Owenston's background, part 4
Balmon came to stay with us many times. Each visit he would find time to answer my questions.
“Why do you journey with a Fire-Dwarf?”
“Piragar is a Purifire.” He answered.
“What is a Purifire?”
“Purifires are those who wield cleansing flame to drive out the corruption brought by the Skyfire.”
“Why do you journey with him?”
“We oppose the same enemy in different ways. Our methods compliment each other. He can protect me while I am healing the earth. I can heal him after he attacks the tainted.”
“Why do you not carry a knife?”
“I have taken a vow never to use an edged weapon, and to fight only if there is no other choice.”
“Do all Earth-Healers take that vow?”
“No. It is a grave vow. Many Earth-Healers do not take it. Some who take it are not Earth-Healers. Your father is strong willed to resist the temptation to make a weapon.”
“Why is it wrong to make a weapon? The fire-dwarves do.”
“The fire-dwarves chose a unlike tradition. They believe the Skyfire an unjust act of the sun god. They choose to fight the skyfire with fire. The stone-dwarves take a different view.
In the time before, dwarves were renowned warriors and weaponsmiths. They could shape metal the way your father shapes stone. Dwarven weapons were legends both great and terrible.
There are two theories. Some believe that We made the Skyfire Weapon used against us. Others feel that We made a weapon so dreadful that it could kill the gods, and the sun god attacked to attempt to destroy it.
Either way we brought destruction on ourselves. To atone stone-dwarves do not make weapons, fight only in self-defense, and work to heal the land.”