Dweorg

Dweorg

Player Strain

The Dweorges (🔊 DWORG ) inhabit south-central Otan. Legend tells that the first Dweorges were created by Woden the All-Father.

Strain	Dweorg
Scientific name	Homo Pumilius
Plural	Dweorges
Possessive	Dweorgen
Substrains	Beodweorg, Fyldweorg, Haefdweorg, Oradweorg
Location	Quarrylands
Language	Dwarf,Otani Language
Climate	Alpine/Polar,Tropical,Continental
Terrain	Coastal,Plains,Hills,Mountains,Ocean/Surface,Underground,Metropolitan
Skin Color	Fair, Medium, Dark Brown, Light Brown, Tan
Hair Color	Blond, Brown, Red, Auburn, Black, White, Gray
Eye Color	Blue, Green, Hazel, Brown, Gray
Build	Sturdy
Distinctions	Shorter than humans, sturdy build, appearing muscular.
Disposition	Penchant for mining.

The Dweorgen strain (Homo Mechanicus) is defined by a profound, almost singular drive to extract and refine the natural treasures of Otan. Inhabiting the diverse landscapes of south-central Otan, the Dweorges claim a divine mandate for their industry, maintaining that Woden the All-Father created them specifically to hunt, till, and, most crucially, mine the lands given to them in perpetuity.

This deep-seated penchant for collection survived even the Great Erasure; upon awakening, the Dweorges found themselves naturally divided by their environmental preferences, with some drawn to the deep subterranean veins of the earth, others to the high mineral-rich mountaintops, and a significant portion to the coastal and open seas.

Culturally, this obsession with raw materials has created a specialized, if imbalanced, economy that necessitates a sophisticated merchant class. Because Dweorgen society produces a surplus of refined metals and gems but often lacks basic commodities, they have evolved into the continent's most expert traders out of pure necessity. Their territories are prime markets for manufactured goods, textiles, and nearly any non-metallic resource, leading to a bustling trade network that links their mountain holds and massive ore-refining ships to the rest of Otan.

The Dweorges' resourceful nature is further exemplified by specialized roles within their substrains, such as the Haefdweorg (sea dwarves) Tinkers, who maintain the complex machinery of their floating refineries, and the Beodweorg Shamans, who provide both spiritual and physical guidance to those living on the rugged hills.

Society and Culture

Dweorges have a strong work ethic and you'll find few displaced souls in Dweaorgen society. Even the most infirm of the Dweorges can separate chunks of ore on a tray. There is so much work to be done that most Dweorges pray for more time to make more Dweorges.

Dweorgen festivals are celebrated with feasts and games much as any other culture on Otan, however, there is a twist. The honors and prizes are often very numeric in nature. The highest yield of this, or the best ratio of that. The greatest yield increase or fewest work stoppages are feats to be celebrated.

Deeper cultural variances are seen in the substrains which occupy four distinct terrains, the city, the mountains, the mines, and the sea. Each of these will have unique celebrations and traditions following their ways of life.

Physical Characteristics

Dweorges typically stand about 3/4ths the height of an average human. They can range greatly in girth, however, with some Dweorges looking no different than a miniaturized human. Most Dweorges have an endomorphic physique with stout bodies and limbs that appear overly muscular for their size.

Their complexions can vary from fair to very dark, a feature often determined by their substrain. The Oradweorges in particular have darker skin, which is assumed to offer them protection from radiation in deep mines. Hair and eye color vary from blonde to black with the Oradweorges again providing the exception with white hair; researchers have yet to determine a reason for their white hair.

Natural and Latent Abilities

Dweorgen physiology is very similar to Human, leaving Dweorges with few abilities not found in humankind. Oradweorges often possess low-light vision. Those who possess it must protect their eyes in regular light.

Beodweorges are less susceptible to difficulties when breathing in high altitudes and Haefdweorges can swim and hold their breaths for incredible lengths of time underwater

History

There was little upheaval among Dweorges at the time of the Great Erasure. Dweorges who found themselves in mines continued to mine. These instinctual habits were deeper in them than mere memory. Their bodies knew what to do.

In the 260 years since the Great Erasure the Dweorges have not participated in any major wars outside their borders. Inside their borders, the story has been different. Dweorges have always competed with Giants, the latter who mostly want to be left alone. Unfortunately for the Giants, they often make their homes in places Dweorges wish to mine.

Conflicts between Dweorges have not always lead to war. Their territorial disputes sometimes end in trades or other negotiations, though the Dweorges invariably get the better end of most deals. Giants are not shrewd negotiators. In war, however, the Giants fare much better and their high cost in Dweorgen lives leads the Dweorges to negotiate generously when it is an option.

International Relations

The Dweorges are generally respected throughout Otan. In matters of trade, they have but a single bias, which is those willing to trade the most for their wares. Dweorges maintain a steady trade with the Garis, who trade with no one else. They also trade with the Aydahar, who are somewhat too frightening for most other people to communicate with.

Dweorgen Substrains

Beodweorg Substrain

Description:The Beodweorges (🔊 BAY-oh-DWORG) are a stout folk who keep to the mountains in the League of Dweorgen Miners territory. Dweorges have a sense of humor, but not when their territory is threatened.

Overview:The Beodweorges, or Mountain Dweorges, are a high-altitude substrain of the Homo Mechanicus family, defined by their lofty settlements and cooperative industries. While they share the compact, powerful frame of all Dweorges, they have shunned the deep caverns of the Oradweorges and the churning oceans of the Haefdweorges in favor of Otan’s most jagged peaks.

Life in these thinning atmospheres has fostered a culture that is famously boisterous and community-oriented, where the labor of the day is often synchronized to communal songs and the evenings are dominated by the raucous social life of the tavern. Physically, the Beodweorges are perfectly adapted to the crushing pressures and high-gravity demands of mountain life. Their compact size makes them remarkably agile in precarious environments, and their physical durability is paired with a natural mechanical aptitude.

To navigate the steep, treacherous passes of their homeland, they rely on sturdy, sure-footed yaks. This reliance on traditional beast-of-burden transport stands in striking contrast to their advanced engineering, creating a unique sight: a rugged Beodweorg caravan of yaks hauling high-tech components up a mountainside.

Because the Beodweorges prefer the isolation of the highest altitudes, they have developed a sophisticated mastery of the skies through the use of airships. These vessels are not merely tools for transport but are central to the survival and dominance of the Mountain Dweorg clans, allowing them to traverse peaks that even a yak cannot scale. These airships represent the pinnacle of their collaborative spirit, as clans regularly gather their finest Tinkers, Wizards, and shipwrights to manufacture these massive, sky-faring fortresses.

The production of a Beodweorg airship is a grand, multi-disciplinary feat of engineering and arcane science. While the Tinkers focus on the "elbow grease and steam" of the vessel's propulsion and clockwork systems, the Wizards provide the essential magic and battlefield wards required to protect the ships from high-altitude predators or rival incursions.

This synthesis of mechanical precision and magical shielding ensures that Beodweorg airships are among the most formidable sights in Otan's skies, floating testaments to the industrious harmony of the Beodweorg clans.

Oradweorg Substrain

Description:The Oradweorges (🔊 OR-uh-dworg) live their entire lives underground. They have little to do with the topside world except to trade minerals and gems for goods, particularly food.

Overview:The Oradweorges (Homo Mechanicus Spelunca), often known as cave dwarves, are the most reclusive of the Dweorgen substrains, living exclusively within the subterranean reaches of Otan. Many individuals within this substrain spend their entire lives without ever witnessing the surface world, finding spiritual and physical fulfillment in the deep caves they call home.

They maintain a deep, ancestral devotion to Thor, whom they imagine flying through the unreachable sky while they preserve their own sanctified sense of family and community underground. Though they are isolationists, they are vital to the Dweorgen Mining Guild, as they specialize in the extraction of extremely rare minerals and gems that cannot be found anywhere else on the continent.

Physically, the Oradweorges are distinguished by their dark brown complexions and a striking, unexplained propensity for white hair, though rare individuals may sport red or black locks. To survive in the absolute darkness of their environment, they have developed heightened vision, and their society has produced legendary "Brutes" warriors of such singular strength that a single individual can stymie the progress of an entire army in the narrow tunnels of the deep.

While they trade with surface-dwelling kin for agricultural goods, they are largely self-sufficient, sustaining themselves on protein-rich mushrooms and subterranean fauna such as lizards and insects. Though primarily cave-dwellers, they also serve as expert outfitters in high mountain passes, providing specialized gear and sure-footed animals to travelers brave enough to navigate the sun-scarred surface.

Haefdweorg Substrain

Description:The Haefdweorges (🔊 AF-dworg) are born with sea legs. These stout folk make their livings on or below the deep ocean. The jewels of the sea are their quarry and they stop at little to acquire the riches there for the taking.

Overview:The Haefdweorges (Homo Mechanicus Marinus), also known as the sea dwarves, represent the industrial naval power of the Dweorgen strain. Unlike their land-bound kin, the Haefdweorges spend the vast majority of their lives at sea, inhabiting massive vessels that resemble floating industrial barges rather than traditional sailing ships.

These industrial fleets operate as mobile colonies, "mining" the ocean's depths for a diverse array of resources ranging from whale oil and food to precious natural gems like pearls and abalone. This lifestyle has fostered a culture of profound maritime expertise, where the rhythmic clanging of machinery is as constant as the rolling of the waves.

The hallmark of Haefdweorgen ingenuity is their deep-sea dredging operations and the use of specialized Forge Barges. These massive floating refineries allow the Haefdweorges to harvest polymetallic nodules from the sea floor and process the raw metals into usable ingots before ever touching dry land.

While they maintain steady trade relations with various coastal towns, the heart of their commerce remains the capital, Diamond City. Three to four times a year, the disparate industrial fleets converge upon the capital to sell off their processed hauls and refresh their supplies, momentarily transforming the city's harbor into a dense forest of iron masts and smokestacks before returning to the isolation of the open sea.

Fyldweorg Substrain

Description:The Fyldweorges (🔊 FEEL-dworg) are the most common variety of Dweorges, inhabiting the Dweorgen plains, cities, and any open area where Dweorges can be found.

Overview:The Fyldweorg (Homo Mechanicus Agrestis) are the most populous and widespread of the Dweorgen substrains, serving as the foundational demographic of south-central Otan. Unlike their deep-mining kin, the Fyldweorg prefer the open air, establishing sprawling cities on flat plains and throughout the rolling hills.

They are the masters of the "surface world" within Dweorgen territory, balancing their industrious nature with a heavy reliance on large-scale agriculture. While they maintain the ancestral drive to mine, they rarely delve into the lightless depths of the earth, preferring instead the methods of quarrying, pit mining, and strip mining to extract Otan's mineral wealth.

Culturally, the Fyldweorg are renowned for a level of hospitality that is both warm and relentless, making a quiet night in one of their local taverns a rare occurrence. Their social lives are steeped in music, dance, and communal gathering, where "badass" bards and lively festivities are the standard.

This hospitable nature extends to their economy, as they are expert traders who have turned their territory into a vital hub for commodities, textiles, and manufactured goods. Whether managing a surface-level quarry or tending to their vast agricultural lands, the Fyldweorg remain the heart of Dweorgen society, characterized by a tireless work ethic and a celebratory spirit.

Dweorgen Occupied Regions

Quarrylands

Description: The Quarrylants are administered by the League of Dweorgen (🔊 DWOR-ghen) Miners, consortium of mining guilds situated in south central Otan. It is populated by Dweorges.

Overview: Coming Soon

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