Durgari

The Durgari are tough, salt-of-the-earth people who find comfort in the traditions and stories of their ancient and declining civilization. Due to the traditions of exile and the Black Guard, many Durgari live abroad, continuing on with the traditions of their families in the walls and underbellies of the bastions or exploring the Archaea. Some Durgari still live within Alehkand, the last remaining vestige of a once great empire of Kazmora from which the ancestors of the Durgari once ruled a large portion of the underworld. Others of the 'Low Kingdoms' reside in Athrak or Breg, and a sizeable population of Durgari live within Garra.
++ Holy Kazmora
The Durgari believe that Kazmora was the original refuge of their distant Duin-Tekali forebearers who are said to have escaped the destruction of Thrask by taking refuge in the ruins left by the Meruvidian culture in the depths of Thrask's mines. As such, Durgarian Kazmora and the Mervudians especially has an important significance to the history of the Durgari, even to those exiled to the surface such as the Haru and the Grodlings.
++ Tradition and the Caste System
Durgari are a very traditional people with the Dwern especially living by a strict caste system where jobs and titles are passed from parent to child. Within Alekhand, the first-born child inherits the titles of the father when able. Within the bastions or on the surface, any additional children often follow in the footsteps of their parents, but the traditions of Alekhand dictate that such children are 'Esfadari' or 'The Unfathered' whom are exiled to the [[[Black Guard]]] at a young age, a group of disgraced Durgari which are only allowed to return home after serving a period of work and guardianship in the dangerous mines and warrens of Alehkand. Those who do survive to return are often not allowed to return at all due to fears that crossing the threshold of Alehkand will turn them to stone. Those who return successfully return replace a deceased or maimed child of title and are no longer considered Esfadari, though they may never be allowed to take political office.
++ The Gray Chamber
The affairs of Alehkand are handled by Dwern who can legitimize an uninterrupted line of succession from Kazmoran Durgari, information kept chiseled into Alehkandi dwellings called 'ancestor walls'. This means effectively that much of this history was lost when Kazmora was destroyed and is therefor mostly accessible only through Alehkand. Those of the Gray Chamber have greatly extended lives through the use of the Gray Ritual, an intentional and reversible petrification from which the members of the Gray Chamber can be awakened. While most of the gray chamber members are awoken once every year for the Week of Feasting, they otherwise spending most of their years as stone statues except when elected to rule as King. While this is usually done in a specific order, sometimes particular members are called forth to preside over amendments to the law and family structure of Alehkand or in times of great need.
++ Low King and Exile
Durgari are ritually exiled from Alekhand, following in the footsweps of the Low King of Alehkand. To read more about the history Alehkand and the exile rituals, see [[[History#Alehkand|Alekhand]]]. It is said that Low King eventually returned and was turned to stone by the gate.
++ Beyond Alehkand
Throughout history, many exiled Durgari have settled in the Bastions beyond Alehkand or founded their own new settlements. Other Durgari bastions include [[[World#Athrak|Athrak]]], [[[World#Dovan|Dovan]]] and [[[World#Breg|Breg]]]. Durgari are usually welcomed by the communities they choose to settle in, owing to their reputation as hard workers and talented craftsmen.

++ Durgari Physiology

+++ [[[Dwern]]] [[# Dwern]] [[div style="border-bottom: 2px solid #98562b;"]] [[/div]] [[f>image Dwern320.png]]
The Dwern are primarily subterranean Durgari who have largely remained below ground over the Cycles since the fall of Third Kazmora. They are stout people, less hursuit than the Grodlings and acclimatized to living underground after residing there for many cycles. Dwern are particularly long lived and suffer many of the same issues that their cousins the Alfar do with Dream Sickness, and many of them fear the ravages of the surface world.
















+++ [[[Haru]]] [[# Haru]] [[div style="border-bottom: 2px solid #98562b;"]] [[/div]] [[f>image Haru320.png]]
The Haru are descendants of the Gorn banished from Second [[[Kazmora]]] shortly after the [[[Ash Famine]]]. They have a resistance to the effects of the Shroud and weather the Dream Sickness better than other peoples. They've lived hardscrabble lives in the wilds of Geron for many Cycles and are experts on the natural world and survival. They have 5 ethnic groups, [[[Deep Haru]]], [[[Sand Haru]]], [[[Barrens Haru]]], [[[River Haru]]] and [[[Root Haru]]]. It's rare but possible for Haru to be raised in the bastions ||
All Haru are related to a single group of Grodling Forebearers whocultivated and dried the bloodworm broods used to heat the greatfurnaces in Second Kazmora. These Grodlings were known to have unusual beliefs about the natural order of Geron and the Cycles, leading to widespread suspicion that the Haru were secretly cultists of [[[Ganderwa]]] who had escaped the inquisitions of the [[[Second Pilgrims]]] amongst the Diaspora of Thrask. Many presumed these Grodlings would die in the unforgiving conditions of the [[[Ithaquan Highwinter]]], but some amongst them flourished and the Haru can be found living throughout the wastelands of Geron to this day.









+++ [[[Grodling]]] [[# Grodling]] [[div style="border-bottom: 2px solid #98562b;"]] [[/div]] [[f>image Grodling320.png]]
The Grodlings are the most Gorn-like of the Durgari, sharing traits common to Alfar, Humans and Durgari. The Grodlings are often romanticized as savage forebearers by the Durgari, a stereotype which many Grodlings are sensitive to. The Grodlings are taller and lankier than a normal Dwern and are often mistaken for Alfar. Certainly, many Grodlings can be found living in the Wildlands, and Grodling-Human offspring are not uncommon especially amongst the Kel. Grodlings are the most comfortable of all the Durgari with living on the surface and are often sent out of Durgari settlements to perform work which takes place under the open sky.









[[div style="border-bottom: 2px solid #98562b;"]] [[/div]]
++ Durgari Garb
Most Durgari fashions (including tightly woven beards and blanketed garments) are unisex. Robes and tabards are common and since Durgari are fine craftsmen, metal jewellery and adornments are quite common amongst those who can afford them. It's common for Durgari visitng markets or going about their daily business to wear their family's wealth, as petty crime such as stealing is punishable by exile.


++ Durgari Traits
The Durgari have access to a number of unique racial traits. [[[Traits#SonofKazmora|Son of Kazmora]]], [[[Traits#ThriceFirstborn|Thrice Firstborn]]], [[[Traits#Forgemaimed|Forgemaimed]]], [[[Traits#Grayborn|Grayborn]]], and [[[Traits#UndergornThrowback|Undergorn Throwback]]] are available to all Durgari.
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++ Durgari Cultures
+++ Alekhandi Durgari [[# AlekhandiDurgari]]
The oldest Durgari Bastion, [[[World#Alehkand|Alekhand]]] is steeped in tradition and lost in the past. It is also the place from which all the other Bastions of the the Durgari derive. It is either seen by Durgari as an ancient and esteemed bulwark against the corruption of Durgari culture or a tangled mess of cultural and social taboos kept aloft by the power of the Barrier.
+++ Daro Durgari [[# DaroDurgari]]
The pragmatic community of the [[[World#Daro|Daro]]] break many of the stereotypes associated with the Durgari. The Bastion of Daro is focused on studying the arcane and the secrets of the past, sitting between Kedar and Toprakkis on a great canal between the western Crown Sea and the eastern Sister Seas. The location means travellers are likely to use Daro as both a port and a canal, giving the local administrators an opportunity to trade extensively with eastern people. Within the Daro fortress, sea-farmers grow a number of crops in small pools carved into the rock of the port, trading these unique aquacultures for tomes, relics and curios brought to market by adventurers returning from Kazmora and other Eldrian ruins.
Despite the rich mercantile opportunities available to the Daro Durgari, they rarely take an in interest in political matters or the gathering of wealth, living relatively austere lives.
+++ Athraki Durgari [[# AthrakiDurgari]]
The ice-steeped smiths of the [[[World#Athrak|Athrak]]] are famous for their weapons and armor forged from the frozen blood of Yemor, the first sacrifice who bridged the void between fire and ice. They are a militant people, isolating themselves from neighbors but occasionally accepting trade with the Matar beyond the Droggan lands.
+++ Breggian Durgari [[# BregDurgari]]
The Durgari of [[[World#Breg|Breg]]] explore westward.
+++ Katabi Durgari [[# KatabiDurgari]]
the merchant-hoarders of [[[World#Katab|Katab]]] live decadently.
+++ Garran Durgari [[# GarranDurgari]]
The oft-enslaved Durgari of Garra are expert civil engineers.

Average Height: 5.5 hands
‌ Estimated Population: ~2,000,000
‌ Racial Traits: Archaean‌, Castemember‌, Steadfast‌
‌Subraces: Dwern‌, Haru‌, Grodling‌
‌ Cultures: [[[Durgari#AlekhandDurgari|Alekhand Durgari]]], [[[Durgari#DaroDurgari|Daro Durgari]]], [[[Durgari#AthrakDurgari|Athrak Durgari]]], [[[Durgari#BregDurgari|Breg Durgari]]], [[[Durgari#KatabDurgari|Katab Durgari]]], [[[Durgari#GarraDurgari|Garra Durgari]]]

Origins

World

Geron

Cycle

Fourth Cycle

Era

Riad War Interregnum

Location

Riatharn, the 17th Archaea

Krixt

Riaththarnian Krixt

Sanghan Ago

142.3

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Kazmori

Genetic Descendants

• Grodlings
• Haru
• nope