Feast of the Moon, Uktar, 1373 DR

Honourable Dwarves,

I have recently been made aware that you are currently locked in a battle with lycanthropes almost every day. I request any information you've gathered on these were-rats to be forwarded to my companions and I at the Last Stand Inn.

Edwin Highrose,

Loremaster Pharnos Korvath been doing research regarding them rat bastards, i´ll forward yer request ta him.

Dain the younger of the Mithrilplated, Son of Dorn, Blood of Godrimm, Hammer of the Mother, Champion and Thane of Clan Stoutheart.

Edwin Highrose Church of the Lord Firemane

The information Clan Stoutheart along with other individuals have collected has been a process of cooperation and trust. For you to the request the information from us, I ask you to share yours in turn. The work has been hard, though it has payed, and I have to thank all who has participated in it. This is not something to just give away to anyone. Let us meet some dark, and discuss this topic. I hope I do not sound like some oversuspicious old stubborn dwarf, but I cannot just send this information to anyone who requests such, although I believe you mean well. If you can do anything to help us with these rats, it would be much appreciated.

At the soonest opportunity, I will go up from Barak-Tor to meet you. Until then, may Dugmaren grant you knowledge of the hidden things, as he has helped me and my fellows.

Pharnos Korvath Loremaster and Elder Clan Stoutheart

Edwin Highrose

In this letter, you will find close to everything I and the others have gathered about the chosen. Hope you like reading, and if you have some thoughts about this or any other information, please send a letter back. I believe that in learning about the chosen, can we prepare to fight them.

Much of my theory about the chosen is based upon the book The True Path to Happiness, by a machinist. The book was found within the Machine, some lower part of Sanctuary, by councilor candidate Lynette. If you see her around, and this information is of value to you, please say a thanks.

The True Path to Happiness by Machinist Poirdon Lumn

Fellow folk, my brethren... have you ever felt alone? Isolated? Watching from the sidelines as our fast-moving magical society passes you by? Have you wondered if you would ever have an impact on your world, or achieve peace with those around you?

Wonder no longer. I have discovered the path to happiness in our modern world, and have returned to spread the good word. Listen, read, and open your mind to the supernumerary possibilities that awaits.

To embark upon the true path to happiness, you cannot sequester yourself away amongst gear and tome. We have grown isular, timid, shy beyond the imagination of our forefathers. The path to happiness is to know one's fellows! Take up the mole-skull, the razor claws, and wear them with pride, not with shame. Smash the contraptions that have drawn us apart with boldness and righteous fury, not ambivalance or timidity born of shameful calculation. Dig dirt burrows in the primal soil, and bath in the bones and blood of those who oppose us; only then can we achieve peace with our world.

Crush and dash to pieces the automata that have consumed our lives! They do naught but enslave us to gears and widgets. Take up the mole-skull: wear the jagged mask not to hide, but to reveal your true face. Exult in the dance of praise to the White Mole, dance with your brothers and your sisters, your fellow faithful, and know them. Revel in his burrows, and reject the hollow halls of iron tombs. Join and be one with the land, and the flesh and the blood of the faithless, and the frenzy of the enlightened. Praise Urdlen, and know enlightenment.

This is the True Path to Happiness.

By using the information contained within this book, I made a theory about the chosen.

The Chosen theory fallen gnomes

Before Sanctuary was founded as Sanctuary, the svirfneblin lived here, building what we now know as the machine. It was a society of highly effective magic and animation. However, a few gnomes did not have the gift of creation, as the others. Getting behind everyone else, they became frustrated and felt left behind by their kin. Then, the machinist know as Poirdon Lumn somehow got in touch with the gnome deity Urdlen. Either by Urdlen, or his own imagination, Poirdon felt a call to break down the automata created around him. It was the cause of all their trouble, trapping those unable to progress in time with the society. Poirdon then wrote the book called “The True Path to Happiness”, and gathered like minded gnomes to join his cause. These gnomes then started to ravage wildly, destroying automata as they portrayed their savage fury.

I believe the other Svirfneblin was aware of this group, and stopped a few, if they didn’t feel pity on them and just waited for their rage to end. Whatever happened, I believe that the Urdlenites at some point found the Great Appetite, perhaps a masked Deity or their name for Urdlen. Created in his view, they became the Chosen. With their new found power, they soon drew more into their ranks as Chosen, and continued their ravaging with renewed strength. At some point, they even started to attack the Svirfneblin, who were once their kin.

Here I see two paths. One where the Chosen are successful at slaying all the Svirfneblin and one where the Svirfneblin leave, unable to kill their former brothers and sisters. Arcanists of the Chosen then began to animate the killed gnomes, creating an army of undead. There should not be a lack of corpses, since the deep gnomes had been there for a long time. Surviving in the machine and the sewers, they thrived and more Chosen were made.

As you have read, this has been much based upon the book from Lynette. I putted some of my own thoughts into it, and by that created this theory.

I had great help from the rest of the clan, when I made this theory. It would seem like wild guessing to you, and perhaps it is mostly, but I have been surprised to learn that some of it might very well be true. The chosen are known to pray to some divine being called the Great Appetite. I believe this being to be Urdlen, a gnomish deity, and I base that upon the book, the similar behavior and an article in a book I found, where there was a mention of mole headed statues linked with the chosen. Also, I believe the chosen to once have been gnomes, since they have been here from when the Bresley's founded Sanctuary.

It seems likely that the chosen have blocked out an ancient enemy of theirs, great bark skinned umber hulk-like creatures, in the area near our home. The chosen have also been seen to lead the Undead gnomes of this area, commanding them.

There are several things that all this does not explain, such as the flying chosen and if the chosen has got divine guidance. That is why I asked you to keep an eye out for any divine spell casting. Should you find out anything more about them, please send a letter back with information. I hope this helps your fights against the chosen, and should the dark come when we will move for the chosen near our home, if the clan ask it, I hope to have you with us.

Again, I hope this has been of use.

Pharnos Korvath Loremaster and Elder Clan Stoutheart