Over the following weeks, the team continued to spend time learning about dwarven culture from Azna and smithing from Renir.

The group learned that when greeting people for the first time, it was common for dwarves to insult the new person. This was how they took measure of one another. If the newcomer was offended then the dwarves would judge them negatively. If the newcomer just laughed, that was a good sign. If the newcomer fired back with an insult of their own, the dwarves considered them someone who they could form a relationship with. But there were exceptions to this rule. For one, you never punched down. If you were hiring a someone for a job you would not insult them first. If they insulted you, then you could reply in kind. And the more formal the occasion the more tame the insult, typically.

Azna also went over the rules for fighting in dwarven society. Evidently it wasn’t overly frowned on to start a brawl at a tavern. The dwarves involved would be tossed out for the night and expected to cover the repair costs the next time they came. If two dwarves just wanted to fight, most clans had training grounds that they could use. And if it was a matter of ones honor, you could call out another dwarf and challenge them. The rules for this was very similar to duels in early America, with each party having a second who would try to negotiate for peace. The seconds tried to resolve the issue not out of concern for the participant, since these rarely ended in death thanks to healing potions and magic. No, they sought peace because anything involving honor involved the clans. And the clan’s honor was infinitely more important than a single dwarf’s.

The next lesson Azna taught was in regards to work ethic. Azna stressed the importance of hard work and spoke derogatorily about humans and how so many of them simply did the bear minimum and stressed that dwarves who slacked off were looked down on and often times found themselves clanless shortly after reaching adulthood. This lesson sparked some controversy amongst the group.

“What if I’m being paid half what the person next to me makes for the same job?” asked Dakota.

"If ye're bein' paid, then ye've already done somethin' wrong," Azna replied.

Seeing the looks of confusion on everyone's faces she continued, "Dwarves are assigned jobs by their clan. Tha clan provides housin', food, and a stipend. Each clan has their own rules on how everythin' is split, but in tha vast majority o' clans, a dwarf does tha job they are assigned and they get a stipend based on how useful tha clan views that job. A master artisan gets a higher stipend than a general laborer. A master teacher gets more than a master warrior. Sometimes dwarves can barter within their clan and trade a higher stipend for a larger residence or vice versa. Some occupations come with a second stipend for materials. For example," looking at Wendell, "if ye're learnin' tanning ye would be given a stipend specifically for materials needed to progress yer tanning skills."

Taking a breath Azna continued, "So, if ye're gettin' paid half what tha person next to ye is makin', then it’s likely that ye're IIkkavareg, which means clanless, and are bein' taken advantage of. And, unfortunately, yer options are to do a good job or to quit. But never. Let me stress this, never do a half-hearted job. In tha case o' ye bein' clanless, then ye'll just justify everyone's opinion o' tha IIkkavareg and ye'll make it harder for yerself to survive. If ye're workin' for yer clan and are unhappy with yer position or stipend, then it’s even more important that ye work hard so that when ye speak with tha clan elders about gettin' a better assignment ye won't have anyone tellin' them that ye don't take pride in yer work. Do yer jobs and do 'em well. Anythin' less brings shame to yer clan and, as I covered before, tha clan’s weal above all."

“So no matter what, we’re going to spend our days working ourselves to death?” asked Miguel in a sour tone.

Azna could see her students were dissatisfied with her lesson and tried to think through it all from their point of view and realized that she couldn’t because she didn’t know enough about where they came from. “I feel like ye're still lookin' at things through tha lenses of yer life before Traum. This be natural but is somethin' we should strive to correct. Tell me, please, about how an adult in yer world lived. How were jobs assigned? How much time was spent at work vs with family? Help me understand yer perspective on these things.”

The group had expected more of an argument, not this sort of willingness to listen. They all took turns telling Azna about their lives in specific as well as how things were done in their cultures. Azna listened attentively and was shocked by much of what she heard. She asked clarifying questions and the group could tell that she was honestly trying to understand them better.

Once they finished explaining, Azna nodded her head, “I can see why ye were gettin' upset about how we dwarves do things. Ye're comin' from a society who valued independence above all and to be put into one that frowns on it and instead puts all tha value on clan. Let me explain more about how tha typical dwarf grows up so that ye can see how we feel it should work.

“Tha typical dwarf’s life can be broadly summarized in tha following stages:

* Twenty years for childhood and education

* Ten years learnin' how tha clan operates

* Ten years testin' out different potential paths

* Fifty years pursuin' tha path they decided on

* Ten years for Utfovareg

* Three hundred years usin' their skills to benefit tha clan in whatever work is deemed tha best use of their time by tha clan elders

* And tha last hundred years, or more if they tier up, are spent however tha elder would like but most dwarves continue to chase their passion or agree to work as a clan elder.

Please let me finish,” Azna stated after see several getting ready to start asking questions. “It is important to make note of a few things. Tha fifty years are spent learnin' tha skills ye want to learn. Tha three hundred years are spent usin' those skills. This isn’t like yer previous world where ye’re forced to learn somethin' ye don’t like. Dwarves know goin' in that whatever path they choose will be tha one they’ll spend hundreds of years doin'. And if a dwarf chooses to be a merchant, tha clan isn’t goin' to assign 'em to 'dig ditches' as ye mentioned earlier. They’re goin' to place each dwarf in tha position that they’re tha best suited for. Are there times when a dwarf follows a path that tha clan has no need for? Absolutely. But they are informed of this before goin' down that path and tha clan will then help tha dwarf find a new clan that does need or want whatever skills tha dwarf has.

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“Tha biggest thing to understand is that tha clan will feed, clothe, house, train, and pay every dwarf in their clan for their entire lives. Tha clan is expected to do its best in every one of these areas and in return tha members are expected to do their best for tha clan. Is tha system perfect? Absolutely not. But it's worlds better than what I’ve seen in tha human cities."

As soon as Azna finished speaking Miguel spoke up, “That still sounds like four fifths of our life is spend doing what we’re told with the promise that during the last fifth we’ll be able to do whatever we want.”

“Dude, just admit that you’re lazy and don’t want to work hard,” snapped Dakota.

“You’re one to talk,” fired back Miguel. “You once quit a job because of a spider bite!”

“Enough you two!” snapped Celeste. “Act your ages.”

“Yeah,” cut in Liam, “Everyone knows that you both you avoid hard work like it’s a disease. It’s time to grow up. Fuck this up and there’s no telling what the gods will turn you into.”

⚴

In just over two weeks time they all managed to ‘graduate’ from Renir’s training program which clearly made the smith excited. Though he tried to hide it, it was clear to all that he hadn’t stopped thinking about all the other types of metals that could be out in the world waiting to be discovered and he was anxious to spent more time on that, even going as far as to try and assign Liam’s continued training to others. Upon hearing of that Gito went and spoke with the smith and helped him remember his oath.

Azna used this event as another lesson, showing how even though Renir was anxious to move on to something new, when reminded of his oath to provide training, he restrained himself and did what he had previously agreed to do. She spoke about how, if Renir had refused it would have brought disgrace to clan Holyforge.

“If he had refused to honor his oath, what would the clan have done?” asked Dakota.

“Because Renir holds a high rank in tha clan, tha first course would've simply been one o' tha elders comin' to speak with him. If that didn't yield results, then he would be called before all tha elders. If he still refused, he would have been given some form of punishment. In this situation where he was breakin' an oath 'cause he wanted to work on somethin' else, tha punishment would've been somethin' to ensure he had no time to work on what he wanted to work on. It would likely start with just grunt work, but if he persisted, he would eventually be assigned to a worthless task, such as forgin' a fork only to melt it down and forge it again until he’s done it a thousand times. Upon completion, he would be required to display tha fork near his workspace for all to see his shame and to serve as a reminder to Renir.”

“I don’t think I could do that. Couldn’t he just tell them to fuck off and then do what he wants? He’s an adult,” asked Wendell

“Technically, yes, he could,” answered Azna, clearly uncomfortable with the question. “But then he would be thrown out of the clan. And to be made Ikkavareg, or clanless in the common tongue, is the greatest dishonor a dwarf could experience. Most would commit suicide if made clanless. Those who don’t typically move to a foreign city.”

“Why is it so bad to be clanless? Couldn’t they just rent or buy a home and continue doing whatever it is they usually did to earn money? Or start their own clan?”

“No,” replied Azna. “In your world was there a class of people that most everyone avoided or looked down on? A class that couldn’t find work? Who’s testimony in a court of law was never trusted?”

“Yeah,” answered Dakota, “homeless people.”

“That’s fittin', because clanless are typically homeless as well. Most won’t hire Ikkavareg, which means they can’t afford a place to live, even if someone was willin' to rent to 'em. Those who are willin' to hire 'em do so because they can exploit 'em, and they are often beaten and raped. I know this is hard to wrap yer mind around; I saw that durin' a previous lesson. But I need ye to really think about this and internalize it. To a dwarf, clan is everythin'. ‘Tha clan's weal above all’,” she said, quoting the first principal. With tears starting to well up in her eyes she continued, "Without a clan, we are nothin' and no one. Society ignores us. Not only are we literally, as ye said, homeless, but we are also without a home. Without a place filled with family who loves us and cares for our well-bein'."

Liam, ever the observant one, spoke up, “Azna, are innocent dwarves ever expelled from clans? Maybe simply due to clan politics or something?”

"Aye. It is rare, but it does happen."

Committing to his hunch, Liam pressed on, “How long has it been since you were expelled?”

This surprised several members of the group but Liam saw that Celeste had seen it as well. Azna didn’t respond right away, but eventually answered, "I was made Ikkavareg nearly three years ago. And before ye ask, I cannot tell ye who my former clan was and I will not tell ye why I was exiled. Nay, I haven’t tried to kill meself. Aye, I should have moved, but I’ve refused."

Nodding his head, Miguel spoke up, “I know that look, you want revenge.”

"That I do. Teachin' you lot is the first step. My pay for doin' this is an introduction to a clan that might be willin' to take me in. Gito won’t tell me the name of this clan, just that they have no presence here in Kan Ladur. But their representative is comin' here to meet you lot."

“Meet us?” Miguel asked. “Why?”

“Because we’re clanless, too.” Celeste answered in a hushed voice.