Dornot de Rar Silf (The Kingdom of Eternal Silver)

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Dornot de Rar Silf

-About
-Culture
-Religion
-Army of Rar Silf
-Territories
-Important Figures
-Statistics

About

Some say that the dwarves were created from stone, some say they were forged out of metal but all agree that their one and only home is that under the ground.

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Culture

Culture:
To be a dwarf is to be devoted to hearth, clan, and glory. Dwarven memory goes deep and this past hangs over the present constantly due to their long use of written word and their slow aging rate. Clans bicker and fight over past grievances and problems that have been occurring for thousands of years. The only thing that sticks them together is their roots to the original Khazad Empire and their hatred for trolls and goblins. For some this hatred can become an obsession leading them to wander the Lonely Road located deep underneath the Earth to usually be never seen again. Though beyond that the dwarven race is a resilient one that has survived over the ages in mountain halls and high vaulted caverns where they tinker and mine away at the surrounding rock.

Besides their gloried past dwarves also like to partake in drinking and singing. Though most would agree that a dwarf drinks better than he sings none would admit it to his face. During such drunken revelries fights are a common place among bars leading to an absence of throw-able objects and most everything else being bolted down. In addition most dwarves tend to wear some sort of armor or protection when going out to drunken revelries in case of such fights breaking out though weapons not found at the bar are prohibited.

Drinking is also a major part in religious and festive rights featuring from the celebration of birth to death. It is said that a dwarfs first and last taste in this world is a mug of cool brown beer. Even the Maukk de Kar admits that without this beverage the dwarves of this world would have died of thirst long ago and as such every year they celebrate the first brewing dwarf by the name of Thibbledorf Pwent. Who created the wonderful concoction during the founding of the capital city.

Family life for a dwarf is very important as well among all dwarves. A male dwarf has to compete fiercely with others for female attention and as such women are fought over fiercely. The major tradition for a successful proposal involves providing the father-in-laws weight in gold along with measuring his beard; for every foot the prospective male must bring a keg of fine ale in compensation. Once these initial offerings are met it is up to the daughter to decide which suitor she chooses and of course each male tends to sweeten the pot to gain an edge with her.

Children and women are especially valued for the slow gestation rate of about ten years and that women tend to be outnumbered to men 3 to 1. Once a woman has been found pregnant she is then taken away from society and kept safe in the deep folds of the family home where she is taken care of. Thus most women tend to be well guarded by every dwarven society and those families that cannot defend and protect their women are considered weak and unworthy and their brides are usually taken away by someone who can better take care of them.
The Lonely Road is the path chosen by dishonored or grief stricken dwarves who have succumbed to either blood lust or apathy. Dwarves that choose this path tend to only take with them a cloth tunic and short sword along with a small pack of provisions. No dwarf that takes the Road intends to return and tends to march through the old abandoned tunnels that usually lead south towards hostile country. As one goes through these tunnels today many expeditions and surveying teams find the remains and markings of these dwarves. One such remain was believed to be that of the last Dwarven High King of the Khazad who after living for some time in exile determined to take back his birth right. At the time of leaving he was around five hundred and seven though judging from the battered journal he kept, the High King was wandering the Lonely Road for another fifty years before succumbing to a poison arrow from a goblin party. His armor was interned in the sacred vaults of his clan the Heus Fausst (Hammer Fists). The journal resides however in Eternal Silver under lock and key of the Maukk de Kar temple in the capital city.

Clans Info/Dwarven Races:
Mountain Dwarves:
The dwarves from the southern mountains are not built as sturdy as their northern cousins and tend to rely more on their ingenuity than brawn or rune-craft. They usually have brown beards and fair complexion. They tend to wear rough spun wool tunics with leather boots when not out in the field. Their hands are deft and quicker than most dwarves allowing them to work with intricate machinery better. Although not renowned for their martial skills they are still not too shabby with an axe and even better with a gun. They are the principle leaders in technology for the world and even though some dwarves believe they are moving too fast no one can disagree that their work isn't important. They also tend to be of medium height and are the second longest living race of dwarves behind the Northern and above the Sea and Low dwarves. They also tend to have more near-sighted problems than other dwarves and can see small intricacies that others may miss though they tend to lose their eye sight at around age 350-400.

Northern Dwarves:
To be a Northern Dwarf is to be one of the strongest dwarf races in the New World. Renowned for their ability to mine, create runes, and fight. The dwarves of the North are usually above average in height with fiery red beards and a lust for fighting only matched by their love of mining along with a very pale complexion. Also being the only dwarvish race with the ability of creating runes this gift is valued above all. With a pick, rune, or axe the Northern dwarves expand their martial skill against the trolls of the North in a never ending skirmish. When one gets into a fight there is no better dwarf to have at your side then a Northern. Though they tend to be more stubborn and intractable than other dwarves believing that their way is the correct way and are steeped in tradition. They also tend to be the leaders of dwarven society due to their supposed links to the nobles of the Khazad Empire of old. Their only problems are that they tend to hate any sort of intense climate heat and cannot comprehend anything more than their lore, their runes, and their battle tactics.

Lower Dwarves:
The final ethnic group of the kingdom are the Lower Dwarves who are renowned traders and farmers. They are the only dwarf group allowed to travel to the surface and as such they tend to have a darker skin color than a regular dwarf and are on the shorter side with blonde beards. The Lower Dwarves are known for their extreme patience and twisting of words. They have developed tactics for haggling that many dwarves feel in and of itself a form of combat. They are even allowed Verbal Jousting in tournament games as a way to acknowledge their prolific use of the dwarfish and other languages. These dwarves might not be the fighters of the kingdom but they do supply its men with food and the capital needed to arm them. These dwarves tend to be the money counter of the dwarfish realms able to garner and spend large quantities of gold at a time in the hopes of ever expanding profits. Though due to their tanned skin they are generally not considered wholly dwarf in some circles though they do not care seeing as in those circles the Low Dwarves tend to invest their money.

Grimmaz Taurag (Fierce Beards):
The Fierce Beards are the ruling power in the kingdom. Made up of mostly Mountain Dwarves there has been cases of adopting dwarves from other races. They usually have brown beards and are of medium dwarf height. The Fierce Beards currently have the support of the Chemist and Engineering Guild. The Fierce Beards tend to fight using their gadgets and devices but they can still fight in the olden ways when called upon. They claim their lordship over the other clans due to their ancestor’s lineage of being the former Third Prince of Khazad. Such a fact however has been tenuously proven though to try and point this out will only result in a broken nose and a night in the hole. Being mostly comprised of Mountain Dwarfs the Fierce Beards tend to have the most ingenious minded dwarves and tend to create the best engineers and builders.

Heus Fausst (Hammer Fists):
Known mainly for their heavily spiked gauntlets the Hammer Fists are the shock troops of the kingdom bashing their way through any in their way. The clan itself is currently Head of the Council and this prestige has elevated them greatly in many eyes and made rivals of quite a few as well. Predominately made up of Northern and Mountain Dwarves the Hammer Fists clan is in charge of the Sacred Gates and as such are also known as the Gate Keepers to some dwarves. Usually silent and red bearded the Hammer Fists are the dwarves to get the job done in usually the most direct way possible. They are now allied closely with the Fierce Beards and are supported by the Rune Guild and the Miner Guild. Having such an important duty as Guardians of the Sacred Gates the Hammer Fists are very influential in the dwarven community and as such have usually held the Head of Council seat though for a while the position was held by the Iron Masters but such times have changed. They tend to live close to the gates of Silfdor Marr and favor the architecture of their Northern brethren by preferring more defensible and plain structures. By having such a martial character any community composed of the Hammer Fists tends to be neigh impregnable and they tend to be masters at defensive warfare.

Dor Skilami (Iron Masters):
The Iron Masters are an interesting clan in that they are made up of predominately Mountain Dwarves yet are ruled by a small Northern minority. Known for their use of machinery and skill with forging, the Iron Masters are the industrial might of the Kingdom providing most of its output and supplying the dwarves on the front with blades and ammunition. Once it was allied with the Fierce Beards but those times have passed after the betrayal of the Miner Guild to the Hammerfist clan. Currently the clan is trying to lead its own campaign against the two clan alliances and is currently supported by the Smith Guild. They also tend to live deep down in the earth far lower than most of the other clans and as such they tend to be seen as ghosts and stalkers of the Underdark. But this position allows them to work the metal in secret corridors and only they know the ways to find and work the precious metal mithral the way the ancients did once before.

Silf Rond (Silver Shields):
Sunlight best describes the Silver Shields and their famed shiny armor and tanned skin. They are the smallest clan in the Kingdom being made up of almost entirely Low Dwarves but their pull on politics is immense. Their capital and trade connections make appeasing this clan a top priority for any King or Council. In addition to the control of trade they also supply the only food production of any large size. These dwarves are known to be ineffective fighters mostly in comparison to others and tend to buy axes when in need. They are allied closely with the Bloody Axes in this regard and the Merchant and Weaver Guild. Although with the recent betrayal of the Iron Masters by the Hammerfists there has been some talk of allying themselves with the betrayed clan. Also the Silver Shields tend to be the only dwarves that live in decent sized settlements in the western plains. They tend to use small shallow draft boats for easy river travel and usually pay other outside dwarves to build their defenses and guard their walls. For no dwarf from Rar Silf will ever sully themselves in the sun except for the Low Dwarves and Outcasts. Their biggest known outside cities is the City of the Silver Pillar which of course contains a tower made of granite with silver tracery running along it depicting the rise of the Silf Ronds through the ages.

Barathaz Baruk (Bloody Axes):
The Bloody Axes are considered to be the most berserk and suicidal warriors of the kingdom. Formed around the destruction of two former clans during the Troll Wars they are always seeking revenge against the Troll race and as such are usually on the front line. Made up of a mix of all the dwarf races the entrance to the Bloody Axes is difficult with members having to be deemed worthy before joining by slaying a troll or black ork. Either of which must be supported by having the diamond eyes of a troll or the tusks of a black ork. The clan is closely allied to the Silver Shields due to monetary means but the clan most importantly is supported by the Maukk de Kar. By having two such important allies the Bloody Axes due not lack in friends but their blood thirsty nature and rash action work against them and has cost them the Head of Council on many occasions.

Politics:
The government is ruled by an elite class of the ruling dwarves of the clans; each a respective head of Five Major Clans and the Guild Masters. However King Durin the X of clan Grimmaz Taurag has some power as well in being used as a tie-breaker in certain matters and being able to veto certain matters if the negotiations are not finished in the allotted time. The council positions are given to the heads of the clans and guilds as they select every fifty years. The five major clans fight for dominance of Clan Council Head; Grimmaz Taurag (Fierce Beards), Heus Fausst (Hammer Fists), Dor Skilami (Iron Masters), Silf Rond (Silver Shields), Barathaz Baruk (Bloody Axes). The Eight Guilds are the Engineering Guild, the Miner Guild, the Merchant Guild, the Rune Guild, the Smith Guild, the Chemist Guild, the Weavers Guild, and the Maukk de Kar (Sons of the Rock) which is the main religious group. These Guilds are used amongst the five clans to gain dominance, with the clans promising certain favors to the Guilds for votes in the council. The only stable thing is the monarchy with every single king being from the Grimmaz Taurag whether adopted or born into it with the other clans only being able to be the Clan Council Head. The Clan Council Head has immense power almost rivaling the king in certain areas so as to make sure all the clans feel they have some sort of check on Grimmaz Taurag power.

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Religion

The Maukk de Kar are the sole religious figures of the Fierce Beards and sometimes feature in the battlefield usually with the Bloody Axes in support roles as medics and doctors though sometimes carry axes as well. These dwarves usually are descended directly from the dispossessed families of the old Khazad Empire and remember their loss fiercely as they clutch their medallions bearing the lone mountain above their beloved city and hurl the curses of the ancient tongue at their enemies.
The religious symbol of the Maukk de Kar is a lone mountain representing Khazad-Dum, their lost capital city and the Home of all Dwarves. In each major district or Thaig of the various communities and cities are various Houses of De Kar depending on the amount of dwarves there. Though in Northern dwarf communities the Houses of De Kar tend to be the most elaborate and worshipped at. The Maukk de Kar tend to make use of ancient dwarven chants mostly about revenge and anguish that have been preserved on several stone and metal tablets that have been passed down throughout the ages. Every dwarven kingdom has such tablets and each has a story of how their great ancestors helped smuggle them away to safety.
The tablets of the Maukk de Kar tend to be similar with the only difference being who and when the destruction occurred in the areas they were smuggled from. This has caused some debate amongst dwarven theologians who tend to settle things with a maul and mace rather than discussion amongst themselves. Though in addition to worshipping the grudges and memories of their former glory dwarves tend to focus on remembering the actions and past glories of their ancestors as well. From the creator of the first beer to the carver of the first stone the dwarven pantheon of ancient figures is enormous and as such there is a suitable dwarven deity for every occasion. Also such dwarves tend to focus in on a few of these dwarven idols by creating medallions and other symbols on pieces of jewelry and clothing so they can try and get inspiration and power from their ancestors.

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Army of Rar Silf

The Kingdom of Rar Silf

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Territories

Map of Dornot du Rar Silf:

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Important Figures

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Exports:
Minerals/Metals
Finished Goods/Tools
Engineering Expertise

Imports:
Food Stuffs (Grain, Meat, etc)
Wood Products (Furniture, Wooden Planks, etc.)
Luxury Goods (Ivory, Silk, Perfumes, etc.)

[SirDario]

Where's the spare weapon?
I think you probably forgot to put that in man.

Well, anyways its great to be part in here.