Balaur
The Balaur are an ethnic group of the Zmei race who live in the forested mountains that dominate central Buyan. They are subjects of the Chudoruhs Empire that rules the island, but they typically stay away from politics (which is dominated by the Tugarin of the lowlands).
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
Main Article: Daco
The Balaur speak a language called Daco, which is related to the Ostrov language of the Tugarins from before either group came to Buyan. Daco and Ostrov are not mutually intelligible. There are several dialects of Daco found throughout the mountains where the Balaur live - some say that every valley has its own dialect.Common Dress code
The Balaur prefer brightly colored clothing, layering multiple garmets together with an eye towards the maximum amount of contrast. They make their clothing primarily of wool, and one of the most distinctive items is a broad-brimmed hard felt hat that is worn year-round by all adults - being without this hat in public is almost unheard of.
Funerary and Memorial customs
The Balaur typically burn their dead, to prevent them from rising and attacking the living. They believe that an intact corpse is an invitation to demons to claim the body and wreak havoc upon the community. In some cases where burning the body is impractical, they will remove the hands, feet, and head of the corpse to make it unsuitable for posession.
Common Myths and Legends
According to the Balaur, the mountains where they live are filled with mischevious spirits and monsters of all sorts. One of the most dangerous is the alami - a blood-drinking lizard said to have three heads, dog's teeth, and yellow scales. It lives in caves high in the mountains, and is said to be able to stop snowmelt from filling the rivers, and will sometimes withhold water from a village unless they provide it a sacrifice of fresh blood. In several places in the mountain, buckets of sheep's blood will be placed on streambanks above the village as spring approaches, to placate any alami that might be lurking nearby.
Encompassed species
Related Organizations
Languages spoken
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