Thalra
Thalrans are a civilization of underdark dwellers, mostly consisting of elvish descendants. Stretched between Gordivas, the capital, and Dolanas, a metropolis of elvish and dwarvish make, their population has been occupying the underdark for centuries, worshiping the Silken Tree, and developing technologies, both natural and arcane, for survival. Their link to nature is vital, and they strive to keep a close connection to their past in everything they do.
No one really knows where the Thalrans came from. Whether they emerged on their own or divided from an original, larger culture is, to this day, still up for debate. One thing, however, is clear. Under the leadership of deities, they were but a small people, barely surviving in the harsh climates and environments of their land. Yet, in the last 500 years, they have become a world-leading force in Duvrin, both as a mediator between the United Provinces of Tamynia and the Republic of Menestia, which have been at each other's throat since the Age of Demise, and as a technological leader, developing new ways of adapting their environment to their needs. As they started inhabiting their territory, the Thalrans divided in 2 subgroups; in the eastern jungles and forest the Aurora-folks, and in the western desert caverns the Under-dwellers. Though the subgroups have retained similar cultural roots, their environments greatly changed their individual cultures. Today, most people will refer to the Under-dwellers as Thalrans, their surface cousins long forgotten...
No one really knows where the Thalrans came from. Whether they emerged on their own or divided from an original, larger culture is, to this day, still up for debate. One thing, however, is clear. Under the leadership of deities, they were but a small people, barely surviving in the harsh climates and environments of their land. Yet, in the last 500 years, they have become a world-leading force in Duvrin, both as a mediator between the United Provinces of Tamynia and the Republic of Menestia, which have been at each other's throat since the Age of Demise, and as a technological leader, developing new ways of adapting their environment to their needs. As they started inhabiting their territory, the Thalrans divided in 2 subgroups; in the eastern jungles and forest the Aurora-folks, and in the western desert caverns the Under-dwellers. Though the subgroups have retained similar cultural roots, their environments greatly changed their individual cultures. Today, most people will refer to the Under-dwellers as Thalrans, their surface cousins long forgotten...
Culture
Shared customary codes and values
Progress/Renewal
Common Dress code
A testament to their dramatic tendencies, Thalrans wear heavy robes and dresses of silk and velvet, often in shades of black or white. They also display intricate face paintings made with bioluminescent pigment, rendering their markings visible even in the darkest caves of the underdark. Such pigments are also sometimes used in embroideries of added to glass to create glowing decorations or glassware.
Foods & Cuisine
Thalrans have developed complex aquaponic tactics to cultivate produce. Aquaponics installations require fish populations, which makes the consumption of such species very rare. Light tubes are also used in more localized settings to allow for the cultivation of some light-dependent produce. However, some larger crops, mostly wheat, but also grapes, are cultivated above ground by specialized farmers. Freelance fishers will also sell the goods they catch in the underground lagoons nearby urban centers. The staples of Thalran cuisine include pasta, tomatoes, chicory, fungi, mollusks (notably snails), grapes, pomegranate, and underdark goat milk/cheese. Wine and fungi tea are the most common beverages.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
Most household keep a small fruit tree to represent the Silken Tree. It is traditionally a citrus tree, but some households may keep a cherry or apple tree.
2 Factions
The Under-dwellers
Deep under the Ichor Desert lies a civilization of inventive recluses. Stalactites make for the buildings of these extraordinary cities, connected by railways all across the subterranean caverns. They are mistrusting of outsiders and have learned to adapt quickly to all situations, which has allowed them to survive and thrive in such a peculiar environment. They do not consider technology and spirituality to be mutually exclusive from each other, and have developed festivals and worship around the cycles of nature.
The Aurora-folks
The Aurora-folks are the surface-level Thalran people. They dwell mostly within the eastern forests, though a few settlements are present at the borders. Much less focused on future inventions, they are fascinated by history and have produced some of the most proficient historians and anthropologists of the last centuries.
Deep under the Ichor Desert lies a civilization of inventive recluses. Stalactites make for the buildings of these extraordinary cities, connected by railways all across the subterranean caverns. They are mistrusting of outsiders and have learned to adapt quickly to all situations, which has allowed them to survive and thrive in such a peculiar environment. They do not consider technology and spirituality to be mutually exclusive from each other, and have developed festivals and worship around the cycles of nature.
Diverged ethnicities
Related Organizations
Related Items
Related Locations
The Aurora-folks are the surface-level Thalran people. They dwell mostly within the eastern forests, though a few settlements are present at the borders. Much less focused on future inventions, they are fascinated by history and have produced some of the most proficient historians and anthropologists of the last centuries.
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