Moria, the Black Pit, ruled now by orcs and fouler things; Durin's Bane. This ancient kingdom of huge archways, mansions, viaducts and chambers now lies in darkness, but it once was lit all around by crystals and there was plenty of song and warm fires burning; Khazad-Dûm, the Dwarrowdelf, the home of During the Deathless and the Longbeards of old. Here my ancestors, the Urs-tarâg exiled from Tumunzahar after the great calamity of their time, lived among the Sigin-tarâg and they grew prosperous. I have many records that tell tales of their time there, but many more have been lost in its vast caverns.
Now that the great evil of the east has been destroyed, the orcs of the mountains will be in disarray, but they will not be so easily defeated, and it may take many more years before we will ever walk those halls again. The retaking of Moria is a matter spoken off silently each day. We know the time for us to march and fight the final battle of our time is nearing. As we await the return of the seventh Durin, the eldest of all fathers who was portended to return sevenfold into this world, the orcs and uruks within will grow larger in number and larger their number has become already, so they say, with runaways from Mordor adding to their hordes. Every foul thing in the depths of the ancient kingdom will be riled up in their defence, for while we await the arrival of the Durin who will reclaim the throne of Moria, the orcs will multiply and grow bolder by the day, and they will not be any less dangerous then when Durin's Bane still stalked those halls, like a cornered cur growling and gnashing at their foe. They will be fierce, trying to survive what is coming. But what is coming cannot be stopped, and there will be no rest for the orcs and even if the war lasts centuries, the dwarves will rout the evil out of every tunnel, crevice and cavernous hall, and Khazad-Dûm will be restored and the orcs of the mountains destroyed forever.
I can only hope that I may live to see this day.
Nyr, 3rd of January year 1 FoA
