I've always wondered about those Ruhn guys. I hope you're considering making a monk of their order. I've been waiting for someone to make a PC so the Dwarves can have a voice from the monastery. It's weird just having it there and having no influence in Brog, Dwarf life.

My interpretation from the very vague info you get from the monks, is that Ruhn was a sort of prophet (a monk as well perhaps or a priest of Moradin) who foretold the Duergar invasion of the old Dwarven under kingdom of Brog, i.e the present day Dark Spires of the fire giants. I guess Ruhn sacrificed himself making a last stand in the throne room (now the fire giant kings throne room) against the Duergar attack, whilst all his Dwarven kinsmen escaped to safety. Perhaps he was a Cassandra type character who knew the impending doom of the Brog. Dwarves but no-one took him seriously because they were too enthralled by their single minded greed to mine deeper into the underdark for riches. By the time it was too late and the Duergar invaded they had no defenses except for Ruhn who was prepared and thus saved them with is life. Who knows.

From this event and Ruhn's actions I assume they take their virtues of their order, perhaps to be vigilant watchers against any other threats, protectors of Dwarves and upholding of Dwarf traditions etc. Which ties with much of Moradin's dogma. This being why i would think they were monks of Moradin, hence the idol of Moradin. But what gets a bit weird, is that it is a big no-no for Dwarves to venerate other Dwarves so highly, like the monks of Ruhn talk about Ruhn, it is almost a cult like worship. Which is why perhaps they have been exiled from the citadel (the generic monk npc's mention their exile, in their random speech or this could of course be referring to their exile from the underkingdom/spires), the Dwarves of barak runedar probably find them rather sacrilegious or uncomfortable to be around in their cult like venation of Ruhn so keep them outside to mind the port instead.

My perception of a monk of Moradin (Ruhn) they would use those monk weapons instead of fists, because of Moradin's role as the Dwarven god of crafters. I would assume they would be extremely proficient crafters and would make they're own weapons as Moradin would teach.

Maybe they don't venerate Ruhn as person but more as an embodiment of an ideal to strive for. His vigilance and self sacrifice are definitely something dwarves can aspire to.

They can still craft weapons and armor for others. I see them definitely more as fist users, or some dwarven martial style based around light (or throwing) hammers or axes. Standard monk weapons are kinda blah to me to be used by dwarves (but that's only me).

The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!

The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!

I am about to write about a subject foreign to me. I am no scholar of dwarven history, I humbly admit. The lorekeepers of the Stout Folk would be right to criticize my lack of depth and understanding. But still I am determined to document what I've seen and heard, for it is a subject poorly known to humans. I hope my work is justified by whatever limited illumination it brings to the reader.

The Order of Ruhn is a dwarven monastic order indigenous to Brogendenstein. It's based in a single monastery outside Barak Runedar, and its members rarely leave the island. There are no public documents about the order's history and tenets, and the monks reserve their knowledge for the initiated only. However, the people of Barak Runedar shared with me the local common knoweldge, and I was fortunate enough to observe some activities at the monastery.

The order venerates as its founder and doctor the mythical figure of Ruhn. He was a prophet living in the time when dwarves ruled vast areas of Brogendenstein. He foresaw a disaster that would befall the dwarves by their greed and confidence. Ignoring Ruhn's warnings, the dwarves dug deeper into the Underdark until they provoked the ire of the duergar. Unprepared and surprised, the dwarves quickly lost ground to their gray cousins. The enemy penetrated the Spire and converged on the center of dwarven government, the throne room. But Ruhn had prepared and trained for years to face this threat. The details of what happened are a matter of speculation, but it is generally agreed that Ruhn sacrified himself in a final stand to allow the royal family and court to escape. Some say he cleaved through hordes of duergar with a mighty battle axe. Others claim he wrestled their champions and snapped one neck after the other. There are even those who believe who called the very earth to his aid and that his bare fists cracked the rock and summoned forth streams of lava to stop the invaders. Whatever the case, Ruhn's sacrifice took many enemies with him and saved many of his kin.

Soon after his death an order was born to remember and imitate the great man. A monastery was built on the coast where the dwarven refugees settled down. The monks quickly developed philosophy about Ruhn's transcendent nature and the esoteric meanings of some his remembered statements. It is hard to discern just who or what they believe Ruhn to be: he is the beginning and the end, beyond all and within all. He is with the All-Father Moradin. One could say Ruhn represents the ideals of suffering and sacrifice, and in that way he is present at the beginning of a monk's initiation where he leaves his life behind and embarks on a path of hardship. And it is suffering and sacrifice that will win back the land and protect the dwarven people, which is the end goal of a Ruhn monk. However, I'm inclined to read more into it. The monks seem to revere Ruhn almost as a divine figure, a demigod or an immortal hero. I think this is behind the uncomfortable reactions I got from citizens in the keep when I was asking questions. Despite the dwarves' deep respect for their ancestors, elevating a mortal to the transcendent level of the Mordinsamman is blasphemous. The Order of Ruhn aren't outright heretics, though: they worship Moradin and the pantheon like any other dwarves.

The tension caused by the figure of Ruhn is not the only reason the monks seem to be treated with cool distance. Kin and clan are very central in dwarven society. Sons and daughters are expected to serve the interests of the family in their public life. Joining a monastic order means the severing of familial and social ties. The only family a monk knows is his order, and his only clan chief is the abbott. These are probably the reasons the monks remained outside when Barak Runedar was built – apart from the obvious fact that monasteries always require some seclusion from society.

From what I can gather, the monks' beliefs have a few important themes. Of central importance is the relationship between sacrifice, suffering, the dwarven people and the land of Brogendenstein. Embracing suffering is a sacrifice in itself, and it is a way to remember Ruhn. But suffering also prepares the monks for their ultimate sacrifice, to protect dwarves and their land like Ruhn did, when the time comes again. The monks seem to await some future calamity when they will be called upon to re-enact Ruhn's sacrifice. Nobody seems to know what exactly this is going to be, and the half-remembered words of Ruhn are studied carefully to divine any hints. Reclaiming the Dark Spires and other ground the dwarves lost is a common expectation, but they seem to think the exile is a curse they must suffer for now. Finally, imitating Ruhn is the foundation of their mysticism. However, nobody seems to agree on what happened in the throne room on that faithful day. The interpretations and thus the individual monks' disciplines are varied. Some train with battle axes, others with martial arts of strength or agility, and a few focus on mental discipline and physical endurance.

In my time on Brogendenstein I witnessed some ascetic rituals the monks practice. It's not uncommon to see a dwarf sitting outside in the snow for hours – naked! It's a sight as awkward as it is fascinating. In my interpretation, this is a test of their endurance to see if they are worthy of the land they claim as their own. Outside the monastery, there is a pile of bricks. Its meaning dawned on me when I saw a monk dragging one bare-handed from the direction of the great mountain: it is some kind of initiation test or show of determination to reclaim the Spire, piece by piece if necessary. Finally, a monk's formal progress seems to culminate in a pilgrimage to the throne room of the Spire where he meditates at the place of Ruhn's death and ascension. With the fire giants occupying the ruins, this has become a difficult ordeal only the strongest can achieve. Although the order live in relative isolation and practice strange rituals, they're not completely detached from their surroundings. Many monks practice a useful craft, be it smithing or doing maintenance work at the docks. Even this is a spiritual exercise, and I don't think they accept any payment.

This is what I learned about the Order of Ruhn in the brief time I spent studying them on Brogendenstein. Incomplete and inaccurate as it may be, it should provide some insight into this unique historical brotherhood only found on that inhospitable and harsh island. I eagerly await corrections and more thorough research by those inspired or outraged by my effort.

Joon of the Binder,
Wise Anticipator of the Orthodox Church of Oghma
In the Commonwealth of Cordor,
7th of Eleint. 1381, Year of the Crimson Skies

The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!

Virtue of Strength - The body is a muscle that must be brought taught like a bow string and released like a battering ram through use of an instrument of focus, be it fist or blade. Overcome the odds through power and focused force. (Specialises in STR based melee characters).

Virtue of Dexterity - The body is a vessel, it's skin only the surface of the container for the liquid within it. Move and strike like water, be lead through crowds and terrain with a path of least resistance. Overcome the odds that face you through use of speed and accuracy. (Specialises in DEX based melee characters).

Virtue of Constitution - The body is a shield that defends determination and will that resides within. To maintain the body is to maintain the shield, it must endure the blows of emotion and pain, let it not rust through poison or fall to disrepair through unattended wound's. Overcome the odds that face you through use of endurance and size. (Specialises in CON based melee characters).

Virtue of Wisdom - The body is a vault, it's vast hall's a storage for ones perception, insight and willpower obtained through life. The vault is to be guarded, its treasures to be used to guide others and lead oneself through times of complication. To understand is to survive. Overcome the odds that face you through use of the known and unseen. (Specialises in WIS based characters).

Virtue of Charisma - The body is a well that runs deep into the source of what defines the living world. Draw deep from the its force, use the bail upon the bucket to deliver inspiration that will persuade and lead others to good cause. Personality and attractiveness only act to decorate the well, do not hide or become recluse, instead share what runs deep. Overcome the odds that face you through use of presence and affection of character. (Specialises in CHA based characters).

Virtue of Intelligence - The body is a mechanism, it's gears work to power the mind. Let the mind consume all that it can in the pursuit of reason and knowledge, to know of worldly things is to hold great advantage over the lesser informed. Let not the mind become dull through misuse of the body, should its cogs start to falter, the mind will wither and leak what it has strived to obtain. Overcome the odds that face you through use of understanding and experience. (Specialises in INT based characters).

The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!

The tenets of the Dwarven society can be combined into seven virtues. A dwarf should always seek to uphold them all, never preferring one over the other.

A dwarf should have Temperance. To have a bit of everything, to an extent, is good. Let not your mind be consumed by lust for one thing, for it will seize the reins of your life. Take only what you need and be ready to share some of yours to those who have it not. Discover, acquire, but never hoard. Modesty is the key to balance.

A dwarf should have Tenacity. To persistently seek new veins of ore and knowledge, to persistently make safe the lands of the Dwarven, to persistently follow and fulfill the will of the Morndinsamman and to persistently better oneself in order to grow both in talent and in person.

A dwarf should have Valour. To fearlessly defend the ancestral homes and the lives of the Kin against invading foes, and to fearlessly retaliate against those who wronged the Dwarven. A dwarf should never fear death, for death is the ultimate price one can pay so that others survive and such ultimate price will not be forgotten. Have courage to face ill decisions, for mistakes show you the right way.

A dwarf should have Loyalty. To heed one's superiors, Elders, the Gods, Ancestors and the Community. Be loyal and trust in the rule of your King, do not question them on a whim. Be loyal to your community, the place you live in, where you are accepted, and be prepared to defend it. Never abandon your community in times of need, whatever the situation. Those not loyal will recieve no loyalty.

A dwarf should have Honour. To always speak the truth, never to utter a lie is the measure of a true dwarf. Respect is part of Honour, so show respect to those around you; Ancestors, the Community, the Gods, Elders, Kinsmen and Kinswomen and other inhabitants of the world who have never wronged the Dwarven. Respect other cultures, their ways and their laws, never be ignorant. Repay ignorance with dismissal, and refrain from showing respect to those who show it to none. Hold true to your promises and oaths, breaking them is dishonourable. Never cheat or steal.

A dwarf's life should uphold Industry. There is always some way to help out in the Community. Never let others work just so you can avoid it. Lazyness is selfish pleasure at the expense of others. Seek out a profession for yourself or go around helping those in need of aid.

A dwarf should uphold Justice. Be fair in whatever you do, but let no ill deed go unpunished. Bury your personal feelings and look upon each case with neutral eyes. If ever in doubt, look to the Morndinsamman for guidance and act according to Their teachings.

The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!