Drivdrim

Drivdrim—meaning “Home of the Mountains” in the Vinecian tongue—is the principal settlement of the Drimvin, a branch of the ancient Vini people who fled south during The Great Backfire. Guided by instinct, geography, and the encroaching Moliross mists, they sought higher ground and ultimately took refuge in a lone, towering mountain surrounded by a web of rocky foothills and natural choke points.

The settlement is not a built village, but a sprawling cavern network adapted into a semi-permanent home. Here, the Drimvin found safety from corrupted Spoil winds, Mistwraith incursions, and the predatory Bloodseekers that stalk the low valleys. Over generations, Drivdrim became a symbol of endurance and ancestral strength.

Geography & Environment

Drivdrim occupies:

• A massive central cavern lit by reflective crystal veins
• Multiple entrance tunnels narrow enough to defend
• Natural stone terraces used for living platforms
• A high elevation vantage overlooking valley approaches
• Proximity to Drewosh Lake, providing water and fishing
• Abundant rock, clay, and workable stone for toolmaking

The surrounding terrain naturally funnels creatures and mists into narrow paths, creating defensible zones and giving the Drimvin early warning of danger.

Culture & Society

Drivdrim is the heart of Drimvin identity, shaped by:

• Matriarchal lineage
• Strong reverence for Urkm d’Frar (Forests), Druin d’Frar (Mists), and Drim d’Frar (Mountains & Healing)
• Runesmithing traditions (Omnka Dram)
• Communal living and shared stonework
• A cultural mandate for every adult to eventually “Join the Battle”—a ritual charge into the mists to reclaim their ancestral homeland

Though a safe haven, Drivdrim is not wholly peaceful. It is a staging ground for their endless, tragic war against the undead of Moliross.

Economy & Daily Life

The settlement survives through:

• Gathering hardy mountain herbs
• Fishing from nearby lakes
• Hunting small game in the foothills
• Stoneworking for axes, spearheads, and tools
• Leatherworking for armor
• Rune-carving for spiritual and martial purposes

Drivdrim’s semi-nomadic traditions persist, but the mountain itself is now the cultural anchor.

Threats & Defenses

The Drimvin face constant threats from the north:

• Mistwraiths drifting from the Moliross valley
• Skeleton Warriors guarding ancient ruins
• Bloodseekers hunting along corrupted ridgelines

Defenses include:

• Narrowed cave entrances
• Carved choke points
• Stone traps
• Runes marking critical thresholds
• Constant scouting of valleys below

Despite these dangers, Drivdrim has never fallen.

Significance

Drivdrim represents:

• The resilience of the Vinecian descendants
• The last bastion of resistance against the Moliross undead
• A reminder of the lost homeland they hope to reclaim
• A spiritual sanctuary where ancient rituals endure

For outsiders—even other Vini-descended peoples—the settlement stands as a mysterious mountain citadel guarded by stubborn warriors, sacred rites, and the ever-present mists below.