Cultures

Borost is inhabited by a number of different cultures, who hold different and unique customs.

This article will summarize the most important paradigms present throughout Borost.

Dwaerkar
The Dwaerkar culture is far less homogeneous than many observers would believe. On everything but a few points, the culture of the Dwaerkar has become sundered and splintered, which has spoiled the unity of the Dwaerkar and caused great contention throughout the Dwaerkar freeholds.

Languages
The Dwaerkar languages are spoken primarily by the Dwaerkar, with a number of secondary speakers among the other races.

The lingua franca of the Dwaerkar is Aalderdwaer, with numerous minor dialects spread throughout the freeholds. Ouwestadians and Tielslanders refer to Aalderdwaer as the 'primary language', which is controversial among the rest of the Dwaerkar.

The Dwaerkar made the mistake of not standardizing their language upon the rise of their culture, for which reason it has become sundered into a myriad of different dialects, which are only partially understandable by other speakers of the Dwaerkar languages.

History
The Dwaerkar view of history is largely homogeneous among Dwaer-kind, and is documented in the History article.

Magic
Because of their religion, the Faith of Kel, the majority of the Dwaerkar have strong views of Magic.

The use of spells is allowed and promoted in members of the intelligentsia, while the use of sorceries is forbidden under penalty of death. This is because Magic is considered the first of the Arts of Kel, which Kel used to create all the land. Hence, the use of Magic for destructive purposes is seen as a corruption of the Skeleton of the World, and is numbered among the vilest of heresies.

The Dwaerkar views on the necessity of Catalysts are a source of much friction with some Borostím academicians. The Dwaerkar believe that the universe is comprised of a number of different planes, two of which are known: the Material or Intranscendent Plane, and the Immaterial or Transcendent Plane. When drawing power from the Skeleton of the World, the Catalyst acts as a Medium by which Magic may flow from the Transcendent Plane to the Intranscendent Plane. The Theory of the Multiple Planes is anathema to the Borostím, who believe in the Singular Plane.

Politics
The Dwaerkar are principally sundered by their divided views on politics, and especially how they pertain to the implementation of the Fatherhood.

Redcaps
Redcaps (Rallkappern) consider themselves the champions of tradition among the Dwaerkar in Borost. They favor central, powerful, and authoritarian governments, as in the days of Old among the Dwaerkar, and a domineering interpretation of the Fatherhood.

This view is prevalent in Ouwestad, Bahyrst, and other places.

Their name hearkens to the defunct Moot of Ouwestad, in which traditional factions distinguished themselves with Red caps.

Whitecaps
Whitecaps (Ouistkappern) consider themselves to be the progressive Dwaerkar of Borost. They favor loose, delegated, and democratic governments, and a loose or pedagogical interpretation of the Fatherhood.

This view is prevalent in Scheveningen, Zuiderbaai, and other places.

Their name hearkens to the olden Moot of Ouwestad, in which liberal factions distinguished themselves with White caps.

Religion
Nearly all Dwaerkar, except for the irreligious, follow the Faith of Kel.