the scholars) in "Sprangur", the language of the gods. The dwarves acknowledge that other gods exist but consider them to be "grammatical errors", words that have been misspelled as they were written. The only true gods are the two dwarven deities of Eldasvagga and Yrm, the Mother-goddess and the White snake of destiny. Eldasvagga is the matronly goddess of the dwarves who is said to have given birth to their kind in ages past from the blazing volcanoes. She is portrayed as a stout commanding female, standing twice the height of a human man, with long braids reaching down to her feet. She wields a large hammer if angered or can invoke her minions, her bastard children, the Brinnlings into battle. Eldasvagga is seen as the progenitor of life for the dwarves, for you cultivate fields by first baptising them in fire, and dwarves were first born from burning rock. When a dwarf dies it is considered proper to burn his body or, better yet, dump it into magma, so that he may return to Eldasvaggas court.
Where Eldasvagga is strong and commanding, Yrm, the white snake and god of destiny is old, wise and cunning. Yrm is the only creature who can fully and perfectly read Sprangur and is thus endowed with the knowledge of fate. "Let Yrms eyes shine your way!" is both a curse thrown at enemies and a blessing to help solve mysteries. Snakes, particularly white, are seen as holy creatures and even though dwarves often have to drive out a nest of wyverns that encroach upon their lands, it is not a matter taken easily. Yrm is the father of the brinnlings, the fire spirits that live alongside the dwarves in their mountain holds and the patron deity for dwarven rune-mages, the Sprangurvalda (meaning readers of Sprangur).
Outside of their mountain home, dwarves are most often welcome in any society. They are valued as smiths and builders as well as brokers, much due to their immensely honourable nature (don't ever break your vow to a dwarf, he will remember). Dwarven skalds are highly appreciated for their one man shows, where they with booming yet almost chanting voices retell stories of old. With the trade routes of many kingsdoms crossing the dwarven lands like veins has made the dwarven race surprisingly multi-cultural, and they are possibly the most accepting and least superstitious of the races. Another rather quaint profession that is distinctly dwarven is the firebelcher. Having a natural resistance to fire, these dwarves drink a highly volatile mixture that is ignited with a click of their teeth (inscribed with Sprangur), spewing out gouts of flame, both as a means of attack and to entertain. Seldom dressed in more than leather trousers, shoes and body tattoos (having long since lost their hair) these rare travellers will almost always find a room for the night wherever they go.
The greatest troubles facing the dwarves are the harsh living conditions in their own homeland and the fact that the places they consider permanently liveable are few and far between. Every dwarfs wish is to return to the lava when they die, an ideal that is hard to realize when only three dwarven holds in Skarvidda and none in the outside world are dug deep enough. With fewer settlements it also comes naturally that the dwarves are few in number, and deaths to the many dangerous creatures of the world are taking a heavy toll on the populace. They are an old race, and a prosperous one, but they are dying. Slowly but surely they are losing their ground to creatures far more adaptable and numerous than themselves, like the orcs or humans. Every death is mourned and every child celebrated as the population dwindles. Yet hope exists. With dwarven determination and tenacity, and with their strong ties to their human allies in the west, it is possible that the dwarves may keep to their holds. And slowly but surely, as they have for over four millennia, continue claiming the mountains for themselves.
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