The Dûngar Tribe (doon-gahr)

In the surrounding layers of Sithaline City, the capitol of the Elven Kingdom, right at the outskirts where the caves and mines lie, live the dark-skinned Dûngar. Known as darkelves among the Omni, they have a separate culture, law system and societal structure to the Ardénnîn and Cérredîn, the other tribes in town that are led by Queen Lumaia. They are forced to obey to her ruling, but managed to keep their beliefs and structures alive since they do not participate in Sithalin routines. In order to keep the peace with the rest of the kingdom, they are forced to live and work in the caves beneath the mountains, excluded from the bright, colourful world Sithaline and beyond. Only few Dûngar are able to travel from one area to the other without any problems. A handful of academics and members of magical circles usually have no issue working with the other tribes or traversing through the Wilderness and further south or west.
The Dûngar tribe's leaders are Nûkami and Férren. They spread the belief of a leadership of many with the wisest and eldest at the top. Youngsters are educated and protected until they venture out to find a mate and build a family. Since many have fled to the Wilderness and mostly the young and the old remained, cultural rituals have either been lost or transformed. Many recipes, ceremonies and festivities have been changed to fit the Omni's or Elves' standards and procedures.

Culture

Culture and cultural heritage

The Dûngar are often remembered for their strong connections to the earth and stone of Sithaline. Their shade flowers fill the air with a sweet, fresh scent, while their craftsmenship helps to mold their gems into colourful displays of glass in metal. During their wedding ceremony, one of the Elders hands a bowl of shade blossoms to the newly weds, pouring petals over their heads while their friends, family, companions and colleagues sing the Seven Songs of Wonder. These songs are a composition derived from notes taken during the very first Dûngar settlement, dating back to 47,000 years ago. The couple receives a house and the binding promise of twelve different individuals granting their support and advice whenever the couple needs it. These leads to strong bonds among the darkelves and, despite the compromised position of their tribe, to quite happy, stable families.

Common Myths and Legends

In the library of Sithaline City, there's an entry in the political encyclopedia about Nûkami and Férren who have led the tribe since its peace treaty with Queen Lumaia. It states that they had a son and successor to their position a while back, but lost him to the Wilderness after they had tried to keep him away from his beloved. Rumours claim that their son is still out there, somewhere, being just as influential as they are.