Though every dwarf can trace his bloodline back to the mountainous highlands of Kar Mog, north of Westrel, dwarven communities can be found in nearly every mountain range in Aerda. The unique ability of dwarves to carve out – quite literally – an existence in the most inhospitable of mountain environments has given them a special advantage in colonizing the harsh places of the world.

Dwarven families tend to be patriarchal and quite large. Complex and distant familial relationships that might go unrecognized in human families are quite often given special names and significance among dwarves. For example, in human families, the father of a sibling’s spouse has no special name or significance, but to a dwarf, that person would be called a “greatfather”.

The head of each dwarf family, or “clan”, is called a chief or chieftain. When several families join together through marriage or other arrangements, the chieftains will choose among them a leader called a laird. The laird settles disputes among chieftains and holds his position until challenged by another chieftain for leadership. The challenge is usually settled by nonlethal combat or some other mutually agreed upon contest.

From the group of lairds is chosen the high king, who resides, by dwarf law, in the dwarf city of Bannock in the high peaks of of Kar Mog. In a fashion similar to that of each laird, the position of high king is held until challenged by an opposing laird, and the dispute is settled in the same way.