Armadiggers
Dec 5, 2017 21:30:20 GMT -5
Post by RaeRae on Dec 5, 2017 21:30:20 GMT -5
Group: Anvil of Armadiggers
Single: Armadigger or just Digger
Young: Digglings
General
Not entirely unlike a rock when they curl up, if you don't know what to look for you won't find an armadigger that doesn't want to be found. With stone plates armoring their body and the ability to curl up into a ball to defend their softer flesh they can easily camouflage themselves as small rocks or boulders. And considering their plates are actually made of stone they are just about as heavy as you would expect a rock to be. You probably won't realize you've picked up an armadigger until it unrolls itself just enough to claw or bite you. Do not pick up an armadigger, it never ends well.
When unrolled they are somewhat long creatures, roughly four to five feet in length with the tail, half that at the shoulder. Their snouts are long and round and almost seem to extend directly from their round eyes, giving their skulls a somewhat flat appearance with tall ears. Their teeth are generally flat but their jaws are very powerful to make up for their diet of hard stones and rocks. Their front paws consist of three long, broad fingers, and a somewhat smaller opposable thumb, with arced talons extending out and resembling scoops more than weapons, excellent for digging through any kind of earth. Their hind paws are much less dexterous, having five shorter appendages and sharper claws meant for gripping rough terrain to steady themselves while they dig.
Armadigger plates are made of stone, most frequently one solid type of stone, though there are cases of banded plates mixing different materials. The plates themselves consist of anything from sandstone to obsidian to uncut gemstone, with stronger substances being more common than weaker ones. The plates themselves are structured as two large plates over their shoulders and haunches, connected by a series of smaller plates along the spine to allow for mobility, and a long, thinner plate covering above their eyes and down the top half of their snout. The skin beneath their plates comes in shades of pure brown, ranging from light to dark.
Armadiggers are very much a familial species, intensely loyal to their Anvil, whether it is the one that they were born into or one that has taken them in. They subsist primarily on minerals, being particularly fond of crystals and ores but not necessarily above a nice little snack of limestone or coal. As a species they have a commendable work ethic, and once they agree to a task they generally will not cease work until it has been not only completed, but polished and perfected, regardless of how long it takes. The den of an Anvil is a very awe-inspiring sight. Long winding tunnels dig deep into the earth, labyrinthine and opening up into grand halls and elaborately carved meeting areas. For the most part you typically find armadigger Anvils underground, they aren't necessarily afraid of the surface but they're simply more comfortable with earth over their heads.
Armadiggers are generally quite talkative creatures, though they are rarely talking to you. As a whole they have a tendency to vocalize their thoughts, as one might speak or grumble under their breath, and rarely use mindspeak except over distances. It doesn't help that each Anvil tends to develop different slang for the same concept, making communication between even different armadiggers somewhat difficult.
Mating Info
Being a close-knit species, Armadiggers mate for life, but there is no such thing as infidelity to them. Children are a practical matter and their preferred mate may not always be the best genetic father of their children; genetic diversity is important to the long-term health of an Anvil. Around one year of age diggers of both sexes begin seeking a mate. Traditionally, males craft small gifts and trinkets; simple things such as cut gemstones or sculpted figurines, and females gather generally rarer or more esoteric materials to have them sculpt for her. Females will hold a sculpting competition, presenting the males with her material of choice and in turn those who wish to participate will present her with their trinket. If she accepts the gift they will begin sculpting, putting their abilities on display. The female will move among them, examining their work and conversing with them, taking note of their plates and general grooming. When the winner is selected the other males may choose to take their trinket back or leave it as a personal preference.
Of course, the young are not always traditionalist, and the female may choose to reject all the gifts but have the males craft for her anyways, or a male may refuse to bring a gift and instead instead insist on proving his skill through his sculpting alone. Personal decisions cannot always be easily measured.
Bonding Info
Digglings are born small and fleshy, and don't show signs of developing their plates for roughly a week. During this time they are kept deep within the Anvil and cared for by all the members. Once they have enough of a plate to shield them they are allowed to explore their home freely, though are often discouraged from going outside. Around three weeks, when their claws have started to form and their plates are nice and tough, they are allowed outside and introduced to the weyrd. Digglings are encouraged to find bonds for varying reasons, from the Anvil being too crowded to better profits and connections from two allied Anvils working together.
The best way to bond with a diggling is to have a job for them, or a suggestion for a project. Digglings have an innate desire to prove themselves and will often follow the highest bidder. An alternative to buying their services is to show them your own skills, bringing something of your own craft to show them or teaching them how to make something.
Though there are often patterns to the names found within Anvils, such as one who's names always start with U or one who's names are all exactly three syllables, there is no one naming convention for the species, and it is not heard of for an armadigger to change it's name should it switch Anvils.
Single: Armadigger or just Digger
Young: Digglings
General
Not entirely unlike a rock when they curl up, if you don't know what to look for you won't find an armadigger that doesn't want to be found. With stone plates armoring their body and the ability to curl up into a ball to defend their softer flesh they can easily camouflage themselves as small rocks or boulders. And considering their plates are actually made of stone they are just about as heavy as you would expect a rock to be. You probably won't realize you've picked up an armadigger until it unrolls itself just enough to claw or bite you. Do not pick up an armadigger, it never ends well.
When unrolled they are somewhat long creatures, roughly four to five feet in length with the tail, half that at the shoulder. Their snouts are long and round and almost seem to extend directly from their round eyes, giving their skulls a somewhat flat appearance with tall ears. Their teeth are generally flat but their jaws are very powerful to make up for their diet of hard stones and rocks. Their front paws consist of three long, broad fingers, and a somewhat smaller opposable thumb, with arced talons extending out and resembling scoops more than weapons, excellent for digging through any kind of earth. Their hind paws are much less dexterous, having five shorter appendages and sharper claws meant for gripping rough terrain to steady themselves while they dig.
Armadigger plates are made of stone, most frequently one solid type of stone, though there are cases of banded plates mixing different materials. The plates themselves consist of anything from sandstone to obsidian to uncut gemstone, with stronger substances being more common than weaker ones. The plates themselves are structured as two large plates over their shoulders and haunches, connected by a series of smaller plates along the spine to allow for mobility, and a long, thinner plate covering above their eyes and down the top half of their snout. The skin beneath their plates comes in shades of pure brown, ranging from light to dark.
Armadiggers are very much a familial species, intensely loyal to their Anvil, whether it is the one that they were born into or one that has taken them in. They subsist primarily on minerals, being particularly fond of crystals and ores but not necessarily above a nice little snack of limestone or coal. As a species they have a commendable work ethic, and once they agree to a task they generally will not cease work until it has been not only completed, but polished and perfected, regardless of how long it takes. The den of an Anvil is a very awe-inspiring sight. Long winding tunnels dig deep into the earth, labyrinthine and opening up into grand halls and elaborately carved meeting areas. For the most part you typically find armadigger Anvils underground, they aren't necessarily afraid of the surface but they're simply more comfortable with earth over their heads.
Armadiggers are generally quite talkative creatures, though they are rarely talking to you. As a whole they have a tendency to vocalize their thoughts, as one might speak or grumble under their breath, and rarely use mindspeak except over distances. It doesn't help that each Anvil tends to develop different slang for the same concept, making communication between even different armadiggers somewhat difficult.
Mating Info
Being a close-knit species, Armadiggers mate for life, but there is no such thing as infidelity to them. Children are a practical matter and their preferred mate may not always be the best genetic father of their children; genetic diversity is important to the long-term health of an Anvil. Around one year of age diggers of both sexes begin seeking a mate. Traditionally, males craft small gifts and trinkets; simple things such as cut gemstones or sculpted figurines, and females gather generally rarer or more esoteric materials to have them sculpt for her. Females will hold a sculpting competition, presenting the males with her material of choice and in turn those who wish to participate will present her with their trinket. If she accepts the gift they will begin sculpting, putting their abilities on display. The female will move among them, examining their work and conversing with them, taking note of their plates and general grooming. When the winner is selected the other males may choose to take their trinket back or leave it as a personal preference.
Of course, the young are not always traditionalist, and the female may choose to reject all the gifts but have the males craft for her anyways, or a male may refuse to bring a gift and instead instead insist on proving his skill through his sculpting alone. Personal decisions cannot always be easily measured.
Bonding Info
Digglings are born small and fleshy, and don't show signs of developing their plates for roughly a week. During this time they are kept deep within the Anvil and cared for by all the members. Once they have enough of a plate to shield them they are allowed to explore their home freely, though are often discouraged from going outside. Around three weeks, when their claws have started to form and their plates are nice and tough, they are allowed outside and introduced to the weyrd. Digglings are encouraged to find bonds for varying reasons, from the Anvil being too crowded to better profits and connections from two allied Anvils working together.
The best way to bond with a diggling is to have a job for them, or a suggestion for a project. Digglings have an innate desire to prove themselves and will often follow the highest bidder. An alternative to buying their services is to show them your own skills, bringing something of your own craft to show them or teaching them how to make something.
Though there are often patterns to the names found within Anvils, such as one who's names always start with U or one who's names are all exactly three syllables, there is no one naming convention for the species, and it is not heard of for an armadigger to change it's name should it switch Anvils.