Name; Muninn Frerinul Thrórinul Berylbeard
Clan; Longbeards
Age; 308
DOB; 2711 of the T.A.
Born in a time of peace and plenty at the Lonely Mountain. A time when the Longbeards were powerful and wealthy beyond imagination, King Thrór was the most powerful dwarf alive and the memory of Dragons in the North was a mere dark memory. At only seven years of age Muninn was dealt a heavy blow, losing both his father Frerin and grandfather Thrórin, in the spring of 2718. To this day Muninn speaks little of the event, but it is rumored his father and grandfather met their end when ambushed by Orcs, while out hunting. Though Frerin and Thrórin had left their Halls and riches to Turith, mother of Muninn. Alas the great wealth of their house was quickly disputed by greedy family members of a more distant branch, who never approved of the marriage of Turith and Frerin, claiming their right to the riches and Hall. Turith was left without hall and a mere fraction of her entitled riches.
Not only did Muninn's mother need to care for him on her own, she had just passed her first year of pregnancy and would soon be caring for two young beard-lings. The winter of 2721 was harsh when Muninn's brother Durinur was born. Yet Turith had found support in the Lonely Mountain, by the will of Lady Arna, wife of Lord Ganar, head of the First Hammerguard of the Lonely Mountain. Lord Ganar, a fellow campaigner of Thrórin, was a kind yet hardy warrior of noble standing and accepted Turith and her sons in his Hall. There she would work for her keep and that of her sons. Over time Lady Arna, who many in the Lonely Mountain reveared for her wisdom, would teach the young brothers much of lore and language. While Lord Ganar had taken it upon himself to teach the dwarves all he knew of battle and swordskills.
Muninn, only a stripling of 29 at the time, would have these swordskills tested sooner than he thought. As in the summer of 2740, Othrikar was attacked by a hoste of Orcs during what was knows as "The Great Assailment of the Orcs". The young Muninn, barely at the battle ready age, was to join Lord Ganar in the First Hammerguard, at the side of King Thrór, in their attempt to free the encamped dwarves of Othrikar. There it was, the day after the victorious battle, that Muninn first laid eyes on Ásdís, daughter of Brunin, Lord of Othrikar. Muninn, would (as often as he could) visit Othrikar to lay his eyes on the fair Ásdís, she would later become his bride and mother to his children.
Having proven his worth in battle, and exceptional skill at the sword Muninn quickly rose up the ranks of the First Hammerguard. And in 2769, at the young age of 58 was given his own command of a small group of beardlings. One of these beardlings was none other than the young price Thorin, grandson to the King. No doubt Muninn would have risen to the highest ranks in the guards of the King. Yet, in 2770, all that came to an end when Smaug descended on the Lonely Mountain.
Unlike many of his kin, Muninn did not travel South to Dunland, but followed his heart and went West to Othrikar. There he stayed, with his Ásdís, where he married his "beryl" in 2796, at the age of 85. In the meantime he had become the adjutant of his father-in-law Lord Brunin and commander of the Silver Helms, the local Othrikar defence guard.
On the day Ásdís told Muninn she was with child, a letter came bearing the royal seal. The war of Orcs and Dwarves had been raging for 4 years, sparing Othrikar and most of the North Downs. Yet what Ásdís had feared had come finally come true, her husband had been called to war. 2799, the greatest battle in dwarven memory was fought in the vale of Azanulbizar. Muninn now a dwarf of proud baring knew he was fighting for more then the honour of dwarves, he fought for all he held dear.
Determined to return to his wife and unborn child in Othrikar, he split orc skulls and showed mercy to none.
As the night fell in Azanulbizar the last orcs skull was slain... he had survived, though all but a few of his friends and family had not, including Ásdís' father Brunin.
Returning to Othrikar it soon became evident that the mining colony had become a ghost town, with most of the dwarves of Othrikar slain in battle. Fearing for the well-being of his family, they left to the West, joining with King Thráin. As Muninn's wife was giving birth to their first son Duinn, the main Hall of Thorin's Halls in the Blue Mountains was completed, making Duinn, son of Muninn, the first dwarf to be born in Thorin's Halls. This joyous occasion was richly celebrated. The young prince Thorin, who had fond memories of Muninn at the Lonely Mountain, even offered Muninn the godfathership to his new born, which Muninn humbly accepted.
Prince Thorin had seen in Muninn not just a mentor, but a brave and learned friend, who he called upon with surity.
When in 2809 news came from the Grey Mountains that the dwarves there were facing hardships Thorin pleaded with his father Thráin to appoint Muninn as lord of one of the Grey Mountains Halls, convinced the Hall would prosper with Muninn at the helm. And so it was that Muninn and his young family headed North, to the Hall of Thakalgund.
Arriving there they found a Hall in utter ruins, and all but a few hardy dwarves. Ásdís, who was now pregnant of their second child, pleaded with her husand to return to Thorin's Hall. Durinur, who had joined his brother, believed their mother Turith could not survive the harsh conditions of the Grey Mountain Halls and returned to Thorin's Hall with her. Yet Muninn, proud and honourable, remained in Thakalgund. There he received by Royal decree the title "First Lord of Thakalgund", the traditional title of the Uzbad of Thakalgund. When Kuinn, their second son, was born in 2811, Muninn had already begun to rebuild much of the ruined Hall.
Duinn and Kuinn grew up in the harsh lands of the Grey Mountains, where Dragons and Orcs were a frequent sight and meals had to be earned not given. It made them harsh, strong and determined dwarrows. And as they grew their renown grew among the Longbeards. Against all odds Muninn made Thakalgund a prosperous hall, so prosperous that many dwarves of other Halls settled there in the early part of the 29th century. It became a time of plenty, as the mines of the Grey Mountains were still very rich. Many new mines were delved and traders from other halls were frequent.
Time passed on and the young sons of Muninn grew older, as the Hall became wealthier. Muninn's wealth likely surpassed that of every Longbeard at this time, yet Muninn kept sending tribute to the King in the Blue Mountains, honoured he had been chosen for the duty of First Lord. At this time Duinn was given the task to lead the gold caravans, with tribute to the King, to the Blue Mountains. An exceptional task usually given to dwarves that were much older. Yet Muninn saw in Duinn a skill rarely seen in striplings and agreed for the young dwarf to lead the caravans and travel the road well before his travel ready age. A duty Duinn loved, as he, a strong and bright dwarf did not hesitate to travel the snowy peaks of the Mountains and face the perils there. It also gave Duinn a chance to see many of his family, including his uncle Durinur and grandmother that still dwelt there. When Duinn's grandmother died in 2845, he had just arrived with the gold caravan to witness her last moments. Thus it was Duinn that on his return told Muninn of the passing of his mother. As time went on, Duinn's travels made him long for lands further away, halls told to him as a child. And so, at the travel ready age, Duinn permanently left Thakalgund in 2869. The younger Kuinn however, born in Thakalgund, remained with his father, eager to assist his father in the building of the Hall of Steel, as Thakalgund was named in the common tongue.
Years passed, Muninn saw his family grow. As both his sons fathered children of their own. Though the period of greatest riches had passed Thakalgund prospered. Then, when Muninn and his son Kuinn were visiting Lord Dáin Ironfoot, in the Iron Hills, on a early autumn night in 2941, a raven arrived at the Hall of Lord Dáin. A message from Thorin Oakenshield, to muster a force and bring it to the Lonely Mountain, as the halls of old were reclaimed and being seiged by Elves and Men. Muninn, who by now was already an elder dwarf of 230, saw his chance to return to his birth place and fight for it one last time. So it was that Muninn and Kuinn marched with Dáin Ironfoot to the Lonely Mountain. Soon after their arrival the battle was joined, yet in alliance with elves and men, against foul orcs from Gundabad and their wargs. When the battle was fought and King Thorin Oakenshield had passed to the Halls of waiting Muninn saw his oath to Thorin fulfilled and handed his title of First Lord of Thakalgund to Kuinn, who in turn returned to the Grey Mountains. Muninn had made up his mind, he would remain at the Lonely Mountain, his birth place, his home.
Soon he was joined by his treasured wife Ásdís and his brother Durinur. In 2982, at the great age of 276 Ásdís moved to the Halls of waiting, leaving her beloved Muninn behind. Muninn was broken by the loss of his wife, and for a time wished to join her. Yet the life in his grandchildren and later still even great-grandchildren kept a spark in him alive.
Muninn, now having reached the great age of 308, has become the eldest dwarf of the Lonely Mountain.
A counciler to King Dáin Ironfoot II he has become, as has his brother Durinurr, who also has reached such a tremendous age, of 298. Gamil Bilisturg (Old Berylbeard) he is called by all in Erebor, as he has adorned his beard with a new Beryl every year since the death of his beloved Ásdís.
((Thanks to Kandral for scribing Muninn's Bio))
