No matter where you go, Dwarf Communities, be they Mine-holds, Ex-Pats or isolated groups, you will find the same basic values and structures that reflect the Lawful Good racial outlook. It is similar to most other Lawful Good societies.

There is a cohesive central government that encourages everyone to work together, and those who rise up the social pyramid are expected to have a strong social conscience, and contribute more to the community. People know how to behave, and that you work hard and follow the rules, you will rise up and do well.

It might be a Lord, a Mayor or some other figurehead, but each community has a recognized leader of some sort. He (or she) is generally backed up by family members, a formal council or an informal group of elders. However, there are few formal meetings and lots of quiet discussions that get channelled up through the hierarchy, and before long, a consensus view emerges. It isn't always quick, but the community get a solution that everyone can get behind, to some extent or another. The leader and council only make decisions that are needed quickly - and everyone goes along with it. Bad decisions lead to mutterings and talk between community members, which is fed upwards. In extreme cases, it will lead to a change in leadership.

To humans, Dwarf Community government can look slow, stuck in its ways and rarely changing - but it works for the dwarves!

Dwarf communities operate in ways that support all the members with facilities such as meeting places, wells, rubbish dumps, public baths, medical facilities, alms houses and schools. The larger the community, the better the facilities will be. Even the smallest expat community expects to have a Tavern (social & meeting space), School and at least one shrine, while the largest Mine-Holds will have many different social and community facilities. Competition is good, but success, at the expense of your neighbour, isn't. The most well respected dwarves, have achieved success and are seen to support their community, with both time and money.

Laws, regulations and community expectations are all very traditional, well established, and understood by the community as a whole. Work and Businesses are regulated to ensure that the good name of the Dwarven Race is not sullied. In mine-holds there are quality inspections and permissions, in Ex-Pat Communities crafters (etc) are expected to join local guilds and (if they can) produce better work than their non-dwarf peers