The Dwarfs — or Dawi, as they call themselves in Khazalid — are one of the oldest and proudest races of the Known World. Called the Elder Race by Men, their origins stretch back to times immemorial, when their empire spanned from Norsca in the north to the jungles of the Southlands, and from the Grey Mountains to the furthest peaks of the World’s Edge. Though diminished, the heart of their realm, the Karaz Ankor (“Everlasting Realm”), endures in the World’s Edge Mountains, whose colossal peaks house the great karaks, the mountain strongholds of the Dawi.
Masters of stone and steel, Dwarfs are peerless miners, smiths, and engineers. Their halls — such as the legendary Karaz-a-Karak, capital of the Karaz Ankor — are vast beyond the comprehension of Men. Dwarfen craftsmanship is famed throughout the world: their weapons are unmatched, their armour all but indestructible, and their rune-etched relics carry power to rival the magic of the Elves. Stubborn and enduring, the Dawi are also fierce warriors, bound by kinship and honour. Loyalty, tradition, and the sanctity of oaths lie at the heart of their culture, and it is often said that the Dwarfs shall weather the world’s final twilight still unbowed.
Dwarfs live far longer than Men, though they age more slowly. A Dwarf is considered full-grown at around 30 years, compared to a Human’s 16. Their lives are marked by rites and stages, each a step deeper into the clan and the traditions of their people.
Birth and Naming (Nauvsdeg): A child is blessed at the temples of Grungni and Valaya. Male kin bring the infant to Grungni’s temple for the recording of lineage, while female kin present the child to Valaya, passing it through hearth-smoke and giving the first spoon of stone soup, a ritual of welcome.
Youth (Garazi / Knublstubi): All young Dwarfs spend years in the mines, learning the fundamentals of stone and craft. This period is both training and a test of resilience.
Adulthood (Kumenouht): Around 30, a Dwarf is presented to the clan with an offering of craft — a barrel of ale, a piece of jewellery, or some other work of skill. Accepted as a Gnutrommi (“Young Clansman”), he or she begins full participation in clan life.
Full Beard (Altrommi): By 70, a Dwarf is considered a senior member of the clan, often taking apprentices or marrying.
Longbeard (Langktrommi): At 120, a Dwarf gains renown beyond their clan, honoured for wisdom and skill. Their greatest works are usually produced at this stage.
Elder (Throngrink): At 150, one becomes a clan elder, sitting on the Council of Elders and helping decide matters of law, war, and tradition.
Great Beard (Gormtrommi): Those surpassing 200 years are rare and revered, often leaders, loremasters, or master runesmiths.
Living Ancestors (Karugrombthi): The rarest of all are the Dwarfs who endure for four centuries or more. These near-mythic beings are venerated as chosen of the Ancestor Gods. Their vigour scarcely fades, and their wisdom is beyond price. Some, like Kragg the Grim, have lived for well over a thousand years.
The Dawi are ruled by the High King of Karaz Ankor, a position held in unbroken descent from the Ancestor Gods themselves. Though in theory his authority is absolute, in practice the High King must work with the many lesser kings who rule each karak. Together they preserve the unity of the Everlasting Realm. The current High King is Thorgrim Grudgebearer, famed for his unshakable will and devotion to the Book of Grudges.
Each karak is ruled by its own Dwarf King, head of the royal clan that first founded the hold. Beneath the king are noble thanes, lords of the great clans, who swear fealty to him and hold offices within the hold. Though kingship is hereditary, tradition demands legitimacy: should a royal line fail, the mantle may pass to another clan of proven worth.
A Dwarf king rarely rules alone. Each hold has a Council of Elders, comprised of clan elders, guildmasters, priests of the Ancestor Gods, and other notables. The queen or senior matriarch often attends, tempering heated debate. Wealth grants voting power, but a wise king listens rather than dictates, for to disregard the council risks dishonour.
To understand the Dwarfs is to grasp the iron weight of tradition. They are not a people who forget. Every oath sworn, every wrong suffered, and every deed of valour is recorded and remembered. They are proud, enduring, and slow to change, yet beneath their stony exterior lies warmth: loyalty to kin, honour in craft, and a fierce love of hearth and hold.
They may be few in number compared to the younger races, but as long as the mountains stand, the Dawi will endure.
“I am a Dwarf! My honour is my life and without it I am nothing… I shall seek redemption in the eyes of my ancestors… I shall become as death to my enemies, until I meet the one who ends my life and my shame.”
— Oath of the Slayer Cult of Grimnir
Unlike Men or Elves, the Dwarfs do not worship distant gods but venerate their Ancestor Gods — the first of their kind, shaped from stone itself. To the Dawi, these figures are not abstract deities but forebears whose spirits still guide their descendants. They believe the honoured dead watch over them, ensuring the survival and strength of their people.
This reverence shapes all aspects of Dwarf society. The elderly are held in deep respect, tombs of great Dwarfs are carved into monumental halls, and ancient relics are preserved as symbols of lost glory. The High King himself is said to descend directly from Grungni and Valaya, making the royal line a living link to the Ancestors.
While most Dwarfs follow the customs of honour and remembrance, some join cults dedicated to particular Ancestors, the most famous being the Slayer Cult of Grimnir — warriors who renounce all else to seek a worthy death in battle.
Though all Ancestors are honoured, three are foremost in every hold:
Grungni – Lord of craft, smiths, and miners, husband of Valaya.
Valaya – Goddess of hearth, protection, and healing. She blesses the homes of her children and wards their halls from corruption.
Grimnir – God of war and fire, brother to Grungni, and patron of the Slayer oath.
Several others are revered by guilds and clans:
Gazul – Keeper of the dead, guardian of tombs and the Underearth.
Smednir – Shaper of ore, son of Grungni.
Thungni – Patron of runesmiths, youngest son of Grungni.
Morgrim – Patron of engineers, son of Grimnir.
Together these Ancestors embody the resilience, craft, and determination of the Dawi.
Though they call themselves one people, the Dwarfs are scattered into many realms and kindreds, each shaped by its environment and history.
Once lords of the northern mountains of Norsca, these Dwarfs are hardy and grim, their greatest hold being Kraka Drak. They maintain many of the traditions of the Karaz Ankor but are even more warlike, for they live constantly beset by raiders and the threat of Chaos.
Dispossessed colonists of the World’s Edge Mountains who resettled in the Grey Mountains between Bretonnia and the Empire. Though they lack the vast karaks of the east, they remain proud and industrious, clinging to Dawi tradition in smaller strongholds.
Known disparagingly as “Manling Dwarfs” by their mountain kin, these Dwarfs live among Men in towns and cities of the Empire and beyond. Many are exiles, refugees, or simply those who chose a different life. Though they adopt some Human customs, they keep their heritage alive through councils of elders and gatherings on holy days. Every thirty-three years, Imperial Dwarfs honour Grungni’s Day, where scattered clans reunite to pay respect to their ancestors.
The hated outcasts of the east, the Chaos Dwarfs are those who turned from the Ancestors to worship Hashut, a dark god of fire and tyranny. Twisted by Chaos, many bear tusks, horns, or other mutations. To the Dawi of the Karaz Ankor, they are abominations — traitors beyond redemption.
The Dawi faith is not one of temples and prayers, but of deeds, memory, and unbroken tradition. To honour the Ancestors is to uphold the clan, keep oaths, and endure against the enemies of the race. Whether deep in the mines of Karaz-a-Karak, defending the grey citadels of the west, or even living among Men in the Empire, all true Dwarfs hold to this truth:
Stone endures. So too do the Dawi.