species [Lore] Diamond Dogs

[QuickLime]

Diamond Dogs - Equestria's Stalwart Miners

 

 

Diamond Dogs are rather interesting and unique creatures with features much like those of an ordinary canine, but which stand on two legs and are fully capable of speech. These creatures tend to live in dense camps in gem rich areas, sometimes staying there for years upon years, still mining in areas that their great grandparents had been mining in, only leaving when every last gem, ore, and coal has been removed from the land.Then and only then will the Diamond Dogs move on to a new area, but not before filling in their tunnels and making sure to plant trees, or whatever fauna is indigenous to the area so that the land can heal from their work.

 

Diamond Dogs are almost always found in packs, but what they are actually like varies from pack to pack. Some packs are as big as three youngsters going off on their own, while other times a pack is a rather large group, all working together for the good of the group. An Alpha is usually always in charge, and can vary from pack to pack, usually by showing superior skill in areas that pack particularly values, be it strength and brawn, or craftiness and wit. The Alpha, be they male or female, normally shows these skills via their work ethics and is picked by the whole pack to lead them. An Alpha oversees the pack, planning places to mine, scouting them first, and in general makes sure the pack is happy and healthy. Being born to an Alpha does not assure that their pups will be given the same title.

 

Gems are a valuable resource to the Diamond Dogs but they are not the only thing that they pursue in the mines--they also go after ores and coal to power their cities. Mostly they rely on steam and coal burning for energy, which they use for cooking, powering wind mills for flour grinding, and whatever else they need, the same way ponies rely on magic. Gems however are the bread and the butter, being used for trading, tool making, and even crafts. Young diamond dogs might display their most prized gems in a collar around their neck as a display of their findings, and mining prowess; Diamond Dogs prize gems for their beauty but also for their strength. Some clans only use diamond tipped pickaxes and spears because diamonds don’t break and last a extremely long time; some might even be using a diamond tipped pickax given to them that has been passed down for generations.

 

Hunting and gathering is a crucial skill for any Diamond Dog worth their gems to have, since EVERYONE needs to contribute to the pack to make sure they are all healthy and happy, thus capable of doing even more work. Their diets, being omnivores, is rather diverse, and like the Diamond Dogs can vary from region to region. Some that live more near the coastal side of Equestria might live off a diet of fish and crustaceans, while those that live in packs in dense forests might survive off of produce they can forage or grow themselves due to the dense and diverse vegetation.

~Encyclopedia Equestria