Terranian Dverg

Dwarven pronouns encode social standing and are used deliberately in introductions, contracts, and disputes. Two registers exist: formal for legal, public, and overseer interactions, and informal for kin, peers, and private speech. Choosing the wrong form is a public slight.

Formal Pronouns

• Self as Superior: Thar (used by a speaker asserting higher standing or authority over the addressee)
• Self as Inferior: Thun (used by a speaker acknowledging their lower standing)
• Other as Superior: Varr (address form that recognises the addressee’s superiority)
• Other as Inferior: Vun (address form that marks the addressee as lower in standing)

Examples: “Thar will finish the seam before the twelver burns.” “Thun accepts the lower watch.” “Vaar, your ledger is noted.” “Vun, bring the repaired rivet.”

Informal Pronouns

• Self as Superior: Gar (casual assertion of confidence among peers)
• Self as Inferior: Gun (modest or deferential self-reference in private company)
• Other as Superior: Yar (friendly but respectful address to someone of higher standing)
• Other as Inferior: Yun (teasing or corrective address for juniors or apprentices)

Examples: “Gar fixed the hinge, no need to fuss.” “Gun will take the last shift.” “Yar, steady your hand.” “Yun, fetch the lamp.”

Dwarven names are first and foremost clan names: a person is introduced by their clan title and only then by a given name. Clan names are occupational abstractions, for example, "Needlefinger" for threaders, "Downshoot" for miners, "Stonebind" for masons, and they function as both surname and social résumé. Given names are short, practical, and often recycled within a clan; a dwarf’s full introduction will routinely include clan, given name, and a brief note of score or station. Nicknames arise from a notable strike, a ledger entry, or a particular repair and can become as binding as any formal name.

Dwarves speak a compact, consonant-heavy tongue known as Kharzig, with regional dialects shaped by mining conditions and clan specialisation. The eastern branches favour clipped, formal phrasing suited to ledger-keeping and bureaucratic exchange, while western dialects incorporate more rhythmic cadences from work songs. Written script is dense and angular, designed to conserve space on stone and vellum. Many dwarves also learn Trade Common, though they often find its looseness distasteful.

Dwarves trace their lineage to the Mad Titan, whose death seeded their creation. Their heritage is one of grief transformed into structure—an inheritance of stone, labour, and measured legacy. Clan histories are recorded in ledgers and oral sagas, and each generation is expected to contribute to the continuity of their craft. Cultural pride is expressed through mastery, not celebration, and the highest honour is to leave behind a tool, tunnel, or record that endures.

Dwarven society is built on precision, endurance, and accountability. Waste is considered a moral failing, and every action is expected to serve a purpose. Loyalty to one's clan supersedes personal ambition, and the maintenance of a clan’s credit score is treated with near-religious reverence. Work is not merely labour but a sacred act. Dwarves value silence, structure, and the quiet pride that comes with a job well done.

Etiquette among dwarves is rigid and codified. Introductions begin with the clan name and current credit standing, followed by the personal designation. Pronouns shift based on social and economic hierarchy, and misuse is considered a grave insult. Silence is respected, especially in workspaces and archives, and gestures are minimal, often limited to a knuckle tap to the chest or a thumb run along a ledger. Decorative gifts are refused politely; practical offerings are honored with reciprocal service.

Dwarven clothing is utilitarian and layered, designed for durability and subterranean conditions. Tunics are reinforced with leather and metal, boots are built for stone grip, and garments often include tool loops and integrated storage. Clan markers are stitched subtly into cuffs or collars, and ceremonial dress is simply a cleaned and oiled version of workwear. Hair and beards are worn long and braided for practicality, with small metal beads denoting trade, rank, or achievement.

Visual art is rare and often utilitarian, patterns carved into stone for structural reinforcement or symbolic record. Architecture is brutalist and geometric, favouring load-bearing forms and efficient use of space. In contrast, auditory and written arts flourish. Work songs are central to daily life, and many dwarves compose personal chants to accompany their labour. Books are compact and written in miniature script, with clan archives serving as both libraries and cultural vaults.

Dwarven cuisine is shaped by subterranean life: root vegetables, mushrooms, preserved meats, and fermented brews form the staples. Meals are communal and quiet, often eaten in shifts according to the clan schedule. Preparation favours smoking, drying, and stone baking, with flavour taking a backseat to nutrition and preservation. Surface delicacies are viewed with suspicion, though some trade colonies have adopted limited spice use from above-ground cultures.

Traditions revolve around labour cycles, clan rituals, and seasonal reckonings tied to the dwarven calendar. Each of the 36 ten-day segments carries its own observances, often marked by work songs, ledger audits, or ceremonial repairs. Clan hymns are sung during transitions, new apprenticeships, completed projects, or leadership changes. Surface holidays are largely ignored, though some border colonies observe hybrid festivals for diplomatic reasons.

Newborns are presented to the clan midwife and given a personal name alongside their clan designation. A small tool (often symbolic of the clan’s trade) is placed beside the child, representing their future contribution. The birth is recorded in the clan ledger, and a short hymn is sung to mark the addition of a new score.

The transition to adulthood is marked by the Candle Test: a twelve-hour subterranean candle is lit, and the youth must complete a task of precision and endurance before it burns out. Success earns them a formal apprenticeship and a ledger entry; failure requires remedial labour and reflection. The Ritual of Marking follows, where the youth makes a measured blow on a communal stone, symbolising their readiness to shape the world.

Death is met with solemnity and repair. The deceased’s primary tool is cleaned and either buried with them or mounted on the clan wall. Names are chiselled into stone with accompanying hymns, and mourners offer repaired items to the clan as signs of continued duty. Cremation is rare; most dwarves are interred in stone vaults or sealed tunnels. Memorials focus on contribution rather than sentiment, with ledgers updated to reflect the final score.

Wasting metal, falsifying ledger entries, and misusing pronouns are among the gravest offenses. Surface ostentation is frowned upon, and decorative excess is seen as a betrayal of dwarven values. Desecrating relics of the Mad Titan or tampering with ancestral tools invites exile or ritual penance. Speaking ill of one’s clan in public is considered a breach of loyalty, and failure to fulfil a work contract can result in social demotion.

Central to dwarven myth is the tale of the Mad Titan, whose death birthed the dwarves from a fusion of brain and stone. Other legends include the Stonefather’s Chisel, the Candle that Kept Time, and the Ledger of Korrun. These stories are recited in work songs and carved into ceremonial halls, serving as moral instruction and cultural memory. Myth and history often blur, with ancestral feats treated as both lore and precedent.

Notable figures include Grand Ruler Olliveria, who unified the eastern dwarven nations and codified the credit system; Korrun the Ledger, a legendary clerk who devised the first clan score method; and Mara Stonebind, the master smith credited with standardising the twelver candle. These individuals are remembered not for charisma or conquest, but for the systems and tools they left behind.

Dwarven beauty is measured in durability, symmetry, and evidence of labour. A well-balanced gait, a clean braid, and hands calloused from honest work are admired far more than ornament or softness. Scarred knuckles, soot-stained skin, and the scent of forge oil are marks of pride. Hair, especially beards, is kept long and braided with precision, often adorned with small metal beads that denote trade, achievement, or lineage. Decoration for its own sake is frowned upon; beauty must serve function or memory.

Gender plays a minimal role in dwarven society. Physical differences are subtle, and cultural expectations are shaped more by clan duty and skill than by sex. Both men and women are expected to be strong, competent, and industrious. Beards are worn by all, and grooming is a matter of practicality and pride. Pronouns are complex and hierarchical, shifting based on social standing rather than gender, and are used to signal respect, authority, or deference in formal exchange.

Courtship among dwarves is a quiet, deliberate affair rooted in mutual respect and shared labour. Suitors demonstrate interest through service, repairing a tool, assisting with a task, or offering a crafted item of practical value. Public declarations are rare; instead, a suitor may request a shared shift or propose a joint project. The highest compliment is to be invited into a partner’s workspace. Clan approval is essential, and courtship often includes a formal trial of skill witnessed by elders.

Dwarven relationships are built on trust, endurance, and contribution. Love is expressed through reliability, shared labour, and the maintenance of mutual obligations. Partnerships are formalised through clan contracts, with both parties pledging their skills and scores to a common ledger. Romance is understated, marked by quiet companionship, collaborative work, and the exchange of personal work songs. Long-term unions are celebrated not with feasts, but with the completion of a joint project that serves the clan.