Female of the Dwarvish Race

"Chjurat - A female of the Dwarvish race"

"This young Dwarvish woman has only come to the surface colony of Garthvanitborgoch in the last few days. Most Dwarvish women find they do not like the surface, and prefer the security of the deep Dwarvish Queendoms.  They are, however, generally very fine craftswomen and the surface is home to a few masters of certain crafts  that are so skilled that apprentice women may come up to study under them.  Female Dwarves on the surface (with a few exceptions) are generally quiet and subdued, though it is said this is not the case in the deep caverns, where their complicated society can often lapse into entire weeks of wild song and dance, and heavy drinking is the norm.

"Young female Dwarvish apprentice"

Th young woman pictured - called Chjurat - was reluctant to talk to me - I think I was the first non-dwarf she had seen.  However after the consumption of some of her Fjoar (algal beer) she told me a little of the role of women in a Nazouralian Dwarvish hive. Apparently they hold a lower (and thus more important) place in the society, being the roots of the culture. Only certain males permitted to dwell  in the lower Queendoms - namely children who have yet to reach adulthood; 'fathers' (sort of communal uncles for the hive children); apprentices learning a trade from skilled artisan women; and the elderly Dwarvish men who can retire there.  The next level up, the Kingdom, is mainly male, with only apprentices, merchants and artisan crafts women being frequent visitors from below. Most long term courting is done as apprentices. Between the two places is a tangled maze of public drinking halls, frequented by Dwarves of both genders. The surface (where Chjurat and I where) is pretty much considered a wild and uncivilized frontier, only useful for trading for exotic surface materials, such as wood. 

Chjurat was pleasant company, with a much louder voice when drunk, and a wicked laugh. Her beard (female Dwarves posses finer quality beard hair than their male counterparts) was platted in loops, the latest fashion amongst the young women of the deep, and wore a long leather apron over a fine spider-silk tunic and decorated iron boots.  Behind her , built into the apron, was two iron candlestick holders, designed so that they where behind the head, preventing blinding, yet being double cast no impenetrable shadows. She professed no particular love of the adventure or romance of the surface but had great respect for her craft, and it was only with certain surface masons that she could perfect some of the finer points of a mason.  Male Dwarves where uncustomarily polite around her and she treated them with the same respect if they where elder, or regal benevolence if they where younger. However there was some disapproval of her behind her back amongst certain traditionalists for having talked for so long to a surface stranger.  

The day after our meeting I found Chjurat had been directed to undertake some masonry in the deeper caverns while I was given a tour of the merchant quarter of the surface and was persuaded to part with both spices and gold in return for a collection of fine paints and stains.  I never met with her again."

Carpet Page for Book One : Birth of "Ddoe" (Everything)

Birth (Ce)

"Ce - 1"

Gaer Elvish (Calobelvan) Translation - 

"Birth / Start / Creation / Turning / Increasing / Spiral - Book 1" 

[The term Ce - pronounced 'key' - is a complex one and can mean any of the above, or more likely in this case a sort of amalgam of them all.] 

"Birth - Book 1"

"5 ~ 5 Abail" 

[Page 5 created by the Elves of Abail] 

Some Exploits in Dwarvish Caverns

Nazouralnittotzu

Fragment #1

"Some names of the primary surface hive vents and mine exits, and their meanings

Druckborghaw - "Forest Defensive-tower" - An isolated fortress colony.  The tower in question is the outer protuberance of the inner fortress, fasioned in a large mountain stack surrounded by a coniffer forest managed for pit props.

Gunkglalgchanagan - "Woman of the sky natural cave" - An old and mystical Dwarvish hive mouth set in a land studded with many vast natural caves, the largest of which takes the form of a miniature womb-cave of a deep Queendom, the main difference in form being that it is open to the outside along one edge.  It is believed a sky goddess denned up here to birth her children the bats.

Oddachailhjorigork - "Nobel Chailh's Grand Eating Hall Fortified Cave Complex" - The name of this wealthy hive fort was left over from imperial days. Who Chailh was is a matter of conjecture, though presumably the 'Gork' (Fortified Cave Complex) was added to the name later as the settlement grew.  This has long been a center for industry, harnessing the water of the Fwndyke Gartian. 

Nordemriecargor - "Northern Pit-Shaft" - This settlement also dates back to imperial times, only this was more of a gulag for dissident Dwarves. Although harsh to look at it is rumored to lead to some of the deepest and oldest Nazouralian Queendoms.

Borgbarddalm - "Defensive Smith" - Know for it belligerent and highly skilled artisan smiths. Where travelers go to who wish to own high quality weaponry .

Olingskogslesvig - "Hidden Hall Complex" - Not much is known about this subterranean city, other than it is very large and has a surface exit. 

Ddraeleng Trass - "Frail Mountain" - this mighty mountain copper mine is so riddled with shafts and adits that to walk across the surface is to risk almost certain injury.  However, being Dwarves they could not countenance open cast mining and thus the removal of the almost pure copper mountain, so the entire thing is diligently propped and banked by a dedicated team of engineers.

Garthvanittborgoch - "Gorge of the Defensive Hole"

Garthvanittborgoch - the capital mine exit of Nazuralnitotzu

The capital mine exit of Nazuralnittotzu, the secret fortified gorge from where the Rebel Dwarves held off both the empire and the revolting Human and Elvish slaves.  It has never been captured.  The mountains around are black from the coal smoke it belches day and night, venting the deep forges of the King and Queendoms bellow. It stands on some of the best veins of lead and silver in the north. Though these days the upper levels are open to non-Dwarvish travelers, snooping bellow the first line of inner defenses is treated with very well organised intolerance - I still have a lump on my shin bone from my arrest.

Nordott - "Stone Land/Rock" - Where the best building stone comes from.

Dugach Borgoch - "King Defensive Hole" - An entrance to a hive of Dwarves who owe their lineage to rebels who lived independently in secret in the days Empire.  Off the beaten track - her residents are closed and private even to other Dwarves - they are known in Dwarvish circle to be a bit in-bred.  Her artisans know everything about underground food cultivation however.  

Stordonafagel - "Bright/Colourful Palace Quarry" - This place is amazing in the Dwarvish world on three counts - Firstly the main surface settlement is not in solid rock but on deep deposits of highly varied clay. Secondly many of the mines and pits are open to the sky - many even 'open-cast'.  Thirdly is its shallow nature - only a few hundred feat deep.  It is the home of the pigment mines which Nazouralians use to decorate their halls. There is a thriving and vibrant culture here of singing and fighting and the arts.  It is also peculiar for having little regard for the gender boundaries in force in most of the rest of Nazuralnittotzu - Male and Female Dwarves mix freely and some Dwarves are known to have lived here all their lives without visiting the deep places.  A plaice to experience the true strength of Dwarvish Beverages.  I would name them if I could remember anything about them.
 

Sjocargor - "Deap Pit-Shaft" - This place is almost the exact opposite of Stordonafagel - gray and conservative and intolerably dull.  I shall say no more about it, other than Dwarves who have visited its deeper parts say if anything the conservativeness increases with depth.

Asen Gorg - "Gold Fortified Cave Complex" - An outpost for other Dwarvish outlying hives to trade with. Unbelievably rich. Most caverns will be lined with gold or obsidian or marble in tasteless excess. Far too gauche for me."

Fragment #2

"Nazouralnittotzu - once the rebellious frontier region of the old Dwarvish empires, an exile home for the unpopular and the destitute of the old deep King- and Queen-doms of the Dwarvish homelands, and now the one of the only surviving Dwarvish regions from that dreadful and amazing time in this part of North Eastern Ottarol. While there are isolated mountains around in the north where clannish hives of Dwarves carry on in the face of their isolation, Nazuralnittotsu is the only purely Dwarvish fully functioning country to survive.

"Skroam Blackbeard - surface leader of Durik Yolt, a lone mountain hive in the far north. This young Dwarve is almost unbelievably cunning, ruthless and loyal to his hive - a paragon of his people."

If you walk the corridors and caverns of this amazing relic of empirical Dwarvishnes you would be forgiven for thinking you where stepping back into the heart of those industrious times, but you would be mistaken. The Dwarves here are fiercely independent - all their songs and ballads relate to the brave souls who stood up against the old empire, who dug deeper than any official from the true heartlands could have guessed at, who formed deep secret kingdoms in the hot rock of the under-mantle and womb-like Queendoms even beneath them. And so it was that when the rebellions of the servants and slaves of the empire finally bought its vast reign crumbling mightily into dust this corner of the old Empire carried on.  Here they kept few non-Dwarvish slaves - it was Dwarves who did the work, here they where themselves slaves , but clever slaves, artisan slaves, rebel slaves - and yet, and yet...

One of the battlement corridors of the cliff side walls used to keep the mountain border with Gaer cleanly defined

They where still Dwarves, still capable of amazing societies, of amazing organization of amazing energy and invention.     This is how Nazuralnittotsu survived the post-empirical genocide, when Human and Elvish slave rose up and murdered Dwarvish master, and how, even a thousand years on they have never transgressed their own borders, nor allowed them to be transgressed..."

Fragment #3

"Dwarvish coridor decoration - 

Plain surface corridor

A fighting corridor on a surface portion of the deference's of the mountain border with Gaer. These corridors are hurriedly made and un-decorated.  No paint is used because the sunlight will fade the colours within a few hundred years, and this brief spell of time is just not worth building for.  Some are decorated by apprentices first learning thier craft.

The deepest that I could get in Garthvanittborgoch.

Another Dwarvish warning door. I regretted choosing this one.

This was the deepest I could creep before being caught in Garthvanittborgoch.  The bat wing labyrinth above the doors is a representation of one of the defensive strategies of a Dwarvish cavern.  Two of the doors are connected by a vast winding corridor, while only one leads down to the next level.  Picking a door at random may simply get you a few days (or more) of walking up and down stairs laced with traps.  The iron bindings on the doors are secret symbols to help choose the correct door.

Decorated ceiling from Oddachailhjorigork

This Ceiling was from one of the oldest and deepest parts of Oddachailhjorigork that I could access.  As always an image of Make the Goat God of mine collapse stairs down to frighten the real god away.  on the cusp of the barrel roof are makers marks and possibly some initials in old Gogian script.  these give the families of all the Dwarves who worked on this section of hall.

The runes around Make read - "Mak -  Nila Gau - Nit Arcon" - "Make - hunter of - the slopes".  This is a reference to the belief that Make dwells on the surface (proving his diabolical nature) and only comes bellow to hunt the incautious Dwarves who have not given due diligence to their work. The labyrinth along the spine of the roof can be followed.  In ancient times this gave knowledge of the way ahead to the initiated, but now this knowledge seems to be lost."

Pressed Flowers

 [These two pages of pressed flowers where found in a half finished anthology of cartography, sandwiched between a political diagram of Kreyic and a large attempt to map all of north eastern Ottarol.  I have no idea why he collected them, but Faadon Naano seems a dreamy kind of a fellow, given to following his fancies...]

"Herbs from the forests of Mwn, in Kreyic."

 Fragment #1

"A few herbs from the forests of Mwn, in Kreyic, collected one time when my brother said a prince had 'summoned' me for some kind of tedious address thing. In a few ways I regret not going. Getting my boat - Acreshi - out of that Human harbor unscathed took quite a bit of planning, what with all those bailiffs and guards all over her, but it had been such a lovely sunny day for a walk, and the woodlands looked so appealing... Still, at least that boring prince never got to see my face, should we ever cross paths again!  My brother is still angry about it though. Cost him an illustrated map of the forests to cheer that prince up again - said it took him two months just walking the ground!"

"Medical herbs collected in Zingomoogaer."

Fragment #2

"A few medical herbs collected in Zingomoogaer from an olive grove in spring.  The Elvish folk here are so much more to my temperament than those stuffy Human nobles. Is it not the case that a lazy evening by a bonfire is a far more pleasurable place to quaff ale than some dusty hall full of speeches and etiquette and standing up and sitting down on command? 

Having said that, an anonymous looking Elvish tribal leader insisted that I attend some kind of solemn crop blessing thing tomorrow at noon, all long chants and intense 'meaningful' expressions, so it looks like an early start. The tide turns an hour before dawn..."

The Heron Clan

"The Heron Clan, Darngaer"

"The Heron Clan are small but significant. Primarily a fisher clan they number just over 50 (2330 Kreyic Calendar).  They range over one of the busiest routs for trade vessels between Nazuralnitotzu and Darngaer, on marshland near Farin."

Book of "Ddoe" (Everything) - Introduction

[This introduction has many paragraphs in an Elvish tongue that can be quite hard for those used to the common tongue. Please bare with it. If it is too much of a challenge, simply enjoy the pictures.

This unfinished book appears to have been destined for the Library of the Mage of Waun-Fach. It was a joint collaboration across races, for which this was a second draft - an attempt to set out the illustrations and text.  Unfortunately this version, condemned to the basket of Faadon Naano, was incomplete. Faadon's connection to the book is through Pip Cerrig, his nephew.  Pips father is Karl Cerrig, the map maker of Kreyic who is either Faadon's brother or half brother. Certainly for a man that high up in the hierarchy of human Kreyic Karl seems to have an unusual touch of the Elvish about him, and cannot bring himself to live too long away from the sea...]


Front Cover

Front cover of "Ddoe"

"Ddoe" [Dd pronounced as in a hard Th]

[Gaer Elvish (Calobelvan) translation - "Everything"] 

Page 1

Page 1 of  "Ddoe"

"Ddoe - 1(12)(11)3(11) - Lalsadaceocal"

Gaer Elvish (Calobelvan) Translation - 

"Everything - 39,915 [years] away from creation"

"Everything - 22222 AC"

[A.C. = "After creation" - Quite a discrepancy!  I suspect Human/Elvish disagreement!]

"Vaga ma negal enimova o mo fuaninanl enimofuain o Abalyo nuf mo ilmiranke o mo Shamail astaen; mo Grit Pip Serig o Glascwm Mawth, enimopinscfoarinan o Craic; Aarrddc, ma Dongil enemofoarin; Tad, ma Grit lwis; and Ewis, ma Galimean lalins.

~*~

Ddade:- Mo o ar nuf enimov o mo astaen o lara ar fi o fechmhoor ig sadar mo erins o lara cal met a ceremay erin astaen o mo ca ma blar sadar foarin o lara mhor."

Direct Translation from Gaer Elvish (Calobelvan) to the common tongue -

"Of a combined writing of the master scholars of  Abalyo use[ing] the broken-birth of the Sharmail [Priest-meeting spot]  ?Library?; the Human Pip Cerrig of Glascwm Mouth, 'out-loud reader' of Kreyic; Orddk, the Dwarvish scholar; Tad the Human nomad; and Ewis, a Galmearan refugee.

~*~

Quest:- the because is use writing of the knowledge of all is known of the history flow, towards the present of all folk are, and help build knowledge of the many a soul/spirituality towards the mastery/full knowledge of all spirits/will. "

"Sharmail"

 [The illustration shows an interpretation of the old writing houses of Sharmail, where on warm still days the side panels of the room could be removed to allow the light in.  This scholar and his room show some classic examples of grown furniture and architecture. In some cases additions to the library where planned three generations in advance in order to allow the correct pieces to be grown. You can see here the prominent use of tree-nails. Above the scholar on the wall are a few of the old spirit-signs of the Elvish people. This picture is late in the day for Sharmail, for it depicts the use of iron bindings, and more importantly, of books. Early Sharmail only housed scrolls.]

Page 2

Page 2 of "Everything"

"Ce O Mo Enimova"

Direct Translation from Gaer Elvish (Calobelvan) to the common tongue -  

 

"Birth Of The Writing"

"Origins of the writing.  

The Elves of Abailgor used the part of the library that was taken from Sharmail, seat of Gaer-Elvish knowledge since pre-6000AC. in 20882AC, when Wingaer dissolved, to Abailgor, the peace-meeting site of all the ancient families of northern old Gaer. This contains snippets of knowledge from the ethereal Mage Monilan [Mage-sign], who has long deserted the Elvish Shore. They also used the extensive annuls of the guardians of Aldurelws, who met with many travelers, including the Galmearan, as they passed through the pass of Minabiag and recorded these tales for posterity... 

Other sources used where:- 

The library of Pip Cerrig, being compiled over many centuries by his family and thought to be the largest in Kreyic;  

The open parts of the libraries of Waun-Fach and Tiron, the former thought to be the most comprhensive on Ottarol, and the latter containing most of the languages ever spoken and many more besides;

The minds of Orddk and Ewis, who hold the history of their people, and that of Tad, who has also many tales from teh more removed parts of the east. 

Pip Cerrig."

[Some discussion on illustrations and symbols -

 There are three Mage-signs used. Monilan's is in its origional form , while Tiron and Waun-Fach are both slightly elaborated. Waun-Fach is thought to have got his sign from the ear of the silver Lynx, his preferred host before the coming of Humans.  Tiron is thought to be linked to Wood-Sorrel, but no-one knows why. Very little is known of Monilan.

Mage-signs are used when writing about Mages as they use shape rather than sound in the Faerie dimensions to communicate.

Tiron Mage-sign

Monilan Mage-sign

Waun-Fach Mage-sign

This Rune of dragonic protection (bellow) is used frequently by Elvish, Dwarvish and some Human cultures. It represents the balance of the Physical, Conscious and Faerie.

Dragonic Rune of Protection

Karl Cerrig is the father of Pip Cerrig, and Pip continues to use his fathers logo on his official projects.  the use of Faadon Naano's logo is interesting. Although he is not credited for this project the use of his sign, coupled with the fact that this book has turned up in a collection of his old notes, suggest he was intimately connected with it...

 

Faadon Naano's sign

Karl and Pip Cerrig's sign

This picture is of the group working around a round table.  Orddk is on the left, then comes Pip, then Ewis, then an inebriated Tad. The style of the archetecture suggest they are at Pips house in Glascombe Mouth, Kreyic. As the Abailgor elves would not travel this far it begs the question - who did the drawing? Could it have been Faadon Naano?]

Around the round table

Abailgor? Or Sharmail...?

Page 3

Portraits of the writers

[The dry fallen leaves represent the old leaves of paper used to compile the text. The snake, with its triple tongue, hinting at the Dragonic rune of protection, represents a renewal of these old texts, a sloughing of old hardened skin of rivalry and a restoration of balance.]

Ewis

[Ewis is depicted with the mountains of Nazuoralnitotzu in the background, returning to the old hunting grounds of her people and living off the rich fruit that grow there.]

Orddk

[Orddk is pictured in a Dwarvish doorway at Farin, just inside Darngaer, where he comes from. This is a place of peace in the face of hostilities from all surrounding people, a mixing place for Elish, Human and Dwarvish traders. Above his head is the goat god who terrifies the superstitiouse Dwarvish miners. The only thing that scares this god of mine colapse is his own image, hence it is everywhere in Dwarvish towns around Nazuralnitotzu.]

Pip Cerrig

[Pip Cerrig depicted in the simple robes in fashion at the moment in Kreyic, with a background of one of the shelves of his library.]

Tad

[Tad is a Moryan, a 'Gypsy' as some say.  Her name is not her real one - as with all Moryan to avoid trouble they use pseudonyms based on their real names. Her pseudonym, she has said on occasion, is a shortening of Tadpole, but no-one believes her.  Here she is seen growling at the illustrator, a typical pose for this player of theater. Behind her is one of the vans of her people. Undoubtedly it is not hers. No Moryan would want to go down in print with too much reality around  them encase it turned around and bit her.]

The Abail Elves

[This is a group portrait of some of the Elves who helped with the book. Typically for their people not only are the scholars depicted, but so are the fisher-people who fed them, the camouflaged warrior who guarded them and hose-keeper who cooked and cleaned for them. On Abail all these duties are considered necessary parts of writing a book.]

"My Wife"

"My Wife"

Fragment #1

"My wife, studying one of her rare bardic texts. My curiosity is only matched by the depth of her soul."

"By the light of  the sunset"

Fragment #2

"By the light of the sunset my wife composes her lays. Today, far from any land, I listen to the gentle slap of water against the hull and reconnect with the fierce peace of the Sea-Elvish side of my ancestry.  I love my life!  Salt on the lungs and lips... To drift from Continent to Continent with my most beautiful wife, listening to her songs and stories - how she twists and twines simple communication into passions as deep as the ocean or as high as the sky, darts them through the minds of her audience as quickly and as delicately as a fish among the coral, and how she tolerates my insistent need to dissect fish eyes on the galley table... 

Damn, reminds me, I left the puffer-fish guts where the baby can reach it..."

'Cat-Faced' Galmearan woman in winter garb.

Galmearan woman

"Galmearan woman, from one of the 'Cat-Faced' tribes in winter wraps.  Her earring is bone. Her under-poncho is bark-cloth and bog-cotton traded for honey with neighboring groups. Her outer wrap is bear skin. She carries a sharpened digging stick."

A map of the "Elvish Shore" (slight nudity)

A map of "the Elvish Shore" by Faadon Naano

The Elvish in this banner reads "[th]e elvi[sh] [sh]ol" - The 'l' at the end must be a miss spelling - it should be 'r',  the character to the right.

Green Man from above map

We will look more closely at the main map later, but for now will content ourselves with the border.  The pattern of spiraling vegetation is a variation on an old Elvish one.  In the modern age, when the Elvish peoples feel themselves to be in somewhat of a winter for their race on this part of Ottarol it is without leaves, except for close against the green man, the symbol of the green god who gave life to the paper which made it. This means the original (perhaps this is the original) was drawn on Gaer tree-paper, rather than Vellum.

A similar green man from a much older Elvish map

The depiction of a Dragon and a Unicorn is also an old Elvish devise.  These two beings are believed to be the creatures most in balance between the three substances of matter, consciousness and faerie.

Dragon from the map above

Unicorn from the Map above

Unicorn from an older Elvish Map

 

The beings at the top are a reference to the fact that though this area is referred to as the Elvish Shore this is an anachronism.  Now there are Dwarves and Humans living in this area, and the Elves are no longer a united race but split into countries.  

Forest Elve

The first depiction is of a traditional forest dwelling Elve of Gaer. With longbow in hand and curved blade by side this being carries the long banner of history in their hand.

Dwarve

Next comes the fearsome Dwarvish iron clad warrior who first arrived in this land in the early days of their ancient empire. Now they inhabit rebeliouse Nazuralnitotzu and certian remnant townships on the Western Plateau.  They bare aloft the broad axe of their people, symbolizing the cutting and the carving out of these lands into nations. The Galmearans who they drove out of these lands are not depicted.

Plains Elve

Here is the long legged Plains Elve of Cananshall. Although their people roamed the area before the coming of the Dwarves it is only through the deforestation of the Dwarvish Empire that their current lifestyle fully developed.  They are depicted carrying an atlatl, two small spears to through it with and a long barbed spear. The atlatl symbolizes the length of their limbs, the two darts their speed and dispersed population. The long spear symbolizes their own unconquerable strength. Above them fly two birds symbolizing freedom, and beside is a mobile tipi symbolizing that they are forever on the move, while no Plains Elve can be depicted without a horse! 

Human

Lastly is the Human. in an old pot helm and a hunting spear. Faadon Naano has chosen to depict them as the noble but poor beings they where originally when they came to these shores. This is probably because given the choice between the northern Kingdom of Brach, with its often overblown and cruel leaders operating in a strictly feudal society, and the Common Lands of Brach to the south where an older and more democratic system based of gift giving and bravery is in force, Faadon felt the later better fitted the flow of history.  The castle depicts their reliance on these structures, and the banner planted in the earth depicts how reliant they are on personal stakes in land.  It is shorter than the elvish banner given their shorter time here. It is also set up to show their historical opposition to the Elvish people.

Compass Rose

At the bottom of the map is Faadon Naano's elaborate illustrated compass rose. 

Domtajoyan human and Cheetah

  

Domtajoyan trade goods

To the left is a dark skinned human from Domtajoya, the Human land in the extreme south-west. Behind him are trade goods symbolizing the wealth of the region, as well as the fact that most contact in the region is through trade rather than conflict. The Domtayoyan man brings decorated carpet, a famous export of the region, a jeweled  knife, a snake skin belt and a box of spice. Behind him are the long grasses of the fertile bits of his country and the sacred cheetah of his Savannah. He carried in his hand a ceremonial hammer-axe, as used on state occasions.

Elvish Shaman

Elvish trade goods

The Elvish woman is a shaman from the north eastern Sharmail Island region. (This area is called the Haunted Islands on this map - this is the Human name and serves the purpose of making the surviving underground vaults of this ancient library relatively undisturbed - this is a trick learned from the Galmearan people.)  She brings fruit from the forest gardens, a sealed drum of olives from her trade partners in Zingomoogaer, and the vital reason for her continued existence on this island, copies of the ancient elvish books.  Behind her is the  timid sacred deer of the island, and thick vegetation. Her weapon is the saw-spear, developed from the tools the elves have both used to tend their forest gardens and defend their privacy.  

The strait horned cow skull is from the Cananshal region, and the spear looks like the ceremonial spears of Darngaer, both regions central to the map.