Hold of Gor Ozumbrog

**Gor Ozumbrog** was a dwarf hold in the Middle Dwarovar known as the *Eastern Hold That Bridges Mountains*, the youngest hold in the Serpentspine Mountains which was finalised after the fall of Amldihr in the Last Days of the Dwarovar. The Topaz Dwarves did not begin the construction of the hold with a specialisation in mind unlike much of their contemporaries, yet they developed a martial society due to the dire circumstances they found theirselves in. While having a substantial role in the armies of the Segbandal, they also assisted their allies in Ovdal Kanzad against the goblins of the Tree of Stone and to resist the Jade Empire.

## Culture and Customs

Gor Ozumbrog is the youngest hold in the Serpentspine and at first did not have a specialisation. It grew from a trading outpost for merchants travelling from the Jade Mines to Seghdihr, and as such had the character of the myriad peoples who passed through its halls. From its humble origins, this hold at the boundary of where East meets West had grown to be a mighty and elegant fortress catering the likes of the wealthiest Goldlords of Verkal Gulan to the humblest of wholesalers from Seghdihr.

While Gor Ozumbrog was never as great as the high jewels of the Dwarovkron such as Arg-Ôrdstun, Seghdihr, or Grônstunad, it was just as significant in the eyes of the Segbandal. Originally founded to bridge the gap between Ovdal Kanzad and the wealth of gold in Verkal Gulan, the Topaz Dwarves take their name from the topaz, a gemstone that comes in many colours, from a colourless jewel akin to diamond, to a pale blue of the desert sky seen from the gates of Seghdihr or Verkal Gulan, to the yellow brown of amber. A stone that shifted between colours and is harder than may appear, a stone to reflect their own purpose, and remind them of it. It was their duty to guard the path, and so they stood stalwart.

Gor Ozumbrog was only thought of as a proper hold after the fall of Amldihr, and with their founding in a time of such strife, every dwarf was called to serve in the defence of the Segbandal. Men, women and even the youngest of dwarves were called to take up arms, experiencing none of the luxury and splendor that the elites of other holds held so dear. Gor Ozumbrog was born in a time of blood, and spent its formative years defending outposts on the Copper Road and garrisoning Gor Vazumbrog against the orc menace. Their identity was rooted in struggle, their regalia outfitted with topaz matching the gems of their allied holds, allowing them to fit in any clan’s ranks. The Topaz Dwarves knew they wouldn’t gain as much glory and renown as the armies of the Segbandal, but the Segbandal always remembered their sacrifices for the Middle Dwarovar.

### Reestablishment of the Segbandal

With the fall of Amldihr in 5895 BA, Grônstunad declared itself as the overlord of Aul-Dwarov and established the Jade Empire. However, with Gor Vazumbrog loyal to Amldihr due to its ancestral charge immediately severed ties with Grônstunad. Both the holds of Seghdihr and Hehodovar were also eager to dispose of the Jade Overseers in their land and joined the rebellion against the Jade Dwarves. Shortly after, the eastern holds of Verkal Gulan and Gor Ozumbrog joined which secured the Middle Dwarovar.

By 5850 BA, after a series of skirmishes near Gor Vazumbrog under the banner of the Jade Empire, the Citrine Dwarves of Seghdihr called the other 4 kings of the Middle Dwarovar to formally join in restoring the ancient alliance of the Segbandal, in order to unite against all internal and external threats. After two years in 5848 BA , the Segbandal was reforged as an alliance of equals, vowing to aid each other especially to the frontier holds of Gor Vazumbrog and Gor Ozumbrog from any menace that would challenge the Segbandal.

### Jade Grasp Weakens

Gor Ozumbrog came under siege by Jade Empire forces in 5000 BA, and the first strike against the Dwarovar’s Youngest came not from the goblins it will become famous for holding off, but her own kin. The 26 year siege was a trial by fire for the as of yet not seriously tested defenses, as the rest of the Segbandal marshaled to their defense. Grônstunad's grip over the Tree of Stone in the meantime began to slip, as an Amber Dwarf general by the name of Thrindul Frozenflame and his retinue defected to the Segbandal, citing that they should not be fighting their own kin. They brought with them a supply of their hold’s supply of harquebuses, which are instrumental in breaking the siege when combined with an army under the banner of King Longrir X az-Segh numbering 8,000 strong.

### Amber Silence

As the Amber Dwarves managed to declare independence from the Jade Empire in 4701 BA, they formally allied with Gor Ozumbrog yet didn't joing the Segbandal due to concerns of dominance from the more prominent holds. They signed the Copper Road Pact in which they were obligated to aid each other in time of goblin incursions. However, contact with Ovdal Kanzad was lost in 2497 BA with the rise of Grimka the Despoiler’s Goblintide. Gor Ozumbrog began the "Long Watch", and though there would be times where sparse contact was re-established with their eastern friends, never again would travel between the two holds be the same.

### Day of Ashen Skies

Earthquakes ripped through the Dwarovar in 1 AA as Aelantir came to ruin, the effects on Gor Ozumbrog included serious damage to the defenses that were put in place against goblin assaults and were in need of repairs. However, in 10 AA, the Topaz Dwarves used the chaos inflicted on the goblin clans of the Tree of Stone to determine the fate of Ovdal Kanzad, finding its long-time friend still standing. A brief period of contact was reestablished, but by 50 AA the two holds were isolated once again.

### Ombrindal's Defiance

Two years after the occupation of Seghdihr, King Ombrindal az-Fiobmhor, King of Gor Ozumbrog, marched with a host to Seghdihr. There, he met with Empress Jexis’ puppet king Morgrend. Ombrindal, long grown weary with Seghdihr and its increased stranglehold over the affairs of the alliance placed forth a demand that, if they are to be subjects of Jexis, that Jexis assist in the recapture of Gor Vazumbrog from the Skewered Drake Clan and the reclamation of the Dwarovar. The Seg Band, interested in nothing more than their own personal power and security, attempted to pressure the King Morgrend into rejecting the demands. Despite their efforts, he refused to agree, leading to them killing him in front of Ombrindal, declaring that he had assassinated the King. Fleeing Seghdihr and infuriated by this betrayal from the Seg Band, Gor Ozumbrog withdrew from the alliance. Afterwards, King Ombrindal gathered an expedition and set down the Copper Road, to Ovdal Kanzad. Hoping beyond hope, he found the hold intact and met with the ruling king, seeking to create a new alliance, and reclaim the Copper Road from the goblins and orcs of the Tree of Stone.

### Seg Band Punitive Expedition

Manipulated by the Seg Band, thinking that the King of Seghdihr had been murdered in a great betrayal by Ombrindal, the armies of the remaining holds of the alliance were marshalled, alongside Jexisian Legionaries and Battle Magi. The Seg Band set down the Dwarovrod to Gor Ozumbrog, and when it arrived, demanded that the hold submit itself to the authority of the Phoenix Empire and turn over King Ombrindal for punishment. With King Ombrindal and a significant portion of the Hold’s armed forces out clearing the Copper Road, the holds remaining defenders denied the demands as they settled in for a long siege, hoping beyond hope that their king returns before the enemy could do serious damage to the hold.

The Seg Band’s decision to bring elven magi was the chief nail in the coffin for Gor Ozumbrog. Whilst the hold's many goblin assailants before may have had magic users, it paled in comparison to the organized might of elven magics enhanced by dwarven knowledge of siege craft. The main gate was breached within six months of the siege being put into place, and it was through elven magic that it occurred. Despite this, the valiant defenders held out hope for relief. As they held out, the Seg Band’s scouts reported the return of King Ombrindal’s army, and with fear of caught between a hold and a hard place they needed to make a decision swiftly. It was determined that the best option was to simply do as much damage to the hold that they could, and so ordered an all out assault, with full allowance for pillage.

The Sack of Gor Ozumbrog was some of the most devastating violence in Dwarven history, with the Seg Band themselves encouraging levels of violence and behavior in the soldiers of the rest of the armies that many would in time regret. The damage however was done, and many valuables are stolen from their owners- living and deceased. After three days of bloody violence, the Seg Band and their forces retreated for Seghdihr, their bloody work done. Afterwards King Ombrindal returned, to see the extent of the damages.

### Fall of Gor Ozumbrog

King Ombrindal’s returned is a short lived respite, a horde of goblins, agitated by his actions in the Tree of Stone, had followed them. Despite quick efforts to repair the damages, the Seg Band’s actions had opened wounds that could not be closed in time. Despite this, King Ombrindal led a defense that would last a heroic ten years, not yielding a single inch without much bloodshed from the goblin horde. Heroes were forged, tested, and died- never knowing recognition or renown.

The Dwarovar’s Youngest, an underdog by many, finally succumbed to the weight of the Goblin warhost. The dwarves and their defenders were pushed into the inner hold, separated by barely intact defenses and one single gate. Regardless, this is when King Ombrindal made the agonizing decision to abandon the hold, and ordered a general evacuation. Marshaling the last of his honour guard, he ordered the hold’s miners to excavate exits from the inner hold that led beyond the camps of the goblins, which at this point had been moved into the outer regions of the hold in order to pillage and plunder.

What occurred next was a 23 day long sacrifice in 1154, where King Ombrindal az-Fiobmhor, last King of Gor Ozumbrog, and the 155 surviving dwarves of his retinue threw open the gate of the inner hold, acting as a distraction to ensure the remainder of the hold evacuated. It is said the last any saw the King, he was atop a literal mountain of goblin corpses that stood nearly thirty feet tall, with broken armour and a snapped sword gutting a goblin like a fish. The refugees ended up split into two groups, one of which made their way towards Verkal Gulan, and the remainder to Ovdal Kanzad. Unfortunately, those that reached Verkal Gulan did not necessarily find safety, as those that could not pay their way past the gate's guardians were turned away, and were forced to make their way to Seghdihr instead. Over the next decade bands of refugees made their way towards both holds, though in time the flow of refugees would become a trickle, and then dropped, before ceasing altogether by 1167.