Onyxkin

Svartdvergur

Overview

The Onyxkin (Svartjótr, "Dwarves of the Black Stone") are an ethnicity of dwarves dwelling on an island in the cold north in front of the coast of Vraitha. They chose the relative safe isolation because they didn't want to do something with their kin and other people.

That has nothing to do with that they are hermit dwarves, but with their way of life and warfare. They love to battle and are in constant search. In opposite of other dwarves they don't burn their dead, they have an altar in their home with the skulls of the deceased. Some dwarves who are really proud of their ancestors - or have a hero in their family - wear the skull on a special kind of armour. In most cases this armour is worn by the leader of the clan, be it female (Steelmother Stálmóðir) or male (StálfaðirStálfaðir).

Because of their lust for battle, blood and their unorthodox way of living, even for dwarves, they were forced to search for a new home and they found it in the island north of Vraitha.

Isolated Island

Svartjótr dwarves love their isolation when not in battle. They love to decorate their homes with weapons, gems and skulls, talk about their glorious battles and because of that they need wood, stone and livestock to start with. They payed the queen of Vraitha with enormous sums of gold and rubies - because of the colour red to get transport and the starting resources to build their settlements and farms.

The island is surrounded by icy waters, ice floats and riffs in stormy weather. Even in summer the snow just vanishes for a few days and the weather sucks. That is how the Svartjótr like it.

On the island itself they have one large settlement at the side of small hills, surrounded by farms with livestock, one smaller city with a port and one settlement which is basically their Tomb City. Small mausoleums for the urnes of the dead, a church to pray to their gods and goddesses and a Grjótgarður, a stonegarden used for rememberance and contemplation.

"It is freezing, my hands are blue, your goats look like ice stones and even the fire isn't hot enough to keep me warm!"
"Yeah... thats how we like it."

— Human merchant with a dwarven guard

Structure

Their structure is - in comparison to the other clans like the Stonekin dwarves - really narrow. There is only the Mekwa, the Worthiar and the Asverath. Which means that there is a royal line, the Blessed who include the Hearthkeeper, Stonecutter and everything related to a craft and the commoners who are basically everyone else including farmers and peasants.

Every family under the clan has the same rights and the same duties incorporated into their caste. That means that a Asverath family can run for a position in the Mekwa caste or get beaten down again. It is a brutal, bloody thing to run for Mekwa. Sometimes literally.

• Hierarchs | Mekwa
• Blessed | Worthiar
• Commoners | Asverath

Warfare

The Svartjótr dwarves have a really simple way of fighting: with fire and muscles. If they can't reach their target, they fire fiery bolts and arrows or run as fast as they can towards their target. They are trained to fight in close-quarter-situations and to overwhelm their enemies with brutal force. And a bit of intimidation since their helmets resemble skulls and their armour is decorated with chains, skulls and/or bones.

Female

Female Onxykin Warrior by CrazyEddie via Midjourney

Female Onxykin Warrior by CrazyEddie via Midjourney

Female Onxykin Warrior by CrazyEddie via Midjourney

Male

Male Onxykin Warrior by CrazyEddie via Midjourney

Male Onxykin Warrior by CrazyEddie via Midjourney

Male Onxykin Warrior by CrazyEddie via Midjourney

Way of Living

The way of living is comfy for the Svartjótr. They live in the hills and narrow mountains (just... smaller mountains, but larger as hills) in their halls of stone, accompanied by their trophies like weapons or skulls of bested enemies. Their livestock provides enough fur, milk and meat for them to survive and have the occasionally feast. Just for fun, because they want or due to a holy day to praise one of their gods.

They love to fight and to brag about wounds, glorious battles, scars on their skin and dents in their armour. They praise the enemy for every wound, for every prolonged battle and, when a Svartjótr dwarf is killed, they try to find said enemy and drink a horn of mead or other strong liquid to honour the fallen. Except when it is a Goblin.

Skulls & Embers

"If you trade with the Onyxkin clan dwarves, the Svartjótr, be aware that they are honourable warriors. Some say they only live for war - which is true for a great part of their society - but they also cherish their way of life and their loved ones. So be strong, be upright and do not insult anyone."

— Travel diary of a merchant

"The feasts of the Svartjótr dwarves are... interesting. It appears that they perform some kind of blood ritual, but that is only their mead. Or I think it was only their meat... oh well. Their is a lot to eat, to drink and to laugh. Their style of music is brutal, loud and full of growled singing if one can describe it as such. And everyone is upright, direct and loses their clothes in a manner of hours. Really fascinating."

— Travel report of a Scholar

"You fought beside them?"
"And against them. As I killed one, her sister came to visit me weeks after."
"And you are still alive?"
"Obviously, yes. She wanted to drink to her fallen brother and honour me because I was a better warrior than a Svartjótr dwarf. And... wanted to warm my bed." cough
"And...?"
"It was... interesting."

— Two warriors during their lunch break

Religion

In addition to the Goddess of the Forge, Greybeard and his six assistants, Death herself, the father Anghalar and the mother Jurniara there is a god of death, not Death herself. They think Death is his assistant, which is... interesting, because Death in this case is just another picture of the Eternal Death. Sounds strange? We know.

Dwarven God of Death by CrazyEddie via Midjourney

Culinary

Ghost Lantern by CrazyEddie via Midjourney

Taste

-bitter, grassy taste
-tastes like pork bacon when coming in contact with every kind of fat
-during the Dumpling Exchange the Dumpling is dipped in a dark black sauce
-tough consistency, is normally crushed into small parts before use

Usage

-besides used in the Dumpling Exchange the mushroom is used as a supplicant for soups and small illuminating patches in the Tomb City