Dwarfic Axis
The Dwarfic Axis is the government of the Dwarfs. They claim heritage back to the original Dwarfic Axis founded by Atlair the Cruel on 01/01/1 E1. The simultaneous founding of the City of Dar Haggrifar marks the beginning of the dwarfic calendlar, which has been in continuous use for more than 15,000 years. They therefore claim to be, by far, the oldest continually operating government in Asurus. While their claims of true continuity may appear dubious to some, there is no doubt that the Axis is incredibly old, incredibly stable, and incredibly effective at governance. Whether that is due to the nature of the government, the nature of the dwarfic temperament, or a combination thereof is a matter of debate. Regardless, the Axis has been a powerful force present for virtually all of known history.
The Axis claims citizenry of every dwarf not banished (see Dwarfic Banishment) within Asurus. There are very few dwarfs who debate or challenge this fact. Even dwarfs outside the lands under direct Axis control are subject to it's rule, whims, and are afforded the protection of their government. This protection is a Dwarf's most powerful asset. While dwarfs, of course, may have differing opinions on the nature of any individual, institution, or the like, the general sentiment amongst dwarfs is that, should you make an enemy of one, you've made an enemy of at least that dwarf's house, possibly their clan, and sometimes even the Axis as a whole.
The Axis claims citizenry of every dwarf not banished (see Dwarfic Banishment) within Asurus. There are very few dwarfs who debate or challenge this fact. Even dwarfs outside the lands under direct Axis control are subject to it's rule, whims, and are afforded the protection of their government. This protection is a Dwarf's most powerful asset. While dwarfs, of course, may have differing opinions on the nature of any individual, institution, or the like, the general sentiment amongst dwarfs is that, should you make an enemy of one, you've made an enemy of at least that dwarf's house, possibly their clan, and sometimes even the Axis as a whole.
Structure
The Axis is broken down into clans, and each clan is broken down into houses, which serve as adopted extended families. Not all dwarfs are in a clan, many are clanless. Being accepted into a clan means passing the the clan trials of the appropriate when coming of age (dwarfs come of age at 35). Those who have not yet taken the trials, or did not pass them, retain their house affiliation, but are not affiliated with the clan.
There are around a dozen major clans, with hundreds more minor clans (depending on your threshold of major clans), and each clan could have anywhere from 3 to 50 houses, with each house having up to 200 or so dwarfs in it. Most clans, even the largest do not approach the scale of 50 houses with 200 dwarfs a house; numbers vary at each level.
The mass of clanless dwarfs (both children and adults) serve as a workforce for the clans, with most being contracted out as day laborers mining, farming, tunneling, serving in administrative positions, or similar.
The houses of a clan appoint representatives to the grand council of clans, which meets regularly, and serves as the chief legislative body. Executive duties are divvied up to the clans by this body. Judicial proceedings are handled by a system of minor courts operated by the clans. The decision of these courts lack an appeal in all but the most egregious of circumstances. Such appeals are an extreme rarity, and go to the grand council of clans directly for adjudication
In exceedingly rare times of Crisis, the council of clans may opt to start the election of a Dwarfic High King. While this position is elected from the body of clansholding dwarfs, once elected, the king holds total, dictatorial power for life.
5 High kings have been elected previously. The council has voted to begin elections for a new high king as of 1195. Elections are in process. It is unknown to those not involved in the electoral process what the crisis triggering this election is(Dwarfic Axis Council of Clans votes to initiate election of a new Dwarfic high king).
Picking a high king is not done lightly, and take as long as is prudent given the urgency of the need and the difficulty of the decision. The longest high king election took 11 years, the shortest took 8 days.
There are around a dozen major clans, with hundreds more minor clans (depending on your threshold of major clans), and each clan could have anywhere from 3 to 50 houses, with each house having up to 200 or so dwarfs in it. Most clans, even the largest do not approach the scale of 50 houses with 200 dwarfs a house; numbers vary at each level.
The mass of clanless dwarfs (both children and adults) serve as a workforce for the clans, with most being contracted out as day laborers mining, farming, tunneling, serving in administrative positions, or similar.
The houses of a clan appoint representatives to the grand council of clans, which meets regularly, and serves as the chief legislative body. Executive duties are divvied up to the clans by this body. Judicial proceedings are handled by a system of minor courts operated by the clans. The decision of these courts lack an appeal in all but the most egregious of circumstances. Such appeals are an extreme rarity, and go to the grand council of clans directly for adjudication
In exceedingly rare times of Crisis, the council of clans may opt to start the election of a Dwarfic High King. While this position is elected from the body of clansholding dwarfs, once elected, the king holds total, dictatorial power for life.
5 High kings have been elected previously. The council has voted to begin elections for a new high king as of 1195. Elections are in process. It is unknown to those not involved in the electoral process what the crisis triggering this election is(Dwarfic Axis Council of Clans votes to initiate election of a new Dwarfic high king).
Picking a high king is not done lightly, and take as long as is prudent given the urgency of the need and the difficulty of the decision. The longest high king election took 11 years, the shortest took 8 days.
Culture
Dwarfs bicker. This is a fact of life. While an individual will, of course, have a varied disposition, this does not change the fact that, when taken as a conglomerate, there is endless argument and debate amongst dwarfs. Dwarfs debate about every issue in their houses, the houses present a unified front to one another after an internal resolution is reached, then the houses squabble amongst themselves to determine the direction to steer the clan, and, finally, the council of clans will have endless disputes before reaching a decision. That said, when a decision has (finally) been made, be it at the house level, the clan level, or the council level, you'd be hard pressed to find a single dwarf, especially among the clans, who would question, or rebel against the direction such authority has specified... at least outwardly. Of course every decision at the council level provokes more debate behind the closed doors of the houses regarding how to respond, react, and proceed. So the cycle repeats.
As it is always said; The sun will cease to rise when the clans concur.
As it is always said; The sun will cease to rise when the clans concur.
Public Agenda
The stated goal of the Axis is the betterment of all Dwarfic kind. It sees itself as an entity that can and will weather any storm or crisis, and seeks to steer its citizenry through it.
In practice, the Axis seeks the betterment of the clans, and strengthening of the clan system as a proxy for helping Dwarfic kind.
Most of the governance of the Dwarfic Axis is done by the clans themselves. Crimes and the like are handled internally at the house or clan level whereever possible, leaving the court system for the clanless, or for inter-clan conflict. Similarly, as clans are responsible for the actions and conduct of their members on a legal level, almost every clan imposes rules that exceed the requirements of the laws set by the council, and make their expectation of compliance clear to their members.
In practice, the Axis seeks the betterment of the clans, and strengthening of the clan system as a proxy for helping Dwarfic kind.
Most of the governance of the Dwarfic Axis is done by the clans themselves. Crimes and the like are handled internally at the house or clan level whereever possible, leaving the court system for the clanless, or for inter-clan conflict. Similarly, as clans are responsible for the actions and conduct of their members on a legal level, almost every clan imposes rules that exceed the requirements of the laws set by the council, and make their expectation of compliance clear to their members.
Assets
The Axis, via the clans, holds an unknown, but doubtlessly gargantuan amount of gold, gems, and magic items. There is no matching the treasury of the Dwarfs. Liquidating all of these assets in an efficient or timely fashion is a separate problem, not to mention the fact that they are held at the discretion of the clans, rather than the Axis itself. Additionally, the Axis controls land surrounding the Serin Mountains and Bahrun Mountains. Finally, they control an extensive network of tunnels below the mountains, and into the upper reaches of The Places Below. These tunnels even connect BlackGarde and Alderdale, so one can make the nearly 800 mile trek without ever setting foot on the surface.
History
The Axis' history is too long to be done justice in any one article. Instead, the history of the Dwarfic Axis timeline should be a good overview
TODO: Create this timeline. Bug Wobbix if this is not done by March 2026
TODO: Create this timeline. Bug Wobbix if this is not done by March 2026
Demography and Population
The Dwarfic Axis governs Dwarfs and Dwarfs only. While outsiders on clan land (which is virtually all land in the Axis) are not subject to Axis law, they ARE still subject to regulations set by the clan (and are presumably there at the pleasure of the clan). Dwarfs fall into one of several ethnicities:
Common Mountain Dwarf - the most common type of dwarf, accounting for roughly 80% of the dwarfic population
Black Hills Dwarf - these are dwarfs living in the minor dwarfic settlements under the black hills, and accounting for another 19.5% of the population
Parudwarfs - Theorized to be a developmental middle-ground between Dwarfs and Giaparum, Parudwarfs are exceedingly rare, making up a mere 0.5% of the dwarfic population, Parudwarfs are significantly larger than other dwarfs, and it is debated if they are, in fact dwarfs at all. Regardless, the Axis affirms it's kinship with these individuals, as well as with the Giaprum generally (they participate in the Axis clan structure to a limited extent).
Formerly, the Underdwarfs made up a population of the Axis, but this ethnic line died out during The Gods' Reaping
Dependent on ethnicity to a limited degree, most dwarfs live around 350 years.
Common Mountain Dwarf - the most common type of dwarf, accounting for roughly 80% of the dwarfic population
Black Hills Dwarf - these are dwarfs living in the minor dwarfic settlements under the black hills, and accounting for another 19.5% of the population
Parudwarfs - Theorized to be a developmental middle-ground between Dwarfs and Giaparum, Parudwarfs are exceedingly rare, making up a mere 0.5% of the dwarfic population, Parudwarfs are significantly larger than other dwarfs, and it is debated if they are, in fact dwarfs at all. Regardless, the Axis affirms it's kinship with these individuals, as well as with the Giaprum generally (they participate in the Axis clan structure to a limited extent).
Formerly, the Underdwarfs made up a population of the Axis, but this ethnic line died out during The Gods' Reaping
Dependent on ethnicity to a limited degree, most dwarfs live around 350 years.
Territories
The territory around the mountain ranges has been held by the Axis since the middle of the first era. The Axis' territorial holdings are modest compared to prior glorious points in dwafic history. Despite this, the Axis' lands are vast when one considers the massive tunnel networks that they control.
Military
The Axis does not employ a direct military, relying on the clans to provide soldiers when needed. There are certainly clans with a militaristic charter, however, that provide much of the empire's muscle. Clanless mercenaries are also a significant armed population.
Technological Level
Since the dawn of the first era, the Dwarfic Axis has always been at the bleeding edge of technological advancement, and behind only the elven cultures in terms of magical acumen. Rather than eschewing one for the other, as so many cultures do, the Dwarfs tend to favor a pragmatic approach, working diligently to understand the complicated interactions of magic and technology, and wield them both with confidence. This allows them to form creations that are a combination of magic and advanced technology with capabilities beyond that of either.
Despite this history, the recent advancement of Humans on the world's stage has slightly tempered the egos of some dwarfs. Despite being surface dwellers, and not being close to the ores that form metals, the humans have managed to advance far beyond the capabilities of the dwarfs in terms of Steel metallurgy.
Recently, the dwarfs have developed an explosive powder, which they use primarily for mining and excavation purposes.
A limited list of the technologies available to the Axis are below:
As well as mastery of a number of magical principles (todo, construct magical principles)
Despite this history, the recent advancement of Humans on the world's stage has slightly tempered the egos of some dwarfs. Despite being surface dwellers, and not being close to the ores that form metals, the humans have managed to advance far beyond the capabilities of the dwarfs in terms of Steel metallurgy.
Recently, the dwarfs have developed an explosive powder, which they use primarily for mining and excavation purposes.
A limited list of the technologies available to the Axis are below:
- Mathematics (algebra, calculus, discrete)
- Horseback (and Elbore) riding
- philosophy
- Currency
- Civil engineering
- Metal casting
- Compass
- Centralized education
- Physics
- basic steel
- Machinery
- Astronomy
- Banking
- printing press
- gunpowder
- Chemistry
- alchemy
- economics
As well as mastery of a number of magical principles (todo, construct magical principles)
Religion
While the dwarfic axis generally believes in the pantheon of the nineteen divines (see The Gods), they place special focus on worshipping Wakfa and Relius.
Foreign Relations
The Axis maintains a healthy level of diplomatic isolationism. Their closest surface allies would arguably be the Suthland Alliance, who they have recently negotiated with to expand their lands of influence to include some of the holdings of the now ruined Port Deau.
They maintain a closer-than-average, but still quite distant relationship with the Firn Elf Collective.
The Axis has a long and bloody rivaly with the Wood Elf's Natural Concords, and their precursor governments
Due to geographic distance, they have next to no relationship with the Union of the wilds
They perform a limited amount of trade with various underdark populations, including drow and goblins, but blood is just as likely to flow as coin from such relationships
Dragonborn are not welcome within the halls of the Dwarfic Axis, except by individual approval of particular clans, which is rare
They maintain a closer-than-average, but still quite distant relationship with the Firn Elf Collective.
The Axis has a long and bloody rivaly with the Wood Elf's Natural Concords, and their precursor governments
Due to geographic distance, they have next to no relationship with the Union of the wilds
They perform a limited amount of trade with various underdark populations, including drow and goblins, but blood is just as likely to flow as coin from such relationships
Dragonborn are not welcome within the halls of the Dwarfic Axis, except by individual approval of particular clans, which is rare
Dag, Sig, Farnar (Glory, Faith, and Brotherhood)
Type
Geopolitical, Empire
Capital
Power Structure
Confederation
Economic System
Market economy
Gazetteer
Alderdale
Blackgarde
The Black Hills Regional Tunnel Network
Blackgarde
The Black Hills Regional Tunnel Network
Currency
The golden Galter, named after Benis Galter, the second high king of the dwarfs
Major Exports
Anything that can be taken from the ground.
Illicitly, Augmentis
Also fine wool and other products that can be derived from their above ground herds.
Illicitly, Augmentis
Also fine wool and other products that can be derived from their above ground herds.
Major Imports
Lumber, Steel
Legislative Body
Grand Council of clans
Judicial Body
Interclan courts, courts of the clanless, and the grand council of clans
Executive Body
Each individual clan is delegated executive duties by the grand council
Related Species
I love how you have broken down the structure of the Dwarfic Alliance! It makes it much easier to understand how the smaller pieces integrate with the larger clans and the organisation itself instead of just who the major players within the Axis.