Dwarves

Dwarves are typically shorter and stockier than humans, commonly having beards and large noses. Like elves, dwarves have a life span of about 600 years.

Dwarves generally do not get along with other races because of philosophical differences and therefore are frequently viewed as unpleasant. They tend to live in mountain regions and are known for their mining and stone lore abilities. Thorin is the dwarven homeland in the northeast of Xaria. The native language of the Dwarves is a runic language called Dwerrow.

Dwarves have a stout constitution, and are as hard as the rocks they mine. As a natural ability, they can cleanse their own bodies of any toxins at will (as per the spell PURIFY BLOOD).

Most dwarven males grow beards. Their women do on occasion but not as often.

# **Religion**

The greatest Dwarven god is The Crafter, the last of a mighty race of gods and the only sentinel that stood between the hidden Vaults, where the greatest treasures of the gods were kept, and the Great Wyrm who roamed the Eternal Catacombs (the universe). The Great Wyrm’s one wish was to find the Vaults and take the treasures of the gods for its hoard, but the Crafter was its equal, and their battles always ended in stalemate.

As the Crafter grew older through the eons, he wanted to create a final work which would symbolize his strength, compassion and which would represent his ultimate achievement. He took the finest materials he had to his mighty Forge (the Sun) and forged the world. Such were his labors that, after much effort, he fell asleep.

While he slept, the Great Wyrm came upon him. Filled with jealousy at the Crafter’s beautiful work, the Wyrm laid an egg at the center of the world, and crept away.

When the Crafter awoke, he finished forging the world and cooled it with rain from his massive trough (which formed oceans, lakes, and rivers of the world). All unknowing of the Wyrm’s egg, he set the world in motion and left to tend other matters.

While he was gone, the Great Wyrm’s egg hatched, giving birth to the Serpent Zhuggoth-Goran. Zhuggoth-Goran flung the remains of its shell into the sky, forming the moon (which still bears the Dragon’s Mark) and returned to its nest where it began birthing its progeny; the Dragons.

When the Crafter returned, he was horrified to see how corruption had infested it. Filled with rage, he swore a divine oath against the Great Wyrm and prepared to delve into the Endless Catacombs to find and slay the foul beast.

Before he left, the Crafter took lava from the volcano known as Thorin and imbued it with part of his own essence, creating a being much like himself. This being he called Magma, and she was the first Dwarf. She was charged with the task of eradicating the Great Wyrm’s offspring.
Magma traveled the world, slaying Dragons by the score. With time, the minions of Zhuggoth-Goran became fewer and fewer, and those that still lived hid in fear. Magma, waiting for the Crafter to return and having no enemies to fight, grew bored.

She returned to Mount Thorin and, to emulate her creator, took stone from its base. She created a mate for herself, called Obsidian,. and woke him. He was like unto Magma, but his form was of cold stone.

Obsidian did not know of his creation, and feared and distrusted Magma. Soon he became hostile, and the two fought for a very great length of time. Magma, stronger than her mate, eventually defeated him. Aching, bloodied, and weary, Obsidian fell in love with the woman who had bested him and agreed to be her mate.

The many children of Magma and Obsidian make up the Dwarven pantheon, charged with keeping such important Dwarf virtues as hearth, fire, forge, and Hold. In the ages that passed, Magma and Obsidian made a pact and departed to journey to the center of the earth, there to engage Zhuggoth-Goran himself and bring back his head.

Dwarf theology seems sparse to other races. This is because Dwarves refuse to invent stories to fill in the gaps of their creation. What became of Magma, Obsidian, and Zhuggoth-Goran? For that matter, where have the Crafter and the Great Wyrm got to? Who created the other races? Since all the Dwarves are descended from the gods themselves, and since their race grows further from this divinity with every generation, what will eventually happen to them? As can be expected, Dwarven theology is often a bit grim.

Currently, the children of Magma and Obsidian are said to be living still in the great caverns of the Godhold, the fabled catacombs at the center of the earth. It is said that one day Magma and Obsidian will return with the head of Zhuggoth-Goran. At that time they will weigh the lives of all the Dwarves, and those found honorable and good will be allowed to go to the Godhold, there to prepare to go on to the Vaults, and possibly reunite with the Crafter. Occasionally, rumors that one of the children of Magma has left the Godhold and walks upon the surface of the world are heard.

As may be expected, the concept of a professional priest is distasteful to the Dwarves. While each Hold has designated holy men, they too hold positions of usefulness in their society. Indeed, those of the most skill are said to be closest to divinity and therefore are more likely to be chosen priests.

Two of Magma and Obsidian’s children are major deities in the pantheon that are currently worshipped. The first is Morg, the Dwarven God of Ale and War. The second god is Urick, the Dwarven god of Health and Strength.

# **Culture**

The Dwarves have a great respect for four basic tenets of Dwarven life; strength, hard work, craftsmanship and duty.

From the youngest pup to the grayest beard, Dwarves move through life with a purpose. Each Dwarf creates his or her own purpose. Whether it’s a social function, a military position, or a business venture, it becomes that Dwarf’s driving force. To simply be a wandering adventurer is wasting valuable, constructive time. Something an Elf would do.

The place of women in Dwarven society is very complex. While most women choose to stay at home to raise children and such, they are afforded the utmost respect, almost bordering on fear. Women often choose to be mothers because it is seen as their duty (they are the only ones who can give birth, after all), and because the Dwarves are a slow breeding race (and well over three-quarters of all Dwarf babies are male), mothers are a very valuable resource.

Any woman who chooses to become a warrior is never discouraged; the greatest tales of Dwarven legend are often about women warriors.
Any deference shown to women (i.e. offering a seat, opening the door) is seen as a sign of disrespect and is likely to earn the chivalrous gentleman a sound thrashing.

Dwarven men are very protective of their families, and will fight to their utmost to defend them.

Dwarves tend to distrust and dislike magik. With their pride in personal achievement, most Dwarves consider magik “cheating,” a false aid. Dwarves refuse most types of magikal aid. (Especially for combat. They prefer to take their blows and deal with it.) Dwarven healers are not unknown, but they are consulted only in times of dire need or imminent death. Even then, some Dwarves will refuse aid and simply die.
The one type of magik that is respected, however, is rune magik or enchanting. Magikal weapons and armor are greatly prized, and enchanted objects of all sorts are jealously guarded. Vessels enchanted to cleanse food or drink, helms that allow the wearer to see all things, and other fantastic treasures are known to exist.

Craftsmanship is perhaps the most revered virtue in Dwarven life. A Dwarf’s work is a reflection of himself. If his work is second rate, then so is he. Lifetimes can be spent on single pieces. The most respected trade is smithing, and that is closely followed by all craft trades; carving, masonry, carpentry, etc.

# **Relations**

Dwarves prefer the company of Dwarves. They understand one another, and have no need to defend themselves from prejudice and stereotypes that have been built up by others.

Humans are odd and frustrating to Dwarves. They are so disorganized, so given to independence that you cannot form a general opinion about them. On top of that, they are incredibly short lived. Just when they are getting smart and realizing the important things in life, they die.

Elves are regarded with more cool distance than humans. The enmity between Elves and Dwarves has perhaps been exaggerated, but it is by no means nonexistent. Dwarves tend to see Elves as a race not possessing wisdom and intelligence, but more often than not, Elves dedicate themselves to trivial pleasures and the aid of nature, ignoring the value of good, honest work. The Dwarves cannot understand how such a long-lived race can leave no monuments to live on after them.

Dark Elves are an anathema to Dwarves, who perhaps hate only Orcs more. As bad as normal Elves are, Dark Elves are worse; Dark Elves know the dark. No Dwarf would make the mistake of underestimating the Dark Elves. Indeed, it has always been widely rumored that the true thief of the Mace of Kings was a Dark Elves, intent on making war between the Orcs and the Dwarves.

Orcs are, of course, the most hated enemy of the Dwarves, and this hatred extends to all goblinoids. Dwarves loathe goblinoids with a passion that has been bred into them for millennia.

Dwarves consider Hobbits to be acceptable. More stable and steadfast than Humans, Dwarves find the Hobbits to be a bit too much of a hedonism, a bit too given to self indulgence for their taste, but they are a quiet people who probably share the closest kinship with the Dwarves than any another race.

Dwarves have traditionally had little contact with Beastmen. They hold great respect for the race, finding them sufficiently serious and down to earth. There is some contact with mole and other burrowing Beastmen and any such creature who seeks refuge in a Dwarf Hold will be welcomed.

# **Of Interest**

Dwarves have excellent memories and a passion for history. They keep highly detailed records of their history. A reaction to the loss of such an important aspect of their culture with the theft of the Mace of Kings.

Dwarves are very much realists, in the purest sense of the word, and disdain falsehood of all sorts. Dwarves want everything to be real. Real stone, real ale, real work, real pain. This is why they dislike magik. While it may be convincingly argued that many forms of magik are as “real” as anything else, to the Dwarves it seems as something which cheapens the truth of life. Dwarves do not tend to find stories entertaining unless they are true. Following that vein, they tend to have a very gruff, down to earth taste in humor. They are not much given to irony or wit, but do enjoy a good brawl. Physical humor is seen as the workings of fate and worthy of laughter. Under their dour exteriors, Dwarves often prove to be closet hedonists and thrill seekers, looking to suck the marrow out of life and experience reality on the edge. Their pleasures are earthly and simple.

Dwarves never, ever forget a grudge. If a Dwarf holds a grudge, his clan will hold it too, and will keep it going long after his death if need be. The same holds true for promises made to and by a Dwarf.

Dwarves are not without beauty or without the appreciation of it. They merely feel that there is no need to flaunt it. Indeed, for a Dwarf, the joy of beauty is a secret joy, to be hoarded like any treasure and kept to oneself. To share that with another is a sacred event and a gift of inestimable value. This urge to personalize beauty affects the Dwarven view of nature. They have a deep reverence for stone, and an almost religious devotion to gems and metal, of course, but their value of these items is based on their usefulness. Dwarves do not waste any resource. For instance, an Elf may see a mighty oak and respect it for its beauty and the life it possesses. Dwarves see that beauty, and may even be moved by it, but respects the tree because its timbers are valuable and useful. To personalize the beauty of the oak by cutting it down and making a magnificently carved rafter arch for the entryway to the Hold might be the Dwarven way of expressing his respect.

Dwarven society, famed though it may be for its love of gold, does not have a proper coin of the realm. Almost all business within Thorin is carried out by barter. There is no joy of craft in making coins. They do have some coin for use in trade with other nations and with the human communities inside Thorin’s borders, but it is virtually unused among the Dwarves themselves. The Dwarven economy uses all its resources to maximum effectiveness. Essentially, they share all resources of need to ensure that all are taken care of.

Dwarven language is called Dwerrow, though almost all Dwarves speak common Xarian. The runic Dwerrow alphabet, containing forty-eight letters, is read in columns from top to bottom, right to left.

Despite stereotypes to the contrary, Dwarves do have poetry and song. Their poetry tends to be epics (most poems are not considered proper until they reach at least five hundred lines. Recitations of Dwarven epics can sometimes last for more than three days), and their song is polyphonic, rhythmic, and in very low registers. Some Dwarven songs have lyrics which consist only of the word “gold”.

Dwarven personal names are often the names of stone, gems, or other earthly elements the Dwarves come in contact with (i.e. Micah, Igneous, etc.).

### *What follows is material by Mike S used as pre-game material for the 503 game Brinksmanship.*

Some general background for Dwarves in general, as well as anyone whose character would be familiar with Gorim's Pass or the folk who live there--yet more information will be coming soon...

**The Rites of the Crafter’s Forge**
An ancient ritual among the Dwarves, the Rites are observed in honor of the Crafter’s great work in forging the world. All manner of crafts are honored during this time—traditionally, Dwarves present their creations in formal ceremonies within the Hearth; in some clans, this has become a kind of competition in which one strives to present the greatest work. Many Dwarves work for years to produce a single piece to be presented in this manner. In other clans, there is no competition—all creations are observed for their intrinsic value.

The Rites reach their height in the Consecration of the Forge, observed on midsummer’s day. The longest day of the year, this is traditionally observed as the day the Crafter laid the last hammer stroke upon his creation, when the forge of the sun was its hottest. This day is the culmination of the Rites and is considered especially appropriate for beginning or ending new construction of any sort—the forming of a new Hold, the consecration of a completed Hearth, the finishing of a masterwork of craft, and so on—and extends to the formation of social contracts as well: business deals are closed and marriages take place on this day in many clans.

Humans who dwell in Thorin have turned the Rites into a kind of festival, often holding faires and market days during these times. The Dwarves have generally accepted this practice, though they find it somewhat undignified—they normally keep their observances more solemn. However, those Dwarves who regularly do business with humans know the value of this time and make certain that they have much to sell to merchants at such festivals.

The Consecration of the Forge is mirrored at the other end of the year at midwinter’s night. This somber observance is known as the Night of the Spawning and marks the dark night when Zhuggoth-Goran hatched within the world and threw its shell into the sky to form the moon. Dwarves observe this day with fasting and many solemn rites, including a renewal of vows against the dark forces of the world—dragons and their kind, the Drow, goblinoids, and other specific clan enemies. The lights of the Hold are doused at midnight of the Spawning Eve and the Dwarves must make their way in the darkness of their caverns; the lamps are relit the following midnight, marking the end of the Night and symbolizing the triumph of the Dwarven spirit over darkness. If the Night coincides with a full moon, it is considered a particularly ill omen and many Dwarves will not leave their Hold for any reason.

***OOG:*** *The Rites of the Crafter’s Forge are a good reason to be buying or selling any in-game items. Weapons, costumes, props, or other Campaign materials could be available—players are encouraged to bring any such items to the game to “sell.” The more people participating in this event, the better. Players should make whatever deals they wish in game, as well as arranging for actual payment (if any) out of game.*

**Gorim’s Pass**
Gorim’s Pass is named after a Dwarven hero of the Wars of Annihilation. It is said that late in the conflict, the Orcs mustered their forces for one last push into the Dwarven kingdom, sending an army five thousand strong into Thorin. They were encamped at the base of the Urhkahd’morgh Mountains (the “Mountains of Morg’s Displeasure,” named after the Dwarven god of war and ale; a long story of Morg’s travels through the passes into the unexciting lowlands beyond is a minor tale told at few Dwarven gatherings these days, though some think it may be an object lesson for modern Dwarves dealing with human nations—Morg’s displeasure was, in fact, discovering the race of men living beyond the peaks of Thorin and finding them but soft foes; they also had no good ale). The Orcs had come upon the Dwarven homeland when it was somewhat unprepared, as most Dwarven troops were out in the Orcish lands destroying the last of their poorly-constructed towers. The Dwarven commanders wished to deal with the threat before it reached the sparsely-defended valleys beyond the first ring of mountains about their lands. Traveling around the Urhkahd’morgh would require a good two weeks of hard marching which would tire even the Dwarven troops, and the valleys in which the Orcs lay were very defensible. Gorim Stoneforge, a foot soldier with the Thorin army, was sent to scout out the Orcish forces. Convinced he could find a way through the perilous peaks of the Urhkahd’morgh, he left the known paths and struck out—which would have been rather a shock to his commanders, who were resolute in their intention to use the ancient ways of their forebears. Gorim discovered the low pass between the peaks which now bears his name during this journey (needless to say, the Dwarven forces descended from the pass into the unsuspecting Orcish troops and utterly decimated them). For his pivotal role, Gorim was given promotion within the ranks and when the War was over, he was allowed to begin his own clan under the name of Pathmaker (many new clans were begun in those days following the War, when it was realized that the some of the old clans would never sort out their history again).

Gorim’s Pass now serves as the entryway into Thorin for travelers from most lands to the south. The Great Western Road is so called because it leaves Thorin headed westward into Gesnor, where it turns sharply south through Palrim (along the spur of the Urhkahd’morgh that runs south, called the Colma Mountains among the Palrimites) and joins other trade routes from the southern coast. There is a Great Eastern Road that runs into Akkoria and is better maintained than its western counterpart—because of the predominance of older, wealthier clans in the north and east, Akkoria has long-standing trade agreements in place and provides a great deal of produce shipped from Myere and Sha’Thraem in return for Dwarven goods (including the largest trade carried out in Dwarven ale in Xaria). The last major trade route runs along the northern coast into Gesnor and continues on west to Icara and Karandia. Not much actual trade moves along this route, but it is one of the only major byways leading east from the northwest of Xaria and so sees its share of traffic.

**The Clans**
The clans of Thorin are split into three major groups: The Old Guard, the Middle Clans, and the New Guard. The Old Guard are made up of the eldest clans—Deepdelver, Runehand, Stoneforge, Hearthfire, Strongbellows, Warhaft, and others, numbering about a score in all. These are the largest and wealthiest clans of the most distinguished lineage, those that existed before the Wars of Annihilation began. Their Holds are mainly found in the north and east of Thorin and are vast beyond the thoughts of surface dwellers. They are generally staunch in their loyalty to the Warder King (since they wield the most influence over him, some say…), though some are very dedicated to the memory of the old kings—this is one of the few issues Old Guard clans disagree about. However, all are very traditionalist in their ways: isolationist, proud, and unyielding (when surface dwellers think of Dwarves, they usually think of the Old Guard).

The Middle Clans are so named because many new clans were begun in the years following the end of the Wars. With such heavy losses, some older clans were unable to maintain themselves and fell apart; in many other cases, bravery on the battlefield or loyalty to the cause were rewarded with new clan rights. The Ironbeater, Wheelgrinder, Axehaft, Barrowstone, Pathmaker, and Tunneltopper clans are among the few dozen Middle Clans. Their Holds tend to be in good lands, though sometimes geographically diverse as the War brought the Dwarves to new parts of Thorin and new Holds were often constructed at the dictates of their progenitors. Their politics and views are varied, but most often fall along the Old Guard lines.

The New Guard is a loose term encompassing all other clans established after this period. More numerous than the Old Guard and Middle Clans combined, these Dwarves are looked upon with condescension by some Old Guard clans as “upstart” clans. New Guard holds are often located in less than desirable territory with fewer resources than the elder clans. They tend to be more open to outside influence and are often more friendly with human elements within Thorin (they are the major proponents of Thorin’s continued participation in the 3 Peaks Accord, for instance). They are usually looking to expand their influence and territory and win the respect of their countrymen (the Trollslayer clan, for instance, rose to prominence in recent centuries by producing some of the fiercest Dwarven warriors since the Wars themselves). Interestingly, they are also often the most fervently devoted to finding the Mace of Kings and produce the majority of Questors wandering Xaria. The Lightbearer, Pitchcanter, Drowbutcher, Rockbreaker, Redhand, Woodcarver, Stitchgash, and Shieldbender clans are among the most well-known of the New Guard.

**The Pathmakers**
The Pathmaker clan is unusual among the Middle Clans for its more moderate tendencies. Partially because of its distance from the Old Guard holds and proximity to human lands, and partially, perhaps, because its members were not drawn from a particular profession but rather were rewarded for service, Pathmakers are closer to New Guard sympathies than most. They are often savvy at business and sell a great many goods destined for human lands—if a human in southern Xaria owns a Dwarven artifact, there’s a good chance it passed through Pathmaker hands at some point. They are fair tunnelers, but are known among the Dwarves for their unusual skill at road mending and bridge construction. Relatively new arts among the Dwarves, the Pathmakers take their name seriously and are in the process of constructing better roads across southern Thorin (Dwarves traditionally do not stray far beyond their Hearth and Hold, and the land is exceedingly rugged, so few maintained roads have ever been constructed); there is even talk of connecting the Great Eastern and Western Roads into one trade corridor that spans the country, though few think it will ever be taken up. The Pathmakers also continue to mine the veins of gold that run through much of the Urhkahd’morg, though the loose quality of the surface soil in the region has made some mining difficult—Pathmaker engineers have sought to construct new shaft types that are more stable, with differing degrees of success.

The Pathmakers have also garnered attention in recent decades for the pet project of their current Headman, Malachite. Trade through the pass is currently limited by the seasonal conditions in the high peaks (the pass is generally opened on the first day of the Rites of the Crafter's Forge, fifteen days before midsummer—it is blocked with snow and ice until that time, and it often closes again by mid-September). The way is also quite dangerous due to difficult footing on the narrow switchbacks, as well as wild beasts and vicious creatures that roam the highest peaks. Malachite envisioned a tunnel under the pass large enough for cart traffic and possibly even beasts of burden. Such a passageway might cut the time to travel through the Urhkahd’morgh from a week to two days. So in 480 AY, construction was begun on what has since been called the “Great Passage.” Twenty-three miles from end to end, the Great Passage opens on the northern side of the Urhkahd’morgh and rises slowly to a point nearly five hundred feet below the pass, then descends gradually to an opening very near the southern entrance to the Pathmaker Hold and a matter of a few dozen yards from the human town of Gorim’s Pass. Some Old Guard Dwarves initially dubbed the tunnel “Malachite’s Folly,” but opinion has begun to change in some quarters since Warder King Strongbellows signed the 3 Peaks Accord. The anticipated transport of Dwarven troops to the south has made Malachite’s vision seem prophetic, and its completion (scheduled for the day of the Consecration of the Forge in 503, when the ground would symbolically be broken at Gorim’s Pass, though the tunneling work from that end was completed long before) would aid conveyance of supplies and equipment enormously. Many continue to point out, however, that so few Dwarven troops or supplies have been dispatched that the Great Passage holds little prospect of serving in this capacity in the near future.

**The Passfolk**
The human inhabitants of the trade town of Gorim’s Pass were first called “Passfolk” by the Dwarves but soon adopted the name among themselves. The settlement is quite new by Dwarven standards—the town was established in 103 AY. The scattered humans who resided below the pass joined with an expatriate group of Gesni traveling north—why they made the journey is not recorded. These folk banded together and petitioned the Thorin government (through the Passmaker clan) for the right to form a township and make a living by trade below the pass. In addition, they requested mining rights to what is known in Dwarven culture as “surface gold”—generally defined as anything that can be gotten without constructing a mine shaft. To this the Pathmakers agreed, seeing the advantages of having human intermediaries to deal with foreign traders and having little interest in surface gold in any case. A pact was signed which was to last for twenty-five years and which has been renewed every quarter of a century in a simple ceremony between the Headman of the Pathmakers and the leader of the Passfolk (as with many ventures, this, too, is generally observed near the time of the Consecration of the Forge; however, because deals with humans are considered somewhat ephemeral, this pact is generally renewed the day *after* the Consecration).

The life of the Passfolk is considered fairly rigorous by human standards, but they are a hardy people and generous in their way. Many among them pan the mountain streams for gold with which they buy luxuries from Dwarves and human traders alike. Others wait eagerly for the opening of the pass each year and have turned the Rites of the Crafter’s Forge into something of a market faire, welcoming foreign traders with what hospitality they can and setting up booths in the small open space between the town and the entrance to the Pathmaker hold. Many Passfolk make their year’s living during the summer, selling Dwarven goods and arranging caravans by mule through the pass into greater Thorin; in fact, by the day of the Consecration of the Forge, Gorim’s Pass often seems quite empty, as so many folk have begun their first passage of the season during the festival so as to move the spring produce to Dwarven markets while it is still green. An industrious merchant might make four or five such expeditions before the pass begins to freeze over again. Many wares and raw materials are sold to the Pathmakers themselves (though the Passfolk, whose charter grants them right to first claim on the goods moving through the pass) who then craft them to suit their own needs. It is a relationship that in past years has suited both communities well enough.

More stuff from Mike S: This information below is for characters playing dwarven folk only. Non-dwarves are very unlikely to know this stuff!

**The Pathmaker Hold**
In the night of the 19th of June, 503, a great tremor shook the Pathmaker hold. Dwarves rushing to the area found that the southern opening of the Great Passage had collapsed completely. Clouds of dust hung heavy in the tunnel, so thick that breathing was difficult; earth and fallen boulders blocked the opening from floor to ceiling. Worse, workers had been inside, making last-minute preparations for the ceremony to open the passage for the Consecration of the Forge. No one knew what had caused the collapse, which proved to be severe—structural supports had failed and the tunnel had caved in for a length of a nearly a hundred feet. Efforts to dig through the rubble were hampered by the loose quality of the surface soil—bracing had already been thorough to prevent just such an eventuality, and now digging through the shifting debris proved quite difficult. Only four Dwarves were recovered alive—since that time, five more have been found dead, with another six missing.

The Chief Engineer for the hold, Basalt Pathmaker, has nearly had to be restrained from doing himself harm over the loss of his workers, but swears by all his days that every precaution was taken to ensure the safety of the passage—it should not have collapsed on its own. The muttering through the hold is that such a disaster must have been an act of sabotage. Many Dwarves knew that the Passfolk were upset that their trade monopoly was being threatened by the construction of the Great Passage; Cleata Voethkal, the leader of the humans of Gorim’s Pass, has voiced her opinion strongly enough and her son, Burem, has been even more seriously opposed. Some Dwarves had even reported seeing humans conversing suspiciously in clandestine groups or lurking about the mouth of the tunnel. Most dismissed these reports as speculation, but now they have added an ominous note to already strained discussion. The humans have already been making wild claims that the digging for the Great Passage was interfering with their rights to “surface gold” (a patently false claim) and rousing monsters from the high peaks. Most Pathmaker Dwarves have sympathy for the humans in that they are having a difficult year (a stretch of time of so much greater import to them), but insist that their doings cannot be the cause of the Passfolk’s misfortune. No one is certain that Malachite will renew the charter for Gorim’s Pass to continue to exist on Dwarven soil—while the Pathmakers insist that they will still have a role to play in the trade carried on in the Pass, these difficulties have cause much consternation within the Hold, and some are ready to do away with the human presence entirely.

**The Headmen**
To make these matters worse, the Hold was in preparation to receive distinguished visitors—Rosequartz Runehand, Varaad Warhaft, and Shale Deepdelver, the Headmen of three of the oldest clans in Thorin. Much preparation had been made so that the Great Passage could be opened in their presence and with their tacit approval; though as leaders of Old Guard houses these Headmen are not much in favor of the 3 Peaks Accord, they had deigned to attend due to the great scale of the project.

Most of the Pathmaker clan has become aware, however, that the attendance of these Headmen is only in small part due to the opening of the Passage. The real reason they are sojourning so far from their northern holds is that they are meeting with a fourth prestigious person—Caroc Stoneforge, the Fourth Minister to the Warder King. Stoneforge is in charge of all of Thorin’s part in the 3 Peaks Accord and is quite progressive for a Dwarf from an Old Guard clan. It is generally known that Stoneforge is not pleased with the minor contributions Thorin has made to the effort so far—he would much like to increase the number of troops Thorin has in the field and argues that only Dwarven wisdom can ensure that Gesnor does not overreach its bounds and that Dwarven interests will be served by greater interaction with its neighbors. He has been stonewalled at every turn by the Old Guard, who refuse to pay for the war effort, much less contribute much in the way of siege equipment or troops. Their voices are loud in the Warder King’s ears, and after his initial acquiescence to King Volek’s request, Grozvaad Stronbellows has essentially ignored the growing war to the south.

Stoneforge wanted to meet with these Headmen to discuss with them the benefits of greater Dwarven participation in the war—an idea which they staunchly oppose. The word is that they refused to come to Collosum to discuss it with him directly; they are powerful enough that a request from the Fourth Minister cannot move them if they so choose. Meanwhile, Stoneforge did not want to concede his position by attending them upon their own Hearths. Therefore, this more neutral meeting place is a compromise of sorts, coinciding nicely with the opening of the Passage and allowing them to meet without straining anyone’s honor. Caroc Stoneforge is not due to arrive until the day after the Consecration of the Forge, so that their discussions will not interfere with the ceremonies of the opening of the passage. When he arrives, the four will most likely discuss weighty matters and none are certain of the final outcome.

Malachite Pathmaker was quick to agree to this arrangement—it would ensure the attendance of Dwarves of great stature to his venture (giving the project an air of legitimacy that he sorely needs), and he is a strong supporter of the Fourth Minister and a greater Dwarven role in the humans’ conflict. This is in part due to the increased prestige of his Hold if more troops are devoted to Accord business, and in part due to ancient clan ties—Gorim himself was a Stoneforge before he was granted the clan name Pathmaker as his own. Malachite is also hoping that Thorin will be granted further lands when the war is over, giving New Guard clans new ranges to explore, and further trade with outsiders will be in the offing. Malachite has tried to extend hospitality to the few Gesni soldiers posted to the Pass (more a matter of formality than anything), but they seem to prefer the company of their own kind.

Since the collapse of the passage occurred just two days before the three Headmen are to arrive, there has been no opportunity to inform them of the event and save them the journey (though doubtless news will reach their ears before they arrive at the Hold—word of such an unprecedented disaster moves swiftly, even among the Dwarves).