Arvenlaad

The Kingdom of Arvenlaad is one of the oldest and most influential dwarf kingdoms in history, situated in the Spindlewood. Its abundant silver and mithril mines have always kept it stable, even in the most trying times. The capitol is a nameless citadel inside the tallest peak: Mount Dunderrin.

## Founding of Arvenlaad (530 AoV)

In the Year 530 of the Age of Veradorianis, the olgura Arven and the duergar Dorsk were the closest of friends, and blood-brothers in battle. Together they led their people as one against the monsters that inhabited the deep under the mountains and made them habitable.

They each became kings of their people and had kingdoms named after them. Arven was called “Mountainking” by his people, and Dorsk was called “Deepking” by his. Dorsk's people claimed the deep underground caverns for their city of Dorskenbard, while Arven's folk lived in snow-capped keeps of Arvenlaad.

## The Breaking of Brethren (612-615 AoV)

In Year 612 of the Age of Veradorianis, Dorhaun shook and the Darkwater Road was created. There was a planetwide earthquake, and the caverns beneath Arvenlaad were flooded. Thousands of duergar died drowning in the Deep. In the next year, the newly-born drow arrived in their underground ships and began raiding what was left of Dorsk's kingdom from the new sea, which they named Olathniar. King Dorsk Deepking II pleaded to King Dunder Mountainking for aid, and together the duergar and the olgura fought against the invading drow.

After two years, the casualties from the drow's strange magics and poisons became too heavy for them to bear. King Dunder offered free asylum to those who would come live with them in Arvenlaad, but few would take the offer and abandon their hard-built homes. King Dunder pulled his troops and King Dorsk II severed all ties between Arvenlaad and Dorskenbard, though after many years and much blood, Dorskenbard was declared safe.

This tragedy was immortalized in song:

*"The ringing of hammers sound deep in our halls
And the beating of drums from under the falls
Though Arvenlaad's mountains stand tall, proud, and cold
The heart of our people is a story untold*

*Our brothers beneath were the closest of kin
We drank and we fought and together we'd win
The devil from Ganvord brought titans of snow
But we never saw coming the dark from below
Though our fires burn high and our forges still glow
The guilt of our fathers, it burdens us so*

*On black ships they came, fleeing their home
Our kindred, they fought, their backs to the stone
They called for our aid, they were fighting alone
But our king he sat still on his iron throne*

*The guilt of our fathers, it burdens us so
The breaking of brethren, the darkness below
Though our fires burn high and our forges still glow
We'll not be forgiven by our brothers below
No, we'll not be forgiven by our brothers below
The guilt of our fathers, the darkness below."*

## Awakening of Gthilshiguulb (2039-2041 AoT)

In 2039 of the Age of Telvimbror, terror spread through the Deep under Arvenlaad. Whatever it was, it exterminated the duergar of Dorskenbard and many of the drow pirates, as well as formidable wildlife. A team of investigators was sent, but they never returned. Within days, King Hago Mountainking II gruesomely died in his sleep, his skull reportedly crushed.

The captain of the royal guard, Drogan Anvilsmasher, took it upon himself to travel to the nearby Corvisburg and recruit some folk with arcane knowledge. Erik and Shoria Blackheart had recently come to Corvisburg and were willing to help, along with Nostradus Blackheart's former assistant, Sularis Vin'Raudon. Though he found them distasteful at first, this would solidify a long-term partnership between Arvenlaad and Corvisburg.

After two years and many losses, the terror beneath the Olathniar was killed, and Captain Drogan Anvilsmasher was anointed King of both Arvenlaad and Dorskenbard, uniting the kingdoms again.