Aul-Duroth'Tahr

== History ==
When exactly the Aul-Duroth'Thar was founded is lost to time. Ancient dwarven myth however recall that the All-Dwarf Empire was founded by the very first dwarf Duroth the Allfather. He sprang forth from the Duroth'Zuhl and wandered a young world, yet unpopulated and unnamed. Eventually, he would return to the World Spring. Here, wearing Duroth'Kron, a crown of Slade he caused the birth of his kin from the Duroth'Zuhl, welcoming his kin to the world and founding the Aul-Duroth'Tahr, starting the first age.
=== The First Age ===
The dwarves spread out from the World Spring and explored the Blackrock Hights. Around their birthplace Duroth led his kind in the construction of Kuh'Karakzath, the capital of all dwarvenkind, while other clans set out in all directions, founding the first dwarven holds.
The first age was not an easy one but through determination and constitution, the dwarfs had carved their mountains into formidable cities and homes. 
Satisfied with his kin's achievement, the many millennia old Duroth laid his crown onto his throne in Kuh'Karakzath and returned to the Duroth'Zuhl in the World Spring. Here he ascended to godhood, leaving his mortal kin behind as he travelled to the moon to carve Aul-Mardoth, the home of all the dwarven gods that would follow him in ages to come.
=== The Second Age ===
The clans of the Aul-Duroth'Tahr assembled to discuss who would sit on the carven throne next. They discussed and deliberated for many decades, eventually choosing a close companion of Duroth's as his successor. The candidate however was unable to lift the extremely heavy Duroth'Kron onto his head and deemed himself unworthy to succeed. Three more candidates were chosen, all of them unable to lift the crown until, in the one hundredth year of the second age, another companion of Duroth's was allowed to attempt to lift the Duroth'Kron. Succeeding, she would rename herself and in time be known as Duroth Godspeaker.
Duroth Godspeaker, led the dwarves in communion and worship of Duroth the Allfather, founding the Mardoth Pantheon. While far longer lived than many of her kin, unlike her predecessor, Duroth Godspeaker was not immortal and in the second millennia of her reign she passed away, believed to ascend to Aul-Mardoth, ending the second age.
=== The Third Age ===
Duroth Godspeak was amongst the last Obsidian Dwarves and three decades after her passing, she was replaced by Duroth Mountaincarver, the first All-King of Aul-Duroth'Tahr to have been born dwarven parents instead of being spawned from the Duroth'Zuhl. He led his kin in carving massive tunnels and halls under the mountains, connecting the many dwarvenholds and mountainhomes to each other. When he died during battle against a great cave dragon, he too was believed to have ascended to Aul-Mardoth.
Thanks to the Mountaincarver, the third age was, even in those days, recognized as a golden age. This golden age was extended by three more All-Kings: Duroth Runecarver, Duroth Forgemaster and finally Duroth Axebearer.
The third age ended when a band of thieves stole the Duroth'Zuhl, starting the War of the Five.
=== The Forth Age ===
The forth age was dominated by the War of the Five. For the first time since Duroth the Allfather's adventures dwarves would roam the lowlands. Duroth Axebearer would lead the Aul-Duroth'Tahr for the early stages of the war but he was killed during the Battle of Axefall. After his death, no successor was found who was able to wield the Duroth'Kron and the Aul-Duroth'Thar was ruled by the assembly of clans.
Though many dwarvenholds at the fringes of the Aul-Duroth'Tahr were destroyed during the war, the great halls deeper in the mountains survived the war relatively unharmed. The war still drained the dwarves of resources and men and the splendid halls of Kuh'Karakzath became ever less filled. Just when dwarvenkind thought they had reached the darkest of times, The Endtimes ushered in the fifth and darkest age.
=== The Fifth Age ===
The dwarves remember little of the fifth age what is known is that their once great halls and homes, still largely unscathed from the war were utterly ruined. Many holds were lost to beast, dragons, fiends or worse. The very home of the dwarves, of Duroth the Allfather, Kuh'Karakzath was destroyed and captured by the Umbral Lord Erava.
The dwarves were broken and hid and sealed themselves in whatever holds they still had. Though many simply waited for the inevitable extinction of their race, others refused to go and during the Endtimes many of the greatest adventurers working to stop the Umbral Lords were dwarves.
=== The Sixth Age ===
With the end of the Endtimes, there was a brief hope that the dwarves could rebuild and bring back their former glory and small steps were taken. The Duroth'Kron, previously lost during the fifth age was recovered and rebuilding efforts in Kuh'Karakzath were started. But it was not to be. A young and rising Old Empire swept into the broken hills and mountains of old Aul-Duroth'Tahr and conquered whatever holds remained. The dwarves were slowly absorbed into Imperial society. While their numbers would begin to grow again and the dwarves were spared extinction, their culture and religion would almost entirely be lost as, across the coming centuries and millennia, most dwarves would accept imperial customs and culture and even forget their past.
The Sixth Age lasts to this day, the dwarves survived but those who remember know they survived but only in name and they have yet to return to their roots and reclaim their own heritage.
=== The Seventh Age ===
In dwarven tradition, seven is the holiest number. Many believe that a seventh Duroth will appear and free the dwarves from the shackles of imperial society and usher in the seventh age, a new golden age.
Category:Nation