Dwarves in Space

Physical Traits & Society

Dwarves are 1.4 m to 1.6 m tall and have a heavy build, with thicker and stronger bones and muscles compared to humans. Both males and females can grow beards, and while many do, shaven dwarves are not uncommon. They are known for their dexterous hands, and their society values high-quality craftsmanship, honor, and the importance of keeping one's word above all else.

Due to their shorter and denser physique, dwarves are slower runners over long distances, though they can sprint just fine. They also lack jumping power and have a shorter reach than humans.

Exodus from Muiria

The dwarves abandoned Muiria, their homeworld, as it became increasingly inhospitable. The planet was already rocky and resource-rich but had less arable land than other habitable worlds. Overpopulation, industrial expansion, and conflicts accelerated climate change, leading to worsening conditions.

With advanced technology, the dwarves turned to space. They moved their industries to orbit, then further out into the asteroid belts. It was during this time that the clan system was established, as the dwarves realized that space offered room for everyone and that the conflicts that had wrecked Muiria's habitability must not be repeated.

Clans & Governance

Dwarves have always organized around large family units, but the transition to space strengthened these bonds even further. Clans now operate spaceships—the richer and more powerful the clan, the larger and more advanced the ship. These vessels serve as homes, mining bases, and industrial centers for smaller scout and production ships.

All clans send representatives to the Clan Assembly, a governing body located on a station orbiting their now mostly empty homeworld. Here, they debate issues affecting all dwarves and present a unified diplomatic front in dealings with other nations, empires, and political entities. The Assembly itself is governed by the Council of Clans, which acts as the de facto dwarven government and the main arbiter for disputes between clans that cannot be resolved through normal legal means.

The Council of Clans is also responsible for tracking each clan’s contributions to the dwarven military and would act as the central authority in times of total war. Positions on the Council are awarded through elections within the Assembly.

Dwarven Values & Trade Culture

Dwarves respect tradition and are slow to adopt new technologies until they fully understand them and see clear benefits. However, they are also industrious and pragmatic, actively seeking out and reverse-engineering technologies they find interesting. True adoption, however, only comes once they fully understand every aspect of how a technology works.

Contracts hold immense significance in dwarven culture. The written word is sacred, and dwarves strive to cover every possible contingency in their agreements. Their contracts are notoriously complex, and dwarven lawyers are infamous for their ability to draft and interpret these dense legal texts. Dwarves do not break contracts unless they have an exceptionally good reason, which is exceedingly rare. Likewise, they expect the same level of commitment from others—breaking a contract with one dwarven clan results in being blacklisted by all others, marking the offender as untrustworthy and unreliable.

Because most dwarven clans specialize in large-scale resource extraction and industrial development, losing access to their services can be a crippling blow to any empire’s economic and manufacturing capabilities.

Industry, Conflict, and Warfare

Dwarves primarily focus on trade, commerce, and the creation of goods and technologies. They shun conflict whenever possible, but if war becomes necessary, they prefer direct, overwhelming force rather than deception or subterfuge. Their ships are large, heavily armored, and equipped with massive firepower, favoring brute strength over agility.

Despite their preference for honorable dealings, dwarven clans often employ auxiliaries from other species to assist in various roles—from factory workers to specialist operators. While they consider espionage and underhanded tactics dishonorable, the larger clans quietly employ operatives to handle the tasks they cannot officially be involved in. Over time, these alien auxiliaries often integrate into dwarven clans, and while rare, it is not unheard of for non-dwarves to become part of the core clan family itself.

However, not all dwarves follow the path of honor. Rogue clans, either exiled or self-imposed exiles, have turned to piracy or mercenary work, dealing with factions that mainstream dwarven society would refuse to associate with. Yet, even these outlaws sometimes serve their kin, providing deniable assets when needed.

Dwarven FTL Travel & Trade Network: The Deep-Vault Drive and Industrial Armada

Dwarves, being an industry-focused and pragmatic species, have tailored FTL travel to their specific needs. While they use the same Jump Capacitor System as other species, they have adapted it to suit their massive-scale mining, refining, and industrial operations.

Dwarven FTL: The Deep-Vault Drive

• Jump System: Dwarves utilize the same solar sail-charged capacitor jumps as other species, with travel between Lagrange Points and instant jumps between systems.
• Overcharged Capacitors: Unlike standard jump vessels, dwarven Deep-Vault Drives store excess energy, allowing three to five consecutive jumps before requiring a recharge. This makes dwarven jump ships the most efficient in the galaxy, capable of traversing multiple systems in a single trade circuit.
• Powerful But Slow Recharge: Their jump ships possess massive energy reserves, but the recharge time is extensive—usually taking three weeks or more, requiring dedicated charging stations at key industrial hubs.

Dwarven Industrial & Trade Armada

Dwarves have built a vast network of industrial freighters, mobile shipyards, and mining fleets. Their colossal freighters, known as "Forge Ships," are legendary across the galaxy.

Types of Dwarven Spacecraft

• Forge Ships (Massive Super Freighters) – The backbone of dwarven industry, these colossal factory ships refine raw materials in transit, producing alloys, components, and prefabricated goods. They can dismantle entire asteroid belts and process them for delivery to client worlds.
• Mining Hulks (Mobile Refinery Stations) – These massive mining platforms extract and refine rare metals, often operating independently for decades. Some of these long-haul ships are known as "Nomad Clans".
• Anvil-Class Jump Ships (Deep-Vault Drive Equipped) – Heavily armored freighters built for long-haul, multi-jump trade routes. These ships are fortified with gun platforms and escort drones to deter raiders.
• Ironclad War Barges (Dwarven Military Fleets) – Slow but incredibly durable warships, equipped with hulking railguns, plasma lances, and kinetic artillery. These ships double as mobile command centers for ground invasions.

Dwarven Trade & Economic Influence

Dwarves control vast industrial supply chains, making them indispensable to the rest of the galaxy. Their contracts are sacred—breaking a deal with a dwarven clan means being cut off from their trade empire.

Dwarves and Warfare

While dwarves prefer trade over war, their jump points are heavily fortified. Their Jump Gates are protected by gigantic orbital defense stations, armed with railguns and missile batteries. If threatened, dwarves can lock down entire supply chains, crippling an enemy’s industrial capacity.