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The
Stonewood Dwarves Background The Stonewood
Dwarves are a subgroup of Dwarves that trace their descent from the line of King
Ringold Oakenstone and the Dryad Nephtali Nirealis who together ruled in the
forest Kingdom of Shandolar from the year -559 of our calendar until the death
of King Ringold 450 years later. Their Kingdom was established in the lands that
we now call the Stonewood Forest. These lands were originally part of the
Horningwood Forest which surrounded King Ringold's Lodestone Mountain Kingdom.
This Kingdom was destroyed in a backlash of powerful Dragon Magic upon which
King Ringold was working. The backlash produced an effect upon the trees of the
Horningwood forest that rendered them unshatterable and unable to be affected by
a blade. In time, the forest became known by the name Stonewood as is the name
of the only town now left in the region. The attached story would be known by
all Stonewood Dwarves as it is the basis of their existence. It is believed that King Ringold
and his descendants are the founders of the Dwarven Woodcutter's Guild.
Stonewood forms the basis of the economy of the Dwarven families and their town
of Stonewood. Members of the Woodcutters Guild protect the trade secret of how
Stonewood is cut and processed for use in the Kingdom. The Stonewood with its
magically hardened wood (likened to stone) cannot be cut with any edged weapon
or tool wielded by any known being. Yet, when properly treated, the wood can be
harvested and is used to produce a variety of strategically important
unshatterable commodities. This treatment is particularly suited to produce
construction materials from the wood. This makes it highly valuable and as a
consequence, the Stonewood Dwarves are very wealthy. Commerce in the Stonewood
is extremely important to the Duchy of Elysia. Enough so that the Duke sends
people to this region during the warmer months to protect the Stonewood Dwarves
and help keep the region safe for this important economic work to be performed. Not all Stonewood Dwarves are
members of the Woodcutter’s Guild, but it is fair to say that all would want
to be due to the economic incentives such membership bestows. There are nine
principal families represented in the Dwarven Woodcutter's Guild at this time.
In the past, a Dwarf would have to show a blood connection to one of these lines
to be eligible for membership and then must apprentice in one of the three
trades to prove their ability before full induction in to the Guild. However,
some of these customs have been challenged over the past six years. This was due
to the severe reduction in the population of these families during the Orc Wars
(The United Nations of the Bloody Fist) that took place during the summer of 592
across their lands. Other key members were lost to torture and assassination
when the minions of Lord Dirkin were seeking the secret of the Stonewood through
593-595. For example, during this time, the first female Dwarf, Blindor
Silverlode became the head of the Stonewood Woodcutter's Guild as the last
living Silverlode. And she married an Elysian dwarf, Bishop Silverlode, who took
her name, to ensure the continuity of the Silverlode line. Trade
Specialties The three trade specialties of
the Stonewood Woodcutters Guild are: Ranger - This specialty contains the Dwarves who select the trees to be harvested and apply the magic required to prepare them. Prospective Rangers must have skills in the magical arts and be able to make potions. Cutter - This specialty contains the Dwarves who cut the trees selected for harvesting. Prospective Wood Cutters should be proficient with an axe as well as other small weapons. Scout - This specialty contains the Dwarves who select the regions, in which the Rangers will work, and handle the business of selling Stonewood and any arrangements for delivery or pick up of the associated products. Prospective Scouts must be politically and economically astute as the merchant arm of the Guild. The
Principal Families of the Stonewood Dwarves
The nine principal families of
the Stonewood guilds tend to have skills that fall under the three trade
specialties. Members of the Silverlode, Fairoak and Ironleaf families are
frequently Rangers. The Bowerbane, Barkborer and Strongbow families favor being
Cutters and members of the Oakrider, Treehawk and Leafdancer families tend to be
Scouts. Each of these families have family colors, as shown in the table above,
that their members tend to display. Typically, a Stonewood Dwarf will wear a
necklace with beads in their family colors. The Stonewood Dwarves observe a
number of customs and behaviors that are significant. Customs All members are clannish both
within their Guild and within their specialty and family group. They are
competitive and avaricious. Because they are generally well-to-do, they are not
as stingy or crabby as other Dwarves can be. They tend to be more jolly and are
outwardly more friendly towards other races. This is because the commerce in
Stonewood is what sustains their livelihood and they recognize that other races
are their customers. Stonewood Dwarves are fiercely
loyal. They will never forget a debt owed to another and indeed each of them
actively keeps a 'list of debts’ that records significant kindness or
generosity shown by another to them or a family member. By the same token, they
will also record 'grudges' and also keep an active list of such offenses in
their personal records. This is a small version of the official Book of Grudges
kept by the Dwarven race for outrageous offense that all Dwarves must recall.
Note that the importance of the Stonewood to our Duchy is so high, that the Duke
himself will punish anyone unfortunate enough to have earned a place in one of
their Book of Grudges. So, if you should end up in one, don't publicize your
misfortune. Like other Dwarves, Stonewood
Dwarves prize their beard and if it is lost for any reason would be humiliated
beyond endurance. They would never appear publicly in a beardless state by
choice. There is much folklore associated with the growing of beards and most
Dwarves maintain a variety of concoctions, recipes and rituals that are
purported to improve the speed of growth and the luxuriance of a beard. Family
recipes and tonics for improved beards are jealously guarded. Ancient recipes,
which do turn up occasionally, command high prices at Dwarven auctions. Every
Dwarf is an expert on what makes beards grow well (at least they all think they
are). Stonewood Dwarves have certain
family customs that are important to learn. Each family has selected a ' Family
Tree ’ in the region and has their Family Colors displayed upon it. These
trees are not necessarily pointed out to strangers but are not generally secret.
Each family prides themselves on their Family Tree and they tend and nurture it
as a symbol of the status and condition of their line. Each individual Dwarf,
keeps a hidden treasure in a place referenced by their family tree as the
starting point. This treasure is not the bulk of their wealth which is typically
shares in the Stonewood profits and drawn on Dwarven banks. Rather, this
treasure is a stash of prized personal trinkets, interesting and unusual items,
memorabilia or weird magical things. This personal treasure is an
important thing to a Dwarf because each item in it is something he or she can
associate with themselves. In the event of their permanent death, they want this
stash of goods to be distributed to individuals who in taking one of the items,
will learn the name of the Dwarf who owned it and honor them accordingly.
Dwarves believe their immortality is linked to the memory of them and their name
by others. Gifts and personal possessions are traded about with this expectation
and it is not unusual to see people lift a cup and say something such as "I
drink from this cup in memory of Lagar Fairoak" or to fiddle with a ring on
their finger and say "I wear this ring in memory of Duval Barkborer".
The Stonewood dwarves in particular, have ritualized this aspect with respect to
permanent death in a highly organized fashion and these customs must be learned.
The
Death Bequest Auction When a Stonewood Dwarf dies
permanently, the Earth Circle where this occurs must locate an executor for
their personal treasures. By custom, this falls to the one who has taken
responsibility for their remains. This is often a family member if they die at
home of natural causes, but, is frequently not if it happens due to accident or
malice. Each Dwarf hides upon their person clues to their personal treasure as
referenced from their family tree. The one in possession of their remains and
who delivers them intact to the Earth Circle earns the right to search for and
possess this treasure. They are required by custom to select some portion of it
for themselves and then to place the rest up for public auction. The Executor,
who must run the auction, may keep the proceeds or donate them as they see fit.
The proceeds of such an auction are called a Death Bequest. A recent auction held in April,
599, and run by the Chilox clan, netted over 30 gold for a single pair of dice
and a few hundred gold overall. The items that were auctioned: Are listed at the
end of this work. Honoring
the Memory of a Stonewood Dwarf Recall that Stonewood Dwarves are
wealthy and are for the most part, more concerned with their immortality then
bequeathing minor treasure to their family. Each person who purchases a part of
the treasure from a Death Bequest Auction, must actively honor the Dwarf to whom
it belongs. This honor usually takes the form of a public utterance while
examining or using the item of the sort, "I wear this bracelet in honor of
Leah Leafdancer". This honor is to be given at least once a day for as long
as the item is in their possession. It cannot be sold or traded without this
information accompanying it for the buyer to continue the custom. Note that it
is considered a dreadful affront and offense to any Stonewood Dwarf should
someone disdain this custom or fail in their observance of it. Such failure is
easily cause for listing in the grudge record of a number of Dwarves. Artifacts
and Every Day Items Here are some items that a
typical Stonewood Dwarf would know about: Stone of Beard Growing This item is purported to enhance the growth of a beard when rubbed against the face. Dwarves covet these stones (and collect them in large quantities) and will pay anywhere from 2 silver to a number of gold for one. Dwarven Bonding Rings These rings create a bond between the wearers. When worn, the wearers will be more receptive to one another and more interested in one another. The Dwarves use them for a variety of purposes. They are often employed during the making of Treaties or in Councils where mutual understanding and respect are required. They are offered to those who are in disagreement with one another or trying to draw up a reasonable agreement for commerce. They are often used during courtship to encourage a prospective couple to learn more about one another. The magical effect of these rings is small but noticeable. For example, they cannot make sworn enemies immediately become friends but can make them moderate their behavior towards each other a bit. The effect lasts while the rings are worn. This is ancient magic and may wear off over time. The Dwarves no longer know how to make these and thus they are quite valuable and worth at least 30 gold. Stone of Sorrows These stones are used by Dwarves to hold their sorrows. The owner of a stone holds it in the left hand and thinks on the thing which has saddened them and the stone will help to ease the pain of it. If held in the right hand it will bring the sorrows it holds to mind. The Stone is invoked by a conscious act of will whereby the owner holds the Stone tightly in the proper hand and concentrates. You may let another hold this Stone in their right hand and they will feel a sense of great sadness but will not know why. A person holding the stone will only be able to recall the sorrows they have placed in the stone. So, one holding it who has not placed any Sorrows in it, will only feel the sadness. Traditionally, a Dwarf allows another to hold their 'stone' when they wish to talk about their sorrows to them. Thus, it provides a medium for two Dwarves (who are normally not very open about their personal feelings) to share personal information about themselves. Such stones are not made - but can be found in the moss under Stonewood trees. Some believe the odd magics about the Stonewood trees are responsible. List of Grudges This is a personal list of Grudges kept by the specific Dwarf who wrote it. Typical offenses include verbal insults, failure to keep one's word, stealing from a dwarf or their family or friends, clan or Guild members, failure to honor the name of another Dwarf when custom dictates it, physically assaulting a Dwarf, befriending an enemy of a Dwarf, treating a Dwarf with disrespect. Once on the Grudge list for a particular Dwarf, that Dwarf will not speak to the offending party, will not engage in commerce with them, will not aid them when they need help nor prevent harm from coming to them. They will NEVER say the name of a person on their grudge list and will turn their back on them when ever possible if in their company. A person will occasionally be removed from the Grudge list if they perform a service to the Dwarf of great enough import to have made them worthy of being put on the List of Debts. List of Debts This is a personal list of Debts that a Dwarf feels towards persons who have shown kindness to the Dwarf. We leave it to each individual Dwarf to define what represents kindness or Debts worthy of listing. Lock of a Grandsire's Beard The lock of a Grandsire's beard is considered a potent charm. It has particular value to the descendants of the owner and this value increases if it is particularly ancient (more than two generations). A dwarf will pay up to many gold pieces for an ancient beard lock. A more modern one might be only worth a few silvers in value. This is for beardlocks that are not from Dwarves anyone knew personally. Beardlocks are tied with colored cloth in the family colors or with white cloth and a family name. Names that are currently worth many gold include, Ironheart (Grey and Black), Goldvein (Gold,white), Fornhelm (purple,red), Rockwielder (white,turquoise) and Bloodbonder (red,green). These are older families whose lines were greatly honored. It should be noted that the Silverlode family will pay a great deal for any momentos of their line. Lock of a beard passed on to a
descendant A beardlock given while one is still alive has no monetary value but is considered a proper gift from an older Dwarf to a younger descendant. A beardlock received after the donor has permanently died is of greater value to those who actually knew the deceased. At auction, they will pay a high price to prevent it from being sold out of the family or to non-dwarves. A smart executor will gift the family with this item, as it is a certain method to obtain an entry in their book of debts. Wedding Cup The Wedding Cup of a Dwarf is typically made of materials worth about 10 coppers. However, one who purchases such a Cup as part of the auctioning of a dead Dwarf's personal treasures should NEVER consider rendering it into scrap. They must use it and the owner must say 'I drink in memory of, for example, Blagor Silverlode and Calinda Treehawk' at least once a day to honor those for whom the cup was made. Failure to appreciate its worth despite its low monetary value will almost certainly lead to an entry in the offended family's Book of Grudges. Ring of Dreams This ring when worn will give the Wearer a single dream, at which point it must be passed on to another. Once you place this ring upon your finger you will be unable to remove the ring until it provides you with a dream. This may be hours, days or months. The Dwarves pass these rings around because they believe the dreams they weave are very significant and they enjoy the fun of trying to interpret them. To Dwarves, such rings are worth only a few coppers but non-dwarves will frequently pay from many gold for them. They are fashioned from the moss and mud taken from the root of a Stonewood tree. Tokens of Admiration The Dwarves like to give one another small tokens as reminders of the giver. This is again due to their belief that they obtain immortality through the remembrance of others. As long as their name is remembered and their face is in the mind of others, they will live on. Thus, a custom has evolved of giving these 'tokens’ to ones with whom a Dwarf is particularly close. The tokens used by Stonewood Dwarves are typically colored wooden beads in the family colors of the giver, and the arrangement of them signifies the specific family position, hence the specific individual, to the wearer. Bark of the tree that fell on
Grimbor An interesting aspect of Dwarven culture is the collection of items associated with significant events in their everyday lives. Particularly tragic or comic events seem to lend themselves to this type of collection and the average Dwarf will have many mementos that recall to mind such occurrences. For example, Grimbor Silverlode, a Dwarven Ranger of the Woodcutter's Guild was still serving in his 523 year. He tottered out one night with several other Rangers to mark the trees for the next day's cuttings. His vision being rather poor at his advanced years, the trees he selected were often not of an acceptable quality. This night, he began to work his magic on a tree that was not made of Stonewood. As he worked through the incantation, his fellow Rangers looked up when they heard a mighty 'Craack!' They hurried to the source only to see a mighty oak tree on the ground and Grimbor's feet sticking out. The tree had fallen on top of him, its base completed destroyed by the powerful magic he had wrought upon it. The story, though somewhat grim, is actually considered comical by the Dwarves who are not overly upset over death when it claims one so near the end of his true life span. 'Better to Die on one's feet then on one's back'. Or, 'Better to die out of one's house then out of one's mind’ are sayings particularly representative of Dwarven points of view. Needless to say, pieces of the bark from this tree are pretty rare at this time and are prized by Dwarves as mementos of a stout hearted Dwarf who worked till he dropped. They respect that. A piece of the actual Bark of the Tree That Fell On Grimbor, which happens to be a true story, not an example, will command up to a silver piece if it is a good size (3-5 square inches) and relatively interesting in shape. Ribbon from a Guild potion bottle No value except the knowledge of what it is. The potion bottles used in the magic to cut Stonewood bears these Makers' ribbon as a Seal of Authenticity. Occasionally the ribbons are lost and any smart dwarf who runs across one will grab it so it does not fall into the wrong hands- Any Stonewood dwarf wood instantly recognize it as it is blue and has magical rune writing on it in a distinctive pattern. Stone of clumsiness A Dwarven practical joke. Surprisingly, Dwarves do have a sense of humor and it tends to run to practical jokes. This stone when carried on someone's person, will cause them to be rather clumsy. Dwarves like to see if they can sneak it into another Dwarf's pocket or pouch when they are about to do something that requires some coordination. This takes particular prowess since the one trying to sneak it into the other's possession is going to be affected by the clumsiness while attempting the act. They would never use these when chopping Stonewood or when engaged in anything physically dangerous. But they will not necessarily be considerate and many a prized family goblet or fragile heirloom has been dropped by an unsuspecting Dwarf carrying a stone of clumsiness. Stonewood Dwarves really despise
Orcs. Thus, they have a variety of products that they use to control the local
Orc population that reflect the dislike they have for them. They will also kill
them with no mercy when not in the public eye. Orc repellant Guaranteed to drive away even the most inquisitive Orc. It remains potent for fifteen minutes during which most Orcs will not come within 20 feet of the wearer. Note that an attacking Orc will still attack but will not loot the body or get close to it if it is wearing this. Thus, this is not protection against attacks, but is great for keeping unwanted Orcs from getting close. Orc bait This item attracts Orcs. Its strength is about on par with the smell of chocolate chip cookies baking in the late afternoon when you are very hungry. Stonewood Dwarves are known to hunt Orcs occasionally and will use this bait to attract them in for the kill. They will not speak of this nor admit it to others but it is done. In more public places, it is often used to control local Orcs by getting them to gather in places not frequented by Dwarves. Sometimes it is used to play practical jokes on the Orcs or some hapless individual that appears on a number of Dwarven Grudge lists. Orc nose Yes, Dwarves do keep Orc trophies. Some display them openly but not often. The treaties currently held with the local Orc Tribes with those sent by the Duchy to Guard the Stonewood Dwarves are seen as a necessary evil and most of the Stonewood Dwarves are politically smart enough not to openly insult such Orcs. Orc call This little item mimics the mating call of a female Orc and will bring any able-bodied male Orcs running to it unless they are engaged in battle or currently with a female Family recipes There is a great rivalry among the nine Stonewood families when it comes to personal recipes. It begins with tonics and recipes for improving beard growth and continues on through every possible type of cooking, both healthful concoctions and tonics, to prized tasties and award winning beers. Every Dwarf has at least a few recipes for things they alone have created. These are prized personal treasures and are worth real money (5-50 Silvers) to his or her family. If the recipe is well-known and others have a fondness for it, then it may be worth the same amount to non-family members. The
Dwarf and the Dryad It was the
springtime of dragonkind, the time when mountains were young and the Dwarven
fathers had only recently awakened that this tale begins. Ringold Oakenstone,
son of the mighty King Barinold, rose to power during the dark battles with the
Gorgons over proprietorship of the inner earth. The Dwarves were victorious and
Ringold was one of the mightiest. He excelled in the art of magic and wove
intricate and cunning spells that deceived and ultimately defeated their enemy.
His aging father left the throne of the Dwarven Kingdom in favor of his son who
he deemed would be wise to assume power during this time of recognition and good
will. Death
Bequest of Rakanel Leafdancer Last
updated by: Bartolemy
Barkborer Dice that Paupered Palgor Palgor Leafdancer was one of the
wealthiest and luckiest Dwarves in the Leafdancer clan. He was known for holding
large shares of the Stonewood Woodcutter's Guild, many of which he had won over
a games of dice, a favorite of his people. If the Leafdancer clan has one
weakness, it is gaming and dice as they are the most funloving of all the
Dwarves in Stonewood. And Palgor loved to drink and dance almost as well as he
liked to play dice. You would think this a poor combination but Palgor's luck
was infamous. So much so that over time, no thinking Dwarf would take a wager
against him because the odds were so good that he would lose to Palgor.
Fortunately, Palgor was as generous as he was funloving and shared his good
fortune freely. His parties were infamous and people would talk about them for
months afterwards. One night, at a party that had lasted well into the early
morning of the next day, Palgor accepted a bet from a quiet gentleman in black.
This gentleman had mystified many throughout the evening with his mysterious
manner of speaking and his significant ability to predict the throw of the dice.
Needless to say, Palgor could not stand the attraction of such a challenge to
his luck and asked the man for a wager. The gentleman refused and said it would
not be fair. Perhaps Palgor came to depend too much on his luck rather than his
good sense for this started Palgor arguing and it is said that the arguing went
on for two entire days. Eventually, Palgor prevailed, the gentleman conceded,
the wager was set and the dice were thrown. To the amazement of all, Palgor lost
and the gentleman in black won. To the astonishment of all, Palgor turned over a
signed paper deeding his entire fortune to this stranger and announced that he
was now a pauper. Although Palgor refused to speak of the indicent after that
night, he never seemed particularly disturbed by it. The happy part of this tale
is that Palgor did not change at all but instead, remained, every bit the same
generous, fun loving Dwarf that he had always been. He gave me, his grandson,
the dice to keep as a momento for my death bequest. And because this story has
been told so often among our family, he gave me something new to add to it. On
this death bed, he told me that he had lost the toss on purpose. The real deal
he had made with the gentleman in black was his fortune for the secret of how
the gentleman was able to predict the toss of the dice. Beardlock of Bremmin Ironleaf -
Great, Great, Great Grandsire of Rakanel mother, Crysola Ironleaf. Nephtali's Embraces - A set of
gold earrings with many dangling emeralds made by Queen Nephtali Nirealis's
craftsman by Royal commission for the Leafdancer family. These earrings
contained two life spells each and thus were a gift of practical beauty. They
were given to Leanora Leafdancer, Elven wife of Lingold III, in the year 223 to
help guard over his safety as he went about his duties as scout and merchant for
the Woodcutter's guild. Only one life spell remains between them. One would have
to speak with the Leafdancer family to learn how these life spells were
expended. Wear these and remember Leanora and Rakanel Leafdancer Stone of Clumsiness - Rakanel's
own variety of this particular Dwarven practical joke. He had it enchanted with
an actual disarm spell. He said this was to disarm his enemy as he was knocking
him down with the rock. Rod Of Lightening - Dwarves love
magic wands and have always been particular about collecting various types. This
particular wand dates back to the last festival held by King Ringold Oakenstone
before he destroyed his Lodestone Mountain Kingdom and created the Stonewood
forest. It has been enchanted many times over the intervening centuries. Rakanel
particularly loved electical magics and recently had it enchanted with a
Lightening Storm. Twin Stones of Beard Growing -
Rakenal Leafdancer's father, Fingold, swore that these particular stones, in
tandem, were more potent than any other beard growing stone he had used. Given
the very fine beard that Fingold grew, the dwarven community was deeply
disappointed when he left them to Rakanel rather than putting them in his Death
Bequest. Always the diplomat, Rakanel made sure that they were included as part
of his own Death Bequest. Please take time to remember by Fingold and Rakanel
Leafdancer when you use these stones. Nephtali's Tears - When King
Ringold Oakenstone finally passed on from the Plane of Tyrra, his immortal
Queen, Nephtali Nirealis, wept for him. Those watching saw that her tears, as
they rolled down her cheeks, hardened and fell to the earth as tiny pearls. When
she had expended her grief and left his chambers, the servants collected these
precious pearls and placed them in a box which they gave to the Queen. She
declared that the tears she shed for Ringold were the tears of all his people
mourning the passing of their King and cousin and ordered them divided among the
Clans of Shandolar. So these pearls came to be in the Leafdancer clan and part
of the Death Bequest of Rakanel Leafdancer. BattleBell - This is the Bell
which Rakanel rang in the battles with the United Nations of the Bloody Fist in
592. These Orcan wars decimated the population of Stonewood Dwarves and was the
reason the Elysian Duke was petitioned to send protection to the region. Up
until this time, the town of Stonewood was populated almost exclusively by
Dwarves, elves and Dryads. Orctooth - Rakanel's first Orc,
which, for diplomatic purposes, we will not elaborate upon. Dwarven bonding bracelets - It is
said that these bracelets, crafted from ores mined from the grounds beneath the
Stonewood trees, have an almost sentient affinity. A pair of them are always
crafted from the same vein and are not intended to be separated. If two people
wear one of such a pair, it is believed that they will feel this affinity also
and be more aware of one another. Rakanel never married because the Dwarven
woman of the Treedancer clan with whom his family had arranged a union was slain
by wolves in the Shimmerglen forest. It is rumored, however, that a certain
Dryad wore his bonding bracelet for 225 years. Tokens of Admiration - Given to
Rakanel Leafdancer by Lavella Amberwood. This is particularly valuable because
the line of this clan has failed. Rakanel asks that Lavella Amberwood be
remembered with this token. Toasting cups and Bottle of
Cordial from the wedding of Angelica Treelock and Erin Leafdancer. The cups are
small because the liquor used for these toasts is distilled from the sap of a
living Stonewood trees. This union, in Evandarr year 13, produced most of the
current line of the Leafdancer clan. It should be taken in memory of Angelica
and Erin Leafdancer. The Cordial is officially named "Crystalina" but
is rightly nicknamed "liquid enchantment". Those who drink it claim to
see visions of the ancient forest Kingdom of Shandolar. This is the name given
to the Kingdom ruled by King Ringold Oakenstone and Queen Nephtali Nirealis at
the height of their power and is still the name used by the Stonewood Dwarves
when they refer to the lands ruled by Queen Nephtali. Dwarven Dreamstone of Rakanel
Leafdancer. This is not for auction. It is to be given to the Dryad, Aurora
Illeandra. She will know what this means. Doll in the likeness of Oriana
Nephiri Oakenstone - first born daughter of King Ringold Oakenstone and Queen
Nephtali Nirealis. The female Dwarves of their line tend to be in her likeness -
small, with only a thin lock of beard growth low on the chin. This doll belonged
to Rakanel's sister, Raniera, who died very young. Rakanel would like Raniera
Leafdancer to be remembered with this doll. Heart Of Fire Necklace from the
Lodestone Forge - Rakanel mined and finished this necklace himself. The Heart Of
Fire is a rare jewel that is a milky white in its natural state. In this state
it is very difficult to distinguish from many other very common minerals and
ores found underground. However, this particular substance changes to a fiery
red when exposed to intense heat. Only pure Heart Of Fire has this property and
it takes a great deal of patience and time to locate and forge it to gem
quality. This is worth many gold.
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Please contact the head of Research, Eric
Augustson, with any comments or corrections.
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