Mountain Dwarves

The Mountain Dwarves are the fathers of all dwarves, and their history is long and mixed. Created from the blood of the god Daeder, this long lived race kept many of the beliefs and morals of their god. They followed a very strict code of honor that was developed by the Brothers of Priesthood, known as the 'Code of Right'. Most Mountain Dwarves followed the code to the letter and would fight to the death to maintain it, though this race was not near as militant as their other dwarven cousins.

The Mountain Dwarves preferred to live in the mountains instead of under them, as did most dwarven clans. They were well known for their ability to work stone and build formidable keeps and castles. They were also great weapon makers, and all Mountain Dwarf weapons were of superior quality. These Dwarves were the first craftsmen to use steel instead of bronze in the making of blades. Small clans of Mountain Dwarves often moved from city to city, selling both their construction and weapon making expertise.

Mountain Dwarves were strong and stout; they were immune to all diseases except the blue sickness, usually fatal to their race. They rarely ventured into the field of magic, and many refused to believe that the magical arts could accomplish anything that could not be done more efficiently with an axe or hammer. A few Mountain Dwarves become priests, and they lead the clan during peacetime. However, the Mountain Dwarves choose a warlord to lead them during times of war.

The majority of Mountain dwarves were highly religious following Daeder, Valdor, Allanbay, Sorn, or Basenbe. Mountain Dwarf Healers were far more common than Priests, for they believed that healers were more humble in the eyes of their deity. They rarely took on Knighthood, aware that few men could follow the code well enough to bring honor to their deity. Like most dwarves, the Mountain Dwarves loved pretty gems and jewels, gaudy armor and arms and colorful clothing. These Dwarves rarely saw live animals except when hunting and were very reluctant to go near such. Most noted was their fear of riding beasts, and they would never ride unless it was a matter of life and death.

Mountain Dwarves very rarely encountered undead creatures; many dwarven legends talked of undead as mere fairy tales. Mountain Dwarves often found themselves in very grave positions, before they concluded that the undead they faced were actually be more than their imagination. However, due to this naive lack of faith in the world of undead, these Dwarves were often unaffected by fear that left others cowering.

Plate Mail was the favorite armor of Mountain Dwarves, the heavier and noisier the better. They preferred not to use missile weapons; combat was considered far too personal for such attacks. They had a particular hatred for Orcs and their kind, opting to attack them over other targets. The largest and finest Dwarven army was the Trodding Hammers of Falgoon Gap, an elite combination of fanatical warriors and priests.