Gáin the Old
Gain was an old, pale-skinned Dwarf who hailed from a
long line of trusted guards. These warders traditionally
kept Khazad-dum's valuables safe from any outsiders.
Wrinkled and wizened, Gain wore his long beard forked
and braided. He tucked the ends into both his belt and the
tops of his boots. He was also noted for the long, distinct
scar over his left eye, an almost-white mark he sustained
long ago in the King's service.
This wound apparently rattled Gain's brain, for he had
never been the same since the day of that battle. Because
he was injured in a noble pursuit, he was promoted to a
Guard-warden's rank and charged with an honorable task:
the keeping of the King's treasures.
Having slowly become unbalanced, Gain now counted the treasures that he had guarded for so many long nights as his own. He resented the fact that the King treated these objects as royal property. After all, Gain had long since earned them all and more through his valorous service. One dark night, while standing watch over the treasure horde, an idea came unbidden to Gain's mind, and ever since it had remained uppermost in his thoughts. Gain entertained a plan to make the vast treasures of Khazad-dum his own. He was particularly fond of the Three Axes of Azaghal, a valiant Dwarf from ancient times from whom (for no reason besides his madness) he believed he was descended. He had determined that the weapons should belong to him and no other. To that end, he had contacted a person on the outside who had arranged for a band of thieves to break into the halls of Moria and spirit the axes away, along with whatever else they could carry. Although Gain was asking for 90% of what the Thieves acquires, he felt it was only just, since he was taking a tremendous risk in betraying his King. He had no doubt that Dwarven blood would be spilled by the invaders in the course of their mission, but that was an eventuality that could not be prevented, sad as it might be.
References[]
- MERP:Lords of Middle-earth Vol III: Hobbits, Dwarves, Ents, Orcs & Trolls
- MERP:Moria - The Dwarven City