Emyn Engrin society
The society of the Dwarves is largely clan-based, with little to no 'caste' system, apart from the respect due to those with considerable age, wealth, and skill (these qualities often go hand in hand), and to the clan elders, Thanes, and the Ruling Council of Stewards. It is a close-knit society, bound together by the Dwarves' natural sense of duty and family, and tempered by the hardships that their race has faced through the years. The only true 'nobility' of the clans, if there is one, would be the Thane and the elders. The ruling families of the clan, although few in number, hold much influence within the hold, and control much of the clan's interests.
The hold of Barazahar is ruled by the Lord High Steward, Thorin Stonehelm, the son of Dain Ironfoot, and also the Ruling Council of Barazahar. This Council is made up of the clan's Thanes and a Senior Elder of the Thane's choosing, as well as representatives from the three guilds, and those members of the House of Durin that are residing in the Hills. Obviously, it is Thorin who sits at the head. Votes are taken and issues both internal and external are addressed, though it is Thorin who holds the final say. In cases that concern conflicting clans (such as the awarding of armaments contracts to the Baraz Gathol), only Thorin and the others with Durin's ancestry hold Council.
Barazahar is a very old and proud dwarf-hold, founded in 2589 by Gror and having, been inhabited continuously since then, has the longest continuous habitation of the surviving dwarf-holds in Northwestern Middle Earth (Khazad-Dum, the Grey Mountains and the Lonely Mountain all having been sacked, while Barazahar has never been taken). Its inhabitants are steady and true, and fiercely loyal to their home; though many left (mostly the exiled clans-dwarves of Erebor) after the retaking of the Lonely Mountain, those who remain, a sizable portion, are dedicated to the hold.
Due to its extensive lodes of iron ore, a large number of the Hills' residents are miners and smiths, though it too has its fair share of skilled artisans and craftspeople, and their wares are of excellent quality, as always with dwarven goods. Weapons and armor, however, are the most prized of the goods that come from the Hills.
On the rise is the number of young dwarves who enlist in the ranks of the warders, or are apprenticed in the Merchants' Guild. Having never experienced the atrocities and brutal warfare of the war of the Dwarves and Orcs, nor the fights with the Grey Mountains orcs, they are not as xenophobic as their forefathers, and seek these professions as a way to venture outside the hold.
Dwarves are famous for their stout brews and ability to drink hard and steadily, and the dwarves of Barazahar are no exception. The brews of Master Brewer Drukin are world-famous (at least to the dwarves), and can even be found in some of the elven-homes, so wide is their repute. Many other fine brewers ply their trade, and it remains a profitable industry, and an end in demand does not seem likely. After a hard day's work, the dwarves of the hold like nothing better to do in the evening than to descend on the taverns for an evening's drinking with friends, to have an ale or few over laughter and song, and to discuss the latest news from within the hold and abroad.
Emyn Engrin, though its population was somewhat lessened by the retaking of Erebor, remains a strong and vibrant community, with a steadily (if slowly) growing population and booming economy, as there is no end in sight to the availability of the Hills' raw materials, nor the does the skill of the dwarven craftsmen seem to be lessening. And thanks to its continuous habitation and position as a popular target for fleeing refugees, the annals of the libraries in the Hills remain the most extensive of all the holds. No doubt the hold will continue to flourish, as long as there are willing dwarven hands to raise the hammer and the pick.