DWARF

By Bjorn Maier (McWyld@aol.com) (27 March 1996)

Description

The Dwarves are one of the most detached Kith from Kithain society. This is partly due to the fact that they are almost as foul natured as the Nockers, but it mainly has to do with the fact that they spend most of their time hidden away in their mountains laboring over their great forges. Dwarves, like the Nockers, are famed for being the greatest craftsmen amongst the Kithain. Unlike the Nockers, the Dwarves are not masters of chimera or machines; they are the masters of stone and metal. The Dwarven weapon smithing skills are the finest and the Sidhe have been known to give the Dwarves great gifts for the creation of great suits of armor and swords. Because of the Dwarves' close proximity and use of Iron in their work they have become immune to its effect, this has a tendency to unnerve many a Changeling.

The Dwarves have maintained little contact with Kithain society even during the Time of Legends. Of all of the Kithain the Dwarves have the strongest bonds with their larger cousins, the Trolls. The Trolls' and Dwarves' friendship has been around longer than memory, and during the Time of Legends they were often found living in the same communities. The Dwarves share the Trolls' sense of Honor and devotion, but not to the same degree, and they also follow a Clannish system of Government with the Chiefs of each clan forming The Council of the Forge, the Dwarves' version of the Parliament of Dreams. Also Dwarves share the name difference between their Seelie and Unseelie folk, Nibelungen for Seelie and Duergar for Unseelie.

Near the end of the Time of Legends a great war broke out between the Dwarves and the Goblins. It is commonly believed that this war was caused by the Goblins stealing something from the Dwarves; what was stolen is not known. This war brought the Trolls to the aid of their smaller cousins, the Dwarves, and they tore into the ranks of Goblins that stormed the Mountain sides. The Dwarves could do little to fight the Goblins that came from the sun lit skies; Dwarves shun the sun since it slowly turns them to stone.

This great war became known as the Troll-Goblin War because the other Kithain never saw the main battles that were waged deep within the greatest of mountains. This war became so bloody that the Sidhe had to step in and separate the Kithain involved and drag their leaders forcibly into court.

After many long hate-filled court sessions latter a truce was finally forged between the warring parties. The Goblins were blamed for the war and were punished with the Curse of the White Light, (see Goblin Kith), and the Dwarves and Trolls were let off with only a slap on the wrist. The Dwarves were infuriated by the minor punishment that was laid on the Goblins and demanded a stronger one. The Sidhe did not listen to the Dwarven Warlords, and it took convincing by the Trolls to calm the Dwarves down and drop the topic. The Dwarves grumbled loudly but all they did was to retreated farther into their mountain forges.

Since the Resurgence the Dwarves have not openly had any contact with the Sidhe and thus have not pledged fealty to the Sidhe Nobles. The Sidhe are currently trying their best to find the Dwarves but so far the Trolls have stubbornly refused to help them.

Appearance

At first glance a Dwarf could easily be confused for a Boggan; some times it takes a second or third glance to tell the difference. Dwarves are stout in build with strong muscles and compact frames. Their hair, if they have any, is usually white and gray, but there is one Clan that is known to have red hair, and the Duergar are known to have black hair. The dwarves more often than not wear beards than fall bellow their belts, which are sometimes braided, and for some odd reason never seem to catch fire from the heat of the Dwarven forges. Their skin is hard and reddened because of the great heat of their forges. A Pooka once likened a Dwarf's nose to a malformed potato, which is true to some extent. The most unusual feature of the Dwarves is their feet. A Dwarf's feet are deformed or misshapen in some way; they could be backwards, bird feet, stumps or other odd shapes. It has been noted that a Dwarf with hooves has never been seen.

Seeming

Childling Dwarves are rather rowdy children; they love to explore and great fortresses and play in the mud. Even though these childings are almost cute they still have a fierce temper and a Feral cunning.

Wilder Dwarves have just started to master the craft of smithing and mining. They excel in new methods of forging and combined alloys, but lack the experience of the Grumps.

Grump Dwarves are well set into their practices and don't accept change very well; they will stubbornly use their tried and true methods even if some resourceful Wilder finds a better way of doing the same thing. These Grumps are to be treated well since they often bear grudges that were forged during their Childling days.

Lifestyles

Dwarves often take up careers that allow for them to stay away from the sun. Many become architects but even more become metal smiths or metallurgists. Others of their kind often stay clear of Banal society preferring the company of their own kind.

Affinity

Nature

Birthrights

The Gift of Stone: Dwarves have developed an endurance as resilient as the stone they live and work with that they get an extra dot in Stamina, which can raise it above 5. Due to their natural affinity to stone shaping and architecture Dwarves can never botch a roll involving stone craft, including gem stones, or architecture.

The Gift of Iron: Dwarves have worked with Iron and precious metals for as long as they have existed. They have developed an immunity to the effects that Iron has on the rest of the Fae and they can never botch rolls involving the working of metals.

Frailties

The Curse of Stone: Because of the Dwarves' close relation to stone and a price they had to pay for their knowledge they slowly turn to stone while in the sun light. For every hour a Dwarf is in the sun light, even shadows, they will take one health level of damage until they reach incapacitated which is when they turn to stone. A Dwarf who has been turned to stone by the sun has their Kith soul entrapped in the stone husk. The damage caused by the sun can only be healed by rest away from the sun.

The Curse of Iron: Dwarves' temperament can be as harsh and unforgiving as the metal they craft their weapons and armor from. Whenever they reach the wounded level or their honor has been insulted, they must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 5). If the Dwarf fails the roll he flies into a berserk rage and may attack allies who get in his way. During this berserk the Dwarf ignores all Health Level penalties.

Quote

You want one of my finest sword, heh? Well that will cost you $2,000, five Dross, or the head of one Goblin.

Outlook

Boggans: Honest folk; far to subservient to the Sidhe though.

Eshu: Whenever an Eshu tells you a story sing one of the ballads from the Great War to him.

Goblins: The only words I have about these contemptible creatures are written on the blade of my axe in blood.

Nockers: We have a great time competing with these fellows, but we are clearly better.

Pooka: The Pooka are to laugh at, but if they say any thing about my feet, or nose, they will never laugh again.

Redcaps: Vicious creatures, I think we should rid the world of them, after the Goblins of course.

Satyrs: One of the few who can stand up after drinking our Ale; for that alone they are tolerable.

Sidhe: Weak arrogant bastards; they would not grant us our right to the destruction of the Goblins.

Sluagh: Kill these Assassins when you can. We still remember them slithering through the cracks in our Mountains to kill our Warlords.

Trolls: These are the one ones we can truly rely on and trust; if only they stood with us against the Sidhe, together we could have taught them humility and scourged the world of the Goblins.