Races

#### **Pre-Ascension of High King Grank Ist**

There have been dwarves in Norvic longer than the race can recall. Certainly longer than humans have dwelt in the lands.

It is speculated that before recorded history the dwarves lived above ground in tribal groupings around chalk pit excavations. Deep open pits excavating down to the black flint layers and then outwards to form galleries. The tribes mined the flint to use as building material and tools.

In this period the numbers of foulspawn and other dangerous creatures increased forcing the dwarves to begin reinforcing their excavations, initially as temporary refuges.

Over a period of many years the dwarves discovered or cultivated food crops and animals that could be raised underground. With easy access to water via chalk aquifers, the dwarven community was able to move wholly underground, surfacing only in armed expeditions to obtain supplies that were not available below; such as timber, peat and metals (which were locally found most often in the form of bog iron).

The chalk tunnels became well-appointed passages supported by wood or by dressed flint blocks. The tunnels initially could not go too deep due to the chalk aquifers, and so spread quite widely. In later history, the dwarves developed systems to holdback or redirect the aquifers, allowing deeper mines and the development of the local deep road systems.

By the time humans began to build notable settlements in the area there were few signs of the dwarves, as most of their original surface pits had been backfilled with spoil from the extensive tunnelling.

The occasional encounters that humans came to have with dwarves were generally surface foraging parties. Heavily armed groups encountered only in the deepest wilderness where the dwarves would have set up temporary armed camps whilst cutting lumber, burning charcoal\*, cutting peat or probing for bog iron.

\*As an aside - the need for charcoal meant armed camps of dwarves staying on the dangerous surface world for long periods, facing the dangers of foulspawn and other hazards. As a result, charcoal burners have a respectable status in the dwarven community, much higher than the view of the profession in human society.

As a result of the initial contact between the races, the human settlers mistakenly believed that the dwarven communities were all deep in the wilds. Little did they realise that the convenient clearings in which they built their settlements were the areas in which the dwarves had previously settled before moving underground.

Thus, below some of the human settlements in the Norvic area there are corresponding dwarven settlements beneath.

Since humans arrived in the area, some dwarves began to resettle the surface. This is partly due to the surface becoming less dangerous as the quickly increasing humans wared with the foulspawn in the area. The growing human communities equally increased opportunities for trade and industry - making and selling items for human settlement meant the establishment of permanent above ground lumber camps, bog-miners, peat cutters and trading posts. Aside from the few now clan-controlled establishments above their respected holds, most other dwarven operations were developed by several families of clanless dwarves that became rich and influential in human society over time. In much later history, these families managed to maintain some influence post-axirian invasions, though were pushed down the social ladder.

#### **War of the Two Dragons et Ascension of High King Grank Ist**

Approximately four-hundred years before the signing of the first pact, the dwarven tribes of Norvic received news from their northern kin of the emergence of two great dragons. These beasts came from below a great mountain there, some say as a result of disturbance from tribes that delved the mountains depths. For nearly a century, the dragons attacked the distant kin of the local tribes. Thankfully, due to the distance, there was only one attack from the pair of dragons to the dwarves of Norvic in this time. It is debated which tribes were affected. All that is recorded is the great sorrow and loss from the assault followed by the swearing of many now ancient grudges.

Finally, a meeting of all dwarven tribes was called at the peak of a great mountain close to where the human settlement of Norham was established. The Sydleberg was where representatives from each tribe ventured and there a great war host was raised from all tribes of Ithron to fight back against the dragons. The wisest representative from each region remained to form an elite council and coordinate the war effort. This council would be called the Toth.

The events of the dragon war are recorded secretively by the dwarves and not reproduced here. The war was concluded with a final battle which saw the death of nearly every dwarf in the army. Only one soldier remained, called Grank Torson. Returned to the Toth, Grank was made High King of all dwarven folk. His first decree was that all the caverns and terrain safeguarded by the tribes would belong to all dwarves and that the tribes in nearby areas would band together both for protection and defence. He also united the regional groups of tribes, to be known from that day forward as clans, under one runic alphabet. This act established the dwarven calendar some three-hundred years in advance of the human variant. It was also settled upon that the Sydleberg would house the citadel of the king and act as capital of the dwarven kingdom.

It is understood that following the decree of Grank Ist that the scattered tribes of Norvic formed the clans as we understand them today. Each clan taking on an appointed role in mutual support of the others. While there was no dwarf king of Norvic appointed, the clans each send their elders to local council. This is usually held in the hold of Greybeard due to its central location and the power of this clan.

Grank left soon after his ascension to seek bloody vengeance on any remaining dragons of Ithron, leaving the Toth as stewards to the throne in his absence. The Toth form a great council of dwarves made up of representatives of each clan to advise the king. The council members are specifically descendants of those dwarves to have fought and died in the final battle against the dragons. Nearly all the thegns of Norvic’s clans claim some ancestry to a dwarf that died in the battle, as do many of the noble lineages.

In the twenty-seventh year of the dwarven calendar, the high council decreed that all clans should look to self-governance so long as they abide by dwarven law and answer any calls by the king to war.

Grank Ist was slain in year fifty-four it is claimed by southern elves. This slaying is what is thought to have begun the great wars between elves and dwarves.

Granks son, Torvan Ist, inherited the throne. His line continues to this day with High King Malachi II and his young son, Prince Torvan II.

## **The Clans**

Each area is home to a different clan. The clans tend to be quite insular, most of their settlements being self-contained with only limited trading contact with the surface world.

### **Norvic - Clan Greybeard**

The first tribe to move wholly underground, Clan Greybeard have a long and proud history. Originally known as the Blackbeards they gained the nickname Greybeard due to the effect chalk dust had on their facial hair when they moved underground.

Whilst originally coined by the other tribes as a mockery, when it became clear that their move had been successful, the other tribes followed suit. Greybeard thus became a sign of respect, and the clan adopted it proudly.

As Clan Greybeard are the only clan that have fully embraced human contact and due to their geographically beneficial location below the region capital, they manage trade with the races of Norvic on behalf of the other local dwarven clans.

### **Corby - Clan Flintheart**

Arguably the best knappers in all of Northwich. They are the only clan whose economy is still primarily based on flint.

As producers of dressed flint, their material can be seen incorporated into numerous important buildings in the region.

Unfortunately, due to modern shifts away from flint in building production, they are not as prosperous as the other clans, tending to cling tightly to whatever money they have.

### **Brandon - Clan Bloodfell**

Led by Thegn Torvin Ironside.

It is incorrectly rumoured by distant folk that the clan lives above ground in the depths of the forest of Elveden. Whilst the clan maintains semi-permanent camps above ground in the depths of the woods for logging, their hold is found at the forest edge, below the now human town of Brandon.

As the clan that manages the forests, supplying the other clans with lumber and charcoal, they were in ages passed known as the Green-Axes. Following the supposed violent ingress of elves and ‘other foulspawn’ upon their land, the dwarves turned their axes, once for the felling of the green trees of the forest, to the felling of the interlopers instead. Much as with their name, the clan’s nature now tends towards violence. They will face down all manner of peril to protect that which they value and never forget, nor forgive, perceived insult.

### **Maltask - Clan Blacknail**

Bordering the peat bogs on the eastern coast, Clan Blacknail are the traditional seekers of ‘bog iron’, an iron like material which is resistant to weathering.

Once the primary source of metal in the region, bog iron has been relegated to a rarity since humans opened trade routes to other areas of Ithron where standard iron is more easily and cheaply obtained. They now supplement their bog iron harvests with the cutting of peat.

### **Gelded Stones - Clan Steelhammer**

Led by Thegn Thalnaz Galdoon.

The smiths. Very strong links with Clan Bloodfell for timber and charcoal, Clan Blacknail due to the historic trade of bog iron for smithing and Clan Greybeard who control dwarven trade with the other races of the region.

A very friendly, social group by dwarven standards. When they make a deal, they ensure that deal is kept at all costs, expecting the same in return.

### **The Forgotten Clan**

Dark rumours are sometimes passed between dwarven traders of a sixth clan known once as the 'shattered-shield'. It is thought that this clan was banished by the other clans of the region following a great conflict before the first axirian invasion. None now know if they remain in the region or indeed where they dwell if they still do. All that can be surmised is that whatever their transgression, it must have been great to cause such conflict between dwarves.

### **The Clanless**

Any Norvic dwarf who wishes to forgo the traditional nature of their clan and the stipulations on freely mingling with the other races may do so, but at the cost of their dwarven clan heritage. These dwarf may only enter their hold as an outsider and have no support from their traditionally minded kin. They lose their clan name. Still referred to as a ‘cousin’ at arm’s length but not considered close to any hold.

Only those dwarves who have been granted special dispensation by their elders and thegn to go forth as representatives of their hold, such as adventurers or specialist traders, are not stripped of their clan heritage. This permission is granted under the expectation that these dwarves will win honour, resource, fame or other elements that their hold values, while continuing to live in close contact with their kin and culture.

Should they not return to their dwarf-hold regularly or greatly embarrass their clan, they may be stripped of their clan name and associations, becoming clanless.

It is locally notable that only the dwarves of Clan Greybeard whose philosophy values interaction with the other civil races of Norvic do not so stringently follow this tradition. Dwarves of the clan move freely and, whilst still held accountable for their actions representing the clan, are not held to such great expectations.

It is common for clanless dwarves to give themselves a new last name often based on the name of a parent, such as Kragg's son or Godric's son. Otherwise they may chose other names of significance to the individual.

### **Outcasts**

This final category is reserved for those dwarves that commit the ultimate crimes of their race. They are no longer considered to be a dwarf and their very life is at peril should they try to interact with most dwarven clans.

They are ritualistically shaved of their beard and branded with a dwarven rune on their face which signifies their status as outcast. Only dwarves who have been excommunicated by the very gods are considered lower in dwarven society (and are often, but not always, outcast in turn).

### **The Deep ways / Deep Roads**

Honeycombed below much of Norvic can be found ancient and forgotten dwarf made tunnels. These deep roads or deep ways once connected much of the dwarven kingdom. As decreed in the year one of the dwarven calendar, every clan would be connected to the Sydleberg, the dwarven capital. These roads, once marvels of the ancient world, now lay forgotten and underused.

Norvic’s population of dwarves are known to still maintain a selection of the major passages between the clans and the rest of Ithron, however, many smaller or subsidiary passages have been lost or forgotten.

In these deep and dark places, many evil creatures can be found.

Small dwarven settlements and outposts are scattered throughout the network. Most of which now lay deserted. Each clan maintains a few small boarder settlements below ground to protect access to their deepest mines. The deep way settlements, smaller than a hold are often named a thaig.

## **Elves**

According to the Elves The Earldom of Norvic, known to the elves as Harma has long been their home before any dwarf or human settlements came. At one with nature and often abroad only at night the elves are seldom met and many may question if there are truly any or have ever been any elves living in the region at all.

The Legends of the Elves claim that the Elves of Harma sprang from three seeds which the God Longstor sowed upon the fens, woodlands and countryside. The three seeds grew into three tribes the Elen, the Isil and the Naur, known more commonly amongst men and dwarves as the Star, the Moon and the Comet tribes. In ancient times the three tribes weaved great spells upon the land. In these spells the elves gave fully of themselves and tied their lives forever with that of the land. Bond together the elves and the land prospered and were free of invasion for a long time. However as time passed the magic faded and with it the power of the elves waned too. It is said that as the enchantment of the elves grew faint the dwarf and human communities grew larger until the elves retreated into the dim shadows of the trees and woods.

## **Elven Tribes**

### **The Moon Tribe**

The tribe of the Moon once lived on the coast in a warding north of where Lynn Regis now lies. After the rise of men and the diminishment of their magic they left their ancestral home to seek a new place to live. At the end of their journey their came to their present home in Elveden Forest. Abandoned and now beneath the sea the great magic of the moon tribe is now lost however fishermen and sailors from the area claim that sometimes when the moon is bright and the tide low that a circle of wooden pillars can still be seen on the seabed or elves can be seen paddling silently along the rivers in grey ghostlike boats.

### **The Star Tribe**

Also originally from the coast the tribe of the Star lived north of Yurnemouth. There they also weaved their magic into a great circle known as the gull stones. This stone circle was destroyed by the Comet tribe when a rift grew between the three tribes of elves. During the war the Star elf king was killed. Legends say that his people then took their king and buried him in a great elven ship. The remnants of the tribe then leaderless fled to join the Moon tribe who were by then at Elveden. The two tribes then merged into the one tribe of the elves, the Elenisil that still live in Elveden Forest today.

### **The Comet Tribe**

Due to the war between the Comet tribe and their cousins the Moon and Star tribes little is known of the history of the Comet tribe. What is known is that while the Moon and Star tribes gave freely of themselves to the lands they dwelt in, creating great magic with their stone or timber circles to which they protected and nurtured the lands the Comet tribe sought to draw power from the land for their own ends. As time passed a bitter war broke out. The Comet tribe would have won had it not been for the merging of the Moon and Star tribe into one tribe powerful enough to repel them. It is said the descendants of the Comet tribe still linger and fester in the dark parts of Norvic, plotting and scheming the destruction of their hated enemies.

### **Elveden Forest**

In harmony with the great forest and the it’s spirit which they know as the Margwyn, the remnants of the Moon and Star tribes live in scattered communities. The largest settlement is Elenmallen warding and it is in the deepest and darkest woods of the forest. Here the Moon Court resides, a council of Longstorian elves formerly led by Lord Alwyn (deceased).  They rule the Elenisil Elves of Elveden Forest. However Elveden has become a very closed community where those not born of elven blood are rarely welcomed.

### **Other Elves**

At varying points in their History the Elves of Elenisil have tried to re populate other areas of the land. However these inevitably fail. One of the most successful was at the Forest near Dareham, however after many centuries the elves were once again forced from this land. Other groups of Elves looking to avoid the isolationism of Elveden have tried to integrate themselves within Human society but there numbers are small as they often face persecution.

### **Half Humans**

Coupling between elves and humans have occurred throughout the time since elves and humans have lived together in the same place. These half humans can be found in both elven and human communities. Generally they are accepted but there are some elves that rumour that it was the creation of these half humans which has brought upon the elves their decline and the fading of their once great magic.

## **Gnomes**

What is a gnome? Are there gnomes in Norvic?

## **Gnome Gangs**

### **Toadhunters**

The Toadhunters look like gnomes don't they? They come from Geldstones and have links with the Steelhammer Dwarfish clan.