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As the Arkati's rebuilding and influence upon the scorched earth
faded, it would be the Elves who would rule much of the Lands, establishing
influences over hill, valley, forest, glen, and even the ocean.
And from this new beginning, the dwarves established a much smaller
realm of influence, deep in the heart of what is now known as the
DragonSpine Mountains, where they were free of the politics of the
Elven Houses and the rulers they did not regard.
Deep within the UnderGrounds, the dwarves made their home in channels
of hewn rock that had lain dormant for centuries - geological shifts,
former underground rivers, melting glaciers and the like. The dwarves
were blessed with a stout build that made travel in underground
caverns simple compared to taller races, and a heartiness that soon
came to match that of the solid rock that was now their home. The
need to survive became the teacher, and soon the dwarves knew all
the mysteries of the rocks that gave them shelter.
Dwarves will recount the tale of Gerthak Roramnoak,
an old and tired lumberjack, who had wandered a bit too far
to the east in his search for a new forest, and stumbled across
a crew of Elven woodsmen hard at work felling trees and preparing
lumber. Expecting to be attacked on sight, Gerthak wearily
grabbed his well crafted mithril pickax and his hand-carved
mithril shield and grunted his annoyance at having to battle
when he'd much rather relax with an ale. Recognizing that
Gerthak was no Elf, the woodcrafters spoke quietly in Common
to this would-be intruder. Gerthak had been around enough
to speak some of the Common tongue, and he realized they weren't
going to kill him, just yet.
The Elves were immediately taken by the craftsmanship
of the dwarf's gear: he was bedecked mostly in leather and
mithril, with faceted gems adorning the joints of his armor,
and the hilt of his axe. Gerthak had never put much thought
to such matters - there were younger dwarves who had spent
months crafting quite fancy garments. In fact, those who claimed
to know Gerthak would say this was his least favorite outfit:
after all, he was just going to cut trees, not meet his favorite
lass for ale and laughter. It did not take the wise old dwarf
very long to realize that the pointy-eared lumberjacks had
never seen such things as the common stuff he bore.
Scanning the area, he saw wheelbarrows full
of fel, modwir, and thanot lumber, already split and readied
for use. The ancient tale ends with a very scantily clad Gerthak
returning back to the mines with several carts of lumber and
a wide grin upon his face. The twinkle in his eyes as he celebrated
that eve suggested that this was just the beginning of a hearty
trade venture between the dwarves and those of the lands above.
As the Elves above spread their domination westward, the DragonSpine
would become a natural refuge for the dark beasts driven away from
the civilized lands. These beasts, whether trolls, orcs, goblins,
kobolds, or even more powerful creatures, soon came to find the
vast tunnels and caverns that were occupied by the dwarves. It is
believed that the dwarves were almost extinguished during their
first 10,000 years underground. The orcs were a mighty foe: they
had primitive instinct and well-adapted night-vision. They were
the most intelligent of the dark beasts, and they grew lusty for
the vast lands beneath the Elven cities (presumably to reclaim the
lands that they had been driven from). They did not, however, anticipate
the hearty spirit of the dwarves, or their ferocity. The dwarves'
stature made them nimble in the narrow caverns, and their natural
strength proved to be much more than an orc could manage alone.
This did not stop the orcs from attempting to claim the tunnels,
but it did limit their successes considerably.
This conflict would become the never-ending battle beneath the
mountains. The orcs would gain minimal successes, on occasion, and
drive the dwarves from an area of caverns. They would then create
rough alcoves within the rock, no more than 10 feet high, with webs
of tunnels from one alcove to the next. Orc caverns could be identified
by their lack of shape, by the multiple passages in and out, but
mostly by the foul stench and lack of any degree of civility. Carcass
remains, feces, half-decayed corpses that have been stripped of
anything of value: these were the things found deep within an orc's
underground lair.
On the other hand, the dwarves grew quite skilled in their rock
carving after years of practice. Towering pillars, intricate stairways
hewn of stone, ornately curved niches and alcoves within the rock,
and carefully planned tunnels from one series of caves to another
- these were the markings of dwarven architecture. The best miners
and artisans would proudly carve great statues to Eonak within the
caverns of their family and kin. Among the varied styles, there
was one aspect common amongst dwarven cavern sculpting - secret
exits. The constant threat from orcs and other beasts seeking to
take the great tunnels from the dwarves, created the necessity for
hidden passageways that would lead to certain areas of safety -
some deeper within the earth, and others to the lands above.
The
deeper the dwarves explored the great UnderGrounds beneath the DragonSpine,
the more they discovered. At first, they discovered the common metals,
such as iron, silver, and gold. With the passage of time, the dwarves
developed an uncanny vision for the subtlest variances in qualities
of ore. They learned that some metals deep within the mountain had
their own unique properties. The dwarves would experiment with these
newly found metals, in jewelry, carvings, weaponry, armor, tools
and more. Some of the wiser amongst the dwarves identified that
some of these metals contained magic. Mithril was the first magic
metal discovered beneath the mountain, given that name from the
scholar's words for gray and brilliant, as the metal could be polished
to a much greater shine than any other they found. And because of
the magic within the metal, only certain of the most talented dwarves
could work with it - they would come to be known as the Mithrenek
Clan. For thousands of years, the secrets of mithril stayed within
the Mithrenek Clan. Eventually, however, other clans and other races
learned to handle the power of the magical metal. To this day, though,
the finest mithril creations still come from the hands of a Mithrenek
dwarf.
Despite the versatility of mithril, a need for other materials
existed. Many other metals were found beneath the mountains, such
as iron, gold and silver.
After thousands of years, the number of orcs
grew to be quite troublesome underneath the vast DragonSpine
Mountains. This was a time when the extinction of the dwarves
was a real possibility - already several families in remote
mines had been lost to the invading beasts. There grew a need
for the dwarves to communicate with each other across miles
of rock deep within the earth, as many battles were lost because
those in the deepest mines could not be warned or called in
time.
It was Khazi Khazar, shortly after the loss
of his mother and father to orcs, who crafted two things that
would change the life underground forever. He forged an iron
bell and a steel horn, both twice the size of the average
dwarf. Each day, before the dwarves arose from their slumber
to set about their daily tasks, he would ring this huge bell
and all those within all the caverns would be awakened by
its tone. As to signal those who traveled above (trading,
chopping lumber, and hunting for food) to return from their
day's journey, he would climb up the granite stair and sound
the steel horn. This signified the time to gather and rest.
In gathering together in great numbers in the halls of Kalaza,
the dwarves were safe from loss to invasion.
For this seemingly simple idea, the dwarves
named Khazi their first Dwarven Overking, rewarding his good
sense and concern. Soon, horns and bells were used throughout
the UnderGrounds to signify safety, arrival, and departure.
Three blasts from the horn meant danger, and three strikes
of the bells would answer the call to arms. Always, a single
blast from the horn or a single strike from the bell meant
that all was safe to return home. And although the dwarven
clans were spread throughout much of the DragonSpine range,
it was the simple brilliance of Khazi Khazar that kept the
dwarves ultimately unified as a race.
There was need for lumber to fortify the mines as they were carved
deeper. Many a fine pickaxe would be made from a hilt of the finest
wood available. Some dwarves did not mind too much traveling above
to the forests and procuring assorted lumbers. Others would take
their newly forged weapons and hunt the wild beasts in the forest.
It was the way of things, an evolution, as the dwarves developed
into an advanced culture. However, it was these traveling dwarves
that would create a market for trade, and open the door for great
wealth amongst this race.
Over time, the dwarves learned which metals had more value to the
other races, and they learned to craft beautiful pieces using the
diamonds, rubies, sapphires and other gems that were found deep
within the mines. The best finds, of course, they kept for themselves,
crafting absolutely stunning family heirloom pieces, in the form
of armor, weapons, trinkets and of course, drinking steins. And,
by the nature of trade, two things came to pass: One, is that the
dwarves found a way to survive by performing the craft they preferred
and at which they excelled; and two, other races came to know of
previously unknown magic metals and precious gems from the depths
of the DragonSpine. Using this knowledge, the dwarves mapped the
material resources within the DragonSpine, and the clans began to
specialize in working with the ores and gems that were found in
their location. The clans already existed, as families, back to
the founding of the race. But over time, the location of the familial
caverns began to influence their work. Each clan increased its skill
in mining and crafting the local ores, and their knowledge grew
beyond compare. They taught their art to their children over the
generations in the UnderGrounds, and while all dwarves had certain
basic skills, these "family specialties" evolved into
the defining characteristics of each bloodline.
Under the constant threat of attack from the orcs under the Earth,
some clans of dwarves focused on the secrets of the forge, creating
weapons and armor of far greater strength and durability than that
which had been previously known. Their skills in the forge, and
with weapon and armor mastery, made them the most skilled of all
the races in Elanthia in such matters.
Thus, Kalaza grew. It started as the simple central location to
the vast tunnels of mines throughout the Mountain. A few clans were
actually quite skilled with the crafting of lumber and ore together,
and they began to create simple buildings under the guidance of
their Dwarven Overking, Khazi Khazar, to facilitate the trading
of silvers, gems, ores, weapons and armor from one clan to the next.
(The dwarves who possessed this skill of construction would later
fall under the leadership of the Ragnak Clan.)
Another cavern was created within the earth, where the dwarves
would gather to both share stories of the day's events (and strange
things found), as well as to offer protection in the case of an
orc invasion. The great hall of Kalaza was said to be 15 dwarves
in height, with pillars so wide, it took six dwarves to reach around
the circumference. And, so it was for centuries ... the dwarves
amassing great wealth and riches and developing their brotherhood
deep within the earth, while the Elves fought and bickered amongst
themselves upon the topside.
HOME
The
deeper the dwarves explored the great UnderGrounds beneath the DragonSpine,
the more they discovered. At first, they discovered the common metals,
such as iron, silver, and gold. With the passage of time, the dwarves
developed an uncanny vision for the subtlest variances in qualities
of ore. They learned that some metals deep within the mountain had
their own unique properties. The dwarves would experiment with these
newly found metals, in jewelry, carvings, weaponry, armor, tools
and more. Some of the wiser amongst the dwarves identified that
some of these metals contained magic. Mithril was the first magic
metal discovered beneath the mountain, given that name from the
scholar's words for gray and brilliant, as the metal could be polished
to a much greater shine than any other they found. And because of
the magic within the metal, only certain of the most talented dwarves
could work with it - they would come to be known as the Mithrenek
Clan. For thousands of years, the secrets of mithril stayed within
the Mithrenek Clan. Eventually, however, other clans and other races
learned to handle the power of the magical metal. To this day, though,
the finest mithril creations still come from the hands of a Mithrenek
dwarf.