Guide to Forfedhdar (book)
A Guide to Forfedhdar
By Rirl Threwsvadh
It is my understanding that a great many Dwarves have never set foot in Forfedhdar, beautiful Forfedhdar which means in the Haakish tongue, "Land of the Ancestors." This saddens me -- it pains this still beating heart in my old Dwarven chest. Forfedhdar, land of sloping valleys, ice-capped mountains, pristine lakes, and rushing cavernous rivers, is the most beautiful land in all Kermoria -- no, in all existence, all of Kertigen's work. Kertigen crafted Forfedhdar specifically for we Dwarves, and it is our paradise. We must know this land like it is a part of us... for it is. This land is aptly named, as the Land of the Ancestors, for that name is true. The peaks of Forfedhdar are the bones of Ancestors. The rivers are their blood, the boulders and stones are their smiling eyes and faces, watching after us, their children. Our Ancestors are in this land, and our Father Kertigen's hand is in its making, so we must know all about it.
That is why I wrote this tome. For whatever reason, many of my brethren have not or are unable to set foot in beautiful Forfedhdar. With my writings of that land, I hope to bring a bit of it to all of you. Take note that this is not a book about the peoples and cities of this province, but merely its geography -- a tale woven in honor and praise of the land itself!
The Arid Steppe
An arid grass-covered plain north of the Tivshowldh Mountains and west of the Liirewsag River. The steppe is nontillable, and though normally of a semidesert climate, its winters tend to be severe. The Arid Steppe has long been occupied by a variety of nomadic and culturally-unique tribes.
Arncharn Shel Mountains
A range of mountains serving as the border between Forfedhdar and Therengia. Like the Himineldar Shel range to the south, the Arncharn are known for producing valuable gemstone mines. The mountains are occupied by the Dwarven Kingdom of Kwarlog.
Arnuthrum Island
A small, forested island in the center of Sawstwar Lake in central Forfedhdar. If the Sawstwar is the heart of Forfedhdar, then truly, Arnuthrum is the gem of that heart. The island is considered sacred by all Dwarves... for, it is said, that when Kertigen formed Forfedhdar for his children, he felt the need to make a shrine for his beloved wife as well, a place of flowing waterfall, summertime trees, and flowery ground. It is no place for any Dwarf to set foot, for it is the holy ground of Hodierna.
Biiskbowr River
A swift-moving river made up by huge stretches of lethal rapids. The river runs through a canyon between the Arncharn Shel Mountains and the Journelai Mountains. Its waters are bitter, and filled with strange minerals, but many Kwarlogians go out of their way to draw liquid from it -- somehow, these Dwarves have special recipes and processes enabling them to make a most magnificent beer from the Biiskbowr.
Himeneldar Shel Mountains
A small mountain range in eastern Forfedhdar, northwest of the Dragonspine and south of the Arncharn Shel and Journelai ranges.
The Himineldar Shel Mountains yield some of the most expansive mines of gems and ores. The city of Hibarnhvidar is built upon the largest series of mines in the range.
Liirewsag River
The Liirewsag River runs from central to northern Forfedhdar, bordered on the west by the Arid Steppe, and on the east by the Paasvadh Forest.
Paasvadh Forest
A thick coniferous forest south and west of the Arncharn Shel Mountains. To the west of the Paasvadh is the Liirewsag River. The Paasvadh is not a very popular place for the Dwarves, but crossing through it is essential for travel between Kwarlog and Hibarnhvidar. Thankfully, Gor'Tog settlements occupy the route, making it somewhat less dreary.
Sawstwar Lake
A small lake in central Forfedhdar fed by and feeding the Liirewsag, Segoltha, and Biiskbowr Rivers. Arnuthrum Island is in the center of the lake. The Sawstwar, right in the middle of Forfedhdar, is the heart of the entire province. Its off-season grassy slopes provide one of the few places in the province to graze livestock, and its crystal clear waters, pristine blue like the bluest hue of a sapphire, are the stock of every truly fine Dwarven brew!
Tivshowldh Mountains
A crescent-shaped range of mountains southwest of Sawstwar Lake and south of the Arid Steppe. To its east is the Himineldar Shel range. The Tivshowldh has long been considered cursed, perhaps due to being barren of gem and ore mines or rock quarries. Innumerable lives have, however, been lost in the mountain range's salt mines.