HWR4:The Kogolor By Mischa Gelman (though Thorfinn Tait proved a huge help, giving information from the PWA, new ideas and suggestions and reworking some old ideas. A few sections below are entirely due to his help and most of them were influenced by him in some way) In this section: Gender/Marriage Family Structure Religion Age Interclan Relationships Social Status Justice History/Ancestor Reverence Foreign Relations Diet Entertainment Dealing with societal problems Work Kogolor society overview Military Skiing Note on Names Critters/Deep Glaurants Kogolor city layouts Gender Kogolor are more egalitarian than most Hollow World humanoids. Women can rise to the highest levels of the priesthood, of the household, of the clan. Men take an equal hand in raising children, which is never considered the sole duty of the mother. Women are trained in arms just as men are. Women handle all jobs in society, as do men, no profession being limited by gender. Still the society is more male-dominated than female, vestiges of how things worked when the Kogolor were in the Outer World. Marriage Kogolor marry for love generally. They practice endogamy, all marriages taking place within the clan. All legal marriages anyways. Marriages outside the clan can cause all sorts of troubles. Marriages are conducted seperate from religious law, usually presided over by a high-ranking member of the bride's clan. Marriages are usually lifelong, divorce being highly looked down upon. If someone divorces, they may become ostracized. Family Structure Kogolor Dwarves lived in extended families. Five or more generations commonly live in one household, impossible in human households with their shorter lifespans. Grandparents and great grandparents and other ancestors take an equal share with parents in raising children and elders in general run each household. The heads of household can be anyone, but it is often the senior member and if not him/her then a high religious or political official or the main wealth-earner in the house. The young are raised by the whole household but Kogolor young are greatly spoiled. Discipline is rather lax, children being given years to learn life's lessons on their own. Young dwarves learn responsibility through trial and error, with little intervention. It promotes independence in youth, but also promotes the idea of dependence on the clan - if you get into any real trouble, they'll be there for you. Also, as someone put it, you get raised by "the entire family" with so many generations under one roof. Religion Kogolor worship Garal Glitterlode. He is praised for all that happens that is well. Parts of each family's earnings are sent to the nearest temple. Works of art are made in his name and honor. In return, he watches over the Kogolor and is a visible presence in daily life. Fred and Fredara have small followings but are not considered a protector of the Kogolor as Garal is and few families donate anything to his temples. The priests of Garal are mostly artisans but all care deeply for the society and the people. Kagyar was the original patron of the Kogolor and is still worshipped by a few, but he no longer grants these dwarves clerical powers as he has basically given up on the Kogolor as a whole. When Kagyar withdrew his gifts from the Kogolor, Garal Glitterlode stepped up in his place and started to protect the folk whom he was once one of. Age This was covered alot in earlier sections but as more information on some things has been requested here it is. Dwarves generally marry around age 50, though everywhere between 30 and 300 has been heard of. Children are born around every 30 years on the average, with women giving birth from ages 30 to 230, most mothers of age 60-180 though. This works out to an average of 4 siblings per couple, though of course there is great variance. Children reach partial adulthood (what we consider teens or so) at age 20 and full adulthood at age 30. Geez, that number comes up alot :) Anyways, tried to keep that all simple since many of you probably find it dull. The reaching of adulthood is not joined with any religious ceremony but, unlike most Kogolor events, is considered more solemn than joyous. The Kogolor realize that the days when they can most play and enjoy themselves are over, and that it is their time to take their place in society. As Kogolor enjoy silliness and merriment, this event is seen in the solemn light mentioned earlier. Then again, if a Kogolor does not take her or his place in society they are looked down upon. All Kogolor are expected to contribute and one cannot be immature all the time once you reach a point in life. This time, of course, is a period of joy as well in a way. Marriages may occur at age 30. Kogolor may also be glad to take their place in adult society, to show their skill in their field of occupation. No ceremony is done at this milestone, though, that is not done at other Kogolor anniversaries of birth. Interclan relationships/Ethnicity The clans of the Kogolor people get along rather well. They do not war against one another. Few seek to show up others. Few are considered "superior" or "inferior" to another. Foreigners may have alot of trouble picking up on the difference clans as they are not different greatly. Clans do tend to congregate, especially in bigger cities. Instead of districts divided by use, as popular in some other nations, districts among the dwarvish cities are divided along clan lines. A large clanhouse (for larger clans and in larger cities) welcomes members of the clan from outside communities. There is no concept of racism for the most part, of clans looking down on one another. I think the clans get along rather well. They meet each other day to day, conduct commerce and so on and so forth. It is just most socializing tends to go along inside the clan than with outsiders. And vying for control..I really don't see them as in competition with each other. Social status There is no caste system in Kogolor society. There is a rather well-accepted system of cultural status though based on occupation. The most important members of Kogolor society are the Clanmasters/mistresses. After them are the Keepers of the Forge, followed by High Priest(esse)s of Garal Glitterlode. Heads of household are also given much prestige in the society. After that, there is no set correlation of prestige and occupation. The more skilled members at anything are appreciated more, as are the more elder members of the community. Most dwarves do not actively seek high status. They do not disdain it, nor do they indulge in it. Justice The Kogolor judicial system is fairly simple. Crimes like murder, rape, mass destruction of property, the study of magic or treachery against the state are all punishable by death. Less serious crimes are often punished by fines or required social service. The judgement of crimes is passed by a Klaurmann, a dwarf well-versed in the Kogolor legal tradition, who has spent 10 years studying and watching an established Klaurmann do his/her job. For the crimes that are punishable by death, a council of 3 established Klaurmenn preside over the case. Occasionally one of the students is allowed to judge a minor case, but they never sit on these councils. A female judge is also entitled a Klaurmann. The councils are called Desklaur. In certain situations, the judicial system is not used. In times of attack from an enemy nation or in times of mass civil unrest, the higher members of Kogolor society may take the law into their own hands with little threat of future repricussion(sp?). On military campaigns, the commanders are given a Klaurmann aid to help deal with any problems that may arise. History While all the events concerning the Kogolor that were discussed in the Hollow World Boxed Set did occur, the dwarves do not have records of much of it. The major historical events thus look vastly different to their eyes. Their views are they were not moved from the Outer World, but were created in the Hollow World. They believe Garal Glitterlode created them, though he was not a power yet in truth at that time. The Denwarf incident is considered by a small few to be myth, but is regarded as truth. In times of trouble, portions of the people may expect Denwarf to return again to lead them out of it, likely resulting in a surprise when he fails to. No incidents of wide-spread import have occurred in the HW for the Kogolor, save those listed in the HW boxed set. They are not a people often plagued by conflicts or troubles as a whole. Local groups though have their own true stories and myths developed around the personal experience of their ancestors. Almost all dwarven communities have a historian or chronicler t o maintain the records of times, and as such events stand less chance of changing to myth with time. Then again, the chroniclers and historians put their own twist on events, which could lead to several perceptions of one incident. Ancestor Reverence The Kogolor greatly respect the past and their ancestors and while they do not worship them, they often cite great leaders of the past for inspiration. The dead are considered heroes much more than the living, as the living still may err in their lives, whereas the fates of the dead have been sealed. Dwarves are burried in clan-tombs, which are often visited by the clans of modern times. Such tombs are considered among the most importatn structures in nearly any Kogolor city or town or village. If someone dies and is not entombed in the clan-tomb, it is considered an extremely sad and unlucky event. Foreign Relations The Kogolor get along rather amiably with almost all their neighbors, as is summed up in the HW boxed set. They have very little contact with the Oltec, but the two peoples are hardly at odds. The constant sending of raiding parties between the Kogolor and Schattenalfen, through Oltec lands, has caused some trouble, but the Oltec see the Kogolor generally as allies against the pale elves. Diet The Kogolor are not at all a vegitarian nation. They live off the meat of elks, mountain goats and similar animals of the mountains. This high-protein, high-calorie diet leads Kogolor to develop the strength and rotundness of the Outer World dwarves, a trait that they did not possess upon arrival in the Hollow World. Entertainment The Kogolor enjoy themselves in many ways. Games which we might describe as "children's games" are played by Kogolor of all ages, even dwarves in their 300s enjoying silliness above many other things. They have not truly developed sports like the Azcan have. Kogolor children like to explore the caves that abound throughout Kogolor territory, as do older dwarven spelunkers. Kogolor enjoy music, especially from wind instruments or vocals, and at the heart of any Kogolor celebration there is bound to be joyous music. Kogolor dwarves also work well with sculpture and many towns have a statue or two near the center of t own, while cities offer many well-crafted statues for display. The Kogolor are not interested greatly in forms of art other than sculpture. The Kogolor truly enjoy drinking as well and are the only Hollow World culture to have widespread drinking contests. Merriment is central to Kogolor philosophy. How they deal with societal problems There are no large social welfare programs among the Kogolor. Instead, each clan cares for their own sick,disabled,very old,very young and others unable to care for themselves. If someone does not share the wealth with family or does not help care for the unfortunates of society, they are generally ostracized. Work Most of the Kogolor practices and trades are discussed in the boxed set. As mentioned in another section of this HWR, few professions are considered better than another and there is no truly demeaning profession from the view of Kogolor society. Practi callyall dwarves take up one major area of study, though this study leads to the equivalence of a Profession skill (non-weapon proficiency by AD&D rules) only some of the time. Kogolor characters are not required as a result to select a Profession skill. There are Kogolors who master in each profession, of course, and these people are highly respected by their community and acclaim of their deeds often spreads much further than praise for 'adventurer' types. Some of these dwarves go on to be known across the entire mountain chain, but such dwarves come only 1 or 2 per generation. The only non-workers in society are generally those incapable of work, for one reason or another, and they are supported by the family. Kogolor do take great pride in their work, but it does not dominate their lives. Some Kogolor do become workaholics, but they are neither praised nor condemned by society due to this trait. Kogolor Society overview(this paragraph entirely by Thorfinn Tait) What we are essentially talking about, then, is pretty much a classless, very friendly society. Most people will be fairly content, with very few (if any) criminals or trouble makers. Most of these will come from the younger dwarves, and I think they should be dealt with in as lenient a way as possible, except for really bad crimes that cannot be undone. All part of the "growing up independently" thing. The clan does however look out for these young dwarves in a passive way, to try and avert any really big mistakes on their part. So, dwarven society remains almost entirely trouble-free internally, with no major plotting, scheming or otherwise. The people will be friendly to outsiders until they are given a reason to react otherwise. Military The Kogolor do not have a standing army. All the dwarves of the mountains are trained in the use of arms, though, and each community can be organized for defense easily. This is the result of peacetime preparations in the cities, town and villages that occur bimonthly, to keep the folks "on their toes". While the Kogolor are lacking in a true army, they do have military leaders who step to the forefront in times of trouble. Such leaders lead the lives of normal citizens the rest of the time, working like any other Kogolor. Near the Krugel border, the practices are taken much more seriously, and in totally peaceful areas it may be treated more like how school children treat fire drills in the US. Kogolor who are in good shape are required to serve some time manning a fort(ress) if there is one nearby, to ensure the constant defence along the border. None of these fortresses or forts is manned by career soldiers, but the turns overlap so that the composition of the troops is never more than 20% newcomers. If a Kogolor is needed by his family to work, (s)he is not required to help man a fort but must still take part in the military readiness tests. Skiing (Thanks greatly to Thorfinn Tait, whose idea this was originally. Never would have though of it on my own) One thing interesting about the Kogolor is their recent discovery of skiing. The inventor of skis, still only in his middle years, is one of the few nationally known figures. The Kogolor are already at work in using this invention to patrol their northern borders better, but such a plan is limited to a few test groups for the moment. The hobby figures well into the Kogolor idea of entertainment and has spread nationally. Many new ideas are being incorporated, some wise, some foolish, some just odd, as Kogolor seek to make skiing more useful and more fun. Whether the idea will spread to another Hollow World culture such as the Oltecs is still unknown. It is known that Icevale elves have been utilizing skis and other devices to travel over snowy lands for a longer time than the Kogolor, but the Kogolor invented skis independently of the elves and it is still a recent invention, though it has gained a foothold in daily Kogolor life. Note on Names Okay, I personally form names by mixing syllables together till I think I have a name (ex. Kirina, Goralba, Dalowin, Mardelios, Galtin are all examples of chars I have invented). Most Kogolor names have been formed around a similar tendency, with the intention of making 'hard' sounding names (few 's's or 'r's, lots on 'n's and 'd's). Kogolor names could also be derived from Germanic or Swiss names realistically IMO as those areas seem to be those on which Kogolor culture is loosely based. And of course you can always follow the pattern given in the HW boxed set, though that is too Tolkienesque for my tastes, especially seeing how Kogolor dwarves are not based to a wide deal on Tolkien's dwarves. Of course, as with all sections personal preference wins out. Critters The areas of the Kogolor mountains are home to both highly fantastic beings and to normal, natural ones. For the mostpart, the areas close to the Kogolor cities, villages, towns and forts are restricted to the common animals that would be found in the mountains. The further and further you go from these inhabited areas, the greater the chance that a more mythical, fantastical being such as a wyvern or mountain giant or red dragon will be found. Deep Glaurants There is a Deep Glaurant city near the Kogolor territories. The presence of each group is unknown to the other. The Deep Glaurant city, Ylriark, is located several miles below the surface of SE Kogolor territory, much closer to the Hollow World than the Known. Several Kogolor expeditions have run across underground highways dug by the Deep Glaurants and the presence of a group of intelligent beings in that area is suspected. If the two communities ever discovered each other, violence is likely but not a definite possibility. The Deep Glaurants of the city are not much like the ones described in the Creature Catalog. Further from other peoples and beings, they have become herbivores and have developed a primitive culture, though nothing to match most humanoids of Mystara. (Note:Feel free to remove or tinker with this idea, as you can with all of these. Nothing is set in stone of course and everything is up to the individual DM.) Kogolor Architecture/City layout Kogolor plan cities out well beforehand and allow for growth and how to cope with it. Places don't become disorganized as they grow, not becoming sprawled out messes. The basic Kogolor street layout is: ----- |\|/| --X-- |/|\| ----- 3 vertical streets, 3 horizontal, with 2 diagonal and one huge center intersection..no area is to far from any other. There are huge long avenues running from the city centre to the edges. Nice, neat and dwarf-like. A larger city would consist of several large blocks of these, with the diagonals continuing through several squares and the other streets heading all the way through town. Coinage The Kogolor coinage consists of the Bifric (50 GP, a large circular coin with the emblem of Garal Glitterlode embossed on it), the smaller but similarily designed Gilder (1 GP), the squarish coin of the same size of the Gilder known as the Platen that is composed of silver (1 SP) and the slightly rarer small copper coin known as the Kufpfen(1 CP). The Bifric is rather rare, the Platen being the most commonly used coin. The latter two coins have the faces of great Kogolor heroes on them, one the founder of Bergholm (on the Platen) and the other Grilban Kogolor, a key figure in the foundation of the Hollow World community (on the Kufpfen). The coins are made in smithies near the mining towns.