General: When it comes to danger, the surface regions of Dholen Sûr are second only to the Wilds. Travelers are urged to avoid the region unless they are well-prepared for the harsh cold, difficult terrain, and dangerous roads. The homeland of the Dwarves is a country of extremes. Above ground the jagged hills and wild forests are home to bandits and feral orcs where chaos and violence rule. With the exception of a dozen or so enclaves, it is also home to mercenaries employed by the Dwarven government to keep the numbers of bandits and ferals at a manageable level. Nonetheless, the cities bustle with trade, and the few surface traders who are permitted entry below the mountains speak of an ethereal beauty to the underground cities - even in the poorest areas which lie nearer the active mines.
Major Features: The tail end of the Grent Mountains demarcates the western border with Brelan. To the east is another mountain range, known to the Dwarves as the Roche Dem, marking the aboveground territory of Dholen Sûr, the end of which is considered to be the start of the Wilds.
Major Cities: Govindthal (the above-ground capitol), Varinmol (the underground capitol/higher classes), Atwarig (the oldest city/lower classes), and Rothmar (middle classes)
General: Under the surface lies the true home of the Dwarves, whose cities and low roads are as deep and labyrinthine as their politics. There are three major cities under the surface of Dholen Sûr, though only the capital of Varinmol has direct access to the surface.
The culture of Dholen Sûr (at least among the higher echelons of society) is steeped in tradition, with particular regard to the close ties of kith and kin. Oaths are important and always sworn “on the authority of the Stone Above.” The lower rungs of society are rather more pragmatic. While there are exceptions, Dwarves typically marry within the respective class for which they were born into and it is very uncommon for a Dwarf to move up the social ladder.
While the under-realm isn’t infested with bandits and orcs, it is still a dangerous place to be at times, as Dwarven politics tend to be rather direct. Riots and assassinations are not uncommon, with everyone wanting a piece of the pie, and few are worried about innocent bystanders getting caught up. Many of Giralda’s most feared assassins have come from Dholen Sûr. Dwarves who have made it to the surface often find themselves struggling with addiction, either to drink or (most commonly) drugs.
Language: Several dialects of the Dwarven tongue thrive in the cities under the mountains, but most Dwarves speak the common tongue as so many of them are merchants. Additionally, due to their increasingly-extensive trade with the Orcs, many Dwarves speak Orcish as a second or third tongue.
Population: The population of Dholen Sûr is approximately 9 million people and extremely homogeneous, with at least 90% of the population being pure- or half-blooded Dwarves. Some 6.5 million of that number live underground, primarily in the vast undercities of Atwarig and Rothmor. The Dwarves who choose to live on the surface are often spread out, either in smaller settlements or found in the workforces of the major cities in Giralda.
Economy: Dholen Sûr exports vast quantities of raw resources as well as amazingly crafted jewelery all over the world. By their very nature of being an underground race, the Dwarves are forced to import much of their food. Most frequently, agricultural imports come from Brelan - something that greatly aids in keeping the relationship between the neighboring realms quite amicable.
Religion: Beyond a few family shrines to noteworthy relatives and ancestors, most Dwarves do not hold any particularly strong faith. There are no Dwarven temples or public religious structures, nor have Dwarves ever really been known to evangelize. While there is no law forbidding the worship of gods in Dholen Sûr, many Dwarves simply do not feel any inclination to do so.
Magic: Traditional Dwarf culture limits the use of magic to Shamans. Dwarves born with an aptitude for magic are sent to and trained by the Shaman Order. Shamans of Dholen Sûr have a wide range of magical and non-magical duties, including but not limited to: healing, record-keeping, acting as advisers to leaders, tending spiritual matters, performing birth/death rites, communicating with the dead, and protecting the treasury. Shamans are highly revered as being chosen by the ancestors to care for such responsibilities within the community and bring significant honor to their bloodlines.
The Dwarven people are split between traditionalists (mostly the older, nobler families) who feel that Dwarves belong underground and more ‘progressive’-minded folk that believe the Dwarves should be a greater part of the above-ground world. In recent centuries, the traditionalist opinion has steadily been slipping out of fashion. As many Dwarves in the middle and lower classes make their way to the surface for new opportunities, the traditionalists worry what will become of Dwarven culture or how it might become tainted.
The current council representative of Dholen Sûr is open with the recent retirement of
Tabin Gladdenfield. The prince had been a member of the council for nearly 15 years, serving as trademaster for Giralda, but also ensured that his homeland's needs were met.
Organization: The Dwarves have a standing army of around 300,000 heavy infantry. Though in times of war these numbers are swelled with the conscription of another 2 million reserve troops.
There are two special branches to the Dwarven military: the 1,000 Dwarven Rangers who patrol the untamed surface of Dholen Sûr and the 5,000 strong Hurscals. The Hurscals fight with two handed axes and heavy armour.
Troops: There are two types of military present in Dholen Sur: Rangers and Hurscals. Rangers typically use leather armor and powerful crossbows, but the Dwarven rangers rely on their stealth and tactics to combat threats that lurk on the surface. The rangers operate in small groups of 8-12 troops, all of them being excellent shots and able to handle their own in a melee fight. Hurscals, on the other hand, are a separate beast to the Rangers. Hurscals are the elite heavy infantry of Dholen Sûr. they are typically covered in heavy armor and fight with a gritty determination, above or below ground.
Tactics: The Dwarves hold steady lines of infantry, using spears and shields as well as axes and polearms. Crossbow-armed Dwarves on the flanks force the enemy towards the centre where the Hurscals make the fight a deadly place to be.