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Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Arboreal Dwarves Revisited

Looking back at some old posts, I noticed that I never finished my post regarding the Arboreal Dwarves.

Due to agressive predatorization of all humanoid races by the vicious ****** in the Mountains of ***** the Dwarves were pushed out of their earthen homes and into the tall protective Trees of Uzaram-kirikhul. Centuries passed and the Dwarves adapted to this new home. They became quite adept to life in the canopies high off the ground. Their culture left behind many of the old ways, and embraced their new life in the trees. They began to call themselves the Khazurmazad.



One important change that happened was a change in leadership. Where ancient dwarves follow a lineage of Kings, these new Arboreal Dwarves had a lineage of Queens. The reason for this was simple. After the great devastation of the Dwarves by the vicious ******, many males had been killed. All their Kings were dead and no one stood in line to take up their fallen crowns, none but the strong women who survived. It was the first Khazurmazad Queen that led her people to the trees and saved them from a cruel death. The prouder men, stayed behind and were slain. Because of this leadership, women and beauty are highly regarded by the Arboreal Dwarf Clans. Today, Arboreal Dwarf Clans are lead by a council of Dwarven Queens.

Other dwarven races that adhere more to the older ways assume that the Khazurmazad are soft because of their choice of leadership. But, this is not true. Arboreal Dwarves are just as hardy, stout and aggressive as any other dwarven race, if not more so. The reason for this is their competitive culture. The greatest honor for a male Arboreal Dwarf is to be choosen to be the mate of one of the Queens. The Queens choose a different mate for each different offspring that they birth. The mate is chosen only after proofing themselves worthy through perilous contest, some that pit male against male. Other contest involve the great Zurm-menemel Arenas where dwarven males fight against each other and other ferocious aboreal beasts.

The Zurm-menemel are great wooden pits that are suspended from the the tops of trees. They are designed like a funnel. Those who fall within the pit are dragged to the center and fall to their deaths. Tied to various parts of the pit are huge amount of rope rigging. The Zurm-menemel serve as a means of weeding out the weakest of their race, and to breed strength. It is also a training ground for arboreal skills that are needed in survival in the trees. Lastly, it is the means by which the Queens choose their mates, thus progressing their species. As such, the Zurm-menemel are a VERY important part of the Arboreal Dwarf culture.

Arboreal Dwarves are masters at training the giant Uzharmutunzel, Wooly Mammoth Spider. They breed and raise the giant Uzharmutunzel. Young Khazurmaz Dwarves learn early to care for the spiders and their eggs. Weapons of the Khazurmazad are entirely hewn from the wood taken from the Uzaram-kirikhul trees. It is near the strength of iron. The Uzaram-kirikhul trees are are several hundred feet high.

MORE TO COME....