Burwigs (B&r'wig) are little people, taller than dwarvesplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigDwarves

Dwarves are short, stocky people, growing to a height of only two or three feet, who concern themselves primarily with hard, sober work, like mining and metalworking. They are said to be immortal, or at least to live for hundreds of years. The dwarves keep their distance from humans; they are suspicious of foreigners. They live in mountains and hills, always underground, where they carve tunnels and caves in which to live and work. Only rulers, miners and artisans are ever mentioned in … but not by much, who live in burrows in the hills, and are ruled mildly by minor governors. There are very few stories of them, as they generally stay clear of the taller races.

The Simple Burwigs One of the few stories still told is that of Baron Garig, who found a group of Burwigs in his fief, farming his land quietly and ignoring all that was out of sight. He immediately claimed their land for his own, and set about collecting taxes and doing all else that a noble lord can be expected to do. The Burwigs did not understand what the tax-collectors wanted, and when they explained themselves, they were laughed at. It simply did not make sense that anyone should want gold from them, or a share in their crops. When the tax collectors returned, unharmed but empty-handed, Baron Garig was infuriated. He sent them back a second and third time, to no avail. The tax-collectors tried to grab the Burwigs and force them to comply, but they would just slip out of the collector's grasps and scurry into their burrows. Finally, in desperation, Baron Garig openly declared war on the peaceful Burwigs, who again, made no sign that they understood what was going on. Soldiers appeared, but knew not what to do. Some of the Burwigs watched them curiously, but most just continued farming their land. The soldiers returned to Garig, who sent them out again with orders to do what was necessary to make the Burwigs submit. The soldiers attacked in full force, but their blows were easily dodged, until they finally killed one. At that point, a horn was blown, and all the Burwigs fled into their burrows, or into the nearby woods, where they could not be found. The soldiers returned, again unsuccessful, and were sent out a third time. Wherever they walked, they were avoided, but otherwise, the Burwigs were back to work as usual. Not wanting to risk further embarrassment, Baron Garig declared peace, and made the Burwigs' land into an independent territory, visiting the land himself to receive their thanks. Several of them stood around listening to him, but as Garig's speech droned on, they slipped away back to work, until Garig was speaking only to his own men. He stomped off in a huff and avoided that part of his land from then on. The Burwigs were quickly forgotten.