Dwarvenkind
The first of the “Fathered Races” (made by the Valar aside from Illuvatar’s design, i.e. Merfolk and Bestials, Centaurs). They were cast by Aule upon his might forge. Seven in them did he cast. His voice thundered the command for them to awaken. These were the seven Dwarven Elders. The original Dwarves that founded the Seven Dwarven Houses. The fate of the Dwarves was bound to Aule, by the Abounding One. He made them short and strong in stature. Proud and stubborn in bearing. And skilled and acute in hand. Aule destined them to live within the earth, and harvest his natural works. Yarvanna’s children, the Ents, and her favored Children of Illuvatar, the Elves dispised the Dwarves from their first contact, for the Dwarves were arrogant, demanding, and greedy. They also felled timber from the forests for to drive their forges. With time the Elves would establish heavy trade, recognizing the mastery of Dwarven craftsmanship. Also they would establish military alliances with the Dwarves who were hardy and gallant in battle. The Seven Elders were awoken from their dormancy and Aule spoke to them in the beginning. He revealed to them the secrets of the earth’s resources and craftmenship. Then the wrath of the Mighty One descended on Aule for fathering a Dwarves. Aule caused the Dwarves to fall into a deep sleep. For it was Eru’s will that they not awaken until the awakening of the Elves. This first awakening of the Seven Elders is fabled to have occurred even before the First Darkness of Morgoth, effectively making them the first of the Common Races. When the Elvens awoke under the stars at Culuvien, the Seven began to drift out of their long slumber. The first to awaken was Durin the Undying. He awoke in within the great Fortress of the Earth, and wandered its halls of majesty for years uncounted, in search of his master, Aule. But Aule was nowhere to be sought, for Eru instructed him to love an nurture his race from a distance and to no longer reveal himself to them. Durin, believing himself abandoned, forsook the Fortress of the Earth and wandered abroad in the wild lands of Etherea that were shrouded in Morgoth’s Darkness. One-by-one the Dwarven Elder awakened, finding their wife and 12 subjects and their families waiting. The Seven realized that Aule had not abandoned them, and sought him not as Durin did, but set out to the places that Aule had prepared for them. Durin, having awakened before his destined time left before Aule was prepared for him. Also there was the last of the Seven Elders, Marmoth the Awakened, for he was comfortable with his slumber and was to stubborn to wake up, so Aule awakened him. The Seven founded the first great Dwarven strongholds including: Belgnost, Khaza-Dum, Kingdom Under the Mountain, Dwalni Keep, Evering Deep, Ellocost, and the Dragon’s Teeth. Durin wandered far and wide meeting many acquaintances, and making many enemies. He wed the invisible nymph Echo, but he cared not for in his age, he was going blind. Under them was started the great fortress of the Dragon’s Teeth, of the unique breed of Dwarves that were Greater Mortal. By the time the realms of the Elves in Etherea were being established the realms, power, and glory of the Dwarves flourished. The Seven Kingdoms of the Dwarves were powerful and rich—All by their own making, for they cared not for and dealt not with the other races of the world. But between them they forged a mighty Dwarven Nation now called Barukudz, or Land of Axe-handed. Morgoth smiled at the success of the this race that did not have the Grace of the Valar upon it. In his arrogance, he wished to challenge its power and to show them the could not stand with out a Valar to lead them. Of course that Valar would be him. The Vile Wave that Morgoth sent from the north to harass the Elven Exodus, first passed through Barukudz which was situated in the Northern Mountains all the way south and west to the Mountains of Shadow, all the way south and east to the Shane Hills, all the way east to the Lonely Mountain and Iron Hills, and Northeast to the Blue Hills. Morgoth’s newly devised orcs flooded through the Land of the Axe-handed and laid siege to the might keeps of the Dwarven Elders. Aule had built their cities strong in the fastness of the mountains, and built them with the thought of Morgoth’s horde in mind. The Orcs frenzied to be tested in battle were disappointed when they were simply sealed out of the Dwarven Strongholds. Even for all of Morgoth’s Devilries the Vile Wave could not pass the Gates of the Dwarves. The Dwarves, used to finding of Morgoth’s lackies took pleasure in ambushing the Orcs and destroying them. The Dwarves found the Orc a worthy opponent, though not bright, they were of the same size and similar stature as the Dwarves, and were formidable in hand-to –hand combat, unlike Morgoth’s Imps and Goblins. Finally it was no longer a game for Morgoth, he poured his effort behind the conquest of the Dwarves. He brought in Fay Agents that destroyed the doors of the keeps by Morgul means, and spread pestilence within the halls of the Dwarves, poisoning their water, deseasing their meat, striking their nobles ill. He also brought diabolical siege engines that the Dwarves called Grindzthotl or Dragonbelchers, that bombarded the Strongholds, blasting away the stone and caving in the halls. Orcs now poured into the Halls of the Dwarven Elders, unchecked. Now the Dwarves grabbed their, maces, warhammers, picks, hatchets, axes, battleaxes, halberds, adzes, and mattocks. They fought back to back within their own halls defending their fallen loved one’s bodies from defilement as the Orcs sacked and pillaged their treasure around them. Even as their numbers dwindled and their health declined the Dwarves fought on , giving no quarter and taking none in return. One by one all of the strongholds were sacked except, Dwalni Keep, Moria, and the Dragon’s Teeth. The Orcs only lingered in the Dwarven cities until they had had their fill of carrion and plunder. For the Orcs desired not to meet the roving guerilla bands that ambushed the companies of Orcs within the halls. For the Dwarves would attack and drive out all that were before them, or fight until they could not longer draw breath. In this way the Fae Agents that lead the Orc host, only sacked the Dwarven Strongholds then widthdrew to the next one, for they could not use their Orcs tactically within the confines of the earth. In this they made their mistake. For many underground highways connected the cities of the Dwarves, so when one city was taken, the survivors merely moved to the next city to swell its numbers. The Orc host was finally overcome during the siege of Dwalni’s Keep, When the Dwarves flooded from the gate as the Orc Host approached and met them head on in the open field of war. The Orc Host was easily outflanked by the swift Dwarves, then reinforcements arrived from the Dragon’s Teeth, the Beardless Host marched into battle and the Orc, encircled surrendered to the Dwarves, but the Dwarves gave not quarter and destroyed the Vile Wave and executed the Fae Agents that led them. The great host that had assailed the Dwarves was only an portion of the Vile Wave that had marched south to meet the Elves. Bitter were the losses of the first Orc War of the Dwarves. The healthy population had lost many in the war, and many more continued to die for the meat was still diseased and the water still poisoned. Many more died agonizing deaths from wounds inflicted by the Morgul blades of the Orcs, or the curses put upon their heads by the Fae Agents. So, weak was the Dwarven Nation when the rift opened in the Desert Sans and the Vile Dragons swept out. Vile Wurms of all kinds slithered into the Barukudz destroying the land and desicrating it as they went. These vild wurms, harassed, and once again sacked many of the Dwarven cities, killing many more Dwarves. With fortune the Legionaires of the Dragon King descended upon these Vile Wurms with the Wrath of the Valar about them. The Legionaires drove out and slew the Vile Wurms, but did this with no heed for Dwarven lives, for the Grace of the Valar shown not upon the Dwarven people. These events that transpired are thought to be the source of the deep loathing between Orcs and the Dwarves, and Dragons and the Dwarves. After these many years of tribulation the Dwarven Nation was weak and collapsing. The population had been hit hard by Morgoth’s wars and ravages. Their wealth and glory was gone with the sweeping vile hordes. Some of the Seven had passed on into Aule’s hands. Durin made it known that he no longer was apart of the Dwarven Nation, and the other Dwarven cities followed suite declaring themselves independent and cutting of aid and commerce. Morgoth saw this all transpiring and began to design his breaking of the Dwarves. But several things happened that Morgoth did not anticipate. At long last the Forsaken Noldarin that crossed the Grinding Ice made it to the western edge of the . There they destroyed a large force of Orcs that was going to attack the Evering Deep. The Lord of Evering Deep welcomed them into his halls and there was forged the alliance between the Noldar and the Dwarves, for these races were much the same, they gloried in combat and love fine works of the earth. The Faithful Exiles moved into the land south of the in the land known as Erebor, and founded the city of . There they set up commerce with the Dwarves of the Evering Deep to the east, and Khaza-Dum to the south, that way reforming an alliance between the two Dwarven Cities. At the same time the Dwarven delvers of Belgnost hit their first vein of truesilver or mithril. Also the Dwarves of Ellecost accidently opened the tomb of the Ebonthor the Stone King of the Trolls. The Trolls which were an ancient faerie race that sprung up during the first darkness, had built the Fortress of the Earth, and had aided Orome in his battles against Melkor in Etherea in ages long faded. They also forged a strong friendship with Aule, eventually adopting him as their patron. For their services to the Valar against Melkor, they were granted a boon. Ebonthor the Stone King wished that they might commandeer their own fate and be unbound from destiny and that when they became weary of the world, they might pass from it until they were at last ready to reenter it. So the Trolls affectively became the first Greater Mortals. When Ebonthor was awoken from his sleep he was refreshed and ready to reenter the world. He called forth his servants to reenter the physical world and attend him. As a myriad of Trolls stepped forth from the roots of Ellecost the Dwarves were overwhelmed. But the Trolls came in peace, seeing that the Dwarves were of a similar nature to them. The Dwarve fought them in a fierce battle at first, but then the Stone King forged an alliance with the Elder of Ellecost, and it was decided that there is where the Trolls would reside for a time, until more of the Trolls could be recalled from their slumber.
It was around this time that the main host of Orcs ascended into the mountains, for the host that the Faithful had destroyed was a mere vanguard. The Elves marched into battle with the Southern Dwarves, and the Dwarves of Belgnost strode forth armed with mythril weapons and mythirl armor. The Beardless marched from the Dragon’s Teeth with their Caenan Keystone adzes, and the Trolls followed the Dwarves of Ellecost into battle. The tide of Orcs was turned easily turned away, to Morgoth’s great surprises. The only sad thing was, Ebonthor Stone King was sent from the world, before he wished to go, so many of the Troll Host were carted off to Angband to be examined by Morgoth.
Long then did Morgoth leave the Dwarves alone, swallowing his pride and nursing his wounds. In this time the Elven Kingdoms of the South had become great and powerful and had acquired a great thirsting for treasure, especially mythril. The Dwarves set up an abounding commerce with the Elves, and made an alliance with the Elves that more tightly bound them together. This may have succeeded in binding them, had not Durin continued to declare his indepence from the Dwarves, calling his people a separate race from the Dwarves, but acknowledging their kinship in their dire need. Once again the Dwarven Nation boomed and prospered. In this time the Dwarves did many things to aid the Elves in their struggle against Morgoth, having him as a common enemy. They fended of wave after wave of Orcs protecting the Elves Northern Borders, also they helps track down the Hellhound Garma and slay him. They also marched with their allies, the Noldar against the overwhelming forces of victory. Finally Morgoth’s machine of war was constructed, and he unleashed the full fury of Angband upon Etherea. The was conquer by the Vile Red Worm Goeldesh, a Balrog appeared in Khazad-Dum slain the Elder and driving the Dwarves out. Most of the Dwarves from Khazad-Dum fled far and wide, settling in small tribes building minor keeps around Etherea. These Dwarves were the first deminished Dwarves and were refered to as the Petty Dwarves. An army of Morgoth’s latest mockery, the Olog-hai (mockery of the Trolls) sacked and burned Ellecost enslaving all of the residential Dwarves and establishing a Morgul Stronghold there. Even as all of the Elven Kingdoms broke around them the Dwarves still held, for Morgoth was more concerned about the destruction of the Elves. They participated in the picket of Angband, and in the eventually sack and overthrow, though bailed out after the Dragon King appeared to finished the job, once again losing the favor they would have gained in the sight of the Valar. As the Dwarves struggled to survive as the north was rattled and broken, Durin unleashed a conquest of against the remaining Dwarven Cities, for he alone had given no aid to any one, nor marched into battle for a long time. Instead he had conserved his strength, building his might, for he believed that the Dwarven Nation under threat of collapsing, and secretly recanted his proud independence. The Beardless Host quickly conquered the Evering Deep and Dwalni’s Keep for they were weakened by the Sacking of Angband, and their ongoing wars with the Ogal-hai of Ellecost. Then the Beardless knocked upon the gates of Belgnost. But they held fast, for they were wrought thick of Mythril. But then Durin, remembering the highways that used to connect the cities, unplugged the main road leading to Belgnost. The Mythril Dwarves were caught of guard as the Beardless swarmed into their halls and conquered them before they could even reach for their glistening mattocks, or don their silvery mail. Through these conquests the Dwarven Nation was strengthen, but there was created a certain distaste for beardless Dwarves. Through the conquest of Belgnost, all of the secrets mythril were revealed to Durin, and in his Dwarven greed, sought to increase his supply of it, the only other place were it had been found was in Khazad-Dum. Durin’s host confidently marched on Khazad-Dum and were spooked to find the gates cast open, they proudly passed through, regardless. When they entered they found that it had been well populated with imps, goblins, orcs, Ogal-hai, and worst of all a Balrog. The Beardless fled in terror back to the Dragon’s Teeth, but not before the eldest of the Dwarven Elders had been stricken down. There in Khazad-Dum Durin was flung into a great abyss by the Balrog of Morgoth. From then one it was known to all , but the Dwarves as Moria or Black Pit.
Orc War
Origin: The First Awakening of the Seven Elders is definitely in question. Elven Scholars, sneering at Dwarvenkind, have thought it of little importance. Olorin of Dreams, the beloved wizard, reportedly estimated this awakening in sometime during the long First Darkness of Morgoth. It is clear that they were instructed by Aule for many, many years before being put down again. The reawakening of Durin is also inquestions, the Dwarves having a set year in their lore, and the Elves in theirs, but historians agree on one thing: Durin may have wandered the fortress of the Earth for up to 1,000 years, already making him older than the eldest recorded Dwarf before he emerged from the earth. In this case, the Elven scholar Duialian estimates that Durin probably lived well over 2,000 years, making him at least twice as old as the eldest Greater Mortal Dwarf, the 4th Dwarven Father Althor Doomhammer who lived to be 951. Barukudz was founded 51,000 years ago by Dwarven Reckoning. Durin was slain around 50,000 years ago.
¶ The Seven Houses
1. Durin The Undying (The Beardless) Dragon’s Teeth
2. Bain the Dark (great-grandsire of Thorin I)(Kingdom Under the Mountain)
3. Begnost the Anvil (The Mythril Dwarves) Belgnost
4. Althor Doomhammer (Diamond Dwarves)Ellecost
5. Kelled the Brick (Black Dwarves) Khazad-Dum
6. Falod the Just (Iron Dwarves) Evering Deep
7. Marmoth the Awakened (Petty Dwarves) Dwalni’s Keep