Only appearing nearby outer settlements, dwarf burrows are believed to appear when the nearby populace has taken to greed and clannishness. Emerging from preexisting cave systems within hills or mountains, they get to work smoothing and adding rooms to the cave. Within a season a large main entrance can be seen crowning the highest point of the mountain or hill. Dwarf burrows are believed to have many entrances, but their locations are always kept secret, protected by powerful runes of hiding. Once a dwarf burrow can be spotted from the surface, it is certain that a colony of hundreds of dwarves already exists in a twisting labyrinth of halls and rooms beneath the surface.

dwarves and men

Dwarves are not a welcome site to a settlement of men. Generally dwarf behavior is neutral or uncertain of humans, but non-hostile. The burrow could be a great boon in the short term, churning up silver, gold, and gems from the earth and establishing large amounts of wealth for the region within trading distance of the dwarf burrow. This is not what humans hate about the appearance of dwarf burrows, though. Given enough time, dwarves either dig too deep or hoard too much, attracting the unwanted attention of entities who become disturbed by the dwarf activity. Horrible dark things from the bowels of the earth woken from eternal slumbers rise and take a new home within the dwarf burrow, threatening nearby human settlements with terrible dark magic. Likewise, slumbering wyrms wake at the smell of stockpiled wealth only capable of dwarf hands and begin to violently search for the hoard to claim as their own, destroying anything in their path.

dwarven appearance and behavior

Tough stone-like skin covered in runic carvings, dwarves stand half the size of human with stocky stature. Their skin can vary in color appearing as light as dolomite or as dark as onyx. They grow long beards and pattern them in various styles of braids.

They enjoy churning up treasure from the earth and can smell precious metals and gems. They value craft above all else spending countless hours in various types of craft from stone carving to word smithy, but they are most well-known for their armor and weapon forging skills, using runes to enhance their creations making them resistant to magic.

These creatures are fond of a particular fermented concoction known to them as "gyldenale" and they consume it with reckless abandon. Little is known where gyldenale comes from, but some believe it to be nectar from a rare subterranian flower, distilled into a strong liquor. It is a syrupy consistency with golden-colored flecks that are suspended within the brew, which some believe to be actual gold.

Dwarves despise most other fae creatures especially goblins and orcs due to their fondness of stealing dwarven burrows. They may put up with certain other fae such as elves, when absolutely necessary. Dwarves will generally refuse to acknowledge accomplishments or achievements of any but their own kind no matter how overwhelming the evidence.

dwarven social structure

The eldest dwarf in a burrow is always the leader, called the jarl. The jarl keeps track of treasures, food, gyldenale supply, maintains relationships with all surrounding human settlements, and functions as the military leader. When the jarl dies, he is replaced with the next-oldest dwarf. It is said that the replacement undergoes a strange ritual before they are able to take the position in which their bodies are carved with new runes. Though dwarves have this king-like figure, he does not enforce any law, as dwarves are naturally inclined to work for the good of their burrows. If any disturbance arises from within, it is normally indicative of a dangerous outside force.

Little is known of the origins of dwarves, some believe the first to appear in any dwarven burrow is what the dwarves call the "runewife". The runewife is thought to be the only female dwarf in an entire burrow. Worshipped by all the dwarves as a goddess, the runewife of a burrow delicately carves and shapes dwarves from stone and breathes life into their bodies, softening them into flesh. There have been some who have claimed to have seen a runewife, but it is well documented that even dwarves themselves rarely lay eyes on this mysterious goddess. As is known by those who study the fae, dwarf burrows sometimes take on a mass hysteria, going completely mad and losing all form of order, wreaking havoc on surface dwellers and inevitably collapsing themselves within their own burrow. Some think this may be due to the loss or death of the runewife who is believed to be the single-mind of her dwarf burrow.

Some dwarf burrows may come in to contact with one another, although this is rare. When they do, they often are not fond of each other and warring may commence. The victorious burrow will carry away all the loot, enslave the losing dwarves, and collapse their burrow. These enslaved dwarves are identified by a rune in the shape of a circle on their forehead.

Some accounts tell of a type of dwarf called a "draugermancer". These dwarves rarely leave their cavern homes, and they are known for their ability to use runic magic to raise human dead. The gruesome process is achieved by branding a fresh corpse with runic marks and filling the internal cavities with molten copper, silver, or gold. These "scur-drauger" are then used for manual labor in the lowest and most dangerous parts of the burrow. Draugermancer are respected by all their dwarven kin, but they are avoided and live in isolated portions of a burrow.

On rare occasions some dwarves may have a weak connection or bond to their burrow and will be selected as a trader. These dwarves are able to spend many days or months away from the burrow without any significant psychological effects. This allows them to venture about the Wheel without issues, bringing news and trade goods back to their homes on occasion.

-- Excerpts from 'Dwarf Societies', in the Scripta Rota.

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