The Dwarven Physique

Dwarves are stocky humanoids, most ~1.2 m tall, with the tallest recorded dwarf reaching 181 cm. Their bodies are made out of Livingstone, a rare material created by filling a volcanic stone with tendrils of Dwarflichen. The Dwarflichen is what makes the dwarven beards so lush and green - it is a lichen that lives in symbiosis with the dwarven body, providing it with nutrients in return for mobility. When dwarves decide that it is time to reproduce, they cut a piece of their beard off and plant it in volcanic stone, which they then regularly water with high-mineral content water. Dwarven bodies do not deteriorate with age, although most live up to ~300 years, as the exposed lichen is vunerable to various illnesses. They feed with the same water gathered in underground springs, although they often brew it into Dwarven Beer, which is sometimes spiced with rare stones and metals. Drinking it is inadvisable for other species. They can sense tremors in their surroundings, which they use for finding various kinds of raw resources, as well as to find hostile creatures in the underground.

Dwarven Family

Dwarves do not have families in the traditional sense (see below), but they do form structures that are sometimes seen as such by other peoples. They are formed when a group of dwarves decides that it would be most advantageous for them to live and work together, as well as group their resources. They are often formed along supply lines of raw resources and final products, as well as along geographical lines. The procedure of entering a family requires an Assessor, who witnesses the dwarven Union, which is symbolized by chipping a bit of stone from each family member's chest, creating the symbol of the new family. When a family becomes a liability instead of an asset, an Assessor may terminate it, splitting the family's possessions among its members.

Dwarven Gender, Reproduction and Childhood

Dwarves have no idea of gender - they reproduce asexually, although it is surrounded by many rituals. A dwarven parent first meets with an Assessor, who decides if they and their family have proper accomodation for the new dwarf, as well as if they are ready. After this short exam, if it is passed, the assessor takes out a small golden knife and cuts off a piece of the parent dwarf beard and takes it to a good location. A dwarf, fully bodily able, but knowing nothing, emerges after 3-5 years, depending on volcanic processes. They are excavated and welcomed into the family, which teaches the young dwarf their customs, as well as a job. They keep a tally of any resources the young dwarf consumes, and assign them a monetary value with the help of an Assessor. A dwarf is considered an adult once they pay off their cost to their parents, either in work or in coin - some reach adulthood as soon as after 5 years, while some spend even a hundred years under the care of their parents. Trying to force or trick a young dwarf into permanent slavery is seen as dishonourable, however, and is met with shaming and moving the young dwarf to another family.

Assessors

Assessors are something between accountants, shamans and wandering judges. They have no family, instead taking many families under their care. They mediate conflicts and do various rituals. Any dwarf may become an Assessor, as long as they are adult, and are seen as worthy by at least 5 Assessors. They are then taken to the nearest dwarven city, where their names are written on a large stone in the middle of the city. While most focus on more down-to-earth daily life, some focus on worship of Low Gods, taking on the roles of priests.

Dwarven Society

Dwarven social structure is the inverse of the above-ground one. They are mostly self-governed on village/burough(in city) level, while delegating parts of their work to Lower Councils, who in turn delegate parts of their work to Low Kings, who are seen as servants of all dwarves in a local region. The Low Kings are elected every time the old one dies or is exiled, in assemblies of representatives of Lower Councils. Most dwarves live in villages of ~12 families, or ~60 dwarves.

Dwarven Villages

They are islands of order in a sea of chaos that are the mines. Most are kept well-lit (as while the dwarves may sense tremors, they still need light to see) with lanterns powered by underground gases and oils. They are built to be mostly defensible, with a network of mines that may be only navigated by their owners and those led by them surrounding. If this outer line of defense is penetrated, every comunal house may be made into a fortress. During peace, however, they are always full of art - carved scenes from dwarven past and myth are common, as are various items of jewellery and other metal works of art.

Dwarven Cities

Some dwarves concentrate in cities, however. While they are limited by access to mineral-rich water, some count even 10s of thousands of dwarves. They are seen as "Great Crossroads", places where dwarves from various places may meet and trade, as well as tools for organization. Each city is protected in the same way as the villages, and is organized around a Large Square, in which a stone with the names of a City's (and surrounding villages) Assessors are written. Around them the Lower Councils meet to discuss the larger scale organization. Great works of architectonic skill are also possible, with buildings as functional as they are beautiful. Some call dwarven cities "Archives of Architecture", as all kinds of architectural trends may be found there, preserved for the future (even if they are built over by newer buildings).

Dwarven Trading

Trading is a highly ritualized activity among dwarves. They use artistically made coins out of all metals, or even out of stones, exchanging them for items that they may not produce themselves. Bargaining or speculating on prices is seen as highly dishonourable and is met with shaming and explusion from a market.

Dwarven Law

The Dwarven Law is mostly customary, with penalties mostly kept in the social spheres, such as shaming and denial of trade. When a dwarf breaks one of the most sacred rules, however, by:

• Murder
• Destruction of a Mine
• Slavery

They are expelled from society, and branded by the crimes they have commited by Assessors. A dwarf may only return to other dwarves once they prove having repented by showing the scars found in a fight with a great beast that threathens their society, or by being forgiven by the victims (or their family), who will inform the Assessors of such.

Craftsdwarfship

Most dwarves define themselves by their chosen crafts. They have many years to hone them, and thus manage to out-perform most other kinds in great works of engineering and art. Of special interest are dwarven carvings, which use many kinds of stone and sometimes use water erosion, to see a work grow over many years. The dwarven smithing is also incredibly advanced, permitting high quality steel that allows for machine construction. Most dwarves share their works by trade with other families, who in return give them coins as tokens of gratitude - in times of need the rituals of trade are forgotten, and works are shared freely. After the need has passed, however, restitution is expected. Dwarven breweries are characterized by the foul vapours that escape them by great chimneys made out of stone - they are most often built on the outskirts of villages/cities.