I. Of the Origins of Dwarves and Their Gods

The Dwarves believe that when the world came into being, their gods saw what a pleasing form it was, and came to it to view its hidden mysteries. At this time, there was no life, so they saw stone and metal, mountains and caverns. And the gods thought that this creation needed ordered and shaped in a way which only life can accomplish. Foreseeing that other gods would desire this as well, but in different ways, the gods created the dwarves to accomplish their work. They made them from the bones of the world, giving them strength, longevity, and endurance so that they could work well, and placing some of the holy fire of their forges within them, so that they could create new and beautiful things. And the gods were wonderfully pleased with these creations, and loved them greatly, but the dwarves could not return that love, and although they could create, they could not appreciate. And so the gods placed some of their own essences in each dwarf, so that they might awaken and know themselves; and they made these essences spirits of their own, so that they might be free and be able to create more of their kind; but all such spirits return to the gods eventually. And so it is that the dwarves are children of the gods, born of their minds and hands; and all dwarves labor for their gods.

II. Of the First Dwarven Nation And the First Parting

When the first dwarves began to walk Rhean, they remembered their purpose and sought to reveal the beauty of metal and stone, but life and water covered the surface, so that the dwarves had to search underground to find their place. But the gods had prepared them for this, and gave them sight in the dark and senses of the stone around them. And so the dwarves began to build homes for themselves, always trying to find and reveal the natural beauty around them. And they took pure metals, and forged them into pleasing shapes and useful forms. And so it was that the dwarves established their first city, the heart of their first nation.

Now, other races also dwelt in the world, and while some of these were fair, peaceful people, such as the elves, others were destructive and warlike, such as goblins and giants. And these races made war upon the dwarves, and destroyed many of their most beautiful works. But the dwarves had been made on the Forges of Heaven of the bones of the world, and they learned to make weapons, armor, and fortresses. And long and bitter were their wars, but the dwarves could not be defeated. It is said that at this time some dwarves left their homes fighting their way through the enemy in search of a new home where they might find peace to work once more. This was the First Parting of the dwarven kindreds.

III. Of the Coming of Dragons And the Second Parting

As has been told, war waged between dwarves and goblins for many years, with neither side winning, although losses were severe on both sides. Now, for long years other races had been unaware of the dwarves, or knew them only by rumor, because they dwelt underground. But as the wars raged on, these others became aware of both sides, and many sought to discover more of what they could about both. It is said that this may be what dwarven distrust of other races comes of, as they knew that others watched, but did not intervene. But their were some, who finding that the dwarves were wealthy, decided to end the war by destroying both sides and seizing the treasures of all. These were the dragons. In the dawn of the world they had awakened, powerful, aloof, and long-lived. They now desired to possess all that was bright and lovely and rare, and to have safe places to keep their treasures. And so they came on their mighty wings, and covered the armies with fire and poison, and drove the dwarves from their great halls, and enslaved some of the goblins and dwarves alike to gather the treasure. And the dwarves fled, for even though the dragons could not reach the interior of their cities, neither could the dwarves now defend them. When the dwarves fled, some traveled only a short distance, hoping to some day reclaim what was theirs, while others traveled long distances, attempting to escape; this was the Second Parting.

IV. Of the Second Nation And the Third Parting

Although the dragons slept and the goblins had been decimated, the dwarves knew that their enemies would return. So they gathered those of their people they could and founded the strongest city they had ever created, one built to be a fortress that armies would break themselves on again and again. This place they called Angkaer, the "Iron City", and they made it the heart of their second nation. The dwarves of the east number their years from the founding of the second nation. This nation endured for many years, and the dwarves established the Angdaarem, the "Ironholts"-- Khe'Angdaar in the west, Daek'Angdaar in the north, Tuo'Angdaar in the east, and Iled'Angdaar in the south. Each was intended to provide warning of enemies should any come against Angkaer. But when enemies did come, they attacked from the depths of the earth, through the deep mines, and the city was ill prepared for them. In time, it became clear that the enemy was too numerous, and the dwarves prepared to flee their homes again.

At this time, there were five princes of the nation, and four of these determined that they would gather a portion of the people and head one to each Angdaar, there to continue the second nation and, in this way, ensure that their line lived on, for they were descended from the first kings of the dwarves. But the youngest said,"Still these realms may be known to our enemies. I will go to where the mountains are new, and no evil creatures live beneath them." And for many years his kin did not know where he or his people had settled. The old king remained in Angkaer with his warders, and nothing is known of their fate. This was the Third Parting of the dwarves.

V. Of the Dwarves of the First Parting

After the First Parting, those dwarves who fled wandered for many long years. They founded only a few small communities, ever moving in an effort to find peace. For this reason they did not dwell in western Rhean, for here were great communities of elves, as well as wild and barbarous humans. So they left Rhean and crossed into Jardaa, where they found the scars of ancient wars and stranger creatures than they had ever seen. Still, they found those places where others did not dwell, and had peace for awhile, although they did not approach the splendor of their Rhean cousins, and eventually war came to them as well.

VI. Of the Dwarves of the Second Parting

Following the destruction of the First Nation, many dwarves set out eastward, following the route of the First Parting. Soon, however, they wearied of the road and began to search for a new homeland. It took them many years, but eventually Thradzul was founded in the Grey Hills near the Aloen Forest, and here the dwarves have dwelt and prospered since. Some still continued on, and settled in the Barrier and Blackwall mountains, sometimes with dwarves of the First Parting who had not gone to Jardaa. But these settlements never grew as Thradzul did, and many have since been abandoned.

In two places in particular the dwarves lost great holds they had made: in what are now Draknia and Kenien. In Kenien the dwarves met wandering orc tribes from Jardaa, and at first dwelt peacefully alongside them; but in time the two races went to war, and the dwarves were forced to flee, for they were not very numerous. In Draknia it was worse; here the dwarves had made a great city, Vornkaer ('Black City'), which the dwarves of the West still lament. The city flourished for many years, and began to trade with humans who came to the area. These men, cousins of the Allitoians, became strong and warlike, and became part of an empire ruled from the great island to the southwest; Draknia it was called. These Draknians often fought with their human neighbors, and eventually came to Vornkaer and demanded that the dwarves bow to their Emperor, and send him tribute, and provide him with arms and soldiers for his wars. The dwarves refused, so the Draknians left; but they returned with an army and wizards, and after a long and bloody battle left Vornkaer sacked and the few of her people who were not dead enslaved. The dwarves do not forget these wrongs.

VII. Of the Dwarves of the Third Parting

When the Second Nation came to an end, each of the princes traveled to one of the Angdaarem, save for the youngest, who sought to find a new place to build. It was intended that the nation would be maintained across the surface, but men and goblins now dwelt in the land about the Ironholts, and although communication could be maintained, it proved impossible to rule the dwarves as one nation. thus, each prince became ruler of his own land, and their people grew great and strong again, and each Angdaar grew into a city, although they retained their names, so that all might remember that they are but outposts of the Iron City which the dwarves hope to reclaim someday.

The youngest brother took some people and searched for a new place, and eventually he came to the Highforge Mountains, in what is today called Lindon. And his people made a fortress city here, but many of them also chose to dwell in hills throughout the land, because the Highforge mountains are volcanic and not very hospitable; but evil creatures did not dwell there. In time, goblins began to attack these dwarves, and although many fled to the mountains, the goblins were still a threat. And even in their fortress the dwarves were not sure of safety, for they were very few yet. But at that time elves arrived from over the Enclosed Sea in grey ships, searching for a new homeland; and the dwarves made alliance with them, so that together they might destroy the goblins and have peace. This great alliance routed the goblins at the Battle of the Vale, and the goblins fled over the mountains. In rememberance of this alliance, towers were constructed at the mouth of the Rymdaryn and were dwelt in by both races. Five hundred years later, as the goblins again became a threat, human refugees from the wars to the south came to the land of dwarves and elves and made the Second Alliance, after which the nation of Lindon was founded with its capital at Haven, near the Great Towers of Alliance.

VIII. Of the Eastern Dwarves

Dwarves are, as a rule, highly conservative, and so all dwarves maintain many of the same cultural traits that were possessed by the dwarves of the first nation. The dwarves who dwell in the east have maintained these to a greater extent than any others. All dwarves in the east use a common calendar, share a common language, and have common traditions. They are also very similar physically, being strong and hardy, resistant to magic and poison, and being superior warriors, miners, and craftsmen. They do not use magic other than of the priestly sort. All dwarves are stout, averaging about four and one half feet tall but weighing 130 to 200 pounds. Dwarves are typically tan of skin, with brown, black or grey hair and brown or hazel eyes (rarely green, rarer yet blue). Dwarves live four or five hundred years.

In game terms, dwarves make superior fighters or priests. Dwarves who live outside of a dwarven community will sometimes be thieves. Dwarves receive a +1 to constitution and a -1 to charisma. They possess standard infravision and can detect unusual stonework, estimate depth, and judge the quality and age of stonework. They receive a bonus to saving throws versus poison and magic equal to one for every three points of constitution or fraction therof above three. Thus a dwarf with an 18 constitution receives a +5 adjustment. All dwarves receive fighter hit point adjustments for high constitution. Dwarves have a base move of six, but reduce their movement for encumberance as if they were carrying one less category of weight. Ogres and giant-like creatures suffer a -4 to hit dwarves due to their skill at using their size to advantage. Due to their hatred of the goblinoid races, dwarves receive a +1 to hit such creatures; however, they will not always use good judgement in such fights. Dwarves tend to be lawful neutral, lawful good, true neutral, or neutral good in alignment.

Dwarves automatically receive one of the following proficiencies: engineering, blacksmithing, gem cutting, stonemasonry, pottery, or mining. A dwarf who has blacksmithing may take armorer or weaponsmith for 1 more slot. A dwarf also receives one of the following: blind fighting, sound analysis, fungus identification, mountaineering, or rope use.

Not all of the dwarves in the East dwell in the Angdaarem or in Lindon; there are many scattered throughout Rhean. Some of these, such as the dwarves of the Haven Hills, consider themselves part of one of the princedoms; others, such as those dwelling near Destend, or in the Aviary Hills near Eagle's Roost, respect the princes, but rule themselves. It should be noted that many dwarves have settled, either permanently or only for trade, in human cities. Notable examples include Haven, Eagle's Roost, Damacar, Xanaster, and Grifton.

IX.Of the Western Dwarves

Western dwarves are very similar to their eastern cousins, although they have made fewer great underground cities, and are more likely to be travelers and dwell above ground. Thradzul, in the Grey Hills, is the largest western dwarven nation, and is composed of a number of partially underground cities and towns. Western dwarves frequently have lighter hair and eye colors than their eastern counterparts; red hair and blue or green eyes are unusual, but not as truly rare as in the Angdaarem.

The western dwarves have been more willing to dwell in small settlements than their eastern cousins, and so there are a number of small holds scattered throughout the west. The western dwarves also travel between their enclaves more than dwarves in the east.

X. Of the Jardaan Dwarves