Dwarfs

 

Dwarfs are not uncommon in the kingdom, but they are rarely seen. Dwarfs tend to keep to themselves and rarely if ever associate with other species. They prefer to work during the night and quietly and discreetly move about the city while the other residents are sleeping. They will remain in their homes during the daylight hours, only venturing out when absolutely necessary. Many mistakenly believe this is due to an aversion to sunlight, but Dwarfs do in fact enjoy a sunny day, but must show caution as they can sunburn rather easily.

While some Dwarfs have been known to have a bad temper, rarely do they enter into conflicts except with other Dwarfs. Such conflicts are rare, but can become very violent as Dwarf's can be very stubborn and will refuse to admit defeat. 

Dwarf's mate for life and the average couple will have two to three children. The basic family unit may include the couple, their children, as well as the wife's parents as well as any unmarried sisters or aunts. The primary diet of a Dwarf family consists of various meats. While they will eat any meat, they prefer fish or fowl over beef. They also enjoy pork, goat, and wild game. They will sometimes add vegetables such as potatoes and carrots to their meal, but only in small portions. Despite a bad reputation for their crude habits, Dwarfs will not eat raw meat and as a general rule they have good table manners.

The average Dwarf has some trouble with delicate tasks. For this reason, most are employed as labors due to their extreme endurance. While they are not normally good craftsmen, they work extensively in forges as they can hammer for hours without fatigue and their tolerance for the heat. They also work in stone quarries for their ability to swing a pick or sledge hammer for an entire ten-hour shift if need be. 

Random facts about Dwarfs;

• The average Dwarf is under five feet in height, most being closer to four feet.
• Dwarfs are normally somewhat stout, or stocky.
• A male Dwarf will be slightly taller than the average female.
• While they can have any hair color, the vast majority of Dwarfs will have reddish hair.
• Dwarfs are slow afoot but can run (slowly) for long distances.
• Dwarfs do not normally carry any type of weapon.
• Most Dwarfs will hunt with a spear which they can throw accurately over a considerable distance.
• Dwarfs are very protective and caring parents.
• Dwarfs speak the common tongue (English).
• Most Dwarfs (males) will have an abundance of facial hair.
  
• A Dwarf will not shave unless it is a medical necessity.
• Dwarfs have a mortal fear of spiders.
• All Dwarf history is transmitted orally as most Dwarfs will not write, although most have the ability to both read and write. 
• Dwarfs rarely enter into a conflict outside of the Dwarf community and have always been excused from military duty for this reason.
• Dwarfs will only rarely have a garden, preferring to forage for wild ingredients.
• While house pets are rare for Dwarfs, they will occasionally have a ferret as a pet for the children.
• Most Dwarfs, if not all, will prefer hot temperatures over cold.
• Dwarfs have very good eyesight, average hearing and an excellent sense of smell.
• Large cities or crowds will drive away most dwarfs.
• Dwarfs will live to an average of 79 years, but some can live to be 105 or older.
• Most Dwarfs enjoy ale, and in large amounts. Some even enjoy the much stronger, Goblin ale.
• Many older Dwarfs will smoke a pipe, using a wide variety of tobaccos and weeds. 
• All Dwarfs, male and female, will begin graying at approximately 40 years of age and will be completely gray by their sixtieth birthday.
• Dwarfs will occasional use a two-wheel cart or a horse drawn cart, but will only rarely ride on one. Dwarfs do not like to ride horses as they feel unsteady with their short legs.
• A Dwarf will almost never invite an outsider (Another species) into their home. If they do, the Dwarfs are honor bound to treat the guest with the utmost respect and courtesy.

Dwarfs are considered mysterious and because of this many apply negative tags to them. Unfortunately,

because most people know so little about Dwarfs it is believed they are somehow mean, cruel, or even evil. While a small percentage of Dwarfs resent humans and feel humans consider Dwarfs as second-class citizens, the majority of Dwarfs are peaceable and easy to get along with. Few would call any Dwarf fun-loving, but when in their element Dwarfs can have a very good sense of humor and can enjoy themselves with song and a most awkward dance known as the Belg. Dwarfs are also very proud and while they are not easily offended, they will become hostile and sometimes violent if they feel insulted.

Most if not all Dwarfs dislike any type of magic or illusion. They also do not like riddles as they feel they are meant as an insult to their intelligence

The Knight's Hall

The King’s Knights are an elite group which are considered a direct extension of the Monarch. Any instruction or request made by a knight is considered equal to the King himself. To insult a Knight is to insult the King. These men, and women, are the best equipped and finely trained fighting force in the known world. Their skills with weapons and their swordsmanship are unmatched. The Knights oath and devotion to the King guides their daily lives and actions. While they have tremendous power and responsibility, the Knights consider themselves servants, both to the King and to the common man. They are the arm of the King, defenders of the Kingdom and the justice of the people.

While the Knights lead a life of servitude, they are granted certain rare privileges, one being the Knights Hall. Located in the Castle Crete, the Knights Hall acts as the headquarters and refuge for the Knights. The building is stout, made of interlaced cedar timbers and quarried stones.  The oak plank doors are unadorned, a sign the humility of those who enter. The Hall is restricted to Knights alone. Squires and Pages and not allowed to enter and guest are allowed only rarely and for very special events.

Within the Hall is a banquet hall, kitchen, a well-stocked pantry, library and gymnasium. In the far north west corner there is a small forge where the Knights can repair their equipment or craft new weapons. There are also storage lockers for each Knight as well as a sauna and two large bathes. What is not within the Hall are any servants. No cooks, no maids and no butlers to serve the Knights. All cooking and cleaning within the Hall are the responsibility of the Knights and they take great pride in keeping the Hall immaculate and in good repair.

The centerpiece of the Hall is the great room. Here the Knights can gather to read, share stories or simply relax. The room is quite large, its ceilings rising up to nearly twenty feet. The fireplace covers an entire wall and an assort of swords from around the kingdom adorn the mantle and surrounding wall. Two large leather sofas sit in front of the fireplace, each with a heavy oak table in front and to each side of it. Three small tables fill a portion of the room, each with five chairs. To one side there is another seating area and a pine stand which holds two large kegs of ale. The room sees regular card games and vigorous conversations and debates. The center-piece of the room, and the entire hall for that matter, is the western wall.

The Western wall of the great room is known as the Wall of the Soul. This wall is as close to sacred ground as you will find in the third kingdom. On the wall are artifacts, equipment and weapons of previous Knights. Some belonged to Knights who have long since retired, others to Knights who paid the ultimate price for the King and Kingdom. The most precious of the items are the Swords. When a Knight retires, falls in battle, or dies of natural causes, their sword is placed on the wall. There it will remain until it is awarded to a new Knight. The King and family of the original Knight will present the sword to the new Knight who will normally have some connection to the Knight who once carried the weapon. It is believed by many the sword will take on a part of the Knight’s soul and the new owner can channel this energy, experience and dedication in battle. In this way, a Knight never truly stands alone.

The sword of a Knight is six to eight inches longer than a standard long sword. It is intended to be a single-handed sword and will weight almost exactly two pounds. All of the Knight’s swords for the past centuries have all been forged by the House of Caliburn. It is said that no Knight’s sword forged by the House of Caliburn has ever broken in combat.  A Knight’s sword is easily distinguished from other swords and is a source of great pride. It is of vital importance to all Knights that all swords are accounted for. If a Knight falls in battle their sword must be recovered. Never has an enemy been allowed to escape with a Knight’s sword for any period of time. Knights are assigned duties based on their experience, talents, and years of service to the King. These areas are broken down into four general categories.

·         Royal Protection – assigned to protect the Royal family. The number of knights assigned to this duty depends on the size and nature of the royal family as well as the current threat level.

·         Outpost – Knights are assigned to command or oversee many outposts throughout the kingdom. These assignments are generally selected by knights who have a family and wish to be stationed in the same location for a long period of time.

·         Ravens – is a group of special investigators assigned cases of the King. There can be only twelve Ravens at any time.

·         Patrol – The vast majority of knights fall into this category. Assigned to patrol certain areas or respond to specific threats or problem areas. These knights generally travel with their squires and pages. If the threat or danger is at a higher level, they may also be assigned a small squad of soldiers. In times of severe threat, the knights join forces with the King’s Army.

The White Wizards

In the history of the world there have been only four White Wizards. These individuals choose to pursue a magical life, but none truly understood what was in store for them when they agreed to take the new potion and recite the spells given them. They believed it would give them power, which they all craved, but none expected the level of power that would be released. It was a time of war, deceit and great danger. In a world filled with destruction and death, these wizards raised the evil to an entirely new level.

Scorius - was the first and is believed to be the most powerful. Believes himself to be the master of the other three.

Marmot - Hates what he has become, so assumes everyone else hates him in return and takes vengeance on them all.

Miltra - Is thought to have been a witch, but after all the centuries she is now indistinguishable from the others. She has lost her true identity and self, and she despises what she has become. 

Alisma - Legend tells how Alisma was a good wizard before his conversion. His life goal was to use magic to heal, to help people and to help end the great war that was ripping the country apart. 

The four White Wizards of the east. Enchanted and perfected as weapons of war many centuries ago. When the war broke out between the Northern and Southern Kingdoms the armies of the two great nations laid waste to the great cities, farmlands and villages. Unsatisfied with the level of destruction their armies could provide, the leaders decided to turn to magic to create the ultimate weapon(s) of destruction. The leaders of the northern kingdom gathered together the greatest wizards of their day. In the secret catacombs of the Royal palace they developed the most powerful and sinister potion ever conceived. They needed only to find the ingredients to produce the potion, perfect the spell of enchantment, and find already powerful wizards as their catalyst for destruction.

It is unclear exactly who made the decision or when, but it was determined for the potion to have maximum effect, it would need to contain some portion of a powerful wizard. It was this decision that led them to the tomb of Flueric, the first wizard. They broke into his tomb and found all that remained of the once great wizard was dust. They collected the dust and used it in the potion. Again, it is unclear if they understood the power Flueric still possessed, even in death, but this power was unleashed. Furious at having his eternal rest disturbed and the dust of his bones used for their petty purposes, Flueric unleashed his anger and bestowed upon the potion something never intended.

The potion and spells consumed the four wizards, altering both their minds and their physical appearances. They became far more powerful than anyone imagined possible. This power was unleashed against all, both northern and southern kingdoms. The White Wizards, as they came to be called because of their brilliant white hair, long ghostly white fingernails and deep blue eyes, had an insatiable appetite for evil, for destruction. Their spells and potions poisoned the waters, farmlands and made the air in many areas toxic. When all was done, the once great and powerful eastern kingdoms could no longer produce anything except suffering and death.

The fate of the White Wizards is disputed and uncertain. Alisma is said to have attempted to escape the evil and fled west, only to be captured by the forces of darkness and consumed.  Mormut, if the legends are true, took refuge in the southern city of Kolroy. The city was then besieged by the very forces of evil Mormut had created and unleased. The evil forces are unable to penetrate the city, which lays in ruins, but Mormut is trapped there, forced to endure the tortures of his own design.

Miltra, after dispensing plagues, pestilence and death to thousands, finally grew weary and took her own life. Her body was consumed by scavengers, never to have a true resting place.

Scorpius, the most powerful of the White Wizards took great joy in the destruction and suffering. When

he realized so few people remained to torment, Scorpius fled to the underworld, hoping to continue to inflict pain and suffering on his previous victims.  While no one can know for certain, legend tells that when he reached the underworld Scorpius found he was just another of the thousands of seemingly endless souls suffering the torments of hell. Scorpius attempted to flee, but there was no escaping and he was doomed to endure the hardships he had placed on others for all eternity.

When the tomb of Flueric was looted they took all of the dust that had once been the great wizard. To be certain the potion was at full strength the preparers used all of the dust in the four portions consumed by the wizards. Since no further dust exists, and the recipe for the potion is long lost, it is believed impossible to duplicate the potion. It is therefore believed impossible for there ever to be additional White Wizards. 

The Forest of Memories

The Forest of memories covers the Mount of Torkan and is a place of great beauty, power, and anger. When the wars in the east consumed the land, Alisma, one of the four White Wizards, attempted to flee to the west. As Alisma emerged from the eastern mountains he saw the beauty of Mount Torkan and for the first time in centuries felt a sense of hope. It was not to be, however, as the dark forces came to claim Alisma, to consume him within the evil he had helped to bring upon the world. Alisma, in his previous life, valued knowledge over all else. In his last moments, Alisma discharged all of his power upon Mount Torkan and its vast forests. He gave them the memories of all mankind, the history of all that was, and the ability to collect all future memories as well. There were to be no secrets from the forest, and as Alisma's soul was dragged away to damnation, he could only smile at his final creation.

The forest remained silent, concealing its new powers. It watched as the people of the Decapolis built their great temples on the high plateau that encircled the summit of Mount Torkan. The temples were beautiful feats of architecture, adorned with fine metals and lavish gardens.  Each temple attempted to improve on what had come before. More stone carvings, fountain, larger and more elaborate gardens. Eventually they began to use unusual architectural designs, installing hidden rooms and secret passages. They lived and built in harmony, each of the ten temples displaying a map of the entire Decapolis in a mosaic in the foyer of each temple.

Then there came a time of change. No one is sure why, but the temples began to compete with one another, each vying to be grander than their neighbor. When they could make their temples no more beautiful, the only way to be better than their neighbor was through destruction. Eventually war broke out and the temples were each destroyed, many people died, and those who survived were cast off the mountain, forced to leave their vast treasures behind.

The forest held all the memories of man, could see all the mistakes made, all the opportunities to learn and correct. Man did not learn. Instead, he repeated the same mistakes in a seemingly endless cycle of building and destruction. It was with this realization that the forest turned. No longer would men be allowed on the mountain, no longer would the forest look on as a neutral bystander. The forest forbade anyone from ever ascending to the Decapolis and brutally killed any who tried. The mountain fell silent, but the memory of the vast wealth left behind in the ruins of the Decapolis did not fade so easily.  

Many have tried to trick and evade the forest in search of wealth and fame. Just as many have died in their vain attempts. One attempt to defeat the forest stands out above all others. Sir Gaylord, a knight of the king, requested permission to lay siege to the mountain. The Cloaken Monks, with their hatred of all magic, believing the enchanted forest as evil, convinced the king to grant Sir Gaylord's request.

Sir Gaylord used siege equipment to burn and destroy a vast section of the forest. As the trees burned

Gaylord and his men could advance up the mountain, safely out of reach of the forest. The trees were patient and endured the pain of the flames for many weeks. Finally, when Gaylord and his men had advanced well up the mountain slope, the trees fought back. While Gaylord had burned the trees and hauled away their smoldering trunks, the roots remained. Now the roots broke free from the soil and took hold of the men, strangling them, tossing them to the neighboring trees that eagerly extracted their revenge. Not a single man came down from the mountain as those below watched in helpless horror. Gaylord, seeing his defeat and the loss of all his men, went insane. He drew his sword and rode definitely into the forest.  As he rode higher and higher he was snatched from his saddle and carried through the limbs to the very edge of the Decapolis. There he was taken to the highest limbs of the tallest tree and held there in his armor. He would spend his final days looking out over what he had yearned for, but would never obtain.

The forest again fell silent, no one daring to challenge its power. Even to this day the forest trusts no human, but still it feels compelled to record the knowledge it has been given, regardless of the reasons. The forest conveys the memories it possesses to Wonder, a hob-goblin who dutifully records what he is told. When Wonder becomes too old to record the memories, a new hob-goblin will be chosen to continue the work. The forest continues to hope its memories will someday help all to see they can do better, they can learn from the mistakes of our forefathers and make the world a better place. After so many centuries, the forest yearns to share the knowledge, but time has erased all but the tiniest sliver of hope. Still, the forest is patient.

In addition to the forest defending the summit, for the past several decades the mountain has been defended by another considerable force. A giant Red Dragon has made its home on Mount Torkan. Normally not aggressive to humans, this Red Dragon will eagerly attack anyone who reaches the plateau. The Dragon has shown it is willing to pursue any would be trespasser to the base of the mountain and beyond before returning to its hidden perch near the summit. Since it is well known that dragons are not affected by magic of any kind, it is not believed the enchanted forest is the reason for the dragon's presence. While it is unknown why the dragon has taken up residence on Mount Torkan, or why it is so aggressive toward intruders, one thing is certain. The plateau, which is home to the ruins of the Decapolis, remains one of the most inaccessible locations in the kingdom.