The Zirghurim Dwarves, “of the
Bright Heights Clan”, are also known as the Clan of Unghur, after that famous
dwarven Archmage. Residing in the
Zirkumire Mountains of
Ximax, they are mainly renowned for having
been the primary builders of the magical
city of Ximax, and for their
famously-spectacular "lava cities", epitomized by the great volcanic cavern of
Hlahujit. They are also one of the most accepting, open, and eclectic of the
dwarven clans: friends of the
Volkek-Oshra orcs, worshippers of the
Twelve, and appreciative of Injèrá’s
blessings as few Thergerim would be.
Appearance.
The Zirghurim are a ruddy race who do not have the pale skin of their deeper
brethren. The ripe-peach complexion is strongly flushed on the typical full
cheeks and large nose. This rich flushing is also evident on the palms of the
hands and, less noticeably but equally vivid, on the heels of the feet. Despite
the ‘overheated’ appearance this often gives them, the Clan of Unghur is far
more heat and light-tolerant than the average
dwarf. In fact, they are, as noted below, rather fond of indirect
sunlight and will even refer cheerfully
to ‘fresh air’ without sarcasm…
Their eyes are of various striking light colours: leaf-green is common, bright
blue also, and a mithril-grey. Golden is more rare, as is an odd
yrom-blossom hue, a grey with a hint of
purple in it. Brown, black, and other dark colours are almost never seen among
the Zirghurim; however, a rich 'burnt-sugar' colour has been noted, as has an
unusual reddish-tan 'cinnabark'
hue.
Hair is often light or bright as well, and quite straight but with a lot of
natural body. Both head and beard hair may be bleached or dyed if they do not
match each other, or simply for cosmetic reasons. Males braid, tie back
sections, use stiffening clays and creams, and even trim individual locks to
create very idiosyncratic, almost sculptural effects in beard and head hair.
She-dwarves will do the same, and take it
one step further by rolling and fastening their locks to dainty metal frames
resembling coronets, which are totally covered and hidden from view when the
hairdressing is complete. Remarkable effects can be achieved with a combination
of hair stiffeners, near-invisible fasteners, pins and ties, and these
supportive frames. We quote from a contemporary description of a
Ximaxian “Four Races Ball”:
|
“Though the
elven maidens could not but bear away
the crowns of beauty, still the beautiful coiffures of the
dwarf lasses did not fail to attract
their share of attention. Not only the shining colours, bright as the
sparks of Thergerim forges or glossy
as molten metal, but also the magical
shapes and designs into which their hair was formed… While our
human ladies had to content
themselves with albeit-complex braids and weaves and buns that primarily
rested upon their heads in two dimensions, their
dwarven counterparts boasted leaping
curls, towering frameworks, springing fantasies of hair that seemed
impossibly to defy the pressure of Wind,
or indeed of any weight of itself… some were fountains studded with
miniature gemstones... some
rivers of golden locks wrapped with aurium wires... one silvery birdcage
shaped seemingly only of sparkling tresses held a tiny live songbird! One
could only stare in delight at the vying motifs, as architecturally
marvellous as any work in stone which the male Zirghurim could have
constructed...” |
A side note on feminine
beards: Zirghurim females, like other liberal tribes who have a lot of contact
with extra-dwarven races, depilate their
facial hair, and in fact were among the first historically to do so, according
to their records. However, a few independent-minded Yehurrarons (unwed females,
dwarfmaidens) have recently begun a protest against depilation, arguing that
their beard hair is both ‘natural’ and a long-standing tradition of the
Thergerim, and that it is their privilege
to decide whether or not they wish to groom without being influenced by
‘abovegrounder’ attitudes and human
culture.
Dwarf males have an inverted triangular
build. The typical wide shoulders and heavy arms of the
dwarven race are set above a barrel
chest. The waist narrows to sturdy but not widely-spaced hips, with only a hint
of the ‘traditional’ dwarven belly. They
have solid muscular thighs, shorter than the thick calves and broad, splayed
feet. Beard and headhair should blend one into the other, and colours must
match as closely as to make the blend nigh invisible. The hairs are also
sculpted, pomaded, and cut in such a way as to create a homogenous, bulky mass
over the male dwarf’s head – the more
elaborate and massy the better!
Dwarven women are built along the same
general lines, save that the body is far more curvaceous, and the overall shape
resembles that of a gnomish minuteglass.
The hips are generous, thighs are heavy but the calves much slimmer, and the
feet positively delicate in comparison to those of the males. Similarly, their
shoulders are broad but not as muscular, and their forearms and wrists, while
still competing with most human males for
strength, seem quite slim in proportion. Head hair is grown and worn as long as
possible while the female is wed (it must be worn in a simple pulled-back style
before marriage, and she cuts it almost to her scalp if her husband predeceases
her.)
Oremark/Forgemarks.
Though dwarves do not have coats of arms
as the human races do, they are equally
proud of the quality and unique craftsmanship which their oremarks represent.
Usually these simple symbols are stamped, carved, embossed, or stencilled on
various products that emerge from the
Thergerim caves, such as weaponry,
forged articles, oresacks, and so on. However, the Zirghurim uniquely among
Sarvonian
dwarves produce very little in this line,
preferring to concentrate their skills on spellwork, communication techniques,
alchemical research, and architectural design.
Appropriately enough, since many common folk associate the
bat with sorcery, the striking 'oremark'
of the Zirghurim is an open-winged black morjual (common cavern
dwarves) against a inverted
fire-orange triangle with splayed concave
sides. This has been adapted in stamp, brand, and seal format to mark various
wares coming from the craftdwarves and mages of the
Ximaxian peninsula.
Territory.
The Zirkumire Mountains
cover the peninsula of Cha'dómm in Xaramon, with the Magic Sickle Range along
the south and east side, the Wanderer Mountains along the north side, the
Westrons along the west side and the Anghorth Alsae Mountains extending
northward along the Cyon Sola Bay.
"Zirkumire Mountains" in the
dwarven tongue are
translated as “Y’zekormor” (Bright Heights of Sky) - from "Yse (sky) Ze (of) Ko
(opposing, not) Mor (mine, darkness)". The original name, however, was
“K’zir’ki’mir” - taken from a now-dead language, and literally meant “one
should go around” – also apparently a reference to their imposing loftiness and
sharp peaks!
The most spectacular peak of the
Zirkumires, in the Magic Sickle Range to the south, is the “Face of
Khaelvan”, which the Zekormorim call “BarolRotrum” ("Father Rock"/"Lord
Mountain"). However, equally famous though not as outwardly imposing is the
volcanic Hlahujit ("Flame-wombed") in the northern range of the Wanderers,
which holds the dramatic "Hosting Cavern" of the Zirghurim (see below).
People.
The Clan of Unghur is much more open and friendly to strangers than the
majority of dwarves, without the mistrust
and rigid secrecy of many clans (although in all fairness the longlived and
lawabiding Thergerim have had reason to
keep themselves apart from the toils and upheavals of
human history and culture...) The
locations and entrances of their caverns, rather than being jealously guarded
as a racial secret, are known – actually, promoted! Indeed, their openness
towards sentient beings of other cultures, races, and beliefs might well be
emulated by all such sentients who desire to attain enlightenment and harmony
among their own kind and elsewhere... but we digress. They are likewise
religiously diverse and tolerant – perhaps the only such
dwarven clan in all of
Caelereth. See
Holidays and Religious Observances, below.
Again we must use comparisons to make it clear how far the Zirghurim differ
from the average Thergerim as we have
come to know them on Sarvonia. They are
not only less exophobic, and less claustrophiliac than the average
dwarf - most actually enjoy the blue of
the sky, and find Injèrá’s heat
"pleasant". They claim that as they have the favour of the Firelord in the
molten rock beneath, they have it in the fires
of that above (the Zirghurim believe that
Injèrá, rather than being the flat round mirror or polished shield that
other dwarves say
Trum-Barol forged and set in the
sky, is actually a sphere of molten rock, similar to their lava bubbles. They
do not explain how such a sphere could remain aloft, or rather, their
explanations are incomprehensible and seem to have more to do with
gnomish fantasy than with either fact or
belief...
This dwarven clan is renowned for
producing stunningly effective and creative architects, able to design for both
their own race’s preferences and for humans.
They have worked with gnomes,
halflings,
orcs and
elves on specific projects without major dissidence. Their designs can be
found in major cities from one end of the
Santharian kingdom to another, and some even without the kingdom. See Great
Achievements, below.
The dwarves of the peninsula have evolved
a particularly close relationship with both the
city of Ximax and the local clan of
orcs known as the
Volkek-Oshra. Zirghurim and
Volkek-Oshra worked closely together on
the building of the city itself, from design to actual construction. The great
towers and walls were reared by joint dwarven
and orcen labour under the supervision of
dwarf architects and
orc designers, while the catacombs beneath
the city were hewn out by dwarven picks
to orcen specifications. Volkek- and
Zirghurmages in combination wove some of the most powerful spells into the
wards of protection and the lifting incantations that were required during
construction, and to this day the relations continue cordially in both trade
and social interaction. Wind spells
were contributed by elven mages, and
human spellmasters of
Water also gave of their energies. In
fact, every race which was under treaty at the time was contacted to assist in
this great project of binding and guarding the Orb.
Housing.
Their caverns are far more shallowly-set than most, many with airshafts and
lightwells, if not actual ‘windows’ to the surface.
Humans find them some of the most
tolerable dwarven environments, with
expressions like ‘homely’, ‘comfortable’, ‘secure’ occurring often in their
descriptions. As is typical in dwarven
craftsmanship, most furniture is built-in, or rather carved-out, so that
bedledges, benches, and ‘Yr-tables’[1] are
formed from the living rock. However, the sheltered volcanic warmth of the
Zirghurim caverns does not foster the lush moss growth that other
dwarven clans enjoy, so they must
substitute other products such as combed wool,
taenish feathers, and even humble
straw to form their necessary pallets and cushions which sit atop the stone.
Again, this results in a more familiar environment for
humans and other races, despite the
exoticism of living below ground and the ever-present danger of cracking one’s
forehead. (Note: most of the ‘public’ areas have been expanded with a view to
human comfort, but if one is invited into
the sub-caves or home cavelets, one should be wary of the ceilings and
lintels!)
The six most famous caverns are BarolRotrum, Hlahujit, TheuAeph, Hoa Rusun,
Rizkul Hund, and Kaeryetenyim. Should you be fortunate enough to travel to the
Ximaxian peninsula, and have the leisure
and moneys to expend upon sightseeing, a visit to one or more will surely repay
your expenditure. And should you have the even better fortune to have made a
dwarven friend and received a personal
invitation, the full glories of these spectacular mountains and their attendant
underground cities will be yours for the viewing – a time to treasure!
-
BarolRotrum ("Face of Khaelvan")
The largest peak of the
Xirkumire range, and always snowtopped. Formed by volcanic activity but
long since declared extinct, the vast bubble in its center has been built up,
excavated out, and generally turned into one of the most convoluted labyrinths
one could imagine. Primarily a mages’ hall, with plenty of cavelets and storage
tunnels for their ‘supporting staff’ and their families. There are spacious
workrooms, physically and magically
shielded – there are individual and communal dining quarters – there are cosy
bedcavelets with their lavishly-lined niches cut directly into the stone walls
– there are huge public mootplaces and small secret meeting-caves – and of
course, hearths and fireplaces and (mostly decorative) forges everywhere.
-
Hlahujit
("Fire-Wombed")
This is the site of the spectacular Meeting Hall which is ringed by a lake of
lava. Though the clan residence cavelets are well-removed from any volcanic
danger, there is always a chance that the frequently-grumbling Hlahujit may
lose her temper and erupt – in which case the architectural genius of three
generations of dwarves would be destroyed
in her lava – but as she has been snoring for centuries without waking, the
Zirghurim are rather complacent about it.
Here one walks through zig-zagging black obsidian tunnels, steadily downwards
till calves complain and thighs rebel. Slowly one feels the increasing heat,
the murmur of sound. And then, incredibly emerging into the great belly of the
volcano herself... a sea of lava filling the vast circumference. Flanges of
black rock circle the fiery lake, their ribs picked out by the glow which it
emanates, going upwards into unimaginable height and vanishing into darkness,
presumably at the filled-in apex of the volcano. Each flange is pierced through
at the height of the pathway which runs round the outer edge, about fifty
peds above the bubbling,
molten rock.
Seven bridges are equally spaced around the lava sea; black against the
incandescent oranges and yellows of the livid stuff, they arch steeply upward,
spring towards a central plateau and merge. One’s face feels drying, cracking,
in the searing heat that rises from beneath as one climbs up towards the
plateau. Stepping onto the rock gives,
magically, some surcease from the constant dull seething of noise, and from
the sullen fires.
The flat top of the upthrust of rock has been hollowed slightly, so that the
center is lower than the outside ring. Two ledges spiral down into that center,
about two fores in
height apart – thus forming a continuous line of bench-style seating, and a
parallel footspace which serves as a path. The ledges halt abruptly before the
very middle is reached, leaving a clear space about five
peds square – enough for
a single dwarf to stand and dominate, for
a prisoner and two guards to occupy, for a small circle of justicekeepers to
pace, for a Gornegron to consult in relative room with his Denirim. The length
of the bench for the first two spirals from the centre, obviously the smallest
in diameter, are carved with individual seats, recessed to hold massive black
leather cushions. Here are the spots for the Trutharoon, the council that will
assist and guide the Gornegron in his decisions.
Around the very outside of the plateau, equidistant from the base of each
bridge, seven spikes of rock arch almost as many
peds into the
air above our heads. They flare out
slightly at the top, and are scorched and streaked with black-stained runnels.
At their apexes a constant fire leaps and
hisses – a molten resentment of flame. The Hlahujim say that the original
builders 'tapped' a bubble of gasses which they then allowed to emerge through
pipes and channels running to the very top of the rock spikes, and ignited so
that the seven fires burn perpetually.
The entire Meeting Hall is a spectacular merge of natural power and
dwarven-made architecture; from one of
the many observation slots carved into the dome’s sides, it resembles a black
iron crown tipped with garnets which itself rises on a black pedestal from a
sea of shimmering orange silk.
-
TheuAeph ("Our Flint")
Near Horth, this
Thergerim cave system is old and shallow.
Its main entrance is a vast, natural shelf of flinty rock which juts from the
gentler slopes of the Anghorth Alsae Mountains, overlooking the ridged expanse
of fields and vineyards below. Here the variety of grape known as the Tali
Night Vine flourishes in the volcanic soil, described as “adult, defined...
earthen tone, richly spiced”. TheuAeph
holds its own vineyards and dwarven
vintners, though the amount of alcohol they produce is small and is accurately
described as ‘bitters’. A unique drink brewed with Tali grapes, herbal
infusions, root extracts, and a secret ingredient which many suspect is
extracted from fungi, the Aephian Bitters sell steadily to inns and taverns
across Santharia. One bottle lasts for
a goodly time, as it is considered a flavouring rather than a potable.
-
Hoa Rusun ("The
Coalbellied")
The name might suggest that Hoa Rusun controls coal deposits, but the
translation of ‘Hoa’ is actually closer to ‘ember’. Rather, this small but tidy
enclave holds sway over an extensive complex of tunnels dug through the slag
and vitrified rock of past volcanic eruptions. The HoaRusim have worked with
the natural curves, flows, and bubbles of rock to create some
fantastically-shaped spaces with a very exotic feel. Mage-shaping has been used
in conjunction with skilled masonry and
dwarven stone-craft, so some of the tunnels and subcaverns which appear
physically impossible probably are, at least to
humans.
Hoa Rusun is noted for its seafood dishes and daring fisherdwarves (Thergerim
who actually venture near, if not directly out upon, the
water!) The Hoa Rusan folk have developed
a system of interlocking wharves and jetties which extend outwards from their
coves at the tip of the Bay of the Sky, all supported upon deep-sunk pilings
and bulwarks. Strung between the far-flung ends of these piers are great nets,
lines with hooks, hatchling pens, or
tryster-seeding flats, depending upon the fisherdwarf’s preference. The
nets can be dragged from far out at sea back along the tracks set into the
parallel wharves, and directly up over wide, grid-bottomed troughs into which
the haul for the day can be tumbled, glinting and flapping. Small fish slide
through the grid along with the seawater and fall back into the bay, while the
rest of the catch can be sorted safely from the stepped edge of the trough.
Note that the dwarves do not actually
venture out upon the water, as, like all
Thergerim, they become queasy if too far
from the solace of solid ground beneath and above them! However, there is also
a small fleet of fishing boats crewed by ‘mercsailors’, hired seamen from other
races, who go out daily for
kraken and deepsea fish to
serve Ximaxian appetites.
-
Rizkul Hund ("Fire’s
House")
An open caldera pitted with workshops, ‘storerooms’ and other individual stone
buildings which rise tipsily from the floor of the shallow crater. One of the
most accessible dwarven ‘caverns’ on
Caelereth, and a major attraction for
humans and other travelers, who are
welcome to visit, watch, and even stay for a bed and meal – at a slight cost,
of course. The private Rizkulim dwelling cavelets are located off shafts sunk
into the side of the caldera, their enjoyment of the surface notwithstanding:
even this broad-minded clan cannot overcome their need for the security of
stone completely around them when they take their bread or lie down to sleep.
Small inns and taverns catering to humans
are set here and there on the walled plain, like all the other buildings hardly
distinguishable from the rubble piles and stepped ancient lava flows. Have we
failed to mention that a dwarven guide,
usually an adolescent or ‘shorr’, must be assigned to every non-Thergerim
visitor, and that the fee for their services must not be dispensed with lest
one find oneself hopelessly lost in the rocky maze?
-
Kaeryetenyim ("The
Watcher")
Poised on the slopes of Mount Watcher (the
Ximaxian humans borrowed the
translation of the
ThergerimTaal name), this beautiful and unique cavern overlooks the Bay of
the Sky. It is as if the entire peak of the mountain has been hollowed out and
then pierced through with windows, tunnels, lookouts, balconies, and other
features – an impossible feat of engineering and a stunning landmark. The
workspaces are all found here at the apex of the mountain, airy and well-lit,
while the sleepingcaves are set safely deep below, accessed by liftshafts with
Brownie-designed liftboxes. By day from
inside the peak, the mountain top seems to float with a few piers and pillars
of living rock still supporting it above lines of
udezeran-blue sky and
turquoise water – all is light and air and
cloudscapes drifting by. By night, observing the Watcher from afar, one sees an
entire mountain top radiant as a lighthouse, bright with
dwarven fires,
magical illuminations, and individual
lanterns and glowglobes.
Clothing.
As you might imagine, in the warm underground environs of many of the Zirghurim
caverns clothing is more decorative than necessary for most of the year’s
seasons. In the colder months coats and cloaks must be donned to work
aboveground (at Rizkul Hund and some places in Kaeryetenyim and TheuAeph) but
at Hoa Rusun and Hlahujit the average temperatures range from as warm as a
sunlit day to the heat of a charcoal-burner’s kiln clearing. Obviously, the
thick leathers and traditional rockwools of the other clans are not practical
here, despite a skin tolerance level of a much wider range than
human.
Smiths and forgewrights work in a light loincloth ( the traditional
dwarven under-wear ‘Nupalzi’ - which
wraps the buttocks as well as the genitals and loins), stout sandals, and an
impervious leather apron over their chest and thighs to guard against burns.
Childtenders and cooks wear flimsy (by
dwarven standards) wraps of light linen or mossweave, easily washed or even
discarded when severely stained by the travails of their occupation. For most
others, a simple sleeveless tunic – scarcely more than a long rectangle with an
oval neck-hole cut in it, left open along the sides and belted for comfort –
over the Nupalzi is sufficient.
Nursing mothers or otherwise amply-breasted females usually add an ‘Ardoon’ or
chest-wrap beneath the tunic. And it is only here that we can verify the
existence of the dwarven undergarment
known as a ‘Rusdoon’ or bellywrap! Obviously those great with child would seem
to benefit from the support, but we may also see a stout
dwarf, his magnificent beard nearly
concealing his equally impressive belly, with the tell-tale lines of a Rusdoon
beneath his tunic; his innate ‘Olnaas’ (dignity) and ‘EchHaed’ (honour)
debarring even the insensitive human or
light-hearted halfling from mirth at
his expense.
Earth Toccon, made from the useful
silkstone (link to entry) is
popular despite its expense. Its lightweight, sturdy fibers make it ideal for
hard usage in a warm climate, and the cost is no factor for those who labour at
making it, nor for the Earth mage who
wishes to robe himself in garments matching his
Ximaxian peers of the other elements.
However simple the dress, though, it is invariably embroidered with striking
geometric designs and the miniature patchwork technique unique to the
Zirghurim. Developed in the spacious halls and caverns of Kaeryetenyim and
known as ‘Watchwork’ throughout the kingdom, this style of decoration consists
of vividly dyed scraps of cloth which have been folded into sharp squares,
triangles, or diamants, then sewn together with points loose and overlapping.
The result is both colourful and dramatic, resembling a type of exotic scaling.
When used as trim or border on even a plain-styled tunic, it brings sparkle and
texture; when done in larger panels on the breast and back of more elaborate
garments, it is spectacular. Watchwork may be found everywhere in
Ximax, from the hems of a dwarfbabe’s
swaddling blanket, to the full sweep of an archmage’s robe, and it is one of
the better-known exports (see below) of the Zirghurim.
Diet.
The dwarves of the Cha’domm peninsula
enjoy a far more varied and exotic diet than their brothers on the rest of the
continent, due both to their warmer environment and to their eclectic trade
relationships.
Of course the favourite mushrooms, tubers (potatoes,
carroots, turnips and blood-fists),
rootweep and mezpuu are often on the table, along with the well-charred roasts
and mixed grills that are popular with the
dwarves. Numbles and organ meats are used (horse-n-kidney
pie, tuber-stuffed heart, 'Boudeen' or gut sausages, etc.) in thrifty fashion.
As Ximax is a peninsula, all kinds of
seafood and fish are available, much from the Bay of the Sky coast. For the
human visitor we can recommend the
‘Garlick Prawns with Wild Riz’, the ‘Trysters
in Moorgul’, or the ‘Grilled Baby
Kraken’ which Hoa Rusun often sets on its table!
Condiments are many but not particularly subtle, and are usually laid on with a
heavy hand. Fortunately for the visitors of other races, they are almost always
served as sides so that the diner may season to taste. Ummadon chutney, Moorgul
oya-pea distillate, rocksalt and
Kraggi sauce are the main flavours available. Black peppercorns, herb-leaf
powders, and spiced applesauce are also popular. The pickled vegetable medley,
Ak-ak, in all its varieties (including HlabliAk made with spicy Kraggi sap and
red Thugrum) is a side-dish which features often.
The moss-based bread Borwul is rarely eaten as its main ingredient, dried
moss-flour, must be imported, so it is seen on the table mostly at festivals or
for other sentimental occasions.
Golden rain is traded for instead; the
dwarven Foodtenders have taken to its lighter consistency and the Zirghurim
breadbaskets contain a great many creative options.
This clan is probably the only one in
Sarvonia which uses any dairy products. “Milch and
cheese are not a natural part
of (the dwarven) diet, as they keep no
large domestic animals. As a result, most
dwarves dislike the smell of any dairy product, describing it as 'sour' and
'decayed'...” (from Dwarven Food, Manners and Tableware – a
Compendium Folio by
Judith of Bardavos). However, by
long association with humans and
orcs the clan has come to incorporate milch
and cream into their cooking and even tolerate some of the milder
cheeses, such as Cottcheese
with its thick white curds or Hava Cream (a spreadable fresh
cheese with a gently nutty
scent).
Dwarven ale from the
Mithrals, local cider, mineral
waters, and Horth-made Chéniar wine are
the most common drinks. And despite their reputed love for alcoholic beverages,
dwarves are surprisingly temperate,
rarely affected by amounts of liquor that would have a
human toper reeling or under the table.
This may have something to do with their more massy bodies, as scholars have
often observed that the heavier man holds his ale better than the lightweight –
or it may simply be a function of their race which we do not understand. At any
rate, if asked for his favourite beverage a
dwarf of any clan will always claim his home cavern’s
water, with its strong unique taste, to
be the sweetest and most refreshing of any drink...
Weapons, Tools and Utensils.
The utensils common to most humans are
also used here: the two or three-tined fork, the belt knife and eating knife,
the cooking ladles and pots and cauldrons, and so on. A
dwarven kitchen, ranged in a circular
pattern around its huge round hearth, is a fully-stocked marvel of brass,
copper, tin, and other metallic surfaces, catching and sparking back the flames
from every direction. (In fact, we must digress here to mention that most
human nobles aspire to at least the first
part of the ideal household as supposedly laid out by
Gebl the Brownie so long ago:
“A hobbit cook in a
dwarven kitchen, a
gnomish sutler,
human groom/an
elven chatelaine for your hallway, but give
me a brownielass in the bedroom!”)
The classic orehammers, warhammers, picks and shovels which are so
characteristic of most dwarven clans will
not be in evidence here. In fact, there are few tools of the usual sort among
the Zirghurim, except for the families at Rizkul Hund, the craftsmen of the
clan. They tend to be artists, jewelers, architects and alchemists, so they
have small and specialized tools of the trade.
The RizkulZirg claim to have invented the ‘square and triangle’ system of
draftsmanship, a way to sketch architectural designs neatly and realistically,
and there seems to be good evidence in their historical records that this is
indeed the case. These tools are formed of slim plates of polished brass
combined with rare hardwoods. The main one is shaped like the
L rune -
coincidentally also the ‘L’ shape which represents that sound in the Tharian
tongue – and called ‘The Lrian’. It is laid along the edge of a squared-off
drafting board and used to represent the horizontal. The coordinating tools are
all various triangles, some right-angled and some in other preset shapes,
jointly known as “Berdruwi” (“Three-drafters”). They can be used in combination
from the horizontal line of the Lrian to create various lines of perspective
and extrapolation, making quite realistic and sharp drawings.
As to weapons, the Zirghurim are not by
nature one of the more warlike clans, and tend to rely upon
magical means of defence when necessary.
However, ‘a dwarf without a hammer is not
a dwarf’, as they say, and they are very
fond of hammer-like representations, whether as huge T-shaped pendant
necklaces, tiny belt hammers used mostly for cracking nutshells, or staves
topped with stylized hammer heads. It has been noted that technically all of
these could be used for personal defence as well; the necklaces would make
rather dangerous flails, for example...
Occupations.
The Zirghurim, uniquely among Sarvonian
dwarves, prefer to concentrate their
skills on spellwork, communication techniques, alchemical research, and
architectural design, rather than mining and forgework. They do keep to the
traditional gender-based division of labour, though there is no distinction
between 'higher status' and 'lower status' work - tending
dwarven children is as prestigious as
performing ambassadorial service, and skilled Foodtenders are honoured as
highly as any inventor or mage.
Their seamstresses are known for their Watchwork, and there are a great deal of
tinkerers among them who come up with either technical or
magical improvements for common household
needs (the spell to keep milk fresh longer was a Zirghurim design, for
example). They breed more than their fair share of
Earth Mages, not surprisingly, and of
course their architects are always in demand.
Government.
As in all dwarven clans, the Zirghurim
are led by a Gornegron clan chieftain and his or her council, the Trutharoon.
Among the Zirghurim the Trutharoon is made up of what we would call Guild
Leaders – masters of their trade or craft, chosen by their peers in the craft.
The Trutharoon meets regularly and deliberates amongst themselves to make
decisions for the good of the clan. Individuals with concerns, ideas, or
disputes may arrange with the Gorkavon (second-in-command) to come before the
Trutharoon’s moot and present their case. See the
Mitharim clan entry for further details on how
dwarves govern themselves.
Production/Trade.
The various caverns have their own specialties; in general they are less
self-sufficient than clans elsewhere on the continent and have far more trade
relationships.
Embroidery and Watchwork designs (intricate geometric patches, sewn
decoratively) are exported. Fish are exported. Spells, enchantments,
magical items, and mages are a main product
of Ximax, and the Zirghurim control almost
forty percent of such exports. They are also competent alchemists, if not on
the scale or level of the gnomish experts,
and produce a variety of pigments, bright dyes, and glues. For example, their
‘Master Flint’s Carpentry Glue’ is sold exclusively out of
Horth across the
Santharian kingdom, and as a number of
shipwrights have discovered the stuff recently we may expect their trade
environs to expand...
Their Singspeakers have apparently made great strides in batspeak and have
improved Morjual memory through breeding, but the resulting beasts are only
traded internally (that is, within the
dwarven clans) and are not available to other races. However, Zirghurmages
are working with the batmasters and with
Brownie engineers to develop a type of long-distance communication process
not based on animals but on vibrating membranes. As this process could have
great significance to
Compendium researchers and scholars, we await further developments with
interest.
Silk Stone is harvested from the
Zirkumire Mountains and the
cloth made from it is highly popular with
Ximaxian Earth mages, both as
garment fabric and a reagent for spells.
The clan trades with Horth for the
delicate white Chéniar wine, which they drink as liberally as
water, washing down the various spicy
delicacies that grace the Zirghurim tables.
Foodstuffs such as wheat, mutton, riz, and apples are imported to the peninsula
as a whole. There are good relations with the local
Volrek-Oshra orcs and with the major
coastal cities. Kor Donion, Milkengrad,
and Thylsan all have well-developed trade links, and ships out of
Voldar may be seen in the Cyon Sola Bay
ports frequently. Wood is not as common in this volcanic area, so lumber from
more forested regions is an import, as is well-crafted furniture.
Natural Resources.
The peninsula is rich in a variety of flora, though the periodic volcanic
activity has not encouraged long-growth forests. There are many stands of young
pine and spruce, but far more common are the softwood trees such as the
malus,
urban tree, and wolf willow. Low,
spreading juniper lends its spicy scent to many hillsides. Eur'oak has been
transplanted but so far is uncommon. Heavy scrub and many bushes cover the
mountain flanks, along with alpine grasses, prairie grasses, various
wildflowers, some mosses and lichens. The
miyuestiac bush, the
sulcho mushroom, wild grape,
wild hops, and dochnut all do well
here. Small plants like the
fragrans, the candlebush and
rosemint, or the
arv and hanging horn can be found
throughout the peninsula.
The fauna is somewhat more exotic: as the entry on
Ximax claims, there are “rumors of dark
beasts of magic roaming freely and areas of
wild corrupted magic throughout them”. We
can report spottings of the lovely milari
cat and the grotesque giant
spider, at the very least...
More ordinary beasts such as the bushy-tailed
sarni, the striped
mimsy, and the silvery
fox known as the raoshir inhabit the
forested ravines, while the feline herin
and wild boar prefer the higher flanks of the hills. The
corbie crow and its larger
brother, the hravn, nest in the young pines.
Rubits and other lizards may be
found along the coast where volcanic activity warms the climate. Rodents are
frequent, both the common rats and
vilerats, and hedgemice. Some wild
mustangs, probably Centoraurian
culls or escapees, roam the foothills, enjoying the rich prairie grasses.
And finally, there are plenty of fish and sea creatures along the coasts and in
the Bay of the Sea.
In terms of mineral resources, besides
silkstone deposits, there are some silver veins and some copper. Diamonds
may be found in old volcanic vents, but on the whole the area is not one of
Sarvonia's richer mining regions -
perhaps the reason the Zirghurim are so little interested in the typical
dwarven occupation!
Overall, the province's main resources are
wizardleaf,
golden rain grain, and grapes,
all of which flourish in the climate and on the tufa soil.
Holidays,
Festivals and Observances.
Whether because of their long familiarity with
magic-users of all stripes, their long feud with the
demon-worshipping
True Vision cult, their tolerance
for the surface and ‘above-ground culture’, or simply their liberal,
open-minded nature, the Zirghurim are one of the very few
dwarven clans known to even tolerate the
concept of multiple deities – or indeed any deity beyond their
Forgelord, Trum-Barol (similar to
our Urtengor) A good third of the
Zirghurim follow the way of the Twelve, choosing a favourite or appealing
aspect in a god or goddess, and worshipping him or her with a shrine, prayers,
and other acts of devotion just as the humans
of Santharia do.
A few follow the Brownie belief in
nature spirits, a very few in the One (a
Brownie minority belief), while perhaps one in a hundred holds to the ‘Love
of Avá’ – an
elven belief about which
humans have little information. There are
even those who have faith in the northern mother goddess
Lier’tyan, and who celebrate her
rites as best they are able. Though all -
dwarves deep to the stone of their bones, as they say - still hold to their
faith in Trum-Barol, or
Urtengor as some choose to call him
in untroubled ecumenicalism, one will find a great deal of diversity of faith
among the Zirghurim, and of peaceful acceptance of that diversity.
The only difficulty this causes is in the multiplicity of celebratory days and
observances which must all be incorporated into the
dwarven work routine. Generally the
looser structure of a Zirghurim day, which does not require time at the pitface
and communal meal attendance, allows for this naturally, and as long as the
work is done and the gods are pleased, the clan is content.
Some Specific Zirghurim Festive Days:
-
Zouum Ze Kertrumerons
("Feast of Towers")
Yearly commemoration of the completion of the famed towers of Old
Ximax. Oversized ‘follies’ and
‘subtleties’ of Borwul bread are built as table centerpieces, then consumed
with a marvellous variety of spreads, dips, sauces, and condiments. Roast
piglets are usually served, and
meldar-apple-butter in tubs is a necessary accompaniment... not to mention
the barrels of ale!
-
Ind Kanupeh ("Seaspans
Day")
Mostly observed by Hoa Rusun but becoming more popular in other caverns - a
monthly day on which nothing but sea products are consumed: fish,
oysters and
trysters, seaweed bread, prawns,
kraken, etc. as a way of
proclaiming dwarven ‘conquest’ of a
feared element.
-
Indze Denuprakulahan
(Inden for short, "Day of Rest and Worship")
Actually a recent decision by the various Gornegrons and Trutharoons of the
peninsula in an attempt to ‘standardize’ the many holy days observed by their
ecumenical Thergerim. The devout but
practical dwarves argue that as long as
one’s particular god is paid regular and sincere attention, it doesn’t much
matter to Him/Her upon which day it occurs. The first day of the
human week,
Restday/Prayday in the
Cournanian calendar, was
chosen both as a nod to inter-racial relations and a pragmatic way of
synchronizing work projects. Of course
Lithden, the last day of the
dwarven week, remains a day free from regular labour, so that Zirghurim
actually have two days in a row on which work is voluntary or home-based... and
special feasts and celebrations are not included in this decree, probably yet
another reason for its relative ease of acceptance! Surprisingly enough,
productivity does not seem to have been affected...
Great Achievements.
Important achievements of the Zirghurim can be summarized as follows:
-
Construction of Ximax
... which needs little detailing here. If you require more information, see the
scrolls on Ximax history and on Dwarven Archmage Ungur Firehands (properly,
Unghur Thuugolzerons, in the
dwarven tongue), who was responsible for its overseeing.
-
The
Inner City
The Inner City is often referred to as "Old
Ximax", as the vast majority of the buildings here date to the first
millennium of the School (also referred
to as the Ximaxian Academy). This
portion of the city is more ornate, ancient, and more laden with the dust of
the ages. The architecture here, in sharp contrast to the Outer City, is mostly
similar, lending itself to the monolithic, big, and fortresslike, as the
original master architect of the city, Ungur Firehands, was more concerned with
the defensibility of the fledgling Magical
Academy than aesthetic pursuits.
-
Staff of
Earth
We quote from the Archmage Xarl
Bluestride: “The masterwork of the
dwarven Archmage Ungur Firehands, the Staff of Earth was forged in the
fires in the heart of BarolRotrum. It was
made from pure mithril, shaped into a scintillating rod of power. Then Ungur,
in all his power, turned the lava that had heated the staff's core into a
multicoloured weave of stone cloth, and placed it over the Staff's heart. Thus,
the Staff fits its wielders perfectly, rough and coarse on the outside, shining
with amazing power within. The Staff controls the very
earth around it, and also can twist
physical strength to its owner's whims. It is considered one of the lesser
staffs, but you would find few in the history of
Ximax willing to challenge the Archmagi
who have controlled the Brown Staff….”
-
The
Tower of the Guard
This tower is the only entry into the School. It also contains the Great
Library of Ximax, repository of all the
knowledge the magi have accumulated (and are willing to disclose). This tower
is the only "classic" tower, with the battlements and structure made so famous
by the dwarven Archmage Ungur Firehands.
__________________
Footnotes.
[1] ‘Yr’, pronounced ‘year’, is a transliteration of
YR
in Thergerim runes, which forms the shape
(in cross-section) of a typical dwarven
table. In the same way, literate Tharians might speak of ‘a T-table’ or ‘an
X-chair’ to describe a particular form. [Back]
12th Burning Heavens
1667 a.S. |
Information provided by
Bard Judith
 |
|
