Roramnoak Clan
The Roramnoak Clan is a Dwarven clan widely known across the lands for their trading network. They are the most significant contributor of dwarven products into the hands of other races throughout Elanthia.[1]
In addition to traders, the Roramnoak Clan also acts as an unofficial conduit of news and messages between the other clans.
Major settlements
- Zul Roram was built on the east side of the Dragonspine and is considered the main exchange point for trade with Elves and Giantmen.
- Khazar's Hold on the west side of the Dragonspine handles most trade with northwest Elanith.
- Dhu Noakfhar, a vast underground holding beneath the city of Krestle, was built after negotiations with the Turamzzyrian Empire. It is there that the dwarves do a majority of their trade with the humans.
- Zul Brechinzm, in the hills west of Mestanir, was built in later years.
The Tale of Gerthak Roramnoak
Dwarves will recount the tale of Gerthak Roramnoak,[2] an old and tired lumberjack, who had wandered a bit too far to the east in his search for a new forest, and stumbled across a crew of Elven woodsmen hard at work felling trees and preparing lumber. Expecting to be attacked on sight, Gerthak wearily grabbed his well crafted mithril pickax and his hand-carved mithril shield and grunted his annoyance at having to battle when he'd much rather relax with an ale. Recognizing that Gerthak was no Elf, the woodcrafters spoke quietly in Common to this would-be intruder. Gerthak had been around enough to speak some of the Common tongue, and he realized they weren't going to kill him, just yet.
The Elves were immediately taken by the craftsmanship of the dwarf's gear: he was bedecked mostly in leather and mithril, with faceted gems adorning the joints of his armor, and the hilt of his axe. Gerthak had never put much thought to such matters - there were younger dwarves who had spent months crafting quite fancy garments. In fact, those who claimed to know Gerthak would say this was his least favorite outfit: after all, he was just going to cut trees, not meet his favorite lass for ale and laughter. It did not take the wise old dwarf very long to realize that the pointy-eared lumberjacks had never seen such things as the common stuff he bore.
Scanning the area, he saw wheelbarrows full of fel, modwir, and thanot lumber, already split and readied for use. The ancient tale ends with a very scantily clad Gerthak returning back to the mines with several carts of lumber and a wide grin upon his face. The twinkle in his eyes as he celebrated that eve suggested that this was just the beginning of a hearty trade venture between the dwarves and those of the lands above.
Trade with the Sylvan Elves
The early sylvans were expert in some disciplines of metal work, primarily the skills of making arrow tips, knives and jewelry from silver and mithril.[3] Most scholars presume that they did not mine the ore themselves.
Circa 4955, the archaeologist Relian Degaloth discovered the Ma'Henrith Caverns, an extensive underground network near the forests of the first sylvans. Preserved scrolls inside the caverns written in early elven characters described meetings between the sylvans and a "short hearty mountain people" who brought "gleaming metals" in trade for archery equipment, hides, and pottery. Relian determined that the scrolls dated back to early in the Second Age, when the sylvans were preparing to leave Ithnishmyn.
If Relian's speculations are accurate, sylvans have likely been in contact with Roranmnoak traders since before the founding of Kalaza.
References
- ↑ A History of Dwarves, Chapter 5
- ↑ A History of Dwarves, Chapter 1
- ↑ The History of the Sylvan Elves, Chapter 2.