Forest Dwarves
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Forest dwarves are truly the most unique of the dwarfs, often not even living in their lands but rather living in solitude in forests or even with other races and groups such as elves and druids. This has made some of then highly dislike the other dwed, which is sometimes mutual, but more often they have at least some friendly connections with the Grand Kingdom of Urguan. Seeing a forest dwarf in the dwarven legion is not as rare as one may thing, and tales speak of heroes of forest dwarf origins.
They are often travelers, roaming forests months upon months, meaning they have learned the ways of the forest can can navigate through them with more ease than any other dwarven sub-race, even better than some of the main races as well. This of course, may seem brutish, but their dwarven honor and dignity still shine as an example, although their greed sometimes goes other directions that are not gold related.
Physical Attributes
Much like their mountain and cave brothers, forest dwarves are short in stature but unsurprisingly, forest dwarfs tend to be less stocky than mountain and cave dwarves. They seem to be slimmer and more athletically built, but their beards stop growing quite quickly, with some forest dwarves not even growing beards. This though is still quite rare and often shunned in dwarven culture. Their hair however, tends to be much longer than usual. There is one more attribute forest dwarves have that is unlike to their brothers. In the past, those with the blood of the forest dwarves noticed that their skin darkens much more easily compared to other dwarves. Over time, their skin has became brown as dark oak bark, even darker than Southern skin.
Other Attributes
Much like with other dwarfs, forest dwarf accent is often an for other races to understand, even if they are talking in common, though it's more blended between Mountain and Cave. They are usually unable to fully say the letter -h in words and tend to sound like a person with a Scottish accent. It may seem difficult to understand a dwarf at first, but it is just slightly modified Common tongue. This accent sometimes becomes softer due to their time spent with other races, but that is usually not the case. They are also known as dwed of the forest, knowing it unlike any other dwarf or human. This also means their diet has heavily started revolting around fish and berries, which is most likely the reason of their physical change.
Aging
Forest dwarfs develop in the same rate as humans do, but they tend to live up to 900 years more than humans, sometimes even longer than that depending on the dwarf. Before dwarfs live through their first 100 years, they are often referred to as Beardlings, though this may differ from the achievements of a dwarf in young age or if the dwarf is new to the community (In which case, a dwarf may be 300 years old but he could still be referred to as a beardling by some dwarfs that may be even younger than him) Although they live for centuries, you can’t find a elder dwarf in every corner. Many dwarfs die due to mining accidents or during his work, but this is a less common case with the Forest dwarves due to their area of living. It is also important to note that after 600 years, a dwarf may start feeling weak under the pressure of his years, making him less capable with physical work. This of course, does not weaken his mind, but rather makes it sharper.
Curses
Ibless had not only cursed sons of Urguan by turning them into a short, stout, and an ugly race, but has also enhanced their greed, which has costed them many precious lives and relics. Luckily, the Creator has blessed the dwed with a strong heart, and a sturdy body, and a sharp mind. This blessing has turned dwarfs into a proud and a resistant race that has lasted centuries.
Among the Forest Dwarves, the curse can be a little different; they have not outgrown it, but the greed centers to better the community they're in more than it does to better the self. This can seem altruistic, however, this also can create fierce competition between communities.
Culture
The forest dwarves, being that the clan remaining for them is the Treebeards, tend to follow the clan leader as is the case with any clan. Even so, they can be rather different in their outlooks. As many dwarves, they still have a high sense of honor, believing that if you help them in their time of need that they should be grateful their entire lives (and, similarly, if you did not when you could have, you may find yourself hated for as long). They also have a high amount of respect for others, pushed by Gloin, it's said, to discourage the jeers of his clansmates when some would find their skin darken and their beards short.
Art
The art of the forest dwarves finds itself highly within woodworking. Furniture and housing made by their hands is sturdy, well-designed, and have their own elegance that might even overtake that of the Wood Elves. They also have come to be some of the best brewers, for they've learned to till the land and have a steady supply of ingredients to experiment with different alcohols.
Literature
As with all dwarves, there is a high importance placed in stories to the Forest Dwarves to be passed down, and though they might write them out in books made from the paper they produced themselves, they also enjoy travelling to tell them, very often putting it to a rhyme and rhythm as poetry or song to be told over and over again.
Music
It is said that one knows they are in the forests of the Forest Dwarves by the soft sound of drumbeats. Though they may branch out to reeded and various string instruments, its the drumming which they are most known for, finding comfort in solid rhythms from a strong forte to a soft pianissimo, and understand that great courage and inspiration can be rallied from even the gentlest of strikes upon the skin. As such, many forest dwarves have found themselves to be excellent bards.
Religion
There is no official religion, however, they do have common beliefs. Many, as loyal dwarves who honor Urguan, worship Yemekar and follow The Brathmordakin as any other dwed. Others are more drawn to worship of The Aspects and may even follow the path to become Druids themselves.
History
The Forest Dwarves are the direct descendants of the seventh son of Urguan, Gloin, who was fascinated with nature, the outside world, and the creatures which reside it unlike his brothers, and, came to differentiate himself with the other clans with the clan name that popped to his mind: Treebeard, first of the forest dwarven clans. Though accounts differ, it is said that Gloin's brothers were worried--and then angered--by Gloin's study and interests and took his disassociation as disinterest in the betterment as the race of a whole, leading to the exhile of the Treebeards from the mountains. Other accounts simply imply that when they founded Outer Kal'Urguan, the city outside the gates of Kal'Urguan in Aegis, it was a natural progression from turning their sights outward from the mountains, but their proximity shows their loyalty towards the community still. The Treebeards, original clan from Gloin, is also perhaps the last. There had been six, but the others were wiped out in The Blood Age.
Cities
The tree beards have become to not feel the need of the mountain and its caverns for security, now living quite happily within buildings made of lumber. Their settlements may be small, but tend to have their own natural sprawl.
Current
- dwarffief1 (will update once we know what they actually RPly call it)
Previous
- Outer Kal'Urguan
