Wacky theory time

This is actually pretty good evidence against the theory; while it doesn't contradict it in any way, it gives a valid and less complicated alternative explanation to the problem that caused the theory, namely: why are the Iron Clan ruins tiny?
In sight of the western ocean= Secret Entrance to the Iron Clan. The ruins of above-ground cities are less likely to have survived, so that's why there's no more to find.

 

Gaaah I got confused between East and West, I look pretty retarded now. East, West, left and right never were intuitive to me; I always have to use a mnemonic to remember which is which.

Fine then, it's evidence for the other half of the discussion - though maybe the fact they built above ground cities at all is a form of evidence that they could have made Vendigroth. I guess even if Vendigroth was built by dwarves they may not be the same dwarves as the Iron Clan, or the group of dwarves who became the Iron Clan separated from Vendigroth long before Arronax became irritated by the city so they are more loosely affliated than if Arronax himself had caused them to leave. It would make sense to have the throne room built more as a bunker in an above ground city, thereby protecting the King and his most prized possessions better than if he had a more accessible above ground throne room. After the Western city was destroyed the throne room was all that was left.

Or a new theory, the Iron Clan and the Vendigrothians are similar but in no way connected - the Iron Clan dwarves sailed away to one of the other alleged continents in the world and left the Durin Stone as way to guide people to their new home! This is why the Iron Clan seems to have pretty much vanished into thin air; they could have seen the submersible Vendigroth tried and failed to build and then massed produced a successful version and gone off into the sunset. The attack on Vendigroth could have even prompted them to seek new shores - clearly technologists weren't popular in the eyes of the Elven Council so rather than face destruction like Vendigroth the dwarves buggered off, leaving a trail of cryptic clues to guide only the most worthy to them.

 

Although I still don't believe in this theory, there are many possibilities to make it believable. How about this one?
Vendigroth indeed was a dwarf city but at some point those dwarves started to use the technology to do their work. They even built an above-ground city which was unthinkable before. Therefore dwarves truly loyal to ancient dwarven principles declared themselves The Iron Clan, took the Durin Stone and away they went. As there were just few of them, they were unable to built a whole cave city as we know it and built only this one room instead, just to protect Durin Stone. By the time this chamber was finally done all of them were already dead or vanished somewhere in Arcanum. And the last dwarf standing put his hammer and plate into that pillars. That's it.

 

How about... technology mutates human dna into dwarves, the way magick made elves.

 

I lost the manual a long time ago but the description of races was pretty clear. Dwarves and Elves and more ancient than humans.

I realize that what I said before was not very smart :roll: but I really don't think that Vendigorth was a dwarf city.

About the tinyness of the Iron Clan, I just think devs didn't made a big place for a secondary quest, that's all.

 

No , humans and dwarves were the first races even before the elves.

 

Proof or it didn't happen.

 

Elves and Dwarves are more ancient than humans. If I remember, it is written in the game manual.

 

There is a text somewhere in the game (Tarant library?) that mentions dwarves and elves split off of humans.

 

Or you could always read the archieved version of the official arcanum site here on this site which proves me right.
http://www.terra-arcanum.com/sierra/ ( you will find it in the world section).

 

I would say the Vendigrothians' submarine building argues against them being dwarves. Dwarves don't seem to have any particular affinity for waterborne activities.

I think it's more likely the Iron Clan dwarves built a space ship or some other kind of advanced transport and simply went somewhere else. They probably left their most retrograde, inferior members behind, which explains Magnus.

 

:thumbup:

 

Didn't it say in the manual that Elves had chainmail while us humans were still trying to eat rocks?

I came, I cleaned, I left. - DF

 

As I recall from the manual, elves were indeed a mutated race who endured magical imbalances and magical storms in the land. They ended up being elves who had more control over magic, and more affinity for it. Other race who emerged at the same time were giants, who mutated into colossal beings. These giants in time begin losing their powers(size) gained in old times, and got smaller and smaller in time, till the size of ogres. They continued to get smaller till they could mate with humans "ONCE AGAIN".

considering both ogres, and elves are result of a mutation in very very old times, they must have mutated from something with a more common ground : humans. and the fact "ogres could mate with humans once again" kind of proves that.

Elves developing society while humans were still busy being awed by the form of a random rock (oh wait thats dwarves), ..still trying to eat rock pieces; can be related to their superior position of having magical powers at use, while no other race had technology in their service yet.

The teory that dwarves are mutated humans due to technological influence makes totally sense. When we consider racial traits, elves and dwarves are direct opposites. Same goes with magic and technology. As elves are mutated products of magical disturbances, dwarves might as well be products of technological infuence on human genes. That would explain Vendigroth being home of ancient dwarves, BEFORE they were actually dwarves (a semi stage where they began their mutation). Remember other than Magnus (who might as well be a disabled midget due to inbred nature of small Iron Clan community), we have no proof that members of Iron Clan were indeed short, bearded muscled people. All we know they were also "dwarves", whereas the definition of dwarf might have changed drastically in 2000 years.

Go for it Muro, nice teory!