Dasken
The Dasken are one of the human races native to the northern coasts and mountains of Vanarik. They are considered rough, stubborn and warlike among the other peoples. A Daske who considers something to be his property, be it land, an office or a good weapon, fights fiercely for this thing and can therefore often only be separated from his property by force. Equally, such a Daske is unyielding when he desires something and here too, violence is often the means of choice. There are numerous legends of daskish warriors who performed great deeds for their desired reward or defeated overpowering enemies to defend their property and clan.
According to ancient records and the Elves of the Woods, the Dasken came to Cathúr at the time of the Second Dragon Wars. They appeared as a loose confederation of several nomadic tribes from the area now known as the Borderlands. Initially, they fought alongside the elves and ancient human tribes against the dragons who had gained control of the lands. During this time, the cultures of the new human tribes intermingled with the existing Firn human tribes and formed the foundations of today's Daskish culture.
When the dragons were defeated, however, the tribes turned against each other in the power vacuum left behind. The elves were driven back into the forests and the remaining Firn tribes were completely wiped out or absorbed.
The Dasken can currently be divided into two sub-cultures. The tribes in the hills and forests follow ancient traditions and ways of life. They live in their clans in small villages where they fight together for survival. In addition to rudimentary agriculture, hunting in particular is of essential importance to the hill tribes. Both to obtain food and to fend off beasts and monsters that nest in the hills of Cathúr. These tribes would refer to themselves as Free Folk, while in the settlements and valleys they are more commonly called Wild-Dasken or other derogatory names. They have adopted and preserved many of the customs of the ancient Firnen and some tribes still speak the ancient language of Firinn. In the valleys, on the banks of the lakes and rivers, the Dasken have built towns and farms. The fertile land is fiercely contested, which is why several clans have joined forces here to defend their land against foreigners and invaders. They live in fortified settlements where they pursue crafts, agriculture and trade in order to enrich their clan and defend their land.
The Dasken can currently be divided into two sub-cultures. The tribes in the hills and forests follow ancient traditions and ways of life. They live in their clans in small villages where they fight together for survival. In addition to rudimentary agriculture, hunting in particular is of essential importance to the hill tribes. Both to obtain food and to fend off beasts and monsters that nest in the hills of Cathúr. These tribes would refer to themselves as Free Folk, while in the settlements and valleys they are more commonly called Wild-Dasken or other derogatory names. They have adopted and preserved many of the customs of the ancient Firnen and some tribes still speak the ancient language of Firinn. In the valleys, on the banks of the lakes and rivers, the Dasken have built towns and farms. The fertile land is fiercely contested, which is why several clans have joined forces here to defend their land against foreigners and invaders. They live in fortified settlements where they pursue crafts, agriculture and trade in order to enrich their clan and defend their land.
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Adelheid, Agathe, Aldegund, Alena, Ava, Beate, Bertha, Borg, Brigitte, Brunihild, Carolin, Charlotte, Clothildis, Cordula, Cyneburga, Dagmar, Daxia, Dietlinde, Dita, Dorothee, Edelgard, Edith, Ella, Erminlinda, Eva, Farohildis, Frauke, Frideswide, Frederike, Frieda, Gerhild, Gerlinde, Gisela, Grimhilt, Gundela, Hedwig, Herleva, Hertha, Hildegard, Hiltraud, Ida, Ilsa, Irma, Irmentrud, Ivonne, Janine, Jennifer, Jeska, Jolanthe, Jordis, Karla, Karoline, Katarine, Konstanze, Kunigunde, Laura, Leofled, Lisa, Lutgard, Lydia, Maja, Mathilda, Mechthild, Minna, Marlis, Nathalie, Nikola, Oda, Odilie, Ortrun, Patrizia, Paula, Pharaildis, Petra, Priska, Raimunde, Reinhild, Roslindis, Rosmunda, Rumhilt, Selma, Sigihild, Sieglinde, Sonje, Swanhild, Tabea, Theda, Theudelinda, Thekla, Therese, Ulla, Ulrike, Ursel, Unnar, Ute, Valeska, Valdis, Verena, Vigidis, Viktoria, Walburga, Waltraut, Wina, Wiltrud, Wulffled
Masculine names
Adalbern, Adalwolf, Adelmar, Alaric, Arnulf, Badulf, Bernhard, Brando, Bruno, Burkhart, Cenric, Chlodovech, Chlodulf, Colobert, Conrad, Detlef, Diederich, Dieter, Dietfried, Dietmar, Egon, Ellanher, Elmar, Erhard, Ermenrich, Falk, Farvald, Filibert, Fritz, Fynn, Gaufrid, Gerhart, Gisbert, Goda, Gunter, Hadubert, Hartwig, Helmut, Horst, Hubert, Ingo, Ignatz, Isa, Isbrand, Ivo, Jakob, Joachim, Jockel, Joschka, Jost, Karl, Klaus, Kunibert, Kuno, Kurt, Lambert, Landulf, Leobwin, Ludger, Ludolf, Manno, Manfred, Meginhard, Meinrad, Milo, Nikolas, Norbert, Odalric, Ortwin, Othmar, Otto, Ottokar, Pankraz, Paul, Peter, Pipin, Poldi, Quirin, Raban, Raimund, Reyner, Rolf, Ruprecht, Sawin, Sepp, Siegbert, Sigmar, Siward, Tancred, Theutrich, Thiemo, Thorben, Tilo, Udo, Uhtric, Ulf, Ulrich, Urs, Veit, Veremund, Vinzenz, Volker, Vulferam, Walahfrid, Waramunt, Werner, Wieland, Willihad, Wolfgang
Culture
Shared customary codes and values
The majority of Cathur's inhabitants speak Aldaskan with local dialects that, with some effort, allow for intelligible communication.
The ancient language of Firinn is only spoken among some of the old tribes and is sufficiently different from Aldaskian that many of the Freefolk learn Aldaskian to trade with the people of the valleys. With the rise of the Daskish kingdoms and the taming of Cathur's wilderness, the old language slowly begins to disappear.
The ancient language of Firinn is only spoken among some of the old tribes and is sufficiently different from Aldaskian that many of the Freefolk learn Aldaskian to trade with the people of the valleys. With the rise of the Daskish kingdoms and the taming of Cathur's wilderness, the old language slowly begins to disappear.
Common Etiquette rules
The value of the word
Oaths and oaths play an important role in Daskish society.
The relationship between ruler and ruled is defined by personal oaths. As a rule, the subordinate swears loyalty and tribute to his liege lord in return for protection. These oaths form the basis for political structures within a kingdom and are often valid for life.
Important trade deals are also often concluded under an oath, which encourages both sides to carry out the trade in good faith and to honor it once it has been concluded. Some successful traders, who have already proven the value of their word, are able to conclude a trade with goods that they do not even own at the time of the trade.
However, all this does not mean that Dasks do not lie. Deception, intrigue and deceit abound in the harsh world of the northern lands. However, a clear oath, taken in front of witnesses, is considered binding in all social classes and notorious oath-breakers quickly find themselves on the fringes of society. Trust is hard won and easily lost. The land of our ancestors Dasken feel a close connection to the land on which they grew up. Their mothers and fathers fought for their survival on this earth and shed both sweat and blood. Often enough, their ancestors paid with their lives to preserve the land for their children and were buried in the soil on which they walk today. Thus, for a Dasken, his land is not only a source of food and a home, but also the legacy of all the efforts, labor and sacrifices of his blood. It is therefore his innate duty to preserve this land and one day pass it on to his children so that his blood will remain in this world forever. Blood is thicker than water Blood plays an important role in Daskish society. People are expected to be loyal to their blood relatives first and foremost and to strive for the well-being and continuation of the bloodline.
The relationship between ruler and ruled is defined by personal oaths. As a rule, the subordinate swears loyalty and tribute to his liege lord in return for protection. These oaths form the basis for political structures within a kingdom and are often valid for life.
Important trade deals are also often concluded under an oath, which encourages both sides to carry out the trade in good faith and to honor it once it has been concluded. Some successful traders, who have already proven the value of their word, are able to conclude a trade with goods that they do not even own at the time of the trade.
However, all this does not mean that Dasks do not lie. Deception, intrigue and deceit abound in the harsh world of the northern lands. However, a clear oath, taken in front of witnesses, is considered binding in all social classes and notorious oath-breakers quickly find themselves on the fringes of society. Trust is hard won and easily lost. The land of our ancestors Dasken feel a close connection to the land on which they grew up. Their mothers and fathers fought for their survival on this earth and shed both sweat and blood. Often enough, their ancestors paid with their lives to preserve the land for their children and were buried in the soil on which they walk today. Thus, for a Dasken, his land is not only a source of food and a home, but also the legacy of all the efforts, labor and sacrifices of his blood. It is therefore his innate duty to preserve this land and one day pass it on to his children so that his blood will remain in this world forever. Blood is thicker than water Blood plays an important role in Daskish society. People are expected to be loyal to their blood relatives first and foremost and to strive for the well-being and continuation of the bloodline.
Common Dress code
The plaid, a warm woolen shawl, is an essential part of traditional Daskish clothing.
The large plaid or belted plaid is a large cloak that is worn over a tunic. The plaid is wrapped around the upper body and fastened with a belt around the hips so that the rest falls down as a kind of skirt. When traveling and in winter, the plaid provides protection from the wind and cold.
Before going into battle or doing heavy work, the plaid is either taken off or wrapped around the hips several times to allow freer movement. As such a cloak, the plaid is mostly worn by men. Women, on the other hand, wear the fabric as a long skirt with a shirt, a vest and a sash. While the common people usually wear simple plain plaids, the elaborate and multi-colored plaids of the wealthy and aristocrats reflect their prestige and wealth.
The large plaid or belted plaid is a large cloak that is worn over a tunic. The plaid is wrapped around the upper body and fastened with a belt around the hips so that the rest falls down as a kind of skirt. When traveling and in winter, the plaid provides protection from the wind and cold.
Before going into battle or doing heavy work, the plaid is either taken off or wrapped around the hips several times to allow freer movement. As such a cloak, the plaid is mostly worn by men. Women, on the other hand, wear the fabric as a long skirt with a shirt, a vest and a sash. While the common people usually wear simple plain plaids, the elaborate and multi-colored plaids of the wealthy and aristocrats reflect their prestige and wealth.
Ideals
Gender Ideals
Due to the harsh nature of life, both the men and women of the Dasken are expected to fend for themselves and work in the fields or in the trades. Generally, it falls to the women to run the household and do the finer crafts, while the men are left to work in the fields, mines and harder trades. In times of war, all able-bodied men are expected to be willing to give their lives to protect their lands, homes and families. In these times, women support their husbands by providing war materials and food for the armies.
In the Dasken nobility, it is similarly the task of the men to practise the art of war and foreign policy, while the women are entrusted with administration and internal court politics.
This division of roles is more pronounced in the settlements of the valleys than in the tribes of the hills and forests, where it is also not uncommon for women to join their husbands in battle. The tribes have no walls behind which they can retreat in the event of defeat, so that in a battle every able fighter is needed to ensure the survival of the tribe.
Courtship Ideals
It is an old custom among the Dasks for a man to offer his beloved a jug or goblet in which the flowers of a purple star flower float on top of the drink. The beloved then either rejects the offer or drinks from the jug and gives it back to her adorer. If there are no more petals in the jug, this is a sign that she is also interested in a romantic approach.
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