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Miner caste

The Mining caste, also called as Miner caste,[1][2] is the caste of dwarven society responsible for mining and excavating ore and minerals, the most valuable and precious of which is lyrium.

Background[]

According to legend, the mining caste was founded by Orzammar, one of seven brothers. Orzammar dug the mines that became the foundations of the great thaig of Orzammar. From his descendants formed the Mining caste.[3]

Orzammar is the ancestral home of the Mining and Smith castes[4][5] and as such has had a strategic and financial importance to the empire. Part of the reason was to protect these commercial interests, that King Endrin Stonehammer in ancient times decreed the move of the capital from Kal-Sharok to Orzammar.[5][6]

Miners in the city of Orzammar enjoy a great deal of wealth and power. They are organized into the Miner's Guild which decides on how to distribute the extracted minerals.[7] Rich veins of ore lie in the Frostback Mountains and thus the miners are important to the livelihood of the dwarven people, and they make the most of this esteem.

In ancient times, House Valdasine was able to single-handedly supply with lyrium the entire dwarven empire. However an unknown disaster struck causing the disappearance of the entire clan. In response the thaig was sealed by the order of the dwarven king and disappeared from the Memories.[8][9]

Dwarves of the mining caste are able to find lyrium veins by ear[10] and some of them claim that they hear the Stone sing.[11] Miners are also the most proficient in the usage of explosives and grenades.[12][13]

Lyrium trade[]

Orzammar enjoys lucrative trade agreements with many surface organizations due to its control of the flow of lyrium to the surface and the mining caste is essential to this. The dwarves is the only known race which can mine lyrium safely and they tightly guard this secret.[14] They safely store lyrium within lead containers but further information on the exact specifications of these containers is also a secret.[15] The Chantry requires lyrium to enhance the anti-magical abilities of its Templars,[16] the Circle of Magi requires lyrium to fuel its magic and to create runes, and the Tevinter Imperium requires enormous quantities to power its magocracy. This gives Orzammar immense influence on surface politics and trade negotiations and has facilitated a long-standing relationship between the dwarves and the Imperium, forged millennia ago by Paragons Garal and Stonehammer. In spite of this, smuggling can and does go on, as the Carta often sells illicit lyrium on the surface.

Known Mining houses[]

Mining houses are listed in an alphabetical order and those whose status is unknown have their name italicized.

Known members[]

BioWare canon
The following information is only mentioned in Dragon Age Tabletop. Certain portions of this media may no longer reflect currently established lore.

  • Grundrak – he wrote a book named 'On Combustibles and Corrosives' which discusses the use of combustiles and corrosives for best effect and contains the formalae for both the Fire Bomb and Acid Flask; this book was written in the Trade tongue as he was certain that humans needed the advice most of all.[13]

Codex entries[]

Codex entry: An Unsent Letter from a Miner Codex entry: An Unsent Letter from a Miner
Codex entry: The Castes Codex entry: The Castes
Codex entry: Deep Roads Codex entry: Deep Roads
Codex entry: Heidrun Thaig Codex entry: Heidrun Thaig
Codex entry: Lyrium Blast Charges Codex entry: Lyrium Blast Charges

Notes[]

  • The term "shaft-rats" is commonly used as a slur name for dwarves of the mining caste.[7]
  • Despite the Mining caste being the most experienced entity in Thedas when it comes to lyrium, they have never encountered Red lyrium or even knew its existence.[15]
BioWare canon
The following information is only mentioned in Dragon Age Tabletop. Certain portions of this media may no longer reflect currently established lore.

  • If they chose, the miners could cripple the city by halting ore production, but rarely is this blackmail used.[2]
  • Unlike many other areas of dwarven life, women in the mining caste enjoy greater equality. They are also known to work some of the most productive veins and shafts of lyrium.[18]
  • While working in the mine shafts, the glowing slime is an animal which is considerably dangerous to the miners.[19]

See also[]

A Crew of Ambassadors (Part V) A Crew of Ambassadors (Part V)
Deep Roads Expeditions: Bastion of the Pure Excavation Deep Roads Expeditions: Bastion of the Pure Excavation

References[]

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