Dwarfs

Societies

Dwarfs usually live close to humans and follow their laws and governments -- there are even a number of human-dominated societies where dwarfs have taken up important official positions. They do, however, have their own societies, norms and customs that are often different from human ones.

Central to the dwarf society is the Clan (always capitalized) -- all dwarfs belong to a Clan, and most dwarf Clans are huge and have several sub-Clans and smaller groups all over the world. The Clan with the most members in any given country are known as that country's Ruling Clan; this Clan is generally the richest and most powerful one and has the right to interfere if other Clans should start feuding or inner conflicts should happen.

(It's rare for any Clan to be the Ruling Clan in more than one country, but it does happen.)

Every Clan has its elected Chief, who is at least on paper the Clan's ultimate authority -- even if every Chief has a lot of advisors and subordinates who tend to be almost as powerful or at least very influental -- and most of the clans have several local heads that have the responsibility for their local branch of the Clan, and acts as a sort of local judge and master of ceremonies; any dwarf marriage has to be done by either a Clan Chief or local head in order to count as valid.

All dwarfs are, or are at least expected to be, intensely loyal to their Clan. If a member of your Clan needs help, it's your duty to give what help you can, and it's absolutely forbidden for two dwarfs of the same Clan to raise weapons against one another -- such things will result in being banned from the Clan and live as a Clanless; a fate no dwarf wants.

Important Dwarf Clans

There are more dwarf Clans than anyone can possibly know, though these are widely known, at least among dwarfs:

- Clan Satroli, Ruling clan in Agardyn, generally agreed to be the biggest and most powerful Clan of all.

- Clan Modduk, Ruling Clan in the Trinity, the second biggest and most powerful Clan.

- Clan Hagrir, Ruling Clan in Lyndellin, apart from in the capital Velan, where Clan Culdran rules.

- Clan Culdran, Ruling Clan in Velan, Lyndellin, and otherwise the second best to Clan Hagrir in the rest of Lyndellin.

- Clan Garr, supposed Ruling Clan in Ardach, though nobody's quite sure just how much they rule.

- Clan Skaugrim, Ruling Clan in both Kruga and Makenia, known as rather warrior-like.

- Clan Bolger, Ruling Clan in Ledun, and the richest of all the Clans.

- Clan Jarna, Ruling clan in Chandal, the smallest of the "big" Clans.

- Clan Bob ....This clan doesn't really exist; it's just a running joke among the dwarfs.

Families, breeding and children

Dwarfs all over the world practice monogamous relationships. Arranged marriages are more common than amongst humans, and even outside arrangements any two dwarfs who wish to marry need the approval of their Clans, since any married couple and any children they might have will automatically beling to the biggest and most powerful Clan (which in some cases can be difficult to determine). It's fairly rare for Clans to actively oppose two dwarfs in love, though -- after all, it's usually seen as an advantage if two marrying dwarfs don't actually hate one another.

Dwarf children are usually raised by their parents, though if the parents are busy there are lots of other clan members -- uncles, aunts, grandparents, great-grandparents or more distant relatives -- to help out. Even if most dwarfs grow up as only children (siblings are usually born decades apart), there's almost always some cousins or distant relatives around the same age to play with, and since the Clan traditionally also oversee the children's educations, these also become classmates and fellow students. In addition, many dwarf children become friends with wight children, since many wights are sent to dwarf schools, and it's natural to let the kids play together.

Dwarfs reach the Hotblood stage around age 20, when their beards begin growing. They officially come of age when they reach 35, at which point most of them are either apprenticed to some older member of the Clan to learn a trade -- or possibly sent off to a university to study, if they have the talent for academics or magics. A lot of dwarfs make their careers outside the Clan, though the majority of these retire around age 250, and return to the Clan to spend their last decades in the Clan's service -- usually as teachers, instructors, advisers or caretakers. So there are a lot of "Grandfathers" and "Grandmothers" around, and they are treated with respect by all.

Names

A dwarf only has one name, which is given to him or her by the local Clan head, or by the Clan Chief -- parents may suggest names but don't have the final say. In formal presentations, a dwarf will commonly present him/herself as "of Clan (Name)" -- Berrok, for instance, is "Berrok of Clan Jarna." It's never "Berrok Jarna" or "Mister Jarna" -- though "Mister Berrok" is acceptable. Clan names are not surnames.

Relationships with the other People

Dwarfs get along best with humans and wights -- humans because they're their most longstanding allies; dwarfs tend to live in human societies, after all. In later years, dwarfs and wights have developed close bonds, after dwarfs discovered that wights on the whole were both laborous and loyal as long as they were treated well. As a result, it's the dwarfs who have "urbanized" the wights, because wights who are willing to move into the cities are not only given offers of work for the dwarf Clans but also education for their children.

When it comes to elves, the dwarfs feel a certain kinship with them simply because elves and dwarfs were the two oldest People -- though on the whole their values and priorities are so different that they don't really understand one another that well. And dragons are too mysterious and secretive for the dwarfs to have a lot to do with them.