Thursday, April 18, 2013

Half Baked Campaign- A treatise on dwarves- Part 3


Well, that is a general overview of dwarven history. I will now discuss some of the social behaviors of dwarves.

Deep dwarves will never come even 100 feet near the surface. They rely on the surface dwarves to negotiate prices and hire them as diplomats with the other races when possible. If a race needs to speak to the deep dwarves directly, they will send a surface dwarf guide to lead them to a prearranged meeting place in a cave complex or, should the petitioner be bold enough to enter Rootstone, to a consulate in the deep dwarf city (that is, if the city even has a consulate).

Deep dwarves are mistrustful of everyone outside of their city, and I mean everyone. This may have been a factor in the collapse and desolation of a few of the cities in Rootstone. I myself have only recently been accepted into a couple of their cities after engaging in two grueling quests on behalf of the cities countesses. It is my guess, that deep dwarf trust can only be gained by spilling the blood of deep dwarf enemies and predators (multiple times I might add) or aiding the higher city officials in some endeavor. Due to confidentiality, I cannot disclose what I have done on behalf of the countesses.

A deep dwarves loyalty lies with his/her city. Everything is done for the greater good of the city. It could be the crafting of a sculpture, it could be forging armor, sometimes even marriages; every task, large or small is weighed in regards to how it benefits the city. The deep dwarf city is broken down into clans, with the clans arranged by family or blood ties.

Both deep and surface dwarf societies are matriarchal. Females, especially females who have several children are highly respected and are given political offices in both cultures. Every deep dwarf city is run by a countess and her staff, which are for the most part, all female, with each of these females all have at least 3 or more children.

The deep dwarves recognize the dangers of Rootstone, and there is always the stress to keep procreating to keep the city vibrant and alive. Marriages are few, being viewed as only a necessity when it helps keeping the city whole or united in purpose (for example, uniting two fueding clans).

Children are viewed as one of the biggest priorities in the deep dwarf culture. This urgency is cemented by the fact that deep dwarves have a low birth rate. Deep dwarf females can have only 4 children during their lifetime, with special cases being around 5 or 6 children. Usually it takes around 20 years for a female to become pregnant again after having a previous child. However, many females die during their fifth or sixth childbirth, regardless of age. Thus a deep dwarf female who has survived birthing 6 children is held in high esteem by most, if not all dwarves in the city. Since marriages are held in low regard, it's not uncommon for a female to have a different father for each of her children. I am awed at how many of the city scribes can keep track of who belongs to which clan, and who is the mother and father of whom. It is not unusual to hear of a male deep dwarf claiming to have 50 children and being related to 8 clans.

Childbearing is also a sign of selflessness and responsibility in dwarven culture. The more children a female has, the more responsibility she has, so the deep dwarves reason that she has gained more wisdom, more patience, more understanding, in the raising of these children and this is why the females are often put in positions of leadership, whether its the clan or in the city government.

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