Stenveri - Torva
The Dwarfhold itself jutted out from the mountain crag from which it had been built. It was in the typical fashion looking almost like a fist of sleek stone that had broken free from the rock, it's imposing battlements built around a single great gate which within held the city proper. Outside of this gate stretching along the cliffside was a vast caravan city; tents and wagons erected hastily and temporarily by the teeming numbers of Auswolhk and Gehimmer that lived perpetually outside of the city.
As was the custom of the Torva the Gehimmer or "Skyborn" man, eylini and torva alike were not permitted to step beyond the gate uninvited or unaccompanied, yet performed a deeply necessary service in facilitating trade with the outside world and so were permitted to live near to the safety of their mighty walls.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
The beauty of a torv man or woman is foremost expressed in their application of their craft. Excellence is beauty, even when looks fail. The expression of their Caste's kraff its own art with which it contributes to the people is held as the ideal. It is thus that a beautiful kregger (warrior) is one that wears scars of battle and trophies of victory. A beautiful beautiful makker (crafters) is adorned in their own creations whether a weapon, a piece of armor, or an exquisite piece of clothing of their own design. Even the lowly castes such as the Bawers (farmers) are distinguished by their muscles and even the dirt beneath their fingernails.
Of course, Dorfs also put some preference towards physical beauty, and indeed more so than some other races might. The ideal Dorfish man is one with a well-kempt and braided beard of dark red or brown, their green eyes speckled with flecks of gold. Tallness is a desired feature of the Dorfwolhk, though always with a preference for the stocky muscular form. A small amount of paunch is seen is desirable, though it must be fat worn over a thick set muscle.
For Dorfish women the ideals begins with hair of reddest red possible, their hair adorned like the beards of their menfolk with braids, trinkets and beads (especially among the Zalezbluut whom in particular revel in hair decorations among men and women), most marriages among the upper castes of Dorfish society are pre-arranged and intended foremost for the siring of worthy heirs, wide set hips most suitable and comfortable for bearing children are a particularly desired feature. Rare is the Dorfish man that will hold any shame in saying an ample bosom is a must in choosing a good wife, though this factor is rarely something acknowledged by the matriarches whom organizes such marriages (among the high castes at least). Of course the ultimate factor for all Dorfs is caste,
Low Caste Dorfs enter into marriages more freely, though marrying down is still frowned upon especially for Dorfish men as caste is matrilineal,
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