The lives of the Dalmite people are tightly bound to nature and the surrounding forests. They firmly believe that their purpose is to protect the forests, the first children of Kainna and they are devoted to Elaen, the Mistress of the Forest. Once a great nation, the Dalmites now wander the land belonging to others, the Salans and the Tarians. Among the majority of forest dwellers the lack of a kingdom is not a hardship because they believe that land is not owned but borrowed, cherished and protected.
The Dalmites survive in a land that is rich in natural resources and take only what they need, leaving the rest to flourish and grow. Most tribes lead simple lives, hunting and gathering in the forests, planting small crops of vegetables, grains, and fruit, and creating useful crafts or training animals. Many of the tribes are nomadic or semi-nomadic, following game and the seasons as they travel the forests. Some tribes have created permanent settlements where they refine and trade their crafts. Most of these small outposts are built high in the trees, cradled within the boughs of the forest. Tilitha is the only true city and the home of the leaders of the Dalmite Nation.
Most Dalmites learn to use a bow and a spear at an early age. They become experts at hiding and tracking animals and people while slithering silently and unseen through the trees. Platforms built into the trees serve as hunting perches and can be deadly to an unsuspecting enemy.
The most honored profession among the Dalmites is the Ledri al weh Seit. A Caretaker of the Land, the Ledri protects the trees and animals from outsiders and poachers. Deeply devoted to Elaen, the Mistress of the Forest, the Ledri are welcome in any treetop community and it is said the blessings of the forests come to a family if a child chooses to follow this solitary but revered life.
The Dalmites are a matriarchal society, which means that they pass on their bloodlines through the mother, not the father. The leader of the Dalmites as well as most of the clan leaders is usually a woman. Only rarely have men held these positions. More men have held tribal leadership positions although still not as often as women.
Diet and Medicine
The majority of the food eaten by the Dalmite people consists of vegetables, fruit and herbs gathered in the forests or grown in clearings. Meat is also eaten although sparingly. Hunting parties have limits on the amount of game they can collect at any given time and Elaen must give permission for all animals taken from the forests. When an animal is taken, all parts are used and nothing is wasted. Fur or hides are used for clothing and pouches; meat for food; sinew for cord and threads; hoofs and bones ground up for various uses; and fat to produce lotions and oils. Even the blood is kept for religious ceremonies. The religious leader of the tribe sacrifices the heart of the animal to Elaen.
Farming is not common in the forests of the Dalmites. In some areas of the forests, small orchards were planted and are still tended carefully producing fruit and nuts. Dalmite farmers also tend Berry patches. Several Dalmite settlements have become masters at horticulture, creating irrigation systems and breeding plants that flourish in the forest environment.
In the same way that food was gathered from the forests, herbs are also gathered and used by Dalmites to create curatives. Many healers have created their own herbal gardens to grow and nurture many types of plants with medicinal qualities.
In the earliest times, most healing was a combination of herbal application and religious ceremony and usually carried out by shamans. Prayers and chants were the main method of healing a sick or injured person and were just as often deadly as they were effective. Healers emerged gradually, usually in more primitive tribes, hidden deep within the forest away from the more influential shamans. Some of these healers became experts at finding helpful herbs and in concocting salves, teas, and poultices effective in fighting off common maladies including mild infections. In some tribes, shamans outlawed healers, refusing to believe a mortal could heal as well as the gods. It became obvious to the Dalmite people though that the tribes which allowed healers were usually the healthiest, bore the most live babies, and resisted or survived disease much better than those who outlawed herbal medicine. Healers gained status within the tribes. At about this time, an ancient manuscript was found which revealed remedies of common illnesses and maladies. It was believed the manuscript was written by a shaman of long ago, inspired by Kainna. This further established healers as a part of the Dalmite culture and gave them religious status as well.
In 3070 TS, a woman by the name of Crydia was chosen by the Council to lead the Dalmites. Crydia was very forward thinking and encouraged research into medicinal herbs. She invited healers from other nations to Tilitha to discuss new advances in medicine. Crydia and the healers of her time made huge advancements in medicine among the Dalmites. Although most of their medicine is still herbal, it is based on years of research and study. Surgical techniques are still rare among the Dalmites although wounds can be seared and stitched and bones can be set. The current Teila is dedicated to opening up her Nation to more advanced healing techniques and has opened discussions with the Hands of Mercy to have several gifted healers trained within the hospital in Caeril.
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