Dwarf
Info
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Dwarf
Info |
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1) Introduction 3) What
it is to be a Dwarf 5) Love
and Marriage 6) Dwarven
Language (Dwarvish) |
7) Dwarven
Clans 8) The
Gods of the Dwarves 9) Priests
of the Dwarves 10) Dwarven
Cults |
A lot of the information contained
within is copywrited to TSR and re-produced here without their permission.
This file is considered for Private Use only – i.e. by the players of the Northern
Journey Campaign.
1) INTRODUCTION
Despite their dwindling numbers, dwarves are an important and influential race, who have by and large forced other beings in the Realms to take them on their own terms. The works and inventions of dwarves are everywhere in the human societies of Faerun, and dwarves remain in the forefront of explorers and craftsmen in the Realms today.
It is impossible to overestimate the importance of their gods to the dwarves. Much of the space herein is devoted to the deities and their priests, because the lives of dwarves are dominated by the deeds and directives of the gods, more than any other intelligent race of Faerun.
This work explores something of the magic and deeds of the dwarves, and the nature of their societies. A dwarf reading this work would be enraged not only by the laying out of far too many of his Folk's secrets, the long and colourful past of the battling dwarven races on Faerun in The Lost Kingdoms chapter, and more practical information on spells, priests, magical items, and so on.
2) DWARVEN NAMES
Dwarves in the Realms bear only a first name (for example, "Dorn"), to which are attached qualifying names and phrases. Humans can find dwarven names both long and complicated, so a brief exploration of how they come about is both valuable and necessary.
A clanless or outlaw dwarf, or one ashamed of his clan or wishing to conceal its identity, commonly uses only the name of his kingdom to distinguish him from others with the same name. Surprisingly, the legitimate reasons for concealing one's clan, especially from nondwarves, are many. To a travelling dwarven merchant, for example, revealing his or her clan only affords competitors a chance for blackmail, deception, and time-wasting entreaties ,false or hopeless, to others in the clan, attempting to use the merchant as a go-between, spokesdwarf, or agent.
If our Dorn was a travelling merchant, he might call himself "Dorn of the Deep Realm." The kingdom is commonly used only when the dwarf is not within it. Inside the kingdom, the dwarf must be more specific (e.g. "Dorn of the Firecaverns"). Use of a mythical or extinct kingdom may be either a matter of pride, or an attempt to deceive. Among nondwarves, some dwarves merely use the name of a known location ("Dorn of Amphail").
A dwarf deliberately concealing information (i.e. to a hostile questioner) will often say he is merely "of the dwarves," which to another dwarf is an insult. For example, "I am Dorn, of the dwarves," typically delivered in a flat tone that adds the unspoken, "Any problems with that?" or "Want to make something of it?"
Among dwarves, it is more common to use one's clan name ("Dorn Bladebite"); the kingdom name is necessary only when a clan is established in more than one realm a very rare thing, today.
Dwarves are proud of their heritage; if a dwarf is descended from a dwarven hero, he or she will use the qualifier "son of" or "grandson of" ("Dorn, son of Tyrtar"). Females sometimes use " son of" when trying to conceal their sex from nondwarves, but usually prefer "daul of" (dwarvish for '"daughter of"); thus, "Dorna, daul of Tyrtar."
If the descent is further removed than two generations, the phrase "blood of" is employed - but only in the case of the most famous heroes or rulers. Thus, "Dorn, blood of Gordrimm"
In all cases, a personal descriptive qualifier is added if two or more dwarves can be confused. This is a common situation in the ranks of a clan dwelling in one spot, where two dwarves with the same first name also share bloodlines, clan, and location. The qualifier may be something as simple as "The Younger," or "One-Eye," or may refer to a deed or interest ("Worldwalker" or"Wyrmhunter").
Some of the most common qualifiers are: the Bloodaxe; the Dauntless; Dragonhunter; Fardelver; Firebeard; Foeflayer; Forkbeard; Giantsbane; the Grim; Hammerhand; the Older; Orcslayer; Wildbeard, and the Younger.
One last wrinkle: some dwarven families use combined names as an alternative - or even in addition - to qualifiers. The clumsiness that can arise from this practise has made it little practised today, but some dwarves still bear its results.
For example, in a large dwarven family, two or three of eight sons may be called "Dorn " As the father is probably also called Dorn, qualifiers such as "the Younger" are avoided; instead, the three sons each receive another dwarven name, tacked onto their "Dorn." The three brothers could be "Dornadar", "Dorndaggan", and "Dornidrin".
All of these name-phrases may of course be strung together (along with any titles the dwarf gains along the way). Looking back at our example, Dorn, we see that in full he could be "Dorn ‘the Younger’ Bladebite, son of Ahrdagh, blood of Gordrimm, of the Firecaverns of the Deep Realm."
This ensures that challenges, messages, and bills belonging to Dorn don't arrive at the door of his uncle, "Dorn ‘the Old’ Bladebite, blood of Gordrimm, of Glitterdelve in the Deep Realm."
Adventuring companions of dwarves usually find it easier to give a dwarf a nickname, to use commonly as a surname when among humans; thus, Dorn is "Dorn Firedrake" when on the trail with the Company of the Crown of Stars. If he wasn't so ashamed of the Company's ribald exploits, Dorn might call himself simply "Dorn Bladebite" when among them, but he doesn't want to anger or shame his clan.
Dwarves who wander the Realms or dwell exclusively in the company of humans, and who are outlaw or have no clan affiliations from birth, usually adopt human last names (see the section on Brotherhoods; most of their leaders are so named).
In short, the fragmentation of the dwarven kingdoms in the north allows players and DMs to adopt any name they choose for a dwarven character - the only names that need explanation are obviously elven names, or clan names used when the dwarf is not part of that clan (a dwarf of the right clan will always happen along or get wind of it, and there will be trouble; trouble that no dwarf would willingly bring about).
"A grudging, suspicious race." - Alaundo the Sage
Grim mystery, laced with sadness and pride - these are the images that come to mind when one thinks of dwarves. They are the images that should come to players' minds when dwarves come onstage during play in the Realms. In this chapter we'll look at some things that help bring a dwarf to life in play.
3.1) Dwarven Character
Dwarves are dour, proud, taciturn, and markedly inflexible. They hold grudges and lust after gold. Dwarves have a deepseated, morbid dislike and mistrust of all strangers, nondwarves in particular. More than simply wanting to greedily amass all the wealth they can, which is the common human and halfling view of dwarves, the Deep Folk love worked beauty. They prefer beauty through skill, somehow improving on nature, rather than the beauty of nature "as is," the beauty prized by "lazy" elves.
Dwarves are also a devout folk, a race that looks often to its gods who, in turn, serve their steadfast worshippers diligently. Dwarven traits such as grim defiance and greed are not implanted or forced upon the dwarves by their deities, but are things inherent in a dwarf that the gods recognise and play upon.
Dwarves are usually pessimists, as is revealed by their common sayings "every fair sky hides a lurking cloud" and "the gold you have yet to win gleams the brightest". As such they always prepare for the worst, preparing back-up weapons, food caches, escape routes, and 'booby traps' for potential enemies.
Some even see the hand of fate as a real, powerful force that acts upon their lives. Some dwarves have been known to feel their own deaths approach. Others have glimpsed tantalising images of important scenes in their lives to come. These images are given, it is said, by the gods, to ensure that each dwarf knows when an encounter, decision, or deed is especially important to the Folk as a whole, so he might act accordingly. These fateful images make the dwarves respectful and obedient to the gods, willing to obey their laws and rules.
Dwarves therefore tend to keep their word, whatever the cost. By way of example, the village of Maskyr's Eye, in the Vast, is named for a wizard who asked the dwarven king Tuir for land. The king, not wanting to give up any land to humans, but also not wanting to face the attacks of an angered wizard, said the land would be Maskyr's only if the wizard plucked out his right eye on the spot, and gave it to Tuir. Maskyr, to the astonishment of the court, did so, and Tuir then respectfully kept his end of the bargain.
The dwarves have always had close relations with gnomes, and workable relations with ha!flings. They have always harboured a special hatred for ores and other goblin-kin, and they have never gotten along with their own deep-dwelling kin, the duergar.
3.2) Everyday Beliefs
The deep religious beliefs of the dwarves - that their gods are real beings who will aid them if they have performed acceptably, and who want them to do thus and so - are not dealt with in this chapter. For religious topics, see instead The Gods of the Dwarves and The Priests of the Dwarves. Rather, we look here at things that most dwarves believe to be true about life and Daerun, whether these beliefs are true or not. Player characters may, or may not, know the truth of these matters, or may learn them during their careers, at the DM's option.
To call someone a 'longbeard' means that he or she is wise, experienced, a dependable veteran, and is a compliment. To call someone a 'no-beard' or 'shorthair' is an insult. All dwarves grow beards, male and female, but some dwarves, usually females, shave.
To call a dwarf 'little' or 'human' (or to combine the two, as in 'little man') is to issue a nasty insult. Conversely, 'standing tall,' as in 'You stand tall among us, Thorgar,' is a term of admiration and respect. Strangely, the actual height of a dwarf does not influence his or her treatment by, and relationships with, other dwarves in any way.
A dwarf may introduce himself to a stranger of another race, as 'Narnden, of the dwarves.' If Narnden is his real name, this is only a subtle insult, reflecting that the dwarf doesn't trust the stranger well enough to give his clan (last) name. If the stranger is a dwarf, it is an unfriendly greeting. If the dwarf gives the name 'Narnden' falsely, it is meant as an insult.
Dwarves have many customs that appear strange to humans. Those immediately apparent to any visitor to dwarven habitations is that dwarves prefer to live underground or, if aboveground, they prefer dark, massive stone structures that mimic conditions underground. Dwarves seem to hate and fear the sea.
Dwarves also speak as little as possible, and tend to be surly or sarcastic. Dwarves tend to like games even gambling, of all sorts. They enjoy rhythmic drumming in music, disliking flutes and other wind instruments. Dwarves enjoy dancing, either among themselves or watching others when in humandominated communities.
Dwarves are hardy by nature, resistant to magic and toxic substances, as described in the ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS,2nd Edition, Player's Handbook. However, there is at least one substance especially poisonous to dwarves and duergar: dwarfbane. Dwarfbane is a rare, gummy oil that is poisonous only to dwarves. Insinuative, it is commonly smeared on weapons. It does not dry out, but prolonged exposure to air lessens its potency; it is effective only for 26-31 (ld6 +25) days. Upon contact, dwarfbane does 1-8 points of damage with a pain "like blazing skewers," and a further 1-6 points on each of the following three rounds. A successful saving throw will halve all damage suffered by a dwarf from dwarfbane.
The tragic 'secret' of the dwarves is their low birthrate. Fear of clan extinction sometimes drives dwarves to raid human settlements for mates, or even to deal with slavers. The dwarves are usually in search of human women, because the low dwarven birthrate is thought to be due to low fertility among dwarven women.
The offspring of a human and a dwarf is always dwarven enough to pass for a true dwarf (although it may be a foot taller than other dwarves). Any offspring it may in turn have with a dwarven mate will be fully dwarven, reverting to usual dwarven height The taking of human mates is '`the secret salvation of the race" referred to by some dwarven elders.
Moots are business meetings between dwarven clans or professions, or between dwarves and nondwarven traders. Current known moots in the Realms include periodic hadesmoots near Baldur's Gate, the annual High Moot northeast of Waterdeep, and the Deep Moot in the Great Rift, held every ten years and open to every dwarf.
Dragonmoots are a proud but vanishing tradition, in which bands of adventuring dwarves are called together to fight specific dragons, and plunder their hoards. They were once something of a ritual of passage for young dwarves aspiring to be warriors.
Festivals are annual celebratory feasts which tend to involve lots of drinking and dancing. The most famous festivals include the Festival of the Forging (in honor of the great smithies), the Night of the Thirsty Axe (in honor of great warriors), and the Remembering (in honor of dead dwarven ancestors).
Dwarves have professions not unlike those of other races, so visitors from human or even elven communities will not be completely lost in the dwarven realms. However, several honoured dwarven professions are unique to their culture. These include loremasters, diplomats, and smiths.
Loremasters are the Keepers of the High History of the Dwarves. Their task is to remember dwarven genealogies, history, and decisions down the ages. In the Deep Realm, the most sacred, central part of Underhome is the Vault of Mutterings, where old dwarves endlessly tell each other the lore they know, in a sort of endless chanting and drinking party.
Diplomats are also honoured professionals among the dwarves. Skilled diplomats are either negotiators or messengers. The latter memorise messages exactly and can deliver them in precisely the voice and tone in which they were first enunciated. They can't deliver spells this way, but can impart command words. Messengers are used throughout the Deep Realm as a matter of course, and on the surface when matters of import must be communicated (i.e. news of the death of a dwarf to his or her kin). Dwarven messengers carry small iron bucklers as badges of their office, and may also bear a circle inside-a circle tattoo at the base of their throat.
Far and away the most important profession among the dwarves is, of course, the smith. Smiths vary widely in skills and specialities, and not all of them can fashion magical items. These skills are not detailed in this sourcebook, because it is recommended that smiths not be player characters.
To advance in smith-craft, a dwarf cannot spare the time for adventuring. Nor would a smith voluntarily risk his skilled hands and other faculties to the dangers of battle - they are simply too valuable to the smith and to his people.
There is a dwarven saying: "Smiths die rich, but warriors die with only what they've managed to seize and hold onto." It vividly illustrates the relative lack of profit in being an adventurer, compared to the sure gains of being a dwarven smith.
Most human fighters in the Realms know the basics ol forging weapons and armour; the favoured and necessary metals, what tools are commonly used, and so on. They can tell when someone is trying to deceive them over the making of a blade, but would probably produce a brittle, unbalanced weapon unable to hold an edge if they tried to make a sword themselves.
Most dwarves can do a little better than that. They can tell you exactly what metals and tempering substances their local smiths used, and know when a forge or blade-in-progress is hot enough simply by its hue.
A player character dwarf may not be able to turn out a fine, tempered sword if he is not a smith However, virtually any dwarf can, if given time and the right materials, produce a serviceable blade, of the proper weight, size and balance for a given user, that can be sharpened to a cutting edge. It may not, however, hold an edge or take the battering a good weapon could without shattering. The DM must adjudicate such situations on a case-by-case basis.
Magical forging is also a matter for the dungeon master to rule on, to match conditions in a particular campaign. Dwarves are intensely secretive when it comes to smithy-work; no player character dwarf will be able to learn how to make and enchant a weapon from any dwarven tutor. A few hints may he picked up from crumbling texts, examination of magical items, and the last gasped words of dying dwarves indebted to the PC, but by and large PCs of any race wanting to learn the dwarven ways of creating magical things are going to have to experiment for themselves.
The player character must prepare a process, with ingredients and conditions, and submit it to the DM. The DM will rule on what occurs. While creating a magical item under such conditions is a thing to be proud of in itself, it will, if properly run, eat up so much time and wealth that the character effectively retires from adventuring, even if only temporarily.
As the dwarven sage Holoengor of Eartheart has said, "Adventuring is one grand career and craftwork is another. It's a rare dwarf that's tall enough to manage both."
Almost all dwarves are hirsute, covered with at least some hair all over their bodies. Jungle dwarves have the least hair, and shield dwarves the most. Dwarves of both sexes may shave, perfume, trim, and comb all their hair, or tattoo themselves. Hair growth may be inhibited by treating areas of the body with a paste of secret ingredients, then searing the area in open flame. Tattoos also inhibit the growth of hair.
Many dwarves, particularly females, oil and shave their bodies regularly. A nondwarf seeing a shaggy bearded dwarf in heavy armor and furs that conceal the betraying lines of the female figure may have trouble determining the dwarf's sex.
Most dwarven females dress, walk and fight as males do, and have similar lowpitched, gruff, husky voices Like males, they naturally grow beards, and only some shave. Dwarves of both sexes may trim, perfume, and even hang their beards with gems or gold ornaments. The latter is particularly true in the south, among surface-dwellers near the Rift.
Much of the wealth of dwarves, envied and sought by those of other races in Faerun, exists in the form of fine metals. Understanding the metallurgy of the dwarves would be an absolutely enormous undertaking, taking a lifetime or more. The devising of alloys is one of the chief dwarven sciences, and it would take a book thrice the size of this one even to name and describe the various successful and failed amalgams and alloys tried by the dwarves. Interestingly, some sages believe that the low fertility of dwarves is due to exposure to heat, bizarre alloys, and metal toxins.
Any good library can tell those interested the sources (and differences between) copper, bronze, electrum, gold, and so on. A library in the Realms (Elminster has a good one, I've been led to believe) will yield lore about more than a dozen metals unique to the RealmsÑand alloys made from them, besides. Perhaps another day....
Here we note only a few bare basics:
Treatments
Dwarven smiths know many treatments for metals, chiefly concerned with inhibiting oxidation and other forms of corrosion, or in altering appearance (shine and hue). Two deserve mention here: the common blueshine treatment, used for all metals to resist acid ( + 1 bonus to saves) and rust (especially"bloodrust"), and to give them a beautiful gleaming deep blue appearance, and the everbright treatment. This gives all metals an enduring, bright shine (like chromium), and absolutely prevents any tarnishing, discoloration, rusting (even by a rust monster), or corrosion of a blade, unless the blade is later actually broken, or subjected to forge-fire, earth-fire (lava) or dragonfire.
Dwarven courtship is a mystery to most other races. Others see dwarves as a hard, grim, largely humorless race. To outsiders, dwarves never appear to show love, kindness, or caring if they can help it.
These misconceptions only substantiate how intensely dwarves value their privacy, and how well they guard it. Dwarves are slow to strong emotion, but their feelings run deep. When moved to anger, hatred, love, or friendship, they hold steadfast throughout their lives. In fact, their low birthrate and dwindling numbers makes dwarves pursue love more fiercely now than in elder days.
Dwarves were once more carefree. Though they lived in danger, beset by enemies in the Deep Realm, they were far more numerous. No dwarf thought of his Folk as a people in decline, or that someday there might be no dwarves. Clan rule was stronger, and females were kept busy in the home, all the while guarded by males who mined and fought.
Some say the heat of the forges and the strange metals dwarves have experimented with over the years have made many of them barren. Others scoff at this notion. Whatever the truth, dwarven fertility has steadily declined.
The rule of clan elders over everyday dwarven lives has also waned, particularly in the north, where once proud dwarven kingdoms are gone, the Folk scattered in lands now held by men.
Females, who from a cold-blooded view of breeding to preserve the race should now be guarded more than ever, have taken advantage of failing clan power to achieve equality with their malefolk. Shedwarves today fiercely hold roles as warriors and adventurers, often paying with their lives. As fertile mothers grow fewer, dwarven power continues to fade.
Today, male and female dwarves are identical in rights, except in the clergy. Strong personalities of either sex dominate family and clan life.
Courting, romance, and fertility are sacred to the goddess Sharindlar. Courtship begin with a time of living apart, exchanging poems and gifts, the latter often battlespoils or personally-crafted jewelry. This may last for years, as participants try to impress each other. If interest grows sufficient, the two live together for a time, often adventuring side-by-side or working together as artisans. This allows both to fully learn the personality of their chosen one. If deep love develops, marriage follows.
Betrothal and married life are the province of the goddess Berronar. Lawful good dwarves follow her custom of exchanging rings with those for whom they feel deep, mutual trust and love. The rings are often of silver, matching Berronar's symbol, are treated by dwarven smiths to be everbright (never to tarnish), and are blessed by priests of Berronar. If one of the parties participates with deceit in his or her heart, Berronar's power makes one of the rings crumble during the blessing (both rings, if both are false!). Both participants must be lawful good, and the ceremony is never entered into lightly.
Rings are also ceremonially exchanged between betrothed royalty of different dwarven kingdoms, regardless of their alignments. Dwarves almost never exchange rings with nondwarves, although there have been cases, especially in the north, where human females and male dwarves have united in happiness, to further dwarven bloodlines and preserve what remains of crumbling dwarven clans and holdings.
Dwarven marriage need not involve a ring exchange. An older, more popular ritual, particularly among adventurers and wanderers, is blood-betrothal. The participants may be of any alignment, and require only a noble of any race as a witness. The witness should be a dwarf, and preferably a clan chief, elder, or priest, but could technically be any noble. The two mingle blood, while they kiss, and whisper their truenames to each other. They then solemnly declare themselves, by their full public names, as mates for the benefit of the witness. They are then considered married in the eyes of all dwarves. Divorce is unknown.
Adventurer dwarves have always been the Folk of widest experience and tolerance, being most likely to meet and marry dwarves of other clans and interests. Nonadventurers, especially in the past, tend to marry others of their own profession, which can prove to be a weakness; when sudden death comes to dwarven holds, a whole field of expertise could be irreclaimable with the loss of a single family. Marriage does not, these days, mean living together thereafter - many couples carry on separate careers, meeting only a few times a year.
5.4) Having Children
A pregnant wife is cared for by her husband, seeks clan midwives, or returns to a clan hold to live until the birth. This last practice is common when married dwarves live apart, and the male is a roving adventurer or otherwise difficult to get word to. Once the wife is safely in clan care, a messenger is sent to inform the husband. It is considered great good luck for the child if the father is present at the birth. In some clans, an axe or other item of his is brought to the birthing to represent a dead or absent father
It is rare for dwarves to give birth to more than one baby at a time. About 70% of all births are males. Only about 55% of dwarves, of either sex, are fertile.
Humans, gnomes, and halflings are cross-fertile with dwarves. Elminster says elves and dwarves can have issue as well. Common in Ardeep, Eaerlann, and Myth Drannor of old, this is unheard-of today.
Mates who respect dwarven customs and traditions are honoured for their courage (in entering a strange society), loyalty (to the customs of dwarves) and aid (in preserving the Folk).
"Half-dwarves" are not a distinct race. Save for their height (a head taller than most dwarves) all offspring of unions between dwarves and other races look and act (and are treated in the rules) as pureblood dwarves. Dwarven halfbreeds always have the stocky build and hirsute appearance of purebloods.
If halfbloods mate with pureblood dwarves, the offspring will be a pureblood. If halfbloods mate with another halfblood or a nondwarf, the offspring will be a halfblood.
6) DWARVEN LANGUAGE (DWARVISH)
The dwarven language in use today is descended from the Elder tongue, a speech of great antiquity. The Elder tongue is thought by some to be the source of the word "Faerun," derived from the word "runedar," meaning home or familiar place. It has a long and complicated vocabulary - little used by any dwarf alive today, save for the record keeping elders. The most commonly heard words of present-day dwarvish are presented on the opposite page.
Some of the words given there are of use to humans deciphering dwarven place-names, some of which survive in present-day use. Those trying to interpret old treasure-verses or dwarven lore are in even greater need of an elder dwarven vocabulary.
Dwarven speech can be simulated in play by speaking as most Wanderers do these days: that is, they use human common-speech, studded with words of dwarvish.
6.1) Runestones
Dwarves prefer to write on stone rather than on more perishable materials. Stone walls, pillars, cairns, and standing stones all over the Realms today bear the Dethek runes used by dwarves down the long ages since history in Faerun began. A few dwarven writings are in 'dead tongues' or in clan codes rather than Dethek runes, which, thankfully for the scholar, few clans use nowadays.
Most often, dwarves write on flat stones, known as 'runestones.' A typical runestone is flat and circular or diamond shaped, about an inch thick, and of a hard, durable rock. One or both faces of the stone are inscribed with Dethek runes in a ring or spiral around the edge. Runestones are usually read from the outer edge to the center along the spiral. This spiral encircles an identifying rune or picture, such as a clan mark or personal rune. Occasionally, runestones have been made of metal, but only the finest metals of the most pure and perfect manufacture will do.
Runestones telling a legend or tale of heroism usually bear a picture of the climactic scene described in the script. Grave markers or histories usually reproduce the face or mark of the dwarf or dwarves described. The central symbol may also be a commonly-understood rune (e.g a foot for a 'safe trail' marker, or an inverted helm to denote safe drinking water), or may be a simple decoration. Some runestones have pictures in relief, and are used as seals or pressed into wet mud to serve as temporary trail markers.
The Dethek runes are reproduced on the gatefold of this accessory for easy DM reference during play. They can readily be used to decipher the message on the "typical runestone" shown there. It reads: "This place is Dhurri's Bridge. Here forty two of the best warriors of (the House of Helmung) fell, to keep orcs from the Halls. We slew six hundred and eight. (Day) 218, (year since the founding of the House) 377."
The central rune of a hammer identifies the writer as a warrior, the shield indicates he was of the House of Helmung, a house now thought to be extinct. The writer's name, "Nain," is written, as is the custom, above the shield. A dwarf of greater importance would use his personal rune instead.
No punctuation can be shown in Dethek, but sentences are customarily separated by lines crossing the script. Words are separated by spaces, and capital letters have a horizontal line over them. Numbers enclosed in boxes are dates, the day preceding the year by convention. Clan, kingdom, family, and individual runes are incorporated into Dethek script. If any runes are painted, the names of beings and places are commonly picked out in red, the rest coloured black or left uncoloured.
Runestones can serve as genealogies and family burial markers, portable tombstones, to whic b additions are added each time a new burial is made in a family crypt. They can also serve as inventories of the wealth of a clan, family, or brotherhood, as private messages, and as records of great events and deeds of valour
One stone was found in a labyrinth of dwarven caverns, serving as a very plain warning - plain to those who knew the script, that is - of a pit trap just beyond. Another, somewhere in the same abandoned mountain dwarf-halls in Delzoun, is reputed to hold a clue to the where abouts of the Hammer of Thunderbolts, a terrific weapon once borne in the Battle of the Drowning of Lornak.
The runestones most eagerly sought by nondwarves are treasure stones.' According to Elminster, these tend to give treasure directions "hidden in those cryptic verses that the Stout Folk write when they think they're being clever."
Some rare stones are adorned with gems, or are themselves magical. Magical runestones may function as arrows of direction, as the Book of Passing Years in Elminster's library tells us. Others might, as many folk tales and ballads of the North attest, speak messages by magic mouth when certain persons are near, or when certain words (sometimes nonsense words, carved on the stone) are said over it. Some of these magical stones chant warnings or poetry, but most utter treasure-verses. A few such verses are given on the gatefold of this accessory As far as Elminster knows, the treasures these hint at all await an adventuring band that is strong and brave, of keen wits and good luck. ("That's why," he added dryly, "they haven't been found yet.")
ae |
gold | mur |
to disagree (hence "murmel" means to argue, debate) |
aelin |
gold-work | murmelngs |
arguments, criticism, words of dissension |
agland |
sword | norogh |
monsters, evil or dangerous beings or forces (especially unknown or unidentified) |
alagh |
battle-glory, valor | noror |
enemies (known) |
ar |
to cut, slash, or lay open | noroth |
enemy land, area, or lair (plural is "norothin") |
arglar |
to butcher; "a proper arglary" means a proper butchering, or a good fight, and is often used to describe vicious struggles with orcs | ol |
magic, magical power or items ("olara" refers to natural magic, not used or influenced by beings) |
arau |
great, huge, gigantic | olor |
world, all lands, the entire territory of Toril seen by, and known to, the dwarves |
arauglor |
sea, ocean (literally, 'greatlake') | parlyn |
clothing, especially usual or expected (proper or fitting) adornment |
barak |
backbone, strength, shield | raugh |
death, an ending, it's over (especially feuds and love-affairs) |
bedorn |
disbelief, lies, mistakes, exaggeration, distortion | rrin |
over, above |
beldarak |
treachery (hence, "beldarakin" means treacherous beings) | rorn |
destruction, devastation, war (thus, "rorntyn" means battlefield) |
burakrin | way through, passage | rune |
familiar, known |
calass |
thief, miscreant, untrustworthy one | runedar |
home, familiar place, haven |
caurak |
cavern (large size, underground only) | sabrak |
crack, flaw |
corl |
to kill | samman |
trusted friend, shield- brother (battle companion) |
corlar |
killer | samryn |
trustworthy, honest, honorable, or favorable |
daern |
familiar, known (place, feature or being) | sargh |
disgusting thing or occurrence; |
dauble |
treasure or valuable (plural "daubles") | filth |
ores or ore-work |
deladar |
to descend, to go down (hence, "deladaraugh" means to die in battle; literally, 'to go down to the death') | sonn |
good stone |
delver |
to dig (hence "delve" means a digging; mine, tunnel, or underhome) | splendarr |
bright, shining, beautiful, hopeful |
donnar |
metal ore | taerin |
love (true love,'deep' rove) |
dunglor |
underground lake | thalorn |
kindness, caring, good deed |
dunlur |
underground river | tharn |
love, lust (hence "aetharn" means gold-lust) |
endar |
cave (surface world; one not linked to extensive underways) | thord |
bone ("thorden" means bones) |
faern |
home | thork |
death, excrement, decay, carrion |
finder |
good luck, good fortune, favorable chances | thuldul |
fate, doom, ill luck, or (spoken in irony) everyday cheery tidings or good fortune |
glor |
lake | tindul |
clumsiness, clumsy work (especially smithcraft) |
gordul |
gods forfend! or gods, look at this! (an oath of amazement or despair) | tor |
hill, knoll (especially if bare rock in places; smaller than a mountain or crag) |
glander |
gems, including uncut natural stones | torst |
adventure, fun, welcomed danger |
halaur |
gift | tyn |
field, open place (aboveground) |
hurnden |
payment | ultok |
meeting-place, coming together, rendezvous |
ilith |
deal, agreement, trust of one's word or honor | ultokrinlur |
ford (literally 'meeting-place over river') |
jargh |
jokester, idiot (often applied to halflings) | undivver |
hope, future plan, strategy |
kuldjargh |
a berserker, or one who is reckless in any battle (literally, "axe-idiot") | veltel |
romance, courtship, social games and manners |
kuld |
axe | vallahir |
mountain-meadow (high valley, especially a 'hanging valley' or alpine plateau) |
kuldar |
warrior (literally, "axe-cutter") | vudd |
wood, forest |
levasst |
passage linking surface and underground | vruden |
wood (thus, "vrudenla" means wooden or of wood) |
Ihar |
gap, (mountain) pass | wurgym |
ugliness, ugly thing or being |
llargh |
loose stone, bad to work or unsafe | wurlur |
current, racing water (danger) |
fur |
river, creek, stream | wurn |
water (especially useful or drinking water) |
llur |
large (wide) river | xoth |
knowledge (especially dwarf-lore and secret or special knowledge) |
lurgh |
marsh, fen | xunder |
secrets, dark deeds or treasure-talk |
lurmurk |
bog, muskeg (concealed waters) | yaugh |
a climb (thus; "yaughadar" means stairs or steps, "yauthlin" means rope, "yauthmair" means handholds or no clear way, and "yauthtil" means an elevator (if magical, it is a "olyauthil") |
morndin |
peak, height (especially of mountains, but sometimes also used to speak of high ledges, ranks of individuals, or tall creatures) | zander |
adventurer, rogue, foolish youth, happy-go~lucky or reckless being |
mrin |
to climb (hence "mrinding" means climbing) | . |
. |
The clan was once all-powerful in dwarven life in Faerun, but over the last thousand winters, the power and influence of all clans, particularly in the North, has dwindled. Many are now little more than drinking societies or clubs, with virtually no influence over their member dwarves' lives, though clans do not allow members to also belong to another clan. Many isolated dwarven communities, particularly in the North, are now clanless, or have only the weakest clan affiliations.
All dwarven clans have chiefs. In the north, dwarven chieftains are sometimes known as"clanmasters" or"lairds." Their southern counterparts are often known as "ardukes." These ranks give us "the word of the laird shalt be the whole of the law," "for the arduke,' "all honour to the chief," and other sayings. The term "house" refers to the ruling family in a clan, or the ruling clan of a land. This term is most used when there is no single monarch, the ruler uses a lesser title (such as Iron Duke), or when a king is elected rather than inheriting the title.
Almost all positions of clan leadership are obtained today hy election from among, and by, the clan's elders. In olden days, dwarves had kings who could trace lineage through generations of previous hereditary rulers. A few kingships survive today, but all rely on the monarch's personal popularity and fitness to rule, not on an automatically-acknowledged blood-right to rule.
Every clan has its elders; dwarves of influence, wealth, and personal mightÑand almost always, distinguished age. Their thoughts and plans aim and shape the lives of clan members; their votes determine clan policy, laws, and justice. Clan elders once held the right to approve or deny marriages in a clan, renouncing the membership of any who married against their will, or married out of the clan. However, the dwindling birthrate of the Deep Folk has put a stop to such influence by the elders.
Most clans have clan champions, who offer themselves in tests of personal combat in the clan's name. They also maintain the clan's police-forces, gathered clan warriors, often called "the fists of the clan," or"the hammers of the clan."
Outcast dwarves remain, however, outcast to this day. "The memory of a dwarf is long and strong," as the old saying goes.
Dwarves value law and order above all else; usually content with their place, they see an iron maintenance of the status quo as the best way to preserve the Folk. In the eyes of a dwarf, clan rules and law must prevail. The DM should devise local dwarven laws (often rigid and harsh) which are always built on the following principles:
Clan justice is done through trial by at least twelve dwarven elders, none of whom can have a blood-interest (direct relationship to either the accused or injured parties). Verdicts are limited to "innocent," "not proved" and "guilty." Obtaining "not proved" verdicts is far from an acquittal, however; they are a black mark against a dwarf's name - those who collect more than six such verdicts are cast out of a clan. Punishments for a "guilty" verdict range from service to injured families to death, and are at the whim of the elders - there are no set sentences for given crimes.
Clans usually specialise in particular crafts or skills hut dwarves skilled in almost anything can be found in the ranks of every large clan. Specialities include blacksmithing, silversmithing, gold smithing, armour-making , weapon- making, gemcutting, soldiery, and diplomacy (negotiators and messengers).
7.4) The Known Clans of the Dwarves
There is no space here to list the specialities, current chiefs, and all important holds of clans. All clans practice vigilant patrolling of their territories against surprise ore-horde onslaughts that annihilated many clans in the past. Such patrols will do their utmost to ensure that intruders (such as player characters) never actually see or discover the location of important clan holds and settlements.
In the lists below, references to other Realms source material are given when clans have been mentioned elsewhere. The strongly-held privacy of dwarves forces any list of clans to be incomplete.
Most clan names resemble dwarven nicknames - many probably originated as the nickname of a famous dwarf who founded the clan.
Wild dwarves are polygamous and do not have clans. They see themselves as one big family, "cur Authalar," or, 'the People.'
| Arnskull |
Battle hammer (see FR7) |
Blackbanner |
Blackhammer |
| Bucklebar |
Darkfell |
Deepaxe |
Deepdelve |
| Eaglecleft |
Foehammer |
Gallowglar |
Hillsafar (see FR9) |
| Horn |
Jundeth |
Narlagh |
Orothiar (FR9) |
| Quarrymaster |
Rockfist |
Stoneshoulder |
Stoneshield |
| Trueforger |
Watchever |
Worldthrone |
Wyrmslayer |
| Yund |
|
|
|
| Belindorn |
Bladebite |
Breakadder |
Crownshield |
| Gemscepter |
Ghalkin |
Goldthumb |
Gordrivver |
| Malthin |
Mastemyr |
Sorndar |
Talnoth |
| Undurr |
Velm |
Zord |
|
The lronstars
The Ironstar clan is believed to have become extinct when the Fallen Kingdom passed away (see the entries for Besilmer and Ironstar in the chapter on The Lost Kingdoms). Yet rumours persist that some few dwarves bearing the Ironstar name have a secret hold - caverns on Mintarn, perhaps, or beneath Mount Helimbrar, or even in Evereska, allied with the elves still in that misty, mysterious land - somewhere in the Realms. Ironstar dwarves, it is said, take other names when they go adventuring, to conceal the existence of their clan.
The Ironstar clan sign is (or was) a fourpointed white star gleaming atop a rugged black iron anvil. Ironstar maces are said to shatter armour at a blow.
Dwarven gods tend to be concerned with the earth and its natural powers, smith-craft and other dwarven activities (such as warfare) and attributes. There are no dwarven deities known in the Realms concerned with the sea, air, stars, clouds, rain, plant and forest life, or animals. Lightning has been controlled on occasion by the greater dwarven deities, but never evoked by them.
Avatars are earthly forms of the gods themselves; they are the gods, albeit with limited powers but all of the god's knowledge. If slain, the god's power in the Realms is temporarily lessened, but the 'true' body and essence of the deity survives on its other planar home.
Manifestations are signs or effects of a deity's power. They occur either as unusual magical or physical happenings, or as temporary aid infused in the body of a worshipper, or even into an item such as a warhammer. They usually occur as the result of fervent prayer or entreaty by a dwarf (who need not be a dwarven priest, although clergy are more likely to attract the attention of a deity). They might, however, occur spontaneously, through the ready will and attention of the deity, who is able to work through any being whose blood has mingled with that of a dwarf, or any object a dwarf has crafted, altered, or repaired.
Typical manifestations are accompanied by a white radiance, and sometimes by a deep, echoing clangor - somewhat like the sound of a great metal hammer falling upon an anvil far, far away.
The gods of the dwarves aid their dwindling, beleaguered worshippers more directly than the deities of any other race. This makes dwarven clerics at once more important and less prone to corruption than priests of other races. The dwarves and their priesthoods are explored here.
Any cleric, of any level, can call on his or her deity for aid. Among the dwarves, however, they may expect, sometime in their careers, to be answered. How likely the coming of divine aid is depends on the situation. The identity of the dwarf entreating plays a part. Dwarven deities value faithful and diligent followers, and acquire favourites among their priests, who will get special attention. The major consideration, however, is how helpful the aid will be to the survival and betterment of the dwarves in the long run.
It is recommended that the DM personally decide on all cases of requested divine intervention. This is in order to make for the most exciting adventures possible, and to prevent abuse of this potential 'helping hand.' Such aid should be a last ditch refuge, not a pre-emptive weapon. In general, dwarven clerics should be guided by the thought that dwarven gods are most pleased by worshippers who help themselves, not by followers who expect their gods to pull them out of every dangerous or even merely uncomfortable situation.
It may be wise for the DM to pretend to roll dice to decide on all cases of requested divine intervention, and in some cases, a DM will undoubtedly want to randomly determine such aid. Roll percentile dice (results hidden from players), and allow a base 5% chance of aid, rolled whenever a plea is made. If the gods are called upon, there is a maximum of one roll per supplicant for each deity named. Such pleas should only be allowed at the height of the conflict.
If any percentile roll is successful, aid comes. Roll 1d20. Any result of 13 or less means the god will intervene with a divine manifestation. A result of 14 through 16 means multiple manifestations occur. A result of 17 through 20 means a direct appearance by the divinity's avatar.
Some gods are prone to taking a direct hand. Others prefer to work through manifestations, appearing in person only rarely. The chances given here should be adjusted by as much as three or four points on the dice to reflect this.
As a general rule, deities avoid giving aid in cases of conflict between dwarves. None of the deities encourage such conflict, and dislike taking sides openly before their faithful. They will aid dwarves against duergar, however, by manifestation only. The exception to this is Abbathor, who, by manifestation only, will aid duergar against other dwarven races.
9.2) Worshippers
Throughout the Realms, a traveller may find oddities among worshippers: a dragon who worships the dwarven deity Dumathoin, for example, or a human who prays to the elven god Solonar Thelandira. There are exceptions to all generalisations as to the nature of worshippers in Toril, and, one suspects, on almost all worlds and planes. DMs should not, therefore, feel constrained to place the same limits on the classes, alignments, and races of NPC worshippers that game balance dictates must apply to player" character worshippers.
Generalisations are useful as a ready guide to rational and accepted worship for player characters, and to DMs for the quick creation of background for NPCs. Here, then, is a "worshipper list" for the dwarven gods of the Realms:
Dwarven priests are individuals who feel a special affinity for a particular god, usually from birth. They must want to further the aims of the god, feel a love and kinship for the god, and will often hear the god speak, feel the god's emotions, or (by vision) see the god act, in their minds.
There is a particular 'look' about the eyes and face of a dwarven priest, that is readily discernible (in good light, and within 20 feet) to another dwarf of the same race, but never to strangers or nondwarves. This is a subtle look of devotion, not a flashing sign that proclaims priest's level and deity.
Dwarven priests try to hide their class from nondwarves. When they must cast spells, they try to do so from hiding or from a distance. They have generally succeeded in keeping understanding of their spells or even recognition of their existence secret from most nondwarves in Faerun. This is particularly true in the north, where dwarves walk more softly, and more often live among nondwarves.
The rarely-identified dwarven clerics generally function (in terms of spell use, level advancement, and the like) as clerics of all other races do. They do, however, differ in behaviour from most human priests. Dwarven clerics may dress and act as nonclerical dwarves do, and often try to keep worship and rituals hidden from nondwarven eyes. Only male dwarves may become clerics of the male dwarven deities, and only female dwarves may become the clerics of the female dwarven deities.
Dwarven clerics are allowed the use of any armour and all bludgeoning weapons. The exceptions are clerics of Abbathor, Clanggedin, Gorm, Haela and Thard Harr, who are allowed the use of all sorts of weapons. All dwarven clerics are allowed to use all magical items not specifically denied to clerics, but the usual chances for malfunctions (as described in the Monstrous Compendium, Volume 2 entry for Dwarfl apply.
No dwarven deity has a sacred or totem animal.
Most dwarven clerics cannot turn or dispel undead, but in direct battle with undead creatures, dwarven clerics strike at + 2 on all attack and damage rolls.
Dwarven priests of seventh level and higher are known as "High Old Ones," and gain some special powers, including the ability to turn undead. They are the 'speciality priests' of the dwarves, and often function as direct servants and speakers of the deities. Dwarves of all races and faiths respect High Old Ones, and (unless mentally controlled or unable to identify such a dwarf) will never willingly attack a High Old One, whatever the situation.
The powers of High Old Ones are described after the priesthood details that follow.
9.4) Clerics of the Dwarven Gods
| Portfolio | The dwarven race, its survival, renewal, and advancement. |
| Major Spheres | All, Combat, Creation, Divination, Guardian, Healing, Protection, Sun. |
| Minor Spheres | Astral, Elemental (earth only), Necromantic. |
| Clerical Raiment | Any, though ceremonial garb includes flowing, shining robes of woven wire of electrum, treated with blueshine. |
| Holy Days | At decree of a High Old One (usually to celebrate something), and at the time of the full moon |
| Sacrifice/Propitiation | Offerings of common or precious metals, especially those already worked by dwarven hands into items of beauty, experimentation, or practical use, such as tools or ornamented hardware. |
| Ethos and Current Aims | To restore the dwarven races to strong numbers and a position of influence in Faerun, by founding new dwarven kingdoms and increasing the status of dwarves within the wider human-dominated society prevalent in the Realms today. |
| The centre of any shrine to the most powerful of dwarven gods is always a hearth and forge. Temples have everburning hearths and forges of the finest workmanship, and are always underground, carved out of solid rock. Sacrifices of common or precious metals are melted down at the forge and reformed into shapes usable by the clergy. Rituals involve chanting, kneeling, and reaching bare handed into the flames of the forge (Moradin prevents harm to the truly faithful), to handle red and white-hot objects directly. | |
| Priests entering a temple of Moradin must bow to the forge and surrender all weapons. If they are priests of another faith, they cannot advance beyond the "wall of fire," a knee-high, permanent magical effect, without permission of a High Old One or the avatar of Moradin. Priests of Moradin always strike an anvil standing by the entry once with their hammers, before surrendering them to everpresent dwarven warriors faithful to Moradin: there are always at least four present, and usually seven at any shrine. | |
| Priests of Moradin engage in humble, verbal prayer and in open, earnest discussion of current dwarven problems and issues, more so than any other priesthood. Such discussion is considered to be between equals (even if nondwarves participate), save that the ranking priest of Moradin has the sole authority to open and close discussion on a particular topic. | |
| Worship usually ends with a rising, quickening, fervent chanting in unison of "the dwarves shall prevail, the dwarves shall endure, the dwarves shall grow!" This is repeated ever more loudly, until the plain, massive, battered smith's hammer on the largest anvil of the forge rises up off the anvil of its own volition (moved by the power of the listening god). The hammer may or may not move about or glow to denote the god's will, marked pleasure, or agreement. It always descends gently to the anvil, although when it comes to rest, it makes a thunderous ringing sound, as if brought down on the metal with all of a powerful dwarf's strength. | |
| Portfolio |
War and battle. |
| Major Spheres |
All, Combat, Guardian, Protection, Sun. |
| Minor Spheres |
Charm, Creation, Divination, Elemental (earth), Healing, Necromantic |
| Clerical Raiment |
Silver chain mail ar~ mor, always worn with a war helm. Priests of Clanggedin seldom take off their helms, although there is no prohibition against doing so. Priests of Clanggedin never like to fight with shields, but will do so to protect other dwarves. |
| Holy Days | Before battle. |
| Sacrifice/Propitiation | On holy days or during battle, always on a known (past, present, or immediately pending) battlefield. Priests of Clanggedin chant, pray, and break weapons, which they have anointed with a single drop of their own blood. The god often manifests as a glowing radiance to consume the weapons, and this radiance may be extended to worshippers as a temporary protective aura in battle. Offered weapons not consumed by the god will either be twisted and shattered (whereupon they must be melted down, and used for other things), or left untouched (whereupon they may be used again, with the god's approval). |
| Ethos and Current Aims | To ensure dwarven victory in every open fray. In that light, priests of Clanggedin try to further the weapons-training, tactical training, and battle-skills of every living dwarf who will listen to them. Weapons-crafting and training is a requirement for all worshippers of the god, and priests of the god pass on their battle-knowledge at an almost frantic rate, to all dwarves who will listen. Such dwarves know that the highest service a priest of Clanggedin can do is to sacrifice himself for the cause, on the field of battle. |
| The god sometimes consumes such dwarves in a bright radiance; dwarves believe that the dying servant is restored by Clanggedin, and taken to serve the god as a guardian. Such guardians sometimes appear again briefly in the Realms as "Ghost Dwarves" to guide lost or defend weak dwarves in the wilds. Such ghosts are easily recognized by those who knew them in life. | |
| Death on the field of battle is never welcomed; a priest of Clanggedin may be personally foolhardy, but his aim is always to protect as many other dwarves as possihle, and to go down fighting only when necessary for victory. He will never throw his life away foolishly. |
|
| The Father of Battle is often worshipped by frantic prayers in the midst of the fray. At such times, the god answers best those who fight on, fearlessly. When time permits, however, either on the evening before an anticipated battle, or at the burial of a great dwarven warrior, the rituals of worship include a procession of faithful onto the battlefield or gravesite. This procession is led in a mournful dirge, a wordless rising and falling chant, conducted by the priests. The dirge rises slowly into an exultant roaring, and ends in a single, high, clear singing noteÑan odd, eerie contrast to the rough-voiced 'bloodsong' that has preceded it. |
|
| The slow-marching procession is always accompanied by slow, steady drumbeats (the drums carried by lesser priests), and consists of dwarves wearing their most battered armor (freshly used, if possible). These faithful are led and followed by chain mail-armored priests, who may echo the drumbeat by crashing weapons against shields. When the procession reaches its goal, the priests cast down their shields, hold their weapons high, and begin to whisper the god's name. |
|
| They then close their eyes and continue whispering, concentrating on whatever image each one has of Clanggedin, which is always the appearance of the avatar or manifestation, if the dwarf has witnessed the direct acts of the god. The priests begin to move towards wherever they feel the god's presence is strongest, and so blindly draw together, until they collide. At that spot, they make the weapon sacrifice, speak the names of the valiant fallen that they wish the god to remember and hold in esteem, and kneel to await a sign from the god. And an answer is often given, from a roll of thunder to a shield speaking a blessing, command, or answer. With this the priests conclude the ritual. If the ritual was a burial, it is concluded with the burial and a solemn march away. If, instead, it was a preparation for a battle, it is concluded with a war-chant and a 'wild run,' waving weapons and emitting whoops and war-cries. |
|
| Priests of Clanggedin seek to make the dwarves ever stronger on the battlefield, and are always alert for new tactics, traps, and weapons. For instance, they took great interest in such as those devised by the Lantanna and other worshippers of the human god Gond. |
|
| Portfolio |
Healing, mercy, love and fertility. |
| Major Spheres |
All, Charm, Creation, Divination, Guardian, Healing, Protection, Sun. |
| Minor Spheres |
Combat, Elemental (earth only), Necromantic, Plant. |
| Clerical Raiment |
Any clothing (armor if necessary), accompanied by a blue scarf tied around brow, upper arm, wrist, or ankle. In ceremonial functions, red robes with a blue girdle and scarf are worn. The head is left bare except for scarf. |
| Holy Days |
When the moon begins to wax (the night after the new moon), at Greengrass and at Midsummer Night, and whenever the moon is full. |
| Sacrifice/Propitiation |
Gold mixed with the blood of dwarves (see below). |
| Ethos and Current Aims |
The increase of dwarven numbers and health all over the Realms. |
| The worship of Sharindlar has been kept as secret as possible from nondwarves in the Realms, especially with respect to her control over fertility. Dwarves in general refer to her as "the Lady of Mercy" whenever they know nondwarves to be listening. Dwarven priests of all faiths who are caring for the wounded or sick, or who are about to cast a healing spell, will often pray briefly for Sharindlar's favor. |
|
| The more secret rituals of Sharindlar take place in hidden caverns, wherever there is a pool of water. |
|
| Gold is heated until molten, and dwarves let blood from their own forearms into the mixture, which is then poured into the water, as Sharindlar's name is chanted and the dwarves dance about the pool in a frenzy. During their crazed dance, their armor and weapons are kept near at hand but not worn or carried. |
|
| In The Deep Realm, these rituals take place around the "Lake of Gold," a lake whose rocky bottom is streaked with gleaming veins of gold. The dwarves never take gold from the lake, whose bottom is now carpeted with the sparkling gold dust of long ages of worship, all from rituals performed in an effort to raise the low birthrate of the race. Couples, married or not, let blood together over braziers of melting gold, their arms entwined as they ask Sharindlar's blessing. |
|
| Rituals in honor of Sharindlar's fertility aspect celebrated here always end with splendid feasts, and courting chases through the underways of the Deeps. |
|
| Rituals invoking Sharindlar's healing strength enacted by two or more priestesses of the goddess involve their gathering over injured or sick beings. They sprinkle the ill with drops of their own (the priestesses,) freshly-let blood (usually drops from their palms), and with a vial of water from The Lake of Gold, while whispering secret names and descriptions of the goddess. |
|
| This ritual has a 20 percent chance per priest taking part of aiding healing, increased by a further 10 percent if water from the Lake of Gold is used, and another 20 percent if the injured being is favored by Sharindlar. For the latter, the DM must decide secretly; Sharindlar has been known to favor nondwarves, pack animals, and even monsters. The healing aid consists of increasing the potency of healing spells and potions to the maximum possible effect, doubling the "at rest" healing rate to two tap/day, and halting the spread or effect of parasites (including rot grubs), diseases, and poisons completely for 1d4 + 1 days. |
|
| The DM should decide on beneficial effects of this ritual according to the circumstances. Sharindlar's name, whispered or repeated silently in the mind, has a calming effect on upset or painwracked dwarves of all faiths, allowing them to sleep. |
|
| Portfolio |
Wealth, luck, and entrepreneurial skills such as suspicion, trickery, and deal-making. |
| Major Spheres |
All, Charm, Creation, Divination, Guardian. |
| Minor Spheres |
Combat, Healing, Protection, Sun. |
| Clerical Raiment |
Any, always adorned with a string of linked coins. If armoured, chain mail is preferred, always with a helm, and with a gorges bearing the god's symbol. Armour and clerical robes are always of obvious cost, with ornate trim, gold-leaf work and gemstudded fabrics. A gold colour or plating for robes and armour is preferred, especially by priests of higher ranks. |
| Holy Days |
The days before and after a full moon, Greengrass, and all days proclaimed holy by a High Old One of the faith are all considered "coin festivals." |
| Sacrifice/Propitiation |
Monthly offerings of gold are made to Vergadain, at the altars of the god. These altars are huge stone cauldrons, over which hang the symbol of the god - huge gold coins fully five feet across. These coins are actually guardian "anators," which emit lightning bolts and magic missiles at unauthorised beings taking things from the altar. One of the correct alignment can avoid this magical wrath by whispering the anator's password. The priests of Vergadain spend or trade this gold shrewdly, to better the lot of dwarven merchants. They use it to bail them out of debt where possible, place bribes to help dwarven trade and commerce with other lands and races of Faerun, and so on. |
| Ethos and Current Aims |
Vergadain's priests are dedicated to further the success of dwarven merchant commerce with other races, especially humans. They are intent on increasing general dwarven influence and prosperity, and on enabling the dwarves to further their craft~work, weapons-mastery, and inventions. Through these means the priests of Vergadain hope to increase dwarven importance in the Realms. |
| Priests of Vergadain work tirelessly to support and promote dwarven merchants and craftsmen throughout Faerun. Whenever they render aid or handle material wealth of any sort, they mutter Vergadain's name in homage. Most of Vergadain's faithful also do so, and this makes up the bulk of Vergadain's daily worship. It is said that Vergadain can see into the minds of all creatures within ten feet of wherever his name is uttered, and sometimes warns a dwarf of treachery in dealings by presenting visions or a preventative manifestation. | |
| The proper rituals of worship to the god consist of meeting in windowless rooms or underground, around torches, braziers, or other flames. The rituals call for dancing in slow, stately shiftings around the flame, wearing and displaying gold and other objects of worth. Every dwarf who worships the god must throw at least one gold piece into the flame as the dance continues. The flame always consumes valuables placed in it utterly, sometimes dying away to reveal a map, clue, scroll, potion, or other sending from the god. These seedings are rare, and although always helpful, they are rarely powerful, and even more rarely weapons. Perhaps the most common sending of Vergadain is a duplicate key to a strong~ chest, vault, or barrier which prevents dwarves from reaching wealth rightfully belonging to them, or stolen by cheating them over a period of time. |
|
| The dance ends when the flame flares up, signifying the god's attention and thanks. The priests then light candles or conjure up light, and discuss business, usually current ways of furthering dwarven wealth. Transfers of necessary fees, bribes, aid, or other funds from one dwarf to another occurs next, usually from priests to the faithful they have called to worship. Then the ranking priest present passes his hand through the flame, which will slowly diminish. As it does so, all dwarves present kiss a gold coin in farewell, and then depart. |
|
| Portfolio |
Keeper of metals and other buried wealth ("secrets"), the earth's riches, and protector of mountain dwarves. |
| Major Spheres |
All, Combat, Creation, Elemental (earth only), Protection. |
| Minor Spheres |
Animal, Divination, Guardian, Healing, Necromantic, Plant, Sun. |
| Clerical Raiment |
Leather garments, either armor or mining gear, with bare heads and brown cloaks and over-robes. |
| Holy Days |
Nights of new moons and the days either side of each such night are considered holy days. Also, holy days can be decreed by a High Old One of the faith, usually when dwarves discover a major new lode, lost subterranean treasurecache or delve, or something of the sort. |
| Sacrifice/Propitiation |
Gems and jewelry are sacrificed each month, on holy days, to Dumathoin. These are offered up on altars dedicated to the god. Such altars are always stone blocks or natural boulders, in the deepest and best-hidden natural caverns underground. Note that dwarves may dig to open up or improve a natural cavern, without disqualifying it for use as a temple. |
| Ethos and Current Aims |
The priests of Dumathoin seek always to uncover the buried wealth of the earth, without marring the beauty of the ways beneath the surface. They work to clean up the rubble of mining, grow and put in place luminous fungi and edible deep-mosses, and direct water through the earth to best serve the underlife which includes, of course, the dwarves. |
| Priests of this faith are always hunting for new veins and lodes of ore, new sources and species of useful fungi, and new delves or underways never explored before. They try to identify encountered dangers, and determine strategies to best deal with these menaces of the deep places. | |
| Gems sacrificed to the god are pulverized and mixed with certain herbs and fungal secretions to derive a paste. The paste serves to make rock porous, make plant material adhere to it, and provide nourishment for plant materials in contact with it. With buckets of this acrid, purple-and-green fibrous paste, priests of Dumathoin creep about the underways, 'painting and planting' fungi and other plant life to best improve the underground environment. They can use it to conceal stone dwarven doors, redirect watercourses to turn water-wheels and fill reservoirs, and so on. |
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| A priest of Dumathoin is always learning the tiniest details of conditions and life underground. Most priests are therefore invaluahle in leading companions through the underways in darkness. Among their specialties are finding water, veins of ore, and cracks or fissures that provide a way out or can be mined to yield a way from one cavern to another. |
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| Portfolio |
Greed, evil among dwarves, thieving. |
| Major Spheres |
All, Charm, Combat, Divination, Guardian. |
| Minor Spheres |
Healing, Necromantic, Protection, Summoning, Sun |
| Clerical Raiment |
Priests of Abbathor always dress in red - a brilliant scarlet, worn as underclothing for everyday use, and as over-robes for ceremonial occasions. Over this they wear leather armour, with leather caps (never helms). If this armour must be discarded, dark crimson robes are worn to echo - and yet conceal - the scarlet underclothing. Clergy of Abbathor never wear wealth openly, following the god's saying - "The best is always hidden." |
| Holy Days |
Solar eclipses and days when volcanic eruptions or other causes bring darkness during daytime are always considered holy days. |
| Sacrifice/Propitiation |
Once a year, priests of Abbathor sacrifice a creature on an altar. It must be an evil enemy of dwarves, but can be anything from an elf to a boar. Orcs, trolls, and giants are the most favoured sacrifices. The faithful of Abbathor then bring gems in offering to the god, and these are placed upon the body; they must touch the blood of the sacrifice. The value of the sacrifice is said to determine the amount of Abbathor's favour that will benefit the offerer in the year to come. Even the priests refer to this practice as "buying grace." The sacrifice is then burnt to ashes, gems, and all. If magic or especially valuable gems are sacrificed, these sometimes disappear before the body is consumed, taken by Abbathor to be his own (pocketed by the priests for their own use, some say). Abbathor's favor is said to include minor things like causing guards to sleep or become distracted, shaping shadows and moon-cloaking clouds to hide the features or exact position of a fleeing dwarven thief, and allowing a trapped thief an occasional battle-aid (in the form of an initiative roll bonus). Dwarves in need of Abbathor's immediate favour may make offerings at other times throughout the year. It is also customary to make an offering when one first worships at a particular temple. Temples of The Great Master of Greed are always in underground caverns or secret, windowless rooms. Sacrificial altars are massive, plain blocks of stone, blackened by the many fires laid and burnt upon them. Note that nondwarves tend to panic when priests of Abbathor light fires indoors and the smoke begins to billow! |
| Ethos and Current Aims |
Like their deity, priests of Abbathor strive to enrich themselves, taking personal advantage of their positions and influence to steal or deal themselves some personal wealth. Such funds are typically cached in remote, fiendishly-well-trapped hideaways. Amassing enough loot to retire in luxury is a game and a driving motivation among priests of this god. There is one strict rule, however - no priest of Abbathor will steal from any other dwarf, nor help or influence events to cause harm to come to the person or wealth of any rival priest of Abbathor. This is the infamous Abbathor's Commandment that dwarven thieves are often reminded of. Priests of Abbathor don't like to remember so readily that it was uttered purely in order to preserve some followers of the god, after angry fellow dwarves had slaughtered thief after thief in the robes of Abbathor's clergy. The wider aims of the priesthood are to enrich all dwarves, working with the priesthoods of Vergadain and Dumathoin where possible. |
| Across the Realms, priests of Abbathor are always looking for a chance for common dwarven profit, and their own personal gain, through underhanded and shady arrangements. The underground ways known to dwarves make them ideal smugglers, and there is many a border literally undercut by a dwarven tunnel that avoids duties and restrictions from one land to another. Dwarves are prevented from dominating the smuggling trade purely by their aversion to water and the resulting lack of dwarven shipborne activity. | |
| Priests of Abbathor will trade (on the sly) with anyone, including duergar, crow, illithids, Zhentarim, ores, giants, and other undesirable creatures or traditional enemies of the dwarves. Dwarves have been slain by axes sold to ores by priests of Abbathor on more than one occasion. This contrariness, however, is an essental part of the nature of dwarves, as is the 'goldlust' that drives many dwarves on occasion; times when they are said to be "under the spell of Abbathor" or `'in |
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| Abbathor's thrall." Priests of Abbathor can be considered to be permanently in this condition, but to have learnt subtlety and devious cunning in its pursuit, rather than simple, crude acquisitiveness. |
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| Beings who need something underhanded done can always contact priests of Abbathor, if they know where to find them. Usually only dwarves know how to do so. A known worshipper of Abbathor will often arrange a meeting between an outsider (such as a human) and a priest of Abbathor, for a fee. The priest and the worshipper will both work to arrange the meeting so that the priest is in little danger of attack, kidnapping, or arrest. |
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| Portfolio |
Safety, truth, and dwarven home life. |
| Major Spheres |
All, Charm, Creation, Divination, Guardian, Healing, Plant, Protection, Sun. |
| Minor Spheres |
Animal, Astral, Combat, Elemental (earth), Necromantic. |
| Clerical Raiment |
Silver chain mail with a silvered (everbright) helm is common. Ceremonial garb includes white underrobes with cloth-of-silver overtunics, with the priest remaining bareheaded. |
| Holy Days |
Midwinter day and Midsummer night are Berronar's holy days. |
| Sacrifice/Propitiation |
Annual offerings of silver are made to Berronar in the form of coins, jewelry, drinking vessels, or trade-bars. White flowers sometimes adorn the offerings, in token of dwarven love and affection for the Mother Goddess. Incidentally, "merchant trade-bars" were originally devised by the dwarves of Faerun. |
| Ethos and Current Aims |
The clergy of Berronar exists to further the good health and good character of all dwarves. They heal the sick and injured, attempt to treat, eradicate, and stop the spread of disease, develop antidotes to dwarfsbane and other poisons that can affect dwarves, and encourage truthfulness, obedience to law, peaceful order and harmony, and governance of greed and goldlust. |
| No dwarf in need of aid can be ignored by a priestess of Berronar All must be helped to the best of a priest's abilities; if an individual priestess lacks any more healing spells, he or she must find someone who can heal, or provide all the nonmagical care possible. The duty of a priestess of Berronar is to keep dwarves alive, whatever the cost. | |
| Priestesses of Berronar worship the Mother Goddess by kneeling, closing their eyes, picturing the goddess, and whispering prayers that begin and end with her name. They typically do this whenever asking for her guidance or when about to heal in her name. Her guidance is often given by an inner feeling or decision. |
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| More elaborate rituals to Berronar take place aboveground on Midsummer night only, and underground the rest of the time. A temple to Berronar aboveground consists of a circle of stones, usually in a wooded area, in which small fires are kindled in a random pattern, and gems and metal sculptures are set up among them on metal poles, to sparkle and reflect back the firelight during worship. Actual 'sparkler' fireworks are used on the two big holy days, to mark the ending of each prayer, chanted in unison. |
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| An underground temple to Berronar is a cavern in which the priestesses have carefully arranged mosses, lichens, fungi, and the like brought by the hands of faithful. They keep these watered and nourished to form a lush carpet all over the floor and climbing the walls as high as possible. Luminescent fungi are favored, to give the cavern as much natural light as possible. Magical items with the power to create dancinglights are valued by priestesses of this faith, and nondwarven wielders of such items are sometimes even hired to illuminate such a temple by this means. |
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| Such 'lighters' must come to the temple naked and blindfolded, but are treated with the utmost care and courtesy, and are taken safely back to the surface and guarded, in such a way that their dignity is maintained, but the location of and way to the temple remains hidden from them. |
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| Rituals honoring Berronar typically begin with a chanted prayer, and continue with an address from the High Old Ones, which ends in a responsive prayer led by a High Old One or chosen priestess. This is followed by a report of the good works and successes of the priesthood, and an identification of failures and problems still to be dealt with. Another responsive prayer follows, and is followed by a rising, spirit-lifting unison prayer. |
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| If a very sick dwarf or dwarves are present, unison healing then takes place. The entire assembled clergy lays hands on the afflicted ones and call on Berronar. |
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| Healing does not always occur, although the deadening of pain (for ld4 + 1 days) always willÑthe assembled priestesses take the pain upon themselves. If healing does take place, it is a manifestation of the goddess, and not a cast spell. Berronar's Touch, as this is known, has in the past cured blindness, insanity, Iycanthropy, poisonings, life energy loss, bodily transformations due to parasitic or symbiotic plant life, tissue corrosion, and the like, in addition to more simple wounds. |
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Marthammor Duin
| Portfolio | Guide and protector to adventurers, explorers, and Wanderer dwarves. |
| Major Spheres |
All, Combat, Creation,Divination, Guardian, Healing, Protection, Sun. |
| Minor Spheres |
Animal, Charm, Elemental (earth only), Necromantic, Plant, Summoning, Weather (lightning control only). |
| Clerical Raiment |
Grey or mottled green, brown, and grey cloaks, over any sort of armor. For ceremonial purposes, the priests go bareheaded, in grey r obes, with a maroon overtunic emblazoned with a watchful eye front and back, the symbol of Marthammor. |
| Holy Days |
All festival days in the Calendar of Harptos, and nine days after each festival day. On years when the Shieldmeet occurs, the holy day follows it nine days after; there aren't two adjacent days, one following Midsummer and one the Shieldmeet. |
| Sacrifice/Propitiation |
Used ironwork and footwear (which must be of dwarven make), burned on altars. This must be done once a year per worshipper. |
| Ethos and Current Aims |
The safe guidance and guardianship of Wanderer dwarves, and all dwarves who must wander the wilds, particularly aboveground. |
| Priests of Marthammor make marked trails in the wilderness northlands of the Realms, from Uttersea to the Great Ice Sea. They also establish way-caches of food and supplies (spare boots, clothing, weapons, drinking-water, bandages and splints, firemaking supplies, and the like) along these trails. |
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| Priests of Marthammor patrol these ways, healing and guiding dwarves they meet, providing a warm fire, a warm meal, and companionship to exhausted, lonely, lost, or hurt dwarves - of any faith or race. "Help however you can, give all that is needful," runs the temple creed. |
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| Priests of Marthammor will work with healers and priests of all races to help dwarves, allies, and companions of dwarves. While they do not accompany adventurers, they are in a sense adventurers themselves, often fighting monsters, discovering ruins, and facing the same perils that adventurers do. travelers in the north - especially the Sword Coast North - often encounter small bands of 3d4 dwarven priests of Marthammor. Such bands will not reveal their clerical status unless they are dealing with dwarves or those known to be dwarven allies or companions. |
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| Marthammor is worshipped on the bare heights of stony tors on moonless nights, or, on holy days and for important rituals, in underground caverns. The caverns must always be natural, unaltered by the hands of intelligent beings. |
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| Underground or on tor-top, an altar to Marthammor is always a simple stone cairn or wooden tripod, supporting a stone hammer, upright and head uppermost. Priests of Marthammor stand looking at the hammer, praying to their god for guidance as to where they are needed and what they have done wrong, or poorly. The god places visions in their minds, choosing which priests will guard temples, which will explore particular areas, and so on. |
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| The ghosts of diligent servants of Marthammor are said to haunt certain trails, old abandoned delves, and mountain passes. When dwarves or dwarven allies or companions are lost in such places, particularly in blizzards or storms, the phantom priests appear, gesturing silently, and guide the travelers along a safe route to refuge or their destination. |
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Gorm Gulthyn
| Portfolio |
Guardian and protector of all dwarves. |
| Major Spheres |
All, Combat, Divination, Guardian, Healing, Protection, Sun. |
| Minor Spheres |
Animal, Charm, Creation, Elemental (earth only), Necromantic, Summoning. |
| Clerical Raiment |
Red and black cloaks and helms, worn over armor of the finest metal and type available. Priests of Gorm never remove all their armor or lay aside all their weapons unless sorely wounded and in need of care. |
| Holy Days |
Every festival in the Calendar of Harptos (as in the FORGOTTEN REALMS Campaign Set). |
| Sacrifice/Propitiation |
Blood, sweat, tears, and weapons. |
| Ethos and Current Aims |
Priests of Gorm serve as protectors and bodyguards for all dwarves, especially the young, and child-rearing parents of both sexes. They instruct dwarven warriors fulfilling such roles in the arts of alertness, blindfighting, and weapons-skills (i.e., in campaigns using proficiencies, the priests of Gorm can tutor dwarves in all proficiencies useful to guardians). The foremost aim of any lesser priest of Gorm is to protect the dwarves assigned to him. Veteran priests of higher rank may choose who they protect. If this involves sacrificing one's own life, so be it; that is "Gorm's Greatest Price," as every priest of Gorm knows. |
| Priests of Gorm who are serving as guardians are never "surprised," and are able to interpret noises, half-seen movements, and other symptoms of approach and movement correctly with an accuracy of 107'o per level. For instance, a priest of Gorm might hear a faint scuffling, and identify it as studded leather worn by a crawling man, against a particular stone the priest noticed earlier. |
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| A priest of Gorm will always check around his feet and overhead often, and always takes care to know the distance and exact direction of features in his surroundings. The guardian-priest described above, for instance, would know exactly where, and how far away, the unseen intruder in studded leather wasÑand just where to throw an axe in order to hit him. |
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| These carefully-developed skills give guardian-priests of Gorm an attack bonus of +5 with missiles of any sort, against any target within 60 feet of their guardpost. If they've not had time to examine the surroundings, this bonus drops to + 2. In addition, guardian-priests of Gorm always win initiative rolls, even when they are charged by multiple opponents coming out of the darkness. |
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| Guardian-priests guard most clan-hold entries, the Gates on the borders of The Deep Realm, and temples of Gorm. |
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| Temples of Gorm are always plain, unadorned stone caverns or rooms quarried from solid rock. The altar is a stone bench in front of a closed, locked door of massive construction, representing a location that a dwarf might have to guard. Instead of a stone bench, a temple might use an old tomb casket; if occupied, it must be by a fallen, not undead, priest of Gorm. |
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| Offerings to Gorm are of weapons used, even broken, in the service of guardianship, anointed with tears, sweat, and drops of blood of the dwarf making the offering. Rituals involve silent vigils, muttered prayers, and answering visions from the god. |
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| On holy days, guardians of Gorm gather for a salute, a ritual involving the rhythmic grounding of weapons and a responsively-chanted prayer. At the height of a salute, the door behind the altar sometimes opens by the power of the god, and through it may come instructive phantom images, scrolls or potions, weapons, pieces of armor, or even mapsÑsmall aids from the god, to help his faithful fulfill their duties. When this happens, increase the morale of a worshipper of Gorm who is wearing, carrying, or using any gift from the god by a bonus of +4. |
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Haela Brightaxe
| Portfolio |
Luck in battle, patron of dwarves who love to fight, and who fight monsters. |
| Major Spheres |
All, Combat, Guardian, Healing, Protection. |
| Minor Spheres |
Creation, Necromantic, Sun. |
| Clerical Raiment |
Armour of any sort can be worn, but chain mail preferred. A helm is always worn. For ceremonial purposes, armor or plain robes of steel-grey are worn, with an overcloak of scarlet, with crimson footwear. |
| Holy Days |
Greengrass, the Feast of the Moon, and Midsummer. |
| Sacrifice/Propitiation |
The blood of the worshipper and that of enemies of the dwarves is commonly offered to Haela. |
| Ethos and Current Aims |
Priestesses of Haela wander throughout the Realms, aiding dwarves in battle. They wander because no priestess knows where or when she will be needed - they rely upon Haela's guiding hand to position them as necessary. |
| Priestesses of Haela aid beleaguered dwarves (and known allies and companions of dwarves) against creatures of all sorts, by healing, casting spells, and fighting alongside them. Their objectives are to achieve victory for the dwarvish side and to allow the maximum possible number of dwarves to survive. The priestesses wish also to make all dwarves comfortable with their own skills in combat - to Haela's worshippers, battle-skills are needed to guide the hands of all dwarves if the Deep Folk are to survive. |
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| Priests of Haela are always heavily armed, and are often skilled at weapon and armour repair. They freely give away the weapons they carry to dwarves in need, always keeping at least one weapon for themselves, although it may be well hidden. They practice throwing weapons in a variety of ways, such as onto ledges, to cut ropes, and to land upright, points buried in turf, beside those needing them. Priestesses of Haela who attempt to deliver a weapon in such a manner gain a + 3 bonus to their Dexterity checks. |
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| The senior priestesses of Haela teach their juniors much concerning tactics, secrets and hints for fighting specific monsters, and knowledge of their habits, lairs, and weaknesses. A DM can impart detailed Monstrous Compendium information to PCs who ask a priestess of Haela the right questions. |
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| All individuals or groups aided by a priestess of Haela are expected to pay for the aid with a spare weapon that the priestess can give to some other needy band. Failing that, a shield, pair of gauntlets, or other armour or useful gear can be substituted. It is considered bad form to give the priestess back a weapon she just gave you. |
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| One interesting example of this is among the halflings of Secomber. When Ardeep was crumbling as the Fallen Kingdom fell apart around them, the halflings continually repaid priestesses of Haela with bags of caltrops - typically three at a time. It is now both a joke and an affectionate tradition for both sides, and priestesses of Haela are forever toting large sacks of caltrops around, hoping to get a chance to use them. (treat a caltrop that is hurled in battle as a hand axe for range and damage.) |
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| Temples of Haela are caves or underground rooms, sometimes in old, abandoned holds or in the cellars of human ruins. They are also typically storehouses of food, small smithies, and armouries crammed with odd weapons and armor. Her temples are never guarded by fewer than a dozen priestesses (more often, 1d4+16 are in residence). There is always an explosive trap set somewhere in such a temple: if the dwarves are slain or forced out, no enemy of the dwarves will get the store of weapons without taking heavy losses. |
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| One famous temple of Haela, overrun by ores near Amphail, proved to have a trap of six separate blade barriers. These came into being one after another, using the cached weapons of the temple as the whirling weapons. |
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| Portfolio | Protector of Wild Dwarves. |
| Major Spheres | All, Combat, Guardian, Healing, Plant, Protection. |
| Minor Spheres |
Animal, Creation, Necromantic, Sun. |
| Clerical Raiment | The skull of a large jungle beast, such as a rhinoceros, great cat, or giant crocodile, is worn as a helm. For ceremonial purposes, the pelts or skins of jungle monsters are worn as robes. |
| Holy Days | New moon and full moon nights. |
| Sacrifice/Propitiation | Blood sacrifices of beasts and/or intruders are commonly made to Thard Harr. At least one creature is offered each full moon. |
| Ethos and Current Aims | Priests of Thard Harr represent the god, protecting their dwarves with powers given them by the god, leading them on prosperous hunts and careful explorations. Persistent intruders (unless dwarven) must be eliminated, and the priests must lead the attack, as fearlessly and diligently as Thard Harr himself. If the foe is too strong, the priest will try to mentally call Thard Harr himself to the scene. Jungle Dwarves speak of opponents or natural forces so powerful and dangerous that they might well "blunt the claws of Harr himself,' but never allude to the breaking of any claw, or the defeat of their god in any fight. Thard Harr's wisdom teaches that one can best defeat an enemy that one knows well. Seasoned Wild Dwarves always try to capture at least one intruder alive for questioning, before sacrificial use. If sparing the intruder seems to bring possible future benefits to the dwarves, they will do so. The Wild Dwarves are interested in trade, metal and glass objects and tools, in return for pelts, meat, or even live beasts. They conduct trade so long as they can conduct it on territory of their choosing, to set up traps and ambushes to guard against treachery under the direction of the priests of Thard Harr. |
| Priests of Thard Harr are the leaders and generals of, and speakers for, their people. Priests of Thard Harr always bear the god's crossed-gauntlets sign as a tattoo, usually on one shoulder or on the scalp, overgrown by their hair. Priests of Thard Harr must never cut their beards, but instead braid them into ropes that they tie around their waists or shoulders. If an enemy or beast cuts a priest's beard, there is no penalty; if it is done by the priest himself, it is a sign that he is turning away from Thard Harr's service, and can no longer expect aid from the god. | |
Dwarven priests of 7th or greater level are known as "High Old Ones." They gain special powers from the dwarven gods. Of course, such powers can be suspended, denied, or removed if a High Old One displeases his or her god. The High Old Ones are the most respected elders of the Folk, especially in the north, where clan power and the pride and prosperity of young dwarves is weakest.
High Old Ones can identify themselves as members or friends of particular clans by the use of secret hand-signs. In rare cases, some trusted nondwarves (such as Elminster of Shadowdale and Mirt of Waterdeep) have been taught these signs for use when among dwarves.
High Old Ones gain the power to affect undead as other clerics do, turning as a 3rd level cleric when they are 7th level, a 4th level cleric when they are 8th, and so on.
High Old Ones gain special spells from their gods (detailed fully in their own section of this sourcebook). These spells are as follows, by priesthood:
High Old Ones also gain a detection power, different for each priesthood. This magical ability always operates properly, and requires no spellcasting. It does, however, require concentration (prohibiting spellcasting or even reading in the same round) and is not continuous and automatic in its effects.
Most High Old Ones pray directly to their god or goddess, and enjoy a good chance of being heard. While a deity may not show up instantly when aid is requested, such prayers do serve as a valuable source of information to the gods, and are encouraged. A priest who warns a deity of six hostile adventurers, by name, class, and description, may ensure that the deity warns dwarves in the adventurers' routeÑand will certainly affect the deity's reaction if its avatar ever meets the adventurers.
10) DWARVEN CULTS
Some dwarves who blame the gods for the present decline of the race, or who feel that the old gods are simply too weak or too out-of-touch with the wider world in which the dwarves must live to aid their Folk successfully in the ages to come. Many dwarves have dabbled in new beliefs, including ones which advocate mastery of wizardry as the key to the race's survival, one which promotes interbreeding with men and gnomes coupled with secretive diplomacy, so as to dominate and eventually absorb these more fecund races, and so on. Most of these new beliefs have tended to come and go as passing fads, embraced for a time by each successive generation of young dwarves.
Details of such cults, down the long history of the dwarves, could fill a work many times the size of this one. DMs are urged to devise their own cults, particularly for use as the sources of relics found in old, abandoned dwarf-holds, and as active religions in isolated dwarven communities.
Only two long-established or recurring cults are briefly described here. These have been successful enough that some divine power has come to support their pleas and deeds, giving their clerics spells, for instance.
10.1) The Wyrm Cult
This cult can be found in isolated dwarven communities anywhere, but seems more common in the north than in areas south of the Inner Sea lands. Its clerics are few and secretive, employing dwarven sympathisers as spies, and rewarding them for their aid by allowing them recreation or revenge opportunities in beast-form.
The Wyrm Cult worships various beasts, especially dragons and other powerful creatures that dwarves treat with r espect. The cult seeks to further the power and wealth of its adherents by using the powers of beasts to slay and confound enemies.
The priests of this cult gain the power to shape change into beast form, as the 9th level wizard spell, but requiring no material component. This ability can be used up to three times a day, for a period of one turn. Favourite shapes assumed include snakes, wyverns, dragons, boars, bears, and various large cats (tigers, panthers, mountain lions, and so on). The DM should consult various volumes of the Monstrous Compendium for creature abilities.
Wyrm Cult priests can only take the shape of creatures and other living things that they've seen personally. Currently in need of both wealth and power, they have taken to attacking all nondwarven adventurers who wander within their reach, throughout the wilderlands of the north. They seek power through increased influence and worshippers and through the acquisition of magical items and controlled territories. Consider most Wyrm Cult priests to be chaotic neutral to evil in alignment, consumed by a burning anger against all types of creatures who have oppressed or slain dwarves in the past.
10.2) The Living Axe
Because magic seems to go awry in their hands, and they can never control real power like human wizards, dwarves have always been fascinated by magic. They are most intrigued by the capturing of magical powers within an item that a dwarf has created and can wield.
Down the ages there have been over a thousand dwarven smiths of skill in working with magic. They have always been among the wealthiest, more powerful, and most respected dwarves. Some dwarves have gone further than that, looking beyond dwarven skill to the inspiration that guided them, and seeing in it a divine presence – a presence that, they believe, lives in the magical items themselves.
Dwarves of the Living Axe worship and obey sentient magical weapons (many of which are controlled by malevolent or insane spirits imprisoned within them), and have gone to war to extend the rule of these sacred items over other dwarves and even over small communities of humans, halflings, and gnomes. Living Axe priests are always armed with multiple throwing axes and a variety of other weapons, they wear high, spired, and spiked helms of fantastic design.
Devout "Axe Dwarves" also seek to create more magical weapons, and have fashioned many specimens of two particular types, in imitation of ancient, still operable items found in the ruins of fallen Myth Drannor: guardian blades and watch axes. One or both of these will be found accompanying any group of Axe Dwarves. They are typically used in pairs or threes to guard doors, gates, crawl tunnels, and the like around major Axe Dwarf settlements or temples.
Guardian Blades: These are two handed bastard swords of the finest make and metals. They do 2d4 points of damage when striking, attack twice per round (first strike and last), and fly about (MV 15, Class A). They cannot be held or grounded by anti-magic spells or effects. Guardian blades attack all nondwarves, unless otherwise instructed by a helmed Axe Dwarf priest. They operate with true sight.
If grasped, guardian blades will struggle to break free, dragging the holder along with them. In such instances, roll a d20 each round, and if the roll is higher than the wielder's Strength, the blade breaks free. A blade that is held for five continuous rounds will burst into shards at the end of the fifth round, self-destructing in a lightning discharge that does 7d6 damage to all creatures within 10 feet (no saving throw allowed beings holding it).
Watch Axes: These weapons are also permanently-animated and behave just as a guardian blade does. They move more slowly (14), but do more damage (1dl0). If forced to self-destruct, they explode, the blast and shards doing 4dl0 damage to all within 10 feet, 3d8 damage to those from 10 to 20 feet away, and 2d4 damage to those from 20 to 30 feet away. Saving throws for half damage are allowed for all beings except those in direct contact with the axe when it explodes.
There are some guardian blades and watch axes in the Realms still, lurking in forgotten tombs and mines, that have no connection to the Axe Dwarves, and are controlled by no one. Elminster once tried to establish magical control over one blade "as an exercise," and still winces and rubs his ribs at the memory of his failure.
These sorts of weapons self-destruct when held or pinned. If struck in combat and broken, they self-destruct only 20 percent of the time. The rest of the time, they merely disintegrate harmlessly.
The most fearsome watch axe is the Living Axe itself. It is said to be an animated, double-bladed battle axe of great size, fashioned of bronzed adamantine. It is probably neutral evil in alignment, and delights in killing, periodically flying amok among ores or whatever creatures it chances upon. It does 2d6 damage per strike, attacks twice a round, flying at MV 18 (A), and is known to be immune to all enchantment/charm spells. Its origin and precise powers are unknown, but it is said to be very old, and has been known to hunt beings across the Realms. It might capriciously spare some who openly defy it, or butcher others whom it surprises before they even realise what is happening.
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Belindorn |
Bladebite |
Breakadder |
Crownshield |
|
Gemscepter |
Ghalkin |
Goldthumb |
Gordrivver |
|
Malthin |
Mastemyr |
Sorndar |
Talnoth |
|
Undurr |
Velm |
Zord |
|
|
Belindorn |
Bladebite |
Breakadder |
Crownshield |
|
Gemscepter |
Ghalkin |
Goldthumb |
Gordrivver |
|
Malthin |
Mastemyr |
Sorndar |
Talnoth |
|
Undurr |
Velm |
Zord |
|
1) Introduction 3) What
it is to be a Dwarf 5) Love
and Marriage 6) Dwarven
Language (Dwarvish) |
7) Dwarven
Clans 8) The
Gods of the Dwarves 9) Priests
of the Dwarves 10) Dwarven
Cults |
A lot of the information contained
within is copywrited to TSR and re-produced here without their permission.
This file is considered for Private Use only – i.e. by the players of the Northern
Journey Campaign.
1) INTRODUCTION
Despite their dwindling numbers, dwarves are an important and influential race, who have by and large forced other beings in the Realms to take them on their own terms. The works and inventions of dwarves are everywhere in the human societies of Faerun, and dwarves remain in the forefront of explorers and craftsmen in the Realms today.
It is impossible to overestimate the importance of their gods to the dwarves. Much of the space herein is devoted to the deities and their priests, because the lives of dwarves are dominated by the deeds and directives of the gods, more than any other intelligent race of Faerun.
This work explores something of the magic and deeds of the dwarves, and the nature of their societies. A dwarf reading this work would be enraged not only by the laying out of far too many of his Folk's secrets, the long and colourful past of the battling dwarven races on Faerun in The Lost Kingdoms chapter, and more practical information on spells, priests, magical items, and so on.
2) DWARVEN NAMES
Dwarves in the Realms bear only a first name (for example, "Dorn"), to which are attached qualifying names and phrases. Humans can find dwarven names both long and complicated, so a brief exploration of how they come about is both valuable and necessary.
A clanless or outlaw dwarf, or one ashamed of his clan or wishing to conceal its identity, commonly uses only the name of his kingdom to distinguish him from others with the same name. Surprisingly, the legitimate reasons for concealing one's clan, especially from nondwarves, are many. To a travelling dwarven merchant, for example, revealing his or her clan only affords competitors a chance for blackmail, deception, and time-wasting entreaties ,false or hopeless, to others in the clan, attempting to use the merchant as a go-between, spokesdwarf, or agent.
If our Dorn was a travelling merchant, he might call himself "Dorn of the Deep Realm." The kingdom is commonly used only when the dwarf is not within it. Inside the kingdom, the dwarf must be more specific (e.g. "Dorn of the Firecaverns"). Use of a mythical or extinct kingdom may be either a matter of pride, or an attempt to deceive. Among nondwarves, some dwarves merely use the name of a known location ("Dorn of Amphail").
A dwarf deliberately concealing information (i.e. to a hostile questioner) will often say he is merely "of the dwarves," which to another dwarf is an insult. For example, "I am Dorn, of the dwarves," typically delivered in a flat tone that adds the unspoken, "Any problems with that?" or "Want to make something of it?"
Among dwarves, it is more common to use one's clan name ("Dorn Bladebite"); the kingdom name is necessary only when a clan is established in more than one realm a very rare thing, today.
Dwarves are proud of their heritage; if a dwarf is descended from a dwarven hero, he or she will use the qualifier "son of" or "grandson of" ("Dorn, son of Tyrtar"). Females sometimes use " son of" when trying to conceal their sex from nondwarves, but usually prefer "daul of" (dwarvish for '"daughter of"); thus, "Dorna, daul of Tyrtar."
If the descent is further removed than two generations, the phrase "blood of" is employed - but only in the case of the most famous heroes or rulers. Thus, "Dorn, blood of Gordrimm"
In all cases, a personal descriptive qualifier is added if two or more dwarves can be confused. This is a common situation in the ranks of a clan dwelling in one spot, where two dwarves with the same first name also share bloodlines, clan, and location. The qualifier may be something as simple as "The Younger," or "One-Eye," or may refer to a deed or interest ("Worldwalker" or"Wyrmhunter").
Some of the most common qualifiers are: the Bloodaxe; the Dauntless; Dragonhunter; Fardelver; Firebeard; Foeflayer; Forkbeard; Giantsbane; the Grim; Hammerhand; the Older; Orcslayer; Wildbeard, and the Younger.
One last wrinkle: some dwarven families use combined names as an alternative - or even in addition - to qualifiers. The clumsiness that can arise from this practise has made it little practised today, but some dwarves still bear its results.
For example, in a large dwarven family, two or three of eight sons may be called "Dorn " As the father is probably also called Dorn, qualifiers such as "the Younger" are avoided; instead, the three sons each receive another dwarven name, tacked onto their "Dorn." The three brothers could be "Dornadar", "Dorndaggan", and "Dornidrin".
All of these name-phrases may of course be strung together (along with any titles the dwarf gains along the way). Looking back at our example, Dorn, we see that in full he could be "Dorn ‘the Younger’ Bladebite, son of Ahrdagh, blood of Gordrimm, of the Firecaverns of the Deep Realm."
This ensures that challenges, messages, and bills belonging to Dorn don't arrive at the door of his uncle, "Dorn ‘the Old’ Bladebite, blood of Gordrimm, of Glitterdelve in the Deep Realm."
Adventuring companions of dwarves usually find it easier to give a dwarf a nickname, to use commonly as a surname when among humans; thus, Dorn is "Dorn Firedrake" when on the trail with the Company of the Crown of Stars. If he wasn't so ashamed of the Company's ribald exploits, Dorn might call himself simply "Dorn Bladebite" when among them, but he doesn't want to anger or shame his clan.
Dwarves who wander the Realms or dwell exclusively in the company of humans, and who are outlaw or have no clan affiliations from birth, usually adopt human last names (see the section on Brotherhoods; most of their leaders are so named).
In short, the fragmentation of the dwarven kingdoms in the north allows players and DMs to adopt any name they choose for a dwarven character - the only names that need explanation are obviously elven names, or clan names used when the dwarf is not part of that clan (a dwarf of the right clan will always happen along or get wind of it, and there will be trouble; trouble that no dwarf would willingly bring about).
"A grudging, suspicious race." - Alaundo the Sage
Grim mystery, laced with sadness and pride - these are the images that come to mind when one thinks of dwarves. They are the images that should come to players' minds when dwarves come onstage during play in the Realms. In this chapter we'll look at some things that help bring a dwarf to life in play.
3.1) Dwarven Character
Dwarves are dour, proud, taciturn, and markedly inflexible. They hold grudges and lust after gold. Dwarves have a deepseated, morbid dislike and mistrust of all strangers, nondwarves in particular. More than simply wanting to greedily amass all the wealth they can, which is the common human and halfling view of dwarves, the Deep Folk love worked beauty. They prefer beauty through skill, somehow improving on nature, rather than the beauty of nature "as is," the beauty prized by "lazy" elves.
Dwarves are also a devout folk, a race that looks often to its gods who, in turn, serve their steadfast worshippers diligently. Dwarven traits such as grim defiance and greed are not implanted or forced upon the dwarves by their deities, but are things inherent in a dwarf that the gods recognise and play upon.
Dwarves are usually pessimists, as is revealed by their common sayings "every fair sky hides a lurking cloud" and "the gold you have yet to win gleams the brightest". As such they always prepare for the worst, preparing back-up weapons, food caches, escape routes, and 'booby traps' for potential enemies.
Some even see the hand of fate as a real, powerful force that acts upon their lives. Some dwarves have been known to feel their own deaths approach. Others have glimpsed tantalising images of important scenes in their lives to come. These images are given, it is said, by the gods, to ensure that each dwarf knows when an encounter, decision, or deed is especially important to the Folk as a whole, so he might act accordingly. These fateful images make the dwarves respectful and obedient to the gods, willing to obey their laws and rules.
Dwarves therefore tend to keep their word, whatever the cost. By way of example, the village of Maskyr's Eye, in the Vast, is named for a wizard who asked the dwarven king Tuir for land. The king, not wanting to give up any land to humans, but also not wanting to face the attacks of an angered wizard, said the land would be Maskyr's only if the wizard plucked out his right eye on the spot, and gave it to Tuir. Maskyr, to the astonishment of the court, did so, and Tuir then respectfully kept his end of the bargain.
The dwarves have always had close relations with gnomes, and workable relations with ha!flings. They have always harboured a special hatred for ores and other goblin-kin, and they have never gotten along with their own deep-dwelling kin, the duergar.
3.2) Everyday Beliefs
The deep religious beliefs of the dwarves - that their gods are real beings who will aid them if they have performed acceptably, and who want them to do thus and so - are not dealt with in this chapter. For religious topics, see instead The Gods of the Dwarves and The Priests of the Dwarves. Rather, we look here at things that most dwarves believe to be true about life and Daerun, whether these beliefs are true or not. Player characters may, or may not, know the truth of these matters, or may learn them during their careers, at the DM's option.
To call someone a 'longbeard' means that he or she is wise, experienced, a dependable veteran, and is a compliment. To call someone a 'no-beard' or 'shorthair' is an insult. All dwarves grow beards, male and female, but some dwarves, usually females, shave.
To call a dwarf 'little' or 'human' (or to combine the two, as in 'little man') is to issue a nasty insult. Conversely, 'standing tall,' as in 'You stand tall among us, Thorgar,' is a term of admiration and respect. Strangely, the actual height of a dwarf does not influence his or her treatment by, and relationships with, other dwarves in any way.
A dwarf may introduce himself to a stranger of another race, as 'Narnden, of the dwarves.' If Narnden is his real name, this is only a subtle insult, reflecting that the dwarf doesn't trust the stranger well enough to give his clan (last) name. If the stranger is a dwarf, it is an unfriendly greeting. If the dwarf gives the name 'Narnden' falsely, it is meant as an insult.
Dwarves have many customs that appear strange to humans. Those immediately apparent to any visitor to dwarven habitations is that dwarves prefer to live underground or, if aboveground, they prefer dark, massive stone structures that mimic conditions underground. Dwarves seem to hate and fear the sea.
Dwarves also speak as little as possible, and tend to be surly or sarcastic. Dwarves tend to like games even gambling, of all sorts. They enjoy rhythmic drumming in music, disliking flutes and other wind instruments. Dwarves enjoy dancing, either among themselves or watching others when in humandominated communities.
Dwarves are hardy by nature, resistant to magic and toxic substances, as described in the ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS,2nd Edition, Player's Handbook. However, there is at least one substance especially poisonous to dwarves and duergar: dwarfbane. Dwarfbane is a rare, gummy oil that is poisonous only to dwarves. Insinuative, it is commonly smeared on weapons. It does not dry out, but prolonged exposure to air lessens its potency; it is effective only for 26-31 (ld6 +25) days. Upon contact, dwarfbane does 1-8 points of damage with a pain "like blazing skewers," and a further 1-6 points on each of the following three rounds. A successful saving throw will halve all damage suffered by a dwarf from dwarfbane.
The tragic 'secret' of the dwarves is their low birthrate. Fear of clan extinction sometimes drives dwarves to raid human settlements for mates, or even to deal with slavers. The dwarves are usually in search of human women, because the low dwarven birthrate is thought to be due to low fertility among dwarven women.
The offspring of a human and a dwarf is always dwarven enough to pass for a true dwarf (although it may be a foot taller than other dwarves). Any offspring it may in turn have with a dwarven mate will be fully dwarven, reverting to usual dwarven height The taking of human mates is '`the secret salvation of the race" referred to by some dwarven elders.
Moots are business meetings between dwarven clans or professions, or between dwarves and nondwarven traders. Current known moots in the Realms include periodic hadesmoots near Baldur's Gate, the annual High Moot northeast of Waterdeep, and the Deep Moot in the Great Rift, held every ten years and open to every dwarf.
Dragonmoots are a proud but vanishing tradition, in which bands of adventuring dwarves are called together to fight specific dragons, and plunder their hoards. They were once something of a ritual of passage for young dwarves aspiring to be warriors.
Festivals are annual celebratory feasts which tend to involve lots of drinking and dancing. The most famous festivals include the Festival of the Forging (in honor of the great smithies), the Night of the Thirsty Axe (in honor of great warriors), and the Remembering (in honor of dead dwarven ancestors).
Dwarves have professions not unlike those of other races, so visitors from human or even elven communities will not be completely lost in the dwarven realms. However, several honoured dwarven professions are unique to their culture. These include loremasters, diplomats, and smiths.
Loremasters are the Keepers of the High History of the Dwarves. Their task is to remember dwarven genealogies, history, and decisions down the ages. In the Deep Realm, the most sacred, central part of Underhome is the Vault of Mutterings, where old dwarves endlessly tell each other the lore they know, in a sort of endless chanting and drinking party.
Diplomats are also honoured professionals among the dwarves. Skilled diplomats are either negotiators or messengers. The latter memorise messages exactly and can deliver them in precisely the voice and tone in which they were first enunciated. They can't deliver spells this way, but can impart command words. Messengers are used throughout the Deep Realm as a matter of course, and on the surface when matters of import must be communicated (i.e. news of the death of a dwarf to his or her kin). Dwarven messengers carry small iron bucklers as badges of their office, and may also bear a circle inside-a circle tattoo at the base of their throat.
Far and away the most important profession among the dwarves is, of course, the smith. Smiths vary widely in skills and specialities, and not all of them can fashion magical items. These skills are not detailed in this sourcebook, because it is recommended that smiths not be player characters.
To advance in smith-craft, a dwarf cannot spare the time for adventuring. Nor would a smith voluntarily risk his skilled hands and other faculties to the dangers of battle - they are simply too valuable to the smith and to his people.
There is a dwarven saying: "Smiths die rich, but warriors die with only what they've managed to seize and hold onto." It vividly illustrates the relative lack of profit in being an adventurer, compared to the sure gains of being a dwarven smith.
Most human fighters in the Realms know the basics ol forging weapons and armour; the favoured and necessary metals, what tools are commonly used, and so on. They can tell when someone is trying to deceive them over the making of a blade, but would probably produce a brittle, unbalanced weapon unable to hold an edge if they tried to make a sword themselves.
Most dwarves can do a little better than that. They can tell you exactly what metals and tempering substances their local smiths used, and know when a forge or blade-in-progress is hot enough simply by its hue.
A player character dwarf may not be able to turn out a fine, tempered sword if he is not a smith However, virtually any dwarf can, if given time and the right materials, produce a serviceable blade, of the proper weight, size and balance for a given user, that can be sharpened to a cutting edge. It may not, however, hold an edge or take the battering a good weapon could without shattering. The DM must adjudicate such situations on a case-by-case basis.
Magical forging is also a matter for the dungeon master to rule on, to match conditions in a particular campaign. Dwarves are intensely secretive when it comes to smithy-work; no player character dwarf will be able to learn how to make and enchant a weapon from any dwarven tutor. A few hints may he picked up from crumbling texts, examination of magical items, and the last gasped words of dying dwarves indebted to the PC, but by and large PCs of any race wanting to learn the dwarven ways of creating magical things are going to have to experiment for themselves.
The player character must prepare a process, with ingredients and conditions, and submit it to the DM. The DM will rule on what occurs. While creating a magical item under such conditions is a thing to be proud of in itself, it will, if properly run, eat up so much time and wealth that the character effectively retires from adventuring, even if only temporarily.
As the dwarven sage Holoengor of Eartheart has said, "Adventuring is one grand career and craftwork is another. It's a rare dwarf that's tall enough to manage both."
Almost all dwarves are hirsute, covered with at least some hair all over their bodies. Jungle dwarves have the least hair, and shield dwarves the most. Dwarves of both sexes may shave, perfume, trim, and comb all their hair, or tattoo themselves. Hair growth may be inhibited by treating areas of the body with a paste of secret ingredients, then searing the area in open flame. Tattoos also inhibit the growth of hair.
Many dwarves, particularly females, oil and shave their bodies regularly. A nondwarf seeing a shaggy bearded dwarf in heavy armor and furs that conceal the betraying lines of the female figure may have trouble determining the dwarf's sex.
Most dwarven females dress, walk and fight as males do, and have similar lowpitched, gruff, husky voices Like males, they naturally grow beards, and only some shave. Dwarves of both sexes may trim, perfume, and even hang their beards with gems or gold ornaments. The latter is particularly true in the south, among surface-dwellers near the Rift.
Much of the wealth of dwarves, envied and sought by those of other races in Faerun, exists in the form of fine metals. Understanding the metallurgy of the dwarves would be an absolutely enormous undertaking, taking a lifetime or more. The devising of alloys is one of the chief dwarven sciences, and it would take a book thrice the size of this one even to name and describe the various successful and failed amalgams and alloys tried by the dwarves. Interestingly, some sages believe that the low fertility of dwarves is due to exposure to heat, bizarre alloys, and metal toxins.
Any good library can tell those interested the sources (and differences between) copper, bronze, electrum, gold, and so on. A library in the Realms (Elminster has a good one, I've been led to believe) will yield lore about more than a dozen metals unique to the RealmsÑand alloys made from them, besides. Perhaps another day....
Here we note only a few bare basics:
Treatments
Dwarven smiths know many treatments for metals, chiefly concerned with inhibiting oxidation and other forms of corrosion, or in altering appearance (shine and hue). Two deserve mention here: the common blueshine treatment, used for all metals to resist acid ( + 1 bonus to saves) and rust (especially"bloodrust"), and to give them a beautiful gleaming deep blue appearance, and the everbright treatment. This gives all metals an enduring, bright shine (like chromium), and absolutely prevents any tarnishing, discoloration, rusting (even by a rust monster), or corrosion of a blade, unless the blade is later actually broken, or subjected to forge-fire, earth-fire (lava) or dragonfire.
Dwarven courtship is a mystery to most other races. Others see dwarves as a hard, grim, largely humorless race. To outsiders, dwarves never appear to show love, kindness, or caring if they can help it.
These misconceptions only substantiate how intensely dwarves value their privacy, and how well they guard it. Dwarves are slow to strong emotion, but their feelings run deep. When moved to anger, hatred, love, or friendship, they hold steadfast throughout their lives. In fact, their low birthrate and dwindling numbers makes dwarves pursue love more fiercely now than in elder days.
Dwarves were once more carefree. Though they lived in danger, beset by enemies in the Deep Realm, they were far more numerous. No dwarf thought of his Folk as a people in decline, or that someday there might be no dwarves. Clan rule was stronger, and females were kept busy in the home, all the while guarded by males who mined and fought.
Some say the heat of the forges and the strange metals dwarves have experimented with over the years have made many of them barren. Others scoff at this notion. Whatever the truth, dwarven fertility has steadily declined.
The rule of clan elders over everyday dwarven lives has also waned, particularly in the north, where once proud dwarven kingdoms are gone, the Folk scattered in lands now held by men.
Females, who from a cold-blooded view of breeding to preserve the race should now be guarded more than ever, have taken advantage of failing clan power to achieve equality with their malefolk. Shedwarves today fiercely hold roles as warriors and adventurers, often paying with their lives. As fertile mothers grow fewer, dwarven power continues to fade.
Today, male and female dwarves are identical in rights, except in the clergy. Strong personalities of either sex dominate family and clan life.
Courting, romance, and fertility are sacred to the goddess Sharindlar. Courtship begin with a time of living apart, exchanging poems and gifts, the latter often battlespoils or personally-crafted jewelry. This may last for years, as participants try to impress each other. If interest grows sufficient, the two live together for a time, often adventuring side-by-side or working together as artisans. This allows both to fully learn the personality of their chosen one. If deep love develops, marriage follows.
Betrothal and married life are the province of the goddess Berronar. Lawful good dwarves follow her custom of exchanging rings with those for whom they feel deep, mutual trust and love. The rings are often of silver, matching Berronar's symbol, are treated by dwarven smiths to be everbright (never to tarnish), and are blessed by priests of Berronar. If one of the parties participates with deceit in his or her heart, Berronar's power makes one of the rings crumble during the blessing (both rings, if both are false!). Both participants must be lawful good, and the ceremony is never entered into lightly.
Rings are also ceremonially exchanged between betrothed royalty of different dwarven kingdoms, regardless of their alignments. Dwarves almost never exchange rings with nondwarves, although there have been cases, especially in the north, where human females and male dwarves have united in happiness, to further dwarven bloodlines and preserve what remains of crumbling dwarven clans and holdings.
Dwarven marriage need not involve a ring exchange. An older, more popular ritual, particularly among adventurers and wanderers, is blood-betrothal. The participants may be of any alignment, and require only a noble of any race as a witness. The witness should be a dwarf, and preferably a clan chief, elder, or priest, but could technically be any noble. The two mingle blood, while they kiss, and whisper their truenames to each other. They then solemnly declare themselves, by their full public names, as mates for the benefit of the witness. They are then considered married in the eyes of all dwarves. Divorce is unknown.
Adventurer dwarves have always been the Folk of widest experience and tolerance, being most likely to meet and marry dwarves of other clans and interests. Nonadventurers, especially in the past, tend to marry others of their own profession, which can prove to be a weakness; when sudden death comes to dwarven holds, a whole field of expertise could be irreclaimable with the loss of a single family. Marriage does not, these days, mean living together thereafter - many couples carry on separate careers, meeting only a few times a year.
5.4) Having Children
A pregnant wife is cared for by her husband, seeks clan midwives, or returns to a clan hold to live until the birth. This last practice is common when married dwarves live apart, and the male is a roving adventurer or otherwise difficult to get word to. Once the wife is safely in clan care, a messenger is sent to inform the husband. It is considered great good luck for the child if the father is present at the birth. In some clans, an axe or other item of his is brought to the birthing to represent a dead or absent father
It is rare for dwarves to give birth to more than one baby at a time. About 70% of all births are males. Only about 55% of dwarves, of either sex, are fertile.
Humans, gnomes, and halflings are cross-fertile with dwarves. Elminster says elves and dwarves can have issue as well. Common in Ardeep, Eaerlann, and Myth Drannor of old, this is unheard-of today.
Mates who respect dwarven customs and traditions are honoured for their courage (in entering a strange society), loyalty (to the customs of dwarves) and aid (in preserving the Folk).
"Half-dwarves" are not a distinct race. Save for their height (a head taller than most dwarves) all offspring of unions between dwarves and other races look and act (and are treated in the rules) as pureblood dwarves. Dwarven halfbreeds always have the stocky build and hirsute appearance of purebloods.
If halfbloods mate with pureblood dwarves, the offspring will be a pureblood. If halfbloods mate with another halfblood or a nondwarf, the offspring will be a halfblood.
6) DWARVEN LANGUAGE (DWARVISH)
The dwarven language in use today is descended from the Elder tongue, a speech of great antiquity. The Elder tongue is thought by some to be the source of the word "Faerun," derived from the word "runedar," meaning home or familiar place. It has a long and complicated vocabulary - little used by any dwarf alive today, save for the record keeping elders. The most commonly heard words of present-day dwarvish are presented on the opposite page.
Some of the words given there are of use to humans deciphering dwarven place-names, some of which survive in present-day use. Those trying to interpret old treasure-verses or dwarven lore are in even greater need of an elder dwarven vocabulary.
Dwarven speech can be simulated in play by speaking as most Wanderers do these days: that is, they use human common-speech, studded with words of dwarvish.
6.1) Runestones
Dwarves prefer to write on stone rather than on more perishable materials. Stone walls, pillars, cairns, and standing stones all over the Realms today bear the Dethek runes used by dwarves down the long ages since history in Faerun began. A few dwarven writings are in 'dead tongues' or in clan codes rather than Dethek runes, which, thankfully for the scholar, few clans use nowadays.
Most often, dwarves write on flat stones, known as 'runestones.' A typical runestone is flat and circular or diamond shaped, about an inch thick, and of a hard, durable rock. One or both faces of the stone are inscribed with Dethek runes in a ring or spiral around the edge. Runestones are usually read from the outer edge to the center along the spiral. This spiral encircles an identifying rune or picture, such as a clan mark or personal rune. Occasionally, runestones have been made of metal, but only the finest metals of the most pure and perfect manufacture will do.
Runestones telling a legend or tale of heroism usually bear a picture of the climactic scene described in the script. Grave markers or histories usually reproduce the face or mark of the dwarf or dwarves described. The central symbol may also be a commonly-understood rune (e.g a foot for a 'safe trail' marker, or an inverted helm to denote safe drinking water), or may be a simple decoration. Some runestones have pictures in relief, and are used as seals or pressed into wet mud to serve as temporary trail markers.
The Dethek runes are reproduced on the gatefold of this accessory for easy DM reference during play. They can readily be used to decipher the message on the "typical runestone" shown there. It reads: "This place is Dhurri's Bridge. Here forty two of the best warriors of (the House of Helmung) fell, to keep orcs from the Halls. We slew six hundred and eight. (Day) 218, (year since the founding of the House) 377."
The central rune of a hammer identifies the writer as a warrior, the shield indicates he was of the House of Helmung, a house now thought to be extinct. The writer's name, "Nain," is written, as is the custom, above the shield. A dwarf of greater importance would use his personal rune instead.
No punctuation can be shown in Dethek, but sentences are customarily separated by lines crossing the script. Words are separated by spaces, and capital letters have a horizontal line over them. Numbers enclosed in boxes are dates, the day preceding the year by convention. Clan, kingdom, family, and individual runes are incorporated into Dethek script. If any runes are painted, the names of beings and places are commonly picked out in red, the rest coloured black or left uncoloured.
Runestones can serve as genealogies and family burial markers, portable tombstones, to whic b additions are added each time a new burial is made in a family crypt. They can also serve as inventories of the wealth of a clan, family, or brotherhood, as private messages, and as records of great events and deeds of valour
One stone was found in a labyrinth of dwarven caverns, serving as a very plain warning - plain to those who knew the script, that is - of a pit trap just beyond. Another, somewhere in the same abandoned mountain dwarf-halls in Delzoun, is reputed to hold a clue to the where abouts of the Hammer of Thunderbolts, a terrific weapon once borne in the Battle of the Drowning of Lornak.
The runestones most eagerly sought by nondwarves are treasure stones.' According to Elminster, these tend to give treasure directions "hidden in those cryptic verses that the Stout Folk write when they think they're being clever."
Some rare stones are adorned with gems, or are themselves magical. Magical runestones may function as arrows of direction, as the Book of Passing Years in Elminster's library tells us. Others might, as many folk tales and ballads of the North attest, speak messages by magic mouth when certain persons are near, or when certain words (sometimes nonsense words, carved on the stone) are said over it. Some of these magical stones chant warnings or poetry, but most utter treasure-verses. A few such verses are given on the gatefold of this accessory As far as Elminster knows, the treasures these hint at all await an adventuring band that is strong and brave, of keen wits and good luck. ("That's why," he added dryly, "they haven't been found yet.")
| ae |
gold |
| aelin |
gold-work |
| agland |
sword |
| alagh |
battle-glory, valor |
| ar |
to cut, slash, or lay open |
| arglar |
to butcher; "a proper arglary" means a proper butchering, or a good fight, and is often used to describe vicious struggles with orcs |
| arau |
great, huge, gigantic |
| arauglor |
sea, ocean (literally, 'greatlake') |
| barak |
backbone, strength, shield |
| bedorn |
disbelief, lies, mistakes, exaggeration, distortion |
| beldarak |
treachery (hence, "beldarakin" means treacherous beings) |
| burakrin |
way through, passage |
| calass |
thief, miscreant, untrustworthy one |
| caurak |
cavern (large size, underground only) |
| corl |
to kill |
| corlar |
killer |
| daern |
familiar, known (place, feature or being) |
| dauble |
treasure or valuable (plural "daubles") |
| deladar |
to descend, to go down (hence, "deladaraugh" means to die in battle; literally, 'to go down to the death') |
| delver |
to dig (hence "delve" means a digging; mine, tunnel, or underhome) |
| donnar |
metal ore |
| dunglor |
underground lake |
| dunlur |
underground river |
| endar |
cave (surface world; one not linked to extensive underways) |
| faern |
home |
| finder |
good luck, good fortune, favorable chances |
| glor |
lake |
| gordul |
gods forfend! or gods, look at this! (an oath of amazement or despair) |
| glander |
gems, including uncut natural |
| stones |
|
| halaur |
gift |
| hurnden |
payment |
| ilith |
deal, agreement, trust of one's |
| word or honor |
|
| jargh |
jokester, idiot (often applied to halflings) |
| kuldjargh |
a berserker, or one who is reckless in any battle (literally, "axe-idiot") |
| kuld |
axe |
| kuldar |
warrior (literally, "axe-cutter") |
| levasst |
passage linking surface and un. |
| derground |
|
| Ihar |
gap, (mountain) pass |
| llargh |
loose stone, bad to work or unsafe |
| fur |
river, creek, stream |
| llur |
large (wide) river |
| lurgh |
marsh, fen |
| lurmurk |
bog, muskeg (concealed waters) |
| morndin |
peak, height (especially of mountains, but sometimes also used to speak of high ledges, ranks of individuals, or tall creatures) |
| mrin |
to climb (hence "mrinding" means climbing) |
| mur |
to disagree (hence "murmel" means to argue, debate) |
| murmelngs |
arguments, criticism, words of dissension |
| norogh |
monsters, evil or dangerous beings or forces (especially unknown or unidentified) |
| noror |
enemies (known) |
| noroth |
enemy land, area, or lair (plural is "norothin") |
| ol |
magic, magical power or items ("olara" refers to natural magic, not used or influenced by beings) |
| olor |
world, all lands, the entire territory of Toril seen by, and known to, the dwarves |
| parlyn |
clothing, especially usual or expected (proper or fitting) adornment |
| raugh |
death, an ending, it's over (especially feuds and love-affairs) |
| rrin |
over, above |
| rorn |
destruction, devastation, war (thus, "rorntyn" means battlefield) |
| rune |
familiar, known |
| runedar |
home, familiar place, haven |
| sabrak |
crack, flaw |
| samman |
trusted friend, shield- brother (battle companion) |
| samryn |
trustworthy, honest, honorable, or favorable |
| sargh |
disgusting thing or occurrence; |
| filth; ores or ore-work |
|
| sonn |
good stone |
| splendarr |
bright, shining, beautiful, |
| hopeful |
|
| taerin |
love (true love,'deep' rove) |
| thalorn |
kindness, caring, good deed |
| tharn |
love, lust (hence "aetharn" means gold-lust) |
| thord |
bone ("thorden" means bones) |
| thork |
death, excrement, decay, carrion |
| thuldul |
fate, doom, ill luck, or (spoken in irony) everyday cheery tidings or good fortune |
| tindul |
clumsiness, clumsy work (especially smithcraft) |
| tor |
hill, knoll (especially if bare rock in places; smaller than a mountain or crag) |
| torst |
adventure, fun, welcomed danger |
| tyn |
field, open place (aboveground) |
| ultok |
meeting-place, coming together, rendezvous |
| ultokrinlur |
ford (literally 'meeting-place over river') |
| undivver |
hope, future plan, strategy |
| veltel |
romance, courtship, social games and manners |
| vallahir |
mountain-meadow (high valley, especially a 'hanging valley' or alpine plateau) |
| vudd |
wood, forest |
| vruden |
wood (thus, "vrudenla" means wooden or of wood) |
| wurgym |
ugliness, ugly thing or being |
| wurlur |
current, racing water (danger) |
| wurn |
water (especially useful or drinking water) |
| xoth |
knowledge (especially dwarf-lore and secret or special knowledge) |
| xunder |
secrets, dark deeds or treasure-talk |
| yaugh |
a climb (thus; "yaughadar" means stairs or steps, "yauthlin" means rope, "yauthmair" means handholds or no clear way, and "yauthtil" means an elevator (if magical, it is a "olyauthil") |
| zander |
adventurer, rogue, foolish youth, happy-go~lucky or reckless being |
The clan was once all-powerful in dwarven life in Faerun, but over the last thousand winters, the power and influence of all clans, particularly in the North, has dwindled. Many are now little more than drinking societies or clubs, with virtually no influence over their member dwarves' lives, though clans do not allow members to also belong to another clan. Many isolated dwarven communities, particularly in the North, are now clanless, or have only the weakest clan affiliations.
All dwarven clans have chiefs. In the north, dwarven chieftains are sometimes known as"clanmasters" or"lairds." Their southern counterparts are often known as "ardukes." These ranks give us "the word of the laird shalt be the whole of the law," "for the arduke,' "all honour to the chief," and other sayings. The term "house" refers to the ruling family in a clan, or the ruling clan of a land. This term is most used when there is no single monarch, the ruler uses a lesser title (such as Iron Duke), or when a king is elected rather than inheriting the title.
Almost all positions of clan leadership are obtained today hy election from among, and by, the clan's elders. In olden days, dwarves had kings who could trace lineage through generations of previous hereditary rulers. A few kingships survive today, but all rely on the monarch's personal popularity and fitness to rule, not on an automatically-acknowledged blood-right to rule.
Every clan has its elders; dwarves of influence, wealth, and personal mightÑand almost always, distinguished age. Their thoughts and plans aim and shape the lives of clan members; their votes determine clan policy, laws, and justice. Clan elders once held the right to approve or deny marriages in a clan, renouncing the membership of any who married against their will, or married out of the clan. However, the dwindling birthrate of the Deep Folk has put a stop to such influence by the elders.
Most clans have clan champions, who offer themselves in tests of personal combat in the clan's name. They also maintain the clan's police-forces, gathered clan warriors, often called "the fists of the clan," or"the hammers of the clan."
Outcast dwarves remain, however, outcast to this day. "The memory of a dwarf is long and strong," as the old saying goes.
Dwarves value law and order above all else; usually content with their place, they see an iron maintenance of the status quo as the best way to preserve the Folk. In the eyes of a dwarf, clan rules and law must prevail. The DM should devise local dwarven laws (often rigid and harsh) which are always built on the following principles:
Clan justice is done through trial by at least twelve dwarven elders, none of whom can have a blood-interest (direct relationship to either the accused or injured parties). Verdicts are limited to "innocent," "not proved" and "guilty." Obtaining "not proved" verdicts is far from an acquittal, however; they are a black mark against a dwarf's name - those who collect more than six such verdicts are cast out of a clan. Punishments for a "guilty" verdict range from service to injured families to death, and are at the whim of the elders - there are no set sentences for given crimes.
Clans usually specialise in particular crafts or skills hut dwarves skilled in almost anything can be found in the ranks of every large clan. Specialities include blacksmithing, silversmithing, gold smithing, armour-making , weapon- making, gemcutting, soldiery, and diplomacy (negotiators and messengers).
7.4) The Known Clans of the Dwarves
There is no space here to list the specialities, current chiefs, and all important holds of clans. All clans practice vigilant patrolling of their territories against surprise ore-horde onslaughts that annihilated many clans in the past. Such patrols will do their utmost to ensure that intruders (such as player characters) never actually see or discover the location of important clan holds and settlements.
In the lists below, references to other Realms source material are given when clans have been mentioned elsewhere. The strongly-held privacy of dwarves forces any list of clans to be incomplete.
Most clan names resemble dwarven nicknames - many probably originated as the nickname of a famous dwarf who founded the clan.
Wild dwarves are polygamous and do not have clans. They see themselves as one big family, "cur Authalar," or, 'the People.'
|
Arnskull |
Battle hammer (see FR7) |
Blackbanner |
Blackhammer |
|
Bucklebar |
Darkfell |
Deepaxe |
Deepdelve |
|
Eaglecleft |
Foehammer |
Gallowglar |
Hillsafar (see FR9) |
|
Horn |
Jundeth |
Narlagh |
Orothiar (FR9) |
|
Quarrymaster |
Rockfist |
Stoneshoulder |
Stoneshield |
|
Trueforger |
Watchever |
Worldthrone |
Wyrmslayer |
|
Yund |
|
|
|
|
Belindorn |
Bladebite |
Breakadder |
Crownshield |
|
Gemscepter |
Ghalkin |
Goldthumb |
Gordrivver |
|
Malthin |
Mastemyr |
Sorndar |
Talnoth |
|
Undurr |
Velm |
Zord |
|
|
ae |
gold |
|
aelin |
gold-work |
|
agland |
sword |
|
alagh |
battle-glory, valor |
|
ar |
to cut, slash, or lay open |
|
arglar |
to butcher; "a proper arglary" means a proper butchering, or a good fight, and is often used to describe vicious struggles with orcs |
|
arau |
great, huge, gigantic |
|
arauglor |
sea, ocean (literally, 'greatlake') |
|
barak |
backbone, strength, shield |
|
bedorn |
disbelief, lies, mistakes, exaggeration, distortion |
|
beldarak |
treachery (hence, "beldarakin" means treacherous beings) |
|
burakrin |
way through, passage |
|
calass |
thief, miscreant, untrustworthy one |
|
caurak |
cavern (large size, underground only) |
|
corl |
to kill |
|
corlar |
killer |
|
daern |
familiar, known (place, feature or being) |
|
dauble |
treasure or valuable (plural "daubles") |
|
deladar |
to descend, to go down (hence, "deladaraugh" means to die in battle; literally, 'to go down to the death') |
|
delver |
to dig (hence "delve" means a digging; mine, tunnel, or underhome) |
|
donnar |
metal ore |
|
dunglor |
underground lake |
|
dunlur |
underground river |
|
endar |
cave (surface world; one not linked to extensive underways) |
|
faern |
home |
|
finder |
good luck, good fortune, favorable chances |
|
glor |
lake |
|
gordul |
gods forfend! or gods, look at this! (an oath of amazement or despair) |
|
glander |
gems, including uncut natural |
|
stones |
|
|
halaur |
gift |
|
hurnden |
payment |
|
ilith |
deal, agreement, trust of one's |
|
word or honor |
|
|
jargh |
jokester, idiot (often applied to halflings) |
|
kuldjargh |
a berserker, or one who is reckless in any battle (literally, "axe-idiot") |
|
kuld |
axe |
|
kuldar |
warrior (literally, "axe-cutter") |
|
levasst |
passage linking surface and un. |
|
derground |
|
|
Ihar |
gap, (mountain) pass |
|
llargh |
loose stone, bad to work or unsafe |
|
fur |
river, creek, stream |
|
llur |
large (wide) river |
|
lurgh |
marsh, fen |
|
lurmurk |
bog, muskeg (concealed waters) |
|
morndin |
peak, height (especially of mountains, but sometimes also used to speak of high ledges, ranks of individuals, or tall creatures) |
|
mrin |
to climb (hence "mrinding" means climbing) |
|
mur |
to disagree (hence "murmel" means to argue, debate) |
|
murmelngs |
arguments, criticism, words of dissension |
|
norogh |
monsters, evil or dangerous beings or forces (especially unknown or unidentified) |
|
noror |
enemies (known) |
|
noroth |
enemy land, area, or lair (plural is "norothin") |
|
ol |
magic, magical power or items ("olara" refers to natural magic, not used or influenced by beings) |
|
olor |
world, all lands, the entire territory of Toril seen by, and known to, the dwarves |
|
parlyn |
clothing, especially usual or expected (proper or fitting) adornment |
|
raugh |
death, an ending, it's over (especially feuds and love-affairs) |
|
rrin |
over, above |
|
rorn |
destruction, devastation, war (thus, "rorntyn" means battlefield) |
|
rune |
familiar, known |
|
runedar |
home, familiar place, haven |
|
sabrak |
crack, flaw |
|
samman |
trusted friend, shield- brother (battle companion) |
|
samryn |
trustworthy, honest, honorable, or favorable |
|
sargh |
disgusting thing or occurrence; |
|
filth; ores or ore-work |
|
|
sonn |
good stone |
|
splendarr |
bright, shining, beautiful, |
|
hopeful |
|
|
taerin |
love (true love,'deep' rove) |
|
thalorn |
kindness, caring, good deed |
|
tharn |
love, lust (hence "aetharn" means gold-lust) |
|
thord |
bone ("thorden" means bones) |
|
thork |
death, excrement, decay, carrion |
|
thuldul |
fate, doom, ill luck, or (spoken in irony) everyday cheery tidings or good fortune |
|
tindul |
clumsiness, clumsy work (especially smithcraft) |
|
tor |
hill, knoll (especially if bare rock in places; smaller than a mountain or crag) |
|
torst |
adventure, fun, welcomed danger |
|
tyn |
field, open place (aboveground) |
|
ultok |
meeting-place, coming together, rendezvous |
|
ultokrinlur |
ford (literally 'meeting-place over river') |
|
undivver |
hope, future plan, strategy |
|
veltel |
romance, courtship, social games and manners |
|
vallahir |
mountain-meadow (high valley, especially a 'hanging valley' or alpine plateau) |
|
vudd |
wood, forest |
|
vruden |
wood (thus, "vrudenla" means wooden or of wood) |
|
wurgym |
ugliness, ugly thing or being |
|
wurlur |
current, racing water (danger) |
|
wurn |
water (especially useful or drinking water) |
|
xoth |
knowledge (especially dwarf-lore and secret or special knowledge) |
|
xunder |
secrets, dark deeds or treasure-talk |
|
yaugh |
a climb (thus; "yaughadar" means stairs or steps, "yauthlin" means rope, "yauthmair" means handholds or no clear way, and "yauthtil" means an elevator (if magical, it is a "olyauthil") |
|
zander |
adventurer, rogue, foolish youth, happy-go~lucky or reckless being |