Brok Strongarm (1420 b.S.-? b.S.) was a famous dwarven discoverer who lived during the Age of Awakening. He set out from the Mithral Mountains of eastern Sarvonia, determind to discover the legendary isle of his God Trum-Baroll somewhere in the Adanian Sea, promising unbelievable wealth. Indeed Brok found his isle, which he named "Deni'lou" (Thergerim: denilou, "Sacred Land"), which not only brought him riches in the form of iron mines, but also fame among all dwarven clans in Sarvonia. However, it is also said that Brok's greed eventually also led him to his death.

The famous Mitharim dwarf Brok Strongarm who discovered the island of Denilou. Picture drawn by Vaelaron Dalavaga.

Biography. Brok Strongarm was born in 1420 b.S. He was a dwarf originating from the clan of the Mitharim, son of the tribe's leader Lord Ulderon Willful. In his early years in the Mithral Mines he was known as a diligent tunnel constructor (and a hard worker too) as well as a person with exceptionally strong leadership abilities. His father's subjects looked forward to see him take over the clan after his father's death, but this was not to happen. Brok was also a very religious person, and one who enjoyed to study legends and myths of the elder, which was also what finally caused his unexpected departure from his people.

Very untypical for a dwarf Brok left his father's mines at Kor Mithrid overnight without any word to his fellow-dwarves at the year 1317 b.S., when Brok was in his 103rd year. He took only a handful of his most loyal companions with him on his journey trying to cross the Adanian Sea in the hope of discovering the long forgotten Ylaoth Khirril'Drumm (Thergerim: Ylaoth Khirril'Drumm), the Isle of the Glimmering Stones, as discribed in the myths of the elder dwarves: the isle on which Trum-Baroll, Forging God and Rock-Father, made all the wondrous gems for the praise of the other Gods' work.

Indeed, after several months of travelling, Brok and his companions discovered an uninhabitated land. The dwarves named the isle "Deni'lou" (Thergerim: denilou, "Sacred Land"). Although the Mitharim dwarves indeed found rich mines of various kinds of gems and ores, the dwarven realm on Deni'lou soon became known as the Iron Realm, as iron was predominant. Deni'lou was not the land of Brok's dreams, the secret earthen realm of Trum-Baroll, the domain of the highest dwarven God. Brok Strongarm and his dwarves settled on their newly found land, Brok even met his obligations and finally chose a dwarven wife, a duty, which he had put off for so long.

But one year after Brok's son was born (bearing the name of his father) Brok looked for new adventures. Still obsessed with the idea of discovering Trum-Baroll's hidden riches it is said (although never satisfactoryly confirmed) that one day Brok left the island only in a rowing boat, convinced that his strong arms would suffice to carry him to the Isle of the Glimmering Stones, which he thought not far away from Deni'lou - Brok was never ever to be seen again. But in fact there is an ending to this story, at least in Santharian mythological tomes: The myths of the Mène'téka, which are well known among the Santharian dwarves, claim that Brok in fact finally reached his goal and landed on the isle consisting only of diamonds, gold and silver. It is also written that unfortunately the greed of Brok turned out to be his destruction too: Unable to find water and food on the small isle it is claimed that he died, burried in the midst of his own glimmering dream...

Picture description: The famous statue of Brok Strongarm guarding the entrance of Toll Brok'Baroll. Pic drawn by Quellion.

Brok of course has left his traces on the Island of Deni'lou. The most prominent construction on Deni'lou of course is the great undergroud empire of Toll Brok'Baroll (Thergerim: Toll Brok'Baroll, lit. "under Brok-Father"), with thousands of tunnels leading deep into the earth, harbouring the dwarven Mytheron clan, the descendants of Brok Strongarm (probably derived from the plural of the word "mithten", meaning "iron"). In their empire the dwarves are mainly mining for ores like iron, silver and gold. Nearly all mines throughout the island are connected to the great empire of Toll Brok'Baroll.

Every dwarven clan lord of the empire has the status of being a living legend, just like Brok was a legend already during his lifetime. The clan lord of the Mytheron dwarves represents the spirit of their famous founder, who discovered the island and gave their lives a new purpose. Thus the empire was constructed in his honour and the translation of the term Toll Brok'Baroll with "under Brok-Father" also is due to the fact that an enormous statue of Brok was erected in the center of the isle, near the main entrance to the realm, reminding the dwarves of Brok's deeds and unforgetable character. The statue was hewn from the rock of the Rotrumerons Penegrinuth, and has a size of more than 200 peds, resisting wind and weather for more than two and a half millenia by now. Hundreds of dwarves worked over several years for the statue's completion, showing Brok on the lookout for new lands and adventure, a symbolic gesture, representing the character of the Mytheron quite well. It is said that the gigantic statue still exists and that every now and then dwarves from all over Santharia (especially from the clan of the Mitharims) leave the continent every hundred years, though they usually do sea travelling only reluctantly, in order to pay tribute to the famous figure of Brok Strongarm. The statue is also a common topic for artists to depict whenever they happen to stay for a while in the "Iron Realm" of Deni'lou.

Importance. You don't need to say much about the importance of Brok Strongarm, as it is obvious, at least among Santharian dwarves. It's very unlikely to meet a dwarf of southern Sarvonia who hasn't heard of Brok's fearless expedition straight into the unknown of the Adanian Sea. Brok is not only the most famous figure among the Mytheron dwarves in Deni'lou, whose founding father he is. He is also mainly a worshipped figure among the Mitharim, from where he originates, which is also the reason why many Mitharim travel to the Iron Realm to see the statue of Brok at the entrance of the great underground empire of Toll Brok'Baroll in person. Once a fervent reader of dwarven myths and legends, Brok now has become myth and legend himself.