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Written by: The Dwarrow Scholar - www.dwarrowscholar.com Sources: J.R.R Tolkien, Turbine and ICE MERP – all rights to their proper owners Title: Annals of the Dwarves (PV1/E26) – Art work by Linda Nordberg Written by: The Dwarrow Scholar - www.dwarrowscholar.com Sources: J.R.R Tolkien, Turbine and ICE MERP – all rights to their proper owners Title: Annals of the Dwarves (PV1/E26) – Art work by Linda Nordberg Acknowledgements: A great many works have been used for the composition of this fan-fiction based on the works of J.R.R Tolkien. It is formed as a selection and interpretation of the professor's writings on the dwarves and other dwarvish stories that have either used or have been inspired by Tolkien’s works. All rights to their proper owners. The Annals of the Dwarves tells the history of the Dwarves of Middle-Earth from a dwarven perspective, as interpreted by myself, The Dwarrow Scholar. This project has been a work of many years in which many helped by giving advice, support and encouragement. I would like to thank the following for their contributions. • to Linda Nordberg for her amazing and wonderful art work • to Barry and Karen for their friendship, corrections, suggestions and support. • to my Patrons for their belief in me and their support • to my wife for her encouragement, help, patience and good advice throughout the project. • to my friend, the late Kristof Maes, for inspiring me • to Duinn, Maldurin, Sigurmar, Hanfur and Nibun for their stories, suggestions, ideas, advice and corrections. Written by: The Dwarrow Scholar - www.dwarrowscholar.com Sources: J.R.R Tolkien, Turbine and ICE MERP – all rights to their proper owners Title: Annals of the Dwarves (PV1/E26) – Art work by Linda Nordberg Notes on Dwarvish and ownership of material: This document contains names and place names in Dwarvish (either Khuzdul or Neo-Khuzdul). Khuzdul is the language of the Dwarves in J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium set in Middle-earth. Usage of this language is more frequent in annals that refer to the early history of the dwarves, as in many halls Khuzdul gradually became a language of lore. Translations have been provided where required. The Neo-Khuzdul used in this document is based on the original Tolkien Khuzdul, David Salo's Neo- Khuzdul and Khuzdul used in Turbine's LoTRO. This is my personal interpretation of Tolkien's dwarvish language and the history of the dwarves; I do not claim this content to be canon. This document is an interpretation of Tolkien's work and any material related to the dwarves of J.R.R. Tolkien, all rights are reserved for their proper owners. Any reference to The Lord of the Rings Online or any other brand name is not meant to claim ownership of material. This work is fan- fiction and is not to be sold. It is provided freely via www.dwarrowscholar.comto all. Written by: The Dwarrow Scholar - www.dwarrowscholar.com Sources: J.R.R Tolkien, Turbine and ICE MERP – all rights to their proper owners Title: Annals of the Dwarves (PV1/E26) – Art work by Linda Nordberg THE ANNALS OF THE DWARVES Here follows the account of my kin, the Dwarves, passed on, throughout the eras and seven clans. On the honour and word of my kin that have passed to the Halls of Waiting, the following is of just account. Rauthi Danakh’abad Written by: The Dwarrow Scholar - www.dwarrowscholar.com Sources: J.R.R Tolkien, Turbine and ICE MERP – all rights to their proper owners Title: Annals of the Dwarves (PV1/E26) – Art work by Linda Nordberg YEARS OF DARKNESS In the eras that preceded the eldest of dwarves, Mahal, the Great Smith, arose as the offspring of thought from the father of all, Sulladad. The Great Smith was not alone and from the thoughts of Sulladad arose all the Holy Ones, the Ones that create, of which fifteen came to the world. These Holy Ones, forever bound to its fate, are called the Muhâl. And all which is of the world takes root in Sulladad and the Muhâl. Mahal, the great smith, craftsman of the Muhâl, wrought his works in secret in a hall under the mountains in Middle-Earth, where he created the khazâd (dwarves) in strong and unyielding form, in the darkness of Middle-Earth. It was the first year of Dwarrow Reckoning (the year 900 of the Trees) before any of the children of Sulladad’s design awoke. There he made first one dwarf, the eldest of all, then six others, the fathers of their race; and then he began to make others again, in form alike to them but of female kind to be their mates. But he wearied, and when he had made six more he rested, and he returned to the seven fathers and looked at them, and they looked at him, and whatever motion was in his thought, that motion they performed. And Mahal was not pleased, but he began to teach them the language that he had designed for them, hoping thus to instruct them. But the Great Smith had neither the authority nor the power to create life. Sulladad, the father of all, had seen his creations. Now, Mahal repented his folly and offered the dwarves to Sulladad, to do with as he wished. Then Mahal questioned his actions and wept, and took up a hammer to destroy the dwarves. They shrank from the hammer, bowed down their heads and pleaded for mercy. Written by: The Dwarrow Scholar - www.dwarrowscholar.com Sources: J.R.R Tolkien, Turbine and ICE MERP – all rights to their proper owners Title: Annals of the Dwarves (PV1/E26) – Art work by Linda Nordberg But Sulladad stayed Mahal’s hand and showed compassion to Mahal and his dwarves because his motives had been good – as Mahal had desired children to teach, not slaves to command. Sulladad had given the dwarves life and had made them part of this plan. And yet Sulladad wished not to reward Mahal’s impatience. The elves were still to be the "Firstborn”. Mahal named the thirteen elders, giving them each two names: one to keep amongst their kind and one to use amongst the other children of the world when they would awake. And Sulladad commanded Mahal to lay the fathers of the dwarves severally in deep places, each with his mate, save Durin the eldest who had none. There they should sleep long, until Sulladad bade them awake. Then Mahal took the Seven Dwarves and laid them to rest under stone in far-sundered places. And Mahal returned to the lands of the Muhâl and waited long, as best he might, as the fathers and mothers slept. In the year 1352 of Dwarrow Reckoning (1041 of the Year of the Trees), taking the seven brightest sparks from his forge, Mahal set the Seven Stars in the night’s sky, as a sign of love and hope for the seven fathers during times of darkness. The elves say that the Seven Stars were set at that time by Thatrûna (whom they call Elbereth or Varda) to commemorate their coming, yet the Seven Stars only urged Varda to make their rivals; yet this she never did achieve. In the year 1381 of Dwarrow Reckoning (1044 of the Year of the Trees), shortly after the awakening of the elves, ents first appeared in Middle-earth. Sulladad had created them at the behest of Kaminzabdûna, Mahal’s spouse, after she learned that Mahal’s children, the dwarves, were eager to fell trees. Queen of the Earth, Kaminzabdûna, envisioned the ents as Shepherds of the Trees and their duty was to protect the forests from orcs and other perils. Written by: The Dwarrow Scholar - www.dwarrowscholar.com Sources: J.R.R Tolkien, Turbine and ICE MERP – all rights to their proper owners Title: Annals of the Dwarves (PV1/E26) – Art work by Linda Nordberg In the year 1822 of Dwarrow Reckoning (1090 of the Year of the Trees), the Muhâl made war on Udash, he whom the elves once called Melkor, in the War for Sake of the Elves. The earth was shaken and it was at that time that Sulladad stirred the world and woke the Fathers of the Dwarves and their companions. So it was the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves and their six spouses were released from their stone chambers. And at that time, Mahal, the Great Smith, looked at his children and gave them blood-names and said: "These names, in accordance to thy likeness, thy blood shall keep till thy line is spent". To Durin, the eldest of his children he said: “Thy line shalt grow mightier, through the blood of each of your brethren shall it grow”. And so Mahal bestowed the seven clan names upon the fathers: Longbeard, Firebeard, Broadbeam, Stiffbeard, Stonefoot, Ironfist and Blacklock. The Great Smith enlightened the fathers in his ways, and through his words bestowed upon them in secret their fierceness in battle and supreme love for crafting, further instructing them in “’Ugshâr” (“The Greatest Teachings”), to be passed on to all dwarves of their line till the last hammer should ring. Through ‘Ugshâr”, Mahal gave the dwarves their four greatest treasures: - Their fierce battle heart– Their supreme skill in metalwork - Their unsurpassed stoneworker skills – and their language, Khuzdul, which he had devised for them. As the Great Teachings were held in secret from the rest of the world, so did the dwarves ever hide their ways. And when questioned by others about their beginnings or their ways, the dwarves would invent strange tales, guarding the Greatest Teachings as their greatest of treasures.