Holidays and Customs

[Samloyal23]

My Iron Dwarves have a city that is up in the mountains but extends deep underground. Burghausen's guild houses, government offices, and main market area are above ground. Each clan has a "manse", a house with a surface entrance the extends downward into the mountain to connect to the mines and craft shops where most of them work. An underground river allows transport to docks on the shore. Dirigibles have a port on the highest part of the city and some larger buildings have rooftop blimp docks.

Outside the city proper a few dwarves have small farms and orchards in forest meadows within a couple of miles of the city. Their cottages usually feature an underground sleeping area and some are connected to the city by tunnels that drop into the underground river.

 

[Mark CMG]

Ah, so the coming of spring does have some effect on their lives such that it becomes something to tie to a holiday. I see. Do they have big feasts when they find new veins of ore, or as old ones run "dry?"

 

[Samloyal23]

Ah, so the coming of spring does have some effect on their lives such that it becomes something to tie to a holiday. I see. Do they have big feasts when they find new veins of ore, or as old ones run "dry?"

Mining festivals! Good idea, yes, I suppose they would. Probably dedicated Nerthus and Gullveig. Hmm... Yeah I can see a dedication ceremony being done for the opening of a new mine. I tend to think a tapped out mine just gets turned into more smithies and housing...

 

[Mark CMG]

Mining festivals! Good idea, yes, I suppose they would. Probably dedicated Nerthus and Gullveig. Hmm... Yeah I can see a dedication ceremony being done for the opening of a new mine.

Oh, yes! A dedication ceremony. Auguries over its longevity to determine how robust a feast should be given. The testing of the purity!

I tend to think a tapped out mine just gets turned into more smithies and housing...

Maybe a quasi-funeral. It's like losing an old friend and work and income and more for a community.

 

[Samloyal23]

Hmm... Okay, every time the find a new vein of ore they have a feast in the name of Nerthus or Gullveig and everyone who attends sacrifices a coin or small jewel. In return the goddess blesses them so they get a +1 bonus on skill check when working in that one mine for 1d4 weeks per cleric's caster level. This is a communal ritual spell, Mine Blessing.

Closing the mine? Hmm...
...Have to think about that.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Oktoberfest -- seasons harvest before winter comes, this could mean the "closing of the Mountain" to an extreme winter (Frost Giants migration). Later, it can be followed by the Spring Fest or the "Opening of the Mountain".

Forge Day; mid-summer festival where forges are shut down for cleaning.

 

[Samloyal23]

Forge Day sounds interesting. I can see a cleric of Volund, the smith god, blessing any shop that passes inspection.

Harvest holidays are almost universal, just need to come up with a mechanical effect to match...