Return of the Skarrenawi, a Warhammer Fantasy hill dwarf clan.

The Karaz Ankor has been in slow but steady decline for centuries, as the Silver Age that followed the rise of the Empire has come to an end. The High King is attempting to force the Karaz Ankor back together, but is facing stiff opposition in the form of ancient Dawi politics, and the disconnected nature of the holds.

But throughout the dwarf realms, there are those who do not have the right or privilege to dwell in the depths of their holds. And who must instead live upon the surface or at least perform their labours there. Those that live too close to the humans are called 'Manling
Dwarfs' (Umgdawi), while those living within the Karaz Ankor still are called 'Flatlanders' (Gazani).

These surface-dwelling dwarves are often clans that have fallen on bad times, or families without clans to call their own. Clanless exiles forming communities in the mountains and scratching out a living in service of the Karaks, until they get the right to move back into the Mountains.

However, some dwarves have adopted the Ranger lifestyle, and are able to thrive and prosper much to the disbelief and concern of their hold-dwelling kin that believes too much sunlight is bad for a dwarf.

One of those clans has emerged from the shadows of history after spending centuries within the World's Edge Mountains. They seek to begin life anew in The Vaults, a smaller mountain range where many smaller clans have gone to fade away.

KHAZUKAN KAZAKIT HA

---
Welcome to Return of the Skarrenawi. A quest about the oft-forgotten and easily overlooked Rangers and hill dwarves of the Karaz Ankor.

Thinking like a Dawi, not like Umgi while we do this quest, and you will be rewarded. The guilds are powerful, and the Longbeards are always ready to grumble.

The quest will primarily be about storytelling and character development, with any research or building elements being there to add to this. The quest will be one that focuses upon building up from nothing.

You are a single clan, which means that you are a very closely-knit community when it comes to how you work together. Unlike most dwarf clans, your clan is not an officially recognized one in the annals of the Karaz Ankor. Being seen as a large mass of clanless exile dwarfs, and looked down upon and even belittled for it.

However, this means that you can recruit from any dwarf that is willing to settle amongst your people.

This quest uses the CK2 system popularized by the many empire builders on this website.

Diplomacy - By oath and word was the Karaz Ankor made great.
Military/Martial - The power of Az and Shield were used to carve out the greatest empire the world has ever seen. This is your knowledge of military matters and such. It is not your close combat stat. Read further for that.
Stewardship - How good you are with your Gold. This attribute is used when rolling for actions that involve finance.
Learning - The knowledge of the Karaz Ankor is beyond priceless. And as a Thane, you got a valuable education.
Intrigue - A most un-Dawi skill, but one which is acceptable when used against the enemies of the Dwarfs.
Combat Prowess - This skill starts at the same level as your Martial, but will change depending upon your skills. The skill represents your basic competency in fighting in combat. Do note that this doesn't take equipment into accounts

In regards to stats:
8's are normal for humans.
10 is normal for Dwarfs.
15 is great
20 is exceptional.
21 and above is legendary.

Each turn, you will be able to do four Thane Actions. These actions use -your- dominant stat.

You can acquire and lose advisors over the course of the story. Advisors can open up additional Thane Actions. They will also add their stat to the -lowest- roll of their dominant stat. This represents your advisors working to salvage things.

Advisors can also allow for special Advisor Actions. These will be little quest chains where you have to choose between possible options, at the end of which the advisor dissapears/starts giving thane actions.

If a roll failed in the first throw, and your advisor pushed it over the edge to success, it will mean they salvaged the project. You will get a temporary malus of one form or another related to the action. Think of needing to pay restitution for a small grudge, apologize, or just getting a small diplomatic penalty.


Your Clan's Throng consists of the adult males of your hold that have put down their tools and picked up weapons to defend the hold. If you call up the throng, then you will lose all sources of income dependent on these Dwarfs. Besides the Throng, you will have other groups of Dwarfs that are permanently ready to be deployed, but these require special actions to replenish.

Ranking of infantry abilities goes Horrible - Bad - Decent - Good - Great- Excellent - Extreme

You are Dawi. You will uphold your oaths, settle your grudges, and bring death and ruin upon the forces of destruction. You will have to balance your relationships with the surrounding nations, the other Holds, and the institutions that make up the Hold.

---

Hello everyone! I am in a great mood IRL and been struck with a massive inspiration to do a dwarf quest using all the knowlede and experience I have earned from my other quests. I have learned a lot, and I think I can make this a great experience for everyone involved!

Please do not post replies until I have reserved the next five posts!

If you want to talk, come join us in Join the PoptartProdigy Discord Discord Server!



and ask after my channel!

The Thane and his Clan.


You are Thane Bokri Starbolt, the new thane of Clan Rakidum. Recently elevated to leadership of your clan due to the disappearance of your father.

Description:
You are a Beardling with light brown hair, tanned skin, healthy features, striking green eyes, and a crown as expensive and priceless as entire Holds sitting upon his brow. Routinely seen wearing brown leather, dulled chainmail, and a green cloak with camouflage colours.
Age: 50
Diplomacy - 11 + 2 = 13
Martial - 11
Stewardship - 13 + 2 = 15
Intrigue - 13 + 1 + 1 = 15
Learning - 13
Combat Prowess - 12

Traits:
We are all Dawi
Bokri is a diplomatic and pragmatic Thane. He tries to encourage cooperation and unity among his people in the face of a hostile world. Outside threats are a good source of unity.
+2 Diplomacy.
+1 Intrigue.

We can settle that later:
Bokri learns that a good way to move past an existing Grudge, is to focus Dawi upon a bigger concern whose resolution warrants a Grudge being set aside temporarily. And if this results in Grudges being settled due to bonds forged, all the better.
+ 2 Stewardship.
+ 1 Intrigue.


Equipment:
A venerable mason's hammer:
A stone hammer with faded symbols from Karak Brynduraz worked into it. Probably older than the empire, but still reliable. The haft has been replaced many times, but the head has not even been chipped.

A buckler:
A small metal buckler for aggressive usage in combat.

A rifle:
Just over a hundred years old and still a near flawless weapon. You reckon yourself a good shot, and you're able to shoot birds from flight with a rifle. Although doing so would waste both shot and power, and the small birds. Bokri keeps a rifle as a ranged weapon

A crossbow:
Bokri has a crossbow for if he needs it.



+1 Shame: Insufficient Gravitas while appearing at the High King's Court.
+1 Shame: You were publicly looked down upon for your wealth as a Thane.
+2 Shame: Public humiliation.

You have 4 Shame.

Bokri's Pride:
+10 Pride: You are a Thane of an old Clan. Your people are proud and strong. You truly care about leading them right.
+2 Pride: You represented your clan in the face of mockery and were recognized for it.
+2 Pride: You swore an oath in the name of your ancestors and your clan.
+1 Pride: You refused money from the Prince that insulted you.
+ 1 Pride: You declared your first grudge against the Copperbreaker Clan.

You have 16 pride.



Selgra Straightbrow:
Personal life ward. Commander of the Thanesguard.
With her cropped wound-up hair, silver necklaces and rings, and tough worn armor, Selgra strikes a very imposing figure for a Kvinn. Following the death of her father on one of -your- father's many expeditions, Sellgra took over her father's wagon to provide for her sister and four beardling brothers. Gathering a band of other Dawi from the clan, they took their wagons and found a moderate amount of wealth in travelling alongside human caravans. She has travelled the length of the Silk Road to Cathay once, returning wealthy enough to pay bride prices from her brothers, before she chose to settle down in the Thane's Village. She has refused several prominent marriage offers that would have seen her need to depart the clan, choosing family over marriage to an Everpeak noble. Instead she became your personal lifeward, with her siblings forming your personal guard.

Diplomacy - 11
Martial - 15
Stewardship - 12
Intrigue - 11
Learning - 10
Combat Prowess - 16

Advisor traits:
Does not provide additional actions.
Will attempt to salvage Martial actions.


Vellna Braksdottir:
Speaker of the Council of Elders, Vellna Braksdottir is a wise and withered Longplait that has given birth to twenty sons and seven daughters. At the venerable age of three hundred and eighty one, she is close to becoming the first Living Ancestor of your clan in a thousand years. Her role is to speak on behalf of the families of the clans, and work with them to manage the clan's larders and storehouses. On top of this, she managed the clan's barley fields and brews the clan's beer alongside her daughters and granddaughters. When work needs doing or supplies gathered, it is through her that orders pass through the Council of Elders to those who need to hear them.

Diplomacy - 6
Martial - 4
Stewardship - 16
Intrigue - 6
Learning - 9
Combat Prowess - 18

Advisor traits:
Does not provide additional actions.
Will attempt to salvage Stewardship actions.


Ansgar Thunderchortle
A deadeye marksdwarf, Ansgar leads the closest thing to trained warriors your clan has at the moment. His band of twenty Rangers. The Dawi excels in subterfuge, diplomacy and hunting. A resourceful, adaptable, charismatic and genuinely affable dwarf. He loves a good meal and a brawl. But when the time comes for conflict, he will stack bodies like cordwood and not show a hint of regret.

He sometimes plays up his genial persona and intentionally takes advantage (mostly of humans) of the fallacy that simple and friendly means stupid. More than one Imperial has learned this, to their regret.

Diplomacy - 11
Martial - 12
Stewardship - 4
Intrigue - 19
Learning - 6
Combat Prowess - 13

Advisor traits:
Does not provide additional actions.
Will attempt to salvage Intrigue actions.

---

Within the clan there are those who do not advice the Thane, but still provide important roles in the running of the clan.
Clan Herald:
Almok Silversinger. A well-spoken singer and lyre player. He will be the one you send out to deliver diplomatic messages.

Doorkeeper:
This position is empty due to your father's expedition.

Master of the Kennels:
This position is empty due to your father's expedition.

Keeper of the Treasures:
This position is empty due to your father's expedition.

Loremaster:
This position is empty due to your father's expedition.

Chief Prospector:
Responsible for searching for minerals and keeping accurate track of mineral wealth in and around the Clan.
Old Argonak Ironbeard: A grumpy old prospector with his two daughters as apprentices, and twelve grandchildren as assistants.

Militia Captain:
Leader of the clan's defenders in times of peace. Manages the steady flow of petty skirmishes and conflicts that are part of everyday life.
Magrak Keenaxe: A longbeard whose hair is still black and has spent a lifetime working the mines. As skilled with a mattoch in crushing rock as he is in crushing goblin skulls.
Will become the deep warden if you develop mines deep enough to warrant a permanent guard.

Red wine and Brandy vintner:
Keeps the clan afloat in Brandy.
Urma Brandottir:
A brown-haired Longplait that leads the Brandottir family. Keeper of her family's brandy recipes. She is usually seen with a smoking pipe in hand, and some form of documentation with her. She has dreams of expanding her family's vineyards and selling her brandy and red wine far and wide. Her financial acumen and perceived irreverence for scarcity, clashes with Okri's traditionalism.

White wine and Cognac vintner:
Keeps the clan afloat in Cognac.
Provides Cognac
Okri Cognasonn is a Longbeard that leads the Brandottir family. Keeper of his family's Cognac recipes. He developed the process to produce the liquid, and is notoriously stiff-necked and hyperfixated on producing only the finest white wine and cognac. His artisanal brewing and lack of interest in bulk-selling clashes with Urma's mercantilism.

Personal mouser:
Snowmane, A pale white cat discovered in the clan's old iron mine, covered in Skaven blood but unharmed. Adopted and trained to keep your rooms clear of vermin.

Personal hound:
Arngrim, a large mastiff trained to guard you. Selected after the single-pawed killing of three goblins sneaking into a goat enclosure. Stoic and well-behaved.

Redbeak:
Your personal falcon. You like to take him out hunting and keep him on a perch close to your throne.

---

307 Dawi join the exodus from the Thane's village.
278 Dawi from the Herding families join.
174 Dawi from smaller settlements arrive on time.

In total, 759 Dawi depart the World's Edge Mountains.


Bugman and Wife:
Zamnil Bugman and his wife Freya Dragonback, have dreams to start a prosperous brewing business in the Empire. They have a decent amount of starting capital acquired from their clan, and are interested in putting their brewery close to the Söll river.

There are several traits blatant about your Clan that affects the way outsiders interact with you.

Caravan guards for hire.
Your clan has experience in hiring out its rangers as mercenaries and caravan guards. Every other turn you can send out a band of Rangers to guard a Caravan, while you will also naturally provide escort services for traders passing through your lands.

Working for humans.
The established clans look down on you for working predominantly for human traders. You are barely seen as better than the Umgdawi(Imperial Dwarfs) that live in the Empire. Oftentimes you must exchange your earnings for Dawi coinage, often at crooked exchange rates.

Love of music and song:
Your clan loves singing songs not of battle, but of labour and prosperity. Harps and violins are used to play quintessentially Dawi music.
Your celebrations and feasts are not very popular among Dawi outside your clan, who complain that they are often too quiet.

Universally tanned:
Your Dawi all have a very tanned and sun-touched complexion that you see no issue in bearing around. To most Dawi, you look downright deranged.
Your clan are seen as potentially deranged by most Dawi.

Appreciators of trees:
Unlike most dwarfs, who think of wood as merely kindling for forges when coal isn't available, your clan likes trees. Cozy log cabins are popular among your clan, and meanwhile trees are a popular motif and design inspiration for your underground carvings.
Your clan are seen as definitely deranged by most Dawi. Although your sculpting and carving skills are impressive.

Builders of Wagons:
While travelling abroad, your clan utilizes large wagons with plenty of storage space, which are also equipped with an abundance of firing ports. More than one goblin wolf rider horde has broken upon a laager of your wagons. These wagons are pony or even horse-drawn, oftentimes functioning as homes for travelling Dawi.

Contempt of The Empire:
All Dawi lament the state of the Empire of Man. Sigmar's people have declined from greatness and seemingly forgot all but the most warlike lessons that the Dawi tried to teach them. They destroy their own realm and dance among the ruins.
Your Dawi are near-universally extremely pessimistic and suspicious of humans. Trust needs to be proven in an age where man slays man.
The Clan's opinion of the Empire is currently:
-100

Sigmar's Empire is dead.
The clan does not recognize any human ruler as the true successor of Sigmar's Empire, and (for now) no humans as worthy of the patronage they are supposed to grant the people of said Empire.

The economy of a Dawi Hold is complicated, and consists of many overlapping and cooperating components. The internal economy of a dwarf hold is best compared to a well regulated market economy, with families and guilds competing and cooperating inside the hold.

The economy is competitive, but with a very firm social safety net in the form of guaranteed employment for each Dwarf, and the right to a basic standard of living. All Dawi are entitled to clothing, a mug of ale each day, and a safe space to sleep.

The economic system of a single clan like yours is mostly self-sustaining with only a little being siphoned off by the Thane due to the practical nature of most dwarf's labours, and the fact each family seeks to be mostly self-sufficient and perform a great deal of barter.

Resources and materials: are the resources and materials gathered within your clan. This includes livestock and hunting.

Finished Goods: Are the finished goods produced within your clan.

This represents the material wealth and prosperity of your clan and what they have available to them.


No clan can be entirely self-sufficient. Trade is the lifeblood of civilizations, and for trade you require wealth. Wealth is also a symbol of status and renown. So spending your entire treasury at a time is frowned upon. One should always have some form of wealth to enjoy looking upon.

As a Thane, growing the treasury comes primarily from the following sources.
-Precious Metals and gemstones
These are valuable goods produced by your clan. Think Gold Bars, Gemstones, Jewellery.

- Trade Deals.
Setting up trade deals with nations or even rich individuals beyond your Karak, allows you to trade directly. The wealth produced is abstracted from the process of you buying your goods from clan members/taking them as tax, and then selling them.
- Tithes.
Be it an outpost from another Clan, a human merchant colony, or representatives of a Guild, anyone who operated within a dwarf ruler's territory is required to pay taxes to the lord of the land.

This system is inspired by the descriptions of how a dwarf lord's wealth is dependent upon their supply of precious metals, even if the people within the hold are prosperous.

---

Clan Farmlands:
The clan maintains large stretches of prosperous farmland where grains cultivated by only a handful of Dawi clans are still grown.

-Brightstone Food Cellars and Silos.
Food is something your Dawi put a great deal of appreciation into. Importing just regular human grain and foodstuffs and shoving them into storage areas is not something your Dawi appreciate. You maintain methods of cooking and cuisine that have nearly gone extinct elsewhere in the Karaz Ankor. Complex flour mixtures that include acorns and nuts. Jams and pastes. Meat preparation beyond just salting. Your Dawi love food, and they're not the type to let Umgi provide the ingredients.

-Dawi food cellars and silos:
With the same fastidiousness with which they perform all their crafts, the Dawi of your clan sort, track, and catalogue food input and output. A base amount of food surplus is kept in storage, with the excess sold to the humans. Mostly that which will spoil within a year.



Animal herds:
With a very strong tradition of animal handling and ranching, your clan has built up several populations of animals, which are of great value to you.

-Auroch herd:
Unlike the cattle of the empire, these Auroch are able to drive off disorganized hunting by goblins, and outrun orc warbands. While not a source of milk, their meat is a delicacy, their horns are prized, and their hides give your leatherworkers a lot of work.

-Goat Herd:
Large ornery and supremely grumpy goats known for kicking goblins to death. Their attitudes match their dwarf owners, and they produce a lot of milk for the creation of many beloved cheeses.

- Herding, hunting, and guard dogs:
Large mastiffs whose heads sometimes match if not tower over their masters. These dogs are painstakingly trained in guarding the fields and herds of their masters. Their pedigree is exceptional, with the lineage of the entire population of dogs ever bred by the clan tracked to a mastiff bought from a trader in Karak Brynduraz.

- Forest cats:
Huge hunting cats that follow your clan around. They hunt down vermin, and serve as a warning system against the Skaven. These cats are massive, and strong and aggressive enough to fight off Skaven.

Materials produced by your herds:
Milk.
Cheese.
Cream.
Goat leather.
Goat horns.
Goat meat.
Auroch leather.
Auroch horns.
Auroch meat.
Skilled mousers.
Skilled guard dogs.

Trade goods produced by your herds:
You have no market for goods produced by your herds.



Managed woodlands:
While settled down, your clan are able to make the most of the forests near your homes, turning them into great sources of food and wealth. It is in the woods that much of the clan's food and drink production can be found.

-Brightstone managed woodland:
A stretch of forest that is maintained by Clan Brightstone provides an abundance of berries, fruit, nuts, sap, nuts, honey, wax, and sustainable hunting. However the way the rescources are managed and processed are primarily for internal consumption and use. While the clan is never hungry, their usage of the woods will need work if they wish to make money from it.

Materials produced by your forests:
Light game meat.
Light game hides.
Albian Oak Lumber.
Acorns.
Truffles.
Resin
Nuts.
Berries.

Trade goods produced by your forests:
You have no market for goods produced by your woods.

Brightstone Clan Vineyards:
An unusual sight in a Dawi realm. The layout of these vineyards is still undeniably Dawi in its geometric layout, and the square design of the trellises. Each vineyard is designed with efficient irrigation and drainage, with the same layout for the grapes and most of the production processes.

Only the finest grapes are used in the making of their distilled drinks, with the rest used to create table wines for casual consumption.

The great differences are only seen going forward. The Cognassons use only oak in the production process. The Brandottir's age their wines in clay Amphora.

The pomace left over by both production processes is then combined and used to create either Grappa by the Brandottir's, or Marc by the Cognassons. Named after the original drinks they improved upon. The majority of production is for personal use. These drinks are primarily consumed by the Dawi, who distill either drink to within an inch of their destruction and use it primarily to get drunk quickly and cheaply.

Drinks produced by your vineyards:
Brandottir Brandy
Cognassons Cognac
Brandottir Grappa
Cognassons Marc
Brandottir Red Wine
Cognassons White Wine

Trade goods produced by your vineyards:
Brandottir Grappa
Cognassons Marc
Brandottir Red Wine
Cognassons White Wine



Sky-Granite quarry:
A quarry containing a firm lightish blue granite excellent for construction and any sturdy structures. The miners have not yet touched any of the pure blue Granite out of fear of wastage when extracting it.

Materials produced by your quarry:
Blue-tinted grey granite:
Sky-Blue Granite:

Azurite deposit:
Your miners, while excavating the granite seam, came upon a small high quality deposit of Azurite, a brilliant blue ore of remarkable purity which the manlings value as a pigment.

Red Earthenware Clay:
The ground near the Khazid Duraz is rich in a vibrant red clay that is remarkably pure. While Dawi find clay to be a soft material, they are happy to trade it to Manlings. There is a large demand in the Empire for roof tiles.

There are few professional Dawi soldiers, with nearly every fighter being a militia member raised to fight when the time calls for it. And a community like yours is especially disorganized when it comes to fielding military formations.

As a mostly nomadic clan beforehand, you have little if any experience with open field battles. Most rangers are still organized as bands led by charismatic or familial leaders from their old community.

However, it is said that before any of your Clan can learn to walk, they have already been taught to reload a Crossbow, even if its to remain in cover and reload the crossbows of their parents. Each Dawi is required to own a crossbow and a weapon at all times, and many own weapons and armour on top of that.

When the call to arms is sounded, all Dawi that are capable of fighting are called to war with whatever equipment they are able to provide. This is a mishmash of leather, mail, crossbows, the odd handgun, axes, maces, and hammers. Most of them also being their daily tools.

Any Clan will want a treasure vault to be proud of. It is here that any treasures are stores.


Inter-Clan Grudges:
The Cognasson and Brandottir families have cut all ties with each other over the allocation of resources and finding the best places to create their vineyards.

Any Clan will want a few prominent Grudges to strike out, or just to have a good moan about.

Bretonnian Grudge

Grudge for the destruction of property, theft of herds, and ruination of horticulture.

Let it be known that Clan Brightstone, the Rakidum of Karak Brynduraz, hereby records a grudge against the Bretonnian Duke of Couronne for the destruction of property caused by the foraging of his crusade in our territory.

Upon his army passing through our lands, they informed us of their mission to recover the bodies of fallen Grail Knights and an unnamed sacred artefact to the Lady of the Lake. They claimed they required provisions, and we were willing to provide these at cost, due to the promise of slaying greenskins.

However, the base

DISRESPECT

Shown by referring to us as 'peasants'.

Showing an insulting amount of understanding of the value of the provisions they took and insisting they would 'pay' with a pittance of gold and silver not worth a fraction of the goods they took, insulted our clan gravely.

The act alone of tossing a bag of gold at our feet and saying 'that will cover the costs, my dwarf friends! It is a great deal of gold indeed, I believe.' with a smug smile devoid of the slightest understanding of basic economics, insulted our labours!

We therefore demand compensation for:
-The cutting down of three old growth oak trees for firewood. Included is the descent of each tree and the original planter, and the family demanding compensation for the loss of their specific tree.
-The mutilation of fifty trees of their lower hanging branches, resulting in tree rot and diseases.
-The theft of ten thousand five hundred and seventy eight acorns.
-The theft of twenty thousand eight hundred and thirty one cranberries.
-The theft of thirteen thousand eleven hundred and seven apples.
-The theft of five thousand peaches.
-The theft of eight hundred and seven cords by standardized weight.
-Theft of twelve Auroch heifers.
-Theft of twenty-nine calves.
-Theft of six Auroch Bulls.
-Theft of a hundred and fifty-one goats.
Included is a list of monetary damages to cattle rearing and loss of genealogy.
-The theft of five beehives of honey racks
-The theft of three truffles.
-The intentional death of one bee belonging to the Mountainbearer family.
-The kicking of a dog guarding our acorn storage. To be repaid through kicking the offending soldier's closest living descendant who is of age.

We demand full compensation and an apology from the Bretonnian Duke for not showing an appreciation for our labours.

Copperbreaker Clan Grudge:

Grudge for disrespect.
Let it be known that the Brightstone clan has levied a grudge against the Copperbreaker clan for their Reckoner drawing a weapon in the presence of Thane Bokri Starbolt.

Any Clan will want a few mighty oaths to uphold:

"By Valaya, I shall build a new home for my people and all who choose to live under the unending sky. By Grimnir, I shall safeguard it, and oppose the Enemy who does us harm. By Grungni, I will create something new yet old*. A hall bright, glittering, and as defiant as the stars in the dark of night. By my Ancestors, By our Ancestors one and all, they shall bear witness that I am not a lesser son of greater sires."

Dragonback Clan:
A formerly royal clan from the rich mining holds of lost Ekrund, currently settled in Everpeak This clan have remained skilled miners of ore and gemstone. While they are hesitant about associating with someone as sun-touched as you, your association with Bugman has made them willing to at least listen to you.
The Dragonback Clan could be willing to provide mining and/or smelting expertise should you require it.

At the commission of High King Alrik, we the Loremasters of Karaz-A-Karak have been tasked by royal decree with the performing of a survey of the clans descended from Mount Gunbad, formerly known as Karak Brynduraz, in anticipation of the three-thousand year anniversary of the first Grudge written in the Damaz Kron about Mount Gunbad, in two hundred years. We have worked tirelessly in our efforts to compile a complete document, and are now pleased to present this document to the Royal Court. - Loremaster Golgim Steelscraler of Karaz-A-Karak.

Addendum: The following Clan is quite peculiar, and I felt it worth paying special attention to this Clan, as it is a dire warning of the fate that can befall great Clans in the Karaz Ankor.

Clan Rakidum is a homeless clan that is descended from the Brightstone clan of Karak Brynduraz. It is with great sadness that I note that not a sliver of the greatness of that fallen hold can still be found in clan Rakidum, as they have become most un-Dawi in behaviour and custom. I will be explaining their downfall, to better warn other Clans of falling to this same fate.

Clan Brightstone was one of the many clans of Karak Brynduraz and was responsible for rooting out both vermin as well as any dangerous monsters that roamed near the mountain. Their reputation was a complicated one, as they were simultaneously mocked for "cleaning up pests", and praised for slaying Trolls and other foul creatures that roamed near. Their role as the principal clan in charge of this duty earned them an elevation to lesser nobility of the Karak, with their rank as lords officially registered among the records of the Everpeak.

This reputation changed, however, as the Thaggoraki menace became known to the Karaz Ankor. Clan Brightstone put themselves to work in securing the lower reaches of their mountain with great zeal and devotion, earning them the recognition and respect of many of the Clans

See Addendum: Correspondence between Jeweler's Guild and Allgyana Durazdotirs, Matriarch of the Baker's Clan of Karak Brynduraz.

The clan quickly earned a reputation for skill and daring, as they fought the Skaven in the tunnels of Karak Brynduraz, and even began hunting them in their own lairs. Carvings recovered from the Karak before its fall show the Thane's bodyguard of this clan dressed in runic cloaks that let stalk the Skaven in their own tunnels. They proclaimed themselves Rakidum. Doom of the Rats.

Alas, the creator of this Rune was lost in the fall of the Brynduraz, and no examples have been recovered. A Grudge upon all Thaggoraki.

All their efforts were for nought, however, as the great Greenskin Migration and the Time of Woes began shortly afterwards. The Karaz Ankor was sundered forever, and the mountain fell to an invasion of Greenskins from without, and from beneath. Clan Rakidum fought in the defence of their Clan and Hold, but eventually, the war was lost. The clan, through means of a hidden sally port, escaped from the city with barely more than the clothes on their back, and the weapons in their hands.

The Clan took with them a crown made of Wutroth the most precious of wood and embedded with three gems of purest cut Brightstone. Due to the loss of archival knowledge over the millennia, the origin of this crown is unknown, but it is speculated by my colleagues that it was originally intended as a gift for the Thane of the Rakidum Clan, in anticipation of them being raised to the status of a full Lord of the Karaz Ankor.

Another, completely unfounded and ridiculous assertion by a colleague whose name I shall not utter, states that the crown was originally intended as a gift for the Everqueen of Ulthuan. But these implications are without any form of backing, and outright slanderous towards this clan. None would waste Brightstone upon a mere gift.

They refused to seek shelter and hospitality from any other Clan, and instead chose to wander the World's Edge Mountains alone. This is when the first recorded extinction of their clan happened, as it was assumed that they committed an act of collective suicide due to the shame of losing their hold.

Four hundred years later, the Clan was rediscovered by a Throng of Karaz a Karak that had marched to engage an invasion of the Urk. They found the invaders broken and in disarray, their food supplies poisoned, and most of their army consumed by an avalanche.

The Clan was praised and offered refuge in the Everpeak, but the Clan refused, stating they were content upon the surface.

The throng of Karaz a Karak departed, lamenting the broken minds of these fellow Dawi.

The next two thousand years of our archive mentions many migrations, trade agreements, and interactions with this Clan, as well as handwritten accounts by previous Loremasters performing Census of the Karaz Ankor. What is most emphasized in accounts is their rugged nature, tanned skin, and mind-boggling preference for fresh air and sunlight! They refused multiple offers to move in with other Clans in light of their previous rank as royals. There are even mentions of a now-lost saga, about a Runesmith seeking out this clan to excise what he thought had to be a collective madness.

It is a great sorrow that this once-noble clan has degenerated over the millennia, going from proud and noble defenders of their Karak, to mere hill-dwarves. They have barely any coins to their name, and live from day to day without ever working towards something greater. Although there are many Clans that have sadly lost a hold, few would willingly stay on the surface, and fewer still would live the way this clan does. This clan traditionally spread itself across a wide area, using local caves and natural formation to set up temporary shelters which they packed up and moved the moment danger started coming upon them.

Let the fate of this clan be a reminder to the dangers of living too long on the surface.

---

Harken to me beardling, and learn the history of our clan, for one day your father shall pass and you shall be Thane. Learn of your birthright, and why the crown will one day be yours.

Once, long ago, our clan lived in Mount Gunbad, when it was known as Karak Brynduraz. The Hall of Shining Gems. Clan Brightstone carved a glittering home in the heart of the mountain, around a great underground lake at the center of which we built the graves of our ancestors. Pillars like great stone trees supported a ceiling of gemstones and crystal that glowed like the night sky. Each hall carved out with delicate taps of the chisel, the slightest adjustments to preserve natural beauty.

We were Lords of the Dawi, higher than thanes, and the wardens of the deep places of the Kings of Karak Brynduraz. A royal clan.

We called it Kazad Brynzhuf, the hall of glittering stones, and even the elves spoke of the beauty of our home. For we did not carve out of the mountain, instead we worked our home into the natural formations, and encouraged the growth and beauty of the glittering crystals of our home.

When the Skaven and Greenskins attacked, Clan Brightstone fought with such fury that we became 'Rakidum', the doom of Skaven. We collapsed tunnels to crush Skaven invasions and diverted rivers to flood their breeding pits. We detonated gas pockets to buy time for our clan to reorganize the defense.

Our way of war, one of brutal attacks to break enemy cohesion, followed by rapid withdrawals to lure the enemy into ground of our choosing, allowed us to enact such a toll on our foes, the corpses of our foes became the walls used to block their tunnels. But we could not hold, and the decision was made to depart.

We evacuated the tombs of our ancestors and sealed away those treasures we could not carry. The lake of stars was sealed away with mighty runes, and we shed many tears as we knew we might not see the beauty of the crystal caverns again.

When the Karak was abandoned, Clan Brightstone were the last to depart. Long we wept for the loss of the stone trees that were engraved with the lineage of our families, the silver reliefs living worked into natural cracks and imperfections of the rock, and the grand starlight ceiling in which we feasted and drank.

Bereft of our starlight roof of their ancestral hall, Clan Brightstone chose the skies as our new hall. We fought our way to safety, moving by hidden passages and gathering other survivors to our banner. The lone survivors and exiles we adopted, weakened clans we married into, taking apart villages and homes as we hid in the places of the mountains where even the Greenskin rarely chose to venture.

While, like all dwarves, we care little for the sun's glow, we learned to love the stars, for our people remembered and still sing of the sky before the coming of Mhornalhune, which the men of Sigmar call Morsslieb. We learned to thrive upon the surface, and dance and sing.

A great hall was built, in the highest peaks, wrought from timber and stone, where we lived in peace and plenty. In time, we began to wage war upon Urk and Grobbi once more. With crossbow, axe, spike, and rock, we set upon our foe to defend the homes we carved out on the slopes. We defeated our enemies time and again.

Then, one day, we slew an Urk host that threatened the host of the High King himself, bringing an avalanche down upon them as they marched.

At first, the Hold-Dwellers celebrated our victory. And we accepted their praise.

But then they extended to us an offer of pity. A hall of our choosing within the Everpeak.

Our ancestor, Bokri the first, last of the Starbolt Clan-Lords, declined the offer. Claiming that our new homes suited us, and we had come to thrive in them.

This response was met with the foulest of pity and the most insulting patronage. They said we ought not to be too prideful to accept the aid of others. Thrice did they ask us "Why do you live upon the surface, kin? Our halls are many but our losses great. Choose, and be a Lord of the Karaz Ankor once more."

"Am I no Lord?" Our ancestor asked. "My clan is a royal one."

"Nay. Royal your blood is, but you have no Hall in which to hold court. You are a lord in exile. Join us and be a lord once more!"

"I have a hall. Built by the hands of my father, and his father before him. While it moves, it is our home eternal."

"A hall of wood is not a hall of the Karaz Ankor." The King said. His face one of pity and concern.

And so Bokri, the first his name, took a great breath in the stunned silence and he proclaimed:

"That hall you scorn, my father built from the timbers his fathers father gathered from the Wutroth groves of eld. Time and again we rebuild it in its full glory. The place it stands shall be abandoned one day, but we shall take what makes it our home, and build anew elsewhere. If that does not warrant Lordship, then I shall be but a Thane."

And so he took off the crown of gold he bore, and placed it down at the foot of the Throne of Power.

Then, to the outraged horror of the observing Dawi, our Clan turned and marched back into the mountain. The gold crown now rests within the Everpeak, until the day comes we ask for it back, or the Hold-Dwellers finally admit that our way of life is as valid as theirs. Let it be a reminder that we are not beggars.

Instead, Bokri, now a Thane, took that treasure which our clan held most dearly. A crown of Wutroth, set with the brightest gems of Brynduraz, and put it upon his head. This crown, wrought for the Queen of the Elves who dwell now beyond the sea, had been kept as treasure. But now, it was worn as a symbol that we do not scorn wood and nature's bounty.

We built villages, and grew prosperous and wealthy in sons and an abundance of food and livestock. Our clan is spread far and wide, living in those places that others ignore, and creating abundance from isolated valleys.

So remember child, for although we are Clan Brightstone still, we are also 'Rakidum.', hunters of things foul and abhorrent. So hold your head high.
-The Oral History of Clan Brightstone, the Rakidum.

---