Post by aribjorn on Oct 16, 2012 13:08:59 GMT -5
( Note: This is the overarching back story and prologue from which the plot line will spring. It will be used as an introduction to create the setting in which the story will be set. This may see many changes and additions.)
Dwarves:
We call them Dwarves but the Old Norse name for them was Dvergar or Dvergr
The Dvergar (pl) were not always as you recognize them now.
The old gods, before the time of Ragnarok, had a very checkered history and relationship with the Dwarves that lived upon the dark fields of Nidavellir.
The original Dwarves were dark, stunted, ugly tricksters and greedy beyond all measure. The gods however needed their skills, for no other beings could craft the type of beautiful and powerful items that the Dwarves could.
Odin, Thor, Frey, Freja, even Loki and the others of Asgard struck deals with the Dwarves before the fall. Not all of those contracts ended well.
The Dvergar sometimes called Svartalves, were dark haired and pale as death,, shunning the light which was as poison to them,
However, there were some Dwarves that did not wish to debase themselves in there actions and attitudes as did there brothers. These wanted to live as the Asgardians did, they wanted to be like unto the men of Midgard. To live in the light and to trade their wares and their knowledge and not always stay holed up in the dark of their mountain halls, consumed by greed and lust and suspicion..
A leader among the clan of Dvalinn, was one by the name of Bjorn, meaning bear in the Old Norse tongue, He was well known as a skilled smith and warrior and one of the first to see the way that the mighty Thor, watched over and protected the men of Midgard and he desired the god's patronage for his people as well.
So he crafted many gifts for Thor and his people, and brought them before the Hammerer and said that he would dedicate his life and craft to him, if he would look upon he and his people as the god looked upon the humans.
Thor was not unmoved by this.
He was moved by the tribute, certainly, but was moved even more so by the rare humility and the sacrifice it represented coming from this normally proud and isolated people, to come before him in such a way.
Thor personally accepted Bjorn and renamed him Thorbjorn, making him the Godi of his people. The Hammerer gave to him a mighty Runed Hammer as both a symbol of his allegiance and as a tool to aid the race in creating wonderful works of power for those who dwelled in Asgard. Then he invited He and his people to come and live among the Asgardians. And they became known as Thordverg.
This proved difficult as the citizens of Asgard and it's many gods were much more like unto men then to Dwarves and they knew by the Thordverg's appearance that the stunted ones, twisted and homely as they were, no matter what they professed to believe, were the same race that had for so long been mistreated and mistrusted and used by the gods for there skills. Thus they felt they were in danger of possible curses and retribution, and perhaps not to be trusted.
Thor saw his oversight and went to his father, Odin, to ask what he should do.
Odin was not happy that Thor had brought them to Asgard to start with, as he felt he had done what was right in placing them in Nidavellir from the beginning.
So he told The Thunder god that he should put them back in Nidavellir.
When Thor heard this he grew angry and told the Allfather that these Dwarves were different, that they were special for he saw in them a quality and nobility that he knew was contrary to their race.
Thor left his father knowing there was wisdom in Odin's words in separating the Thordverg from the populace of Asgard, but resigned he would not banish them back to Nidavellir.
He found many places that were secluded in the hills, mountains and forests of the Asgardian plane, and populated them there but in time another problem occurred.
The Dwarves of Asgard, the Thordverg, once again began to craft and now being in closer proximity to the rest of Asgard, desired to trade and interact with other Asgardians. However the same difficulty prevailed in their appearance as before.
Thor then sought out another of the gods, one who had, herself, come to know and deal with the Dwarves, the lady Frey, goddess of love and beauty. Surely if anyone could help the Thordverg, it was she.
She remembered her encounter and the price she paid for the necklace of power she wore about her neck called "Brisingamen" and she said that it would be a very powerful seidjr magic indeed, but that she would be willing to cast her magics upon these Dwarves to change them and their progeny, so that they might become more acceptable to the others and less like the Dwarves of old.
The one condition was that they must worship beauty, and particularly the beauty of the created thing.
So she did as she said she would, And as with any magic, she extracted her price.
She would make them larger, stronger, straighter of limb and more noble of visage, but in return she would infuse into their very hearts and nature a worship of beauty and passion for the creation of beautiful things.
They would from that time forth ever be prideful and consumed with the beauty and perfection of their craft and of all things of great value and beauty within and about the earth.
Thorbjorn was then very old and was to pass his Hammer and reign to his son and his son was then named Asbjorn, for he would lead his people with the blessings of not only Thor but of Freya, and many of the Aesir in Asgard as well. It was then that the race became known as the Asdverg
Thus it was that the Asdverg, became the manner of Dwarves we now understand. Though varying in degrees of comeliness they were strong and stocky, though strait of limb. They no longer wore the twisted ugly countenance and sparse, dark, wild hair that covered them, but bore more noble faces covered with long thick beards of various hues and dark ruddy or tan skin And they walked in the sunlight, and though they traded with those upon the plain of Asgard they did not dwell among them, choosing to stay within their enclaves in the hills forests and most often the mountains of which they were most fond.
It was this way until the dreaded days of Ragnarok, the ending of many of the gods including their patron Thor himself. And in that time many Dwarves and Dvergar perished in the great battle and cataclysm. but there were isolated pockets and enclaves that survived. Asbjorn Thorbjornson's clan was one of these and was sheltered from the destruction.
Before Ragnarok, Thor hid them within the mountains of Midgard telling them not to reveal themselves until the conflagration was over and told them he would try to do the same with the other clans and he charged them with the task of searching out all the surviving enclaves when Ragnarok was over.
When they emerged from the shelter of their mountain refuge, After the fires had died and the water had receded, they did as their patron asked and began to search for others that might have survived. In this way, they found many they were able to incorporate into their numbers and they grew strong in their mountain homes and strong in their culture and craft.
They interacted with the other races of Midgard even some of the Vanir's children the Ljosalfar who had had similar patronage from the god Frey as they had enjoyed from Thor. They also came to the race of men who having all been destroyed save a single couple that hid themselves withing the tree of Yggdrasil, and watched over there growth and repopulation of Midgard, for they lived but a short time but multiplied swiftly upon the land. They also found many enemies in Midgard, many of Loki's Darklings, goblins and trolls, lesser giants and drakes, and many other ferrule or overtly evil aberrations that had also survived Ragnarok
As the Dvergar grew in numbers and in skill, They defended themselves by withdrawing to their mountain strongholds and becoming one people once more. They also started to become more reclusive and introverted becoming somewhat closer to many of their races original faults.
It was not until one of Asbjorn's sons came of age, that the stoic traditional culture that had formed among the race was challenged.
This son was called Hvitbjorn and he loved the world of Midgard even more than Asgard itself.
The stoic nature and traditions that had slowly grown around his people, had crept in slowly and insidiously but now finally here, Hvitbjorn cried out for a return to the simple ways that had made them different from the Svartalves of old, to be reestablished again in their society.
This movement had a mixed reception. The cultural reformation was resisted by those who were currently in positions that gave them veneration and influence over the society and they argued with the Reformists against change.
Many like minded Dvergar, however, followed the teachings that were set forth in the runes of the mighty hammer and they became know as Stavists.
Friction at times was intense between the traditionalist government and the Stavist reformation. The Traditionalists finally parlayed a directive that if the reformists wanted this type of culture that they should in the light of the increasing unrest, look outside the known culture and population to recruit supporters. This would not only bring notoriety to their cause but also allow them to follow again Thor's Directive to seek out and restore the lost enclaves to the Dwarven people.
Many among them, almost a third of the population agreed to this. Instead of division and strife between their people, those who felt so inclined would go upon a migration, down from their mountain halls to live upon the hills and plains of Midgard, to make allies and foes alike and live as they saw fit.
They swore that the bond of kinship should never be sundered and pledged mutual support and protection to each other and that the new Kunge Hvitbjorn would send tribute to the new High Kunge Dainn of the Mountains his cousin.
Dwarves:
We call them Dwarves but the Old Norse name for them was Dvergar or Dvergr
The Dvergar (pl) were not always as you recognize them now.
The old gods, before the time of Ragnarok, had a very checkered history and relationship with the Dwarves that lived upon the dark fields of Nidavellir.
The original Dwarves were dark, stunted, ugly tricksters and greedy beyond all measure. The gods however needed their skills, for no other beings could craft the type of beautiful and powerful items that the Dwarves could.
Odin, Thor, Frey, Freja, even Loki and the others of Asgard struck deals with the Dwarves before the fall. Not all of those contracts ended well.
The Dvergar sometimes called Svartalves, were dark haired and pale as death,, shunning the light which was as poison to them,
However, there were some Dwarves that did not wish to debase themselves in there actions and attitudes as did there brothers. These wanted to live as the Asgardians did, they wanted to be like unto the men of Midgard. To live in the light and to trade their wares and their knowledge and not always stay holed up in the dark of their mountain halls, consumed by greed and lust and suspicion..
A leader among the clan of Dvalinn, was one by the name of Bjorn, meaning bear in the Old Norse tongue, He was well known as a skilled smith and warrior and one of the first to see the way that the mighty Thor, watched over and protected the men of Midgard and he desired the god's patronage for his people as well.
So he crafted many gifts for Thor and his people, and brought them before the Hammerer and said that he would dedicate his life and craft to him, if he would look upon he and his people as the god looked upon the humans.
Thor was not unmoved by this.
He was moved by the tribute, certainly, but was moved even more so by the rare humility and the sacrifice it represented coming from this normally proud and isolated people, to come before him in such a way.
Thor personally accepted Bjorn and renamed him Thorbjorn, making him the Godi of his people. The Hammerer gave to him a mighty Runed Hammer as both a symbol of his allegiance and as a tool to aid the race in creating wonderful works of power for those who dwelled in Asgard. Then he invited He and his people to come and live among the Asgardians. And they became known as Thordverg.
This proved difficult as the citizens of Asgard and it's many gods were much more like unto men then to Dwarves and they knew by the Thordverg's appearance that the stunted ones, twisted and homely as they were, no matter what they professed to believe, were the same race that had for so long been mistreated and mistrusted and used by the gods for there skills. Thus they felt they were in danger of possible curses and retribution, and perhaps not to be trusted.
Thor saw his oversight and went to his father, Odin, to ask what he should do.
Odin was not happy that Thor had brought them to Asgard to start with, as he felt he had done what was right in placing them in Nidavellir from the beginning.
So he told The Thunder god that he should put them back in Nidavellir.
When Thor heard this he grew angry and told the Allfather that these Dwarves were different, that they were special for he saw in them a quality and nobility that he knew was contrary to their race.
Thor left his father knowing there was wisdom in Odin's words in separating the Thordverg from the populace of Asgard, but resigned he would not banish them back to Nidavellir.
He found many places that were secluded in the hills, mountains and forests of the Asgardian plane, and populated them there but in time another problem occurred.
The Dwarves of Asgard, the Thordverg, once again began to craft and now being in closer proximity to the rest of Asgard, desired to trade and interact with other Asgardians. However the same difficulty prevailed in their appearance as before.
Thor then sought out another of the gods, one who had, herself, come to know and deal with the Dwarves, the lady Frey, goddess of love and beauty. Surely if anyone could help the Thordverg, it was she.
She remembered her encounter and the price she paid for the necklace of power she wore about her neck called "Brisingamen" and she said that it would be a very powerful seidjr magic indeed, but that she would be willing to cast her magics upon these Dwarves to change them and their progeny, so that they might become more acceptable to the others and less like the Dwarves of old.
The one condition was that they must worship beauty, and particularly the beauty of the created thing.
So she did as she said she would, And as with any magic, she extracted her price.
She would make them larger, stronger, straighter of limb and more noble of visage, but in return she would infuse into their very hearts and nature a worship of beauty and passion for the creation of beautiful things.
They would from that time forth ever be prideful and consumed with the beauty and perfection of their craft and of all things of great value and beauty within and about the earth.
Thorbjorn was then very old and was to pass his Hammer and reign to his son and his son was then named Asbjorn, for he would lead his people with the blessings of not only Thor but of Freya, and many of the Aesir in Asgard as well. It was then that the race became known as the Asdverg
Thus it was that the Asdverg, became the manner of Dwarves we now understand. Though varying in degrees of comeliness they were strong and stocky, though strait of limb. They no longer wore the twisted ugly countenance and sparse, dark, wild hair that covered them, but bore more noble faces covered with long thick beards of various hues and dark ruddy or tan skin And they walked in the sunlight, and though they traded with those upon the plain of Asgard they did not dwell among them, choosing to stay within their enclaves in the hills forests and most often the mountains of which they were most fond.
It was this way until the dreaded days of Ragnarok, the ending of many of the gods including their patron Thor himself. And in that time many Dwarves and Dvergar perished in the great battle and cataclysm. but there were isolated pockets and enclaves that survived. Asbjorn Thorbjornson's clan was one of these and was sheltered from the destruction.
Before Ragnarok, Thor hid them within the mountains of Midgard telling them not to reveal themselves until the conflagration was over and told them he would try to do the same with the other clans and he charged them with the task of searching out all the surviving enclaves when Ragnarok was over.
When they emerged from the shelter of their mountain refuge, After the fires had died and the water had receded, they did as their patron asked and began to search for others that might have survived. In this way, they found many they were able to incorporate into their numbers and they grew strong in their mountain homes and strong in their culture and craft.
They interacted with the other races of Midgard even some of the Vanir's children the Ljosalfar who had had similar patronage from the god Frey as they had enjoyed from Thor. They also came to the race of men who having all been destroyed save a single couple that hid themselves withing the tree of Yggdrasil, and watched over there growth and repopulation of Midgard, for they lived but a short time but multiplied swiftly upon the land. They also found many enemies in Midgard, many of Loki's Darklings, goblins and trolls, lesser giants and drakes, and many other ferrule or overtly evil aberrations that had also survived Ragnarok
As the Dvergar grew in numbers and in skill, They defended themselves by withdrawing to their mountain strongholds and becoming one people once more. They also started to become more reclusive and introverted becoming somewhat closer to many of their races original faults.
It was not until one of Asbjorn's sons came of age, that the stoic traditional culture that had formed among the race was challenged.
This son was called Hvitbjorn and he loved the world of Midgard even more than Asgard itself.
The stoic nature and traditions that had slowly grown around his people, had crept in slowly and insidiously but now finally here, Hvitbjorn cried out for a return to the simple ways that had made them different from the Svartalves of old, to be reestablished again in their society.
This movement had a mixed reception. The cultural reformation was resisted by those who were currently in positions that gave them veneration and influence over the society and they argued with the Reformists against change.
Many like minded Dvergar, however, followed the teachings that were set forth in the runes of the mighty hammer and they became know as Stavists.
Friction at times was intense between the traditionalist government and the Stavist reformation. The Traditionalists finally parlayed a directive that if the reformists wanted this type of culture that they should in the light of the increasing unrest, look outside the known culture and population to recruit supporters. This would not only bring notoriety to their cause but also allow them to follow again Thor's Directive to seek out and restore the lost enclaves to the Dwarven people.
Many among them, almost a third of the population agreed to this. Instead of division and strife between their people, those who felt so inclined would go upon a migration, down from their mountain halls to live upon the hills and plains of Midgard, to make allies and foes alike and live as they saw fit.
They swore that the bond of kinship should never be sundered and pledged mutual support and protection to each other and that the new Kunge Hvitbjorn would send tribute to the new High Kunge Dainn of the Mountains his cousin.