Dwarves
From Fellaor
Dwarves are are one of the minor races who may be found in Selnar. In Felloar, they comprise roughly 8% of the population. Most dwarves, around 87%, in modern felloar reside in the dwarven kingdom of Amalest on the southern coast of the continent. Significant dwarven populations outside of Amalest are rare. Although dwarves were once the sole inhabitants of Felloar, vast dwarven populations were displaced by waves of orcish invaders during the 2nd-3th bi-centuries DSE (Dwarven Standard Era). Due to orcish and subsequent invasions, dwarven populations were significantly reduced. Archeologists estimate that by the close of the 3rd bi-century there were no surface settlements on the continent.
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[edit] Physical Description
Dwarves typically stand 4 to 4 1/2 feet tall, but are so broad and compact that they are, on average, roughly as heavy as a humans. Dwarfs are sexually dimorphic, with Dwarf men being slightly taller and noticeably heavier than dwarf women. Dwarves skin is typically deep tan or light brown, and their eyes are dark. Their hair is usually Black, Grey, or Brown. Dwarf men value their beards highly and groom them carefully. Dwarves age slowly, they are typically considered adults at age 40, and have been occasionally recorded living upwards of 400 years old.
[edit] Culture
Dwarven culture can best be described as tribal, with each dwarf belonging to a specific clan once they reach the age of accession. Generally dwarves are adopted into the clans of their natural parents, however, their are occasional exceptions to this trend. Each clan carries a specific set of rituals which govern the daily lives of its members, and as youth dwarves will generally spend long hours memorizing the rules and laws of the clans of their parents prior to their accession. Clan membership is a very important part of dwarven society, and dwarves who are not members of, or youth under the protection of, a specific clan must bear the many stigma's against lack of clan membership. These outcast dwarves typically avoid interacting with dwarven society, and carry a deep since of shame. Some dwarves, if cast out from one clan, may join another dwarven clan, although such incidences are rare.
[edit] Dwarves in Other Societies
Outside of Amalest, dwarves are often significantly distrusted. Their small stature, historical involvement in finance and moneylending, and strict social code has contributed towards antipathy and anti-dwarven sentiment, particularly in the north. Although The Empire does generally extend protection to its dwarven citizens. Their movement is restricted, and they are forbidden from entering the so-called high districts, those districts inhabited by the empires nobility. Within the empire dwarves typically live in separate communities, small agricultural or mining villages on the empire's border with the wastes. There have been several incidences in the last few years within the empire in which dwarven money lenders have been lynched by human mobs. After each incident, the empire has renewed it's pledge to protect its dwarven citizens, but no convictions have ever been levied in connection with these lynch assaults.
Although there are some dwarven members in the order of the holy citadel, within the Riverlands dwarves face significant racial discrimination. There are a few small dwarven communities in the larger port cities, who act chiefly as metalcrafters or moneylenders, dwarves usually cannot be found in this region. Because of Sorthin's traditionally poor relationship with it's dwarven neighbor Amalest, dwarves in Sorthin face significant government sanctioned antipathy.
[edit] Dwarves within Amalest
Because Amalest has been historically ruled by dwarves, the treatment of dwarves within amalest has been traditionally better. However, there is still some antipathy between the human villages and the dwarven mountain holds. Each of the Clans within Amalest are pledged to a specific Mountain Hold, ruled by a specific dwarven thraine. There are Five mountain holds, the thraine of each is pledged to the thraine of the Great Mountain, but each has some degree of autonomy. There are 25 Clans within Amalest, variously pledged to each of the mountain holds, including the great mountain. Since the founding of Amalest, the Thraine of the great mountain has been chosen from the Amalent clans. The other four "Great Clans" are Clan Gowen, Clan Melhar, Clan Durnrest, and Clan Elmnrend. Within Amalest, strict vocational divisions exist among the clans. The Amalent clan is strictly given over to military and government vocations, while the other great clans are concerned cheifly with governing, mining, metalsmithing, and military service. The lesser clans are variously involved with trade, finance, agriculture, ranching, mining, metalsmithing, and military service.
