Aside of the elves, humans and orcs the dwarves are one of the most important Caelerethian races, also called the "ThergerimErons" (singular: "Thergerim") according to their own tongue. Humans however often use the term "Thergerim" as equivalent to the plural form.

Picture description: Khuzd Morgolz, famous smith and warrior of the Kurakim Dwarves. Image drawn by Quellion.

Appearance. Dwarves are similar in appearance to humans, the most significant difference of course being their height, which seldom exceeds one and a half peds. Their growth ends between their twentieth and thirtieth cycle, however, male dwarves at this time already possess impressive growing beards. For a male dwarf his beard is an important sign of pride and dignity and sometimes can be accounted as the only reason why a certain dwarf is prefered instead of another when important clan duties have to be fulfilled.

Dwarves are stout and strong by nature, the latter not only concerning their physical strength but also regarding their will and mental resistance, or - in human terms - they are mostly stubborn and unyielding in every respect man can think of. Due to the fact that they originated from the element of Earth at the beginning of times, dwarves are - just like stone - usually unaffected by cold and fire and they distrust every kind of magic by heart, so that magic spells often fail when cast unto dwarves. They also are not very fond of water and cannot swim. On the other hand dwarves are very active and laborious and well known for being persistent in labour and hardship. Honor and membership to the clan are also very important for the dwarven race and when they fight their pride and rage are often feared among their enemies.

Mode of Living/Habits. The home of the dwarves undoubtedly is the mountain, the caves and the mines in which they are working. Only very reluctantly they leave their homes, and if they do so, mainly to search for new mines and profits or to fight to gain honor, whoever the foe. Several incidents are reported of dwarves who challenged mighty dragons in order to gain wealth and honor, but only few have been successful in their endeavour.

In general dwarves prefer to keep to themselves and their main purpose in life - aside from drinking masses of self-brewn beer - seems to be the accumulation of treasures although they never would boast with their riches or even adorn their homes more than necessary. Except for their evident love for mining dwarves are also well known for their extraordinary abilities of forging powerful weapons, although it is very seldom that a dwarven weapon is further enhanced by elven magic like the famous Aldastrian Blade.

Picture description. A dwarven dwelling is usually a large cavern, like an ancient volcanic dome, its very apex supported by a huge carved shaft of stone. The shaft splits into graceful buttressed arches near the floor, and from its hollow centre a beam of light falls on the Timeclock's engraved face. Image by Quellion.

Family, Society and Culture. Dwarves are granted a life span of about two and a half centuries, only very few exceptions exceed the threehundredth cycle. Therefore a dwarf is not not very quick when deciding whom to marry. At the age of 90 male dwarves enter the so-called Age of Choosing. This is a very important time as unlike at the human race where males and females exist in equal numbers dwarven males outnumber dwarven females by far. Also the birth of dwarven children happens usually only once in a lifetime of a dwarven female, although very often more then one child is born at the same time. Be it as it is, many dwarves end their lives unmarried and concentrate on their work instead, which also seems an important reason why dwarven work stands for quality.

But family is not all in a dwarf's life, especially for those whose destiny is to have been neglected at the Age of Choosing. More important than the family is the membership to a clan. The function of clan leader is inherited from father to son and is a position never to be questioned. Clan feuds are very common among dwarves and may last over thousands of years, even if the reason for the feud has already been long forgotton.

Diet. As dwarves live underground they have special ways on how to plant food. Dwarves funnel and filter light (and air, naturally) down into their dwelling caverns via long diamonte-lined shafts (see also the Timeclock for details). Similar structures are used, closer to the surface, to light the large fields of vegetation.

Assorted mosses and edible lichens, which require lots of damp and low light conditions are grown on specially-constructed arches over farm canyons. Dwarf "bread" is created by drying a certain lichen, powdering it, and then mixing into a dough with stale beer (which helps raise it) and baking in any of the small ovens which are always built into their forges. Their diet does indeed include mushrooms of various sorts, but also fish (think about those great cave pools!) and freshwater molluscs, shrimp, lizard, and bat (the latter is considered a delicacy rather than a staple). Dwarven hunters are not adverse to doing night hunts aboveground, either, to bring back the various mountain/forest animals. Deer, lynx, mountain goat, and small game are all PuvJor (PuvJor), "pot-meat", and usually shared out upon the hunt's return.

Beliefs. Still to be added.

Tribes. In the Santharian Kingdom there currently exist the following major dwarven clans:

	BOLTGRUMMS CLAN, THE ("ORETEETH") Dwarven Clan at the Xythrian Ridge and the Kairean Teeth, located at the centre of Southern Peninsula, fairly close to the large city of Santhala and just below Elsreth. Generally considered to be among the more "sophisticated" but also "aggressive" dwarves. They trade with humans on a regular basis and thus have access to a variety of foodstuffs and technology from other races. The Kairgrumerons are young, sharp mountains full of quartz outcroppings (whose pure white colour and geometric crystals may have suggested the "teeth" nomenclature). Gold is heavily laced through many of the underground quartz veins, and the extensive network of mines is exclusively run and guarded by Boltgrumm dwarves, who have a monopoly on the region.
	MITHARIM CLAN, THE ("METALFOLK") Mitharim ("Metalfolk") are the main dwarven clan in the area of the Mithral Mountains, along the east coast of the Santharian province of Manthria, producing a great deal of ore and metal work, as can be seen by their name. They are used to extra-racial contact and do quite a bit of trading with the humans of the region. As a result they tend to ‘represent’ the dwarven race in human eyes, and may be considered characteristic of Thergerim ways, habits, and culture in most areas of their lives.
	TENTHRUM CLAN, THE ("STRONGPICK") Dwarven clan located at the western part of the Rimmerins Ring, just east of Kor Donion and the Vale of Brownies - there exists much trade between this clan and the Brownies. They often have the latest Brownie technologies, and some long-standing friendships have developed between dwarf and Brownie craftsmen in their respective fields. As a result, the Tenthrums have a reputation for being the "liberals" of the dwarves, and are looked on with some mild suspicion by the other clans. Of course, the fiercely loyal nature of Thergerim society means that outsiders would never be able to exploit that suspicion to their advantage... "They'se may be odd uns," as one old Boltgrumm Granny was overheard to say, "but they'se our odd uns..."
	THRUMGOLZ CLAN, THE ("PICKHANDS") The Thrumgolz (Thergerim Thrumgolz), or "Pickhands", are a dwarven clan at the High and the Low Fores, west of the Ancythrian Sea. The Highs have good access to timber from the woods of Goltherlon, and the various trade items on shores of the Ancythrian Sea. The Lows are not as fortunately situated, and have a simpler lifestyle and less varied diet as a result. Note that the "High Fore Thrumgolz" and the "Low Fore Thrumgolz" are only distinguished so amongst humans: as far as they are concerned they are all part of the same clan.
	THE MORGERIM ("DARK DWARVES") A separate clan, although some claim a separate race, since their physical characteristics and culture vary so significantly from the rest of the Thergerim. However, the Morgerim are indeed dwarves, albeit reclusive (and that's reclusive even from a dwarven point of view!) Currently not much is known about them, but historians are working to remedy this lack of information.
	THE YLOSSIAN DWARVES Ancient dwarven ancestors. Said to have lived in the tunnels below the Tandala Highlands. Though now completely extinct, the Ylossians are referred to in many dwarven myths.

In ancient times the Ylossian clan is said to have lived in the tunnels below the Tandala Highlands. Though now completely extinct, the Ylossians are referred to in many dwarven myths.

Picture description. The famous statue of Brok Strongarm guarding the entrance of Toll Brok'Baroll. Pic drawn by Quellion.

Origins. When the Rain of Life fell down upon Caelereth the dwarven race was the second one which was blessed by the Spirit of Avá, the High Goddess, countering the creation of the elves who sprang from the element of the Wind. And so it happened that the dwarves emerged from the element of Earth and were therefore created as the natural counterpart of the elven race. At least this is the story as told in the elven myth of the Carpá'dosía.

It is told further that at the beginning of times the dwarves were mere living stone just like the elves were only mere windy phenomenons. These very first stone beings were formed by the Un'SthommErons, "[those] like stones" or simply "the Dwarven Fathers". The Un'SthommErons were half-gods who were themselves carved by Trum-Baroll, the Forging God, the Shaper of Earth (an equivalent to Urtengor in Santharian beliefs) Himself. They are said to have been giants in fact, seven in number, who followed the example of their creator, carving more of his like. They were called Aephesvil, Corunvil, Hothesvil, Kannvil, Quontvil, Trumvil and Unphvil. In many dwarven tales it is told that these forefathers as well as the Un'SthommErons are still existent - in the great underground empire of Toll Dispor'Baroll ("Realm of the Lost Father"), which refers to Trum-Baroll's domain. It is common dwarven belief that Trum-Baroll indeed is not a spiritual god as humans interpret the Gods, but a living being of stone who reigns the Un'SthommErons in his gigantic realm in the womb of the Caelereth earth. According to dwarven belief Trum-Baroll indeed is the God who created the world out of his own matter, other races are often interpreted as "by-products" of the forging of the dwarven race.

	"The Thergerim Theme", composed and performed by Ralrok Format: MP3, Length: 6:34. Original Title: "The Clan of Derrin" from the album "Elsidox: Volume One". Click here to download the song, use right-click and "Save as..." (6.02 MB).

See also	Brok Strongarm (King of Deni'lou), Clans, Deni'lou (Island), Employment, Music, Thergerim Calendar, Thergerim Taal (Dwarven Language), Unsthommerons (The Dwarven Fathers), Urtengor (God), Ylossians (Clan)