The Dwarven Empire Iarann

## Early Years of the Empire

The early years of the Iarann Empire were rather simple, they didn’t have much during this period as they were simply cottages and villages littered along the mountains. The empire began when a single Dwarf decided to try and set up a mine into the mountain, the unnamed dwarf found that his first mine was rich with gold, jewels and other precious metals essential to blacksmiths and metal workers in the surrounding Dwarven settlements. This discovery of the mountain fueled many dwarves to begin starting their own mines as well, as many began to start more well-organized smithing operations as they had a higher influx of materials that made them simply cheaper than prior to the discovery. A group of wealthy mining company owners determined that it would be beneficial for them to establish a city within the mountain so that they could have other merchants that they needed within their own settlement rather than needing to rely on traveling merchants to come to them. One city within the mountain followed another and those on the outside began to build castles and the like into the mountainside to reside over bustling cities and villages.

## The Forming of the Official Empire

The Wealthy merchants of the precious metals and minerals began to name themselves Dwarven Trade princes and had their own militaries and fully-functional cities inside or outside of the mountain. During this period one trade prince by the name of Ogrun Silverblade wanted to form an official empire for the dwarven people and using his vast wealth he began to buy out the other trade princes until they were all pledging fealty to him and relinquishing their armies for more riches. Ogrun Silverblade was named the first Emperor Paragon and named the Empire the Iarann Empire. Ogrun retained all of the trade princes as a part of the Paragon Council which served as his advisors before he made decisions, though he did have the final and absolute say in all decisions he made and he made this abundantly clear during his reign. Ogrun grew old watching the other trade princes die and their sons took their places. Ogrun had put his whole life towards founding the Empire, and had no heir to take his place nor did he have the intention to gain an heir. He left in his final words, a letter that was read at his deathbed, “Let this tradition rock the world, the Trade Princes from this day forth will vote amongst themselves to decide the new Paragon whenever one passes to the afterlife.” A few centuries passed as one or two new Paragons passed before the time of Bovvar that rocked the Dwarven Empire to its very core.

## The Time of Bovvar's Destruction

Despite the Dwarves of the time period having the most well-known and renowned army, they did not stand a chance against Bovvar’s divinity. The armies marched on the mountains and while his armies faltered during the first month of the invasion unable to actually cross into the mountains, unfortunately the moment Bovvar’s black boots hit the ground the tide of the battle was changed, he empowered his men to push forward able to push back the Dwarven forces and Bovvar used his power to collapse the mountains onto the first City outside of the Mountains. Bovvar and his armies pushed forward in similar fashion-- killing, pillaging and destroying City after City of the Dwarven Armies. By the time they reached the first gate to enter the Cities within the mountains Bovvar’s men, even with his grace, could not fight their way through the gates. Bovvar simply kept sending soldiers to their demise as he used his powers to cause cave-ins, earthquakes and other physical damage to the cities within the mountains. The casualties were mounting until Bovvar suddenly halted the attack as the other Gods met him on the field of battle and defeated him and his armies. The Dwarven Cities were left in little more than ruins when the dust had settled but they had held the line.

## Reconstruction

The Gods Grangruth and Zule worked hard at the beginning of reconstruction, Zule making many of the foundations with his divine power in order to reconstruct buildings whilst Grangruth helped the dwarves move foundations and building supplies to assist in the repairs. Sometime during the beginning, they got the reconstruction well underway. Zule and Grangruth, the Dwarven patrons, simply vanished from the sites of reconstruction, leaving only their quickly built supplies that still needed to be molded into repairs and construction work-- but the Dwarves were hearty and determined to repair their homes.