DUTHNUR ONOL: FLUFF

INTRODUCTION

The proud dwarven nation of Duthnur Onol (the Guardians of the Mountains in the common tongue) is a nation of craftsmen, smiths, scholars, mystics, engineers and warriors.  Living deep under the mountains in their hallowed halls, these dwarves have a deep connection to the earth, and value professions like smithing and mining greatly, being able to find all sorts of metals and gems and turn them into masterful works of art.  The smiths of Duthnur Onol are among the finest and most skilled in the world, and the craftsmanship of Duthnur Onol is legendary.  They also are known for their love of dwarven beer and ale, grown from the various underground crops such as cave wheat, rock nuts, pig tails, sweet pods and plump helmets.

DWARVEN PHYSIOLOGY AND CHARACTERISTICS

The dwarf is a short but stout creature, often muscular because of their intense and demanding work.  They're known for their body hair and facial hair, and nearly all dwarves have beards.  Those who don't had their beards removed as a punishment for a major crime, as losing one's beard is the greatest shame a dwarf can bear.  However female dwarves are distinct from their male counterparts, and have smooth skin with long hair tied in braids.  Instead of having their nonexistent beards removed, the mark of ultimate shame for a female dwarf is the complete shaving of the hair.
Dwarves have an astounding resilience to alcohol and indeed can drink most races under the table.  In fact, their love of alcohol extends far beyond mere alcoholism, evolving to become physically dependent on the stuff, in more ways than one.  Indeed, while the dwarves can still quench their thirst with water and milk and the like, alcohol is what keeps a dwarf healthy.  When at a state which most other mortals would consider to be shitfaced drunk, the dwarves are in fact at optimal performance.  A dwarf deprived of alcohol will become lethargic, weak and sickly, in addition to mental side effects such as depression and in extreme cases going stark raving mad.  Fortunately the dwarves have a steady supply of the stuff thanks to their ability to grow crops underground safe in their mountain halls, and they make their alcohol strong to suit their superior metabolisms.
To suit their life under the mountains, the dwarves have developed an acute sense of darkvision, and are able to see in minimal light, which helps them greatly with mining and expansion in areas that do not yet have any proper light sources.
Personality-wise, most dwarves are well-intentioned and are generally not prone to evil deeds, although as with most mortal races there are exceptions.  However, their gruff nature may come off as aggressive or rude to those not knowing of dwarven culture, even if the dwarves do not intend to be that way, and they are prone to arguments which are settled either in the debate-halls or if that fails the brawling chambers (though they do not fight to the death and fights are done unarmed with mostly wrestling and punching, and brawls typically only go until one side submits).  In addition, their industrious nature often puts them at odds with nature-loving races, and they are prone to fierce rivalries as well.

DWARVEN SOCIETY

The dwarves value craftsmanship and industry above all else, and everyone, from royalty to commoners and from the elderly to those that have just come of age, is expected to learn a craft or profession.  As a result of this, dwarven society is striated into different "classes", though it is important to realize that with the exception of the royal family, who gain the right to rule by bloodline (they're believed to be descended from the first dwarves) social status is determined not by class in a caste-like sense but instead by individual skill, with those of superior skill being elevated to the position of Thane (Rithol in the dwarven tongue), the equivalent of Dwarven nobility.  However this does not stop dwarves from having more respect for certain classes than for others. Below are some of the common classes that a dwarf may belong to.
-The Dwarven King (Zugobitar in dwarven)
As mentioned above, the Dwarven King is chosen by bloodline and are descended from the first dwarves, the House of Urist.  The current king of Duthnur Onol is Urist Zirildurad II, along with the queen Kinem Uristnoval, prince and heir Urist Zirildurad III, and princess Sedil Uristsaruth.  The king is the undisputed ruler of the realm, though he leaves much of the day-to-day operations of the mountain halls to the Erlinrithols, or High Thanes, who have earned the right to be appointed to manage the individual mountainhalls, much like a mayor would.
-Avuzcubors (Mine Workers)
One of the most respected classes among dwarven society, the miners are useful in many areas, from digging out new rooms, quarters and halls and expanding the underground cities of Duthnur Onol, looking for new sources of stone and mineral wealth, and more.  Thus the  Avuzcubors frequently find themselves surrounded by many friends.  An Avuzcubor thane is known as an Avuzrithol.
-Lamrigoths (Stonecrafters)
Working with the stone the miners find is also a noble tradition.  The Lamrigoths serve many roles, from masons to engravers to stonecrafters and more.  The Lamrigoths find themselves to be quite wealthy from their trade, especially those who take to carving various trinkets, mugs, furniture, and other things out of stone, which are valued amongst the dwarves and other societies as well.  However, engravers and masons are also often in high demand, as wall and floor engravings are quite popular and a frequent site in Duthnur Onol's religious sanctums, thanes' chambers and tombs and the mountainhalls' ever-present desire for expansion and growth leaves a great need for skilled masons.  A Lamrigoth thane is known as a Lamrithol.
-Lolumrigoths (Woodcrafters)
The Lolumrigoths are a slightly less respected class of craftsmen than those who work with stone or metal but are still essential to the continued success of the mountainhalls.  These are the woodcutters, the woodcarvers, the fletchers, the carpenters and anyone who works with wood.  A Lolumrigoth thane is known as a Lolumrithol.
-Kelrigoths (Metalcrafters)
The Kelrigoths are the great and revered smiths of Duthnur Onol, and are by and large the most respected of all who call themselves craftsmen and artisans.  They are the ones who operate the great forges of Duthnur Onol and produce the metal, weapons, armor and other metal items that the dwarves pride themselves on.  A Kelrigoth thane is known as a Kelrithol.
-Ferzudens (Beast Keepers)
Though the dwarves mostly have a diet of the mushrooms, cave bread, rock nuts and other crops that they grow, they also need meat to survive, and therefore keep a variety of animals which are typically pastured outside but can also be moved inside the mountainhalls in times when the mountainhalls must shut themselves off from the world, typically eating tasty cave grass that is common in the deep mountain caves and bales of hay as well.  The Ferzudens are the caretakers of these animals, doing everything from domesticating to shepherding to shearing and butchering and much, much more.  A Ferzuden thane is known as a Ferrithol.
-Ivomcubors (Farm Workers)
The Ivomcubors are the lifeblood of the mountainhalls, providing the dwarves with much needed sustenance.  They are experts on cultivating the underground plants that the dwarves commonly eat, but also sometimes grow crops on the surface as well (though these are mostly grown as luxury crops, not staple crops).  They also are in charge of brewing and cooking, and are frequently found in the taverns of the mountainhalls.  An Ivomcubor thane is known as an Ivomrithol.
-Beldurads (Greybeards)
Though all dwarves are required to learn a craft, many consider research and innovation to be a craft in and of itself, and the ones who take up this role are the enigmatic Beldurads, or Graybeards.  These are the thinkers and wisemen of Duthnur Onol, devoting their lives to scholarly pursuits and the pursuit of new inventions and knowledge.  A Beldurad thane is known as a Duradrithol.
-Kironkamuks (Holy Priests)
The Kironkamuks, prominent religious figures of the dwarves, are the priests, preachers, shrinemaidens and healers who tend to the shrines and deliver spiritual guidance to the people.  Their trade is to tend to the will of the gods, and each Kironkamuk usually represents a single god, with the whole pantheon represented amongst the Holy Priests.  The equivalent of the Kironkamuk thane is known as the Erlinkamuk, and unlike the typical thane he is elected by the priesthood to be the leader of the faith.
-Alnisnotons (Warborns)
The Warborn class represents the collective military of Duthnur Onol, although it is not limited to a single group.  For example, the Bisolzudens, or Peacekeepers, are the guards that protect the city and punish criminals, and the Onolezars (Mountain Soldiers) make up the military branch of the Warborns, defending Duthnur Onol's interests abroad.  An elite soldier is known as a Duralarzes (Honor Knight) and the generals, considered on the same level as a thane, are known as Zugobkons (Grandmasters).
Of course there are other classes as well, which will be added here as they become relevant.

RELIGION AND MYTHOS

The dwarves of Duthnur Onol worship a varied pantheon of gods, each holding significance to different dwarves.  Though they pay proper respects to all gods, each dwarf will usually focus on one god in particular to worship.  The chief god in the dwarven pantheon is Armok, a god of primordial chaos who was the one who created the world as he took a deep breath and forcefully exhaled.  His breath disturbed the nothingness and gave birth to the entire world, the heavens and the hells.  As Armok is considered an enigmatic god whose teachings are mostly unknown, he has no devotees but all dwarves pay respect to him.

From his breath came the children of Armok, powerful deities who inhabit the world and ensure order amidst the chaos.  As Armok created the universe, they crafted its inhabitants and all the life on the planet, perhaps out of boredom, perhaps out of curiosity, or perhaps for other reasons that mere mortals cannot possibly comprehend.  The gods of the dwarves are as follows:

As, god of the earth and the stone and minerals deep within and patron god of miners.
Osram, lord of wealth and fortune
Ibmat Keshshakakil Nelashavuz, lord of the high mountains, of the bitter cold and snow, and of the fiery lava resting beneath the earth and the volcanoes which bring the lava to the surface in violent eruptions.
Urdim Katthir, the shield-bearing goddess of protection and fortifications.  She is also the patron goddess of the Warborn and of fighters of all types.
Agoth Zansongothbem, the lord of the sun, sky, fire, daylight, jewels and metals, keeper of the hearth and forge fire and patron god of jewelers and smiths
Ramol Lisiganban Avaneser, goddess of ephemeral beauty, love and fertility
Eshon, god of healing, wisdom and travel
Bebmal, goddess of seasons and patron goddess of artists, musicians and performers.
Ceshshed, god of persuasion and sacrifice, and the god of death who judges the dwarves based on their deeds, honor and goodwill
Alnos Tadtobul Etestaran, god of water and the seas
Destis, god of storms, rain and lightning and patron god of farmers

BLAZEFURNACE, THE GREAT DWARVEN CITY

The dwarves make their home underneath high and mighty mountains in what they call Mountainhalls or Mountainhomes, and the grand mountainhall in which the dwarves of Duthnur Onol reside is known as Sakrithsarvesh Zugobissunoloniton Aral, or Blazefurnace the Grand Everlasting Halls of Might, often shortened to Sakrithsarvesh or Blazefurnace to those looking for a shorter and less formal name.  The underground halls, carved out from an expansive cavern that runs deep within the mountain, are vast indeed and though it isn't quite as developed as the dwarves might like, it has plenty of space for quarters, buildings, rooms and underground farms.  The beauty of living under the Great Mountain is that the mountain itself is the mighty fortress, the cavern walls its mighty bulwarks and the high peaks and spires its great towers.  A suitable place for a city indeed.