Legends of Belariath

Dwarves History

The written history of the dwarven people dates back to just prior to the fall of the ancient elven empire, when the dwarven people finally united themselves together under a council of masters from each of their numerous clans. For this meeting, the first masters worked together, crafting a massive table of exquisite detail and workmanship, combining all their materials into one masterpiece of unity. Unfortunately, the first table was cracked in half when Thorak Stronghammer, a member of the mithril clan, slammed his hammer on it to call for order.

This caused a slew of insults to be thrown, each clan blaming the others for making the table so weak, ending up throwing the dwarven people into a chaotic feuding that once more splintered them for a full 100 years. Only when the Thorak, the head of the Mithril clan, sick of the constant bickering and pointless feuding stepped in did things calm down. His clan forged a new table, once more combining all of the materials of the other clans. At the head of this table, usually resides the head of the Mithril clan, raised up on a massive chair so that he looms down over the other masters, much to their dislike, and presides over the meetings.

Since then, the dwarven people have been a mostly unified people, this being firmly shown during the Shalban wars. During this time, the dwarves battled an on and off series of wars with the goblins of the Shalban mountains. The greasy creatures had been attempting to take over the rich iron mines deep within the range, only to find themselves faced with rebuffs from not only the Metal Clan, but also the Wood Clan, Stone Clan, and the Elemental Clan that had taken up residence around the range. After many long and bloody years, the goblins were finally thrust from the range, leaving the dwarves at last in peace.

One of the most notable things about this war was not the unification of the clans in warfare, but of the emergence of a solitary warrior from the Metal Clan. With a beard like fire and skin like stone, he was Thorl Sharpaxe, the champion of the dwarven armies and a berserker of incredible power. Raised in the Metal Clan, he was never able to make it past his apprenticeship, so finally abandoned the life of a smith, causing his family to disown him. He took instead the path of a warrior, training and pushing himself with the same passion that most dwarves reserved for smithing and drinking.

Wielding a massive battleaxe, Thorl strode through the battlefield, felling those foolish enough to cross his path as if they were wheat before the reaper, his weapon cutting through armor and bone just as readily as soft flesh. It is sung among the dwarven people that wielding this axe, Thorl felled an entire goblin army on his own, though historians of other races have long disputed this fact. Just not to a dwarf.

Following the Shalban Wars was the rise of Masek Anvilheart, a dwarven master smith whose skill was without equal, and remains so to this day. Merely a boy during the Shalban wars, he was slain and then resurrected. From his forge came numerous relics, weapons and armors that have long been sought after. In fact, so great was his skill that he transcended his own mortality and achieved a state of demi-godhood.

Long time allies of the High elves, though rather reluctant at times to stand by the side of the overbearing and self-superior race, they have battles against the armies of the Dark Elves, goblins and their allies in several wars. While the High Elves and the Dwarves always appear to be fighting, they along with the dwarves stronger allies, the Sylvan elves, and most Humans, share common ideals, and can often be found holding the battle line together against those who attack them, such as the Dark Elves and Goblins.