Dwaki Culture

The Dwaki Culture was a Post-Collapse dwarf society that lived in and around the Maanvoli Mountains in south-western Baloren.

History
Around 1700 3E, the Talcau fought a series of wars with the Dwaki. Driven by resource scarcity in Purva, many Talcau tribes banded together and invaded the Maanvoli Mountains. The invasion devastated both groups, but the Dwaki successfully repelled the Talcau invaders, due in no small part to their superior weaponry.

Art
Dwaki art consisted of copper idols, pottery vessels and elaborate stone carvings.

Dress
Dwaki dress consisted primarily of furs and leathers. Kings and queens wore gem-encrusted copper crowns

Language
The Dwaki spoke the Dwaki Language, which varied little in dialects.

Naming Conventions
A Dwaki individual usually only had two names: a given first name and a surname indicating their place of birth. Noble Dwaki had additional names, indicating status and lineage.

Religion
Early Dwaki worshiped the Old Spirits, who appeared to them as local animals, notably wolverine, bear and fox spirits. They also worshiped a single deity, Mroti, who they believed gave the Dwaki the secrets of metallurgy and fire.

By 1500 3E, the Dwaki had abandoned the worship of the animal spirits in favour of a larger pantheon of deities: By 2000 3E, two new deities had been added to the pantheon:
 * Mroti, god of fire and creation
 * Mapra, goddess of the earth
 * Voli, god of the Maanvoli Mountains and protector of the Dwaki
 * Nati, god of vengeance
 * Jatuli, goddess of snow and of wind
 * Kausla, goddess of love and law
 * Aderk, god of war and bodyguard of Voli
 * Limar, a mythical bird and trickster god, imported from the Talcau.

Society
The Dwaki were organised into a number of clans, each led by a king or, far less frequently, a queen. Priests and prominent warriors enjoyed an elevated status as well.

War
The Dwaki often warred among themselves and with the neighbouring Talcau culture.

Technology
By 1000 3E, the Dwaki had an advanced knowledge of metallurgy for the time, and used copper tools. They also made a number of pottery and stone artifacts.

Agriculture
By 1000 3E, the Dwaki had not domesticated any plants or animals (aside from the dog). By 1500 3E, however, cabbage and beetroot harvesting had spread from the Talcau Culture in Purva. By the middle of the 3rd Millennium 3E, they had begun to cultivate deep mushrooms, and this allowed their culture to spread further underground.

Weapons and Armour
The Dwaki wielded copper axes, spears, stone mauls and wooden clubs into battle. They often wore copper helmets and occasionally breastplates, and carried copper or, if poorer, wicker shields.