Welcome to Gaia! ::

In the bordering territories of mountains lies a pride, old as stone, and strong as metal, or so they say. These lions are a proud and strong pride whom delve deep into the earth and produce,,, Wonder. Gemstones. MEtal. They dive deep into the earth and walk where mountains breath fire and many may well end up dead, unafraid of the earth, nor the lands beyond. Powerful, cunning, aster craftsmen, the lions call themselves 'Dvergr', an ancient word from a fading tongue meaning 'Dwarf'. For they are dwarves, with hearts of stone and bodies of iron.

Terrutiory

Occupying a mountain range they call the Durinian Range, the Dverger's territor4y is astonishinglky larege, for while many see their hunters prowling the outside in traditional huinting grounfd, the realk territory lies in the mountains themselves, center to it a massive volcano called Ngorogoro Volcano.

All caverns in the range lead to dens,m to areas of play. It affords space for the clans, it affords room to spread and mine, to craft, and at her heart lies the only named site, encompassing the largest cavern and the Ngorogoro Forg3es....

Dvergrheim.

Although sculpted over dcenturies by claw and by maw,. Dvergrheim is a testament to Dwarven crafting and history, welcoming outsiders to see the skies captured in crystal and paints made into art.* She is filled with dwarven songs and stories, feasts and the hammering of hammers and tools. She is a place of song and joy and the Ngorogoro Forge is the true gem in the crown of the Dwarves. Herem, where the volcano heat and water coexist in close proximity, lies a forge. Herem,, lit by the Hellfiure below, lies the forges,. allowing fddwarves to forge their crafts. A dwarf migfht cut stone and polish gem any place of water and sand or stone, but only in the forge does a Dwarf cast metals. It is here the Dwarvenfolk smitrh** and create crafts othgers cannot compare to,. Rhw forge lies at the heart of Dvergrheim, and is the heart of the Dwarves themselves.

Typical Dwarven Lions

"Dwarf" does not mrean siumply thre Dvergr lionds are tiny, helpless waifs. Trading some size for strength, Dvergr lions are stockier and more muyscular. Stronger. Their fur is coarse and shaggy - males and femalkes sport beard-like fur, although males are more pronoiunced. Their claws are sharp and many Dwarven lions, buit not all, are polydactyl and can grasp the tools of the dwarven trades.*** Siuimilarly, while the oldest pelts might resemble grays, browns, blacks, and other earthentones or muted reds, golds and other naturalk colors also represent the dwarves - perhaps heralding to their connection to their forges, supervised by Clan Surtr. While the younger clans share buildm coat texture, and even polydactylism from breeding in, they are often more varied, but none so much as the gemstones, clan Jalokivi.

Traditional Naming
Thoiugh they do not have naming laws, the Dvergr have traditions the older blood follows, that may not always be followed by new members. A "proper" Dvergr's name is 2-3 Syllables, although 1 is fine, and sounds strong and powerful. For OOC hrelp, this can be Scandinavian or German - incluiding Danish, Norwegean, Icelandic, and Finnish, or you can use dwarven names from otghers sources, like Tolkien or WoW ETC.

Example of a Traditiuonal Dwarven Name: Thorin, Dorin, Itzkabatin, Freyr, Tyr, Loki, ETC

Exampole of "Sissy Nasmes": Ella, Legolas, Vassalisa, literally anything plant related. Or elven. Anything that might be soft[/struje].

* Don't get excited. All art and crafts are made with paws, claws, and teeth. Imagine a lion with an artistic streak, ALTHOUGH Elpahants paint and have access to the place so also account for elephants painting. THANKS SCIENCE!

** Still don't get excited. Currently the dwarves do not make allyunless it happened naturally. They cannot clean or refine it just melt the ore into a state they can use iut in.

*** ALL TOOLS work wiuthin a paw or the jaws. This includes picks, hammers, and the luike, but as they can smith that can work with casting crude, very crude items., mostly for jewelry or minor protection. Think bracers less helmets. Again, keep it to something a lion can reasonably craft, although they ARE polydactyl and thus possess a cat version of thumbs. :'D They can cut and set gems they just won't be making Gleipnir in this house. :'D

To understand the Dvergr, you must know their history and origin myth. As an old pride, whom value their history and their people first, the two are eternally entwined. As such this sectyion is ytold from the Dwarven views.

Long ago, long before the Sun King of the Pridelands or of the breaths of alfr (Elves), when the moon shone and the land young, when magic weas thought possible, the very stone of the dwarven mountains, in the heart of Dvergrheim, was born of the mountain's heart a lion.

Durin. The father of dwarvenkind.

Durin slid from the caverns, and stepped into the young earth, As Durin walked, he saw. He saw the young species, and he saw the light of the sun. He came to feast, to huint. And where he touched stone, more were borbn. Lions born of stone. Brothers hewn oif the cold hard earth, sisters of stone. Smaller than other lions, for they were dense and strong, powerful, and when his walking finished, Durin took the brothers and sisters of stone to his own home, to shelter from a world of spirit, of wind, too bright, too unstable. No, he sought the wise shelter of the mountains.

It was the brother beside him, Surtr, whom stepped first into the Forge. He breathed, and flame and fire filled the mountain - warmth in the winter and heat for forge. One by one the first dwarves brought to the halls song and joy, mining, crafting - the secrets of the earth and stone, metal and brotherhood. Of loyalkty. They struck accord with the others, and bade those chosen safety in the womb of the mountain, and they cast away the alfr. They spoke the the children of ythe fire, and bade tghem come as brothers, to serve with Srtr and mind fire. And oh, king. King Durin led with power and grace.,

For generations through war and peace his stone of liquid iron and Mythril (silver) rule in fairness. When a fal;se king is born he is driven away, not by one, buit by yoiur brothers, your sisters.

Ah, but the outside is still dangerous child. For the outsiders may join, be they stone hearted, we were once plagued by a disease one wrought. Fleeing perhaps the dying alfr. So many dead. So many dying., But worry not. Stone is stone and of lost stone new stone was found. For from the fallen stepped nrew clans, rising to stand. Chuildren of Durin all, I tell you, and even the giufytt of knowing new chjildren. Of seeing the fidts of new children come home to our safety. For you see, Durin did not truly die. His flesh faded, but his soul, it walks. He walked the lands and speaks to new children of the earth to come unto the jkingdom. So long as we bring honor to our brothers and sisters, so long as we live in loyalty and honor, so long as we war the wiucked, and remain strong, Durin will provide.

Durin will protect over all.

When joining, remember the opeklt requirements of each clan. I'm happy to see "UH" on a form and assign a clan if you're unsure and don't want to just say "Greyja" I get it it's new. If unsure where they'd fit you CAN pick a common rank or let me surprise you.



Owner's List

Dorin - King
Mzaha - Durin - Queen

Need - Durin - Patriarch
Ashul - Surtr - POatriarcch
NEED - Freyja - Matriarch
NEED - Jalokivi - Patriarch

Fedha - Jalokivi - Trader
Ongea - Surtr - Smith
Nyambe - Surtr - Firewarden

RESERVE! For the Hole diggin'

Welcome home sweet little girl~ All dwarves are good dwarves!