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The War of the Beard (The War of Vengeance)

2023-05-16T22:33:46Z

2A01:CB19:7C8:DB00:8867:60B9:2B06:F59C:

[[File:DorfsVsElgi.png|thumb|right|500px|They're both still seething about it to this day.]]
{{Topquote|It was not the fault of the Dwarves that the friendship waned." <br> "I have not heard that it was the fault of the Elves." <br> "I have heard both.|Gimli, Legolas and Gandalf respectively on dwarf/elf relations in Middle-Earth}}

The War of the Beard (Or the War of Vengeance as known by the Dwarfs) was the bloodiest conflict in [[Warhammer Fantasy Battle]]'s history. Because really, only Elves and Dwarfs can hate each other that much to spill more blood than anything else in a [[Grimdark]] universe. Famous for being one of the few major wars that didn't feature orcs, skaven, undead, dark elves (directly, since to some they instigated the war) or Chaos as the bad guys (except the novel, spoiler alert!).

== What Could Possibly Go Wrong? ==
Before the infamous War of the Beard, the [[Dwarfs (Warhammer Fantasy)| Dwarfs]] and the [[Elves]] were at peace. They were re-continuing trade, which made both empires rich-out-of-their-minds. The Dwarfs were at their highest point, the Silver Age. It is in this period that the Dwarfs pretty much kicked Orc ass for '''SPORT''' and not for the sake of survival. They also had most of their ancient relics, and Karak-Eight-Peaks, the second greatest [[Dwarf Fortress]] of all, still under their uncontested ownership. The Elves were somewhat dismayed at [[Malekith]]'s [[Dark Elves (Warhammer)| dissension]], but hey, they were rich as hell and powerful to boot with Malekith and his followers presumed fleeing or dead.

== God Damnit, Caledor II ==
Then the [[Dark Elves]], posing as High Elves, started to mercilessly rape Dwarven caravans. The Dwarf High-King at the time, Gotrek Starbreaker (a <strike>manly</strike> dwarfly-ass Dwarf who could probably beat [[Khorne]] at arm-wrestling and make him look like a pansy in comparison, but wasn't known for his smarts) promptly got pissed and sent over diplomats to yell at the Phoenix King at the time, Caledor II (son of Phoenix King Caledor the Conqueror and one of the most skilled elf warriors at the time, but was otherwise a reckless man-child). The first time Caledor told Gotrek to piss off for being rude and if he wanted anything, he had to plead. Gotrek sent the diplomats back saying he wanted double recompense for the implied insult. Caledor II got upset with the boisterous diplomats, and when one drew their axe and swore by their beard they would not leave, it was the last straw. Taking him at his word, Caledor II had them shaved of their beards and hair (Hence why the Elves call it, "The War of the Beard") and send them back to Gotrek. Though the elves thought they were being merciful not to kill them, to Dwarf-kind forcibly shaving their beard is the greatest crime one can commit. Gotrek Starbreaker, upon getting Caledor II's response, spent a year or so mustering the full, raw, uncut power of the Dwarven kingdom (and to let the grudge stew for a time, very important) before launching a brutal attack on the Elven colonies in the Old World.

== The Actual War of the Beard ==
The first siege of Tor Alessi began, in which the Dwarves were forced back (but not without wrecking half the city). Caledor II, pissed, marched on down to the Old World and slew Gotrek Starbreaker's son, Snorri Halfhand, in a duel.

After Snorri died, Gotrek finally fully committed to the war, swore a powerful oath that would end in either him being shaved or the Elgi's payment with their death. With their high king's backing, the Dwarves got their act into gear, and began fucking up the Elven colonies. At the battle of Oregor, the Elves were struck a serious blow by the Dwarves in a battle largely consisting of ''Maneuvering.'' Yeah.

In said battle, Gotrek Starbreaker's nephew and new heir Morgrim marched his bum right through a giant army of elite Elven troops, took Imaldrik, the Prince of Ulthuan, and proceeded to use him as a dishtowel (though some sources say Imaldrik surrendered, letting the Dwarfs kill him in exchange for sparing his troops). Dismayed, the rest of the depleted Elven forces ran for their lives. Morgrim recieved the name "Elgidum" from said battle - which means Elfdoom. '''[[Awesome]].'''

After that, the Elves got butthurt and decided to try and attack Karak Azul, where the Dwarf's best smiths resided. They almost won too, due to superior numbers, until a Dwarf Thane called Brok Stonefist, nicknamed "The Nightmare of the Deeps" or Arhain-tosaith by the Elves (the shadow one of the earth), rallied the forces of the Hold and kicked the Elves halfway across the Old World with his broken op rune gear and his own tactical genius on tunnel warfare.

The High Elves realized that this badass was a pretty big threat, so they sent Salendor, a wizard with premonitions rendering him immune to ambushes, to combat him.

Brok and Salendor fought many engagements against one another, and eventually they both met their doom at the siege of Athel Maraya (soon to be Talabheim). Salendor and Brok fought each other at the heart of the city as it burned around them, forcing both forces to retreat, excluding the two leaders of the armies. Locked in close combat, they killed each other in the middle of the burning city. Some say that in the ruins of the colony, their ghosts still fight, locked in eternal combat. But that's bullshit, since manly Dwarfs who die in combat pretty much always go to Dwarf Heaven, and dead elves either get taken by Elf Waystones, Slaanesh or the elf underworld.

By then, there had been a great number of sieges on Tor Alessi. Finally, the wall was pretty much completely obliterated, so the Dwarves piled in, slaughtering the Elves cowering within the city. Gotrek, carried upon his throne, found Caledor II trapped in a corner, unable to flee. They fought mano-a-mano for days upon days before Gotrek Starbreaker struck the Phoenix King Caledor II with a single blow from his hammer and after the Phoenix King pleaded for mercy, he killed him. He then stole his crown, telling the enemy "Nanana boo-boo, I'm better than you, stick your head in doo-doo" and burnt the city down, retreating to Karaz-A-Karak to flaunt his victory. The Elves, utterly demoralized, gathered all of their forces for one final suicidal push on Karaz-A-Karak before withdrawing from the Old World entirely once word came that the Dark Elves had attacked Ulthuan.

==Aftermath==
Since then, each faction has had burning hatred for each other. But each faction was made considerably weaker by the war, precipitating their respective declines.

With the power of both the elves and dwarfs spent, it left a power vacuum that was rapidly filled up by the rising power of men (and less nice races like the beastmen and skaven). [[Bretonnia]], [[the Empire]] and [[Kislev]] all in time rose up from the regions the elves had previously conquered.

The High Elves retreated completely from the Old World and didn't return until much later, only to find that all those weird, smelly barbarians called humans had suddenly sprung up all over the place and making their own cities and nations to boot. To say the elves were surprised is an understatement.

The Dwarfs nearly right after the war suffered a nasty series of earthquakes that wrecked their defenses. The causes of this disastrous event has two speculations, where it is either caused by the failure of the Skaven when they tried to expand Skavenblight using some sort of giant machinery, or the idiotic Slann mages and Mazdamundi from Lustria who were trying to shape the world according to the plan of the Old Ones. This disastrous event left many of their holds and mines open to invasion from the skaven and night goblin tribes. The fall of the Karaz Ankor broke them into smaller kingdoms, now with each hold under near constant siege.

With the high elves retreating to their homeland, the few left behind becoming Wood Elves who rose to be a quiet power in [[Athel Loren]]. Alas they had no peace, being constantly attacked by any old goblin and beastmen walking into their forest.

Both before and during the war, Malekith used his agents to manipulate both sides in war. One of such groups were unfortunate enough to end up in [[Nehekhara]] and get captured by [[Nagash]], who proceeded to torture them until they'd spilled all the secrets of dark magic to him, resulting in Nagash inventing necromancy and turning Nehekhara into a shithole full of sand and bones later on.

Literally the only positive thing to come out of this mess is Caledor II being universally nicknamed Caledor the Idiot which still entices a laugh to historians [[:File:Caledor_2_insults.jpg|(Though that's just the tip of the iceberg for the Dwarfs)]].

So in the end, Malekith got what he wanted. He ensured that the High Elves and Dwarfs would never unite against him, all while spitting at the grave of his best friend, Snorri Whitebeard (Who had sworn on the latter's deathbed that the Elves and Dwarfs would remain friends!). What a [[Eldrad|dick]]...

And thus, this was probably [[Grombrindal]]'s origin story.

==The Novels==
The events were written into a book trilogy, with a different author for each book: [[Nick Kyme]] (part 1), [[Chris Wraight]] (part 2), [[C.L. Werner]] (part 3).

The novels retconned a lot of events of the war. Tensions were already high due to the attacks of the Dwarfs' caravans, but what really pissed the Dwarfs off was the assassination of an ancient runelord from '''Barak Varr''' named '''Agrin Fireheart'''. The Dwarf kings demanded '''Gotrek Starbreaker''' wage war against the Elves for Argin's murder, but he again refused to declared war. '''Prince Imladrik''' (younger brother of '''Caledor II''', a popular guest among the Dwarf and the last living Caledorian dragon master of his time) investigated the runelord's death and discovered the essence of Dark Magic at the murder site, confirming the presence of the Dark Elves. Realizing that Malekith sought to instigate war between the High Elves and Dwarfs, he sent a message to High King Gotrek explaining the existence of their nefarious elven kin and their plans. Unfortunately, Imladrik's words fell on deaf ears, the gathered dwarf kings thought the Elves were making excuses and that these "Druchii" didn't exist. Thankfully Gotrek gave the High Elves the benefit of the doubt.

'''Snorri Halfhand''' (named Halfhand due to a Skaven biting off his fingers on one hand, later keeping his recoverd fingerbones as a trinket), High King Gotrek's son, raised an army to attack the elves without his father's consent. Snorri was a hotheaded Dwarf who believed his father had gone soft in his old age for trying to keep the peace with the elves after what happened. Snorri was persuaded to not attack the elves initially, but eventually lost his patience after being told the body of a priestess of Valaya had been found riddled with elven arrows. Learning of Elven forces rallying at Kor Vanaeth (soon to be Altdorf; the nearest elf city from his position), Snorri took the initiative and attacked, defeating the elves in less than 3 hours then razing the city.

During the attack, '''Gotrek Starbreaker''' sent his diplomats, including ambassador '''Forek Grimbok''' to '''Ulthuan''' in a last ditch effort to prevent war. But by the time the dwarfs arrived in '''Caledor II''''s court to demand an apology and recompense, word had already reached the Phoenix Court of the '''Kor Vanaeth''' attack (which Grimbok didn't know about). Furious over being demanded to apologize and compensate the Dwarfs when they just destroyed one of his cities, Caledor II ordered the diplomats shaved and kicked out despite the protest of his brother Imladrik. Though "shaving" might be an understatement; when the elves were done, Grimbok's face had cuts and gashes where his beard had been, implying either he struggled a lot or the elves '''[[grimdark|cut off parts of his face to remove his beard]]'''. Caledor II is a piece of shit.

After a heated father-son conversation, Gotrek realized it was too late to prevent war at that point and decided to help his son besiege '''Tor Alessi'''. Although still mad at his son for starting the war, Gotrek didn't want to lose him either, and hoped to end the war quickly before both sides suffered heavy losses. The siege of '''Tor Alessi''' began normally, until Caledor II's duel with Snorri. Caledor insulted Snorri, mocking his father, saying a Dwarf would be much faster at digging than walking, calling them pigs in mud (the same insult he'd used on Grimbok back on Ulthuan, and would use many more times against Dwarfs) before killing Snorri with a spear to the face while Snorri was speaking.

Snorri had been perusing a prophecy from their runelord at the time: "slay the drakk, become king", which is what made Snorri challenge Caledor II in the first place. His death proved he was not the chosen one, but the real one existed and revealed himself later on.

Snorri's death led Gotrek to fully commit to the war. Gotrek swore a powerful oath that he would either have the Elgi pay in kind for what happened or he would shave his own head. Between the High King's backing and his dire oath, the Dwarfs got their act into gear and began fucking up the Elven colonies.

'''Caledor II''' sent Imaldrik to get rid of the Dwarfs, reasoning Imladrik could use the dragons to defeat the Dwarfs in battle. Imladrik was fond of the Dwarfs, didn't want the war and planned to be with his wife. But he was bound by duty to obey his older brother, the Phoenix King, and thus he was forced to go back to the old world (or Elthin Arvan as the Elves called) once more.

However, he defied his brother to a degree by trying his best to stop the war, especially if it thwarted the hated Druchii. He sought to bring the Dark Elf agents to the Dwarfs to prove his case, specifically his trusted Dwarf friend '''Morgrim Bargrum'''. With the aid of an elven diplomat named '''Caradryel''' (the same Caradryel who would later succeed Caledor II as a Phoenix King), they convinced Morgrim to meet him and see the Druchii. To capture a Druchii, Imladrik sent someone to capture them; his mage assistant '''Liandra''' (a mage from '''Kor Vaneth's''' elven council - also the daughter of the city's founder - who could command dragons and had feelings for Imladrik despite his marriage). Though Liandra hated the Dwarfs for razing her city, she also hated the Druchii for burning her childhood home at '''Cothique'''. Caradryel managed to calm Morgrim down, bringing a valued token from Snorri - Snorri's fingers that the Skaven had bitten off, as a gesture of goodwill. Unfortunately, the Thanes and Runesmith under Morgrim's command weren't as cool-headed. Worse, Liandra's attempt to capture a dragon-riding Druchii Sorceress backfired. While she got her captive, Liandra's dragon was killed. Morgrim got a false report that his army was attacked by a female sorcerer with a dragon, leading him to mistakenly assume Liandra was the culprit. Having waited for two days with no result, Morgrim lost his patience and respect for Imladrik, and the Dwarfs launched a surprise attack on Tor Alessi. Imladrik, realizing he had failed, decided '''FUCK IT''' and finally join the war with his dragon '''Draukhain'''.

=== Fourth siege of Tor Alessi ===

Even then, Imladrik didn't fully commit to the war until he learned his own son '''Thoriol''', had been posted to the wall as an archer. Thoriol had been a scholar at Caledor, but he was tricked into enlisting while drunk by Druchii agents. Realizing the Druchii's scheme had succeeded, Imladrik finally gave in to his rage and vented it on the Dwarfs. Imladrik's dragons were a great help to the Elven forces, annihilating regiments of Dwarfs with teeth, claws and fiery breath, allowing the commander, Salendor (one of the greatest High Elf tactical genii of his day and a wizard) to cast his magic. Unable to deal with the dragons and the battalion of mages, Morgrim's force were forced to retreat, where they turned their attentions towards '''Oeragor''', an Elven outpost in the Badlands founded by Imladrik himself.

=== Siege of Oeragor ===

Unbeknownst to both sides, Liandra had made it to Oeragor with her Druchii captive, '''Drutheira'''. Imladrik had tried to save his city and Liandra, but Draukhain was shot down by Dwarfen artillery, surviving but crashing onto a building and getting buried under rubble. After freeing himself, Imladrik was surrounded by hundreds of angry dwarfs, Morgrim emerging from their ranks and challenging him to Mortal Kombat.

Aggrieved, Imladrik blamed Morgrim for being impatient and called Snorri a fool. Morgrim blamed Imaldrik's brother for being retarded, and called his dragons verminous monsters before fighting. Imladrik' superior speed gave him the upper hand in duel initially, and he knocked Morgrim on the ground. But as Draukhain freed himself from the rubble, Morgirm's rune axe was empowered due to its anti-dragon runes. With his empowered axe, Morgrim shattered Imladrik's blade and cleaved his axe deep into Imladrik's chest, killing him. Morgrim was remorseful for killing Imladrik, as they had been good friends, and Imladrik was one of the few elves who actually respected the dwarfs. To honor Imladrik, he allowed Liandra and the wounded Draukhain to bring Imladrik's body back to Tor Alessi. Afterwards, Drutheira escaped with her goon Malchoir, their mission a resounding success. (Though they would later die horribly after being shipwrecked at [[Nehekhara|a certain desert kingdom]] and becoming captive magic teachers for [[Nagash|a certain prince]]. In an alternative timeline however, two of them were killed and one of the were captured to taught an High Elven commander dark magics for dragon taming (see below for more details.)

=== Siege of Tor Alessi (unknown attempt; 236th year of Caledor II) ===

A few years later, Morgrim's army returned to Tor Alessi with a fleet of airships to blitzkrieg the city. Invented by a Dwarf named Helgan Copperfist, the airships were not only good for bombing ground forces, but had bolt throwers for dealing with dragons. The bolts had barbed heads with an explosive compound installed inside their steel tips called '''Tharzharr''' aka 'thunder-fire', an incendiary chemical from Karak Zorn capable of melting through solid steel and splash its target with a burst of [[warpstone|green fire]] (actually a Skaven weapon they'd tricked the Dwarfs into testing for them). The Elves retaliated by sending their dragon riders to torch the Vault, a Dwarf settlement below [[Athel Loren|Loren Forest]]. The dragon riders then made their way to '''Kazad Thar''' and '''Kazad Mingol''' to roast more Dwarfs, their speed allowing them to outmaneuver the Dwarfs' airships. Still, an aerial fight between them resulted in the loss of a dragon and an airship, said dragon was burned by a Tharrzharr's pot thrown by a Dwarven Engineer on board when it tried to claw its way from below the airship '''King Snorri'''. The dragon riders retreated when another Dragon rider was killed by a '''Skarrenawi''' (hill Dwarfs, or beta Dwarf due to their softer, whiter skin and shorter beard, arrogant, has more love for gold and loves to trade with the Elves) named '''Rundin Torbansonn''', who used to be a champion for the self proclaimed ''Skarrenawi high king'' named '''Skarnag Grum''' at Kazad Kro.

=== Siege of Karak Azul (243rd year of Caledor II) ===

During the siege, '''Grimbok''' (now part of the Steelbeards - a military regiment made up of the dwarf diplomats abused by Caledor II, now wearing steel masks and carrying rune axes made for elf killing) and '''Rundin''' (now a famed hero known for dragonslaying) joined '''Brok Stonefist''''s party and dealt heavy losses to the elves. Caledor II despised the Dwarfs, but had enough self-restraint to not pull his best generals whom were in the north fighting the Druchii. What Caledor II did do was put inexperienced or disgraced commanders like '''Lord Myrion of Cothique''' against the Dwarfs, thinking they were enough to defeat the Dwarfs, and that they could gain some glory and recognition. As expected, they failed, with Lord Myrion dying to Rundin's axe in a duel.

=== Siege of Athel Maraya (250th year of Caledor II) ===

The siege of Athel Maraya (soon to be Talabheim) is significantly different from the armybook and White Dwarf accounts. It lasted three months, the Elven wizards atop the wall had used magic to prevent Morgrim's army from damaging their walls with Dwarfen artillery or closing with their ladders. It wasn't until Dwarf tunnelers mined underneath and "sunk" the walls that they could get into the city, a masterstroke by Brok Stonefist. Brok's plan was to have his warriors - specifically miners - be captured by the Elves, then be used for labor to reinforce the wall. But they made marks on the walls that only Dwarf miners of their guild could read. To bypass the Elf mages' premonition ability, Brok had a Runesmith besides him to hinder their premonitions. When the time was right, Brok had his sappers bring down the wall. For Salendor's part, all his premonitions showed him were that only Brok could bring down Athel Maraya, and only Brok's death could halt the Dwarfs' advance, and he arrogantly thought he could kill the Dwarf by himself. Brok was equally arrogant, keeping the plan to himself so he could get glory. Eventually, Salendor and Brok dueled inside the burning city to countless stalemates even after both armies had left and the city burned down on top of them. Their fate was unknown, but neither was seen again.

Gotrek considered Brok's action as selfish and reckless, for his action not only got him killed, but nearly ruined the entire campaign. Although Brok's clever plan made him famous and earned him a place in the Dwarf history, Gotrek wasn't sure he deserved the acclaim.

=== Siege of Barak Varr (344th year of Caledor II) ===

Despite losing Salendor, the Elves turned their attentions towards '''Barak Varr''', the Dwarf's greatest and only port. Led by '''Lord Draikyll''', known for attacking the Dwarf navy with [[Merwyrms]] "tamed" by an exiled Caledorian named '''Ilendril''' (whose ancestors had tried to harnessed Dark Magic for beast taming). Unfortunately for the Dwarfs, they couldn't build any more airships as Helgan died in a freak Tharzharr explosion "accident" in his lab, which destroyed his blueprints and many of his gadgets. Still, Tharzharr were still widely used, and effective at killing even Merwyrms since their flame cannot be extinguished by water. But the Elves' aerial advantage with their dragons prevented the Dwarfs from traveling on land. The combination of the elven fleet and Merwyrms prevented the Dwarfs from travelling by sea. The only way for the Dwarfs to traverse was tunnelling, which the elves focused on countering. Soon the elves tried to poison the Dwarf's water reservoir with basilisk venom, the entire operation being conducted by '''Lord Caerwal''', who used this opportunity avenge his city '''Athel Numiel'''(soon to be [[Kislev]]). The plan failed when Morgrim and his forces broke through the Elves formation from underground. When Morgrim met Caerwal and realized what he did, he wrestled Caerwal into the poisoned water with him. As they sank Morgrim squeezed the elf harder, breaking his ribcage and forcing Caerwal to ingest the poisoned water. Caerwal tried to free himself by stabbing Morgrim with a small pathetic knife, but Morgrim endured it and also held his breath like a fucking champ, resurfacing when Caerwal was dead.

With Caerwal's death, the Elves failed to take down Barak Varr, and Draikyll was summoned back to Ulthuan for his failure. Still, Barak Varr couldn't be used for a decade and this prevented the Dwarfs from further attacks against coastal Elven colonies nearby. On top of that, there was another defeat for the elves. The dragons, hating the Dwarfs weapons and Draikyll's use of Merwyrms (the dragon felt uneasy toward the merwyrms, but sympathized with them for being used as tools by the elves in the war), quit the war and headed back to their mountains in Caledor.

=== Battle of Ilendril's hill (Massacre of Malok (Malice) ) (393rd year of Caledor II) ===

Without the dragons, the elves in the old world feared of the Dwarves' vengeful return on Tor Alessi. To quickly regain the colonists' trust, the Elves sought a replacement, which led them to try and tame the wyrms, the dragons of the old world. It was suggested by Ilendril, who used the same vile magic to tame the wyrms. At this point Drutheria had been captured again and helped Ilendril. This led to the slaughter later known as the "Battle of Ilendril's hill" in the Asur history. To the Dwarf's Dammaz Kron however, it was called the "Massacre of Malok (malice)" instead. It began at Kazad Kro in the Grey Mountains, a refugee hiding ground filled with mostly '''Skarrenawi'''. The hold lacked any meaningful defenses, let alone effective weapons to fight the dragons, and was pretty much untouched until this point. The Wyrms' talons and fire breathe made short work of the innocent Dwarfs, with only a lone Runesmith able to put up a fight with his rune lightning, but was killed immediately. After the Dwarfs were killed, Ilendril and his wyrm turned their attention to the pathetic ruler Skarnag Grum, whom suffered from Gold Lust and had hid in his hold to count the gold he had gained from the better days. The wyrm's breathe melted both Grum and his gold together into a lump of gilded flesh. Ilendril's wyrm was later named '''Ilendrakk''' in his pride, or '''Malok''' as both the Dwarfs and the Elves would soon call it.

=== Dirge for Athel Toralien (445th year of Caledor II) ===

In another retaliatory strike, Morgrim once again led an army to torch another Elven city: Athel Toralien (soon to be Nordland). An Elven lord named '''Gelthar''' tried to bribe the Dwarfs from attacking, but he was met by Grimbok, who responded by splitting Gelthar's head open. Inspired by Brok's brilliance, Morgrim toppled the cliff to bury the city in a landslide. Due to being part of the Elven councils in the old world, Liandra remained active throughout the war and fought the Dwarfs despite the death of her city, her dragon and her master. Having witnessed the tragedy (she pitied Grimbok after viewing his face) and violence from both sides, her hatred toward the Dwarfs cooled... but not towards the Druchii.

Now this is where [[Metal Gear|time paradox happened]], [[Chaos Gods|not because it's reality was intentionally distorted by some higher power]], but because the author had forgot. The Druchii trio were meant to be responsible for [[Nagash]]'s rise of power after they completed their mission and fled to the Southland, but instead a Druchii assassin named '''Ashelir''' (also the son of one of the Druchii agent '''Drutheira''', whom he also had harbors some bitter mommy issues towards...) was tasked to capture his mother by the order of Ilendril (which he is more than willing to do so with a bit of coin on top of his cake). Ashelir was able to do so and killed the other two, but was killed when Drutheira broke free of her cell in Athel Toralien. At the same time before Morgrim's army invade, Liandra was also nearby, sensed Drutheria with her mage sense and proceed to pursue her with great [[rage]]. After beating the Druchii (with a little help from the Elf mobs nearby), Morgrim's force caught up. Having finally encountered the Druchii and convinced by Liandra's words, Morgrim allowed her to leave with the Elven refugees. Drutheira was taken by the Dwarfs. Though there was too much bad blood to stop the war by that point, Liandra was glad the Druchii would get what she deserved (or not, since this entire part did nothing but creates time paradoxes. Thank you [[C.L.Werner]]).

=== The scouring of Sith Rionnasc (536th year of Caledor II) ===

'''Sith Rionnasc''' (soon to be Marienburg) is the next target for the Dwarfs, for it was an appealing idea to destroy the Elves' finest sea port in the old world as payback for Barak Varr. The siege was aided by the king of Barak Varr, King Brynnoth, who suffered the most during this period (Agrin Fireheart, Helgan's airship workshop, the entirely of Barak Varr, its water reservoir poisoned).

Caledor II responded by finally pulling one his best generals from the northern Druchii frontier. '''Prince Yverian''', a hot headed cavalry favored commander who preferred assault over defense. He organized three of Ilendril's new Wyrms into a strike force that would only attack a crowded part of a Dwarf's army. Compared to the dragons of Caledor, wyrms are more hateful, greedy, arrogant and selfish, making them unreliable and less intelligent. After countless times fighting the dragons, the Dwarfs had developed tactics against them. By dispersing their army when a dragon was sighted, they forced the beast to chase the scattered Dwarfs. Once the Wyrm was far away, a hidden throng from the tunnels would emerge and attack the main Elven army. Fighting dragons also led the Dwarfs to create a specialized war machine against them: a wheeled bolt thrower that fired great barbed bolts, which some are even enhanced with armor piercing runes. The Dwarfs around the bolt thrower would block the dragon's flame with their rune shields, then fire the bolt thrower. Even if the wyrms were not killed by a shot from the Dwarfs' bolt throwers, they would be sent into a frenzy by the pain and ignore their riders commands by attacking any Dwarfs they could see. This enabled the Dwarfs to finish them off. The new bolt throwers also served as a good siege tool, where it would shoot out chained grapnel that would catch on the wall first, then be pulled down by the strength of dozens of Dwarfs pulling its chain. The Dwarfs' technological prowess gave them the upper hand, as Dragon eggs take longer to hatch, and even longer for dragons to mature to a battle-ready stage.

The siege isn't what's important however, the important thing is this ''ABSURD'' event. Turns out '''Drogor Zarrdum''', an old friend and an advisor to both Morgrim and Snorri Halfhand, was a fucking DAEMON! That's right, [[just as planned|THERE IS A DAEMON HIDING AMONG THE DWARFS!]] What's more is the daemon was actually '''Htarken''', an ancient '''[[Lord of Change]]''' that was injured by both Malekith and Snorri Whitebeard, but never killed. In order to exact its vengeance against the two races, Htarken disguised himself as Drogor Zarrdum (the actual Dwarf probably existed but was killed and impersonated by Htarken), allowing him to gain the trust of Morgrim and Snorri by saying the destruction of his hold bullshit because of Elgi attacks, allowed him to not only spark the hatred against the Elgi, but also earned their sympathy without the need to acting like a proper Dwarf (because the attack changed him into a vengeful Dwarf, much similar to a daemon's temperament). Having the ability to see the future, he already knew a war was brewing and would further add fuel to the fire by giving both Morgrim and Snorri Halfhand false advice to kickstart the war (once a Dwarf has made their decision, there's no going back). It was he who presented the formula of Tharzharr to the Dwarfs as a weapon against the Elves' dragon (just so he could watch the Elves suffer). Tharzharr was apparently made of [[warpstone|foulstones]], which it would attract the rats (you see where Htarken is going with this). It was also him that destroyed Helgan's airship workshop at Barak Varr with Tharzharr after Helgan found out about Tharzharr properties.

'''Morek Furrowbrow''', a Runelord and an apprentice to an ancient Runelord named '''Ranuld Silverthumb''' had suspected Drogor in responsible for his master's death (who died by petrification, [[Chaos Dwarfs|a side effect to Dwarfs who had too much magic entering their body]]). Strange is that Drogor would avoid Morek whenever possible since Morek had a rune staff that could detect the daemon's presence. To lure out the daemon, Morek meet Morgrim's gang in the midst of Sith Rionnasc invasion and showed Drogor an item: a feather belonged to Htarken's daemon form which Snorri Whitebeard had taken as a trophy and sealed below the deepest vault of Karaz-a-Karak. As Htarken revealed himself and attacks Morgrim and Morek, he mocked the Dwarfs' pride and stubbornness is what led them to this pointless war, which would wasted two of his enemies into stagnation, and he pretty much enjoyed in watching them killed one another as a spectator the entire time. Still, Rundin came charging at the daemon with his axe and Imaldrik's rune sword Ifulvin on his other hand, cutting off the daemon's head but killing himself in the process as well. [[awesome|This mega badass achievement advancing Rundin's fame from being a dragonslayer to a daemonslayer in death]]. After that, Morgrim came to a very deep regret about the war due to his refusal to believe the Elgi about the Druchii, and now the daemon's machinations... and it was too late to go back. The attacks on the Elves remained still and they will have to keep moving forward as Tzeentch and Malekith laugh at both the Elves' and the Dwarfs' tragedy.

Oh and '''Sith Rionnasc''' was completely obliterated when the Dwarfs catapulted a stone (carved with runes of destruction) at the dam, flooding the entire city. The Dwarfs and King Brynnoth who catapulted the damned thing died from the flood, but they died proudly with beard-splitting grins on their faces since they had their revenge. The city was obliterated so much that the actual text form the novel had claimed: [[exterminatus|"The city had been erased from the world"]].

=== The Thirteenth siege of Tor Alessi (596th year of Caledor II) ===

Although the reports of a Daemon and Druchii being the instigators of the war had reached Gotrek, he has little regret, for it was mostly Caledor II's dishonorable behavior that had truly started this war, who refused to admit defeat, who would rather hide on Ulthuan. Again and again, the Dwarfs hoped to draw Caledor II out from his [[Ulthuan|toilet seat kingdom]] by spilling Elven blood so they could kill him and end the war. Caledor II's cowardliness and arrogance prolonged the meaningless war, but now with only Tor Alessi left, Caledor II had to either defend his colony, or have the Dwarfs not only remove the elves from the old world, but risk them attacking Ulthuan itself.

By now Tor Alessi had been besieged 13 times by the Dwarfs and yet its walls were well reinforced. The determined Dwarfs none the less pressed on with the siege and developed a fuck-ton of ways to kill dragons and wyrms and gain an advantage. One tactic has the Dwarf to lure the Wyrm into a webbed device from underground, once the beast was immobilized [[Slayers]] surrounded the creature and hacked the beast apart.

The said Slayers came from Karak Kadrin, which Forek Grimbok has started a cult of (which is a fucking major retcon seeing as how in the White Dwarf recounting the cult was well established by this point). Inspired by Rundin's heroic deeds, Grimbok came to Karak Kadrin and become a trollslayer upon killing a troll named '''Yvnir''' near Karak Drak. Abandoned his steel mask, Grimbok finally revealed to everyone his beard scars, hoping he could kill enough Elgi and died honorably to wash away his shame.

Despite the Slayers proving to be fierce fighters, Morgrim had refused to use them in battle many times before due to them being completely hellbent on dying in battle and too undisciplined for general strategy or to hold positions (Slayers also liked to moon at the Elven archers on the walls to fire another shot). Still, it was with Morgrim's great pity that allowed them to be on the field, for they have suffered so much at the hands of Elves that it would be cruel to reject them.

Thoriol, now a well known prince, had made himself acquainted with his father's old dragon, Draukhain (now bitter and hateful at the Dwarfs for killing Imladrik, often hunting random Dwarfs out of spite and made a nest out of their corpses). Although he had believe himself to be a failure at life, unable to become a dragon rider like his father, unable to fit in with the archer crowd due to his noble background, and was only famous among the court because the influence of his father and uncle Caledor II. Speaking of Caledor II, the death of his brother Imaldrik has made him guilt-trip into adoring Thoriol, planning to groom him as his heir (probably the only redeemable quality about this piece of shit, just slightly above the Druchii and Nagash I suppose). Thoriol however hated his uncle for being an idiot and getting his father killed, and was only acquitened with him in order to seize political powers in the inner circle of the Phoenix Court. After the dragons had all fucked off from the old world and the Elven public began to criticize their Elf king's idiocy and incompetence, Caledor II was in sorrow. To help his uncle, Thoriol made a suggestion to go to Tor Alessi on his behalf to boost the morale of the local Elves. Although he believed himself to be a bitter failure, he just wanted to prove himself by avenging his father, facing against the Dwarf that killed him. Unlike his uncle however, he did not underestimate the Dwarfs and held them in a very high regard.

Thoriol eventually met Grimbok in combat, where the crazy Dwarf would kept charging at him despite suffering an increasing amount of injuries. Grimbok eventually died under Thoriol's attack, but would also send Thoriol bleeding and unconscious with his own blow. But just before Thoriol blacked out, he witnessed his father's sword on Morgrim's belt and told the Dwarf that he had killed his father. After Morgrim realized the Elf was Imaldrik's kin, he would immediately face Draukhain in battle as the dragon came to Thoriol's defense with his fire breath, which Morgrim would be shield from by Morek's rune magic.

With Morek's rune protection and Snorri Halfhand's rune axe '''Azdrakghar''' (design for dragonslaying) in his hand, Morgrim viciously hacked every part of Draukhain until it died, and himself emerged victorious as a Dragonslayer (also fulfilled the aforementioned prophecy of a Dwarf becomes the high king after killing a dragon, which came true as Morgrim will eventually become the next heir after Gotrek: '''Morgrim Ironbeard'''.), but would find no enjoyment due the dragon belonged to his old friend, and knowing it was the Druchiis and the Daemon that had goaded both sides to war. Once again to honor his dead Elf friend, Morgrim had Thoriol rescued, healed and sent back to the city.

=== The Battle of Three Towers (fourteenth siege of Tor Alessi) (597th year of Caledor II) ===

After sitting on his ass in Ulthuan for a while, Caledor II finally arrived in Tor Alessi and took on the Dwarfs with fresh Elven armies pulled from the northern frontier. Gotrek and Morgrim called out from the opposite side, demanding that Caledor II to pay for the devastation have wrought on their holds in gold. Caledor II, arrogant and vengeful, scorned their terms and made a series of blistering insults against the Dwarfs. Gotrek was as forgiving and civilized as he could be, hoping the Elgi were smart enough to accept his terms and stop the bloodshed. He also showed himself in front of the gate to prove himself brave (unlike Caledor II). In response to the elves' silence following Caledor II's tirade, Gotrek resolved the only solution was to take Caledor II's head and crown as compensation.

Caledor II too had his strategy... a head-on assault while Ilrendril "evacuated" (not abandoned, for the arrogant Elf king still believed he could break the Dwarfs leadership even though the war had lasted for 400 years at that point) Tor Alessi's refugees. This was thwarted, in a cruel irony, by Ilrendril's Wyrm. The wyrm, who would come to be known as '''Malok''', hated his master for the centuries of enslavement under him and had developed a plan to free himself. While Ilrendril was lost in envious and resentful thoughts about Thoriol (Caledor II criticized him for being an exile from Caledor, a coward for leaving Thoriol in danger in the previous siege, and compared Malok unfavorably to Ulthuan's native dragons), Malok deliberately exposed himself to the Dwarf's bolt throwers and was non-fatally shot. Through their mind link, the pain distracted Ilrendril, allowing Malok to free himself briefly and break the controlling talisman by doing a barrel roll (literally). Malok then impaled Ilrendril on a talon and celebrated his freedom by forcing Ilendril to watch him start roasting the refugees alive, Ilendril unable to do anything but scream and die, a karmic justice - in Malok's mind - for what he had done. Fortunately for the remaining refugees, Ilrendril died, causing the disappointed wyrm to stop attacking them, throw Ilrendril's corpse into the sea and head for the Southlands where no Dwarfs or Elves would be found.

Fun fact: According to ''Thanquol and Boneripper: Thanquol's Doom'' written by the same [[C.L. Werner]], it was Skalfri Brandbeard of Karak Angkul who shot Malok with his bolt-thrower. Two of Malok's scales dislodged by the shot would go on to be displayed at the halls of Karak Angkul as a trophy beside many others.

In order to break the gates of Tor Alessi and end the war, Morek decided to sacrifice an anvil of doom - a relic so precious that it could never be replicated - by making it explode. Due to Morek's body being warped by constant changes in size and shape due to the daemon Htraken's foul magic, which got worse and more painful over the years, Morek decided to end his life in a sacrifice for a great cause. Filled with regret for his decision to destroy a sacred anvil, Morek requested that Gotrek erase him from history. Though the heroic sacrifice would've made him a hero, he'd be an Oathbreaker in the eyes of the other runesmiths; hence being forgotten and unremembered would be his lot.

After the gate was broken, the forces of Dwarfs and Elves engaged their final battle inside the city. Caledor II was waiting, mounted on a horse in the center of the city square, surrounded by his knights and fountains of his Elven gods. Caledor II began dueling Morgrim, with Caledor II having a clear advantage due to being mounted and wielding the sword Dawnbreaker, a weapon meant to kill powerful daemons. Morgrim's armor was shredded like paper but he endured to strike a blow against Caledor II's shield that broke the elf king's arm and embedded the axe in the shield. The elf king prepared to ride Morgrim down, but then realized he was surrounded by angry dwarf warriors.

Then Gotrek came and demand a duel to not only end this stupid war, but also to send off the souls of his son and all the fallen Dawi. Caledor II was forced to dismount and accept the duel. During the fight, the elf king managed to cut off two of Gotrek's fingers, mockingly comparing Gotrek's disfigurement to his late son's. The petty insult further enraged Gotrek, and he struck Caledor II's torso, the elf king's armor saving his life but the blow still breaking several ribs. Caledor II was crippled by the injury and collapsed to the ground. Defeated, Caledor II pathetically attempted to save his own life by offering to accept all of Gotrek's previous terms, but it was too late. Gotrek replied with one sentence - [[awesome|"Ask the god for mercy. You'll find none in me"]] - and decapitated Caledor II.

Ironically, Caledor II was decapitated lying in Khaine's fountain, his blood mingling with the red dyed water (dyed to honor Khaine) so that his blood now flowed down Khaine's statue. Between this and Gotrek's last words to Caledor II, it means [[Internet Troll|Khaine has a great sense of humor]].

=== Epilogue ===

With '''Caledor II''''s death, Gotrek took the Phoenix Crown and loudly declared he would take it as compensation and ordered the elves to leave. With Caledor II's death, a new Phoenix King had to be crowned to deal with the suddenly multiplied numbers of Druchiis expanded across Naggaroth. Although Caledor II had named Thoriol his heir, Thoriol rejected the plan, believing he'd be living in the shadow of his father Imladrik, as Caledor II lived in the shadow of his own father (one of the few select things Thoriol had sympathized with the late king on). He gave the throne to Caradryel instead, whom Thoriol believed could united the Asur. Although Caradryel protested that he was no king, he accepted and proved to be so successful, he not only brought peace and united all of Ulthuan, he survived countless of Druchii assassinations and died peacefully of old age (the first Phoenix King to do so, and a rare achievement for anyone in the warhammer world). A new crown was made to replace the old one. Its loss should've been symbolized as a cautionary tale to the Elves about their pride. Although Thoriol was never heard of after this, he probably became Caradryel's advisor, continue the noble bloodline of House Caledoran and became one of [[Prince Imrik|Imrik's]] ancestors.

The war changed the Dwarfs too. The new generation was now more hateful and vengeful than the previous, obsessed with atoning for their shames and mistakes by taking Slayers Oath then die instead of actually fixing them, resulting in further stagnation of Dwarf populations (not to mentioned the shitshow with the earthquakes, the rise of Greenskins and the Skaven). Morgrim took the throne after Gotrek, unsure how he will rule over this new generation.

Liandra survived the war to meet an Elven prophetess named Aismarr (whom claimed to came from Loren Lacoi) where she was told by her to overcome a trial, which was later revealed to defend a treeman from the Dwarfs assault. She managed to save the treeman, but being weak after overcasting a spell, she was struck down by Dwarf's axe... only to somehow be nurtured back to health by the forest, reborn and become one of the [[Wood Elves|Asrai]] alongside the few surviving elves in the Old World, including High Elf colonists who refused to evacuate and even a handful of Druchii.

[[Category:Warhammer Fantasy]] [[Category:High Elves]] [[Category:Dwarfs]]
{{Template:High Elves}}

The Grudge Of Drong

2023-05-16T22:29:44Z

2A01:CB19:7C8:DB00:8867:60B9:2B06:F59C:

[[File:Grudge of Drong Cover.jpg|thumb|right|350px]]
The '''Grudge of Drong''' is a 4th edition campaign for [[Warhammer Fantasy]] involving [[Dwarfs (Warhammer Fantasy)|Dwarfs]] and [[High Elves (Warhammer Fantasy)|High Elves]]. The campaigns of the edition were notoriously popular and lead to a major boost in the playerbase of the game.

The campaign consists of four battles, with each affecting the details of the final battle. It was notable for being one of the last times Games Workshop included free punch-out paper scenery rather than advertising for preexisting overpriced sets.

==The Legend==
[[File:Krag Bryn.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Krag Bryn]]
During the era of the early stages of the Asur/[[Dark Elves (Warhammer Fantasy)|Druchii]] civil war, a Dwarf adventurer by the name of Bronn the Bold lead his clan to the coastal mountains of the [[Old World]]. There they found a mountain rich in gold and gems, among the richest the Dwarfs had ever seen. They constructed a Hold there which became very wealthy, attracting refugees, adventurers, settlers, and even entire clans from the (then) united Seven Peaks. After reaching a point of prosperity and being recognized by the Dwarf race as a true Hold, the newly established Thanes of Bronn's line dubbed it "Krag Bryn" or "Gleaming Mountain".

However, the clan of Thrund had an ancestral [[Book of Grudges|Grudge]] against Bronn's clan. Whatever the Grudge was about was long forgotten, but it remained that all members of both clans were aware of it and thought themselves in the right. The Thane of Clan Thrund, Thrund the Angry, gathered a large army of Dwarfs of ill-repute as well as many poor clans.
Thrund's army attacked Krag Bryn and expected his larger force to triumph (clearly not understanding the tactics of his own race). His force was devastated, and in a personal challenge on the battlefield Bronn delivered fatal wounds to Thrund. Thrund's final words were to his sons, forcing them to swear an oath to avenge the Grudge and all others made that day by destroying Bronn's clan and bloodline.

Thrund's forces that survived established a new Hold, Kazad Thrund, at the only route between Krag Bryn and the rest of the Dwarf race. They did not wage war on Bronn's people, instead charging outrageous fees for passage between Krag Bryn and the Peaks.
The route was named "Grudge Pass". Over the years, Krag Bryn's wealth had dried up. Now the daily carts of magnificent gems and gold were worth only enough to keep the fortress running after Thrund's clan took their cut.
[[File:Krag Bryn Map.jpg|thumb|200px|right|The map of the region.]]
In the early era of Phoenix King Caledor II (yeah, THAT guy) an Elf from [[Ulthuan|Lothern]] named [[Eldroth]] sailed the ocean blue with a large ship of settlers for new lands. Along the coast of the Old World, they discovered an ideal location for a port and established a settlement dubbed "Tol Eldroth". Not long after the initially small port had grown to become a city proper, the Elves discovered their neighbors in Krag Bryn. Lead by [[Queen Helgar Longplaits]], last of Clan Bronn, they initiated diplomacy and found the Elves ideal trading partners. Elves were willing to pay far more for gold and gems than the rest of the Dwarfs were and there was no Grudgy middle man in the way.

[[Drong the Hard]], last of the bloodline of Thrund, was displeased to see the trade in his pass dry up. Drong was VERY angry about Elves (keep in mind this was in the era where Dwarfs and Elves were the only two races on the planet with an alliance and considered each other brothers, making his attitude very strange back then) and considered Helgar's people race traitors for letting Dwarf gold into non-Dwarf hands. His clan grew poorer and poorer, having no commerce other than the protection money they had forced out of Brynish hands. Drong's grumbling grew darker and darker, and eventually he beganto spread the lie that Thrund was the founder of Krag Bryn, and that Bronn was a peasant miner who lead a coup and attempted to wipe out the bloodline of Thrund to hide the truth. Other Dwarfs who hated Elves, both those who had been wronged by the new "Dark Elf" faction and those who were simply racist assholes like Drong, flocked to his call. He spread discontent among the people of Bryn's outposts, many of whom were descended from Clan Thrund and wanted to believe his lies, then declared war on the "illegitimate ruler of Krag Bryn" and her "foreign allies".

===Battle of Grudge Pass===
Krudd Mad-Mattock, Master Engineer of Bryn and related by marriage to Drong, lead a miner's rebellion after one evening of drinking and Grudge-speak. Most loyalists were killed immediately, with only a few escaping to warn the Queen. She immediately requested the aid of the Elves, and Captain Fendar was dispatched with a force of skirmishers. He arrived at the midpoint between the outpost and Bryn, and drew a line in the dirt just in range of his Archers. When the Dwarfs arrived, he warned them crossing it would be an act of war. The drunk Dwarfs shouted racist slogans and plodded forward, with the Elves unleashing arrows the moment the Dwarfs crossed it. The Battle of Grudge Pass had begun.
Fendar's army was frail, but his Archers dealt heavy casualties to the drunk Dwarfs, while the bulk of their force lost their footing and rolled down a hill before being incinerated with fire magic.
The Miners themselves did the bulk of the damage to the Elves, with Krudd simply knocked Fendar flat on his back with the handle of his mattock and stepping over him.

The Elves managed a retreat while the Dwarfs, demoralized and hung over, only managed to crawl back to their mine which declared loyalty to Drong.

===Ambush on the Dwarf Road===
Surprised his small rabble of rebellious laborers had not crushed the inferior race of knife-ears and the woman on what he already thought of was his throne, Drong opted for a different approach in his next gambit. After adding all Elves forever to his hold's Book of Grudges, he spent the wealth obtained from his new mine on treasures from Karak Izril, including gold, gems, and mugs carved with cat bone menacing with spikes of dolomite depicting a dwarf queen on fire.
Helgar invited him to a feast in order to resolve their differences and talk of uniting clans. No expense was spared, and after seeing Helgar drink like a Dwarf Thane and failing to match her, proposed marriage which Helgar accepted.
The Dwarfs celebrated the union and made formal plans while the Elves utilized Grudge Pass to trade with all of the holds of the Dwarf race. It quickly became the most prosperous the region had ever been for all three groups.

Despite this, the Elves and Dwarfs had in other places throughout the Old World come into disagreements. Whether it be an Elf vomiting after only a sip of fine ale, or a Dwarf mistakenly walking into the crotch or ass of an Elven dignitary, many holds had begin to place Elves (without informing them) on their Books of Grudges while Elves began talking a lot of shit via gossip and jokes just barely out of earshot.

During one of the (many) feasts celebrating the betrothal a Dwarf Runesmith named Grung appeared. Grung's clan had been forced out of it's hold during a small war with Elves (he did not elaborate at all on what lead to this war). He became a favored guest at Drong's table, as his anti-Elf rhetoric and absolute amazement at the wealth of the soon to be united holds both pleased Drong greatly. The more drunk Grung got each night, the more venomous his speeches became while his constant reference to Dwarven greatness became mixed throughout.
He became bold in time, suggesting Drong was a race traitor openly for consorting with Elves, while at the same time extolling the old fashioned virtues of men on the throne, women barefoot in the kitchen and pregnant.

Drong began plans to attack and wipe out Tol Eldroth and all it's inhabitants to take their "stolen wealth" back while Helgar plotted to remind the menfolk of Drong's clan who fills the breastplate in the region.
Helgar dispatched a message to Eldroth, and the next day the group of Dwarfs that Grung was traveling with were ambushed by Elves along the road lead by an Elf named Tethan.
Archers wiped out the Slayers immediately, while Tethan's magic caused the ground to break and split plunging Dwarfs to their deaths. The head Slayer was the only one to reach the Elvish line and was cut to ribbons before landing a single blow. The only Dwarfs to survive were Quarrelers who formed a defensive line around Grung and repelled both Giant Eagle and Elf until nightfall when Grung was able to slip away. Tethan was wounded by a bolt, but survived.

Drong accused Helgar of attempting to assassinate one of their race and conspiring with sub-Dwarf mongrels while Helgar accused him of conspiring to usurp her throne and break the sacred Oath of Friendship between Dwarf and Elf for greed of gold.
After Helgar ordered Drong's beard shaved (after failing to do so herself in a brawl between the two) Drong called the marriage off and left Krag Bryn, swearing to all in earshot how he'd have the throne and the queen's beardless (emphasis on this) head. Most of Bryn's soldiers, being traditional types never content to serve a woman or see a living Elf, went with him.

===The Brewery Bash===
Knowing Drong would immediately resume plans to take her throne, Helgar dispatched her guards to capture his Brewmaster who had recently relocated his Brewery to the entrance to Krag Bryn's mines.
Largs was his name, and he was too inebriated to awaken and too fat to carry when Drong's forces had fled.

After sealing him in a large copper vessel, Helgar issued an ultimatum to her ex; swear fealty and forsake all Grudges, or Largs's last brew would fill his lungs.

Drong, who's clan loyalty relied on his "free ale" socialist policy developed during the clan's impoverished days (based on the principle that when a Dwarf says "I'm going to have an ale" any of his brothers can say "So shall I!") was horrified.
After a few days of horrid sobriety and more than a few Fell Moods, Drong gathered his most loyal (and desperate) Dwarfs and sent them to return with Largs or not at all. They were lead by a mysterious Dwarf known only as Skag the Stealthy.
Eldroth's spies tipped Helgar off to the force's departure, but Helgar found that the warriors still loyal to her (mostly Slayers) refused to harm a Dwarf in search of ale. She once again requested Eldroth's aid, and he dispatched one of his most trusted servants, an Elf known as Ardath the Vengeful (with a personality more Dawi than Asur), to aid her.

Ardath's forces surrounded the Brewery, firing arrows from within and warded with magic. Skag's Thunderers alternated between peppering the right flank of the Elves with gunfire and keeping the Silver Helms at bay. Skag split his assault force in two, one large unit of Slayers followed by his Ironbreakers and sent them towards the front of the Brewery. After the spells and arrows of the Elves, most of the Slayers lay dead while the Ironbreakers struggled to pass their mounds of corpses before falling to the same fate. Refusing to flee, the Hammerers pressed on in a last-ditch <strike>waddle</strike> charge. Ardath lead the Silver Helms to meet them, but suffered great casualties as Thunderers, Hammerers, and Quarrelers all focused on them.

The Elves managed to hold the Brewery until nightfall, when they were reinforced by Tol Eldroth. Rather than return and admit his shame, Skag took the Slayer Oath and returned years later under a new name in Queen Helgar's service.

===The Battle of Krag Byrn===
Drong, fed up with the games up until now, summoned every force at his command; the rebellious Miners, kinsmen, and every Elf-hating Dwarf he could find. He promised his parched people ale that would never stop flowing, all the riches that could be plundered from the city and the hold, and the cleansing of their race.

Eldroth meanwhile had maintained spies in every population around Tor Eldroth and knew the movements of his enemies. He called the nobles of Tor Eldroth for a vote; war, or retreat?
Eldroth himself claimed the fall of the queen would mean Elves would be forced from the Old World by Dwarf tyrants. Anarion, representative of the merchants, claimed that if Krag Bryn lost access to the Peaks then trade would dry up to the point that Drong may as well have taken it. Fendar pointed to the skirmishes elsewhere as bigoted Dwarfs sought the death of Elves for little to no reason, claiming a victory for the queen would grant them a powerful ally in the Dwarf culture. Finally Ardath spoke, claiming the queen was a Dwarf and thus as much a bigot as the rest of them and that by destroying Thrund's kin the Elves would teach them respect. With unanimous approval, a call was sent to Ulthuan for troops.

They had barely arrived when Drong's army began it's march. Positioning themselves in the pass between Krag Byrn and Tol Eldroth with a waterfall to one side and cliffs on the other, he planned to march to the sea and destroy every last stone and hair of Elvish taint, then turn around and finish off the bitch queen once and for all.

Helgar marched out with the remaining loyal forces, mostly bodyguards, and watched the battle unfold.

Both sides opened with warmachines and ranged support, Bolt Thrower exchanging fire with Cannon and Archer with Quarreler and Thunderer until all ammunition was depleted and all artillery destroyed or damaged.
Most Dwarf ranged forces were destroyed, and the large column of Elf Spearmen were devastated by Dwarf Flame Cannonfire.
The Elf cavalry consisting mostly of Dragon Princes lead by Eldroth, Ardath, and Lithan of Tiranoc who had lead the Ulthuan reinforcements charged directly into battle with the Dwarf assault force of Hammerers and Miners lead by Drong and Grung. Eldroth dueled Drong and dealt mortal wounds to each other. Ardath took command and fought Krudd, then engaged the dying Drong. Lithan killed Grung and decimated the remaining Hammerers with repeated charges.

Helgar, watching the battle, chose this moment to wade into the fight.

Against the Elves.

That's right, she sided with the guy who had been a thorn in her side and those of her kinsmen for the history of her kingdom against her constant allies, whom she'd actually called to the battle.

Why do this? [[Fail|Because she couldn't stand the idea of Elves beating Dwarves. Even if it resulted in her head on a pike and her kingdom in flames. No, seriously.]]

Drong was succeeded by Krudd (fitting name) who called an immediate retreat. Helgar's bodyguards held off the Elves and were slaughtered to the last while she fled back to Krag Bryn. Ardath succeeded Eldroth as leader of the city, and summoned further reinforcements to lay siege to the two holds. Krudd and Helgar both appealed for aid from the rest of the Dwarfs, although none answered the call for various reasons (nobody wanted to aid the beardless woman, some still had trade agreements with Elves, others had Grudges against one clan or the other, etc).

When the War of the Beard began, Tor Eldroth and both Krags were destroyed.
The event contributed to the start of the war, with Elves seeing the Dwarfs as greedy, bigoted savages and the Dwarfs seeing Elves as filthy ponces that were a blight on creation.

[[Derp]]

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Drong.jpg|Drong
Image:Helgar.jpg|Helgar
Image:Eldroth.jpg|Eldroth
Image:Krag Bryn Banner.jpg|The heraldry of Krag Bryn
Image:Citadel Dwarfs Ad.jpg|An advertisement for Citadel miniatures from the time, showing the models suggested for the campaign. Some were made intended for the campaign, some preexisting generics. The former have since become fairly rare and valuable.
Image:Grudge of Drong Elves.png|A section from [[White Dwarf]] showing the Elf characters. Eldroth was the only character to have his own model, with the others merely being generics like the Dwarfs. Like the special Dwarfs, Eldroth is difficult to find as well.
</gallery>
==Buildings==
Instructions in German. Apply pages 3+4, 5+6, 7+8, 9+10, 11+12, 13+14 front and back to card stock and make your buildings. Then add Games Workshop to your FLGS Book of Grudges for never making proper scenery for Dwarfs or Elves and instead focusing on the mon'keigh and spessmen.
<gallery>
Image:Drong Build 1.jpg
Image:Drong Build 2.jpg
Image:Drong Build 3.jpg
Image:Drong Build 4.jpg
Image:Drong Build 5.jpg
Image:Drong Build 6.jpg
Image:Drong Build 7.jpg
Image:Drong Build 8.jpg
Image:Drong Build 9.jpg
Image:Drong Build 10.jpg
Image:Drong Build 11.jpg
Image:Drong Build 12.jpg
Image:Drong Build 13.jpg
Image:Drong Build 14.jpg
</gallery>
[[Category: Warhammer Fantasy]] [[Category: Dwarfs]]
[[Category: High Elves]]

Kharadron Overlords

2023-05-16T22:27:31Z

2A01:CB19:7C8:DB00:8867:60B9:2B06:F59C:

{{Age of Sigmar Faction|Faction=Kharadron Overlords|Logo=Kharadron-Overlords-Hero-1.jpg|Alliance=Order|Motto=Top hat, robotic monocle, curled mustache guns, and steam technology; the true essence of steampunk.}}
{{topquote| We are heavy metal pirates, we sail across the sky! With a battleship of cosmic steel we are the terror up on high!|Heavy Metal Pirates by Alestorm}}
{{topquote|With a crew of drunken pilots, we're the only airship pirates! We're full of hot air and we're starting to rise. We're the terror of the skies, but a danger to ourselves!|Airship Pirate by Abney Park}}
{{topquote|I chose something different, I chose the impossible. I chose Rapture!| Andrew Ryan}}
The '''Kharadron Overlords''' are the <strike>[[Squats|Squats]]</strike> [[Dwarfs (Warhammer Fantasy)|Dwarfs]] (duardin for lawyerspeakers) who survived the Age of Chaos in [[Chamon]], the realm of metal, by going straight into the sky. Powered by Aether-gold (meaning valuable gas and adding yet another meaning to the word gold in the Khazalid lexicon) their technology is straight lifted from Jules Verne's works, mainly Captain Nemo's. Their faction leader character wears a TOP HAT, nuff said.
==Origins and History==

===Age of Myth===
The origins of the Kharadron date back far in the Age of Myth in the realm of Chamon. During this time they were regular surface dwelling Duardin who built great mountain-side empires and amazing works of craftmanship and technology under the watchful tutelege of Grungni, the Duardin Smith god. Grungni stewarded the Duardin of Chamon for centuries, imparting his knowlege on the fledgling empires of Duardin, Human and Aelf. He even helped in reforging the landmasses of the centre of Chamon through both arcane and technological methods into perfect geometric shapes, from which great quantities of precious metals could be mined. However eventually Grungi departed his people for Azyr as part of his oath of workmanship he still owed to Sigmar, while also wanting his people to strive on their own behalf without his guidance. And strive they did, for the civilizations of the Chamon thrived fueled through bountiful resources and the usage of the Chamonite realmstone. Resulting in empires built of metal springing up over the realm. It was also during this time that the Duardin first became aware of the substance known as Aether-Gold, and how it could be harnessed to create and power many wonderous machines. The Duardin subsequently started building small skyfaring mining installations to begin harvesting this resource.

However this was not to last. Tzeentch desiring Chamon more than any other Chaos god, concocted a scheme to breach the realm. Luring a massive godbeast known as the Lode-Griffon from the aetheric void, the beast settled right in the centre-heartlands of Chamon. This alone was a cause for concern, but it was found the creature emitted powerful magnetic distortions that altered the landscape around it (subsequently leading to the creation of what is now today the Spiral Crux). Desperate to be rid of the beast the various empires of Chamon's centre lands banded together to enact a great ritual to kill the beast by turning it to solid gold. While the ritual at first seemed like a success, transmogrifying the god-beast and killing it. Unbeknownst to those working the ritual, agents of Tzeentch sabotaged the ritual at its height causing the spell to backfire and creating a massive portal to Tzeentch's domain in the sky above the great statue of the Lode-Griffon spewing forth endless waves of demons upon the land.

With this act the invasion of Chamon had truly begun and the Age of Myth coming to an end.

===Age of Chaos===
The Kharadron Overlords were born with the fall of the last of the Mountain Kingdoms. The old Khazalid mountain empires being overrun one by one by Tzeentch's endless hordes. Those that survived realized that trying to defend their holdouts was futile as they were hopelessly outnumbered and their allies already besieged in other realms. With little options remaining they fled to the small skyforts and outposts that floated around, hiding in the clouds. Realizing that to maintain these new holdouts they would require greater amounts of Aether-Gold, as they had limited access to the Chamonite realmstone on the ground or even just most resources in general. It was at this time that the first true mass-scale harvesting of magical substance took place. During this time, their society grew but resources in that limited space ran scarce. They were forced to mine the same limited aether-gold veins as other sky-ports and thus fought against each other for them. This marked the beginning of the Time of Reaving, where the Kharadron almost plunged in a civil war. In order to avoid this, the nascent sky-ports (also known as Baraks) decided to convene a meeting on the floating island of Madralta. In this Conference of Madralta, the Kharadron Overlords agreed finally on nine artycles (yeah, no joke, Olde Englische Butcherede) and a boatload of amendments and footnotes to those artycles. These would become the Kharadron Code. Or the Code. ("Really more of a guideline.") And thus their society would be shaped forever into what was to become. The Code acted like a set of laws, a constitution, and a set of guidelines: governance both of the ports and ships, how to trade, when to fight and retreat. All guided on the increase of the personal wealth and profit of the Kharadron. Things like tradition and superstition were seen as detrimental, remnants of an old age that had almost brought them into extinction. The Kharadron wouldn't be ruled by gods nor kings despite them acknowledging the existence of both, but by wise and successful dwarfs who knew what to do.

Following the stabilization of their new society the Kharadron for the most part kept to themselves and rarely made expeditions to the ground. Except in cases of requirement such as resource gathering or trying to excavate their old duardin holds. Because of this and their well-defended positions the Kharadron endured better than many other civilizations during the age of chaos, with only a few holds truly being threatened during this time. This was when the veneration of Gods was generally abandoned and codified as, for the most part, none of the old pantheon protected or guided them, not even their old god Grungni. This was further exacerbated by the fact that their suffering was caused by the Chaos God Tzeentch and his followers. Turned out Grungi believed deeply in his followers making their own decisions and way in the world and was focused on making the Stormcast to kick Chaos back where they came from, so he did little to aid them. Grungni would later come to regret this inaction as it led to the deaths of many of his people that he could have prevented and damaged their relationship. But this is all too late for his former followers as now many Khardron want nothing to do with him, and developed a large chip on their collective shoulders about gods and magic. Instead turning their attention to both monetary and scientific concerns.

===Age of Sigmar===
Following Sigmar's initial crusades back into the realms and the pushing back of chaos in many territories the Kharadron have been pragmatic enough to support Sigmar's forces after they built cities in the liberated territories of the Mortal Realms while getting new and lucrative partnerships, who says duardin can't have common sense? While nominally independent they have been instrumental in expanding Sigmars growing empires and their vessals being essential in inter-city trade, with many cities having strong ties to neighbouring sky ports. The Kharadron have also seen fit following Sigmars tempest to branch out into other realms besides Chamon, seeking ever new Aether-gold deposits and new trading partners in the newly built free-cities. However, while the Khardron respect Sigmar and his contributions they still refuse to worship him and as a society the sky-lords hold fast to the their code and continue with their oath to never bow before gods again.

===The Soul Wars===

When Nagash’s Necroquake struck the realms, it majorly devastated the Kharadron Overlords. In scenes of utter destruction and mayhem that could only be described as Pearl Harbor from Hell, the sky ports found themselves assailed by an onslaught of violent magical storms blowing trade routes off course, endless spells seemingly manifesting out of nowhere and ravaging entire fleets, and worst of all, the newly emerged Nighthaunt floating skywards and assaulting the Kharadron in their previously unassailable homes. Two lesser Sky-Ports, Barak-Durmmaz and Barak-Kling were destroyed entirely, while even the major Sky Ports suffered major losses, with Barak-Nar losing a fifth of its navy while seven members of Barak-Zilfin's Admiral's Council were killed when a rogue Pendulum Endless Spell caused the Barak's flagship ''Sunderer'' to crash into the Halls of Endeavour.

The most significant effect, however, was that the major shift in the winds (both magical and physical) of the realm caused veins of Aether-gold to be blown across the sky. With the largest Aether-gold streams monopolized by the major skyports now scattered, the Kharadron Code dictated that these veins could be claimed by rival skyports, resulting in a new gold rush the Kharadron came to call the Gorak-drek, or "Great Venture".

Within this newly roused rush to put the pieces back together, the entire political framework of Kharadron society faced one of its biggest upheavals since the first Conference of Madralta. As hundreds of companies across the sky ports began filing for bankruptcy when their revenue streams were uprooted and the Admiral Councils scrambled to rebuild their fleets, the normally static balance of political power within the Geldraad itself began to shift dramatically:

Barak Nar, who had enjoyed a commanding lead in delegates, now found its position slightly upended as the economic strain resulted in the previously unthinkable loss of a delegate seat. However, the quick cunning of their remaining representatives and Admirals ensured that this setback would not be a catastrophic one, and Barak Nar was soon chartering dozens of expeditions and reclaiming swathes of lost revenue.

Barak Zilfin, despite the loss of its flagship ''Sunderer'' and numerous senior Admirals, was actually able to weather many of the worst storms thrown their way by the Necroquake, thanks to their top of the line Navigator League. Not only that, but the speed and ingenuity of the Windswept City's shipbuilders meant that they soon had ships ranging far to capitalize on new streams of Aethergold, allowing them to actually accumulate enough shares to earn another seat on the Geldraad.

Barak Zon and Barak Urbaz both suffered the loss of one delegate, bringing their Geldraad numbers to 2 and 1 respectively.

Barak Thryng, the lowest (Under Construction)

===Broken Realms===
The Kharadron had a relatively small, but very important role to play in the conflicts leading up to what is now called the Era of the Beast.

Their first notable involvement in the conflict was in Chamon, where a veteran Endrinmaster named Humboldsson, at the urging of a mysterious veteran Arkanaut named Gromthi, disobeyed orders and took a prototype skyship called the Redoubtable to investigate a mysterious, massive release of magical power, caused by the [[Seraphon]] and their efforts to violently sever one of the Silver Towers of [[Tzeentch]] from its connection to the realmgates, stranding the heavily-damaged [[daemon]]ic fortress in the Realm of Metal. Ironically, the Redoubtable never even got near the site where the Silver Tower had crashed to earth, as the aether-readings from the corruption of the realmgates by the surprise assault from the forces of [[Be'lakor]] so alarmed the Kharadron that they returned swiftly to the Admiralty Board.

They arrived to the Second Conference of Madralta, as the skyports met to discuss the strange corruption of Chamon's skies that was wreaking havoc on the navigation routes and the aether-gold harvests. As the representatives of each skyport bickered and argued, Humboldsson and Gromthi arrived and breached protocol by interrupting the conference, where Gromthi warned the collected Kharadron that the skies of Chamon were forming into a tremendous spiralling vortex centered on Vindicarum, something that foretold great destruction even to the aerial empire of the sky-dwarves.

Swayed by the elder duardin's words, the Kharadron came to Vindicarum's aid, driving back the forces of [[Be'lakor]] and aiding the locals in rebuilding in exchange for access to the great mass of aether-gold now swirling over the city of Vindicarum.

Amidst the remnants of one of the city’s fallen districts, Gromthi viewed the work being done with satisfaction. It was good, stalwart, neighbourly work – or so he first viewed it. Humboldsson saw it as something more mercenary: the Kharadron had not been moved by Vindicarum’s plight, not by simple sentiment. Theirs was a way of profit and survival, as it had always been. Some great sorrow seemed to come over the elderly Arkanaut, but he offered nothing to refute the claims the Endrinmaster made of necessity. Then, between one puff on his pipe and another, he was gone.

As it would later transpire, Gromthi was none less than the lost duardin god, [[Grungni]]. He would later openly reveal his return, convincing the Celestant-Prime to show clemency to [[Morathi]] for her usurpation of Anvilgard, and revealing a new type of armor for the [[Stormcast Eternals]], Thunderstrike Armor, to breach through the cursed skies created by [[Be'lakor]].

Even beyond the shocking return of their divine patriarch, Kharadron society is struggling. The corruption of Chamon's skies has drastically reshaped and scattered the currents and deposits of aether-gold, crippling the Kharadron's supply of their society's lifeblood. This is made doubly hard by the collapse of so many of Chamon's realmgates, which has disrupted their existing trade network. So the Kharadron are looking to completely rechart both sets of vital routes at the same time, which has made their presence as the premier sky-farers of Order greatly diminish.

One positive that has come of this whole mess? The return of Grungni and his urgings for his children to come together has revitalized all of the disparate duardin factions to some extent. There is greater and friendly communion between Kharadron, [[Fyreslayer]]s and the other unnamed Duardin now than there has been in a long time.

==Aether-gold==
One of the big differences between Kharadron and their ground-pounding cousins is aether-gold, and that goes beyond simply being a different kind of sought-after wealth. Aether-gold in its natural state is a lighter-than-air gas, "veins" of which form in clouds. It is colorless and invisible to magical detection, so it can only be reliably found by smell. Once found, it can be used as a potent power source, or distilled into a metal that retains its lighter-than-air properties, allowing for the construction of airships and floating cities. This makes it the most valuable resource in Kharadron civillization, akin to something like petroleum in our world. Most outsiders view it as a magical material, though the Kharadron shun such superstition and analyze it through a scientific lens.

Large veins of aether-gold have a nasty habit of attracting all sorts of sky-monsters. As such, the skyfleets that harvest this substance are just as much military organizations as they are businesses.

Also, aether-gold might be changing the Kharadron on a biological level. You know those armored environment suits all Kharadron wear? Those are needed in part to make the air palatable to their aether-gold addled lungs.

==The Code==
{{topquote|The Code is more what you’d call “guidelines” than actual rules.|Hector Barbossa}}

{{topquote|He goes to the Rules of Acquisition. Unabridged and fully annotated, with all 47 commentaries, all 900 major and minor judgments, all 10,000 considered opinions. There's a rule for every conceivable situation. |Arridor}}

'''Artycle 1: The Rules of Governance'''

*Point 1: Leaders shall be chosen by proof of skills. No title of nobility shall be granted by the Kharadron Overlords. Titles and ranks are earned by merit.

*Point 2: No endeavour should be undertaken if the outcome results in the loss for the sky-port.

*Point 5: If backed by either the majority or full vote of the Tommraad, a Krenkha grogna (Vote of No Confidence) can be called. The entire crew (or equivalent) must vote. A majority of ‘out’ results in the election of a replacement as appropriate.

*Point 7: The title of Lord-Magnate is given to any whose profit-reaping brings them into the top ten per cent of earners within the last wind cycle. The Lords Magnate are afforded first choice of fleets and will be amongst those considered to replace any fallen, decreased or incapacitated members of the Admiral Council.

-Amendment 12: In the event that the Admirals Council cannot come to a majority consensus regarding matters of commerce (as defined in Artycles 2 and 7 of the Code), then the Lord-Magnate with the largest contribution in aether-gold shares over the last wind cycle shall provide the deciding vote.

'''Artycle 2: The Rules of Prosperity'''

*Point 1: An act that does not make profit or lead to eventual profit is not worth doing.

*Point 2: Admirals, Captains and Master Shareholders shall each receive two shares of a galkhron.

*Addendum Point 3: An Arkanaut shall recieve one share of a galkhron. Deductions from this share will be made for maintenance of skyvessels, aether-armour and aethermatic equipment, plus supply of borg and gorog.

*Point 3, Footnote 27, Paragraph C: (rules for dividing homogenous plunder by weight)

*Point 26: If in the pursuit of duty, a captain encounters a threat that might impact the financial or physical well-being of their shareholders, they are expected to respond with all reasonable force. Any external entity that threatens the accumulation of profit should be subjected to immediate destruction.

-Footnote 21: Make fair use of all the gold in the sky.

-Sub-clause 12: During an active state of war immediate sanctions shall be imposed upon the enemies of the Kharadron Overlords, the severity of which is to be decided by the Geldraad. As long as the enemy draws breath, they shall be subject to a total trade embargo, and any officer of the fleet who attenpts to open negotiations with such a party shall be considered guilty of the highest treason and punished accordingly.

-Amendment 3, Footnote 16: Representatives of the [[Ossiarch Bonereapers|uzkulrik]] clearly cannot be considered subject to be second stipulation of Sub-clause 12 of Artycle 2, as they do not breathe.

'''Artycle 3: The Articles of Justice'''

*Point 1: The profit margin must be evaluated before the deployment of sky-fleet assets.

*Point 2: Upkeep of a skyvessel is essential, even over Kharadron lives.

*Point 5: All hazkal brewed within a sky-port is subject to regular inspection, to be carried out by the Board of Brewmasters. Any guild-company found guilty of thinning their product with bilgewater, using inferior hops or failing to allow appropriate fermentation time shall be fined to the full extent that the Code permits, and its owners de-bearded and branded with the mark of the guzungrim.

-Amendment 21. Footnote 6: Brewing stations located within the high airs cannot be subject to point five of this artycle. In addition, the sale of inferior hazkal within foreign ports shall be permitted, because the umgi are content to drink any old swill.

'''Artycle 4'''

*Point 1: Every ship-hand is to obey orders without question.

*Point 5: In times of war, allies must be aided unless to do so would prove pointless. Waste no duardin blood on unguz throlt.

'''Artycle 5 ''':

* Point 6: All boarding actions must be authorised by the captain (or the highest ranking officer).

'''Artycle 6: The Rules of The High Airs'''

*Point 2: On the high airs a vessel from any sky-port may seize airships deemed to be a piratecraft of taken by piracy and arrest the persons and confiscate all property on board. The Admirals Court of the sky-port which carried out the seizure may decide upon the penalties to be imposed. If the suspect vessel refused to adhere to the rule of law and surrender its cargo for inspection, the use of lethal force is acceptable in order to encourage compliance.

-Amendment 10, Footnote 13: An Arkanaut Captain or Admiral has the right to recover salvage from the wreckage of any vessel destroyed upon the aether-tides of the Garaktormun. This shall not be considered an act of piracy as defined by Artycle 6, and all material recovered shall be considered the property of the recovering crew.

'''Artycle 7: The Rights of Ownership'''

*Point 1: In order to make a valid claim upon minerals or salvage one must first ensure that the object of said claim is not currently under claim. Newly discovered aether-gold deposits must be marked with angazuben before they can be considered the property of any sky-port. Once a claim is staked, it is illegal to harvest at the site without the owner's permission.

*Point 4
Subsection B: In the case of shipwrecks, a ship, its cargo, or other property can be claimed. The recoverer of another's ship or cargo after peril or loss upon the high airs is entitled to a reward commensurate with the value of the property so saved.

*Point 5: Any untended barrel of ale or strong liquor may be considered salvage.

-Sub-Amendment 327B: In Order to prevent the integrity of the Code against further frivolous and mendacious alterations that undermine the grand tradition of this constitution, no further sub-amendment regarding Artycle 7 shall be brought before the Geldraad.

'''Artycle 8: The Tenets of Defense'''

*Point 12: Guild representatives must be received and accorded all honours due their rank. Their skills are at the fleet's disposal.

-Section 3: Each wind cycle a Musterpress shall be held upon the Brynruf. This shall consist of six days of physical competition and rigorous examinations, the nature of which shall be decided individually by each sky-port's Admirals Council. Upon the culmination of the Musterpress, Admirals and Captains of the fleets shall have seven days in which to offer contracts of service to the contestants.

-Sub-Amendment 3F: In times of crisis - as decreed by the Geldraad - representatives from the Grundstok Corporation shall have first option upon all candidates chosen by Musterpress, and shall be allowed to buy out the contract of any Arkanaut at seven twelfths of its set price.

'''Artycle 9, Point 7''': Use of excessive firepower is permissible as long as the end justifies the means.

-Amendment 3: If a duardin obtains a properly signed and approved grudge-clause, they are given the Rune of Mark and considered exempt from any other statues of the Code. Any plunder seized during an act of vengeance must be taken to the Admiralty’s Court so that galkhron can be performed.

-Amendment 11: The Kharadron Code cannot be altered.

'''Artycle 14''':

-Amendment 73: Declarations of Affection may be issued without prior approval of the Admirality Board when expressed within periods of not less than 1 (one) hour before commencement of business activities.

'''Artycle 45, Footnote 21, Amendment 8''' All sales are final<ref>https://www.warhammer-community.com/hammerhal-herald/#hammerhal-16</ref>.

'''Artycle 104'''

*Point 3, ‘Right of Greater Claim’: Any interception of souls (or "soul-''like'' substances", following the ruling of M. Thyrx v. [[Total War: WARHAMMER#Original Characters|Sarthorael]]) would be governed by the Passages of Plunder, Salvage, Flotsam and/or Jetsam.

-Sub-Amendment 1, ‘Ownership Rights of Deceased Property’: Souls (or "soul-''like'' substances") held in transit between the Realms of Death and Otherwise are not classified as ‘deceased’ until reception of goods.

-Footnote FB: (defines "reception of goods" discussed above)

'''Artycle 486, Section 3, Amendment 14, Sub-amendment 12a, Footnote 64, vis''': Kharadron Code Artycles invented by Warhammer Community writers in order to promote model releases by way of meta-textual reference humour.

'''Artycle 747''' ''Biannual Tempest's Eye Sky-Race Derby rules''<ref>https://www.warhammer-community.com/hammerhal-herald/#hammerhal-21</ref>.

Under Construction...

==Society==
[[File:Kharadron outofarmour.jpg|200px|thumb|right|War. War never changes.]]
[[File:Skyport life.jpg|400px|thumb|right|A typical street in the city of a skyport. [[How Imperial Life Is Worse Than You Can Imagine|Still not as grimdark as the one in the 40th millennium]]]]
Kharadron society is a <s>humanist</s> DWARFist plutocracy, where money is power, with a full-blown meritocracy as a system of social promotion. You go places by <s>being good</s> making [[Profit]]. Grudges are still a thing but they are only pursued if its actually beneficial and not detrimental to their society (which again is to avoid disgraces such as getting into wars with your former prime trade-partners for getting a shave and a misunderstanding, like in the War of the Beard). Grudges are added to the "Log of Grudges" and how they are filled depends on the port. Barak Nar's is almost untouched, as traditions such as this are against progress, but Barak Thryng's is heavily used.

Another characteristic of their society that was revealed over time is the their encouragement of technological development and scientific research, done in academia's at the sky-ports, a decision which has made the Kharadron arguably the most advanced race in the setting. If nothing else, it looks like Andrew Ryan's ideas are alive and well (if less harsh in execution) in the Age of Sigmar. However, unlike Rapture, where the denizens sought out a place to conduct their own individualist pursuits without any moral guidelines, the Kharadron's system of innovation and profit stemmed from their need to band together, adapt and survive during the Age of Chaos. Thus, their meritocratic system of operation combined with their pursuit of innovation and trade establishes a society where it is ensured that the most capable Dwarf is in charge of a job and equipped with the most up to date equipment, to make sure that their trade routes stay open and their sky ports stay airborne.

The Kharadron overlords live in skyports, massive air-fortresses teeming with countless vessels floating around and on an unending flow of cash. Hundreds of trade-routs go and pass by these holds of the sky. Floating metropolises held aloft by the power of aether-gold, the Kharadron sky-ports are the dominant power in the skies of the Mortal Realms. Merchants and adventurers flock from afar to visit these technological hubs, for within their bustling dock districts can be found all manner of exotic goods and illicit secrets.
When they first rose from the mountains of Chamon and took to the clouds, the sky-ports of the Kharadron Overlords were floating fortresses, fashioned for survival and armed for war. While they still maintain a formidable array of firepower – as any foe foolish enough to stray within range of their skycannon batteries will attest – they have become much more than mere defensive strongholds. They are amongst the greatest centres of trade in the Mortal Realms, each home to many thousands of duardin and visited by representatives from all of the civilised nations.

The exact size and layout of a sky-port can vary greatly, but the majority are constructed as a series of concentric squares, with the vital administrative and governmental districts placed at the centre. All are bordered by vast and bustling dockyards, which are constant hives of activity. Most sky-ports refuse to allow any non-Kharadron beyond the docklands, and so these quarters are filled to the brim with humans, aelves and other races, whose every desire is catered to by enterprising traders. Bathed in the candescent glow of whaleen-oil lamps, the labyrinthine streets echo to the chattering chorus of a thousand different languages. Endrintrams and steam-gondolas provide access along the canalways that run through the sky-port; these function as sewers and water-pipe routes, but also dispose of waste by spilling it out of hatches to rain down on the lands below.

Above, the skies are choked with airships – not solely military models, but civilian skiffs, bulk haulers and yachts. In the busiest sky-ports, traders can sometimes be forced to wait in lane for several days in order to secure a berth. Barak-Zilfin in particular is known for its heavily congested airlanes. According to the Code, each Sky-port controls all airspace around its domicile within the span of three cannon shots. Beyond that, the expanse of the skies is known as the ‘high airs’, and is regarded as neutral territory. The borders of each sky-port are guarded by floating fortresses armed with intimidating arrays of cannons and swivel-guns, informally known as ‘Zunfar towers’, after the Admiral who pioneered their use.

When returning Frigates and their escort vessels make port, troupes of dirty, battle-scarred Arkanauts unload their latest acquisitions before heading deeper into the city to make the most of their temporary leave. Gambling halls, smoke- shrouded darak-dens and garish bawdyhouses all provide much- needed opportunities for Arkanauts to blow off steam. With fresh aether- gold shares burning a hole in their pocket and often only a few days or weeks to make use of, they waste no time getting drunk on cheap ale and heading to the card tables. This release of pent-up energy sometimes gets a little rough, at which point it is down to the Copperhats – a slightly derogatory name for the longshore marshals – to maintain order. These no-nonsense naval police, usually made up of veteran Grundstok Marines injured in the line of duty or neophyte Arkanaut recruits, go about their task methodically with billy clubs and fists.

On the day of Brynruf – when the sun shines gold over Chamon – the different Arkanaut Academies of every sky-port hold a six-day competition. Only the highest achievers are allowed into the Arkanaut Academies, the training facilities where airfleet veterans conduct military drills and teach aeronautical skills. On Musterpress days, Captains arrive to observe the drills, and they may choose to recruit new crew members by purchasing contracts, often to fill the places that have become available through death or injury. Those selected to join the Arkanaut Companies will endure any number of rites and rituals sacred to their new fleet, ship or both. Those passed over after three Musterpresses must instead settle for lesser positions, often on mining or fishing vessels or as dockworkers or factory hands. However, due to the urgent mobilization following the events of the Necroquake, a new decree was amended into the Kharadron Code, giving the Grundstok Corps, the largest private military company across the sky ports, first pick of any new Musterpress recruits at half their original contract price.

Beyond the dock districts sprawl endless rows of warehouses, aether- factories and other industrial
zones. These sectors are home to the lesser-chartered guilds, and are populated by many thousands of labourers – those duardin who were passed over by the Musterpresses and thus denied a career in the sky-fleets. Despite the Kharadron’s undoubted technological mastery, their existence can be a difficult one. Packed together like tinned globfish in almshouses and workhalls, they toil daily for a relative pittance; although Kharadron society is proudly meritocratic, factory bosses have a vested interest in ensuring their downtrodden workers do not rise beyond their station.

While aether-gold can be processed without releasing polluting smoke, much of the Kharadron Overlords’ heavy industry utilises other, less refined chemicals and metals. Smog and acidic rain showers are common, despite the use of endrin- bellows and dispersal fans to clear the worst of the contamination. Some sky-ports suffer from this chemical blight more than others; Barak-Nar’s relentless industrial drive and Barak-Zon’s ever- expanding weapons industries have led to particularly heavy pollution, bringing with it diseases such as sky-miner’s consumption, ironscale and the dreaded glowlung. The Aether-Khemists Guild of Barak- Nar has dedicated an entire arm of its alchemical labs to uncovering cures for these epidemics using sub- dermal infusions of aether-gold, but thus far only the richest residents are able to afford such treatment. By contrast, Barak-Thryng’s refusal to utilise wasteful, non-traditional methods of generating power means that its skies are relatively clear.

The wealthiest individuals in the sky- port reside close to its thriving heart, in gated towers and floating manses held aloft by a steady flow of aether- gold. From here, the Lord-Magnates and master industrialists of the city quite literally look down upon those less fortunate. Lord-Magnate Kreg Folsson of Barak-Urbaz has constructed an obscenely luxurious endrinvilla right above the refinery in which he once worked as a beardling, so that every day he can see just how far he has come.

At the centre of a sky-port lies its nexus of government, typically located amidst a wondrous plaza district portraying the city’s proudest military and economic achievements. These grand old structures include the Hall of Endeavour in Barak- Zilfin, the Sunrise Citadel of Barak- Nar, Barak-Mhornar’s mysterious Shadowmark Repository and the Kazakluft of Barak-Thryng. Here the Admirals Council gathers, and the dual businesses of profit and war are debated. No more than a handful of outsiders have ever been granted access to these closely-guarded quarters, but they speak of vast
and imposing chambers echoing to the bellicose sounds of Kharadron politics, and populated by minor armies of runescribes and dignitaries.

Kharadron Overlords are a fairly loose confederacy but ultimately they all, up to a degree, pay heed to their 'ruling body: the Geldraad. The Geldraad doubles as a board of directors parliaments, with a grand total of nineteen seats adjudicated by port on a wealth basis. It is where the code's amendments and footnotes are added.

===Notable Skyports===
* '''Barak Nar''': The City of the First Dawn. The mightiest of the skyports, having 6 delegates on the Geldraad (originally 7, but they got hit hard by the Necroquake and lost one). Barak Nar is called many things, among them the city of progress. It's citizens are many scholars and scientists and they are very obsessed with innovation and knowledge. They aren't fond of wizards, mainly because they view science as the answer to everything and they view progress through technology better ([[Chaos_Dwarfs|surely not magic envy, since Dwarfs lack the ability to use magic, which can transcend the material world where technology is bound by it]]). Its commanders are famous for being considerate tacticians when needed and brash opportunists when it's the best occasion for it, the prime example of this duality being Brok Grungsson, the most successful <s>man</s> duardin of the city and its Lord Magnate.
* '''Barak Zilfin''': The Windswept City. The second most powerful of the sky-ports at 5 delegates (they gained the seat of the Barak Narr delegate lost to the necroquake). It's fleets are the farthest reaching and they are amongst the finest navigators.
* '''Barak Zon''': The City of the Sun. Oldest of the skyports. It's famous for being the most militaristic of the skyports and its military might have helped greatly in the earning of 3 delegates in Geldraad (though they lost one).
* '''Barak Urbaz''': The Market City. The shrewdest merchants, infamous for ruleslawyering, bargaining with them is more dangerous than fighting killer beasts. Found in the Chamon region of Ayadah, they are mostly fighting against the Loonking [[Skragrott]] and the millions of grots that infest the lands below. At their peak they had 2 delegates, but lost 1, although they are far more politically powerful than this implies and the majority of amendments to the Code come from their proposals. Home to a population of Gholemkind, which judging from the name, are probably some sort of Age of Sigmar take on Warforged.
* '''Barak Mhornar''': The City of Shadow. The people of Barak Mhornar are very schewy in their interpretation of the Code, and are known to be scoundrels with very shady tactics and strategies. They started with 1 delegate on the Geldraad, but greatly increased their wealth and are the first of the Six to have left Chamon for a different realm and gained two more seats to bring the number to 3.
* '''Barak Thryng''': The City of the Ancestors. Originally from Karak Thain, these duardin were pushed out of their hold by the Hosts Duplicitous, and were only able to escape to the falling fortress thanks to the timely (and unintentional) efforts of a [[Gloomspite Gitz|slumbering Troggherd]] that was roused to anger thanks to the jabbering daemons of Tzeentch. Since joining the Kharadron, they have become staunch conservatives who are extremely anal about keeping with old duardin traditions and remembering their grudges, maybe even the closest thing you'll see to a religious Kharadron Barak. Basically old school dwarfs IN THE SKY! The weakest of The Six in terms of capital (the lowest port above them having more than triple their earnings), with just 1 Geldraad delegate and most likely because the other Baraks don't want to get a mark on their Log of Grudges, considering they just try to veto new amendments and footnotes.
* '''Barak Zhoff''': A Skyport that has gone missing. Possibly crashed, [[Chaos Dwarfs|possibly turned to Chaos.]] Nobody knows.
* '''Barak Khazzar''': An ill-fated Skyport that made the mistake of going on an expedition to a long-lost Karak, only for the [[Gloomspite Gitz]] that squatted in it to hijack their airships and use them to conquer their city. Now known as "Da Moon City" by its new inhabitants.

==Army Roster==

[[File:KharadronvsKhorne.jpg|400px|thumb|right|Typical 9 to 5 day on a Kharadron expedition.]]

===Heroes===
*'''Arkanaut Admiral''': The commander of a Kharadron fleet. They are directly chosen by the ruling council of a Skyport as the best choice for whatever mission the Skyfleet is tasked with.
*'''Endrinmaster''': Elite engineers. Get access to a whole bunch of gadgets, like strength-enhancing harnesses, the "God's Eye" eye-laser, and dirigible suits to hang out with the Endrinriggers. Average fleet tends to have two, one garrisoned on the fleet's flagship and the other in a dirigible suit to freely travel between the other ships.
*'''Aether-Khemist''': In charge of locating and refining the Aether-Gold. Wield a tool called an Atmospheric Anatomizer, a multi-purpose tool capable of not just sucking up veins of Aether-Gold, but creating vacuums to suffocate enemies, firing noxious chemicals, and augmenting aether-powered weaponry.
*'''Aetheric Navigator''': The navigators of the fleets, who can control wind to increase the speed of ships and decrease the speed of enemy fliers, and also unbind spells through the power of science.
*'''CodeWright''': Quite literally the Rules Lawyers of Kharadron society. With the sprawling and convoluted mess of a legal doctrine that is the Kharadron Code, it often becomes necessary to have an expert to accompany a fleet on its expeditions. Carrying their own personal library of tomes, provisos, amendments and contracts, these pedantic windbags advise an admiral on what actions are legally allowed on a voyage...or in more dubious scenarios, what precedents and loopholes allow for a more "creative" interpretation of the Code.

===Units===
*'''Arkanaut Company''': Your standard ship's crew, armed with pistol and cutlass.
*'''Skywardens''': Arkanaut [[Assault Marines]], but with balloons instead of jetpacks.
*'''Endrinriggers''': Lesser engineers that use balloons to fly around a ship in order to repair it in the middle of flight. Of course, their rivet guns and chainsaws are equally good at killing as well as repairing.
*'''Grundstok Thunderers''': Elite mercenaries from the Grundstok Company. The Kharadron's marines in contrast to the Arkanaut sailors. Wield all sorts of exotic guns, and also have robot attack birds because why not.

===Airships===
*'''Arkanaut Frigate''': The most common ship in the sky-fleets. Most commonly a warship, but its versatile design also allows it to act in cargo transport or small-scale aether-gold mining operations.
*'''Arkanaut Ironclad''': The largest ship commonly seen in battle. Typically the Admiral's flagship.
*'''Grundstok Gunhauler''': Small, two-man escort boats piloted by mercenaries from the Grundcorp. Hired to protect the sky-fleets, and they take this job seriously enough to even act as dwarfen shields. Essentially Dawi Land Speeders.

==Notable Characters==
* '''Brokk Grungsson''': Lord Magnate of Barak Nar. Simply put Brokk is THE <s>MAN</s> DUARDIN. Born to a failed arkanaut candidate who worked on the docks, Brokk grew up hearing the stories of the sky-fleet's heroes and swore that he'd be one of them (both for him and his father). Since those days he's been driving himself to new heights and adventures with the motto (part of the code actually), "To the victor the spoils." He's not the most powerful Duardin of Barak Nar, as the Lord Magnate is actually beneath the council of ruling admirals but he's quite young by his race's standards and he's closing the gap.
* '''Admiral Nerlriksson''': Badass commander from Barak Zon who delivered massive amounts of asswhooping and instated their tradition of being military badasses.
* '''Grand Admiral Horgrumm Brand''': Legendary Barak Nar commander who played a massive part in the survival of the Kharadron during their early days in the Age of Chaos. Led the combined fleet made up of the major sky ports against the flying hordes of Tzeentch in the Battle of the First Coalition. The outnumbered fleet decided to finally make a stand in the Straits of Helsilver in the Realm of Metal, and divided their flotilla into smaller detachments to outmaneuver and whittle down the numerically superior foe piecemeal. Brand goes the way of Lord Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar, masterminding a crucial victory that ensures the future survival of the Kharadron, but at the cost of his own life. His tactics and legacy, however, live on and helped form the basis of Kharadron naval strategy that is still practiced today.
*'''Brokrin Ullissonn''': A down on his luck Captain of the Ironclad ''Iron Dragon''. Surprisingly pragmatic by Kharadron and Dwarven standards, Brokrin's adventures show the often precarious situation that many ship captains in Kharadron society find themselves in when they start falling behind the profit margin they're expected to maintain. Unable to pay back his investors, he risks losing command of his ship and crew, some of whom may end up on skid row with little chance of being recruited onto another ship. Thus, he has to balance risk and reward all while seeking out evermore perilous jobs in the hopes of making enough profit to ensure their future.
* '''Jakkob Bugmansson XI''': Brewmaster-General and self proclaimed descendant of [[Josef Bugman]] (who has become something of a mythical figure in the Mortal Realms). Many of his rivals doubt this claim, but it hasn't stopped him from being widely regarded as the best Brewmaster of the Kharadron Overlords.
*'''Dagnai Holdenstock''': Also called the “Trade-Commodore”, this enterprising Kharadron is known through many skyports for his liberal interpretations of the Code and tendency to chart voyages to hostile filled death traps. While dangerous, his ventures have proved quite lucrative so most other ports (especially Barak-Mhornar) are willing to put some investment into his business. His most recent venture into the cursed city of [[Warhammer Quest: Cursed City|Ulfenkarn]] however, no duardin wants a part of.
*'''Gromthi''': A mysterious white beard duardin that helped repel [[Be'lakor]].
*'''Drekki Flynt''': A renegade Kharadron pirate who likes to think of himself as a Robin Hood-esque character.

==Soulbound==
In [[Age of Sigmar Roleplay]], Kharadron become Soulbound for pretty much the usual reasons that they do anything: pragmatism and profit. Often the least religious of the Soulbound (unless they came from Barak-Thryng), they still regard the rite of Binding as a lifelong unbreakable contract that promises great rewards with commiserate risks... which is just the way that Kharadron like it. Considering that becoming a Soulbound grants a greatly extended lifespan, many opportunities for profit and glory, and the exceedingly useful esoteric bonus of becoming immune to the terrible paranoia that aether-gold can cause when exposed to the skin... well, you can see their point, right? That said, Kharadron hold neither prejudice against nor inherent respect for their Soulbound; they might ask if the Rite of Binding was worth it, but in general, a Kharadron Soulbound has to earn respect through their deeds, just like any normal Kharadron. Indeed, it may be deemed that Soulbound Kharadron should be held to even higher standards than normal for their opportunity and risk is greater than others.

The ''Champions of Order'' introduces the following Great Ports for your character to hail from:
*'''Barak-Nar:''' Because of course, they are the largest port. They were the first to welcome Soul-Binding, as they saw potential profits in allying with the other forces of order and some just join to escape the crushing bureaucracy of Kharadron society. Heroes from Barak-Nar are more skilled at conversing with large crowds and subordinates (Doubling the number of die rolled for Guile or Intimidate checks) as well as adding the Stirring Voice talent to all archetypes.
*'''Barak-Zilfin:''' As the most daring adventurers, they easily welcome the lures given to being Soulbound. This allows them to journey to territories that reach the edges of Sigmar's territory. Heroes from Barak-Zilfin can always add an aether-endrin (essentially a jetpack) to their rigs and gives makes it faster. They also add an additional d6 to any Awareness and Survival checks when exploring a new area.
*'''Barak-Zon:''' Being highly militant, most members of this port only join the Soul-bind if their goals would align with their ambitions. Often, these ambitions involve prestige, revenge, or just being able to wage war without worrying about any code holding them back. Some even join because it frees them from the complicated webs that profit-making requires. Heroes from Barak-Zon improve their melee and accuracy scores when fighting an elite enemy.
*'''Barak-Urbaz:''' While being natural-born marketers, they are also known for being conniving extortionists. It's not unheard of to hear of duardin from this port haggling and rewriting parts of the Code to better benefit them or to shaft some profit from an unsuspecting client. Often, they either join the Soulbound to improve their reputation or to gather knowledge without having to deal with the conniving and backstabbing of their old lives. Heroes from Barak-Urbaz are able to run businesses to get higher profits, while being able to run other enterprises (such as shopping or endrineering) at lower costs.
*'''Barak-Mhornar:''' This port is often seen as a seedy den of villainy, run by criminals and brigands. Indeed, the fact that they have left the realm of metal for parts unknown does not help them, nor does their predilection for underhanded tactics like illusions and psychological warfare. Many join the Soulbound mostly so they can further the port's agenda or to gather unique relics for safe keeping. Heroes from Barak-Mhornar gain additional die on their first attack in the first round equal to their training in the Guile skill (and double it if it's a surprise attack). They also add the Criminal talent to all archetypes.
*'''Barak-Thryng:''' The most staunch traditionalists reside in this port. They will boldly refuse any innovations or amendments to the Code on principle and gripe about how the good-old days were better (read: they're boomers). The chief reason members of this point join the Soul-binding is to right some grudge. Heroes from this port all own a chronicle of grudges (or rather, maybe a Book?) that they write down the names of all those who have wronged them in some way. They gain a boost in melee and accuracy when fighting these grudge-foes, but suffer a penalty for any social checks against these foes.

In the corebook, Kharadron have access to three Archetypes; '''Aether-Khemist''' (implied to be the most common of the Kharadron Soulbound, because, seriously, that immunity to aether-gold madness comes in super-fucking-handy in their line of work), '''Endrinmaster''' and '''Skyrigger'''. The ''Champions of Order'' supplement includes the '''Aetheric Navigator''' as a new archetype while the '''Trouble Brewing''' module introduced the '''Brewmaster'''.

==Recommended Music When Playing Kharadron==
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRU1AJsXN1g Ride of the Valkyries]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywaT65aXoq8 High Above the Land]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmo0bMoony8 Flying Battery Zone]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeFKs0xalf4 Sky Battalion]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zL7i2_P_iLE Storm Owl]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibV_D0nX2FU Attack of the Airships]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZrh6eooyrg Airship Pirates]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a00utzBU5Y&t=0s Sky Pirates - Fighting Evil is Cool!]
*[https://youtu.be/nDgEaq9qAyc Red Wings of Baron]
*[https://youtu.be/lTLCEcPP8Bk Aether Shanties], especially if you're going for a grimier theme for your flying dwarfs
Honestly, just about ''any'' airship style theme would fit the Kharadron perfectly.

==See Also==
*[[Age of Sigmar/Tactics/Edition 1.1/Kharadron Overlords|Tactics/Kharadron Overlords]]

{{Template:Playable Factions in Warhammer: Age of Sigmar}}

[[Category:Age of Sigmar]]
[[Category:Dwarfs]]

Josef Bugman

2023-05-16T22:24:23Z

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{{awesome}}

[[File:Bugman.png|thumb|400px|Bugman's label, win enabled.]]
{{Topquote|Beer, if drunk in moderation, softens the temper, cheers the spirit and promotes health.|Thomas Jefferson}}
Josef Bugman. One of the oldest characters who existed in a [[Games Workshop]] property, surpassed only by the [[Grombrindal|White Dwarf]] himself. Created in the age before there was a [[Warhammer 40,000]] or any modern character. He exists within the [[Warhammer Fantasy]] universe.

A long time ago, in a decade far far away (the late 1970's) the Warhammer Fantasy setting was first being put to paper. Among the first characters ever produced, Bugman was sculpted and released along with his forces, Bugman's Dwarf Rangers, in 1983 by [[Alan and Michael Perry]] themselves. Proving to be extremely popular, the character carried into second edition where the Warhammer World was first given a description. From that point on, Bugman was a centerpiece of the Warhammer Fantasy setting. His ale, Bugman's XXXXXX, was featured at various times in Warhammer fluff and in real life [https://warhammerworld.games-workshop.com/whats-the-warhammer-world-experience/bugmans-bar/ a bar] takes on his name.

==The Legend==
The long and short of it is that Josef Bugman is the former Master Brewmaster of the now-destroyed Dragonback Dwarf Clan, who owned themselves a very profitable brewery in the Grey Mountains, outside of the auspices of any existing dwarfhold. One day, whilst Josef was off delivering ale to the Emperor, his brewery was attacked by a Goblin raiding band, who killed or enslaved all of his family, friends, workers and neighbors and destroyed the brewery. Driven mad with the need for vengeance (though normally, a dwarf would choose to become a slayer), Josef and the fellow survivors of the Bugman Brewer village have since roamed the land as vengeful raiders, killing goblins and other dwarf-foes wherever they meet and occasionally joining dwarf armies on the march.

The destruction of Bugman's Brewery was the centerpiece of the early [[White Dwarf]] campaign called "[[Bugman's Lament]]", which placed the blame for the assault on the [[Night Goblins]] Big Boss [[Git Guzzler]], who was shamefully abandoned into the mists of history by GW until Git unexpectedly made an appearance in the Total War: Warhammer 2 DLC “The Warden and the Paunch” facing off against [[Grom the Paunch]].

===In the End Times===
Alongside [[Gotrek & Felix|Gotrek Gurnisson]], Josef Bugman stands as [[Grombrindal]]'s shield-bearer at the final battle for the world.

===Age of Sigmar===
While not shown up in person, there are rumours in the lore that he is still alive and he may have remade his brewery; The ''[[Kharadron Overlords]] Battletome'' reveals that Bugman's Ale is still a thing, although whether Bugman himself is alive in some capacity is up in the air.

He supposedly has a descendant named Brewmaster General Jakkob Bugmansson XI, a famed Kharadron whose mini acted as GW's 2020 holiday exclusive. He would later appear as a central NPC for the [[Age of Sigmar Roleplay]] module ''Trouble Brewing'', where he visits the city of [[Cities of Sigmar|Brightspear]] to lead a New Year's pub crawl and share a keg of his famous Bugman's XXXXXX ale - a brew worth so much that one of several interested parties might plan on stealing for their own nefarious purposes. The Module expands a little on him, confirming that the recipe for his ale does indeed hail from the World-That-Was and that he sells it to several Kharadron skyports and a few free cities in order for a hefty sum.

===[[Blood Bowl]]===
Bugman has a model and rules in the Blood Bowl universe, and is also in the fluff meaning he's a multiversal constant.

Owner of many teams and pitches, with his company serving as the main alcohol vendor and advertiser at ALL Blood Bowl games, he's synonymous with the game. Sometimes he decides to take over as coach, and sometimes even takes the field to play. His teams are the Dwarf, Halfling, Norse, Human, Amazon and Ogre teams, and he can take the field as a Star Player for any of them.

==On The Tabletop==

===6e===
Josef Bugman is a Hero choice who costs 155 points and who must be fielded as part of a unit of Longbeard Rangers, who represent his Bugman's Rangers - this unit doesn't use up slots for Longbeards or Rangers, but does count towards Core Troop choices. He has M3 WS6 BS5 S4 T5 W2 I4 A3 Ld10 for his stats and carries a rune-axe (Rune of Cleaving, Rune of Fury), a crossbow, gromril armor, a shield, and the Bugman's Tankard (Bugman and any unit containing him are Immune to Fear and Terror, if not in close combat Bugman or one model in his unit may regain one lost wound). He has the Scout special rule

===8e===
Josef Bugman is a Hero choice who costs 165 points and has M3 WS6 BS5 S5 T5 W2 I4 A4 Ld10 for his stats. He has the universal special rules Ancestral Grudge, Relentless, Resolute and Scouts, and the following unique special Rules.

Bugman's Rangers allows a single unit of Rangers in the army to be upgraded to Bugman's Rangers at the cost of +3 points per model. This gives them WS5, BS4 and S4, but it means Josef Bugman ''must'' be deployed as part of that unit and cannot leave it.

Liquid Fortification means Bugman and a unit he is attached to will guzzle some of his stockpiled brews at the start of each friendly turn. Roll a 2D6; on a 2, they're Flammable; on a 3-9, they are Stubborn, and on a 10-12, they get +1 Toughness.

Stout Courage means Bugman is Immune to Fear/Terror and he gives this ability to any unit he joins.

He carries the runic axe Ol' Trustworthy (magic weapon, armor piercing, +1 to Strength and Attacks - already included in his profile), Bugman's Tankard (Enchanted item; Bugman or one model in a unit bugman has joined can drink at the start of a friendly turn to regain D3 lost Wounds), gromril armor, a dwarf crossbow, and a shield.

==In Total Warhammer==
Bugman himself personally does not make a appearance inside Creative Assembly's virtual adaptation, but his Bugman's Rangers are available as a surprisingly-not-unique unit that you can get as many as you want in any Dwarf armies. Better Rangers in a lot of ways with better melee stats, charge defence against large, immunity to psychology, and Liquid Fortification being represented as health regeneration while out of melee combat, Bugman's Rangers will be able to outlast most ranged units (especially if they skirmish and retreat while the enemy is reloading to better ensure the unit's individual dwarfs get healed up and don't die) and has a decent ability to hold against cavalry attacks if needed.

Bugman's Brewery can also be rebuilt in Karak Zorn, granting -25% construction cost and -1 time for Ranger Barracks and Hostelry buildings in all regions, +4 recruit rank and -30% recruitment cost for Ranger units built in the province, -5% upkeep cost for all of your Ranger Units, +10 public order to the province, and logically 100 kegs of the Dwarf beer trade resource. The description outright says that's Josef Bugman's still satifying his grudge though - rebuilding it has not settled things.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Bugman Model.jpg|The original Josef Bugman model. As he was pre-slotta, this has been rebased.
Image:Bugman's Dwarf Rangers.jpg|The original Warhammer Dwarfs.
Image:Bugman's Rangers.jpg|Original artwork of Bugman's Rangers.
Image:Bugman2.jpg
Image:Bugman3.jpg
Image:Blood Bowl Bugman.jpg|The [[Forgeworld]] Bugman set for Blood Bowl. One version as your team coach, the other as a Star Player.
</gallery>

[[Category:Warhammer Fantasy]] [[Category:Dwarfs]] [[Category:Blood Bowl]]

Gotrek & Felix

2023-05-16T22:21:02Z

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The characters and name of a classic series from GW's [[Black Library]], the series is on the top tier of the library's publications alongside [[Tanith First (And Only)|Gaunt's Ghosts]] by [[Dan Abnett]].

== The Dwarf and Associates ==
[[File:GotrekandFelix.png|300px|thumb|right|Gotrek & Felix ([[Mark Gibbons|MG]])]]
'''Gotrek, son of Gurni''': The most <s>manly</s> dwarfy Dwarf ever, he's butchered his way through so many legions of monsters, horrors and demigods it just makes your balls shrivel in honest to gods jealousy (and more than a little fear). The Slayer is armed with a mighty rune axe that was probably forged and used by the Dwarf ancestor god of war and vengeance in the first big throw-down with Chaos. The axe is also mutating him into some sort of super-Dwarf.

The result is a Dwarfen demigod of violence and vengeance, a mythical ass-kicker of truly earth-shattering proportions. He wants to die in battle, but is just too good at winning. Also, the axe won't let him and his religion's rule state suicide and taking a dive don't count. Before taking the Slayer Oath, Gotrek was just an engineer with a wife, Helga, and a daughter, Gurna. Then, his best friend Snorri convinced him to sign on for a crazily ambitious plan to travel to the Chaos Wastes and recover treasure from a lost Dwarfhold. The expedition went wrong and Gotrek got lost. During his trek home, he discovered the axe on the corpse of a Dwarf lord. When he finally made it home, goblins had burned down his village and murdered his family. And then some dick of a dwarf thane (possibly his own, since Snorri confirms Gotrek is a "kinslayer") provoked him until he snapped and killed the prick.

Gotrek finally meets his Doom in the novel ''Slayer'', in combat with none less than [[Grimnir]] himself. Grimnir then resurrects Gotrek, cedes his position as the Dwarfen God of Vengeance, and presumably retires. His last moments show him rejoicing in the prospect of eternal war, and sends Felix back to the "real" world before going to slaughter an infinite army of daemons.

More recently, he found himself spat back out into the [[Age of Sigmar|Mortal Realms]]. While the Slayers have ceased to exist as he knows them, Gotrek has a sense that he was called to the Mortal Realms for a reason and believes that if he can reunite with Felix he will be able to return to his doom. The stories of the [[Stormcast Eternals]] he has heard have led him to wonder if his old friend might be among their number, and he plans to find out for himself. Along the way he has an ur-gold master rune of the [[Fyreslayers]] embedded in his body that boosts his strength to truly demigod-tier levels in the heat of combat, but also seems to be trying to overwrite his mind with that of Grimnir...

Gotrek eventually realized that, in his own words, the Stormcast aren't even worthy of polishing Felix's armor, let alone counting him among their ranks, and even if Felix became a Stormcast he wouldn't remember Gotrek so it would be pointless to try and find him (and if you really buy the idea that Felix isn't coming back sooner or later, I can give you a great price on this one bridge in Brooklyn...). Gotrek has developed a grudge against all the gods, especially Grimnir, whom he regards as a cheat and a liar for depriving him of a true doom - thus making him a less anti-theistic Dorf Kratos. His current quest is to find Grimnir's axe again, and use it to kill [[Thanquol]] and Nagash, and intends to sort out the rest of the gods if he survives.

As of Soulslayer he has admitted that he no longer cares about finding a worthy doom, having realized that a worthy life is what matters and he should honour his ancestors by dedicating himself to fixing the world's problems. Namely, by killing every single greenskin, necromancer and Chaos-worshipper in the Mortal Realms, while "teaching the Duardin how to be Dawi" as he puts it. As the legendary BRIAN BLESSED remarked in an interview when recording ''Realmslayer'', to Gotrek Life is the last word, no longer Death.

In the latest audio drama, Realmslayer, [[Awesome|he is voiced by the legendary BRIAN BLESSED]].

'''Felix Jaeger, Esq.''': The Robin to Gotrek's Batman, the Samwise to his Frodo (or the other way around, since Samwise does all the heavy lifting while Frodo frequently fucks up and needs saving). Felix is, despite appearances and his occasional obnoxiousness, the real hero and narrator of the series. To Gotrek, Felix is his pet human/toy/best friend/memoirist/biographer who is travelling with the dwarf to record his death in an epic poem. Felix is pretty much permanently terrified of dying randomly while Gotrek throws down with godlike evil, and his constant whining about the same is one of his least endearing characteristics, at least during the early books. He also typically acquires a wench-of-the-week in the early books. His [[Sanguinius|long golden hair]] must have a magic appeal ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gLN3QoN-q8 it does nearly get him raped by mountain men in the first book "In the mountains I'm from, anything like that looks good"]).

At some point, after realizing he's made about 1% as many corpses as Gotrek, Felix finally wises up to the fact that he, too, is not only a formidable combatant but probably not entirely human. The point is driven home in one of the later books when he returns home to Altdorf and meets his older brother Otto, who is about 70, while Felix still looks 20. Whatever enchantment affects him, he also comes to crave violence and danger, if to a lesser extent than Gotrek. In the final books, after Felix has married one of the aforementioned wenches and had a daughter, he finds himself despondent at domestic life and utterly uninspired by taking over the family business or restarting his once-promising poetry career. Thankfully, Gotrek shows up and sucks him back into the fight and indeed into the [[End Times]], where both he and Gotrek play pivotal roles. It turns out that the Axe of Grimnir's super-Dwarfifying aura is affecting Felix (and Felix's own enchanted sword, Karaghul), too, nudged along by an enchantment placed on Felix by a witch who wanted to make sure Gotrek fulfilled the axe's destiny, as well as Felix's own, which turned out to be preventing Bel'akor's ascension to become the fifth Chaos God.

'''Dr. Maximillian Schreiber''': A badass Gold (later retconned to Light) Wizard and scientist who accompanies Gotrek, Felix, and bunch of other Dwarfs on a giant air battleship to investigate the fate of the lost hold Karak Dum, in the Chaos Wastes. Originally a slightly disgraced wizard, having been expelled from the Imperial College for his insistence that Chaos must be understood if it is to be defeated, Max was hired to magically ward the airship. On the subsequent adventures, Max proves himself a valuable asset in combat against all sorts of nasties, a steadfast companion and good friend. Initially involved in a love triangle with Felix and the Kislevite noblewoman Ulrika (who [[Ulrika the Vampire|later became a vampire]], for reasons too idiotic to go into), which was a source of pointless tension between them and prevented them from becoming real friends, even though holy shit! they're the only two Empire dudes for hundreds of miles. Disappeared from the series when Gotrek and Felix got teleported to [[Albion]]. Showed up again much later, and was the guardian of the most butt-fuck retarded witch girl in the entire Old World; this caused yet another quarrel between Felix over a girl, but this time it was because the loopy bint came on to Felix and Max thought Felix was being a lech. Reappears in Kinslayer as a prisoner of [[Throgg]]. His capture prompts the gang to reunite in order to rescue him. By Slayer he's returned to his old badass self as he has grown to encompass multiple schools. He dies after being blasted off an airship, after fighting [[Be'lakor]] one-on-one and banishing him from the material plane. It's even implied by Be'lakor that Max might have utterly destroyed him if Max hadn't been also protecting Felix, which is badass as fuck.

'''Lady Ulrika Magdova''': A tomboyish (even having short hair) Kilsevite noblewoman. Very lusty because, despite resisting Felix's advances throughout his stay at her father's manse, she throws herself at him the night before he leaves by showing up in his bed nude. She becomes Felix's girlfriend for awhile, though tensions emerge due to their respective duties. Ulrika eventually grows close to Max after he saves her from a Nurglite plague and a lot of unrequited attention, ending her relationship with Felix. Before Ulrika and Max can consummate their relationship she gets kidnapped by the vampire Adolphus Krieger (a rare [[Lahmian]] male), first as a human shield but then Krieger takes a liking to her and turns her into a vampire. She leaves with Krieger's vampiric sire to work with the Lahmian vampires. The events are covered in two novels [[Skub|that the fanbase is divided on]]. Reunites with Felix twice later to help him record Gotrek's doom and live to tell about it. Though their relationship is completely finished Ulrika occasionally teases Felix about it. Then she succumbs to her vampiric bloodlust and Felix is forced to kill her in self-defense.

'''Snorri Nosebiter''': Gotrek's best Dwarf friend and fellow Slayer. Complete idiot without two brain cells to rub together, he's still a badass and can almost keep up with Gotrek. He and Gotrek go way, way back, when they were the sole survivors of an expedition to the Chaos Wastes. A massive sweetheart for a Dwarf, he's good friends with Felix as well. Disappears from the series around the middle, he returns much older and even more befuddled, to the point where he can't remember the shame that drove him to become a Slayer, which is a massive dishonor in and of itself. This is exactly as pathetic and sad as it sounds. Still kicks ass, though, and finally manages to find his doom with his memory restored, and go on to whatever awaits. It turns out his shame is his blaming himself, justifiably, for Gotrek's taking up the Slayer Oath. He was the one who convinced Gotrek to go on the disastrous expedition, which is bad enough. But on the way back, he got drunk and got into a fight with some rangers, preventing them from stopping a goblin raid, which is heavily implied to be the same one that killed Gotrek's home town. And then it turns out Gotrek's daughter was killed by goblins, but '''he''' killed Gotrek's wife on arriving at the burnt out village, since he was drunk and it was smokey, so he mistook her for a goblin that had remained behind to loot, she was on fire and would have died anyway. Gotrek finally kills him, reluctantly, after Snorri recovers his memory and confesses to Gotrek, thereby technically fulfilling the sad old Dwarf's Slayer oath. This shit here is real tragedy, you stone-hearted monsters. His ghost makes a cameo in Realmslayer, apparently the realm of Shyish is also home to people who died from the World-that-was. He mentions seeing Max and Ulrika once long ago, but not Malakai Makaisson.

'''Malakai, son of Makai''': Insane genius Dwarf Slayer engineer, who designed the above air battleship and countless other super-badass but ultimately overambitious war machines. Speaks with an awesome Scottish funetik aksent that makes him one of the funniest (and funnest) characters in the whole series. Only side-character to make the jump to the fantasy game besides Thanquol; one of his war-machines was part of the Slayer Army of Karak Kadrin in [[Storm of Chaos]]. He comes back in Slayer, still alive and having invented the Dwarven version of the Vindicare assassins. He has also rebuilt his airship and was planning on using it to drop bombs on Chaos, before being convinced to seek out the Temple of Grimnir. His fate at the end of the series is unknown. Though he is not shown to have died unlike everyone else, a character mentions that Malakai died; [[FAIL|so the story killed him off in a footnote]]. It is hinted at during Realmslayer that he might have survived.

'''[[Teclis]] of the White Tower''': Showed up in one book to help Gotrek and Felix kill possibly the greatest threat (though not the greatest physical challenge) they ever faced, the sorcerer twins below and a brainwashed giant (of the ancient 600-foot Sky-Titan variety, not the current 60-foot inbred variety). Earned something within shouting distance of Gotrek's grudging respect by kicking almost as much ass, which speaks volumes considering how much he hates elves. Also spends most of the book with an Amazon girlfriend/bodyguard.

'''Grey Seer [[Thanquol]]''': The primary recurring villain, a [[Skaven]] wizard whose incredible power is matched only by his incredible arrogance and exceeded only by his incompetence. Seriously. In one of his spin-off novels, a [[Slann]] deliberately makes sure Thanquol survives to get back to the Under-Empire because he is such a [[Transformers|Starscream]] that he will certainly cause unparalleled disaster for the Skaven whilst he lives. Yeah, that's right, this guy is so good at screwing things over for his own damn team that a member of a race dedicated to the destruction of his race considers him more useful alive than dead. Is the only member of the novels to repeatedly get playable rules in [[Warhammer Fantasy]] throughout multiple editions. Loses a hand in ''Elfslayer'', but uses warpstone paste to grow a new one. Ended up playing a major role in The End Times when the Horned Rat appointed him as his new Seerlord. Survived into Age of Sigmar, and when Gotrek arrives in the Mortal Realms in ''Realmslayer'', the dwarf and rat immediately resume their old animosity (following a hilarious panic attack on the rat's part).

'''Assorted Slayers''': Thoughout the series, starting in the book Dragonslayer, Gotrek and Felix are joined by several slayers. The most notable two are mentioned below, the others include a former cowardly Dwarf who's a loudmouth, a slayer with a hate-boner for the dragon, a Dwarf who's hairless due to Skaven weapons and a lecherous Dwarf (he's so horny he bangs a half-elf chick despite Dwarves usually hating elves) who gets more nooky than even Felix though he's in fewer books.

'''Various monsters/villains of the week''': Axe fodder.

'''Tens of thousands of trash mobs''': Wet toilet paper.

'''Maleneth Witchblade''': Gotrek's new travelling companion for his Mortal Realms adventures. A former [[Daughters of Khaine|Witch Aelf]], she joined the Order of Azyr for protection after killing her own mistress (whose soul is now contained in a vial of blood around her neck). She was sent on a mission to steal the Master Rune from a Fyreslayer lodge, and after Gotrek lodged it in his body to prevent it from falling into the hands of a Chaos arny she sees it as her duty to follow him around and hopefully either badger him into visiting the Order so the rune can be studied or take it from his body once he dies in battle. She is very much aware that both of these are rather unlikely knowing Gotrek's history.

Gotrek obviously dislikes her for being a filthy dark elf, and she dislikes him for making her mission such a hassle, though their shared struggles have given them a mutual respect (to say nothing of Gotrek's admitted need for someone to teach him about how the Mortal Realms work). Despite this shared respect, Maleneth is exceptionally opportunistic, seizing every chance she sees to tear the master rune from Gotrek’s chest, even if it means she’d have to fight a God-Beast on her own.

In case you haven't noticed from her name, opportunistic nature and her constant arguing with a malevolent voice only she can hear, she's basically a gender swapped [[Malus Darkblade]], albeit more neutral than evil and without the beloved cool steed or the owner of the malevolent voice having any control over her body.

Maleneth died after helping Gotrek to escape an Idoneth city in the Realm of Metal. At this point she had already betrayed the Order of Azyr and came around seeing Gotrek as a symbol of hope - not to her, but to other duardin at least. Maleneth went out heroically, and the last we saw of her was at the moment of her immediate death, so there is a chance she would return as a Stormcast.

'''Jordainn''': A naive young prince and heir to the throne of the african-esque nation of Edassa, who Gotrek befriends in [[Aqshy]]. Was originally accompanying part of his kingdom's army to reinforce Hammerhal, when his contingent was ambushed and massacred by Tzeentchian warriors, leaving him the sole survivor. Later revealed to have been deliberately betrayed by his cousin Osayande, who had secretly fallen to Tzeentch and planned to later infiltrate Hammerhal with remnants of their army. Gotrek rescues him and takes him under his wing for part of the journey to the realms, mainly finding Jordain's naïveté endearing and reminding him of his early adventures with Felix. After Jordainn dies in battle, wrapped in a red cloak similar to that of Felix, Gotrek has a moment of despair and starts wearing his lion-engraved pauldron as a memento.

He eventually gets resurrected as the Stormcast Prosecutor Jordaeus Lionheart for the Anvils of the Heldenhanmer. He reunites with Gotrek, only for Gotrek to hate him because he broke his oath to defend his fortress, which got overrun by Skaven while he was absent. This results in him being riddled with guilt, yet still following Gotrek out of a belief that Sigmar intended him to guide Gotrek to his destiny. Also he hears the voice of Grimnir whenever he tries praying to Sigmar.

'''Trachos''': Lord-Ordinator of the Celestial Vindicators left broken and traumatized after several perils in [[Shyish]]. He is the last survivor of his chamber and feels that the only way to restore his honor is to return to [[Azyr]] with some form of treasure. Wouldn’t you know it, he soon came upon Gotrek and decided that fancy rune in his chest would do the trick. Initially distrustful of him and the assassin Maleneth, he intended to follow their quest to find Gotrek’s axe and let them die to take the rune for himself. As time passed though, his mind soon began to heal and he became more and more like his old self. By the end of his adventure, he was a quiet but friendly warrior with the occasional snide remark. When fighting he tends to loudly sing in a fractured off-key tone. Not even Gotrek could fix that.

Trachos grew to fear the possibility of his death, not so much the dying as the being reborn again and losing more of his humanity. Nevertheless, he sacrificed his life in an effort to save Maleneth from being capture by Gloomspite grots and in death he returned to Azyr to be reforged. Though he failed to keep Maleneth from being taken, his sacrifice inspired Gotrek to shake off his latest bout of despondency and inspire him to make a difference in the Mortal Realms.

== Feats of the Dwarf ==

Gotrek's feats are legend. Read this and wet yourself in terror/awe/appreciation:

* Killed some orcs and daemons and mutants and werewolves and goblins and some more daemons and mutants and lots more orcs. (''Trollslayer'' and every other book too)
* Cleansed the sacred tombs of Karak Eight Peaks of a warpstone-mutated [[troll]], returning countless Dwarf spirits to their rest. In the process, Felix acquired the sword Karaghul and the name of Dwarf Friend. (''Trollslayer'')
* Stopped the Skaven from conquering Nuln, by killing them. (''Skavenslayer'')
* Killed a million skaven, and some rat ogres too, and some of the rat ogres were called [[Thanquol|Boneripper]]. (Various)
* Killed a Bloodthirster of Khorne aided by Felix Jaeger who threw an ancient magical dwarven hammer belonging to the dwarf king of Karag Dum at the bloodthirster weakening it giving Gotrek the chance to slay it with his even more formidable rune axe formerly wielded and crafted by the dwarf slayer god Grimnir. (''Daemonslayer'')
* [[Leman Russ|Outdrank a bunch of Kislevites]] in a vodka drinking contest.
* Killed a million orcs. (Every book)
* [[Wat|Drank two beers at once]]. (''Skavenslayer and also Deamonslayer'')
* Slew the ancient chaos dragon Skjalandir (ok, that was mostly Malakai's rockets and a Dwarf gyrocoptor's kamikaze attack, then Felix struck the deathblow) and then immediately dove into a battle between greenskins and human bandits after the dragon's hoard. Gotrek slew the Orc warlord while an airship bombing run shredded his army. (''Dragonslayer'')
* Killed a chaos lord of Tzeentch in hand to hand combat and stopped his beastmen armies from conquering Praag. (''Beastslayer'')
* Slaying a vampire lord in the seat of his power while that vampire lord was supercharged by one of Nagash's artifacts. (''Vampireslayer'')
* Killed a mind-controlled Sky-Titan including cutting out its eye and rappelling down with its optic nerve. (''Giantslayer'')
* Helped Teclis stop a pair of mad Tzeentch wizard twins from blowing up the world by killing one. (''Giantslayer'')
* Making [[Teclis]] walk carefully around him. (''Giantslayer'' again; yes one of the most powerful spell casters in the world is wary of him and his axe)
* Became the tyrant of an ogre tribe by defeating the former tyrant in unarmed combat. (''Short Story - Ogreslayer'')
* Killed a million billion orcs. (''Orcslayer'')
* Killed his best friend Hamnir. (He knows what he did - ''Hamnirslayer'')
* Killed a giant psychic alien insect. (The fuck is this, 40k?) (''Orcslayer'')
* Killed a daemon made of cannons and blood, possessed by the souls of dead chaos sorcerers. (''Manslayer'')
* Drank enough to almost die of alcohol poisoning. (A feat no dwarf has ever come close to before.)
* Killed a Sea Monster and the Dark Elf knight riding it despite being in the water with them. (''Elfslayer'')
* Nearly killed a Greater Daemon of Slaanesh, [[Awesome|it ran away because it was scared]]. (''Elfslayer'')
* Sank a Dark Elf Black-Ark and tanked an explosion from destroying a world ending artifact. (''Elfslayer again'')
* Stops a beastman shaman from turning every human in the Empire into beastmen. (''Shamanslayer'')
* Killed two of every animal. (''Arkslayer'')
* Killed some zombies. (''Zombieslayer'')
* Killed so many things he ran out of things to slay and GeeDubs literally had to stop using '------slayer' in his book titles for a while.
* Killed a ton of Khornate warriors culminating in a Lord of Khorne that was one skull away from opening a new Chaos Rift. Also cockblocked the [[Ungrim_Ironfist|King of the Slayers]] to do it. (''Road of Skulls'')
* Teamed up with some Tomb Kings to destroy a vampire empire in the Southlands. (''The Serpent Queen'')
* Fought Deathmaster Snikch on a temple rooftop in the rain. (''Mentioned in the The Serpent Queen'')
* Killed [[Mordheim]], City of the Damned. More or less. (''City of the Damned'')
* Constantly giving a middle finger to the chaos gods and spoiling every plan they try to put in motion.
* Causing Grey Seer Thanquol countless losses and headaches, to the point where Thanquol considers Gotrek his greatest nemesis, even though Gotrek and Felix never learned Thanquol was behind all the Skaven plots they fucked up. (That's a retcon by the way.)
* Probably killed like half of all the orcs that have ever been killed by dwarves. At least.
* Defeats Throgg, the Troll King, officially making Gotrek the greatest Trollslayer ever (''Kinslayer'') '''Confirmed''' Throgg was in the battle for Middenheim at the end of Lord of the End Times and crushes [[Sigvald]]'s head with his club, clearly very much alive. Then again, Throgg's regeneration is overpowered even by troll standards so it is possible Gotrek killed him but he just [[Wat|walked it off]] after a while.
* Killed the same Bloodthirster of Khorne from ''Daemonslayer'' in single combat. Again. (''Slayer'')
* Prevented Be'lakor's ascension to the fifth God of Chaos by hitting him with that same Bloodthirster. (''Slayer again'')
* Ascends to Godhood. (''Slayer was pretty awesome'')
* Holds the line against an infinite army of daemons, forever. (''Go buy Slayer - it's the least you can do'')
* Kills Felix by sending him back to suffocate under a temple of rubble. (''Slayer again, you missed a lot if you didn't read it'') Probably -1 to his tally.
* Comes to the [[Warhammer:_Age_of_Sigmar|Mortal Realms]] to fix that last one (''Realmslayer'') (But gave up, so still -1 so far. Although word is Felix is not in the [[Warhammer:_Age_of_Sigmar#Shyish_.28Death.29|Realm of the Dead...]])
* Fights his way out of the Realm of Chaos, bites off the nose of a Fyreslayer Runeson who got up in his face, effortlessly wields a legendary Fyreslayer Greataxe that kills most duardin who even touch it, intimidates a Godbeast into running away, slaughters his way across Aqshy and Shyish killing Chaos worshipers, mad Sylvaneth, undead, skaven, saves the city of Hammerhal Aqsha from being destroyed from within by a Tzeentch cult, and has a Fyreslayer Master Rune implanted into his chest, signifying him as a living avatar of Grimnir in the eyes of the Fyreslayers. Also gets drunk and headlocks a Stormcast Eternal. Gotrek is ''back'', baby. (''Realmslayer'')
* Consumes enough beer-concealed poisons to kill a [[Gargant]] with no worse effects than throwing up. (''Short Story - One, Untended'')
* Chops a skaven plague priest in half, incinerates it with his breath, then ''eats its fucking soul''. (''Short Story - One, Untended'')
* Talked a [[Nighthaunt]] back to sanity, causing it to voluntarily relinquish its undeath and pass on. (''Short Story - One, Untended'')
* Got ambushed by a bunch of rogue Kharadron Overlords and then proceeded to escape by crashing their ship, roasting them by saying Malakai was a better pilot. (''Short Story - The Bone Desert'')
* Picks up and uses an Anvil of Power as a projectile weapon, something Maleneth claims no mortal can lift. Before he gets the Master Rune. (''Realmslayer'')
* Kills six drakes one at a time. And who knows how many more non-winged ones, according to Maleneth. And tanks their landslide breath without a scratch which could have leveled a fortress. (''The Neverspike'')
* Kills a hundred foot tall ghoul. (''Ghoulslayer'')
* Finds the only portal to the World That Was, and destroys it after finally accepting that he belongs in the Mortal Realms now.(''<strike>Portalslayer</strike>Reamslayer: Blood of the Old World'')
* Killed (or at least defeated) a [[Godbeast]] (''Realmslayer: Blood of the Old World'')
* Killed a big chunk of [[Skragrott|Skragrott's Asylum]]. With fire. (''Gitslayer'')
* Cures a Auric Runefather's insanity by kicking his ass. (''Souslayer'')
* Destroys an exceptionally powerful Eidolon of Mathlann. (''Soulslayer'')

== Being Felix Jaeger is suffering ==

As much as Gotrek kicking ass is a constant, so is Felix Jaeger getting shit heaped on his life. Here's a list of what happens to him.

* Mother died when he was nine.
* Had a terrible relationship with his wealthy merchant father.
* Expelled from university for accidentally killing another student in a duel.
* Became a wanted criminal for starting the Window Tax Riots.
* Becomes Gotrek's rememberer and accidentally dooms himself to being a murderhobo for the rest of his life. (All of this happened before the series even started.)
* Gets beaten and nearly raped by hillbillies. (''Trollslayer'')
* Has his first love killed by a goblin. (''Trollslayer'')
* Gets cucked out of his next love interest by her childhood sweetheart. (''Skavenslayer'')
* Said ex-love interest stole all his money after the breakup. (''Skavenslayer'')
* Being stuck in a love triangle with his third love interest and a friend of his from the Empire. (''Beastslayer'')
* Forced to watch yet another love interest leave him, this time because she got turned into a vampire. (''Vampireslayer'')
* Is briefly mind-controlled, along with Gotrek, into a fight to the death they barely escape from with their lives. (''Orcslayer'')
* Becomes estranged from his brother and puts his family at risk. (''Manslayer'')
* Gets his father murdered by Skaven. Vows revenge, but is never able to get it due to never encountering him again in the series. (''Elfslayer'')
* Left with a massive case of survivor's guilt over the deaths of many innocent slaves after Gotrek sinks a Dark Elf Black Ark. (''Elfslayer'')
* Gets disowned by his brother. (''Shamanslayer'')
* His fourth love interest almost dies from starvation and a curse from Heinrich Kemmler. (''Zombieslayer'')
* After marrying his fourth love interest and settling down with her, she suffers from constant illness for the rest of her life due to the curse. (''Kinslayer'')
* Forced to kill his former lover Ulrika. (''Kinslayer'')
* Has his friendship with Gotrek nearly broken beyond repair after Gotrek kills Snorri. (''Kinslayer'')
* Realizes he's a pawn of fate and all the suffering he's been through in life was to ensure that he stayed Gotrek's companion. (''Slayer'')
* Never gets to see his brother, nephew, wife and daughter before the End Times and can only presume they probably died at the fall of Altdorf. (''Slayer'')
* Ends up suffocating to death in a Dwarf ruin. (''Slayer'')
* A whole list of miscellaneous extremely painful injuries he suffered over his adventures that are too minor to list here.

== The Doom of the Dwarf and the End of All Things ==
With [[The End Times]] upon us and the world's destruction, Gotrek has finally met his doom. Although the last book heavily teases [[Be'lakor]] as his killer, the actual doom is at the hands of Grimnir, the God of the Slayers who has been waging a ceaseless war against the forces of Chaos for time untold. Grimnir tells Gotrek that ever since Gotrek found his axe, he has been reshaped into Grimnir's heir, then proceeds to effortlessly kill the Slayer.

He then laughs at Felix's attempts to attack him, resurrects Gotrek, and proceeds to endow him with the axe of Thorgrim Grudgebearer, and instructs Gotrek to head off and prevent Be'lakor from ascending to Godhood inside the Realms of Chaos. Gotrek fights first the Bloodthirster he beseted in Daemonslayer, and then once Felix draws the aggro of every daemon present faces off against Be'lakor, beating him back and cutting off the daemon's arm.

The series ends with Gotrek inheriting the mightiest doom of all - Grimnir's. He is charged to forever hold back an endless tide of daemons to prevent them from overwhelming all of creation. This news seems to put Gotrek at peace for the first time ever, and he sends Felix back to the real world so that someone can write down and remember his story.

Then the world ends and presumably everyone else dies. However, bear in mind:

# Every Elf in the world is now dead.
# Every Grudge in the Book of Grudges is counted as fulfilled.(yeah but the dwarfs are fucking destroyed so yes!!! <strike>but not really</strike> Whatever, for a dwarf death is a small price to pay for settling a grudge)
# Gotrek gets to fight everything forever.

== The Dwarf in the Age of Sigmar ==
[[File:BLLiveReveals-Jun1-GotrekMini1coiy.jpg|400px|thumb|right|"Now I think I know why I came back! The Realmgate Wars are done, so I hear, and half your so-called gods were ready to put their feet up! But they have neglected to remember one important thing! GOTREK'S ALIIIIVE!" -Gotrek Gurnisson's new model based on his appearance since the audio drama Realmslayer, where he is voiced by [[Awesome|BRIAN BLESSED!]]]]{{Topquote|Tell your master that Gotrek Gurnisson hasn't forgotten his oaths! I'm coming for [[Nagash|them]] [[Chaos_Gods|all]]! And I want my axe back!|Gotrek Gurnisson, Realmslayer}}

[https://www.warhammer-community.com/2018/02/14/the-slayer-returns/ Looks like we might have been a bit premature there.] Gotrek's back in the realm of the living, getting used to the [[Age of Sigmar|Mortal Realms]] and ready to find his old friend Felix. He has no idea how he got spat out of the Realm of Chaos or why he was unable to meet his long awaited doom (although he is very cross with Grimnir, who he feels has betrayed him by not letting him meet said doom), but it seems Grimnir might have had even greater things in store for the dwarf. Ever since he absorbed a powerful rune from the Fyreslayers and unintentionally became an avatar of Grimnir in their eyes, there's also been lot of folks affiliated with Order who have an interest in keeping him alive. Much to his annoyance, of course.

Gotrek has since then been on various quests and has been working hard to keep up his reputation as the most lucky/unlucky Slayer alive as nothing has been able to kill him so far.
Something that seems to give no end of frustration to Maleneth Witchblade the Daughters of Khain Shadowblade, as she can´t return without the masterune and can´t seem to persuade Gotrek to return with her to Azyrheim and her employers are getting impatient.

One thing that certainly doesn´t help Gotrek's chances of a worthy doom is that he is now able to go super saiyan/become a living incarnation of Grimnir with a beard of fire and everything, all thanks to the rune in his chest and the fact that Grimnir is speaking to him through it, neither of which Gotrek seems to like very much. Another new quirk possibly connected to his new found “godly avatar” status is his apparent ability to heal the memories of Stormcast Eternals just be being near him. Both main Stormcast who have traveled with him (Jordaeus and Trachos) have been able to remember parts of their old lives and even restore fractured psyche in the case of the latter.

His latest character development is that Gotrek has come to accept that his world is gone and have accepted this new world and the mantle of fyreslayer, though he seems determined to continue his quest to find axes and hope to one day come across Felix once more. He has a rather touching moment at the end of the Realmslayer: Blood of the Old World audiobook, where he can hear Felix under the rubble through the Old World portal right before he destroys it, reciting the last pages of his adventures and wishing to see his wife and daughter one last time. With a heavy heart, Gotrek says goodbye to his beloved friend and rememberer, hoping they may meet each other again someday.

Naturally, [[Thanquol]] was [[Rage|less than happy]] to learn his arch-enemy had survived the End Times.

== The Dwarf in Print ==
Written first by [[William King]] (before it taken off him by BL for some random reason) and then given to a bunch of other writers to continue, the series at first followed the ingenious idea of naming the book after whatever is going to feel Gotrek's axe thumping into their heads. So you ended up with titles such as Trollslayer, Skavenslayer, Dragonslayer etc. Recently though they have dropped this brilliant approach to whack any old title on the cover. This can only confirm the fact BL and GW is stretching out the series as far as they can, as they have literally used up all the possible names to slay things with that they can. In practice this is because the ones that are part of the main story follow this pattern, the side stories don't. The last entry before AoS, appropriately enough, is just called Slayer. This has, in fact, returned in the current books, with the main one called Ghoulslayer...and the introductory series? Called Realmslayer.

== The Dwarf on the Tabletop ==
As mentioned in passing above, Gotrek and Felix ''were'' playable special characters, once upon a time. But that was way back in the mists of time, 6th edition specifically, before William King stopped writing, and so they haven't gotten rules since; officially, they're so insanely awesome that they can't figure out how to make them balanced characters. Sadly, [[The End Times]] came and went with no sign of the duo on the tabletop.

For those chasing them up, here's their last set of rules, from Dogs of War back in 6e: http://www.bugmansbrewery.com/tutorials/article/82-gotrek-and-felix/ (Original source: http://web.archive.org/web/20041118233110/http://uk.games-workshop.com/warhammerworld/warhammer/regiments_of_renown/gotfel.htm)

Good news everybody! Gotrek is back for Age of Sigmar. Felix is currently indisposed as discussed earlier, but Gotrek is back with a fancy new model in all his badass slayer glory, much to the annoyance of many Skaven players. Not mountable without some overlap on a square base unless its 40x40mm (best Unit Filler ever though) or you cut him off his badass base, which is forgivable if you stick him on something more impressive than some rubble and dead Skaven (so Be'lakor's severed head doesn't count).

Gotrek is the biggest murder machine in AoS now, bar none. Greater demons, gods of death, even archaon, all have no chance. His axe, Zhangrom-Thaz, is a 6-attack 3+/3+/-2/3 monstrosity, but the real frosting on the cake (or in this case, the beard on the dwarf) is that he gets to reroll all to-hit and to-wound rolls, which is damn insane. But's that's not all! Each time he rolls a 6 to hit, he deals ''D6 MORTAL WOUNDS''. with six attacks, that's an average of once every time he fights. Just to top it all off, if anyone's still alive at the end of the combat phase, Gotrek can fight ''again.'' he's also a tough bastard: The ''Avatar of Grimnir'' ability not only reduces the damage value of any multi-damage attack to one, but if a spell or ability would outright slay him, it just deals one mortal wound. Throw on that he ignores wounds and mortal wounds on 3+, he can eat up a frankly disgusting amount of punishment.
Perhaps the only way to kill him (or at least slow him down enough) is through massive tarpits that have access to mortal wound saves, and all the better if you can resurrect those models. In short, a massive blob of Spirit Hosts with all the resurrection abilities you can afford.
All in All, Gotrek is back in style and ready to cut a bloody path across the mortal realms.

== [[Total War: Warhammer]] ==

[[File:Gotrek headpile03 rainbow-1024x576.jpg|400px|thumb|right|I'll '''''RUIN''''''em alright, WITH MY AXE!!!]]

Confirmed to appear in Total War: Warhammer II on October 17th (though [[White Dwarf]] readers can get a code with the September issue just the same way it was with Grombindal) on campaign they are available for The Empire, Dwarfs and Bretonnia as a mercenary Legendary Lord (Gotrek) and Hero (Felix) - and yes, [[Awesome|BRIAN BLESSED has reprised the role of Gotrek for the game]]. Their use is time limited (but long enough to do a big job) and they will disappear when Gotrek's deathseeker instinct triggers. Though they will reappear to the player after some time later even better. Amusingly, the AI can recruit Gotrek and Felix as well. So if you're playing as a villainous faction, you'll get multiple chances to cut the two of them down with ratling guns, black orks, or whatever doomstack your armies are running around with.

In Total War: Warhammer III - Immortal Empires, the Gotrek and Felix recruitment dilemma becomes accessible to Kislev and Cathay. While the Kislev visit is lore friendly, Cathay is a bit far away from their usual stomping grounds. Maybe Black Library will release a story about the two of them getting shipwrecked in China when GW releases Warhammer: The Old World.

In multiplayer battle, both Gotrek and Felix are heroes instead of lords. Felix is the more useful of the two since he comes with some pretty beefy support auras as opposed to Gotrek who is an expensive footslogging beatstick who goes down quickly due to his non-existent slayer defenses.

[[Category:Warhammer Fantasy]][[Category:Black Library]][[Category:Dwarfs]] [[Category:Regiments of Renown]]

Forgesworn Eternals

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'''''Hanzbur Anvilhelm, Lord-Celestant of the first warrior chamber of the Forgesworn Eternals, looks upon his army, and shouts "FROM THE FORGE WE ARE BORN..." and they reply "...TO THE FORGE WE ARE SWORN!"'''''

Forgesworn Eternals are a faction of [[Dwarfs (Warhammer Fantasy)|<Strike>Dorf</strike> Duardin]] [[Stormcast Eternals|Sigmarines]] created by an Anon who goes by the name Bitsaddiction on his blog[http://bitsaddiction.blogspot.com/] and a tripcode with the name Swenson on [[/tg/]]. He shared his step-by-step process of making Ground Marines less comprised of suck and fail in early [[Age of Sigmar]] General threads.

They were based on a faction of humans called Forgesworn indebted to Dwarfs in ancient times from a homebrew setting Bitsaddiction and his brother created.

==The Legend==
[[Grungni]] was commissioned by [[Sigmar]] to reforge the many heroes all over the Realms. They were to become the Stormcast Eternals, Sigmar's greatest weapon against [[Chaos]]. Grungni asked for one Stormhost he could reforge himself for his own. Grungni knew of the plight of the Duardin and worked on creating what would become their greatest ally in their battle against Chaos. The heroes of the Realms for this project couldn't be just anyone. Outlying some of the Duardin holds were human settlements of hardy individuals who shared a close relationship with their Duardin neighbors. They were tough and grim folk with the same respect for keeping promises and paying debts. One individual among them was a brave warrior named Hanzbur who fought alongside many duardin defenders against chaos incursions. Grungni took note of this one because he saw the Duardin as equals to his own kind, and not inferior.

Hanzbur was taken up into Azyr during a particularly brutal campaign. Grungni saw to his reforging personally, crafting for him his finest weapons and armour. This new Hanzbur Anvilhelm would need a suitable mount. Since the Dracoths were given to Sigmar, Grungni had to find another animal companion for his Lord-celestant. Among the silver mountains on Chamon are a breed of tough ursine creatures, with light grey fur and ferocious demeanor. These creatures were part of legend for the humans and Duardin of the area, and known to be untameable. Grungni could think of no better mount, and first cast Hanzbur to a remote secluded area of the mountain range to find and tame one. This was no easy task and took several months. With Hanzbur reforged, the dire bear could sense a commanding respect within him. Hanzbur then forged the bear's harness and armour himself. He called his companion Storbjorn, after the language of his past life.

With this union complete, the rest of the Anvilhelms were cast to Chamon. The Forgesworn Eternals had been brought finally in full. As the Liberators, Retributors, and the rest of the host looked up from their landing, they beheld the inspiring sight of Hanzbur atop his bellowing Storbjorn. They would soon join with Sigmar's other Stormhosts on the realm, and the liberation of Chamon would begin.

==On The Tabletop==
The Forgesworn Eternals bring tough melee and heavy-hitting options while Dwarfs/Duardin bring artillery and ranged support options.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Hanzbur Anvilhelm 1.jpg|Hanzbur Anvilhelm.
Image:Forgesworn Eternal 1.jpg|A Forgesworn Eternal.
Image:Games Workshop Stormhammer.jpg|A Forgesworn Eternal [[WIP]].
Image:Retributors singles.jpg|Retributors.
Image:Liberators all.jpg|Liberators.

</gallery>

[[Category:Age of Sigmar]][[Category:Dwarfs]][[Category:Stormcast Eternals]]

Dwarfs (Warhammer Fantasy)

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[[File:WH Dwarfs Old Art.JPG|thumb|right|500px|A short, sturdy creature fond of drink and revenge.]]
{{topquote|Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.|Confucius}}
{{topquote|The anvil is hard so that it can help shape the blade. If life were easy, we would all be soft and misshapen shards of metal, tossed into a bin.|J.M. Bush}}
{{topquote|Far, far below the deepest delvings of the dwarves, the world is gnawed by nameless things.|J.R.R. Tolkien}}
{{topquote|Revere the ancestors, obey your king, bear your arms with pride, fear no foe, hate the green skins, mistrust the Elf, and you can do no wrong.|Old Dwarf Saying}}
{{topquote|That’s going in the book.|Every Dwarf player ever}}

The '''Dwarfs''' (never "Dwarves", always "Dwarfs", on the same note "Dwarfen" rather than "Dwarven") of [[Warhammer Fantasy]], also know as [[Tomb Kings|''annu-horesh'']], are the typical bearded mining alcoholic grumbling race you'd expect them to be (although in all fairness, Warhammer was the third ever setting to use that archetype after [[Tolkien]] heavily re-invented it and [[Dungeons & Dragons]] was the first to <strike>steal</strike> appropriate it). But Warhammer Dwarfs have a more elaborate culture than the preceding Dwarfs which were based on real life history and a generic template respectively.

Dwarfs are the Roman Empire of the setting in the sense that they were the original masters of the [[Old World]] AKA Warhammer Europe. Having a major Hold in every mountain, the Dwarfs easily repelled any invading race and traded with every friendly one. The language of humanity as well as the scientific progress of the setting all come from the Dwarfs (this is a large chunk of the reason why Fantasy players <strike>sperg out</strike> get angry about words such as "codex" and "materium" when used in reference to Fantasy; there was no Latin, only Khazalid), and although they didn't have anything to do with the first banishing of [[Chaos]] they are responsible for the strength of the forces of Order repelling Chaos for most of the rest of the setting.

Unlike many fantasy settings, Dwarfs in Warhammer are based on blunt spoken Yorkshire men (rather than blunt spoken Scottish men). This is in contrast to the High Elves having a touch of Southern England about them.
==History==
[[File:Dorfz.PNG|thumb|center|600px|NEVAH FUCKIN FORGET IT!]]
NOTE: Many events are listed under different dates depending on your source and edition, which can just be resolved by figuring each Hold kept history separately. Feel free to loudly grumble into your ale about it.

===Prehistory (Golden Age before Chaos)===
In the beginning of the Warhammer World (named "Mallus" in Age of Sigmar for its solid core, because "The Warhammer World" is a cumbersome and rather uncreative name for a planet) a race of beings from another place and/or time called the [[Old Ones]] descended on a primitive world (which as of the [[End Times]] was revealed to already have [[Isha]], [[Asuryan]], [[Kurnous]], and [[Ereth Khial]] among unknown other Elf gods on it thanks to them surviving the end of the preceding universe). The Old Ones discovered there were primitive races on the verge of sapience, and began experimenting on them to create a race capable of defeating Chaos. To achieve this end they created the [[Lizardmen]] as assistants and built the [[Warp Gates]] to draw magic and use as tools (accidentally drawing the very attention of Chaos they were trying to avoid). They first made the races civilized and planted the seeds of their culture, placed them in an environment perfectly formed to aid their development, and put them in proximity to fight Chaos.

First uplifted were the [[High Elves (Warhammer Fantasy)|Elves]], gifted in magic and longevity. But the Elves were too frail, too corruptible. Chaos could tug at their emotions and draw them into conflict with themselves, lure them to its side with promises of power and pride, and were loyal to themselves before their race and their race before anything else.

So the Old Ones took the Dwarfs and uplifted them, tweaking the formula to still have long life but making the Dwarfs entirely unable to be corrupted by Chaos ([[Chaos Dwarfs|in theory because it didn't work in practice]]) by making their bodies resist magic and giving them personalities that Chaos could not twist. While Elves are arrogant and act on emotion, Dwarfs are prideful but act on duty before all else. Inherent loyalty to each other prevents them from being manipulated into infighting easily, but the Dwarfs have a cultural emphasis on Oaths and pursuit of gold which allows them to deal with other races fairly. Refusal to allow insult and sleight lie unavenged make them more than willing to fight any threat, although Dwarfs lack the desire for war and bloodlust that lay deep in the hearts the Elves. Dwarfs were able to improve on the superior techniques of creating objects with their obsessive nature and a race-wide perfect photographic memory. Sadly, the Old Ones rejected the Dwarfs due to their easily predictable nature and the inability to use magic being a disadvantage more than a strength. So the Old Ones moved on, creating the human race next then the Halflings, Giants, and finally Ogres with miscellaneous races inbetween.

Dwarfs remember their history differently however. They claim to have been born from the stone of the first mountains, a story that doesn't involve Elves or Lizardmen or any other race. They believe the first Dwarfs to be their gods, the Ancestor Gods. [[Valaya]] was the first queen, who invented almost all aspects of Dwarf culture. Her husbands were [[Grungni]] and [[Grimnir]], with Grungni taking the language his wife created and inventing the ability to forge them into objects using specific rituals to trap magic inside without the corruption or destruction inherent to magic. Grimnir on the other hand became a war god, destroying the enemies of the Dwarfs. In reality, these three were only the leaders of the first Dwarfs that were given gifts by the Old Ones, guided by the hands of the mysterious beings (its not clear if seen or unseen, although since the [[Slann]] directly taught magic to the Elves its possibly the first three royals were guided by the Old Ones themselves). The three did indeed become gods, possibly through the Old Ones or possibly through other means.
Dwarfs claim that Valaya invented all aspects of Dwarf culture from Grudge-keeping to brewing to the language of the Dwarfs (called "Khazalid"), while the lore that isn't told through the Dwarf perspective claims these were the gifts of the Old Ones meaning that Valaya likely just spread the knowledge and as a goddess was the patron rather than was the inventor. What is true is that Valaya was the one who established the primary Dwarf Holds (called "Karaks" or [[Dwarf Fortress|Fortress]]) including Karaz-a-Karak which became her holy city and the capital of the Dwarf race, although she left her sons in charge of each Karak and Dwarfs consider said sons as the first ruler of each.
[[File:Classic Dwarfs.png|thumb|right|400px|Early Warhammer Dwarfs (meta, not fluff).]]
By Dwarf reckoning the first stone gave birth to the three, then the three created the others from it; thus making the three the "parents" of all Dwarfs. But Valaya gave birth to children of both of her husbands, and the lineage of many Dwarfs can be traced directly to them which lends them legitimacy and credence in society, which is why the same lore can have a Dwarf say they are all sons of Valaya while their king is considered a direct son of Valaya.

Grungni one day made a prophesy that a great disaster would befall the Dwarfs. He and Valaya created a special rune, her own rune, that protected from magic and Chaos while Grimnir prepared for a great war by slaying the monsters already in the world including "Urmskaladrak" AKA the father of all Dragons (according to the Elves, this dragon was a benevolent being killed by one of their own gods who's body formed [[Ulthuan]] meaning which story is true is unknown).

===Chaos (Orphans)===
When the Warp Gates collapsed into portals to the [[Warp]] and the Old Ones vanished, Valaya made a home in Karaz-a-Karak and blessed the first two great pillars within. Both Dwarfs and Elves in Warhammer mark this time as the start of recorded history, with the exact Dwarf calendar beginning in -5500 according to the calendar of the humans of the setting (so the Dwarf 4493 is the human year 0).

One hundred and two years later Grungni created the Throne Of Power which is the property of the High King of the Dwarfs, giving it to his son Snorri Whitebeard. Grimnir met the Elf [[Aenarion]] during his travels as an explorer and the two races began diplomacy as the only other civilized people they had encountered (Dwarfs had met the humans of [[Nehekhara]], but the relations were not exactly friendly and the not-Egyptians were fairly primitive compared to the Dwarfs at the time).

One year after that, Grimnir marched into the Chaos Wastes to defeat the [[Daemon|Daemons]] and [[Warriors of Chaos|human Chaos-worshipers]] and wound up alone in a fortress inside the Warp after closing the Chaos Gate that allowed Daemons to walk straight into the material plane, where he fought the united forces of Chaos for the rest of time. Valaya hid in a forgotten Vault called Valaya's Gate where she could pool her magic and create a magical device to brings Dwarfs back to a golden age if they ever faltered. Grungni's fate is unknown, although he didn't die.

During this time, several Dwarfs got separated and found themselves in an inhospitable wasteland. What happened next is shrouded in mystery, but began when their children started dying of sickness. When they were eventually engulfed by the corrupting influence of Chaos, they turned from the Ancestor Gods to the daemon Hashut and became the [[Chaos Dwarfs]]. The rest of the Dwarfs promptly unpersoned them, declaring them eternal enemies of all Dwarfs who revere the Ancestor Gods, and any relatives they had among the main population committed mass suicide out of shame.

===Snorri Whitebeard===
In the absence of the mother and fathers Snorri became the supreme leader of his siblings, the Dwarf kings. After the sacrifice of Aenarion and the construction of the Vortex by the Elves, Chaos had subsided a great deal and the races began to explore the world again. In the year 404, Aenarion's son [[Malekith]] contacted Snorri and spent time with their race, learning a great deal about them and sending messages about the amiable race he had discovered back to the homeland. The two destroyed the last remaining armies from the first invasion of Chaos and settled the world, Elves creating colonies and Dwarfs new Karaks and even the odd above-ground settlements. Trade between the two created a new golden age vastly different than what came before, with Dwarfs refining their magical runes with the aid of the Elf masters of magic while the Elves learned the secrets of engineering.

Sometime between year 500 and 600 the Dwarfs of a Hold called Zorn Uzkul swore itself to the Chaos entity [[Hashut]] and became [[Chaos Dwarfs]] (Dwarfs cannot be corrupted against their will, but the Old Ones hadn't predicted willingly falling to what has little to offer), called "Uzkul-Dhrazh-Zharr" or just "Dawi Zharr". Chaos Dwarfs became Wizards by forcing magic into their bodies via runes, but thanks to the magic-resisting nature of the Dwarfs the Chaos Dwarf Wizards slowly turn to stone.
Knowledge of how it happened and who exactly Hashut is are lost even to the Chaos Dwarfs themselves, with all that is known for sure being that they felt abandoned by the trinity gods after Chaos isolated them from the rest of the race. Hashut may be an ancestor god, but he could also merely be a Daemon using the Chaos Dwarfs to increase his own power. Either way the knowledge of the Chaos Dwarfs is ignored by most of the rest of the Dwarfs as they are generally unwilling to admit to anything that diminishes them.

In 1684 the second Phoenix King Bel Shanaar visited Karaz-a-Karak, swearing an Oath of eternal friendship with the elderly Snorri. At some point Elf artisans worked on the ceiling of the great hall of Karaz-a-Karak, which had since grown to house nine hundred and ninety two pillars added to Valaya's first two with each belonging to a Dwarf clan upon which each year their history is chronicled. The Elves covered the roof of the Hold in sapphires that glimmer and glow, showing the constellations in the sky above the mountain.

===Gotrek Starbreaker===
Snorri passed the position of High King to his son Gotrek, as well as the Throne Of Power.

In 1654, not long after Malekith began the great civil war between the Elves, letting his mother [[Morathi]] twist him and the more wicked of the Elves to become [[Dark Elves]], Malekith killed Bel Shanaar. Dwarfs heard little of the war and barely understood it as knowledge of the Chaos Dwarfs was either commonplace or covered up and those who were aware chalked it up to Chaos rather than inherent wickedness or anyone having any natural reason for kinslayin and Oathbreaking. The war went on for many years under Phoenix King Caledor I, with the Dwarfs being understanding of the weakened and financially strained Elves and producing more weapons and armor for them.

Elves and Dwarfs have contrasting personalities and some had managed to earn enmity between them even if the races as a whole were still beloved allies and friends. Elves are arrogant and sarcastic, Dwarfs are boisterous and rude, and this harmed the politics of the two when the races spent time in constant contact. [[The Grudge Of Drong]] was an incident in 2493 when a highly traditionalist and highly racist Dwarf clan called Kazad Drong began a war with a far more open (and wealthy) Dwarf clan in Krag Bryn as well as their Elf allies. At the end of a very bitter war both Holds turned against the Elves who had marched to war in defense of their trade partners and all three (far more for the Dwarfs) suffering grievous losses as a result. The rest of the Dwarfs refused to help, leaving the Elves bitter at the betrayal and the two clans of Dwarfs fuming over the loss of their armies. In the same year, a Hold called Karak Zorn established in the mountains south of Nehekhara is destroyed by Lizardmen.

In 2488 Dwarf caravans were found destroyed by Elf arrows. The Dwarfs immediately slaughtered the nearest Elf settlement.
This set the stage for what was to come.

In the year 2518 when the now-evil Malekith used his knowledge of the Dwarf race to manipulate Elves and Dwarfs into being enemies forever. While there are sources that say Malekith was the mastermind of what was about to happen, others (and what is much more likely) suggest his ultimate goal was to prevent the High Elves from seeking help from the Dwarfs against himself, something that could have very well happened with the Dwarfs focus on oaths. Making the alliance between the two races shaky would keep the Dwarfs out of any future conflicts, although his plan to achieve this would work FAR better then he could have predicted. His Dark Elves dressed as the High Elves and attacked Dwarf caravans. Gotrek had difficulty believing the allies of the Dwarfs could ever do such a thing and sent his emissaries for an explanation from the current Phoenix King Caledor II, son of Caledor I. Unlike his father Caledor II was arrogant to a ridiculous degree, and refused to even meet with the "inferior race". Angered by this behavior, Gotrek changed his demand from an explanation to the gold value that would result in forgiveness according to the Dwarf tradition of Grudges. Caledor II responded by shaving the beard of the ambassador, which is the worse thing that can befall a Dwarf short of betraying his Clan and king, and sent him back to them. He took the Slayer Oath in shame and Gotrek declared war on the Elves. This came to be known as the [[The War of the Beard (The War of Vengeance)|War Of The Beard/War Of Vengeance]] (former to the Elves, latter to the Dwarfs).
Due to the shame of the friendship Snorri Whitebeard swore going so wrong, he became unable to leave the world and lived on as an immortal being called [[Grombrindal]] AKA The White Dwarf.

The war was devastating for both sides. The Dwarfs destroyed most of the High Elf colonies that had nothing to do with the conflict, the High Elves wiped out quite a few Holds and the High Elves gave into the savage side that had previously only been seen in the Dark Elves when they began desecrating religious sites and poisoning populations in acts of total war. Both sides were devastated, pooling their resources from fighting Chaos and their evil kin into destroying each other.
In 2519 Snorri Halfhand, Gotrek's son, dueled Caledor II and was killed. In 2525 Snorri is avenged by his cousin Morgrim the Elf Prince Imladrik in the Battle Of Oeragor. In 2545 Morgrim burns down Athel Maraya.

In 3003 the Dwarfs attacked Tor Alessi in the Battle Of The Three Towers where Gotrek and Caledor II dueled. Caledor's head was cut off and the Dwarfs captured the Phoenix Crown, forged by all of their kingdoms for Aenarion and a holy object of supreme importance, which resulted in the Grudge that started the war being avenged (but not the MANY that had occurred during it). The Dwarfs retreated back into their Holds and dared the Elves to attack, and during preparations for that the Dark Elves attacked Ulthuan. The Elves immediately retreated back, accepting the war as a defeat, and scrambled to save their homeland. They demanded the surviving colonists to return to Ulthuan, but they had heard the primal call of the magical woods of [[Athel Loren]] and refused, becoming [[Wood Elves (Warhammer Fantasy)|Wood Elves]] instead.

The end of the war marked the end of the golden age of the Dwarfs, as their armies were devastated and much of their lands lost. But the worst was yet to come.

'''The Time Of Woes''' began only twenty years later. The Slann of the Lizardmen attempted to reshape the geography of the world in order to follow more closely the plans of the Old Ones. At the same time however, the Skaven over at Skavenblight used a giant machine in an attempt to expand their under-empire. The power of Slann magic and Skaven machinery collided and the resulting earthquakes did more damage to the Dwarf civilization than anything else in their history. Nothing is recorded of this time, even in the Book Of Grudges. All Holds were at least partially damaged, while the gigantic underground highway that connected all Dwarf territory called the Underway was blocked with rubble, water, magma, and a gigantic horde of [[Orcs & Goblins|greenskins]] as well as the newly discovered Chaos ratman race called [[Skaven]]. The Goblin Wars began at this time. Karak Ungor fell first, conquered by [[Night Goblins]] and renamed Red Eye Mountain. The Blacktash, Hit-hammer, and Fire-brand Clans are entirely wiped out.

Only one year later Karak Varn fell to Night Goblins and Skaven after partially flooding from earthquakes. The year after that the mines of Ekrund were overrun by Orcs and the Mad Dog Pass watchtowers were taken by a horde of greenskins including Night Goblins from the east. Karak Izor only survived due to reinforcements from Clan Kamerad including steamroller warmachines. In 3066 Gunbad, the richest mines the Dwarfs had and the only source of Brightstone, fell to Night Goblins and Gadron Holheart, greatest Dwarf jeweler, died in the battle. By 3131 all Dwarf Holds east of the World's Edge Mountains are abandoned. In 3136 greenskins began the Silver Road Wars and twenty years later captured Mount Silverspear which was renamed Mount Grimfang after the warboss that took it.

===Morgrim Blackbeard===
Gotrek's tragically disastrous reign ended some time prior to 3268 when Morgrim Blackbeard became his successor as High King and inherited the Throne Of Power.

In 3243 Thunder Mountain erupted, forcing an army of Trolls and greenskins into Dwarf lands. Soon after, Mogrim began the Troll Wars to retake territory around Karaz-a-Karak after the fall of the villages of Valhorn and Budrikhorn. He managed to recapture minor settlements across his territory and, more importantly, was able to retake the tombs of Dwarfen ancestors to restore and reseal them.

In 3248 Morgrim continued south with his army to reclaim Mad Dog Pass while Logazor Brightaxe led an army east to recapture Mount Gunbad but was soon forced out. Dwarf forces attempted to reclaim Mount Silverspear but were repelled and settled for destroying a greenskin army marching on Karaz-a-Karak instead.

In 3292 Karak Izor and Clan Kamerad signed a trade deal of 2k tons of iron for 1k tons of copper.

In 3338 the Runesmith Kadrin Redmane retook Karak Varn from the Skaven and discovered Gromril, causing a massive resettlement of the Hold. Redmane was killed in 3387 by an Orc ambush near the Black Water coast, and according to the story he threw his famous runed hammer into the water to prevent it from falling into Orcish hands; his descendant, the Hammerer Durgrim Redmane, disputes the story and still possesses the hammer to prove his claim.

In 3392 Prince Gumli of Clan Kamerad and Princess Dertain were betrothed to celebrate 100 years of trade. Upon seeing her, he described her as having "the face of a troll chewing a rock" and breaks off the marriage, keeping the dowry for "the wrongs that our eyes had to endure".

In 3397 Karak Varn was retaken by greenskins.

===Nurn Shieldbreaker===
The dates of Nurn Shieldbreaker's rule aren't recorded. He is mentioned in Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd edition in [[Tome Of Salvation]], so his canonicity is dubious.

Nurn was the first Dwarf to meet the human tribals that would later form the Empire. He was initially insulted when his proud delegation of armored warriors was met with the savages fleeing in fear, but in later meetings the humans agreed to sell the Dwarfs gold and cattle in exchange for land and safe passage to it.

===Skorri Morgrimsson===
At some point prior to 3518 Skorri succeeded his father Morgrim (if Nurn Shieldbreaker is still canon, the dates suggest that Nurn was Skorri's elder brother but there is no solid info on this, especially since Skorri succeeded his father so it can be finagled to say that Morgrim went missing and was presumed dead and succeeded by Nurn, who died early but Morgrim was able to find his way back and retake the throne before Skorri was made High King and leaved it to Skorri when he died). His son Prince Furgil is killed trying to reclaim Karak Ungor from Skaven, incidentally leading to the foundation of the Slayer Cult (see below).

In 3548 Skorri lead a massive Dwarf army to retake Karak Ungor in a battle called The Battle Of A Thousand Woes, but were driven back to Karaz-a-Karak and Skorri abdicated the throne to take the Slayer Oath, and died soon after. If you take the finagling above to be canonical as a means to weld the old lore with the established canon then this means that this family had a real bad time.

===Rogni Stonehammer===
Rogni’s reign has no information other than that he was the cousin of Skorri.

===Logan Proudbeard===
The date Logan took the throne isn't recorded like his four predecessors, but occurred sometime between 3548 and 3773.

On 3773 Night Goblins laid siege to Karak Azgal but were driven back, causing them to invade Karak Azul instead where they managed to take part of it. Only in 3783 did the forces of Karal Azul manage to expel them completely. Aid from Clan Kamerad is instrumental in the victory.

In 3803 a dragon named Skaladrak Incarnadine (AKA not-Smaug) destroyed mines near Karak Kadrin.

In 3822 Miners of Karak Eight Peaks tunneled into a Skaven tunnel by mistake, discovering for the first time how ridiculously expansive the Skaven empire is.

In 3873 Baragor became the first Slayer King of Karak Kadrin. Unable to seek death like a proper Slayer due to his responsibility to his people, he dedicated the primary Shrine of Grimnir instead and made Karak Kadrin the center of Slayer culture. He took on the name Ungrim to reflect his duty as Slayer King.

In 4010 Karak Eight Peaks fell due to daily attacks from enemies. Poisoned gas drive the Dwarfs into a retreat from Peak to Peak until King Lunn ordered his people to seal the tombs of the Eight Peak ancestors using impenetrable runes and lead his people into a battle to make their way out and make an exodus away from their home, promising to return and cleanse the depths.

In 4054 Karak Azgal was destroyed by Orcs, which were then destroyed by a Dragon. The survivors of the greenskins attacked Karak Drazh then renamed it Black Crag while the Night Goblins over the course of several years took the lands between the Mad Dog Pass and the Fire Mountains, leaving only Karak Azul in Dwarf hands. The massive amount of Dwarf refugees from fallen Holds across the mountains kept Karal Azul strong. Karak Izril is also destroyed.

In 4143 Orcs lead by Ugrok Beardburner attacked Karaz-a-Karak, destroying many Dwarf settlements and capturing High King Logan Proudbeard himself which broke his spirit. Gozarin Silverhorn lead the force that saved the High King and wiped out the Orcs near Black Water one year later.

In 4273 Dwarfs settle the Grey Mountains and begin trading with the tribals of the human race extensively for the first time.

In 4383 Clan Kamerad sent an expedition lead by their greatest warrior Daled Stormbreaker to reclaim the treasures of Karak Azgal. They are killed by the Dragon Graug The Terrible. In 4473 Karak Izor finally returned their steamrollers, in poor condition resulting in an ending of trade between the two.

===Kurgan Ironbeard===
Kurgan took over as High King for Proudbeard some time around 4500, and in 4508 was ambushed and captured by Orcs. [[Sigmar|Sigmar Unberogen]], head of the Unberogen tribe of humans, fought the Orcs in his crusade against their race for killing his father. This began the (tsundere) respect for humanity by the Dwarfs. Sigmar is gifted with [[Ghal Maraz]], a magic runed warhammer (which gives the setting its name and primary symbol) by Kurgan. Sigmar forms [[The Empire (Warhammer Fantasy)|the Empire]] (the German Holy Roman Empire of the setting). Orcs soon laid siege to the Holds resulting in Kurgan sending Alaric The Mad to request the aid of the humans in repelling them.

In 4511 at Thane Barin's wedding he insulted Thane Godrik's aunt Brodrika resulting in a Grudge.

In 4522 Kurgan and Sigmar lead a force of their people in the Battle Of Black Fire Pass, finishing off the massive Orc presence in the region. The Empire is rewarded when Alaric forges the Runefangs.

In 4780 Miners discover the Dragon Mordrak has nested at Karak Azul.

In 4902 Dwarfs discovered Athel Loren and the Wood Elves. It...didn't go well for the Dwarfs, as the Wood Elves are batshit insane xenophobes.

In 5113 Karak Vrag fell, greatly reducing the Dwarf power of the east in the [[Mountains Of Mourn]].

===Finn Scourscowl===
Scourscowl's date of ascendancy to the position of High King is as most others unrecorded.

In 5155 Dorin Heldour and Katalin Kandoom discover the lost Heartstone of Aldin Getgold in the Dragonback Mountains. In 5157 the pair explore the ruin of Karak Varn and discover then restore the fabled Axe Of Dail, gifting it to Scourscowl. In 5158 Heldour gave skinned hide of a Dragon named Fyrskar to Scourscowl in Karaz-a-Karak where it was enchanted with runes.

In 5180 Gromril is discovered west of Black Water by a Dwarf named Thori Gundrikson. Dwarfs spend several years mining almost all of the Gromril until Skaven destroy the mines.

In 5201 King Fodrin Axegirth insulted the King of Clan Kamerad by saying he is "petty minded", resulting in a break of communication that Axegirth insists he started.

In 5235 Heldour and Kandoom rescue Elmador and Oldor Finnson from Black Crag.

===Elmador Finnson===
Elmador's date of ascension is unknown, and is only stated in the story of his rescue.

In 5415 Kragg the Grimm finishes the first rune, the Rune of Stone, that is taught to apprentice Runesmiths under his tutor Morek Furrowbrow. Kragg became the longest-lived and among the greatest Runesmiths of all time.

In 5555 Skalf Dragonslayer killed Graug The Terrible and became king of Karak Azgal. Night Goblins soon invade and the residents of the Hold are forced out, creating a town in the valley below.

In 5591 a feud between the Grimbul and Drakki clan begins due to two Thanes arguing over a bellows that was borrowed by grandfather Drakki. Grimbul is nicknamed "Everlate".

In 5593 Skaven spread a plague in Clan Kamerad that kills their king. The Skaven are wiped out by 5594.

In 5634 the Black Plague is unleashed by the Skaven, causing Dwarfs to seal their Holds. Skaven attack most Holds and don't capture any, although casualties are terrible for all Dwarfs.

In 5943 the Dragon Skaladrak Incarnadine rampages around Karak Kadrin.

===Kendrak Gottrison===
As with all other High Kings the date of Kendrak's rise isn't recorded. In 6235 he led an attack on [[Gorbad Ironclaw]]'s army and destroyed it as he attempted to retreat back to the Badlands.

In 6503 Dwarf armies allied with the Empire and attempted to wipe out the Vampires of Sylvania, Dwarf cannons playing a major part of the fall of Templehof in the Battle of Hunger Wood against Countess Emmanuelle (no, not [[Emmanuelle von Liebwitz|THAT Countess Emmanuelle]]).

===Alrik Deathdealer===
Alrik took the throne sometime after 6503 and before 6728, when he was killed by the Goblin Warlord Gorkil Eyegouger in the Battle Of Black Falls when Alrik stabbed the Goblin fatally and Gorkil pulled him over the falls. Alrik's son Alriksson massacred the surviving Goblins.

In 6796 Chaos Warriors raid Dwarf lands, killing many.

Some time between the reign of Alrik and Alriksson, a young High Elf nobleman named Finubar toured the world. He met the humans of Bretonnia and was impressed with their culture, the humans of the Empire and was impressed with their development (most Elves were under the impression all humans were tribals that worshiped Chaos). He met the batshit insane Wood Elves and...gave up attempting to build a friendship quite quickly. Finally he met the Dwarfs, being the first non-Wood Elf to encounter them in many years. Finubar made a great deal of progress in repairing the bond between the two races, even going so far as to drink Dwarf ale and not offend them in doing so (likely because the Elf constitution would result in vomit rather than inebriation). When Finubar became Phoenix King he continued his work towards friendship with the Dwarfs and even allowed Dwarfs and humans the unprecedented offer to live in Ulthuan (specifically only in one city, Lothern, which was his birthplace and one of the most magnificent places in the world alongside Karaz-a-Karak).

===Balun Alriksson===
Ascending to the throne of the High King in 6728, Alriksson focused on the Great War Against Chaos in defense of Magnus The Pious of the Empire.

In 6814 Clan Grodrik and Clan Barin end their feud with the marriage of Smakki Brightaxe and Dunhilda The Fair. In the same year Skaven pirates destroy the fleets of mankind and plunder the coasts until The Battle Of Bloodwater Sound in the Black Gulf where Barak Varr Ironclads destroy them.

Alriksson lead a massive army from Karaz-a-Karak to [[Kislev]] in 6825 and finished the Great War Against Chaos. All of his sons perish in the war while he himself suffers wounds that never heal. As the Dwarf Kings had been unDwarfishly stingy with their soldiers and gold during the war Alriksson felt that the Dwarfs were nearing a complete breakdown in centralized order and called for a Council Of Kings, which hadn't happened since the time of Gottrison. He announced that each of the twelve candidates to succeed him would have one year to do great deeds for the Dwarfs with the greatest among them taking the throne, which echoed what kings in ancient myths underwent to take the throne of High King.
Two died in their journeys, and the greatest story of valor during the year was that of Ungrim Ironfist and his dead giant giant (as in "very fucking large giant"). But Alriksson's nephew Thorgrim who had vanished during he War, returned coincidentally during the ceremony having spent the years since his disappearance during the war invading Norsca itself, reforging ties of friendship with the Norse Dwarfs (the ambassadors of which were his traveling companions on the way home) as well as delving into lost Holds and returning sacred artifacts. Thorgrim announced it was only the beginning, that he would spend the rest of his life rebuilding the Dwarf empire and avenging all Grudges. He was made heir almost immediately, and Alriksson, having found a worthy heir in his nephew, finally died of his hidden wounds not long after.

===Thorgrim Grudgebearer===
In 6827 Thorgrim took the position of High King from his uncle Alriksson and immediately set out to begin his '''Age Of Reckoning''' to avenge the Grudges of the Dwarfs and begin a new golden age like that of before the War Of Vengeance. He retook the Mad Dog Pass immediately.

In 6943 [[Grom the Paunch]] rampaged through the lands of the Dwarfs, defeating an army of Dwarfs at the Battle Of Irongate. He turned his attentions to the Empire afterwards. In the same year the Karaz-a-Karak Engineer's Guild Hall was destroyed by Burlok Damminson and Sven Hasselfriesian in a pressure vessel experiment.

In 6992 Clan Grimbul and Clan Drakki reconciled with the return of the bellows.

In 6996 [[Belegar Ironhammer]] managed to retake part of Karak Eight Peaks in the name of his ancestor King Lunn after initially setting forth to reclaim its treasures. Five years later he is granted reinforcements by other Holds after winning a battle called the Battle Of The Jaws. In The Battle Of The East Gate an army lead by Duregar fights through the Goblin-held Peaks and survives.

In 7003 Ungrim Ironfist defeats the warlord Gnashrak in The Battle Of Broken Leg Gulley.

In 7016 [[Storm Of Chaos]] begins. NOTE: this has been rendered non-canonical via retcon when Storm of Chaos failed. Thorgrim orders the Dwarfs to unite and defend their Holds while Alrik Ranulfsson clears the Silver Road of Goblins after [[Grimgor Ironhide]] unites the Orcs and marches them to war elsewhere. Alrik reclaims Mount Gunbad and many treasures as well as settling many Grudges.

In 7026 Orcs lead by [[Gorfang Rotgut]] attack Karak Azul, imprisoning the family of King Kazador in Black Crag while his son Kazrik is shaven and left nailed to the throne.

In 7033 [[Ungrim Ironfist]] lead the armies of Karak Kadrin to defeat the Orcs united under a Warboss named Gnashrak Badtoof. [[Golgfag Maneater]] fights on the side of the Dwarfs in the beginning of the Battle Of Broken Leg Gully but switches sides when the greenskins offer more.

Some time after 7036 King Kazador manages to rescue his family and kill all Orcs responsible other than Gorfang himself.

In 7038 Ungrim captures Golgfag, then releasing him for the sport of hunting and killing him.

In 7042 greenskins attack Zhufbar in the Battle Of A Hundred Cannons. Both Thorgrim Grudgebearer and Ungrim Ironfist lead armies in its defense until the Ogres that had driven the greenskins towards the Dwarfs attack. The three armies unite with an Empire army from Nuln, resulting in the single greatest use of artillery in history.

In 7044 [[Mannfred von Carstein]] attacked the Dwarfs to capture the High Elf diplomat and princess of their race [[Everqueen|Aliathra]], who is greatly loved by the Dwarfs. [[Heinrich Kemmler]] drives a massive force of greenskins to attack the combined Dwarf and High Elf armies before he raises the corpses of the three armies and leads his own into the fray. Aliathra is kidnapped. One year later Thorgrim refuses the demands of nobility to blame the Elves and instead offers aid in rescuing the princess. He leads a massive force to rescue [[Tyrion]], secretly the father of Aliathra who had charged deep into Nagashizzar and retrieved the unconscious girl, but during the battle she is once again kidnapped. Tyrion blames the Dwarfs and demands they leave. Rather than attack them for the insult, Thorgrim leads his army to Karak Eight Peaks to retake the Hold instead.

Non-canonical information ends here.

For the rest of Thorgrim's reign after 7003 (and the end of the world), see [[The End Times]].

===Other Continuities===
* In [[Storm of Chaos]] Garagrim Ironfist, Ungrim's son, died in battle when a Chaos Giant fell on him, according to his plan for fulfilling the Slayer Oath of the Slayer Kings without betraying the position of king. Ungrim immediately takes a new Slayer Oath for the loss of his son making the loss pointless. After Retcon, Garagrim is mentioned to have died decades ago.

* In [[Total War: WARHAMMER]] during the Dwarf campaign Thorgrim Grudgebearer, Belegar Ironhammer, Ungrim Ironfist and THE White Dwarf defeated all united Greenskin and Skaven Clans, and reclaimed every Hold and the rest of Dwarf territory including the Hold in the Chaos Wastes to the north of Kislev, reclaimed and purged the Underway of his foes, cleared the master Dammaz Kron of all Grudges, and destroyed the forces of Chaos and [[Vampire Counts]]. In most other campaigns the Dwarf race is either wiped out or achieves some measure of success towards those goals.

* [[Blood Bowl]] as an alternate universe began when, during a battle between Dwarfs and Goblins in the Underway, the two sides discovered an ancient chest of incomparable power. Dwarfs claimed the chest and put a scholar on translating the mysterious books and scrolls inside. He went mad, but managed to write out the rules for a game which both sides agreed to play. It's not recorded who won (but considering it was between the "OP at low TV" Dwarfs and the "Joke at all levels and hard-countered by Dwarfs" Goblins, it's pretty easy to guess), but it began the craze of Blood Bowl (AKA American Gridiron Football) which in time replaced war in that particular Warhammer world to the degree that even Chaos set aside destroying reality in favor of the game as Khorne trains potential players for Chaos, Slaanesh funds stadiums, Tzeentch gambles on the game, and Nurgle...watches it.

* [[The Ziggurat of Doom]] is when five Dwarfs that are never mentioned anywhere else made a final stand against a swarm of Goblins. This seemingly unimportant event is worth mention because it is the very first Warhammer lore ever written, making Dwarfs officially the first race (Goblins don't count because PISS OFF, YE KRUTTING GROBI!). Can be inserted into the main storyline at any point, if only because it doesn't really contradict anything.

==Technology and Magic==
===Runesmithing===
Dwarfs, as previously mentioned, cannot simply cast magic. Their bodies resist it, their presence weakens and disrupts it, and the mental energy of Dwarfs can outright negate it as if it isn't even present (this is very comparable to a [[Blank]] in [[Warhammer 40000]], although Blanks are described as being soulless and nightmarish on an emotional level to be around whereas Dwarfs simply force magic to sit still and shut the fuck up). While all Elves and certain members of other races can be born with the ability to see magic, and most individuals can feel it to some degree (usually as a feeling of unease or sense that something is different, like Athel Loren feeling primal and sentient), Dwarfs have absolutely no ability to sense magic in any form unless its literally lighting something up or it producing a physical effect. This is a benefit in that morale of Dwarf troops marching through an area simply grumble as they would anywhere else while the landscape would be causing humans to piss themselves in place and flee the moment they heard the wind blow.

Either as the invention of Valaya and Grungni or as a gift from the Old Ones, Dwarfs can smith the letters of their language in different ways into objects to produce magic. This magic is permanent or contains a set amount of charges, being completely transformed into something even safer than High Magic. These vary from the Rune Of Stone, a very basic Rune that is first taught to apprentices in the craft and only requires them to carve it right (which in human terms means perfect) to complex runes requiring a far more complex process. For example: on the last day of the third full moon of the year at midnight at the heart of a mountain the furnace is heated, the ore hammered before dawn and folded seven times while each time singing a song of forging, dipped in dragon blood and cooled in quicksilver from Karak Ungol while praising the ancestor god Haki, tempered in the water of Varn, sharpened with dragon horn. Then on the third moon of winter the Rune is carved on the finished surface, daubed with troll blood that was killed on Grungni's Day, the hilt then bound in dragon hide with the horns on the inside, hafted with gold from Azgal and bound with metal from Azul, given a pommel made from an Orc's fang covered in Grimnir's runes, blessed with ale on an altar of Valaya, and finished by killing a Troll at midnight which finishes the magic and activates the rune.
All runes trap small amounts of magic, making a Dwarf letter to a friend technically infused with magic that races capable of seeing it can discern information beyond the text from. But magic runes trap a large amount of magic, forcing it to behave a specific way without any of its unpredictable or Chaos effects that an unlucky wizard can cause.

Runesmiths are what the Dwarfs who practice runelore are called, their craft handed down from the gods themselves. While not technically the priesthood, they are closely tied to the faiths and the shrines. Absolute perfection is required in their craft as all other aspects of Dwarf society rely on runes, from the simple miners requiring runes allowing them to break through harder rock on a timetable to the machinists who use the runes to give their creations extra security in continuing to function to kings whose runed crowns protect them from assassins.

There are rules to how many and what kind of runes may be placed on an object. Technically this was providing a lore explanation for the crunch rules for runes, back when Games Workshop Army Book designers gave a fuck.

* The Rule Of Three: No object may have more than three runes, as things from the material plane cannot take that much magic.
* The Rule Of Form: Runes are specific to the type of object. Runes for machines cannot be placed on armor, weapons on the mundane. How exactly the rune figures out the difference between a pickaxe used as a weapon and one used for work isn't clear...this may simply be a rule of Runesmithing and not how runes work.
* The Rule Of Pride: Duplicate choices of runes cannot be used in the same army. A Thane may have a Rune Of Stone for example, but then literally no other Dwarf may have a Rune Of Stone. The Thane can have a Rune Of Stone and a Rune Of Protection, allowing any other Dwarf to have a Rune Of Stone OR a Rune Of Protection but not both. This is almost certainly a rule for mechanics, with the lore explanation being that Runesmiths dislike repeating themselves or copying the work of others beyond their apprenticeships (note that since every single rune option is preexisting on top of the basic Dwarf idea of older being better and new being shit, there is a lore contradiction here).
* Jealous Runes: Master runes cannot be used more than once per army, and no more than one master rune can be on any object. They also cannot be combined together and refuse to work if there's more than one on the same battlefield. How this works for two opposing armies is unstated.

Note that unless otherwise stated, runes can be used more than once on the same object to amplify their effect.

Of course this doesn't mean every rune and symbol on an object is a magic rune carved by a Runesmith. Some runes are just good luck symbols, slogans, and decorations (but since all runes are magic, that doesn't necessarily mean that there's no effect at all...).

===Engineering===
By themselves, the Elves invented complex seafaring. Humans invented bronze age technology, seen in the [[Tomb Kings]]. Ogres invented the basics of carts and wheels as well as animal husbandry. Orcs... well, they exist and usually figure out which end of sharp things to stick in other things and eventually learned that you could beat hot iron into something stabby.

But virtually every piece of true technology in the setting comes from Dwarfs. Elves received their crossbows and Bolt Throwers and mankind the secrets of [[Gunpowder (Warhammer Fantasy)|gunpowder]], gears, and steam from the Dawi.

Of course, the Dwarfs keep the best tech for themselves, like Gyrocopters and other fun toys. The basics were gifts to protect their allies from the forces of Chaos, things that Dwarfs have long since surpassed that would not be effective if turned against them.

Dwarfs mistrust anything new; something in their eyes must be a blueprint for multiple generations before a prototype is considered, so anything special only ever gets made in times of desperation by young and human-like (or completely fucking insane) Dwarf Engineers. Seriously, the Engineers Guild will normally only consider accepting a design after it's been criticized and picked apart after decades if not centuries of work on it (it's not unheard for a design to be accepted years after the original engineer was expelled and died), though arguably given Dwarf psychology, this saves many lives as not only would a disasterous accident resulting from a piece of equipment's design flaw injure or kill Dwarfs, probably every Dwarf involved in the design and approval process of it would soon take the Slayer oath. As it is, only the desperation after the Time Of Woes has seen such new devices given the 'okay' stamp, and even then only by more liberal "if it works, do it" and "if it kills Grobi and Urk, put some Slayers on it" leaders like Thorgrim and Ungrim.

Revolutionary devices include gigantic zeppelins carrying bombs, cannons, machine guns on a 360 degree swivel, and rockets which can ram other things called [[Thunderbarge|Thunderbarges]]. Even better, in [[Dreadfleet]] the Dwarfs have a gigantic aircraft carrier/submarine that launched Thunderbarges. [[Goblin-hewer]]s are tank-like machines that throw volleys of axes, and [[Deathroller|Deathrollers]] are the unholy combination of motorcycle and steamroller.

Needless to say, this technological conservatism is perhaps the biggest weakness of the dwarfen army; though their head start over races in the technological field gave them a huge edge, with each generation gone past, technological advancement (at least amongst elves, humans and skaven) closes that gap due to the slow, near-stagnant pace that dwarfs continue to innovate and expand upon what they have. Just how much of an issue this actually is varies depending on the edition book. It's also one of the things that marks the [[Skaven]] out as their most hated antithesis; because Skaven embrace innovation and don't give so much of a whisker's twitch for the cost in lives of progress, they are erratically but rapidly catching up to or even surpassing dwarf work, at least in theoretical terms.

No, seriously. Skaven work is shoddily made and won't last for shit, not like dwarf work. But dwarfs have reliable steam power (and, it's implied, alcohol-burning diesel engines) they do very little with (even the Empire makes use of [[Steam Tank]]s), very-well-designed rifled flintlocks, cannons, gyrocopters, and at least the basic principles of clockpunk bionic limbs. Skaven have mastered electricity, cartridge-based gun technology, regularly use bionics on a wide scale, make use of an (admittedly unpredictable) ''giant laser cannon'' on the battlefield, and commonly wield things like flamethrowers and gatling guns. That said, in modern times occasionally an engineer will take some example of non-dwarfish workmanship "for scrap" or "to show the beardlings how not to do it", quietly take notes behind a locked door and produce a TOTALLY ORIGINAL MACHINE similar to those that the Manlings/Ratguys OBVIOUSLY STOLE FROM US!

Dwarfs believe anything worth doing is worth doing right, and in such a way that it lasts as long as possible. Dwarfs of Holds don't write often on paper, as that is the way of Humans and Elves. They inscribe on stone, or better, metal. The most important texts such as Grudges, lineage, contracts, and words of their faith are inscribed on gold (though all depictions of a Book of Grudges in art and models have paper pages). Which aside from being valuable does not rust or tarnish (which is why in real life we use gold for the records and plaques on the Voyager and Pioneer space craft).

In contrast, in real life Engineers don't try to get everything right on the first go. The first cars were slow, fuel inefficient, unreliable, tricky to operate and basically dangerous toys for the rich. Never the less, once the basics of "go forward, turn and stop when desired" were met the engineers could move on to solve the various other problems. This includes problems which only become apparent once a mechanism is used. "Perfect" is the enemy of "Good Enough".

===Smithing===
Of course science and 100% reliable magic aren't the only Dwarf advantages, they still have the standard "better than anyone" smithing.

The most important resource to Dwarfs, beyond even ale, is the magical metal '''[[Gromril]]'''. Gromril is meteoric iron AKA "Starmetal". The typical fantasy trope is that meteoric iron is rare and magical, but in real life it was mundane; today we use telluric iron which is common and occurs naturally on Earth, but in the Bronze Age and earlier, before advanced techniques of mining and smelting, meteoric iron was a rare alternative and indeed was one of the hardest materials for weapons available at the time. Today it is a curiosity only, and a gimmick for mid-price jewelry.
That being said, Warhammer Gromril is different from real life meteoric iron in that Gromril originates in the Warp, crashing down in comets in the time of the Old Ones and even somewhat rarely in the modern day. The more ancient veins of Gromril are found deep below the planet surface and are relatively safe to mine if discovered, while recent fallen Gromril is found in dangerous places due to [[Warpstone]] always accompanying its fall. Of course any time a Skaven spy hears a Dwarf say Gromril, they hear Warpstone and they plan the ruin of yet another Hold.

Gromril is extremely important to Dwarfs and is almost never given to non-Dwarfs. Their most valuable currency is made from it due to its value far surpassing gold, and Gromril is a major component of major Runesmithing. It has little value to any other race other than as a trade good as nobody else can smith using it.

Gromril can be worked into three forms:
* Refined Gromril: Also called Mithril. Used for common items like coins and cheaper armor.
* Adamant: Only the Master Smiths know how to make this, and it is far superior metal for important items.
* Laihtero: Crystalline Gromril, mythical with properties largely unknown. It was able to contain [[Arianka|a Chaos God]] in a sarcophagus.

Many people paint Gromril as bronze, but it is in fact silvery (hence why Eavy Metal paintjobs cover the more important Dwarfs like Hammerers in it).The oldest of Dwarf objects are made of precious metals, while the newest are made of increasingly large amounts of the Elgi material. Dwarfs dislike wood and generally avoid using it when possible, but when they do, they favor wutroth, also called ironbark or stonetrunk. It is a very rare mountain tree, whose forest were all but destroyed during the Time of Woes, that produces extremely hard wood (its nuts were used as sling bullets by dwarfs in ancient times).

==Grudges==
The Warhammer Dwarfs' main distinguishing feature is the extreme fervor with which they pursue Oaths and Grudges. A Dwarf that breaks an Oath or does something otherwise shameful -- ''any'' Oath or offense they feel is unforgivable -- takes an Oath, gets his hair cut into a mohawk, and becomes a Slayer who seeks mighty monsters to kill until he finds one that manages to kill him, or else seeks Dwarfs in conflict to aid and hopefully die in battle.
[[File:A Grudge Too Far.jpg|400px|thumb|right|TOUGH DECISIONS ARE TOUGH]]
Meanwhile, any Grudge that a Dwarf experiences is written in a [[Book of Grudges]] with one for every settlement and some even for individual Dwarfs or clans, and each entry ''will'' be answered for. Every 50 years the Dwarfs send representatives to Karaz-a-Karak on a holiday called "The Grudgement" where all Grudges that have been suffered and all Grudges that have been avenged are told to the rest of the assembled ambassadors which are then recorded in the master copy of the Dammaz Kron that is owned by the High King. The Great Book of Grudges is magical and no matter how many or few entries there are, it looks the same size (explaining why they can make a model of it) so only the High King is aware of how many there are yet unavenged and it is a large part of his responsibility to note which have been avenged while pursuing the others. Oh, and he's gotta record the new Grudges in his blood. So yeah, try not to get too pissed off because you're basically causing stigmata to the king.

Dwarfs don't necessarily need to kill to avenge a Grudge. Gold can be used if the Dwarf most in charge of the Grudge is willing to accept it. For example, at the start of the War Of Vengeance the Dwarfs were unaware of the concept of a civil war and thus assumed that when Elves dressed as High Elves attacked their caravans the Holds affected declared Grudges and demanded Elf blood be spilled. The High King at the time called for calm and sent a representative to ask the High Elves what happened, although the Phoenix King at the time had no respect at all for non-Elves and refused to meet with a "lesser race". So the demand was changed from explanation to gold, equal to what was lost. That earned the diplomat being shaved thus ruining his life as he had to take the Slayer Oath, and at this point the High King finally demanded blood. He earned it as well as gold when he beheaded the Phoenix King and took the Phoenix Crown, for which he struck the Grudge out of the Dammaz Kron.

Revenge is literally seen as a holy mandate in Dwarven culture. One comic has a pair of dwarf thanes decide to settle a long-running inter-clan grudge through a ritual that entails tying their beards together and letting them bash each other with axes; as they fight, each cites older and older grievances against the other until they realize that they've actually forgotten how this whole fight started in the first place. When they declare that this makes the whole grudge thing pointless and stupid, and they decide to call it quits, the stand on which their Book of Grudges sat suddenly falls on them - and because they can't decide which way to run, they get squashed by the hefty tome. Their followers promptly decide this is an omen from the gods and continue the fight until they mutually exterminate each other.

More so than their glacial technological advancement or social conservatism, this obsession with revenge is generally portrayed as the dwarfs' biggest failing, and one of the main reasons that they are going extinct; they constantly fight battles they don't need to fight, as well as getting members of their race killed for the sake of avenging dead dwarves (who were often killed avenging ''their'' predecessors). This constant cycle of endless war is slowly grinding them into nothing, because dwarves simply cannot breed quickly enough to even hope to replenish their losses, thanks to the lethal dearth of fertile females in their ranks.

==Sex And Development==
Dwarfs have very few females; lore from older editions states that one in every ten Dwarfs is female with late lore saying one in three, and political marriages are of far more importance than any emotional attachments. In early times, before Warhammer had much of an established setting (pre-3e), Citadel produced a few pre-slotta (as in "the base is part of the model) female Dwarf villagers and adventurers, although after that point only male Dwarfs saw any releases. The clan of a Dwarf bride receives the bride's weight in gold upon marriage, but in order to marry her the groom must be able to wrap his beard around her waist twice (which, if we assume most grooms are longbeards with ~ 3ft long beards, means most dwarf brides have waists with a circumference of about 1.5 feet, considerably svelte in comparison to the human woman's average of 3.2ft) creating a dynamic where plump women as relatives are good, skinny woman as desired brides good, and in reverse is considered unappealing and undesirable. Female Dwarfs braid their hair into plaits, which are their equivalent to a Dwarf man's beard. Females are rarely found in positions of power, with only the [[Queen Helgar Longplaits]] described in [[The Grudge Of Drong]] confirmed, with her entire rulership being plagued with accusations of illegitimacy due to sex. Women rarely, but more often do, end up as a king's advisor. The 6e Army Book also mentions a female Dwarf as a barmaid serving drinks to male workers and warriors and in Total War: Warhammer you can find "Dwarf Bride" and the superior "Daughter Of Valaya" companions to Characters.

Dwarfs have a coming of age ceremony marking the transition from childhood into adulthood, which we know absolutely nothing about because its one of the most well-guarded secrets of Dwarfs.

When a Dwarf's beard (or plaits) grow so long that they reach the ground, their settlement erupts in celebration over it. This makes them eligible to become a Longbeard (unknown if females have this as an option) although it is not a mandatory task as a narrator in a Dwarf Army Book mentions that he's old enough to join the Longbeards but remains with the Hammerers by his own choice.

==Politics==
* '''Dawi''': Inter-Dwarf relations are the basis of comparison by which you can see Dwarfs at their best. If they don't hate one of your ancestors they are literally the single best allies you can have as they demonstrate a self-destructive degree of Oath fulfillment. But the other side of the same coin is single-minded pursuit of Oaths made unwisely, and of Grudges for even minor infractions. While some leaders such as Thorgrim and Gotrek Starbreaker are more willing to listen to reason or use alternative methods to consider an Oath fulfilled and Grudge settled, other such as the Ungrims and Alrik Ranulfsson are more intent on purging as many Grudges as soon as possible making war inevitable and bloody. In the White Dwarf Warhammer comics, two Dwarf holds that have warred for centuries are all but depleted, with a full-scale WAAAGH of Night Goblins at their doors which, if they break through, threatens extinction for the entirety of both Clans. Unwilling to abandon the Grudge war even then, the armies suit the last of their non-combatants, including the last three women of one of the clans, in armor and charge into a last battle. When in a personal challenge the patriarchs of both clans argued with each blow about who's clan slighted who and realized neither had recorded the original Grudge; only those caused by it. Both clans set to make peace, but at the banquet of celebration Grimnir caused his statue to crush both patriarchs for the dishonor of not avenging Grudges regardless of whether or not they are remembered or even happened at all, resulting in both clans wiping each other completely out and the Goblins claiming two holds without effort. It should be noted however that the sin was in forgiveness, an abhorrent thing in Grudgelore when instead they could have both made some mutual sacrifice such as a gift to another Hold; a Grudge must be settled, though gold or Gromril is a substitute for blood. Dwarf politics are also marred by arrogance; even though all things must be recorded, not everything must be in living memory. Runes created with the Elves for example are known by most Runesmiths, but not the origin of the rune beyond the name of the Dwarf creator. This unwillingness to admit to things that make the race look lesser is a major frustration for man and Elves, not to mention each other.
* '''Dum''': Chaos is abhorrent and, with one exception below that all other Dwarfs pretend doesn't exist, has never been anything but an enemy. The concepts Dwarfs hold dear are alien to it, and the threat it poses to the world is clear, so fuck Chaos.
** '''Gor''': Dwarfs hate Beastmen. A bunch of dumb animals that somehow gained sentience only to do stupid shit, and since they’re tainted by Chaos you can’t even eat them. It is said that before [[The War of the Beard (The War of Vengeance)|war of grudge]] Malekith and Snorri once hunted an entire army of beastmen together, an event that ended with Malekith slaughtering them all. There has never been a recorded circumstance of the two working together, and they are completely inferior to Dwarfs in every way. It is also known that the Dwarf has a special name for Morghur the Shadowgave called "Gor-Dum" (which roughly translates to "Death-beast" or "Doom-beast").
** '''Dawi'zharr''': There are some Dwarfs who have turned to [[Chaos]] and created a separate civilization, creatively called the [[Chaos Dwarfs]], who were formed when they dug too far out into Chaos-infested wastelands. They sell weaponry to those [[Warriors of Chaos|Chaos worshiping Vikings north of them]] and are basically insane Babylonians. Chaos Dwarfs have wizards and brute-force magic through their bodies, which slowly turns them to stone and radically alters their appearance. Other Dwarfs have no love for Chaos Dwarf, not even as things to hate. Dawi like to have a good grumble about the Urks or the Grobi whenever they are brought up. In contrast their official stance to pretend they don't exist (and, if presented with any live specimens, to confirm their nonexistence with axes); in [[Gotrek & Felix]], Dwarfs engage in the time-honored tradition of verbally bashing Elves, and the claim is made that the actions of the Druchii reflect all Elves. When Felix brings up Chaos Dwarfs, the Dwarfs simply glare at him with such ferocity he feels as much fear of his friends as he does Vampires and Daemons elsewhere in their adventures. A similar incident occurred, but with Teclis instead of Felix pointing out the Chaos Dwarfs. Only Teclis' restraint and the fact that Gotrek owed Teclis a life-debt prevented bloodshed. Chaos Dwarfs have strayed from the light of Valaya, Grungni, and Grimnir and are forever cursed for it. But the fact that somewhere and somehow even the stalwart and stoic Dawi could give into the ruinous powers is deeply unsettling.
** '''Daemons''': Dwarfs hate Daemons;. There has never been a recorded instance of the two working together (with the exception of the Chaos Dwarfs), and during the first Chaos invasion of the world, Grimnir ascended to godhood by establishing a one-man hold in the Warp to oppose them making them possibly the worst enemies of the Dwarfs. They are inferior to Dwarfs, regardless of what Chaos cultists say.
** '''Dumal''': The Warriors Of Chaos are a reminder that Umgi are not fully trustworthy (don't bring up Chaos Dwarfs). Evil to the core, to be destroyed whenever encountered. Inferior to even the Elgi.
*** '''The Norscan Tribes''' Chaos worshiping barbarians. They were called Dumi like the Warriors of Chaos most of the time because they are chaos worshiping barbarian, but sometimes referred to as Bakrazdumi (northlander berserker) or Vardumi (northlander berserker or chaos warriors who have been hit in the head). It was known that there were contacts between the human tribes and the Dwarfs long ago in the far north. While the primitive umgi is only capable of using shitty stone/wood weapons/tools, both side had good relations, trading goods and technology to each other until Chaos showed up and corrupted the Norseman. Some Norsemen who wanted to avoid chaos went on an exodus to the (much safer) southern region while the remaining started to sacrifice any living beings they captured to their dark gods, a practice that they continue to this day. The Norse Dwarfs noticed this and broke any contacts and treaties with them, and set up safe routes, defenses and traps to avoid further contact with those barbarians. Sadly, the Norse Dwarfs were eventually overrun and nearly exterminated by the Norseman despite their best efforts. Most of the metal tools/weapons that were carried by the Norseman today are either forged by themselves with the smithing techniques taught by the Norse Dwarfs long ago, remnants of the times before Chaos, or made by the [[Chaos Dwarfs]], their current trade partners. Inferior to even the Elgi and must kill on sight whenever possible.
** '''[[Fimir]]''': Dwarfs have almost no relationship with Fimir other than Norse Dwarfs, who are neutral to them. Most assume they are some variant of Troll and attack them on sight, but due to a lack of any history between the two actual non-violent interaction can go any direction.
* '''Umgi''': Humans are too short-lived to accomplish much or become proficient in anything, straddle the fence between proper Dawi ways and Elgi nonsense, and aren't completely trustworthy. On the other hand, they’re still the closest race to Dwarfs, and they do try to be better than their nature allows, bless their shoddily-made hearts.
** '''Bretonnia''': Dwarfs are respectful of Bretonnians, although their Elvish influence and use of horses are things Dwarfs mistrust greatly and hold against them ("Proper Dawi only trust a pony"). Regardless, Dwarfs see Bretonnians as among the best of mankind due to their rigid gender roles, adherence to tradition, codes of conduct, martial strength, and mistrust of magic. Altogether, still inferior to Dwarfs.
** '''Empire''': Dwarfs have a slightly better relationship with the Empire, as they have age-old oaths of friendship due to the efforts of [[Sigmar]]. They still consider humans inferior, but unlike the Bretonnians, have deigned to share some of their secrets of smithing, stonecraft and [[Gunpowder (Warhammer Fantasy)|gunpowder]] with the Germanic part of humanity. Inferior to Dwarfs, but they’re seen more as victims of their own nature than universally evil. Some Dwarfs live in the Empire (especially Nuln), much to the chagrin of the more traditionally-minded.
** '''[[Kislev]]''': Dwarfs do recognize the importance of this country as a Shield of Civilization, and helped Kislevites fight Chaos at least once, in a [[Great War Against Chaos]]. Otherwise, Dawi probably see them just as a little-better-than-Dumal bear fuckers.
** '''[[Araby]]''': Arabyans are stuck in that awkward point of lore where they've gotten almost no recent direct lore development and are mostly just mentioned in the stories of other factions, and the older material is largely from the early Warhammer that more closely followed real history (remember Bretonnian cannons?) with silly parts, fantasy, anachronisms, and Moorcock stuck in. Plus some bits that are offensive now and would probably be removed or changed. As a result, canon relations between Araby and Dwarfs can mostly be inferred; they almost certainly trade, either directly or with a go-between. Dwarfs probably don't appreciate the commonality of Chaos devotees and other magic and spirits, nor the slavery.
** '''Other Humans''': Canon Dwarf politics with the other human groups is scarce. Everyone in the Old World other than Bretonnia hires them for work here and there it seems, and Dwarfs aren't given any lore to go on regarding the humans of [[Khuresh]], [[Kingdoms of Ind|Ind]], [[Cathay]], [[Nippon]], [[Albion]], or [[The Southlands]].
* '''Elgi''': Dwarfs and Elves used to be friends. After The Great Betrayal Dwarfs learned from the Elves that other races are not consistently trustworthy. They blame the Time Of Woes mostly on Elves despite it mostly being the result of earthquakes, Lizardmen who caused those earthquakes, greenskins, Skaven. The Grudge against the Elves was fulfilled with the killing of Caledor II and the taking of the Phoenix Crown, but many minor Grudges remain and Dwarfs are far too happy to record "Elf" on a Grudge instead of "Wood Elf" or "Dark Elf". While the Dwarf word for Elf isn't an insult like the Dwarf word for human ("Umgak"=human made=poorly made), Elves are a byword for fickleness, subtlety, manipulation and treachery among Dwarfs (actually, I'm pretty sure that in one of the old army books it showed that the word 'Elgak' meant something on the verge of collapse, so go figure). Of course they are inferior to Dwarfs, and maybe even to Sigmar's Empire.
** '''High Elves''': Dwarfs have no special name for High Elves, representing how the sins of any other group reflect them as well (don't bring up Chaos Dwarfs). But unlike the others, Dwarfs can still ally with them even if it is with a watchful eye.
** '''Elgi'drazh''': Dwarfs HATE Dark Elves. While all Elves are part of the Great Betrayal, Malekith's dishonor to Snorri Whitebeard is unforgivable and the Dark Elves played the Dwarfs for fools. They are inferior even to other Elves. FUCK THOSE MOTHERFUCKERS.
** '''Wutelgi''': Not an open enemy like Chaos and greenskins, but close. Always openly hostile, and attack without warning or discernible motive. Sometimes randomly helpful, cleaning poisoned wells before Dwarfs drink from them and wiping out Skaven marching on Holds. Insane, unpredictable lunatics.
* '''Uzkular''': Undeath is an unnatural state, and nothing good can come of it ("GO FOOK YER AUNTIE, ANCESTOR GHOSTS DINNAE COUNT!"). Dwarfs don't seek out confrontation with the Undead for its own sake, but the Dammaz Kron has enough pages that conflict is very common.
** '''Zangunaz''': Dwarfs hate Vampires. The only contact between the two has been hostile and always began with the Vampires as the aggressor. Dwarf/Vampire history began when Neferata suddenly appeared and wiped out a Hold then reanimated all the Dwarfs as her slaves, a state they remain in. It hasn't gotten better since then, another notable example is the vampire lord Walach Harkon killing one of the Dwarf High Kings in a duel during the war against Konrad von Carstein. The Dwarfs don't distinguish between bloodlines, as the word "zangunaz" literally translates to "blood drinker", which is as good as any alternate name for vampires. Only one Vampire, Ulrika, has been recorded with any friendly interaction between them (or more specifically two Slayers) and she was later killed in self-defense after failing to control her bloodlust. The former knight of the white wolf Jerek von Carstein made a truce with a dwarf in order to slay Konrad von Carstein and Mannfred but he later asked the dwarf to seal him in a ruin to prevent himself from hurting others. [[Genevieve Sandrine du Pointe du Lac Dieudonné|Genevieve]] also clearly gets a pass given everyone knows where she lives, and no armies have shown up at her door for a quick striking out of a Grudge about some Von Carstein raising some Miner's uncle as a Skeleton Warrior. Vampires also threaten the humans of the Empire and Bretonnia. Inferior to Dwarfs because they cannot into engineering.
** '''Uzkuli'gorl''': Dwarfs are not fond of the Tomb Kings. In life they were a primitive and divided people as likely to trade as hunt Dwarfs for sport, and in death they are much more likely to undertake the latter. Unfortunately some Dwarfs saw the long-dead humans buried in massive tombs full of gold as an opportunity for profit, feeling that a dead human deserves none of the reverence of a dead Dawi. Now, many bony Nehekharans seek to reclaim their lost gold, causing many Grudges as some Dwarfs are unaware that their heirlooms and sacred treasures are stolen property and are attacked, slaughtered, then taken as undead slaves or trophies. That being said, some (like [[Queen Khalida]]) and King Behedesh can find common goals with Dwarfs (like killing those fucking Vampires or greenskins). According to the Nagash novel, a high king by the name Morgrim Blackbeard had their finest smith forge a fine looking two-handed Khopesh as a present for Alcadizaar the Conqueror, even wanting to discuss their relationship for the future. It is also mentioned in the same book that the usual Dwarf folks are "slow to warm to the Nehekharans". Superior to Vampires in that they don't have to prey on the living for sustenance, the majority didn't want to become the way they are and they use engineering more than vampires do. Still an inferior, albeit stylish, bronze age race.
* '''Lizardmen''': Gold-hoarding beasts and probably slaves of Chaos (as far as Dwarfs are concerned). Slaughtered many Dwarf expeditions to Lustria. If the Dwarfs knew they caused the Time Of Woe, they would stop at nothing to destroy them (except the Skaven were partly responsible for it as well, but Skaven are already right next to Greenskins in the Dawi's book). But as it is Dwarfs know very little of them and most of what they've done to the race remain unrecorded as no survivors returned to tell the Grudge.
* '''Greenskins''': Literally worse than Chaos. If it came between killing all four Chaos Gods or killing a quarter of the greenskins in the world, most Dawi would pick the greenskins. Being one of the species that can use the underway, meaning they are encountered all lot of times and those encounters often resolves in violence and beard shaving. The Grudges they caused are so numerous that it was decreed only genocide would strike them all out of the Dammaz Kron.
** '''Grobi''': Goblins. Worst of the worst. Thieving shits that infest valuable caves.
** '''Urks''': Orcs. Also the worst of the worst. Big stupid idiots that do nothing but ruin what better races (IE basically everything not an Urk, or Thaggoraki, or anything race that a Dawi hates) built.
** '''Gronti''': Giants. Fuck Giants, they're Grobi pawns and love to steal Dwarf beer.
* '''Ogri''': Ogres. Big dumb oafs, inferior in every way. Close to enemies of the Dwarfs because they usually are, but the rare odd Maneater can be trusted and sometimes even blends into Dwarf culture. Strange is the Ogre that suddenly decides its a Slayer, but is it worth losing the sight of him wrasslin' a Dragon by explaining it to him?
* '''Grombolgi''': [[Halflings (Warhammer)|Halflings ]]. Little lore mentioned the relationship between the Halflings and Dawrfs. The Dwarfs' records had such a line: “beardless Manlings we first thought to be children” to describe the Halflings when they first saw them traveling with a human tribe across the world's edge mountains. It is unknown if the Dwarfs treats Halflings with the same respect as they did to the Manlings since they were tiny (probably shorter than the Dwarfs) and combine their thievery way, they are similar to Grobi, their hated foe. To the Imperial Dwarfs living in urban Manling cities like Altdorf, Halfling is a common sight and the Dwarfs just can't stand them. They always walking in big group, smiling, talking and just so annoying that the Dawi would drive out any Halfling that walked into their shop, with a broom.
* '''Thaggoraki''': Skaven. The other worst of the worst, stole all their technology from Dwarfs (not true, but they certainly do steal quite a bit) and to be killed on sight. Still, most Dwarves would choose Greenskins over the smelly rats due to having some major Grudges (the Dwarf equivalent of the "between a rock and hard place" saying is "Do you kill the squig or the rat wolf first?"). One of the other species capable of using underway except there are A LOT OF THEM, meaning there's gonna be a lot of dead miners, rat shit and a HELL LOT of grudges. Responsible for the Time Of Woe when their tried to expand Skavenblight with some kind of foul device, but was unknowingly combined with the Slann's effort for reshaping the continent to the old one's vision and ruined the poor Dawi's living room. The Dwarfs don’t know this, but the Skaven are worst of the worst anyway.

==Khazalid==
The language of the Dwarfs. Actually the single most elaborated on language in Warhammer (very extensively) despite the lore saying little is known of it due to Dwarfs (usually, looking at you here [[Vermintide|Bardin]]) not speaking it outside their own kind (This is taken from Tolkien, where the Dwarven language of Khuzdul was kept secret from outsiders, to the point that they wouldn't even use their given names in the presence of non-Dwarves). Even beyond that, the language of the Dwarfs is highly complicated and relies more on background knowledge than literal translation; as such, a literal translation of a Dwarf's name may be "Alebelly Cragfist" as given to humans, with the name Gorogbolg Karazdrung translating to a Dwarf into ''"Highly respectable and Noble Dawi of considerable craft, wealth and means, whose clan elder once hammered through rock with his bare fists to save his clan from drowning, whilst simultaneously discovering a new, rich seam of gold."'' Its lexicon is a bit punny, though not to the level of utter farce.

Khazalid is written in runes, which as previously mentioned are magic and can be made even more magical by Runesmiths.

Not surprisingly the Chaos Dwarfs speak a variant of Khazalid. In Total War Warhammer III, they speak in this exclusively unlike the regular Dwarfs. Probably because they are a bunch of insular xenophobic jerks who think themselves better than everyone else.

==Religion==
Dwarfs worship a trinity of gods. Valaya, Grungni, and Grimnir. They are referred to as the Ancestor-Gods, as they are believed to be the deities who created the dwarfs and taught them all they needed to know. They're fairly vanilla in concept, really.
Ancestor gods also include the demigod children of the trinity, and any Dwarf of considerable enough importance to revere is added to the pantheon.

Old lore stated that after death all souls are consumed by Chaos or remain as hateful ghosts on the material plane other than a handful that benevolent gods save as their favored servants. Dwarfs believed ancestors reside in the stone of the earth. End Times retconned the former and seemingly supports the latter as in the final battle Nagash resurrected every Empire soldier who has died to march against Chaos, while the Dwarf race assembled in one gigantic army and were joined by the spirits of every Dwarf that ever lived in the final battle (absent were Gotrek, who took the mantle of Grimnir from the real Grimnir, and Valaya who was drained of power by Nagash, - which he used to shroud Nehekhara in darkness - in his titular End Times splatbook). As such it seems like Dwarfs were right, their souls live on in the ground.

* '''Grungni'''
Your generic patriarch-god; a stern, all-knowing, wise all-father, responsible for teaching dwarfs everything about runes, crafting, mining, smithing, building, whatever. His primary portfolio is mining and stoneworking, although crafting in general is also attributed to him. Basically making anything is a prayer to him, so you make it to the best of your ability.

* '''[[Valaya]]'''
Again a fairly bogstandard matriarch-goddess; a protector, healer and nurturer. Technically tied to the domains of all other Ancestor Gods because she created most Dwarf culture, booze, written language, and established the first Holds, but is subordinate to the male gods for [[-4 Strength|some reason]]. Kingly authority originates with Valaya, strangely making her closer comparatively to Zeus than Hera. Her priests and priestesses (mostly examples of the latter exists in canon) are advisors to kings and nobility as well as healers

* '''Grimnir'''
The dwarf god of war and honor, founder/inspiration (depends on your interpretation) of the [[Slayer]] cult. Attempted to close the northern Warp Gate by himself, somehow wound up in the Warp itself where he's fought a one-Dwarf war against the entirety of Chaos (probably alongside [[Kaldor Draigo]] and [[Oxyotl]]). He’s got the least organized religious representation as far as priesthood goes, but we have more references to shrines of him than the others. Mostly because its WARhammer obviously.

* '''[[Gazul]]'''
The Dwarf god of Death. Lived in the time of the trinity, and created the written version of their names as well as the concept of venerating your ancestors. His faith includes the '''Order Of Guardians''', the Dwarf equivalent of Witch Hunters. Every Hold and most settlements, any place that has a place to honorably bury dead Dwarfs in fact, has a shrine or temple to him. We also have references to them Witch Hunter’ing abroad, including a priestess who puts down undead in Imperial Dwarf hangouts.

* '''[[Morgrim]]'''
God of Engineering. Oldest child of Valaya with Grimnir, personally invented Bolt Throwers and Dwarf Catapults/Stone Throwers (which later became Grudge Throwers). Was Grimnir's companion on the way to close the Warp Gate, but Grimnir forced him to turn back and return home. All Engineers are basically priests of Morgrim, since his teachings are a code of conduct for the craft. Liberal Engineers are considered heretics (but not the kind you shoot, just the kind you shout at) by conservative Dwarfs for their loose interpretations of scripture and in turn conservative engineers are considered grumpy old assholes by the radicals. Interestingly the only example we have of a Dwarf who SHOULD have become a Slayer but refused and accepted exile instead was a radical Engineer.

* '''[[Smednir]]'''
God of smelting and metalworking. Oldest son of Grungni and Valaya. Smednir created the tools that Thungni and Grungni inscribed their rune magic on, and among the greatest creations of the trio of laborers is [[Ghal Maraz]] itself. Smednir's shrines and temples are basically just extensions of those of Grungni's, since the two are inseparable in theme.

* '''[[Thungni]]'''
God of Runesmithing. Youngest son of Grungni and Valaya. During the settling of the first Holds he descended into a mystical realm called "Ankor Byrn (Glittering Realm)" where he discovered the ability to forge his mother's language with magic to create runes, although it was his father who later turned the discovery into a science and art. Only descendants of Grungni like himself were capable of learning Runesmithing. All Runesmiths are basically priests of Thungni, like Morgrim's Engineers. Unlike all the other gods who are friendly with the faiths of the allies of the Dwarf race and enemies of those who are Dwarf enemies, Thungni's cult has an additional enemy; non-Dwarfs who try to learn or succeed at making rune magic. This includes human wizards. Interestingly this taboo didn’t exist for the Elves, who in the days of kinship worked with the Dwarfs to enhance High Magic and Runesmithing together.

==Characters==
===Living===
* [[Thorgrim Grudgebearer|High King Thorgrim Grudgebearer]]
High King, current leader of the Dwarf race. Both more liberal than past High Kings and more conservative than any of the modern ones; Thorgrim seeks to aggressively expand back into long-lost territory, and upon taking the throne declared it to be the "Age Of Reckoning" that marks the beginning of the climb back to a new golden age starting when Dwarfs avenge all Grudges. This has lead Dwarfs to see him the same way they see the kings of old. But Thorgrim is also aware of the current nature of the world, of how the backstabbing Elves are necessary allies even if you can't turn your back on them, of how the humans are not only a means of keeping Chaos in the north but also the most reliable ally the Dwarfs want, and how every threat from Skaven to Vampire must be tackled at once or the others will gain ground. How Grudges should not always be settled with blood when gold or Oath is available.
* [[Ungrim Ironfist|Slayer King Ungrim Ironfist]]
Current Slayer King of Karak Kadrin. Like his ancestors he is bound both to seek death in battle and remain as king of his Karak, which has since become a hub for Slayers. Ungrim, unlike his predecessors, is more Slayer than King and has aggressively fought against any foe he could from charging an army straight into the army of [[Queek Head-Taker]] as he attempted to conquer Karak Eight Peaks to killing a dragon in single combat to killing what can only be described as a "giant giant" to pursuing a game of cat and mouse againse Golgfag Maneater. He wants to find his death as soon as possible to free his son from the burdern of the Slayer Kings.
* [[Thorek Ironbrow]]
The current greatest Runesmith alive. His homeland is Karak Azgal, and he obviously controls their Anvil Of Doom. Known as a massive curmudgeon even among Dwarfs who will demote anyone he sees as unfit to carry on his art straight down to Miner. Thorek leads the Weaponsmiths of the greatest Weaponsmith Hold, and encourages trade and expedition to recover ancient Dwarf artifacts. His study of the old, forgotten ways of Runesmithing along with his own creativity and experimentation have created wonders unprecedented and the rediscovery of old ways. His own hammer, Klad Brakak, bears a Rune he invented and has been testing for a century that destroys the armor of whatever he strikes. Of course every design is based on existing works, as he (allegedly) has said anything good enough for the Dwarfs of Starbreaker's day is good enough for him.
Every Anvil Of Power was inscribed with a special Rune called the Rune Of Doom that summons what appears to be a ghostly army of ancestor Dwarfs but in fact is the visual manifestation of the Dwarfy emotions of bravery, loyalty, grim determination, and most importantly deep hatred that increases the morale of the Dawi and frightens their enemies. Thorek is the only Runesmith alive still capable of using his, and does so with complete mastery any time it is needed rather then as the last-ditch risky move that were used in the later days of the living knowledge of the Anvils. That being said, if he ever fails to use it perfectly the Anvil will be destroyed and a massive backlash will injure or kill him and his team.

In theory, Thorek should be the ultimate Runesmith but his assistant Kraggi isn't as up to the task as he is. Kraggi is quite skilled for a Runesmith, but still an apprentice by Thorek's standards despite being a prodigy (Klad Brakak is about as old as Kraggi's career) and has been known to make mistakes (which Thorek NEVER does). Kraggi speeds up Thorek's work but screws up in that haste from time to time on the battlefield.
* [[Grombrindal]]
The White Dwarf, who became the mascot of Games Workshop on creation ([[White Dwarf|the magazine]] is his namesake). Grombrindal appears randomly throughout the world, dispensing wisdom and slaughtering foes before disappearing; oftentimes before his allies realize his identity. Basically [[The Green Knight]] and [[Alith Anar]] for Dwarfs. He was featured in comics, and before the Time Of Woe (AKA the Times of [[Jack Kirby]]) Games Workshop released White Dwarf dioramas alongside the [[Black Gobbo]] in humorous situations (like wearing a space suit and strangling the Black Gobbo in an alien costume or being a [[Magos]] and turning the Gobbo into a [[Servitor]]).
The identity of Grombrindal was hinted at for most of his history as Dwarfs dressing as him, to the forgotten fourth ancestor god who courted Valaya but never married her, to Snorri Whitebeard who was cursed to wander endlessly after Malekith's betrayal. Snorri was his confirmed identity in End Times, when after the destruction of the Curse Of Khaine the unapologetic Malekith is forgiven by him because GW wasn't interested in resolving plots with more complexity than saying they are resolved (according to 1d4chan Longbeards anyway).
* [[King Kazador]]
King of Karak Azul, a giant among Dwarfs and with Herculean strength to match. He outdrank, outlifted, outfeasted, outsang, outjoked, and in all other ways outmatched his childhood friends. Won countless battles and settled countless Grudges. All greenskins feared him, clearing out when he came around, giving him great sport as he had to actually track and hunt a WAAAGH! rather than just survive it. He bears and blows a great horn, the Thunderhorn, which lets all in the same mountain range know that war has come to them.
Basically Gaston, Brom Bones, and that one jock in your high school who stood up for nerds because he actually gave a fuck.

Unfortunately, Kazador retains none of his youthful enthusiasm for the pleasures of life. While he was hunting Goblins one day, [[Gorfang Rotgut]] lead a small army of greenskins into Karak Azul. They ran amok, killing and looting, desecrating and dishonoring. Kazador's entire family and many of his people were hauled away in chains to Black Crag as Rotgut's living trophies, although Kazador's son was left behind shaved and crucified on Kazador's own throne. Kazador promised half of Azul's treasury to any who return his family, another quarter for the return of any of the dead Azulites, and any possession he has for Gorfang's death. Unable to assail Black Crag, he spent his time hatefully pursuing any army of Destruction in Dwarf lands and pursuing any Grudge.
Thorgrim spent ten years tracking the culprits, killed Gorfang and the other leaders of the army for Kazador, and freed all captives. Its unstated if Thorgrim accepted a reward. Kazador is similar to [[Eltharion]], but with actual plot resolution.
* [[Kragg The Grim]]
The Oldhammer (REALLY Oldhammer, dating back to 3e when Warhammer first got lore at all) Thorek. The closest there is to a named Longbeard model.

Greatest and oldest Runesmith alive, among the oldest Dwarf in general in fact. Kragg is so old he remembers the golden age of the Dwarfs, before the Time Of Woes. Kragg's walking stick bears a special Master Rune invented by him and known only to him, as he has never met a Dwarf he considers a worthy successor (it should be noted that Thorek entirely replaced Kragg in 5e/6e, and being a far more expensive model GW pimped Thorek as much as possible by mostly forgetting that Kragg even existed so players would buy the "greatest Runesmith ever" that costs 5x as much). Kragg will babble on and on about back in his day, but thanks to his age and skill he drops far more useful and inspiring secrets than any beard longer; the greatest of Dwarf Runesmiths and heroes have all made pilgrimages to sit and listen to Kragg grumble.
The greatest works of Karaz-a-Karak since Grungni himself were, are, and will be done under Kragg's supervision and guidance (as well as likely with his Master Rune cane to the creator's backside a few times).
* [[Alrik Ranulfsson]]
King of Karak Hirn. Direct descendant of Kurgaz, his great great great grandfather who founded Karak Hirn after the Time Of Woes and created the Anvils Of Power. Kurgaz's descendants were unable to use his shield themselves since he was a giant of a Dwarf, and instead invented the practice of standing on a shield that is carried by loyal retainers.
Alrik is extremely old fashioned, more so than even his father Ranulf, and refuses any new technology in his armies (players using him can still use them, at double point cost). Warriors, Quarrelers, Ironbreakers, Miners, Hammerers, Grudge Throwers, Bolt Throwers.

Alrik is obsessed with clearing out the Book Of Grudges, more so than even Thorgrim, and demands blood for every entry. As a result he constantly attacks anyone to clear a sleight regardless of current politics or distance. To date he has entirely wiped out an entire Book Of Grudges for Karak Hirn, which has been added to his own personal standard that he carries into battle which inspires hope in the Dwarfs like nothing else.
He and his Shieldbearers are "Hrappi-klad" in golden armor that is traditional for Karak Hirn royalty. He uses a special axe called the Axe Of Retribution which was forged specifically for his Grudge crusade, and the Helm Of Eagles that grants him sight to see all enemies and hidden details so no assassin or ambush can catch him.
* [[Belegar Ironhammer]]
Heir to King Lunn of Karak Eight Peaks. After becoming High King, aiding Belegar was Thorgrim's first task. He called on the entire race to aid in retaking the long lost Hold.
* [[Josef Bugman]]
Master brewer and canonically the greatest brewer to have ever lived. After his brewery, called Bugman's Brewery, was burned down by [[Git Guzzler]] and his greenskins Josef has been on a crusade against their race with his elite force called Bugman's Rangers (real creative types, here). Bugman's force wanders anywhere greenskins are found, arriving to aid an army and to give ale to good little soldiers of Order and axes/quarrels to the brains of the green menace. His most important item is a magical tankard called...you guessed it, Bugman's Tankard, which has magical healing powers in addition to filling the mind of the drinker with images of the golden age of Dwarfs.

Incidentally, Bugman's Brewery is an actual pub in Warhammer World.
* [[Gotrek & Felix|Gotrek Gurnisson]]
Gotrek is Dwarf Jedi Master [[The Elder Scrolls|Dragonborn]] Doomguy Chuck Norris, Primarch of the loyalist Dwarf Marines who can [[Creed]] his axe into your skull. Read his page, as no summary does him justice. Just know he's a Slayer who took a human bard as a companion, killed just about everything he can and was rewarded by becoming Grimnir's replacement after finally achieving death (and resurrection, since the death part freed him from his Oath even if it didn't stick).

* [[Byrrnoth Grundadrakk]]
King of Barak Varr, highly conservative in spite of the relatively (and highly by Dwarf comparison) liberal population which has surprisingly resulted in a positive situation. Son of the old king and more likely to have been a ship engineer in his youth had his older brother and father not been killed by a powerful sea dragon while hunting Dark Elves who had drawn too near to their Hold (ironically the family name meant "Hammer Of Dragons" making the deaths all the more tragic/amusing). Grundadrakk swore an Oath at the Shrine Of Grimnir (though not the Slayer Oath) to kill said dragon with the ancestral family axe Rhymakangaz. He took an Ironclad on a twenty year quest in which he didn't set foot on land once, becoming a worldwide legend but largely believed to be dead by Barak Varrans. Finding the dragon fittingly near the Dragon Isles, he allowed himself to be swallowed then cut his way out from within as his crew watched the ocean grow redder and redder where the dragon had submerged until he swam to the surface and hailed them.

Apparently Barak Varr had gone twenty years without a king because he was elected the moment he returned, now spiritually connected to his ancestors and taking a sharp turn from spending all his time with Engineers and traders to spending all his time with Longbeards and Hammerers, as well as sending the youth of Barak Varr to schooling in Karak Kadrin before becoming adults.

* [[Vermintide|Bardin Gorekkson]]
Bardin is a Dwarf Ranger and one of the Ubersreik Five from [[The End Times: Vermintide]]. Hailing from the small hold of Karak Ziflin in the Grey Mountains, Bardin is a Ranger and kind-of Dawi archeologist searching for the lost hold of Karak Zorn... or that's what he claims, at least. The terrible truth as revealed by the whispering daemon in Castle Drachenfels is that Bardin is a tragic figure haunted by his failure to warn Ziflin Deeps of a Skaven attack which resulted in the deaths of a good number of unfortunate dawi, including Bardin's beardling son Mordin. Rather than take the Slayer oath, Bardin seems to have chosen self-imposed exile as penance, leaving behind a wife and daughter in Karak Norn.
This would go a long way to explaining why Bardin is so unusual among the usually dour and xenophobic Dawi. Bardin is always quick to come out with a good joke or a song (as a coping mechanism for his dark backstory, of course) and he shrugs off insults and mockery, even though much of what comes out of Kerillian's mouth would easily warrant its own entire chapter within the Book of Grudges. He even peppers his speech with Khazalid with humans and an elgi in earshot, something absolutely unthinkable for most Dawi - though Bardin does draw the line at writing around them.
[[Vermintide 2]] sees Bardin return as a Ranger Veteran with a newfound desire to take up axe, hammer, crossbow and gun to protect the Reikland over his "search" for Karak Zorn. Alternatively due to the game's new character class system, Bardin can either return to his roots as an Ironbreaker, or become a Slayer as his terrible experiences in Ubersreik twisted his mind. Canonically, after the events of Castle Drachenfels, Bardin takes cues from his fondly-remembered iconoclast and engineer uncle and develops a [[Awesome|hand-cranked, steam-powered gatling gun]], for dabbing all over thaggoraki ratling gunners and their shoddy umgak.
* [[Burlok Dammison|Master Engineer Burklok Dammison]]
Youngest ever and current Master of the Engineer's Guild. As a young Dawi he was very gifted (inventing a beard-braider, self- lighting pipe, and a double-barreled rifle at the same time the average Engineer was learning the basics) and very liberal, and highly interested many random technologies that he pursued with great enthusiam which included the research of Sven Hasselfriesian into alcohol-powered machines. The two managed to caused a pressure explosion which destroyed the Engineer's Guild Hall. Burlok did a 180 and became a highly conservative Engineer who believes mostly in the old ways. He eventually became Guildmaster despite his disgrace (possibly simply by surviving longest).
Since Burlok's arm was blown off in the explosion, he invented bionics! Specifically "Burlok's Ingenious Offensive New-matic Integrated Constrictor" (that's right, acronyms are canon!)
* [[Grimm Burloksson]]
For some reason, Games Workshop decided to retcon Burlok. They did so in the ingenious manner of creating an almost identical character and calling him Burlok's son, then gave him Burlok's backstory. So...what's the difference? Burlok began liberal and became conservative after a tragic laboratory accident. Grimm went from liberal to mad scientist after an exciting laboratory accident.

That's it. Grimm is just Burlok, wacky inventor. Grimm doesn't have a bionic limb, and instead made a robot arm that fits on his actual arm using the same technology. He also has a telescoping sight that lowers from his helmet, a modified gun (best described as "double-barrel sniper rifle), a hammer that is a weapon-snapping cog, and his personal standard is a fucking furnace strapped to his back. While a more amusing character, one has to wonder why the major retcon when both can exist and the father can remain Guildmaster...
* [[Sven Hasselfriesian]]
Sven is actually a VERY old character, dating back to the Warhammer 2e scenario [[The Magnificent Sven]] (that's right, Sven fucking predates Chaos).

After destroying a large chunk of Karaz-a-Karak, Sven refused to stop experimenting with his insane idea of liquid-powered machines and Burlok was forced to expel him from the Engineer's Guild after the "humiliation ritual" (whatever that is). Rather than taking up the Slayer Oath like a normal Dwarf, Sven booked a ride to Lustria for unknown reasons. He settled at a trading post on the Amoco River and made a substantial amount of money that he invested in his master plan of a boat powered by a combustion engine. After three years, Sven hired non-Chaos Norscans to finish the ship and be his crew. He named her "Voltsvagn" (you read that right, early Warhammer was big on puns) after his mother and began work as a ferryman in Lustria. He has been attacked by Lizardmen so many times he has become completely immune to all poisons they have.
He was later used in Dogs Of War where his ambition has swelled, and he now seeks to conquer all of Lustria and take ALL THE GOLD. So he went from mad scientist to Dorf Cortez.
* [[Long Drong]]r
Dogs Of War character. Nicknamed "Long" due to his massive height. Worked through the ranks from cabin boy to captain of a Barak Varr merchant vessel that delivered Dwarf ale worldwide. After a particularly bad storm caused the ship to wreck all the ale onboard was destroyed, and both Drong and the crew swore the Slayer Oath. They immediately invaded a pirate lair and used his plunder to purchase a Dwarf ship, notably with the mast of an attractive Dwarf woman (but amusingly since literally not a single one of them had ever actually seen a Dwarf woman, having spent their entire lives at sea, they had to guess at what one looked like).
They had the captured pirates teach them everything they knew about piracy, although the Dwarfs got a slightly different lesson than one would expect.

Rather than attacking wealthy merchant ships and robbing them, the Dwarfs set out reclaiming lost treasures from the ocean floor. Mercenaries used their paychests as the mark of station, which they would pay almost anything to have returned. Drong's crew only asked for the contents when they found it plus the same amount as the chest full again, which is very cheap compared to the amount the Merc generals would likely pay. Of course Drong attacked any true pirate he encountered, and soon gained a reputation as an honorable mercenary among the great nations of the world.

* Tarni Ironspike
One of the rare adventurer female Dwarfs. Grew up in the southern Habercrybs. After a mine collapse she became the assistant to a traveling priest of Gazul named Snorri Gravehand, becoming an initiate at Khazid Harkhat. She graduated to a full-fledged priestess and tended to the Dwarfs, and humans when no priest of [[Morr]] was present, of Reikland and Ubersreik until she discovered that her former master had been killed by a Necromancer. Ever since she's lead a one-woman crusade against Necromancers in the regions of the Empire and the Grey Mountains.

* Keela
A female Dwarf Engineer from Zhufbar, introduced in [[Warhammer: Chaosbane]]. Investigated issues at the Imperial Gunnery School in Nuln, she dealt with swarming Nurgle plague victims.

===Dead===
* [[Garagrim Ironfist]]
Ungrim's son. Ungrim seeks death as soon as he can so his son will be free of the Slayer King burden, but Garagrim swore the Oath as soon as he was an adult and also seeks death to free his father of the suicidal part of his duty. Garagrim found his death in Storm Of Chaos as the leader of the Dwarfs in the event, although Ungrim swore the Slayer Oath a second time due to the loss of his son making the entire sacrifice pointless and ensuring the royal line of Karak Kadrin would fall. After Games Workshop retconned Storm Of Chaos (there's no polite answer for why, just know they fucked up royally and got rid of it so they could fuck up even worse but under their own control in End Times) they retconned Garagrim to having died offscreen long ago effectively removing his character as anything but a footnote in continuity.
* '''Kimril Giantslayer'''
A character from the 1985 "Dwarves Of Legend Box". The very first Slayer. Killed the twin Giants Thunderguts and Stormbelly.
* '''Angus'''
Another Dwarves Of Legend, crushed by his dead enemies at Klumti Pass.

===Unknown===
* '''King Gorrin'''
Another Dwarves Of Legend character. Killed the greenskin Gorbad The Gruesome at the Battle Of Drakkaz-snor.
* '''The Baron'''
Another Dwarves Of Legend. Fought Count Horlichs of Averland.
* '''Throbin Death-eye'''
Dwarves Of Legend character. Possibly a Slayer. Polished his axe in blood, and had a frightening stare.
* '''Lastro Lupinthrall'''
Dwarves Of Legend. Cursed by a Norscan Witch, howls at every full moon.
* '''Borax Bloodaxe'''
Dwarves Of Legend. Became so rich he needed five Vaults to store his treasure.

==Regions And Factions==
A summary of factions and locations that can tie into your Dwarf army (or the lore of any group you play who ties into the Dwarfs; if you're a fan of proxies, its not uncommon for them to accompany the Empire and not a far throw for them to fight alongside Bretonnia, or with good reason the High or Wood Elves).

Note that while Dwarfs use specific colors to represent their Hold of origin, the Holds have multiple clans within and individual groups of course may have their own colors. This is on top of many different interpretations by artists over the years in example armies deciding to use vastly different symbols and colors to represent some factions. For example Karak Norn colors are red and white, and they have a large number of Dwarfs from all of the fallen Holds such as the Dragonback clan along with the nearby Bugman's Brewery meaning that while most Nornlings would be displaying the red and white somewhere, their own colors on their clothing or even banners could be from numerous clans or Holds; a Dwarf with Bugman's colors on his cloak, a red and white shield, and his banner in the colors of the Dragonbacks is quite fine and fluffy.

The generic colors of the Dwarfs are blue with white details with bronze and small amounts of silvery metal representing steel and/or Gromril depending on the importance of the Dwarf in question with the symbol of three triangles forming a mountain range.

Slayers break all ties to Hold and Clan, and thus never display any colors but that of other Slayers. They usually wind up in reds, oranges, and white although many use white and blue clothing. Some Eavy Metal schemes used face paint in the colors of the army they are marching in to represent a temporary allegiance to their current comrades.

Although example armies straight from Games Workshop prior to 7e almost always used a matching canon color scheme representing the location the army originates from, these armies were significantly smaller than the armies of today. In 7e the example armies featured a mix of multiple Holds fighting in one army (notably the Karaz-a-Karak army containing one unit from each example Hold), and in 8e most Karaks were given multiple symbols and color schemes along with canon clans/organizations bearing entirely different color schemes despite being from the same Hold. As a result, the most recent GW Dwarf canon means a player looking to distinguish their army as specifically coming from a single Hold can still use whatever colors they want for every individual unit. Raise the rainbow, strike the earth! Generally speaking, its the Battle Standard Bearer colors and symbol that will give your army its identity, possibly the strongest and/or most important unit as well.

===Regions===
[[File:Worlds_Edge_Mountains_Map.jpg|thumb|right|The Worlds Edge Mountains]]
====Karaz Ankor====
The Eternal Realm, and the heart of the Dwarf empire, made up of the oldest Holds. Located in the [[Worlds Edge Mountains]].
* '''Karaz-a-Karak'''
Also called Everpeak, with the name roughly translating to "Pinnacle Of Mountains". The capital of the Dwarf race and home to both the high Kings and the primary shrine of Valaya. One thousand pillars are found in the main hall, each representing a Dwarf clan. Every decade a carver is sent to add more of their story to the column, with many tragically ending long before any of the others making it clear to every visitor who has been wiped out in the Dwarfs gigantic family.
When Elves and Dwarfs were still allies, Elf artisans covered the ceiling of the cavern in diamonds and sapphires forming the same constellations in the sky above, while on the ground the hall lit up by braziers covered in gigantic and identical rubies and the walls covered in reliefs showing the legends of the Dwarfs. The harmonics of the hall are such that even a whisper from the High King carries to every part of the hall. Despite being the largest, richest, and most populated Karak the bulk of Karaz-a-Karak is empty. Only the westernmmost halls are populated, the rest are either sealed or lie vacant. The armies of Karaz-a-Karak occasionally have to clear out any Skaven or Night Goblins that try to gain a foothold and reseal Vaults.

The capital Hold is one of the most well-defended places in the entire Warhammer world. The entire valley leading to the fortress is a giant deathtrap with hundreds, possibly thousands, of defenses and thanks to watch towers and far more mysterious methods of detection the Dwarfs know of any enemy approaching long before they come within sight of the mountains it lies in. The gates themselves are impenetrable, far beyond the capacity of the mightiest army of Elves ever seen to penetrate during the War Of Vengeance.

Karaz-a-Karak armies use gold and greens as colors generally, with blue as an alternative color alongside yellow although it is noted that Karaz-a-Karak has all colors in its armies as all Clans and Holds are tied to the capital of the Dwarf race.

* '''Zhufbar'''
Called the Torrent Gate, perhaps the most important Hold to the overall Warhammer setting. Considered a “twin” Hold to the ill-fated Karak Varn, as both are built into the sides of a chasm beneath a lake called the Black Water, with waterfalls from the lake flowing through water-wheels which power the city. As a result of the cheap power Zhufbar is the site of the capital of the Engineer’s Guild, and the most important shrine to Morgrim. Zhufbar and Karak Varn are both found where the Worlds Edge Mountains meet the Black Mountains, north of Karaz-a-Karak and south of Karak Kadrin. The Black Water region is very rich in Gromril and other precious metals, allowing the Dwarfs to produce and experiment at maximum capacity.
During the Age Of Woe, volcanic eruptions drained Black Water. Karak Varn was conquered by Skaven while Orcs smashed through the water wheels of Zhufbar and laid siege to the Hold. The Zhufbar Dwarfs fought hard and were slowly driven out over centuries until they finally made a stand in the chasm of the canyon but were defeated, with the survivors scattered and seeking aid. The only successful aid came from Alaric The Mad, a famous Runesmith who believed the stories that not only had humanity managed to evolve to a point of mattering, but believed that they had a leader who could destroy any evil. This hero was Sigmar. Alaric promised Sigmar twelve magical swords for Sigmar’s closest followers in exchange for helping liberate Zhufbar (of course Sigmar REALLY hates Orcs, so it was like being paid twice). Once Zhufbar was reclaimed, Alaric went to work and finished the fables blades after Sigmar had left the mortal world. Those swords are now a mark of office for the leaders of the provinces of the Empire, the Elector Counts. Zhufbar was able to be rebuilt quickly as the Black Water had refilled during the Orc occupation. To this day Zhufbar remains one of the friendliest Holds to mankind, from which most of their knowledge of science and technology has derived (its no surprise that Zhufbar is best described as “Dwarf Nuln”). Most Dwarf technology is developed and manufactured in Zhufbar, which boasts a massive fleet of Gyrocopters and Gyrobombers as well as many other technological marvels that no conservative Hold would tolerate the existence of. A group of Dragons managed to build a nest in one of the halls, which was sealed off and renamed “Khaz Drakk”, although in emergencies Dwarfs are sent through it with messages for the Empire that need to arrive ASAP. A human town now exists outside of the gates of Zhufbar which has benefitted both races immensely financially (in case it hasn’t been made clear enough, Zhufbar is basically steampunk Erebor). Its unclear if these humans answer to the Empire or Zhufbar for government.

Colors are mainly blue and white, though the novel Grudgebearer gives them blue and red while Total War: Warhammer gives them blue and yellow. Said blue is sometimes more of a cyan or turquoise than the rich blue used by other Dwarf factions. Though the popular portrayal of armies tends to be ice-covered in the snow the actual artwork of Zhufbar tends to portray it more at the base of the mountains, snowless with vegetation and a small nearby forest. Given its size however there's almost certainly multiple major gates and routes to other locales.

* '''Karak Kadrin'''
The Slayer Keep, among the strongest Dwarf Holds and the largest in its region (north of Karaz-a-karak and east of the Empire). Situated in a location to protect the Peak Pass trade routes which connect the Karaz Ankor with the Old World and the east. Karak Kadrin has never fallen, and sits along an often-attacked invasion route for monsters and eastern armies. Due to the central trade location and collected tribute for protection it provides, Karak Kadrin is fabulously wealthy and beyond even that importance is that it boasts the most important site for Grimnir worship which is where many Slayers choose to swear themselves, and are given free gear and lodging to help them on their way to complete their sacred Oaths. Not all Slayers leave to find death elsewhere, and Karak Kadrin boasts a very large army made up just of Slayers who protect the pass and seek a less immediate death (some may choose this if their sin was a dereliction of duty, or possibly if they aren’t brave enough to chase Daemons across the Chaos Wastes). Not all of Karak Kadrin’s soldiers and citizens are Slayers by any means, in addition to the Slayer forces Karak Kadrin has all the usual soldiery from Hammerers to Gyrocopters.
Karak Kadrin is ruled by the Drakebeard Clan. Five generations ago, King Baragor became the first (known) king to take the Slayer Oath, possibly because his daughter was killed by the dragon Skaladrak while traveling to marry the High King of the time. Baragor was caught between the religious need to find death as Grimnir intended and religious need to lead his people as Valaya intended, finding the solution as creating the major shrine of Grimnir and altering the Dwarf Slayer culture by enabling them to find their death in duty rather than setting out to find it. Ungrim Ironfist is the current Slayer King, five times great grandson of Baragor, each King in the line born to take the Oath but thus far unable to die in battle and free their own sons. In Storm Of Chaos the character Garagrim Ironfist was created as Ungrim’s son who swore the Slayer Oath while still a prince, then set out with an army off to fight the coming Chaos Hordes and die to free his father. Garagrim was crushed by a falling Giant which freed Ungrim from Slayerhood, but in shame Ungrom then swore himself back to the Slayer Oath for the loss of his son in a fantastically epic failure. Despite the entirety of Storm Of Chaos being retconned in 7e, Garagrim’s death was kept as canon (because grimderp) and now Ungrim is sonless and has disregarded his duty to stay alive, constantly leading Karak Kadrin’s armies far and wide and taking the battlefield personally against the armies of the Dwarfs. Karak Kadrin is doomed to be kingless in any continuity, and Dwarfs have no established mechanism of dealing with a succession crisis with no true successor (although to be fair we only know Garagrim was his only son and it isn’t stated that non-heir sons took the Oath, so for anyone looking to make their own canon an OC uncle/aunt, brother/sister, or daughter of Ungrim could take the throne).
The colors of Karak Kadrin are green and red, or any shades of red/orange/white.

* '''Karak Azul'''
Called Iron Peak due to the massive amount of iron in its mines, the largest in the Worlds Edge on top of an abundance in other metals. As a direct result Azul has among the best metalworkers the Dwarfs have and many Clans are directly descended from Grungni. This has enabled Azul to survive the constant onslaught of enemies, being the last southern Hold. The weaponsmiths and Runesmiths don't just make gear for their own; most Dwarf Holds receive their weaponry from Azul, through the Underway to any Dwarfs in need.
Karak Azul was attacked by greenskins some time ago; the family of Thane Kazador was enslaved as living trophies while the son was shaved and nailed to the throne. Thanks to the dedication of Kazador the only surviving Orc from the attack is the Warboss himself, Gorfang Rotgut, who squatted in Black Crag until he was killed and his head was delivered to Kazador.

Karak Azul, as you may have guessed, uses the color blue as well as gold. Their primary symbol is the face of a Dwarf smith.

* '''Karak Ungor'''
Originally the “Delving Hold”, now called “Red Eye Mountain”. During the golden age of the Dwarfs it was the richest Hold in terms of ore extraction found in the entirety of the Ankor. Mines that were depleted were not intentionally collapsed, resulting in massive networks of empty tunnels. It was ruled by the Durazgrund Clan. At the very start of the Time Of Woe the army and King Morek Stonehammer of Karak Ungor was still returning from the War Of Vengeance only to find that Karak Ungor had completely fallen, taken by the Red Eye Night Goblin tribe that had come from below when the earthquakes opened the existing tunnels to many, many others full of nasty foes. The walls and gates were built to be so externally impenetrable that their very own builders couldn’t breech them, and what had once been a triumphant army marching home became scattered groups of refugees to the soon to fall Zhufbar as well as Karaz-a-karak. Another attempt was made 500 years later by High King Skorri Morgrimson. The southern valley and corresponding gate were retaken, but the Dwarfs could not breach the Hold itself. The event is now known as the Battle Of A Thousand Woes. Skorri’s son died in the battle, and Skorri himself abdicated the throne to his cousin Rogni Stonehammer before taking the Slayer Oath and finding his doom not long after. Rogni’s reign details are unknown, but the Durazgrund leadership of the Dwarf race lasted at the maximum a very short 200-ish years. The current Durazgrund heir is Ulther Stonehammer, who is only considered a prince as he refused the title of king upon inheriting it from his father King Ulfar until Karaz Ungor is retaken. He established an elite army called the Dragon Company made up of Imperial Dwarfs which is based in Karaz-a-karak and raids greenskins until the day Ungor is reclaimed, supported by Lord Gomrund Forkbeard of Karak Kadrin. The Dragon Company splits between Stonehammer's yellow and blue colors, the green/blue/yellow of Forkbeard, a trio wearing white and black named Grum, Grom, and Grim, and general red infantry.

* '''Karak Varn'''
Called "Cragmere" now. Sister Hold to Zhufbar, both in the chasm where the mountain lake Black Water flows. The first misery to befall Karak Varn actually came before the Time Of Woe, when the Dwarfs-wait for it-DUG TOO DEEP AND UNLEASHED SOMETHING. That thing was...water. They accidentally tunneled into the underground reservoir that Black Water feeds into, managed to destabilize the foundations enough that when the Time Of Woe earthquakes came the waters swept through and flooded most of the Hold. Soon after the weary Dwarfs were attacked by an allied Skaven/Goblin army, and forced towards the surface. The Warpstone corruption became so terrible that the surviving Varnlings abandoned the Hold willingly, as the mutated horrors below are now the like of nightmares. Expeditions of Engineers using submarines through the underground Black Water as well as tunneling vehicles have enabled Dwarfs to strip the Gromril shaft by shaft, but there are no plans to reclaim Varn itself. Adventurers also plumb into Karak Varn, such as in the [[Heroquest]] expansion.

* '''Mount Silverspear/Karag Agilwutraz'''
Called Mount Grimfang when held by greenskins, which it is currently, after the Orc Warboss Urk Grimfang who first conquered it. It sat at the southern end of the Silver Road, east of Karaz-a-karak. Had the single richest mine after Gunbad, called Karag Agilwutraz. Like Gunbad it was exempt from sending soldiers for the War Of Vengeance, instead funding the war with, you guessed it, silver. It fell later on in the Time Of Woe 1637 years ago, as it was bypassed for richer and less defended Holds by early greenskin invasions but despite the extra time to prepare with watchtower defenses it fell nonetheless during the Silver Wars after successive greenskin armies were thrown at it. Survivors fled to Karaz-a-karak, and greenskins have occupied it ever since although currently Skaven are growing in number beneath.

* '''Karak Vlag'''
“Desolation Hold”. The northernmost part of the Ankor (Karak Kadrin being the northernmost Hold in general), found south of the High Pass between the two parts of Kislev. Founded during the golden age, in one of the few times Dwarfs were on the offensive as the Dwarfs took existing caves by driving out Dragons and taking THEIR homes. The mines expand throughout the Granite Peaks giving a surplus of iron, and the masonry is the rival of Karaz-a-karak for best stonework in the world. It survived the Time Of Woe with ample watchtowers giving warning, allowing the Dwarfs to defend so well that the only time Orcs even managed to enter the upper halls the Vlagians simply dropped giant iron gates which cut invading army into easily overwhelmed small groups. It was finally destroyed during the Great War Against Chaos, although the means are unknown as the Hold simply vanished as if it had never existed at all with scouts from Karaz-a-karak unable to even find rubble. In perhaps a tongue-in-cheek joke about retcons, it is stated that loremasters have opinions on its fate and all other Dwarfs simply don’t talk about it.
Karak Vlag attracted much attention in the online Warhammer fanbase, appearing repeatedly in several fan Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay adventures and as special armies, particularly on the fansite Bugman’s Brewery. In the Vermintide video game the Dwarf Ranger can find a helmet from Karak Vlag, indicating that relics from it still exist. White Dwarf #274 identified its canon fate, as the Dwarfs tunneled into the lair of [[Galrauch]] and the king was summoned, who's caution was ignored in favor of his green as he instructed the laborers to began looting. When Galrauch woke up he assaulted the Dwarfs with his full power, overcoming the magic negating effects of protective Runes and Runesmith powers alike. Survivors managed to flee to other Holds (its unstated how many and who), and the Hold itself now shifts between the physical world and the Warp, returning to the material realm filled with warring Daemons each time. In Total War: Warhammer it appears on the map as a model but has no settlement there.

* '''Vala-Azrilungol ([[Karak Eight-Peaks]])'''
Originally called "Queen of the Silver Depths", one of the oldest Dwarf Holds. The Eight Peaks are: Karag Lhune, Karag Mhonar, Karag Rhyn, Karag Yar, Karag Ziflin (the military district of Karak Eight Peaks, the first to fall to the Skaven), Karagril, Karak Nar, and Kvinn-Wyr.

Skaven discovered the Eight Peaks around 3800 and the Council Of 13 planned its fall within the next ten generations (so 100 years) with [[Clan Mors]] and [[Clan Gritak]] preparing to invade by building their armies and constructing tunnels. [[Clan Skryre]] planted Warpstone in the main fountain of the Hold and the initial plan was to wait for the Dwarfs to have their numbers greatly thinned by poisoning (perhaps not knowing that Dwarfs use water sparingly for anything when there's enough ale) until they were forced to begin their plans immediately with the huge and sudden rush of greenskin invasions. The Dwarf Miners discovered the Skaven tunnels not long before, and shortly afterwards the Skaven staged a mass invasion taking Karag Ziflin and the communities/mines of Varkund, Runkarn, and Undkar. Meanwhile Goblins attacked the East Gate which connected to Death Pass. The Dwarfs tried to blow up their tunnels, but earthquakes opened natural tunnels as soon as the artificial ones were destroyed. Magma flowed up through cracks, destroying not only the equipment that relied on magma for power but also entire sections of the Holds. A slow retreat began until King Lunn was forced to seal the great treasures away and leave in exodus, swearing he would return; he never did, the Eight Peaks have been the target of more reclamation attempts than any other location and every one has failed. The Dwarfs fled to Karak Azul, and while the Skaven and greenskins fought for control of the now fallen Hold Clan Mors blew up the Vault roof which destroyed Clan Gritak and caused the Skaven and greenskin held portions to be largely separated.

After becoming High King, aiding Belegar was Thorgrim's first task. He called on the entire race to aid in retaking the long lost Hold. Every Hold donated to Belegar's army so that even the common Warrior was equipped with rune weapons and resembled an army from the golden age of the Dwarfs ad they marched with ample food and ale. Thorek Ironbrow lead an army of Karak Azul as allies. Regardless he still faced difficult odds. First the ground level of the Eight Peaks was taken, as well as the infamous East Gate and the valley that sits in the middle of the Peaks with a gigantic citadel. Skarsnik of the Night Goblins and Queek Headtaker of the Skaven both prepared their forces to destroy the other two rivals. Belegar sealed off all other parts of the Peaks and focused on holding, slowly pushing forwards while Engineers have to rebuild defenses. Undgrin Ankor, the military quarter of the old Hold, is the newest to be reclaimed although small numbers of Trolls remain. Three times the armies of other Holds have marched to aid Belegar after a devastating attack from his foes, the last lead by Thorgrim himself. The Dwarfs have also gotten aid from Bretonnia, the Empire, Elves, and Ogre mercenaries while the greenskins and Skaven have been bolstered by attacks from Beastmen and the Vampires of Neferata.
As soon as Belegar had established his control back on the Eight Peaks treasure hunters and mercenaries began to arrive, with most given leave by Belegar to do as they will. Very few have returned or had any measure of success but they come regardless. Gotrek & Felix had the most success.

In Total War: Warhammer, Belegar begins in Karak Izor in the Black Mountains and actually has to fight his way cross the greenskin-held Karaz Ankor south on his way to the Eight Peaks while Skarsnik begins north of him in the Grey Mountains and is usually eliminated long before any other foe. Thorgrim is willing to ally with Belegar only after some measure of success against greenskins, the Greylings are willing to ally against Skarnsik, most other Dwarfs take a long time to woo by which point Belegar has probably eradicated Archaon in a blast of cannonfire.

The colors of Karak Eight Peaks are red, white, and blue with a mountain represented by a single triangle split into eight with jagged lines.

* '''Karak Azgal (Karak Izril)'''
Called the Dragon Crag today, the City Of Jewels in the past. The wealthiest Hold in Dwarf history, the extravagance is still more than visible. Izril was one of the many Holds that fell as a result of the loss of Karak Eight Peaks due to the trade routes being lightly defended. When greenskins invaded with the intent on pillaging the fabled treasures the Skaven that lurked in their mines chose to make the Dwarfs face a two front war. Upon realizing that Karak Izril was doomed the warriors made a last stand while the Runesmith Stormbeard and the Clan Engineers carried the treasures of Izril into the primary Vault and sealed it with a special Rune called the Rune Of Hiding so no other being could find the door. The survivors fled, and since then Izril has been called "Karal Azgul" meaning "Hoard Peak". The Dragon Graug The Terrible claimed Azgal from greenskins and Skaven not long after and discovered the Vault, making it his new home and adding to the treasure in order to attract a mate. The Jeweler's Guild sent many expeditions to reclaim Azgal and kill Graug with no success until one day a Dwarf named Skalf, barely an adult, managed the deed. Skald became the King, and used the fabulous treasury to establish a small stronghold in the ruins of the massive city. Azgal has since become a haven for adventurers and treasure-seekers who journey through the depths to kill Grobi and seek fortune. Now that the Eight Peaks are partially reclaimed, the future of Azgal looks bright.

Karak Azgal is the feature and namesake of a [[Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay]] supplement. Its primary claim to fame is being the home of the single greatest Runesmith alive, Thorek Ironbrow. Artwork as well as Thorek's traditional paintjob shows them with a green color scheme with white and yellow details.

* '''Karak Drazh'''
Known now as the Black Crag. Once the third largest Karak in the Ankor after Karaz-a-karak and the Eight Peaks, situated at the western end of Death Pass where there was trade, protection, and rich ore. Managed to survive the Time Of Woe, and was in a trinity known as the Southern Holds with Karak Azgal and Karak Azul that had a higher opinion of themselves than most Holds due to longer and more prestigious lineage. 469 years before the time of Sigmar, an Orc named Dork (we’re not making that up) laid siege to Karak Drazh. The fighting was fierce and went on for some time. Once the ruler King Vikram Ironside decided the war was lost, he used the tried and true Dwarf tactic of leading his forces in a suicide attack to make a gap for the civilians to flee with whatever they could hold.
Since then it has been known as Black Crag, the most powerful Orc stronghold in the Worlds Edge Mountains. Here Gorfang Rotgut rules and he staged his infamous raid on Karak Azul from as well.
Attempts were made over the years to reclaim it, but only Thorgrim Grudgebearer in the modern era has had success, killing Gorfang. Although not fully retaken, the Orc armies were scattered and Thorgrim intends to return to wreak great vengeance on them for the depravity he witnessed.

* '''Karak Raziak'''
Only known as a label on a map of Kislev.

* '''Khazid Irkulaz'''
Only known as a label on a map of Kislev.

* '''The Pillars of Grungni'''
Almost no lore. Nearby Karaz-a-Karak on the Silver Road.

* '''Dringorackaz'''
One of the rare southern Holds to survive. Almost no lore.

* '''Kradtommen'''
Same as Dringorackaz.

* '''Kings way'''
Lost Hold. No other lore.

* '''Axehelm'''
Lost Hold. No other lore.

* '''Karaz-Lumbar'''
Shown on a map in 3e. No other lore.

* '''Kadar Grimm'''
Home of Barim Eisenhauer, a character in a mini-event called Thunder In Blackfire Pass. No other lore.

* '''Karak Angazbar'''
Almost no lore.

* '''Karak Eksfilaz'''
Westernmost part of Karaz Ankor. Almost no lore.

====Badlands====
The settlements of the Badlands.

* '''Ekrund'''
Known now as Mount Bloodhorn, Ekrund was the most wealthy settlement outside of the Ankor, matching the most profitable Holds. It is located in the Dragonback Mountains, on the southeastern shores of the Black Gulf (Warhammer Mediterranean). It had a powerful army, and members of its clans were found among the High King’s council. In the War Of Vengeance the Dwarfs of Ekrund united with the Dwarfs of Barak Varr to destroy all Elf settlements in what would later be Tilea, the ruins of which became Tilean cities. During the Time Of Woe the Dwarfs of Ekrund hastily built defenses designed to defend specifically against greenskins, but the hordes were on them before construction had finished. The defenders made a suicidal push costing thousands of lives, allowing the Dwarfs of Ekrund to flee carrying any valuables they could. The greenskin armies discovered the distillery of the Ekrund mines and became complacent, allowing many civilians a successful escape. Once they arrived at Barak Varr their old friends gave the refugees transport to wherever they needed to go. The surrounding mines also resulted in a trickle of refugees, to Karaz-a-karak where they suffered from constant greenskin raids, or west to the mountains called The Vaults between the Grey and Black Mountain
Ranges to establish new Holds.

* '''Dragonhorn Mines'''
Added in 8e. No lore, south of Ekrund so presumable part of the same rulership.

* '''Mount Gunbad'''
Wealthiest non-Ankor Hold Dwarfs ever had. This is due to it being the only place in the world where the blue gems called Brynduraz (“shining stone”) are known to be found. It also produced massive quantities of gold, and Gunbad’s immense wealth was so crucial to the Dwarf economy during the War Of Vengeance that no Gunbadian soldiers were levied for the conflict. Gunbad itself was located east of the Worlds Edge Mountains, leaving it isolated save for the Underway (so you know where this story is going).
During the Time Of Woe, earthquakes and waves of Orcs from the east both caused Gunbad to be lost. It was retaken 200 years before the current date by Logazor Brightaxe, but the continued isolation from the rest of the Dwarf race as well as the masses of greenskins to the east forced them to abandon it again. Until the Underway is reclaimed and rebuilt, Gunbad is destined to remain in the hands of greenskins.

====Settlements====
The Dwarf communities formed outside of Karaz Ankor that lie between mountain ranges. Few are connected to the Underway.

* '''Karak Zorn'''
The first Dwarf expansion, in the Warhammer equivalent of South Africa in the mountains that separate Nehekhara from the Southlands. Possibly destroyed by the Slanless Lizardmen of the Southlands, or at least the last messages every received indicated that's who was attacking it. Almost nothing is known of it otherwise as it is far beyond living memory and every expedition to reclaim or it simply discover its current state have failed. To be fair it could still exist, since every single edition it was mentioned in (which is to say every edition after Warhammer got actual lore) intentionally makes it vague what happened to it. According to myths it was built into a mountain of gold with gates made of ivory held together by copper with rubies and diamonds so common they were just used as currency internally. Within the video game continuities Vermintide gives the Dwarf Ranger the backstory that he found a map showing its location, while in Total War: Warhammer its an active surviving Dwarf settlement, in campaigns ruling itself and using a red/blue emblem depicting a Skink skull above an anvil whereas in the Mortal Empires campaign it is under the control of Thorek Ironbrow's expedition.

* '''Barak Varr'''
Called "Gate To The Sea". Built into the side of a mountain and only visible from the water. Barak Varr is small but wealthy, and the folk are unusually friendly and cheerful for Dwarfs. Both are due to the safety of the Hold and it never being forced to close its doors to the other races and cease trade, as both the Skull River and Old Dwarf road are still open. All friendly groups on the planet trade in Barak Varr, and almost anything Dwarfs do not prohibit can be bought and sold within. Barak Varr is one of the safest locations in the world, being almost immune to attack by land and with a ridiculous number of the most advanced warships in existence in its harbor while countless cannons line the face of the settlement itself. Barak Varr lies in the territory of the [[Border Princes]] which were settled around it, and it provides them protection by water. Dwarf adventurers ad their non-Dwarf companions often gather in Barak Varr before setting out for parts unknown, and its a common hub for Dwarf refugees from destroyed settlements.
The king Byrrnoth Grundadrakk is noted as a traditionalist with a lore blurb noting that despite his popularity its unknown how long Barak Varr will remain friendly to nonDwarfs and Dwarf outsiders, but his only actions were elevating the Longbeards and Hammerers in station and requiring Dwarf children attend some time in Karak Kadrin before adulthood.

The most notable group in Barak Varr are the Storm Wardens (entirely unrelated to the [[Storm Wardens|40k force of the same name]]), a Dwarf faction of military forces that both act as scouts and heralds to warn all of Karaz Ankor of threats and saving the day at the last minute when those threats manifest. The leader Karnji Ravenbeard is the typical Warhammer master strategist character and relies on non-Dwarfy battle tactics. Barak Varr Rangers generally operate within the Storm Wardens while a large group of Hammerers function both as the backbone of the army and the messengers bearing Storm Warden news sent by Ravenbeard.

Purple with cream highlights is the color scheme of Barak Varr, with their symbols being an open-faced mountain and a roaring beast with red and gold. The colors of the Storm Wardens are not identified, though the model for Karnji Ravenbeard makes his armor, cloth, and even the feathers on his helmet black with gold details.

* '''Oakenhammer'''
It exists, and is on the border between Karaz Ankor and Sylvania. There's almost no lore otherwise.

* '''Karak Azorn'''
Easternmost Hold, in the Mountains Of Mourn. Destroyed by an unending horde of Ogres.

* '''Isle of Zul'''
Island outpost of Barak Varr.

* '''Axehelm'''
Found in the Empire, apparently a Dwarf settlement of some kind that has been destroyed.

* '''Karak Angazbar'''
Has decent metal mining, metalworking, and trade industries. Nearby settlements are a small mine called Grung Tepskaf and a fortress called Migdhal Vongalbvak. Ruled by Duregar Sharpblade.

* '''Habercrybs'''
The hills south of Altdorf, which have mixed Dwarf and human populations in mining communities.

* '''Karak Azorn'''

====Grey Mountains====
During the start of the Time Of Woe, Mount Silverspear and Mad Dog Pass fell to Goblins and caused a massive exodus of refugees. Although the Grey Mountains were always ignored by Dwarfs previously for their lack of gems and metals within the rock, the scattered Dwarfs chose them to settle for their strategic locations and each time a Hold fell the population of the Grey Mountain Dwarfs would swell with their homeless kin. Tall tales that great riches far surpassing that of the east lay undiscovered also played a part in the allure of the Greys. Each is extremely difficult to assail, and are built with defense in mind rather than the elaborate and beautiful Holds from the time that the ancestor gods were kings and queen.

Dwarfs that inhabit this area are called Grey Dwarfs, and are considered a far more modest and far more humble lot than their kin elsewhere. Less prone to find insult in the words of man and Elf as well as less likely to show off gold and gems in displays of Dwarf pride. Dwarfs from other Holds see them as a source of both pity and hope, the valiant post-apocalyptic survivors scrabbling among the ruins with kings that look like low noblemen and peasants dressed like refugees.

The Grey Mountains sit in a precarious location. Although historically the attacks of any foe is rare, it sits nearby [[Drachenfels|Castle Drachenfels]], a hellish domain where the forces of Chaos, the Undead, and greenskins unite under an ancient evil. As if that wasn't bad enough, End Times: Vermintide showed that the nearby Empire town of Ubersriek was the beginning of the Skaven invasion of the Old World, suggesting that Skaven were already a problem for the Greylings. To the south is Athel Loren and the insane Wood Elves with Bretonnia beyond it. To the north are the men of the Imperial province of Wissenland, great allies of the Dwarfs and with the aid of the Greylings their city of Nuln has become the engineering capital of the non-Dwarf world. But Reikwald is not far from there, leading [[Forest Goblins]] and [[Beastmen]] up the trails into the mountains. While the Grey Dwarfs have become hardened and battle-tested, the natural defenses of their home have saved them from the nonstop war that many of the old Holds east in the old Dwarf lands have suffered.

Most Grey Holds have very little in great treasures due to the barren nature of the mountains and the far and few discoveries of ore veins, and as a result some Dwarfs either resign themselves to lives laboring for far less than other Holds can offer and patrolling trade routes for small enemy warbands, or abandon their home and migrate to other Holds to seek riches at the cost of safety and peace. While the younger generations are increasingly leaving Norn for other Holds to the east for riches or glory in battle, those who refuse to leave have become stoic and sardonic even for Dwarfs.

Grey Dwarfs have a great deal of contact with humans and are far more likely to take on names in the human tongue representing their true Dwarf name, such as Olaf Stoutarm or Johan Rockkicker.

* '''Karak Norn'''
Roughly translates to "Barren Earth Hold". Currently ruled by King Brokk Ironpick the Grim and Queen Thurma of the Grintzagaz Clan. Karak Norn was the first Grey Mountain Hold, and has the most riches in its mines despite being the smallest. Karak Norn overlooks the Athel Loren from a very safe position, allowing the Dwarfs to monitor the activities of the Elves for any invasion force to their allies in the Empire or to their kin in other Holds. They control the mountain passes leading to the rest of the Southern Grey Mountain Holds giving them the benefit of taxation, the honor of being the defenders of the Greys, and the responsibility of ensuring that when enemies do eventually invade that the Grey Dwarfs can muster a strong protective army. Norn's defenses possess a great deal of Flame Cannons and Bolt Throwers for the purpose of defending against Wood Elves, while their offensive forces contain many Rangers. Karak Norn also possesses a large airforce.

The most famous claim of Karak Norn is being the Hold most associated with the great hero and brewmaster (aren't they one and the same though?) Josef Bugman. Josef's father Zamnil Bugman was one of the Dragonback Clan of Ekrund, and after it was overrun the family migrated northwest into the foot of the Grey Mountains on the Empire side near Karak Norn. Bugman's Brewery quickly became famous for their specialty of Troll Brew, and more importantly [[Bugman's XXXXX]] AKA Bugman's Brew which became world-famous as (canonically) the greatest alcoholic beverage ever concocted. Unfortunately one day a Goblin named [[Git Guzzler]] attacked the Brewery while Bugman was away delivering ale. While the Brewery was rebuilt and is now defended by the forces of Karak Norn, Bugman himself gathered a small elite army called [[Bugman's Rangers]] who travel the world killing greenskins and/or delivering free ale wherever Dwarfs or greenskins are found.

The armies of Karak Norn use the colors of red and white split in half or quartered along with blue for cloth, although in 8e examples only red and white were used with a small amount of green on banners. Karak Norn forces in Eavy Metal demonstrations of the paint job also use more silver metallic color than bronze. Symbols for Karak Norn tend to be more Celtic and of vague meaning, although simple designs such as tankards and the general Dwarf faces show up as well. Bugman's red and blue split colors with the white "B" rune show up as well even on the shields of Dwarfs otherwise displaying the standard colors.

* '''Karak Ziflin'''

* '''Karak Azgaraz'''
Starting location for Skarsnik and the Crooked Moon in Total War Warhammer. Skarsnik often takes Karak Norn and Karak Ziflin, making him a stubborn enemy to remove in-game.

Also shows up in DLC for the first Vermintide game, and has an outlying hold called Khazid Kro. The main characters go to Khazid Kro to help a stubborn dwarf hold off the Skaven, steal a cursed rune so the Skaven don't have it, warn Karak Azgaraz and any neighboring holds of the impending Skaven invasion via a warning system on top of the mountains.

* '''Grim Duraz'''
Lost Hold. No other lore.

* '''Khazid Harkhat'''

====Black Mountains====
* '''Karak Hirn'''
The Black Mountains that lie between the Empire and Border Princes are full of small Dwarf settlements that cater to the Empire and link the oldest settlements of the Dwarf empire. They are unconnected to the Underway but are relatively difficult to attack due to the danger of the terrain. The largest settlement in the region is Karak Hirn, named "Horn Hold" for a wind that blew through it and produced a noise loud enough to ring through the mountains, scaring the original settlers to the region until they investigated and discovered the source. Generations since have carved doors and fireplaces that turn the entire Hold into a horn that can be sounded to send messages or frighten enemies and monsters.
Founded by the legendary Dwarf Kurgaz, who created the Anvils Of Doom. Kurgaz was a giant of a Dwarf, who's shield was so massive that no other Dwarf has been able to wield it as it was used. Instead, his descendants stood on it while being carried by their loyal soldiers, beginning the tradition of Shieldbearers. A Dragon attacked Karak Hirn at some unknown time, killing many Runesmiths and destroying their forges which caused the secrets of Kurgaz to be lost ensuring that all Anvils of Doom are limited in number.

Karak Hirn is favored by many Eavy Metal team and shows up in most showcases. They utilize dark greens and browns for colors.

* '''Karak Izor'''
Also called Copper Mountain. A wealthy Hold found between the Grey and Black Mountains, with the deepest and richest mines outside of the Worlds Edge Mountains as well as being a popular destination for refugees including the Dragonbacks. Almost impossible to assail, Izor profits with little risk.
Karak Izor was shown in the past to use plenty of bronze metal with dark browns and greens while it was specifically said that they used no blue anywhere, but in 8e they reverted to only a bright shade of blue and gold/yellow (for seemingly no reason). Their symbol is a hammer striking an anvil with an S rune on both.

* '''Karak Bhufdar'''
Shown on the map in 8th edition, hasn't fallen. No other lore.

* '''Zarakzil'''
Lost Hold. No other lore.

====Norse Dwarfs====
Barely touched on and mostly only in Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, the Dwarfs of the furthest north reside in the mountains north of [[Kislev]] in the Chaos Wastes. The proximity to the savage lands has forced them to take on aggressive and wild personalities, although they remain as loyal to the Ancestor Gods as any Dwarf. Not especially fond of humans given they have the choice of rapevikings or Russians for friends. Since the Norse Dwarfs have lost contact with their kin for a LONG time, they didn't receive any technological advances since the Time Of Troubles. No [[Gunpowder (Warhammer Fantasy)|gunpowder]], no artillery, no machinery. Just crossbows, catapults, and good ol'fashioned things to stick in people or bash them with. Thorgrim made contact with some of them before he became High King, although which ones is unspecified.

* '''Kraka Drak'''
Known as the Dragon Hold. The primary settlement of Norse Dwarfs, rich in iron, silver, sapphire, and amber. Possibly destroyed according to a 7e story as the "Emperor Of Chaos" [[Valmir Aesling]] wiped out all resistance during the Great War Against Chaos during the time of Emperor Magnus, shortly after the Everchosen of the time was defeated; it is referenced after that date as still existing leading to the possibility of writer not doing their fucking research...or it being reclaimed later.

In Total War: WARHAMMER Kraka Drak is part of a quest for Thorgrim Grudgebearer to investigate the fate of the Norse Dwarfs. He finds they have all been wiped out, and reclaiming them is part of the victory conditions for Dwarfs. Their flag is depicted as teal with a winged white sea serpent as a symbol.

* '''Sjoktraken'''
A Dwarf port.

* '''Kraka Dorden'''
Called the Thunder Hold. Exporter of furs, tin, quartz, iron, and metalwork. Second largest after Kraka Drak.

* '''Kraka Onsmotek'''
Called Eagle's Peak Hold. Northernmost Hold that hasn't yet fallen. The second wealthiest after Kraka Drak. Full of gold, diamonds, and obsidian. Has more Slayers and the Norse Dwarf specific Berserkers than anywhere else in the Norse Holds thanks to the abundance of Giants, Trolls, and other nasty Chaos things.

* '''Kraka Ravnvake'''
Known as Raven's Roost Hold. Full of copper, iron, and silver as well as a blue-gray rock called Okrinaduraz that is used to carve works of art and things of importance.

* '''Karak Dum'''
Literally "Hold Chaos". Northernmost Hold ever established (or at least ever mentioned), it fell during the Great War Against Chaos. It is the main source of the black armor of the Warriors Of Chaos today, and all four Chaos Gods and their factions battle for control of it. Gotrek & Felix rescued the last of the living Dwarfs from it.

* '''Khazid Ravik'''
Almost no lore. Known for gems and metalwork.

====Misc Locations====

* '''Undgrin Ankor'''
The Underway.

* '''Black Fire Pass'''

* '''Varag Kadrin'''
Known as Mad Dog Pass.

* '''Varn Drazh'''
Called Black Water, it is a giant mountain lake created by an ancient asteroid that is full of monsters. Many mines are found around it, since the mountain is very rich in ore.

* '''Gnashrak's Lair'''
An Orc stronghold. Although not stated to be, it is most likely a fallen Dwarf Hold since "fortress" is not something that greenskins are capable of building. Sits at the other end of Peak Pass from Karak Kadrin.

* '''Grom Peak'''
Orc stronghold, likely started as a Dwarf Hold. Almost no lore.

* '''Archway of Valaya'''
Lost holy site, known only to certain Runesmiths. Secretly houses the sleeping Valaya, who is empowering a gate of some kind known as the Gate Of Valaya that will somehow bring back the golden age of the Dwarfs. Implied to have lead the Dwarfs to [[Lileath|Lileath's]] new world in the cycle of worlds in End Times.

* '''Cripple Peak'''
Full of Warpstone. A major site fought over between Nagash, who makes it his home while recovering from his second defeat, and the Skaven. Dwarfs stay away.

* '''Spine of Sotek''': In Total War: Warhammer II a colony of Dwarves have made their own in the Not-Andes of Lustria.

*'''Karak Unfirth''': Lost hold, one of the first places that fell to the Ironstompers Ogre Tribe and their Leadbelchers in one of the first likely uses of the Leadbelchers, location unknown.

====Non-Canon Locations====
Places from outside continuity, either as widespread fan creations, memes, or other continuities.

* '''Kazad Bolg'''
A faction created by [[Paul Sawyer]] AKA “Fat Bloke”, who was the editor of White Dwarf until 2004 (when the magazine became a glorified catalog under his successor [[Guy Haley]]). Although created by an employee and featured in the 6e Dwarfs army book, Kazad Bolg is not considered canon by many.
Little is known of Kazad Bolg lore, only that Sawyer’s army was an Expeditionary Force that brought the maximum amount of non-stone artillery, a Gyrocopter, Miners, Longbeards, Slayers, and was lead by Kragg The Grim. Their colors are yellow and black. Bolg means “fat belly”, a play on his nickname.

* '''Karak Kyme'''
White Dwarf's Nick Kyme's OC Hold, using a burgundy and yellow theme with as many old models as possible.

===Clans===

* '''Royal Clan'''
This generic force represents the clan of the king of any Hold, armed with the best gear while accompanied by mercenaries and a significant force of Hammerers, with the Royal Clan of the High King being the largest and grandest the Dwarfs can muster.

* '''Gunnisson Clan'''
Blackbearded clan that trace themselves to Grimnir's son, King Gunn. They lost their hold to Orcs millenia ago and now are either dead, serve [[Thorgrim Grudgebearer|Thorgrim]] or fanatically hunt Greenskins.

* '''Stonebreakers Clan'''
Miner and mason clan that is primarily located in Zhufbar. Mostly well-known for their Gyrocopters.

* '''Bronzebeards Clan'''
Cannon-maker clan. Once an outcasts from the hold in [[Worlds Edge Mountains]], they now reestablished themselves in Grey Mountains and earned good reputation amongst other Dwarfs.

* '''Helhein Clan'''
[[Lamenters|Unlucky clan]]. After their hold was destroyed, they decided to resettle in [[Karak Eight-Peaks]]... fools. Most have left to seek their fortune in [[Mountains of Mourn]], probably eventually becoming an [[Ogre Kingdoms|Ogre]] snack.

* '''Ulek Clan'''
Also called the "Ullekssons", they are a rather generic warrior clan that loyally supports High King.

* '''Barruk Clan'''
Nicknamed "The Goldshields", they are a greedy clan that left their own hold to Orks and Ogres after exausting its mines. Nowadays they work as mercenaries for other Dwarfs, always in need for gold.

* '''Drakebeard Clan'''
[[Ungrim Ironfist|Ungrim's]] clan, which is full of agressive and grudge-driven [[Slayers|slayers]].

* '''Yinlinsson Clan'''
Drinkers' clan. Most well-known for being the sole ale producers in Karaz-a-Karak.

* '''Norgrimling Clan'''
The Norgrimlings, also known as "The main [[Skaven]] haters". Unlike the constantly weeping Helhein clan, they didn't left King Lunn, and are now a very prominent force of [[Belegar Ironhammer]].

* '''Cragbrow Clan'''
Eccentric engineer clan from Barak Varr, known as the first steampower users in all of Warhammer World. They are also the most progressive clan that likes to travel a lot, even by sea or in air.

* '''Clan Helhein'''
A Dragonback Clan that fought a terrible Grudge war against High King Gorim Ironhammer (but not the entire rest of the Dwarfs apparently), resulting in their founding by Toruk Helhein in exile. Military success in Dragonfire Pass resulted in helping found Ekrund, fleeing to Karak Eight Peaks after its fall and splitting between followers of Belegar and those who went towards Chaos Dwarf territory in the Mountains of Mourn. In Total War: Warhammer they are split in one campaign by occupying the Plain of Bones where Dragons go to die where their settlements plunder abandoned hoards from a home in Mount Greyhag, and the Mortal Empires campaign where they have somehow managed to become trapped in the Warp and occupy Kazad Dum, which was drawn into the Warp within Khorne's realm. Their flag is white and green with the emblem of a serpentine dragon.

===Factions===

* '''Guilds'''
Guilds are an entire organizational entity seperate but part of the concept of Clan and Hold. They even had their own army rules in 6e.
While [[Terry Pratchett|a guild exists for everything]], the most powerful Guild is the Engineer's Guild which has its own armies independant of any other group which control travel between Holds as well as protecting trade caravans. Obviously the Engineer's Guild army, called the Guild Expedition, uses as much black powder weapons and machines as possible.
** No Slayers of any kind may be taken. Thanes become Master Engineers (+35 points, has Artillery Master and Extra Crewman rules) and Lords become Guild Masters (+45 points, has Artillery Master and Extra Crewman rules).
** Warriors, Thunderers are Core. Cannons, Bolt Throwers, and Stone Throwers may be taken as Core, maximum 2 each and for every two artillery core you must have one Unit of Warriors. No other Core may be taken.
** Gyrocopters are Special, and you may have up to two Organ Guns and up to two Flame Cannons as Special. No other Special may be taken.
** Rangers, Longbeards, and Dogs Of War are Rare. No other Rare may be taken.

* '''Slayers (Throng Of Karak Kadrin)'''

* '''Overground Defense'''

* '''War Of Vengeance Dwarfs'''
This faction represents the united Dwarf race back during the War Of Vengeance, used exclusively for games against the High Elves reenacting the war or any skirmishes with greenskins or Chaos prior to that (alongside the Elves possible).

* '''Gnomes'''
Yes, Warhammer has [[Gnomes]]. Or more specifically Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 1e had Gnomes, which were not mentioned in the succeeding supplements (like [[Fimir]]). This doesn't mean Gnomes are retconned since Gnomes are just Dwarfs, only that GW never referred to them by that name again.

Gnomes live in the same regions as Dwarfs, the western World's Edge Mountains and in the Empire. Gnomes are also found in [[Albion]], although as a whole the race suffers the same "dying race" trope as the other civilized non-humans. Gnomes are short-tempered xenophobes even by Dwarf standards; a human saying is "Gnomes are more balanced, they have a chip on each shoulder." Gnomes are oddly also more likely to sell traditionally Dwarfish things to non-Dwarfs, with Gnomish merchants being common to see and skilled laborers working for anyone. Gnomish irritability has also strangely involved the court jester of the Emperor of the Empire always being a Gnome since 1143.
Gnomes are extremely fond of fish, and a Gnomish settlement is always near an above or below-ground source. Gnomish settlements are found underneath much of the Empire, but are unknown to those above (note that this lore predates [[Skaven]] being a thing).
Gnomish customed and social structure is so complex that even Dwarfs find it incomprehensible. In every community there is an Overlord, a religious leader, a master of guilds and mining, and a Loremaster who ensured adherence to protocol. There are Gnome wizards who practice illusion, and Gnome Guard who form the warriors of their race. Gnomes love practical jokes, especially on the Empire using magic.

Gnomes are physically the same as Dwarfs in description. Less than four feet tall usually, large noses and beards, stocky, same skin and hair colors although their skin looks more tanned than Dwarfs. Despite the above, the official Citadel Gnome models mixed those who are identical to Dwarfs with a few with a more skinny look; this gives an advantage to players who wish to use non-Citadel models in their armies since any Dwarf mini out of scale can be called a Gnome or a half-Gnome.
Gnomes can see in the dark and hate Goblins. Gnomish alignments are always on the neutral scale.

The new Roleplay edition reintroduced Gnomes into the setting, severing them from their former dwarfish origin to make them a unique race of their own right.

==Armies==
* '''Warriors'''
Typical soldiers of a Hold, drawn from the clans within and thus usually bearing a secondary color scheme. Most Warriors are young, and move onto other martial careers with experience.

Many Warriors are professional soldiers who own and maintain their own gear as heirlooms, making each somewhat unique. But in times of need Dwarfs of any profession can be a Warrior and use the gear provided by their clan or Hold. Unlike the Elves of Ulthuan who's civilian militias must train frequently, Dwarf culture shapes them into disciplined soldiers while their physiology and psychology are naturally fit for the role. Regardless of their personality in peacetime, every single Dwarf becomes a hateful and unbreakable soldier in war.

* '''Quarrelers'''
In earlier editions just called Crossbowmen as an upgrade to Warriors, 7e made them unique. Invented before Dwarfs settled the Worlds Edge Mountains (so in the time of Grungni, Grimnir, and Valaya and possibly a gift of the Old Ones). Dwarf Bolts are called Quarrels, hence the name. Yes, that means they are called [[Bolter|Bolters]].

Traditionalists prefer them to guns, and the Quarrel is cheaper to maintain and supply although it requires more skill on the part of the user for accuracy. It also has the advantage of range.

The early Dwarf crossbows were made of Ironwood and metal bands while the newest are made of just steel. Dwarfs almost never use bows due to the ineffectiveness of them underground and the Dwarf physiology not favoring the movements and pose required.

The Quarrelers themselves are no different physically than Warriors and carry the same gear and armor, and are as a result more than capable in melee combat.

* '''Thunderers'''
The hot new thing among the youth, only invented a two digit number of generations ago! Created early on by Engineers after the discovery of black powder, but still took a long time to spread by human reckoning. By Dwarf measure though it may as well be The Beatles in terms of a massive and sudden explosion in interest in a radically different thing race-wide amongst the younger generations.

While Quarrelers have to practice range, wind compensation, and marking targets the users of Handguns spend the time maintaining their weapons (sights are a major help). Some Dwarfs build their own, but many are created by the Engineer's Guild and sold to clans and Holds for a very substantial amount of gold and Gromril. Even Dwarfs who have theirs purchased will modify and improve it own, passing along innovations to their fellows and using designs straight off the drafting table of an Engineer halfway across the Old World ("NO PROTOTYPE?! GRUDGESY!!"). Individually Dwarfs try to one-up each other in design and tend to fall into camps on what's the best and what the tiers are (so imagine /tg/ arguing about editions). No word on if a Dwarf equivalent of Popular Mechanics Magazine exists yet, but the implication is there.
As a result not only of the standard Dwarf craftsmanship but also the fact every gun-owner is also an amateur engineer Dwarf guns are more accurate, reliable, and ornate than the equivalent humans have created with mechanisms better than simple flintlocks. Their shot also punches through armor and hide better than a Quarrel can.

Like Quarrelers, Thunderers are basically Warriors armed with a ranged weapon and not afraid to fight in melee against anything that survives their barrage.

* '''Longbeards'''
[[File:Longbeard.png|thumb|200px|right|Old dwarf yells at cloud, ([[Mark Gibbons|MG]])]]
Dwarfs with long beards. More specifically, beards so long they touch the ground. When a Dwarf beard grows that long the entire local community breaks into celebration. Not every such Dwarf actually joins Longbeard ranks and some remain in whatever their field of expertise is, but its a happy time nonetheless.

So why is this a big deal? Dwarf beard fetish?
Well, there actually is a good reason. Dwarfs naturally have a VERY long lifespan, comparable to Elves. Unlike Elves, Dwarfs almost never reach true old age because of the dangers to their race; they don't have a magical floating island to keep them safe from Night Goblins and Skaven tunneling into their fortresses and slitting the throats of everyone useful. Unlike humans, Dwarf population replenishment is low.
This combines with Dwarf culture, possibly their own natural instincts, to look to the oldest as the best. When in doubt Dwarfs always refer to the most elderly among them to determine what to do, following suit. So how do you quickly and reliably determine who is the oldest in a race that can't use magic to grow hair faster? Beard length. A shaven Dwarf is culturally an infant and will never regain the status lost in the shaving which is why many just shave their head to match and seek death as Slayers.

Longbeards aren't just Warriors with status however. They've seen shit that makes Elves and men gouge out their eyes declaring "''HE COMES''".

Daemonette orgy with more cocks than limbs? Lost chastity, survived it.
So many Ogres they blot out the horizon, each wearing a bib made from beards and licking their lips? Lost some toes, survived it.
Only human beer on tap? Entered a Fey Mood and chopped up a kinsman for parts to make a belt buckle, survived it.
Elves rejecting a handcrafted pipe because its made of wood? Killed so many keebs that murder has lost meaning, survived it.
Snot nose beardlings listening to crappy music, disrespecting their elders, swearing, not smoking, adopting liberal attitudes? THAT is the challenge to Longbeards.

If Longbeards are present on the battlefield, they almost certainly will not run. If Longbeards hold firm and complain that Nurgle used to be much grosser and vampires suckier in their day, nobody else will run either. Every young Dwarf wants to impress the Longbeards, and even if they do get sick of hearing about how much they suck for being born at a later date and about tall tales that are almost certainly lies, young Dwarfs still remain in awe of the idea of being so important as well as in gratitude for the centuries of service these heroes have given so they can even be born in the first place.

TL;DR like a unit of the titular subjects of Monty Python's Four Yorkshiremen sketch if they were shorter and had longer beards.

Prior to 8e, the Longbeard model kit was the Warriors kit, just with more gold and grey/white beards. The 8e kit is a dual kit with the Hammerers. Since Warriors cost much less, $35 USD for 20 compared to $50 USD for 20 Hammerers, then its a much better option to simply stick with Warriors painted differently unless the player loves the Hammerers kit looks enough to justify an extra 75 cents a mini.

* '''Miners'''
Mining clans will send out their best to fight alongside the Engineer's Guild, the Baker's Guild, the Potash Maker's Guild, and so on. But Miners spend all day every day wearing their armor, modified to be protective mining equipment, and carrying their weapon, picks. They can go straight from the job to a battle, which when they encounter Skaven, Night Goblins, and the odd Wood Elves is the case anyway.
The older and deeper a mine, the more investment has been put into it meaning the alcohol-powered Dwarfs have access to alcohol-powered steam drills, durable mine carts with hearty ponies, and plenty of explosives. Ironically, the younger a mine the more likely the Miners are to grumble about the newfangled beardling equipment. The most important mines have mining vehicles, air pumps, cart tracks, and elevators.

Other than that, Dwarf Miners are exactly what you would expect.

Of note is that the older Miner models actually came with terrain! Two pony-pulled mining carts, two wheelbarrows, two "mine canary" Goblins in cages, and a fair amount of extra pickaxes, lamps, and satchel charges. Good times.

* '''Rangers'''
[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mATZznY7H_Q You want a thankless job?] Rangers are your pick.

Dwarfs think that Rangers are a bit mental. Why any Dwarf would actually want to be in the sun and in open air, roaming the wilderness and making maps, slinking about as scouts and saboteurs, mingling with Umgi and Elgi or other weirdos from other Holds outside of a proper meet is beyond the ability of non-Rangers to explain. They figure they must be criminals evading the Slayer Oath, insane, or queer in some way (lack of females may mean Dwarfs are less likely to have a gay taboo, but if they do then its most certainly what many think Rangers are hiding).
The lore notes that a few Rangers are hiding something, but most just found it as their calling. Rangers can be sociable or prefer isolation, adventurous or paranoid, sneaky and inventive or staunch traditionalists. Those who dislike the outdoors help scout and clear the Underway. You can always find a Ranger who is a specialist in fighting Skaven, greenskins, men, Elves, other Dwarfs, Dragons, Ogres, Dragon Ogres, Daemons, undead, and anything else you can think of. When trouble strikes a Dwarf ally, a Ranger can appear and offer any kind of aid imaginable (strange is when a Dawi covered in green and leaves appears unheard from seemingly thin air to warn Wutelgi of an attack from the Dum Umgi, but its likely happened).

Its the job of a Ranger to send a message to all nearby Holds, poison the supplies of invaders, burn their maps, collapse their tunnels, ignite their ammunition, assassinate their leaders, and finally ambush the weakened force as they arrive to fight the assembled defending force.

For all this, they get to sit alone in the Hold while the non-Ranger Longbeards grumble openly about how weird they are.

But the perks are knowing they are the primary treasure-hunters of their kind, the first defenders of their homes and kin, the ones non-Dwarfs are most happy to see (after merchants), and do as much (if not more) heroic and direct good as Slayers. Every Hold and expedition relies heavily on its Rangers, from Miners fearing the Skaven to Warriors facing a WAAAGH! of greenskins. Not to mention good ol' Bugman's Rangers are doubtless doing a world of good in endearing them to their kin.

Lorewise Rangers use whatever. Rulewise its a crossbow, hand weapon, throwing weapon, great weapon, and an option for shields.
Note that although GW stopped saying so for some reason after 7e, the Quarrelers/Thunderers kit has Rangers as the third build as Quarrelers with an axe and shield. Some players prefer to use the body with cloaks for Rangers and those without for Quarrelers/Thunderers to make them actually distinguishable from the front.

* '''Slayers'''
Ah, Slayers. About as iconic as Warhammer Dwarfs get. [[Fyreslayers|Knockoffs]] not withstanding.

There's multiple sources on the first Slayer. Some sources say Grimnir was the first after leaving his axe with his kin and setting out for a one-Dwarf war against Chaos for eternity. Another says that according to Garaith Ungrim (retold by Durgrim Redmane, Longbeard Hammerer) Gudrun Morgrimson was the first after allowing the son of his best friend King Skorri Morgrimson, Furgil Morgrimson, be killed and eaten by Trolls on an expedition to the lower levels of Karak Ungor. Gudrun dyed his hair red like the prince's and used Furgil's axe while wandering in the same half-naked state (having been stripped of clothing by Night Goblins who thought he was dead), spending the rest of his life killing any Troll he could, never returning to his home of Karaz-a-Karak out of shame.
The final account is from an old Warhammer boxed set called "Dwarf Lords Of Legend" that came out in 1985. The once-sentence lore for one of the minis was "Kimril Giant Slayer, first slayer and bested the Giant twins Thunderguts and Stormbelly."

Some players have reconciled all three as thus; Grimnir began the tradition of sacrificing oneself for the greater good of Dwarfs. Gudrun was inspired by Grimnir on how to seek redemption, and began the red haired, nearly naked, Holdless, axe-using rule. Kimril was the first to copy Gudrun and be a Slayer, thereby being the founder of the Slayer Cult.

Slayers are regarded as ____slayers based on their accomplishments of killing.
** Trollslayers are the lowest rank of Slayer. They represent the common footplodder Slayers you field as elite infantry.
** Giantslayers are the Unit Champions in Trollslayer Units.
** Dragonslayers are the rank above Giantslayers, and are Hero level Slayers.
** Daemonslayers are Lord Slayers, and the strongest non-named Slayer that can be fielded in Warhammer Fantasy Battles.
Other Slayers such as Elfslayer, Vampireslayer, and Skavenslayers exist since a Slayer is simply named after their greatest foes defeated, but for all intents and purposes they fit into the above categories for the purpose of rules.
All Slayers dye their hair red and spike it with pig grease.

Taking the Slayer Oath is compared to Japanese Seppuku, but there are major differences. Rather than a way to prove honor in the face of a loss of it, Slayer Oaths are a means of restoring lost honor. It has a possible biological function in being a way to deal with a higher population of males, although since the lore reinforces how Dwarfs are generally mentally stable but anything that can really get to them causes a complete break and how Slayers are the way to cope with this loss-wrought insanity (the Slayer Kings are generally described as driven halfway to madness trying to reconcile both Oaths and responsibilities) then it is a way to eliminate those who could fall to Chaos in other races from society in a beneficial way.
Regardless, reasons for becoming one are numerous. Loss of kin, loss of love, loss of goods or money, loss of heirloom, loss of any kind. Anything that really sticks with you, that you cannot get over, would cause you to become a Slayer. (Insert reference to End Times/Age Of Sigmar here.) what would drive a human to become a drunk or an Elf to waste away in mourning causes a Slayer in Dwarfs.

Dwarfs cannot drown themselves in ale forever and they are psychologically incapable of committing suicide. A Slayer may seek death, but they must find it being useful to their race. There are Slayer Engineers who create insane deathtrap weapons, Slayer Runesmiths who work on the weapons of their kin and follow where war goes to ensure the front line always has reliable magic. Slayers with no useful skills just become warriors, constantly improving themselves with training and seeking mentors when not wandering.
Whatever the sin, Slayers are regarded the same; pitiable warriors. Useful, but the hero of a great tragedy that's being written. Holdless, Clanless, loyal to the race as a whole. They migrate to places of conflict, or stay where Dwarfs are needed to protect. Like Rangers, a Slayer can appear from nowhere unexpectedly to help. Unlike Rangers which can be of any temperament, Slayers tend to be in darker dispositions although it is not a rule that they always are (Snorri Nosebiter from Gotrek & Felix for example).

* '''Hammerers'''
Hammerers are the most elite that the Dwarfs have to offer. Equivalent to the White Lions Of Chrace of the High Elves, Hammers are the bodyguards and honor guard forces of Dwarf nobility.

They began in Mount Gunbad, with the great craftsman Kadrin Redmane in the gold mines.
After years of fighting morale was low, resulting in a visit from King Morgrim Blackbeard. Night Goblins attacked during the visit and slaughtered the Dwarf forces protecting the king until the workers, lead by Redmane, took up their hammers for working gold and slaughtered the Goblins until the king was able to escape. The Hammerers were formed then out of seasoned Dwarfs lead by those same craftsmen who were given runehammers as a mark of office. Redmane's descendants followed in his footsteps, becoming Hammerers bearing his own runehammer in turn.

Hammerers since that time exist in all Holds (other than the Norse), and are bodyguards to king and thane. Nowadays they select their own Hammerers however they see fit from any profession, Clan, even Hold. Hammerers are stubborn and unyielding even by Dwarf standards, with absolute devotion to their charge. The hammer they wield is invariably ornate, as it is a personal gift (barring those like the Redmane Hammerers who keep an heirloom one) representing the covenant between lord and servant. They are balanced with a degree of perfection reflecting that of the greatswords of the High Elf Swordmasters and are usually made of Gromril. Note the "usually" there, Gromril is incredibly rare and despite being the king's personal guard and the most respected soldiers in the Hold the Hammerers are not automatically entitled to the best of the best gear; that's for the Ironbreakers below. Hammerers are more likely to be equipped with steel, possibly gilded in gold, although the odd bit of Gromril here and there is fitting for family heirlooms or gifts for particular feats in their career.

Large Holds have many Hammerers, and when not protecting their lords they are assigned to important positions such as guarding gates. Every group of Hammerers is named for what they protect, for example "the Bugman's Brewery Guard".

In battle their blows hit harder than anything that is not supernatural can, and with a rhythm that sounds like the workshops of a Dwarf hold.

* '''Ironbreakers'''
Equal with Hammerers in terms of elite infantry, Ironbreakers were formed after the Time Of Woes. They all wear giant complete suits of Gromril armor (mind you that in Warhammer lore entire wars have been waged over reclaiming lost suits of Gromril armor, and the absolute most legendary equipment a human could ever hope to find in the world is a single piece of Gromril gear) that allow them to survive cave-ins and guard the mines, keeping watch for Skaven, Night Goblins, or the monsters that wake up when Dwarfs dig their mines too deep...
Being an Ironbreaker is a pretty shit job given that they get none of the glory that Hammerers get and none of the freedom of a Ranger. They're hauled out of the deeps to fight on the surface when needed which can be quite often, but simply due to how numerous the rivals that fight for control of the deep spaces are, most of their battles will invariably be done underground regardless of how much or little time they spend there.

Ironbreakers are specialists in underground combat, and immediately form into complex formations designed for subterranean and cramped space warfare as their commanding officers demands.

Ironbreakers take a similar Oath as the Hammerers, although theirs is made to defend the young of their Hold and the halls/remains of their ancestors rather than to a present noble.

A special note on painting Ironbreakers; although they look fairly good dirtied up and banged around, its canon that Gromril never tarnishes and cannot be destroyed with mundane means. As a result, your Ironbreakers should technically be sparkling silver with a polished sheen that would blind an Elf.

* '''Irondrakes'''
Like most armies that got an update in 8th edition, Dwarfs received dual-build kits with new options. Irondrakes were that option, sharing a kit with Ironbreakers. Their lore reflects their meta existence far more than the other 8e additions.

Irondrakes are what happens when shit with the Skaven and Night Goblins goes so badly that prototype technology invented by batshit insane Engineers that are probably heretics against Morgrim is used. Said technology is Drakeguns, <strike>Warpfire Throwers reverse-engineered and powered by alchemy rather than Warpstone </strike> A TOTALLY UNIQUE INVENTION THA' IS THE RESULT OF WEAPONIZING GRUDGES, AN' MAYBE A BIT OF NITROGLYCERINE.

Drakeguns are very large devices with attached fuel (meaning no backpacks) that fire a single blast of flames so hot that the Gromril armor of the initial Ironbreaker testers (Tested on the battlefield?! HERESY!) was insufficient protection, which resulted in even more expense fielding them as the typical Ironbreaker armor had to be modified to show absolutely no skin, cover the beard entirely, and be filled with protective runes. The runes and protective armor were invented for Dwarfs that work in high temperature forges.
That being said, Irondrakes are still basically Ironbreakers with a fuckhuge flare gun. Just better armor on top of that.

It should be noted that the Drakefire technology has been refined to the point that Drakefire Pistols are a thing, having shorter range but can be fired even in melee. These can be seen being carried by many different Dwarfs, including Rangers and Ironbreakers. The pistols are apparently far less dangerous since that means they do not require Irondrake armor to use (Irondrakes with them still use their armor though).

Oh, and if you thought the above was insane the Irondrakes also use Trollhammer Torpedoes, a modification to Drakeguns attached to the end which turns them into '''fucking bazookas'''.

The common use of Irondrakes is standing behind the Ironbreakers until an enemy that would give them trouble appears, whereupon the Ironbreakers move to the sides and allow the Irondrakes to step forwards and incinerate the troublesome opponents before the Ironbreakers move back into formation again.

Irondrakes were a surprisingly popular addition to the army considering how poorly many 8e minis were received by Warhammer Long(neck)beards. They took up the same slot as cannons, and had the game not been summarily executed they may have caused a reduction in the cannon spam that non-Dwarf players hated so much.

* '''Gyrocopters'''
Gyrocopters are surprisingly not a new invention. New enough for Longbeards and Kragg to grumble mind you since they weren't around in the War of Vengeance, but still older than any living Dwarf save Kragg and Grombrindal. They were invented after the loss of the Underway in the Time Of Woe, as a replacement means of communication and supply drops between Holds. They have become so widespread that even small Holds have at least a few. In Dwarf battle tactics the Gyrocopter serves the combined role of dragon, cavalry, and small artillery.

A Gyrocopter is basically a helicopter, capable of taking off straight up (minimizing space needed to land, store, and takeoff) and hovering. They run on a miniaturized steam engine and are piloted by particularly brave/insane (by Dwarf reckoning) Engineers.

They were inspired by dragons flying around a mountain that an unnamed Engineer watched, with parts from Miner drilling machines and grinding machines making the mechanism work. The 6e account of Redmane says that Thane Orgri came up with the idea of sticking a small cannon on one. Since then the Gyrocopters have been armed with rapidfire guns instead, although in 7e this was changed to a steam blast that fired grapeshot like from a cannon, and in 8e this was change to a gun which fired just steam itself. This is on top of an upgrade called the Brimstone Gun, a modified version of a Drakegun. In older editions of the game and in-universe models the pilot would carry bombs to light and throw, although now they have bombs on their stabilizer wings that can be dropped.

* '''Gyrobomber'''
By replacing the steam gun of a Gyrocopter with a Clattergun (just a standard rapidfire gun rather than the shotgun blast of a steam gun) Engineers were able to attach a payload of bombs to an extended body, creating a dedicated bomber. Unfortunately the increased mass despite the same weight caused problems with wind and aerodynamics, preventing the kind of dive and drop that gives Gyrocopter bombs accuracy. To compensate, the Grudgebuster bombs were invented which are designed to create multiple "bouncing" explosions which cover a far larger area and thus are more likely to hit the target.

The most famous Gyrobomber wings are the Skyhammers of Zhufbar and the Blackhammer Bombers of Karaz-a-Karak.

* '''Cannons'''
Its a cannon. Made by Dwarfs.
That's about all there is to know.

Dwarf cannons are smaller than those of other races, and made from pure steel rather than brass and wood (old models showed wood frames and wheels, apparently those are the "newer" cannons while the new models are the "older" ones). They are tested for centuries before being put into use. The first where made by Zhufbar, but now most Holds make their own. Since so much effort goes into them, Dwarf artillerists love their weapons and take good care of them. Saying that Manling powder should be used in them is generally an insult.

Dwarf armies in the meta are known for fielding as many of these low-misfire risk and high accuracy (literally "cannon sniping") guns as they can which basically made big models useless high-point targets for much of the game history. While Dwarfs are already a defensive army, this pushed the tactic to the utmost degree.
Compare to [[Fish of Fury]].

* '''Onager/Catapult/Stone Thrower/Grudge Thrower'''
Its exactly what you think and changed names quite a bit over the years, although 7e put a Dwarfy flavor to it. During the War Of Vengeance the Dwarfs began inscribing non-magical runes naming a specific Grudge being avenged on the rocks they flung at Elves in an effort to clear as many Grudges as possible during the war.

Later on, Dwarfs who's Hold had been lost would use stone from their home with Grudges relating to the fall runed on them.

In the modern day the stone matters more than the device and Grudge Throwing is an important aspect of war.

* '''Gob-Lobber'''
One of the legendary older special models. If you have one, count yourself very lucky.
In a battle for an unknown Hold during the Goblin Wars, an Onager crew ran out of stone to fire and the Goblin army was rapidly advancing. The youngest member of the crew, Gorm Foambeard, offered to be fired instead which inspired his crewmate Gottri Flatnose. Gottri used his mallet to knock out several Goblins that had charged ahead of their force, and the crew tied them up and fired them instead (to the horror of everyone but Gottri).

It should be noted that [[Doom Divers]] were not yet a thing. The idea of being fired caused the entire horde to stop in place, and after a screaming Goblin made a direct hit and splattered on the General and officers the entire army fled. The Dwarfs celebrated the victory to the degree that they would have been unable to defend had the Goblins regrouped. Since then, Gob-Lobbers decorated with Goblin corpses and stocked with struggling Goblins have appeared throughout history.

* '''Organ Gun'''
The organ as a musical instrument which propels steam through pipes was invented by the Engineer Lokri Snarrison. Another Engineer named Durin Kurganssonson (presumably the grandson of a Dwarf named Kurgans) had the idea of using five such pipes (after 7e only four) as small cannons in one iron artillery piece. Inaccurate since they can't be reliably elevated or trained on targets (in real life the ribauldequin is the name of an organ gun, which was useful as anti-personnel artillery between 1300 and 1400 after which point its conceptual successors became inferior to a cannon loaded with grapeshot due to higher expense in production and increased load time) and with a smaller and thus less damaging ammunition.

* '''Bolt Thrower'''
Its a giant crossbow on wheels. Revered by Dwarfs since they were operated when Valaya, Grimnir, and Grungni still walked among their people. Easy to make, cheap to maintain and thus affordable to a ridiculous degree. Produces no smoke and thus does not obscure the vision in a long battle or underground. Highly accurate and reliable, can easily be aimed skywards making ideal defense against Dragons and other beasties. Bolt Throwers are beloved both by traditionalists for their reliability and the fact they date back to the days when the Ancestor Gods sat on the thrones of Holds, as well as reckless liberals who love to innovate and improve new forms of the weapon with ever superior qualities. The Eagle Claw Bolt Thrower the damned Elgi use is derived from Dwarf models, though the elves enhance theirs with magic to make them perform on-par with cannons.

Yes, Bolt Throwers are the Dwarf mainstay artillery. But nobody uses them on the tabletop because FUCKYEAHCANNONS! Oh well.

* '''Flame Cannon'''
Step 1: Fill barrel (in older models literally a barrel) with molten tar and hot oil.
Step 2: Fill barrel with air until full of pressure.
Step 3: Insert a small amount of flaming oil into the nozzle.
Step 4: Release pressure, spray burning oil over the battlefield.
Step 5: Extinguish beards.

No real lore other than how to use them.

* '''[[Thunderbarge]]'''
Because some Dwarfs looked at the Gyrocopter and went "Why can't we throw four to six pieces of artillery on that, carry a small army with cargo space leftover, and ram things?" then got to work.

The Dwarf airships have long been mentioned in lore (as well as Goblin airships, Empire flying towers, and High Elf flying castles) but in 8e it finally got a name and stats...kinda. While it has rules, it was not given a points value and sat in the [[Big Red Book]] as a scenario option.

A Dwarf has to be mad in both meanings of the word to fly one of these. Which makes it none too surprising that the most famous and effective one was built by a mad Slayer Engineer and used extensively by none other than Gotrek and Felix.

Although various companies make Thunderbarge proxies, GW never made an official one and recommended scratchbuilding it.

* '''Flame Thrower'''
Similar concept as the Flame Cannon, but a two-Dwarf weapon team <strike>the same as</strike> COMPLETELY DIFFEREN' THAN a Skaven Warpfire Thrower. Dwarf in the back operates a bellows which projects the flames out of the nozzle the front Dwarf holds.

The models are long Out Of Production.

* '''Goblin-hewer'''
Another unique and beloved set you should count your lucky Gromril to own.

Malakai Makaisson was an Engineer who created numerous ill-fated vessels. The Ironclad he built named the <strike>Titanic</strike> Unsinkable sunk on its maiden voyage, killing most of the crew. His Thunderbarge <strike>the Hindenburg</strike> Undestructable exploded on its maiden voyage, killing most of the crew.
For both disasters he was kicked put of the Engineer's Guild and became an Engineer Slayer. He built a final Thunderbarge, the Spirit Of Grungni, which had an illustrious and successful career. He used it to go on adventures with Gotrek and Felix.

But at some point he decided to invent an artillery piece on treads that fires axes. Yes, you read that right.

That is the Goblin-hewer. It is operated by Slayers who are more than willing to get into melee. It was also a Dogs Of War model, so not just for Dwarfs.

* '''Imperial Dwarves'''
Getting way into Oldhammer on this one, as these originate in the time when Games Workshop models were produced by two companies; Marauder and Citadel (they later merged in 1993 with the release of 4th edition). Marauder Dwarfs resembled what we now know as the Empire, basically Landsknecht Dwarfs. This is before most Warhammer lore (not unfair to say "almost all" in fact).
Today the logic of these models in the community is thus;
** "Imperial Dwarves" are Marauder Empire Dwarfs. They are Dwarfs living in the Empire, expatriates. Canon lore calls them Gazani AKA Flatlanders.
** Imperial Dwarfs are what we know now as modern Citadel Dwarfs. They are the Dwarfs of Ankor, loyal to the High King.

Marauder Dwarfs mainly differ in using spears.

<gallery>
Image:Empire Dwarfs.jpg|The Empire Dwarf range.
</gallery>

* '''Ironclad'''
If you played [[Dreadfleet]] or [[Man O' War]] then you know exactly what this is.

An Ironclad is a giant paddle steamship, basically a small Hold (like a modern aircraft carrier is a small city) that contains an entire Clan. Over the years Ironclads are modified by the crew, every change recorded in the ship's Book Of Armaments that are sporadically shared with the Engineers Guild.

The layers of iron require significant damage to occur before boarding is possible, with tough Dwarf Marines waiting inside. Every hatch is sealed by intricate locks that only a captain can unseal. Every Ironclad is full of Engineers, improving and repairing as needed and causing an already tough ship to be able to be repaired even in battle.

Although all Dwarf ships are called Ironclads, the Ironclad is also the battleship equivalent of the Dwarf navy.

Although High Elves technically have the single strongest navy in the setting and fight with Dark Elves to maintain that status, Dwarfs are the uncontested masters of their own waters.

* '''Dreadnought'''
An Ironclad the size of a full-sized Dwarf Hold. Very few have ever been made, and the primary buyers are the Kings of Barak Varr with each commissioning their own personal one upon taking the throne. Hengist Cragbrow was the inventor of the first Dreadnought. Dreadnoughts boast the ability to launch Gyrocopters and Thunderbarges like an aircraft carrier.

* '''Monitor'''
Named after one of the two famous real life ironclads, this is an Ironclad small enough to sail up rivers and lakes. Rarely seen outside Barak Varr's waters. Equivalent to a Destroyer.

* '''Nautilus'''
Obvious inspiration is obvious. Invented by Mungrun Steelhammer, Cragbrow's apprentice.

A Nautilus is a Dwarf Ironclad submarine. The most famous one known to players is actually owned by Chaos Dwarfs in Dreadfleet, but Ankor Dwarfs use them too. Dwarfs who shame themselves but decide against becoming Slayers sometimes volunteer as crews.

* '''War Balloon'''
A hydrogen-filled balloon which lifts a metal gondola, powered by a steam propeller and fins while using release of gas in and out of the chamber to achieve lift. Capable of flying upwind and far further than Gyrocopters. Armed with bombs similar to the Gyrobomber which are dropped from underneath the gondola, and a gatling cannon turret. Presumably without the bombs they could carry cargo.

* '''Dragonslayer'''
You read that bit about Slayers above, right? Well, the Dragonslayer is what happens when a Slayer manages to survive despite all odds, until mere trolls are no longer considered challenging enough to be a likely Doom for them. Dragonslayers, as the name suggests, compensate by going after much, much bigger quarry. In a nutshell, these are your Hero-tier Slayer characters, and so are considerably fightier than their rank and file kindred. Of course, they can't be a leader or a standard bearer, as no sane dwarf is going to follow where a Slayer leads.

While Trollslayers represent the common Slayer, fielded in groups of 10 or more usually, Dragonslayers are solitary warriors that command the same rules as a Unit.

* '''Daemonslayer'''
Somehow, despite it all, some Dragonslayers don't get themselves killed off and dragons, well, they aren't as common in the Warhammer World as they used to be.
So, what's the one enemy that dwarfs hate more than Dragons, who're equally challenging to kill, ''and'' can be easily found wherever you wanna sling your axe? You guessed it: [[Daemon]]s. With no mortal challenges left to face, these Slayers go wandering northwards, either smashing headfirst into a Chaos incursion or dying somewhere in the Chaos Wastes.

A Daemonslayer is a Slayer Character, who accompanies but cannot lead an army.

* '''Engineer/Master Engineer'''
Engineers are the dwarfs who have joined the Engineer Guilds, learning the fine arts of building all the technology that the dwarfs admire so much, as well as striving to control any dangerous ideas they might have about "innovation" or "invention". Master Engineers are, of course, the most experienced and skillful engineers around, with centuries of study under their belts. On the tabletop, these guys tend to be orientated towards ranged combat, and have special rules that let them buff your war machines.

* '''Runesmith/Runelord'''
Dwarfs don't have conventional wizards, and consider the practice a right load of mucking around. No, they stick with a far safer route. Runesmiths have the most difficult and arduous job in all of Dwarfdom; studying for centuries to master the art of binding magical energy into physical constructs through precisely carved runes. These runes can then have their power tapped for a safe, reliable form of pseudo-spellcasting; each rune may only be capable of doing one thing, but it will ''never'' blow up in the user's face like wizardry would. Runelords are the master Runesmiths; they've been around for a thousand years or more, and so can use runes that ordinary Rune Smiths just aren't tough enough to handle yet. As you might have figured, these guys act like wizards in the dwarf army, but they can't manifest the damage-dealing effects of other casters; instead, they're an anti-magic support unit, specializing in destroying spells cast by enemy wizards. Needless to say, they're not as squishy as Warhammer wizards tend to be. Out of combat, these are the ones that make anything important for Dwarfs from the weapons and armor of elite troops to important components of machines.

* '''Anvil Of Doom'''
Mighty displays of dwarven magical craftsmanship that can no longer be replicated in the degenerate modern age, an Anvil of Doom is a rune-inscribed anvil-cum-altar that essentially lets a Runelord act like a more conventional wizard. By striking on this Anvil, they can draw upon the magic bound within its runes to cause various destructive effects.

Created by the great ancestor Kurgaz in the depths of Thunder Mountain, forged from pure Gromril in the way of the first Dwarfs, sealed with the rune of magic tamed itself, the Rune of Sorcery. A dragon was recorded as attacking Thunder Mountain, killing Kurgaz and most of the Runesmiths which caused many of the most powerful and important runes to be lost.

Each is inscribed with intricate runes that modern Dwarfs can't even read, let alone use. That is on top of the central rune, the Rune Of Doom, which gives the Anvils their name. Even beyond that, every Anvil was dedicated to one of the primary trinity; Grungni's requires and bolsters effort, Grimnir's fury, and Valaya's is based on loyalty.
Knowledge of how to use the Anvils was passed down orally and practically from master to apprentice, so the current users of the Anvils have a very incomplete and often completely different understanding of how to use them with the untimely death of a master resulting in many secrets lost forever. Improper use of an AoD can cause great calamity, the worst of which is the loss of the Anvil itself. Very few remain in the world, each belonging to a major Hold. Their loss is a dark day to never be forgotten by any Dwarf.

Most AoD are left in the depths of each Hold, lost with the homeland and reclaimed on joyous days (because its generally beyond the capacity of greenskins and Skaven to destroy them). Rarely, in times of need, they are hauled into battle. The 4e model had them mounted on wheels with the Runelord riding it, striking the front from the back. The 6e model is sedentary, consisting of the AoD sitting in a magic runed stone circle while an apprentice works a nearby forge. Both versions have Anvil Guards, sworn to loyalty of the Anvil above all else who will never abandon it. How exactly the vibrations and lightning from striking don't shatter the ankles of the Runelord in the old model isn't clear, not is how the fuck they haul the thing to a battle or travel when ambushes are a thing in the new one...as a result many modders put the new AoD on the back or in the hands of a Golem, on a flying chunk of rock, or some other transportation.
[[Total War: WARHAMMER]] actually addressed the issue by having the Anvil Of Power carried by four Runesmiths, similar to the Thorgrim's Throne. The only effects are making Runelords much killier and more durable while increasing the "FUCK YO MAGIC" bubble of your army at the cost of a tad bit of speed.

Thorek Ironbrow is the only Runelord capable of using the Rune Of Doom of his AoD, and not safely (or possibly correctly) either. Its unknown if Kragg could, given Kragg is actually older than the Anvils Of Doom, but he was basically replaced by Thorek in the lore when the bit about nobody knowing how to use them was added; if you consider Kragg canon, he may be the only Dwarf capable of using them properly.

* '''Thane/Lord'''
All dwarf clans have a boss, called a Thane, and the boss of bosses is called a Lord. There's not really much more to it than that; these are your bog-standard character units, with Thanes filling the Hero tier and Lords, well, take a guess.

A Thane may be appointed and come from any part of society; these are the Dwarf nobility.
A Lord may only be of royal descent, with royalty descended from the ancestor gods and thus all children of Valaya. Thanes are promoted into Lords as high nobility.
A Lord may become a King upon the death of the previous king. Unlike in other races, this is not an enviable position; happy ascension only occurs on the very rare time a King lives long enough to step down and even then is more the shouldering of responsibilities rather than gain of wealth and privilege.
All Kings are eligible for High King, seen much like promotion from Lord to King. The High King is the supreme leader of the race, loyal to all Dwarfs as if they are his children.

Rarely, females end up as Thanes. The wife of a King is by default a Queen, but rare is the Queen who truly rules; the current Queen of Karak Norn sharing leadership with her husband is the exception. Very few times in history has a Queen ruled alone, and a High Queen has never existed save as wife of the High King.

Some Dwarf Kings take on the tradition of the son of Kurgaz, and are carried into battle standing on an oversized shield (or the shield of a giant of a Dwarf ancestor) by two beloved Thanes.

Oathstones are another tradition, a piece of the Hold of the King, Lord, or Thane which is inscribed in runes describing the user, lineage, deeds, clan, or other relevant information. These are stood on ceremonially or in battle, and to Dwarfs it is representative of the Hold itself; thus by standing on one, the Dwarf is saying to treat it as the home and defend it or be as truthful and sincere as they would to the entirety of what the Oathstone represents. Whether swearing an Oath, making a greeting, or standing with shield ready in front of it.

* '''Steam Tank'''
While the Empire and their famous twelve [[Riptide|(which somehow are included in almost every Empire army ever fielded by players)]] may be the most well known, Dwarfs did in fact create Steam Tanks at some point. A particular story refers to several Dwarfs stuck while trying to clear the Underway after their tank became inoperable.
They are never mentioned anywhere else, so presumably it was either the only one created by a particularly mad Engineer or they are mostly used in the Underway (which does make the most logical sense given its the Dwarf preferred form of travel between Holds and reclaiming it would solve somewhere around 85% of the problems of the Dwarf race, the bulk of the remaining 15% being the eternal need for more Gromril and gold).

* '''Wizards'''
Yeah, technically modern lore is Dwarfs repel magic and only Chaos Dwarfs can be wizards via rune tattoos that force magic into their bodies, turning them slowly to stone like a cancer as their body tries to fight it.
But in the preslotta days that only players who can call themselves Longbeards remember, there were three Dwarf wizard models with one notably whispering anxiously to a small and confused looking frog.

That's all there is to say really. If you're one who likes to blend all of Warhammer lore into your headcanon or the community FLGS canon, there are at least three Dwarf wizards wandering the world.

* '''Golems'''
Another relic of older editions, but this time not quite as far-fetched. Introduced in a Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay supplement, Golems are basically just robots powered by Runes. They are as complex as the creator designed them to be, with some that are permanently inactive because the Dwarf or Dwarfs it was designed to obey are dead. Some are extremely dangerous, still following orders to guard things with no failsafe programmed or at least known if that ever becomes undesirable (or for example "guard this room" meaning to kill everything that enters it's creator's tomb is followed by a wall collapsing and the "room" now including the entire entrance to the Hold). Golems can also be created to do non-military tasks, and follow the same logic of Fantasia brooms for a simple command becoming a major issue. Other Golems are complex enough to have multiple uses and actually have failsafe measures, meaning that not only should perfection in creating the Golem exist but the Dwarf in question should be the sort to fully think through their actions using knowledge of the success and failure of their predecessors...not that those would be rare qualities among most Dwarf Runesmiths, but mistakes can still be made (and probably result in the Slayer Oath).

* '''Rune Golems'''
As Golems, but exclusively military and created during the time when the gods walked among the Dwarfs under the eye of Grungni himself. Made entirely of pure Gromril. Mothballed during the War of Vengeance/War of Beard when the magic needed to awaken those massive constructs sunk deeper into the earth to the point that the Runelords found it impossible to wake them up. The last one that tried turned into a stone statue.

* '''Rune Guardians'''
Same as Rune Golems, but have more lore. They were created by combining runecraft and engineering, unlike the Rune Golems above who were formed by pure rune magic. Rune Guardians were created as ludicrously complex machines powered by the Master Rune Of Waking, knowledge of which has since been lost and would require study of an intact Guardian to obtain. The instructions for the Guardian’s behavior are written with the Waking Rune on its forehead, and cannot be changed. Their primary use is defending abandoned Holds and tombs.
Their hands end in axes, and they are made to look like a Dwarf the size of an Ogre. They can be inscribed with up to two other Runes.

* '''Juggernaut'''
Similar to the Chaos Dwarf Juggernaut ("THA'S A GRUDGIN' YE PANSY ELF WIKI FUCK!"), although they only existed in 3e Warhammer and had no lore behind them, merely an advert crediting them to [[Tony Ackland]] in design. It appeared to be a type of ornate wooden ship on wheels powered by a boiler and armed with a cannon.

* '''Juggernaut'''
Not the same thing as the above entry, rather it's the same thing as the two that preceded it. Juggernauts were described as giant Golems created by Grungni to guard Karaz-a-Karak, of which only two survive. This lore actually preceded the 2e WFRP lore. Whether this counts as stating that only two Rune Golems exist or if these are just a superior form of Rune Golem is entirely up to any player who wants to take them as canon.

* '''Shard Dragon'''
[[File:Shard Dragon.jpg|thumb|right|A Shard Dragon. The aforementioned murder-ferret.]]
Believe it or not, but even the Dawi got a piece of the monster cake. Introduced in the Monstrous Arcanum supplement, the Shard Dragons are subterranean monsters descended from dragons that ventured underground and mutated into what can be described as a giant serpentine murder-ferret of a mutant dragon. These nightmarish beasts travel under the surface of the Warhammer wold in search of prey and at times they will make contact with Dwarfs, Goblins or Skaven. When that happens the Shard Dragons will cause chaos and destruction, kill and devour as many denizens of an underground settlement as possible before disappearing into the abyssal darkness from which they came from.
Dwarfs, being the grudge-bearing stunties they are, managed to bring these monsters back to the surface. Thinking that death was too good for them, the ancestors of the Dawi learned to forge large rune collars with which they shackled the Shard Dragons and have their Runelords control these murder machines though they aren't purely exclusive to the Dawi. This makes them the equivalent of giant attack dogs as the Runelords point the Shard Dragons at problem that needs to be removed. Preferably with as much violence and collateral damage as it is possible. Every very powerful magic user can take control over one of these beasts, but the Dwarfs seem to be the ones that are the prominent tamers...and most successful it seems, as the runic collars completely eliminate the probability of the monsters to go out of control compared to a magic user who needs to constantly exert his will over them.
In a fight, Shard Dragons live up to their lethal reputation. Being capable of entering a rabid frenzy the moment somebody manages to inflict a flesh wound on them, having razor-sharp scales that can hurt people in contact with them that grow in hardness as time passes, unleashing a breathe that can instill visions so nightmarish people die from heart attacks (even undead and daemons aren't immune to it), having the magic protection of the very collars that bind them to the will of the Dwarfs and having a venom so potent it burns the hardest stone, Shard Dragons are truly one of the most deadliest assets in a throng.

* '''Doomstones'''
More artifact than soldier although they can be wielded in a manner that may as well make them the ultimate warmachines, the Doomstones are a set of four legendary artifacts lost around the area now inhabited by humans called the Border Princes and were introduced in a campaign of five books for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay named after them.
They are best summarized as when Runesmiths attempted to replicate a High Elf [[Waystone]] using pure Warpstone and instead created superweapons that can shake mountains into pebbles and split continents.

In other words the Dwarfs Elf’d so hard they accidently Skaven’d and as a result the whole thing was Slann’d up.

==Descendant Races==
In the [[Age of Sigmar]], at least three varieties of dwarf have survived the apocalypse, besides the normal dwarfs, and preserve the history of the dawi in some way; the fire-spewing, [[Slayer]]-like [[Fyreslayers]], the actual Slayers known as the Unforged, and the [[Kharadron Overlords]], which are dwarfs who resided in the Chamon-realm and escaped Chaos by building flying cities which now mine gaseous "ur-gold" from the clouds.

In addition, there are the [[Cities of Sigmar]], which house all manner or Order-Aligned races, Dwarfkind included. That said, the Dwarfs are rather under-represented with only the Dispossessed (The basic Dwarf footsloggers and Runelords) and Ironweld Arsenal (Steamtanks and other war machines) being represented while the rest seem to have been forgotten. According to the Ossiarch Bonereapers lore, given their record keeping when they hunt for bones, Dwarfs are outnumbered by humans and elves (or they take care of their dead more than the others).

Passing mention is also made of a [[Ghyran]]-dwelling dwarven race called the Rootkings, who forge their weapons from razor sharp seedpods, dye their hair green, and worship Alarielle.

There are also the Valay, who resemble a Duardin from the waist up and a squid from the waist down, who live in Ghyran's seas, who are fond of hoarding ithilmhair (congealed magic in the seas currents forming over time into a material strong enough to withstand blows from Ghal Maraz) and like to play deadly word games with others. It is unknown if the Valay are related in any way with the Merkaveth, a race of feral beings described as being half-aelf, half-octopus, who are said to be related to the [[Menfish]].

==Interesting facts==
* In 1992 BISP (British Institute of Small People) took Games Workshop to court over the offensive use of the word "Dwarf" as a magical creature predisposed to drink and hoarding gold but [[Fail|came out short]] and failed to win their case. Games Workshop later counter sued BISP (forcing its closure) for alleged theft from the Games Workshop premises and threatening calls. This event was referenced in several of Terry Pratchett's [[Discworld]] novels.
* The video game [[Warhammer: Mark of Chaos|Mark of Chaos]] was marked with scandal after a Games Workshop employee was fired for suggesting the Dwarfs speak with a Scottish accent because "they are greedy overweight alcoholics anyway" in a printed release of Gamesmaster magazine. Games Workshop was forced to issue an apology to the minister of Scotland Andrew MacDonald.
* Dwarfs were the first faction to get lore in any Warhammer setting, as previously mentioned above (not counting the Goblins because fuck Goblins). This bears mentioning again because fuck Chaos and fuck the Elves, Dwarfs were here first and are the eldest sons of the forgotten ancestor god Priestley.
* Games Workshop actually owns a pub decorated like an in-universe inn with shields from various factions, called Bugman's Brewery. Dwarfs also created the setting of [[Blood Bowl]] when they discovered a mysterious treasure chest during a battle with Goblins and their eldest went mad translating the "Amorikan Football" pamphlets and books inside which ended up entirely changing the culture of their world. As a result, Dwarfs in fact have the highest amount of 4th wall breaking with the real world in all Games Workshop properties.
* Lego actually ripped off the Dwarf Slayers in Wave 17 of their blind bag minifigure sets, including a "Battle Dwarf" that is a dead-ringer for a Dwarf Slayer. This Slayer goes with the generic Elves and Dwarves of previous blind bag sets as well as the short-lived Dwarves VS Orcs/Trolls themes of the past. Unfortunately given the strict policy of never glorifying war (outside of Star Wars and Tolkien at any rate) passed down by the founder of the company and still followed today, licensed Lego: Warhammer will never happen.

==See Also==
* [[Warhammer/Tactics/8th Edition/Dwarfs|Tactics/Dwarfs]]
* [[Warhammer/Tactics/6th_Edition/Dwarfs|Dwarven tactics for the glorious 6th edition]]
* [http://www.bugmansbrewery.com/ Bugmans Brewery], the primary Dwarfs fansite.
* [[Squats]]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjHclWPVij0 An average non-violent meeting between a Dwarf and an Elf.]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2UeyhSrewY An audio rendition of the High King getting out his Grudge quill]
* [[Dwarfs Faction Creation Tables]]

{{Template:Dwarf Forces}}
{{Playable Factions in Warhammer Fantasy Battle}}

[[Category:Warhammer Fantasy]][[Category:Dwarfs]]

Book of Grudges

2023-05-16T18:54:37Z

2A01:CB19:7C8:DB00:8867:60B9:2B06:F59C:

The '''Great Book of Grudges''' (Dammaz Kron in Khazalid) is a sacred item to the [[Dwarfs (Warhammer Fantasy Battle)|Dwarfen folk]].
[[File:Warhammer Great Book of Grudges.jpg|thumb|Da <s>[[/co/|Rules]]</s> {{Blam|*WHAM* DA GRUDGES YA UMGI FOOL|}}]]
In essence, it's pretty much the place where they record everyone and everything that ever "extremely" wronged them. The book itself came into being since the time when the Dwarfs came into being, and was since then passed down from High King to High King, with the current one being [[Thorgrim Grudgebearer]]. Whenever someone did something really horrible, like hiring them to build a palace then refusing to pay them, or attacking a trade cart killing dozens if not hundreds of Dwarfs for no reason other than you didn't like them (and not stealing a keg of beer for example, something ignored in Total War: Warhammer where <s>'shortchanging them for a palace by two coppers'</s> '''SHORT!?''' counts), then that person's name/group's name/army's name/or even race's name would go into the book with the description of the grudge-worthy act, [[Grimdark|written in the High King's own blood]].

However Dwarfs being Dwarfs if you did do something 'petty' like steal a keg of beer then that deed would very likely go into some dwarf's own personal book of grudges. An example of such a personal book can be found in Vermintide where Bardin's Book of Personal Grudges is a trinket in the game. So be aware then any slight you do against a dwarf is likely not to be forgotten for a long, long, long time.

The good old Dwarven tradition is to settle these grudges the old fashioned way. And by old fashioned, we mean AN AXE TO THE FACE. Alternatively, since Thorgrim is not fucking stupid <strike>like most of the other Dwarf kings before him</strike> '''THAT'S GOING IN THE BOOK YOU WAZZOK''', he lets the act go if they make up for it, like actually getting paid for that palace they didn't get paid to build, even if it is very late in coming. According to Total War: Warhammer they are not above declaring grudges against mountains, literally, for a landslide or something that killed some dwarfs (then again it's the same series where the Orcs are mentioned as collecting Teef and that also doesn't happen in Fantasy). Such a grudge would be settled by strip mining the shit out of the place until nothing useful is left. Other times, the Book is used as a means for the population to petition the Longbeards to aid them with something such as a <strike>Khazrak</strike> Karak ([[Khazrak The One-Eye|Khazrak]] being the Beastman who got [[Boris Todbringer|Toddy's]] eye) being poorly defended and helping with the public order or to provide material aid to alleviate a crisis.

When a grudge is settled, it is crossed out. Of course this being Dwarfs, until Thorgrim came along grudges were rarely crossed out even after they were avenged because most Dwarfs consider it more fun to reminisce about the vengeance. In addition, more grudges appear than are settled as each battle means dead Dwarfs or injured equipment, which means more grudges as a cycle of revenge. Due to what's going on in the Old World, these grudges will dramatically grow in numbers.

It is also said that the more of these grudges fill the book, then the Dwarven race is more probable to die out...unless they actually overcome their stubbornness.

Surprisingly, despite all these grudges, you never hear about a Dwarf Book of Grudges running out of pages. Lore implies that at least the High King's book magically either has an endless number of pages or generates more when needed; it's confirmed that the magic allows it to remain the same size and weight no matter how many pages it has.

There was however one situation when a grudge was not written down. When the Dwarfs under Thorgrim Grudgebearer's command met with [[Tyrion]] in order to save the [[Everqueen|High Queen's]] daughter from [[Mannfred von Carstein]], but the vampire still escaped with her, Tyrion blamed the Dwarfs for it and insulted them so offensively it was as if he physically struck them. After this the bearded powderkegs urged Thorgrim to write what Tyrion did into the book, yet the High King chose not to, probably seeing it that they might have screwed up. He also didn't want to perpetuate the vicious cycle of vindictiveness. This also shows that Grudgebearer is actually cool-headed for a Dwarf.

== List of notable "Extraordinary" individuals recorded in the book ==

*'''[[Skarsnik]]''' - The one mention having the most entries in the book. A cunning goblin as well as the warlord of the Eight Peaks. Congrats, you filthy grobi, hope Grimnir feasts on your dirty greenskin blood, you little shit.
*'''[[Grimgor Ironhide]]''' - Committed several acts of dawi-slaughter with his magic axe Gitsnik, as well as cooking captured Dawi alive inside their armor.
*'''[[Gorfang Rotgut]]''' - Written in for innumerable offences, but most infamously breaking into Karak Azul, looting many treasures and killing many dwarfs, alongside shaming King Kazador's son Kazrik by shaving his beard (which drove Kazrik insane from trauma). Finally stricken from the Book after being slain in single combat by Thorgrim Grudgebearer. Good fucking riddance.
*'''[[Ushoran]]''' - Filthy two faced oathbreaker who invaded Silver Pinnacle with [[Neferata]]. He is called an Oathbreaker because he once ruled the city of Mourkain, primitive but effective trading ground for the Dawi and appeared to be a pretty cool guy. He shown his true nature after he went mad with the power of Nagash's crown and going on an ape shit killing frenzy against the Dawi, eventually went to siege the silver pinnacle with another no good "queen of evil" Neferata (see below). No bad deed goes unpunished of course, for his empire was later attacked by Neferata and the orcs; he has since gone insane, devolving into the filthy, flea-ridden monster he has always been. FUCK. HIM.
*'''[[Neferata]]''' - The first recorded Uzkular (Undead) grudge. She was fine in the eyes of the Dawi at first, administrating the trading between Karaz Bryn and the city of Mourkain, and even fought greenskins together. Their alliance eventually broke when Razek Silverfoot discovered their undead secret and was slain. Although she did invade the Silver Pinnacle with the forces of Mourkain, she offered peaceful surrender terms to the king Borri Silverfoot and his civilians, only for the civilians to be killed by Khaled al Muntasir and other Strigoi Vampires shortly after - albeit against Neferata's wishes. The king and other surviving Dwarfs took Slayer oaths in shame and sorrow, and thus began the Dawi hatred for undead. Though Ushoran was the first undead recorded, the concept of necromancy was not well known at the time so he was recorded as a Zangunaz (blood drinker). After Neferata however, it became the Dawi's word for vampires (and one of the titles of dishonor they gave Neferata was "Queen of Evil").
*'''[[Mannfred von Carstein|Khaled al Muntasir]]''' - Began his Dawi slaughtering career at the Silver Pinnacle (see above), then joined Nagash to torment the Dawi's best friend: Sigmar and his Empire. Fled like the bitch coward he was after he lost against Sigmar at a staring contest and mocked him about the Empire's hard times. Although he is supposed to be Mannfred Von Carstein, the Dawi probably view them as two different persons and record their grudges separately.
*'''[[Malekith]]''' - [[War of the Beard|Broke Snorri Whitebeard's promises and caused massive devastation on both elves and dwarfs after he disguised his agents as high elves to assault a dwarf caravan]]. Apparently has so many grudges against him that the complete record outside the Great Book of Grudges fills libraries (yet apparently still not as many as Skarsnik the aforementioned goblin, who gained more grudges in decades than Malekith got in millennia). Fuck you Malekith, you Elgi'drazh piece of shit!
*'''Caledor II''' - This arrogant Phoenix king is the second reason why the [[War of the Beard|<s>War of the Beard</s> WAR OF VENGEANCE]] started. He insulted the Dwarfs when they came to compensate for their lost caravan and even go as far to shave the beard of Forek Grimbok, the Dwarfs emissary that was sent to negotiate. This led Grimbok to become a slayer out of humiliation and Gotrek Starbreaker, the high king at the time to swear a mighty oath to get the compensation in either gold or blood from the Elves or else he'd shave his own beard. Such terrifying oaths and tragedies has led Caledor II to have 437 separate grudges against him, along with many insults the Dwarfs created to demean and ridicule him (see below). As of now, this grudge has been avenged with the elf king's death and the high king got the Phoenix Crown in compensation. Still, many grudges against the Elven race as a whole remain and the war will forever be remembered as proof that the elves are untrustworthy. He's also acknowledged by both races as CALEDOR THE IDIOT for what he did.
*'''[[Queek Head-Taker]]''' - Killed many Dwarves during his fight for the Karak Eight Peaks as well as wasted an entire armory of expensive, powerful runic weaponry at Karak Azul in a pitch battle where he tricked the Orc of Black Crag to fight with the Dwarves of Karak Azul. His grudge got written off in the End Times where High King Thorgrim publicly declared his crimes, choked him, then beheaded the overgrown rat with his axe during the Skaven siege on Karaz-a-Karak.
*''' [[Krell]] ''' - A powerful Khornate champion who had killed many Dwarves in life and death. His grudge is a notable one since it began in ancient time before the time of Sigmar, where he sided with the despicable Night Goblins to assault the Dwarf strongholds of Karak Ungor and Karak Varn. Fortunately, a Dwarf hero named Grimbul Ironhelm killed him during the assault on Karak Kadrin where his grudge was redeemed (or the dwarfs thought at that time). He made a return after 1500 years, raised as an undead wight under the control of the dreaded necromancer Nagash. Even after Krell and Nagash were defeated by Sigmar himself, he made '''ANOTHER''' return centuries later, raised by a necromancer named Heinrich Kemmler, the Lichemaster, who now has him as his thrall (until the retcon). So yeah, Krell is a badass and the only individual on this book that had their entry appear '''more than once''' for every time the grudge was redeemed as he died three times (six times if you count [[The End Times]] - getting his head snipped off by a Tomb Scorpion in the Battle of Khemri, swallowed whole by a Greater Daemon of Nurgle in the Battle for the Black Pyramid and finally when he got killed by Sigvald in Middenheim).
*'''[[Nagash]]''' - A very ancient and powerful necromancer who so really, REALLY fucking evil to everyone (even chaos) that not even the book of grudges can ignore him, and he has about as many entries as [[Malekith]]. [[Nagash]] is responsible for personally destroying at least one Dwarf hold, creating vampires (aka Zangunaz) plus the concept of undeath in general, as well as two other extraordinary individuals on this list: Krell and Neferata. He even tried to kill Sigmar, the Dwarfs' best friend, but failed. He probably had a grudge for every time a random necromancer cast a spell on a Dawi OR raised a Dawi into living death. It is also because of him the Tomb Kings (aka Uzkuli'gorl) were created and now haunt every Dawi who had their jewelry as the kings' heirloom, or included some of the stolen gold from the kings' in their heirlooms.
*'''[[Deathmaster Snikch]]''' - A particular individual who is so deadly that its art of killing is completely incomprehensible. Most notable of its actions include: killing Belegar's brother Dromgar inside a highly secured hold and making his head disappear, wiping out Thorgrim's descendants as well as many other Dawi in one killing spree at a highly secured Karak-a-Karak, as well as destroying Dwarf Engineer Thornik Thorson's Iron Cog-dragon on the eve of the Battle of the Bitter Peak. Just WHO could managed to pull such a feat? Certainly not a cowardly beast like the Skavens. Heard it could even wield ''three'' glowing green knives. THREE!? and [[Warpstone|GREEN]]? It has even been sighted in many areas of the Empire, where it has created countless murders that made the manlings' minds boggle, such as the case where a manling wizard was flayed in a highly secured and locked chamber. Do note the most frightening thing was that the Dwarves do not even know the name of this assassin rat; they had to gave him an alias, "Murder Demon of Darkness," in the book's entry.

== Age of Sigmar ==
Grudges are carried over into all of the Age of Sigmar Duardin factions, though this element is generally downplayed compared to fantasy.

Back when the Dispossessed had their own army rules and weren't just part of Cities of Sigmar soup, they had game mechanics based around assigning Grudges to their opponents similar to the old Ancestral Grudge rule from Fantasy.

The [[Kharadron Overlords]] still use grudges, although they see it as an antiquated system and only Barak-Thryng, the most conservative of the Skyports, still makes heavy use of it. Those pursuing a grudge are given the Rune of Mark, which gives the bearer special exemptions from the Kharadron Code, and great rewards are given to the skyfarers who slay the foe whose name is written on it. At the centre of Barak-Thryng is the Grudgehall, where every offence against the city is written down on a rune-slate and put into a library that covers an entire district. The warriors of Barak-Thyring often take these rune-slates into battle to remind themselves of the most grievous insults their enemies have delivered to them. The book "The Arkanaut's Oath" also mentions a Kharadron Book of Grudges called the Skarenoffri Damakronn.

[[Fyreslayers]] are also known to hold grudges, which are recorded alongside the rest of the Lodge's lore by the Battlesmiths. The Gelvagd Lodge of Azyr in particular are infamous for their grudge-bearing, and hold a practice of chiseling their grudges onto metal tablets which they melt down once the grudge is settled.

== Warhammer 40k ==
While the 40k had their [[squats|own dwarf]], they do not have such grudge keeping culture. But it was mentioned that White Scars has this "scroll of vengeance" which they used to record any enemies who had managed escape from their ridiculously speedy bike. These enemies will then be killed by the '''Master of the Hunt''' (a particular space marine of the White Scars who is obviously a strong member of the chapter with a high standing such as a captain) during the '''Great Hunt''', its head decapitated, its skull masked in silver and staked along the road that leads through the Khum Karta mountains towards the Palace of Quan Zhou, White Scar's greatest fortress-monastery. Every enemies and their misdeeds on the scrolls is then recited at every quarter of the century by a chaplain during the '''Rites of Howling''' with the Chapter Master decided the next target for the great hunt. There is one mentioned the scroll was used by Kor'sarro Khan, where after the events of '''Escape from Cano'var''', he wrote down the name of the necron who killed and imprisoned his battle brothers: '''Nemesor Zahndrekh''' and '''Vargard Obyron'''.

With the introduction of the [[Leagues of Votann]], leaked datacards imply they have grudges of their own, with references to a "Judgement Token" system that allows you to allocate enemies your forces have grudges against and gain bonuses against them. This also plays into several of their psyker's abilities, as they [[Awesome|channel the hatred of their ancestors to set those with grudges against them on fire]].
== Gallery ==

<gallery>
File:Caledor 2 insults.jpg| Caledor II, the Elven Settra of '''INSULTED'''.
</gallery>

[[Category:Warhammer Fantasy]]
[[Category:Dwarfs]]
[[Category:Books]]

Dark Lands

2023-05-16T18:53:29Z

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''For [[Pathfinder]]'s blatant Underdark ripoff, see [[Underdark#Other_Settings|Underdark]]''
{{whfb-stub}}
[[File:Darklands.png|300px|thumb|right|The Dark Lands, an even crummier vacation spot than Naggaroth]]
{{topquote|It is a barren wasteland, riddled with fire and ash and dust, the very air you breathe is a poisonous fume.|Boromir}}

Between the Worlds Edge Mountains in the west, the Mountains of Mourn in the east and the Sea of Dread in the south lie the Dark Lands, a barren wasteland of ash and dust, devoid of plants or sunlight, the air thick with volcanic smoke.

The '''Dark Lands''' are a large and inhospitable region in the [[Warhammer Fantasy Battle|Warhammer]] world, tainted by the influence of [[Chaos]]. It is composed of far reaching plains and wastelands, separated from the [[Warhammer Fantasy Battle#Setting|realms of man]] in the west by the World's Edge Mountains and spanning to the Mountains of Mourn in the east, which are populated by the many [[Orcs & Goblins|Greenskin tribes]] that roam the plains, along with a few [[Ogre Kingdoms|Ogre]] tribes. The land in the south of the Dark Lands gives way to the Sea of Dread, whereas to the north the flat wastes become a sheer cliff and plateau. Just south of this plateau, on the north-eastern border of the lands, is where the [[Chaos Dwarfs|Dawi-Zharr]] have made their domain, in the [[Chaos Dwarfs#Plain of Zharr|Plain of Zharr]].

==Zorn-Uzkul, the Great Skull Land==
In the north, the High Pass from Kislev leads through the Worlds Edge Mountains into the Zorn-Uzkul, the Great Skull Land, where the ancestors of the Dawi-Zharr first settled. Here, the Road of Skulls to the Chaos Wastes leads through a great plateau littered with bones, many of them skulls of mighty beasts long perished, giving the forbidding area its name. The Dwarfs discovered rich deposits of ore in the ground, but most of them ultimately abandoned the obviously tainted region and returned west. Those who stayed and founded Uzkulak in the north or went on eastwards to the Mountains of Mourn were eventually corrupted by the increasing influence of Chaos and became the ancestors of the Dawi-Zharr. Today, Zorn-Uzkul is the northernmost part of the Chaos Dwarf empire, and to follow the Road of Skulls in the shadows of haunted Uzkulak is a very dangerous endeavor.

==Zharrduk, the Plain of Zharr==
When the waters of the River Ruin roar down the Falls of Doom from Zorn-Uzkul, they first enter the Plain of Zharr, a vast meteoric crater in the north-east of the Dark Lands and the heartland of the Dawi-Zharr empire. The earth is rich in minerals and precious resources, and the Chaos Dwarfs have turned the whole of Zharrduk into one gigantic industrial complex. The ground is riddled with pools of boiling oil and molten metal, rivers of steaming lava crisscross its broken crust, the sun is hidden behind a thick layer of smoke and ash; no living thing is to be found as far as the eye can see. At its center the Dawi-Zharr have erected Zharr-Naggrund, their great capital, and the plain of Zharr is littered with smaller outposts, workshops, foundries and forges. Unabating is the sound of mighty steam-driven forgehammers and the anguished cries of the tortured slaves throughout Zharrduk as the Dawi-Zharr mold their atrocious empire day and night.

==The Blasted Wastes==
The Blasted Wastes in the west of the Dark Lands, between the Worlds Edge Mountains and the Gates of Zharr, are a vast desert and sustain very little life. They are mostly home to nomadic Goblin tribes and other ravaging hordes, but they also house a great number of Black Orc tribes, most notably Grimgor Ironhide and his elite clan, Da Immortulz.

==The Howling Wastes==
East of the road from Zharr-Naggrund to the Tower of Gorgoth lie the Howling Wastes. Where the Blasted Wastes are a sparse desert, the Howling Wastes are covered by an eternal mist, carrying thin voices and a wailing clamour of an forgotten age. The ground is mostly marshes and swamplands, and traversing it is almost guaranteed to get the unwary swallowed by the land, if not accompanied by an experienced guide. On a more positive note, it contains one of the few human settlements in the Dark Lands, the Sentinels, which is generally a good place for those seeking to enter the Mountains of Mourn to hire some Ogre bodyguards.

==The Desolation of Azgorh==
Before the age of Chaos Dwarfs, the mighty volcano of Azgorh erupted with such a mighty crescendo that it split the mountain and rent the ground around it asunder. The ash cloud could be seen in distant Khemri and the elves in their Old World colonies registered the resulting earthquakes. The great upheaval reformed the landscape into an almost impenetrable labyrinth of razor sharp rocks and vents of toxic fumes, but it also unearthed a most precious mineral wealth, which a near infinite number of the Chaos Dwarfs' [https://1d4chan.org/wiki/Slavery slaves] now dig out of the rock in the mines around the Tower of Gorgoth.

==The River Ruin==
The River Ruin is the largest river in the Dark Lands. Originating in the Zorn-Uzkul plateau, it travels southwards towards Zharr-Naggrund, where the Chaos Dwarfs use it to cool their machinery. The rest of the river from that point is heavily polluted by the byproducts of Chaos Dwarf industry. Numerous rivers from the Mountains of Mourn feed into the River Ruin. It proceeds south until it hits the coast, where it forms the Scalded Delta, upon which the settlement of Pigbarter is located.

==Gnoblar Country==
Gnoblar Country is located at the south-eastern coast, and the spice road to the Kingdoms of Ind passes through it. Unlike the rest of the Dark Lands, instead of being a wasteland its a relatively pleasant lush and green Region. Although named for the Gnoblars, most have since fled to the Mountains of Mourn due to predation from neighbouring humans and Chaos Dwarfs.

==Pigbarter==

The only human trading outpost in this forsaken wasteland (and a rather lucrative one at that). A town built on top of stilts and the partially collapsed remains of earlier buildings that lies just to the south of Gnoblar country and borders the toxic River Ruin and the Scalding Delta. They make their money off the trade with travelers passing through on their way to the [[Kingdoms of Ind]] and off the Ogres coming off the nearby Ivory Road. When they're not doing that the humans amuse themselves either by having pig jousting contests or by having their hound-sized eagle-owls go and hunt the annoying Gnoblars and Goblins that infest the lower part of the city.
{{Regions and areas of the Old World}}
[[Category:Warhammer Fantasy]]
[[Category:Chaos]]
[[Category:Chaos Dwarfs]]
[[Category:Dwarfs]]
[[Category:Orcs & Goblins]]
[[Category:Ogre Kingdoms]]

Chaos Dwarfs

2023-05-16T18:53:09Z

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[[Image:Dorf hats.jpg|thumb|right|NO [[Hat|HAT]] SHALL BE GREATER THAN MINE!]]
{{topquote|One does not simply walk into Mordor. Its black gates are guarded by more than just orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep.|Boromir}}
{{topquote|I imagine one of the reasons people cling to their hates so stubbornly is because they sense, once hate is gone, they will be forced to deal with pain.|James Baldwin}}
{{topquote|You can leave your hat on.|Joe Cocker}}

The ''Uzkul-Dhrath-Zharr'', as they refer to themselves, or Dawi-Zharr (Dwarfs of Fire) in Khazalid, are the [[Dwarfs (Warhammer Fantasy Battle)|Dwarfs]]' dark kin, who have been corrupted by the influence of [[Chaos]]. They were a [[Warhammer Fantasy Battle|Warhammer]] faction up until 5th edition but were always treated as some kind of stepchild and did not have a proper standalone army book. Their background, rules and army list were released in a series of articles in [[White Dwarf]], eventually collected into a quasi-army book, ''White Dwarf Presents: Chaos Dwarfs''. Despite how awesome these guys are, they were ditched by GW because they weren't selling as much as vanilla Chaos, Orcs & Goblins or Elves were to newbie players. For ages they existed only as a dim fond memory to the veterans of the hobby; GW did one new model set (the Hellcannon and its attending Chaos Dwarf crew) but little else. Lo and behold, Forge World has flown to the rescue! You can buy some brilliant new Chaos Dwarf models, and there are now official rules to use: [[Tamurkhan: Throne of Chaos|Tamurkhan: The Throne of Chaos]].

Except, not anymore. Because Forge World discontinued them. ALL of them. Including Shar'tor the Executioner, who was tailored into Age of Sigmar as one of Forge World's first original forays into that setting. Because fuck you.

==History==

At the height of their empire, before the coming of Chaos, the Dwarfs spread far and wide across the Old World. Ever-diligent workers and miners, they followed the [[Worlds Edge Mountains]] north and dug their holds deep into the rock of the earth. Along the way, they reached a place they called Zorn-Uzkul, the Great Skull Land, after all the ancient bones (and especially skulls) scattered throughout. While it was very rich in minerals, most decided that this place was best left alone. But a few were so stubborn - even compared to their fellow Dwarfs - that they decided to live there to prove that they could.

===An ancient schism===

These northernmost holds kept close contact with their kin in the World's Edge Mountains as the Dwarf Empire grew, and the Dwarfs enjoyed an age of prosperity not seen before or since. With the coming of Chaos, the dominion of the Dwarfs over the Old World was about to dwindle. As devastating earthquakes brought about by the careless machinations of the [[Lizardmen|Slann]] magepriests shattered the world, the Dwarfs closed themselves up in their mountain holds to weather out the storm, as has always been their way. There were those amongst the Dwarfs, lead by their fiercest warrior god Grimnir, who argued that Chaos needed to be fought, not endured. And when Chaos was eventually driven back by the actions of the Dwarfs and their [[High_Elves_(Warhammer_Fantasy)|High Elf]] allies, the Dwarfs looked at their wounded domain and thought their northern cousins lost. Surely nothing could have survived the raw Chaos energies unleashed upon the northern wastes. Tragically, they were wrong. The Dwarfs of Zorn-Uzkul suffered greatly, and in their anguish they cried out to their western kin for support and their ancestor gods for salvation, but they did not perish.

Though the Dwarfs that chose to live in the blasted wastes were hardy, even they were not immune to the corrupting influence of Chaos, and they slowly changed over time. For many long years they only barely survived as they abandoned or were abandoned by their own ancestor gods, but eventually they found favor with [[Hashut]], the bull-like Father of Darkness, learning the secrets of daemon-smithing in exchange for blood sacrifices. Soon their bodies showed signs of the growing corruption within their souls: their flesh turned grey, their eyes red and many sported horns from their temples while their teeth turned into vicious tusks. Dwarfs have a natural suspicion for unchecked magic and tame the raw energy by binding it to their mighty runes. The Dawi-Zharr were released from these traditionalist shackles and embraced the secrets about working terrible magic taught to them by their new patron god. Their Daemonsmiths soon learned to combine this arcane knowledge with their own mastery of binding magic and began working marvels of engineering into blasphemous amalgams of machine and daemon.

The Dawi-Zharr may have survived the coming of Chaos, but their numbers were greatly diminished. From the Zorn-Uzkul they marched eastwards across the Zharrduk, the Plain of Zharr, to the [[Mountains of Mourn]] and the Sea of Dread in the south. These are the [[Dark Lands]], the lands of fire, smoke and ash, and the Dawi-Zharr claim them as their domain. They were never a numerous people though, and the Blasted Wastes are home to many [[Orcs & Goblins|Greenskin]] and [[Ogre Kingdoms|Ogre]] tribes. At the heart of the Dawi-Zharr empire they built their great city, ''Mingol-Zharr-Naggrund'', the obsidian City of Fire and Desolation, in the Plain of Zharr. The Blasted Wastes are dotted with fortress-citadels, garrisons and watchtowers, from where the Dawi-Zharr venture forth to subjugate all living beings to work for them as an endless stream of slaves.

[[File:400px-ChaosDwarf.jpg|300px|thumb|left|100% Chaos, 100% Dwarf, 100% Hat, 300% trouble.]]

===A twisted parody of Hearth & Oath===

While few would describe Dwarfs as a particularly friendly people, their unshakeable code of honour, respect for their ancestors, undeniable craftmanship and ingenuity are admirable values and make them loyal to a fault. The present-day Dawi-Zharr are only a twisted mockery of these noble ideals: they are tyrannical and merciless, cold at heart and driven by a need to subjugate all the lesser races before them while retaining their mastery of craftsmanship and industry backed by their natural stubbornness. Where the human followers of Chaos are always driven by thoughtless slaughter and are inevitably doomed to fail in their rampant destruction, their forces spent, exhausted by infighting and stretched thin against too many foes at once, the Dawi-Zharr employ their ruthless determination and natural propensity for flawlessness for a slow but grinding dominion across the Dark Lands and beyond. Every Dwarf with a mind set on a goal is relentless in its pursuit, but a Dawi-Zharr will stop at nothing and will relinquish no cruelty to see it fulfilled.

Like regular Dwarfs, their armies are composed of small, elite units backed by powerful war machines, but Chaos Dwarfs employ Hashut's sorcery where their cousins instinctively distrust magic. Chaos Dwarf machines often have [[daemon]]s bound inside, and their ammunition may be charged with dark alchemy. To round out the army, Chaos Dwarfs employ legions of slaves, especially [[Orcs#Warhammer|Orc]]s and [[Goblin#Warhammer|Goblin]]s, both as meat-shields in battle and as an expendable workforce in the mines and forges. [[Wulfrik the Wanderer|And yet, a group of six Norscans and a sorcerer led by a Chaos Champion can easily slaughter their way through one of their cities]] (only because the writer of that story gave the Norscans EXBAWKSHUEG [[Plot Armor]]).

Unlike regular Dwarfs, they make use of terrible magical powers, gifts from their bull-god Hashut. However, because Dwarfs were never meant to use magic, its power slowly but inevitably turns their sorcerers to stone. At first, they regard these changes with pride, glorying in them as badges of honor celebrating their victory over the very forces of nature; as time goes by, though, they start to worry more and more about it. In-game, the rules mirror this; miscasting with a Chaos Dwarf requires a toughness check. At first, failure means ''gaining'' a permanent point of toughness for a wound lost, but as time goes by the side effects stop being cool.

The Chaos Dwarfs, while evil and all, mostly focus their efforts on the Dark Land. For millennia their expansion has been steady and methodical, securing their boarders and marching out to claim new lands when they had the resources to do so. They make their way economically by selling weapons and armour to the Norse and Warriors of Chaos in exchange for more slaves to top up their supply. From time to time, a Chaos Dwarf host will be assembled to leave the Dark Lands in search for a valuable treasure, specific sacrifices for their ever-hungry deity, or simply more slaves if the regular hunting grounds are exhausted. Alas, the Daemonsmiths like to test their newest creations against the defences of the lesser races to optimise their catastrophic potential.

They also got a Mesopotamian thing going for them.

===At World's End===

The cataclysmic events of the [[The_End_Times#Chaos_Dwarves|End Times]] obviously didn't exclude the Dawi-Zharr. Eventually [[Grimgor Ironhide]] led a mighty [[Waaagh|Waaagh!]] against the Chaos Dwarfs, toppling their cities and crushing their empire to dust, finishing what started when the Black Orcs revolted against their masters (according to the novels, Grimgor himself was a former Black Orc slave of the Chaos Dwarfs making him Black-Orc-Spartacus).

===[[The 9th Age]]===

===[[Age of Sigmar]]===

[[Image:Choas_Dorf_is_back.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Well how about that, thanks to [[Warcry]], some of the little bastards (right) are back in the Mortal Realms]]
Like most of the factions, Chaos Dwarfs are reborn in the Mortal Realms (although Forgeworld has recently squated the official models) under the trademark friendly name “Chaos Duardin”. The largest known contingent of these chorfs live in the realm of [[Aqshy]] in the Ashcloud Mountains, are back at worshipping a somehow-still-around-Hashut and use Realmstone in their armour. They also seem to be the chief clients for the Hobgrots that tend to also hang around the [[Kruleboyz]], the Hobgrots being the new copyright-friendly name for the [[Hobgoblins]]. That's about all we know.

Apart from these descendants of the Legion of Azgorh, apparently there are more duardin worshipping Chaos in the Mortal Realms, e.g. as a part of the Iron Golems and Spire Tyrants warbands. As revealed in ''Wrath of the Everchosen'', quite a number of these chaos duardin work for [[Archaon]] within the industrial district of the [[Varanspire]]. There is also a massive daemonic oil platform in the seas of [[Shyish]] called [[Zharr Vyxa]] causing grief for [[Nagash]] and the local tribe of [[Sons of Behemat|Kraken-eater Mega-Gargants]] who besieged the fortress in the past, only to be pushed back by the dawi-zharr and their black armored Chaos Gargants. In Ulgu, a [[Fyreslayers]] lodge is in constant conflict with the Black Fortress of the Legion of Azghor, to [[Malekith|Malerion's]] joy, as he gets to watch two dwarven factions beat each other sensless.

A [[Warcry]] warband called the Horns of Hashut were unveiled for the game's second edition. These guys are actually human worshippers of [[Hashut]], however, its been confirmed that they live alongside Chaos Duardin and act as their vanguard forces, burning down lands and leaving behind ashen wastelands for their masters to build their daemon forges in.

Keep an eye open for a broader return if the Chaos Dwarf DLC for Warhammer Total War does numbers and GW tries to jump on that band wagon.

==The Domain of the Dawi-Zharr==

Between the World's Edge Mountains in the west, the Mountains of Mourn in the east and the Sea of Dread in the south lie the Dark Lands, a barren wasteland of ash and dust, devoid of plants or sunlight, the air thick with volcanic smoke, and the Dawi-Zharr claim dominion over it. Most Chaos Dwarfs dwell within this godforsaken realm, but some clans have established exclaves in further regions, like [[Norsca]] and the [[Chaos Wastes]]. In other words, rather than living in [[Empire|not-Germany]], [[Lustria|not-South America]] or [[Nehekhara|not-Egypt]], the Chaos Dwarfs have made [[Mordor|not-Mordor]] their home. What they eat is a mystery as unlike Mordor there is no Nurn equivalent.

===The Dark Lands===

[[File:Darklands.png|300px|thumb|right|Home, sweet barren Home]]
The Dark Lands are a vast area of nothingness and not even a force as mighty as the Dawi-Zharr could ever hope to truly dominate it.

====Zorn-Uzkul, the Great Skull Land====

In the north, the High Pass from [[Kislev]] leads through the Worlds Edge Mountains into the Zorn-Uzkul, the Great Skull Land, where the ancestors of the Dawi-Zharr first settled. Here, the Road of Skulls to the Chaos Wastes leads through a great plateau littered with bones, many of them skulls of mighty beasts long perished, giving the forbidding area its name. The Dwarfs discovered rich deposits of ore in the ground, but most of them ultimately abandoned the obviously tainted region and returned west. Those who stayed and founded Uzkulak in the north or went on eastwards to the Mountains of Mourn were eventually corrupted by the increasing influence of Chaos and became the ancestors of the Dawi-Zharr. Today, Zorn-Uzkul is the northernmost part of the Chaos Dwarf empire, and to follow the Road of Skulls in the shadows of haunted Uzkulak is a very dangerous endeavor.
{{anchor|Plain of Zharr}}
====Zharrduk, the Plain of Zharr====

When the waters of the River Ruin roar down the Falls of Doom from Zorn-Uzkul, they first enter the Plain of Zharr, a vast meteoric crater in the north-east of the Dark Lands and the heartland of the Dawi-Zharr empire. The earth is rich in minerals and precious resources, and the Chaos Dwarfs have turned the whole of Zharrduk into one gigantic industrial complex. The ground is riddled with pools of boiling oil and molten metal, rivers of steaming lava crisscross its broken crust, the sun is hidden behind a thick layer of smoke and ash; no living thing is to be found as far as the eye can see. At its center the Dawi-Zharr have erected Zharr-Naggrund, their great capital, and the plain of Zharr is littered with smaller outposts, workshops, foundries and forges. Unabating is the sound of mighty steam-driven forgehammers and the anguished cries of the tortured slaves throughout Zharrduk as the Dawi-Zharr mold their atrocious empire day and night.

====The Blasted Wastes====

The Blasted Wastes in the west of the Dark Lands, between the World's Edge Mountains and the Gates of Zharr, are a vast desert and sustain very little life. They are mostly home to nomadic Goblin tribes and other ravaging hordes, but they also house a great number of Black Orc tribes, most notably Grimgor Ironhide and his elite clan, Da Immortulz. Needless to say that the Chaos Dwarfs view the area mostly as hunting grounds for their slave pits.

====The Howling Wastes====

East of the road from Zharr-Naggrund to the Tower of Gorgoth lie the Howling Wastes. Where the Blasted Wastes are a sparse desert, the Howling Wastes are covered by an eternal mist, carrying thin voices and a wailing clamour of an forgotten age. The ground is mostly marshes and swamplands, and traversing it is almost guaranteed to get the unwary swallowed by the land, if not accompanied by an experienced guide.

====The Desolation of Azgorh====

Before the age of Chaos Dwarfs, the mighty volcano of Azgorh erupted with such a mighty crescendo that it split the mountain and rent the ground around it asunder. The ash cloud could be seen in distant Khemri and the elves in their Old World colonies registered the resulting earthquakes. The great upheaval reformed the landscape into an almost impenetrable labyrinth of razor sharp rocks and vents of toxic fumes, but it also unearthed a most precious mineral wealth, which a near infinite number of slaves now dig out of the rock in the mines around the Tower of Gorgoth.

====The River Ruin====
Ruin is apt. It starts in the north and flows south through the plains of Zharr where it's waters are used for industrial purposes and as a mean to carry away the run-off from the steel mills, arms factories and oil fields. After ten thousand drain pipes, you get a turgid murky morass that nothing can live in that empties out into the sea. It also gives the Dawi Zharr access to the greater ocean.

[[File:Warhammer Chaos Dwarf Symbol.png|center|200px]]

===Dawi-Zharr Strongholds===

Many are the fortress-citadels, garrisons and strongholds of the Dawi-Zharr empire. Most of them are found on the Plain of Zharr, some are more remote, but the greatest and most important one is Zharr-Naggrund, the gruesome capital of the Uzkul-Dhrath-Zharr.

====Zharr-Naggrund, the City of Fire and Desolation====

At the heart of the Plain of Zharr lies Mingol-Zharr-Naggrund, the great capital of the Dawi-Zharr empire. It is a gigantic ziggurat of black obisidian, bristled with armed towers and the chimneys of thousands of furnaces and forges. Incessant are the clouds of black smoke and ash vomited from the workings deep in the bowels of Zharr-Naggrund, where untold numbers of slaves toil unremittingly for their cruel masters. The lowest ranks of the Chaos Dwarf society live at the bottom of the ziggurat, whereas the higher echelons are found closer to the top, where, at its pinnacle, lies the great Temple of Hashut. Huge gates are found at the four sides of each step of the great ziggurat, their battlements studded with great engines of destruction and guarded by a fearsome battalion of elite warriors. The northern gate allows in the River Ruin, re-routed through the city by the Dawi-Zharr to cool their forges and to siphon away the toxic industrial waste and the corpses of dead slaves through the southern gate. So heavy is the pollution from the city, that nothing can live in the River Ruin beyond it. Broad streets plated with gold and brass lead from the eastern and western gates throughout the Plain of Zharr to the Dark Lands and the Mountains of Mourn. Inside the citadel the Dawi-Zharr live and work in the perpetual twilight of their furnaces.

====Uzkulak, the Place of the Skull====

Uzkulak, the Place of the Skull, is the seat of the ancient Dwarf settlement in the Zorn-Uzkul, before the coming of Chaos. It is the northern most Dawi-Zharr stronghold and the most important slave port. Uzkulak sits at the southern branch of the Sea of Chaos, where the slave ships of the Dawi-Zharr sail forth to far away places to still Zharr-Naggrund's insatiable hunger for slaves. The Chaos Dwarfs have greatly expanded the vast underground tunnel connecting the Sea of Chaos with the River Ruin by the Falls of Doom and installed a sophisticated lock to allow ships to traverse it in both directions. Uzkulak is a strange and haunted place, even by Dawi-Zharr standards, and its shunned lower levels are forbidden grounds, except as punishment for oath-breakers and blasphemers.

====The Tower of Gorgoth====

The massive Tower of Gorgoth sits at the junction between the Blasted Wastes, the Howling Wastes and the Desolation of Azgorh. The tower itself stands on the plateau of a volcanic mountain range, harboring the greatest network of mines in the domain of the Dawi-Zharr. As the seams reach deep in the rock, over the centuries more and more slaves were needed to excavate the precious ore from the unyielding mountains. Over time, more and more slave trading clans have made base around the Tower of Gorgoth, which also serves to replenish the hordes of slave fighters in the Chaos Dwarf armies. Since the Tower of Gorgoth is quite remote from the Plain of Zharr and the might of Zharr-Naggrund, it is regularly attacked by Skaven, Greenskins or Ogres, who think it an easier target. However, the Tower of Gorgoth is manned by a sizeable garrison of Dawi-Zharr and the citadel has never fallen to the enemy. On the contrary, most assaults in the end only serve to swell the number of slaves in the endless mines beneath the Tower of Gorgoth.
It was also the place where the Chaos Dwarfs experimented on the Red Dragon Hadgar who became a Magma Dragon (and it's very heavily implied to be the first of their kind...as if Black Orcs weren't enough) thanks to the insane daemonic rituals and aforementioned experiments (which yielded in that thanks to them they could create their K'Daai). It backfired spectacularly once Hadgar freed himself. With his newfound superior firepower Hadgar wrecked the Tower of Gorgoth and wiped out all the slave camps that were there. It took the hat folk a very long time to rebuild the place and get new slaves.

====The Gates of Zharr====

Halfway between Zharr-Naggrund and the Tower of Gorgoth lie the Gates of Zharr, a massive archway of black stone and iron. Thousands of slaves in endless streams are forced through it every day, the shouts bellowed by their overseers harsher and the lashes of their whips even stronger in the shadows of the towers flanking the mighty testament of the Dawi-Zharrs' claim to the Dark Lands. Passing the Gates in neither direction would mean an end to the suffering for the poor souls, they are either herded towards the Tower of Gorgoth to spend the remainder of their lives, usually a short and painful one, in the mines beneath the volcano, or their destination is Zharr-Naggrund, where they will meet a much quicker end but under even greater agony. A warhost from Zharr-Naggrund to raid the lands beyong the Mad Dog Pass or Death Pass will also march below the Gates of Zharr, the rhythm of their beating drums and blaring horns mirrored by thousands of warriors beating their weapons on their armor, their standards held high, so the world shall know no respite from the wrath of the Uzkul-Dhrath-Zharr.

====The Black Fortress====

The eastern entry into the Dark Lands, south of the Mountains of Mourn, is guarded by the Black Fortress. In a land already blessed with a surplus of bleak desolation, the Black Fortress still stands out as place of hopelessness and grim determination. Unlike the Tower of Gorgoth, the Black Fortress does not oversee huge mining activities or large groups of the ever valued slaves, its purpose is purely militaristic and the deployment to the Legion of Azgorh is often viewed as a punishment and exile. In fact, the Black Fortress is home to the Infernal Guard, a warrior-cult for dishonoured Dawi-Zharr who have to redeem themselves in the eyes of their harsh society or find solace in death. Their names and past deeds are shorn away, as are their faces sealed shut behind hot-iron and bronze helmets.

==Society==
Despite the corruption of Hashut, the Chaos Dwarfs still share a lot in common with their uncorrupted kin. This includes internal loyalty, veneration of age and skill and a drive towards perfectionism. Unlike the Skaven or the Druchii you don't constant bitter in-fighting for petty advantage. Not that the powers-that-be in Zharr Naggrund will shy away from having someone sacrificed to Hashut or otherwise executed if they are inconvenient or are stirring up too much trouble, but that will be after a show trial and it's not armed camps constantly clashing in the streets. There's not a lot of Chaos Dwarfs and having them kill each other is wasteful. Their negativity and hostility are mostly directed outside.

A Totalitarian Theocracy, Dawi-Zharr society is run by the Sorcerer-Prophets of Hashut. These are the most powerful and senior Daemonsmiths and those through which the will of Hashut is known. Once you reach the rank of Sorcerer-Prophet there are technically no more steps on the social ladder and you have both tens of thousands of Chaos Dwarf followers in your own little domain and a seat on the Conclave, the ruling council of Zharr-Naggrund. Even so, there are Sorcerer-Prophets which due to specific seats, connections, power and seniority have more sway in the Conclave. There is a lot of jockeying for position within the Conclave, but this happens through politics and dirty dealing. New seats in the Conclave still open up fairly regularly as the Curse of Stone turns members into lawn ornaments.

Beneath them there are the regular Daemonsmiths, magic users which are not as powerful as the Sorcerer-Prophets and do the work of using blood sacrifice and captured Daemons to forge magical items, create K'daii and cast spells. Becoming a Daemonsmith is a difficult career path as you have to git gud quickly and your mentors will likely flay you if you're not attentive.

In direct service to the Sorcerer-Prophets you have the Bull Centaurs: mutant Chaos Dwarfs born in the form of Hashut which are born terminally. Even if mom somehow survives the ordeal, the newborn calves are taken and raised by the Sorcerer-Prophets to be their elite bodyguards and shock troops and are further augmented by their magic, fusing armor to their skin and turning their skin metal. Despite this, Bull Centaurs are steadfast in their loyalty to the Sorcerer-Prophets which treat them with at least some respect. They even go out of their way to make more of them with alchemical potions and suchlike. Again, this is usually fatal to the mom.

Beneath the Daemonsmith you have the regular elite: at the top you have Overseers who run the mines, factories and armies of Zharr-Naggrund. Then you have their middle managers, officers and Infernal Castellans. Then the rank and file of Chorf Society: warriors, technicians, artisans and slave drivers who keep society running. Among these dudes, there are fine grades of position based on accomplishment, skill, age, reputation, etc and some competition, but while advancement is nice they focus more at the job at hand with Dwarfen workaholism. Going out and collecting more manpower is a good way to get ahead. The distinctions between strata is still not as severe as it is in Druchii or Skaven society.

Chaos Dwarfs retain a highly developed sense of pride and shame. If someone screws up or commits a crime against the Dawi Zharr (which can include anything from letting a boiler burst to being related to a general who was defeated), he might be sent to the Infernal Guard. Once he joins this warrior cult, he will be drilled ruthlessly under arms, give up his name, identity and all bonds of kinship and have an searing hot iron helmet bolted to his head. From then on he'd fight as an elite heavy infantry with axes and rifles, obeying their superiors without question. This sounds a bit like Slayers, but beyond gear and tactics there is one major difference. If an Infernal Guardsman survives and does great deeds of heroism, his mask will be pried off and he'd be accepted back into Chaos Dwarf society with a clean slate, as well as a horribly scarred face.

So far, this has all been about Chaos Dwarf dudes so you might be wondering about Chorf women. In short, female chaos dwarfs (or Dams) are pretty much relegated to be baby makers. They are kept cooped up in the Ziggurats of Zharr-Naggrund and squirt out as many younglings as they can and caring for them, with a few dying horribly because Hashut decided that his minions needed more Bull Centaurs.

Even so their confinement of the Dams is nothing compared to the oppression that Chaos Dwarfs levy on their slaves. To the Dawi-Zharr, all other life is at best an expendable resource to be exploited and used up and is held in contempt. Every day, thousands of slaves are worked to death in the mines of the Darklands or are fed into sacrificial furnaces in the vile rites of the Daemonsmiths. Even so, there are those which have things a bit better. [[Hobgoblin]]s have some minor privileges and authority in the slave pits of Zharr-Naggrund, helping their masters keep the rest of the slaves in Line.

===Big Hats===
As you've gathered, the Chaos Dwarfs have a thing for wearing tall elaborate headgear. There are three main styles: Cylinder, Cylinder flared on the top and Onion shaped, which are usually adorned with spikes, bronze skulls, horns and iconography of Chaos, Hashut and Zharr-Naggrund. As to why they do this, it's most likely to assert status and dominance over others. The biggest exception to the Big Hats rule are the Infernal Guard, who are criminals burdened by great shame. Going by Total War Warhammer, they also have something of a Napoleon complex that regular Dwarfs don't.

IRL the reason for this is pretty straightforward: Chaos Dwarfs are modelled on ancient Mesopotamians and the Ancient Mesopotamians often wore cylindrical hats, especially the upper strata. Taking it and dialing it up was a simple thing to do. Besides, it gives them something distinctive even in silhouette. The Big Hats are goofy, over the top, iconic and generally people love them.

==Notable Characters==

===Lord Astragoth, High Priest of Hashut===

Astragoth is the oldest living Sorcerer-Prophet and once the greatest of their kind, but now his power begins to fade and his body bears the unmistakable marks of the long use of the terrible powers granted to him by Hashut. His legs, torso and arms have already petrified, and a decade ago he constructed [[Mecha|a mechanical device which allows him to still move and continue to perform his perverted rituals]]. It was Astragoth who assembled the conclave of Sorcerer-Prophets to hear of Hashut's vision, foretelling them their eventual [[The_End_Times#Chaos_Dwarves|downfall]] if they would not amass more power by the might of their armies and the potency of their dark rituals. Although there is no nominal leader of the Chaos Dwarfs and their fate is steered by the cabal of Sorcerer-Prophets, like their western kin the Dawi-Zharr respect age and experience above all else, which makes Astragoth the most influential voice in the Temple of Hashut.

===Drazhoath the Ashen, Lord of the Black Fortress===

As a young Hellsmith, Drazhoath fell from grace with the cabal of Sorcerer-Prophets in Zharr-Naggrund and was sent into exile to the Black Fortress by Astragoth himself. Driven by his innate cunning and ruthless ambition, he quickly rose through the ranks and is now a wizard of considerable strength and mighty warrior in his own right. Drazhoath rules with an iron grip over the Legion of Azgorh, but the Black Fortress is a remote place and being its commander ultimately an impasse, so his gaze is always directed back at Zharr-Naggrund, where he dreams to return to triumphantly and claim his rightful position as one of the most powerful Sorcerer-Prophets. The power of his old rival Astragoth is waning and Drazhoath feels his time has come, so he is determined to make a name for himself through brutal campaigns and acquiring large hordes of new slaves to be used to buy him favour with influential members of the ruling caste at the Temple of Hashut.

===Ghorth the Cruel and Zhatan the Black===
[[File:Chaos-Dwarf.png|300px|thumb|right| Some people are dog-people, some people are cat-people. Chaos Dwarfs are bull-people ([[Mark Gibbons|MG]])]]

Ghorth the Cruel is the most potent of all Dawi-Zharr Sorcerer-Prophets and it is said that the cries of his tortured victims are only drowned out by the evil laughter of Zhatan the Black, his trusted commander. Zhatan serves as Commander of the Tower of Zharr at the behest of Ghorth and has led many slaving raids against the humans and greenskins in the west, and every Goblin tribe between Zharrduk and Mount Grimfang has been subjugated.

===Gorduz Backstabber===
{{Topquote|Yunno what they say, Tarka. Lucky at dice, unlucky at gettin' back to your own tent without 'aving a nasty accident.|Gorduz Backstabber, moments before a surprising turn of lucks}}
A legendary Hobgoblin chieftain, Gorduz has already lived longer than most Hobgoblin Khans. This is party because he is naturally distrustful of his fellows, as any righteous Hobgoblin should be, but also unusually lucky, as the many hardened scars criss-crossing his bony shoulder humps can testify. So far he has not shown enough ambition for leading any of his slaves to a revolt to arouse distrust in his Chaos Dwarf superiors, which just further shows his cunning: better to be a living slavemaster than a dead revolutionary.

==Forces of the Dawi-Zharr==

{{Topquote|Stick 'em wiv arrers', Stick 'em wiv knives, 'an swords, and spears. Stick 'em quick and stick 'em where it 'urts. But most of all, stick 'em when they's looking the other way.|Gorduz Backstabber, epitomizing what it means to be a Hobgoblin.}}

===The might of Zharr-Naggrund===
[[File:Chaos_Dwarf.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Dawi-Zharr 101: Tall hat, braided beard, spiky armour, wicked weapon, evil mind.]]
Unlike the human and bestial followers of Chaos, the Dawi-Zharr rarely send full armies to the lands of the Old World and beyond. Consequently, most common folk think them a myth, for only few can imagine that any of the proud and unyielding Dwarfs should have succumbed to the calling of the dark gods. Those who know better have come to fear the armies of Zharr-Naggrund as they are a merciless foe on the battlefield. Survivors of battles against the Dawi-Zharr tell tales of clouds of ash and sheets of fire engulfing the screaming remains of fallen soldiers, of cloven-hoofed monsters rampaging through their helpless victims and the very ground opening under them through foul magic. Traumatized and driven insane by what they have witnessed, they claim that it is better to die in battle than fall alive into the hands of the Chaos Dwarfs and their cruel torturers.

Although the Dawi-Zharr have fallen far from the common ideals of their western kin, they are not so far apart in warfare. The Dawi-Zharr favour the same build of large infantry blocks, their warriors clad in heavy plate and wielding axes and hammers. Chaos Dwarf troops wear tall hats, denoting their social status, and usually braid their black beards. Their armament and weaponry is of superior quality and they share their western kin's martial prowess. For ranged warfare the Chaos Dwarfs favour black powder weapons and field warriors equipped with fireglaives and the infamous hailshot blunderbuss, a weapon that strikes fear in the hearts of the their opponents like none other. While all Chaos Dwarfs show physical manifestations of the corrupting influence of Hashut, some are blessed beyond developing horns and tusks and are utterly transformed into the hellish Bull Centaurs, a fate which is seen as a sign of high favour bestowed by Hashut. Bull Centaurs are charged with guarding the Temple of Hashut and act as brutal shock troops on the battlefield.

Chaos Dwarfs are a rare breed, even more so than the Dwarfs of the Karaz Ankor. To bolster their forces, the Dawi-Zharr employ large numbers of slave troops. The Dark Lands are an unforgiving place and spawn resilient fighters, all of which the Chaos Dwarfs are all too eager to subjugate into service. Most numerous among their slaves are [[Hobgoblin]]s, a notoriously fiendish kind of [[Orcs & Goblins|greenskin]], even considering that very low bar. Hobgoblins are distrusted and hated by all other greenskins and are totally reliant on the Chaos Dwarfs' protection, which makes them perfect fighters and overseers for the other slave troops. The Dawi-Zharr are also known to press other, larger greenskins into their service, or even the occasional [[Ogre Kingdoms|Ogre]] tribe. At some point their demand for able fighters for their armies and their frustration with the unreliability of the regular greenskin livestock led them to create the [[Black Orc]]s, an experiment that ultimately proved to be such a great success, it almost toppled the Dawi-Zharr empire. Only the treachery of the Hobgoblins saved the sons of Hashut from extinction, a deed which cemented the Hobgoblin's position at the highest slave tier for the Chaos Dwarfs and eternal outlaw among the greenskins.

The Dark Lands are roamed by greater dangers than greenskins and ogres, and many monsters and unnatural creatures are likewise caught and enslaved for the Dawi-Zharr armies. Among the most notable monsters bound to service by the Chaos Dwarfs are the Great Taurus and the Lammasu. Some believe the Great Taurus to be an incarnation of Hashut's divinity, while others claim they are actually Chaos Dwarfs particularly blessed with his gifts, similar to the Bull Centaurs. Whatever their nature, they are highly revered and sought after as mounts by the most powerful of Sorcerer-Prophets. Whilst the Great Taurus is a fuming beast of pure rage and destruction, the Lammasu is a more enigmatic being with a keen mind, and some of the less reckless Sorcerer-Prophets prefer them as a mount over the rampaging might of a Great Taurus.

The Dawi-Zharr society is ruthlessly dominated by the cabal of Sorcerer-Prophets, who steer the fate of the Chaos Dwarf empire as the vessels of Hashut's divine will. Most of the Sorcerer-Prophets are found in Zharr-Naggrund, but some rule over one of the small fortress-citadels and garrisons throughout the Dark Lands; however in most cases this is rather seen as banishment from the capital. Although the Sorcerer-Prophets and by extension the Daemonsmiths, their disciples and aspiring mages-engineers, rule supreme and often accompany Chaos Dwarf warhosts to battle, Overlords and Castellans are dedicated commanders and heralds for the armies and serve purely for the conduct of wars; also the eldest Bull Centaurs, Taur'ruks, hold authority in Chaos Dwarf armies. Out of necessity the Dawi-Zharr even allow exceptionally gifted slaves, like Hobgoblin Khans, to hold commanding positions in their armies, although only with authority over other slaves and only up until the point where such a commanding slave has amassed anything remotely resembling something like a reputation. At this point, he will usually be ... relieved of his duty and replaced with a fresh aspirant, whose fate will likely go in a very similar direction.

While the troops in Dawi-Zharr armies are admirable foes and can hold their own against any force on the battlefields of the old world and beyond, their truly terrifying power lies within their war machines, hellish abominations of daemonic sorcery melded with infernal engineering. The Chaos Dwarf arsenal is replete with a wide array of mortal artillery, from earth-shaking cannonades over fire-spewing flamethrowers to dreadful steam-powered tanks. Oftentimes these war machines are imbued with daemonic entities, as the Chaos Dwarfs still retain some form of the typical dwarven mistrust of unfettered magical energies and therefore learned how to bind them in their abominable creations. Where the Daemonsmiths work to further the coalescing of daemon and machine, some Sorcerer-Prophets sought to directly enslave even the malevolent beings from beyond the veil of reality; they summoned and bound them with powerful magic, creating the K'Daai, half daemon and half raging fire. Unleashed upon the world, these mindless forces of destruction will stop at nothing from destroying anything in their path until their eldritch fiery being is consumed by their own burning wrath.

===The Legion of Azgorh===

The most up-to-date ruleset for Chaos Dwarfs, sadly, is the [[Warhammer/Tactics/8th Edition/Legion of Azgorh|Legion of Azgorh]] found in Tamurkhan: Throne of Chaos, but it's fairly extensive and has some nifty units, so it can stand up on its own. The book itself suggests they work best incorporated into a [[Warriors of Chaos]] army, as part of the [[Chaos Great Hosts]] ruleset provided in the book, or as allies.

The Legion of Azgorh is garrisoning the Black Fortress and represents a distinct sub-faction of Chaos Dwarfs. The mainstay and principal core troop of the army is the Infernal Guard; regular Chaos Dwarfs are only found in crewing the war machines. Infernal Guard are the Chaos Dwarf equivalent of Slayers: Chaos Dwarfs who have suffered dishonor and seek to atone for it. To do this, they forsake their names and identities, strap mask-helmets of bronze and iron heated red-hot over their faces, and fight for the glory of Hashut. Unlike Slayers, the Infernal Guard is not a death sentence - in theory, anyway. They aren't frenzied fighters like Slayers, and an Infernal Guard who wins great renown has his mask formally removed and is discharged, his old shame forgotten. They go into battle sporting Blackshard Armour, a unique Chaos Dwarf-devised armour that is proof against flame. Infernal Guard should be considered midway between core and elite troops and have both higher strength and better armour than regular Chaos. Their default armament are hand weapons and shield for a solid infantry role, but they also have access to all the options you would expect for Chaos Dwarfs, including the ingenious fireglaives and hailshot blunderbusses. Infernal Ironsworn are the elite version of Infernal Guard with an improved profile and ensorcelled hand weapons.

[[File:Dwarf_abomination.jpg|200px|thumb|right|With all the typical Chaos generosity, you'd not be surprised if you saw this while walking down to the grocery store one day.]]

Other famous elements of Chaos Dwarf armies can also be found in the Legion of Azgorh, namely the formidable Bull Centaurs, giving the army a degree of mobility unachievable for regular Dwarf armies. The dreaded Chaos Dwarf artillery is also represented in the Legion of Azgorh: The Magma Cannon, Deathshrieker Rocket Launcher (replacing the classic Death Rocket) and the unique Iron Daemon War Engine, as well as the Dreadquake Mortar (replacing the classic Earthshaker cannon) and Hellcannon, familiar from the Warriors of Chaos army list.

As it is only a sub-faction, the army list does not include Chaos Dwarf Overlords but only has Sorcerer-Prophets (Lords who use the Lores of Hashut, Fire, Death or Metal) as the highest commanders. They and Daemonsmiths (Heroes who use the Lores of Fire, Death or Metal) are both wizards and engineers, granting bonuses to your war machines and having a lot of special tricks and gear. Several twisted beasts are further added to the Chaos Dwarf armies: daemonic bull-things of living magma called the K'daai, burning winged daemon-bulls known as Taurus, magic-eating monsters called Lammasu, and armor-plated Giants modified for use as living seige weapons.

Befitting for a Dawi-Zharr army, all Chaos Dwarf units are fairly expensive, as they are considered rather rare. The Legion of Azgorh therefore has access to Hobgoblin slaves in the form of fleet-footed wolfriders, great mobs, and even conniving Khans as Hero-grade characters. They are very cheap in order to act as the cannon-fodder they are treated as by the Chaos Dwarfs, and naturally their destruction does not cause panic in Chaos Dwarf units.

==[[Total War: WARHAMMER]]==
[[Image:Dawi_Zharr_Artillery_Crew.jpg|thumb|right|Chaos Dwarfs in their (small) appearance as infernal artillery crews]]
For a long time, Chaos Dwarfs have not been added to the base game as a faction, though a group of Chaos Dwarfs served as the artillery crew for the Hellcannon unit found in the Chaos Warriors' roster. No hats, but lots of sausage beards and some horns. They were also mentioned during the second quest battle for Grimgor Ironhide's Blood-Forged Armour -- some Northman traded with them for goods, his armour included, and he wants to take it from them.

The Dawi Zharr remained sidelined throughout the release of all three games, with the third game's main factions on release day being the Daemons of Chaos (divided up into separate races for each of the four Dark Gods and one for Chaos Undivided), Kislev and Cathay. The poor Dawi-Zharr have been overlooked yet again. The first DLC race is the [[Ogre Kingdoms|Ogre]]s, which means the Dark Dwarfs are still waiting, but boded very well for their later inclusion. A Dawi-Zharr DLC down the road seemed certain due to the presence of an army book and the third game's map centering on the eastern part of the Warhammer world.

A quote was later found in a loading screen in the game, all but confirming the Chaos Dwarfs as one of if not the first major piece of DLC in the game...not to mention datamined voicelines of the Advisor confirmed that Chaos Dwarfs are going to be in the game.

With the drop of the Immortal Empires release trailer, we saw a ton of hobgoblins slaving away while several short figures lurked about at the end. This was confirmed on March 14th with the trailer for The Forge of the Chaos Dwarfs.

On April 14th, 2023 they released, and they are busted (in a good way). Chaos Dwarf Blunderbusses can withstand charges of Skullcrushers, Dreadquakes wipe out high tier infantry, and lord sniping has never been easier than with the Deathshrieker. While they are limited early in the game, once you reach the highest tiers, you are going to steamroll the map. As for what exactly they are up to, apparently the Chaos Dwarfs found some special red liquid called “the blood of Hashut” that is leaking out of Hashut’s prison realm. The reason it’s important is that it’s basically a kind of super concentrated dark magic suspiciously like that Varanite crap Morathi used to become a goddess in Age of Sigmar. Now obviously potential access to a material that could let them cast dark magic easily and incinerate enemy cities in one go is already reason enough to pursue this stuff… but their desire to get more of it becomes that much more important to them after some research revealed they could use this stuff to perform a demonic blood pact that would allow them to transfer the petrification curse they all suffer to ANYONE else, and thus let the Chaos Dwarfs use Dark Magic without any repercussions. Once that discovery was made the Chaos Dwarfs doubled down on getting as much of this stuff as possible, leading to the events of the campaign which sees them trying to capture and then corrupt some regular Dwarf artifacts to serve as power sources for a giant demonic drill designed to punch a huge freaking hole into Hashut’s realm. Needless to say the order aligned Dwarfs are less than pleased by this development and are eager to put a stop to their eastern cousins plans.

The Chaos Dwarfs have since been a strong race with a versatile play-style. Despite many angry naysayers in years past claiming Chaos Dwarfs would never be included, they have received a fleshed out implementation in the most popular Warhammer Fantasy video game adaptation to date.

[[File:Chaos Dwarf Hint.png|thumb|right|''Happy short man noises'']]

==See also==
* [[Warhammer/Tactics/8th Edition/Legion of Azgorh|Tactics/Legion of Azgorh]]<br />
* [[Tamurkhan: Throne of Chaos]]
* [[Warhammer/Tactics/6th_Edition/Chaos_Dwarfs|Chaos Dwarf tactics for the glorious 6th edition]]
* [[Total War Warhammer/Tactics/Chaos Dwarfs]]

==External Links==
* [http://www.chaos-dwarfs.com Chaos Dwarfs Online], a repository for all things Chaos Dwarf.

==References==
* [https://www.abebooks.com/9781872372808/Chaos-Dwarfs-Rick-Priestley-Robin-1872372805/plp White Dwarf Presents: Chaos Dwarfs], by Rick Priestly & Robin Dews; Games Workshop, 1994; ISBN 978-1-87237-280-8
* [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20942304-tamurkhan Tamurkhan: The Throne of Chaos], by Alan Bligh; Games Workshop, 2011; ISBN 978-1-90796-465-7

{{Chaos Dwarfs-Forces}}
{{Playable Factions in Warhammer Fantasy Battle}}

[[Category:Warhammer Fantasy]][[Category:Chaos]][[Category:Dwarfs]]

Battle For Skull Pass

2023-05-16T18:49:15Z

2A01:CB19:7C8:DB00:8867:60B9:2B06:F59C:

[[File:BFSP Art.jpg|thumb|right|700px|THAT'S A [[Book of Grudges|GRUDGIN'!]]]]
Battle For Skull Pass is the scenario for the 7th edition [[Warhammer Fantasy]] Starter Set, featuring [[Night Goblins]] vs [[Dwarfs]]. Unlike most Starter Sets in Fantasy, BFSP actually had an accompanying [[Black Library]] novel for the story.

==Lore==
The Battle For Skull Pass storyline was not included with the Battle For Skull Pass boxed set, instead sold as a short 123 page novel from Black Library written by the great [[Nathan Long]] who also worked on the beloved [[Gotrek & Felix]] series.

The Dwarfs of Skull Pass AKA Karak Grom are of the Clan Byrnik. The colors of Karak Grom seem to be blue and gold, the stereotypical Dwarf colors, despite Clan Byrnik being green and silver. Skull Pass is located in the Worlds Edge Mountains

After the fall of Karak Eight Peaks the resident Dwarfs were lead by King Lunn in a mass retreat from the Skaven and [[Night Goblins]] forces. While most left for other Holds to beg for refuge and join, Thane Godri Thunderbrand decided to found a new Hold. King Lunn "gifted" him with the King's Wall, a massive chain held up by statues of ancient Dwarf heroes which surrounded the throne of the Eight Peaks; no being may pass without the permission of the king, and all Dwarfs would die before such a thing would occur. So long as Godri established a basic Hold according to Dwarf tradition and defended the King's Wall, then Lunn would declare him a King on his own right and bow before him.
To that end Godri, his brother Rodrin, and his son Aurik worked for a century to make it a reality. The Hold suffered many attacks, and the enduring nature both earned the superstition that it was cursed (regularly repeated by Rodrik) and that it was a haven, with many other Dwarf refugees flooding in over the years. Initial tunnels were for gold and iron for trade, followed by finished living quarters for the population. Stone buildings were built, which survived better during the nearly constant attacks from [[Orcs & Goblins|greenskins]]. The nearby spring provided them with clean water, and soon they had a thriving brewery and a herd of cattle. Foundries were established, and the community became self-sufficient. The story begins during the last year before the Hold is completed and Godri is excited for Lunn to declare him king. All that remains is bolting the doors in place, the arrival of one of Karak Azul's finest locks, and the great hall being finished; an unexpected discovery of a large crack during blasting delayed the finished hall since more pillars had to be constructed before the required size (ten Dwarfs walking side by side) was possible.
A Slayer, specifically a Dragonslayer, named Borri Graniteskin. Borri had come to deal with a Troll which had been menacing the cowherds, but thus far had simply spent his time drinking in the brewery for free until given three days to deal with the Troll or leave (he did nothing for two days).

On the Goblin side, a warrior named Dagskar Earscrapper killed his Boss Budgoz by poisoning his mushroom beer. Not content just to be a Boss, Dagskar traveled to the Eight Peaks to meet with [[Skarsnik]] and demanded to be Big Boss. Knowing that Dagskar was a nobody, Skarsnik barely paid him any attention as he watched captive human hunters fed to Gobbla. Dagskar was assigned the task of taking Skull Pass to earn it, and he immediately recruited a small tribe of [[Forest Goblins]] lead by their Shaman Nazbad Wartfinger (who's namesake was the source of his power). With a small herd of [[Squig|Squigs]], he set out and made camp not far from the Hold while assigning the Spider Riders to perform patrols. He immediately recruited the Troll (which is half feeding, and half goading in the direction he wanted it). He finally had his tent pitched (the ONLY tent, the rest of the Goblins slept on the ground) and made camp.

First the Spider Riders were sent to kill the Rangers in Copperwood Forest, followed by lighting it on fire while Night Goblins attacked the cowherds using the Troll. A Dwarf named Skaari Otgunsson survived the latter battle (because he was pinned under a cow) and ran to inform the King what had happened. Godri sent a team of Rangers, with Skaari at his request, to survey the Goblin numbers while the rest of the Hold prepared for war by reinforcing the Skarrenruf Bridge (the only way to the Hold) and preparing trenches at the settlement itself. Although initially undetected, Skaari decided to shoot the Squig pen which caused them to run amok through the camp in a massive rampage. Having to choose between losing Squig or the Forest Goblins who's spiders the Squigs had moved onto after killing their handlers and many other Night Goblins, he chose the former and the Squigs were butchered. Skaari's arrow was found and Dagskar decided to attack immediately.

Due to the attack being his fault, Skaari was assigned to the surgeon's tent where he boiled water to sterilize tools and clean wounds rather than fight at the front lines as he had requested. The attack caused chaos, as the Spider Riders were sent to climb upside-down across the bridge and flank the Dwarfs while the Troll shrugged off both Cannon and Thunderer fire until it was blown off the bridge. As a last ditch effort Dagskar sent the captured cattle in a stampede across the bridge while the Goblins followed behind. Once Aurik knew the battle was lost, he had his subordinate sound the horn for the reinforcements hurrying to his position to fall back and retreat as they readied for a last stand. Aurik was killed while Skaari was knocked unconscious. Dagskar had the dead Dwarfs gathered onto the cart captured from Copperwood and during an escape attempt Skaari was captured and tied to the cart and forced to run behind as it progressed.

When the Goblins made their attack the Spider Riders were again sent to attack the Dwarf line from behind, although tensions between Night and Forest Goblin were running high. Nazbad worked his magic to create green clouds that fired non-lethal lightning to break the Dwarf lines. Skaari took advantage of the lack of attention paid to him to use his foot and fling a piece of cow shit at Night Goblins, then laughed loudly and mimicked the act of throwing while pointing at the Forest Goblins. this caused both sides to attack each other, and after being unable to separate them and being loudly accused by Nazbad of treachery Dagskar decided that enough was enough and called for the Night Goblins to eliminate the Forest Goblins (as he'd been planning to anyway to avoid fulfilling his promise of giving Nazbad everything in the Hold and the Hold itself). Nazbad had the Spider Riders end their attack on the Dwarfs and fled the battle, although not before Dagskar cut off his namesake and three inches of nose. The Dwarfs had held strong, killing five times as many Goblins; initially a losing fight since the Goblins outnumbered them six to one, although the retreat of the Forest Goblins and waning morale of the Night Goblins made it a Dwarf victory.

As a last ditch effort to win the battle Dagskar had Aurik tied to the front seat as if still alive alongside a tightly bound Skaari, while the Troll hid in the cart beneath the dead Dwarfs. Not knowing that the riders were all dead the Dwarf lines broke to let them in, only for the Troll to emerge and attack while the Goblins swarmed over them. Borri attempted to kill the Troll, although he dropped his fire pot and was forced to dodge club swings. Skaari finally got free and, determined to make up for what he believed was his fault in the loss of the bridge and Aurik, made a suicide run at the Troll with the pot while using Aurik's fabled axe Grudge Ender (used by his grandfather to save most of the Dwarf refugees from the Eight Peaks) to chop at the it. The Troll crushed Skaari's ribs before throwing him, cracking his skull open. He lived long enough to see Borri and the Troll behead each other and that the Troll really was dead before succumbing to his wounds.

Godri was forced to make the terrible decision to retreat behind the King's Wall, which had been hauled out as a morale booster during the battle, to make a last stand in the unfinished great hall. The last effort to achieve victory was blowing the last charges used in the construction of the hall (which hadn't been used since discovering the crack in the ceiling) to bring the roof down on the invaders. Most of the Goblins were crushed other than Dagskar who made a quick retreat, with the obsessive chief architect of the Hold Naragrim Torinsson simply standing in the center of the hall as the rocks crushed him rather than see his great work be pushed back by decades.

The Dwarfs managed to escape by opening a metal vent used to bring fresh air into the Hold, and found that most of their settlement was destroyed while inside the Hold the guild halls as well as the grain storage were buried. Starvation was an immediate concern in the coming winter, while half the Hold soldiers were dead and many of the rest badly wounded. Meanwhile, Dagskar escaped to attempt to claim victory at the Eight Peaks but was instead fed to Gobbla while Skarsnik called for a volunteer for another attack.

Its left unstated what the eventual fate of Karak Grom is. While this is the era where Thorgrim Grudgebearer himself was leading armies like the ultimate murderhobo and save the Dwarf race one Hold at a time, Skarsnik is clearly left ready to send another force to destroy Karak Grom; whether or not he even is able to find a willing, let alone capable, one is left unsaid.

Ultimately all characters included in Battle For Skull Pass wind up dead other than what is possibly Nazbad, since its not clear if the Spider Rider with the staff is a standard bearer or him. The Dwarf cart as depicted in the models is clearly not the same cart in the narrative, since it is a closed metal box rather than something to pile up dead Dwarfs on top of a Troll with two riders up front. The identity of the tied up Dwarf is unclear as well, since the official paintjob depicts him with red hair (to say nothing of the very Slayer hairstyle) while Skaari was never fully bound and had brown hair. Dagskar was always accompanied by his punching bag/standard bearer which matches the Battle Standard Bearer Goblin, but the narrative says the BSB was a Crooked Moon symbol while the BSB in the models is a Night Goblin scarecrow (a Night Goblin in the set does have the Crooked Moon staff, but he's depicted among the rank and file rather than as a character alongside the other NG character). Furthermore the Night Goblin leader model is shown holding a spear ending in a sharpened crescent and holding a Squig in the other hand while Dagskar never was mentioned as having a Squig and used a whip ending in a blade as his weapon. The Night Goblin fetish model could be crudely called Dagskar's tent, although it is made of rock like a hollowed-out stalagmite rather than any form of cloth or leather.
As fans discovered in [[End Times]] there is a huge disconnect between the different Games Workshop teams, where the event books contradicted the Black Library releases accompanying them in many areas. As was revealed by [[Gav Thorpe]] to explain the event, staff are given basic outlines by the higher ups about what things should be about and everyone else simply fills in the rest as they see fit; thus Mr. Long was most likely given information like "There will be a cart included in the kit, work it into the story." and "There's a tied-up Dwarf, work that in too somehow." and the fact that the details are incompatible is the fault of the higher ups in the company not having clear messaging between departments rather than writers or sculptors.

==Models==
Like all Starter Sets, Battle For Skull Pass contained unique sculpts for the models within and was a great deal for the price. Players wanting to start one of the armies within would buy the starter, sell the army they didn't want, then buy another and sell that unwanted army as well until they had all the models they needed. It was available alongside a Collector's Edition version of the rulebook which was a special hardcover that had prints of classic Warhammer artwork, as well as a side "How To Paint" (yellow, black, brown, green, red, and tin metallic) set containing basic Night Goblin colors along with ten Night Goblin Spearmen was also available.

BFSP is notable for being the last Warhammer Fantasy Starter Set to include terrain and objective pieces. It also contained a set of 12 colors of paint (tin metallic, gray, blue, brown, light green, red, black dark green, yellow) and a paintbrush.

'''Dwarfs'''

* Dwarf Thane

* Dwarf Dragon Slayer

* 12 Dwarf Warriors

* 10 Dwarf Thunderers

* 8 Dwarf Miners

* 1 Dwarf Cannon with crew

'''Night Goblins'''

* Night Goblin Boss

* Night Goblin Shaman

* 40 Night Goblin Spearmen

* 20 Night Goblin Archers

* 10 Forest Goblin Spider Riders

* 1 Troll

'''Terrain'''

* King's Wall Obstacle

* Dwarf Grudge Pony

* Captured Dwarf

* Idol of Mork

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:BFSP Cover.png|The box cover, which cuts out the middle artwork for images of models.
Image:BFSP Box Contents.jpg|Box contents.
Image:BFSP Contents.jpg|The contents. Not pictured is the paint and brush.
Image:Skull Pass Dwarfs.jpg|A better view of the included Dwarfs.
Image:Skull Pass Goblins.jpg|A better view of the included Goblins.
Image:BFSP Paint.jpg|The paint set, sold separately.
Image:Paint Set Back.jpg|Paint set back.
Image:Paint Set Instructions.jpg|Paint set instructions. Like yours will look like that in six steps...
Image:BFSP Novel.jpg|The novel.
</gallery>

==See Also==
* [[Island of Blood]], the 8e Starter Set scenario.

[[Category:Warhammer Fantasy]][[Category:Orcs & Goblins]][[Category:Dwarfs]]

Vangheist

2023-05-16T18:48:15Z

2A01:CB19:7C8:DB00:8867:60B9:2B06:F59C:

[[File:Vangheist Dreadfleet.png|thumb|right|500px|Vangheist looking like death warmed over. Because thats probably exactly what he is.]]
'''Vangheist''' is a [[Warhammer Fantasy]] character who hails from [[Dreadfleet]], hes a ghost pirate who like most ghost pirates bit off more than he could chew and got more than he bargained for.

==History==
Vangheist was your typical Seafaring mercenary, living a typical life on the High Seas, sailing hes ship the Stormbreaker and doing whatever a client paid him for. That is until he was approached by Archmage '''Albrechtus von Zeich''', a wizard of The Wind of Life who paid not only him, but ''every member of his crew'' with a full chest of gold so long as they swore an oath to follow his every word without fail, and given the enormous amount of money they were all given Vangheist and his crew skipped the details and agreed outright.

And at first all was fine. Vangheist and his crew were all seasoned mariners who were able to sink a pirates assault before they were even able to get the black flag to the top of the mast. That is until they entered the Sea of Claws. Where their opponents became less and less pirates looking to steal from the ship and more bloodthirsty beasts. But still with the backing of a Mage who could shoot light from his hands they pressed ever onward. However the danger of the journey wore on Vangheist's crew, and not helping was the lack of knowledge of their goal as well as the twisted skies of the north seeming mocking them as they went further and further into Chaos tainted water.

Desperate for answers Vangheist distracted the wizard with a meal in the captains quarters while his first mate, Rotten Einrich, broke into ven Zeich's quarters to snoop for info. What he found was a book bound in living leather that told of a great serpent of living fire that guarded a secret to immortality. That was all Vangheist and his crew needed to hear to redouble their efforts and push forward. And soon they were greeted a great fire-wrym, its flesh made of searing flame, a crest of eight skulls that belched black acid, as it set it self on the intruders to its domain. The crew of the ship lobbed cannonballs into its body while Albrectus fought it face to face from the crows nest sending bolt after bolt of magic at it.

At the end of the fierce battle the denizens of the Stormbreaker were victorious though not a few of its crew were nothing but ash. Having banished the beast back to the [[Realms of Chaos]] von Zeich announced that their mission was finished and they could return to port, to which Vangheist responded by shooting him in the chest and kicking him overboard. He wanted the eternal life that lay beyond the beasts lair. He and the crew sailed on til the twisting colors of the sky joined with the sea and blurred together, and Morrislieb grew fat enough to fill the air above them and they crossed into the mad realm of the Chaos Gods.

Whatever Vangheist and his crew found there no one knows, and the crew and its captain have no mortal bodies with which to tell the tale. Existing now only to haunt the dread seas in their ship, now crowned Shadewraith, and spread their curse and misery upon all. And now their tale is spread across all [[Sartosa]] toward those who sail the seas, to tell the story of its danger and the danger of betrayal and greed it portends.

[[Category:Warhammer Fantasy]][[Category:Vampire Counts]]
[[Category:Vampire Coast]]
[[Category:Dreadfleet]]

Skretch Half-Dead

2023-05-16T18:47:43Z

2A01:CB19:7C8:DB00:8867:60B9:2B06:F59C:

[[File:Skretch Half-Dead Dreadfleet.png|500px|thumb|right|Putting the ''Rat'' in Undead Pirate Skaven]]
'''Skretch Half-Dead''' is a [[Warhammer]] character originating from the [[Dreadfleet]] specialist game. He's a zombie [[Skaven]] pirate captain who pilots a undead monster fish that he made a ship out of. He wears many hats.

==History==
Skretch started out really well for himself occupying the relatively unique position of Skaven Pirate Captain, a position he attained via Skaven Diplomacy (I.E. stabbing everyone ahead on you in the back til you reach your desired station.) He commanded a small fleet of ships that dredged the sea for [[Warpstone]] as well as attacking the [[Tilea|Tilean]] coast and other sea vessels for loot and treasure between the Skaven city of Spineport and [[Sartosa]]. Life was good and the bounty was plentiful.

This all went to pot when Skretch spotted what he though was a large boulder of Warpstone below the surface of the water, as his crew lifted it from the water what followed behind was a huge monster with massive teeth. They had grabbed the lure of a great Orb Leviathan who had marked them as its next meal. In a panic the Skaven fleet shot its artillery at the beast lancing it with Warp-Lighting Cannon, only succeeding in enraging the terrible thing. It vindictively destroyed Skretch's fleet in front of him, saving his vessel for last, taking him and his crew it in one solid bite.

Skretch would take his revenge however, the Leviathan had made a mistake in not killing the Skaven immediately. As his crew panicked and screamed in the belly of the beast, Skretch took command and set his crew on devouring the beast from the inside, heart, organs and all until it was and empty shell. This would kill their would-be devourer sending it to the depths of the ocean. However this was not the most forward thinking plan, as Skretch and his crew were still inside it sank they had no way to escape and so one by one they ran out of air and asphyxiated curing all around them.

And yet this would not be the end for Skretch. The Orb Leviathan's carcass was eventually swept up the the Galleon's Graveyard, where [[Count Noctilus]] was residing. A connoisseur of sea monsters, the Count wanted the Orb Leviathan as his own and set about casting necromantic magic to revive it. However said magic also worked on Skretch and his crew still in the beasts carcass. Skretch now revived, and feeling the necrotic pull of the sorcery set about his likewise resurrected crew to hurriedly gather the wreckage inside the monster and set about building a a new ship ''on the inside'' of their fleshy prison.

As the leviathan breached the surface, and the Skaven felt the call of the magic begin to take hold of their minds they hurriedly rang their Screaming Bell to drown it out of their heads. Skretch gave the signal and the beasts flesh ripped open and cannons fired and warp lighting pierced the air assaulting Noctilus and his ship. The Count was surprised by this assault and more so my the tenacity and ingenuity of his attackers. Calling for a parley, he hashed out a deal with Skretch. Join his fleet, and Skretch gets all the warpstone he desired. To which he, now known as Skretch Half-Dead agreed.

He now sails the oceans much as he once did in life, but now in a half ramshackle, half zombie sea monster ship known as Skapbrus. And at the eternal beck and call of Count Noctilus instead of the [[Council of Thirteen]]. Which considering [[Chaos Gods]] like the [[Great Horned Rat|Horned Rat's]] opinions on the undead works out well for Skretch.

[[Category:Warhammer Fantasy]][[Category:Skaven]]
[[Category:Vampire Coast]]
[[Category:Dreadfleet]]

Dreadfleet

2023-05-16T18:46:43Z

2A01:CB19:7C8:DB00:8867:60B9:2B06:F59C:

[[File:Dreadfleet Cover.jpg|center|thumb|600px]]
{{Game Infobox
|name = Dreadfleet
|picture =
|type = [[Board game]]
|system =
|playno = 2
|time = An hour or two
|publisher = [[Games Workshop]]
|authors =
|year = 2011
|books = The rulebook in the box
}}
'''Dreadfleet''' was a naval combat game created by [[Games Workshop]], set in their [[Warhammer Fantasy Battle]] universe.

== Story ==

The story goes that all things that perish in the sea -- creatures, people, and ships -- make their way to the Galleon's Graveyard, a realm on the border of life and death, forming the Dreadfleet. [[Count Noctilus]], a [[Vampire Count]] with a ship called the ''Bloody Reaver'' which was [[Space Hulk|made up of shipwrecks forming a giant ship]] inside of which was a castle on a small mountain (yes, the ships in the game were of a very large scale), used a big magical ceremony to take command of the Dreadfleet, and he and his villainous allies wreaked havoc with it. He was joined by [[Skaven]] who had used warpstone and machinery to make a giant dead sea monster named Skabrus into a boat, a pissed-off [[Tomb King]] named [[King Amanhotep]] with a boat called ''Curse of Zandri'' which was a giant barge with his pyramid tomb moved onto it like a houseboat and was crewed by Ushtabi, a ghost ship called ''Shadewraith'' captained by a ghost named [[Vangheist]] that was under the power of Noctilus, and a [[Chaos Dwarf]] robot [[Daemon]] squid ship called the ''Black Kraken'' captained by Tordrek Hackhart.

Eventually, he pissed off a bunch of powerful people with huge ships from the "good" races in various ways. Their side consisted of a ship from the Cult of Sigmar called the ''Heldenhammer'' that sports a cathedral on board (yes, we have cathedral ships in Fantasy too) and a giant robot [[Sigmar]] statue at the helm which was stolen by a [[Sartosa|Sartosan]] whose family Noctilus killed for lulz, a [[High Elf]] Dragon Ship (canonically the most powerful things in the watery parts of the world in the Warhammer universe) called the ''Seadrake'' which consisted of fortified towers and live dragons, the ''Flaming Scimitar'' from [[Araby]] which was powered by djinn of different elements and was essentially a spellcaster ship, the ''Swordfysh'' which was... kinda spiky. It was crewed by a woman named [[Aranessa Saltspite]] born with [[Chaos Mutant|Chaos mutations]] giving her spiky skin and weak [[merfolk|mermaid]]-like legs. She replaced those legs with swordfish spikes, making her the only being that even [[Slaanesh]] wouldn't bang (or would he/she/it?!). Finally, the ''Grimnir's Thunder'' was a [[Dwarf]] ship which was an ironclad aircraft carrier that launched multiple zeppelin bombers whose captain Red Brokk Gunnarsson had a Grudge with Hackhart.

Canonically, as relayed in the Dreadfleet novella (by [[Phil Kelly]]), the forces of Order defeated the forces of Destruction by chasing them into the Galleon's Graveyard and sealing the central whirlpool with a massive magical explosion. The Sartosan, along with basically everyone else, died at the end. Oh, and the Arabyan turns out to be a Tzeentch wizard, who takes over the Galleon's Graveyard. Just as planned. Amanhotep survived, or at least regenerated, and eventually made his way back to Nehekhara just in time to get his ass kicked by the forces of [[Nagash]] in [[End Times]], then used as a redshirt getting his ass kicked by Chaos offscreen until the world ended and GW squatted his faction. Damn.

In an alternate universe in the [[Total War: WARHAMMER]] video game things ended differently. Noctilius and Saltspite survived, the former still controlling Galleon's Graveyard and the latter incorporating undead into her crew and generally mucking about in the Old World. Roth(main good guy that stole the Sigmar cathedral ship) has survived and is unaccounted for but has apparently lost his Moondial used to reach the Maelstrom and Heldenhammer was sunk and the Golden Magus seemingly died in this continuity, though it could simply be a ship called "Golden Magus" as the map showing it marks names of ships rather than the captains. The fate of the others in the TWW continuity is presently unknown, though Aranessa does taunt the High Elves about the High Elf prince's disappearance.

== Gameplay ==

With a story like that, GW could have made an awesome [[campaign]] for a [[wargame]] of epic combat on the high seas. What they actually made was a two-player [[boardgame]], with one player running the heroes and one running the villains. Each major faction had a ship or two (or none, in the case of the [[Lizardmen]], Orcs And Goblins, [[Ogre Kingdoms]], [[Warriors of Chaos]], [[Beastmen]], [[Wood Elves]], [[Daemons]], and [[Dark Elves]] (seriously, the Dark Elves are the single biggest "pirate" race in the game for fucks sake!)). The ship and terrain were VERY nice with a fair amount of detail and great scale, but there are no expansions, no interactions with other game systems, and minimal ability to convert them into something other than that one specific ship. It's just not [[Man O' War]] and there was no real way to make it work with that game. In fact, in the Dreadfleet novella, the pride of the Sartosan fleet is a ship named the ''Man o' War'', and it gets attacked by the ''Black Kraken''; while it destroyed one tentacle of the submarine, it was eventually crushed.

== Reception ==

It was released to much pomp and circumstance from [[Games Workshop]], with videos and launch parties, and it was billed as the replacement for Man O' War to gamers. Reviews were fairly mixed, as are fa/tg/uy opinions on the game. General consensus is "meh" with a few calling it great, and more calling it [[fail]]. Games Workshop initially pulled all copies from its Australian stores, then discontinued the game. There's more demand for the models themselves as shelf pieces than as a functional game, driving up the value of surviving sets.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Dreadfleet.jpg|The game as it looks set up.
Image:Dreadfleet-ships.jpg
Image:Dreadfleet-004.jpg|One of the movement pieces.
Image:The Heldenhammer.jpg|The Heldenhammer.
Image:The Bloody Reaver.jpg|The Bloody Reaver.
Image:The Seadrake.JPG|The Seadrake.
Image:M1970105a 60011999001 Seadrake01 873x627.jpg|The Seadrake model.
Image:Curse Of Zandri.JPG|The Curse of Zandri.
Image:Curse of zandri.jpg|The Curse of Zandri model.
Image:The Flaming Scimitar.JPG|The Flaming Scimitar.
Image:The Swordfysh.JPG|The Swordfysh.
Image:Grimnir's Thunder.JPG|Grimnir's Thunder.
Image:Black Kraken.JPG|The Black Kraken.
Image:Shadewraith.JPG|The Shadewraith.
Image:Skabrus.JPG|Skabrus.
Image:Terrain.jpg|One of the terrain pieces that went with the game.
</gallery>

[[Category:Warhammer Fantasy]]
[[Category:High Elves]]
[[Category:Skaven]]
[[Category:Vampire Counts]]
[[Category:The Empire]]
[[Category:Dwarfs]]
[[Category:Tomb Kings]]
[[Category:Dreadfleet]]

Count Noctilus

2023-05-16T18:45:34Z

2A01:CB19:7C8:DB00:8867:60B9:2B06:F59C:

[[File:CountNoctilusFull.jpg|thumb|right|500px|Count Noctilus REIGNS]]

{{Topquote|You wear the trappings of a pirate, you fight like a pirate. But this can be imitated, however. You lack a vital quality found in all pirates. Pirates have no class. And I sense much class in you.|Reik-Commodore Tyrannus}}

{{Topquote| Life is cruel! Why should the afterlife be any different?|Davy Jones}}

{{Topquote|Do you know why they call me the Count?|Count Von Count}}

On the infamous vampire-to-pirate scale, Noctilus finds himself somewhere around the 70/30 split between bloodsucking fiend and swashbuckling bastard. Despite being a mere 30% pirate, he managed to wreak a hell of a lot of oceanic panic in his brief appearance in the Warhammer canon(or what passes for it) via the specialist game [[Dreadfleet]], before his revival/retcon/reappearance in [[Total War: WARHAMMER]].

==Birth of the Count==
Before Noctilus, there was Nyklaus Von Carstein, a powerful sorcerer who grew tired of the squabbles of his vampiric kin and sought a new avenue to power, finding it in the untapped magic winds that whipped across the oceans of the old world. In his studies, he discovered the existence of a great wellspring of power somewhere in the middle of the ocean, a maelstrom that served as a lodestone for the dead and drowned of the surrounding ocean, and quite possibly all seas the world over. Nyklaus, intent on seizing this hidden ocean realm and its power for himself, set about studying the tempest and concocting a means of getting thers. For his studies, he became a master of translocation and shadow magic, and on [[Geheimnisnacht]] he gathered the corpses of 1200 mortals he had personally slain, and created a mirror vortex of his own through their flesh, centered on his beloved sylvanian castle. Mimicking the wakes and intricacies of the maelstrom with great precision, Nyklaus sent flocks of beasts and spirits into the air to create further patterns, and with great effort pulled the magics of the winds to capstone the ritual. With a deafening crash that could be heard the empire-over, Nyklaus, his minions, and his castle were gone. Reborn as Count Noctilus in the galleon's graveyard, as the maelstrom would come to be known, the vampire found himself atop the spire of his translocated castle, surrounded by an immeasurable quantity of the corpses of both ship and sailor, thoroughly drenched in untapped power.

From here, Count Noctilus used his new necromantic ability to fashion what was essentially a waterbound space hulk to serve as his flagship: he drew up the husks of shipwrecks and various bits of the massive ocean beasts that grace the graveyard and braced them against the precipice of his castle’s foundation to create The Bloody Reaver, and it’s a pirate’s life for him. For decades(at least two), Noctilus was an ocean scourge. He and his lieutenants would raid from bretonnia to lustria to the coasts of araby and would even fuck with Ulthuan on ocasion. They would strike from the ethereal mist before disappearing without a trace. The Bloody Reaver was untouchable, constantly mending itself with the wrecks of ships both newly sunk and ancient hulls drawn from the deep, while Noctilus himself was a terror, commanding the formidable beasts of the sea(their corpses, at least) and fighting with all the skill and strength to be expected of a vampire, but obviously better, seeing as he’s a pirate.

==The Dreadfleet==
Pretty much immediately, Count Noctilus began creating a coalition of ne'er-do-wells and some of the more evil pirate lords to help dominate the seas: the Dreadfleet. Along with vampirates recruited and created, noctilus counted a colorful cast of zany characters among his lieutenants. The first of these was pretty tame, a ghostly shipmaster and crew Noctilus dominated almost immediately after forming the Bloody Reaver, but there were more wacky ones. His second non-vampire recruit was the chaos dwarf [[Tordrek Hackheart]], notable because, questionably, he was a standard dawi who turned to chaos, not a big-hat assyrian chaos dwarf. He’s got a massive metal kraken that may or may not be alive. Next was a filthy rat. A dead filthy rat. At some point, an orb leviathan’s corpse washed up in the graveyard. Essentially a massive angler fish mashed with a whale, the creatures were fairly rare and incredibly powerful. Noctilus, presumably overjoyed, combined his love of monsters and necromancy(this is a pretty consistent through line for the character. In Dreadfleet, Noctilus can dominate randomly appearing sea monsters and control them for a turn. In Total Warhammer, he buffs large units for his army) and elected to resurrect the beast to aid his fledgling fleet. To his surprise, the newly resurrected beast began firing green lighting at the reaver almost immediately as it was brought to unlife, the unnatural projectiles piercing right through the ancient stonework of the flagship. As it would turn out, the orb leviathan wasn’t alone. Shortly before it died, it had come across a clan Skurvy fleet commanded by one warlord Skretch. Naturally, it devoured Skretch and the rest of his ramshackle navy, and quickly so as to prevent the skaven flotillas from using their warp lighting batteries to full devastating effect. However, in its haste to eat the skaven, it failed to kill all the rats that now found themselves within its stinking guts, Skretch included. The skaven, natural subscribers to the policy of ‘due unto others as you would have others do unto you’, returned the favor of being consumed by eating out the beast from the inside, dooming both beast and stowaways to an ocean death, and a one way ticket to the Galleon’s graveyard. After being resurrected, some base cunning remained within Skretch, who hastily rang his flagship’s still-intact warpstone bell, saving himself and his crew from unholy dominion. Noctilus, impressed, recruited the skaven warlord, now Skretch Half-dead, and his crew to the dreadfleet, along with their warp lighting-bedecked leviathan.

With his hearty crew, Noctilus would raid with impunity striking even at the heart of piracy in the old world, Sartosa, without suffering so much as a single ship lost. This action, however, would draw the ire of Jaego Roth, a sartosan captain who’s family Noctilus’ crew unceremoniously killed. He would go on to assemble the Grand Alliance, and so the events of the Dreadfleet board game would commence. At this point, Noctilus would recruit a final member of the dreadfleet, a Tomb King who sought revenge against the grave robbing Roth. In the novella, Noctilus meets his end. Roth and his mates make it into the Graveyard thanks to his father’s moondial, and after a series of close calls, a grand climax occurs at the Maelstrom's center. The dwarf makes a mid-battle slayer oath after jobbing the whole book, Saltspite gets a mechanical tail, and Tordrek drowns in kraken blood/oil, but none of that concerns Noctilus. For his part, Noctilus duels the elf, Prince Yrellian, first-born of Phoenix King Finubar. Seeking a quick end to the fight, Noctilus baits the Prince by exposing his shoulder, which works [[just as planned]]. Noctilus Grabs the Elf’s overextended arm and sucks the life out of him via spooky magic, before slapping his corpse into the Maelstrom. Unfortunately for the count, the flashy maneuver had placed a large rent in his armor where the elf’s blade had landed. Nearby, Captain Roth had managed to fight off a trio of scythe wielding wraiths(with the help of the ghost of Yrellian's brother), and Noctilus began to move in for the kill. Roth, noticing the vampire's sundered armor, fired off a shot with with his handy triple gun, which tore through the Vampire's chest. The shot managed to blow a hole into Noctilus' chest and expose the vampire’s still heart, but Noctilus continued his approach unfazed, cackling all the while being healed rapidly by the powers of the Maelstorm. Seizing the brief opportunity, the dying Roth was able fire a stake from his inspector gadget steam hand(one he had been whittling for most of the book), which pierced right through the Count's newly exposed heart and pinned Noctilus against a nearby mast. Roth then, in his dying moments, took up a cursed sword that was perpetually on fire and proceeded to cut off Noctilus’ head, sticking the blade down the Count’s gaping neck for good measure. Roth would die moments later, but Noctilus was no more…

===Total War: WARHAMMER===
Or was he? In Total War, Warhammer 2, Noctilus is back! Is the book not canon? Is it an alternate timeline? Did Noctilus and arnessa escape from the Golden Magus’ bottle ships and return to (un)life? Was there a severe lack of interesting named characters for the Vampire Coast and CA just kinda decided to throw together any obscure character who slightly fits the theme (probably)? Who knows! Who cares! You decide! All that matters is that Noctilus is playable and he kicks ass. Battles wise He’s a lore of vamps caster who can be mounted on a moving artillery piece that thrives equally in melee and is thus ridiculously reliable and competent in single player, and on the campaign side he buffs your monsters and makes Necrofex doomstacks even better, while also having an impregnable capital. He’s a little facerolly but a lot of fun regardless. His Quest item is Roth’s moondial, the text of which leads to more lore questions than answers. It also makes him very fast on the campaign map, which is nice. It is not worth noting(but it will be noted anyway) that in the art and novella, he uses a basket hilt sword, and in Total Warhammer he uses a halberd. CA seems to be obsessed with the halberd weapon on the same level with [[C.S. Goto]] to [[Multilaser]], giving it anti-large bonus and charge defences, two traits that weren't presented on the table top. [[Prince Imrik|Imrik]] is also seen wielding halberd on foot instead of his favorite star lance. The connection between them is that both of them had no model nor tabletop rules). It hardly matters however, because he’ll undoubtedly be using the necrofex triple submachine cannon for the majority of a campaign anyway.

==Crunch==
He never had rules in warhammer fantasy, but some can be gleaned from his dreadfleet rules. He’s the best duelist in the board game with a swashbuckling(essentially, when two ships meet the crews roll off, and the captains duel, each independently) characteristic of 5(only the elf and the tomb king come close with 4s) and a command value of 2+(roll a die when you issue a command, if you pass the command value you succeed, if not nothing happens), which is, naturally, as high as possible, and he can control the otherwise unfriendly monsters that spawn as a unique command. Translocation is apparently from the lore of shadows, so he’s versed in at least two lores, and is several centuries old, if that matters.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:The Bloody Reaver.jpg|The Bloody Reaver.
File:Necro.jpg|Noctilus on his Necrofex. You can kinda seem him. Kinda.
</gallery>

[[Category:Warhammer Fantasy]][[Category:Vampire Counts]]
[[Category:Vampire Coast]]
[[Category:Dreadfleet]]

Marco Columbo

2023-05-16T18:43:19Z

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[[Category:Dogs of War]]
[[Category:Warhammer Fantasy]]
[[File:Marco Colombo Miniature 2.jpg|thumb|The treasures of Lustria await!]]
'''Marco Columbo''' is a <strike>Spanish</strike> Tilean adventurer who discovered <strike>Amer</strike>[[Lustria]]. Although the Norsii arrived there first. However, he was the first human to establish friendly contancts with [[Lizardmen]] by offering them 33 [[Skaven]] captives for a sacrifice to [[Sotek]]. While his life mostly follow [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Columbus the life of another explorer], after his return to the [[Old World]] it changes drastically, almost in hell-face turn, as he managed to conquer Trantio and became its ruling warmongering prince, [[Fail|unlike the other adventurer who died as beggar]].

He is a special character in [[Dogs of War]] faction, having a giant crossbow and a powerful spying telescope, but that's not all. He also has Sotek gem that can enhance his defences, a bottle of Lustrian wine that turns him into drunk and powerful warrior and a Nehekharan scroll he bought in [[Araby]] that give additionaly magic defense.

Lucrezzia Belladonna

2023-05-16T18:43:03Z

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[[Image:Belladonna.jpg|300px|thumb|right|The pickings were slim, okay?]]
{{Topquote|It is amazing how complete is the delusion that beauty is goodness|Leo Tolstoy, and also a fair warning about the Donna herself}}

Lucrezzia Belladonna is one of the many chiefs of the [[Regiments of Renown]] and beholder of the prestigious titles of "Most beautiful woman of the Old World" and <strike>"Most vile bitch of the Old World"</strike> (it apparently came to us that this title belongs to [[Morathi]]). She's a legendary sorceress and a specialist of all kinds of poisons, also one of the most famous people of all of [[Tilea]]. She's one of it's many princesses, actually, being that of Pavona, a city-state located in the inlands of Tilea. As her title would suggest, she's quite famous for being a knock-out beauty (in quite literally every sense of the word in this case), and she has a long list of dead husbands that go on a multitude of pages.

She's also probably based on Lucrezia Borgia, an historical figure from a long line of corrupted sons of bitches who had a certain specialty in murdering, assassinating, poisoning and torturing people for their own interest. [[Lulz|Or for the lulz.]]

==The Princess herself==
A long time ago, when Lucrezzia was fair and young, the to-be princess married the then-prince of Pavona, Luigi ([[Mario|No, not that one]]). Judging from the reaction that she had over his death, he probably was the best husband in the Old world; beautiful, caring, kind, and most importanly, *RICH*. Unfortunately, his wealth was the source of much jealousy, and so a bunch of Merchantmen and merchant princes teamed up and sent some of the most expensives assassins of Tilea.

Thinking that they were done with the dreaded Pavona dynasty, unbeknownst to them, Lucrezzia, still a young and impressionable person at her age, planned a revenge and became determined to never let go of her hold over the principality that she inherited from Luigi. Henceforth, from that day onward, she only married men of power, not just simply in pursue of more wealth and glory, but to certified the defense of her beloved city. Most of the men she spoused were mercenary generals from Tilea, and since having mercernaries at your mercy is everything in this country, Lucrezzia saught to become one of the most influencial people in this nation of corrupted crooks.

Now, marrying powerful generals is all fine and dandy for her, but seizing the control of an entire army by assassinating your husband and inheriting all of his possessions, INCLUDING said army, [[Just as planned|is an overall better plan]]. As of the 5th Edition of the [[Dogs of War]] Army book, every single one of her husbands died in [[Dwarf Fortress|unfortunate accidents]]. That of course led to some people believing that the Belladonna herself was behind most of those killings, right? No, citizen of Tilea, the princess of Pavona is behind none of these accidents, and the fact that she automatically inherits their men once they died is completely irrelevant to this case. Case? What case? There is no case, it was all accident. Case closed.

Of course, the entire nobility of Tilea isn't duped by her games, it is a well known fact and tightly kept secret that Belladonna mastered the art of poisoning. Unfortunately, she isn't exactly good to disguise most of her crimes, so many are left to figure the reason why she assassinated her hubby that day. Some of them are fairly well known case of her own bullshittery, and some others are bribed in mysteries. There have also been occasions were she accidentally murdered somebody.

One of the most famous cases of her rampant loyalty cascades happened when Borso, having been severly wounded after battling to seize control of Etobrutti, died after being treated with poisonous herbs (a complete accident, we're telling you). Soon after, a mercenary captain by the name of Donato arrived and took control of the former's army. As per tradition, he married Lucrezzia and... he was later killed right before he could officialize an unfortunate alliance with Trantio against Borgio the Besieger, which was, indeed, a terrible idea at the time, because he was married to Lu's sister. Granted, this one time it was complete accident (again), as the chef accidentally gave Donato a plate of poisonous mushrooms. She then had to marry someone else quickly and send his troops to prevent Donato's troops for besieging Borgio's place. That whole thing was the matter of HOURS.

As you can see, being in indirect control of "your own" army is a kind of a bore. And Lucrezzia's everyday life is very long and shaky roller coaster.

=="Most Beautiful woman in the Old World"==
Now, judging by the mini above, you must asking yourself why or how is she known as the most beautiful woman of the Old World. Well for one thing, [[Games Workshop]] wasn't particularly known in the past for their stellar models of female characters. Lore-wise, there's an actual explanation.

As you know, [[Bretonnia|Bretonnians]] are known to proclaim loud and proud that [[Lady of the Lake|"Ze Lady of ze lake is ze fairest maidon in ze entire weurld!"]], or to at least give fair competitions to other mortals, they titled [[Morgiana le Fay|The Fay Enchantress]] as the most beautiful woman in the Old World. So you can only imagine how mad they got when they heard that Lucrezzia was also given that title. But the drop that truly spilled the vase was when a tilean noble, invited to one of Bretonnia's many tournaments, ranted about the Lady Belladonna being the hottest of the two. He was immediatly challenged to joust by a Bretonnian knight.

Wouldn't you have it, Lucrezzia just happened to be there, and she appointed the noble as her champion. Following customs, he asked for her favour, and she did so by kissing her lance. So they joust and both managed to successfully hit the other. However, the Tilean loses. And just as the Bretonnians were about to celebrate, the Knight falls dead.

Everybody being a bit perplexed, the nobles turn to Lucrezzia, who just kissed the lance a few moments ago, and she declares that she "doesn't feel unwell". "Perhaps a sign of providence", some were thinking. Since [[Monty Python|bretonnians are known for being gullible as all hell]], they title Lucrezzia as the one true and only most beautiful woman in the Old World, as "to cast doubt on her beauty is to receive the kiss of death".

We definitely did not steal that quote.

==On the Tabletop==
In 5th edition, Lucrezzia is a Hireling Sorceress who can be recruited by a [[Dogs of War]] army for the cost of 358 points... plus another 150 points for her Poisonous Items, at 50 points apiece. Riding a standard warhorse, Lucrezzia has the following statblock: Movement 4, Weapon Skill 3, Ballistic Skill 3, Strength 4, Toughness 4, Woudns 3, Initiative 5, Attacks 2 and Leadership 7. She is armed with a sword and knows three spells from the ''Battle Magic'' school.

This version of Lucrezzia has two special rules. The first, ''Expert Poisoner'', allows her to take her three signature "Poisonous Items" - these are basically magic items, except they're immune to anything that normally affects or negates magical items, because their power stems from chemistry rather than sorcery. Her second special rule is ''Stunning Beauty'', which means that any fleeing friendly units that are within 6" at the start of her turn will immediately rally.

Lucrezzia's Poisonous Items are the '''Phial of Poison''', the '''Poisoned Stiletto''', and the '''Potion of Pavona'''.

The '''Phial of Poison''' is deployed by an enemy agent, who'll try to poison one of the rival army's leaders before the fight. Roll a d6 for each character in the opposing army, starting with the cheapest and working your way up to the most expensive. If any character rolls a 1, that character loses 2 wounds immediately with no save possible - and ''only'' that character! Lucrezzia's assassin only managed to poison one guy, you just have to randomly determine who it is!

The '''Poisoned Stiletto''' is an alternative weapon that Lucrezzia can deploy instead of her sword. If she uses it, she automatically strikes last, but any hit she makes whose armor save is failed results in an automatic wound.

Finally, the '''Potion of Pavona''' is a cocktail that Lucrezzia can either drink herself or ogive to another character on her side at the start of the battle. Roll a d6; you can boost that many characteristics by +1 each (maximum value: 10) - but if you roll a 1, then the potion was improperly mixed and the drinker instead suffers 1 unsaveable Wound due to being poisoned, and gets no buff.

Lucrezzia returned to Warhammer in 6th edition in the pages of [[White Dwarf]], in the year 2003 (at least one source claims she showed up in White Dwarf #266). Featured in that issue's Warhammer Chronicles article, she underwent a number of changes.

Firstly, her statblock changed: Movement 4, Weapon Skill 3, Ballistic Skill 5, Strength 3, Toughness 4, Wounds 3, Initiative 3, Attacks 1 and Leadership 8.

Secondly, she now takes up a Lord and a Hero slot and must automatically be the army general. Also, she now costs a flat 380 points to field.

This version of Lucrezzia rides a Barded Warhorse and fights with two hand weapons; a sword and stiletto dagger. She's now a Level 4 [[Wizard]] who can use either the Lore of Shadow or the Lore of Death. Her special rules have also changed.

'''Stunning Beauty''' now causes all fleeing human troops that come within 8" of Lucrezzia to automatically rally, unless they're Immune to Psychology. Except this also works during the enemy's turn as well as Lucrezzia's.s

'''Expert Poisoner''' now has been changed into four subrules:
* ''Lucrezzia's Kiss:'' Lucrezzia can kiss the weapons of a single Character or Unit Champion, granting that individual the Killing BLow power due to her lethally poisonous lipstick now smeared on the blade.
* ''Stiletto Dagger'': Lucrezzia's attacks are Poisoned Attacks.
* ''Potion of Pavona:'' As per 5th edition, except it can now be given to Unit Champions.
* ''Phial of Poison:'' Now you roll a d6 for every character in the enemy army, and every guy who rolls a 4+ suffers 1 automatic wound. So there's now a chance you can poison all the enemy characters.

==External Links==
* http://redelf.narod.ru/w6/ror/ror_lucrezzia.html: Stats for Lucrezzia from her 6e debut.

[[Category:Dogs of War]]
[[Category:Warhammer Fantasy]]

Leonardo Da Miragliano

2023-05-16T18:42:12Z

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[[File:Leonardo da Miragliano.jpg|thumb]]
[[Category:Dogs of War]]
[[Category:Warhammer Fantasy]]
[[Category:The Empire]]
{{Topquote|These are nice drawings. They are by your children, yes?|Reputed remarks of High King [[Thorgrim Grudgebearer]], on being presented with a copy of the Notebooks of Leonardo da Miragliano by the Emperor [[Karl Franz]]}}
'''Leonardo da Miragliano''' is one of the greatest inventors ever born in [[Tilea]], who for some reason reminds many of [[wikipedia:Leonardo da Vinci|one certain inventor that lived in real-life Italy in the 15th century]]. At first he worked in his homecity for prince Cosimo (whose name is also very, very reminiscent of one certain Italian prince), but then was invited into [[The Empire (Warhammer Fantasy)|The Empire]], where he founded the Engineering School.

He was the mastermind behind one of the most [[Skub|skub]] Empire technologies, [[Steam Tank]]. Sadly, he died recently while trying to invent the flying machine. However, he is still playable as a part of [[Dogs of War]], with his inventions that can be used in a battle, such as Sphere of Alchemy, Archimedes-esque Prism of Power [[Awesome|that can steal and use]] [[Winds of Magic]] and Compass of Silver that can detect magic.

See also Leonardo da Vinchi or Leonard of Quirm from [[Discworld]].