Khazhdun Culture

• Membership: Denizens of Khazad-Khot, Morazham.
• Language: Khazdun and derived languages.
• Lifestyle:
  • Home/Family Unit: Some familial units, however replaced by clan; colleagues become social ties.
  • Social Structure: Unique clan system, individuals divided by trade, skill, or responsibility. Meritocracies.
  • Religion: Terralism
• Culture:
  • Art: Song, particularly working or labour songs. Writing, storytelling. Artwork that exploits thermographic vision to add additional layer to visual arts.
  • Themes: History, tools.
  • Fashion: Practical, outfits designed around craft; clan memorabilia or markings common.
  • Cuisine: Mushrooms, fungus, fish from salt lakes and underwater basin.
• Quirks:
  • Work Life: Members tend to work all days, incorporate social interaction into their work.
  • Workers Chant: Near constant use of workers songs, often audible across buildings, used to perfect cadence and operation.
  • Clan Stories: Strong respect for clan histories, specific roles in clans to document histories.

In Detail

Amidst some of the tallest mountains and rockiest valleys, the Khazad-Khot mountain range has informed the industrious societies that have excelled in their realm. Resources are plentiful but difficult to reach, and with it the Khazhdun learned the most important lessons — success requires teamwork, dedication, and an absolute fixation on the goal.

Khazhdun culture rewards those with mettle and sheer will, a trait that has encouraged widespread belief that their people cannot be swayed by even the strongest influences; and to be a "true" Khazhdun such a statement must be nothing short of accurate. Their lifestyles are devoted to working for the betterment of their societies and seeking out the means through which an individual can best contribute.

Work and practicing of skill as such is a mainstay of their culture. Rest and breaks are rewards, not entitlements, and the luxury of time off is rare, with most individuals even taking pride in their expertise. Their notions of art, leadership, and even family have been similarly informed; until masterpieces take the form of tools and constructions rather than sculptures, and family is nothing compared to the team or clan you become part of.

With all individuals being workers and responsible for the furthering of their society — the infrequency of female Morazham often results in them having higher status, as not only are they responsible for fulfilling their duties but they give rise and opportunity for successive generations. Women are often of substantially higher social status within Khazhdun culture as a result.

A mainstay of Khazhdun culture is the notion of a Clan, of which most societies are broken into multiple, each specialised around a particular series of related needs and operations within that society. These clans often have their own political structures. Most commonly, these take the form of meritocracies, where power within a given clan is dictated by one's skill and ability — however, matriarchies are also common either due to the widened opportunities provided to them or simply due to direct social status. In most societies, clans are strongly cooperative, further emboldening the belief in working for the benefit of all Khazhdun.

Clans are most often joined when a child comes of age, and has proven their skill and willingness to work, though specific recruitment routines can vary heavily. While familial ties are not severed entirely, it's a cultural norm that upon joining a clan, it becomes the new core of their social identity.

The leadership of entire cities can vary, however. The underlying culture does a great deal to root out intentional corruption, but as power naturally leans towards either the strongest clans or the ruling class of clan leaders, the underlying desire to act for the best interests of their city at all costs can lead to many dark paths.