Abyssal Dwarfs

The evil dwarfs of Kings of War and one of the earliest armies made by Mantic Games. They are a major power in the world of Pannithor and one of the primary races aligned with the Abyss.

Background

Long ago the dwarfs were a united people, but with the shattering of the Fenulian Mirror and Celestians all that changed. The dwarfs of the south and east became the Golloch Empire and Free Dwarf Lands, respectively. The dwarfs to the north in Tragar however, fell to a darker fate. As war raged around them, these dwarfs kept to themselves and continued to mine for riches and develop new technology. As the God War raged on, the forces of the Wicked Ones seemed to ignore the cities of Deiw and Zarak in Tragar.

Late in the war the allies of the Shining Ones discovered why as dark war engines and mutated slave races rode forth from Tragar. Promises of wealth and power swayed the dwarfs of Tragar to lend their aid to the Wicked Ones. Day and night the industries of Deiw and Zarak had burned on, sacrificing countless slaves in their quest to build ever more deadly war machines. Iron casters, dwarven sorcerers imagined by their dwarven cousins, fought alongside these engines of death.

Their ingenuity was only matched by their cruelty, and every city and hold that fell to them soon learned the hard way as their citizens were shipped off to the mines and factories. The Abyssal Dwarfs, now masters of both engineering and sorcery, saw themselves as the superior race of Mantica and that is was only natural that these lesser beings served their needs. Their weakness however, was their forsaking of the kindred spirit shared by other dwarfs.

With the defeat of Oskan at the end of the God War, the Abyssal Dwarfs, like many servants of the Wicked Ones, fell to infighting. As their forces dwindled, they were driven back into Tragar. Within their borders their strength is great, preventing most expeditions from pushing too deeply into their territory. Their homeland is also home to the tear in the world, meaning all manner of foul creature of the Abyss lurk within.

Notable Abyssal Dwarfs

Bharzak the Grim

Creator of the Ratkin and all around nice guy. Seeking to find a more suitable slave race organized work force to abuse increase productivity, Bharzak locked himself away for thirteen years to create his own race of humanoid rats. His new creation was really productive, which was good for a time, but then went bad when they revolted and killed him.

Brakki Barka

An Abyssal Halfbreed, a centaur like creature that has the upper torso of a dwarf seemingly fused with the body of a horse. Lord of the Legion of Bardoom, Brakki is known for his prowess in battle and is one of the few individuals truly respected by the Abyssal Dwarfs and their allies.

Overking Zerkzix of Zarak

King of Zarak, a position he holds through cruelty, sorcery, and force of arms. He lusts for the resources of the Golloch Empire and often approves of raids into the south. Currently he assaults the Free Dwarf Lands, seeking to conquer the outlying territories of his southern cousins before assaulting the Empire proper.

On the Tabletop

Tactics can be found here: Kings of War/Tactics/Abyssal Dwarfs

Abyssal Dwarfs are basically an evil version of the regular dwarf army, although they trade out some infantry options for access to more spells and monsters.