The biggest insult someone can make to a dwarf is to call him a "dwarf". Notoriously proud of their heritage, and eager to shed the human term for their race, members of this community to go great lengths to call themselves Shagir (in most of the Buchlayne) or Tharri (in certain areas of Buchlayne Minor and Verundhi).
Physical Description: Shagir appear as short, stocky humanoids possessing great strength and constitution. Their skin color tends to be tan or white with light gray overtones. Their deep-set eyes are most commonly brown. Their hair, which they tend to braid into elaborate patterns, is typically black or dark brown, although blonde hair is not unknown in the northern climes. Among all of the "civilized" races, the Shagir are more apt to grow large, full beards. Shagir range between 4'9" and 5'0" in height, and weight an impressive average of 140 pounds. They are not fat, however; most of their weight comes from thick bones and greater muscle mass.
Relations: In general, in the western part of the Buchlayne, dwarves are usually greeted by humans with a "there goes the neighborhood" attitude. The dwarves are well aware of this, and while some strive to overcome this image, most simply ignore it and go about their business. They appear to outsiders as a silent, stoic race that keep mainly to themselves. However, in dealing with their own kind they seem to be bitterly proud, rowdy, uncouth, and foul-tempered. This loudness and apparent hostility comes from the fact that most dwarves feel a great camaraderie for each other and express their bond with good-natured ribbing, going to great lengths to to come out on top of a quickly escalating pile of insults. These bouts grow louder and more apparently hostile as the participants react with mock anger and surprise. Trouble comes only at the intervention of outsiders who do not understand this ritual and try to interrupt it, being offended by its crudeness. Any non-dwarves unfortunate enough to join in with the mock argument or to attempt to stop it will find themselves with a real fight on their hands.
Shagir tend to get along mainly with their own kind and few others. A few Shagir have developed good relations with the Wraith Elves, who are also often seen as outcasts by the human-oriented socieities of the day.
The Shagir of the Buchlayne do not tend to get along well with the Elves and the Goblins, both of whom adopted AEtonism and help that faith to persecute of the Shagir of the West.
Shagir Lands: Despite attitude of most humans, Shagir do live in human areas, usually separating themselves into a Dwarven Quarter or "ghetto". Although a proud people who despise their second-class status in the eyes of humans, they recognize the value of living where jobs and goods are more readily available. Many dwarves even view their lives as a challenge to show their worth and skills to the human majority.
Shagir Customs: While looked down upon by the other races, the Shagir are begrudgingly known as expert craftsmen, weaponsmiths, and armorsmiths. They have also developed a great interest in stonework, becoming great artisans and crafting stone strongholds, bridges, mines, and other structures. Lastly, many Shagir come from famous jeweler families whose work is known throughout the World Continent. Many humans believe that the Shagir Jewelry Guilds were established as a way to "get even" with humans by controlling much of the world supply of jewels and gems. The Shagir deny this, but there is no disputing the skills of the Shagir with jewels, nor with their almost completely monopoly of the jewelry market in the Buchlayne. Their constant digging for jewels in the bowels of the earth have led to an evolutionary development in the eyesight of the Shagir, most of whom now possess the ability to see in the dark.
Among their own kind, the dwarves lead lives of duty and obligation, and they study relentlessly at martial training. This tireless pursuit of martial perfection goes back generations for most dwarves, who share a common mythology of a time in the distant past when they were all slaves. Dwarven children are brought up being told stories of their slavery and preparing for the day when they will root out and destroy their former masters. As reminders of their devotion to their quest, most dwarves across Samoth wear a symbolic chain somewhere on their person. The type and size of the chain varies greatly across the World Continent.
Yet another side effect of this slavery lore is that most dwarves believe that their former masters were mages (or "wyrds") of great power and therefore most dwarves avoid arcane pursuits for fear of reprisal by their own kind.
