Dów

Dów is a term used in the ethnographic and linguistic description of the fictional Dovar region. It refers to a large communal building and to the social system centered upon it. Architecturally, a dów is a timber-framed, thatch-roofed hall with a central hearth and an open floor plan that allows sightlines for gatherings. The structure is typically raised on a low platform and decorated with woven panels; several such buildings cluster around a central square or plaza in a dów village.

Socially, the dów acts as the nucleus of daily life. Households share meals, store provisions, and participate in decision-making within the dów's ring of family groups. Leadership is often exercised through a rotating council associated with the dów; consensus and hospitality are valued traits.

Etymology and cognates: The term dów derives from the proto-Dovan root *dó- meaning "together" or "with" and is etymologically linked to related words in nearby languages that denote gathering or common life. In Dovan, the word can function as both a noun for the building and a metaphorical reference to communal responsibility.

Contemporary usage: In modern ethnographic writings and speculative fiction, dów is used to illustrate a model of communal living and collective governance. It appears in maps and literature as a cultural symbol rather than a strictly contemporary architectural type, with scholars noting its representation of tradition amid modern pressures.