D&D General Help Me Rename a Culture in My Campaign

[delericho]

More what others would call them and how I reference it. They would probably just refer to themselves as dwarves. The name they gave their citadel is Maelgrym. But if something cooler comes about from this discussion, I'll definitely consider that.

I would strongly consider using Maelgrym as the name of the city as used by everyone. No need to add a new name to the campaign when you've got a perfectly good one right there.

As for the name of the dwarves themselves, the Grim is a good suggestion. Or perhaps Buried Dwarves?

 

[Retreater]

Are they actually black or dark skinned?

They are not dark skinned. The adjective "black" was used to refer to their soot covered city. And calling them black dwarves was also a callback to the pact they made with dark powers.

 

[MattW]

There's an area in England known as "The Black Country". This name might be because it contained the first industrial towns, or because it's also a coal-mining area. The inhabitants are sometimes (unkindly) called "yam-yams" because of their dialect; they might say "you am", not "you are".

Is there something unique about the Dwarvish dialect spoke in Maelgrym? Do other Dwarves look down on them because they mine poor-quality coal, not metal ore?

 

[Retreater]

Is there something unique about the Dwarvish dialect spoke in Maelgrym? Do other Dwarves look down on them because they mine poor-quality coal, not metal ore?

They were thought dead until recently. They were the ones who sided with a military leader who tried to overthrow their Thane for being a weak leader. The Thane exiled them to the depths (being unwilling to kill his brother, the military leader) but told his people they were killed.
Now people have discovered that the exiled dwarves survived in the depths and started a new civilization, emboldened by the military leader's might and pact with demons. Meanwhile the original dwarven civilization has been waning, and the evil dwarves see this as their opportunity to restore "true dwarfdom."

 

[el-remmen]

They were thought dead until recently. They were the ones who sided with a military leader who tried to overthrow their Thane for being a weak leader. The Thane exiled them to the depths (being unwilling to kill his brother, the military leader) but told his people they were killed.
Now people have discovered that the exiled dwarves survived in the depths and started a new civilization, emboldened by the military leader's might and pact with demons. Meanwhile the original dwarven civilization has been waning, and the evil dwarves see this as their opportunity to restore "true dwarfdom."

Sounds like a foundation/cracked foundation to me

 

[Flamestrike]

They are not dark skinned. The adjective "black" was used to refer to their soot covered city. And calling them black dwarves was also a callback to the pact they made with dark powers.

How do they see themselves?

Few people view (and regard themselves) as evil.

For example the Duergar see themselves as 'True' Dwarves (and the name itself comes from Old Norse name for Dwarf: dvergr)

 

[Retreater]

How do they see themselves?

Few people view (and regard themselves) as evil.

For example the Duergar see themselves as 'True' Dwarves (and the name itself comes from Old Norse name for Dwarf: dvergr)

Like steel in a fire, they have been tempered by the rituals, made stronger by these new forces. Whereas the previous dwarves allowed devotion to tradition to weaken them, these dwarves are willing to change and grow stronger, to tear down the old and reshape it into something better.

 

[Flamestrike]

Like steel in a fire, they have been tempered by the rituals, made stronger by these new forces. Whereas the previous dwarves allowed devotion to tradition to weaken them, these dwarves are willing to change and grow stronger, to tear down the old and reshape it into something better.

I dont know why they dont just call themselves Dwarves.

Pathfinders Devil pact Humans of Chieliax just call themselves... Human. As did the Nar Humans of Narfell in the Forgotten Realms.

Why would they suddenly start calling themselves something else?

 

[Retreater]

I dont know why they dont just call themselves Dwarves.

Pathfinders Devil pact Humans of Chieliax just call themselves... Human. As did the Nar Humans of Narfell in the Forgotten Realms.

Why would they suddenly start calling themselves something else?

I think that's reasonable for them to call themselves dwarves, but I need the term that outsiders use for them (and how I should refer to them in a potential publication that is clear that they are unlike other dwarves culturally and game mechanically - but has no derogatory real world suggestions).

 

[prabe]

I think that's reasonable for them to call themselves dwarves, but I need the term that outsiders use for them (and how I should refer to them in a potential publication that is clear that they are unlike other dwarves culturally and game mechanically - but has no derogatory real world suggestions).

So, to be clear, calling them Grym Dwarves wouldn't have any derogatory real-world suggestions, or would the homophone for "grim" be one?