Brawndrogher, "Brawnies"

Dwarves.

What can I say about them?

Dwarves

Tough, obstinate, touchy, crude, fierce, loyal, indefatigable and intoxicated!

The density of an average Dwarf must have an effect on alcohol absorption given the volume they imbibe.

That being said, you always know where you stand with a Dwarf; above!

Please do not repeat that to any of them; I may be robust for a skull but I do not wish a recurrence of the Dwarf Bowl incident! Oh the indignity!

But enough said on that. Something else to... keep between us; the matter of Brawndroghers.

Gentle Giants

You look somewhat educated so I will assume you understand general Dwarven society;

'Build Big. Build to Last. Build Substratum!'

While all races feel the need to 'proclaim their prowess' with architectural wonders, when it comes to comparing sizes none have more 'prowess to proclaim' than the Dwarves!

An advantage they have over the other races though, aside from endless stamina, is an unusual creature unique to Dwarven realms; the Brawndrogher.

If you ask a Dwarf about them they become unusally coy and defensive, even inebriation fails to losen their tongues.

Fear not as you have me in your corner! I have successfully gleaned a few intriguing morsels over the decades.

The creatures are quadrupedal behemoths of power, superior to the cattle and ox which would be the nearest comparable species. I estimate between two and three Dwarves high at the shoulder and over four Dwarves long. Their heads have an almost Minotaur-like appearance though their natures are far less belligerent; should a Brawndrogher ever rampage the results would be catastrophic.

If ever faced by one you would see a snout with wide gently-smoking nostrils and a perpetual rhythmically-masticating jaw. The black teeth are diamond-tough with pickaxe-like incisors and molars like anvils; in the presence of light they emit a slight luminescence.

Above the snout are a pair of large, sympathetic eyes, slightly oversized for the proportions of the head, with a vaguely glowing, almost gem-like quality to them. Atop significant oval saucers of ears are large curving horns which sweep in a wide arc from the broad skull and end in pinpoint tips that also glow slightly.

The hide is an animated landslide, no other way to describe it. Imagine a mass of scree with legs and that is the physical reality of a Brawndrogher. The tail has a wide root but ends as a whip, with a similarly glowing tip as the horns.

Each leg is like a tree stump ending in razor sharp claws that are usually retracted but can be extended for additional traction in challenging terrain. Their sheer physical presence inevitably means they do not move rapidly, in fact they tend to eat and work simultaneously; their staple diet is Evergleam moss supplemented by the rock they help tunnel through. I have heard tales of vast caverns filled with the dull shimmering moss that sparkles when disrupted; ripples of soft silver light radiating away from the point of contact and back again.

A wonder and danger to behold as the patterns have a soporific effect; I believe those fields are tended by blind Dwarves.

That moss may contribute to the gentle and placid nature of the powerful tunnellers and load bearers.

'Beast of Breed'

Every Brawndrogher is unique, in texture, colouration, patterning and ornamentation. The Dwarves love to decorate their 'Brawnies' as they call them when they think no-one is around, and they have festivals where they compete to see who has the best beast of burden; biggest, strongest, most colourful, sharpest tail and horns, fanciest adornments and so forth!

Burden or Bestie

It is unfair of me to categorise the relationship so flipantly though; the Brawnies seem as devoted to their clan as the clan is to them. Only once have I known one be injured, and even the patriarch of the clan was in tears! Dwarves never cry!

Fortunately, and perhaps disconcertingly the life span of these beasts is measured in Dwarven generations and in fact each represents the history of the clan with the ancestral line carved into the hide and going back for as long as the Brawnie has existed.

The Dwarves are passionately proud of their Brawnie, there is only ever one per clan and it is passed down as the most valued family heirloom.

With much effort I have gleened the Dwarves believe each Brawnie is a gift from the mythical Aeonei, beings so elusive not even I have seen one! It is far from certain they even exist! Ancient legend refers to the Aeonei as the First Race, the foremost to walk Aeon as it was forged and still cooling from the birthing flames of Regolith's furnace.

Whatever the truth, the Brawndrogher are considered esteemed clan members; every Dwarf would fight to the last breath to protect their family. I imagine though Brawndroghers capable of defending themselves and their clan, with hide as tough as stone, the ability to masquerade as rock, their massive strength and burning horns and tail. It is also rumoured they have fire in their bellies, belching stones and flame if under duress.

There is no doubt these are epic and rare creatures. The special bond between Brawnie and clan is generations in the making and woe betide any who would wish to disrupt that.

As an afterthought, it just occurred to me that the moss and rock diet could lead to... glowing deposits!

I have wonderer about the source of light for Dwarven lamps; that soft silver glow bathing their subterranean settlements!

Iaro Gaunt

Habitat

Subterranean.

Dwarven settlements.

Number in Existence

Unknown, presumed rare.

Defining Features

• Huge size
• Powerful build
• Tough hide
• Burning horns
• Piercing Tail
• Retractable claws
• Spits rock and flame?
• Ponderous rate of movement

Standard Diet

Evergleam moss.

Rock!