[✗] [Region Lore] The Realm of Dunscreaf

[Titanium430 517]

The Forsaken Lands of Dunscreaf 

 

History

 

Mortal-Kind has always been curious and lovers of knowledge, and thusly exploration of the worldly realm around them was one of the earliest tasks submitted to members of those meager tribes. Maps were made of the landmasses they stood on and chronicles were made of history and natural phenomena. And as time has proven, again and again, more is always wanted, thus was exploration ships sent forth across the harsh seas to explore and find more. Many lands were found upon the water, but only one was to become Dunscreaf.

 

Explorers set foot upon the rocky coastline of Dunscreaf, them taking note of the fairly mundane climate and wildlife. outposts were made for short periods of time as those knowledge seekers took notes and wrote down what they saw, before they returned across the sea to the homelands. Knowledge is all well and good, but certain rulers took notice of the lands across the sea and the opportunities that awaited there. Several large colony-ships were sent out by both a dwarven thanedom and a fledgling human nation.

 

Civilisation soon spread across the plains, forests and mountains of Dunsceaf, those peoples each erecting forts and simple buildings upon those new lands. The dwarven folk settled in the north, upon the peaks of the newly christened Dun’sraf Mountains, while the human people’s settled in the central plains, north of a great and mighty forest. Both peoples progressed alongside each other, but the dwarven folk had an advantage over their taller kin. Complex technology was in its infancy amongst the human people of Dunscreaf, while the dwarves had brought with them the technology to make an empire thrive. They took advantage of the deposits of ore within the mountains and soon began to erect grand cities and citadels. The first new rulers of these cities knew that they would always play second fiddle to those back in the homeland, and thus they expunged from the records that they were even a colony, life had begun on this land, and that is what the future generations of both tribes would believe forevermore.

 

Much time passed and the dwarven people thrived, them ruling over the north of Dunscraef while the humans to the south struggled to make ends meet, the once opportune forest to the south had revealed a dark secret, creatures lurked in its depths that defied imagination, and periodically they would emerge from the trees to attack those defenseless peoples. Thatched houses and wooden walls were no match for the monstrous might of those abominations, they lived in squalor while the dwarves sought to rival the heavens.

 

Greed for more drove the dwarves to glory, yet it also brought them down from such heights. Two rival clans both sought the throne, and it divided the great council into two opposing sides, such at first was a peaceful conflict of words, yet it soon grew into outright civil war. Both sides mustered armies of thousands of men, yet as innate as greed is to the dwarven form, so is stubbornness, and as such, they had created a conflict that would never truly end. One side would achieve victory, only for the other to slink back and gather more forces for a counter-attack.

 

For 212 years the war marched on, and one small clan sought to end it all. Consisting of powerful runescribes and sorcerers, the clan brought together numerous ancient relics to perform a ritual that would unify the dwarves once more. They sought to erase the hatred and animosity of all inter-dwarven grudges. This ritual was chaotic, and many elders objected to such brazen use of the mystic arts, yet they marched on with it, and greed once more brought the dwarves low.

 

More and more power was put into the ritual circle, and such was too much for the great runestones to handle, all such that was put into the circle over decades of preparation erupted into a mass of pure arcane energy, it expanding forth and destroying the very thing that started the conflict. The capital was destroyed that day, as were the dwarven people as they knew it. 

 

Sundered, the dwarven people collapsed into themselves, famines and plague took their toll as many suffered. Yet to the south, a young king of a small human kingdom took notice of this plight, and in his craftiness enacted a contract with all of dwarvenkind. They would move to his settlements and give him the trade secrets of the dwarven people, and in exchange he would feed them and give them housing within a separate quarter of his settlements. In their plight, the clans collectively accepted this bargain, and a new era was to dawn upon Dunscreaf.

 

The Kingdom of young king Daric I had received a massive influx of skilled laborers and soldiers, and he set forth to both absorb the neighboring kingdoms and fiefs, and to tame the forest to the south. Dwarven legions marched alongside human troops as the kingdoms were unified in just two decades, and dwarven laborers constructed a grand wall to border the forest. From coast to coast it stretched, and finally, respite from those beasts came to the now unified central lands. 

 

Daric ruled with a firm and just hand, him honoring his pact with the dwarves as each major settlement was outfitted with a dwarven quarter. Humanity was the new lords of Dunsreaf. For 50 long years ruled Daric, and when he died was he elevated to that of a legendary hero for his actions. The following rulers sought to follow suit, but none could match his guile and charisma. Meanwhile, A small group of peasant folk defied Daric, and thus a holy order was formed. 

 

The Heavenly Order of Daric’s Light rose up to institute a new reformed church with The Creator and Daric as centers of worship, codifying the various folk beliefs into a single religious way. They and The Church they created grew to hold power equal or greater to the secular king and his political systems. The kingdoms were united, and so was the faith, people fell in line as a lasting order came to Dunscreaf.

 

Close to three centuries passed as those institutes created in the time of Daric weathered the sands of time. Dwarven ruins still dotted the north, and the great wall still held to the south. Humanity thrived as they took in the secrets of the dwarven folk, cities rose to new heights and craftsmanship and other arts were taken to their logical and illogical peaks. Meanwhile, the dwarven peoples were confined to those quarters, now ghettos as clans fell apart into loose kinship groups, and ancient guilds crumbled to dust. Many turned to the life of crime as a system of gangs and criminal organisations were created.

 

Rather recently, a variety of maps were recovered from a lost dwarven library, in which contained the secret all had forgotten - more was beyond Duscreaf, and those lands hosted peoples of their own. Paranoia struck, and invasion from outside was thought a serious threat, and thusly was strengthened the army and navy as outposts and watchtowers dotted the coast. Some exploratory ships were sent out by both kingdom and civilian, following age-old maps to new lands.

 

Landmass and Climate

 

 

Dunscreaf is a fairly temperate continent of middling size, it having a coastal climate for the most part and having mild weather cycles depending on the season. These traits were the main reasons that prompted the original settlement in the first place. Vast plains mark the center of the continent, flanked on both the north and south by more exotic areas. To the south lies the great forest, barricaded for centuries for fear of the horrific beasts that lurk within, and to the north lies the remnants of the dwarven empire, mountains dot the landscape along with abandoned dwarven strongholds. All dominated by the cosmic storms emanating from the accursed and ruined capital. All regions are uncontestedly claimed by Humanity and its rulers.

 

The North

 

North to the central lands lies the corpse and remnants of the lost dwarven empire, a barren and mountainous landscape marked by abandoned dwarven cities, strongholds, and weapon testing facilities. These relics are oft explored by tomb-raiders and archeologists alike as what lies within is more valuable than any amount of gold. Permanent settlement attempts from the south have proved to be ineffective and costly, as those fledgling towns are wiped off the face of the earth by bands of malfunctioning dwarven automata, or decimated by the cosmic storms emanating from the capital.

 

Legends say that specters of lost dwarves wander the wastelands of the north, yet most brush this off as superstition amongst the all too real threats of the area. The north holds a treasure of both material wealth, and lost secrets ready to be discovered.

 

 

The Central Lands

 

The main center of civilization on Dunscreaf is the southern lands, which are dominated by vast sprawling plains and hills. This landscape proved perfect for farming as many farms and ranches dot the map, along with a smattering of towns and a trifecta of cities. These three cities mark the kingdoms of Daric, his original and two having been conquered and absorbed into his empire.

 

A peaceful and tranquil land, there is not much to note in the way of ruins or destroyed structures aside from the occasional burial mound or barrow. Which within hold the bodies of petty kings and rulers from the time before the light of Daric’s rule.

 

The South

 

Blocked off from the central lands by the great wall constructed by Daric and his laborers. The south is dominated by The Great Forest and the beasts that hide within. The forest itself is fairly mundane, being mostly comprised of old-growth oak and beech trees, yet those abominations within are beyond imagination, each one unique and grotesque in its own way as they range from simple animalistic beasts to cunning creatures of the dark. It is utterly unknown where they originate from and all expeditions into its depths have proved futile, as those brave delvers seldom return to the land of the living. And those who do refuse to give up and speak about what they saw in those accused woods, them taking the secret to their graves.

 

 

 

Culture

 

Human

 

 

Humanity rose from nothing, from mud to be the undisputed rulers of Dunscreaf, they are unified by a consistent culture, language and religion and consider themselves above other races and peoples. People are perfectionists, always striving to be better at whatever they do, be it metallurgy, or fine arts and bureaucracy. The language of choice is a form of Divergent Auvergnian, with archaic common being taught from lost tomes rather recently as a way of recognizing outsiders if they perchance land upon the shores.

 

The military is a large part of everyday life in Dunscreaf, it having the role of protector of the people, rebel states are crushed like ants under the boot as the legions of Daric strive to retain secular unity. They are outfitted in a variety of ways, but from the lowly recruit to the highest general, they are clad in the best available. All working together like cogs in a machine.

 

Humanity on Dunscraef is nominally religious, almost everyone being devout followers of The Grand Church and The Creator, along with Daric elevated to the level of a saint or demigod. The church serves as an anchor point for all, with the separation of church and state being nonexistent, members of clergy allowed to have children and hold land and titles as they please.

 

Light is considered sacred, as the dark is considered profane. This has led to many strange traditions, Dunscreafian Temples so bright that an outsider would feel discomfort, or people sleeping under bright lanterns. Streets are always kept well-lit, as are homes and other buildings. This separation between light and darkness has given Dunscreafians a very black and white view of the world, things are either bright or dark.

 

Working alongside the Church is The Heavenly Order established all those years ago, it serving as the martial side of the faith compared to the church's theological side. The Heavenly Order’s task in this world is to rout out heresy and dark beings, as well as purging any Abominations that manage to breach or scale the grand wall to the south. This is no simple task, as many creatures of the night make their way through the barrier, influencing people to create cults in their likeness.

 

The Heavenly Order’s troops are outfitted with the finest equipment humanity has to offer, with heavy war-flails they march to break the heretical as the chaff of wheat. Most recruitments come from the children of preexisting members, but all who wish are given a chance to undergow the arduous trials required to join the order. Those who serve with honor and skill are either given leadership roles, or sorted into a more elite section of the order. The Holy Arbiters are the most elite of the order’s troops, and together they efficiently bring light to darkness. These expert groups most often answer directly to the higher leadership within the organisation.

 

The Heavenly Order operates throughout various forts and battlements across Dunscreaf, the center of power being the massive fortification known as Daric’s Rock. Being built atop a rocky outcrop in the time of that ruler by ancient dwarven craftsmen, as such being nearly impenetrable through mundane means. Dark relics and technology that can not be destroyed are contained and chained deep under the surface of the fortress, guarded eternally to see them never surface again. 

 

The food of Dunscreaf ranges from practical and bland, to light and flavorful. Many landholders often bring in chefs from across the continent to further enlighten their palettes and gluttony. Peasants and soldiers often subsist on bread and its derivatives, along with a healthy serving of dried and cured meats.

 

Clothing on Dunscreaf again varies, from simple and practical all the way to extravagance and grandeur. For the most part, however, clothing is made from a practical mix of hemp, linen and wool, giving clothes both warmth and durability.

 

Dwarf

 

 

Dwarven culture used to be the peak, yet after the fall they have fallen to shameful nothings of that once great past. The guilds of old have either dissolved or turned to simple almshouses giving food and shelter to those even poorer than themselves, and the great clans have fallen to loosely knit kinship circles.

 

Old military regiments have turned into groups of well-trained thugs, as crime has become an integral way of life in the harsh depths of the dwarven quarter. These gangs and criminal organisations are the new way of dwarven life, with gang warfare and conflict being a constant echo in the ears of those stout folk. Suits of old dwarven armour are still peddled as fine scrap by aging dwarves, and this is a true sign of the final death of the old dwarven way of life. As those elder dwarves die off from old age, or by way of violence.

 

The old gods have faded to obscurity and minor spirits as religion has failed to keep the dwarven people united in the dark times. The main focus of worship is the forgotten and lost ancestors of each individual dwarf. These ancestors are marked physically on each dwarf by way of a tattoo on their dominant shoulder, it sprawling down the arm to depict important events in a dwarfs life.

 

As with mainstream dwarves, grudges and oaths are still held in the highest regard, with each dwarf keeping on them a small rod of stone or metal, engraved with those grudges and debts. Life-debts are common within the violent nature of the dwarven quarter, as those dwarves become practical slaves to their honor as they forever accompany their saviour.

 

Dwarven, Human Relations

 

Dwarven-Human relations are typically of human superiority and dwarven resentment, with all things dwarf considered low-quality or acquired by less than savory means. Dwarves are however respected for their hard work, and groups of dwarven laborers are often peddled by settlements and the cities to speed up the productions of natural resources or building projects.

 

Due to the deal that Daric struck with Dwarf Kind, most dwarves still respect the rule of humanity, albeit begrudgingly. The trade secrets of their people now reside in the hands of the more populous humanity, and dwarven steel is no longer considered the best.

 

All major settlements still hold a designated ‘Dwarven Quarter’, where dwarves are segregated and live in low-income housing. The rule of law is often not even applied in these areas, and it is not uncommon for a guard or soldier to simply ignore a crime or serious offence he witnesses in such decrepit ghettos.

 

 

Credits

 

Titanium430 - Main Writer

 

Norgeth_ - Grand and Greater Consultant 

 

Various Other People

 

ChangeLog:

1/1 2022: Almost Complete Rewrite

1/2 2022: Grammar Fixes

1/6 2022: Small Edits

[Norgeth 1113]

Pretty epic if I do say so myself! Good read and well formatted! +1 

[squakhawk 7889]

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