 warves of
Dvergheim
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 ociety
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Dwarves are the most technologically advanced race on Agon. They constantly seek progress in smithcraft and engineering, and their feats of construction are considered miraculous in a world where monsters abound and magic is commonplace.
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The arts of smithcraft and engineering are sacred to Ymir, and the dwarves constantly seek to better themselves in these areas. At the same time, they seek the hidden treasures of the subterranean world, such as precious stones and magical metals.
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The wealth brought by their advanced mining operations has allowed the dwarves to build glorious cities. However, this beauty stands in stark contrast to the devastation visited upon the surrounding lands, where yellow clouds of smoke pour out of smokestacks and mountains of slag steadily grow. Dwarves do not see this as a problem, since they fail to find any beauty in unmanipulated nature.
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 ray Vale and
Ymir’s Tear
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Reflecting the duality in the nature of Dvergheim’s dwarves, their capital has two radically different parts. One of them, called Ymir’s Tear, is subterranean, while the other, called Gray Vale, lies on the surface.
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Few dwarves live in the surface segment. Instead they live underground, where a massive cavern houses the true heart of the dwarven civilization. Huge stalagmites and equally huge stalactites have joined to form a gargantuan, vaguely tear-shaped pillar, which reaches all the way from ceiling to floor. Dwarven tunnels, halls and houses honeycomb this exceptional rock formation, and in its oval heart-chamber lies the Rock of Creation, the heart of dwarven spirituality.
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The cavern which houses the Tear, called the Chamber of Stars, has been decorated with metal-patterns of kvitjarn, raudstaal and lapis lazuli that resemble the constellations of the night sky above.
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 ing Barin Grayfell
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The current king of Dvergheim is the dynamic Barin Grayfell, who inherited the throne upon his father’s death ten years ago. Grayfell is of medium build for a dwarf, and his appearance is unspectacular. However, he has an enormous presence about him, mostly due to a fierce intensity. Barin has been known to go for weeks without sleep, and he seems driven onward on a quest to increase the wealth and power of the dwarven nation. He can be impatient, and has been known to explode with rage at perceived laziness, or when his orders are imperfectly implemented.
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The dwarven king prefers to wear common dwarven work clothes and little or no adornment or jewelry. He is generally quite careless about his appearance, and his hair, beard and clothes tend to be slightly disheveled. He appears uncomfortable in the full regalia he needs to wear during ceremonies, which feature the ancient symbol of the Grayfell clan: a snow-capped silver mountain. Barin is not a great warrior, and he seldom wears armour or carries weapons with him, instead trusting in the ability of his omnipresent bodyguard. He is red-haired and red-bearded.
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Barin is a dedicated technologist, who believes that the dwarves should constantly strive to increase the efficiency of their mines and forges. As is the tradition in Dvergheim, Barin personally commands the state’s coffers, but unlike many of his predecessors, he mostly invests in research that is geared towards inventing new machines or improving existing designs. He has also built new guardhouses along the King’s Roads, and established new embassies in foreign nations.
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King Barin Grayfell wishes to take the dwarves out of their traditional subterranean isolation, and into a prosperous future among the peoples of the surface. He has greatly expanded the surface section of the dwarven capital, and five years ago he partially abandoned the old royal castle in favor of a new one on the surface. While conservative dwarves were shocked, many powerful merchants welcomed the move.
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Barin’s closest friend is Knut Blood-of-Thargal, a young noble who was the king’s childhood friend, and who now serves as his chief advisor, and as the commander of his armies. Knut is tall for a dwarf, standing close to 170 cm. tall; he is pale as a shroud, and his long, raven-black hair and beard are kept in place by beautiful brass braiding. Unlike his king, Knut is a feared warrior, who always carries his ancestral axe with him.
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The current Royal Mastersmith, Erik Jernhand, who served Barin’s father before him, vehemently opposed the king’s move to the surface, and he still spends most of his time in the forges of the old castle. Erik is in his late sixties, and his once-brown beard has long-since turned gray, but he is still considered one of the finest smiths in the land, and his position is traditionally one of great power. It is not much of a secret that King Barin is trying to limit the power of the Royal Mastersmiths in general, and Erik in particular.
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 he Royal Army
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Gray Vale, Ymir’s Tear, Tanglewood, the four King’s Roads, and all border keeps are under the jurisdiction of Barin Grayfell. The Royal Army of Dvergheim patrols these areas, and no fighting is tolerated within them. Grayfell’s soldiers attack transgressors on sight.
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Dvergheim’s soldiers are highly skilled and equipped with the finest quality weapons, items and armour. During the past few years, Barin has reduced the size of the army somewhat, while striving to improve the effectiveness of the remaining troops. While this policy has caused protest among officers and soldiers alike, the army has remained loyal.
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