The Fate of the Dwarves

Esteemed Duval,

I received your letters with the greatest anticipation. I am glad you start to make the right questions, instead of the simply convenient ones. It caught my attention, however, that you have missed a great deal about the recent history of the Dwarves, so I took upon myself to illuminate you, however briefly, on some pieces of information that might kickstart your own research on their apparent exile.

It has long been speculated about the woes of the Dwarvish peoples, masters of the moors and highlands of the Northeastern Territories. For some, they seem to have dwindled into extinction, but to others, it has been all but a ruse to reinstate the High Thorn as the epicenter of Dwarvish communities.

Erratic reports have lent little but weak evidence either way: the peoples of Baladrogue are known to have moved up North, across the Scorching Rings in the search of suitable, untamed lands to settle in. Cnoctans moved further East, beyond the frontiers of the Gorge, from where it is said that they built great ships to sail across the Sea of Salt. What engineer did they have to build such marvelous machines one cannot know, though they have probably perished in those ravenous waters.

Recently, however, it has come to the knowledge of experts that the peoples of Clanclade and Raiquers have taken another road, one the goes below the Surface. Though the hate of the Dwarves for the Underground is widely known, it seems the Cans and Quers, as the jargon among anthropologists go, were desperate to leave the Surface. What motivated them to take such a radical route is still a mystery to many, though some explanations have been offered in the past few years.

The best accepted theory hypothesizes that a prestigious seerperson from among the Cans and Quers made a catastrophic prediction. Generally, such predictions are not so strong as to drive the Dwarves to take such radical measures, but the peculiar circumstances of such prophecy are still very much unfathomable.

One other theory, and a more controversial one, proposes that the three peoples have actually formed a great alliance, none of which has been seen ever since the days of the Great Descent. According to this one notion, the Dwarves have decided to populate the unchartered worlds, leaving all of the Continent behind.

It is certain, however, that such a theory needs much improvement in certain aspects. For example, all these people as a whole have a history of absolute obsession regarding their land and their territories. Would they give them up so easily in p     ursuit of mysterious threads in the dark? I don't think so.

Another sore point would most certainly refer to this uneasy - at best - alliance among these people. Do you think they would just flock together and put together such extravagant machinations? Well, that is what I would very much like to ask Ms. Erdebrando (in fact I did a few days ago).

Thus I break myself from this letter. Remember to work on sections 23 and 24 of your thesis, they are simply dire. And you know I say this only because I know for a fact you can do better.

Sincerely yours,

A. Selva, Geographer to the Dims

17 of 10, Year 766 of the Horn Calendar