The Lore

Character reveal – Adriän

Adriän Haraldsen, our ‘Lædan Primus’ First Leader of the Dwarven Race, of the royal ‘Harald’ bloodline. Born into an era of only darkness, cosmic warfare, and bloodshed.

“Ha! What a load of bullocks! Look friend, if you’re gonna hear the story of my Primus, you’re gonna hear it right! I should start by sayin’ that despite his current loveliness and shiny golden blood, he started off like any other Dwarf warrior does: in da Forge.”

“Every Dwarf, in their 20th year be needin’ to go to da Forge to be made into the best Warriors the universe has eva seen! Sure lots of em die there; but they die IN GLORY! And the ones who do make it out after 10 years in da Forge, are da toughest beings in battle, BY TUNDA!

“Regardless of his ‘fancy pants’, my pal Adriän knew it was his duty to strip down to the barest of bones going into da Forge. Not only for the sake of leading us, but because the old man would blister his bottom if he eva got to cocky.”

“Adriän always been a quiet bugger, but boyo was a jack of all trades. Always been knowin’ how to speak to crowds as easy as he swings an axe. He could turn a lump iron into a penny whistle with his bare hands, and still know how to play you a good tune”

“He was neva supposed to take on the role of Lædan Primus this early. The gods know he’s bloomin’ worthy of it, but no Primus has eva been this young. That’s what happened when his Father, Laedan Primus, Algorn Haraldsen died in the Battle of Grimsmark.”
“Unfortunate for sure. But a right good sight to see! Our late Primus fought to the bitter end, and his sacrifice is what won us the war. HIS father…Absolän Haraldsen…old man (prolly older than dust)…was reinstated as our Primus until Adriän was ready.”

“And boy was he ready! Good timin’ too, with those fancy ‘Arky tecks’ showing up. They think they’re so smart with their fancy blueprints and their fancy clothes. What could they do without the Dwarven Builders?! Gaha!”

“Primus Adriän wants me to ‘play nice’, but how can I when they always actin’ so pompous!? I’ll do my best, but if one of them shows disrespek to me, I’m SWINGIN’ HAMMERS!”

Adriän

Character reveal – Dagi

Welcome back mah frens! Hope you didn’t wander too far cause I’ve got a real treat for ya today! Introducing the lovely, the angry, the sometimes smelly, Lira “Dagi” Dagmar!!!!

*PUNCH*

“YOW!”

What in da hell was that for Dagi?

The “sometimes smelly”?? Get outta here with that Boomy before I shove this axe handle in a dark place. I don’t need no boyo speakin’ on my behalf! Go on now. Git! Oy… *cough* okay! Sorry about that darlins.

Nevermind that bag of lard. But yes, my name is Lira Dagmar. But you can call me Dagi. Former Tactical Advisor to Lædan Primus Vladimir, and the current Head of Node Fabrication Operations for Lædan Primus Adriän.

I’m sure Boomy already mentioned the Forge — that bumblin’ bafoon can go on for hours about the Forge. That happens to be where I first met Adriän, and to be quite frank, I hated him in the beginnin’.

Walkin’ around with ‘is chest popped out, like he was Grungi’s gift to us all. But I gotta hand it to him. He was the perfect soldier, and a great leader. Had lead bricks for feet though. Couldn’t maneuver his way around a duel with me, quite lichrally to save ‘is life.

After his father, Primus Vladimir, beloved by all, had passed away in battle, something about Adriän changed. He doesn’t smile anymore, which isn’t a very fair assessment.

No Dwarves smile much these days after the war. But Adriän’s spirit was always a boost of Morale for us. Even after endless days in the trenches, he could still keep our attention on the coming feasts and drinks that would be due after the war. He was… good to us.

Now, in a time when we Dwarves are learning what it means to be happy and smile, our Lædan just isn’t. I can’t remember the last time he smiled. Perhaps it’s the weight of his new station. Perhaps he, like the rest of the Dwarves, just misses the roar of battle.

Or maybe he just misses his father. They were close. Although Lædan Primus Valdimir, may he rest peacefully, never showed Adriän the slightest bit of affection or partiality in public. But the way Adriän spoke about him, it was clear they had a true bond.

wow… enough of that…
*sniffles* as far as the Nodes go, don’t you worry. The Dwarven people are fit for the task with our knowledge of ores across thousands of planets, our blacksmithing and tech are unmatched. And I take pride in my ability to uhm… enforce timelines.

Here’s a pretty picture of me for reference. By the way, this was taken at the peak of the war. I’m working on updating my photo. Gotta go now! Boomy! Put the anvil down you lump!

Dagi

Character reveal – Boomy

*bagpipes wailing a courageous tune*
“ Towering in Galante Fame,
Grimsmark my cosmic hame,
Proud may your high standards gloriously wave,
Rock of my high endeavor,
Rock of the shining river…”

*out of tune*
…ROCK OF MY HEART FOREVER!!!
GRIMSMARK THE BRAAAAVE-UH!!!!

GA HA!! I could sing that song until me eyes popped out. Gringi save meh. Whoo!!!

*from a distance*
BOOMY! Could you keep it down! Some of us are trying to work here!

Oh come off it Dagi! The Dwarves could use a bit of reminding of our glory days to boost morale…

…besides, it my turn for an introduction! This is my time to shine sweetie… *bam!* “OUCH!!”

DO NOT CALL ME SWEETIE. I AM YOUR SUPERIOR! Finish your intro and get a move on you lump!

Alright… ALRIGHT! Don’t get your khakis in a twists!

*clears throat, takes a drunken bow*
Dearest friends, welcome back to XFirst. I am Billiard Booms, also known as ‘Boomy’. I hope we did not keep you waiting too long… and stuff….uhmmmm… oh shove it! Screw formalities, you already know me!

Let’s get to it. If you take a look around you’ll see that all Dwarven workers fall into 1 of 3 categories: Mining, Smithing, and Building.
The miners — thats me! — are the toughest of the bunch. We don’t move mountains, we move whole planets! You CANNOT beat a mining dwarf.

Then you got the Smiths. They’re a quiet bunch. Usually keepin to themselves to be honest. They hammer all our ores, sure, but they also create all of our Dwarf tech once the Builders give em the plans. We’ve come a long way because of them!

Then there’s the Builders… nerdo lads and lassies. By the grace of Gringi I cannot fathom how a Dwarf could go from fightin and smashin heads every day for over a century, and resort to readin lines on a paper every day now. Seems to me they’ve gotten quite small…

…few more years of this and the Builder Dwarves will be lookin a lot like those pretentious ‘aRcHyTeCkS’.

Now there is 1 more Category. But technically sayin, ALL Dwarves fall into this category:

WARRIOR

I don’t like it. This “portal thingy” opening up out of the blue. Those archytecks showing up soon after. And we roll over to build their machines without even a second look! It’s like my people have forgotten, we were just at war! ITS A DISGRACE!!! *slams fists on the table*

*looks at the damage done*
“Oh…whoopsie….ha, sorry mate. Got a little angry there. look all I’m saying is that it would behoove all of us to proceed with a bit of caution. Otha than that, I trust my Lædan Primus…

BOOMY! STOP BREAKING SHITE! Save it for the mines!

*looks at the broken table, speaks in low tones*
Oh,I intend to…
Hm…
WELP! Look at the time folks. I hope you found this here trip, uhh, educational, but it’s best for you to get goin! Don’t you worry! I’ll be back! There’s still a couple more people I want you to meet

Until nextime!

Boomy

Character reveal – AJ

Hello again, My friends! As usual, my name is Boomy. I’d like to say that you’re in for a real treat today…

…but quite honestly, I’m not quite sure who I’m introducing today. I was told it’d be someone from da Smithin’ Guild. You know what?…. HEY!!! Dagi!

What is it now Boomy?! You’re just meant to talk about us Dwarves. It’s not Portal Science!

Ya but who in da world am I suppose’ta be introducin’ today?
Behind you Boom
Behind wha….? GAHHHH!!!
AJ!!!… For the love of Gringi AJ, why you standin’ so close?!
I was beckoned. Somethin’ about an interview.
AJ… been a while.

Dagmar… pleasure as always.
Likewise… although I am surprised to see you here for this.
I didn’t have much choice in the matter. Since my recent demotion, I don’t have much choice in anything these days. Be sure to thank the pretty boy for me.

You best not be talkin’ about the Primus you bas…!!!
Calm down, Boomy. AJ, best get on with the interview, then be on your way.
Of course… m’lady. And don’t worry Booms. Just a bit of playful banta.
yea… we’ll see. Right!!! Get on with it then.

Right… my name is AJ. Former Director of the Smithin’ Guild. The Smiths were formerly known as the War Engines, an elite class of Dwarven Warrior specializin’ in Fortification Seizure and Explosives. There weren’t a single fortress or stronghold we War Engines could breach. After the war, we took everything we knew about heavy machinery, and with a little bit of ingenuity, formed the Smithin’ Guild, where we smelt, shape and forge every bit of the Dwarves peacetime and wartime hardware…

That’s all I’ve got.
You sure…THATS ALL?
Go off yourself Booms!
*storms off*

What an eejit… hmmmf…. sorry you all had to see that. He’s not the first choice I would’ve gone with for this interview…. it’s a wonder what made him go off the deep end.

He and the Primus used to be thick as thieves back in our Forge days. Always gettin each other into and out of trouble. He got real distant during the war, and even more so after. Now he seems to have it out for the Primus and for the life of me, I can’t figure out why…

OH well! Guess that’s a conversation for another time!

Well friends… I uhhh guess that’s it for today! Stay tuned though, because you’re in for a real treat for our final introduction! Oh and before you go, I snuck a picture of ol’ AJ while he was giving his statement.

AJ

Character reveal – Absolän

“The night is ours
Spring in the wood of skies
We head to the heath with our tent, where the berries grow
Take me, dear friend to the mirth of yesterdays
Where our creek runs free and the birch will blow
Light in the mountains
Scent from our dearest fountains…
… The wind is counting your hair in the light aglow
The dew comes forth
Our valley is swept with peace
Our dreams come true, who sleep in the wood of skies
On the berry hearth, the last touch of sunlight dies
And the calm is deep where the quiet waters flow…”

Greetings to you, my dear friends. I’m sorry for the late notice. But uh… it appears our final guest won’t be joining us today. It was supposed to be our Beloved Primus, and my closest friend, Adriän, the one you’ve heard so much about. But I… urrrrmmm… well, he is the Primus, after all. Can’t be expectin’ him to dilly dally around with extracurriculars such as these. Ha… hmmm. I s’pose we could talk about the uhhhh… OH! We can’t talk about the mess hall!

I tell you, even on our worst day, nothing can beat a Dwarven feast! The honey mead imported from Lecopolis. The finest beef marbling from the Great plains of Dühnlery… ohh goodness, my mouth waters even speakin’ about it. And even the…

Oh? Oo’s this? Oy! You there! Take off the hood! Show yaself!

Calm yourself young Booms.
OHH! Primus! I… uhhh… my apologies Sir! I didn’t realize!…
That’s quite alright son. I understand the confusion, being that I am not dressed in my Ecclesian robes.

Perhaps, sir. Still! Please forgive me for my previous tone.
There’s nothing to forgive dear Booms. However, I heard tell that our Primus wasn’t going to make it to his interview today. So I’d like to be interviewed on behalf of my grandson.

Uhh… well of course sir! I can think of no one else fit to fill his place. By all means! Our friends will greatly honored by your presence here today. There right over there.
Thank you… Boomy.

Greetings travelers. I am Absolän Haraldsen. The Oldman, who is apparently ‘older than dust’.
*smirks at Boomy*
I am the former Lædan Primus, reinstated after the death of my son Vladimir, recently replaced by my grandson Adriän.

I now serve as the Head of The Order of Ecclesia. The Ecclesian Order is a small cohort of Dwarves whose sole purpose is to quietly analyze the inner workings of our society and provide silent council to our Primus.

We range in age, although a majority of our cohort are past their 300th name day… like myself. All Dwarves in this cohort come from all professions as well: Miners, Smiths, Builders, etc.

We can be identified by our Ecclesian robes, made of Lapis Lazuli rock wool.
I… I didn’t come here today to talk to you about the order though.

I remember when I was a boy. Before the war. In a time when peace was not something we fought for, but rather, where it simply… WAS. And it all went away in an instant. War ravaged our galaxy, and for over 300 years, it was all I knew.”

When I was named Lædan Primus, my job was simple. Destroy our imposing enemy, save as many Drawven lives as possible, by any means possible. When my boy Vladimir was named Primus after me, his job was no different.

Now my grandson Adriän, is faced with conflicts that are foreign even to me. Not only are we experiencing a time of peace that is unfamiliar to most Dwarves here today, but now we are being told that this mysterious portal can solve the energy crisis within our Universe.

And our Primus was charged with the construction of these Nodes that will harness the power of these portals.

War is simple…
This… is NOT.
And make no mistake. Where there is an abundance of resources, there is always something lurking in the shadows, ready to take it.

Dear friends, it is not my intent to fear monger or incite disarray. But it is imperative that you understand the gravity of the situation.

All I ask of you is to give Adriän time. Between his meetings with the Architects and the responsibilities to the Dwarves, he is… busy.

And to add insult to injury, although he holds the title of Lædan Primus, the Primus Armor of Stryka is rejecting Adriän at the present moment. No one knows exactly why, but I’m willing to guess it’s cause he has too many thought dæmons he is battling.

Hmm… please forgive the ramblings of this old Dwarf. There is such to be grateful for. I’ll leave you with this… ‘The way of fools is correct in their own eyes. But a person of wisdom seeks out counsel’

Thank you for being here. I hope to see more of you soon. Oh and…. Booms?
Yes Primus!
Do they know of our adored Empresses?
Uhm… no sir, they…
*whispering* I was under the impression the Empresses were to be kept… well… secret.
Not anymore Boomy.

Many things are changing. And if we are to have any hope of protecting this peace, transparency is going to be key.
Of course Primus.
Be well Booms. And to you as well my friends. I hope to see more of you soon.

And to you, sir.

Uhhh… *cough*… well! Hehe, wasn’t expectin’ that friends! A rare occasion for sure! You gettin’ to meet a former Primus the head of the Ecclesians! And now you get to meet our Empresses! Golly! You’ve got it in good with us hear haven’t you! Haha!

Alright, I’ve got work to do. I’ve got to meet up with Catalin, he’s the spokesman for the Empresses. Well get an interview with one of em real soon! You have my word! So until next time friends, goodbye!

OH wait! Here’s a picture of Primus Absolän in the Ecclesian robes, so you can keep an eye out for other members of the cohort.

Absolän