Legacy:Barazar El

This page was written for an earlier draft of the setting. It is no longer accurate or canon, but kept around to scavenge for ideas.

Barazar El
Capital	Pelagic Frontier
Ruler	Director Sardor Nazorat Oxur
Government	Elected Director and local elder councils
Demonym	Barazan
Adjective	Barazan
Languages	Dwarven
Religions	Largely secular; Dwarven pantheon

Barazar El (pronounced BAR-ah-zarr EL) is a remote duergar and dwarven nation, located deep below the Mhasmuth Ocean. Barazar El encompasses a number of underwater fortresses, built in mineral-rich waters in the oceanic depths near hydrothermal vents. The inhabitants of the region have developed unique and advanced techno-magical means to survive in such a harsh environment.

Geography, flora, and fauna

Geography and climate

The inhabitants of Barazar El live in the abyssopelagic zone of the Mhasmuth Ocean, one of the most hostile and inhospitable places in the world. The settlements are located far beneath the surface, at depths ranging from five to six thousand meters. Though one might expect very little life so far away from the light of the sun, in pitch black and often oxygen-poor water, the hydrothermal vents of Barazar El provide enough of the core requirements for life that a surprisingly diverse ecosystem has been established.

Though typhoons sometimes hit the surface islands of the Serpent and the Whale, upon which two small Barazan surface settlements have been built, the deep-water towns are completely unaffected by the weather of the surface.

The hydrothermal vents are central to life in Barazar El. Water that has been introduced into the hydrothermal system by way of faults and porous sediment is expelled at temperatures that vary, but range from 200 degrees to upwards of 400 degrees. Most vents are black smokers, which emit clouds of black-tinted water that carries minerals such as sulfur and iron. Most appear as chimney-like structures, built up as minerals are deposited when water cools. Bacteria feed on these minerals, which then themselves serve as the base of the undersea food chain.

Temperatures so far underwater are frigid in most areas, but very high next to the vents. The aquatic creatures of the region have adapted to these extremes. The humanoid inhabitants of Barazar El build their settlements in the “habitable ring”, a zone where the temperatures equalize to the point of being manageable.

Due to their proximity to the magma plumes that feed the hydrothermal vents, the caves of the Depthsunderneath Barazar El are incredibly hot. Even in the very few places where they are survivable, they are unpleasantly warm and can easily kill those who are not careful.

Fauna

The deep ocean is devoid of any vegetation, but seaweeds and corals are abundant on the reefs in shallow waters near the islands.

Flora

Around the vents, amphipods and copepods are on the next level of the food chain above the bacteria, and above them are snails, shrimp, crabs, fish, eels, euryptids, and octopi. Tube worms are one of the most distinctive creatures of the vents, found nowhere else in the world. While most are relatively small, some tubeworms can become truly gigantic.

Away from the vents but still near the ocean floor live other kinds of marine life, including fish, gulper eels, squids, octopi, siphonophores, sea toads, and others, many of which use bioluminescence. In addition, the depths of Barazar El is one of the few regions in the world in which one can find coelacanth and dunkleosteus. Some of the sea creatures of Barazar El are truly strange, such as angler fish, goblin sharks, barrel eyes, giant isopods, stargazers, hatchetfish, colossal squid, frilled sharks, squidworms, sea angels, yeti crabs, and sea spiders. At middle depths, cameroceras hunt a large amount of prey to support their considerable size, sometimes venturing higher or lower when forced to in search of food.

Closer to the surface there is even more variety in life, as one begins to find whales, sharks, turtles, rays, tylosaurus, and more.

Magical creatures

The ocean’s depths hold many dangers. The magical creatures of the deep sea are not to be trifled with - the oppressive darkness, pressure, darkness and cold seem to give rise to particularly fearsome creatures. Everything from echeneis to bakekujira and deep sea serpents can be found in the depths, all of which are best avoided.

Only one cetus is known to reside within Barazar El. The cetus, who calls himself Eridanus, pays little mind to the activities of the Barazans as long as they provide regular tribute (usually large amounts of his favorite food, tubeworms).

Deep walkers are rare in Barazar El, but not completely unknown. Most of them seem to arrive in the region from somewhere farther east.

History

Establishment of Pelagic Frontier

The cave systems under the ocean that bring the Depths close to the hydrothermal vents were known to the dwarves and duergar for a long time, but it took quite a while for the ocean floor to be breached from below. While some early explorers attempted this process out of nothing more than a desire to know what lay above, endeavors were met with failure, flooded caves, and many casualties.

It was only upon the arrival of the Ignimbir clan of duergar in Y7580^* that the first people stood at the bottom of the ocean in Barazar El. Exiled from the underground city they formerly called home, unwelcome at others, and unwilling to live on the surface, the master engineers of the Ignimbir decided to try to eke out an existence in one of the strangest and most hostile environments possible instead - at the very least, they reasoned, nobody else would bother them there. Pelagic Frontier was the first underwater settlement in what would later become the nation Barazar El, beginning as a partially underground, partially underwater series of bunkers forming a semicircle around a vent.

Though expansion and success were slow to come, the Ignimbir clan painstakingly built up their settlement. This eventually attracted the notice of other duergar outcasts, who began to arrive with the goal of joining the unusual underwater village. Initially unwilling to accept outsiders, the Ignimbir’s stance began to soften as they realized they needed additional workers if more was to be done.

Expansion

Barazar El has grown steadily since, as more settlements were established on the ocean floor. Two surface outposts, Karaxtho and Mekun, were eventually created as lookouts and to guide (or discourage) visitors.

Threshold

Soon after its construction was completed, Threshold went silent in Y9783^* shortly after all its new inhabitants arrived. Two expeditions sent to investigate reported that the outer walls had been breached but could not find the cause or culprit. After these expeditions disappeared as well, the entire region was declared off limits.

Demographics

The population of Barazar El is majority duergar, with a smaller minority of dwarves. It is highly unusual for other races to be present and visitors of any ancestry are rare. The few individuals that do stop by are mostly duergar, dwarves, or svirfneblins.

The entire population of Barazar El is quite small, perhaps six or seven thousand at most.

Culture

Religion

Barazar El is a largely secular society. Some Barazans follow the gods of the Dwarven pantheon, especially Tharrus and Unelma. There are few temples in the underwater communities, as religion tends to be a much more private affair.

Language

Dwarven is the most frequently spoken language in Barazar El, understood fluently by all inhabitants. Some also speak Common, Undercommon, Sangiran, or Timakal, but these are less widespread. Barazar El also has a unique method of communicating, a sign language known as Harakar, or Barazan Sign Language. Harakar was developed as a way to convey important information in emergencies underwater, in cases where sound or extensive movement might not be possible. As a result, the sign language is designed to be used entirely with a single hand, and concepts that have to do with surviving underwater are the shortest and simplest to convey.

Arts

Barazan music is frequently a mimicry of deep sea sounds. Whalesong imitations, heavily muted percussion, and shells used to whistle are common features. The music often takes on a forlorn emotive quality, which accentuates many of the preferred lyrical subjects (ballads about the difficulties of life underwater, and of exile).

Traditions

Following the dwarven and duergar tradition, the inhabitants of Barazar El are master blacksmiths. Metal is forged in the heat of the magma plumes underground, with the finished works tempered in the water from the hydrothermal vents. This method results in unique benefits in the finished creations, as well as a distinct “streaked” appearance in the metal.

Society

Barazan society heavily emphasizes order, structure, and the importance of performing one’s duty. Inhabitants of the underwater towns recognize that the only way they can be successful in their harsh environment is if everyone does their part. Any sign of slacking off is viewed negatively, and disregarding one’s responsibility is frequently also a legal infraction. Unnecessary risk taking is also culturally heavily discouraged.

Most aspects of Barazan day to day life are on fixed schedules. The inhabitants of the underwater towns know when to go to work, eat, and return to their quarters based on alarms that notify them. Towns run on staggered shifts, to ensure there aren’t large rushes in any particular direction at once.

Every inhabitant of Barazar El has a defined role in society that they are expected to perform to adequate standards. Children are expected to apprentice and train in a number of roles before reaching adulthood, so their parents and the Tribunals can best determine their future job in society. Most Barazans are trained in the basics of many professions, just in case the need arises for them to take the role of another. Of course, some individuals chafe under this strict, regimented existence, and like everywhere in the world there are many who seek to carve their own path in life.

Even recreational activity in Barazar El is designed for a purpose. Weight training and exercise routines are common “leisure” activities, and provide a method to work off stress and socialize, as well as keep active and in shape. These activities are rarely competitive, or if they are, it is merely a friendly arrangement between acquaintances. Instead, they are undertaken as a method to better oneself.

Food and cuisine

For obvious reasons, farming proves difficult in Barazar El. Diets are heavily seafood-based, especially fish, crab, squid, and shrimp. Fish and shrimp are mostly caught wild using traps and nets, while crab is farmed. The duergar of Barazar El have found that some varieties of crabs that live around the hydrothermal vents are quite docile and easily domesticated, especially as they rarely leave the vicinity of the vents. As a result crab in particular is a staple in Barazan cuisine. Other marine animals, for example whales, are consumed as well, but as this involves an oceanic ascent it is less common.

Non-meat food sources are much less commonplace. The Barazan seafood diet is supplemented by plants grown in elaborate interior hydroponic systems. As these systems are difficult to construct and costly to maintain, they are exclusively located in the settlements of Pelagic Frontier and Mutaxan. The food grown in these two settlements is then distributed elsewhere. Rice, watercress, peppers (especially hot peppers), celery, lettuce, soybeans, and strawberries are the common hydroponic crops. The hydroponic systems are a major point of research and pride for the Barazan engineers. Kelp is collected near Karaxtho and Mekun and sent to the underwater towns, but it does not constitute a major component of the Barazan diet. Salt, hot peppers, soy sauce, and seaweed are by far the most commonly used seasonings.

During mealtimes, the inhabitants of Barazar El usually go to central food halls - most do not cook for themselves or their families, unless that is their role in society. Most commonly built in narrow corridors near the center of towns, these food halls are set up like collections of stalls where the duergar and dwarves can quickly pick up their meal.

Architecture and urbanization

With the exception of the surface outposts, the six underwater towns hold the entire population of Barazar El. Attempting to live underwater by oneself or in smaller groups is a terrible idea that none would attempt. New settlements are only established once the requisite minimum population has already been reached, and all infrastructure is constructed long in advance of the arrival of any permanent residents. All towns are built a certain distance from the vents, where warm and cold water are equally accessible. Settlements are bunker-like and very densely packed, so as to minimize exterior surface area.

The exteriors of Barazan settlements consist of thick stone and metal walls, reinforced enough to withstand the extreme water pressure outside. Material is acquired in the Depths before being transported up to where it is required. As much as possible, interior walls are made of easily sourceable and replaceable materials. Thin metal or stone sheets are used in some places, while rice paper dividers are widely used within the living quarters of families to provide some semblance of multiple rooms and privacy.

Most of the interiors of Barazan towns are cramped and claustrophobic, even by dwarven proportions. Space is at a premium and used as efficiently as possible. Many hallways are only intended to be transited in one direction, due to their narrow widths. Windows are quite uncommon and infrequent - though they are incredibly thick, up to a foot, even the most bulky windows are still a structural weakness compared to the rest of the exterior. Entrance and exit to the outside ocean is done through closely managed airlocks, to ensure safe transit. Signs on the insides of Barazan settlements consist of bioluminescent algae suspended in water inside of narrow glass tubes, shaped into words and designs. These signs need to be “fed” regularly, lest the lights go out.

Interiors are heavily decorated, often with bright colors, shells, bioluminescent paint, and other related means. Though they do not represent the majority of Barazans, some choose to decorate their living quarters in imitations of surface environments (among some dwarves), or in imitations of the Depths (among some duergar).

Travel

Very few people travel to Barazar El. Reaching the underwater towns is dangerous no matter what method one takes. The few that do visit usually do so with the intent of joining, or in seeking the expertise of Barazan engineers. There are two methods that can be used to get to the settlements, and both are fraught with danger. The first method is to arrive by the surface. Visitors can stop by the surface outposts of Karaxtho and Mekun, and then, if they are not discouraged or stopped from continuing further, sail out into the ocean and then descend. Not only does this have a high risk of attack by deadly creatures, but the oceanic environment itself is hostile as one must have a method to breath and survive the high pressures and low temperatures. The second method is to arrive by way of the Depths. The underground cave systems near Barazar El are maze-like, however, and filled with treacherous Warps, subterranean monsters, and magma plumes. The duergar have found ways to avoid the worst of the dangers but do not disclose these with outsiders. Travel between the underwater settlements is mostly done by using the Depths or, more rarely, by traversing the bottom of the sea.

Barazan engineers and mages have also experimented on designs for submersibles capable of operation in the hazards of the ocean depths. The Coffin is the current pinnacle of Barazan submersible design, though efforts continue to perfect this line of innovation.

Magic

Alchemists are somewhat common among the Barazans, especially those that use their mutagens to give themselves an edge in dangerous work environments. Barazan druids use their magic to work with the ocean and its creatures. Though rare, some Barazan synthesist summoners fuse with their aquatic eidolons to improve their survivability and movement in the deep sea.

Barazan mages often do without familiars, due to the logistical issues of keeping them in the underwater towns. Those that do take small companions usually choose ocean-dwelling creatures like octopi, jellyfish, crabs, or even echeneis. It is common to use spheres of glass or magical force to act as a mobile container for familiars when inside the settlements.

Technology

The engineers of Barazar El have devised many technologies and methods to assist in living in the deep sea. To survive the cold, extremely high pressures, and lack of oxygen outside their settlements, the Barazan duergar have developed diving apparatuses that keep their wearer safe, if not comfortable. These apparatuses do not allow great maneuverability and are slow, but both are more than acceptable trade-offs for not dying a quick death.

Some settlements use small numbers of constructs to assist in labor outside their exterior walls. As these constructs can disregard most of the dangers underwater, they are invaluable in routine maintenance.

In order to detect possible dangers before they get too close to the settlements, techno-magical devices called acoustilocators are used. These devices send sonic pulses out into the water and detect anomalous responses in the echo back. As the sound created by these devices can also attract predators, they are only activated when already under threat.

Bioluminescence is widely used in Barazar El. Signs and interior lighting use tubes or spheres of tiny bioluminescent creatures suspended in water - while they do need to be fed regularly, this form of lighting is otherwise low maintenance and does not emit any byproducts. Sometimes diving apparatuses and tools intended for external use will be coated in bioluminescent “paste”, to ensure they are not misplaced and lost.

Though it was extremely resource and time intensive to create, the inhabitants of Barazar El have come to rely heavily on their techno-magical tapwire. Thin metal cabling connects all of the underwater settlements, with the central hub of the network in Pelagic Frontier. Magical pulses are transmitted along the tapwire, and received quickly at all other settlements despite the great distances between them. The tapwire cables are inspected and maintained regularly - this is one of the most dangerous tasks underwater, due to how far it takes the workers away from the settlements. The tapwire is used on an everyday basis for regular communication between the towns, though use is usually restricted to practical matters.

The Depths have a seemingly adequate supply of oxygen in most cave systems, replenished by air that escapes from warps that connect to the Plane of Air. However, the settlements in Barazar El are located far enough away from any of these warps that they cannot rely on them to keep a breathable atmosphere. Instead, techno-magical devices are used to extract oxygen from the deep sea water. Air is then heated by routing it through pipes around the vents, which raise the temperature to a comfortable and livable level. Any failure or even hiccup in these systems are immediately investigated and fixed, as they are critical to everyone’s survival.

Fashion

Barazan clothing is usually tightly fitted, as a matter of practicality. Loose ornamentation or folds of fabric can get in the way or be caught, and therefore pose a safety issue. This style of clothing also helps maintain blood flow in high pressure environments. Fish, whale, and shark skin are common materials used for clothing - linen that has been acquired in trade is used but to a much lesser degree. Hair and beards are closely maintained and braided, though left as long as reasonably possible. Shell beads are frequently braided into hair, with the particular style of color of shells used to indicate profession or clan.

Education

Barazan literature is rather dry, as most published works are meticulously written engineering notes. Works are written with squid ink on rice paper, which is then often waterproofed as well. Emergency manuals that hold instructions to handle possible mishaps are distributed widely and regularly placed in Barazan settlements to ensure they are always available. Literacy rates in Barazar El are high.

Currency

Within Barazar El, physical coinage is uncommonly used. Instead, when money changes hands it is usually in the form of waterproofed paper notes, which is backed and given value by the central government. Coinage is, however, always used when trading with people from outside the region.

Government

Society in Barazar El is tightly regimented and controlled. In such a hostile environment, there is little margin for errors that could jeopardize the underwater settlements. As such, the Barazan legal code attempts to be all encompassing and provide unambiguous instruction as to what must be done in various situations. Barazans hold to these rules and guidelines as a core part of their culture and society, almost never intentionally breaking them. Barazans who leave their underwater settlements for other parts of the world still usually remain steadfast in following all rules to the letter. Infractions, when they do occur, are usually punished with forced labor or by withholding rations - prisons are not used, as they take individuals out of the labor pool. Capital punishment is exceedingly rare, but is performed by exiling the individual in question into the ocean with only a deep water diving suit and a canister of air.

The head of the Barazan government is the Director. Though elected by popular vote, there are strict requirements that one must meet before becoming eligible for the role. This meritocratic process requires both wide experience and insightful knowledge about how to maintain the deep sea towns.

The Director is primarily responsible for managing the logistics of Barazar El. They analyze what the towns require and what they are capable of manufacturing, and from this analysis determine production quotas that each settlement must meet.

Enforcement of the Director’s orders and of the laws of Barazar El falls to the Tribunals, local courts formed from clan elders of each town. Tribunals are appointed by the town, but can be recalled or overridden by the Director for any reason.

Barazar El has no army, or any guards for that matter, though most adults are capable of fighting should the need arise. Barazans rely on their remote location for protection from other peoples and simply go dark and retreat underground when threatened by ocean-dwelling creatures.

Economy

The Barazan towns ensure all their inhabitants have the food, clothing, shelter, and other necessities that they require. Internal economies for extra goods, decorative or luxury items, and favors are based around an informal barter system.

Exterior trade is almost entirely undertaken by the Barazans - trading expeditions are infrequent, as they only set out when required. Travel by these caravans is done by way of the Depths. Trade is mostly with Pela Huban, Vaothan, Kharakun, and Rovakhit. Merchants out of Barazar El pick up preserved foodstuffs, wood, and other surface materials that cannot be acquired in the deep ocean, and in return sell deep ocean specimens, forged weapons and tools (which are particularly valuable), bioluminescent goods, whale-derived perfumes and oil, and their expertise in engineering.