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Line 1: {{InfoboxNation ~~= Origins =~~ \|Flag=[[File:BormarFlag.png\|150px]] Once, Bormar was simply the name of a small vale in the middle of the mighty Mar mountain range. It was populated by '''[[Dwarf\|Dwarves]]''', goats and little else. The Dwarves there lived in sundry holdings, scattered across the grey valley, led by their wisest and most respected. They rejoiced in a simple prosperity, revered craftsmanship and respected their '''[[Gods]]'''. Although life was simply, it was happy. \|Variation= All Bormar \|Government= Meritocratic Plutocracy \|Status= Trade Hegemony \|Ruler= '''[[The First House]]''' \|Head of State= The First Speaker \|Capital= Ereben \|Language= Common \|Demonym= Dwarven, Bormar, Bormarian \|Currency= '''[[Bormar Belning]]''' \|Religion= Dwarven Gods }} Bormar is a [[Dwarves\|'''Dwarven''']] nation of skilled craftsmen, rich nobles, hard workers, endless trade, thriving industry, and immeasurable wealth. It is a culture that strives for excellence in one's pursuits, particularly those which result in great monetary reward as it is wealth and ability that confers power in Bormar. While neighboring nations scoff at the mountain realm, calling it corrupt and other less-polite terms, they do so in private, for it is unwise to risk the ire of the Dwarves of the Mar Mountains. All of the world’s wealth passes through its sundry holdings at one point or another, and it is nearly impossible to avoid its might and influence. For this is Bormar, the epicenter of civilization; the beating heart of the world; the incomparable nation of the Dwarven people. As the Mar Mountains sat at the heart of the known world, no one could go from north to south, or east to west without first passing through them. At some point, some Dwarves within Bormar had the idea to ask for a toll for those passing through. Traders and travellers would make their way through the mountains, paying the Dwarves on the way, making them very rich as time went on. == History == The Dwarves saw there was more opportunities to be had, not in hoarding the wealth, but using it. Trading with caravans that were passing through and then selling those goods on to other caravans from elsewhere, the Dwarves of Bormar slowly made their profit. The keeps overlooking the passes became gatehouses and then hubs of trade, where a caravan from the north could buy goods from the south, without having to go through the laborious journey across the mountains. Once, Bormar was simply the name of a small vale in the middle of the mighty Mar Mountains. It was populated by hard-working Dwarves, bleating Mar Goats, and little else. The Dwarves lived in sundry holdings, scattered across the gray valley, led by their wisest and most respected elders. They rejoiced in simple prosperity, revering craftsmanship and respecting their many Gods. Although life was simple, it was happy. With the Mar Mountains sitting at the heart of the known world, no one could go from North to South or East to West without first passing through them, often causing great disruption to the peaceful lives of the mountain Dwarves. Eventually, some of them decided to make the most of these circumstances and began tolling travelers passing through their holdings, becoming the first Dwarven Passkeepers. The territory of the Dwarves was far safer than the rest of the Mar Mountains, and traders and travelers happily paid the fee for safe passage. Over time, the wealth gained from this scheme allowed the Dwarves to expand into other valleys and across the mountain range, earning even greater wealth from their tolls and tariffs. Those settlements in the Bormar valley all soon realised the prosperity this new way could bring and so they founded their own keeps and conducted their own trade. Combining their strength was the next natural step, which they did and shortly afterwards formed the First House to server as a council among all of Bormar, to ensure no hold or community would be left without its share. Bormar slowly stopped becoming the name of a small valley and instead, the name of a mighty nation. Soon the Dwarves saw that there were even more opportunities to be had, not in hoarding the wealth but using it. Trading with caravans that were passing through and then selling those goods on to other caravans from elsewhere, the Dwarves of Bormar increased their profits exponentially. Their humble villages became bustling trade hubs, and their wooden holds became great stone keeps, creating a vast network of secure trade routes where a caravan from the North could buy goods from the South without having to make the journey. ~~= Leadership =~~ In its earliest days, Bormar was led by its elders, known as ''yanka''. These sage-elders used to command the loyalties of entire holds, but have long-since been displaced as ruling powers by the Lords and Ladies of Bormar. However, to this day, Dwarves will give credence and authority to one respected, trusted member of a community. These Dwarves, still referred to as ''yanka'', are not necessarily all old, but have proven their competence in one way or another. The vast array of Dwarven settlements soon realized that this prosperity could only be maintained through stability. Combining their strength was the next natural step, and the resulting decades of unification led to the formation of a united Bormar where no hold or community was left without its share. From its humble beginning as the name of a small valley, Bormar became the name of a mighty nation. These elders hold no official power and typically their authority only comes to play in times when a community needs arbitration or leadership, though their counsel is often sought from younger Dwarves when faced with a dilemma or an important decision. == Culture == ~~Currently, the region of Bormar is led by the '''[[First House]]''', found in the capital city of '''[[Ereben]]'''.~~ While Bormar is an incredibly diverse land, there are five core values of the Dwarven people that are near-universally accepted. === ~~Military~~Kinship === The world is a dangerous place and, in times of hardship, Dwarves owe a certain level of loyalty to one another. In times of threat, Dwarves are usually expected to fight alongside one another and recognize the value of every Dwarven life in need, regardless of wealth or social standing. This is usually prevalent in far-flung settlements, where the local Dwarven population is vastly outnumbered by other races or threatened by local wildlife or the environment itself. === Communal Ties === ~~= Religion =~~ In ancient times, Dwarves were born into small, insular communities known as clans. In more recent times, Dwarves are now born into holdings, towns, or villages that are but a small part of a greater Dwarven nation. When asking a Dwarf where they hail from, most will answer ‘Bormar’, but will often follow this by then stating the name of their holding or village. ~~The Dwarves of Bormar have long revered a large pantheon of '''[[Gods]]''', but to the surprise of many foreigners, all this seems to have little impact on day-to-day life.~~ While Dwarves lead their own lives, there is an expectation to act in the common interest, or for the greater good. The grouchiest Dwarf in the largest city can usually be expected to make some effort to contribute for the sake of the greater community, even if this may still be for personal benefit. Spirituality is less of an organised, codified religion as it is in some places and more a large collection of superstitions. These practices are nearly all performed not out of a sense of piety, but to please a given God, or ward off their displeasure and thus be lucky. Conversely, some acts are avoided out of a belief that they offend the God in question and are thus unlucky. === Wealth Is Pride === ~~The lists of these various lucky and unlucky acts vary from region to region and in day-to-day practices, but the list of Gods themselves remain consistent across Bormar.~~ Individual wealth is the defining trait for selection into the Lords and Ladies of Bormar and is an incredibly important aspect to any Dwarf, and many believe that if their home prospers then everyone will prosper with them. Many rivalries exist between towns and holdings that were once combative in nature, but have now shifted to the economic. While these rivalries are now quite peaceful, they are still incredibly competitive. === Respect For The Elders === Thus, with 'religion' being highly specific to the Dwarf in question, such things as the meaning of life, the origin of the world or what happens to a Dwarf upon death are usually debates found in the more scholarly meeting halls. Whilst they have no true power today, respect for the wisdom of the yanka remains a crucial part of Dwarven society. Many older Dwarves can find themselves in highly respected positions of advising, consulting, or counseling, in many levels of Dwarven society. Even those who do not hold a profession or job based on their age will still receive a high level of respect from the local population. Many yanka are given cognomen, which marks them above the rest. === Honour The Work Of The Hands === Bormar stories state that the Gods only reveal their true names to their most devoted; in practice they are nearly always referred to by their sphere of interest; the Ruling God, the Cooking God, etc. The Gods are all associated with an activity or a craft, not materials or mere 'things'. Whilst 'God' is the used term for deities in Bormar, it is important to remember that not all of them are male. Dwarves are notorious for devoting themselves to their projects and professions. Belittling or demeaning a project that a Dwarf has embarked upon is considered somewhat taboo within Dwarven culture and an incredibly rude gesture if said by other races. To pursue one’s craft unto perfection is one of the highest ideals a Dwarf can aspire to. Similarly, it is considered very rude to shame a Dwarf for their chosen profession. == Government == ''Main Article'': [[Government of Bormar\|'''Government of Bormar''']] In its earliest days, the communities that would eventually form the nation of Bormar were led by their elders, known in [[Old Dwarven\|'''Old Dwarven''']] as yankad. These Dwarves of wisdom once held the respect of all, with entire holds deferring to their sage advice. This archaic institution has long been replaced by Bormar’s current system of governance–the Lords and Ladies of Bormar, particularly those within the First House. Religious fervour is exceedingly rare in Bormar, but not unheard of. They are mostly seen as a bit quirky or odd by other Dwarves. Typically, religious-minded Dwarves tend to form groups for solidarity. The most powerful of these sometimes pool their resources into pursuing some goal and encouraging the rest of their people to pay greater heed to the Gods. Groups willing to pursue their agendas with forceful means are mercifully rare. Such groups, such as the insular Pure Ones, the terrifying Children Of The Warring God and the mystic Others, are usually spoken of as entertaining historical trivia, rather than with reverence, fear or loathing. Were it not for their popularity as the antagonists of action novels, it is likely the average Bormar Dwarf would not even know of their existence. To the Dwarves of Bormar, wealth is a sign of ability, a measure used to compare one Dwarf to another in simple terms. It is in this spirit that a Dwarf ascends to nobility, for what makes a noble of Bormar is not their heritage or bloodline, but instead their ability to acquire and produce wealth. While Lords and Ladies are chosen from the wealthiest Dwarf in their community, the First Lords and Ladies of the First House are the wealthiest Dwarves in the entire nation. Still, it would be incorrect to say that the Bormar do not care about their Gods, or matters of spirituality. Indeed, a certain sense of fidelity to the Gods is seen as a virtue in Bormar, and conversely, indifference to them is seen as shameful. It is simply that they take a much more mundane view of it than most other cultures and nations - the lives of the Gods do not revolve around mortals, and the lives of mortals do not revolve around the Gods. === Political Subdivisions === With this more mundane view on religion, other religions are not considered as being fake, or mutually exclusive with other religions. A Bormar Dwarf visiting '''[[Maele]]''' might join in prayer with the surrounding Humans out of respect for their hosts and their deity and see no contradiction or 'disloyalty' on their part. ==== ~~Geography~~Regions ==== While not an official subdivision, it is common to see portions of Bormar referenced as distinct political and cultural realms. These regions–sometimes referred to as “holds” or “provinces”'–are typically vague areas that have some common trait that is used to define them. Regions are something that arose out of practicality, allowing a Dwarf to say where they are from without having to deal with endless frustrations of where their out-of-the-way village is located. For example, a Dwarf from Innsburg may simply say that he hails from the Koreggi Mountains, the region where Innsburg is located. ==== Holdings ==== * Koreggi Mountains - south part of Bormar The nation of Bormar is divided into a great assembly of versatile administrative divisions known as holdings (e.g. The Holding of Garum’s Hall). * Galita Bluffs * Ereben - unofficial capital city * A holding is typically composed of a settlement and its immediate surroundings, but this is not always the case. The rights to define and alter the boundaries of a holding belong exclusively to the First House. While most holdings remain of similar size and scope as they did at their creation, it is not unusual for the First House to expand, retract, or even divide a holding to ensure the proper and efficient administration of the nation. ~~= Timeline =~~ Whatever their size, each holding is overseen by a noble—be they Lord or Lady—who does so until death, resignation, or dismissal by the First House. What separates Bormar from its neighbors is that these nobles do not inherit their title but instead earn it. For what makes a noble of Bormar is not their heritage nor bloodline, but instead, their ability to acquire and produce wealth. * * ===== Notable Holdings ===== * [[Gemfeld\|'''The Holding of Gemfeld''']] 0 AC (50 Bormar Calendar) - The Aerin Calendar is adopted. [[Harbohr\|'''The Holding of Harbohr''']] == Outposts == * 396 AC - Attempted coup by The Children Of The Warring God. Bormar's great appetite has never been fully quenched by its mountainous homeland. It is for these reasons that the First House created the Office of Outpost Affairs (“OOA”) to organize and administer “expeditionary holdings”, known today as Outposts. Today, a vast network of these far-flung colonies dot the world, and each pays its dues to Bormar, propelling its industry and trade further than it ever could if kept within the Mar Mountains. * 804 - Present Day. It is not uncommon for more adventurous Dwarves to take up residency at an Outpost due to the extraordinary opportunities they provide. Some find what they seek, but many others find terrible fates on the fringes of the world. That being said, with great risk comes great reward, and it is not at all uncommon to find a Dwarf entering the nobility on the riches they earned during their adventures at an Outpost. === Notable Outposts === * [[Zietal Mar\|'''Zietal Mar''']] * '''[[Thornheim]]''' * '''Kon Belben''' == Military == === The Molir === Every holding has, to varying extents, a militia, commonly known in Old Dwarven as the molir. These militias are commanded–and financed–by the holding's Lord or Lady. Typically, the molir is made of local [[Dwarf-At-Arms\|Dwarves-At-Arms]] and volunteers who undergo training to defend their holding in times of necessity. In most holdings, the militia is synonymous with law enforcement, watching for thieves, guarding prisons, and investigating crimes. A central principle of the molir is they are forbidden to operate outside the borders of their holding. There is however a sole exception in that the First House can demand the services of a holding’s molir to face greater threats. These groups of Dwarven warriors–sometimes referred to as armies or legions–are, at the end of the day, an assembly of multiple molir under the united command of the First House. While this is extremely uncommon nowadays, every Lord and Lady is expected to keep their holding’s molir fit for duty in case they are called to serve their nation. == Gallery == <gallery widths="230"> BormarBannerDesign.png\|The design for Bormar's banner, for those who want to fly the colors in game. </gallery> ~~= Demographics =~~ Bormar is predominantly populated by Dwarves, though in some towns the occasional Human may take residence. Grol traders are seldom seen, but not unheard of. Whilst these inhabitants do not face any sort of discrimination, they frequently find themselves not integrating fully into the communal atmosphere of Bormar. ~~[[Category:Unfinished]]~~ ~~[[Category:Places of Interest]]~~ [[Category:Bormar]]