Concavia: A Dwalf in his day-shroud.
Added 2025-12-28 19:47:47 +0000 UTCDwalves cannot fare by day unshielded, for Leuada’s light turns their kind to stone, but they can fare above-ground when wearing a day-shroud. Day-shrouds come in many shapes, but are most often black and white and bestrewn with cloth-strips which have spells sewn into them. This day-shroud has shadowed holes at the mouth and under the chin, through which the Dwalf within can see out. The helm is wicker, clad in clay to fill the holes in the woven hazel rods. The cloth-strips bear spiked rune rows, some hanging like fangs, some standing like stakes and some meeting to make shafts. These runes call the mind to the deep hollows where the Dwalves dwell. These spell-laden strips stave off rips and keep the shroud about the Dwalf in harsh weather.
The ghostly Dwalves do not eat worldly foods of flesh and wort. They feed on unworldly and shapeless things, such as souls and the worship given to them. The Dwalf here is stealing the life from a hapless wanderer. The wanderer was helpless to ward off so mighty an elder being. When their eyes met, the Dwalf fed on his fear straight away. The man could barely lift his spear to cast it before he stumbled and fell on his back, too weak to bear his own weight.
Comments
It is uncommon, but not unheard of. Parents tell scary stories of Dwalves to their children, to make them aware of what could be out there in the night or down in the caves. Dwalves do not really have to feed like this, ever. This Dwalf was sapping the man’s life force as an offensive measure, to make sure he didn’t rip the Dwalf’s day-shroud or run away and gather reinforcements. Dwalves get enough sustenance from sacrifices offered to them by their worshippers. It’s worth mentioning that Dwalves do not have to feed very often either. They are sustained for however many life-years they leech from their victim. They can also feed off dreams, like in Anglo-Saxon sources mentioning Dweorgs/Dwarves. They can enter through a person’s nose while they sleep, and enter their dreams, causing nightmares. But they’re not always nightmares. Any emotion strong enough can be fed upon, but love, fear and hatred are best. Some few Dwalf lords become greedy for the vitalising effect of feeding on souls, and become like an insatiable spirit, demanding more and more sacrifices. But this is rare. Truth be told, most mortals in Concavia lead a mundane existence, farming, foraging and, in general, surviving. Most die of illness, some die in war, much like in Earth’s past.
Callum Diggle
2025-12-29 14:06:36 +0000 UTCHow common is it for a regular mortal to die of supernatural cause like this? Is it a rare occurrence or a public health concern?
Fego
2025-12-29 11:51:58 +0000 UTCIt is used by them as a walking stick and to detect obstacles. It is also used to focus their magical energies like a wizards staff. Dwalves hold themselves apart from mortals. Half Dwalves and their descendants are created to lord over other mortals in the Dwalves stead. They do it to form a caste system where Dwalves are the distant beneficiary’s. I’m sure sometimes they do, and there are probably some good love stories to tell about this in the Concavia setting. I can imagine a scenario where a Dwalf accidentally falls in love with a worshipper and must hide it from the order. That could be interesting, a forbidden love type of tale. Perhaps to get a caste system started they would raise the initial generation of half-Dwalves, but after that those half-Dwalves mix in and form a stratified society where Dwalven blood is the marker of high birth. Yes that’s exactly it, they serve as agents who can go freely where the Dwalves cannot. But they’re mostly created to alter a society to benefit the Dwalves from afar. Thanks Erika, mine have been really great, I hope you’ve been enjoying them too!
Callum Diggle
2025-12-29 07:53:57 +0000 UTCI wonder if that staff is a walking stick to aid the Dwalf in moving around due to the day-shroud restricting his movement or if it is a weapon similar to a Bo staff or both? If you've made lore for it yet, what is the general policy the Dwalves have on hybrids with other races? Are they raised with the other Dwalves? Do Dwalves feel affection for half-Dwalf children? I imagine Dwalves would not want any of their children to be raised by other races. If the Dwalves do raise them, I imagine it would lead to a great many dysfunctional relationships and rebellious teenagers who are tired of living in a cave all the time. In spite of this, Dwalves would probably have an incentive to have half-Dwalf children who may be harmed less by sunlight and iron and could be representatives and PR people for those on the surface. What do you think? I hope you had a good time during the holidays!
Erika Spooner
2025-12-28 23:10:04 +0000 UTC
