Sure thing, Nonnie! I’m sorry to hear you’re not having a great time of it today. I’m sending you my very best wishes: I hope your day gets better.

Jeri Child of Beri

Jeri is the only child of Beri daughter of Kori, conceived when Beri was only 72 years old in Ered Luin. Beri was an angry, impulsive and reckless youth – a soldier and the last of a once-respected family whose means had dwindled starkly in their exile. Beri’s aggressive and risk-taking ways were brought to a sudden halt, and she was forced to settle down very quickly after the birth of her child. Beri has never spoken of who sired the baby to anyone other than Jeri themself. Jeri has never made any attempt to contact him – and has no wish to be associated with a Dwarrow who would leave such a young Dwarrowdam alone to raise a child.

Despite their tight circumstances, Beri made an excellent sole parent for the adventurous, curious, unorthodox, logical and fiercely independent Jeri. Beri was determined to provide the best possible life for her child, and often took on dangerous mining and border-protection duty for the extra payment. She noticed early on that Jeri showed aptitude for the arts of combat, and began training them with a wooden practice sword. It is one of Jeri’s fondest early memories: the clack of wooden swords against each other in a dingy room in Ered Luin.

It was when Jeri was around 32 that they declared themself to be Zatakhuzdûn (literally, “Whole Dwarf, one/embodies this” – i.e. nonbinary). Beri kissed their cheek and asked how Jeri wished to be known. Jeri picked ‘Child of Beri,’ to honour their mother.

Jeri did not have a head for figures. They discovered that they needed special assistance for numbers to make sense: they appeared to dance before their eyes and they often mixed up their orders when Jeri was working upon sums. Nevertheless, sequences were not a problem: Jeri found that they had a remarkable memory for manoeuvres and strategy. They developed a keen interest in games of tactics such as ‘uzghu ma ziraku (Blunt Battle, literally “not sharp battle” – a game of memory and strategy similar to chess). Even in their adult years Jeri is still a champion, and meets once a week with friends to play.

It was when Jeri was nearing fifty that the Quest for Erebor succeeded. Beri and Jeri together in one of the great Dwarven caravans moved from Ered Luin to the Lonely Mountain. It is at this time that the tiny family began to turn their lives around, Jeri’s fortunes began to change and their skills began to gain notice.

During the journey over the Misty Mountains, the caravan-train was attacked by remnants of the goblins that had been so incensed by the death of their King. Jeri, who was 50 and still underage, managed to impress the old training-master Nali with their deft and ferocious defense of their wagon. Upon reaching Erebor, Nali mentioned this to one of his most renowned former-students, Dwalin Fundinul. Dwalin made a mental note to watch Jeri’s progress.

By the time they were 70, Jeri was at the top of their apprentice class and training amongst journeymen. It was not long before Jeri had their masters’ braid, and was placed in the newest battalion under the direction of the brilliant and unconventional Orla Longaxe. Orla noted Jeri’s unusual aptitude for both strategy and combat, and Jeri quickly began to rise through the ranks.

Jeri was also frequenting Nori’s tavern regularly, playing ‘uzghu ma ziraku   against challengers (and always collecting their share of the winnings from Nori, along with a couple of free ales). With this supplement to their income, Jeri and Beri were able to move from their cramped and humble quarters to a larger apartment.

It was at this time also that Beri met and married Genild daughter of Gorild, an old comrade of Dain II Ironfoot. Genild was a Dwarrowdam of the Iron Hills and a veteran of the Battle of Five Armies. Like Beri, Genild was herself an older Dwarf, and had long given up the idea of discovering love. Jeri immediately liked Genild and rejoiced in their mother’s good fortune at last. Jeri customarily calls Beri ‘Amad’ and Genild ‘Ma.’

However, it was not this connection to the Council that precipitated Jeri’s elevation to the highest rank. It was in fact the young soldier’s quick thinking that gained them their coveted position in the elite guard. Bain King of Dale had been visiting Erebor upon a matter of trade, and had brought his young son Brand. Some disaffected Men of the former Laketown, jealous of Dale’s growing prosperity and close friendship with Dain Ironfoot, planned to kidnap the young Prince and throw suspicion onto the Dwarves in order to sow dissent.

Jeri quickly discerned that no Dwarf had taken the Prince, who had been touring the great bustling Marketplace of Erebor (and watching one of the clockwork puppet shows). The escape-path the kidnappers had taken led through one of the subterranean water-channels that fed the River Running, and no Dwarf could ford it without a rope. No rope had been used, ergo, the kidnapper was taller than a Dwarf.

Thus reasoned, Jeri immediately brought their findings to Orla Longaxe. Orla ordered Jeri to follow through on their reasoning, and so Jeri immediately took a small detail of Dwarves and Men to the abandoned ruins of Laketown which still mouldered underneath the dragon’s glittering bones. Nearby stood the new town that was now commonly called Esgaroth. There they discovered the young Prince, battered and very wet, but alive. Jeri themself took captive the leader of the plot and brought him back to Bain and Dain in chains (and in tears – apparently Jeri made something of an impression).

Jeri was made a member of the elite guard by Dwalin Fundinul, and was given a gold bead forged by the hand of Dain Ironfoot himself as commemoration for their deed (it is a little crooked at the base, but Jeri prizes it nevertheless).

Jeri is still rather independent, and will choose their own guard detail rather than wait to be assigned. They prefer ‘interesting’ jobs rather than simple guard duty. At 127, Jeri is in their vigorous early-to-mid adulthood, and is proficient in both swordplay and axe-work. Jeri has also been known to accompany the heir Thorin Stonehelm upon his own work, and is fond of him  – though Jeri thinks he needs to believe in himself more and isn’t afraid to tell him so. To be frank, Jeri is probably the first person he has ever called ‘friend.’

Jeri’s Dark-Name is Id-uskan – “The Perceiver.” They have only ever shared it with their mother.