Wandering Dwarves
While those that would come to be known as magma dwarves were fine living near and even using the trickle of liquid hellfire from the mostly shut portal, the wandering dwarves and mountain dwarves were not so comfortable with such things so they chose to leave. Starting out from the Citadel, the wandering dwarves headed south in the aftermath of the Undoing towards one of the few remaining ports. Where they went from there is unknown, some believe that they still travel, others that they have settled far to the north or south.
The truth is somewhere in between. While the mountain dwarves settled in mountains far from the Flaming Maw and the magma dwarves live near volcanoes, the wandering dwarves can be found across the world. On high seas lashing down rigging amidst storms or wandering over the land offering their skills to farmers, bakers, and commonfolk as smiths and laborers. The fear struck into them from the hellbeasts crashing through the Citadel's solid walls has lasted generations. Some of the younger wanderers even look with scorn on those who live in one place, stories of destruction and despair coloring their view. Stories handed down have thread the tapestry of belief that to stay in one place too long is to offer your life to Death and you can only pray it is Kandetreath who comes to you.
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Krakatalyn, Yugreda, Varabelle, Danhilda, Brunwealyn, and Galdrela are examples of feminine names for wandering dwarves. The feminine names often have a slightly softer sound than the masculine names while generally still having harder sounds than elven names.
Masculine names
Norhoick, Kragrul, Bruthorli, Vodmak, Dural, and Yufrel are examples of masculine names for wandering dwarves. The masculine names commonly have multiple hard consonants and rarely end in vowels.
Family names
Seascorn, Marlurk, Stormbreaker, Gorrig, Havist and Kraltan are examples of clan names for wandering dwarves. Their clan names often seem to be ocean related and on the rare occasion that new clans are formed it often comes alongside significant deeds or great tragedies.
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
Main language is dwarvish but the dialects spoken by wandering dwarves can vary greatly. Those that spend their time on the seas have voices rough with salt and slang to match. Those that spend their time travelling amongst fields have voices soft with whispering wind.
Shared customary codes and values
- Never leave a child in need, doesn't matter who their kin is, take care of the young.
- Today's problem should never be left for tomorrow. Frayed rigging? Replace it. Ripped cover? Stitch it.
- Don't. Drink. The sea water.
- Blessed be the ones who respect the sea and the land; for our lives are bound to them.
- Do not bare yourself before the storm, seek shelter in wisdom.
- Do not linger in one place longer than 1 full turn of the moon.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
Well-groomed hair is a must, even while traveling a point is made to keep one's hair looking neat. Braids are often used to keep hair clean and neat longer.
Courtship Ideals
When courting, tradition states that you present your intended with a set of metal, engraved hair rings however with their wandering lifestyle it's often challenging to be able to create the rings from metal so whittling pieces of drift wood, or if you're particularly skilled shells, into the rings is often done instead. If the receipient accepts the rings and puts them on, it means that your affections are accepted and you may persue a relationship. The more beautiful and intricate the rings, the more highly prized they are by society. Though the general sentiment among wandering dwarves is that as long as your intended is happy nothing else matters.
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