View of the Dhe'nar

The Kin would never have been content as a slave race. The more oppressive the Dhe'nari rule, the more likely the Khanshael would have been to revolt. However, the Dhe'nar offered the dark dwarves a solution to a mutual problem that the Khanshael elders of the time considered most equitable.

The Dhe'nar allowed the Kin complete access to their forges. They allowed them to work and play at their whims. They even paid the Kin for their work. They also elevated the Kin to a position above that of slave. The dark dwarves became near equals to the Dhe'nar. They were allowed they freedom to roam as they willed.

In exchange, the Dhe'nar simply asked for the loyalty of the Khanshael. They asked them to serve as the backbone of their armies, and to outfit their soldiers with the best work they could muster from their forges. They promised an end to the life as slaves the Kin had before.

Obviously, the Khanshael accepted. Rich mines, abundant forges, an opportunity for battle and the ability to exercise their skills at their own whims… What else could a dwarf desire?

Over time, the Khanshael attitude has evolved a good bit, falling into a few trains of thought regarding their Dhe'nar allies.

The first school of thought is that of the loyal Khanshael soldier. They are loyal to the Dhe'nar and follow their orders without question. They work their forges, dig in their mines, and die in battle against the foes of the Dhe'nar without much question.

The next school of thought is one that believes strongly that the alliance with the Dhe'nar is a necessary one. They chaff under the rule of the Dhe'nar and they occasionally dream of overthrowing or simply crawling from beneath the weight of the ruling elves, but, in the end, they know that they cannot exist alone. They realize the symbiosis has become one they can never be without. They are bitter and angry, but a deep, blazing fire burns deep within them. They do their best with the lot they have been given. The majority of the Khanshael fall into this school of thought. They feel the yearnings for true freedom but they know there is very little they could do to change what has become of their race.

Another school of thought has become embittered by the years living under the yoke of the Dhe'nar. They still see themselves as little more than slaves. They hope to one day be free of their Dhe'nar overlords. The Khanshael have become, overall, a loyal race, staunchly allied to the Dhe'nar, and thoroughly enmeshed in Dhe'nar society. In fact, one could not exist without the other. Subscribers to this school of thought do not speak loudly of it, and make their plans slowly and privately, remembering full well the original followers of this train of thought -- the Shadow Born.