People of Melandor: Melandorians / Melanor
Melandor male: Mel'gar (plural: Mel'garr)
Melandor female: Mel'wyn (plural: Mel'wynna)
Land area: 4.8 million km²
Population: 88.3 million
Ethnic groups:
96% Iron Mountain people,
2% other humans (including Dragonmen, etc.), and
2% others
Hierarchy:
Noble family (Queen as head of the realm)
Sparkkeepers (Priests)
Spark Warriors (Soldiers)
Spark Healers (Medics)
Religion: Stone/Iron religion
Artifact:
Sacred war horn of Melandor
Two divine thunder hammers
Protective symbol: Iron ring – So that the warrior craft tradition never dies out
Currency: 1 Spark (= 1 gold-copper coin with a diameter of approximately 2 cm – obverse (gold): anvil with sparks & reverse (copper): mountain range with hammer)
Relationship ethics: A woman may marry multiple men = polyandry.
Landscape and climate: Many mountains and thus many iron resources, but little forest / mild, hot and cold in the north
Mythical creatures: including werewolf
Capital: Dornstahl
Meaning of the word: Dornstahl = "Steel of the Thorn Mountains"
Characteristics / overall image of the capital: Smithing towns, showers of sparks, metal citadels, lava veins underground.
Coat of arms:
Shield shape: broad Norman shield
Central symbol: a craggy mountain with a forged war horn in front of it
Meaning: earthy strength and the tradition of ancient heroes born from a rugged landscape.
The craggy mountain represents resilience and the land itself, while the forged war horn symbolizes the people's readiness for war.
Details:
two crossed warhammers in the background (symbolizing the warrior-craftsmanship culture where combat and smithing are inextricably linked)
light metal scratch texture
a small spark of fire at the top (symbolizing the initial spark from which every weapon, hero, and legend of Melandor is born)
Holidays and Rituals:
First Spark Day – January 11
Ritual: Blessing of sparks in the smithy to honor the art of blacksmithing.
Spark Heart Night – April 29
Ritual: Couples forge a small spark ring together (a metal ring with hammer marks).
Love Phrase:
Common: "You are the spark in my iron."
Melanorian: "Kel'thar ven dor'mar."
Love Vow:
Common: "I forge my life by your side."
Melanorian: "Ik smede min Leben an dinre Sît."
Hammer Festival – July 7
Ritual: Blacksmithing competitions.
Most often, finished weapons are brought to the festival to show off one's forged weapon to others.
Mountain Call – November 15th
Ritual: Echoed chants in rocky gorges to honor the mountain.
The rituals usually also include folk songs, folk dances, prayers, and oaths of the local realm, which are sung, danced, or recited.
Love and Birth Ceremony:
Love Ritual: Union in a smithy, the fire burning down.
Not a word – only heat and closeness. There, they consummate their love.
Love Prayer:
Common Language: "You are my support."
Melanorian: "Du bisch min Fels."
Birth Ritual: Birth near the forge or near a volcanic mountain.
The child briefly touches cold iron.
Blessing of Birth: Common Language: "Born strong."
Melanorian: "Hart gebor'n."
Wedding Ceremony:
Wedding Ritual: An iron ring is forged and divided – each wears one half.
Marriage Blessing:
Common Speech: "Together you are steel."
Melanorian: "Zam seid's Stahl."
Funeral Ceremony:
Mourning Ritual: The body is buried in the mountain and placed in the lava.
A hammer strikes three times.
Funeral Blessing:
Common Speech: "The mountain holds you."
Melanorian: "Da Berg halt di."
Melanor Folk Song: please see later to my TikTok.
Melanor Folk Dance:
"The Spark Hammer Round Dance":
Style: Rhythmic, loud, vigorous.
Form: Circle with an "anvil center," meaning the anvil is located in the middle of the circle.
Movements: Step-step-stamp-sound (metallic sound).
Fists striking the chest or shield like hammers, movements like blacksmith's blows.
Spark spin at the end + horn prayer (see below).
Symbolism: Blacksmithing, sparks, pride in craftsmanship and war.
Melanor Fashion:
Iron and copper colors
Heavy linen with deep necklines for women
Leather bands
Blacksmith's aprons
Spark ornaments
Metal and copper-colored brooches
Language: Melanorian
Hello = Marron!
Welcome = Kommen in'Mark!
Thank you = Schmied'dank
Please = Gernhorn
Yes = Jo
No = Nah
Farewell = Glut wach' dich
Melandor loves blacksmith-related "insults."
"Rust eater" = Rost'maul
"Weak steel" = Weichmetall
"Sparkless" = Funk'nar
Daily prayer:
Morning prayer: "Spark, ignite me." = "Funken, entfach mi."
Evening prayer: "Rock, hold me." = "Fels, halt mi fest."
Table prayer: "Thanks for iron & bread." = "Dank fyr eisen un' brot."
Prayer (Horn prayer):
Common speech: "Ember and steel, give me strength."
Melanorian: "Glut'n stahl, gebt mir kraft'n harr."
Oath (Hammer Oath):
Common Language: "By hammer, spark, and rock, I will stand firm."
Melanorian: "Ham'r, funk'n, fels – ich steh' fest."
Hand Signs for Prayers, Oaths, etc. ("The Smith's Hand"):
One hand is made into a fist (= iron), the other strikes it gently (strike = shaping),
like a hammer on an anvil. These steps are repeated throughout the prayer (rhythm = craftsmanship).
Mini-Laws:
No tool may be willfully destroyed.
Mines are to be honored, not plundered.
Betrayal of one's own clan = rust in the heart (the highest crime).
Minor Offenses: Destroying tools
Punishments:
Repair duty
Anvil duty (= guilt is made visible)
Symbolic rust ring (= guilt is made visible)
Major Offenses: Looting mines / Betrayal of the clan
Punishments:
Entire naked body must touch hot lava rock, while the naked body is branded with a hot branding iron (bearing the clan symbol).
Women must also perform sexual intercourse with all men of the clan (= Highest punishment, as women in Melandor culture are above the hierarchy and this represents the greatest humiliation).
Up to and including death (= death penalty).
War cry:
Common language: "Forge victory!"
Melanorian: "Schmied'sieg!"