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by The Armed Republic of Dutch Coolness » Fri Jan 02, 2015 1:10 am
P2TM Mentor
by Krugmar » Fri Jan 02, 2015 1:30 pm
Ancestors heed our call
we of the mountains
we who delve deep
the sons of stone
Dwarven runes, written in Durogvem. Dating is unknown. It seems to be a cry for help. Translation by Azak Vulun
The Mysterious past, by Bezzuli Nikunzav
We know little of our past, our ancestors wrote only that which they felt worthy enough to record. We have much trouble trying to decipher much of what they wrote, Durogvem being all but lost to us. I have endeavoured to record an account of what we know of our past. This is my life's work and I ask that you read it with some respect, I have squandered what was left of my families wealth on this and I have spent countless nights pouring over old and usually useless documents. I shall divide our past into eras, though I shall not bother to include dating. It seems our wise ancestors changed their dating system every few years, they couldn't agree on a significant event to base it on. Anyway, here begins the account.
The Dark Days
I call this era the dark days for our kind seemed to be ignorant of true civilization which we enjoy today. As you can guess few records actually survive, only the occasional runic carving. Accounts from the elves seem to suggest that our people just shot out of the ground, piling out from the mountains in a great rush. Typical elves forgot to mention where they came piling out of or where they were going. My best guess is that they came from the Ice Fang mountains, deciding to move further south to a better climate and more malleable mountains.
Elvish accounts record our people as being extremely hairy, gruff and hostile. Not much seems to have changed. We have found carvings from all mountains in the west, with small cave systems being found as far south as the Iron Mountains and as far east as the Great Mountains. A small cave system was found in the Asaheim Mountains, though it was rather small and looked as though its people quickly fled. All of these proto-cities were eventually abandoned or destroyed at one point. Our people came close to extinction, elvish accounts of our people in this period eventually dry up and runic carvings translated all seem to indicate death, destruction and a need for help
The Allfather, Lord of all Mountains
We are not quite sure who he truly was, how long he lived for or what he actually did. Legends persist around him, many claim descent from him yet only one family has the evidence to show it. His name was Durog, son of Falk. His line lives on through the Falkunzavbrik's, Kings of Durgonarin. He is revered almost as a God, the saviour of our kind and the first Durognar. You cannot enter a dwarven city and not see at least five statues of him. Such is our devotion to a dwarf who saved our kind.
In our darkest hour, when our numbers fell and no home could be found he seemingly appeared out of nowhere. His father Falk was likely a chieftain of one of the tribes, or at least someone with influence. When Durog became chieftain he seemingly rallied several tribes and led them to the Kalzmere Mountains. We are not sure why he decided to do this, all other tribal colonies in those mountains had failed. Perhaps it was a vision, an understanding of those mountains or blind luck.
He led them to where Durognarin now stands, inside they found ancient ruins around a strange thing known now as the Soulforge. Around this device they built a great city, though it would likely be quite shabby by our standards. They have left many runic carvings in this city, they truly respected him and possibly worshiped him. I have carefully copied one such rune here with a translation.
Durog, we hail you lord
you have led us to this land
such devotion we show to you
let us have this homeland
and such glory to us
About the dwarf himself, we know nothing. His appearance can be guessed from his ancestors. All those of the Falkunzavbrik line have great red hair, no other family can boast this. Their eyes tend to be a deep grey or brown, but always the darkest of either colour. Their noses are in the middle-size range, their faces generally strong and giving off a certain amount of authority. They are tall for dwarves, usually standing a bit taller than those around them. His personality we must simply take guesses at, he seems to have been strong-willed and charismatic. Beyond that we have no evidence to even base wild guesses.
The Founding of a Homeland
Durognarin is the centre of the dwarven world, or at least that is what those who live there claim. It is the largest of all our cities and perhaps one of the strongest, recovering from decadence and disaster in the recent years. Few buildings there date back to Durog's time, the exception being the Soulforge chamber and certain passages within Durog's Palace. It was without a doubt built to last however, they must have spent untold years digging out that area of the Kalzmere Mountains. How they survived and even thrived is a mystery to all of us scholars. Luckily we have another set of runes that survived, I shall write them out here.
We toiled in the ground
building the city for us all
none shall take it
for it has been given to us
we are the Durognar
This is the first account where they call themselves the Durognar, in Durogvem sons of stone and in Baldul ones who delve. Durog at this time did not mean stone, it took on that meaning much later. It seems that the Baldul change occurred mainly due to the other cities reluctance to associate themselves with Durognarin, not due to any growing hate of Durog. This is our last carving from this age about Durog, though I will record here an elvish account of the building of Durognarin. It is relatively unbiased and that is why I shall record it here, I took the liberty of shortening it and cutting out all of the useless information that he babbled on about.
The strange folk of the mountains grouped together some time ago and headed east, to the Kalzmere Mountains. I have attempted speech with their kind in the past, I have received little other than gruff grunts and what I believe are insults. I had heard from friends who have headed east that they seem to be building a city of some kind and decided to visit it myself. My attempts to gain access at first were unsuccessful, they threatened to kill me and barked strange words at me. I managed to find their weakness, they seem to be completely enthralled to alcohol. I offered the guards some ale that I had brought along with me and they escorted me in. Their city was strange, carved into the mountain itself. It had a strange elegance, yet was still primitive in many ways. I heard much talk of a 'Durog' yet I was unable to find out what it was, they threw me out soon after they finished the ale I had given them. I doubt that they will last long if they carry on in these ways, such primitive thinking shall get them nowhere. - My experiences with the Mountain Dwellers, by Maglor Míriel
The First War of Dawn - Inn áðr ófriðr várr nætr-elding
The first war that our kind faced and perhaps one of the most devastating. Durog is said to have led our kind to a decisive victory, but that would place him at just over five hundred years old. My best guess is that it is a different Durog, named after his ancestor. Most of what we know about this war has been told in bedtime stories, these are simply made up accounts and I have not bothered to include them. I shall do my best to provide a clear picture of what actually happened.
In the reign of Durog III a new menace appeared in the Kalzmere Mountains. Our kind name them Spreeks, or Disgust in the common tongue. They were small creatures, coloured in a rotten blueish green, numbering in the hundreds of thousands. Our kind went to battle with them, believing that ownership of the Kalzmere Mountains should be theirs alone. Rather than make up battles and write about what we can know, I shall simply list some of the sources I have used and allow the reader to imagine what it was like.
I was there at that great battle, personally serving under Lord Kalvas Nerun. It took place in the northern reaches Kalzmere Mountains, in a gap between them that allowed for a large area. Our...and lined up we....marching along we s[ang] and cheered. ... . We numbered well over twenty thousand, yet the horde in front of us numbered fifty thousand at a best guess. They were soon upon us, smashing into our lines and ripp[ing] us apart. I saw many of my comrades fall to their slashing and biting. ... . Lord Kalvas was dragged under as they broke our fifth column, nobody ever [saw] him again. By this point we had lost half of our army, things were looking bad. Then I saw him, [Du]rog rallied us and led us to victory. First he called to the... [Inscription ends here]. - An inscription found in Durog's Palace, much of it is missing.
Here lies Zaka
he fell in battle
the spreeks took his head
so we took theirs in return
live forever, brave soldier
We found the Spreeks nest and put it to the torch, the foul beings will trouble us no longer. Durog has declared a cele[bration] that all of the city has been invited to. Durog personally led the charge into their nest, he has been our saviour since [the first battle with the Spr]eeks. We rejoice at having him [as our] King. - An inscription found in Durog's Palace, much of it has been filled in as conjecture.
The Second War of Dawn - Inn annarr ófriðr várr nætr-elding
We know nothing about what happened between these wars. Strangely enough we know nothing about what happened in the second war. The second war probably happened six hundred years after the first. It seems to have been more earth shattering than the first, even the elves wrote about it. There are only two sources on it, I shall record them here and once again let the reader take their own opinion.
We have lost eight legions
they are pushing us back
Azvarn attempts to rally us
Durognarin remains strong
We shall prevail
'Frightful is the hour
Thunder comes from the Mountains
The Mountain Dwellers fight for survival
A war that seemingly never ends
They have lost much
Only one of their cities remains
Yet rally they seem to
Wish them luck do I?
Or defeat, for their hostile kind
Such matters I leave to the Gods
For no saying have I' - An elvish poem
Not much left, I know. The elvish poem was probably better in their language, it does little other than back up our own carving. All we know is that we won and that the Spreeks were annihilated. King Azvarn likely destroyed all of their nests, as no carvings or accounts from his successors mention anything about Spreeks or wars. Here I shall end my account, I am soon to set out on a trip to Dur-Vezja. I hope my works have been a great help to you, though doubtless you are hungry for more knowledge.
signed, Bezzuli Nikunzav, Senior Lecturer at the Fulgrun Academy.
About the Author
Bezzuli Nikunzav is a noble of Dur-Fulgrun. He spends most of his time studying Durognar history and has shown a special interest in Ancient History and Dur-Vezjan history. He is a member of our Fulgrun Academy and an excellent teacher and researcher. He is soon to leave on a trip to Dur-Vezja and we wish him all the best, he has spent almost a century with us and has given his all. A statue of him is being erected in the academy, a true inspiration to us all. Glory to Dur-Fulgrun.
signed, Jorlov Nerun, Master of the Fulgrun Academy
The High King of Durognarin
Kaluzbrin Falkunzavbrik
does accept fealty from all
long be his reign
glory to Durog and his sons
A Carving from the Golden age. It is believed that Kaluzbrin was the first true High King of all dwarves. Translation by Azak Vulun
A biography of Azzun II, by Nerak Yalun
To start off the biography I will give a short introduction to our Golden age. The exact starting of our Golden age is hard to pinpoint, we know that it began with High King Kaluzbrin Falkunzavbrik. His reign is estimated to have started around 2200 BL. At the start of his reign the High Kingdom would have encompassed only Durognarin. Durognarin at this point would have been half the size it is today, yet vast by the standards of the time. it was at this time that several large dwarven clans drew up petitions to set up colonies in nearby mountains. Each of these clans had many who were willing to accompany them. We still have the inscriptions left by each of the families on the petition, I shall record them here.
Lord Kalas Karzunzav
Lord Uztek Vezjunzav
Lord Mazgrad Ganun
Ser Avuz Zenunzav
Lord Intrusz Fulgrunzav
Rorzk Targenun
What is fascinating is that it seems that the Targenun signature was added in quickly and possibly secretly. There are many theories as to why the Targennar were driven away by the other clans, this may be a good explanation for it. Each of these dwarves would later found one of the six colonies. Of them, two have been lost: Dur-Vezja and Dur-Ganar. These colonies swore fealty to the High King and promised aid in times of war. Peace reigned for much of the Golden Age, Durognarin carried on growing and the colonies happily traded with each other. Dur-Vezja was abandoned soon after it was built however, its gates were sealed shut and entrance forbidden by the High King of the time.
It is around this time that Baldul began to develop, though it would not gain the majority use until the Emergence Era. Durogvem remained the normal language for most, though only the wealthiest could afford to read and write it. Relations with the elves were complicated, as usual, but they remained fairly peaceful. Trade between the two races was common. This peace would last until around 1500 BL, when the Great Valtmar Empire emerged. This doubtless will be written about by other scholars in other books. I shall now focus in on the life of Azzun II, King of Karz.
Trade and Wealth in the Golden Age, by Horluz Zanztun
The Golden age was a great time to live in one of the dwarven cities, peace reigned and gold flowed easily. The three major cities known for trade were Durognarin, Dur-Ganar and Dur-Karz, they were at the heart of the empire and the routes to them were easy to follow and well guarded. Dur-Targen suffered from its position, the human realms near it were more interested in bloodshed than actually trading and the Oguin divided it from its kin. Drogul-Zen had already begun to establish itself as a place for warriors, not for merchants. Dur-Fulgrun saw much trade too, but fighting between the merchant class and noble class saw profits declining and few merchants bothered traveling there.
Dur-Ganar actually began to overtake Durognarin in size and wealth, its position along the Kalzmere Road saw an increased number of merchants trade with it instead of Durognarin. By 1800 BL it had reached Durognarin's size and was challenging its political supremacy, many at the time predicted a war. A war never happened between the two however, the High King of Durognarin managed to force his will onto the city by means we don't know. All we have is one record indicating that they began paying a large amount of tribute by 1780 BL.
The King of Dur-Ganar
Muzvet Ganunzavbrik
does hereby pay tribute
to his rightful overlord
Azzun IV of Durognarin
Dur-Ganar would begin to lose its great position after this, the tribute amount is not known but it had some kind of massive effect. More merchants seemed to have carried on to Durognarin and Dur-Karz, whether due to better prices, protection or incentives I know not. These three cities would remain the core of the Empire for quite some time, Dur-Targen often relied upon armed caravans from Durognarin and Dur-Karz to support it. Merchants had traded with Dur-Vezja until 1900 BL, after that all records vanish and it seems that the city was lost for reasons unknown to us. Every Dwarven King issued laws forbidding their kin to enter the place, though it was never stated why.
Trading before the Golden age had been done through bartering, this however could not cope with the demands of an empire. The first coinage used was called the Dravt, we do not know what it was made out of or whether it was the only coin but it fell out of use quite quickly. A real crisis emerged for several years as merchants began to struggle to make a living, that was until the Falkuvian Law was made. We still obey this law now, it is simply a fixed coinage system with fixed measures for trading and exchanging the coins. I shall write it down exactly as I have seen it.
By order of the High King
Dov, the commoners coin
Ukuuzov, 6 Dovs become a Ukuuzov
Vorov, 12 Ukuuzovs become a Vorov
Karzov, 50 Vorovs become a Karzov
Falkuv, 100 Karzovs become a Falkuv.
This coinage system has carried on for thousands of years. Dov is the most common coin, commoners use it as was intended and it is usually made out of stone with a bit of a common metal inside it. Three Dov's will gain you a loaf of bread and some water in Durognarin. Ukuuzov's are made of iron, with other common materials mixed in. Four Ukuuzov's will get you a night's rest in a quite good establishment. A Vorov is made of bronze, it is the common currency for small time merchants and richer commoners. Twenty two Vorov's will buy you a nice and respectable home in the common district of Durognarin. Karzov's are the money of the big merchants and noble families, 60 Karzov's will buy you a small manor in Durognarin. They are supposed to be made purely out of silver, but in bad financial times they would often be debased. The Falkuv is made out of pure gold, mostly, and only the King's and highest nobles in the land will deal in these. The First Bank of Durognarin deals exclusively in Falkuv's, several hundred Falkuv's will buy you a small hold in which to house your noble family or could buy you an entire outpost in the mountains.
Blood and stone, gold and steel,
Prepare to face such fated real.
Done to heed where greed that hold,
For justice might of hearts of old.
And come they stand to claim their right,
Of beast that stole in single light.
The time soon dawn the gates of past,
With persistent core to every last.
A poem on the Elder war, author unknown, dated to the Broken Era, translation by Azak Vulun
The Elder War, by Bazrak Lorkun
Name of the War
The name of the war differs amongst the different languages, often reflecting that races own feelings about it. It is commonly known as the Elder War, though we know it by two others names.
Inn ríkr reiðiThe Great Anger
Deep Sadness
Buzrâ Naibziri
Warmongerers, Conquerors and Protectors
The world was changing, no longer was it a time for simple peace. The Golden Era was beginning to come to an end, the dwarven hegemony would soon be broken. Yet it was not the dwarves who broke this peace, nor revolted against their kin. It was the elves of Valtmar and their dreaded warmaster, Saerondor Demren. They began expanding aggressively under this Emperor around 1500 BL, conquering those around them at an alarming rate. Our people took note of this immediately, it had a devastating effect on our economies and could not be ignored. Though I believe that we were not simply motivated by simple greed. As evidenced in High King Zarok Falkunzavbrik's speech we were also under the belief that we should act as protectors of the realm. It should come as no surprise that war was soon declared soon after the speech. I will record the speech down below, though the original runic inscriptions have not survived.
'We have been blind to the threat that has emerged, turning a blind eye to those in need. Yet now that we have suffered, our eyes open. What we see shocks us, saddens us but most of all it angers us. My kin, I cannot stand here idly while the elves burn and destroy, pillage and loot, rape and kill! I say that we march out with our full strength, united dwarves with a common purpose. We shall end this bloodshed, put the elves back into their place and drink ourselves silly when we return to our halls!' - Speech of High King Zarok Falkunzavbrik, translated by Azak Vulun
War was declared in 1498 BL, the dwarven armies united under one banner. It is said that they numbered almost 300,000 together. Truly the largest gathering of our kin, it was thought that such an army would be unstoppable. The battle that followed would destroy that unity and shatter our hope.
Battle of Ramiene
The Battle of Ramiene would occur in 1494 BL, all six Dwarven Kings would unite together and march with an army of around 300,000. I will now attempt to describe the battle, relying upon sources from the academy records. Unfortunately I have not been able to gain permission to transfer those sources into this book, so you shall have to take my word that I have used them.
High King Zarok was the Supreme Commander of the army, chosen to lead it in a vote of the King's. He was a brilliant commander, excellent warrior and master strategist. It was thought that with him leading, the battle would end the elven campaign and restore peace. All five other kings marched with the army, ready for battle. Morale was high amongst the dwarves, they were excited for battle and the prospect of glory. The meeting place was a plain, near Lake Ramiene. Here the two armies assembled, and the elves vastly outnumbered the dwarves. The High King Zarok would lead the centre, while the Kings of Dur-Targen, Dur-Fulgrun and Dur-Karz would lead the left, the Kings of Drogul-Zen and Dur-Ganar would lead the right.
The two armies would face each other for around twenty minutes, with jeering and shouting being thrown across at each other. Finally the dwarves decided to strike first, charging into the elven lines. At first the battle was of spears, with both locked in a stalemate of pushing and stabbing. After around twenty minutes of battle this discipline would end and it descended into chaos. This chaos would last for ten hours and would cover the land in blood and bodies.
Perhaps the dwarves would have faced a better chance, had Saerondor not ridden the dragon Valkunr. He flew through the ranks, smashing through and bursting fire upon those unlucky enough to be in his way. Yet High King Zarok was not afraid, truly he can be remembered as a hero who would never give in. He threw his great axe into Valkunr and it is said that he broke off one of the dragons scales. The Elven Emperor became scared of losing his dragon, and so he retired him from battle. Yet Saerondor would not forgive Zarok for this insult, and would seek him out.
Their duel began in the fourth hour of the battle and would last for up to half an hour. Saerondor was far more agile than Zarok, but he lacked his strength and conviction. We hold that Zarok almost defeated Saerondor, only to be betrayed when an elven soldier intervened and stabbed him in the side which allowed Saerondor to slice down our noble leader. The elves deny this, stating that he was beaten easily by Saerondor, yet they speak filthy lies. And so, in the midst of battle was the High King brought down by the Emperor.
The Lords of Durognarin managed to keep the centre, mainly made up of their force, together. Yet morale was broken, the losses continued mounting as the elves pushed their way into the gaps. By seven hours into the battle, defeat was almost certain. The King's on the left flank began an orderly retreat, which allowed the remaining elves to circle round and attack the centre from the left. Many Durognarin lords were slain that day, but many others fought their way out and managed to retreat. The King of Dur-Ganar pulled his troops out, in a less than orderly fashion, and retreated.
Only the King of Drogul-Zen and his troops, as well as those who had not managed to escape, remained in the battle. He would not retreat, neither would many of his personal guard. They fought for the remaining two hours, being whittled down until there remained none. It would take centuries for Drogul-Zen to even partially recover from this loss, their King, majority of their lords and most of their fighting men were killed. Yet their sacrifice will be remembered, they show the true courage of the dwarves.
Then the Battle of Ramiene was over, the elves had won a significant victory. Over half of the dwarven army was slain in that battle alone. The dwarven people would never again unite under one banner, each blaming the other for the loss of the battle. Yet the elves had taken significant losses as well, estimated figures go from around 50,000 to 100,000 elven deaths. It certainly slowed down Saerondor's campaign for several years, but unfortunately did not stop it.
Destruction of Dur-Ganar
The loss at Ramiene was bad enough for the dwarves, what was about to happen was catastrophic. Saerondor focused on conquering other areas for around four years, leaving the battered and bruised dwarven cities to attempt to rebuild. Every Grand Council called ended in only arguments, with the king's storming out of each one. Then in 1590 BL, Dur-Ganar was besieged by Saerondor and his mighty host. No reinforcements arrived in time, by the time they did the entire city had been destroyed. Every dwarf inside had been massacred, the city was littered with the dead. The King and the last of the population were found dead in the palace. None had been spared.
Here lies Dur-Ganar
destroyed by elves
lost in the Blood Era
we shall never forget
and never forgive
An inscription found outside of Dur-Ganar, translation by Azak Vulun
The other dwarven cities were outraged at this, yet they still could not agree on what to do. Several more Grand Councils were called, though no unanimous decision could be reached. Yet dwarves all over mourned for their lost kin, and cursed the wretched elves who had destroyed their city.
The End of the War
The war came to its closing days in 1475 BL, when a last attempt was made to subdue the elves. By now it was judged that the elves were weakening from their continued conquests, that their army was ready to fall apart. The Kings of Dur-Karz, Dur-Fulgrun and Dur-Targen united under a single banner and marched to the Twilight Fortress with 75,000 dwarves behind them. This was the last march of the dwarves, going proudly towards their inevitable doom.
I know little as to what happened at this battle, most of the sources for it were kept in Dur-Karz and it seems that they have been lost. The private collector who owned them claims that they were stolen, and he refused to allow copies to be made. The sources here at Fulgrun are basic, only listing details. I will use them however to give you a basic idea.
The dwarven army arrived at the Twilight Fortress and laid siege to it. Their siege lasted a month, soon they were ready to break into the fortress and slay all those inside. Saerondor returned unexpectedly with a huge army, the dwarves were surrounded. Around 25,000 of them were slain along with all three of the kings. The rest managed to escape, the retreat having sounded early in the battle. This was the last battle of the war and completed the destruction of the dwarven hegemony.
Peace was never actually made between the two sides. The dwarven cities fortified themselves and waited for an army that would never arrive. Peace only truly came when the Valtmar Empire fell, yet it would be a long time until the cities would be able to enjoy that peace.
About the author
Bazrak Lorun is one of our senior lecturers here at the Falk Academy of Histories and Philosophies. He is exceptionally talented in his work and this is no exception, he is even the personal tutor to Crown Prince Halzmar. His other works are A Broken Peoples and A Biography on High King Iztar and High King Izzun of clan Falkunzavbrik. I would recommend his works to all. - signed, Kinbar Selsun, Grandmaster of the Falk Academy of Histories and Philosophies
The Last Grand Council, by Bezzuli Nizunzav and Azlak Vulun
Foreword by the authors
The surviving script of the Last Grand Council is astonishing, enough remains to make a full judgement of it. I shall do less analysis in this than my previous works, for the speeches given essentially speak for themselves. I shall however state what they are referring to if it is unclear. - signed, Bezzuli Nikunzav
It has been a great honour to work with Bezzuli Nikunzav in translating this marvelous piece of work, my time spent here in this academy has been great. I would thank Jorlov Nerun for allowing me to work here, and the King of Dur-Fulgrun for his hospitality. - signed, Azak Vulun
The Last Grand Council met after the destruction of the Valtmar Empire, to consider the revival of the old dwarven empire. In short, no general consensus could be made. I will record all of the five speeches made by the separate Kings, they will give you an indication of their feelings. First to speak was the High King as per custom.
I welcome you all to this council, my fellow King's. We are here to discuss the future of our people and the empire now that the elves of Valtmar have fallen. I believe that it is time to return to our old ways, to cede your authority to Durog's City. This is our true home, the capital of our people. It is only right that we should rule, for we have ruled fairly and justly. If we return to these ways, gold will flow through the mountains once more and we will be the envy of the world. - Speech attributed to High King Nazuf Falkunzavbrik
This shows a clear indication that the dwarves of Durognarin favoured a return to the Empire, for obvious reasons. It seems that they were alone in this regard, though the King of Dur-Karz's speech shows some desire to return to the old ways. The other Kings however, had no wish to return to these ways.
It pains me to disagree with the High King on this matter, for I too favour the old ways. Yet I cannot allow my people to be ruled by someone so foreign to them. Autonomy is the new right of our cities, won after the failure of High King Zarok. I say we create a new Hegemony, based on trade and friendship, not on tribute and bonds of service. - Speech attributed to King Mayaf Karzunzavbrik
Damned be the old ways, my people will not be slaves to you any longer. Though I must say that I respect the dwarves of Durognarin far more than the cowards of Karz, Fulgrun and Targen who fled the Battle of Ramiene and left us to die. My people do not need any of you, we shall survive on our own. - Speech attributed to King Kharn Zenunzavbrik
The King of Drogul-Zen stormed out of the meeting after this and pursued a policy of isolation. Since then Drogul-Zen has mainly survived upon its own, though it has opened up trade with the other cities and generally become more friendly.
I cannot say I agree with the King of Drogul-Zen's attitude or his opinion. But his stance is absolutely correct. You shall find no servants among us, High King, we are vassals no longer - Speech attributed to King Horzaniuv Fulgrunzavbrik
The old ways are over, we must look to the future. Dur-Targen will embrace its new autonomy, we agree heartily with the King of Dur-Karz. Trade will flow between us, gold will become our new Hegemony. - Speech attributed to King Falak Targenunzavbrik
The Last Grand Council was a very short affair, lasting up to twenty minutes. The High King stormed out after hearing these last few speeches, ending the council and sending his former vassals home. Since then Durognarin has not recognised the independence of the other cities, and neither have they recognised Durognarin's supremacy. Yet the King of Dur-Karz was correct, trade began to flow eventually and gold became the new Hegemony.
A Report on Dwarven Populations, by Jazak Nikriun and Translated by Azak Vulun
I have taken great lengths to translate this letter from Jazak Nikriun, one of the High King's agents. Hopefully the information inside can be of use to historians, though much of it has had to be filled in and may not be accurate.
To his Maje[sty], the High Ki[ng] [-name missing-]
As you have requested I have looked into the populations of not only our own, but of all the dwarven cities. I have found what we first feared, a general decline in birthrates. This m[eans that our numbers are act]ually decreasing, and have been since the [Elder War]. In... therefore I... however it.... and why that happened [I] don't [know]. Currently, our city is in a di[re situation as o]ur population is far beneath that of Dur-Fulgrun and Dur-K[arz]. Dur-Karz has the largest population, it has neither declined nor grown since the war. [Dur-Targen ref]used to permit me entrance, but I fear that [they] may be losing their population rapidly. D[ur-Z]ennar took gre[at losses and is recover]ing slowly, yet like all it has a reduced rate of births. I predict that it shall take several more [centuries] for our cities to recover fully, as the birth to death rate is changing slowly. I can only suggest that you encourage more people to bec[ome lawfu]lly married and have children. Laws could... whereas an act of... go[ld].
Your humble servant, Ja[zak Nikriun]
Shattering of Mountains, by Halphen AithuîneAi! laurië lantar lassi
Súrinendor, aldaron
yéni únótimë ve
Avánier. Rámar mi oromardi
lissë-miruvóreva
andúnë pella
vardo tellumar
nu luini yassen.
Tintilar i eleni ómaryo
airetári-lírinen sí man i yulma
an sí tintallë, vorda oiolossëo.
ve fanyar máryat, elentári
ortanë ar ilyë tier undulávë
ar sindanóriello caita mornië?
i falmalinnar imbë met,
ar hísië untúpa calaciryo
míri oialë.
Vanwa ná,
nai hiruvalyë,
nai elyë hiruva,
cenuva fánë,
métima hrestallo,
i fairi nécë.
Ringa súmaryassë
ve maiwi yaimië
tiruva fána cirya
wilwarin wilwa
ëar-celumessen
rámainen elvië
falastala.
Súrinendor winga
hlápula, rámar
sisílala. cálë
fifírula hlaruva rávëa
ve tauri lillassië,
ninqui carcar yarra
isilmë ilcalassë
pícalassë ve loicolícuma;
raumo nurrua
undumë rúma.
Cenuva lumbor Súrinendor,
menel acúna ëar amortala,
undumë hácala
enwina lúmë
elenillor pella talta-taltala
atalantië mindonnar
tiruva rácina cirya
ondolissë mornë.Such elegance!, divine be
Saerondor, the one
Emperor of all
elvenkind. Fought did
he, many a time
woe did he bring
to his scatter
brained-foes
Riding mighty Valkunr
dark wings and bright heart
such glory, death to bring.
Failed folk, lords
of the mountains
do I beseech thee?
Or merely warn,
for calamity could
still await.
Mountains plundered,
cities ruined,
towns burnt,
lives lost,
armies crumbled,
King's turned to dust.
All wrath and ruin
has found you
destruction blesses you
yet on you stand
inside your mountains
pretending naught has
changed.
Saerondor may have
departed, but his
spirit remains. You
shall have no friends
amongst the Eldar,
for we carry on
his work. Soon your
last five cities shall
crumble, and all
shall rejoice.
Glory be to Saerondor,
chosen of the Vaulted Ones,
we beg of thee to return
and lead us to a swift
and most timely victory
over the broken folk
dwelling in their
shattered mountains
An Era of Hate, by Forim Hadrun
The Grand Era is often thought of as a glorious time, perhaps not as great as the Golden Era, but still a good time to be alive. This is to a certain extent very true, but also misleading. It was also an era of extreme hate towards the city of Durognarin. After the broken age ended, many of the cities began to enjoy their new independence. To make sure that Durognarin could never take it away from them, they devised a new way to fight them, propaganda. This took the form of plays, poems and songs. This in time extended to the other cities, until it seemed that all of the cities were virtually fighting a war of words. Their Kings generally took little notice, simply taking the time to trade and expand their influence.
It is worth noting that the main cities to talk about in this time are Dur-Fulgrun and Dur-Karz, who really rose up into the limelight. Durognarin would remain a minor player until High King Kazdan came to the throne, Drogul-Zen was preoccupied with its constant warmongering, and Dur-Targen was too far away and too influenced by the petty wars near it to take part. Dur-Fulgrun and Dur-Targen engaged in a long war, though the actual conflicts were few and far between. It has been coined the Neizivian War by most, for it was King Neizivian of Dur-Fulgrun who famously said "War has been thrust upon us for over twenty years, and yet no battles have taken place, I shall rectify this mistake". The war, as you can imagine, was mainly one of trade and words. Each city sought to become the most dominant trader and gain a monopoly upon certain items.
It fell into full on war around 211 AL, for about three years, and several battles were fought. The Karzian League, consisting of Dur-Karz and Durognarin, fought the Fulgrunos League, consisting of Dur-Fulgrun and several human allies. Durognarin did not help Dur-Karz without being paid, though Dur-Karz was able to spend much to buy the superior Durognarin army. The Battle of Aglaers Hill is notable, as High King Drazjen, the father of Kazdan, killed King Neizivian and brutally crushed the Fulgrunos forces. Drazjen would later be killed in an ambush two months later, his head being taken and displayed proudly in Dur-Fulgrun, the skull is still a cause of conflict to this day. However this defeat would spell the end of the Fulgrunos dominance during this part of the Neizivian War.
The war would rekindle in 223 AL, and culminate in the Battle of Lesh Morn, named after the human commander who led the Fulgrunos forces to victory over the Karzians. Durognarin pulled out of the war, abandoning Dur-Karz after the money began to dry up. Dur-Karz surrendered its rights to several items, and paid an extortionate ransom for peace. However, in 244 AL the war once again returned, with the Fulgrunos and Karzian Leagues fully committing, though Durognarin had been replaced by Drogul-Zen in the Karzian League. The Battle of the Thousand Crows, named by one of the soldiers who commented on all of the crows who had gathered to feast upon the dead, saw a devastating loss for both sides. King Kazdan suddenly appeared with the Durognarin army and set about attacking both sides, in their confusion they attempted to retreat and were both cut down. Kazdan then forced the two cities to negotiate and sign an amicable peace treaty, though this treaty also made them pay a large amount of gold to Durognarin to 'keep the peace'. Most of this annual gold was never paid, being seen as the old tribute from ages long past.
Peace had returned, but so had the hatred towards Durognarin. Dur-Fulgrun stopped its pursuit of dominance in trade and began to explore art and more noble ventures, allowing Dur-Karz to quickly ascend. This, however, also allowed Durognarin to fill the gap.Tensions still remain high between the cities over this recently conflict, though trade and the peace that it brings seems to have prevailed.
A Dissertation on the Growing Power of Durognarin, by Halzmar Falkunzavbrik and moderated by Bazrak Lorun
This work is the property of the Falk Academy of Histories and Philosophies, by the order of High King Izzun I no copy is to be made or sold to the public. This is intended for educational purposes only, when express permission has been gained from the Academy Headmaster or the High King of Durognarin.
Durognarin, the crown jewel of the Dwarven Hegemony. For many years now it has not been the centre of power, yet it has remained an influential player in the politics of Gaea. Few cities can dare to match its raw industrial output, nor the wealth of its merchants, nor the size of its military. Why then did it fall from such power? How has it regained this position? I will explore this in the rest of my dissertation, with this I will answer many questions that others have failed to. This introduction was completely useless.
Durognarin lost its power many years ago, during the Elder War [1] which devastated it and the rest of the dwarven cities. While some of the cities, such as Dur-Karz and Dur-Fulgrun were able to recover quickly, Durognarin was left in the dark with a small population and almost no army You could use several sources to back up this statement. It suffered several raids from Oguin tribes over the years [2] and almost perished as a result [3] An over-exaggeration of the raids. Luckily the bravery of our soldiers You don't need to win over our troops yet, Halzmar, coupled with our strong defensive position, was able to help the city survive. No aid came from the other cities Dur-Karz sent enough gold to hire mercenaries, rethink this statement, indeed they actively wished for the destruction of Durognarin at some points [4] That letter is idle gossip, no true plan of destruction. Use your sources carefully..
Yet how was the city able to eventually thrive? Figures seem to indicate that the city began to escape the decline around 7th century BL [5] Excellent source although, as stated in the letter, it would take several more centuries for total recovery. Around 400 BL, we can see that production had tripled from its amount in 450 BL [6]. This is a clear indicator that the city was returning to its previous position, yet it was still likely outclassed by Dur-Karz in this period Citation!. With a booming economy and population, Durognarin was on the way to reclaiming its old power.
We have very few reports from 400 BL - 0 BL, little of note seems to have happened during this time Lies, a lot happened in this time.. From the scraps that we do have Halzmar, we have hundreds of documents from this time, we can see that Durognarin's military grew to a huge size, and even annihilated several Oguin tribes [7]. This military was likely expanded further, until reaching the point to where it is under my father currently Halzmar, talking of your father will not gain you extra points. The current size of our military is around 26,000 [8], which does not include the militias or Golems. I estimate that the militaryinat around 200 BL was about 10,000 Citation?, which would have still put it further above the other cities, especially DurKarz which had only 2000 at that period [9].
In conclusion, we can see that Durognarin slowly rose in power due to an economic and population boost. It surpassed the other cities easily, though it is not larger than them all combined. It is estimated that it may grow even larger in time, though I am unsure as to how fast it will grow in recent years. Is the question about whether it will grow in the future? NO!
Moderation
Halzmar, I am slightly dissapointed with this dissertation you have handed in. Usually the work I get from you is so elegant, so refined. Yet this is... very disappointing indeed. You have barely even evaluated your sources, using many of them incorrectly. You have made baseless assertions several times throughout the work, which often contradict some of my works. Needless to say I am very unhappy, I will be informing your father of this. I expect you to redo this piece of work, put some effort into it like you have done so many times before. Until then, I cannot graduate you from this academy. You are so close, I beg of you to put the effort in, finish this and the other remaining essays and you will pass with honours. - [i]Senior Lecturer Bazrak Lorun
Bibliography
[1] - The Elder War, by Bazrak Lorkun
[2] - The Accursed and Faithless, by Zimlik Nobun
[3] - Durognarin Census of 917 BL
[4] - A letter from King Zombin to King Nazkog
[5] - A Report on Dwarven Populations, by Jazak Nikriun
[6] - Soulsmith's annual report, 402/401 BL
[7] - The Accursed and Faithless, by Zimlik Nobun
[8] - Lord Zenduv's report on the Durognarin military
[9] - Merchant Princes and Warlords, by Kenzab Vorsun
A Biography on High King Iztar and High King Izzun of clan Falkunzavbrik, by Bazrak Lorun
Foreword by the Author
I must thank the High King, Izzun I, most profusely for allowing me to conduct this account. It is truly an honour to records the lives and events of these two Great Kings. I shall attempt to be as impartial as possible, and not to provide a biased account about their lives.
High King Iztar
High King Iztar II was born in 297 AL, the first son of Crown Prince Malgov who sadly died several years after his birth. Iztar was mainly raised by his mother and his uncle until he reached the age of six. His childhood years are described as joyous, with reports stating that he was a bright young lad who enjoyed studying and playing with his friends. At the age of six he was taken away from his family and given his own apartments within the Palace, there he was raised by a coterie of scholars, warriors and diplomats. Each were handpicked, and extensively researched, to make sure that they were the best for the job. Reports from his life at this point indicate that he was extremely well disposed towards his military tutors, with little acknowledgement of his scholarly tutors. Indeed, when he was eighteen they were dismissed and replaced by several more military commanders.
High King Iztar as the Crown Prince
His isolation ended when he was around thirty years of age, as per custom. He was presented to the people in a glorious triumph, sponsored by his grandfather, the aging but venerable Kazdan IV. They took to him well, and my sources indicate that he was very popular with the people and especially the soldiers. The soldiers even game him another triumph, sponsoring it themselves, and it is said that he spent several nights celebrating with them and their commanders. The nobles did not approve of this behaviour. His first action came when he was 36, a small skirmish against an Oguin tribe that had wandered too close to the mountains. Unfortunately the original battle report has been lost, but I have used somebodies notes made from it to discern what happened. It seems that Iztar led the vanguard and smashed through the Oguin lines, he was badly injured during the fighting and it was believed that he would be lost. He lost the use of his left eye, and received a particularly nasty scar down his leg, causing a limp which would trouble him for the rest of his life.
He would be crowned High King at the age of 42, when Kazdan IV died from old age. Kazdan was well respected, having done many great deeds throughout his life, but many were relieved that he had gone to join Durog. Kazdan's mind had begun to recede into the spiritual realm, and so the nobles had gained control over the city. Iztar spent the next five years battling, literally, through the streets and attempting to gain control over his own city. He had hundreds of nobles executed, dragged through the streets and whipped, or banished. He showed no mercy to those who had betrayed his family, and the people seemed to agree with what he was doing. While I personally cannot agree on my conscience with what happened, I understand the necessity and beg the reader to understand the context as to why it happened.
His reign is remembered as generally quiet, and therefore mistakenly uneventful, though peace would reign throughout Durognarin. It faced several threats of course, mainly from wandering Oguin tribes and other ill omens. These were often quickly put down, though to his dismay he was unable to lead his armies personally into combat. Iztar was confined to his throne for most of his life, his leg injury rendering him generally inert. He did exercises in the mornings and nights to keep himself fit, and I believe that this is extremely commendable. Iztar achieved a lot in his long reign, being remembered as a near omniscient ruler whose words were the law. Indeed, he is often remembered primarily as a lawmaker, hence the title 'Lawgiver' often given to him. Myself and other scholars prefer to call him the 'Stonespeaker', for it is more accurate and shows his true authority.
He reformed the army on several occasions, drafting far more Falknar people into it. He believed that true strength came from the military, and to this end poured more and more funding into it. He attempted to have every citizen in Durognarin go through mandatory training, but the pleas of his people and nobles won him over and stopped this reform. The size of the military increase dramatically, well exceeding some of the other dwarven cities, even Drogul-Zen could not boast their numbers. Critics, mainly from the other cities, claim that this army was un-organised and untrained. The 616th Oguin Wars disproved this, when the newly reformed army crushed several Oguin tribes in quick succession without taking too many casualties. War almost happened between Durognarin and Dur-Targen, for they felt threatened by Durognarin's army heading so close to their land. Neither city wanted war however, so both sent gifts and made up with each other.
High King Iztar in his final years
At the age of 119 Iztar had a second son, known to us as High King Izzun I but born as Trazkarn. His eldest son was named Azbad and was already around 30 by the time Izzun was born. Azbad had been presented to the people and was well-received, he had spoken of peace and scholarly virtues at his triumph. Yet he was a known warrior, like his father. Trazkarn was therefore sidelined for much of his life, sent into isolation and rarely saw his father. Azbad was lost while Trazkarn was around 28, killed in the 618th Oguin Wars. A spear was pushed through his ribcage, and it violently ripped out his innards. Iztar was furious, wildly blaming many of his generals for the death of his son. however, he began to take a greater interest in the new Crown Prince. He made sure to have Izzun educate far more properly. Iztar eventually died in his sleep, after an agonising battle with old wounds, at the grand old age of 149.
High King Izzun I
Born Trazkarn, the second son of High King Iztar, in 416 AL. Few thought that Izzun would ever amount to much, being the second son and all. He was destined for a life in the shadow of his brother, Azbad, as his political aide or military general. Trazkarn went immediately into his learning at age 4, rather than the customary 6. His father wished for him to be a great general to aid his brother, so his tutoring staff was made up mainly of old and distinguished commanders. One of these tutors was the, then young, Ser Nettraz, one of our most legendary heroes. They grew close, and Ser Nettraz still serves his Majesty to this day. At the age of 16, Trazkarn's elder brother Azbad was killed in combat. It seems that Trazkarn went into a complete fury and slew several of his sparring partners the next day, then locked himself away for several weeks. This should dispel those false and evil rumours that he had his brother killed, for Trazkarn loved his brother most dearly and had committed himself to serving him and Durognarin.
Crown Prince Trazkarn in his Orcasi Scourges
Iztar met with his son for the first time in many years, they had a long chat which no-one else was privy to, which seems to have settled many issues regarding their relationship. Izzun continued his studies, though he gained far more diplomatic and political tutors to aid him in his new role as Crown Prince. He was kept in his studies until the age of 30, as per custom, until he was released into the open during his triumph. It is said that the soldiers welcomed him most eagerly, as did the people, remembering his brother fondly and hoping that he would live up to their expectations. He gathered a large group of nobles to himself, the most warlike of their kind, of which Lord Ekenzav was a member of. They set about terrorising many of the other, more peace-inclined nobles and taking their valuables and ransacking their homes. This behaviour was not tolerated for long, and the elderly High King Iztar executed a few of his noble friends and set him straight.
Trazkarn was angered, and so he took a large portion of the army and set out. Iztar feared that he meant to overthrow him, so the city barricaded itself and began to prepare for a civil war between father and son. However, it seems that Trazkarn had different intentions though. His army set out upon the 6th Orcasi Scourge, intending to wipe out all of the Orcasi tribes settled in the northern passage between Durognarin and Dur-Targen. Trazkarn spent over 3 years wiping out several tribes and forcing many Orcasi out of those lands, making the norther Kalzmere mountains far safer. In the third year he decided to return home, being aged 35 years, after realising that his army was tired and ready to break. His army was ambushed upon its way back, with several Orcasi tribes joining up with a multitude of Oguin tribes, outnumbering Trazkarn's forces 13 to 1. Trazkarn pulled his men back into a defensive position in the mountains, forming a shield wall and waiting for the enemy to advance. They did, smashing into his shield wall and almost causing complete chaos within his army. His men stood their ground however, and were able to repel the invaders over six times. Trazkarn himself was in the front lines, and it was here that he lost his right eye, though remarkably he took little injury elsewhere. They held out against the attackers for eight long and brutal days, until reinforcements arrived from the various Kalzmere towns who were indebted to the Crown Prince.
He returned to his city a complete hero to the people and the soldiers, but found that the assembly had turned against him. The various nobles, mostly peace-lovers, had begun to rule his aging father. When Trazkarn was 37, Iztar died in his sleep, and so he became the next High King. The assembly refused to crown him, outrageously stating that the real Trazkarn had actually been killed during the campaigns and that the real one hadn't even been the true son of Iztar. What happened next was a bloodbath, as Trazkarn made his way into the assembly and butchered every noble present, even those who had stayed neutral in the conflict. He had their properties seized and their families executed. He replaced them with a large amount of the warrior families and smith families, who had always been supportive of him. This new assembly crowned him High King Trazkarn, and then granted him the new name of Izzun, meaning Glorious Son of Law (Iz - Law, Zun - Glorious Son). He took the name Izzun as his first name, replacing Trazkarn, and he dislikes anybody still referring to him only by Trazkarn, though he people to call him Izzun Trazkarn.
The first ten years of Izzun's reign was a brutal time, there was little safety as a civil war essentially raged on. Several exiled nobles set out upon expeditions to oust our High King, funded by the other cities and possibly the elves. The last of these, Lord Magnoid Kelbunzav, caused the 14th War of Succession, which was devastating. His forces never breached the outer defences, instead a traitor actually let them in. I was there in that battle, as a young lad, serving in the front lines. High King Izzun led the charge, and personally cut down Lord Magnoid, ending the civil wars. Most of Magnoid's dwarves were conscripted into the 874th Expeditionary force, they were sent on the 7th Orcasi scourge. None returned.
High King Izzun, circa 502 AL
Izzun's reign from then to the present day has been marked by an increased spending on the military, much like his father. It has continued to grow exponentially and almost doubled the size that it was under High King Iztar. Izzun has made it is his aim to reconquer the rebel cities, and to reforge the dwarven Empire. To this end he has been commissioning more and more golems, and increased the Iron-Breakers up to an incredibly high level of membership. It is not right to say that trade has suffered, it has actually increased as well, with looser regulations and fewer tariffs being imposed. Izzun is very keen to keep trading with our neighbours, such as the Vale, and to extend trade even more to our old adversaries, the elves. I had the honour to speak to him on this, and he said "Our war with the elves was a very long time ago, we can patch up our wounds in the common interest of trade and peace. I have no quarrel with them at this moment, for my people are safe, and they have not encroached upon our borders or dignities.". I have heard talk that Izzun, now 87, means to begin the unification that he has been preparing since he was 47, though I cannot confirm this idle gossip and I have been refused another audience for now. Time will tell what the rest of Izzun's reign shall be like, myself I believe that it will be rather eventful in the years to come.
by The Starlight » Fri Jan 02, 2015 3:59 pm
Krugmar wrote:History and Legends of the Durognar
The Dark Era(Image)Ancestors heed our call
we of the mountains
we who delve deep
the sons of stone
Dwarven runes, written in Durogvem. Dating is unknown. It seems to be a cry for help.The Mysterious past, by Bezzuli Nikunzav
We know little of our past, our ancestors wrote only that which they felt worthy enough to record. We have much trouble trying to decipher much of what they wrote, Durogvem being all but lost to us. I have endeavoured to record an account of what we know of our past. This is my life's work and I ask that you read it with some respect, I have squandered what was left of my families wealth on this and I have spent countless nights pouring over old and usually useless documents. I shall divide our past into eras, though I shall not bother to include dating. It seems our wise ancestors changed their dating system every few years, they couldn't agree on a significant event to base it on. Anyway, here begins the account.
The Dark Days
I call this era the dark days for our kind seemed to be ignorant of true civilization which we enjoy today. As you can guess few records actually survive, only the occasional runic carving. Accounts from the elves seem to suggest that our people just shot out of the ground, piling out from the mountains in a great rush. Typical elves forgot to mention where they came piling out of or where they were going. My best guess is that they came from the Ice Fang mountains, deciding to move further south to a better climate and more malleable mountains.
Elvish accounts record our people as being extremely hairy, gruff and hostile. Not much seems to have changed. We have found carvings from all mountains in the west, with small cave systems being found as far south as the Iron Mountains and as far east as the Great Mountains. A small cave system was found in the Asaheim Mountains, though it was rather small and looked as though its people quickly fled. All of these proto-cities were eventually abandoned or destroyed at one point. Our people came close to extinction, elvish accounts of our people in this period eventually dry up and runic carvings translated all seem to indicate death, destruction and a need for help
The Allfather, Lord of all Mountains
We are not quite sure who he truly was, how long he lived for or what he actually did. Legends persist around him, many claim descent from him yet only one family has the evidence to show it. His name was Durog, son of Falk. His line lives on through the Falkunzavbrik's, Kings of Durgonarin. He is revered almost as a God, the saviour of our kind and the first Durognar. You cannot enter a dwarven city and not see at least five statues of him. Such is our devotion to a dwarf who saved our kind.
In our darkest hour, when our numbers fell and no home could be found he seemingly appeared out of nowhere. His father Falk was likely a chieftain of one of the tribes, or at least someone with influence. When Durog became chieftain he seemingly rallied several tribes and led them to the Kalzmere Mountains. We are not sure why he decided to do this, all other tribal colonies in those mountains had failed. Perhaps it was a vision, an understanding of those mountains or blind luck.
He led them to where Durognarin now stands, inside they found ancient ruins around a strange thing known now as the Soulforge. Around this device they built a great city, though it would likely be quite shabby by our standards. They have left many runic carvings in this city, they truly respected him and possibly worshiped him. I have carefully copied one such rune here with a translation.
(Image)Durog, we hail you lord
you have led us to this land
such devotion we show to you
let us have this homeland
and such glory to us
About the dwarf himself, we know nothing. His appearance can be guessed from his ancestors. All those of the Falkunzavbrik line have great red hair, no other family can boast this. Their eyes tend to be a deep grey or brown, but always the darkest of either colour. Their noses are in the middle-size range, their faces generally strong and giving off a certain amount of authority. They are tall for dwarves, usually standing a bit taller than those around them. His personality we must simply take guesses at, he seems to have been strong-willed and charismatic. Beyond that we have no evidence to even base wild guesses.
The Founding of a Homeland
Durognarin is the centre of the dwarven world, or at least that is what those who live there claim. It is the largest of all our cities and perhaps one of the strongest, recovering from decadence and disaster in the recent years. Few buildings there date back to Durog's time, the exception being the Soulforge chamber and certain passages within Durog's Palace. It was without a doubt built to last however, they must have spent untold years digging out that area of the Kalzmere Mountains. How they survived and even thrived is a mystery to all of us scholars. Luckily we have another set of runes that survived, I shall write them out here.
(Image)We toiled in the ground
building the city for us all
none shall take it
for it has been given to us
we are the Durognar
This is the first account where they call themselves the Durognar, in Durogvem sons of stone and in Baldul ones who delve. Durog at this time did not mean stone, it took on that meaning much later. It seems that the Baldul change occurred mainly due to the other cities reluctance to associate themselves with Durognarin, not due to any growing hate of Durog. This is our last carving from this age about Durog, though I will record here an elvish account of the building of Durognarin. It is relatively unbiased and that is why I shall record it here, I took the liberty of shortening it and cutting out all of the useless information that he babbled on about.
The strange folk of the mountains grouped together some time ago and headed east, to the Kalzmere Mountains. I have attempted speech with their kind in the past, I have received little other than gruff grunts and what I believe are insults. I had heard from friends who have headed east that they seem to be building a city of some kind and decided to visit it myself. My attempts to gain access at first were unsuccessful, they threatened to kill me and barked strange words at me. I managed to find their weakness, they seem to be completely enthralled to alcohol. I offered the guards some ale that I had brought along with me and they escorted me in. Their city was strange, carved into the mountain itself. It had a strange elegance, yet was still primitive in many ways. I heard much talk of a 'Durog' yet I was unable to find out what it was, they threw me out soon after they finished the ale I had given them. I doubt that they will last long if they carry on in these ways, such primitive thinking shall get them nowhere. - My experiences with the Mountain Dwellers, by Maglor Míriel
The First War of Dawn - Inn áðr ófriðr várr nætr-elding
The first war that our kind faced and perhaps one of the most devastating. Durog is said to have led our kind to a decisive victory, but that would place him at just over five hundred years old. My best guess is that it is a different Durog, named after his ancestor. Most of what we know about this war has been told in bedtime stories, these are simply made up accounts and I have not bothered to include them. I shall do my best to provide a clear picture of what actually happened.
In the reign of Durog III a new menace appeared in the Kalzmere Mountains. Our kind name them Spreeks, or Disgust in the common tongue. They were small creatures, coloured in a rotten blueish green, numbering in the hundreds of thousands. Our kind went to battle with them, believing that ownership of the Kalzmere Mountains should be theirs alone. Rather than make up battles and write about what we can know, I shall simply list some of the sources I have used and allow the reader to imagine what it was like.
I was there at that great battle, personally serving under Lord Kalvas Nerun. It took place in the northern reaches Kalzmere Mountains, in a gap between them that allowed for a large area. Our...and lined up we....marching along we s[ang] and cheered. ... . We numbered well over twenty thousand, yet the horde in front of us numbered fifty thousand at a best guess. They were soon upon us, smashing into our lines and ripp[ing] us apart. I saw many of my comrades fall to their slashing and biting. ... . Lord Kalvas was dragged under as they broke our fifth column, nobody ever [saw] him again. By this point we had lost half of our army, things were looking bad. Then I saw him, [Du]rog rallied us and led us to victory. First he called to the... [Inscription ends here]. - An inscription found in Durog's Palace, much of it is missing.
(Image)Here lies Zaka
he fell in battle
the spreeks took his head
so we took theirs in return
live forever, brave soldier
We found the Spreeks nest and put it to the torch, the foul beings will trouble us no longer. Durog has declared a cele[bration] that all of the city has been invited to. Durog personally led the charge into their nest, he has been our saviour since [the first battle with the Spr]eeks. We rejoice at having him [as our] King. - An inscription found in Durog's Palace, much of it has been filled in as conjecture.
The Second War of Dawn - Inn annarr ófriðr várr nætr-elding
We know nothing about what happened between these wars. Strangely enough we know nothing about what happened in the second war. The second war probably happened six hundred years after the first. It seems to have been more earth shattering than the first, even the elves wrote about it. There are only two sources on it, I shall record them here and once again let the reader take their own opinion.
(Image)We have lost eight legions
they are pushing us back
Azvarn attempts to rally us
Durognarin remains strong
We shall prevail
'Frightful is the hour
Thunder comes from the Mountains
The Mountain Dwellers fight for survival
A war that seemingly never ends
They have lost much
Only one of their cities remains
Yet rally they seem to
Wish them luck do I?
Or defeat, for their hostile kind
Such matters I leave to the Gods
For no saying have I' - An elvish poem
Not much left, I know. The elvish poem was probably better in their language, it does little other than back up our own carving. All we know is that we won and that the Spreeks were annihilated. King Azvarn likely destroyed all of their nests, as no carvings or accounts from his successors mention anything about Spreeks or wars. Here I shall end my account, I am soon to set out on a trip to Dur-Vezja. I hope my works have been a great help to you, though doubtless you are hungry for more knowledge.
signed, Bezzuli Nikunzav, Senior Lecturer at the Fulgrun Academy.
About the Author
Bezzuli Nikunzav is a noble of Dur-Fulgrun. He spends most of his time studying Durognar history and has shown a special interest in Ancient History and Dur-Vezjan history. He is a member of our Fulgrun Academy and an excellent teacher and researcher. He is soon to leave on a trip to Dur-Vezja and we wish him all the best, he has spent almost a century with us and has given his all. A statue of him is being erected in the academy, a true inspiration to us all. Glory to Dur-Fulgrun.
signed, Jorlov Nerun, Master of the Fulgrun Academy
The Golden Era
-wip, will be adding to it. Also it needs Imp's approval, just point out any flaws/anything you want me to add-
by Krugmar » Fri Jan 02, 2015 4:09 pm
by The Starlight » Fri Jan 02, 2015 5:00 pm
Krugmar wrote:The Starlight wrote:
Looks great so far! Perhaps you could add descriptions of cities, like I did, or how the average Durognar city looks like.
Thanks! I think later authors will give some good descriptions on the cities as well as descriptions of Dwarves from each of the cities, their way of dressing etc.
Bezzuli hated that kind of history, as you can see he prefers the barebones approach with no description or guessing of any kind without sources.
I am thinking of changing the appearance of the Durognar cities though (at least for Durognarin). In my first post I described it as a circular kind of city, with each level housing a different portion of the city (Like Orzimmar in Dragon Age). But now that I think about it that kind of design wouldn't be able to support the population nor would it look very grand.
Perhaps a more cavernous and linear design, a wide city on many different levels. The further back and higher you go the better it gets, with Durog's Palace being a vast hall in the middle of the city, higher than anything else. It is difficult to explain what I mean, but hopefully you get the picture.
What are your thoughts?
by Krugmar » Fri Jan 02, 2015 5:04 pm
The Starlight wrote:Krugmar wrote:
Thanks! I think later authors will give some good descriptions on the cities as well as descriptions of Dwarves from each of the cities, their way of dressing etc.
Bezzuli hated that kind of history, as you can see he prefers the barebones approach with no description or guessing of any kind without sources.
I am thinking of changing the appearance of the Durognar cities though (at least for Durognarin). In my first post I described it as a circular kind of city, with each level housing a different portion of the city (Like Orzimmar in Dragon Age). But now that I think about it that kind of design wouldn't be able to support the population nor would it look very grand.
Perhaps a more cavernous and linear design, a wide city on many different levels. The further back and higher you go the better it gets, with Durog's Palace being a vast hall in the middle of the city, higher than anything else. It is difficult to explain what I mean, but hopefully you get the picture.
What are your thoughts?
Sounds great. With chandiliers or something lighting the tunnels. Are all of the cities underground?
by Imperialisium » Fri Jan 02, 2015 5:46 pm
by The Abel Imaginarium » Fri Jan 02, 2015 8:12 pm
by New Armarzia » Fri Jan 02, 2015 8:24 pm
by The Starlight » Fri Jan 02, 2015 8:31 pm
New Armarzia wrote:So should this Legendarium be more flavorful or just information? Just wandering as I am deciding whether to present info about my own group as excerpts from a series of letters or just as some general information about them.
by New Armarzia » Fri Jan 02, 2015 9:00 pm
The Starlight wrote:Anything you like. Add in any parts that you want to make it unique and special. Though, on a whim, I would say more flavorful.
by The Starlight » Fri Jan 02, 2015 9:05 pm
New Armarzia wrote:The Starlight wrote:Anything you like. Add in any parts that you want to make it unique and special. Though, on a whim, I would say more flavorful.
I was leaning more towards the excerpts from letters, they just wouldn't provide as much general information, rather specific information about some events explained in the letters.
by Evraim » Fri Jan 02, 2015 11:02 pm
by The Abel Imaginarium » Sat Jan 03, 2015 12:16 am
Evraim wrote:As nations are already established, I will edit the background as necessary. This may be of relevance to the high elves, the moon elves, the fire elves, and the wood elves, and I welcome commentary and criticisms. I still need to change a decent portion of the background info.
Nation Name: Evraim
Character Name: Celephindhil Pelethrúin, Lady of Ilenadorei and Lyrennor, Warden of Mel-Ortheiad, Guardian of the Immortal Flame, and Last Scion of the Sulemari Elves
Character Race: Mixed Valtmar and Sulemar
Character Age: 129
Character House: House of Pelethrúin, the Children of Fire
Character Dynastic History:
Character Description: Celephindhil is tall and noble in bearing, with lively green eyes and long, flowing hair liked congealed sunlight, so golden that it forces all who behold it to squint for a moment. Like most of her race, she is slender and moves through most any terrain with an ethereal grace. She seems at once frail and powerful. In terms of her personality, Celephindhil takes after her ancestor Haldnaríon. She is prideful to a fault and quick to anger, but also uniquely charismatic and capable of inspiring others. She will pursue her objectives with single-minded determination, never faltering for a second. She is fond of natural settings, and dislikes crowds. Celephindhil is also remarkably well-read and knowledgeable about the world.
(Image)
Character Biography: Pending...
Equipment/Items: Culunassë, Narifhil, one thousand elvish gold coins, month's worth of rations, two changes of clothes, basic toiletries, and a pair of geldings
RP Sample: Pending...
by Evraim » Sat Jan 03, 2015 12:26 am
The Abel Imaginarium wrote:I think you'll need to change a few things referencing to the Wood Elves.
The Abel Imaginarium wrote:The Wood Elves have never had anything to do with the Sorca-Valtmari wars or even with those two kindreds after The Great Reclusion. Indeed they have been too busy dealing with inner civil wars within the Great Forest to bother themselves with events from the outside world. The only time they almost sent out an army was during Elvenqueen Lisaris rule. It isn't until NOW that they have renewed interactions with the Valtmar in search of a new era where all the elven races would be united as one if possible.
The Abel Imaginarium wrote:Other than that I really like the way you constructed and wrote your bio. Also...love the elvish names
by The Starlight » Sat Jan 03, 2015 7:47 am
Evraim wrote:As nations are already established, I will edit the background as necessary. This may be of relevance to the high elves, the moon elves, the fire elves, and the wood elves, and I welcome commentary and criticisms. I still need to change a decent portion of the background info.
Nation Name: Evraim
Character Name: Celephindhil Pelethrúin, Lady of Ilenadorei and Lyrennor, Warden of Mel-Ortheiad, Guardian of the Immortal Flame, and Last Scion of the Sulemari Elves
Character Race: Mixed Valtmar and Sulemar
Character Age: 129
Character House: House of Pelethrúin, the Children of Fire
Character Dynastic History:
Character Description: Celephindhil is tall and noble in bearing, with lively green eyes and long, flowing hair liked congealed sunlight, so golden that it forces all who behold it to squint for a moment. Like most of her race, she is slender and moves through most any terrain with an ethereal grace. She seems at once frail and powerful. In terms of her personality, Celephindhil takes after her ancestor Haldnaríon. She is prideful to a fault and quick to anger, but also uniquely charismatic and capable of inspiring others. She will pursue her objectives with single-minded determination, never faltering for a second. She is fond of natural settings, and dislikes crowds. Celephindhil is also remarkably well-read and knowledgeable about the world.
(Image)
Character Biography: Pending...
Equipment/Items: Culunassë, Narifhil, one thousand elvish gold coins, month's worth of rations, two changes of clothes, basic toiletries, and a pair of geldings
RP Sample: Pending...
by Bentus » Sat Jan 03, 2015 8:34 am
by The Starlight » Sat Jan 03, 2015 8:44 am
Bentus wrote:Hey guys, just letting you know that I'm still kicking - but I'm going into mock exam week so won't be able to do much except weep and cram. I may be able to find some time to do a post as a de-stress, but tbh I think it'd probably be for another RP. I need to actually think before spewing stuff out for this one
by Lunas Legion » Sat Jan 03, 2015 10:36 am
The Starlight wrote:Evraim wrote:As nations are already established, I will edit the background as necessary. This may be of relevance to the high elves, the moon elves, the fire elves, and the wood elves, and I welcome commentary and criticisms. I still need to change a decent portion of the background info.
Nation Name: Evraim
Character Name: Celephindhil Pelethrúin, Lady of Ilenadorei and Lyrennor, Warden of Mel-Ortheiad, Guardian of the Immortal Flame, and Last Scion of the Sulemari Elves
Character Race: Mixed Valtmar and Sulemar
Character Age: 129
Character House: House of Pelethrúin, the Children of Fire
Character Dynastic History:
Character Description: Celephindhil is tall and noble in bearing, with lively green eyes and long, flowing hair liked congealed sunlight, so golden that it forces all who behold it to squint for a moment. Like most of her race, she is slender and moves through most any terrain with an ethereal grace. She seems at once frail and powerful. In terms of her personality, Celephindhil takes after her ancestor Haldnaríon. She is prideful to a fault and quick to anger, but also uniquely charismatic and capable of inspiring others. She will pursue her objectives with single-minded determination, never faltering for a second. She is fond of natural settings, and dislikes crowds. Celephindhil is also remarkably well-read and knowledgeable about the world.
(Image)
Character Biography: Pending...
Equipment/Items: Culunassë, Narifhil, one thousand elvish gold coins, month's worth of rations, two changes of clothes, basic toiletries, and a pair of geldings
RP Sample: Pending...
What can I say....
The only that I see wrong is Olorion. After the fall of the Valtmar Empire, there are no more High Kings. You could make him the king of one of the Valtmari kingdoms that came after its fall, if you would like. But that's it, fantastic app. I would accept it, but you're not done with the character bio. I'll consider that to be your RP Sample, as you've written a lot, and I can see your quality is very good. You might want fill out of one the apps for being part of a kingdom, if you have any land or troops. As for the list of elvish monarchs, I'll start working on it, and I think Imp will be able to help. We also desperately need a timeline, so I'll get started on that. This will be interesting...
by Evraim » Sat Jan 03, 2015 12:09 pm
The Starlight wrote:The only that I see wrong is Olorion. After the fall of the Valtmar Empire, there are no more High Kings. You could make him the king of one of the Valtmari kingdoms that came after its fall, if you would like.
The Starlight wrote:But that's it, fantastic app. I would accept it, but you're not done with the character bio. I'll consider that to be your RP Sample, as you've written a lot, and I can see your quality is very good.
The Starlight wrote:You might want fill out of one the apps for being part of a kingdom, if you have any land or troops. As for the list of elvish monarchs, I'll start working on it, and I think Imp will be able to help. We also desperately need a timeline, so I'll get started on that. This will be interesting...
by The Starlight » Sat Jan 03, 2015 1:14 pm
Evraim wrote:I suppose I'll make him the King of Omonostë, a principality encompassing Valtmeris and the northern Vanaheim mountains. If it wouldn't be much trouble, I can think up a few names for this lineage. I have Eldarion, Olorion, and Hristildor at present. The House of Eldarion had sunk to obscurity by the time of the foundation of the Kingdom of Menevrion by Isembrir Terembor in 365 AL. This family now holds the fastness of Emyn-nu-Fuin in the north of the Kingdom of Menevrion.
I believe that the elves are immortal. I'm going to say that the Great Valtmar Empire fell just before Palan's Landing (AL). So it would be in the last year of BL, but I don't know when that is. I'll talk to Imp about that when's they're online.I intend to finish the biography today and to make a number of corrections to the dynastic history. For example, a faction of the high elves of Raemaris were responsible for the torture and murder of Yilassnér upon discovering his role in the conspiracy. Furthermore, Haldnaríon gained the support of young, restless moon elves from Silvermere and Greyhaven, as opposed to a similar sort from the wood elves of Tarsamar. Essentially, I'm replacing the isolationist wood elves with the more active moon elves, though few associated with the governments of either Silvermere or Greyhaven actually played a role.
I have a number of questions, though. I want to be more confidant about the timeline and the number of generations listed in my application. First, how long do the elves live? Are they an ageless race, all but immortal, or are they just a long-lived race? I'd also like to know when the Great Valtmar Empire fell and when the Cataclysm struck Faera, since these would effect my tale considerably. I'd be beyond thankful for any assistance, just as I am thankful for admission.
The House of Pelethrúin control territories across borders, including ruins that sit astride the Gates of Fire, a woodland province within the Kingdom of Menevrion, and Lyrennor, a hidden dockland on the northern-most coast. Of these, I'd say they only serve the House of Terembor directly, and they've been rather loyal retainers since the formation of the new kingdom.
With regards to world building, I'd be willing to help with the Faeran histories and culture (especially religious, since I planned for the Pelethrúin to be ecclesiastical nobles at the time), any elvish dynasties, and the naming of important landmarks like rivers, seas, mountains, woods, or smaller manors and fortresses.
by Imperialisium » Sat Jan 03, 2015 1:16 pm
by The Starlight » Sat Jan 03, 2015 1:17 pm
Imperialisium wrote:I'm here now lol found an area with wifi to hunker down and reply to everyone
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