Scabbard of the Stone Keeper

Physical Description

The Scabbard of the Stone Keeper is crafted from darkened ironwood reinforced with bands of mithril-touched steel. The leather exterior is a deep brown, weathered to a smooth patina that speaks of years of faithful service. Carved into the wood are intricate dwarven geometric patterns that mirror the mountain ridges found on The Mountain's Whisper itself. Small chips of actual mountain stone—jasper, quartz, and obsidian—are inlaid along the length, creating a subtle mosaic that catches light like stars in a cave ceiling.

The throat and chape (tip) of the scabbard are bound with steel that bears the same dwarven runes as the sword's crossguard, glowing faintly with divine blessing when touched by one faithful to Dumathoin. A sturdy leather baldric allows the scabbard to be worn across the back or at the hip, with bronze buckles that have developed their own protective patina over time.

The Original Pairing

When The Mountain's Whisper was first forged in the deep halls of Clan Stoneheart, it was indeed paired with an ornate scabbard befitting a weapon of such significance. This original scabbard was crafted from ancient darkwood and bound with silver, adorned with the clan's heraldry and blessed by the mountain priests. For generations, sword and scabbard were inseparable—passed down together as a complete legacy from father to son, warrior to warrior.

The Bitter Separation

The separation occurred during the Battle of the Sundered Bridge, approximately 80 years before Fordare's birth. Thorgrim's grandfather, Balin Stoneheart, was leading a defense against a massive orc incursion threatening several mining settlements. In the heat of battle, Balin was gravely wounded and his scabbard was destroyed—not by enemy action, but by treachery.

Grimjaw Ironback, a rival dwarf from a competing clan who had long coveted The Mountain's Whisper, saw opportunity in the chaos. Rather than aid his fallen kinsman, he attempted to claim both sword and scabbard for himself. In the struggle, the ancient scabbard was shattered against the stone bridge, its pieces scattered into the rushing river below. Balin managed to retain the sword, but at great cost—both to his body and his spirit.

The Incomplete Legacy

From that day forward, The Mountain's Whisper was housed in a series of mundane scabbards—functional leather and wood affairs that served their purpose but carried no magic, no blessing, no soul. Each generation of Stonehearts who inherited the weapon felt the incompleteness keenly. The sword seemed somehow diminished, its whispers less clear, its connection to Dumathoin muted.

Thorgrim himself carried The Mountain's Whisper in a simple battlefield scabbard throughout his own military service. He often spoke of feeling as though he bore only half an inheritance. The sword felt restless, as if constantly seeking its other half.