Thaldrim
- Attributes: +1 Strength, -1 Dexterity
- Resistance: Moisture
- Weakness: Drought
The Thaldrim are a race of dwarves who traded mountain halls for crashing waves and open horizons. Hemmed in by colossal peaks to the west, they carved their homes into the sea-facing cliffs of the northeast and shaped a culture born from storm and stone. Their ship-halls echo with the chants of skald-smiths, and their long-keel vessels prowl the cold northern waters with equal parts curiosity, pride, and ferocity. Where other dwarves delve downward, the Thaldrim surge outward — explorers, raiders, traders, and storm-singers.
Personality & Behavior
Thaldrim spirits burn hot as forge-fire and roll wild as the surf. They admire courage above all things — whether in battle, voyage, or oath. Feasting, boasting, friendly brawls, and storm-songs are central to their way of life. They value a good story as much as a good blade, and a warrior who cannot sing is pitied almost as much as one who cannot fight.
To break an oath is to break oneself — the Thaldrim hold honor tighter than iron. Yet they are no grim zealots; they laugh loud, forgive rarely, and fight fiercely for kin and crew.
Appearance
Thaldrim have the rugged look of those who live close to the wind and waves. Their hair and beards grow thick and are woven into heavy braids tied with metal rings, carved beads, bits of coral, or charms shaped like runes. Many ink their skin with swirling blue patterns representing storms survived, voyages completed, or ancestors honored.
Their armor is practical but ornate: leather and mail reinforced with steel plates etched in knotwork, often paired with heavy cloaks of seal-hide or wave-patterned wool.
Culture
Thaldrim dwell in mighty Seahearths, which rise like fortress-longhouses from the cliff faces. These are places of roaring hearths, hall feasts, and echoing passages drilled into the coast’s ancient rock. Each Seahearth shelters a network of drydocks, boathouses, and forge-piers where smiths chant rhythmic work-songs as they hammer iron, bronze, and whalebone into tools, weapons, and the prows of longships.
Thaldrim society is organized into Crews — kinbound companies led by a Captain-Smith, a chieftain whose authority comes from mastery of both warcraft and craftwork. Each Crew claims a flagship and a set of ancestral runes that guide their voyages.
They honor Drenmir the Deep Forger, whom they believe tempers both the sea and the soul. Before voyages, Thaldrim perform the Wave Oath, touching their weapons to the tide while chanting blessings for strength, fury, and return.
Sample Names
| Masculine | Feminine | Surnames |
|---|---|---|
| Brogan | Brynja | Ironwake |
| Kaldric | Kaela | Deephelm |
| Thorrin | Sorrin | Brineforge |
| Varn | Thala | Wavebreaker |
| Dorrak | Merra | Stormdelver |