Create a Culture

I wasn't sure how to get this entered (I'm kind of dense if you catch my meaning), so I hope this works.

I have written a book entitled "Myth". It's on this site, so I encourage (more like ask, request, beg, etc.) you to check it out. The plot revolves around a young boy who is taken to a world in an alternate universe.

The world itself is called Lucidum, Latin for "light" or "lucidity". On Earth, we see it as a red star in the sky and call it the same thing. On Lucidum, they see our world as a turquoise star and call it Obscurus, "darkness" or "obscurity".

There are several interesting races in this world, but the one I will tell about is the Eldwarves. To introduce these creatures properly, I have to tell of something that happened so long ago that no one really remembers how or why it came to pass.

Once upon a time, the Elves and Dwarves were on the verge of extinction. The Elf men started marrying the Dwarf women. The population of the two races eventually recovered, but a new race had emerged: the Eldwarves.

Fully grown Eldwarves stand anywhere from 4' to 3'8". There is an outlaw gene among these people known as Giant Syndrome that can cause them to grow to as high as 5'6". Eldwarve women stand from 3'5" and 4'. Carriers of the Giant gene can grow to be as tall as 5'.

Typical hair color of the Eldwarves is red or black, but on occasion a child will be born with any given shade of blonde hair or, in the event of a blonde parent and a black haired parent, brown. The ears of the Eldwarves stick out away from the head and have a point that curves up to the top of the head. Aside from that, the only trait that Eldwarves hate about being Eldwarves is their inability to tan and their tendency to freckle very easily.

The culture of these people is a blend of the cultures of their Elve and Dwarve ancestorsas well as the Humans, Fairies, and Leprechauns in the neighboring lands. Like these races, they practice a form of Catholicism that is indigenous to their world, but almost identical to the Catholic Church in ours.

They wear simple clothing similar to the clothing worn during the Biblical times. These clothes are usually made with a special Eldwarve method that makes thread from precious metals and jewels. Most Eldwarves enjoy wearing large expensive jewelry made from the gems found in the mountains. They also enjoy loud, rowdy music and parties with plenty of alcohol. Consequently, they have a problem with teen mothers.

The Eldwarves are traditionally miners, artisans, and jewelers. They live mostly in vast cities built in hollowed-out mountains. The houses are always built under the mountain in circular caverns. So if a family wanted to expand, all they had to do was dig, since the houses were always located on the edge of the circle. Often times, a home will be decorated with precious jewels found during excavation.

The society of the Eldwarves is similar to the "takes a village to raise a child" philosophy. All the Eldwarves in a village or community treat each other like family. Of course, if two or more Eldwarves don't get along, it causes a huge displacement among the citizens of the community. Since Eldwarves have very short, explosive tempers, the issue can tear the people apart. If the problem isn't quickly resolved, the people of the community will start choosing sides and eventually "Romeo and Juliet" will happen all over again.

Aside from that, the Eldwarves are mostly friendly people who enjoy entertaining. They have spread to all corners of their world now, but ten thousand years ago they were confined to their mountain halls due to racism and human supremacy. (Ten thousand years isn't so long on Lucidum.) Then a king in the kingdom of Iyckuc, the Eldwarve homeland, that passed laws that opened opportunities for races other than the human majority. He even passed the throne on to an Eldwarf. Initially, this set off a civil war between the human aristocracy and the Royal Army, but the matter was settled relatively easily and the young Eldwarf kept the throne.

Since then, an Eldwarf has always been on the Iyckucian throne. Due to this, the Eldwarves have come out of their hiding places and spread. The famous jewelery and clothes attract visitors of all races and from all corners of the world.

Well, I guess that's that closest we'll ever come to seeing the Eldwarves, seeing as they're a whole dimension away. But hey, it wouldn't hurt to be hopeful, right?