Silver Dwarves

The Silver Dwarves are the oldest of the three major dwarven branches and originate in the Green Valley. In their written and oral tradition, they descend from the demi-gods Htgarth and Ferja, who emerged from the sacred Silver Caves during The Emergence.

Civilized chroniclers sometimes interpret them instead as descendants of ancient Dwarves who once lived deep beneath Omniluxia, but Silver Dwarven identity is inseparable from the sacred pair, the Silver Caves, and the claim that Htgarth and Ferja were the true successors of the Stone Father.

Biology¶

Silver Dwarves often draw attention when traveling abroad. Their skin has a bluish tint caused by high levels of silver in the body, concentrations that could be fatal to many other races.

They are naturally healthy and live slightly longer than Humans on average, though they are somewhat less fertile because silver accumulates over their longer lives. Like their Gold and Copper cousins, they are physically strong, short, and resilient.

Silver Dwarven men commonly wear long beards and moustaches, while women often braid their long hair.

Society¶

Silver Dwarven society is isolationist, traditional, and strongly family-centered. Most have little contact with foreign races, except for the more open Galmar, and marriage or affairs with outsiders are often taboo.

Their isolation preserved traditions that other dwarven peoples abandoned, but it also deepened suspicion of outsiders. Harsh terrain, sacred ancestry, and reverence for Htgarth and Ferja all reinforced the importance of kinship and social balance.

One important idea is Litt un Dunn, a dualistic belief that "Lights" cannot exist without "Darks." This concept supports traditional gender values in which men and women occupy different spheres that must coexist to bring balance.

Religion and Ancestors¶

Most Silver Dwarves follow Srrohebrikk, their branch of Hebric ancestor religion. They venerate Htgarth and Ferja above other founding pairs and believe burial in the Silver Caves reunites the honored dead with the Stone Father.

Ancestor worship shapes politics as much as private devotion. Leaders try to emulate famous figures, claim descent from the great founders, and restore glorious kingdoms of the past. The Second and Third Kingdoms of Srrorum are the clearest examples.

Politics and Cities¶

Silver Dwarven rulers sponsor grand works of architecture and infrastructure to display legitimacy. This reflects stories of Htgarth's building projects and the memory of the First Kingdom's roads, aqueducts, and cities.

The greatest urban centers are called Sorrborrs, translated as Great Cities or World Cities. Prestigious cities receive the suffix borr, major urban centers use bi, and small hamlets or villages use ath.

The Green Valley remains divided between kingdoms that remember shared origin but compete for the right to restore Srrorum. Duggmannrum, Jaraharum, and Saptarum all draw from this legacy in different ways.

Craft and Warfare¶

Silver Dwarven smiths are less ornate than their Gold Dwarven cousins but highly innovative in weapons and armor. Armor is a marker of status and nobility, with the finest and most ornate pieces reserved for kings and nobles.

The Galmar are known for Bornsenn, or Bone Iron, made using the bones of enemies. Elite warriors such as the Forrj Guard wear arms and armor tied to this practice, which may connect to stories of the mythical Forrj.

Once they accept an outsider, Silver Dwarves can be warm and treat friends as family. Until then, they are often superstitious, guarded, and quick-tempered. Their adaptability is strongest among groups such as the Galmar, who became excellent traders in northern Morrigon.

Historical Timeline¶

23 million BLC - the Stone Father creates the three dwarven pairs; Htgarth and Ferja emerge from the Silver Caves and establish the semi-mythical first Kingdom of Srrorum.
18 million BLC - Htgarth and Ferja die; Srrorum collapses into smaller states, and Elven settlers push Silver Dwarves from the Gorrskkoen Forest, later the Western Lungs Forest.
65,000 BLC - Hobgoblins exterminate or expel remaining Silver Dwarves from the Dragon's Pass.
500 BLC - Galmar Silver Dwarves arrive in the Saptan Valley and found Saptabi.
550 LC - Saptan Golden Age; Saptarum reaches its largest extent and maintains decent relations with the Zani.
602 LC - Hefdarr Duggmoggen ascends in Duggmannri and begins the Unification Wars of the Anvindr Silver Dwarves.
610 LC - Hefdarr declares the Second Kingdom of Srrorum.
618-621 LC - Zani pressure on Saptarum and the Green Valley culminates in the Zani Invasion of Srrorum and the decisive Silver Dwarven victory at Hlivikkabi.
628 LC - the Order of Sennmoggen is established.
669 LC - Hefdarr dies without official heirs; the Second Kingdom dissolves into rival kingdoms.
712 LC - Saptarum declares full independence from the Nazani.
760 LC - the Saptan Council of Elders is usurped by wealthy merchant families, creating an oligarchic republic.
848 LC - Hlffstten "to Auffmog" establishes the Hthgart Brewery.
996 LC - Saptarum buys surrounding lands from Borderlanders and establishes autonomous Aspata.
998 LC - Ivarr Hrunn is crowned King of Jaraharum.
1000 LC - Hartbaltt I Talmoggen is crowned King of Duggmannrum.

Magical Affinity¶

Silver Dwarves inherit the dwarven suspicion of magic and have relatively low mana stores. Current development notes place them at Level 2 in Development Rankings, with a 7.5 total and a 2/2/1/2 profile.

The Anvindr and Dolin have very limited magical development, with only a few sorcerers living as hermits in the Green Valley's mountains. The Galmar are somewhat more receptive to magic because of their wider contact with outsiders.

Cultures and Figures¶

Silver Dwarven cultures include Anvindr, Galmar, and Dolin.

Notable figures include Htgarth, Ferja, Hefdarr Duggmoggen, Hartbaltt Talmoggen, Inarr Aspatta, Krstoff Aspatta, and Ivarr Hrunn.