Hammer and Axe
Overview
Hammer and Axe is the opening novel in the Dwarven Nations Trilogy, and it plunges readers into the ancient, deeply-rooted history of the dwarves of Krynn. The novel traces the origins of Thorbardin, the great dwarven kingdom, focusing on the fierce conflicts, personal sacrifices, and foundational choices that shaped dwarven culture.
Set centuries before the War of the Lance, this is a story about identity, ambition, and the costs of forging a nation. It captures the dwarves at their most divided and most passionate, laying the groundwork for all future tales of Thorbardin.
Main Character: Reghar Fireforge
A proud and skilled hill dwarf blacksmith, Reghar is both a craftsman and a reluctant warrior.
Caught between his loyalty to his people and his growing frustration with the disunity among the dwarves.
Reghar’s journey is one of personal integrity, wrestling with how to preserve honor while resisting tyranny and cultural isolation.
Through Reghar, the novel explores how history is made by those who choose to defy it.
Supporting Characters
Colm Farax – A cunning and manipulative dark dwarf who believes that power justifies any means. Colm becomes a dangerous political force whose ambition threatens all dwarven clans.
Gloran Hammerfell – The elder statesman and noble Thane, a traditionalist whose vision of unity sometimes blinds him to nuance.
Tolon “Tol” Fireforge – Reghar’s cousin and a firebrand idealist. Tolon pushes Reghar toward action, challenging him to be more than just a smith.
Mara – A healer and spiritual guide, Mara helps Reghar find his emotional center. She embodies the dwarven connection to the divine and the natural world.
Setting
The story takes place in pre-Thorbardin Krynn, across scattered dwarven settlements and mountainous strongholds.
The setting is a land in flux: the dwarves are powerful, but divided into rival clans. The looming idea of unification under one kingdom is both a dream and a threat.
There are epic descriptions of forges, halls, and underground strongholds—each bearing the unique cultural marks of the different dwarven clans.
This is a formative period, rich with mythic resonance, where geography, ideology, and ancestry all play major roles in shaping the plot.
Plot Summary
Sparks of Rebellion
Reghar Fireforge is a respected smith among the hill dwarves, but unrest brews as rival clans grow more hostile and isolationist. When a delegation from the mountain dwarves arrives, offering a vision of a unified dwarven homeland, Reghar is drawn into the political debate.
Colm Farax, a dark dwarf with a hidden agenda, manipulates these tensions to gain control over key territories. His machinations spark violence and paranoia.
Forges of Conflict
Reghar and Tolon uncover a conspiracy to undermine the unification effort. Their attempts to warn the Thanes fall on deaf ears. As alliances crumble, Reghar must decide whether to stay silent or lead a resistance.
Meanwhile, Colm Farax seizes power in a sudden coup, throwing the dwarven nation into civil war. Reghar forges not only weapons, but alliances—using his skills as a smith and his growing reputation as a leader.
The Birth of a Nation
The climax of the novel centers around a final battle for the soul of the dwarves. With Mara’s guidance and Tolon’s fire, Reghar challenges Colm directly.
In the aftermath, the surviving clans agree to build something new: a united kingdom called Thorbardin. Reghar declines a title, choosing instead to return to his forge, his legacy embedded in the stone of the mountain itself.
Themes
Unity and Division – The core of the novel explores how cultural, ideological, and personal rifts can both destroy and forge nations.
Honor vs. Ambition – Through Reghar and Colm, we see a contrast between duty to one’s people and lust for power.
The Weight of Legacy – Characters wrestle with the idea of what they’ll leave behind—whether forged in iron or carved into law.
Foundations of Identity – What does it mean to be a dwarf in a time when everything is changing? The story asks this through characters at personal and national crossroads.
Tone & Style
Hammer and Axe has a mythic, historical tone, rich in lore and grounded in dwarven traditions. The writing balances political drama, intimate character conflict, and sweeping action.
The style leans into descriptive worldbuilding, especially around craft, tradition, and setting. It reads like a chronicle of a pivotal era, with an emotional core built on family and personal duty.
Reception
Hammer and Axe is praised for:
Giving depth and nuance to dwarven history and culture in Krynn.
A compelling central protagonist whose humility contrasts with the epic events he shapes.
Strong thematic resonance with real-world concepts of nationalism, legacy, and unity.
Some critiques:
The pacing can slow in exposition-heavy chapters.
Some readers wished for more time with secondary characters like Mara and Tolon.
Final Thoughts
Hammer and Axe is a foundational Dragonlance novel, not just in chronology but in spirit. It tells the story of how a nation was born through blood, iron, and willpower. Reghar Fireforge may not wear a crown, but he carries the heart of his people—and the weight of their future.
Recommended for:
Fans of dwarven lore and early Dragonlance history.
Readers who love origin stories, political fantasy, and character-driven leadership arcs.
Anyone interested in how myth becomes history, and how heroes are forged in flame.