Fantasy - The Slave Kingdoms

Been a long time since I've come up with anything for my homebrew fantasy setting. But I found some inspiration in the music video for the Rammstein song - 'Sonne'. A bit more history on my not so standard Dwarven race and one of their enemies that enjoys enslaving them. This is fast write up just to get it down before I forget.

The Slave Kingdoms.

A race of minor giants (ranging in height around 9 feet) that live in a heavy matriarchal society have taken several Dwarven kingdoms as slaves. The giants take a king of a dwarf kingdom and transfer his life essence into several gemstones. Each of these stones allow for control of any dwarf of that lineage to whomever wear them. Which, in this particular giant society, is only the females. They display the gems in jewelry that is worn openly, having these gemstones is a mark of power among their kind.

The now magically submissive dwarves are then divided out among their new masters. First they are all forced to remain completely shaved as a blow against their millennia old customs. Then they are given various duties they must perform. Most spend their days toiling in mines bringing riches for their owners to the surface. But they will also do any other task they are assigned, from kitchen duties, cleaning even helping their owners change clothing and get ready for special events. Due to the complete devotion created by the gemstones link they will feel the need to make their owner pleased with them. This feeling will last for over a month even if the gemstone isn't being worn or the dwarves are some how kept a great distance away.

This particular race of giants also use certain gemstones in their religious rituals and some even create a euphoric bliss when ingested after being crushed. Those who bring these out of the mines are greatly rewarded. Those who bring home little may be punished. Even if their owner dies they will remain loyal and take great care of their remains and burial.

The predatory nature of these giants over the centuries is one of the many reasons that dwarves began building their kindgoms deep inside the mountains. It would take a full on siege to get the ruling dwarf king from his thrown and the losses would be great on both sides. Becoming a slave kingdom to the giants is something that brings fear to the hearts of every dwarf. Dwarves becoming enslaved is also the reason for a great many abandoned cities as the new slaves are immediately forced from their homeland and to their new lives in giants domain.