Food

Life in the depths of the mountains necessitates a unique cuisine, rich in preserved foods and subterranean delicacies. The Voräälyn have mastered the art of mushroom cultivation, with Vörykkät, a breed of glowing fungi, forming the base of many dishes. These mushrooms, when fermented, provide a deep umami flavor akin to aged cheese and serve as a staple in their diet.

Meat is a rare luxury, primarily sourced from underground creatures such as great blind eels that lurk in the subterranean lakes or from the few mountain goats that wander the highest peaks of Törgdon. Their preferred form of sustenance, however, comes from deep-earth root vegetables, which is hardy enough to grow in the mineral-rich caverns.

Alcohol is another cornerstone of their culture. The Ääkrö, or stone mead, is brewed from honey collected by cave-dwelling bees and infused with bioluminescent lichen, creating a drink that glows faintly in the dark. This potent beverage is reserved for ceremonies and feasts, its brewing a sacred practice passed down through the generations.

Smithing

In Dölgyd, smithing is not merely a craft—it is a sacred art, a legacy passed down from Seppä himself. The forges of the Voräälyn burn with an ethereal blue flame, said to be kindled by the god’s own hand, and their anvils ring with secrets as old as the mountains.

Dölgyd’s smiths are more than artisans; they are mystics, binding magic into metal, forging weapons that sing with power and armor that whispers of unseen protection. Their greatest works are not mere tools of war, but relics—each bearing a name, a history, and a soul. To be a master smith is to commune with the essence of the world, shaping its raw force into something eternal.

Guilds, known as Lujönat, guard their techniques jealously, their halls hidden deep within the mountain strongholds. Some say the Voräälyn’s greatest secrets lie within these sacred forges—secrets they would kill to protect.

Societal Structure & Isolationism

The Voräälyn society is rigidly hierarchical, bound by ancient traditions that date back to the days of Kyost and Eero. At the same time, Kyost remains their eternal ruler and his appointed Väšyrin to carry out his whims. The Luojat, a caste of master craftsmen, scholars, and mystics, serve as stewards of knowledge and industry. Each Luoja is responsible for a particular craft, from forging to weaving to stone-carving, and their word is law within their respective domains.

Unlike the outside world, Dölgyd does not operate on a system of nobility in the human sense. Status is not inherited but earned through mastery of one's craft. A smith who has perfected their trade is held in as high regard as a warrior who has defended the city from incursions. Even the lowest labourers are respected, as every task is seen as a piece of a greater whole, each citizen a cog in the great machine of their civilisation.

This rigid structure is one of the reasons Dölgyd has remained so isolated. Kyost, distrustful of the outside world after his brother's departure, has long sought to protect his people from external influence. Traders who once carried Voräälyn crafts beyond the mountains have vanished, and in the last two centuries, all who attempt to enter the deep halls are never seen again. The only signs of life from within are the rare glimpses of shadowy figures at the mountain’s edge and the occasional, intricately crafted artefact that finds its way into foreign hands, a whisper of a kingdom that refuses to be forgotten.