Dwarves of Talingrad

Dwarves of Talingrad can be divided into two ethnic groups, Heartland Dwarves, and the Duergar.
Heartland Dwarves: Since the destruction of their ancestral home of Kaz-Turin, the dwarven race has fragmented and intermingled with the rest of Talingradi society. The largest population centers currently reside in Ghastenhall and Matharyn where they are integral parts of the nation. Unlike traditional dwarves, those of the heartland have less affinity for the stone, as they are thousands of years removed from it. Instead they turn towards more societal pursuits, crafting, statesmanship, and especially the clergy. Of all Talingrad’s inhabitants, Dwarves are perhaps the most likely to be devout followers of Iomadae, the Inheritor, for much like her they have inherited a mantle and a new home. Some heartland dwarves still claim nobility to their ancient ancestral bastion, though the validity of these claims is hard to say. While several expeditions have been made to locate their lost hold, none have been successful, and with each new generation, fewer make the attempt.
Duergar: Unbeknownst to most of Talingradi society, some underground dwarves still do exist in Talingrad. Hailing from the city of Zhaanzen-Kryr, the Duergar supposedly broke off from the rest of dwarven society shortly before the great city fell. The Duergar survive to this day, stubborn, militant and proud. Angered by the seemingly endless expansion of Talingrad, there is little that the Duergar can do to slow the advance, much less regain ancestral holdings. Most believe it would be suicide to make their existence and location known to the wider world. Naturally some Duergar take exception to their population as a whole then, and defect from Zhaanzen-Kryr to join Talingrad society, adopting either a “if you can’t beat them join them” mentality or choosing to “take the fight to the source”. Regardless of reason, Duergar openly in Talingrad are few in number, but those who survive prove to be quite competent, and valued members of their community, if kept at arm's length.

Naming Traditions

Family names

Dwarven surnames are often taken from metals or crafting tools or other objects. The reason for this is due to the loss of their ancestral home, few dwarves in Talingrad have knowledge of their ancestral names anymore, choosing instead to adopt other names that more suit their craft and passion.
Names of Duergar are often crude, multi-syllable words separated by a hyphen, representing their harsh tongue. They often carry a more regal barring, to reflect their ancient history.

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

Dwarven, Talingradi (Common), Undercommon (duergar only)

Culture and cultural heritage

If legend is to be believed, dwarves first came to Talingrad during the great expansion of the 2nd era, after the events of Earthfall. They built the great city of Kaz-Turin somewhere in the mountains of Valtaerna, and existed in isolation there for quite some time. It is believed they skirmished with the Goblin and Svirfneblin communities there for untold centuries, until events broke the dwarven unity. For reasons that are debated to this day, a faction of dwarves led my a man named Zhaanzen rebelled and left the city. Reasons range from refusing to accept an alliance with the Svirfneblin against the increasing goblin threat, to rejecting offers to join with human and Halfling populations on the surface, to more personal grudges against the ruling houses of Kaz-Turin at the time. Whatever the reason, within a century of the departure of these dwarves, Kaz-Turin was overrun by the goblin hordes and abandoned in a horrific rout.
It is said the Dwarves raced for the sky and were accepted into human society at some point during the 4th era. They served at first as vassels, but quickly carved out a place for themselves with the assistance of an unlikely source. The Svirfneblin of the undercity granted the dwarves amnesty and aid and accepted them into their fold with open arms. Some question the Svirfneblin’s altruism as part of an attempt to gain further political power against the humans and elves of the area, but for whatever the motive, the ploy worked. Dwarves rebuilt their society and structure, and over the proceeding eras integrated seamlessly into what would become Talingradi society.
The Duergar would build their own city, and fight numerous battles against goblinkind, until finally reaching a truce with the aim of routing surface society once and for all. The supposed “Second Great War” that followed would see countless battles and skirmishes over several decades with human, halfling and elven forces, until eventually with the help of Iomadae, the duergar were pushed back into their mountains, and forced to withdraw. Since that time, the Duergar have not made a serious attempt to make war against the surface, and many now murmur that the Duergar have forgotten their purpose, and have none any longer.

Shared customary codes and values

Dwarves and Duergar all share a commitment to hard work and duty. They can also appreciate the fine craftsmanship of their peers, even among rivals or outright enemies. It is expected in dwarven society that all work will be paid for, and no extra tips are necessary. "Favors" are not done out of the kindness of heart, and there is always some good exchanged for services, no matter how lopsided the deal.
Dwarves of the heartland of Talingrad value devotion and piety, as it demonstrates commitment to the ideals of honesty and hard work. With the abandonment of the stone, many dwarves instead embrace craftsmanship, a value they share with many gnomes in Talingradi cities, and a typical right of passage for a dwarven child involves the crafting of a family rune either in stone or metal to demonstrate their heritage. The idea of familial legacy is extremely important to all dwarves, for even if they have lost their homeland, they still hope that it may one day be reclaimed, and when it is, they hope to keep track of possessions and rights they may have once held.
Duergar culture values sacrifice in edition to duty. There is no greater show of devotion to the state or to the duergar race than to take on extra responsibilities or opportunities to toil. The idea of toiling for duergar has no obvious cultural translation to any other society in Talingrad. The duergar of Zhaanzen-Kryr feel that their suffering now will lead to greater rewards when at last their time of exile is at end. Anyone who helps to sacrifice further to achieve the goals of the state or of the clan will be immortalized in the next life, and in the stones of the ancestors. Likewise those who shirk their duties are often shunned by the rest of society, and in the worst cases, executed or exiled.

Average technological level

Heartland Dwarves: As Talingrad.
Duergar: Advanced in engineering and underground stonework.

Common Etiquette rules

Dwarves in Talingrad, be they heartland or Duergar tend to be blunt and to the point, and many are quick to point out a flaw in a device or a perceived slight against them.
They rarely forgive a wrongdoing committed against them or their families. These grudges can last for years or even decades until vengeance is attained. Dwarves of the heartland do allow for rituals for grudges or feuds to be ended however. These "burying of grudges" involve a formal apology by the wounding party, usually accompanied by an agreed upon gift or geld as repayment for the amount suffered by the grievance. The dwarf accepting the apology is then inclined to offer a celebratory meal, which can range from sharing a drink and breaking bread, to a full banquet or multi-day feast, depending on the magnitude of the grievance buried.
Duergar are a grim and bitter race, pessimistic for their future and deeply cynical of the motives of others. As a result, their dealing with outsiders and non-kin is a highly ritualized affair. One attempting to make peaceful contact with the duergar of Zhaanzen-Kryr must typically offer a gift in exchange for the service of entry to the guards of the city gate, followed by an offering to the city itself in exchange for safe passage. A formalized ritual will then follow, in which visitors or merchants must swear upon the stone to "not betray the trust of Zhaanzen-Kryr". Even then, pledglings are watched closely, and those who deviate from the orders given by duergar officials are often cruelly punished, an act which brings duergar no small amount of joy.
Duergar attempting to make more personal connections on a permanent basis are rare, as common history and etiquette suggests that duergar not of a persons family are likely to betray one another eventually. However those outside of Zhaanzen-Kryr wishing to make allies with other non-dwarven races offer a variation of the pledge to potential allies. In exchange for a gift being offered to them and a pledge not to betray them, duergar will offer up a medallion carved in stone carrying their personal crest, a sign that they are considered kin. Duergar rarely offer this pledge, but it has become more common in recent centuries as more and more duergar leave Zhaanzen-Kryr.

Common Dress code

Dwarves in working environment usually do not bother with formal dress, wearing little more than cotton tunics on their persons. Members of the church of the inheritor favor whites, blues and golds to match the colors of talingrad.
Duergar stick to greys and reds to match their skin pigment and white beards, though thanes or members of nobility may wear dark blue or grey furs to signify their stations.

Art & Architecture

Dwarven stonecrafting is of course the best in the world, however with the loss of their ancestral homeland, heartland dwarves tend to focus more upon metals and items of the world of the sky that they can see and touch. The Duergar still below the earth however are said to have created great marvels of stone mimicking the styles of their ancient homeland, and that no Talingradi eye has ever seen. These stoneworks however always eschew ostentatious decorations that once existed in the homeland, which they felt were not only wasteful, but could potentially give away a duergar position within the mountains of Valtaerna.

Common Customs, traditions and rituals

Heartland dwarves tend to observe the customs of the Talingradi nation, that is to say, the religious holidays of Iomadae, and the national holidays of the nation. While some dwarves do give lip service to the gods Dwalin or Torag, these holidays are not celebrated anywhere outside of Ghastenhall, where the dreaming day of Dwalin is considered a highly commercialized event.
Most Duergar of Zhaanzen-Kryr worshiip Duneyrr the Dark Smith. Legend tells that Duneyrr was the stag of the west, and brother of Dwalin. During the great scattering, Duneyrr was seperated from his brothers, and observed as the great dwarven empires of the world fell one by one to the forces of time. Unable and unwilling to accept defeat, Duneyrr ordered his servants to toil unending to ensure the survival of the great cities, and to stave off the approach of chaos. The Dark Smith was successful, but the cost was high. The dwarves under his command were corrupted by the toil and neverending labor, and lost their passion and joy for life. These dwarves would become the first duergar, and they would vault Duneyrr high for delivering them from death.
Duneyrr values working to achieve goals at any cost. He demands his followers to continue building their ability over time, and using their skills to establish dominance over their underlings. "The work is never over, the war is never won" is one of the favored mantras of his faithful. Unlike most deities, Duneyrr has no need for holidays, serving as the god of endless labor after all. The one duergar holiday celebrated in Zhaanzen-Kryr is known as "the Tithe", a week long spanning working festival sponsored by the church of Duneyrr that allows all duergar the opportunity to exhibit and celebrate their skills and crafts. It is a time as well to demonstrate what has been accomplished within the last year by a duergar individual or clan for the betterment of their society. The high-thane of Zhaanzen-Kryr uses this opportunity to unveil new public works, while each worshiper from child apprentice to master artist unveils and attempts to sell their single greatest work from the last year. All proceeds go to the church treasury from these sails. Many also participate in public crafting contests, competing in feats of speed and skill. The holiday is especially important for slaves, who compete alongside their masters in these games, as church officials mark particularly skilled slaves as Duneyrr's Chosen, and their masters must then either emancipate them as a symbolic tribute to the Dark Smith or pay an exorbitant fee to the church to retain them. In a case where the slave dramatically outperforms their master, it is not uncommon for the two's positions to be reversed.

Coming of Age Rites

Dwarves attempting to reach manhood are often required to learn how to carve their name or their clan's name into an object. For surface dwarves in Talingrad, this is usually accomplished by carving a piece of metal, or wood when metal is not affordable. For duergar the ritual is more intense. A duergar is expected to explore a cavern or tunnel to it's edge, then carve their name into a stone there. They are to attempt this ritual without aid or rest. Those who fail are often executed or exiled.

Funerary and Memorial customs

Dwarves of the heartland typically bury their dead in accustom with Iomadaen funeral rights. It is not uncommon however for dwarves to hang their crafted insignia over their home for weeks afterwards as a sign of respect. Wakes involving alcohol and mead are also common, alongside pouring drinks out for their lost kin, a ritual thought to have been imported during the "skald law".
Duergar burial closely matches ancient dwarven society. Dwarves are returned to the stone, their memories are recorded in a shaperate, and recorded in the annals of their ancestors. Duergar take no joy in burial, and no time off is taken to mourn the dead. All creatures are to return to the stone, and the death of all duergar is inevitable. As long as the city of Zhaanzen-Kryr survives, nothing else matters.

Common Taboos

The forceful removal of a beard due to incarceration or imprisonment is considered an offense punishable by death, regardless of whether the cut party was a criminal or traitor. It is not uncommon for dwarves unrelated to the offended party to declare blood vengeance on the perpetrator, and hunt them down to repay the insult ten times over.
Among duergar, no greater sin exists than the use of mind control magic. Those who do so are considered enemies of the state and are to be killed on sight. This tradition supposedly goes back to the "great scattering", and is a bitter memory of all dwarves ancient enemy, the veiled masters.

Common Myths and Legends

Somewhere within the mountains of Valtaerna sits the legendary city of Kaz-Turin. Many dwarves claim ancestry to it, and it is said only one of royal blood will be able to lift the curse on the city, if it can ever be found at all. While archaeological evidence suggests the city does indeed exists, expeditions during the age of house Darin have all ended in failure. Legends hold that the ancient dwarven city held mines of mithral that the dwarven kings guarded so jealously that none wold be allowed to enter them unless they submitted to powerful magic that erased memory of the mine's location. When the city was abandoned, the secret locations of the stashes of mithral were lost to time.

Historical figures

The Blessed Order of St. Macarius was founded by a dwarven follower of Iomadae named St. Macarius the Mendicant, and it was he who founded the settlement of Sanctuary deep within the the mountains of Valtaerna. It is said he fed the hungry, clothed the poor, and was instrumental in channeling divine power to feed starving communities during the great famine of 3422. A century after his death he was canonized and the order remains the largest devotion of clergy in Talingrad to this day.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

Male dwarven beauty begins and ends with the length and cut of a mans beard and facial hair. To lose one's facial hair is considered mark of great shame, and may be grounds for banishment in certain circles. Some take this superstition so far as to say that this even applies to cutting hair at all, suggesting that all hair should be braided rather than cut. For woman the cut of facial hair is obviously less of a concern, but the mentality to keep hair properly braided is no less important.
Both genders value muscle mass in daily life, regardless of whether they are dwarves or duergar. A dwarf without muscle mass is considered green, lazy and/or slothful. They are often shunned by society until such time as they can grow into a more muscular build.
Concerning tattoos, dwarven society is mixed. Some in more proper circles, especially the more devout and pious dwarves of Talingrad, regard tattoos with a large amount of disdain, believing them to be a petty distraction that soils dwarven form. Among the labor classes of Talingradi society, tattoos are more encouraged, and seen as a mark of solidarity with the working folk of a particular society.
Among the duergar, a tattoo signifies one as an outcast. The placing of a tattoo on a duergar means to signify that they cannot return home. Many exiled duergar and their descendants as a result view these tattoos as a badge of honor, to demonstrate that they have survived as long as they have.

Major organizations

The Church of the Inheritor The Church of Duneyrr The City of Ghastenhall The Ancient Hold of Zhaanzen-Kryr

Related Organizations

• Talingrad

Related Locations

• Ghastenhall
• Kaz-Turin
• Matharyn