I first met Okhan Bloodbeard while on expedition with my father some 20 winters ago. I knew he was the right person for this expedition into the lands of the alaster dwarves. The ship anchored on the north-west part of the landmass, I could see smoke and steam starting from the coastline as far as the eye could see. Ully Crimton was correct about one thing, this place could have doubled for hell itself. We were required to drink magical potions before going ashore, and at specific time intervals thereafter. With out such magic, I fear we would not have survived more than a few hours in this toxic environment. Our first meeting with these strange dwarves was brief, Okhan convinced them to allow us to travel to one of their outposts on our next meeting

The alaster dwarves live mostly in family units in a loose society governed by a single warlord, each warlord forms a clan council. Okhan estimated there is nearly 60 clans that make up these lands. The clans war among themselves to settle disagreements, expand territory or to exact justice.

Before leaving I inquired about the tale in Ully Crimton’s books about the relationships between these dwarves and the orcs to the south, to my surprise as civilized as they appear, when speaking about the orcs, their mouths salivated, and they became aggressive. From what I could determine, the flesh of the orcish creatures are like in intoxicating drug and any of these dwarves that taste the flesh will crave it, much like a drug addict, it is something that is beyond their control.