|
Dreshen Hold
History and Politics
The original cavernous homes of the dwarves were evacuated during
the Wild Storm, and surviving dwarves established a new clanhold in
the easternmost edge of the Iron Mountains. It was named Dreshen
Hold for the eldest surviving clan leader at the time of its
founding. The current Hold Leader is his son Dreshen Rath the
Short-Bearded. Having lost many of their number during the evacuation
of the old holdings, the primary concern of the dwarves is to rebuild
their population and to build the caves of Dreshen into a new dwarfhome
as splendorous if not moreso than the old dwarfholdings left behind.
Although the main cave of the hold is natural, dwarves have been mining
out and engineering new and deeper tunnels for decades to recreate
the ancient underground halls of their old homes. Because it will
take a long time to complete the hold, some dwarves have simply
settled in the nearby mountains on the surface, and a few have even
settled land near the Grattock border, and crafting and trading
with the humans there.
Dwarves are expected to be obedient in all things to their immediate
clan elders, literally the eldest member of their clan. Inter-clan
issues and issues with outsiders are brought to the Hold Leader,
who is the eldest descendant of the founder of a hold, in this case,
Dreshen Rath. Dwarves, being a self-sufficient and practical people,
usually can manage themselves through common sense and compromise,
and usually go to their leaders for only the most urgent or difficult
of problems.
Like dwarves of other worlds, most Dreshen Holders are renowned for
their stone and metalwork, and most dwarves know at least a little
about mining and stonecutting. Dwarven steel is the finest in the
land, and the masters of its making will never reveal its secrets;
weapons, armor, and other items made from this steel are high in
demand from human and even elven traders. Dwarven metalwork is
probably the most traded item out of Dreshen.
Inhabitants
There is only one race of dwarves in the world of Ohmarr, and only
dwarves are allowed to live in the Hold. While visitors may be
granted the privelege of staying for brief periods of time to conduct
trade or discuss mutual political interests, no one but the dwarves
is allowed to live in the mountain hold (Some would argue, "Who
would want to, anyway?"). On the other hand, dwarves who wish to
leave to hold and explore, trade, or adventure, are permitted to do so
at their own will, although members of the usually insular and
introverted race tend to stay at home. Although dwarves are tolerant
of other races, they are proud of their heritage and their
practicality, and tend to think they are a superior race. This is not
something they are militant about; it is simply a fact in their
minds, to be believed or ignorantly discounted. Dwarves get along
with humans well enough, although they disdain human impulsiveness.
Of the humans, dwarves like the Elseki best because of the Elseki's
own reputation for high quality craftsmanship. Elves are far removed
enough from the dwarves that they rarely interact. Dwarves also
respect Elven craftsmanship but consider the races often too
frivolous, interested in flamboyant (in dwarven minds) artistry
and luxury rather than practicality and clan security.
Some dwarves who do travel occasionally end up mating with humans,
although this is fairly rare. Their offspring, half-dwarves, are
considered outsiders and are welcome into the hold only as guests,
since their human tendencies mar dwarven common sense and skill,
and the dwarf which participated in their conception must have been
content to wander and leave dwarven society, and therefore was no
longer part of the hold to begin with. Some dwarves and half-dwarves
do live alongside one another in the small holdings on the surface
near Dreshen, however,
and live together there in relative peace and goodwill.
Adventuring
The inhabitants of Dreshen Hold and the dwarves that live near it
are of two minds about adventuring: one side, favoring practicality,
have little interest in exploring the Wilderness, preferring to
finish the construction and establishment of their new home. The
other side, following dwarves' pride in their ancestry, wish to
set out to the sites of the old clanholds, if not to clear out and
regain their old homes, but at least to recover many ancestral
artifacts left behind during the evacuation. Dwarven artifacts tend
to be very powerful, and often dwarven adventurers want seek them
out before human or elven fortune hunters do. The mines of the old
Nemesh Hold also contain a rare ore called Celestite, which dwarves
seek out–unfortunately, this resilient and easily enchantable
metal has not yet been found in the caves of their new home.
Adventurer dwarves usually set out in groups to brave the Wilderness
together, although indviduals have been known to leave alone on a
family quest. Dwarven adventurers also band with adventurers of
other races, acknowledging that a diverse and multi-skilled group
is often needed for a successful outing.
|
Main
World Information
Overview
Nations
Geography
Cosmology
Player Information
Deities
Races
Classes
Feats
Languages
House Rules
|
