Dwarf Culture

Every cultural group identifies with a few things, often food items, religion and social activities, that helps to define them as a group.

• Ale - More a family of beers than one single drink, dwarven stout is known by different names around the Inner Sea. Dwarven stouts are dark beers characterized by a slightly burnt flavor and a foamy head; they are said to be as filling as a meal.
• Keep-All - the (not so) secret ingredient of many favorite dwarven dishes. While surface and coastal communities use salt to preserves supplies for the winter and lean times, Dwarves use Keep-All - a mineral compound that gives food a reddish colour and a tangy flavour, and replaces salt ion the preservation process.
• Dwarf Sausage - The meat doesn't really matter, but it has the reddish colour and tang of Keep-All, and has been smoked - it is an absolute favourite for trail rations and winter meals.
• Nubbe Paste - Another Dwarven favourite, Nubbe Paste looks and tastes a bit like pinkish peanut butter, with the tang of Keep-All. It is protein packed and will stay good for ages. However, Dwarves rarely mention that it is made from Cave Crickets - unless they want to tease their non-dwarf companions.

• Religious Tolerance - All dwarves are aware of the different origin stories of Moradin and Torag, and while there was some tension in the early days this has been resolved over the years. Priests of the two faiths asked their respective deities for guidance, although none has been forthcoming yet. In the absence of any divine instruction to start a war, the two communities co-exist peacefully. However, Dwarves who worship the evil deities, associated with either pantheon, are generally shunned by all right-thinking dwarves.

Dwarven Faiths

• Music - metals are the most common materials in Dwarf mine-holds, and influence the favourite dwarven musical styles. While there are metal based drums, cymbals, flutes etc - it is the trumpets, horns and other instruments of the brass band that dominate. Formal occasions might have large bands playing sedate arrangements, smaller bands for less formal occasions, while bars might just have a small band, of three or four musicians, playing rowdier Oompaah style, drinking, music. There are other instruments, of course, and most Dwarven Bards play a range of instruments and styles - but nothing says Dwarf Music in the same way as a brass band!
• Dancing - for the formal occasions Dwarves favour slower march like dances, although polkas are more popular amongst younger dwarves and for less formal occasions or parties.