Midwaith

"' Ach, ye ask me th' best thing t' come ou' a Wren its th' cheese. Nothing beats a cold pint o' Waith's finest an' a block o' Wrennish Red.' -Kraz 'Blood Buckle' Zagred"Midwaith, or 'The Center of the Earth' in the Dwarvish Pidgin of the city, is the economic capital of the Dwarven world. In the smokey mountain halls of Midwaith the ancient deep-ways, The Durrak Mol, converge like the axle of a great underground wheel. Here great underground caravans laden down with Mithril from Khuz Wodan, or Mushrooms from Karrak Kol, meet in vast markets both above and below ground.

Do Pellok
From afar Midwaith appears to be a city that accidentally spilled out of its vast mountain gates. Winding streets snake down the slope through carved stone and wooden buildings. Here, in the Do Pellok (or the Sun District) you can see the intermingled cultures of Midwaith. Carved stone buildings of the Dwarven style mix with framed wood of humans, or even peet lined Hafling burrows. Here in the Do Pellok is where Midwaith trades with the human kingdoms of the Free Coast. With other Dwarven kingdoms adhering to centuries old laws barring trade with outsiders, the markets of Midwaith are one of the only places true Dwarven goods can be purchased.

Centuries of intermingling between Humans and Dwarves has given Midwaith a unique culture and language. Most Humans are of Wrennish descent, and due to the ancient bond between the cities Wrennish food is a favorite among the Dwarves. Residents of Midwaith speak a kind of Dwarvish Pidgin that goes by any number of names: "Waithish", "Pellockese", "Bastard Dwarf", "Mountain Brogue." Few outside of the city have any familiarity with the unique Midwaith dialect, but those few that do speak 'Waithish' are welcomed with a special warmth Dwarves typically save for one-another.

Do Adarrak
Passing through the ancient Dwarven gates one is immediately struck with the enormity of the under-city. Do Adarrak (or the Earth District) stretches for miles into the Wyrm's Rest mountain range; much of it neglected or forgetten for decades at a time. The main city is none-the-less impressive. Vast arching ceilings reach hundreds of feet above the carved streets punctuating the darkness with brilliant crystal lamps. Rich yellow light illuminates the endless rows of carved stone buildings, stalls, and bustling caravans.

Great carved statues flank the gates of the city. Each statue honoring one of the dozens of Chosen Ancestors that called Midwaith home. Though many of the statues were carved at the founding of Midwaith thousands of years ago they remain timeless in apprearance. Despite the cosmopolitan nature of the city many dwarves still keep to the Dwarven Folk Religion of ancestor worship. Here the many adherents to the various Cults leave their small offerings at the feet of their ageless ancestors.

Crossing over the bridge of Luz Udun leads you into the vast markets of Midwaith. Dwarven goods from all over Adurra can be found alongside goods of every Human nation. Here Dwarvish is the preferred tongue for business, but Pidgin is still quite common in the famous taverns of Midwaith.

The Blood Debt
In the age of thieves the sun was blotted out and devastating famine swept Adurra. For years crops withered as the kingdoms fought over what little fertile land was left. As the world above began collapsing the Dwarves became insular and withdrew from the Human world. All except Midwaith. The Thanes of midwaith saw a tenuous balance that needed to be maintained. If Wren fell then the only bulwark against their ancient enemy, the Orcs, was gone. Great underground mushroom farms were planted in the Durrak Mol, and soon great caravans of dwarvish food was sent to relieve the imperiled Kingdom of Wren. A proud and honorable people, the Wrennish took this act of charity as a deep, and binding debt to the Dwarves of Midwaith.

Not long after these aid caravans were sent out, the other Human Kingdoms became jealous and hateful of Midwaith. To the starving masses the Dwarves were hoarding their rich stockpiles waiting for humans to die off, but for unknown reasons favored only Wren. A great army out of Ravenna marched on Midwaith demanding the Dwarves release their great larders to the Ravennan people. Though weakened by famine the Ravennan host was still many times larger than the Army of Midwaith. With the gates of Midwaith shut tight Ravennan sappers worked at circumventing their impassable walls. Driven by fear and hunger the Ravennan general began torturing the few Dwarves left in his city. Though few had any knowledge that could help, one young Dwarf explained the secrets of the Deep Ways, the backdoors into Midwaith. Leading the army to an abandoned entrance to the Deep, Ravenna finally had a way to attack Midwaith. Quickly stumbling upon the vast fields of mushrooms, the Ravennan army gorged themselves, but this only deepend their anger at the Dwarves. Ravennan infiltrators made quick work of the un-suspecting dwarven guards, and promptly opened the gate for the rest of the army. Flanked on two sides the Army of Midwaith arranged into a tight square hoping to outlast the starved Human host, but they couldn't hold out forever.

After a day of hard fighting the Dwarves were simply exhausted. The human host was too large, and their position was tenuous. At first light a great Wrennish Host arrived at the Slopes of the Wyrmsrest. The Wrennish had come to make good on their debt. Swiftly crushing the starved Ravennan army the Wrennish gave Midwaith back to the Dwarves who had helped them in their time of need. From that day forward Midwaith declared the Wrennish eternal friends, and all Wrennish welcome within the walls of Midwaith.

In the centuries since Midwaith has welcomed thousands of Wrennish immigrants as citizens, but humans of many other nations as well. To this day Midwaith is the only Dwarven Kingdom to allow unfettered citizenship to non-dwarves.