Difference between revisions of "Dwarf"

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[[File:Dwarf.jpg|thumb|243px|A '''Dwarf''' warrior]]
 
[[File:Dwarf.jpg|thumb|243px|A '''Dwarf''' warrior]]
The '''Dwarfs''' are an ancient and proud race, although not quite as old as the [[Elf|Elves]]. In the distant past they ruled a great empire spanning the whole range of the mighty [[Worlds Edge Mountains]]. Their empire fell to the invasions of Orcs, Goblins, Skaven and other malign races, and today what has remained of their once-interconnected fortress cities have become isolated and scattered, and the Dwarfs themselves vastly reduced. Ever since these invasions, the Dwarf civilization has remained threatened by total destruction as they fight a bitter never-ending war against these same enemies.
+
The '''Dwarfs''' are an ancient and proud race, although not quite as old as the [[Elves]]. In the distant past they ruled a great empire spanning the whole range of the mighty [[Worlds Edge Mountains]]. Their empire fell to the invasions of Orcs, Goblins, Skaven and other malign races, and today what has remained of their once-interconnected fortress cities have become isolated and scattered, and the Dwarfs themselves vastly reduced. Ever since these invasions, the Dwarf civilization has remained threatened by total destruction as they fight a bitter never-ending war against these same enemies.
  
 
Many Dwarfs can now be found living in the cities of men. The Dwarfs who continue to live in the ancient Dwarf cities are known as Imperial Dwarfs, and comprise a deeply secretive, insular, chauvinistic kindred of the Dwarf race, and are the most feared and powerful of all Dwarf warriors.
 
Many Dwarfs can now be found living in the cities of men. The Dwarfs who continue to live in the ancient Dwarf cities are known as Imperial Dwarfs, and comprise a deeply secretive, insular, chauvinistic kindred of the Dwarf race, and are the most feared and powerful of all Dwarf warriors.
  
As well as defending their own besieged realm, Dwarfs have often given their support to other races against common enemies. Their closest ally is [[the Empire]].
+
As well as defending their own besieged realm, Dwarfs have often given their support to other races against common enemies. Their closest ally is [[The Empire]].
  
 
The Dwarfs are masters of the forge and of metal working, where they make use of many minerals and metals including their famed Gromril.
 
The Dwarfs are masters of the forge and of metal working, where they make use of many minerals and metals including their famed Gromril.
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==Society==
 
==Society==
Dwarfs live in a highly structured society centred around their vast underground Keeps and mines in the Worlds Edge Mountains. They trade the raw materials and finished goods for food and other goods they cannot easily acquire. The skills of the Dwarfs at working materials have not, however, declined like their empire, meaning that their goods will always attract a high price. Good farming land is scarce in the mountains, and Dwarfs do not make good farmers, but they are enthusiastic hunters and often feast on the meat of beasts they have killed while roaming the mountains around them. Grain and fruit are brought into the mountains by traders and are bartered for metalwork and gold.
+
Dwarfs are organized into strongholds each governed by a king. The kings of each stronghold are independent but all swear allegiance to the Dwarven [[High King]].
  
Dwarfs are organized into strongholds each governed by a king. Due probably to the distances which separate each stronghold, the kings of each stronghold are largely independent but all swear allegiance to the Dwarven [[High King]]. Outside of stronghold affiliations, Dwarfs are organized into clans. Clans are like an extensive family group, all sharing common ancestry although mostly not directly related.
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===Social structure===
 +
Each stronghold is home to several Dwarf clans. Social ranking is based on clan. The lowest ranking are the disgraced Clans who are often outcasts from the holds. The next lowest are the Clans which have no home hold, and instead wander from hold to hold as traders, as well as work in the cities of the human Empire. The middle ranking class are the respectable clans who dwell within the holds. The top ranking clans are the clans which engage in the most respected trades, such as goldworking, weaponsmithing, runesmithing, and engineering. The ruling class is the royal clan, whose members are the nobility, one of whom is the king of the Hold.
  
 +
Dwarfs keep titles simple, and with the exception of the King and his heirs, the princes, simply call their nobles ''thanes''.
 +
 +
===Clans===
 +
Dwarf clans are extended families who can trace their ancestry back to a founding ancestor who may have settled a specific valley, built a strong hold or founded a mine. The fact that the Dwarfs are exacting craftsmen and would never simply mass-produce their crafts means that their work remains rare and in high demand. Consequently, prices for Dwarf work are always high.
 +
 +
Dwarf clans are made up of many families, all of which share a common homeland. Often the clan has long lived elsewhere, as the original homeland has been lost or destroyed, although the clan has never given up the dreams of one day reclaiming their homeland and building it anew. The ancestors of the clan are highly honored, and part of this honor involves singing their sagas and maintaining their tombs and relics.
 +
 +
===Economy===
 +
Each Dwarf hold is a self-contained economy. Most are at the center of a network of smaller holds which operate their own mines, farms and workshops. Trade exists both within this network, and with the outside world.
 +
 +
Dwarfs trade the raw materials and finished goods for food and other goods they cannot easily acquire. The skills of the Dwarfs at working materials have not, however, declined like their empire, meaning that their goods will always attract a high price. Good farming land is scarce in the mountains, and Dwarfs do not make good farmers, but they are enthusiastic hunters and often feast on the meat of beasts they have killed while roaming the mountains around them. Grain and fruit are brought into the mountains by traders and are bartered for metalwork and gold.
 +
 +
===Age, wealth and skill===
 
The most important principles of Dwarf society are often summarized as three things: age, wealth and skill. The more of these that you have, the higher you are in Dwarf society. Dwarfs do not boast of their family achievements, they merely set the the record straight and proclaim their ancestors' greatness by their wealth and skills.
 
The most important principles of Dwarf society are often summarized as three things: age, wealth and skill. The more of these that you have, the higher you are in Dwarf society. Dwarfs do not boast of their family achievements, they merely set the the record straight and proclaim their ancestors' greatness by their wealth and skills.
  
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Dwarfs have a rigid and unyielding sense of honor, which is centered around the bond or promise. A promise does not die with an oath-maker, nor does treachery die with an oath-breaker. A Dwarf will be bound to an unfulfilled promise made by an ancestor, and will commit themselves to their fulfillment. Likewise they will look to the descendants of oathbreakers for recompense. Serious breaches of faith against the Dwarfs are recorded in the [[Great Book of Grudges]]. This massive tome is kept in Karaz-a-Karak, the capital of the old Dwarf empire, and constitutes something of a chronicle of Dwarf history.
 
Dwarfs have a rigid and unyielding sense of honor, which is centered around the bond or promise. A promise does not die with an oath-maker, nor does treachery die with an oath-breaker. A Dwarf will be bound to an unfulfilled promise made by an ancestor, and will commit themselves to their fulfillment. Likewise they will look to the descendants of oathbreakers for recompense. Serious breaches of faith against the Dwarfs are recorded in the [[Great Book of Grudges]]. This massive tome is kept in Karaz-a-Karak, the capital of the old Dwarf empire, and constitutes something of a chronicle of Dwarf history.
 
===Clans===
 
Dwarf clans are extended families who can trace their ancestry back to a founding ancestor who may have settled a specific valley, built a strong hold or founded a mine.
 
 
Dwarf clans are made up of many families, all of which share a common homeland. Often the clan has long lived elsewhere, as the original homeland has been lost or destroyed, although the clan has never given up the dreams of one day reclaiming their homeland and building it anew. The ancestors of the clan are highly honored, and part of this honor involves singing their sagas and maintaining their tombs and relics.
 
  
 
==Language==
 
==Language==
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==Warfare==
 
==Warfare==
{{main|Dwarf Warrior|Dwarf Navy}}
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{{see also|Dwarf Navy}}
 +
Dwarfs are well-prepared for war as each is already a battle-hardened warrior. In times of war, members of the clans will form regiments of Warriors, Quarrellers, and Thunderers under their own leader.
 +
 
 
The superior Dwarven craftsmanship and engineering skills give their armies the most advanced technology including superb armour, black powder weaponry such as [[handgun]]s and [[cannon]]s, and powerful war machines. Dwarfs tend to prefer close combat where they are more than a match for most other creatures. Dwarfs do not make use of the wild winds of magic in the form of wizardry but instead rely on the powerful runic magic of their [[Runesmith]]s.
 
The superior Dwarven craftsmanship and engineering skills give their armies the most advanced technology including superb armour, black powder weaponry such as [[handgun]]s and [[cannon]]s, and powerful war machines. Dwarfs tend to prefer close combat where they are more than a match for most other creatures. Dwarfs do not make use of the wild winds of magic in the form of wizardry but instead rely on the powerful runic magic of their [[Runesmith]]s.
  
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==Notes & sources==
 
==Notes & sources==
 
*Warhammer Armies: Dwarfs, 1996
 
*Warhammer Armies: Dwarfs, 1996
*Warhammer Fantasy Battle, 3rd edition, p. 213
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*Warhammer Armies: Dwarfs, 7th Edition, pp. 26-27
 +
*Warhammer Fantasy Battle, 3rd Edition, p. 213
  
 
[[Category:Dwarfs]]
 
[[Category:Dwarfs]]
  
 
[[de:Zwerge]]
 
[[de:Zwerge]]

Revision as of 08:31, 7 September 2010

File:Dwarf.jpg
A Dwarf warrior

The Dwarfs are an ancient and proud race, although not quite as old as the Elves. In the distant past they ruled a great empire spanning the whole range of the mighty Worlds Edge Mountains. Their empire fell to the invasions of Orcs, Goblins, Skaven and other malign races, and today what has remained of their once-interconnected fortress cities have become isolated and scattered, and the Dwarfs themselves vastly reduced. Ever since these invasions, the Dwarf civilization has remained threatened by total destruction as they fight a bitter never-ending war against these same enemies.

Many Dwarfs can now be found living in the cities of men. The Dwarfs who continue to live in the ancient Dwarf cities are known as Imperial Dwarfs, and comprise a deeply secretive, insular, chauvinistic kindred of the Dwarf race, and are the most feared and powerful of all Dwarf warriors.

As well as defending their own besieged realm, Dwarfs have often given their support to other races against common enemies. Their closest ally is The Empire.

The Dwarfs are masters of the forge and of metal working, where they make use of many minerals and metals including their famed Gromril.

Physiology

Dwarfs are short, powerful and squat. They are highly resistance to the effects of magic including the corrupting effects of Chaos energy. One part of this means that outside of rune smithing, they have no ability to use magic.

History

The Dwarfs are an ancient race with a long history which can be divided into several periods.

  • The Era of Migration, the Dwarfs begin to move northwards through the Worlds Edge Mountains, reaching as far as Norsca.
  • The Time of the Ancestors, the ancient strongholds are founded.
  • The Founding of the Dwarf Empire, Karaz-a-Karak is established as the capital of the Dwarf empire, beginning of the golden age of the Dwarfs.
  • The Elf/Dwarf Alliance
  • The War of Vengeance
  • The Age of Darkness, volcanic activity shatters the Dwarf empire, and precedes a massive migration of the Goblinoid races, who besiege the Dwarf empire.
  • The Age of Reconquest, aided by Sigmar and the united human tribes, the Goblinoids are driven from the Old World. Several strongholds are retaken by the Dwarfs.

Society

Dwarfs are organized into strongholds each governed by a king. The kings of each stronghold are independent but all swear allegiance to the Dwarven High King.

Social structure

Each stronghold is home to several Dwarf clans. Social ranking is based on clan. The lowest ranking are the disgraced Clans who are often outcasts from the holds. The next lowest are the Clans which have no home hold, and instead wander from hold to hold as traders, as well as work in the cities of the human Empire. The middle ranking class are the respectable clans who dwell within the holds. The top ranking clans are the clans which engage in the most respected trades, such as goldworking, weaponsmithing, runesmithing, and engineering. The ruling class is the royal clan, whose members are the nobility, one of whom is the king of the Hold.

Dwarfs keep titles simple, and with the exception of the King and his heirs, the princes, simply call their nobles thanes.

Clans

Dwarf clans are extended families who can trace their ancestry back to a founding ancestor who may have settled a specific valley, built a strong hold or founded a mine. The fact that the Dwarfs are exacting craftsmen and would never simply mass-produce their crafts means that their work remains rare and in high demand. Consequently, prices for Dwarf work are always high.

Dwarf clans are made up of many families, all of which share a common homeland. Often the clan has long lived elsewhere, as the original homeland has been lost or destroyed, although the clan has never given up the dreams of one day reclaiming their homeland and building it anew. The ancestors of the clan are highly honored, and part of this honor involves singing their sagas and maintaining their tombs and relics.

Economy

Each Dwarf hold is a self-contained economy. Most are at the center of a network of smaller holds which operate their own mines, farms and workshops. Trade exists both within this network, and with the outside world.

Dwarfs trade the raw materials and finished goods for food and other goods they cannot easily acquire. The skills of the Dwarfs at working materials have not, however, declined like their empire, meaning that their goods will always attract a high price. Good farming land is scarce in the mountains, and Dwarfs do not make good farmers, but they are enthusiastic hunters and often feast on the meat of beasts they have killed while roaming the mountains around them. Grain and fruit are brought into the mountains by traders and are bartered for metalwork and gold.

Age, wealth and skill

The most important principles of Dwarf society are often summarized as three things: age, wealth and skill. The more of these that you have, the higher you are in Dwarf society. Dwarfs do not boast of their family achievements, they merely set the the record straight and proclaim their ancestors' greatness by their wealth and skills.

The other important part of Dwarf culture is their beards. Dwarfs never cut or trim their beards, as the length of a beard indicates age and thus wisdom. Those with the longest beards are looked to for leadership.

Dwarfs have an affinity for the past and constantly seek to remember their fore bearers by repairing and maintaining their products. All Dwarfs know how to reforge an ancient blade and are constantly trying to incorporate ancient relics into their newer works.

They also enjoy hoarding their hard earned treasure and gold. When a Dwarf dies, his wealth goes to his family and so passed down the generations. This process ensures the memory of the dead and secures a Dwarf's supply of money for a more desperate time. Often a Dwarf will measure his security by how far off the ground they are when they sit on their treasures. Often the supplies of the stronghold itself are so huge as to be a massive attraction to Orc and Goblin hordes willing to take the risk of death to gain huge amounts of gold.

Dwarfs have a rigid and unyielding sense of honor, which is centered around the bond or promise. A promise does not die with an oath-maker, nor does treachery die with an oath-breaker. A Dwarf will be bound to an unfulfilled promise made by an ancestor, and will commit themselves to their fulfillment. Likewise they will look to the descendants of oathbreakers for recompense. Serious breaches of faith against the Dwarfs are recorded in the Great Book of Grudges. This massive tome is kept in Karaz-a-Karak, the capital of the old Dwarf empire, and constitutes something of a chronicle of Dwarf history.

Language

The Dwarf language is called Khazalid. It is an ancient language that has remained unchanged over many thousands of years both in its spoken and written runic form, absorbing only a few words from Elven and human languages. Khazalid is kept a secret language, and is rarely spoken in the company of other races, except for their feared and infamous battle cries.

Khazalid includes very few words of obvious Elven or Human origin. By contrast there are many loan words from Khazalid in the tongues of Men, which suggests that Dwarfs must have taught some fundamental words to their taller allies. This is most obviously the case of words to do with traditional Dwarven craftskills of smithing and masonry, skills which Dwarfs taught Men many centuries ago.

Khazalid well reflects the nature of the Dwarfs. There are a relatively large amount words for things such as different kinds of rock, underground tunnels and precious metals. It is said there are over a hundred words for "gold" in Khazalid, each subtly different and describing its lustre, color, purity and hardness. On the other hand, there are few words for abstract concepts. Words for physical things are also used for concepts which the Dwarfs perceive as related. An example is the Khazalid word for mountain, which is also used to denote concepts such as unyielding, enduring and permanence.

The sound of Khazalid is guttural. Dwarfs have deep, resonant voices and a tendency to speak more loudly than is strictly necessary. Khazalid vowel sounds in particular are uncompromisingly precise and heavily accented. Consonants are often spat aggressively or gargled at the back of the throat. Contrary to Men, whose dialect differs widely depending on geographic location, the Dwarfs remain fairly consistent in dialect across the Dwarven realm, although there are exceptions.

Warfare

See also: Dwarf Navy

Dwarfs are well-prepared for war as each is already a battle-hardened warrior. In times of war, members of the clans will form regiments of Warriors, Quarrellers, and Thunderers under their own leader.

The superior Dwarven craftsmanship and engineering skills give their armies the most advanced technology including superb armour, black powder weaponry such as handguns and cannons, and powerful war machines. Dwarfs tend to prefer close combat where they are more than a match for most other creatures. Dwarfs do not make use of the wild winds of magic in the form of wizardry but instead rely on the powerful runic magic of their Runesmiths.

Dwarfs are not suited to riding beasts, let alone horses, but occasionally ride in their advanced Gyrocopters through the sky to attack their foes with a small cannon. Occasionally Dwarfs are mounted on Dwarf-drawn thrones if they are of sufficient rank and power.

Influence of Chaos

During the time of the Dwarf migration along the Worlds Edge Mountains many thousands of years ago, some Dwarfs strayed too far in their quest for precious ores and gems, reaching the dismal Mountains of Mourn. When the Time of Chaos came, these Dwarfs were cut off from the rest of Dwarf civilization. The rest of the Dwarfs assumed they had perished in the deluge of Chaos. The hardy Dwarfs were not killed but neither had they remained unchanged by Chaos. Eventually even these stubborn Dwarfs succumbed to the warping effects of the Chaos energies, gradually becoming the perverted and cynical mockery of traditional Dwarfs now known as Chaos Dwarfs. In many ways they are the antithesis of the Dwarfs that remained. Where Dwarfs shun most magic except for their Runic magic, Chaos Dwarfs have embraced it; where Dwarfs worship their Ancestor Gods and despise Chaos, Chaos Dwarfs have submitted to it and now follow no other god but Hashut, a Chaos god they call the Father of Darkness. To Dwarfs, the "greenskin" races (Goblins, Orcs and the like) are implacable enemies, while in Chaos Dwarf empire they are slaves outnumbering the Chaos Dwarfs themselves many times over. In other ways the good values of the Dwarfs were perverted into evil ones, the Dwarfs' traditional love of craft and industry becoming mere, base rapacity.

Notes & sources

  • Warhammer Armies: Dwarfs, 1996
  • Warhammer Armies: Dwarfs, 7th Edition, pp. 26-27
  • Warhammer Fantasy Battle, 3rd Edition, p. 213