Desert Dwarves of Madrueji

A Dwarf Rider

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The Desert Dwarves of Madrueji are an elusive and enigmatic race of dwarven exiles, forced away from their homelands hundreds of years ago. The reason for their exile, and indeed the reason for their settling in Madrueji remains a mystery, as the Dwarves are quite tight-lipped about anything relating to their past. Thorgrim Stonebreaker, the current Dwarven High Lord, refuses to let anyone speak of it, and has threatened execution on anyone who might reveal any Drawven secrets. Nonetheless, the Shah was more than pleased to allow the Dwarves to settle within his domain, as their mining and engineering expertise has proven its worth many times over, ensuring that the Desert Dwarves have become an integral part of Madruejian society.

While one can only guess why Thorgrim chose to have his people settle in Madrueji, Dwarven's biology is surprisingly adapted to survive in desert-like climates. Having rather round bodies, a Dwarf is able to store a fairly high amount of fat within their stocky frame, which in turn allows them to store a good amount of water within their bodies. Being smaller than most races, Dwarves present less body area for loss of water. Finally, as master forgers and blacksmiths, working within overly hot environments (as in closet to fires and forges) is something nearly all Dwarves are familiar with, allowing them to function better within the desert heat. Indeed, Dwarves seem to be a far better candidate for the desert conditions of Madrueji than humans ever could be.

The Stone Gates of Hamaroud

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All Dwarves choose to make their homes underground, usually within the confines of hills or mountains. The Desert Dwarves of Madrueji are certainly no exception, and while much of Madrueji is covered by desert, there are a large number of stone plateaus and mountains that dot the landscape of Madrueji. It is here, burrowed deep into the interior of a rocky canyon, that the Desert Dwarves have created the city of Hamaroud, the Dwarven city of rock and stone. Hamarod is carved directly into the rockface of the canyon walls, in typical Dwarven fashion, and has become the primary settlement for Madruejian Dwarves.

As much of Hamaroud is directly located within the rockface or underground, it is an excellent location for escaping the oppressive desert heat and sun of Madrueji, making it a perfect place for the Dwarves to live in. The mountains and underground caverns of Hamaroud are also home to a large number of precious ores and other gems. The Shah is entitled to a certain amount of treasure, and the Dwarven High Lord is allowed to distribute the rest as he sees fit. Hamaroud is one of the largest and most important cities in all of Madrueji.

While it is known as the "Dwarven City of Stone and Rock", Madrueji is also home to a large number of enterprising human traders, looking to take advantage of the city's wealth and status for their own gain. Thus, within the city itself, the Dwarves are allowed to make their own rules and laws, they are ultimately still subservient to the Shah, and must answer his summons and requests he makes of them. Of course, as the Dwarves have proven time and time again to be a rather valuable ally, he always makes sure to keep any requests he asks of them...reasonable.

The Elephant Clock

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Being master engineers and miners, the Desert Dwarves have contributed a wealth of knowledge to the Shah and Madrueji at large.

Along with the genius inventor Ismail al-Jazari, the Dwarves are responsible for a large variety of automata that can be found throughout Madrueji. Things like automatic hand washers, wine dispensers, hydro-powered chain pumps, and massive water clocks were all engineered by the Dwarves to make their lives a bit easier. These automata utilize no magic, relying solely on water power, gears and pulleys to achieve their desired functions.

The Dwarves also bring unique weapons to Madrueji. They use Stonebows, modified crossbows that fire rocks or lead, and clay shot instead of bolts. They also devised the mancatcher, a spring-loaded device that can be clamped around someone's head or legs to control them, instead of injuring them outright. They are partly responsible for developing the Panjagan, a bow and arrow system capable of firing five miniature arrows at once instead of a single arrow. Finally, it was the Dwarves who helped the Madruejians develop their first gunpowder weapon systems.

Unlike all other inhabitants, the Desert Dwarves use ostriches as a beast of burden and war mounts. Considered untamable and unable to be domesticated. the Dwarves have somehow figured out a way to do just that. They are commonly seen hauling carriages and supporting riders as a sort of "Dwarven Cavalry". Indeed, horses and camels are spurned by the Dwarves, making the ostrich one of their most important animals.

The Dwarven High Lord's mineral stash is second only to the Shah's, it's worth far too high to be measured. While the Shah would love to get his hands on such a valuable stash of rare and precious gems, having the Dwarves as allies is far more valuable than the material worth of said items. The Dwarves burrow deeper and deeper into the sand and rock in search of valuable materials, and what tribute and gifts from them have generated a small fortune for Madrueji. Thus, the Shah decides to leave a good thing alone, although he does worry that all of their diggings may one day disturb the sandworms from their slumber...