Middle Earth Ranger Forum

The Rohan have their horses.

The Elves use both animals and plants.

Why don't we see Bats represented in Dwarven art? No, I don't expect to see a dwarf don a cowl to become Batdwarf but, they are subterranean.

Peter Remling wrote: ↑Sat Nov 05, 2022 2:02 am Why don't we see Bats represented in Dwarven art? No, I don't expect to see a dwarf don a cowl to become Batdwarf but, they are subterranean.

Oh no! Don’t give them ideas!

But in all seriousness, I always kind of saw goats and maybe boars as Dwarven totem animals, to an extent. As well as ravens, because of their prevalence in the Hobbit. The goats for obvious reasons - but boars fit to my mind mostly because they’re stout, hearty, stubborn, and DANGEROUS.

Bats belong to 'The Other Guy'

I like boar....... A dog looks up to you, a cat looks down on you. But Pig looks you right in the eye.

Bats may be considered pests to Dwarves. You don't see many humans putting rats on their banners. They likely chase them out of Dwarven caves. No one wants guano in their beard!

redhandfilms wrote: ↑Mon Nov 07, 2022 3:39 pm Bats may be considered pests to Dwarves. You don't see many humans putting rats on their banners. They likely chase them out of Dwarven caves. No one wants guano in their beard!

Makes a great hair/beard dye!

redhandfilms wrote: ↑Mon Nov 07, 2022 3:39 pm Bats may be considered pests to Dwarves. You don't see many humans putting rats on their banners. They likely chase them out of Dwarven caves. No one wants guano in their beard!

that is most likely true, I've done plenty of caving and bats are what makes caves messy, kinda like underground pigeons, but they do keep the insects down I guess

Iodo wrote: ↑Tue Nov 08, 2022 8:42 am that is most likely true, I've done plenty of caving and bats are what makes caves messy, kinda like underground pigeons, but they do keep the insects down I guess

They cannot be worse than London Pigeons. Those are a different breed. Swarming servants of the Dark One, they are.
As for insects, there's naturally not too many inside caves, with or without bats. However, removing bats could grow the insect population outside the caves. That might be a bonus. It just adds one more nuisance to deter any outsider who might come knocking on Dwarven doors.

redhandfilms wrote: ↑Tue Nov 08, 2022 4:38 pm They cannot be worse than London Pigeons. Those are a different breed. Swarming servants of the Dark One, they are

Nahh, factory site pigeons are way worse than London pigeons and I have to contend with those every day. But still not as bad as the much feared seagull! (specifically the inland trash bag hunting variety) Once I tried to eat a sandwich outside at work, if I had stayed there for 10 more seconds I would have been pecked to death, and if I ever have to go on the roof during nesting season they dive bomb me and claw at my head. Those are true EVIL

Manveruon wrote: ↑Sat Nov 05, 2022 2:43 am

Peter Remling wrote: ↑Sat Nov 05, 2022 2:02 am Why don't we see Bats represented in Dwarven art? No, I don't expect to see a dwarf don a cowl to become Batdwarf but, they are subterranean.

Oh no! Don’t give them ideas!

But in all seriousness, I always kind of saw goats and maybe boars as Dwarven totem animals, to an extent. As well as ravens, because of their prevalence in the Hobbit. The goats for obvious reasons - but boars fit to my mind mostly because they’re stout, hearty, stubborn, and DANGEROUS.

ForgeCorvus wrote: ↑Sat Nov 05, 2022 5:45 pm Bats belong to 'The Other Guy'

I like boar....... A dog looks up to you, a cat looks down on you. But Pig looks you right in the eye.

I think one "Eofor" of the Rohirrim might take some issue with the boar, haha. I do like the goat and raven idea though.

My vote is for Raven or crows... as a mountain dweller, crows alert you of danger, incoming people ect.
All the wild boars do is wreck shit, muck up the watering holes and cause general mayhem.

Meganbeyer wrote: ↑Fri Nov 18, 2022 1:25 am My vote is for Raven or crows... as a mountain dweller, crows alert you of danger, incoming people ect.
All the wild boars do is wreck shit, muck up the watering holes and cause general mayhem.

Ok, I'm confused. You say your vote is for raven or crows, but then you give such a compelling argument FOR dwarves to use wild boars. Wreck shit, muck up the watering hole (i.e. the tavern) and cause general mayhem. What could better represent a dwarf?

Can we make Eofor an honorary Dwarf??

Boar as a totem is still good though...... But I do have a personal bias towards Corvids

OK, but look at our corvid friends. They love shining things (gold, silver, pretty rocks), remember and hold grudges, mourn the looses of kin, and come to each other's aid...
Oh, and don't forget they get loud at gatherings. A murder of crow can be heard for miles in the mountains when they find a good piece of grub.

redhandfilms wrote: ↑Fri Nov 18, 2022 2:47 pm

Meganbeyer wrote: ↑Fri Nov 18, 2022 1:25 am My vote is for Raven or crows... as a mountain dweller, crows alert you of danger, incoming people ect.
All the wild boars do is wreck shit, muck up the watering holes and cause general mayhem.

Ok, I'm confused. You say your vote is for raven or crows, but then you give such a compelling argument FOR dwarves to use wild boars. Wreck shit, muck up the watering hole (i.e. the tavern) and cause general mayhem. What could better represent a dwarf?

This is perhaps a slight tangent but I have to say that description is much more reminiscent of Dwarves from popular D&D stereotypes or the PJ films than the characterization Tolkien gave his creation. Far be it from me to say how folks should view a fantasy culture but the Dwarves for the most part always struck me as a bit more quiet and reserved. Too proud and stubborn to create that much of a ruckus. Fearsome in battle but less of the random chaotic mayhem you (jokingly) ascribe to them. Haha perhaps I'm a bit of a buzzkill though.

Cimrandir wrote: ↑Fri Nov 18, 2022 10:22 pm

redhandfilms wrote: ↑Fri Nov 18, 2022 2:47 pm

Meganbeyer wrote: ↑Fri Nov 18, 2022 1:25 am My vote is for Raven or crows... as a mountain dweller, crows alert you of danger, incoming people ect.
All the wild boars do is wreck shit, muck up the watering holes and cause general mayhem.

Ok, I'm confused. You say your vote is for raven or crows, but then you give such a compelling argument FOR dwarves to use wild boars. Wreck shit, muck up the watering hole (i.e. the tavern) and cause general mayhem. What could better represent a dwarf?

This is perhaps a slight tangent but I have to say that description is much more reminiscent of Dwarves from popular D&D stereotypes or the PJ films than the characterization Tolkien gave his creation. Far be it from me to say how folks should view a fantasy culture but the Dwarves for the most part always struck me as a bit more quiet and reserved. Too proud and stubborn to create that much of a ruckus. Fearsome in battle but less of the random chaotic mayhem you (jokingly) ascribe to them. Haha perhaps I'm a bit of a buzzkill though.

That would be the Forty to Seventy age range,,,,, Roughly equivalent to human Teenagers/young Twentysomethings AKA 'Yooffs&Yobs'.
I suppose its easy for humans to tell that other humans are just kids. But if theres a bunch of beings four and a half feet tall and nearly four feet wide with beards you could hide things in, you're not going to assume that they're a bunch of teenage girls out in town for the first time without adult supervision.

You just don't get boisterous and rowdy if you work in a mine, forge or foundry, not thinking first gets you (or some other poor bugger) killed.