This article is about dwarfs in Warhammer Fantasy. For other uses of the term, see dwarf (disambiguation).

The Dwarfs are also a race in Warhammer Fantasy. Warhammer Dwarfs are highly driven by honor, and never forget a slight. In fact, one of the most sacred books to the Dwarfs is the Book of Grudges, which, as the name implies, is a listing of every slight perpetrated against the Dwarfs. These Grudges are written in the blood of kings, and are taken very seriously. Some kings take pleasure in striking out these grudges, which always involve payback of some sort, and usually regained through force, but generally, Warhammer Dwarfs prefer to hold grudges.

Another notable aspect to Warhammer Dwarf culture is the Slayer Oath. A Dwarf who has suffered a great shame, loss, or humiliation will dye his hair and beard orange, and cut it into a mohawk. Taking up his axe, he will go out into the world, seeking out an honourable death in combat to atone. Those who continue to survive their repeated attempts to get themselves killed become fearsome warriors. One of the most (or least) successful Slayers of all time is Gotrek Gurnisson, a Slayer made famous by the books written about him by his longtime companion Felix Jaeger (Gotrek and Felix are the two central models in the front row of the picture above).

One branch of the Warhammer Dwarf family tree is unique to the Warhammer universe. In ancient times, some Dwarfs moved far to the east, and were caught by the onslaughts of Chaos. Dwarfs are very resistant to the forces of Chaos, but they changed over time, becoming Chaos Dwarfs and, in many ways, mirror-images of their estranged kin. Where Warhammer Dwarfs shun most magic (save for Runic magic, which is unique to this race) Chaos Dwarfs have embraced it; where Dwarfs worship their Ancestor Gods, Chaos Dwarfs have turned to the worship of the evil Hashut, Father of Darkness; where Dwarfs abhor slavery and "greenskin" races (Goblins, Orcs and the like), Chaos Dwarfs hold masses of slaves and are allied with or are overlords of many greenskin tribes and peoples.

Perhaps the most famous of all dwarfs is Josef Bugman. Bugman was a master dwarf brewer who was world renowned for his famous beers, known as Bugman's XXXXX. However one night, returning from a trading trip in the empire, he found his brewery ablaze, attacked by a raiding party of Goblins. Since then Bugman and his rangers have travelled the old world fighting with the Goblins and Orcs.

Related articles

• Squats (Warhammer 40,000)