Allied Coalition - Dwarven Stronghold-Kingdoms

More detailed history:

As old as the mountains and just as stubborn as their stones, the Dwarves have always been around and see no reason to leave now. Since the beginning of the world, the stone-men of the mountains have been here. Crafted from the mountins of the Dagger-Wall, the Dwarves claim these mighty peaks and the dank caves for their own...forming massive underground strongholds made of pure stone and metal and forming above ground outcroppings for hunting and trade.

With life spans that can go up to five thousand years of age, the Dwarves have the grace of age and wisdom to guide them...as well as having bodies as strong as the stone around them. However, with such lifespans they are unfortunately slow to change and pry themselves from their traditions. Through strict honor codes and regiments will a Dwarf feel at home.

Thanks to the apparent efforts of God-King, there are massive underground tunnel networks beneath the Dagger-Wall that the Dwarves, over hte course of their long lifespan, have fitted out with masterly crafted stone bricks and elegant gold decorations. One coul effectively go from one side of the mountains to the others with only seeing the light of a day a few times with the tunnels turning into bridges to look outside. The Golden Age of the Dwarves lasted long and untested by any ****...for any that dared go through the canyons or climb the peaks of the Dagger-Wall never returned.

But little did the Dwarves know, that these very tunnels would be the foundation of their fall from grace. A dark **** from within their mountains had stirred thanks to the construction process. What would extend the Golden Age and bring great commerce to the strongholds would awaken a curse that brought about the Age of the Green Menace. They came fast and hard upon a caravan route in the deeper tunnels. An unceasing tide of green, grey, and black that stood way taller than them and carried the same strength, but with more numbers.

One by one, tunnels and strongholds were being lost to the Green Menance...these Greenskins. Luckily, the monsters were not as wellversed in craftsmanship and warfare as the Dwarves. Once the initial surprise was over, the Dwarves were able to properly retliate against the Greenskins and began pushing them. However, the Greenskins had begun to adapt to the Dwarves' strategies and tactics...the thousands upon thousands of years of fighting had began to take its toll.

The Greenskins began using Dwarven strategy and began to coutner them, strongholds, tunnels, and bridges were lost, destroyed, or infected. Dwarves were not able to resupply the numbers or equipment to keep up with the fighting and a stalemate came, one that strained both sides but the Greenskins seemed to replinish faster and faster.

Almost fearing this stalemate would eventually work against them, the Dwarves were becoming incredibly more ****. This was a feeling the Dwarves had never felt before in their whole time of existence, it was a feeling foreign to them. For once they felt like a mountain that was slowly eroding away under rain and wind. It was at this time, help would come to them in the form of a bright, silver light.

A Human expedition had went up into the mountains. Missionairies hailing from the Griffinwald Theocracy had took oaths to climb these cursed peaks and cleanse it of whatever evil that prevented people from crossing through its passages before. However, what was meant to be an exorcism turned into assisting in a generations long war. They met with a local Dwarf king after assisting his forces in attacking a warband and the king thought it best to take any aid they could get.

For a month, the missionary group and the king's forces fought with great success. The magic that the Human's possessed foreign and unattainable to the Dwarves. It was because of this, the king gave the Humans the directions and ability to meet with the High-King. After reading the reports and the king's envoy retelling the deeds of the Humans, the High-King told the missionairies to deliver a letter requesting to meet with their leaders.

This was the foundation of the Allied Coalition. The High-King and his Council of Kings met with the Grand Theogonists of the Theocracy and a pact was formed. The Theocracy used their divine magics to help push out the Greenskins and in return, the Dwarves were insrumental in helping the Theocracy unify the other Human Kingdoms and form the Empire.

With the Greenskins gone and an alliance struck with the Humans had given birth to a new age for the Dwarves. An age of trade, friendship, celebration, and rebuilding. Projects were taken up by the surviving Kings to rebuild the Dagger-Wall strongholds, tunnels, and bridges. An Age of Stone.

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Dwarfen Culture and Strongholds:

The Dwarves are simple people with simple pleasures. Food, drink, and fighting. A Dwarf is honored by having many things of significant value...his hammer, his craft, his woman, his beard, and his ale. When a Dwarf's body stops growing, the only things that grow is his character and his beard. Thusly, the beard is a seen as a symbol of the Dwarf as an individual. Great love and care goes into grooming and very few trust others with their beards. It is dishonorable to lose their beard...thus, grooming only goes to those of highly renowned characer, trusted friends, and spouses.

There is somewhat of an hierarchy that is based on importance of professions and are shared amongst all clans, though some clans specialize in specific professions. And the professions as well as the standing of a family in a clan are dictated by name. And each clan controls a stronghold. However, there are those at the bottom rung of Dwarven society. Cretins that should never be named.

These unfortunate Dwarves are labelled as "The Ones of Dust". These are Dwarves exiled and ignored by society by and large. Dwarves that have committed deeds so dishonorable that no one will deal with them. Committing treasonous acts, having their beards removed, or other such things. Those that committed the crimes are given a facial brand on their right cheek and are doomed to a life of squaller. Their children are doomed to the same life, but since they don't have the brand...they may be adopted by a family and be accepted as a full member if they prove themselves. Or, either a branded or unbranded Dust may take the Oath of a Slayer, and devote their lives to killing the enemies of the Dwarves until they die in combat. But upon taking this oath, all other Dwarves sill not acknowledge them...for to be a Slayer is to say you are already dead, just waiting to finally be swallowed by the earth.

Kings do not inherit their positions, but rather they earn it. Among the most influential and powerful families in a clan, they choose newborn Dwarf and turn them into the Pampered. This one child is what the family relies upon to raise their family status. They give them the best education, the best equipment, and so on to best prepare them for a life as a King or Queen. These Pampered, when not training or learning, spend most of their time in the court of King. When a King is close to **** or plans on retiring, he gives the Pampered a task, a challenge, a riddle, or other such things to prove themselves. Those that please the King well enough in their endeavors gets to take his place. The High-King, who rules over the whole Dwarf race, operates the same except it is with the Kings below him.

Women can ultimately do whatever they please in Dwarven society. But strict appeals to tradition typically discourages women from taking part in noble or military affairs. Though they might end up as runesmiths or part of the clergy, most won't go beyond cooking, tailoring, or other things fit for women. However, thanks to **** measures against the Greenskins, it has become a lot more acceptable for women to join the military and the more ambitious ones can find themselves in high positions. There has only been five Queens in Dwarfen history.

Khaz-Ahkaran - The seat of Dwarven power, the chambers of the current High-King. The capital moves to the clan that has the High-King. Not only is this the seat of royal power, but it is also the seat of military power. Khaz-Ahkaran holds the Clan of the Hammer, and the High-King is Graubehrn Silverhammer. The Clan of the Hammer provides the best warriors, and those with the name of Silver are the leaders of the Dwarven runepriest order. And this order had been majorly influenced by the dogma of the Griffinwald Theocracy...the runes given by the Gods now have taken on new meanings. Khaz-Ahkaran lies in the core of the tallest mountain in the Dagger-Wall.

Khaz-Khazaran - The wealthiest trade city the Dwarves have to offer to the world. The leader of Khaz-Khazaran is of the Clan of the Gem, and her name is Queen Mylria Goldgem. Those of the Clan of the Gem pride themselves on their shrewdness in both the courtroom and trade route, and those with the name of Gold excel in conducting business. Khaz-Khazaran was the first stronghold to ever be built, and it is at the very eastward end of the Dagger-Wall, where it meets with the Dune Seas. Trade is conducted quite often between Khaz-Khazaran and the Shi'qae Sultanate.

Khaz-Magrauk - This is also known as "Gate Stronghold", for going through it lies one of the only two canyons that go through the Dagger-Wall. The King of this stronghold is of the Clan of the Beard, and his name is Borraun Ironbeard. Those of the Clan of the Beard are the second best in military and religion, acting more as enforcers of the traditions of the Dwarves, while those with the name of Iron siring the finest warriors. This canyon is also the only one that acts like a doorway between the Human lands and the rest of Aesyr, the other canyon at the west curving straight into the ocean. The city itself breaks through the wall of the mountains and makes a structure that acts as a large, impenetrable runed gate and a barracks. It also triples as a brige between the two halves of the city.

Khaz-Ulthadin - The deepest city that survived the Age of the Green Menance, it also the one furthest to the west, where the the majority of the Greenskins had done their attacks. This stronghold is owned by the Clan of the Anvil, with Thulrim Bronzeanvil as its King. The Clan of the Anvil are famed craftsmen and runepriests, and the Bronze family name are known to toil away at their crafts. It is fortunate for the Dwarves that this city survived, for it is this city that use to hold the greatest craftsmen of all history. And of course, a craftsman did more than just make armor, weapons, or build homes...but also runes, the gifts of the Gods to help Dwarves do magic. Many workers and planners for the rebuilding come form here.

The other strongholds have been lost during the Greenskin tide. Whether by pushing the Dwarves so far back, having the cities be collapsed on by the mountains, or having all tunnels connecting them broken. Their kings had also fell, as well as Kings in the saved parts of the Dwarfen kingdoms, resulting in clans to try and claim whatever territory they could muster. Maybe one day, the Dwarves will finally return to the Golden Age, but it won't be for a long, long time.

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Pantheon:

Bruudalf - The Dwarf god of war and civilization, also known as "The Conquerer-King" or "The Father of Mountains". He is a progenitor god of the Dwarves, and it was he that decreed how Dwarf life should be forever. He hammered the Dagger-Wall upon the world and hollowed it for the Dwarves to claim for their own. The Dwarf life is that of war and crafting of things to use for war, especially against the Greenskin blight that infests their mountains and tunnels. He is also the High-King of the Dwarven pantheon.

Ahbrendia - The Dwarf goddess of motherhood, she holds no other name as the Dwarves would find it disrespectful. She is the wife of Bruudalf, but she is not attributed to be the progenitor that gave birth to the Dwarves. It is believed that Bruudalf crafted the Dwarves from stone and iron, Ahbrendia was made to be Bruudalf's perfect woman and bride...a role she proudly declares for her own. Due to being the goddess of motherhood, she is also attributed to be the goddess of Dwarf fertility. She has no hold on the fertility of other things, like beasts and crops, but just Dwarf birth only.

Thorahbrim - The Dwarf god of crafting and architecture, titled "The Great Stonemason". He is the son of Bruudalf and Ahbrendia, as well as the first and favored son of Bruudalf. Thorahbrim was taught by his father all the secrets of godly crafting and he soaked it all up like a sponge. And when Bruudalf finally made the Dwarven race after their own image, it was Thorahbrim who gave them the knowledge to craft and make runes. It is thank to this, Thorahbrim is one of the more favorited gods and have many children named after him. His skill is so great, that he himself had made his own wife, like his father.

Frenalia - The Dwarf goddess of art and beauty, also named "The Beloved Artisan". Created and wedded by Thorahbrim, she had all of her creator and husband's interests. However, while Thorahbrim preferred the more practical things, Frenalia liked making things beautiful and aethetically pleasing. At first this annoyed her husband, but over time he came to enjoy her fineries. Clothing made of the best fabrics, jewelry made from perfectly cut gemstones and pure metals, tapestries with fantastical depictions of their fellow gods. Many women and artists pray to Frenalia for inspiration.

Gwyndola - The Dwarf goddess of fire and ****, also goes by the name of "The Mother Below". She is the daughter of Bruudalf and Ahbrendia, and is a very caring individual. When the Dwarves were made, it was Gwyndola that had asked her father what would happen to the souls of the constructs after they had died. Not satisfied with the answer, she took it upon herself to look after them...making a home for herself beneath the mountains. When a Dwarf dies, by tradition their bodies were to be mourned over and then ceremoniously lowered into pits of lava. When their bodies are swallowed by the molten rock, their souls are freed from the shells and are looked after by Gwyndola.

Balgrauf - The Dwarf god of protection, he has put upon himself the title "The First and Last Defender". The third child of Bruudalf and Ahbrendia, he looked over his father's creations and was said to have wept at the beauty of it. So much he loved his father's craftsmanship that he vowed to protect it for as long as it stood. He has been credited to have invented the shield and showed the Dwarves how to make walls and gates. Since the Age of the Green Menance, many caravans pray to Balgrauf to bring them protection and hope to never meet a Greenskin.

Other gods: Bruudalf had many other children and divine creations that are worshiped by the Dwarves. But they either never done anything significant for the Dwarves, or just look after novelty concepts that don't matter much in the grand scheme of things. They are still worshiped, but not many who are not Dwarves probably never heard of them.