With the teachings of Grungni passed down upon his people, the now war-like race of the Dwarfs were led by their Warrior God, Grimnir the Fearless , on a magnificent campaign of conquest all across the mountains of the Old World.
One of the most notable deeds of Grimnir was his famous slaying of Urmskaladrak , the Father of Dragons. As Dwarf society grew, it was Valaya , Goddess of Hearth and Healing, who taught the Dwarfs the first traditions of their people, and the structure that holds Dwarf society together.
As they reached the domains of the Worlds Edge Mountains , it was here that they found gold, silver, iron and gromril in unimaginable abundance -- much more than will ever been found in the rest of the world put together. With all these resources at their disposal, the Dwarfs built their first holds or "Karaks" as they are called in the Dwarf tongue in the southern mountains, leaving behind clan after clan to claim stewardship to these holds whilst the rest of their people continued northward.
Some of the largest and oldest holds, like Karak Eight Peaks and Karak Izril called Karak Azgal in later years are built around the remains of these ancient dwellings.
As the migration carried on northward, following the veins of ore up to where the great range just stopped, the Dwarfs reached a desolate area they appropriately named Zorn Uzkul translated as the Great Skull Land , a barren plateau stretching out past the eastern horizon. Many Dwarfs turned back southward, disappointed by the lack of mineral wealth that could be gained in this venture. Others moved west, into what would one day be the lands of Norsca , founding a handful of strongholds, of the most prominent was the fierce Hold of Kraka Drak.
Others' expeditions made progress through the lands to the East and made holdings upon the foothills of the Mountains of Mourn. With the creation of these settlements, the Ancestor Gods and their people named their great civilisation The Karaz Ankor , translated as " The Everlasting Realm " or " The Mountain Realm " as the Dwarf word for mountain and extreme durability are the same. Contact between clans had been maintained for many years, but this fragile string of communication was suddenly cut when Chaos flowed through the world.
According to the account in the Great Book of Grudges , the most ancient of all Dwarf books , it is recorded how Chaos began to consume the world in the Imperial year of IC. By then, Lord Grungni taught his people how to delve deeper beneath the mountains to avoid the Chaos that stirs upon the surface. Hidden in safety, the world was engulfed in clouds that poisoned the surface with layers upon layers of fine black warpstone dust. Communication with their eastern kin was lost, and in time the Dwarfs of the East began a dark and murderous path towards the worship of Chaos.
For many years these events took place, until finally the foul tempest at last passed and the Dwarfs emerged once more into the light of day. But the world was changed forever, for upon the lands, the mutating Winds of Magic had already corrupted every living thing it touched.
Terrifying monsters roamed the mountains and daemons walked openly in the daylight. Needing powerful weapons to defend themselves from these dangers, Grungni taught his people the craftsmanship of more sophisticated weapons and armour, and how to inscribe magical Runes onto them.
Meanwhile, Valaya used her protections to ward off the dark magic of their enemies. To lead them against these foes was Grimnir, equipped with two mighty war-axes and armour harder than the bones of the mountains. With the blasting of horns, armies sallied forth from their strongholds and fought the daemonic hordes of Chaos that had spilled over the lands, fighting a war that many call the First Chaos Incursion.
It was during this campaign to rid the mountain realms of Chaos taint that the Dwarfs first came into contact with the Elves of Ulthuan after Grimnir led an army into the lowlands, chasing a band of Chaos marauders all the way to the coast.
The Elven Fleet under the leadership of Caledor Dragontamer was blown off-course when they came to the Old World in hopes of finding out the source of the Chaos magic that seeped through the world. They were met with mixed suspicion and respect, but when a larger force of Beastmen arrived, they were promptly smashed between Caledor's magic and Grimnir's axe-wielding troops.
Because of this they knew they were on the same side in this conflict. From Caledor, the Dwarfs learnt of the great Phoenix King , Aenarion the Defender , and his struggle to free the far lands of Ulthuan from the grip of Chaos. From Grimnir, Caledor learnt of how the great tempest from the north had preceded the coming of Chaos.
With this information, Caledor realised that a Chaos Gate had opened somewhere within the Old World in the north and only when it was closed could the tides of Chaos be stemmed. Caledor thanked Grimnir and returned to Ulthuan, to consult with the Phoenix King and hatch a plan that would stop the Chaos incursion. Before each of them left, as a sign of friendship and goodwill, they exchanged gifts, Grimnir presented the wizard with a runic amulet of colossal power, and in return, Caledor gave the Dwarf God the glistening Crystal of Fire which today still resides in the vaults of Karaz-a-Karak.
The respite won by Grimnir and his innumerable armies was hard-won and a brief calm was instilled throughout the Old World. But as Grimnir headed back to his home within the mountains, the sky grew dark and ominous once more and from these potent signs, the Second Chaos Incursion abruptly began. This time, however, the Winds of Magic had grown to critical levels, and soon daemonic hordes beyond counting began to spill relentlessly across the lands of the Old World.
Even with throngs of Dwarfs under his iron-fisted command, the Warrior God and his armies were forced back into their mountain strongholds to weather the incoming daemons with stout bravery. In time, many impenetrable holds were crushed under their horrific advance and, in grim determination, the Warrior God decided to take a more direct action. Though Grungni had told him that should he go upon this journey, he would surely die, the stubborn Grimnir snarled at his remark and said that it was worth the risk should it help to save their people.
The great warrior god ritually shaved his head, save for a single defiant crest that would later be adopted by the fearsome Slayer Cult many centuries later. Leading a small group of hardened warriors, Grimnir fought through many dangers until they reached the foothills of the Middle Mountains.
It was here that Grimnir commanded his followers to return home, and bestowed upon his only son Morgrim , one of his legendary Axes. There, they at last turned back, watching in awe as Grimnir pressed onward, his form dwindling into the shimmering haze of that poisoned and corrupted mountain. It was said that Grimnir stood upon the third Chaos Gate within the heart of that very mountain and fought the numberless hordes of daemons back until the Vortex upon Ulthuan was finally completed, saving the world from the threat of Chaos for centuries to come.
Grimnir was never seen again. In the end, the creation of Caledor's greatest work, the Great Vortex within the Inner Sea had drained the massive influx of Magic from the world. In unison, the Daemonic armies all screamed to the stars as their dark essence were flung to the dark corners of the world. In that instant, the daemonic siege upon the Dwarf Kingdoms was suddenly stopped, and from the darkness of the deeps, the Dwarfs emerged from their strongholds into the light of the rising sun, the start of a Golden Age.
In the Worlds Edge Mountains, the Dwarfs once more prospered beyond imagination, and within a matter of centuries, trade flourished throughout their realm. In this grand age, the strongholds of the Dwarfs were strengthened and deepened, expanding their domains into massive underground cities all connected by long subterranean highways of tunnels called the Under Way or the "Ungdrin Ankor" in the Dwarfen tongue.
Seeking to expand their domains as well, the Elves of Ulthuan sent ships and colonists upon the shores of the Old World and expanded their colonies into the lands of what would one day become the nations of the Empire , Tilea , Estalia and Bretonnia.
Seeing an opportunity for gold and profit, the Dwarfs of the Worlds Edge Mountains established trade routes towards these new colonies, creating an age of peace that lasted for nearly 2, years.
It was during this time that their gods, Grungni, Valaya, and other lesser deities disappeared from the Dwarf realm. It is popularly believed by the majority of the Dwarf people that they delved into the mountains' hearts, and returned from whence they came. Snorri presided to reign over his people after a successful campaign of extermination and eradication against the remnants of the Daemonic Legions, climaxing in the victorious Battle of Karag Vlak , where the armies of Snorri Whitebeard and Prince Malekith fought side by side for the last time.
This event, coined by the Elves as the Sundering split the Elven people into two factions, with the High Elves still controlling Ulthuan and her colonies under the new Phoenix King, Caledor the Conqueror , whilst the Dark Elves preceded to reign over their new-found kingdom of Naggaroth with Malekith as their new Witch King. In a bid to cripple Ulthuans military and economic relations with the Dwarfs, Malekith ordered Dark Elven assassins and warriors to attack and slaughter Dwarf trade caravans travelling around the Old World in the year of IC.
Believing these attacks to be perpetrated by the High Elves, many of the Dwarf Kings and Thanes began to ready themselves for conflict with the Elves. Like his predecessor, Gotrek was a wise and thoughtful king and instead of heeding the call for war, Gotrek sent one last attempt at reconciliation. The Dwarf people were a grim and straight-forward race, and once the Dwarf ambassador, cousin of the High King, reached the throne of Phoenix King Caledor II , son of Caledor the Conqueror, the Dwarf ambassador harshly demanded the Elves to find accountability for these atrocities and recompense the Dwarfs in gold for the lives lost and treasure stolen during the attacks.
But the Elves of that time were arrogant and prideful and scorned by the Dwarf's accusation, the Phoenix King deliberately conceived an insult so grievous that no amount of gold could ever serve to recompense. The Elves forcefully restrained the Dwarf and slowly cut-off his beard, compelling the Dwarf to go home shorn of his pride and honour and bearing the message that the only way the High King would gain a single gold coin of recompense was if he went personally to Ulthuan and begged before the Pheonix King himself.
This became the greatest insult ever recorded upon the Book of Grudges, which would culminate in the greatest war ever fought between the two races. Enraged beyond reason or thought, the High King roared for his kings and thanes to gather their armies and prepare for war.
Nearly every Dwarf clan was called up for this conflict, with each stronghold mustering armies numbering in the tens of thousands unto the growing legions of throngs already under Gotrek's command.
At the very height of their power, the Dwarfs marched to war with a massive horde of heavily armoured warriors in what the Dwarfs knew as the War of Vengeance, and the Elves called the War of the Beard.
With the entire military might under his control, the High King led the Dwarfs into the lowlands and attacked the unsuspecting Elven colonies that were oblivious to the Phoenix King's actions. Colony after the colony had fallen under the Dwarfs brutal assault until finally Caledor II ordered a mass mobilisation of his forces and ignorantly emptied Ulthuan of all her soldiers leaving it entirely defenceless, a situation that Malekith had long anticipated and would soon exploit.
The massive Elven fleet set sail with Caledor at its fore and made landfall upon the Port-city of Tor Alessi , where they repelled the Dwarf invaders from the city walls. This marked the first true engagement fought between the two civilisations, in a war that would last for nearly years.
Blinded by their rage and overconfidence, the sudden arrival of Ulthuan's entire military caught the Dwarfs by surprise. Pushed back, the Dwarfs and Elves continued their battles within many area's of the Old World, the most prominent of which took place within the lands that would one day become Bretonnia.
The death of his son ensured that Gotrek would never stop until Caledor was dead. In an act of vengeance for his lost kin, Prince Morgrim , cousin of Snorri Halfhand and nephew to the High King, led a Dwarf army against the Elves, forcing them to retreat back until they made a final stand at the Battle of Oeragor , where he and his army purposefully stood before the arrow storms of the Elven army as an act of defiance and courage. With their arrows spent, the Elves foolishly attacked the Dwarfs in melee combat, where the Dwarfs quickly gained the advantage.
Finally, at battles end, Morgrim personally slew Prince Imladrik in single combat, earning him the title of Elgidum translated as "Elfdoom". Crowned a hero by his people, Morgrim continued to capture many Elven towns and cities across the Old World, the most prominent of which was the razing of Athel Maraya in the year IC.
Another mighty Dwarf leader by the name of Brok Stonefist lead the armies of Karak Azgul in a decisive campaign against the Elves by using his extensive knowledge of the tunnels to route their armies.
As the war dragged on, he met his greatest adversary, Lord Saledor of Tor Arche , and for the next hundred years he fought Saledor's armies in many battles such as the Battle of Blind River. Finally, it was during the Battle of Athel Maraya that the two adversaries found their ends in single combat, where they fought each other until the burning city devoured them both in the flames. In a final push to end the war, High King Gotrek led his throng to drive the Elves back, besieging the walled city of Tor Alessi for the fourteenth and final time.
At last, the walls were breached and, unable to flee, Caledor II was forced to face Gotrek in single combat. The duel that followed lasted for hours, but as the Elf King's fortitude failed, Gotrek shattered his foe's sword with a well-placed hammer blow. Defeated and disarmed, Caledor pleaded for mercy and forgiveness, but all hope of forgiveness was shattered the day Caledor had killed the High King's son.
Hardening his heart, the High King swung his hammer and killed the Phoenix King. In the aftermath, King Gotrek picked up the Phoenix Crown from the mutilated corpse and proclaimed the grudge settled, and that the Elves were welcome to come to Karaz-a-Karak to beg for the return of the crown. The remaining Elven forces withdrew from the Old World, their armies, like their arrogance, shattered in defeat.
In their pride, the Elves considered upon one last suicidal assault against the walls of Karaz-a-Karak. However, news began to stream into the remaining Elven Lords that Malekith had once more invaded the Island of Ulthuan with one of the largest Dark Elven invasion fleets to that date. Swallowing their pride, the Elven Lords began a mass evacuation of all Elven citizens from all the colonies and gathered their forces to repel the Dark Elven invasion.
Yet the Elves of Athel Loren refused instead, declaring independence from the Phoenix Throne of Ulthuan and over time these elves in turn eventually became the Wood Elves. The Dwarfs rightfully considered themselves the victors of the War of Vengeance, as their foes had departed, driven from the very continent except for the small fraction of elves who refused to leave but could not be driven out. This hard-won situation should have ensured the Dwarfen dominion over the Old World for ages to come, however in their own arrogance, the Dwarfs were fully unprepared for the catastrophe that was soon to come.
The long conflict that had lasted for nearly years had bled the Empire of the Dwarfs dry, and the Dwarfs found their vigour and their population extremely spent.
Before they had even begun to recover, their realm was beset by a catastrophe that rocked the foundations of the Warhammer World. The nefarious Skaven in their infinite greed for power hatched a grand scheme that would open up tunnels beneath the earth in their attempt to expand their domains to all Four Corners of the World. Lying deep beneath the ancient city of Skavenblight , the Skaven fed an ancient diabolical machine with huge quantities of unstable but power-saturated Warpstone , redirecting the dark energies being harnessed to amplify the powers of the Skaven Sorcerers' incantations.
The ground shook and the groans of shifting rocks almost drowned out the shrill climax of the chanting seers. High above them, within the crumbling monuments of the city, the great Bell-Tower tolled as the structure swayed and creaked like the mast of a ship at sea. Then, for the first time, but far from the last, the great machinery of the Skaven failed them, as an unknown part of the ingenious but imperfect device broke down in the most critical of moments.
Within seconds, a catastrophe occurred. With a blinding white flash of pure malevolence, a tidal wave of raw magical energy swept through the underground chambers of the city and unleashed its power upon the spine of the world.
Tunnels collapsed, buildings fell, and the land began to heave and tremble. The entire undermined plain surrounding the city of Skavenblight sank as geysers of flame erupted from the tortured ground. The damage was even more devastating as the energies swept outwards.
Soon the whole of the Old World began to tremble as the titanic force erupted in all directions. The Worlds Edge Mountains began to buckle under the relentless assault, as the surging energy crashed against the spine of the entire mountain range.
Great tidal waves rose from the sea and crashed against the coast, consuming all in their path. Long dormant volcanoes erupted in the East and the land was scarred for all eternity by geysers, lava, and earthquakes.
The great realm of the Dwarfen Kings became undone, as their whole kingdom was destroyed in front of their very eyes. Every single settlement of the Dwarfs suffered a calamity, as walls collapsed, mine workings shattered and lower levels flooded by subterranean waters.
The mountains themselves shuddered, and in some cases broke apart to send avalanches in sweeping waves that crushed the valleys and lowlands even the "Ungdrin Ankor", The Underway of the Dwarfs fell into partial ruin.
Such was the devastation brought during that time that the Dwarfs remembered it simply as the Time of Woes. The catastrophe brought about during the Time of Woes created a chain reaction upon the World. With volcanic activity erupting to the east, the Goblinoid race migrated in unimaginable numbers towards the west. In response, tribes of Humans began to migrate into the Old World in ever-increasing numbers, trading gold and cattle to the Dwarfs as they tried to escape the rampaging hordes of Greenskins that were following just behind.
With the permission of the new High King, Nurn Shieldbreaker , these Human tribes were allowed passage and faded into the forests of the Old World. The many invasions that followed began a disjointed series of wars and battles that the Dwarfs named as the Goblin Wars, for the Goblins were the most numerous of the enemies arrayed against them.
The first attack came just after the last aftershock was finished. Unidentified enemies infiltrated the Dwarfs underground networks in implacable numbers, and soon outposts and small strongholds came under attack. With the walls and gates of their once formidable fortresses now cracked open by the earthquakes, the scattered Dwarfs quickly became outnumbered and surrounded.
The first to fall from this massive onslaught was the Dwarf stronghold of Karak Ungor. Taking advantage of the chaos, a wave of Night Goblin tribes emerged within the very centre of the city, taking the Dwarfs of Karak Ungor completely by surprise. Using their speed and overwhelming numbers, the Night Goblins took deep after deep from the Dwarfs.
Defiant to the last, knots of warriors and militia rose up to meet the invaders back to back, attempting to hold the Night Goblins off in key locations until the population could evacuate. The King of Karak Ungor, King Kargsson of the Stonehelm Clan lead a counter-attack that gave enough time for the women and children to evacuate.
With all of the population accounted for, the King ordered to finally abandon the city and make their journey towards the strongholds of Karak Kadrin and Zhufbar.
King Kargsson never made it, for he valiantly closed the tunnels behind him as the enemy began their final decisive attack. With the enemies controlling both the surface and the underground tunnels, communication between the holds was lost. The next attack upon the Dwarfs came upon the mineral-rich stronghold of Karak Varn. Known famously for the largest deposit of gromril in the world, when the great earthquakes struck, the lower workings of the stronghold became flooded by the nearby lake of Black Water.
Without any warning, Skaven armies coming from the city of Skavenblight attacked the lower workings while an army of Orcs besieged the city from above. Caught between two massive armies, the Dwarfs stood little chance. Despite the stout defences erected by the Dwarfs, after nearly a year of fighting, the city of Karak Varn was inevitably taken.
Most of the stubborn population fought to the bitter end, with only a handful of clans managing to evacuate and reach the safety of Zhufbar. After the fall of Karak Varn, a series of defeats were further inflicted upon the Dwarfs at many locations within the Worlds Edge Mountains. Columns of smoke rose high above the peaks as surface settlements and mines were put to the torch. Refugees that survived the attacks attempted to cross the mountain passes to reach the other holds, but these places were clogged with enemy armies streaming into Dwarf territory.
As the war escalated, the Underway became a warzone between armies of Night Goblins and Skaven seeking to control the tunnel networks as their own. To the south, the mines of Ekrund were sacked by an army of Orcs, driving the Dwarfs out of the resource-rich Dragonback Mountains. After being besieged for several decades, the stronghold of Mount Silverspear was lost to the Orcs as well.
In time, the entire eastern edge of the Worlds Edge Mountains was lost to the Greenskins. Several decades following the Time of Woes, the once dormant volcano within Thunder Mountain suddenly erupted violently, forcing a mass migration of Trolls towards the remaining Dwarf-holds.
To combat these creatures, High King Morgrim Blackbeard , declared the Troll Wars and lead a year-long campaign to reclaim lost territory. However, the Dwarfs eventually lost three more major strongholds in the span of fifty years. Karak Azgal was stormed and sacked by an Orc army in IC, only to be forced out as a Dragon delved into the tunnels and claimed the hold as his own.
Karak Drazh was attacked and captured by the Orcs the very same year, eventually becoming the new Greenskin fortress of Black Crag. After nearly a thousand years, the Goblin Wars were nearing their end, and should the Dwarfs not stop the Greenskins soon, nothing would stop them from conquering the whole of the Old World. It was also during this time that many secrets to runic magic, as well as some smithing and building techniques were lost, never to be recovered.
Following the loss of several major cities, came a mass exodus out of the Worlds Edge Mountains. Though it grieved them to do so, many Dwarf clans forsook their ancient homeland and began moving west.
There the clans rebuilt their lost society, resulting in the establishment of the new strongholds of Karak Norn and Karak Izor , with mines rich with mineral deposits of copper and iron in abundance. Though not as powerful or as wealthy as the strongholds within the Worlds Edge Mountains, these strongholds were nonetheless free from the depredation of their enemies. Over time, the Dwarfs began to reestablish old trade routes that would connect and maintain communication between the strongholds of the Grey Mountains and Worlds Edge Mountains.
As these Dwarfs began to traverse the wilderness of the Old World, they soon rediscovered a confederation of Human tribes that originally settled here following the outbreak of the Goblin Wars. They also learned that the emerging Human tribes were battling against the Greenskins for possessions of the forest and lowlands, and in them, the Dwarfs found a common ally against the ever-increasing Greenskin threat. The Dwarfs did all they could to encourage the primitive tribes of Men, resulting in the establishment of trade, good relations and the exchanging of weapons and armour.
However, even with the aid of the Dwarfs, it became clear to them that the Humans were beginning to slowly lose this conflict. Whether it was fate or the intervention of the Gods, the bonds of friendship that would be formed between the race of Man and Dwarfs on this historic day shall endure until the final days of this world's demise.
The Orc army that attacked them was enormous, and although the Dwarfs slew the Orcs until their bodies lay in heaps, they inevitably failed and their High King was taken captive. Luckily for the beleaguered Dwarfs, this territory was the domain of the Unberogen tribe, a fierce and war-like tribe of Men who fought relentlessly to clear their lands of Greenskins. Led by the mighty warrior-prince Sigmar Heldenhammer , the chieftain's son, an army of Unberogen warriors fell upon the Orc army with great fury.
This meeting would be a turning point in Mankind's history. In the battle that transpired, Kurgan Ironbeard bore witness to this young, human prince facing down Warlord Vagraz Headstomper. Despite young Sigmar's mighty strength, every killing blow his bronze sword had made was turned aside by the armour of the Orc, and every blow from its flaming axe came all too close to ending his young life. Ironbeard broke free of his bonds and fought his way to Vagraz's tent, where he kept his pick of the Dwarf King's possessions, which includes the mighty Warhammer Ghal Maraz , the "Splitter of Skulls".
Kurgan threw the hammer towards Sigmar, cursing the Orcs with every curse known to Dwarfkind. Sigmar caught the ancient weapon and the tide turned for the Unberogen. Sigmar assaulted the Orc with mighty strikes of his hammer, the fury of his blows bringing the hulking beast down to a single knee.
With the final strike, Sigmar smashed the Orc's skull to bloody shards. A mighty feat, even for a warrior wielding a weapon forged with Dwarfen skill. With the close of the battle, their holdings avenged, Sigmar attempted to return the hammer to the High King. In that moment, a historical act came about, one unheard of in all the annals of both Men and Dwarfs that forever forged an unbreakable bond of friendship between the men of the lands west of the mountains and the Dwarfen kingdom of Karaz Ankor -- King Kurgan Ironbeard gifted the ancient hammer Ghal-Maraz to Sigmar.
It was a unique happening for a unique weapon; for the power of Ghal-Maraz is old, ancient even to the Dwarfs, and it is said that the weapon possesses a will of its own, and it actively chooses those who are to bear it into battle.
Indeed, as fate would have it, the hammer was always Sigmar's, and had been waiting for the day the warrior would claim it. The Dwarfen King looked upon Sigmar and saw within him power, honour, courage and nobility without parallel, and knew that Ghal-Maraz was rightfully his, and he also reasoned that an ancient runic weapon was fitting payment for saving the life of a Dwarfen king.
From then on, the Dwarfen nations and the Unberogen clans were the most steadfast of allies. With the mighty warhammer in his possession, Sigmar began his campaign to unite the warring tribes of Men against the unstoppable onslaught of the Greenskin hordes. As Kurgan Ironbeard returned to his seat of power within Karaz-a-Karak, it soon became clear that the Greenskins were growing near unstoppable. In the years during Sigmar's campaign of unification, the Dwarfs within their mountain kingdoms felt an invasion unlike anything they had endured since the days of the coming of Chaos.
Holding the Greenskin hordes off as much as they could, and after nearly a decade, Sigmar finally united the Tribes into a single unified force, and it could not have come at a better time. Envoys of King Kurgan Ironbeard arrived with news of an Orc horde of such monumental scale as to eclipse all those before it, marching towards the now-legendary Black Fire Pass , intent on destroying the races of both Dwarf and Man forever.
This, Sigmar would not allow. He summoned all his brother-kings to the golden halls of King Siggurd for a grand meeting now known in the annals of history as the Council of Eleven.
There, the kings conferred on how they would face this apocalyptic threat. Some of the assembled kings realised that the only path was to unite into one great host, placing the overall command of the army under Sigmar. Others, however, would not bring themselves to relinquish command over their own warriors to another king, and remained obstinate.
Soon, dissension and argument arose between the assembled warlords. Sigmar saw this and was filled with contempt, silencing the dissent with a word. He denounced the shamefulness of their squabbles while a lesser race stood united and poised to destroy humanity. Sigmar implored the gathered tribes not to meet the Orcs and Goblins as they had in the past, standing apart from each other, refusing to lend aid and only combining their forces when needed--that would only lead to their defeat and deaths.
His voice rising with a terrible rage that was felt throughout the gathering, Sigmar called on all the tribes of Man to unite and make their common stand with the Dwarfs, calling it the crucible of a new nation. As recorded in the Book of Origins , Sigmar's final shout of "To war! History records that Sigmar's army arrived just in time, as the Orcs finally breached the wall King Kurgan had built across Black Fire Pass.
Leading the charge from the chariot of Siggurd , Chieftain of the Brigundians , Sigmar fell upon the Greenskins as if he were the God Ulric himself. The force of the Human assault stopped the Orc and Goblin advance, then began pushing it back.
The Dwarfs saw this as their opportunity and charged from their forts and towers and fell upon the Greenskins' flanks. Fear overcame the Greenskins and they began to break ranks and flee. Their leader, Warlord Urgluk Bloodfang , rallied his forces and made a counter-attack.
Charging, he and his warband came face to face with Sigmar and his own warriors. Sigmar and the Orc warlord entered into single combat, whilst Siggurd and his elite Brigundian warriors battled Bloodfang's Black Orc bodyguards.
Hammer clashed with cleaver as the two struggled for advantage. After nearly an hour of fighting, Sigmar killed the Orc warlord with a mighty double blow, first breaking the hand that held the cleaver, then smashing Bloodfang's skull on the return stroke.
The death of their leader was also the death of the Orc army, which broke and ran in utter panic. The slaughter that followed was terrible to behold as the armies of Man and Dwarf fell upon their most hated foes. It is said that there has never been a greater concentration of crows in all the world than that which gathered to feast on the stinking and unburied corpses of the Greenskins at Black Fire Pass. So many died that day that it would be over a thousand years before the Orcs and Goblins could again raise such an army, even with their prodigious, if unknown, reproduction rates.
King Marbad was afforded the funeral rites of the greatest heroes, for such he deserved for saving the life of Sigmar during the battle, and was carried onto his pyre by his fellow kings and his heir. Not only was the race of Men saved, but so was the Dwarfen domain. In heartfelt gratitude, King Kurgan Ironbeard pledged that he would charge Alaric with the creation of twelve magnificent blades in thanks to the Empire for their shared brotherhood.
These blades would later be known as the original twelve Runefangs , which continue to be wielded by the Counts of the Empire to this day. After the Battle, Sigmar's fame spread wide and far, renowned as a hero of all Mankind. Upon the anvil of war and the fires of battle, at last his dream of a united empire had been realised. For men of all twelve tribes had stood together in the battle-line as brothers, and with the truth of their common enemy now made obvious, the old tribal hatreds had evaporated away, replaced only by iron-hard ties of brotherhood.
With the victory, it is said that the kings, and then their tribesmen, all dropped to a knee within the pass before Sigmar, accepting him as their new lord. Thus, at Reikdorf one year after the Battle of Blackfire Pass, the Ar-Ulric , high priest of the Cult of Ulric , placed a crown of gold and ivory, another gift from the Dwarfs, upon Sigmar's head and proclaimed him the Emperor of Man before the assembled representatives of the Human tribes.
Before him knelt the tribal chiefs, who swore brotherhood to each other and fealty to Emperor Sigmar and the newborn Empire. A new age of prosperity had begun. Many Dwarfs moved into the newly forming Empire, and trade between the lowlands and the mountains flourished into an age of prosperity, invention, and reconquest, an age that many Dwarfs began to call the Silver Age. Although their numbers had lessened, there were still Greenskins, Beastmen, and monsters that stalked the lands of the Empire, and the tribes of Mankind still needed weapons to fight them.
Even better, the humans would pay good gold for every sword the Dwarfs forged. With the western lands stabilising and Black Fire Pass now closed to enemies, the Dwarfs attempted to reestablish a grip upon the Worlds Edge Mountains. Dwellers of Zardok. Eyes of the Jungle.
Pilgrims of Myrmidia. The Sunken Land Corsairs. Dragon Spine Privateers. Middle Sea Brigands. Shark Strait Seadogs. Bretonnian Merchants. Dark Elf Slavers. Exotic Goods Hauler. Norscan Raiders. Acolytes of the Keeper.
Skull Crag. High Elves. Dark Elves. Tomb Kings. Factions in Mortal Empires. The Golden Order. Grimgor's 'Ardboyz. The Barrow Legion. Harbinger of Disaster. Warherd of the One-Eye. Wargrove of Woe. World Walkers. Itz-Itza Tribe.
Clan Ferrik. Clan Gritus. Clan Kreepus. Clan Volkn. Rictus Clan-Nest. Creeping Death. Red Cloud. Lahmian Sisterhood. The Silver Host. Laurelorn Forest. Horde of the Ever-Watcher. Clan Eshin Separatists.
Cancel Save. Universal Conquest Wiki. In battle, the slow movement of Dwarfs combined with their tough, armoured troops and excellent ranged and artillery units makes them excel at fighting defensively. As most of their troops are quite elite and expensive, they will often be outnumbered by the enemy. But thanks to their high leadership stats, they will rarely flee — often fighting to the last Dwarf!
Dwarfs lack special battle mechanics, but their tough, reliable units ensure they can withstand any foe. When fighting against Dwarfs, it is key to outmaneuver them. If possible, bring artillery which can outrange them, forcing them to attack.
Otherwise, bring lots of armour-piercing damage and cavalry or monsters to disrupt their lines. Main article: Dwarfs unit roster Dwarfs armies are mostly made up of stalwart, heavily-armoured infantry. Dwarf Lord. Throne of Power. Belegar Ironhammer. Anvil of Doom. Bolt Throwers. Regiments of Renown. Giant Slayers. Thorek Ironbrow.
Kazador Dragonslayer. Yoked Carnosaur. Dwarfs are a regular faction that occupies settlements as normal, are at home in mountain climates , and spread the Untainted corruption type. They have a strong economy, especially in the production of trade resources which they can use to craft powerful items and runes in The Forge , as well as a powerful technology tree.
However, their low population growth and requirement to avenge grudges slows their expansion. Their slow movement is offset by using the Underway to traverse impassable terrain and avoid enemy forces, allowing them to fight defensive battles on their own terms, which they excel at.
The Old World Mortal Empires. Eye of the Vortex Mortal Empires. Thorgrim Grudgebearer Grombrindal. Main article: The Forge Experts in binding the Winds of Magic to stone or metal, Dwarfs can use Oathgold in conjuction with trade resources to make magical weapons, armour, talismans, and enchanted items to improve their characters' strength.
Main article: Underway The Underway is a series of ancient tunnels and caverns underground. Main article: Dwarfs buildings Dwarfs have a straight forward building tree. Main article: Dwarfs tech tree Dwarfs are a technologically advanced race, with a long and powerful tech tree which can provide many buffs to their units. Please see the following pages: Dwarfs items Dwarfs followers Dwarfs banners Character runes Banner runes.
Minimum requirement to assume: Not moved this turn Traverse underground terrain that would normally be impassable Immune to attrition Nearby hostile armies may intercept this force in the Underway Should the army be intercepted, retreat will be impossible; if it loses the battle it will be wiped out Battle initiation: Disabled.
This table is about the post-battle options for Dwarfs in TWW2 onwards. Oathgold increased Treasury increased. Your army will gain the following effects: Gorog! You gain wealth from looting, but buildings in the settlement are damaged.
All captives are enslaved, public order is greatly reduced, and your diplomatic relations with the previous owner also suffer greatly. You do not occupy the settlement but instead steal wealth and damage buildings. All captives are enslaved, public order is reduced, and the previous owner will like you a lot less.
Conquest penalty: Province instability: Conquest penalty: Province instability: Treasury:. Province instability: Treasury:. Main article: Climate Dwarfs climate preferences differ depending on the playable faction, although they generally prefer mountain climates.
On the campaign map, many factions are grouped together as Dwarfs and use units from the Dwarfs unit roster. Introduced in Eye of the Vortex campaign. Good for beginners: Dwarfs at least Karaz-a-Karak, the basic Dwarfs faction have a fairly easy start in the campaign - a good economy, high public order though they suffer low growth. Their units are powerful, reliable and easy to use.
Where the Vampire Counts epitomize war of maneuver, the Dwarfs are all about attrition warfare. Emphasizing stable defensive lines, overwhelming firepower, and steady advances over brilliant maneuvers, Dwarfs require a patient hand and a defensive mind.
A stable gunline defense, small mobile units to counter thrusts, and precise application of fire support are the name of the day - but require careful tactics, as they can easily be undone by flanking or baiting maneuvers. The biggest flaw is the lack of any cavalry units or chariots, making them tactically inflexible.
Only the Gyros are fast and they don't make for good melee combatants The upside is, Dwarfs can put out absolutely ludicrous amounts of dakka including machine guns, flamethrowers, and artillery support. Furthermore, the Dwarfs have no spellcasters, but all Dwarf units have magic resistance. Additionally, Dwarfs have Runesmiths and Runelords to help fill this role. The Dwarfs have a number of special features in campaign gameplay. The foremost is the ability to use the Underway. The Underway provides a risky transportation route through impassable and inhospitable territories.
When combating an army that has a significant amount of cavalry or units designed for flanking, Underway battles make it nearly impossible to be flanked and renders that segment of your enemy's army ineffective. Though they run the risk of being intercepted, which drops them down in the dungeon in a very bad position, the ability to flank the enemy cannot be overstated: Their tactical inflexibility is thus compensated for by their strategic range.
Settling them is mandatory if a Dwarf is to remain in control of his kingdom: As they accumulate, public order, leadership, and diplomatic relations with other Dwarf factions start dropping. Dwarfs benefit from having a very strong economic base, their unique advantage being Tier IV resource buildings providing even more resources and income. This is especially true for Karaz-a-Karak since they start with the Diamond resource in their capital.
They also enjoy a robust technology tree containing both military and civic branches the downside is, it takes time to unlock its full potential , and plenty of trade options with their neighbors. In competitive play, Dwarfs are a problematic army.
Their small, but powerful and expensive units are predominantly infantry, allowing enemies to easily shatter their battlelines with cavalry, monstrous infantry, or just bypass them with flying or fast units, exploiting the dwarfs' lack of maneuverability. Regiments of Renown , Rangers, and alternative artillery options help compensate for that, but the Dwarfs' low mass still allows enemy chariots and beasts to plow right through them.
The Dwarfs can be expanded upon with the following paid and free DLC :. The King and the Warlord. Grombrindal - The White Dwarf. Playable Factions. Empire Provinces. Dwarf Realms. Greenskin Tribes. Mousillon Templehof. Bretonnian Kingdoms.
Artois Bastonne Lyonesse Parravon. Beastmen Warherds. Redhorn Tribe Jagged-Horn Tribe. Wood Elf Realms. Torgovann Wydrioth. Norscan Tribes. Southern Realms. Tilea Estalia Border Princes. Chaos Invasion. Bjornling Warherd of Chaos. Wood Elves Argwylon. Other Wood Elves. Deff Grindaz Skullsmasherz. The Empire and Southern Realms. New World Colonies Sudenburg. Necrarch Brotherhood Strygos Empire. Aghol Mung Skaeling Skeggi. Rogue Armies. The book is written in the blood of High Kings and only they have the authority to add new grudges or strike out grudges that have been avenged.
Essentially, the Book of Grudges amounts to a very detailed recorded history of the Dwarfs. Being a symbol of the absolute lordship of the Dwarf High Kings, it is kept secret from the eyes of other races. In fact, few members of the outside world have even seen the tome, save for a small number of scribes from the Empire , only allowed access because of the longstanding alliance between the Empire and the Dwarfs.
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