*The small leather bound book is kept with adamantis and looks to be weathered and aged generously*

ENTRY #1:

Days seem like minutes since the aberrant horde began siege upon my clanhome of Bazzaran-Loktor. It has been nearly 3 wakes and the illithiad with thier umber pets show no sign of relinquishing the attack. Without further supplies i fear the enevitable of us retreating to the human city of eartheart. Moradin have mercy upon us.

ENTRY #2:

The outer defences were breeched this day. The mighty statues of my ancestors lay broken and pounded to dust. My oldest brother Hargiss left with the battleragers to attempt a final assualt upon the umbers, none have returned. My father lay's in bed now a broken man at the thought of his oldest son gone. All sense of reality is gone in his eyes. I have never seen my father so vulnerable.

Entry #3:

All i can hear now is the mourning of women over thier sons, and the screams from those outside the confines still batteling. I hear whispers and rumors of familys killing thier children in the hopes they donot become enslaved by the illithiad. The elders have decided our fate by refusing to retreat from the once great stronghold of my fathers fathers. Arrogance, and self pride will be our undoing. Tommorrow i will take up my grandfathers axe and do my duty. I will die on my feet, and not remain in life a mindless slave.

Entry #4:

The woman and children have fled to the tunnels. Nothing lays left but the the elderly men and the young warriors. We wait at the gate weapons in hand, nothing can be heard now but the pounding of the umberhulks against the walls and gate near the courtyard. Centuries of work and toil gone in days. My brothers are gone, and father has not spoken since the beginning assualt. Moradin guide my axe.

ENTRY #5:

It seemed a long nightmare as i woke from my enthrullment. The ripe smell of urine and vomit lingured the air. I staggered from my waking slumber only to hear battle and the screams from others that also have awoken from the same mind domination. I swayed from the cave still thinking i was across the great rift and still among the delven only to find humans, elves, even the deep gnomes running and screaming as the horde of undead ripped thru the illithiad city. A man with a skeletol arm leading the assualt and crushing the many umbers and psionic hounds that were scrambeling for safety. I grabbed a small human child and ran for the main gate now laying battered and broken open. Moradin guide me.

Entry #6:

It has been a long time since i heard any noises at all. Voices and conversation i have not heard in a long time. It takes all that i can to keep the human child quiet as we stummble thru the underdark looking for any shelter possible. He often plays with my beard, perhaps his father had one aswell.

ENTRY #7:

Came across a fort. I watched it from afar and seen hardly no activity at all. I made my way near to it only to hear the sounds of cracking whips and screams from those inside. Severed heads of shield dwarves and gold alike adourn the walls. My suspicions were made clear as i saw a dueregar emerge from urinating on patrol and go back inside. I will move on and never forget what i have saw here.

ENTRY #8:

I was ambushed by a giant spider. With only a club and protecting a young child i barely defeated the beast. It's venom lay inside my body i am so weak from it. Crippled, i layed upon a rock without the energy to press on. My eyes looking upon the child as he watched me, wondering in his eyes, why i was not getting up. I felt the a warm breeze, and saw a small light come from a crevise in the cavern wall. As i moved my gaze to it my left arm went numb from the poison. A quiet voice from a female dwarf entered my head. " rise hammer adamantis" the voice said to me. "rise and gather your wits child of moradin, for your life and journey is not over yet". I scrammbled to my feet, wrapped the child in rags and entered the crevise.

ENTRY #9:

After entering the crevise i see how well it blended to the sorroundings. The moss and underdark plant life has kept it secretly concealed. I stummbled and dragged along to find a walled city on the other side. As i walked past a small camp of kobolds near it, they seemed rather unconcerned of me but licked thier lips as they seen the child. The one known as bunge told them to get back to work, and motioned me to get going. I collapsed at the gate, the last thing i remember hearing was the babe crying and the huge gate before me opening.

ENTRY #10:

I woke up to a watchman standing over me with folded arms as another man searched my head." he is clean of implants" the cloaked man said as he stood up. I was given a antidote for the poison and sent out of the watchhouse with nothing but the rags on my back. I wonder what became of the child. I sat upon the bridge and marveled at the huge city before me obviously built by gnome hands. Humans,elves,gnomes, and even my own kin moving about the place unaware of the enourmous threats that lurk beyond the security of the hidden city. It appears they have forged a goverment here and are living day to day within the walls satisfied with what life has delt them. I pray to moradin that i do not gain this complacency.

ENTRY #11:

I have managed to scrape up a few coins to buy some armor from odd jobs about this town. I worked with a young dwarf in the lower city. We helped a man in the crone by freeing the brewery that had been taken hostage by hobgoblins. Afterwards the young lad told me to see the good dwarven clan in the canal ward. I mustered enough pride to polish my armor, and braid my beard proper and set off to go there. I entered the hall and all was quiet. It was than that i heard the same voice that lead me to the light and opening to safety after i was almost dead and given up. "can i help you lad"? i jumped starteled and seen a dwarven woman aged some with greying hair looking at me. She wore robes adourn with silver and gold and smiled at me with a genuine smile. " I am feanor breena whatchever of the Mithrilsoul clan" My head was light, and i shook it slightly to gather my wits. We spoke for a great while and for once in a long time i felt like my old self. After she had given me a meal and water i gave my thanks and set back out to the beacon. I never told her about hearing her voice that saved me, but i almost sense that she already knew.

ENTRY #12:

My mind stirs with the echoes of things past. My dreams are plagued with visions almost like a dream within a dream. I have never been blessed with a vision before, if that indeed is what it was. I stood before the dueregar fort, my beard thick with grey hair. All around me the spirits of those killed rose and gathered before me shieldkin, and gold dwarf alike. Behind me a armada of delven gathered, preparing for war. The bagpipes from warchanters fill the air. Warcrys and taunts are thrown at the gates as whetstones clank against axes. None of the faces i recognize. I awoke from the dream thick in sweat and gasping for air. It is clear to me now what moradin wants from me. The all father demands vengance and justice delivered to those that have slaughtered his children with no mercy. The grey fort must be exterminated, and the spirits there put to rest.

ENTRY #13

I have been working side by side with the mordiansmen from the canal ward. It has been some time since i have felt the comradery and self pride from being amongst my own. Is it ment for me to be here for my remaining cycles?. This city is ripe with history and many new tales are told daily. Perhaps it is ment to be so.

I ventured past the walls for the first time in a while last dark. Me and a large sum of others assualted the orog fortress known as khun. After the fierce battle i took the time to somewhat admire the forge and many workings of iron. Afterwards we returned to dunender hall and discussed many things and shared the spoils from the raid. So many dwarven walk the streets i try and help as many as i can every dark.

There is so many that have forgotten thier heritage and the teachings of the old ways. Slavery has taken it's toll on many a good men and women. After hearing rumors and tales of the current watch and the tyrannical spellguard, i can almost see that many of us here are still in the chains of slavery. Yes law and order must be upheld, but at what cost?. These are the thoughts that plague my moral fiber.

ENTRY #14

So it has come to pass that i relinquish the clasp of my old clan, and chose another. The new clasp adourned in gold and mithril, i fastened it to my beard as my peers watched on in approval. The wise runecaster artinz of the clan has passed into the great hall. His beard will be braided with the three clasps of old. one of the mother, one of the father, and one of his clan.

May he sit aside moradin and berronar and await the chance to battle once more. I have given my life bond to my new family, i have never done so before being born into my old clan. I slept well this eve for the first time in many. Perhaps moradin is pleased in my decision. My conditioning and training is underway for the tasks that lay before me. There is only honor in a good death, worthy of my ancestors before me.

ENTRY #15:

I awoke to the sound of cargo being loaded and unloaded outside the clan hall. The canal ward seems to be prospering despite the current rumors of a killer being on the loose and watchmen taking bribes while shaking down small buisness's.

I gathered my things and traveled uptop to the main part of the city. Goigan and Vigilon was talking to a wildwalker by the name of coravain near the townhall. I have never seen one so adept and attuned to nature as the druid. As we walked and talked with him outside of the gates, the nearby vegitation seemed to turn and follow him as he walked past, almost watching him and waiting for him to give them purpose other than rothe consumption.

He spoke greatly of this "balance" and how it must be maintained. I know little of such matters. We traveled some near the lowroad and came upon a gnome there seeking aid in exterminating a group of trolls that have nested in a nearby cave. The ancient noror fell upon crushing blows of our axes as we fought side by side. It was a honorable battle. After we returned to the gnome, and recieved payment i turned to coravain to give him his share. I was startled as i turned to see a great panther cat almost smile to me and than scamper off. This druid might prove a powerful allie, for he can go places i cannot.

ENTRY #16

I have been to places which some would scarcely believe, for it sounds much like a fairytale book or horrible nightmare. Me and our clan barakalagh stummbled across a steam shaft while traveling the underground network of sewers, and we explored it.

The shaft lead to a vast catacomb, or crypt not been touched in what seemed to me a century. As we gazed about in awe at the ageless gryphs and stonework the constant sound of flapping and chanting could be heard. I lifted my torch only in time to notice seemingly a dozen flying lyncanthropes mobilizing to attack. The fierce battle was heavy and the negative energy cast by them was immense. I later read a text at the library claiming these are the winged "chosen" of this dunwarren past. What a horrible affliction upon those that once roamed this great city.

I can hardly attempt to understand the many functions of this machine or the effects of it in our day to day lives, However one thing is for certain. Even those not trained in the arts of the arcane can almost sense it's enormous power.

ENTRY #17

So many questions, and no answers. How often i find myself thinking more like my father each passing day. The neccessary segragation of our people from other races, the continued values of hard work, and the allowed time for self reflectment and prayer. I often speak of these while others claim them to be spouts of arrogance and self proclaimed nobility. Being the son of a pious man, nothing could be further from the truth.

I often wonder if my mother was truley happy with my father. She seldom spoke of him but insisted on the broad teachings of respect and honor for the efforts he made toward the clan. He was a stern man, but he had alot of love for his family and his faith. I can't help but think i was at some way a dissapointment to him by taking up a kuldar instead of a hammer and not joining him in the mines. I hope one day the son of gorin is able to return to his now broken clanhome and pay respects to those that guided his faith.

Entry #18

It has been some time since i have written. The time escapes me now for the many taskings we have set upon. The unseelie have stirred restlessly and engaged our kulds. The nyr doch has been declared and actions set into motion. I can almost since the pride of a father as we watch our clan grow in strength and power. Where there was once but a few has grown into numerous driven and guided by the prayers of the righteous from the all father. Soon perhaps the father will deem us worthy of our actions and set upon us the ultimate tasking he has in store for us. I keep remembering the old story my grandfather told me a century ago of the lost city of Kroesus, and the high king Borin. None other in all of my clan lore was so born to divine right of the earth and stone upon which he walked. I wonder why i cannot keep the tale from my mind. Perhaps there is a lesson to be learned from it.