The Lion King
A Duergar warrior with the grim task of holding the line. | A team of Drakegunners rooting out a nest of vermin.
OUT-OF-CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To add another playable race native to Midvinter and expand further on its history and lore.
- Image Credit:
- Vablo
- Warhammer Wiki (unknown artist)
- fodorgabor2002 Imgur gallery (unknown artist)
- CookieManiac23 (edited by myself)
- Canon: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Links:
- Name: Duerg (singular); Duergar (plural)
- Designation: Sentient
- Origins: Midvinter
- Average Lifespan: 150 standard years
- Estimated Population: Rare
- Description: Duergar, commonly known as "Dwarves", are a humanoid race that dwells deep underground in vast strongholds. They're a fully industrialised society, devoted to the mining of ore, the smithing of steel, and the forging of mighty weapons of war. They are united under their ruling sovereign called Archon as well as the Church of the One Divine, with Church and State locked in a behind-the-scenes tug-of-war for power over the people. Despite their terrific achievements, they are a people in decline beset by enemies on all sides slowly overrunning their Dwarf Holds one by one. Only their capital, Dwarrowdelf, remains unspoiled.
- Breathes: Type I & II
- Average Height of Adults: 1.6 metres (male); 1.5 metres (female)
- Average Length of Adults: N/A
- Skin colour: Fair
- Hair colour: Blonde; Ginger; Brown; Black
- Distinctions: Noticeably shorter and stouter than the Valkyri, the Duergar are descendants of the same proto-human ancestors shared with their taller surface-dwelling cousins. They have broader shoulders and chests, thicker arms and legs, and a significantly sturdier bone structure. They take enormous pride in maintaining excellent grooming standards when it comes to their beards, regularly competing for the most awe-inspiring facial hair. Tattoos and scars are proudly worn to display past battles and hardships. Female Duergar are shorter and possess less muscle mass, but are still noticeably stronger than the average human. They cannot grow beards, instead keeping their hair long and pristine.
- Races: N/A
- Force Sensitivity: Standard
- Military powerhouse.
- Heavily industrialised society.
- Naturally curious and inventive.
- Physically stronger than the average human.
- Thrives in warmer climates due to their proximity to the planet's core.
- United with no history of civil war.
- Rich drinking culture, taking particular pride in the making of mead and ale.
- Ironborn:
- Force Sensitive individuals.
- Possess the ability to understand any gadget or piece of equipment just by tinkering.
- Make up the greatest inventors, artisans, and warriors.
- Weakened by endless war.
- Few in number.
- Ignorant of the surface world.
- Prideful and obstinate.
- Average resistance to cold weather compared to their surface-dwelling cousins.
- Follow strict traditions and religious dogma.
- A rigid class system limits advancement.
- Church and State are backroom rivals, vying for influence over the clans.
- Diet: Omnivores; have over the course of millennia built up an immunity to many poisonous fungi found in deep underground crevices.
- Communication: Spoken and written; Basic and Runian (native language). Employs the same runic alphabet as the Valkyri.
- Technology level: Below average; they are an early industrialised society, but have yet to develop energy weapons such as blaster technology or space-faring vessels. Given their affinity for understanding technology at a glance, getting their hands on a blaster or a derelict ship could potentially propel Duergar society into the stratosphere.
- Religion/Beliefs:
- The Church of the One Divine, while officially founded upon the completion of Dwarrowdelf, the religion's importance to the Duergar dates back even further. As their ancestors tunnelled their way underground, many questioned whether they'd made the right choice in rejecting the Bear-folk's offer to introduce them to the surface world. A few highly devoted members of their tribe took it upon themselves to preach patience and resolve, for their salvation would surely await them down below. Whether these early sermons were made in an earnest attempt to offer comfort or, more practically, as a means to maintain morale and convince the doubters of their cause is up for debate. These preachers became the first Clerics, a title denoting full members of the Church.
- Today, the Church is a major religious entity, rivalling the Archon himself in power and influence. Once established to provide hope and comfort to the people, it has since mutated into a means to assert control and further their own goals. Clerics patrol the streets with an entourage of aspirants and sycophants, performing impromptu sermons on street corners and always on the lookout for heretical behaviour, often butting heads with the royalist city watch. Despite being locked in vicious backroom rivalries and constantly attempting to outmanoeuvre the other, the Archon (head of state) and Grand Cleric (head of the church) will publically appear united to prevent potential civil war.
- Due to their influence, the Church will often interfere in political affairs as well as show open support or shun the implementation of new technology, usually hinging on whether the inventor is a devoted follower or not. This, unsurprisingly, has created a culture of corruption and bribery where those with the deepest pockets are able to buy the public approval of the Church, regardless of the ethical nature of their inventions. The Church is therefore incredibly wealthy on top of being politically influential.
- General behaviour:
- The Duergar place heavy emphasis on loyalty to the State and the Church, placing these even above clan and kin. Raised to adhere to the Guiding Principles - Create, Invent, Experiment, Perfect - they are innately curious and inquisitive of all things. These principles are, however, kept in check by the overbearing Church so as to not let ambitions spiral out of control, creating a paradoxical society.
- A rigid class system puts heavy restrictions on personal advancement as children are more or less born into their father's occupation, from the lowliest miner to the highest of nobility. Only on rare occasions are men and women allowed to marry upwards, though it does not come without a perceived loss of prestige in the eyes of other nobles. They may also receive advancement from their sovereign as a reward for services rendered.
- Dwarves generally have two faces; one in public and another in private. Publically, all Duergar maintain a professional and respectable facade, ever faithful to the Church and eternally loyal to the State, never daring to speak ill of either institution. Privately, however, and after more than a few tankards of ale, the people show their true faces. All but the staunchest fanatics will not hesitate to air their grievances about the rampant corruption of the Church and its cohorts, or their disillusionment with a sovereign too entangled to break free of said church's clutches. The lowly commoner could care less about the political minefield laid in place by their so-called betters.
- Unlike the races of the surface world, the Duergar have adopted a coin-based economy: 1 gold coin is worth 10 silver coins, which in turn is worth 10 copper coins. While it serves to streamline trade and allows for the earning of wages, the system is also subject to manipulation by those with enough influence, giving way to corruption, nepotism, and greed.
The Clerics speak of how the One Divine reached into the earth and pulled out a massive boulder from which he carved out stone statuettes, then proceeded to breathe life into these using his mighty Skyforge and magical hammer. These beings were the first Duergar, from whom all others might trace their ancestry. Their god imbued them with the knowledge to create and the skill to invent, as well as the curiosity to experiment and the desire to perfect. These four - Create, Invent, Experiment, and Perfect - became known as the Guiding Principles that have shaped Duergar society into what it is today.
Ancient history, however, tells of a human race divided. These proto-humans first dwelled in the mountains, using natural caves for shelter against the harshness of nature. When discovered by the benevolent Beorni, most human tribes chose to leave their mountains behind for the freedom of the outdoors, intent on conquering their fears alongside their ursine caretakers. There were some tribes, however, that preferred the seemingly safer option of remaining true to their origins, choosing to remain bound to the mountains.
Mankind was thus divided into Valkyri and Duergar, with the latter delving deeper into their mountain homes as new and better tools, such as the trusty pickaxe, became available. For the next few generations, their lives revolved around digging tunnels and reaching deeper into the earth in search of what may lie underneath. Curiosity drove them onward, and whatever minerals they came across they put to use in the best way befitting their various properties. Knowledge was passed on from elder to youngster, allowing the new generation to advance and innovate on the discoveries that had come before.
Because their choice of habitat was limited in size and demanded crawling around in tunnels for the first few generations, they developed a noticeably shorter but stockier physique that would become the norm, broad of shoulders and thick of torso. Their beards were kept long because a lack of natural sunlight meant they could not shave correctly, so it too became a part of their burgeoning culture. Today it is considered the gravest of insults to cut another man's beard, and it has become somewhat of a competition to see who among them might grow the longest, finest, and fullest facial hair of all.
It was only when these brave mountaineers reached a vast hollowed-out space deep underground, several kilometres deep and wide, that they finally settled down. There they bore witness to the first-ever manmade discovery of magma in the history of Midvinter and, taking it as a sign, they began constructing homes in this newfound underground lair of theirs, far from nature's vicious predators, they thought. While crude at first, these dwellings would be improved and expanded upon as their understanding of architecture increased, becoming grand halls of stone and gold.
They founded the Duergar capital of Dwarrowdelf, the first and greatest of all underground cities. Unbeknownst to anyone, Dwarrowdelf is located just underneath the Frostvatn, the frozen lake worshipped by the Aelvar and the site of the world's Force Nexus. Due to their proximity, children born in the capital have a much higher chance to be Force Sensitive. These blessed souls, known to the Duergar as "Ironborn", would go on to unlock the secret to harnessing the raw power of the rivers of magma to create wonders. On top of being peerless craftsmen, the Ironborn also possess the uncanny ability to understand any piece of technology almost instantly upon inspecting it; for instance, being able to fully dismantle and reassemble a blaster if they ever were to come across one. Given the right materials, they would then be able to construct one from memory.
An infinite supply of heat allowed forges to work around the clock, creating a tremendous boost in productivity. Vast foundries and factories were constructed, capable of even greater output. Through the ages, innovation after innovation has led to the discovery of gunpowder and explosives, the casting of cannons and mortars, and even the closely-guarded secret to producing liquid fire known as Dragonfire. There are also limited mechanised elements in the form of early automatons, turrets, and steam-powered tanks. These weapons of war would come to great use, as the Under-Realm is continuously beset by all manner of foul creatures found in the deep places of the world.
Fire-spitting salamanders, man-sized bats, and giant spiders and rats are but a few examples of daily threats, but these are considered little more than vermin; mere pests to be exterminated if found. Without a doubt, the greatest threat to the Under-Realm are the Uruk; a twisted race of humanoids who long dwelled in the deepest crevasses of the underworld, fighting amongst themselves until the arrival of the intruding Duergar caused them to rally together. The Uruk have sworn eternal war on the Duergar, seeking to seize their Holds for themselves and reclaim their title as undisputed masters of the underworld.
Unbeknownst to any surface dweller, this "Secret War" has raged on for millennia with no end in sight. Holds are captured, lost, and recaptured as ambitious commanders launch campaigns to reclaim what has been lost, more often than not achieving little else than ill-afforded casualties. Archon Berethor Blackmane, the current ruler of the Under-Realm, has decreed that further expeditions are to be halted - much to the grumbling of his glory-seeking nobility and the zealots leading the Church - focusing instead on reinforcing the frontlines and defending Dwarrowdelf.
There are even whispers that the Archon secretly desires to seek the aid of those who dwell on the surface, for if the capital should fall, all will be lost.
A section of the City of Dwarrowdelf.
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