Dwarves

The dwarves of Vatain are a reclusive, cautious people. After being driven into the underdark of the Vachinae Mountains around a thousand years ago by the attacks of the Orcs, the dwarves destroyed most tunnels to the surface level of the mountains, leaving only a select few hidden ones heavily protected and trapped. Many have fallen unawares to dwarven traps as they wander into caves by the mountains, as the Dwarves want no visitors.

The dwarves of the Vachinae mountains, known amongst themselves as being members of one of the four dwarven Kingdoms, fought amongst each other fiercely, letting their thirst for better mines and materials fuel their scientific and magical advancement. Despite being cut off from the outside world for 1000 years, they have managed to surpass the technological advancements of all known civilizations with the help of their deep gnomish cousins, and emerged into the world ~200 years ago, greatly armed and exotic. Their ancestral fear of the Orcs, however, keeps them from challenging their once oppressors.

Dwarves serve the celestials.

## History

### The Dragon Giant Conflict

Around 2000 years ago, Dwarves were surface dwellers, with the occasional mine. They lived in the Vachinae mountains, alongside the Orcs, Dragons, and Giants. At this time, the Orcs of Vatain were scattered into many tribes, and far less intelligent than today. As the Dwarven people saw them as lesser beings, they treated them as such, enslaving and mistreating the orcs for their own selfish purposes. Dragons were a known ally to the Dwarves, as the dwarves in turn helped them fight against the families of Giants. Whether this was passing on giant positions, or actually fighting them, the dwarves ensured the dragons had an upper hand.

The Giants were slowly chipped away over the course of the next 500 years, with frequent battles leaving both Giants and Dragons dead, but always more giants than dragons. This all changed with the unification of the Orcs. The once scattered Orc tribes were united within 5 years of campaigning by the Orc Chieftain Ginat Durgoon. The Orcs, servants of Fiends, and friends of Giants, quickly turned against the oppressive dwarves, freeing their enslaved brethren. With the Orc unification, the Dragons lost power over the next 150 years as battle after battle drove them away from the Vachinae mountains. Finally, 162 years after the Orc unification, the dragons fled from the territory, officially marking the end of the Dragon Giant conflict.

### The Dwarven oppression, and the 100 year siege

Without the dragons as their allies, the dwarves quickly went from on the defensive, to being decisively beaten. Their once-slaves launched frequent attacks, enslaving dwarves, and pillaging their once great cities, destroying the stone buildings hammer blow by hammer blow. Over the course of the next ~250 years, the orcs of Kkruruk drove the dwarves into one final bastion, their city of Goird.

Thus began the 100 year siege. The walls were tall and successfully repelled wave after wave of Orc fighters. The dwarven stores in Goird were originally meant for a city filled with over 100x times the number of its current residents, and as such enabled the dwarves to not starve during the siege. An uneasy stalemate lasted for 100 years, with frequent orc attacks chipping away at the people of Goird, until the final battle.

The orcs had not asked their giant allies for help for any of the war, leaving the debt uncalled, until the 100th year of the siege of Goird. The giants responded, and came to the city in great numbers. Now armed with natural siege weapons, the Kkruruk Kingdom engaged in one final battle against Goird. The stone throwing of the giants brought down the walls, revealing a city empty of residents, only leaving a skeleton guard to cover the dwarves escape into the mine below. The dwarves had not been idle during the war, instead mining ever deeper and exploring the newly discovered underdark. Establishing a fort where no giant could challenge them as it was too small, the dwarves retreated into the tunnels leaving a mostly empty city and a gaping hole in the ground. The orcs, enraged at their enemies escape, attempted to invade the once-mine. This ended badly with Orcs activating traps of all different kinds, dying in droves. For two weeks they tried but not one dwarf was seen in the tunnel. Their attempts to pierce the dwarven defenses likely would have continued, but the tunnel collapsed following a truly large explosion from one of the traps.

The true trap the dwarves had set had not been discovered yet however. While giants helped with the excavation process, the orcs filled the city with more and more troops. A mere 5 days after the tunnel collapsed, the true trap was revealed. The orcs and giants, filling the city to the brim, were all trapped as a magical barrier sprung up around the city. Then, gas seeped out of the buildings, burning and choking all within. Following a day, the barrier fell, and the bodies remained. The troops that had been outside went into the city once more, and sought answers, along with their giant brethren. Their presence triggered the trap again. Five days into their new occupation, the barrier sprung up once more, and so too the gas killed. This occured once more until the Orcs fled the scene, calling it a cursed place. To this day, the city stands, mocking those who destroyed all but one.

### The underdark and the four kingdoms

Following the fall of Goird, the dwarves explored their new found home. They established more and more cities over the course of the next 1000 years, and split into four separate kingdoms; Kkrurukna, Goird, Gonnto, and Forgwen.

#### Kkrurukna

The dwarves living most near Kkruruk, they vowed to destroy any orc that dares enter their sight and to never forget what has been done. A highly militant kingdom, they rely on weapons and people to enforce their principles. They are truly disgusted by the Gonnto and the Forgwen, while having an almost amicable relationship with the Goird, if they think their ideals are naive.

#### Goird

This kingdom is a highly cultural one, with a passable military, but they seek to follow the ideals of the old dwarven empire, remembering their culture, and serving as excellent historians. They seek peace with all other dwarves wishing for a return to one unified dwarf empire.

#### Gonnto

The Gonnto forgot their heritage, feeling that the old ways led to their downfall. Instead they embrace the darkness, becoming duergar over the course of 1000 years, and creating what they want in their home. Nowadays they almost forget there is a surface. They have a poor relationship with all other dwarves.

#### Forgwen

The Forgwen kept their memories of the culture and the hatred of the orcs, while also wishing to return to the surface one day. They are often regarded as the glue that keeps all the dwarves from destroying each other, keeping the peace with their less extremist viewpoints. They focus all their military efforts into technology in an effort to keep their people safe. This has led to the rise of Dwarven Mechs and other frightening weapons, as well as incredibly dangerous traps. They made contact with the humans of Vachin 200 years ago, being the first dwarves of significant numbers to leave the underdark in 800 years.