The Dwarven Kingdom of Thazdulrene
Story I
by
Geltab
SMASHWORDS EDITION
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PUBLISHED BY:
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The Dwarven Kingdom of Thazdulrene Book I
Copyright © 2010 by Geltab
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Testimony I
The war of the Two Kupoinin
As Told by Bultan the wizened: Bultan’s Introduction
Mak-Thazul is the capital of the under the mountain Dwarven kingdom of Thazdulrene. Being closed for now shortly over a millennium in human years, this being the time measurement we shall use since this is the beginning of a new age for humankind. Most readers of my introduction will no doubt be men should we succeed in our endeavors. The dwarves at last understanding had perfected their mining, smelting and rock work to seemingly supernatural proportions according to mortal knowledge. Their underground mountain halls burned bright as the noonday sun, their mastery of light to banish the darkness of the underground mountain kingdoms cannot be properly expressed in words of any Language known and must be witnessed. I can try to attest however that I, Bultan, wizard of the sacred spark, servant of Xamueiz do this day in the year 11,146 by my counting of personal age do declare I have just visited Mak-Thazul as I have not done for over a thousand years. Upon spending one year in their kingdom this is my reporting on the current status of the dwarves. Forgive me for jumping to disparate subjects there is much information to relay after such a long time and now the opportunity to tell the tale grows short. Firstly, and most important all the myths and legends of men as well as my memory are true beyond imagining.
The lost Dwarven kingdom not only still exists but thrives under the whole world, more than is known even to wizards imaginings. Their number and size is only comparable and understandable to ants within the animal kingdom, their scope and power has truly expanded beyond any sight. Surpassing what I remember even in the old days before the great stone closing. Their numbers were nowhere near as great in years past. The dwarves have not troubled with matters other than their own stonework for many generations. The reason for their calling upon me to enter again had yet to reveal itself. The kingdom is currently ruled by Ul-baine son of Thrages, he is grandson of Kupoinin, the longest lived of any known dwarf, and they all live to at least six hundred in human span. Not only long lived, but he is responsible for the decision to isolate the kingdom from all but dwarves.
Their hall of records is immaculate in recording this and all matters. It is peculiar such a hardy and stout rock driven folk would also contain a class dedicated to preserving every shred of their history. Yes, they are divided into classes as all the lore dictates, that much is true. However there are no classless dwarves as some tales tell. They don't allow classlessness; any such dwarf when born classless although rare is immediately executed as well as any involved in the distortion of the rigid class hierarchy established. Their hearts are as hard as their stone in general, there are a few exceptions. One almost feels sorry for the "goblins" they have met in forgotten underground battles. The last one was over four hundred years ago according to the Dwarven records. They are called goblins because the word from myth and legend so accurately describes them in both behavior and appearance. They of course do not call themselves goblins and are called Eshken in their native guttural language.
One Thousand years ago a goblin warlord who fancied himself a king calling himself Kupoinin in a mock reference to the great king of the Dwarves ambushed two Dwarven halls as weddings were being celebrated ,as was their evil plan to maximize the carnage both physical and mental. One wedding hall was for the king’s niece. He was, as fortune would have it not attending as a riot between two houses over a newly discovered gold vein had erupted in another distant part of the city. All were killed at the wedding ambushes, the corpses mutilated in the most horrible fashions imaginable and piled in an apparent act of random cruelty and murder declaring to the Dwarves that the Eshken are here and they choose where they strike, the underground rock belongs to Eshken not Dwarven kind. This insult was beyond acceptance even for the most timid of people known and the dwarves are anything but timid. They resolved to go to war, not a typical campaign, but a war of extermination, no marching for victory and honor, but marching until every single Eshken they knew of in their Southern lands lay dead.