Body: They are one of the shortest races living in Yliakum, but one of the more robust and physically powerful. They are known for letting their beards and mustaches grow and then using the to form elaborate plaits and knots. Height: They are from 1.30 m to 1.50 m tall. Eyes: Brown, Black, Silver or Green Hair: Considering all the different clans, they have a wide range of hair colors: Brown, Red, Blonde, Grey, Black. Age: They live around 160 years. Starting stats: Strength 75, Endurance 70, Agility 55, Intelligence 50, Will 55, Charisma 45.
Social Structure and Organization
Their love of war and fighting has given them a semi-martial society and along with their prowess at metal working a love for weapons of all sorts. You can often find them in taverns, because as a race they love their Ale. While at a tavern they usually behave in a cheerful and communicative way, becoming noisy and boastful when sitting in big groups. Because of this you may easily hear someone using the phrase "rough as a dwarf". Despite the number of fights and brawls that take place in bars across Yliakum, Stonehammers consider the use of weapons on another person unacceptable unless in an organized, legal fight or during a war. Otherwise they prefer to just use fists and feet. They have developed a real interest in and dedication for war and war-related activities, considering war as part of their every day life. They are one of the races more dedicated to the battles against invasions from the Stone Labyrinths and are the race with the most Master weapon smiths and armor crafters. The HammerWielders will start brawls with each other and other races, but are more interested in a good fight with other intelligent races than killing. They take defeat almost as well as victory, congratulating the victor heartily. The best way to win a HammerWielder's respect is to best him/her in a fair fight. It is the thrill of battle and the life of a warrior that they love. They see it as more of a sport. The HammerWielders only want to fight things that will fight back, and it is in their nature to help those that need aid. The most shameful thing HammerWielders can do is turn their backs on someone in need. Rare is the HammerWielder who would let even a foe fall from a cliff if they could be saved.
StoneHammers don't like weaving, but are expert tanners. Oddly, they are very fond of music, and most are somewhat skilled in playing traditional Hammers instruments.
Clans: They like to divide themselves into Clans. The two major clans in existence are the StoneBreakers and the HammerWielders. Many other smaller clans are present. They have a strong pride that sometimes develops into feuds with other clans or other races. They tend to be suspicious and quarrelsome towards other races that are taller than they are.
Oral education: Stonehammers knowledge is passed on in groups. From the age of four until they enter into a guild, they are taught in a group of their peers. All HammerWielders are taught basic math, reading, writing, crafting, warfare and mine and tunnel safety skills. StoneBreakers have colleges for Engineering, Occult, Crafting and Liberal arts. At the age of puberty, they graduate into schools for their area of knowledge.
Each School of Mines teaches Mining Operations, Safety techniques and planning, Operations Management and Research and planning.
Each School of the Occult teaches History, Advanced Mathematics, Science, Magic and Theology. Here Mages, Priests and scholars are trained side by side. Magic is treated as a serious subject here, but nowhere else in Stonebreaker society. Still those who persevere to learn the Magic arts, are rewarded with genuine knowledge.
Each School of Engineering teaches Engineering, Technology, Research, Logistics and Deployment. If you think of the massive works of the Stonebreakers, odds are they had their birth in one of these colleges.
Each School of Crafting teaches wood, metal and stone forging, molding and shaping.
Each School of Liberal Arts teach all other subjects, such as Art, Agriculture, Accounting and other trades that StoneBreakers consider non-essential to their society. Surely great minds have come from these colleges and there isn't a Stonebreaker endeavor that does not rely on a graduate to some degree. These pursuits are still considered superfluous by the majority of Stonebreaker society though.
Religion
The two major clans inside the Stonehammers have different view on religion. StoneBreakers are faithful to Laanx, HammerWielders to Talad. Dakkru is almost a mirror of how they saw their old gods and beliefs. They will see dying in a mighty battle as the best death in honor of their family, themselves, and Dakkru. Less even will follow Xiosia. Unknown numbers will follow Blackflame, being promised battle, glory, and the return of the old gods.
Nutrition
They eat mostly meat, because they are not good farmers. What grain they need for bread, they usually buy from the Enkidukai, with whom they have a good relationship. They prefer their foods not cooked too well, though refuse to eat any meat raw. They are not fond of green, leafy vegetables, nor most sweet fruits, but relish heartier root crops and mushrooms, and a hard, chewy bread. HammerWielders love the cheeses made by the other races, and will occasionally make a few of their own, though they would rather not. Making food is not the warrior's way. Though good at brewing ales, they are not fond of that process either. StoneBreakers eat more fish than other StoneHammers due to their past relations with the Nolthrir. They enjoy good, soft bread with sweet jellies and fruits. The StoneBreakers have a much sweeter tooth than their HammerWielder kin. They also tend to be very good cooks, creating very tasty, if simple meals. They are good at cooking basic 'homestyle' foods, and do not like the fancy foods Lemur crave. A very boisterous race, they love liquor in all its forms and enjoy it when not fighting.
Names
They like to use object nouns in their last names like: Ironfist, Copperboot, Graybeard, ... If something very special happens in their life they may decide to change their lastname to represent it.
Abilities and fields of interest
Metals and Gems: StoneHammers have a natural affinity with metals and gems more than with granite, becoming often-clever blacksmiths and gem cutters.
Crafters: They tend to be skilful fighters and often want to put their crafted weapons to the test. Weapons and armor made by HammerWielders are often unrivaled in design, functionality, and decoration. They love crafting and using fine weapons, and would never make useless, gaudy weapons or armor. Many a HammerWielder can be found pounding metals as a full time job, or a hobby. Many of their homes will have a personal forge, to the dismay of non-HammerWielder neighbors. They will also spend a lot of time training for battle, or in rough sports that mimic battle. A great number of HammerWielders can be found guarding the more dangerous parts of the realm.
Engineering: They have the ability to build great structures. StoneBreakers have usually nice and elegant designs, while HammerWielder structures are often considered ugly by the other races, as they are overbuilt and designed to be intimidating, rather than aesthetically pleasing. This is because HammerWielders do not enjoy working with stone as the StoneBreakers do, so they never developed the finer points of masonry. Their buildings contain as little wood as possible, as they see it as weak.
The clan of StoneBreakers have lived for centuries digging tunnels, shafts, wells and caves in the deep of earth until they arrived in Yliakum. They are talented engineers and crafters of machinery like winches, ventilation pipes, canals, means of transport for goods and everything that can be useful to overcome the drawbacks of underground life. They are also powerful and untiring miners; many say that they created the Stone Labyrinths. But Lemurs and Kran know that the StoneBreakers made only parts of those tunnels. When they arrived the tunnels were already in place, even if not so complex.
They are a people who like to keep busy, using this to build great structures with their stone working talents. Though they craft weapons, they do not possess the same level of skill as the HammerWielders, preferring to use metals for tools and machines instead.
Architecture
Tools and Clothes
They are quite good at detailed drawing including maps and realistic portraits. One is taught to learn the lay of the land for battles, while the other is taught to know and remember the face of the enemy. The preferred style for the HammerWielders is black ink or paint on a plain parchment as they tend not to be fond of bright colors. It is not uncommon to find a chest full of drawings and maps in a HammerWielders home.
The traditional dress is woolen breeches and wool or rough cotton tunics. But each Stonebreaker will make an effort to make themselves stand out in a crowd. The methods used vary from dwarf to dwarf, but are usually fairly consistent in a single village. For instance, in one village, everyone looks and dresses the same, except that each member of the village wears a different colored or shaped hat. While in another village, the tradition is that everyone wears a silken vest that is uniquely adorned.
They like body/facial tattoos that depict names, foes killed, or some mystic or family meaning.
Most StoneHammmers are warlike and normally wield a shortened version of a Lucern Hammer averaging about 5 feet long. Other weapons they prefer are axes and maces. Swords are not a favored weapon, except in close quarters. Even then, the swords should be of the short variety.
Their name comes from ancient times and the trademark Hammer they wield, although some favor a shortened Lochaber Axe. They sometimes are equipped with Hurlbats, and use these to devastating effect. Hurlbats must be used with hand protection, like fingered or mitten gauntlets. Their weapons of war are designed to defeat larger foes, both mounted and on foot. Their history is fraught with conflict, unlike their more peaceful cousins, the StoneBreakers. The HammerWielders have much experience smiting weapons from a variety of metals. Their helm of choice is a Sallet-style (with visor), where the top of the head and eyes are protected, but the "rage" of the lower face can still be seen and heard. Their armor tends to be metallic pieces strapped together tightly, and they always wear large metal boots (good for stomping things). They wear full plate armor whenever possible..
StoneHammers grow long beards and braid them into their armor. They also like to weave "mementos" from fallen foes into their beards. Their beards are a source of great pride in their society, and to pull or grab one is a serious offense.
Homeworld
Homeworld name: Fnnargan
Description of Home World: Originally a harsh icy world. Now a scalded wasteland enveloped in a thin semi-toxic atmosphere with underground cities and ruins.
Social structure and organization: StoneHammers were always a short people, but centuries ago they used to be thin, almost like the children of other races. Dwarves loved the sun, as their planet was much cooler than ours, and had massive icecaps on the mountains and poles. In that time, they were an industrious people, just learning the ways of building great structures. They worshiped proud gods, and their stone books preached warlike ways.
Reason for Leaving Home World:At the height of the dwarven civilization, Fnnargan was a sight to behold: the surface covered in beautiful crystalline shapes of ice, sculpted by the harsh cold winds. Fascinating pieces of machinery and other engineering wonders surrounded the complex, isolated structures atop of mountains. However, the dwarves' fate was about to change: their sun began producing the occasional flare and later bursts of large proportions. Only but a few of the oldest dwarves observed this change, predicting more violent solar activity and issued warnings throughout the many clans. Fewer still heeded those warnings, considering their massive cities and fortification solid enough to sustain any weather.
Through the years, the solar activity increased, with continuous violent bursts and flares, gradually shifting Fnnargan's seasons: its snow storms becoming, at first, fiercer, then temperatures varying greatly as the air became thinner and thinner. Towards the end of the abnormal solar activity, most of the atmosphere had been blown away, leaving thin, semi-toxic air. Travel on the surface grew into a dangerous affair and the clans isolated their communities further. Some clans perished or dissolved, others adapted, engineering their problems away, others still warred against the clans that fared better, with varying results.
The dwarves decided to move underground, a quick feat owing to their mining skills and machinery, and soon their new underground cities were connected by a sprawling network of tunnels. It was a new renaissance: a time of change, new way of life, new machines and new techniques. Even their cuisine changed: food was desperately hard to find underground, but the resourceful dwarves learned how to cultivate edible molds and lichens, which they also used to feed their sturdy little pack-beasts. Other than foul-tasting cave-dwelling insects, these beasts were the only other source of meat to the dwarves.
One clan in particular was far better prepared for these events than the rest. Being scholars by tradition, they had predicted this outcome. Blaming their old gods for these events, this clan became outspoken against their old religious beliefs. The Hammerwielders, faithful and militaristic by nature, were suspicious of any clan who refused to worship the old gods of war, naming this clan of scholars as Stonebreakers for opposing the religious laws written in ancient stone tablets. The two groups would not communicate again for a long time.
As the situation became more critical, the dwarves kept digging underground, layering their cities more and more and creating incredibly complex tunnels with ventilation filtering the air from the surface. However there is only so deep you can delve before the air is scarser.
Willing to put their feuds aside, Both Hammerwielders and Stonebreakers found and dug their way towards a never-before-seen magical energy. Having reached their goal, the two clans' miners happened upon a glowing silver disk that warped the light around it. A magical portal. The word spread across all the tunnels and many prepared to leave to face the unknown, but sure their gods would assist them in the same way they showed them the magical energies. Soon, a large evacuation was underway, ensuring the entirety of both Hammerwielder and Stonebreaker clans as well as the odd refugee from other cities stepped into their new home, leaving behind their harsh turned even harsher world.
Race history in Yliakum
Portal Location in Yliakum: Deep in the caves close to the Dermorians.
320AY, Winter. Arrival Time in Stone Labyrinths__
321 AY - The dwarves began to explore further from where they entered the Labyrinths and began building larger structures.
322 AY - The first permanent structure was completed in the RedStone Fortress. This was located next to a big gorge, which provided protection on one side.
323 AY - The StoneBreakers relinquished control of a rich mineral vein and foundry to the HammerWielders.
324 AY - Lemurs were seen across the gorge next to RedStone.
325 AY, Spring - The Dwarves found Yliakum. And saw the great Crystal for the first time.
325 AY - Early Spring. The StoneBreakers left the city and traveled to the cave of the Crystal. They found the magical stairs created by the Gods which connected to the second level. The StoneBreaker clan settled on the second level and began carving a city into the wall. The city was called Pillars of Felim, Felim in their language means Joy.
325 AY - Winter. The HammerWielders started the slow, steady construction of a massive bridge crossing the gorge and the anchor fortress used to house the workers.
326 AY - The RedStone Fortress at the edge of the cliff was essentially completed, and the bridge was halfway across.
327 AY - Some HammerWielders went to Yliakum and started a trade of meat, metals and furs for grown food.
327 AY - Some of the StonesBreaker clan traveled back and helped the HammerWielders in the construction of the Redstone Bridge.
329 AY - The basic bridge was finished, allowing an army of 500 Hammers to cross. They met the Lemur.
330 AY winter - The Klyros showed up near the StonesBreaker clan settlement and they mingled a little. They left the following spring.
331 AY - HammerWielders started worshiping Laanx.
332 AY - The Nolthrir found the Gods passages used by the StoneBreakers and showed up on the second level. They convinced the StonesBreaker clan to start building paths all the way down to the lake on the lowest level of Yliakum.
335 AY - The first meeting between the HammerWielders and Dermorians occurred in the Dermorian city of Ilith Thalasind.
335 to 350-ish - The HammerWielders and Dermorians established good relations and started to develop trade.
336 to 357 AY - Tensions began rising within the formidable HammerWielder city as the worship of Laanx became stronger.
340 AY - The passages from 2nd to 6th level were completed enough to allow travel down. The StonesBreakers continue to improve them.
343 AY - A blood feud is started between two clans over religious conflict. The old gods were banned from being worshiped.
345 AY - Dark, evil fog came, driving the remaining dwarves from the Labyrinths out to Yliakum.
347 AY - StoneHammers (mainly the HammerWielder clan) founded the city of Araloth kel'Maren in the Dome around the mine called the Dark Delving. In modern times, most people call both Dark Delving or just Delving.
384 AY - Work started to create a winch system to link the second to third level.
392 AY - The Winch from second to third level was completed.
409 AY - The fort that the HammerWielders would later convert into the Battle College was built. It was abandoned a few years into the war to move troops to a more vital area.
425 AY - Octarchy of Hydlaa made contact with the StoneHammers, asking them to meet the Klyros and establish a single Octarch. This was not done for quite some time.
443 AY - Some StoneHammers found the "Paths to the Void". Tunnels which go deep into the rock and down, and exit. Terrible creatures inhabited those regions.
450 AY - StoneHammers and Klyros on the second level tries to create common rules, but the attempt failed. The two races were too different.
482 AY - Thanks to the Hall of Reflection and a Klyros elder informer, the StoneHammers manage to deflect a pretty strong attack instigated by the Blackflame to their city. The Blackflame's plan was to turn some of the most notable personalities against one another through assassinations and deception. StoneHammers accepted to having a Klyros Octarch for the Barn.
505 AY - The winch on the first level was completed. It was to be used in conjunction with the stairs/passages.
590 AY - Burtan Ironboot was elected as the ruler of Araloth thanks to the fact he was brother of one of the most notable treasurers in the city. He promised to stay strong against the wizards and the chaos generated by the heresy of magic, he built an army to defend the city with the money from the treasurers/bankers.
595 AY - A large army was gathered by Burtan, more debts were made with the treasurers/bankers.
600 AY - Assassination of Iris (Octarch) maked Burtan think it was the right time to strike. He strengthened the army even more, depleting most of the cities funds.
603 AY - End of Heresy, Master of Ways (see History of Magic doc).
603 AY late - Burtan Ironboot laid siege to Hydlaa with a large army and asked the current temporary government to join forces and elect him as Octarch. Some fights began, the StoneHammer army was too large to be fought. The captain of the guard, Jerard DuLaren gave over control to Burtan. He became the first StoneHammer Ochtarch.
615 AY - Burthan Ironboot started to lose support from the population of Hydlaa, he enacted high taxes to repay the debts he had developed while raising his army.
620 AY - Burthan started to trick the treasurers, some mysteriously disappeared, including his brother. Treasurers gathered and decided to stop helping him.
626 AY - Population revolted against Burthan, a part of his army as well, treasurers were against him. He ended up being imprisoned. Temostes Salikarios was his successor.
630-750 AY TO BE DEFINED.
Significant Person Tracking
Deirgan Bloodaxe - Leader of the group that first met the Dermorians.
Volen Bloodgem : Vigesimi in Radiant Sector. HammerWielder clan. (see Meet the Dome Vigesimi, Book One )
Orgun Granitefist : Vigesimi StoneBreaker clan. (see Meet the Dome Vigesimi, Book Two)
Burthan Ironboot : First StoneHammer Ochtarch in Hydlaa, taken by force.
Special Places
Main City: Araloth kel'Maren, Level 1 sector H.
RedStone: City in the StoneLabyrinths
RedStone Bridge: In the StoneLabyrinths, used to rescue the Lemurs.
Pillars of Felim : City on the second level, actually the first city built by them in Yliakum.
Physical Traits
