Adenshur Scrolls

A Voice from the Past

Scrolls found in the restoration of the Temple of the Great Father, the Adenshur Scrolls are historically important artifacts that increase our understanding of ancient Arrhynsia and classic literature. Below is an excerpt from the forward of the recent release of the translation of the Adenshur Scrolls.

Translated from the Original Languages by order of Her Eminence Queen Myriia StrongStorm,
And authorized by the Dwarven High Council of 3407

Translators’ Forward to the Common Translation of the Adenshur Scrolls

The Adventure Tales of the Knife Brigade have withstood the test of time capturing the imaginations of young and old alike for almost a thousand years. The brilliance of the bard Thoven Chorter in creating this classic work of high heroic fiction is undeniable. His story inspires us all, conveying the struggle of ordinary people rising to become extraordinary heroes in the face of crushing circumstances, personal tragedy, injustice, and concerted opposition by the forces of evil.
It has long been believed by scholars that Chorter based his work on the lives of people who lived in Arrhynsia roughly three thousand years ago. A smattering of collected records from the period including personal letters, military attaché reports, poetry, drawings, and captured oral and musical traditions were thought to be the basis of these stories. Those that have survived have been assembled and are one of the premiere collections on display in the National Archives of the Dwarven High Council. Hundreds of doctoral dissertation papers in the areas of literature, history, religion, magic, psychology and philosophy have been written over the years discussing whether the artifacts we have today are authentic, or created by people who knew each other, and exploring their significance and impacts on modern society.
When the Dwarven Queen ordered a room-by-room archaeological preservation effort of the Temple of the Great Dwarf three years ago, the first major discovery was the presence of a secret room. The room had been hidden by sophisticated abjuration spells and was protected with physical traps and poisons. It had no human sized opening for entry, and the assistance of a dwarven sapper unit was required to enter the room safely.
The room contained a veritable treasure trove of archaeological and cultural artifacts, amongst them a set of ancient scrolls that cast light on Chorter’s classic work, vindicating some scholars who have asserted that an additional source other than those previously known may have been used by the bard.
In these ancient scrolls we have found that source, a document that links the traditional Knife Brigade artifacts together. With this addition, these artifacts demonstrate conclusively that the Knife Brigade was a real group of adventurers who faced at least some of the perils and struggles described in Chorter’s Tales. The scrolls have been dated to within 100 years of other Knife Brigade artifacts and appear to have been written by no one less than Adenshur Kenghym, one of the central figures of Chorter’s Knife Brigade Tales. They are deeply personal recollections of a man ravaged by tragedy and provide new insights into the real people upon whom some of the greatest classical literature of our civilization is based.
I was honored to be asked to lead the outstanding group of classical and lingual scholars who make up the translation team for these historic scrolls. This team has been formed from the best and brightest scholars of the most prestigious universities in the civilized world. Their outstanding efforts have led to translations that will be authoritative references for decades to come. Their names and expertise have been listed in our report to the archaeological preservation council. Conservation and preservation efforts for these priceless documents have been extensive, and these are also detailed in our reports.
When translating the scrolls from the original ancient languages (primarily Dark Elf, but including some Common, Dwarvish and Elven), we recognize that our responsibility is not to interpret or color the original language, nor hide the often uncivilized and brutal thinking, language and customs of these ancient peoples. These are subjects for thousands of doctoral candidate papers to debate in the future.
What we have done is strive to translate the original content as closely as possible while conveying the meaning of the thoughts and concepts expressing them in modern Common. Where the language used is difficult to translate, we have used the modern word or phrase that best conveys the meaning and provided a footnote with explanatory text or alternative translations. Where references are made to ancient locations or obscure customs, we use the ancient terminology and provide a footnote with modern names and current understandings of those customs. Teams making translations in other languages have done the same, and cross language use of specific terms and difficult passages is coordinated across teams and decided by committee.
As an important note, where it is possible to make the translation within accepted modern grammatical constructs, we have chosen to retain the original sentence construction. We recognize that this translating choice can occasionally make the text appear somewhat formal for modern readers, but we believe that it also more accurately reflects the mindset of the original author and will result in a superior source document for scholarly study.
Rurik Holderhek
Chair, Adenshur Scroll Translation Team
Dwarven Archaeological Preservation Council