Book 61 -- History of the Dwarves (last revised 6/07/02)

With the liberation of Barstow at hand, and just the cleaning up of a
few stragglers left, I felt that it was wise to take the chance to go
see the condition of my cave. I found my stash of knowledge still
intact. It seems all the gold I paid to them dwarves for creating my
vault was well worth it.

Therefore, I have decided to go through all my scrolls to see what
is worth sharing, before I leave this life. I therefore share with
all of you what my studies have told me of the dwarves of the land.

The dwarves have been in the lands as long as recorded history
remembers. The great city of Zwerghaupt was established by the
dwarves in the land after the great devastation. The dwarves had
come from the north fleeing the hordes of goblins. It is commonly
thought that many of the settlements currently occupied by the
goblins in the north were formerly dwarven. I find it interesting
that dwarves tout the impregnability of their fortifications, yet not
one significant settlement of theirs exists today.

Zwerghaupt is now known as Marikhold. The trade between the dwarves
and humans of Antar in or around Zwerghaupt led to the human
settlement of Barstow. The first merchants to establish trade with
the dwarves were the Vasos family. The trade between the humans and
dwarves reduced the xenophobia of the dwarves, and many dwarves
settled all throughout Varna, but Zwerghaupt was always home.

The dwarves supplied raw materials, metallic goods, and other
manufactured items, and the humans provided foodstuffs, wood,
clothing, and other soft items. Both human and dwarves prospered
significantly, and the wealth of the merchant traders in Barstow came
to exceed that of Antar.

The names of the dwarven kings and heroes are many, which include
Caddaric, Starkfelsen, the many sons and daughters of the Stonecutter
and Hammerhand clans whose exploits are numerous. However, the
evacuation of Zwerghaupt and its renaming to Marikhold and the tale
of the last lord is the saddest tale. The image of King Kronestut,
the last of his royal line, sitting on his throne surrounded by the
entire clan of the royal guards waiting to waste away, being denied a
death in battle, against an unseen foe brings dwarf and non-dwarf to
tears.

The dwarven community still has not shaken the impact of that
disaster, and the former glory the dwarves achieved in Zwerghaupt is
fading from memory. The dwarven clans have scattered since the
evacuation, and the dwarves find themselves working for patrons that
are human, elven, and even halflings, as armorers, smiths, miners,
and mercenaries.

The cause of the curse is unknown. A bard Tremayne has related part
of the tale. He claims that the Dwarves of Marikhold had amassed a
fortune and it still rests in a treasure room. Gems, gold and magical
items in huge quantity, but beware of the guardians of that treasure.
He also tells us that those guardians were powerful enough to create
the Green Death and drive the dwarves out of Marikhold.

Many an evil person and foul creatures currently inhabit Marikhold,
but the cause of the green death was sure to have been caused by a
power far more sinister than any of Marikhold's current inhabitants.
Was it the machinations of Tharkan, who manipulated the opponents of
the Claangdin's children in the past? Was it dark-elves for revenge
on the Maelstrom cult for guarding the entrance to the under lands?
Any such guesses would be idle speculation.

Einsiedler

The End

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