WIP

[hider=Urâl Dûm]
[center][h1][b]URÂL DÛM[/b][/h1]
[IMG]http://i58.tinypic.com/2pzwufb.png[/IMG] [/center]

[b][h3]Location[/h3][/b]
[hider=The Ural Mountains]
[IMG]http://i60.tinypic.com/20haj5.png[/IMG]
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[b][h3]General Introduction[/h3][/b]
Urâl Dûm is one of the largest, if not [i]the[/i] largest, dwarven realm in the world. Spanning the length, breadth, height and depth of the Ural mountains, it is a maze of tunnels, halls, mines and fortresses. The dwarves of Urâl Dûm are wary of outsiders, and few are permitted inside the halls of the underground kings. Those that are speak of marvelous masonry, untold riches, and the crushing darkness of the depths. The rest are allowed only to the outside keeps, where the dwarves barter minerals and crafts for other goods. 

The dwarves of Urâl Dûm rarely leave their subterranean homes, but when they do it is usually either a trader or an exile. The traders are known for bringing enormous sums of riches with them with which they buy equally enormous quantities of goods. The exiles, the law-breakers of the dwarven society, don’t usually last long. There are however some stories and legends about surface-dwarves and their lives in the lands surrounding the mountains.

The dwarves in Urâl Dûm are all about collective welfare and success. The individual is unimportant next to society as a whole. Resources aren’t bartered with. Instead, they’re shared and dispensed according to need. The only time that the dwarves take part in bartering and haggling is when they trade goods with outsiders, who live differently. Dwarves are very disciplined and hardworking, and have been compared to ants on many occasions. They try to be self-sufficient in the mountains, but the need for resources from the outside is not easily quenched.

[b][h3]History[/h3][/b]
(You can ignore this part for now because the game's setting is ambigious at the beginning. Once it took shape you can work on your background more. Albeit if your General Intro already covers the history we need you can just skip this)

[h3][b]Government & Society[/b][/h3]
Urâl Dûm is a federation of dwarven city-states, each ruled by a sovereign. These cities together form a ruling council that decides upon matters dealing with all of the mountain range. Local problems are dealt with by local authorities. The burden of rule is hereditary, so there are no elections and in essence no democracy. This is however not a problem since most of dwarven society functions in the same way. Occupations and titles are all hereditary. If you’re born to a smith, you will grow up to become one yourself. No occupation has a higher value than the rest; all who contribute are equal in dwarven society.

Dwarves overall are very much into tradition. Their philosophy revolves around self-sufficiency and lasting, and so they strive to be so themselves. Written words are never altered, old tunnels never destroyed. As such, change takes time in dwarven society. Choosing what particular kind of stone to use in a mural can be a question for an entire generation. 

There are no punishments in dwarven society, except one: banishment. Any dwarf that breaks the ancient laws of their people are cast out of the realm, never to return. Most exiles perish very quickly, but some are known to have found a place in other societies. There are even rumors of small settlements of dwarves living in the forests surrounding the mountains. 

The dwarves of Urâl Dûm are not religious. They have a hard time understanding the very idea of religion, or what the point of its practice is. The closest thing to religion or superstition they have is their reverence for their ancestors. Dwarves take great pride in their ancestors, noting their deeds and lives on stone tablets mounted on the walls where they live. Most dwarven homes are covered in runes with stories depicting the lives of its previous inhabitants.  

[hider=Khazad (Dwarves)]
The dwarves are a subterranean humanoid species originating from the mountains around the world. They share many characteristics with humans (two eyes and ears, a nose, a mouth, two arms and two legs) but there are many features that tell them apart. Dwarves are normally no taller than 100cm (roughly 3 feet). They have four fingers on each hand and four toes on each foot. Dwarves also lack a neck, making them unable to turn their heads. They are hairier than humans, and all dwarves grow big beards. It is very hard, if not impossible, for humans to tell dwarven males from females. The dwarves themselves say it’s a matter of scent. 

These subterranean creatures have a long lifespan of around 300 years, but are considered old at 100 and will remain so for the remainder of their lives. They can see perfectly even in complete darkness, mainly because their eyes can register heat down to fractions of degrees. Dwarves are very sensitive to sunlight and prefer to stay indoors if possible. If not, they usually garb themselves with heavy clothes, covering as much as possible of their skin.

Dwarves are renowned for their supreme stonemasonry and blacksmithing. It is said that dwarven strongholds are carved from the rock of the mountains itself, and that dwarf-made steel never bends, breaks or dulls.
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[h3][b]Economy & Industry[/b][/h3]

 
[b][h3]Military Overview[/h3][/b](Yeah, of course you also need to tell us some about your military. Try to avoid number games and unhealthy arms races. We play this game for fun and that needs balance and sensible approach. One of the main guidelines is that your nation's military shouldn't be much better than a historical 15-16th century army. Don't worry, I don't ask you historical accuracy. So-called "super units" can be okay if they are rather rare and may have other limitations. The point is to let you do cool things and explore your creativity but at the same time don't do it at the expense of others.)
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