Gavan

Only 20% of dwarves are born female, which gives females a slightly prized status.  Dwarven society is matrilineal, meaning that clan affiliation and inheritance are traced through the female line. When dwarves marry, the husband becomes a member of the wife's clan, and their children are considered part of the mother's clan. Leadership roles are not exclusively linked to gender, as the dwarves prioritize merit and capability over sex. This matrilineal system helps maintain clan connections and fosters a sense of continuity and stability within the community.

The dwarves live in a socialist republic governed by the Cobes Klanov (CK), which is composed of representatives chosen by each clan. Every dwarf belongs to a clan, which typically consists of around 200 individuals and includes near and distant blood relatives. The clan plays a central role in the social fabric of dwarven society, fostering a sense of kinship, solidarity, and collective responsibility.

Each clan selects a representative called a Glava Doma, who serves in the CK. The CK is the decision-making body responsible for preserving the well-being and prosperity of the community. It upholds the principles of collective ownership of resources and production assets, ensuring that individual gain does not overshadow the common good. The CK oversees the equitable distribution of resources, aiming to eliminate disparities and meet the needs of all dwarves.

Within the CK, the Glava Doma form committees known as Komitet to address specific issues or areas of governance. A Komitet consists of a knowledgeable Glava Doma, a less experienced Glava Doma, and other members. The Komitet will often appoint experts from outside of the CK when necessary, but these experts are advisors and have no decision-making power. These committees operate for a fixed period of three years, and no Glava Doma can serve on the same Komitet for more than nine years, promoting fresh perspectives and preventing consolidation of power.

Living in Gavan
Life in Gavan is centered around the pursuit of craftsmanship, mining, and maintaining the well-being of the community. Dwarves have a strong sense of camaraderie and loyalty, valuing the bonds of family and clan.

Food
In Gavan, Dwarves primarily rely on underground-grown mushrooms and fungi as a staple food source. Many of the animal species in the Tenebra serve as a source of food as well.  They have developed unique methods to cultivate and prepare these fungi to provide sustenance. Additionally, they may trade for surface-grown crops, preserved foods, or meat from animals they rear underground.

Homes
Dwarven homes in Gavan are carved within the stone walls of the underground city. They feature sturdy architecture, intricate stonework, and cozy interiors. Dwarves take pride in their homes, often displaying ornate decorations, family crests, and ancestral memorabilia.

Surface contact
The Dwarves made contact with surface folk over 10,000 years ago, so Gavan is no longer secluded from the rest of the world as it once was.  The Razyem is the name of the tunnel they created to connect Gavan with the rest of the world.  Since Gavan is about 1000 feet below the ground level, the Razyem is about a mile-long climb at an angle of 10 degrees.  The Razyem is quite a feat of engineering.  It uses a winch powered by large draft horses, along with a complex system of counterweights and pulleys to provide mechanical advantage and safety features.  Since its creation, the dwarves have traded readily with the surface folk, so surface-derived goods are now common down in Gavan.  

Most of the above information also applies to later dwarven settlements that have formed at the surface.  Other dwarven communities form CKs of their own, even though a clan may be representative in more than one location.  From here, the governing bodies are tiered to ensure well-being and prosperity of the entire community, not just individual clans or settlements.