Dwarves tend to hang together in groups, rather than mixing in with the general population. This has more to do with cultural values, rather than racism, intolerance or xenophobia. They just get on better with others of their own race, who think the same way as them and enjoy the same things.

Most Dwarves live in independent mine-holds, underground mining towns populated almost entirely by dwarves. You will find mine-holds scattered in and around The Empire, and other parts of the game world, where they interact and trade with the local community. Mine-holds tend to be family and guild based, and the leader is often selected from a ruling family - in a semi-hereditary way (although the actual process varies). There are different types of mine-hold.

• Base - Main Production: Iron - mainly run by humans. Gems: Hematite Plus one or two low value quartz stones.
• Poor - Main Production: Iron, Copper, Bronze Secondary production: Silver, Lead. Gems: azurite; malachite; turquoise; plus one or two from this list: agates; blue quartz; hematite; lapis lazuli; obsidian; rhodochrosite; tigereye;
• Good – Main Production: Iron, Silver, Lead. Secondary production: Gold, Copper, Bronze. Gems: A selection of (perhaps) 5 or 6 types of gemstone up to 100gp in value - say 3@10, 2@50, 1@100
• Great - Potentially all metals and minerals, although each will have regular supplies of a limited selection. It may take a while to get others.

Metallugy

Great Mine-Holds control a route into the darklands (underdark), where they deal and trade with the underground races, which makes them a major trade centre. The exotic gems, metals and ores they sell to surface dwellers may have been mined deep underground, perhaps many miles from the mine-hold, and may have been traded two or three times before they reach the surface. When you buy Mithral, it might have been mined by drow-owned slaves, stolen by Derro, traded to Dark Creepers and then transported by Svirfneblin. If you know the way, you can probably travel between major mine-holds via the underdark - but it would be a massive undertaking beset with extreme danger.

These are not an easy route into the underdark for adventurers. Each mine-hold protects its trade route and contacts. In the same way as it doesn't let underground races onto the surface, it doesn't let adventurers below ground. Well, not without charging a high price and some detailed negotiations. Most major mine-holds are split into three separate sections - one for trade and interaction with surface races, the residential area & home mines, and the underground trade and interaction area.

Routes through the darklands are dangerous, sparsely populated and not well travelled, they wind and twist along (mainly) natural caverns, that can be home to all sorts of hazards. Underground races send hunting parties out to monitor the routes, so merchants or adventurers either have to be strong or stealthy to travel them - just like caravans on wilderness trade routes, but more so.

Minehold Structure

Other mine-holds do not have a connection with the underdark, although it is entirely possible that they will find a connecting route at some point. These mine-holds only produce a few metals and gem types …

Good Mineholds, are quite wealthy and

Types of Mine-hold and their main products

• Base - Main Production: Iron - mainly run by humans. Gems: Hematite Plus one or two low value quartz stones.
• Poor - Main Production: Iron, Copper, Bronze Secondary production: Silver, Lead. Gems: azurite; malachite; turquoise; plus one or two from this list: agates; blue quartz; hematite; lapis lazuli; obsidian; rhodochrosite; tigereye;
• Good – Main Production: Iron, Silver, Lead. Secondary production: Gold, Copper, Bronze. Gems: A selection of (perhaps) 5 or 6 types of gemstone up to 100gp in value - say 3@10, 2@50, 1@100
• Great - Potentially all metals and minerals, although each will have regular supplies of a limited selection. It may take a while to get others.

Most cities have dwarf communities, and like most immigrant / racial groups, they tend to cluster together for support. Living and working close to each other, there is often a dwarf owned tavern/inn and school within their ‘quarter’, and probably shrines or chapels dedicated to the two dwarven pantheons. Social life, education and religion all follow the familiar patterns of Dwarfish Culture, and dominate community behaviour and experience. Sure, Ex-Pats (and their children) are exposed to other cultures, but it is almost home. Ex-pat communities do not have hereditary leaders, however a small group of Elders is often recognized as providing leadership for the community. Ironically, many of those elders come from the ruing mine-hold families, but then they have probably had leadership training since they were young.

Some dwarves finish up living in very small communities, isolated from their cultural roots. This might be a lone Dwarf in a village, or a very small community in a non-dwarven environment, or somewhere else that is not large enough to support all the cultural infrastructure. In this case, children are generally sent to ‘foster’ with relatives who live in an ex-pat community or mine-hold – it might be grandparents, uncles, aunts etc … but the young dwarf is always exposed to the culture somehow.

These dwarves are commonly banished or ostracized; they are forced to eke out a living at the fringes of dwarven settlements or in bleak wilderness areas. Some try to maintain as much Dwarven Culture / Dignity as they can, and send their children into fosterage for a proper Dwarven upbringing. If not, their children must take the Slag Child alternate racial trait ( Slag Child: Dwarves from dishonored families must append “-slag,” “-slagsun,” or “-slagdam” to their surnames to indicate their shameful status. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Stealth and Survival checks. This racial trait replaces defensive training and hatred.)