A/N: This is a rewrite of my old Catalogue fanfic. I thought my old one looked like it had too strong a connection to commercial value, what with its talk of a Dwarf-dex and monetary value, something that the Tolkien Estate glares on, and I really don't want to ever get sued by Christopher Tolkien if he ever found out.

Here, I name the Dwarves of Middle-earth one or more at a time, and explain their virtues and a few of their faults in story format, as if a Dwarf scholar were recording it in essay format for the benefit of the Dwarf race, and perhaps all other races, too, including Elves and humans.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, the Dwarves, or any other Middle-earth stories, J.R.R. Tolkien and his Estate do.

Catalogue of the Dwarves

Greetings, readers! I am Fain, the scribe of Thorin Stonehelm, the present King under the Mountain. Here I present the famous Dwarves of history according to the accounts of Elves, Men, and Hobbits, and how their virtues and habits (and some of their faults) can be an inspiration for us all.

Balin

In addition to reclaiming the Lonely Mountain from the Dragon Smaug along with the rest of Thorin and Company, Balin son of Fundin wanted to do more. Unlike his complacent younger brother, Dwalin, he did not rest on his laurels. He wanted the Dwarves to get even more dignity back than they presently did, and set out to reclaim Khazad-dûm from the Orcs, becoming the great Lord of Moria. And although he fell and failed, he's alive in our memories, and will always inspire greatness and courage in even the worst of us.

We are all Balin.

Thorin Oakenshield

He was a Dwarf who had seemingly incurable haughtiness and pride, which nearly got him in trouble with the Elves of Mirkwood and the Men of Lake-town, not to mention his Hobbit burglar. But toward the end of his life, he redeemed himself by leading all the Elves, Men, and Dwarves in an attack against the Goblins, and by opening his eyes to the goodness of the Hobbit race. Like Balin, he is alive in our memories, because his example shows that anyone can be redeemed of just about anything they may do wrong.

We are all Thorin Oakenshield.

Fili and Kili

As youngsters, they knew they didn't have much authority in the Company, but they were not complainers, as proven when they came out of their barrels more or less smiling after escaping the Elven-king's halls. They were also unaffected by the dragon-sickness that polluted Thorin and many of his fellow Dwarves after Smaug's death. Finally, they died valiantly defending Thorin's body in the Battle of Five Armies, showing their devotion and respect to their mother Dis' eldest brother. Everyone has a passion or a desire to live like faithful, devoted children sometime in their lives.

We are all Fili and Kili.

Ori and Oin

These bold souls were of like mind to Balin. They did not want to become complacent in their victory against Smaug the Dragon like their other seven companions, Dwalin, Gloin, Dori, Nori, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur, but rather they wanted to expand on Dwarf victories and restore more honor to their people, helping Balin to rebuild Khazad-dûm. Of course, the attempt failed after five years, but Oin will be remembered as the shy but wise Dwarf who helped his Lord rediscover mithril and Durin's Axe and other treasures, and Ori as the feisty scribe of Mazarbul who wrote the Book of Mazarbul and fought to the end in the final defense against the Orcs. All people have an innate desire to honor their family, country, or church.

We are all Ori and Oin.

Gloin

While he was more complacent than Balin, Ori, and his brother Oin, Gloin was a Dwarf of great honor, and was brought to great glory in Kingdom under the Mountain, becoming fantastically rich and wealthy, as well as earning fame in Erebor. This is something that many Dwarves and other people like to aspire to, and while only some succeed, anyone can sympathize with Gloin on this, because everyone wants to live in comfort.

We are all Gloin.

Bombur

A lot of people like to get fat and heavy off their favorite foods, like poor, good old Bombur. But Bombur was also a Dwarf who was last for everything, and just because he was so large, he always counted for two. He resented this to no end, but few heeded his complaints, and they continued to make him always the last Dwarf in Thorin and Company. Bombur is someone with whom we can feel sympathy because we're all last for something in life, and most people don't enjoy it.

We are all Bombur.

Dori

This Dwarf was a decent fellow, even though he grumbled a lot, and he was willing to help Bilbo, the Company's Hobbit burglar, out of several scrapes during the Quest for Erebor. It just goes to show that people fall prey to the crime of grumbling and complaining excessively, but can still care for those they grumble about to the point that they're still willing to help them. This is a good thing to remember.

We are all Dori.

Dwalin

The brother of Balin, Lord of Moria, was not known for doing much of anything outstanding, but he did give some good advice to Bilbo at the beginning of the Quest, and he generously gave the Hobbit a spare green hood and cloak that Bilbo kept with him for a very long time as traveling clothes. Dwarves, as well as Elves and Men, are always willing to do favors for other people, even if they haven't fully warmed up to them yet.

We are all Dwalin.

Nori, Bifur, and Bofur

Of these three the least is known, but at least they knew how to be content with what they had, instead of being too greedy, like some others of their kind, complacent or not. And contentment is something anybody would want if they didn't already have it.

We are all Nori, Bifur, and Bofur.

Dain Ironfoot

This great warrior always ruled the Kingdom under the Mountain with a fair hand after moving there from the Iron Hills, and protected it valiantly. He even held onto his strength in his old age, and in the Battle of Dale during the War of the Ring, he fought beside his friend King Brand until he was felled by the weapons of the Easterlings, old but unbowed. We all want to hold onto our strength and determination even as we grow old, and for those of us who succeed, Dain will serve as our hero to that goal.

We are all Dain Ironfoot.

Dis

She is the only female Dwarf whom has been allowed to give her identity to non-Dwarves in Middle-earth, but she's also honored for being the mother of the valiant Fili and Kili as well as the younger sister of Thorin Oakenshield. Her being so honored is a sign that our Dwarf-women, even when we keep their existence a secret, deserve recognition for their own honor as much as Dwarf-men do.

We women are all Dis.

Thror and Thrain

Father and son, these two Dwarves who raised Thorin Oakenshield ruled their people well, even after they were exiled from the Lonely Mountain by Smaug. Still, however, they were also greedy, and that was apparently because of the Ring of Durin's Folk, for that Ring took away the free will to resist greed from the Dwarves who wielded it. Thus, Thror was killed when he walked recklessly into Moria, and Thrain was captured and tortured to death by the Necromancer when he took a rash adventure to reclaim Erebor. Let that be a lesson for us all, for everyone is tempted by greed, and many people give in to it.

We are all Thror and Thrain.

Nar

He was an old friend and companion of King Thror, and went with him to Moria after Smaug took Erebor. He didn't want his king to enter it, but Thror walked in anyway, and was killed and tossed out of the gate. He wept for the desecration of Thror as much as he did for the murder, something we all have to put up with to some extent.

We are all Nar.

Frerin and Fundin

Frerin was Thorin Oakenshield's younger brother and Dis' older brother, and Fundin was Balin and Dwalin's father. Like Fili and Kili, they were valiant, and fought well in the War of the Dwarves and Orcs, but both died in the climactic Battle of Azanulbizar at the war's end. They fought well, to the end, but became casualties of the war, and were honored as "burned Dwarves" after the battle ended. Virtually everyone loses someone they care about to violence at some point in their family history, a brother like Frerin or a father like Fundin.

We all have a Frerin or a Fundin.

Nain

Nain was the father of Dain Ironfoot and the son of Gror, and he came from the Iron Hills. He and his reinforcements led to the Dwarves getting the advantage in the Battle of Azanulbizar in the War of the Dwarves and Orcs, and they basically won the day for them. Nain was also the first Dwarf to confront Azog, the murderer of King Thror, at the East-gate of Moria, and fought bravely against him, but because of his weariness and Azog's fresh and fell state of mind, the latter won, and Nain fell and died, though Dain stepped in after him and finished off Azog the Goblin. Surely, Nain, like Frerin and Fundin, is a worthy veteran of the war, and thus is an example of how one must at least try to do something that's important or dangerous, even if they fail and/or die in the attempt.

We are all Nain.

Floi

Not much has been said about this hero among Dwarves. He was another idealistic Dwarf who accompanied Balin, Ori, and Oin to retake Moria from the Goblins of the Misty Mountains. It's been revealed that he slew a great enemy at some point during the Dwarves' entry into the mines, possibly a Cave-troll or an Uruk of the Uruk-hai, but shortly afterward, he was shot and killed by an arrow. Evidently Balin considered Floi's fortitude to be worthy of an honorable burial, for he was given a beautiful grave in the grass near Mirrormere. Surely there's something in all of us that wants to fight seemingly insurmountable obstacles even in the face of certain defeat or death.

We are all Floi.

Frar, Loni, and Nali

The Book of Mazarbul tells of the Orcs taking the Bridge of Khazad-dûm and the nearby halls. Here fell these three brave Dwarf warriors. They attempted to save Khazad-dûm, but fell and failed; however, their valor should be a symbol of how a person should fight, even to the bitter end, to protect who or what you love, just like with Ori, Oin, and all the other Dwarves who died in Moria during their quest. From what the King and I have heard, countless people have done just this over the ages.

We are all Frar, Loni, and Nali.

Thorin Stonehelm

He is the present ruler of the Kingdom under the Lonely Mountain, and he rules as well as Dain Ironfoot did. His benevolent rule gladdens my heart, for the good lineage of Durin's royal line was not broken by Dain's death. Hopefully, he will continue to maintain the prosperity of Erebor and our friendship with Dale and it's new king, Bard II. Every royal line that loses its king in a battle or war needs a son or other heir to take his place, and Thorin Stonehelm fit the role like a gauntlet.

We all need an heir like Thorin Stonehelm.

Azaghâl

Now this Dwarf King was not a Longbeard, he was a Firebeard of Belegost during the First Age. As has always been innate with that Dwarf clan, he had a very fiery spirit, and marched fearlessly into combat in the Battle of Unnumbered Tears against the Dragons of Morgoth. It was his near-invincible resistance to the fire-drakes' flames that helped him get close to them, and land a terrible, though sadly not fatal, wound on Glaurung the Golden, though Azaghâl died in the act. Many individuals of each race, including, unfortunately, the Orcs, have that same fiery strength that makes them able to stand up to even the most terrible of situations.

There are many Azaghâl's in the world.

Telchar

There have been numerous skilled smiths in the history of the world, and while perhaps some Elven smiths, like those of Eregion, may surpass ours, there's no doubt that Telchar, a Broadbeam of Nogrod, was (and is) the greatest of our smiths, able to forge things of great strength and power, like the knife Angrist, the sword Narsil, now reforged as Andúril, and the Dragon-helm of Dor-lómin. Many Dwarves have tried to match or even surpass his skill, but still nobody has succeeded. But that does not mean we are giving up. No one should give up trying to have the kind of talent that someone of the past had, for who knows when someone will be born who can honorably carry on a legend's legacy?

We all want to be a Telchar.

Mîm, Khîm, and Ibûn

They are the last three of the notorious Petty-dwarves, or at least the last known Petty-dwarves. Their kind were persecuted by the Noldor and Sindar Elves, and to a lesser extent, by our Eastern Dwarven neighbors, and they neither forgot nor forgave it. These three got mixed up with the cursed Man Túrin and his outlaws, and Khîm and Ibûn perished at the hands of the outlaws and a band of Orcs, respectively. Mîm, because of Khîm's murder and the presence of an Elf in his halls of Amon Rûdh, proved to be treacherous, betraying Túrin and his band to the Orcs, but for his trouble, Túrin's father, Húrin, slew him in vengeance later. Let that be a lesson to all; we can all be tragic figures like the Petty-dwarves, but beware, because anyone can betray you, especially if his life is a ruined one.

We all can be a Khîm or an Ibûn, but we can also all be betrayed by a wretched Mîm.

Narvi Elf-friend

Here is one of the few Dwarves besides Gimli son of Gloin who is known by name and history for being an Elf-friend. He loved Elves, and had a special friendship with Celebrimbor of the House of Fëanor, the greatest Elf-king of Eregion, with whom he fashioned and carved the moonlit Doors of Durin at Khazad-dûm's West-gate. Narvi was an example of a Dwarf who gladly worked beside Elven smiths and worked with them for the preservation of life and obedience to Eru, the Creator of All, as well as Mahal, the Maker of Mountains. Together, like the other Dwarves and Elves of that time, Narvi's works and Celebrimbor's work thrived and resulted in the further thriving of the Creation we call Middle-earth. Their example should inspire all people of the world to be friends and work hand-in-hand for the betterment of all life and Creation.

We all need a little of Narvi in us.

Durin the Deathless

This apparently immortal Dwarf is the eldest Father of the Dwarves, and the most revered Dwarf ever in Middle-earth. He gave Khuzdul names to such locations as Kheled-zâram, Kibil-nâla, Azanulbizar, and Khazad-dûm, later known as Moria, and ruled as a spiritual figure of the Longbeard Dwarf Clan, who would come back after his death in six reincarnations, after which his people would dwindle. He made his folk a race of kings and lords among subjects while the other six clans simply hammered and chiseled away with metal and rock. We all desire somebody like this in our lives, and while I don't liken Durin to a God necessarily, for that would be blasphemy against Eru and Mahal, everyone needs a strong and merciful leader to rule them righteously, and with a few exceptions, like Elros, Elendil, and Aragorn, great kings of Men, and perhaps a couple of Elvish kings, Durin is one of the most benevolent, righteous, and wise kings ever.

We all want a Durin in our life.

Gimli Elf-friend

This is another Dwarf who counts among the noblest and greatest of the Khazâd race ever. He redeemed and saved the souls and reputation of our people, first by showing loving discipleship to the Elven Lady Galadriel and befriending the Wood-elf Legolas, mending the long-held enmity between Dwarves and Elves, second by rediscovering the true calling of Durin's Folk in the Glittering Caves of Aglarond and introducing a Dwarf colony to the place to make it a Dwarf realm, restoring the old ways of Khazad-dûm's Dwarves who lived and worked with Eregion's Elves, and thirdly by sailing over the Western Sea with Legolas in FO 120, becoming the first Dwarf ever to enter the holy realm of Valinor and, possibly, be granted immortality. Since the entry of Morgoth into Middle-earth, it seems every race has been in need of a savior, Eärendil for the Elves and Men, Aragorn for Men again, and now Gimli for the Dwarves, and they are all proof that any tainted or cursed race or species may be redeemed of its ancient evil that tarnished it.

We all want a Gimli in our life.