Dír Dahnum

Dír Dahnum (Land of the Ancestors) is a High-Kingdom located in the frigid tundra in the north of Moro. Dír Danhum is ruled by High King Dubhdarach. Dír Dahnum is the home of the Dwarves.

## The Clanns

### Clann Banntyne

Clann Banntyne are a clann of primarily Jadeite, Gneiss and Marble dwarves who are famed for their ballads and epics that they turn into grand plays that can span several days. The Banntynes are some of the most legendary storytellers on Moro, having contributed to a vast array of the continents heroic literature and drama. The Bards of Banntyne travel far and wide from Dír Dahnum all competing to find the greatest saga to spin into a rousing story to earn their place in the Book of Heroes.

### Clann An Drua

Clann an Drua are primarily Flint, Anthracite and Pyroclast dwarves who have stood the test of their for their legendary lineage of craftsmen. Thanks to their volcanic homeland, Clann an Drua have some of the hottest forges imaginable that can work even the most resilient metals on Moro. High King Drua, the heroic founder of the clann made several weapons and objects that are now wielded by the gods themselves, including Calabor's Shield and Meriala's Golden Chariot.

### Clann Mac Morrigan

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Clann Mac Morrigan are primarily Obsidian, Skarn, Serpentinite and Slate Dwarves who are unparalleled in their depravity. While other dwarves seek to reach fame through legendary acts, The Mac Morrigan's seek to reach fame through their subjugation and suppression of their foes. They wish to silence all others so only the world remembers their names and their deeds. The Clann Mac Morrigan worship the Three Black Sisters, Clíodnos, Badhnh and The Morrigan for the powers of strength, death, lies and treachery they can bestow upon them.

### Clann Cragghan

Clann Cragghan are primarily Quartzite, Lapis Lazuli and Marble Dwarves who are known for their intrepid voyages and expeditions that oftentimes bring them far beyond Moro and even Trea in search of fame and fortune. The Dwarves of Clann Cragghan are explorers and pioneers who are expert trackers and wizards who can navigate even the furthest realms. The current High King of Dír Dahnum, Dubhdarach a member of Clann Cragghan, became the first mortal to travel to all the Twelve realms of the gods and even to far-flung realms such as Baator, the Abyss, Gehenna, Hades, Limbo, Elysium and Asgard.

## Culture

To the Dwarves of Dír Danhum fame and competition are the only two things that keep a dwarf going. Fame is everything as within Dír Dahnum the unknown fades to obscurity, their deed never sung and their actions never remembered. For Dwarves who are born from the bones of their ancestors merged together in their magma-flooded vaults, the identity of a dwarf is more ancestral than it is personal. The stone that makes their bones and the gems that sprout from their beards aren't their own, its simply just their turn to use it. And thus it is a tradition amongst the dwarves to carry on their ancestor's legacy with an undying zeal. The hundreds of descendants of legendary warriors might make it their life's mission to not only continue the great legacy of their predecessor but surpass it going to seemingly unbelievable ends to realize their goals.

Every facet of life in Dír Dahnum is marked by achievements and these familial achievements may date back thousands of years so it is tradition for every clann to keep their own Book of Heroes, a massive list of the deeds, achievements, conflicts and epic voyages of the Dwarves since the beginning of time. These books are typically made from the skin of ancient dragons and usually measure over 20 foot tall, requiring several hardy dwarves just to turn a page. To have one's name entered into one of the four Book of Heroes is such a momentous achievement that many dwarves see it in a similar vein to reaching immortality.

## The Dwarven Pantheon (Dáhnach Deithe)

    The Dwarves of Moro worship different versions of The Twelve which are common amongst humans and elves. In some cases the dwarves see various deities in a much different light than their human counterparts would. For example, The one eyed god of the forge, flames and anarchy which humans know as the chaotic evil deity Aatanen is known as amongst the dwarves as Balar and rather is Chaotic Neutral and is associated with burial, honour, vengeance alongside his domains of the forge and fire.

### Oghma

Oghma is the Dwarven aspect of Ouros. Depicted as an old Dwarf made up of every type of stone found on Moro with runestones chiseled in his skin. Oghma is associated with the dwarven language and dwarven runes and the great tradition of creating personal Sagas and Epics.

### Cernunnas

Cernunnas is the Dwarven aspect of Tanat. Depicted as a gigantic snowy elk whose antlers makes up the branches of a cosmic tree of life. Cernunnas is associated with the unknown regions north of Dír Dahnum and is worshipped for her dominion over the cruelty of nature.

### Trídig

Trídig is the Dwarven aspect of Meriala. Depicted as a ruby gem dwarf hollowed out so his body acts as a set of bagpipes. He records the deeds of the gods and compiles them into a great epic.

### Lugh

Lugh is the Dwarven aspect of Calabor. Depicted as a dwarf wearing an Aatanite crown wielding a burning sword. Lugh is the god of kingship, governance and justice.

### Aengus

Aengus is the Dwarven aspect of Nimtar. Depicted as a hill giant with a missing head. He is symbolic of the adage 'an eye for an eye'. Followers of Aengus strive to dish out every wrong doing done against them on those who comitted the wrong in an attempt to balance the world.

### Átine

Átine is the Dwarven aspect of Estara. Depicted as a pure white mare that periodically appears on Trea that is said to guide mortals to their true love.

### Deargdur

Deargdur is the Dwarven aspect of Zath. Depicted as a vampiric dwarf who is said to lurk in the dark crevasses and caves of Dír Dahnum. Legend has it that Deargdur was one of The Slúagh who emerged from his icy prison to haunt the frigid lands of Dír Danhnum.

### Balar

Balar is the Dwarven aspect of Aatanen. Depicted as a gigantic fire giant with one eye and a gargantuan sword. When he opens his one eye a volcanic eruption spews forth in a cataclysmic burst. Balar is worshipped amongst the dwarves as the god of burials as when a dwarf is laid to rest their tomb is ceremonially flooded with lava by saying a prayer to Balar.

### Crom Cruach

Crom Cruach is the Dwarven aspect of Erokan. Depicted as a crooked four legged creature surrounded in chains. His head has a hundred rows of teeth. Crom Cruach built the dwarves when he was once a good aligned deity.

### Clíodnos

Clíodnos is the Dwarven aspect of Thros. Depicted as a wailing spectral woman who is cursed to be have her innards devoured by the crows of her sisters, Badhbh, the Raven of War and The Morrigan the Raven of Death. It is said her wails can be heard before the death of someone great. She is one of three Black Sisters alongside Badhbh and The Morrigan

### Badhbh

    Badhbh is the Dwarven aspect of Yrrn. Depicted as a dragon-sized crow that can be seen circling over battles. She is one of three Black Sisters alongside Clíodnos and The Morrigan.

### The Morrigan

The Morrigan is the Dwarven aspect of Velern. Depicted as a forboding witch in black robes surrounded by a flock of ravens. She is frequently seen walking battlefields the night after a large battle. She is one of three Black Sisters alongside Clíodnos and Badhbh.

## The Slúagh

During the Age of Dragons in the 3rd Epoch when the Dwarves were cast from the heavens for being created by the fallen god Erokan all the servants of Erokan fell with them. Erokan's fallen seraphs who were turned mad from the agony of the Torturer of Gods were so deranged and deformed they too were cursed to fall from heaven and die. When the Dwarves and Erokan's fallen Seraphs landed on Trea they burrowed far far into the ice and lay there dormant for thousands of years. However as the Dwarves were freed by their saviour, Fatach Mhóir, a giant made from Aatanite the dwarves stumbled upon a land dominated by foul and fearsome dragons who worshipped the fallen seraphs in the ice as their gods. Over the next Epoch, bit by bit the Dwarves almost entirely eradicated the dragons and marked their claim on Dír Dahnum. However, the beings beneath the ice still lay dormant and the circular ringforts the dragons prayed to were still dotted across the landscape.

These beings are known to the Dwarves as ***The Slúagh*** or **The Hosts** in common. It is one of the most pertinent rules when visiting Dír Danhum that you never, ever under any circumstance disturb one of the ringforts to the Slúagh, for if one of the fallen seraphs are disturbed it could waken them from their slumber and cause their godly wrath be unleashed upon the land of Dír Dahnum. The price of disturbing a Slúagh Ringfort is banishment to hell.