Subterainian Races.

[Mestophalies]

*As the aged and ruffled statesman sat in the great meeting halls of the Pechs, he drew a long puff on his pipe and his eyes glazed over as he began to speak*

All the leaders of the varied Dwarven and Gnomish clans had gathered to listen to this visiting Elder statesman.

Elder statesman: Hmm, where to begin?

It was nay on 3,000 years or more ago. It was the time of making and the Gods roamed the plains openly interacting with all that was.

It was the God Moradin which first felt there was something missing. He was quick to notice the silance in the stone, the lack of a song in the winds and the lack of purpose within the waters as they flowed.

Moradin saught to bring vitality, beauty and yes "Life" to the plains. Moradin first created creatures of unimaginable size. Even the Dragons would pale in comparison. These creatures however, failed to make themselves useful in any way and Moradin himself vanquished them.

Moradin after a time altered the Prime Material Plain so that it appears much as it does today and asked the other Gods to provide forms of life for this new realm. Dragons and Elves were created first along with a score of lessor creatures that were to be sustanance for the Dragons and the Elves. They were in deed sustinance for the Dragons and the Dragons grew large on the nurishment provided by them however, the Elves having gained insite into the lives of the lesser animals refused to consume them. Thus a war over the differing idiologies insued between the Elves and the Dragons. The Elves insisting they were trying to preserve nature and the Dragons fighting for their vary survival.

The war raged on for over 2,000 years. Then Moradin braught the conflict to an end when he returned and saw so few of each remaining. Moradin braught the leaders of both factions together and a truce was made by proclaiming that neither was wrong and that both had the right to exist.

Moradin seeing the foolishness of the two mighty races decided to make a new race. This race would forever watch over the surface races without them knowing it as they would be subterainian. Thus it was that Moradin created the Pech's. They were a tiny magical race with great stealth and cunning. The Pech's were given the ability to communicate with the stone so they could maintain surveilance over the surface races while remaining safely protected by many feet of solid stone.

Moradin being quite pleased with his creation but, worried for their safety, decided to create another subterainian race to protect the tiny Pech's. Thus Moradin created the Dwarves.

The Dwarves were a hearty race that possessed both an affinity for the stone and great ability in combat. Moradin was in deed pleased with his Dwarves but, there was still something missing.

It was not long before there were numerous races created by the other Gods on the surface of the realm. Moradin saw the halflings and thought how curious they were. Thus he created the Gnomes.

The Gnomes were even smaller then the Halflings in stature but, they still held the affinity for working with the stone and they too possessed certain magical abilities. Gnomes were given the ability to summon mighty Earth Elementals to protect and aide them in their causes. his was a true testiment to Moradins afinity for this tiny race.

Thus the subterainian races were created and in that order.

*The elder stateman drew another deep draw on his pipe and smiled as smoke escaped his lips*

Throttle The'Wall: It was then and there that I saw my first and last Pech. The Elder statesman was in deed one of the watchers. He was a Pech and I for one can tell you, they are taller then Gnomes but shorter then Dwarves, They are wider then Gnomes but, not so wide as Dwarves. They do however love to smoke a pipe and consume large quantities of both Ale and Mead.

Throttle The'Wall: The elder statesman saw that I had noticed whom and what he was. He did not let on until it was time for him to depart. He came to me and smiled. He winked and told me that I was more curious then most Dwarves and was not so sure that I had not a bit of Gnome in my blood. He laughed and as he turned to walk away I saw a twinkle in his eyes and felt a slight tug in my pocket. I reached in and found a large red rubby of the purest luster I had ever seen. The Pech yelled as he disapeared "Tis a gift me boy, you've earned it".

Witnessed by Throttle The'Wall [DW]