nohl-dohr
I am Noldor : They are Noldor : It is Noldric : This is about the Noldor
Also known as Dwarves, Moles, Khuzad
I am Noldor : They are Noldor : It is Noldric : This is about the Noldor
Also known as Dwarves, Moles, Khuzad
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Hard of body, hard of will, the Noldor are a short, stout, and powerfully built race of merchants, craftsmen, and warriors who make their homes in vast halls of stone. Known to many as Dwarves, the typical Noldor is blunt and bull-headed, preferring the tactless charge through obvious, straight-forward solutions as opposed to tip-toeing through elaborate schemes and skullduggery. They are an honest, loyal, brave, and tenacious people with a bent towards social conservatism, honoring the traditions of the past while holding new ways of thinking in contemptuous caution. Nevertheless, no self-respecting Noldor is averse to adventure. The place of the stalwart Dwarf in tales of adventuring heroes is as set in stone as the Noldor themselves.
MASTERS OF CRAFT & COINThe pounding of hammers, the smoke of forges, and the sounds of industry fill the mountain homes of many Noldric clans. While an eye for beauty may be an unexpected trait from a people known for their coarse dispositions, Dwarven craftsmanship is among the most exquisite, durable, and sought after in all creation. Goods made within their mountain forges trade as prized treasures across the length and breadth of the Sphere.
Due to their material expertise, the Noldric clans have developed quite an aptitude for business and a keen sense for the value of goods that pass through their lands. In large cities, one may find Dwarves behind not only the forge and workbench, but the vault and abacus of prosperous banks. As it turns out, a mix of risk-averse traditionalism and dogged determination to make an investment profitable makes for quite a successful business venture. Thus have the Noldor gained a reputation as masters of trade, from the forge to the mint. The LIFE of a Noldor
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I can see why the legends say Dwarves were born from the stone. They're hard, inflexible, and stubborn. But where some see stubborn, I see steadfast. Where some see inflexible, I see confident. Where some see the hardness of stone, I see rich tradition and a way of life like no other. |
Seekers of Honor
Noldor are renown not only for their craftsmanship and business savvy, but for their heroism and great deeds in battle. It is not unusual for a Dwarf to leave his mountain home in pursuit of adventure, either to champion the cause of justice, make a name for himself, or to bring honor to his house. The Noldor place great importance on honor and tradition, holding fast to the ways of their forebears. Their society is highly ordered, almost militaristic as every member is entrusted and empowered with a powerful sense of honor. To a Dwarf, honor and trustworthiness go hand in hand. To betray one’s clan, family, or friends is worse than death, for in death one’s legacy remains untarnished. Yet those who uphold the ways of their ancestors or bring glory to their houses are forever remembered in the halls of stone. For this reason, many Dwarves leave their homes in pursuit of adventure (whatever form that may take), striking out on their own to bring honor to their clan, their family, and their own name.
Enemy of Elvenkind
The Noldor did not come into being as native creatures to any particular world, but were created by the Quendi during the Second Epoch as a race of slaves. While the Elves lived in luxury, enjoying the pleasures and wonders of the age, the Dwarves toiled away in dirt, sweat, and blood. When the apocalypse broke the power of their masters, the Noldor threw off their chains and became a free people. A grudge is merely an oath spoken in the language of vengeance. And it is well known how tenaciously the Dwarves hold to their oaths. For centuries, the tension between Dwarves and Elves has been palpable, and skirmishes between clans are not uncommon, even in times of relative peace. There seems to be no end of bloodshed, no hope for reconciliation between these two great peoples.
Noldric Customs
The Dwarven people prefer to build their cities in vast subterranean vaults where they feel most comfortable. Great cavernous metropoli are often carved straight into a mountain with outlying districts on the mount’s exterior while the heart of the city beats within the very core of the earth. Dwarven settlements are often built alongside ore-laden mines, giving craftsmen easy access to the materials needed to make their exceptional goods. Naturally, the largest cities form within the largest mountains adjacent to the richest treasures of the earth, while smaller mounts and hills provide homes for lesser settlements.
The pride and bravery of the Dwarves is almost as legendary as their great, intricate beards which are braided in elaborate, intricate patterns. The many styles of braiding are a sign of one’s clan, status, and city; literally hundreds of different styles exist in each community to denote certain social nuances. While the women lack beards, they often braid their hair in similar fashion - this is especially prevalent in houses with few or no male heirs. Curiously, a male Dwarf’s beard only grows once in his life at adolescence when the beard reaches the length it will stay for the remainder of his life in just a few weeks. The act of growing a beard is considered a rite of passage into manhood and the loss of said beard is a mark of deep shame, often a grave punishment reserved for those who have lost their honor.
Dwarves place a great emphasis on tradition and honor. The rituals of yesteryear such as holidays and rites of passage are as honored today as they were ages ago. Dwarves do not break oaths and they do not break tradition. To a Dwarf, honor and trustworthiness go hand in hand. To the Dwarves, honor means social responsibility towards one's clan, city, trade, and self. A Dwarf can lose his honor in many ways; by betraying a friend, committing a serious crime, cheating in business, or breaking a blood oath, the most sacred of promise a Dwarf can make in which a bloody handshake is exchanged to seal a deal.
The pride and bravery of the Dwarves is almost as legendary as their great, intricate beards which are braided in elaborate, intricate patterns. The many styles of braiding are a sign of one’s clan, status, and city; literally hundreds of different styles exist in each community to denote certain social nuances. While the women lack beards, they often braid their hair in similar fashion - this is especially prevalent in houses with few or no male heirs. Curiously, a male Dwarf’s beard only grows once in his life at adolescence when the beard reaches the length it will stay for the remainder of his life in just a few weeks. The act of growing a beard is considered a rite of passage into manhood and the loss of said beard is a mark of deep shame, often a grave punishment reserved for those who have lost their honor.
Dwarves place a great emphasis on tradition and honor. The rituals of yesteryear such as holidays and rites of passage are as honored today as they were ages ago. Dwarves do not break oaths and they do not break tradition. To a Dwarf, honor and trustworthiness go hand in hand. To the Dwarves, honor means social responsibility towards one's clan, city, trade, and self. A Dwarf can lose his honor in many ways; by betraying a friend, committing a serious crime, cheating in business, or breaking a blood oath, the most sacred of promise a Dwarf can make in which a bloody handshake is exchanged to seal a deal.
STONE'S RESOLVE
Dwarves never surrender and never say die. As a race created for slave labor, they are physically tough and mentally resilient. A Noldor can take an immense amount of pain without flinching and indeed may not even notice any injuries that have been sustained until several days later when they are nearly healed. Only a fool would go against a Dwarf in a drinking contest or believe poison to be an effective weapon against such an opponent. Paired with their willful personalities, this incredible stamina makes for a creature that is virtually unshakeable.
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STONE'S RESOLVEResolve +1. Increase the size of your Resolve dice by one degree. Any time you would be knocked prone or forced to move against your will, you may Save to resist the effect. Reduce all instances of unwanted forced movement by 1 meter.
AdvancedYou can use an Asset to unlock the Advanced version of Stone's Resolve, which works the same as above but also grands Advantage on the first Save you make each round.
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ah-mehn-dohr
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Known as "Stone Dwarves", the Amyndor are among the most common and widespread of the Noldor. When most people imagine a Dwarf, it is an Amyndor they are picturing. Bold, audacious, and tough, the Amyndor are famed for their skill in combat and the masterful weapons and armor they forge for battle. Clans of Stone Dwarves have high ideals and hold themselves to strict codes of honor, believing in fair play, unfaltering loyalty, truthfulness, and justice for all. Those who would threaten these ideals should be wary, for the Amyndor is fond of fighting, never missing a chance to test his mettle in mock battles, various sports, and tests of stamina like drinking contests. Following their zeal for making the world a just place and their love for fighting and testing themselves, it is no wonder that so many Stone Dwarves set out on the course for adventure at some point in their lives.
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AppearanceStone Dwarves are short, broad, and powerfully built. They stand at around four to five feet in height and are among the tallest of the Noldor. Their eyes are piercing grey, blue, green, or brown and their hair comes in shades of red, brown, black, or (rarely) blonde. |
HomelandAmyndor are fond of mountains and often build their great cities deep within the peeks, where they are able to easily reach veins of precious ore. Clans of Amyndor can be found throughout Hemnyspek, Khyvar, Volsteim, and even the southernmost mountains of Gyvard. |
doh-uhn-dohr
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Shipwrights, captains, masters of the sea trade, the Doandor are a clan of Dwarves who prefer not the dim confines of the mountains, but the freedom of the open sea. Making their home among volcanic island chains, the Doandor are renown sea-farers, explorers, and even pirates who believe in personal freedom and chasing down one's destiny. The famed craftsmanship of the Dwarves is not wasted on this clan; they are among the greatest ship-builders on the Sphere and it is not uncommon for the navies of powerful, wealthy empires to commission local clans of Doandor to build and service their fleet. The Doandor are also masters of trade, parlaying their skill in navigation to chart the best trade routes and undercut competition at sea. Whatever path a Doandor chooses, he pursues it with passion and tenacity. There's not a Doandor at sea who doesn't fully believe in the rightness of his choices, seeing them through to the end.
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AppearanceThe Doandor have fair to tan skin with almond-shaped eyes and chiseled, determined features. They often have dark hair of black or brown with eyes of brown, grey, and sometimes blue. They stand at around 3 and a half to four feet tall, broad yet nimbly built. |
HomelandClans of Doandor make their homes throughout island chains, digging their cities into the sides of inactive volcanoes and building harbors deep within seaside coves. One can find Doandor in Corsica, Shima, Domigas Algoa, and throughout Orin's Chain. |
gool-dohr
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While most Noldor were content to settle close to the surface, never plumbing the deep, dark depths of their mountain homes, the Ghûldor delved deep into the heart of the earth. In cities hewn from stone, built in the fetid darkness of the underground, the Ghûldor have endured for ages, becoming masters of shadow and secrecy. Shunning the world above, the Deep Dwarves rarely leave their insular city-states and fiercely guard their cavernous homeland against outside influence. It is extremely rare to see a Ghûldor on the surface, yet rarer still to see a surfacer within the abode of the Deep Dwarves. Those few who have visited and lived to return, tell tales of a strange world of bizarre architecture lit by luminescent mushrooms, rich with exotic minerals and a wealth of goods never seen on the surface...as well as troubling rumblings from the deep and nightmares of things too horrible to name.
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AppearanceThe Deep Dwarves have ashen grey skin and hair of white. Their eyes are gold, black, silver, crimson red, or ice blue and they stand at around three and a half to four feet high, broad and powerful of build like most other clans of Noldor. |
HomelandThe Ghûldor live deep beneath the earth in remote regions where other Noldor are reluctant to settle. One can find the great city-states of the Ghûldor deep beneath Odain, Frostalfe, Onegai, Gulvari, and the eldritch depths of Neth'al Tuak. |
meer-ehn-dohr
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Forsaking the mountainous depths for the rocky steppes and desert hills, the Mirendor are a dark-skinned race of Noldor known as the Sun Dwarves. Many clans are nomadic, following the migration of the herds they hunt or the seasonal rains that give the desert a brief burst of life. Mirendor will occasionally settle among other desert-dwelling Mortals for a time, plying their trade as expert mechanics. The Mirendor have quite the knack for technology, especially when it comes to artifacts from the Golden Age. Some muse that perhaps the Mirendor were created to maintain the technology of their Elven masters in days long passed. Whatever the case, Mirendor are often restless, eager for the next horizon and the next story. Their culture is rich in song, story, and legends that bleed into known history...though pinning a Mirendor down long enough to get him to share the rich tapestry of his culture is quite the challenge.
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AppearanceMirendor are stout, strong, and built like a tank with dark skin and broad, hardened features. Standing at three and a half to four feet tall, Mirendor have dark, usually black or dark brown hair and eyes of brown, grey, and in rare cases, yellow. |
HomelandThe Mirendor wander the desert hills and savannah steppes. While they tend not to settle too long in one place, one may find Mirendor wandering through Simbala, Arhona, Odain, Cal Vanol, Sundar, and even Golgorath in times of relative peace. |
thor-ehn-dohr
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The Iron Dwarves were once wealthy miners and craftsmen but were eventually driven from their mountain homes by a cascade of calamities. These upheavals began with a great famine, followed by a plague and great political and economic upheavals. Civil war ravaged their cities and Thorendor who could escape fled their mountain homes to become refugees in the cities of other Mortals. Many were forced to become low-wage laborers in waterfront factories or turn to a life of crime in order to survive. As such, the Thorendor have a reputation as a dishonored clan of Noldor, one whom the other Dwarves turn away from in shame. With many of the traditions of their past lost, the Thorendor look forward to a brighter future, and are determined to secure that future through whatever means necessary. The Iron Dwarves are forward-facing in their outlook, clinging to the hope of a better tomorrow rather than the glories of the past.
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AppearanceIron Dwarves have a reddish tint to their skin. Unlike other Noldor, many males do not wear beards, shaving them in an act of defiance against Dwarven tradition. They stand at three to four feet tall with blonde, red, or brown hair and eyes of brown, blue, green, or grey. |
HomelandThough the nation of the Thorendor has been lost to time and lies in abandoned ruin, one can find most of the descendants of refugee Iron Dwarves living near their old homeland in Sundar, Hemnyspek, and the eastern parts of The Wynderwood. |
